Project Journal:  Eighth Grade Volume 2

Weds Apr 19 1989

Tomorrow I have to go to the optometrist.  Yesterday I saw the conclusion to Around the World in 80 Days.  The movie started on Sunday.  On Sunday 2 hours of the movie was shown as was on Monday and Tuesday.  I really liked this film.  It's about a man named Phileas Fogg who on a wager travelled around the world in 79 days.  But because of a miscalculation he thought is was the 80th day therefore he was too late.  But later he found that

Tuesday April 25 1989

Tomorrow I'm going to Canadian Martyr's to say my speech on "holes" to a very large audience.  Today I have to say it to my school again and yesterday we video taped ourselves saying it so we could spot our mistakes.  This week is Education Week so people who want to visit this school can come in and walk around.  It is like an open house.  Yesterday I missed cross country because I forgot my gym clothes.  I brought them today.

Weds April 26 1989

The Pennsylvania state lottery hit 100 000 000 (100 million).  This is the biggest lottery ever.  But I heard 80% is taxed in the U.S.  It Canada there is no tax.  Tonight at 7:00 I will be saying my speech.  I don't feel nervous because talking in front of complete strangers doesn't bother me.  They don't know who I am.

Thurs Apr 27 1989

Last night was a lot of fun.  I didn't win but in a way I'm glad it's over.  In my opinion it's been dragged out a lot.  One girl had Ceberal Palsy whose speech was on ceberal palsy.  My friend Paul from St. Joe's won for his speech "Couch Potatoes".  I met Paul at Bark Lake.  He deserved to win.  I had a couple of spectators compliment me later.  I received a crest for public speaking.  All in all I really had fun with it.  Frank, I'm really impressed.  I really enjoyed your speech.  It was imaginative, humourous, and full of rich vocabulary.  Good for you!

Friday Apr 28 1989

In drama we are writing rap songs.  Gene and I are doing a rap together.  Our rap is called the war rap.  We're supposed to be Vietnam Veterans.  It was Gene's idea.  Tomorrow is finally Saturday.  This week was pretty long it seemed.  I'm reading a book called "365 things to know".  Now I know 90 or so tidbits of information.  I'm able to answer

Tuesday May 2 1989

Today Freezingwarm and I are playing our last match in raquetball.  I`m leading 17 to 13.  We forget whose serve it was so we will rally for serve.  It's almost time for Confirmation.  I have to do a write-up for my saint.  I chose ST. Albert the Great.  In my write-up I will explain why I chose ST. Albert and a little bit about him.  Sammy got contact lenses.  This Friday our class is going to the computer lab to make up a yearbook. 

Weds May 3 1989

Today is Pitch-in day.  My class is going out at 1:00 to clean up the immediate area.  Yesterday Freezingwarm and I couldn't play our match because he was serving a mass.  Yesterday when I came home I found a new kitten in my house.  My cat died recently so we bought this kitten.  He's all black with gray rings around his tail, he also has blue eyes.  We are considering Ringo as a name for him.  That's great!  It should help ease the loss!

Thurs may 4 1989

We're handing in our assignment of writing a note in a bottle.  Originally I wrote with charcoal on birch bark but when rolled up it faded a little so I had to use paper instead.  Tomorrow we're going to the computer lab to do our yearbook.  I have a lot of writing done so far.  I'll finish up either today or tonight.  I wrote articles on ambitions, favourites, book reviews, video game reviews, pet peeves, nicknames and expressions of 1989.  Last night I hardly got any sleep last night because of my cat.  All night he slept beside my head on my pillow.  3 or 4 times he walked all over me meowing!  I'm tired!  Frank, now you see what it's like to have a sick child and you have to stay up all night!

Fri May 5 '89

Soon we will be on our way to the computer lab.  Our computer counsellor Mr. Defazio told us to write a lot, so I did.  But I figured out that I'll need at least 2 pages in the yearbook!  My article on Favourites alone will take up a whole sheet!  I could leave some out but I wouldn't know what to leave out!  I like all of my articles equally except for my article on favourites.  That article is my favourite.  I got an application for the library but I refused it.  I did this because soon it will be summer and highschool will be starting.  I think it might be hard to balance since I would have to work from 5-9 at night!  That's a decision you have to make!  It sounds like you made the right one!  I hope you enjoy your computer day!

Wednesday May 10 89

I havea  second watch which is an exact replica of my first watch except that it is smaller.  I looked up time zones in my almanac and set my second watch to Moscow time.  It's 8 to 5 in the afternoon in Moscow right now.  Tomorrow I might switch the time zone.  Maybe I'll put London time or Vienna time or Naples, Los Angelas, Buenos Aires time!  A while ago we were offered free books.  Will we get another chance at this or do I as Mrs. Simon or what?  I don't know if there is an opportunity for any books.  You may wish to ask Mrs. Simon!

Thursday May 11 89

The locations of the amphicars I know of are as follows:  Cannon St., Parkdale, Broadway St. and one in Dundas.  Today is Mismatch day.  It's hard to write while looking at you!  This entry is pretty small so I had better get it growing by just writing some things that are senseless and just lines that have no meaning sort of like the lines I'm writing right now.  It looks like I'm almost finished so my little plan seems to work. 

Friday May 12 89

Next Thursday is the cross-country meet.  It will be held at Christies conservation park.  We'll be there all day.  Gas went up to 52 cents!  This whole week so far has been rainy, rainy, rainy!  It's getting pretty boring.  For my symbol on our shields I picked a tree because I branch out into many interests, I continue to grow and like an owl lives in a tree I want Jesus to live in me.  Because of all this I thought a tree was a significant symbol.  my chosen name is also on the shield.  It is St. Albert the Great.  Read more of him in my write-up.  Yesterday I finished my outfit for Sunday by getting my new tie.  The whole outfit is quite nice.  You have chosen an excellent symbol, and have good reasons for it!

Tuesday May 16 1989

Yesterday I bought my 3rd Popular Science magazine.   I got my first one from Sammy who didn't want it!  I've bought them ever since.  I love the "What's New" sections the most.  They tell all about new inventions in different fields like tools, electronics, and so on.  This issue has a article on a Florida competition of man-powered subs.  People from universities (of U.S.A. only) came to enter the 2 man subs.  The last issue told about the cars of the 90's which are mostly plastic like the Ford Splash.  I like this magazine because the language is simple.  Science Digest has a different vocabulary, but really good articles.  It seems like an interesting mag for the science oriented!  What safeguards do these "plastic" cars have?

Weds May 17 89

Tomorrow is the cross-country meet.  All this running we've done will finally pay off.  Everyone who participates at the meet gets a ribbon.  The meet is at Christie's conservation area.  I've been there before.  I heard that pioneer village was to be moved there.  About safety features on plastic cars I'll have to get back to you on that one.  Yesterday we skipped.  We're learning all the basic skipping tricks, like swings, skier and other things.  David Copperfield was back yesterday and the day before.  I saw his last live performance when I was in grade 4.  I have an entry in my grade 4 journal all about it. 

Fri May 19 89

Yesterday was the cross country meet.  I placed 50 in my race.  I think I did pretty good.  The race was 4kms long and the mud was horrible but I loved every minute of it.  It was great.  After the race I gulped down a liter of orange Gatorade.  Mr. Momberquette helped a lot during the race by giving me support.  There's not anything else to write.

Weds May 24 1989

Plastic cars have air bags and are stronger than the cars of today because of the blended plastics.  They could probaly withstand a more serious crash.  Today we are having a math contest.  Last year I placed second from all contestants.  I felt really good.  I framed my certificate from the board.  My favourite house in the whole world is "the house on a pillar in Dundas in the north end I believe.  It was made by an architect (sp) for his parents.  When my mother first came to Canada from Austria her mother worked in the house.  Ever since I saw it I loved.  I hope to own it one day.  It is on a pillar in which there are stairs and it's round.  I don't know the house you're talking about.  Is it in central Dundas or in a more outlying region?

Thurs May 25 89

The house is in a more outlying area near the escarpment.  The end is the end where St. Augustine's is.  It's landlocked so it is hard to see.  Yesterday I got a motorcycle go-cart.  It's actually a phased our converted riding lawn mower.  It has 2 speeds and reverse and is really loud.  It has a gas pedal too and you start it with the pull string.  The blade has been taken off.  We got it from a place my dad used to work part-time,  (now he works at St. Jo's church part time but course he is still a firefighter.) at a rental place.  They didn't want it so he took it!  It's really fun!  It sounds really neat.  My son would love it.  Can you run it without a licence?

Friday May 26 1989

Yes, you can run it without a licence.  The house is on a street called Parkview or something like that.  Well, I'm going to my second leadership camp.  My first camp was at Bark Lake Leadership camp.  I went last year.  Gene, Freezingwarm  and me are going but Freezingwarm needs a form.  Sammy has plans but hopefully he can get out of them so he can come to camp instead.  I hope this camp lives up to your expectations.

Tues May 20 1989

Today is Fitness Day so we're going to do exercises to participate.  The temperature is going to be 27 and with a lot of humidity because of last night's storm.  Last night I heard the biggest and loudest thunderclap ever and apparently I'm not alone.  Mason, Sammy, Relish, Gene, and I all heard it.  It was hard not to.  I usually sleep through thunder but this one woke me up.

Weds May 31 1989

I found a ballad to present called the Rime of the Modern Skateboarder.  I have an extra ballad called the Jogger (with apologies to Edgar Allan Poe).  The Rime of the Modern Skateboarder has apologies to the Rime of the Ancient Mariner.  I have my extra ballad to Mason.  Donut sales are over.  Too bad.  I liked them.  It was a good idea.  Since there is Track and Field day I'll get all my assignments in advance.  I might do them all tonight.  Some time this week I'm going fishing.  I can hardly wait.  I ordered a 24 issue subscription of  Popular Science.  A two year subscription.

Thursday June 1 1989

Today the track and field team is at the meet so the people that aren't going are here at Mrs. Kilgour's class.  My family has found a new cottage to go to near Lake Erie.  It has a private lake with a canoe and a boat.  It's a 2 storey farmhouse with 50 acres of land.  We usually never rent such a big place but my mother always wanted a farm house.  It sounds magnificent!  Where is this private lake?  It sounds like a wonderful vacation.

Fri June 2 1989

Yesterday we rented the cottage.  It it huge!  And very private.  I can't begin to describe it!  Yesterday's trivia question was "When did we devise the Maple Leaf flag".  I knew the answer but I was too late.  1965.

Tues June 6 1989

Yesterday I went to the optometrists.

Wednesday June 7 1989

I don't feel like writing today.  The trivia question was way too easy.

Thurs. June 8th 1989

I think we should get trivia questions that are harder or have 3 questions in the morning one for every division.  That way primaries can have easy questions, juniors, moderate questions, and intermediates hard questions.  The private lake from June 1's entry is right in front of the cottage.  If you meant which town, I don't know.  The trivia questions are being run by Mrs. Simon.  Why don't you talk about it with her!  As for you second part, I did want to know what town it was near!

Fri June 9 1989

I think the trivia answer lies in Georgian bay off of Lake Huron.  I'll have to use an atlas to be sure.  I'll get the town name later.  I know it's near Lake Huron.

Tues. June 13 1989

On Saturday I got glasses and today I got the trivia question right so I got a pin.  The question:  Name Canada's only extinct volcano which lies in the heart of Montreal.  Answer:  Mount Royal.  The other person to get it was my cousin Jim. 

Wednesday June 14 1989

The town the cottage is near is Durham.  Yesterday I went to Hamilton Place to watch my sister Ange perform in a play called the "Dreamers" by St. Thomas Aquinas School for the Arts.  Last year's was better.  Today is hot dog day.  The last one.  I hope I get to help out again.  I like the fringe benefits.  Besides Ange attending Art School she takes ballet.  Her teacher is Vitek Wvinca, a expert from Poland.  He also choreographed "The Dreamers".  Every year he puts on a recital at Mohawk College.  This year I missed it but it was really, really, really, good.  He ordered the costumes from Sweden!  I saw them.  They were great.  My sister is in grade 3-4 at the ballet school.  Terrific.   Ballet is an excellent conditioner.  Many athletes have taken it to improve flexibility and strength!

Thurs 15 of June 15

Today we're saying our raps.  I know mine pretty well.  I hope Gene does.  Today we're taking up energy.

Fri June 16 1989

We were supposed to go to the Tri-meet today but it was called on account of rain.

Wednes June 2 '89

Mon. June 26 89

Today is graduation and the last day of school for me.