Project Journal: Eighth Grade Volume 1
Tuesday September 6
Being in Grade 8 means more difficult work, being the big guys on the school yard, getting ready for Confirmation, and High school. It means having to set an example for everyone else in the school and being more mature. It means starting to decide what High school to attend, what courses to take and what occupation I am aiming for. It means becoming a better and fuller person in religion. It means becoming your own person and fight peer pressure. It also means that you have to be your best in all areas of school and out of school activities. You have mentioned many areas of growth. It shows a great attitude!
Wednesday September 7 1988
Yesterday Mason am I went bicycling. We rode over to Churchill to see Blocko and Gene play soccer. Their team won by ten points. The score was 10-0! That's real friendship. Going to watch them play. It was a beautiful evening!That'
Yesterday we had gym. The class jogged down to the fields. There the class split in boys and girls and we each took a part of the field. Each group split into teams and we played touch football. It was a lot of fun. My team won by two touchdowns. My favourite positions were quarterback and wide receiver. It sounds like you enjoyed the game.
Friday September 9 1988
A P.A. day is coming up already! It will be this Monday making it a long weekend! In the morning it is hard to come up with something to write in a journal unless something happened the previous night. All I did last night was do my papers and watched television. I know but you might talk about a news story on T.V., radio or in the paper!
Tuesday September 13
Over the weekend I attended my brand new cousins baptism. I think she is about 8 or 9 months old. The ceremony was held at St. Mary's. Afterwards we went to a party at my aunts and uncle's. Great! Baptism's are such a happy time!
Wednesday September 14
I solved the first and second puzzle, now I'm waiting for the third. I am trying for the logo puzzle. It's a tough one. Good luck!
Thursday September 15
I keep a scrapbook filled with interesting articles cut from the newspaper. I have an article about the largest diamond ever found. It was found in a potatoe field. I have an article about a man rowing a boat down Hilda St. in Hamilton and an article about several monkeys loose in the city and looking into windows! That's a neat idea! Good for you!
Friday September 16 1988
Blocko and I have made a puzzle. The puzzle is like the "ant" and "age" puzzless but ours is "ict" words. We have 19 of them. We just have to write the clues. I like the initiative!
Monday September 19 1988
During the week-end I saw quite a bit of the olympics. I saw all of the opening ceromonies and I saw all swimming events and diving events and the wrestling events. Yesterday I went to the Tiger-cat game. Hamilton vs. Ottowaw . Hamilton won 35 to 25. Earl Winfield scored 3 touchdowns! Meanwhile out west Toronto, lost their game to Edmonton! Earl is having a great year!
Tuesday September 20 1988
Today floor hockey starts and Gene and I are going to help. Either keep score or refferee. Thank you!
Wednesday September 20 1988
An 8 letter word for buisiness man containg a-n-t is impossible. Everyone we asked doesn't have a clue. We tried debutant account. (Now 1:00) We found it! It was "merchant"! I thought it was impossible!
Thursday September 22 1988
Yesterday I bought these funny eye glasses. When you put them on they distort your face and you result. What happens?
Monday September 26
My ruler is covered with pastels from art. That explains the red marks! Its making a mess everywhere. They got these straight marks with my pastels. A tiger-cat has joined the Argos. <--That borders on being a traitor! Good writing, Frank. However I would like to see 3/4 of a page/day!
Tuesday September 26 1988
Everyone is talking about what Ben Johnson supposedly did. What he supposedly did was take steroids! But other people are saying it was sabotage. I think he did take them! The funniest show I ever saw was The Best of SCTV. It was hilarious!
Wednesday September 28 1988
The thanksgiving dinner is coming up. I reffed the junior floor hockey game. It was fun.
Thursday September 29
I can't think of anything to write about. Not one little thing to write about except what I am writing about right now. How about tongue twisters? Can you say Toy Boat 5 times fast? How about Iowa, Ohio 5 times fast? I bet you can't say You're right!
Friday September 30
October 1st ! Halloween is coming up. Of course I won't go trick-or-treating but I will dress up to take my sisters. Gene has sisters to so we will go together! I think I will join the choir this year. Good for you!
Monday October 3
The Ti-cats are getting lazy. At half time the score was 24-4 in Ti-cats favour but still B.C. won by one point. Gene, Sammy, and I all went to Arnie's on the week-end. My favourite games were Street Fighter, Dead Angle, Dig Dug and Wrestling and my least favourite was Devastors. Except for Dig Dug they sound pretty violent. Well I guess they are in a way but not really, really violent. They are fun at any rate! They sound violent?
Tuesday October 4, 1988
On Monday I am going to Octoberfest. My family has been going since 1975, but I never realized it. I joined the choire, or, at least I said I would but I forgot about Octoberfest.
Wednesday October 5 88
How about some riddles? What begins with T ends with T and is filled with T? A Teapot! How about this: The more I dry the wetter I become. What am I? A towel! One more. The more you take away the bigger I become. What am I? A hole! Very good riddles!
Thursday Oct 6 1988
Tommorow is our Turkey Dinner and I need 3 placemats but I haven't started yet because I have other work to do and the atable is always very, very, busy! This is a copout! I signed up for butter and I am supposed to bring about a pound. Since I was going to bring 2, 1 will be easy. 2 was probaly way too much anyway. You're right!
Thursday Oct 11 1988
Yesterday I went to Oktoberfest. I had a lot of fun. First we watched the parade then we continued a tradition of going to the Yalhalla for bratwurst and beer. On Saturday I went to Mastermind, my favourite new store to see Vicki Kieth. I got her autograph too. I bought some paper, a new yo-yo and the Friday before I bought a new wooden dinosaur model for my collection. Now I have four. I have Super, we went on Saturday as well! It was excellent!
Wednesday Oct 12 1988
Today I found a new article for my scrapbook it was about the history of the tail of the lion in Gore Park. It is very interesting. This morning was very cold. Frank, you are capable of better writing. Please at least 1 page per day.
Thursday Oct 13 88
Gene is absent today and we have to rehearse our oral presentation for tommorow! I have memorized my lines but I have on idea about Gene though and we should have some time to rehearse together. Maybe he will come in the afternoon or sooner. The fire prevention presentation was today. But the grade 7 and 8 class did not go!
Friday October 14 88
Today are our oral presentations about jargon and dialogue. I have memorized my lines and so has Gene so we are set. Blocko has created a computer made up complete with monitor, disk drive and keyboard for his presentation!
Monday October 16 1988
I bough a thesaurus for spelling. It is a Collin's thesaurus. It's easy to use and has super synonyms. And awesome antonyms. I will use it today for spelling. Maybe I can't use it! It's the review unit! Darn! I was hoping I could use it today! The plays on Friday were a success! On our play Gene and I memorized our lines perfectly.
Tuesday Oct 18 1988
One of my favourite Hallowe'en books is "The Hoople's Haunted House." I read it every year in October. It's about a family who decide to use their garage instead of the Parrusutti's who
Wednesday Oct 19 1988
Tomorrow is the assembly. Mange and a group of people are doing a play. The draw for the last? pair of tickets to a Tiger-cats football game. I hope I win them. I would probaly take my grandpa who usually takes me. We like Argonaut's games best, because when played here you can feel the tension. I always go for the Tiger-Cats. They usually win too.
Thursday October 0 1988
Today is the assembly. Mange is doing a skit.
Friday Oct 21 1988
I think I have the Super Brain Buster from spelling. It fits anyway. (evil, vile, live, veil). Yesterday we got a very long sheet of very difficult Hallowe-en trivia. I am going to the liabrary every day until I get every answer. This is my new project. You said there would be a huge surprise. I wonder what it is. Our volley-ball team (boys) won all 3 sets last night. Yesterday at 2:15 our skit at the assembly was a success. I think anyway. I did not win the last pair of Ti-cat tickets. Yesterday I bought this safe that
Mon. Oct 24 1988
Sir, you still owe the 3 people who solved the Super Brain Buster. I went to the craft meeting after the 11:30 mass. This Sunday was justa meeting we will start the crafts. I would like to be one of the sales people because I'm not to great at crafts. I like fishing and someone my dad knows does too. he has a bass boat and 5 boxes of tackle. Yesterday he cleaned out 2 and gave me about 10 or 12 spinner-baits. My tackle box is now filled and I told the man thanks. One of my favourite fish to catch is bass because they are fighters. I almost never keep the fish though. We (me, grandpa, Uncle (Jack), Rino, Curly) have many annual fishing trips. One of them is our Lake Erie
Tuesday October 25 88
cont'd.
bass "hunt". What we look for is bass but we sometimes catch sheephead and
perch. Before we set off in our huge charter boat we put 2$ into a "pot".
(The usual group of people come and some other friends of my grandpa) The
money goes into 2 groups. There's a prize for the first fish (bass) caught
and a prize for the largest. (bass) I won the prize for the largest twice!
Wednesday October 26 1988
cont'd
Once or twice a year we also go to a cottage where we stay for about 3 days.
All we do is fish. There is a huge motorboat that we use about 2 or 3
times a day to fish in. (This cottage is on Georgian Bay.) We
explore all the inlets and bays and weed patches.
Thursday October 27 1988
Tomorrow I am going to the Panetarium. I have been to the R.O.M. but both places are putting on a special dinosaur exhibit. I love dinosaurs. This will be my first time to the Planetarium. How do you spell M-a-c-g-l-o-c-k-l-i-n? as in the name of the Planetarium? Another super place is the Ontario Science Center which I've been to and the Metro Zoo where I have also been. Toronto has many attractions. But Hamilton does have the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, Dundurn Castle, and many other attractions.
Tuesday November 1
Yesterday we held the haunted house. We raised $36.20. that was clear profit except for cleaning up which I considered the manual labour part. setting up was not, in my opinion. I could not think of a costume in time so I did not go trick-or-treating but I did not come out empty handed. I got any not-handed-out treats, donations from my sisters and I received money from two relations instead of candy. This money will go towards my Christmas gifts fund. My paper route brings in about $40 every 2 weeks so that helps too. I'll say, $40 is pretty good money!
Wednesday Nov. 2
I have a paper route but because of a phone call from my manager asking if I knew of anybody who would want this other route on Homewood (mine is on Charlton) I now have a second! I took it! This is not unusual either. A lot of people have 2 or 3! This means larger and more Christmas presents. I am also going to buy a stock! It will either be a Canadian Tire or IBM stock. They seem to be pretty good. Dan's brother...
Thursday Nov. 3 8
cont'd
had some mother's stock and he lost.
Friday Nov. 4 88
I love Fridays. I like them because the following day is a Saturday. I like Saturday. I like Saturday because there is no school.
Monday Nov 7 88
I hate journals. Can we get rid of these horrible things? They are a menace to society. Yesterday my aunt and uncle came over and they brought my baby cousin Eva. I like Eva a lot. She just learned to walk and she does a good job of it! My dad found a World War II, pistol box. On the wooden box it says
Tuesday Nov 8 1988
Can you please take down the posters on the nearby desks? They are quite disturbing. Sir when I gave you the proceeds from the haunted house I gave them to you in a metal box. The box was mine. Could you please return it? From now on I will put the Can. Tire and IBM stock results beside the date because I am thinking of investing in one of these stocks. This month is full of holidays and special events. These include: All Saint's and All Soul's day, Rememberence Day, The Feast of C.T.K., Report Cards and the First Sunday of Advent. Back to the posters, too bad he ripped his pants!
STOCKS IMB= -1 1/8 CDN Tire = +1/8 Wed. Nov. 9 1988
Blocko broke all four fingers on his right hand. This happened yesterday when Sammy stepped on them while playing basketball. Blocko can not write very well because he was right-handed but he can use a computer! Right now I can't think of anything to write about. When I can't think of anything to write about I don't get a page written.
stocks - ? Thursday. Nov. 10 1988
I left my Rememberence Day Poem at home but I did read it over. Last night I went to the Ringling Brother's Circus. I saw King Tusk. My favourite act at any circus is the acrobatic act. There was a fire eater, clowns on 20ft stilts and free style biking. One man went to the top of a ramp which began at the top of the colisuem and at the bottom curved up a bit. 5 elephants were placed at the bottom of the ramp and the man on the bike went down the ramp and flew over the elephants.
stocks - ? Friday Nov. 11 1988
Anyone who doesn't agree that the letter C is totally useless doesn't understand the question. In a word that C is hard as it "cut" the letter K could take it's place and "cut" could become "kut". In a word where C is soft as in "circle" s could be used instead to become "sircle" or "sirkle!" So you see, the letter C is totally useless. Do you agree? Today is Rememberance Day. My grandfather is a veteran of the second world war. He has 2 telegrams. 1 says that he was injured in the knee by bomb shell fragments, the other says he was missing in action! He has a lot of photos and books of the war. (My grandpa is alive.)
Stocks IBM= -1 1/2 CAN T + -1 Monday Nov. 14 1988
I had better start buying my Christmas gifts soon, while I have the money. On Saturday I went to my aunt and uncle's where we played ping-pong as always and we watched the movie "Beetlejuice." It is hilarious. Back to ping-pong. I beat my uncle 21-
Stocks - ? Tuesday Nov 15
Today is another blank journal day. I think I will make up a new puzzle. How about "ANIC" words? It would be easier than the "ICT" words.
Stocks - ?
Wednesday Nov 16 1988
Thank goodness I brought my pizza money. Today I cannot think of anything to write. So my entry today will probaly be a short one and I am not allowed to have less than a page. Today we have dance. Most of us don't mind the aerobic part, beforehand, but the dancing is mindless. We walk in a circle, form 2 lines then walk in 2 circles, then the process is repeated.
Thursday Nov 17 1988
Last night Close Encounters of the Third Kind was on T.V. That movie is one of my favourites. I only watched a quarter of it though. I guess I'll have to rent it sometime. Nothing interesting has been in the newspaper to put in my scrap book lately. Tommorrow is Pizza Day. I ordered three pieces. What I would like to recieve for Christmas is ... I have no idea. I do know what I am buying for other people though. Everyone gets a gift certificate worth $20. My sister Angela gets one for her (and mine) favourite store Mastermind. My
Friday Nov 18 1988
Tommorow is collection day for my paper route. But I like my route because 17 out of 29 are P.I.A. (PAID IN ADVANCE) My second route is over with. I quit it. It was too much hassle. I earn enough money and I have homework too. With two routes I finished at 5:00pm to 5:30pm. With one route I finish at around 4:30 pm. Today is Pizza Day. I ordered three pieces and no grape or apple juice. Instead I brought a C-plus seltzer. My favourite flavour too. Peach. I like all the C-plus seltzers but peach is my favourite flavour.
Mon Nov. 21
I did some Christmas shopping on Saturday. I bought both my sisters a $20 gift certificate from Mastermind. They like that store alot so they should be happy with what I chose to get them. Angela will probaly get a large $20 item and Brigit will spend her $20 on a lot of smaller items. My father will receive a $20 certificate for a Hardware store. He loves tools.
Tuesday Nov. 22 1988
Mulroney is our new prime minister. Free trade is in the future. I am glad. In case I didn't mention George Bush took the role of president from Ronald Reagan.
Wednesday Nov 23 1988
Today is the day we receive report cards. Today is also sweat shirt day. Sweat shirt. Sweater. Perspiration apparell! Almost everybody is wearing a sweatshirt. Even Sr. Micheala has one. It's a Cottonwood. Black.
Thursday Nov. 24 1988
This Tuesday is going to be grade 8 day at St. Mary's Highschool. Each of us will receive 4 tickets. 2 tickets entitle us to sit in a class that teaches academic lessons. The other 2 entitle us to sit in a non-academic class like phys-ed. So far I decided on science and computers. I might also take
Mon. Nov. 28 1988
We had a small earthquake last Friday. It was quite small and it didn't last very long but it was still very interesting. I was on the 3rd floor. All alone. I was watching T.V.. It was about 7:15 or something. I can't recall. All of a sudden everything was shaking. I ran outside and I
Tuesday Nov 29 1988
Today we have an outing to St. Mary's High School. We have four periods. 1st period, for me, is science fair then computer studies, then idustrial arts then religion.
Wednesday Nov. 20 1988
Yesterday we went to St. Mary's. I liked every course I took. I found out there is no grade 9 computer course though. I will take industrial arts, extra credits in science and religion is not a elective so I have to have that but probaly no extra credits even though I enjoyed it.
Thursday Dec 1 1988
Yesterday we had Kris Kringle. Sir, you didn't give us a chance to explain why some of us can't. (Gene, Blocko, Sammy, Me) I quit both paper routes, if I got money I bought presents for my parents. I did buy them all though with my paper route money and no one can lend me money so close to Christmas!
Friday Dec 2 1988
I just lost my computer counselling for next Monday! Now I have to wait 2 more weeks for my next turn. I am trying out for the basket-ball team. I like this sport a lot. But because of the fact that 13 other people joined I might be cut or there will be 2 teams if we can find another coach.
Mon. Dec. 5 1988
I have a new puzzle for the board. I take normal, everyday phrases and convert them into complicated phrases.
Tues. Dec. 8 1988
Yesterday I went to the Basketball practice. I did O.K. Today is the White elephant sale. I got a note from my Kris Kringle. I also received a lolly-pop. I quit my paper route and got a delivery job at a pharmacy $5.00 an hour for 2 hours after school! That's $10 a day, $50 a week! My paper route pays $40 every 2 weeks!
Weds Dec 7 88
Today is the day of Infamy. The day the Japanese attacked Pearl harbour. I filled out my application for the pharmacy job. I also got a $10 tip from one of my newspaper customers!
Friday Dec 9 1988
Tommorrow is Saturday. What is the difference between a A- and a B+? On my Haiku poem I got an A- and Blocko got a B+! What's the difference? I entered 2 stories in the prose writing constest today. On Jan 16 we are going to Camp Brebeuf! My dad volunteered to help out.
Mon Dec 12 1988
It is cold. I cannot write my journal. Over the week-end my family set up our tree. We bought a 8-ft tree! We usually chop one down.
Tues. Dec. 13 1988
3 more days until school ends for the holidays. I finished all of my Christmas shopping too!
Wednesday Dec 14 1988
Science projects are here. Gene and I plan to do ours together. We have to submit our project idea and (if you have one) who your partner is, by this Friday! On "Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego"
Thursday Dec 15 1988
Tommorrow is the last day of school! We might watch a movie. We also have to exchange gifts with our Kris Kringles. I wonder who drew my name. I got Lonnie Lumpkins. There is not very much to write about today.
Fri Dec 16 1988
It's the last day of school! We are going to watch a movie today.
Tuesday Jan 3 1989
For Christmas I received a 1541 II disk drive, a collection of assorted sweaters and other items. The one I wanted most was the disk drive. Along with it I got Flight Simulator II. It is a very good game. I bought Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego with some of my money. I love that game. This year everyone came to my house for Christmas dinner.
Wednesday Jan 4 1989
We have been living on Herkimer St. one year today. I like my present house a lot but my room is too small. My sister Ange is going to trade because of a lot of reasons not just size. After Christmas dinner my family played Pictionary. We had a lot of fun.
Thursday Jan 5 1989
Yesterday on PBS I watched a show about dinosaurs. They talked about Paradouphalus (sp) and his crest.
Friday Jan 6 1988
cont'd
One scientist had a thereoy that it was a soundmaker! This was his thereoy
because he had cut open a skull of a Paradouphalus and noticed that it was
hollow and that it concealed a tube.
Monday Jan 9 89
Last Saturday my family went to the Niagara Falls and to the U.S. We went through Rainbow mall and looked at the lights on either side of the border.
Tuesday Jan 10 89
Today St. Mary's is coming to let us fill out our option sheets. Blocko will not return my book . He has had it for quite some time. I think he borrowed it last summer. He says he lost it. It was one of my favourite novels. Frank, this is a problem you have to solve. I am glad you decided to show me your journal. I think though you are a better writer than this?