Halloween(:

To most people Halloween is just a day to run around TPing houses, ding dong ditching and running from house to house in your neighborhood getting candy. But for me it’s a bigger deal then just that. It is also my birthday! Tomorrow at 10:56 p.m. fourteen years ago is when I was born. Every year my birthday weekend is very busy. Tonight I am going to the first Play Off game at Stevenson then after I’m going to a Halloween costume party at my friend Paiges house. When the party is over a few of my friends are sleeping over and we’re going to stay up all night watching scary movies! Then Saturday is my birthday!!! Before I do anything that day my mom is forcing me go to gymnastics. I am a little disappointed I have to, but my best friends Heather and Kassidy are coming with me so it should be fun! They also sing the Happy Happy Birthday song when it’s someone’s birthday and throw them into the foam pit. When gymnastics is over I’m going to Heathers house to get ready for Jessies Halloween Party. Heather is going to be a cat, and I’m going to be a bumble bee. At some point Halloween night I want to go to a haunted driveway on Doris by Coolidge Elementary School. A person living on the street has a circle drive way and have scary mannequins. On Halloween night people in that neighborhood hide in the mannequins and as you walk up to the house to get candy they jump out and grab you! If you can make it all the way to the front door to say, “Trick or treat” without running down the street screaming for your life, you get a huge candy bar. I’ve never made it to the front door. Every year I go, and every year I run away screaming. Last year I was chased down the street by a man in a mummy costume hiding in a coffin that was underground. This weekend is going to be so much fun! It will be a hard day for my mom. She is over dramatic and will cry because, “Just yesterday she was taking me home from the hospital” and now I’m all grown up and have my own plans. Halloween is definitely my favorite holiday! It's a day were you can dress up, hang out with your friends, and just have fun!

Health Care in the U.S. vs. Other Countries

In the United States we have some of the best health care available in the world, if you can afford to pay for it. 68% of Republicans, 32% of Democrats and 40% of Independents believe that health care in the United States is the best. This excellent health care is extremely expensive and health insurance is becoming more and more difficult for most Americans to keep. 1 out of 3 Americans under the age of 60 will go without health insurance for a few months every two years. Of those Americans living temporarily without health insurance, 1/3 of them will be uninsured for at least nine months, according to www.sharedprosperity.org.
The cost of merely paying for your health care or insurance out of pocket is very high. Those who have little money or are poorer, but not eligible for our current system of government medical aid, Medicaid and Medicare, find it impossible to afford adequate insurance nor are they able to pay for medical care out of their own pockets. One major illness or injury could bankrupt a family or the patient would not receive this same excellent care since they can’t afford. Those who are fortunate to have insurance through an employer often find that the parts of medical care not covered by the insurance to be very expensive.
Many other countries use a government run health care system, including Canada and parts of Europe. People who are against a government run health care system will argue that the care received in those countries is inferior to care received in the United States. However citizens of countries with government health care seem to get broken bones taken care of and citizens of Canada do not seem to be unhealthy. Their choice may be limited, but they are able to receive affordable health care when they are ill.
Our country has excellent health care, but the question is how can some people afford it? Obama is trying to make our health care system run like Canada’s. But by the time the government gets a new health care system set up, we will probably have lost even more citizens in our country because they can’t afford the cost of medical treatment. Our country is one of the top advanced countries in the medical field. But Americans can’t take advantage of that, if they can’t afford it.

400 word free write

My Free Write is more like a journal entry because my mind is preoccupied with some sad personal events that have happened over the past several days. Poor choices can ruin not only opportunities but also friendships. A German foreign exchange student named Nele came in August to stay with my aunt and uncle. Two years ago, her brother stayed with my aunt and uncle and our family became very close with him, even after he left we kept in touch. He’s even been back to visit a couple of times. My family and I were so excited that we would have a chance to get to know his sister, Nele.
A few days ago, Nele was accused of stealing clothes from her friends’ room. She denied the allegations and was given the benefit of the doubt while they sorted out the whole thing. Eventually, it was proven she did steal the clothing. She went to great lengths to cover it up and even when confronted with the truth, she refused to take responsibility for her actions. The exchange program and her parents decided the punishment for her poor behavior would be not letting her finish the exchange program and sending her home to Germany immediately, I never even had a chance to say goodbye in person.

As a result of her bad decisions I have lost a friend who I truly looked up to and depended on, my aunt and uncle feel betrayed by someone they opened their home to and our whole family feels sad and disappointed because we all have come to love her. Her parents lost thousands of Euro because the exchange agency fees are non-refundable and her brother is probably embarrassed by his sisters’ behavior. Her friends from Farmington High also probably feel betrayed and are probably checking their closets to see if anything is missing. Nele has also lost a lot. She has lost the trust and respect of a lot of people. She has lost an opportunity not very many kids get. She had the chance to live in different country and experience a high school system that is different from her own. Even though she is 16, she was admitted to Farmington High as a senior so she could experience graduation, prom, the all night party and all the cool things that happen when you’re a senior. It is amazing how much one persons bad decision can affect so many people’s lives.

My First Day of High School

School has been really crazy so far! Teachers are stricter, and there are so many more people then there was at Holmes. One thing I like a lot about school so far is that we have about six minutes for passing time. So I have more time to socialize with friends. But being in such a big school also means it's harder to keep in touch with friends that you don't have classes with. On my first day I remember walking down A hall not knowing where I was going and I kept thinking to myself that people are probably thinking I'm a clueless freshmen that needs mental help.

Classes are different then they were in middle school. Teachers at Stevenson take our schoolwork and tests very seriously. They don’t take excuses like “I forgot my book at school” or “ I’m late because my locker was jammed.” Also I have some sophomores, juniors and even seniors in some of my classes. In past years at school I have only had people in my grade level in classes with me.

The hardest thing for me to get adjusted to is probably waking up so early. Last year I would have to wake up at six thirty. Now if I wake up at even five thirty I’ll have to rush or I’ll be late for school. The homework is also a challenge. I made plans with friends after school on the first day thinking I would have time because teachers never give homework on the first day. I ended up having to cancel my plans because I had homework in almost all my classes. And I had to write an essay about my first day. I miss middle school but I know that high school is probably going to be even better!