Tongue twisters

Creative connector

During a lot of different times in the book, Bill tells us what he and his family think about the Spinks, and mostly why the fact that they are so incredibly rich and famous bothers them so much. Bill and his dad usually say that it’s stupid that someone can possibly make that much money from kicking a ball into a net, for example, and how silly it is that Benny is all well known and popular just because of his father.

I wanted to connect this with the real world, and I wanted to connect Bill and his father's thoughts with my own thoughts and opinions, because I agree with them. In our world, there are some people, a lot of them actually, who make crazy amount of money from things like singing, acting or playing basketball and football and so on. Just like Bill and his family, I think that's really stupid and to be honest, to me, it's kind of chocking. I’m not saying that they don’t work hard or that they don’t deserve money, because they do. A singer like Rihanna is pretty much always in the studio making music and a player like LeBron James is always on the basketball court playing and practicing. These people spend a lot of their time on their jobs, and they deserve a good salary, but do they deserve THAT much? Because that’s where I disagree. People like LeBron and Rihanna make millions of dollars every year, while some people can not even get enough food and water for their families.

In my opinion, that’s one thing that’s really messed up in our world. It’s a shame that some people make, what’s a fortune to others, in less than a day. And I don't know how we could possibly change that. People love to be entertained, and we spend a lot of money on buying tickets to different concerts, games and so on, which makes it a possibility for people just like LeBron and Rihanna to make that kind of money. 

I don't know, but maybe we should put our "needs" aside for one second, take a look around the world and just try to figure out where the money is really needed. Then we can start make a change. 

Word finder

This week I was the word finder, and I decided to make a game. I chose a couple of words, some of which I didn't know the meaning of and some were just a bit tricky to spell. Then I made a domino game with the words I had chosen.

Here's a list of the words I chose:

1. hesitate = tveka 
2. rattle = skramla 
3. fold = vika 
4. remedy = läkemedel 
5. keen = ivrig
6. reluctantly = motvilligt
7. arrange = arrangera 
8. jewellery = smycken 
9. precaution = försiktighetsåtgärd 
10. remorse = ånger 
11. astonishing = häpnadsväckande 
12. inflated = uppblåst  
13. obviously = uppenbarligen 
14. disgrace = skam 
15. ceiling - tak
16. gawp - glo 
17. expect - förvänta 

My domino game

Summarizer

In this week's reading, it happened! The great switcheroonie finally took place. But it did have some complications in the beginning.

After a lot of e-mailing, Bill and Benny both agreed on the fact that they should really perform the big switcheroonie. So they agreed on making one list each -a list full of necessary information they would have to know about one another. After a while Bill realised that making this list wasn't at all as easy as he had thought. He wrote down all sorts of stuff that Benny would need to know in order to be Bill, all from what he likes to eat to family in-jokes and so on. He also had to ask a couple of friends in school if he had any habits he might not beware of, and his brother Elvis was happy to tell Bill that he stinks.

After Bill compiled his list, he e-mailed it to Benny, and not long after that he received Benny's list, and also a plan Benny had worked out about how the switcheroonie should take place. Bill would sneak in to Benny's posh school and underneath the big old tree in the middle of the yard, they would meet and switch bags. Then Bill would walk out of the school yard and in to the limo that was waiting for Benny, and him and Joe the driver would go home. Meanwhile, Benny would go and take the bus to Bill's house. The next day, they would meet at the exact same place to switch back. It seemed like a perfect plan.

A week later, the day had come and Bill was a bit anxious. But he followed the plan and at exactly four-forty he saw Benny under the tree. They switched bags and watches and shook hands before Bill went towards the limo. After a while, Benny went for the bus.

When they arrived at the Spink's property, Bill could only confirm to himself that the house was all he had ever imagined. In the car, Bill had told Joe that he had a sour-throat when asked about his sudden change of voice (Benny's sudden change of voice, that is) and he could only hope the rest of the people he would meet within these 24 hours would be as easy to convince. Alice, a woman who worked in the house, put out some biscuits and milk for Bill and he took them and went to discover the house, more excited than ever.

Character tracer

This week we meet Benny Spinks, the famous boy everybody’s heard of and whom everyone wants to be like. On page 87 we can read that Bill doesn’t really like Benny that much. They were the same age but Benny made thousands of punds just by saying a sentence, and he describes Benny as a very spoiled teenager (for example, Bill says: he probably even had his own performing dolphin, for all I knew) and you get the expression of Benny being a very cocky person. But then, when Benny and Bill finally meet, you can tell that Benny seems like a nice person, and he’s very down to earth. On page 98, for example, he says ”I look just like you”, and as Bill said himself, he didn’t say it the other way (”you look just like me”). He didn’t put himself up as the standard which others had to be compared too. Also, on page 98 and 99, you could tell Benny was really confused about seeing Bill, but he still tried to crack a joke to lighten the mood. I think Benny seems like a very nice person and Benny and Bill can probably become great friends. 

Discussion leader

Questions:

1. Benny Spinks is, as we all know, a very famous person due to his father's achievements in football, and he is (pretty much) constantly surrounded by paparazzis and photographers. On page 16, for example, Bill says Benny is the most famous boy in the world. Now I want you to put on the yellow hat; what are the positive things about being as famous and well known as Benny?

2. Ever since Bill became Benny's look alike, he received a lot more attention from his class mates, who never paid much attention to him before. Especially from one girl, Vicky Ferns, who's very popular. Vicky seems to be using Bill though, which we can read about on page 49 where Bill says Vicky's very eager to be seen with him, but not much when talking to him and she usually rolls her eyeballs whenever he speaks. I want you to put on the red hat; how would you feel if someone used you like Vicky uses Bill? Would you still stay with her/him just because that person is popular or would you end the relationship?

3. On page 62 we can read that Bill takes the job as being Benny's look alike. I want you to put on your green hat and answer my last question; do you think anything special will happen when Bill goes to Marshfield studios? We all now he will get kidnapped, do you think that will be the time?

Christmas

I’m going to write about what Christmas in Sweden is like and the positive and negative sides of this tradition. 

Christmas in Sweden is a very old tradition which we celebrate in memory of Jesus Christ’s birth. The 24th of December is usually the day we especially celebrate Christmas, when we open the presents and eat the Christmas dinner, and that day is called Christmas Eve. But from the first day of December we usually start planning and decorating the house, and preparing for the day. People usually decorate and prepare by putting out a Christmas tree, lights, candles and by making different cookies and buns, such as ginger bread and saffron buns. The whole Christmas celebration usually continues till 13th of January. 

Positive sides: 

I think you can consider Christmas as a very joyful and happy tradition that probably does a lot of good to a whole lot of people. It’s a time of year when the whole family gets together, you open presents, you have dinner, and you’re simply having a great time. 

Christmas is also something a lot of kids look forward to, and I think Christmas allows people to have dreams. Kids dream about Santa Claus and the presents and a lot of people look forward to gather and spend the day/night together. 

Negative sides:

Even though Christmas is a nice tradition and it brings joy to a lot of people, I think you could find some negative sides of this tradition as well. For example, a lot of people doesn’t have the money to go buy a tree, presents or anything else. I believe the children in these families could feel sad or lonely, especially when other kids in school talk about all the presents they’ve got. It can make you feel very sad or insecure. 

Another thing I think is negative with Christmas is that this tradition, that’s supposed to be joyful and happy, has almost turned into a competition. Of course, this is not the case for everyone, but a lot of people compete about who’s got the nicest decorations or the most expensive presents and so on, and I think that kind of ruins Christmas. Some people doesn’t see Christmas as a time where you can hang out and have fun, but they see it as a time where you get to brag about what you’ve got. 

To sum it up, Christmas has some negative effects, but I definitely think it’s a good tradition that we should hold on to. December is usually a dark and cold month, but having Christmas to look forward to can make it a whole lot easier! 

MacBeth

MacBeth 

When all the guests and servants are asleep, MacBeth and Lady MacBeth plan to murder the king. MacBeth hesitates, he thinks about all the consequences that would follow, but his wife pushes him to ruthlessness. MacBeth performs the murder. In excitement, he takes the murder weapon with him, and his wife makes it look like it was all the sleeping guardian's fault. Before dawn, Macduff arrives to search for the king and discovers the murder. The MacBeth's pretend to be agitated, and MacBeth sends the both guards down, overwhelmed of horror and anger. The two sons of the king, Donalbain and Malcolm, suspect that someone is out after their lives as well, and therefore they escape while everyone is still confused. 

Love story in 50 words

I looked him right in the eyes. 

So deep they took my breath away.

So full of life. 

He smiled. I smiled. 

-Shall we go? 

I turned around and faced my husband.

As I did, I turned my back to him. 

I turned my back to life. 

The Aaron Infection

The Aaron infection

Hi Aaron!

Ehm, this is weird to say, or write, actually, but really I can’t say it any other way because you’re... you’re Aaron you know, and I would just mess it up and it would all come out wrong and you would think I’m a total freak so therefor I’ll just say it like this. I love you Aaron! I said it! I...I love you! Oh, God that just came... fine! It came great! I love you Aaron, and I’ve been trying so hard not to say it, I’ve been trying to smash it in and never let it out and just forget all about it, all about you! But I couldn’t, and I can’t, because I... I love YOU! I love you every second of every day, and I just... It’s, it’s like you’re a disease, like you’re in me. I’m infected by Aaron Smith and I just, I can’t sleep. I can’t breath. I can’t eat, I can’t speak, I can’t think! I am so madly in love with you, and I can’t think about anyone or anything else, and I just... I. Love. You.

In a parallel universe: 

Hi Aaron! 

So look, you’re a great guy, really. I like you and all, but God, you need to do something about that, so called, humor of yours! Our relationship could not sink any lower, that’s for sure! Spending time with you, it’s like spending time with a pair of ugly and smelly socks, which, as you can probably figure out yourself, is pretty demanding. And I just can’t. It’s like, like you’re a disease, like you’re in me. I’m infected by Aaron Smith and really, that is freaking me out. Like, I doubt my body will be able to stand against something that crazy, and it wouldn’t surprise me if that infection would soon start to take me over and make me into a feminine version of you Aaron, and that... oh GOD that would be horrendous! So I think we have three options here: 1) break up, 2) #1 3) #2. And please make this world a favour and just don’t open your mouth until further notice. 

So just because someone somewhere thinks something about a thing (in this case the Aaron infection) doesn't mean everyone thinks like that. Stop generalizing people!!

Documentary: Homeless people

This is my summery of a documentary about homeless people (the first 15 minutes of the documentary only).

Az & Mo are two ordinary guys who spent three days and three nights on the street to see how it is being homeless. They later made a documentary from the experience they got and this is my summery from the first 15 minutes of it. The whole documentary is 32 minutes.  

In the documentary, Az and Mo say that 95 percent of the people who walked pass them during their time as ”homeless” didn’t even look at them. It was like they were invisible. People walked past and never made eye contact and they couldn’t even glance at them. Az & Mo thought it was because of the guilt, they felt guilty about not helping out and therefor the people didn’t even acknowledge Az and Mo’s precense.

Homeless 1: You don’t always have to give money, sometimes you can just offer a cup of tea or something. And if you don’t have any money, you don’t have to just walk away, you can hold on for a second and say, sorry mate, don’t have any change. It’s not like we want to sit here, it’s embarrassing.

Homeless 2: Nobody holds on to ask you how you feel, they won’t even acknowledge that they see you. Some people take your card board and run around with it, like a joke. For them it’s amusing, but when you really are in that situation, it’s not funny at all. Some people immediately assume you’re a drug user or an alcoholic and they think you want to use the money for that. 

So a lot of people think the homeless buy drugs and alcohol and things like that, and that’s partly why they won’t give any money. But that’s not entirely true. Of course, some people do use the money for drugs and alcohol, but life on the streets is not easy and if the homeless have to keep on going without any help or support from the society, they will continue doing those things. 

Some of the homeless choose to dress properly or choose to dress in a special kind of way, because they believe that will gain them more money. That’s also because of how society decides to act. If the society sees a homeless who seems to be able to take care of himslef, having nice clothes and so on, then they won’t help that person. 

If you don’t want to give any money, that’s okay, but at least, don’t ignore the homeless. Give them a smile and admit that you see them. 

Homeless 1: You’ve got to have a safe place too sleep at, that’s one problem. Another thing is when people walk by you and tell you to get a job or something. They don’t know that you maybe never had a job, that your marriage fell apart or something like that. They don’t know. 

Homeless 2: Something you’ve got to keep in mind is that it’s not as easy for the homeless people as for the others. Even if you get a job, how are you supposed to stay clean? How are you supposed to wash your clothes? You have no place to keep your stuff. Some people say, you shouldn’t bee on the streets, you dress too good. That’s usually when they’re drunk on a Friday or Saturday night. 

A lot of people have their own problems, relationship problems, their life stressing and so on. They are preoccupied with their own lives and don’t see the homeless. They have a goal, somewhere to go and they are rushing. We don’t know their lives and therefor we can’t judge them. 

Fay is a girl who’s in an organisation called Suckmob. That’s an organisation she’s in with a couple of her friends. The organisation is optional. Once a week, Fay and her friends walk around in different areas in London with food and drinks that they give to the homeless people. They also talk to the homeless and simply try to make it a bit better for them. Fay says it’s not always about the money, it’s also about having somebody to talk to.

Az and Mo keep on living the life of a homeless and according to them, it’s not easy at all. It’s 1 pm and they have nowhere to sleep. There’s security everywhere. They’ve found some benches too sleep on, but they will not be able to stay there for too long, there will be guards telling them to move. 

One day, a guy walked past them and gave them his lunch. Another one gave them a cup filled with nuts. Az and Mo were a bit surprised at this and realised there are people who actually have empathy with the homeless. 

Another night, Az and Mo had to find a new place to sleep on. They found some space under some stairs and decided to spend the night there. It was tough and the place was very gross since a lot of people pee there, but it was the safest place they could find. It was very cold and they couldn’t sleep. It was not easy at all. 

A lot of people said they would rather give food than money because they weren’t sure where the money went and for what. So then do that, buy some lunch and give it to a homeless guy you see. And if you don’t want to do that, at least acknowledge that you see them, they appreciate it. 

So that was my summery of the documentary. I agree with what they say, people should pay more attention to homeless people and start helping out. It’s not fair if the ones who have an easier life should ignore the ones who don’t. And it’s not like the things we should do in order to make a homeless persons day a bit better are that difficult. Giving them a smile while passing them by or maybe exchange a couple of words won’t take that much of your time and energy. And even if it does, it’s worth it. It’s worth taking your time and spending some money to help others, and that’s probably the right thing to do too. 

Watch the documentary here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw4IGSOrJYQ

Words from a page

eligible = lämplig, passande
hoarse = hes
acquainted = bekanta
lavatory = tvättrum, toalett
deliberate = avsiktligt
accost = tilltala

My PRAO

I worked at Martas café for my PRAO and I worked there for almost two weeks. We were actually supposed to work for two weeks, but since I went to Iran for the Easter holidays I missed two days of my PRAO weeks. I chose to work at Martas Café because I know that they bake everything they sell there. So it isn’t a café where you only sell things that you buy from other places, they actually bake everything, all the cookies, bread and everything else too, wich I thought seemed very interesting!

Anyway, my time at Martas Café was okay. I started at 10:00 am and I worked till 04:00 pm. I think my working times were really good because I didn’t have to get up early in the morning, wich means I could stay up pretty late for almost two weeks. So that was cool, but it still was a bit hard working for six hours. 

My tasks at Martas Café weren’t that many actually (I mostly got tired from standing up doing nothing) so I got a bit bored and didn’t know what to do. But the things I did do were different, sometimes I took the customers orders, sometimes I helped baking and other times I washed the dishes. I also served, went shopping and helped making sandwiches. I guess I did do many things after all, but not that many a day wich is why I got bored. 

I think that the best thing with working at Martas Café was the fact that I got so many cookies to eat. They always told me to eat things and every once in a while they told me to take a break. Usually I thought, what am I taking a break from, since I mostly walked around doing nothing, but still, it was really nice and I happily chose the biggest cinnamon roll that I could find. I often took the warm ones coming right from the oven. 

What I loved about Martas Café was the fact that it was placed in the big library we have in Lund. So every day after work, I went to the library and worked with different things I had missed while I was in Iran, and I found a new studying place that I think l will spend some time in in the future!  

My dream job

A link to my storybird where I have written about my dream job:

http://storybird.com/books/my-dream-job-4/?token=4azpm7wzqk

Vocaroo Voice Message

Vocaroo Voice Message

Karolina and I talk about our odd jobs.

How I use my cell-phone

I'm going to write about how I use my cell-phone. I'm actually not obsessed with it, but I do use it a lot. For example, I send text messages and make phone calls with my own phone a lot. It's an easy way to reach people you want to talk to and it's very effective. I also use my phone camera a lot because I like the quality of the pictures and it's fun capturing moments. Later on I can edit my pictures in different apps and make my pictures look cooler. I use my phone to go on the internet and I download lots of apps with it. I love the games and the apps that are available in App Store. I also use my phone as a calculator and for listening to music. Okay, maybe I'm obsessed with it after all, but it's definitely understandable. You can do so much things with your phone nowadays!

My answer to question 4

Okay, there are two problems here. First of all, somebody is nicking money in your family, and second of all, your sister seems to be in need of help. You can still not be sure that your sister is stealing though, but there might be a chance it is her. And you’re saying you’ve tried to speak to your parents, but they won’t listen. Well maybe it’s because they have something to do with it.
For you to be able to figure out who’s stealing, you should try to talk to your family members again. Try to talk to your sister and make sure she knows that you’ve got her back and that she can always trust you and tell you the things that are happening in her life, and just be supportive of her. Then, talk to your Granny. Ask her what’s stolen and what she thinks. Your Granny can help you figure out things that matter in this investigation.
At last, you should talk to your parents. Make sure they get what’s going on in your family and ask them if they have anything to do with it. And also, tell them about the situation with your sister and that they also have to try to talk to her. And if it’s your sister, then helping her with the problems that are going on in her life will maybe lead to the fact that she also stops stealing money. Talk to your sister, and make sure your parents do it too.

English dialog

Friendship

To me, friendship is when you find a person who makes you happy. A person you can laugh with, tell secrets to and most importantly, just hang out with without doing anything special. You always know that your friend will be there for you, no matter what, and also your friend will support you when you are making different decisions. One thing that's also very important is that the person always tells the truth, and that you always feel good telling the truth to them. A friend is someone who listens to you, who understands you and who knows you perfectly well. Someone you can be all crazy with, without being judged and someone who will always have your back covered no matter what. That is a pretty awesome friendship.

Lockie's Diary

26/9-2012

Dear Diary! 

This day has been the worst day of my 13 year old life. I feel completely stupid and I also feel like I am the worst son, friend, boyfriend and the worst person in the world. I have just been so weird all day and forgotten everything I was supposed to do. First, I was going to help mom put up a sign. I promised her I was going to do it later, but then I forgot and mum had to put up the sign by herself, and you all know what happens when mum is going up on a chair: she falls! That's exactly what happened. And then me and Egg were going to have this meeting this evening, about us trying to save the river, and before the meeting, I was going to go shopping with Egg because he was going to fix the dinner for his parents anniversary, and I forgot it all. The meeting AND the shopping! Can you believe it? And it was all because I was thinking so hard about Dot. And when I hung out with her, I totally forgot about the time, so I missed the shopping I was going to help Egg out with, and I also missed the meeting! The whole thing I had set up. And i was also the one who was going to write the speech, so then Egg had to take care of the meeting, even without a speech. Later on, Egg told me there were only two people showing up to the meeting, and I feel like such a loser! I totally betrayed my friend. This day was horrible. Really, really horrible. I hope tomorrow will turn out a bit better at least. 

Goodnight.