Welcome to Princess Margaret Secondary School, home of the Mustangs…welcome to daycare. Where you’re expected to act like an adult but are treated like a child. Late to class? Don’t worry, the stern talking to you’ll receive will not be harsh. Homework not done? Again, don’t worry! You can hand it in 2 weeks later and still get a full mark. If you procrastinated and didn’t study for your upcoming test, no worries, you can talk to the teacher and postpone it. All these wonderful devices to aid in your childishness are right at your fingertips here in Princess Margaret Secondary School. The expectations here are simple: do anything you’d like! No consequences, no penalties, it’s all good. The fact that I can literally go to Tim Horton’s during class time and still receive no punishment is great! High School is a pretty great place to just get away with anything really. Take last week for example, I decided to go to a party and didn’t do the homework assigned. It was all good, I just handed it in 3 days later and got an even better mark than I expected. High School really is the best place to act like an adult and make adult decisions.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
College Application
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. I, however, just happen to have all.
I have climbed Mount Everest , wrangled a hog, and read War and Peace in one sitting, all while cooking a feast for the Queen of England. Performing open heart surgery, repairing the 2011 Olympic Torch, and passing math 12 with Mr. Killick are only a few of the encounters I’ve successfully completed.
I am 5”6 and 3 quarters. I’ve taught Sidney Crosby how to skate, Tim Tebow how to throw a touchdown, and taught the Sedin Sister’s to shoot a puck. I play soccer. Creating Apple, Microsoft, and the 10-Minute Brownies only took me an hour to do. Jay-Z idolizes me. Adele adores me. Channing Tatum loves me. Mrs. Sutherland despises me. I got my N.
I helped Anne Frank write her diary. “O’Canada” is my anthem. I don’t ride horses, I ride woolly mammoths. I don’t eat hamburgers, I eat beef burgers. I don’t walk, I saunter. I ran, I jumped, I skipped, I hopped across Russia
I’ve been around the world in 79 days, constructed the Eiffel Tower
And yet, I have not attended university.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
No Return
No Return
In the last voluntary movement of his life,
He meanders.
The promise of a Saturday liquid with sunshine
Intrigues him.
There were circular tins glinting with silver
Fragments of glass.
Narrow trees adrift with yellow leaves
Edge nervously along the back and past the front.
His children gathered
And quickly an uncertain guilt creeps in.
Their heads seem empty, their smiles nonexistent
Lighting the windows
Following the car with their unblinking eyes
His wife, he realizes, will not have returned
In the last voluntary movement of his life,
He meanders.
The promise of a Saturday liquid with sunshine
Intrigues him.
There were circular tins glinting with silver
Fragments of glass.
Narrow trees adrift with yellow leaves
Edge nervously along the back and past the front.
His children gathered
And quickly an uncertain guilt creeps in.
Their heads seem empty, their smiles nonexistent
Lighting the windows
Following the car with their unblinking eyes
His wife, he realizes, will not have returned
Monday, April 16, 2012
Letter of Concern
Mr. Kleats
Central High School
123 Main Street
Sportstown, British Columbia
V2A 1W3
Taylor Charley
124 Main Street
Penticton, British Columbia
V2A 3W1
April 7, 2012
Dear Mr. Kleats:
Hello, my name is Taylor Charley, and I am the mother of Robby Charley. My son is a member of your soccer team, the Penticton Panthers. I would like to thank you for your efforts to spend your time coaching my son alongside the rest of the team. However, I have written to explain some personal concerns that have risen throughout the course of the season. As a concerned mother, I would like to work with you in fixing these minor issues, and suggest ways in which the Panthers organization can be improved for everyone.
Throughout the last several weeks, I have noticed that your tardiness has been less than average, in regards to your arrival to practices. I understand your busy schedule, in which you manage to juggle between your roles as a father, worker, and coach. However, more often than not, you arrive to practice late, forcing the kids to practice in unproductive ways. In the instances when you show up in a timely manner, the practices have been disorganized, including little to no drills. Nevertheless, I would like to gently remind you that when you accepted your position as coach of the Penticton Panthers, you agreed to foster the player's skills of effort, teamwork and responsibility. If you were to show these qualities in your coaching, the children will be much more receptive to what you have to say, both during games and practices.
A few of your game-time decisions have also left me, alongside Robby, slightly concerned. For example, last Saturday I watched our team's game against the Summerland Snipers. I understand the pressure of competing against our largest division rivals, however I was taken back by your actions. Although there was no score, you ignored the team's usual substitution policy, opting instead on keeping our more gifted players playing for the majority of the game. This left Robby off of the field for the remainder of the afternoon. Furthermore, I overheard your elevated voice at half-time, stressing above all else the importance of winning that game. I applaud your passionate coaching style, but in U-10 soccer, the extra emphasis placed on winning can be considered pointless.
After airing these grievances, I would be delighted to make suggestions for the betterment of the team as a group. At the moment, your attendance record implies that coaching the Penticton Panthers alone has become too time-consuming for your lifestyle. As a stay-at-home mother, I would be able to lend my afternoons and perhaps adopt the role as assistant coach for the Panthers. With a two coach system, your role as head coach will no be taken away in any such way. I would organize practices, run some drills, and encourage the players at half-time. With us at the side of the Panthers, I foresee the remainder of the season being fun, rewarding and a great learning experience. Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns and solutions. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Taylor Charley
Central High School
123 Main Street
Sportstown, British Columbia
V2A 1W3
Taylor Charley
124 Main Street
Penticton, British Columbia
V2A 3W1
April 7, 2012
Dear Mr. Kleats:
Hello, my name is Taylor Charley, and I am the mother of Robby Charley. My son is a member of your soccer team, the Penticton Panthers. I would like to thank you for your efforts to spend your time coaching my son alongside the rest of the team. However, I have written to explain some personal concerns that have risen throughout the course of the season. As a concerned mother, I would like to work with you in fixing these minor issues, and suggest ways in which the Panthers organization can be improved for everyone.
Throughout the last several weeks, I have noticed that your tardiness has been less than average, in regards to your arrival to practices. I understand your busy schedule, in which you manage to juggle between your roles as a father, worker, and coach. However, more often than not, you arrive to practice late, forcing the kids to practice in unproductive ways. In the instances when you show up in a timely manner, the practices have been disorganized, including little to no drills. Nevertheless, I would like to gently remind you that when you accepted your position as coach of the Penticton Panthers, you agreed to foster the player's skills of effort, teamwork and responsibility. If you were to show these qualities in your coaching, the children will be much more receptive to what you have to say, both during games and practices.
A few of your game-time decisions have also left me, alongside Robby, slightly concerned. For example, last Saturday I watched our team's game against the Summerland Snipers. I understand the pressure of competing against our largest division rivals, however I was taken back by your actions. Although there was no score, you ignored the team's usual substitution policy, opting instead on keeping our more gifted players playing for the majority of the game. This left Robby off of the field for the remainder of the afternoon. Furthermore, I overheard your elevated voice at half-time, stressing above all else the importance of winning that game. I applaud your passionate coaching style, but in U-10 soccer, the extra emphasis placed on winning can be considered pointless.
After airing these grievances, I would be delighted to make suggestions for the betterment of the team as a group. At the moment, your attendance record implies that coaching the Penticton Panthers alone has become too time-consuming for your lifestyle. As a stay-at-home mother, I would be able to lend my afternoons and perhaps adopt the role as assistant coach for the Panthers. With a two coach system, your role as head coach will no be taken away in any such way. I would organize practices, run some drills, and encourage the players at half-time. With us at the side of the Panthers, I foresee the remainder of the season being fun, rewarding and a great learning experience. Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns and solutions. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Taylor Charley
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