Owen’s Blog

My dream job would be a professional athlete. The fame, fortune, and the knowing you have fans supporting you across the country. When you are famous people know you, and it seems cool to have people talk about you everywhere. It would take some camouflage to go run regular errands as a famous person, being a downside, but there are still more upsides. The fortune, rolling in money. It’s nice to be rich and have luxury everything. Huge mansions, fancy sports cars, the finest food. Having butlers and the best trainers to help assist your needs. Then the fans, people supporting you as you walk on to the field, court, or arena. It would be cool knowing people dream about meeting you or being you. That is why a professional athlete would be my dream job.

This month I read The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater. The 57 Bus is about the encounter of two teenagers who live completely different lives. They only encounter each other on an eight minute ride on the 57 bus. Sasha is an agender person who lives by they, them pronouns. They like to wear skirts and overalls as their fit. They have friends who are very accepting and loving of Sasha. They go to a fancy private school with not many kids in their grade in the nice part of Oakland. Richard though, lives a different life. He is an African-American boy who lives in the hood with guns and crack running through the streets in the dark part of Oakland. He attends Oakland high school with poor grade which he is trying to bring up until being arrested. He encounters Sasha sleeping on the 57 bus and lights the skirt on fire thinking that Sasha would wake up and put it out for a few laughs. But the skirt erupts into flames giving Sasha third degree burns all over their legs. Richard is arrested with multiple felonies landing him in juvie.

I really liked this book because of the detailed descriptions of everything and the ability to visualize the scenes that happen. The story is kind of dark, but it speaks the truth about the places some people live in. I also like how it describes the story in a place where two people can live completely different lives. I like the diversity of the book.

My favorite character from the book was Richard. Even though he was the antagonist, he isn’t evil. He is just a teenager that made a mistake One quote to prove this is: “I am not a thug, gangster, hoodlum, nor monster. I’m a young African American male who’s made a terrible mistake. Not only did I hurt you but I hurt you’re family & friends and also my family & friends for I have brought shame to them and our country and I shall be punished which is going to be hard for me because I’m not made to be incarcerated.”

If I were invisible for 24 hours, I would do a few things during my time. I would first sneak in to professional sports games like an Angels game or a Lakers game. I don’t usually go to these because of business but sneaking a ride there and sneaking in to the game to watch. Then I would visit multiple stores and steal all the activated vbucks gift cards and lottery tickets. I would get a lot of vbucks on my account in Fortnite so I could buy a bunch of exclusive stuff and the lottery tickets give me a chance to become rich. The third a final thing I would do when being invisible would be to go to the best food places to try them and go to my favorite dessert places in the town. That is what I would do if I were invisible for 24 hours.

Ah, here comes Randy Idea, the man of sailing the seven seas. “Mr. Idea, ready for our 50 day trip? “Am I ever! What a great time we will have!” It was the year 1854 in London, England. Randy Idea was the greatest sailor to ever live, he tackled the fiercest water, greatest beasts, and treacherous times. But on day 33, it came. The Imegert was the most feared beast in all the seas. Larger than the Kraken, smarter than Chuthulu, a terrible foe. It ransacked the ship, eating crew in sight, and throwing the remains all over the place. Randy Idea though survived, but awoke on an island. He soon figured out he could walk the perimeter in two hours. There was a small forest, with the luxury of in season mangos! There wasn’t a creature in sight though, and it would have been nice to have a friend. Back at home though, word got out of the attack. And Randy + the crew was declared legally dead. After a few weeks, Randy had a simple daily routine. Wake up in a small shelter, eat breakfast of later found ferrets, search the island, eat lunch of mangos, build more of his shelter, try to find a way to escape, work out, eat dinner of ferrets and mangos, go to bed in an improved shelter. He never got sick, because no one with a sickness was there. But after 200 years, someone finally came. They were in a helicopter flying around patrolling, and saw Randy working out. They rescued him, and he gave them the greatest Mangos in return for saving him. He asked what year it was, and they said 2054. Randy was puzzled but later found out that those mangos had kept him alive for 200 years. He told the men his story and they were amazed. Randy went on to live a happy life in the future of our world.

This month I read Code Of Honor by Alan Gratz. It is a book about an Iranian kid named Kamran Smith trying to clear his brother’s name after being captured and staged by terrorists from Iran and Afghanistan. His brother is Darius Smith who Kamran looks up to a lot. He joined the American army and was sent to raid an Afghanistan base of terrorists. But one day after his senior prom it gets on the news that Darius has joined a terrorists group and is responsible for the loss of lives at an American camp in Afghanistan. Kamran and his family is kidnapped by the government and sent to a maximum security prison in Washington D.C. But he thinks something is off. In the videos Darius has filmed he made references to games they played as children. He gets help from a man named Mickey Hagan who works for the CIA. The references are hidden codes pointing to future attacks. Then Kamran tries to escape. He moves stealthily and does get out with help. Will he clear his brother’s name? Or will he die trying.

I really liked this book because it was action packed and always gives good cliffhangers. There are only slow parts when there needs to be and there are surprises no one could predict happening. That is why I really liked this book.

My favorite character was Jimmy because he had a snarky attitude which was funny in some parts. He also seemed to butt in randomly which was also funny. But his backstory is also cool as well. Before Mickey Hagan found him he was a black hat hacker, or was a criminal hacker, but now he is a white hat hacker, or good hacker. He helps the team in digging up dirt and backstories and disables anything electronic in the way.

I was walking home from the store one day when I decided to take a shortcut through the woods since it would end up in my neighborhood. I had always done that walking home from school and during the summer I worked on my path with my friends. The woods were hilly and confusing making it hard to traverse. But the now finished path was flat and went around the hills. But for some reason the woods felt different today. There was a heavy fog laying trapped in the woods and it looked like Chucky was going to pop out any second. But it was getting late, so I had to go through. I saw the path and headed on it quickly. I was nearly halfway home when I saw something glowing in the distance. I decided to check it out. It was over a few hills but when I got there I was stunned. It looked like someone had shattered the fabrics of reality. There was a glow in the center but there was something that looked like broken glass surrounding it in suspended animation. I grabbed a rock and chucked it into it. The thing glowed and made a zapping sound. I got a little too close though and it started pulling me in. I screamed and tried to break free but it was too strong. I woke up in a weird world. The sky was green but the trees were blue! But then I remembered that it was getting late and had to dreadfully turn around. The thing sucked me in again and spit me out again. I would definitely be back here again. It was a very interesting shortcut.

My quote I chose is “we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.” I chose this because of the what is easy part. Getting the easy way out is more preferable but the harder route may require more work but if it is the right way, take it. I personally like the easy way and will usually take it. But if the hard way is right, then count me in. That is why “we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.” Is my quote.

One person I greatly admire is LeBron James. He is an NBA player with one of the greatest legacies. He still plays to this day at 40 yrs old. He is my hero because of his perseverance, his body care awareness, and being a superstar and a family man too. He always strives to get better and even though he has been the best at times, he always thinks he can get better which is the right mindset to have. Did you know he spends over $1,000,000 on care for his body? The right nutrition, meditation, trainers, and workout equipment. Most superstars or famous people aren’t very nice to their fans and other people, and most people deny it or don’t know it. But for LeBron, that’s different. He has a loving wife, and three children who he cares and worries about deeply. Those are the reasons why LeBron is my hero.

This year I am going to focus on the word sports. I want to put in extra time in devotion to sports during free moments. During the summer I want to practice shooting in my pool for water polo during the offseason. I will go to swim conditioning more often to get faster while also strengthening my legs. I will do extra land workouts to push myself even more than usual. Push up, sit up, squats, dead hang, that stuff. That is why I am focusing on sports this year.

This month I read Unstoppable, by Tim Green. It starts out as the main character Harrison on the Constable’s farm. A place where foster kids learn discipline until adopted. But then Harrison’s luck changes and he gets adopted by loving parents and the Dad coaches football, what Harrison watched on his free time. Harrison then starts living life as a normal kid, going to school, playing sports, and gets a crush. But then, fate takes a turn for the worst, Harrison had been diagnosed with a disease that involves maybe never playing football again. Will he power through being crippled, or will he never step on the 100 yard field again.

I really liked how inspiring and true this book is. A true realistic book about student life at home and at school. Along with the detailed description of everything and especially what it’s like to be the new kid in sports and school. That is why I like the book.

My favorite character in the book is Justin because he is welcoming. When Harrison had moved to the new home Justin was very nice and bought him Subway. One quote to prove this is “Good, you want some Subway?”

My favorite quote is “You know what people like are that quit, a gimp.” Said by Major Kirk Bauer. This is my favorite because it is what motivates Harrison to do more and not stop at the minimum. This is what helps him get through the tough time when he is crippled.