Metaphor Madness by Sydney Martinez

My life is a soccer game. There’s a goal for you, then a goal against you. You have to think, but still live in the moment. Sometimes you can’t slow down or the ball will be taken away from you. Other times you have to time your run to get where you need to be on time. An elbow is thrown in your gut, sometimes the foul is called, other times it’s not. You get upset, scream and yell and the ref pulls out the yellow card. You make a mistake, but you can redeem yourself by getting that goal, it just depends on how much you want it.

The whistle blows and the game begins. It’s my team’s kickoff. We use the same play as always: small touch to my left, player turns the ball and passes it back, and I’m off running. Excitement builds and I receive a pass. I’m sprinting, rushing down the field, wanting to get that goal fast; wanting the fame fast. I look to my left and my teammates calling for a cross. Do I want to share the glory? I don’t. I take my shot from the eighteen and miss, not even on frame. A heavy sigh escapes from the crowd. A mumbled, “Nice try,” from my teammate, and then my coach, “Look for the cross next time, we could’ve had that one!”

I’ve been living my life the same way since the beginning. I’ve played the same sports, gotten the same grades, and had the same personality. The familiarity was great for me, it got me noticed. In the beginning, I just wanted praise, but then I wanted more. People tried to be nice to me, but eventually learned to ignore me. I wanted people to care who I was and what I was doing, whether or not I got the glory in a good way. It was about me. And when I wasn’t commended, I felt worthless and gave up.

The rivals have the ball. My defense is calling me back, wanting me to mark up. Why would I want to step back when I’ve already gotten this far? I watch as the ball hits our net. 1-0, we let them score. “Midfield! You have got to get back,” yells my coach. My coach is mad, my teammates are mad. They want to sub me out, but they can’t. There are no subs. I’m the only me, I’m the only one who can do what I was meant to do.

My family and friends needed help, but I was absorbed in my own pity. I didn’t help them when they needed it, and they were scored against. I didn’t want to lose what glory I had already gained. They told me they needed me, but I ignored them, I was working for me. At that time, they may have thought I was selfish and rude, but I was the only me, they had to put up with it.

Our kickoff again. We make the same play, the other team has caught on, but I don’t care. I do what I want to do, what will give me the glory. An attacker from the other team takes the ball. She’s sprinting towards our goal, she makes a pass. The player makes it straight into the net. Another goal. She was my mark, the one who made the goal. I think my teammates hate me. They won’t look at me, they hang their heads low, and I do, too. I’m ashamed. Everyone knows it’s my fault.

When I had an opportunity to start over, I didn’t take it. I stayed the same person that I had become. Just as I thought I was back where I wanted to be, someone passed me by and tore the praise away from me. In place of the praise was shame.

The whistle sounds twice, halftime. It’s time to rest, think. Even more, time to face the mistakes I made. “You should have passed the ball.”
“I know. I’ll look for the pass next time.”
“We need your help on defense.”
“I know. I’ll get back.”
“You need to time your runs.”
“I know,” I say, barely a whisper.
Everyone’s quiet. “Look, I know the mistakes I made. I let you all down, and I can’t change what I did, but I can make it better.”

Eventually, I had to face the mistakes I had made. People told me what I did wrong, but I already knew. I could fix the mistakes, I knew I could, I’d just have to try my hardest.

We’re back on the field. The other team kicks the ball. It’s going to the flag. I’m to the ball in a flash. I dribble up the line. I look up, watching where I’m going, making smart decisions. I fake out the defender. I’m out wide on their defensive third. I still have an angle to take the shot, but there’s my teammate. She doesn’t even have to call for the cross. She heads it over the keepers stretched arms. There’s screaming and cheering coming from the crowd. “Yes,” yells my teammate.
We don’t stop. After their kickoff, we keep the ball in our possession. “We’ve got two minutes, ladies! Let’s do this,” yells my coach.

This time, I took the chance to start over. I was thinking before making a move. I was making good decisions, something I felt I hadn’t done in a while. I kept my life under control and I was being rewarded for it.

My teammate dribbles the ball down the field. She looks at me and passes. I’m going in to take the shot when I’m tackled, they didn’t want me to succeed. The ref runs over and pulls out his yellow, the other team’s foul, their mistake. I was in the box, time for a penalty kick. I line up at a forty-five degree angle, planning what to do next. I’m looking at the top left corner, but I just touch it into the lower right corner, an in-the-moment decision. The keeper jumps instead of dives. It’s in! The whistle blows three times. That’s the game!

I was about to succeed without anyone trying to take me down, but somewhere in the back of my head I knew that would be too perfect. And guess what? I was torn down, and for a while, I didn’t want to get up. But I did, with the support of everyone who knew me. The problem was, I just didn't know I had to be a part of a team. And when I did figure that out, we, my family and my friends, won the game, the game I’ve been trying to win all along.

Metaphor Madness By Melanie Ririe

Melanie Ririe


My life is trying to fall sleep but can’t, I’m still aware of what’s going on but not fully aware. I can hear people talking but can only understand some words. Mother’s day, car crash, Hospital, and someone’s crying what does it all mean? When you’re trying to fall asleep you can still hear what is going on in the house until you fade away into sleep. I’m a little girl, about six years old “trying to sleep” and can’t understand why everyone is so unhappy, only a few words out of their mouths I can hear; dad is hurt and is being flown to the hospital, not responding, unconscious. My life is laying there with only my ears to listen.

My life is a dream. I’m listening but the words are all a blur so I have to see and feel what is happening. My mom is leaving my siblings and me with my grandma and grandpa while she goes to see my dad in the hospital, but why is he there? He’s been in a car accident is all I can hear I want to know if he is okay but they can’t tell me that, all they know is that he is in a coma… what is a coma? Asleep and can’t wake up? Well wake him up! How could this happen? I’m only six years old so it’s hard to understand but I have people here to explain and help get me out of this sleepless dream.

The story starts Mother’s day 2001. Everyone in my family except my dad just got home from church; my dad was a car salesman for Infinity and was driving a car to my uncle in California and wasn’t going to be home for a while. We had just got home and the phone rang, I watched my mom listen intently to the person on the other line while I jumped on my bed. Out of nowhere my mom starts to cry so I stopped jumping and listened to the conversation but all had been said, she put the phone down. My mom isn’t just crying she is in pain, not physical pain emotional pain. “Your dad had been in a car accident.” She says to my sister and I, and my sister starts in crying! I’m in a dream and can’t cry with them because I don’t know why their crying I only cried when I fell off my bike. My sister and I are left in the room while my mom goes to call someone else, I didn’t really know what all the commotion was so I jumped off the bed not joyfully but not sad enough for my sister so she yelled at me and told me that our dad could be dying right now so I shouldn’t be happy. Then the reality set in.

“Dad” could I ever call anyone else that special name? What would happen if my dad did die, what would the rest of my family do? This all was so hard to understand for me I was in a sleepless dream incapable of knowing certain things. All I knew at that point was that my dad was in a Reno, Nevada hospital, in a coma in very bad condition to the point where he could die. Even if he lived he wouldn’t be able to walk and he would have to be taught many things over again. He may not know who I am.

My dad not only could walk, he became a ski instructor at Brighton ski resort! I’m no longer in a sleepless dream I am awake. Everything that happened that year I now know, and I know that it was supposed to happen. My families faith was a little hill you couldn’t even sled down, now it is a mountain you can climb.

Metaphor Madness by Chelsea Pexton

Life is a roller coaster. We all have our ups and our downs. When you are having a great time and loving life, the car is slowly traveling upward. When you are discouraged and depressed, however, you are zooming down a hundred feet from the top. There are times when our lives are just fine but suddenly everything is turned upside down, the loop de loops. There are the corkscrews where we are spinning in circles and confused, these are the times when our lives are hectic and busy. Air keeps flying past us, just as time does, flaring our cheeks out wide like in classic cartoons. Just as roller coasters are different, so are our lives. No two are exactly the same. Roller coasters are individually diverse, and so are people. We all have different thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

Most everyone’s lives have many happy times. When I was three years old my grandmother took me to see a ballet. Unlike my older cousins she also brought, who whined and cried throughout the entire show, I sat contempt in my seat and stared at the beautiful dancers. A few years later my grandma let me take ballet lessons. When we went in to purchase my first pair of ballet slippers, my teacher whispered to my grandma, “Oh yes, she’s got natural talent and will do very well!” I was so excited on my first day and not at all nervous. I couldn’t wait until I was older and better when I would dance en pointe like the older girls. I have been dancing ballet ever since. Last year in January my class started pointe. (Where you dance on your toes) It was the happiest time of my life because it was what I had been waiting for since I was little! At first it was very difficult but with much effort and practice I was soon very balanced and able to accomplish very complicated steps.

Throughout my younger years there were ups and downs, though, that made ballet much less enjoyable. In level one I was made fun of for being the “Teacher’s pet” and had few friends in my class. In level three the new teacher was strict and was often angry with us making class hard to attend. But through my roller coasters ups and downs I stuck with it and now I am at a point where I hardly ever have downs at all. We have all had the great moments of the ups where we wish we could just stay there forever looking down at the great view, but we have also had the down where we are plummeting down into destruction and want nothing but to ride back up to the top. But roller coasters aren’t made that way, they only travel forward. We have to keep moving forward. Life is a roller coaster and we are strapped in the car whether we wish to be or not. We might as well sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

Metaphor Madness By Mariana Alvarez

Life is the last inning to a championship game and the score is tied and you’re up to bat. While walking up to the some what dirty home plate with the old umpire smiling and the crowd screaming your name and with all the nasty glares from the catcher and pitcher. You walk up with all the confidence in the world and you say to yourself “here we go”. Then you either get in your stance and give a harmless smile to the stressed out pitched, or you turn to your coach for a last glimpse of inspiration. Up to bat you go, 2 chance have came and you’re a little disappointed in yourself that you didn’t quite hit the chance you got, and who knows those could have been the only chances you get. Standing there and knowing this pitch could and might be it. BOW! You smacked it, and you’ve officially one the game for your team. You’ve got all the glory in the world right now and nothing will change that. Well only one thing. It went fowl. Disappointed yet again, you go up and say “come on now” and “STRIKE THREE!” the umpire calls out. That completely tore you up. But you end up, knowing the pitch was way out, and you think wow I lost it for us.
On February 24th in St George Utah, that’s exactly what happened to me. We were playing in an accelerated tournament. We had just beat TC Thunder by five points, and we were excited to be in the championship game. Except the one thing was we were playing LV Pride. We had lost to them once and it wasn’t the best game. We’ll before finding out that we were playing it was between, LV Pride and another Las Vegas. Well after watching that game we knew by the third inning that we were playing LV Pride. So we went to warm up, we did everything pretty good. Almost perfect I’d say. All of my team including me were hyped up, and extremely excited!
The game was about five minutes from starting and we were taking grounders and making sure we were still warmed up. The umpires called out “ coaches and captains” and as a catcher I would be a main player, so Maddie Davis, Courtney Beavers, Ashley Clayson and my self went up with our coach Larry aka Sparky. The umpires said the rules, which weren’t just a reminder even though everyone knew that rules. So we asked me to call it I called heads, and it landed tales. We ended up being visitor. Which I thought was good. When we bat first we good pretty good, so I ran into the dug and said “we’re hitting ladies”
We began and wow, we’re doing pretty well, and well the game went one for another hour. We were in the last inning, and we’ll the stress factor on that sunny clay filled field was high. So I was on deck and the pitcher just hit Katelyn, wow that’s number six! So I went up and the pitcher probably gave me the dirtiest look a person could get. So I went to the left of the home plate, and swung my purple synergy bat about four times. Then I looked over at Darrin my coach and he said “mar you got this kid, swing away and smack it” I smiled with a little smirk, and nodded. I went up and gave a harmless smile just to make the pitcher go off. The pitch came, “STRIKE ONE!” I was absolutely dumb founded, that was a ball and everyone knew. Another pitch and “BOW!” I hit it, run! I ran to first and all hear are Middies’ mom screaming and the field umpire yelling out “FOWL BALL!” Are you kidding me? So I went back to the base and I get told come mar, you’ve got this, and I heard Lauren, Maddie and Katelyn, yelling come on mar. So I was a little scared. I see it, “strike three…” Oh my!
We lost; I can’t believe we lost because of me not swinging. I feel like crap. About the cry because I was telling me self it was my fault. Well, it wasn’t my fault. In life everyone misses something and makes mistakes but just let them go, and tell yourself next time you will be smacking that ball over the fence.

Metaphor Madness by William Nguyen

Life is a rock floating down the Nile. It might get speed up and go faster than it thought it would, it might stop and stay there for at a place for a while, and it might go the wrong path but even if it does it will eventually reach the end of the river and it will finally be able to relax with all the other little rocks and all that. During the rocks journey through the Nile it might meet another rock or a couple more rocks and hang out at a rock festival somewhere. That's kind of what happened to me. I was at a cultural festival a year back and thats where I met a girl named Rin. We were hanging with my cousin and I gotta say, it was pretty fun. We wasted a ton of money and we bought a lot of pretty useless stuff. I got there pretty early with my cousin and we where just walking around when he saw Rin sitting alone. We went over there to say hi and his first words to her was "Your pretty" Yea, he is kind of an idiot, but a brave one at that. So we sparked up a conversation and she said she wanted to hang out for the day. So we went off and looked at the 100s of items that the festival offered. The place was pretty huge and it took us a while to look at everything. During lunch we had 10 pieces of sushi and we pretty much got ripped off pretty badly. Each piece of sushi was 7 dollars so do that math. After wasting that much money we decided to go eat some noodle to fill us up because the sushi didn't do jack, it was pretty good though. Walking around a couple mins later we found a fighting arena...yea my cousin and I paid the 20 dollars to duke it out and guess what? It was a tie, we knocked each other out though I think I won. After getting out bruises sprayed with some spray and having Rin laugh at us for a while, we got up and went to go get fireworks. Ok, out of about 500 different kinds of fireworks we managed to get almost 1 of everykind from 100 dollars, where my cousin was getting this money I don't know. Anyway while waiting for nighttime we decided to set off firecrackers and throw them at each other. (Note: they burn...alot) Anyway, after burning each other to a crisp and getting some ice to cool each other down it was somewhere near nighttime and we ate Curry for dinner and watched fireworks go off in the sky while we set off our own on the ground. Most of the fireworks were like an angry screaming teacher coming at you and others were like having the strongest light in the world flickering in you face. Overall it was a very fun day but days end and when our day ended we exchanged phone numbers and said our byes and left. Though we did talk that night, I found out that she was moving to California in a week. Well, all in all rock in the Nile and hanging with all the other rocks cruising down the long river of life. It has its curves and bends, its stops and rushes, and it even has its floods but eventually and again the rock will reach the end.

Metaphor Madness by Chelsea Case

My life is a runner, at first it looks good, and clear but then it turns around and starts to dim down. and as you hit the upwards slope of fame, your energy starts to disappoint the crowd. The booing and the crying is getting to your head. Soon you start to agree with the minds around you. becoming a runner can be a very hard technque to do. you first have to train most of the time work out those muscles you have never used before. but take a step by step fiist becomoing a runner can be a had thing or it can be an easy source it just depends on what your doing if you are not a very big runner. at first then you start out by walking each day with some running intervals like walking for about four to five minutes, then maybe jog for 60 seconds. next after that then you work at sustainable level, but the big key is warming up stretching out because when you dont stretch out then you do not get the high ability that you need to do and when you are doing your techniques for becoming a runner you want to have positive mind experiences. then by the time you are done you have reached our verdict point.



on a warm and chilled halloween day I was at my school sandy elementry. and my class and the other classes were having a party sitting down watching movies until school ended. we were celebrating halloween in our costumes and i was a devil. then the office people called me down to talk to some people from the state with my principal I was so scared I was only in 5th grade. So I just sat there answering there questions they had for me to answer. until this lady came from the state she was a dcfs worker and she told me she was a good lady i could trust but in my head at that time i was not sure I could trust her at all it seemed like something was very fishy. after that she checked me out of my school sandy elementry and took me to get some of my clothing items from my moms friends house. My life was falling apart from that point on. the case worker took me to the christmas box house for about three weeks. I have had visits with my family when i was at the christmas box house. after one of my visits with my mom the case worker told me she wanted me to meet my potenitial new foster family i was so mad but i was not giving in at all. after that i met them and my case worker set up a home visit so i could see what there home was like. Maybe a week or two after my visit with the wall family. on november 26 the day before thanksgiving day i had got a phone call from my case worker saying i need to pack up all my things because i was going to live with the walls. My life from that day forward was falling apart.

while i was in the foster home for a couple weeks now. the walls had made me felt so inportant and at home in there care it was not funny. they treated me with respect and they gave me love that is when i started coming out of my crooked shell of mine then slowly i started to come out of my crooked shell of mine and started to let them in. My life had its ups and downs in that foster home i had but that is just a part of life you can learn from your ups,downs and your mistakes. i learned if you try hard enough y0u will make through anything in this giantic world of yours. the best thing that was good aobut being in foster care was that i had a nice place to stay with a bunch of family who called me there own instead of just calling me a kid that there taking care of until his or her parents can get them back. I loved being in foster care for the time i had i got to do many things with them like go to disney land of first my first time in eleven years. I am glad everything worked out with my dad and he got me back after working hard enough to get me back in a year and a half. and now i live happly with my dad and my step mom for two years now. but Istill keep in contact with myt foster familythere the other part of my life.

Metaphor Madness by Boston Hatch

Life is music. It can be soft and slow and relaxing or it can be loud and fast and crazy. It can make you feel depressed and lonely or happy and cheerful. There are bands like Blue October and Brand New that make you feels sad and lonely and then there are bands like Metallica and Atreyu where the songs' awesome riffs speak to you and say, "Go forth and rock!" And make you go crazy and head bang and do back flips. (At least I do back flips when I listen to Metallica and Atreyu) There's Classical music, for example, Mozart or Beethoven that make you feel relaxed and calm, and there's songs like Blinded By Fear by At The Gates that makes you angry and want to beat the crap out of someone. Music can make you feel many feelings and emotions.

I was standing in a huge field full of flowers and lush green grass. The sun was shining, and it was about eighty degrees. The perfect day. As I was looking around at the beautiful sights when something caught my eye. Across a small stream there appeared to be a case.

It was a rather large case. It was sterling silver with black around the edges. I walked through the field with very curious thoughts. As I neared the stream, I took off my shoes and socks and waded through it to the other side. I stood above the case, which looked even bigger up close. The sterling silver glimmered in the sunlight. There appeared to be a lock with eight number wheels.

I stared at it for a moment, and then something spoke to me, telling me exactly what the code was. I reached down and spun the wheels. 08091995. My birthday. I slowly opened the case. Something green started to appear. When it was all the way open, I stared in amazement. There before me was what looked to be near a million dollars.

There was about a hundred sets of one-hundred dollar bills bunched tied together with a rubber band. There were about a two-hundred bills per set. I reached down and picked one of them up. They were all crisp and fresh bills. I put it to my nose. I was overwhelmed with the wonderful smell. It was like roses were completely surrounding me. My nostrils almost couldn't take it. That was the day I did my first back flip.
A back flip might not sound like much, but that's because you've never done it. When you first do it, it makes you feel an indescribable amount of euphoria and elation to an unimaginable extent. It's like getting the million dollars on Deal or No Deal. Nothing compares with it. It makes you feel like you could do anything in the world. Once you have done a back flip, if someone tells you, "Okay, it's not that big of a deal," you know they are wrong. After you have felt the extent of adrenaline and exultation you feel when you do a back flip, you are imperturbably stuck to fact that you have just accomplished the coolest thing ever. And if you have a friend who has done a back flip too, then you are not just friends. You have a special connection. Congruency will flow between you like a river with crystal clear water traveling at fourteen miles per hour. The day I did my first back flip, I was listening to Suicide And Redemption by Metallica on full blast. There's nothing like doing a back flip.

Metaphor Madness by mariah najera

My life is Rain storm; it is so much in a way, so similar. I have in a way seen my life as a big black hole with no where to go, no one to help me out. I have changed and thanks to the people I’m around the things I do I can see my life being one big rain storm. The things we say, do, and see, effects the way everyone sees things and how they will live the rest of there life. The reason why I’m comparing my life to a rain storm is because I’m what the world needs we all are what the world needs. I have the ability to be anything I want and a rain can touch anything and everyone in its way. I have impacted so many people by just telling them my life story it effects them just like a rainstorm. It takes a lot of courage to fall, to let go of the things you know and love, it’s really hard to just let your self fall. A rain storm is all about falling letting everything fall into place, everything come together to make something new some thing to impact the world and the people in it.
The reason I’m saying this is I have had a hard life and I love the rain I feel like I can do, say, be, what ever I want to. It all started when I was about 3 years old, I lived with my mom and well I had no idea where my dad went. I would still visit my dads mother (my other grandma) she would take care of me. But the one person I had trusted thee most (mom) was not really the person I could never depend on, I broke my moms grandma’s heart when she would leave me and my sister with her and then go party with her friends. One night she just took off and left me and my sister all alone in the apartment we lived in. She wasn’t there when I woke up, I remember that night. I can’t seem to forgive and forget that moment of my life. Later that night the police came and got me and my sister. One of the neighbors had called after they heard me and my sister crying. They put us into foster care and I stayed there for like two weeks then one day my grandma came and got me and my sister. That day was wonderful I’m still living with my grandparents to this day. I am still trying so hard to forgive my mom but it’s a journey I have to take to go though all that she has put me though and forgive.

Rain storms. They can be clam, Angry, Soft, Hard, Letting go it thee most hardest things about a rain storm. I love thee rain it is what helps me feel like I’m thee one to be me and no one can change me and who I am. I could care less what people think of me. The decisions I make affect then way people see me. Just like rain storms, People judge the way rain works by its decisions that it makes by choosing to make it rain hard, soft, of even just sprinkle. Rain storms are what I’m all about.

Metaphor Madness By: Rebecca Park

Life is a story book. There are enjoyable parts, miserable parts, exhilarating parts, and there are detailed parts that you want skip because they are so boring. You never know what will happen next. At times there might be a foresight to the next chapter, but occasionally the book is anything but predictable. Some stories are a fast read, while others might take you a few weeks or even months. Several books are love stories, and a few are tragedies. Books can be thick or thin, heartbreaking or not worth reading. But every story is unique. It just depends on the author.

Life is a lot like a book now that you think about it, huh? Like I sort of mentioned in my last blog, your life is yours to do what. Only you can water your grass. Or write your own story, just like the author of a book. The author can make the story a tragedy not worth remembering, or they can write something that you would remember through out your life just because of the events that seemed so real. Have you ever picked up a book like that? One that just stays in your mind even though you finished it long ago? You can’t get it out of your head. You keep making connections from the book to the real world. It’s excruciating but also relaxing in an odd way.

My memory is a tragedy that would most likely not be easily remembered by anyone else but me. I have always looked up to my brother. What was there not to look up to? Good grades; very active athlete; good at anything he tried, even the stuff he didn’t want to do. Basically your prince in a fairy tale, not with out flaws but no one seems to see them any way. He is my role model. Most of you probably have older brothers that treat you like your nothing at all to them. You just wish that he would pay attention to you, if not in a respectful way then in a negative way. Its like a princess trying to get her father’s attention by being just like her brothers and taking up fencing, but the King still doesn’t notice her because he still holds on to the belief that girls can’t fence. But at the end of the story, the King figures out that his little girl is better at fighting then his sons and it’s a happy ending.

That is kind of how my brother and I get along, the happy ending were there is respect at last. Many of you won’t believe this, but that is how it is. But there is one tragedy in this happy ending that took so long to get to. My brother and I have only been allies for a short time, but when he told me he was going to go of to war my happiness collapsed. I know that this might be a good thing for him, getting out of Utah and seeing some of the world, and I know that there might be a happy ending again when he comes back; he promised me that in four years, when he comes home, I will be out of high school and with the money he would save up, we could go travel the world some more. But I still can’t stop feeling as if the rock I stand has just collapsed. As if I am shooting down a rabbit hole and don’t know where I will end up. Even though I know that this choice might be for the best, I have a fear of something going wrong. I’ve always thought of my brother as sort of invincible, but know I dread he might not come home this time. I fear for him. I can cope with just about anything, but I just don’t know how to deal with this. It’s quick sand.

Metaphor Madness by Heather Larsen

I'd probably have to say I'm pretty happy. My life is a flower that's budding into full bloom. I like to imagine my problems as rain, because when the rain comes the drops knock my petals around and I find it hard to stay still. That's the time I freak out. I can easily irritate too, like when people are too loud and you're trying to type up some 500 word project. Besides that I have a lot of good days, when it's bright and shiny outside and there's a nice warm breeze. But comparing myself to a flower is sort of hard when I don't have the attributes of the flower. Maybe if I were to compare myself to a rose it would work out better-"Eeevery rose has it's thorns!" That song is the bombdiggity.
Perhaps comparing myself to a thrift store. A lot of people steal from me and take the things I need but there's still the people who are honest and give me something before taking something else. It's pretty simple how everything is structured into different aisles and items and it's so cool! :D
A lot of music has also changed my life mostly ICP and some other hip-hop. Some people from Parkside and 7th grade at hillcrest remember me as "the rocker" and it didn't work out so well because the tight pants weren't all that flattering (don't lie.) So I basically think that I changed because of my choices, not just to "fit in". One of my favorite songs is The Downfall Of Us All by A Day To Remember.

If I were to compare myself to a cupcake, I'd be considered "cute". I'd be rainbow on the inside and a solid color on the outside. It would be an interesting cupcake but I'd taste good.
To sum everything up; I'm a constantly changing person. I don't think I'll ever be able to stick to one object or one thing, especially when I can't even find a clique to fit into. I'll always be trying to find out who I am. Actually, once I heard a quote say-"Life isn't about finding out who you are. Life is about creating who you are."
Although the quote means so many things to everyone, there's always going to be at least one meaning that applies to everyone. Everyone is changing too, since it is middle school and all. Once we get into high school, the tweens around here won't be trying to claw their way to the top for at least a couple of minutes; I'll probably be the only one stepping back just soaking up the sunshine before someone claws their way past me.
Personally, Red Hot Chili Peppers is a band that describes me pretty good. I love their music-I've been listening to it since elementary (for me that's a really long time).
While I'm listening to them right now, I'm waiting for my G2 to cool in the fridge. It was pretty awesome since today I spent 548 dollars on clothes. **No lie, ask my mommy!
People think I'm immature for my age, and yes, I am. I try hard to make people laugh since I'm one of those girls who considers themselves overweight. It might seem kinda hard but in the end it's really easy to tell that every girl considers themselves too skinny or too fat. Which, in my opinion, is weak. I think girls should start to man up. I mean, if they get their foot stepped on they need to start a fight not just cry a weep about it. (I don't do that but it'd be interesting to see a girl that did, haha.)
So during this last part of this report/assignment/article-thing, I'd like to tell you something very vital to understand this report/assignment/article-thing; I have absolutely no idea where I was going with the last part. I mean, the first part is fine because it has metaphors. But, beyond that, there is absolutely no point other than to fill empty space. I'm sorry for the time you just wasted reading the rest of this report/assignment/article-thing. (You just got owned.)

Metaphor Madness by Megan Casey

My life is an airport. There are always planes coming and going. If you don't leave early enough to get through the security and everything you have to go through like crowds you aren't going to get on the plane. Then you will have wasted your time getting up if you can't get another plane trip. The plane doesn't wait on you, it's your fault you should have been there earlier. You start running faster and faster then you finally see your gate but your plane is gone. My life is an airport because i am always having opportunities coming and going just like the planes. I have let a lot of opportunities pass me by because i thought i wouldn't really need that or want that, but i realize after i should have taken the chance. I have taken allot of opportunities for granite that i wish i hadn't. Don't make the mistake i did.
My last opportunity i took a chance on and i love where it took me, it took me here to Utah. My mom lost her job and it was really hard out there for us so she asked me if I would be happier in Utah. So i thought about it for a while and thought i should take this opportunity, it could be a new beginning and it was. It was a fresh start for us. On the down side I had to say goodbye to all my friends but my cousin was so hard it is still hard to be away from her. She is just like the sister I never had. We spent every waking minute together. When I was thinking i wasn't really thinking how hard it would be to say goodbye to her, and i didn't think it would be this hard, but it is. You will always see us texting each other or talking on the phone to each other. This opportunity is great but I had to sacrifice allot to be here, and I think, it would be so much different if a hadn't of taken the chance that brought me here.

Metaphor Madness by Dimitri Garzarelli

Life is a hockey game, it has it's ups and downs. Sometimes it is intense, and sometimes it amazingly awesome. The intense part is when you are tied with only one minute left in the game and you are determined to win and you want to score before the other team does. Another intense part is when you are carrying the puck up the ice and there is a six foot tall and one hundred and fifty pound guy skating towards you. You know he is going to check you, but you have to wait till the last minute and pass the puck. The very fun part of the game is when you win the tied game and you score with only five seconds left of the game.



One of the intense parts of my life was when I got home from school, and I saw my mom and dad sitting on the stairs. They were talking, my parents have been divorced most of my life, so I wasn't used to seeing them together. They both looked sad, I didn't want to ask them any questions, then when I was walking to the kitchen when I heard them telling me to go over by them. They had me sit down by them, at this moment I thought I was going to get in trouble for not cleaning my room, but unfortunately, it wasn't about that. Then the down part of my life came, they had told me that my grandpa had died, when they told me that, it felt like the whole world stopped. I wasn't listening to them talk, the only thing I did was think about all the good times we had together. Every time I went to my grandma and grandpa's house we always played domino's, that is the memory I mostly remember. The next day at school I couldn't concentrate on anything, all I kept thinking about was how he made a big impact on my life.



One of the awesome parts in my life was when I was at my dad's house, it wasn't just a regular visit to my dad's house. I was up in my room when he called me downstairs. He asked me to take out the garbage, and while I was walking outside, I saw a trailer on the back of my dad's truck, it had one dirt bike. I had been asking him for a dirt bike for months. Finally I was walking to the garbage and I took a second look at it, It was way too big for me, but knowing me, I'm like Curious George, so I went to go check it out and see what it looked like, and I saw another dirt bike on the other side, but this one was different, it was just my size. My dad had bought a dirt bike for me and for him. I ran inside begging him to let me ride it, so he let me. I got on the bike and started it and took off. It had been my first time riding one all by myself, and you know what happens, I crashed. Luckily it wasn't a bad crash.



Another big part of my life is when I tried out for the Murray High hockey team. I had been asking my mom if I could join the team. She was talking to me and asking if it was really something I wanted to do. I told her that I would be more than happy to try out. So the day of the practice, I went and played as hard as I could. The next day I got a call from the coach, he called me and told me that I would be playing the first game, and he welcomed me to the team. I was so excited when he told me that. There is nothing more exciting for me than making the high school hockey team.

Metaphor Madness by Jordyn Hansen

You know when you walk into a room, and you don't really look around. You think you are surrounded by your friends, but then you look, and you are alone. No one knows who you are, or why you are there. They just stare at you. Their faces are unfamiliar. You don't know what you should do. This is my life.

I can't ever stop it. It seems as though every year I am surrounded by new faces. Almost every year I look around, and I am lost. I make friends, then leave. I start to get confortable in a room, then I am told I have to leave.

I walked into my new school at 11:27am. I glanced around, the halls were empty. I wandered to the office, and into the counceling center. It was just a small room that was unfamiliar. An elderly lady came in through the door. She just stared at me. I explained that I was a new student, and that this was my first day. She then picked up the phone and dialed a number. I didn't know who she was calling, or why she stared at me while she talked to whoever was on the other side of the line. After she hung up the phone, she smiled and said "Welcome to our school." She handed me a schedule, and a student came through the door.

I was thankful for her. She explained that she was on something called the "Welcoming Committee" and would show me around. We instantly became friends. We had so much in common. The butterflies in my stomach eased, at least I knew that I would have one friend that year. Ever since then, I am glad that I met her. She introduced me to all of her friends, and I became friends with them. I don't think that I've ever been so happy that I moved. Yes, I miss my friends at my old school, but I have more friends here. I am happier here than I was there. Yes, it was hard to leave, and harder to deal with life here, but it was worth it. Thanks to my moment of hardship, I am rising to the top of my life chart. I didn't think that life would ever be this good for me.

Metaphor Madness by Ryan Bass

My life is a bowl of jello. It moves on by slowly and feels like it never moves. Sometimes it has flavor to it and enjoyment. There are many different colrs of jello just like in life. You have to wait hours to eat it after you make it. It is like waiting for hours until something exciting happens. The vegtables or fruits are stuck like the years in life.

My life has been going very slowly bu thats pretty good. There is no sense of rushing because if you do you miss everything that you have ever done. I have had many good events in my life. Some are good and some are bad. Everything happens for a reason. One my bad events is when my grandma was making a bath for me when I was four years old and my uncle came down from Arizona with his girlfriend and I was in my underwear when my grandma grabbed me and brought me out where my uncle and his girlfriend was and.................... she said, " Look how cute he is." When she did that I ran off and didn't talk to her for the whole day. I still tell her to this day that I will get her back.

One of my good events is when I wrestled for Olympus Jr. in seventh grade. Everyday we had practice for two and a half hours. On friday we had practice at five thirty in the morning for two hours. It was hard but it was worth it. Olympus Jr. is known for there wrestling. They have won it twelve years in a row. They have never been defeated. When I wrestled I was in the best shape I have ever been. I could have ran two miles without stopping. My gym teacher coach Brough was the best coach in junior high history. I remember I took second place in the Junior Varsity Tournament. Wrestling was the only thing I missed at Olympus except my friends. One time we beat West Lake one hundred and thirty five to zero. We had the championship wrestling matches at Cottonwood. We won out of about fifteen schools. Three of our wrestlers won the championship.

My life has been pretty great. There has been good stuff and bad stuff. Thats what life is all about you have to experience things to learn. There will always be bad stuff and good stuff in life. Have a great time.

Metaphor Madness by Dallin Western

Life is being on a trampoline I can jumps or do a tricks or some times get hurt . When I jump I have some happiness but when I do a trick it is one of the grates things is my life. Sometimes I try to do a new trick and I fail and it dose not feel tasty at all.If I don't get up and try it again I will never no what it feels like to do that trick. If I never try new tricks, of course I will never get hurt trying but I will never learn and never have that happiness of knowing I can. So I always try every thing I want to. Most of the time I am scared when I try a new trick ,but I go for it and I may do it I may not.

One time I was trying a new trick and I almost died and I felt I was standing is a really dark room with all the doors shut around me. I never wanted to do it again.
but i still wanted to see if I could get it right so about two weeks later. I did it when no one was there so I would not be embraced and mess up and get hurt. i sat there think how the trick was going to work and after I could see it in my head perfectly.
I got up and did it almost perfecly. It was a not perfect but i did it and that was all I needed. I can't what to try it again some day.

Metaphor Madness by Daryl Gustafson (memoir 2)

Sometimes, I feel that my life is a sled, sliding down an almost endless hill, covered in slippery, blinding snow. You start out excited and scared to start but once you begin, you feel great and exhilarated. The hill is jarring and uneven in some places, smooth in others and obstacle filled in others. During the uneven parts, you can’t control the sled from jolting your body up in the air. When you come down, the impact is so painful that you can’t help but to let out a yelp. The smooth parts in life and on this ride are easy-going and can get boring and fast at some moments. Sometimes you wish you never had gone on this ride and you wish you could just turn around and walk back up to the top. Fear is a part of the rides we endure in our existence; we can’t help it but to be afraid! The top is where you can choose to go on the adventure, not in the middle of the journey. Choosing to stay at the top can lead to jealousy or relief. You hear the excited screams of the other riders and wonder, “what would it be like,” or “I’m glad I didn't take the risk!” If you choose to take the risk and ride, you can go your own way and be different, like a zebra in a pack of lions, or you can go with the flow, like one lion in the pack. Choosing to turn can lead you to better things, like paradise, or worse things than you could imagine. But that is up to you! You know what’s best! Whichever way you go, you still end up somewhere! Even though the adventure is fun, the end has to come! The flat land at the end of the hill is the cool down…the finish line for you (or me!).

When someone new, a new coach, came into my gymnastics career, I thought I was going to slide off the trail. I was comfortable with the old coach! He taught me what I know today! When he was here I felt I could veer off the hill and try new things. He encouraged me to take risks and accept the adventure ahead of me. I loved the way he never yelled and was happy all the time! Even his bumpy areas were better than the happy ones of the new one! His name was Charles. He showed me that fear is a big part in life and you have to learn to live with it. I never wanted him to leave; but then he did.

When Charles was gone, the new coach took over the gym like it was his. It wasn't, he was only a coach, only an employee. None of us liked him; he was always grumpy and put us down when he should have been correcting us. It was the worst time for a new coach, too. His session started right before competition season started. We had one week to adjust to him and his teaching habits. It was hard! Then were the jolts and potholes of the hill. He didn't know what we were good at and what we could and couldn't do so he just had us all do the same thing, easy skills and nothing near what we were capable of when Charles was here.

Our first meet was over and the trail smoothed out, the bumps became less and less painful to endure. It became easier to do stuff with him and he got a little bit nicer. Then the next meet came and I figured out that I was going downhill, fast! I was not able to do a giant on the bars or a layout on floor without struggling. There was an obstacle in my sleds’ way. I got gradually better at the things I was struggling with, but Jeremy’s attitude towards us was not getting any better. He was stuck in a ditch, it seemed like! Even after season was over, he continued to treat us bad. Many of the mothers of my teammates got together and talked to him, hence, solution! All of them complained about how we were coming home crying and talking about how it was him that threw us in a bad direction.

He has gotten better and we have grown to like him more each day! It is free season and we get to play a little bit more and learns a little bit easier. My days of “strongly disliking” (hating) him still go on but it is not as strong as before. The smooth areas have taken over and jolts and bumps have gotten easier to endure.

Metaphor Madness By: Analee Meyer

Life is a masquerade. Nobody ever gets to know the real you. Your name, your age, your mask, and your identity are different each time. One day your Miss.Popularity, shimmering with glee. The next your Mr.Shadow, hiding in the dark. You think you know some one, and every thing about them; yet they don't even know your real name. You smile on the outside, with every force of will. On the inside your lost and confused. You spin around doing the same dance over, and over again. It's just a dark dizzy marry-go-round. You've seen death right before your eye's, flashing quicker than a speeding bullet; yet others are scarred more worse. Your separated from your loved ones, the feel of love is forever gone with the memories. The moonlit sky grows dark above your head, while you spin around faster, and faster with a stranger. Your heart beat skips quicker with each step you take. You hide behind your mask, just if you where hiding from your life. By day your mask is tightly on, smiles of glee sparkle in the light. Yet by night your mask is still smiling, with you on the inside crying tears brighter than the stars in the sky. You pull, and tug, yet the mask is still there. It never comes off, never comes undone; you've worn it to much that it's cemented to your face.


You look around the brightly lit room, seeing other's laughing, and dancing with their fake little masks. They can't look right through you, the mask is thicker than a brick. What's hidden is hidden, for you to only know. But wait what's this? A new song has taken place, a new dance to dance along with another chance. You fake your smile, and turn a sharp turn. this dance is easier, than the last. Less spins, less turns, true love is finally found. You see her fall in to his arms, but the darkness that lies behind him you despise. Every one is put in to a trance, they think this love will finally last. The moon grows darker, with your eyes of rage. This can't be happening to me, you think. Another step, another turn, no day has gone by with out a tear of pain. It burns your skin behind your mask, with fire ragging tin your eyes. Your pain is turned to hate, and your hate has turned you in to a monster. The hopes, the dreams, the life you've always wished for; are gone forever. Other's would say "I told you so." As they think that they are in charge.
You take a deep breath to prove them wrong. Your heart is full of passionate rage, but your mind is spinning to quick to concentrate. You wish you could speak, yet your lips are sealed shut.



You begin to turn the tables, for the joke is now on them. Taking your partner, you begin to take the lead. He tries to get it back, but you are now in control. Spinning around the room, faster than time. You feel your power of control, the one thing you've always wanted to feel. The feelings of depression has been pushed aside, for the shoe is now on the other foot. With a quick glance, you turn the other way. Spinning, and spinning, with control in your hands. Others begin to think they can finally see through you, yet they don't even have a single clue. Dip, turn, twirl, was the pattern they all followed. Instead you mix it up with a step, twist, dip.



The music is faster now, with hopes that others will finally see you for you. Turning, and spinning, the others begin to stare. Will you stop, or take more control? Your sick of the lies, sick of the whispers, and most of all sick of the pain you feel in your heart every day when you wake up. Your mask remains calm, yet your feelings begin go swirl. You spin until you trip and fall. The music has stopped, the dance is now over. Quicker than a mouse you run to the door. Your embarrassment of failure has over taken your mind. As you lock your self in your room, you force the dreaded mask off. With tears fiery tears dripping down your face, you begin to scream. Over taken with laughter, your mind becomes at ease. How foolish art thou, who thought you could take a stand. You begin to breathe steadily, the sparkling tears fade away. Just one look in the mirror, you put back on your mask.

You take step back out in to the ball room. With that same fake smile on your mask. Still hiding, you bow to another stranger who takes your hand. Starting to dance the same dance, where you are no longer the lead. Things turn back to normal, the way they where before. Spinning, and spinning no other way to dance. This is your life, the way it was, and always will be. A perfect mask, a perfect me. No other way to live your life, at this dastardly masquerade.

Metaphor Madness by Kaylee Leclerc

Life is like a box of crayons. Each color represents a differant personality. Some colors are more popular then others. Some might not even get used at all. Other colors might last longer, others might be stronger. But all in all, they're all still crayons.


More then eleven years ago I was finally starting dance! Ah! I was so excited I made a happy face look sad! I had been waiting for this day for such a long time. At the studio their is a pre-school that I attended and I got to watch all of the gorgeous dancers every day and when I saw the dancers i knew that I wanted to dance forever! I saw them dance like there was no tomorrow and I wanted to be just like them.

As i entered the studio on my first day of dance, in my new leotard and tights, I thought i was going to fall over I was so happy. I went in to the studio a llittle unsure. I didn't know if it was going to turn out to be all that i expected. First up was tap, I didn't quite like tap as much as ballet but of course I still loved it, we were just learning the basics like "hill toe" and "toe hill". Those really weren't the names but we were three, what do you expect?? After that it was time for ballet, the excitement waved through my body like the heat when your angry. I put on my brand new ballet shoes and went back into the studio. We learned how to do plies and tondus it was pretty great. It was just then when I met my fellow "crayons". They were just as excited as I was. We had the time of our lives! Dancing and laughing, laughing and dancing! It was great! As soon as we left we were already looking forward to next week!

That was one of the great points in my life that made who I am today. Because of those "crayons" I learned that people all have differant personalities and differant strengths and weakness'. If your crayon breaks grab a stapler and fix it!! :)

Metaphor Madness by Kelsey Robinson

Life is like snowboarding. When you get to the top of a hill and look down it looks like it will take a long time to get to the bottom. But actually it goes by really fast. That’s how life is, it looks long but it goes by fast. So you start down the hill and everything is a blur around you. The blur is all the different people going through your life. In life we get to make choices, the choices we make take us different places. Just like a snowboard you can steer, you can steer where you want to go. Sometimes you might steer or make a choice that is a bad decision but you don’t realize it at first. Then you get a consequence to teach you a lesson. Sometimes something could happen and it might not be your fault but you have to pay for it anyways. That’s where my story comes in. . . .
I had to spend my sixth grade Thanksgiving at my dad’s house. The day after Thanksgiving my dad made me go snowboarding. I told him I didn't want to go snowboarding but he made me go anyways.
I’d never been snowboarding before so I was really nervous. When we got to the ski resort we checked in and got all ready for the “exhilarating” ride. My dad didn’t want to teach me how to snowboard so he got me a private trainer. The second after my trainer got to us and all of the introducing was over everyone except me, left for the hill. It was just me and him now.
He tried to make an effort to strike a conversation but I wasn’t helpful in continuing it. Eventually, he gave up and took me to the half way mark on the hill. It was time for the basics.
The first thing we covered was how to balance. Next, going down the hill a ways and balancing at the same time. We went up and down the hill a couple times practicing the main things before I tried to go on my own.
The next thing on the list was how to steer. I tried it out and I was doing pretty well! I was falling and getting back up and snowboarding seemed to be a little fun. I was excited to try snowboarding without my smelly trainer over my shoulder, but I knew that that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.
We went up the hill for what neither of us knew was going to be the last time. I started down the mountain after my trainer had demonstrated how to turn my board around. I was finally getting close to the bottom when I tried to turn my board as I was instructed. I almost had it when I fell backwards on a steeper area of the hill. My hands went to catch me out of reflex but my body was coming down too hard. My right hand hit the snow. . . . My arm cracked.
The next thing I knew I was on the snow covered ground in the most pain I had ever felt in my life. I was bawling when my dad finally got to the bottom to where I had been pulled after my incident. I was being bombarded with questions but I didn’t know how to answer any of them correctly.
My dad was convinced that I just sprang my arm and that it was nothing serious, but I knew it was a lot more than that. He took me to the doctor at the resort to see if he could tell us anything. The doctor said to go see a more experienced doctor when I got back to Salt Lake; so my dad didn’t do anything else. I was stuck having to deal with my arm feeling the way it was for about one and a half more days before I went home and could get real help.
I got home and went straight to the doctors’ office. When the doctor told me I had broken my right arm I began to cry. It was my first broken bone and I wanted to go my whole life without breaking one. I was devastated. They put a removable cast on me and sent me on my way.
I felt so helpless, like I wasn’t capable of doing anything on my own anymore. I imagined and thought it was going to be the worst time of my life but it wasn’t so bad. As it turned out. . . No dishes, no cleaning and hardly any school work for 3 to 4 month wasn't so bad!

What is Life? by Taylor Ashton

Taylor Ashton
Period: 4th

What is Life?

Life is a reality game, sometimes you get stuck, distracted, you can win or lose at anytime, or you simply have to choose the correct answer or take your best guess. There are so many ways to relate life to a reality game; you can get stumped on a question trying to get the right answer that you just can’t fully remember, and you can be slowed down or get too rushed under pressure. If you get stuck, you might be dealing with an important and tough decision. When you are slowed down, there may be a reason stopping you from doing something that you feel like you should do. There are many things we don’t know in life too, no one knows everything and no one ever will. Although, you can always learn more than you already do now, sometimes you just need to take a lucky guess and go for it!
Winning and losing are part of everyday activities. For some people, winning is everything and they won’t settle for any other result, no matter what. Winning feels great and is definitely preferred, but winning is not everything. Sure, it makes you feel exuberant and proud of yourself; but no matter what you win at…sportsmanship and improving your skills are essential. Sportsmanship improves your confidence and competitive drive. Practicing at something makes you that much better than you were before, and that’s the only way to get better at something. Winning does feel awesome and everyone should be able to experience the feeling some time in their life, but it’s also important to know how to lose and learn everything you can from it.
Ill ask you a question that most people would answer “yes” to: do you really think that losing is useless or not as important as winning? If you do, then how are you ever going to become better at what you are doing? Maybe you are doing something sports related, some players rely on other better players to win the game for the whole team. If you are relying on someone to do something for you, how are you ever going to win? By losing, you can see what you need to work on, whether its shooting, passing, hitting, speed, or even endurance, it can be anything; even related to school. Also it should motivate you to try harder next time and to practice the things you need to work on. Losing should be a reminder of what you can improve on.
All these concepts relate to each other, no one is more important than anyone else. You can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can choose your response. That is how a reality game is similar to real life.