Emma’s Blog

If I could have any job in the world, I would love to be a ballerina. I love to dance professionally, travel the world with the rest of the studio, and be a role model to young dancers. Since I started dancing when I was two years old, ballet has been my favorite style. You can put everything into the choreography, and have as much fun as you can on stage. Dancing professionally would mean I can dance with my heroes like Misty Copeland and Sylvie Guillem. Dancing with companies like American Ballet Theatre, would mean I can travel all over the country, with the best ballerinas. I would also love to be able to show my scar to the world, and be a role model for girls with scoliosis!

For my 20% Project, I chose to learn dancing in pointe shoes. I have always wanted to dance en pointe. This week, I had one struggle. My ribbon came undone during class! So I had to dance for a half an hour without a ribbon. I have classes with my dance studio once a week, and the rest of the time I have to practice at home. While practicing at home, I have managed to break in the shoes, sew the ribbon, and balance without holding onto anything. I have found that it helps to put socks over your shoes, so that the silk doesn’t get dirty from the floor. Also buying the thickest thread for the ribbons helps a lot (my solution for the earlier issue). When I resume my project, I will work on balancing more in the center, finding new strengthening exercises, and learning more of pointe ballet history. Tune in next week for another update!

During spring break I went to Disneyland with my aunt and uncle, and Seaworld with my family. At Disneyland California Adventure we did almost every ride. Sadly, almost all the outdoor track rides were closed due to rain, but we had fun! Especially because at the end of the day, we got Carmel apples! Seaworld was amazing! We got to see the orcas, dolphins, pilot whales, sea lions, otters, sloths and turtles. Trainers are even allowed to swim with dolphins again! The rest of spring break I spent on the couch with my best friend, the TV.

This month I read Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie, book two in the Hercule Poirot series. In the beginning, Poirot gets a letter from Mr. Paul Renauld in Villa Geneviève, Merlinville-sur-Mer, France. The narrator Captain Hastings, has gone to visit Poirot upon his request. While on the train, Hastings met a woman who is apart of a acrobatic act with her sister. When he asked for her name she replied, ‘Cinderella’ – an alias. She would be staying near the Villa Geneviève. Hastings and Poirot traveled to the Villa to find that Mr. Renauld has been murdered! Frantically, Poirot investigates. Mrs. Renauld has reported that she was tied up and gagged in the middle of the night. But in South America (the only child of Mr. Renauld) Jack Renauld, was gone the night of his father’s death. His secret love, “the girl with anxious eyes” as Poirot says, was the subject of a quarrel between the Renauld men. Another detective, Monsieur Giraud, shows up and challenges Poirot to see who can solve the case. Giraud found a love letter from a Bella Duveen for Mr. Renauld. One of the maids says she suspects he had a mistress. Is this true? On top of that, a second murder! With the same dagger! There are still other cases that haven’t been considered, other people that you don’t expect. Who murdered Paul Renauld?

My favorite character was Cinderella. I didn’t mention it, but we see her again multiple times throughout the story. She was strong willed, confident, curious, intelligent, and funny. She has kept up with all the murder cases in the news paper. To show her intelligence, on page six:

” ‘Do you remember the Styles case?’ I asked. ‘Let me see, was that the old lady who was poisoned? Somewhere down in Essex?’ I nodded.”

This shows that she does her research, and remembers every detail of the case. If I had to choose a favorite quote, I would choose the one on page four when Hastings was on the train, and Cinderella said;

“Say no more! Nobody loves me! I shall go to the garden and eat worms! Boohoo. I am crushed!”

Now, she said this because when she had previously cursed in front of Hastings he was judging her. He believed women shouldn’t use language like that, and she was upset at his stereotype. I found this a little funny because of the worms part, but this is definitely my favorite quote.

This month I read The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie. The book is about a man, Captain Arthur Hastings who gets involved in a murder case. The murder occurs shortly after he arrives at Styles, an inn owned by a friends mother. The old rich woman, Emily Inglethorp dies by a poisoning! Emily was the owner of the Styles estate, and was a very wealthy woman. Mr. Hasting hires his Belgian friend detective Hercule Poirot to investigate the murder. Poirot thinks the poison was strychnine, but who put it in old Emily’s cup? Emily had a new husband, Alfred Inglethorp and Miss Howard, (one of Mrs. Inglethorp’s servants) suspects him. Then there is John and Lawrence Cavendish, Mrs. Inglethorp’s two sons. John’s wife Mary, has been getting attached to a certain guest staying at Styles and his jealousy grows. Who has murdered Emily Inglethorp? And why?

This book was amazing because, it was so funny and it was a mystery. Murders are always fun to read about, but when you get caught in the story not knowing who the character can trust, it feels great! My favorite character was Cynthia, a close friend of John’s and the most relatable character in the book. Cynthia had many admirable traits but one of her best was humor. My favorite line of hers was, starting with Hastings.

” ‘How many people do you poison?’ I asked smiling. Cynthia smiled too. ‘Oh, hundreds!’ she said.”

I love that part because it just funny to see that she got Hasting’s joke and replied with the most amazing answer. Mrs. Mary Cavendish and Mr. Hastings had a conversation in the courtyard about Mary being able to solve a crime so she said:

” ‘…But I’m certain I’d know. I’d feel it in my fingertips if he came near me.’ ‘Might be a ‘she,’ ‘ I suggested. ‘Might. But murders a violent crime. Associate it more with a man.’ ‘Not in the case of a poisoning.’ Mrs. Cavendish’s clear voice startled me.”

I like that quote because it shows that Mrs. Cavendish is a strong and smart woman, abd Hastings often underestimates her. But it also lets us see that she is a force to be reckoned with.

I was gifted an Invisibility Cloak on my eleventh birthday. I knew this meant the ultimate scheming device. The box it came in had one note: “You May only have the cloak in your possession for twenty-four hours, then it disappears.”
The note came with no name, just the message. But who was it from? Well I know one thing, I can do anything I want without being seen. First I will sneak into the pantry and eat most of the chocolate before I throw up. Now that my stomach is hurting like crazy, I should go sit down and watch TV. I’m sitting on the couch, with my bag of potato chips, on the last marvel movie on my watchlist, when my brother comes in and and starts to play Fortnite. I sat down to relax, but now I have to get up again! This time, it’s about ten o’clock at night, so I go upstairs to get ready for bed. I curl up with my reading light and Harry Potter books, and drift off into a peaceful sleep.

Once upon a time, there lived a potato named Bob. Bob always dreamed of being a famous zookeeper! But his problem was, that he didn’t live in Hollywood, and Hollywood is most definitely famous for its zookeepers. Bob lived in a big town in Arizona, his city was famous for their movie making and celebrities. Bob grew up in a kitchen in the most luxurious restaurant in the world! He grew in the richest soil, was about to be chopped into a nice steaming, delicious, potato soup—wait what? This can’t be how it ends for Bob! And then, just as the knife is coming down on Bob, the chef stops. “No, zis one ees too small.” He said. His French accent was hard to understand, so he might have just been asking to go to the mall. But Bob was safe!! He was free spud!

Two weeks later

Bob was about to board flight 101 out of Potatopolis when he stopped at the huge sparkling airport window. “Goodbye home.” he said with a sad smile. “Hello zoo-keeping!”

Imagine being stuck on an abandoned island. For nearly five years of my life, that was me! When I was about seven years old, my family and I when on a cruise. The large ship hit a big wave, and knocked a few passengers off the deck. There I was looking at the dolphins swimming by, eating my ice cream, then just like that! I went over the edge about five hundred miles northeast and I was on this island. The island was (from what I could tell) relatively big. There was no telling what was out there, and I didn’t dare go and explore to deep, in the beautiful green jungle. There were palm trees lining the coast, and a huge brown and gold ship crashed on the shoreline. I set up camp, I made a shelter out of palm fronds and other leaves I could find. I tore off the sail of the ship to make a blanket, and found some cotton to stuff in between it to make the blanket warmer. Surely my family will be looking for me now!

I then came up with a daily routine: In the morning, I will wake up at dawn to start fishing for the day’s meals (I found a sharp tree branch for a spear). Then, I will do my everyday stretching to stay in shape. Now that’s done, I can go climb the trees for coconuts and other fruits to eat. After this I will go catch chickens to eat for lunch. By the way, I found a water well filled with pre-purified water, so I fill my water bottle with that. When lunch is over I’ll go for a well deserved swim in the ocean. Just as I am gutting the fish I caught earlier, I hear music. It sounds like, banging drums! Then I hear a woman’s voice, “Hello Hawaii! Welcome to the thirty-second annual Hawaii Day Concert! Wait, what? I’ve been on an Island if Hawaii this whole time!?!? That explains the well! I run as fast as I can, heart racing, breathing heavily, the sound of my heartbeat in my ears. “Mom! Dad!” I call. I’m finally home!

“Happiness can be found in even the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light.” -Albus Dumbledore

The wise Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter said many useful things that have become inspirational quotes over the years. What this one in particular is extremely famous. It means that even when things get tough, there is always a bright side, no matter what. It helped me realize when I had to have surgery, that it was going to be okay and I was going to be better with it. We can all find the light in the dark.

This month I reread Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. This is the seventh and final story in the amazing Harry Potter series. When Lord Voldemort takes over, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger are on the run. While the trio are out hunting Horcruxes, the Ministry of Magic has fallen, and society has turned dark and horrid. Voldemort’s men are hunting Muggles and Mudbloods, Hermione has forced her parents to go into hiding! Ron is worried for the safety of his family and friends. Harry is worried about his girlfriend Ginny, wondering if she still stays up at night thinking of him. When a huge battle rages at Hogwarts, will the Boy Who Lived survive? Or will darkness close in?

What I loved about the book was that you were never sure what was going to happen next, it wasn’t predictable. It was also really funny at times even when something bad was happening. This is one of my all time favorite books. My favorite character in this one was Hermione. She always had witty comments, knew what to do in almost every situation, and she always cared for her friends. One of my favorite Hermione quotes was on page 32 where Hermione shows she’s smart, starting when Ron says, ” ‘Oh, of course,’ said Ron, clapping a hand to his forehead. ‘I forgot we’ll be hunting down Voldemort in a mobile library.’ ‘Ha ha.’ said Hermione, looking down at Spellman’s Syllabary. ‘I wonder. . . will we need to translate runes? It’s possible. . . . I think we’d better it, to be safe.'” I like this quote because it shows that she is always prepared and even with Ron’s sarcasm, she is always smart and thinking strait.

One of my favorite line is when George gets his ear cut off and Fred is worried sick. It starts with Fred Weasley saying on page 24, ” ‘Is his mind affected?’ ‘Saintlike,’ repeated George, opening his eyes and looking up at his brother. ‘You see . . . I’m holy. Holey, Fred, geddit?’ Mrs. Weasley sobbed harder than ever. Color flooded Fred’s pale face. ‘Pathetic,’ he told George. ‘Pathetic! With the whole wide world of ear-related humor before you, you go for holey?‘ ” I love this quote because it shows that the Weasley twins’ humor will always live on, even when they lose an ear!