Boook Review – The Five People You Meet in Heaven

By: Jessica Luu, Grade 12

What is heaven? Is it a place where our true paradise is? Is heaven the same or different for everyone?

The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Alborn, is one outlook about heaven. There is no peering down from the clouds. Or floor of clouds. Rather, it is a place that helps you understand your life on earth through five different people, ones who have crossed your paths, in some way, and altered your life. With each person you meet, you feel different and even your appearance changes. That’s only because you alter into the form that you were when you encountered these five people.

Sloppy Firsts Book Review

By Jessica Luu, Grade 12

“Deep down, I wanted to tell her that I’ve considered killing myself no more than an average almost-sixteen-year-old honor student with no best friend or boyfriend and bigger bumps on her face than in her bra.”

Sloppy Firsts, by Megan McCafferty, is one of my all-time favorite books. It is a hilarious and insightful account of a teenage girl, by the name of Jessica Darling, who presents her life through her many journal entries. Ever since her best friend, Hope, has moved away from Pineville, Jessica is unable to see the only person who she is able to communicate with. Therefore, she forms a habit of writing down her feelings and opinions about the different aspects of her life. Hope, The Clueless Clue, Hy, her dad’s obsession with her track races, her mother’s involvement with her sister’s wedding, and the compelling and mysterious Marcus Flutie, all ramble up together, to create the person that she is and will become through the course of the novel.

Wuthering Heights Review

By Jessica Luu, Grade 12

“If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it.” – Catherine Earnshaw (Wuthering Heights)

Many of you have probably heard of Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë, from author Stephenie Meyer of Twilight. Although Stephenie’s third novel, Eclipse, and Wuthering Heights share a similar theme, needless to say, Wuthering Heights is much more of an extraordinary classic, far more complex and emotional.

Book Review: Eat, Pray, Love

By: Jessica Luu

The first time I saw Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert was at a friend’s house. It was placed noticeably on the ground (among a few other things). Since then, I remembered it as the cover with the pieces of pasta that formed the title. A few months later, I was recommended the novel, having been told that it is an account about a woman traveling to three different countries: Italy, India, and Indonesia. I immediately bought the book afterwards, but months flew by again, and decided to read the synopsis once more. The realization that the book is nonfiction displeased me. I’m not fond of nonfiction novels (even the great ones), as it doesn’t really provide that “imaginary escape”. Even so, I gave Eat Pray Love a try and fell in love with it.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Book Review

Many of you have probably heard of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” on television or movie theatres. What many of you might not know is that the movie is based on a short story of the same title by F. Scott Fitzgerald, who is famous for his greatest novel, The Great Gatsby. Although “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” was written in the 1920s, it is evident that it has captured so many audiences with its simple, yet poignant plot.

The book opens with Mr. Button arriving at the hospital. He is excited that his wife has given birth to a child and is eager to know its gender. However, when he introduces himself as Mr. Button to Dr. Keene and several nurses, their reactions are outrageously unprofessional. This shocks Mr. Button. Demanding to see his child, one nurse finally complies. What he sees shocks him: an old grown man, whose legs are dangling out of a crib, is claiming to be his son. After this discovery, Mr. Button attempts to ignore the issue and acknowledges Benjamin as an infant instead of an intelligent old man. From there, Benjamin begins an absurd life, in which he becomes physically and mentally younger the longer he lives.

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter Book Review

Book by Kim Edwards
Review by Jessica Luu

Although The Memory Keeper’s Daughter isn’t a Christmas themed novel, the beginning of both the book and a tragedy takes place on one winter night in 1964.

Meet Dr. David Henry, a thirty-four year old orthopedic surgeon. Married to Henry is Norah Asher, who is pregnant with twins. It may seem like an ordinary situation. However, something unexpected happens on that one winter night. When a blizzard storms hits Chicago the night that Norah goes into labour, Henry is forced to deliver his own twins. Their obstetrician, Dr. Bentley, was unable to make it to the clinic. Paul, the first born son, is a healthy newborn; Phoebe is not. Henry instantly recognizes that she has Down’s syndrome. Due to what he thinks are good motives, he immediately claims Phoebe is dead and asks the nurse, Caroline Gill, to take her away to an institution. Instead, Caroline keeps the baby as her own and disappears into another city to raise her. From there, the story takes you on an emotional rollercoaster.

The Time Traveler’s Wife

Book Report
By Jessica Luu

Have you ever regret something that was done in the past? If so, then it’s most likely that you have wished you could travel back in time and fix everything. But is time traveling as glorious as it sounds?

In The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger, it isn’t. The story begins with Clare Abshire, who is at the Newberry Library in Chicago writing a research paper for her art history class. Having found the book she needs and becoming confused about the catalog, she asks a woman at the front desk for help who then refers her to Mr. DeTamble instead. Then and there, she meets Henry DeTamble. She has known him since she was six. Henry, however, at twenty-eight, has just met twenty-year-old Clare.

One major issue in society: homelessness

by Jessica Luu

Have you ever been stopped by a homeless person on the streets, only to ignore them and walk away? Or decided not to help them just because of assumptions? Many of us, including myself, have done just that. There are a lot of instances where we choose not to help because of the stereotypical idea that the homeless, for example, are drug users who, consequently, ended up on the streets. Although that is one reason, the majority of homeless people are caused by other factors in life.

It’s important to know the situation that a person is dealing with. Here are three usually causes of homelessness:

1) There’s not enough income.
2) Housing is too expensive to afford.
3) There’s no admittance to health or social support services.

According to the provincial guidelines, a single person on welfare can only be allowed up to a maximum of $375 per month. On top of that, if a person were to rent a one bedroom apartment, it would be an average of $800 per month. Insufficient income plus only $375 per month (if the person is on welfare) is not enough to sustain food, shelter, and clothing alone. If a person cannot afford to survive, there’s no way they would be able to access a social support group or health services if necessary.

Mad Lib Contest Winners

MADLIB CONTEST WINNER:     D. Lee

            Recently, the People of Commercial Drive have begun a full assault on compost bins at Windermere. This assualt is being led by a group of widgets, midgets and of course Chris Rock!  This is just the latest of many attacks against Band. The same class has been feeling the effects of the attack in Killarney as well.  Read all about it in my latest essay, No more Cat! 

MADLIB CONTEST WINNER:    Jessica Luu

            Recently, the Goblins have begun a full assault on the Cafeteria at Windermere. This assault is being led by a group of cats, cows and of course, Angelina Jolie!  This is just the latest of many attacks against Calculus 12. The same class has also been feeling the effects of the attack in Van Tech.  Read all about it in my latest essay, No more Girl!

Brave New World

by Jessica Luu

There may not be Goblins or Ghosts in Aldous Huxley’s novel, Brave New World, but the subtle horrors and shocks of his satirical and ironic theme is enough to scare readers—though, in a very different way from modern day terrors.

Imagine the world’s future. Will there be flying saucers as our main transportation? Or an end to world hunger? Or even machines that rule the world? In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley’s vision of the future is uniquely expressed.

The story takes place in Central London in 632 A.F. Everything we used to know is gone: family, love, literature, religion, disease, old age, natural births, and unhappiness. Civilization is at peace, now that all the causes of corruption and social unrest have been obliterated, thanks to the many controllers of the World State. Implemented are a set of beliefs and rules that society is conditioned to follow. Everyone is conditioned from the time they are embryos until they are seventeen years of age.

White Poppies? What happened to Red Poppies?

by Jessica Luu

During the month of November, members of Free the Children will be selling White Poppies to staff and students at Windermere. But that doesn’t mean Red Poppies are not to be worn in the school.

In the past, Red Poppies represented the many soldiers who fought in WWI. It was also recognized in John McCrae’s poem, In Flanders Field.

“We shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders Field.” – lines 14 & 15

At the time, poppies grew immensely during WWI, as it thrived on disturbed soil. The colour of the poppies resembles the shade of blood. But it was also red from splattered blood of the dead soldiers. But now, red poppies are symbolized as a continuation of war and support to the soldiers in Afghanistan. The government is encouraging troops to contribute in the war, and it is now glorified instead of frowned upon. Red poppies are no longer a sign of peace or a commemoration of those that fought in WWI.

White Poppies are the opposite. It was first suggested by pacifists to encourage a No More War Movement in the United Kingdom. However, it was unsuccessful and was never accomplished. A few years later, it was distributed by Co-operated Women’s Guild in 1933. Though the red poppies were already released, the white poppies weren’t meant to be an insult to the decreased soldiers of WWI.

Now, S.I.N.G. (Students Inspiring a New Generation) would like to distribute White Poppies to spread the word of world peace and to truly remember the deceased from all the wars, rather than just WWI. This is a cry to end militarism and the economic reliability on arms sales. There are certainly better methods to solve conflicts than what we are doing now. Members of S.I.N.G. hope that there will be an end to these wars and for peace to finally settle; White Poppies are the start to spreading this message.

So watch out for members in the hallway in November and contribute to broadcasting the message to your friends and family.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Book review
by Jessica Luu

You may be familiar with Stephenie Meyer from her New York Times Best Seller vampire novels, “Twilight,” “New Moon,” and “Eclipse.” However, beginning on May 6, 2008, Stephenie is also recognized for her first adult novel, The Host.

The Host is situated after an invasion of aliens called Souls. Most of the human mind is now controlled by Souls, who continue human life in a well civilized way. On the brighter side, Souls have cured cancer and brought peace into Earth.

AIDS Awareness Month

by Jessica Luu

September is AIDS Awareness Month.

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is the result of HIV, which attacks the immune system and leaves it weak against illnesses and diseases.  HIV can be transmitted through several different ways: unprotected sex and sharing needles (inclusive but not limited to those).  As well, a mother already infected by the virus can pass it to her newborn through pregnancy, giving birth, or breastfeeding.  HIV can only be transmitted if bodily fluids such as semen, vaginal secretion, breast milk, or when an infected person’s blood gets into an uninfected person’s bloodstream.  Usually, it takes 10 years for the virus to become AIDS.  Such a condition it marked when the immune system can no longer protect the body from infections.