Dan in Real Life

7. Can you know in three days that you love someone?

I think you can get a feeling that you want to stay with them for a long time or that you may eventually fall in love, but I don't know that it can happen in three days. But, because it's never happened to me, I couldn't say 100% one way or another.

10. Dan's family is very involved in getting him to date again. How involved do you think family should be in your relationships? Your involvement in theirs?

They want what's best for you, and want to help you when they see that you need help, but overall, it's not their place to choose what happens in you life.

15. What is something most people don't know about you?

You wouldn't think it, because I'm so quiet, but I can have really bad road rage. I get it from my mom.

22. Dan tells the kids at the abandoned Shack O' Shells that "life is full of disappointment." Do you think that's true? How do you feel with disappointment?

Yes, it's completely true. You don't get everything you want in life and you just have to deal with it. I try not to dwell on it too long, because it can really eat away at you if you let it fester there. You just get frustrated

Food memories

 

I don’t have a lot of memories of food, but sometimes, I eat something or smell something that makes me think of when I was little. When I was in Kindergarten, I remember sometimes the hallways would have the smell of something sweet, maybe like cookies or candies, I don’t know what kind, and I rarely smell it anymore. Sometimes when I would walk in class, there was a smell almost like coffee, but I don’t know if it was coffee, it as well is sometimes difficult for me to find anymore, but when I do smell it, it’s always at a school. I’m thinking there are some special foods they only sell to teachers that gives off these scents. 

One obscure memory that my parents have reminded me about before is, when I was little, I would be eating a bag of popcorn, and I would get so tired, I would fall asleep with my hand still in the bag, then I would wake up, eat a bit more, and fall asleep again. When I was younger, I would spend the weekend with my aunt, and just about every week, we would have Hamburger Helper. I don’t know why, I know I’m the one that asked for it, but I don’t know why Hamburger Helper and why every week. The next morning, she would also usually make me blueberry pancakes. I guess with a little kid, it’s easier to just make it than put up with the hassle.

 

The first thing that I ever learned to cook by myself was spaghetti. I would want it a lot, but I think my mom was getting sick of making it for me all the time, so she told me if I got a large bowl, filled it with water, put in the pasta and put it in the microwave for increments of a few minutes, before long, I would have spaghetti. You feel really grown up when you make a meal for yourself for the first time (although now it’s just annoying to have to cook). I was still pretty young, and my mom didn’t like me to cook on the stove, so the microwave was the first step.

This is...

 

 

This is my dog and me

resting inside on a cold night

normally kept outside

but now too old to stay out too long

 

This is a boy and his dog

sharing a bond over a decade long

with memories of each other

as young energetic youth

 

This is a memory

of other dogs that have come and gone

while this bond

has lasted the longest

 

This is a feeling

of having one puppy notice me while the rest play on

and then have them all rush me at once

while the first leaves and walks alone along a fence

not knowing she's the one I want

 

This is the past excitement

of a first grader getting a new dog

guilting my mom with puppy dog eyes

and backing her into a corner

 

This is the dog who ran away

an open fence and intrigue leading to an outside world

a sinking feeling of never seeing her again

only to have her come back the next morning

and paw at the door

 

This is the dog I gave milk

too much milk for such a little dog...

and the dog we fed extra food we didn't want

then to have her puke it back on the floor

 

This is the dog I share most of my life with

the one who has been there when I'm scared

the one to play with outside during summer

the one I still have, aged by years

but still a puppy at heart.

Steady Chords

They pick up a guitar,

easily tuning it to make sure

it gives off the best sound it can.

Sitting down, they begin

to strum the chords.

 

Tunes flow from 

the strings of the guitar

like water flowing off a waterfall.

 

The rhythm strums

steadily like rain

patting the roof during

a spring shower.

 

Notes flow gently

through the air,

breaking the still silence

with a melody of sounds

so pleasant to the ear.

 

Time seams to stand

still as we sway to the

music that creeps its way

into our bones and

makes us feel lighter than air.

 

This guitar brings us a

sensation of peace as we

lose ourselves with

every strum of the pick.

 

A talented mind that’s

able to play each song

like no thought goes into it at all,

like it’s able to simply

flow from the fingers

rather than the mind.

 

The deepest bellows and

the highest pitches

complement each other in

a perfect yen and yang of

sound that echoes through the room,

sending vibrations

from all directions.

 

A warmth washes over us,

as if the songs can

give off a comforting heat.

 

The sounds from the guitar

gently fade out, and

welcome in a still quiet.

 

The sound is gone,

but the feeling still lasts,

as if never stopping

and continuing forever.

 

The room gradually comes back

to a steady position,

the euphoria of music still

deep inside them.

 

They stand up, leave the guitar,

and walk out of the room.

And there we are,

right where we started.

Childhood questions

12. I was a healthy kid, but I think I was sick more than most. I always seemed to have an ear infection or cold. But I used them to my advantage to get out of school.  I had pneumonia, I broke my arms a couple of times and of course I had chicken pox. I was sick and missed my class trip to Jefferson City in fourth grade. Mostly, I’d say I was healthy.  

13. I don’t think I had one favorite toy, but my favorites were always stuffed animals. There was a tornado when I was in first grade, and the whole time during it I was holding onto my stuffed dog. It was comforting to have it there. I had another stuffed dog, and a while after I got it, I found two small dogs that looked like it, so I would pretend they were its puppies and I had to help take care of them, and they all had to sleep in my bed with me. It was just nice to have them around.

21. I feel like my personality is almost the same as when I was a child. I’m still quiet and keep to myself. I don’t have the same taste in movies and television as when I was little, but I don’t consider that a bad thing. I still get nervous at new situations, but now I don’t burst out crying when I’m nervous. I’m not as excitable as when I was little, but I think most people get like that, everything is a such a big deal when you’re little.

27. I think my first away from home experience was in fourth grade. My grandparents took me to Alaska to visit my uncle. It was the first time in a long time that I had spent away from my parents. I was excited, but my mom was crying, she didn’t want me to leave. When I think back, I feel like I should have felt the same way as her, nervous and homesick, but I really wasn’t, I was just really excited.

33. I don’t know if I ever thought about my teenage or adult life that much. I always thought about when I’m older and out of school, I could do anything I want. I hated being stuck in school all day (I still do) while the rest of the world goes on outside.  I just knew I was ready for a little more freedom.

Kindergarten

Billy isn’t usually a nervous child, but today was different.

Today, Billy would do something he has never done before.

Today is Billy’s first day of Kindergarten.

Billy’s mom drops him off at school and says goodbye.

He walks into the building slowly.

He walks down the hall to room 108, his new class.

 

Inside he sees other kids coloring and playing with blocks.

His new teacher, Miss Jones, shows him to his table.

He sits down with the other kids, and starts drawing.

 

A little while later, it’s time for music.

The class is full of all sorts of instruments; maracas, xylophones and tambourines.

But Billy picks up a kazoo hiding behind some books.

After music, the class heads to gym.

They go outside where it’s warmer, and play baseball and Frisbee.

Billy hit the ball further than anyone else in the class.

 

When gym is done, the class comes inside for lunch.

Billy’s mom packed him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, an apple, and a carton of milk.

He sits and talks happily with the other kids in his class.

 

When the kids return, it’s time for writing.

The teacher writes all the letters of the alphabet on the board, and the kids copy them.

Billy is having trouble on the letter ‘R’, but a new friend helps him out.

 

The class then goes to the library.

The librarian tells them all about the library, and they take any book they want home.

Billy chooses a story about pirates at sea.

 

The class comes back into the room for snack time.

It’s a pretty hot day, so the teacher gets them all popsicles.

But Billy eats his too quick, and gets brain freeze!

 

The kids go outside for recess after their snack.

 

Billy's older brother told Billy about recess, and how it was the best part of the day.

 

He was right. Billy played on the swings, slide and monkey bars the whole time.

 

 

The last class of the day is art.

The teacher passes out paint, markers and crayons for the kids to color with.

Billy picks a green marker and draws a picture of the forest by his house.

 

At the end of the day, Billy walks outside to find his mom.

He spots her car and goes running towards it.

He tells her he loved his new school, and wants to go every day.

Children's Book

 

Title: Froggy's Halloween

Author: Jonathan London

Author Bio: no

Reason: He doesn't think children care enough to read about the author

Describe the cover: A duck dressed as a ballerina, a frog dressed as a prince and a pig dressed as a devil go trick or treating.

Number of pages: 28

 

Characters: Froggy, mother, Miss Witherspoon, Princess Frogilina, Max

Settings: Froggy's bedroom, his class, the neighborhood.

Summary: Froggy doesn't know what he wants to be for Halloween. He go through a lot of costumes and becomes a prince. He goes trick or treating with his friends.

This book has:

animals as characters

rhymes

monsters or creatures

kids as characters

humor

illustrations

color

repeating phrases

 

Favorite sentence: He tripped on the porch and Princess Frogilina falls on top of him.

Ages: 3-8. It's about Halloween, it has talking animals, it can hold a kids attention well.

Would you have liked this book? Maybe, it's colorful, but nothing really happens.