Avatar: The Last Airbender

Izzy 

12/19/20

    One of my new favorite shows is Avatar: The Last Airbender. It's an animated Nickelodeon show that started airing in 2005. All 3 seasons are on Netflix and it may only be rated TV-Y7 but I think it's for anyone.

     The Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Air Nomads, and the Fire Nation are the nations of the world. There are benders from all of the nations that can bend the elements. The world has been unbalanced since the Fire Nation started a war trying to take over all other nations. The Avatar is the most powerful being because they can bend all four elements. There is only one Avatar who gets reincarnated into the next avatar after they die. The Avatar is also supposed to be the bridge between the human and spirit world. The Avatar had been gone for 100 years until siblings Katara and Sokka find Aang the Avatar. He had been frozen for 100 years and is only twelve because of it. They travel the world with Aang so he can master Water, Earth, and Fire bending so he can defeat the Fireloard and end the war. 

    I love this show so much because of how funny the show and characters are and how funny they are as a group. I also love the bending because it is so cool to see them use it in fights. All of their adventures are amazing and you can learn some important lessons from the show. One of my favorite characters is Appa, Aang's giant flying bison. 

    The nations are actually based one the Inuit, Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan cultures. They also made comics that take place after the show and I do plan to read them. There is actually a sequel called the Legend of Korra, which follows the next Avatar 70 years after Avatar: The Last Airbender ends. You actually see old Katara and Aang's kids as adults. I love both shows so much and I hope this gave you some insight on what they're about!

Appa, Sokka, Katara, Aang, and Momo (the flying lemur)

Appa

 Tennis

Izzy 

12/19/20

    Over the summer, I got to play more tennis. Ethan and I did two weeks of tennis camp at the tennis courts nearby. I have been playing tennis there for a few years just for fun, there's a one hour class once a week that we would sometimes go to. We started it because Vincent and Cia were going there and started doing it more regularly. 

    I haven't gotten to swim with my team since March so tennis has been great for trying to stay active. Online school starts at 10 for us, so I've started waking up early and playing tennis at 7 with my dad and/or mom. We play for around an hour once or twice a week at the tennis courts at my school. The grass field and tennis courts are open to the public. It's felt weird to be back at school again when I go to play, especially because it's at the time I would normally be at school, waiting for the first bell. Since it's gotten a little colder we have been the only ones using the courts during the week and it's really nice. We'll see lots of cute dogs running around though. Afterwards we sometimes get donuts from Golden Donut, an amazing donut shop. 

    Usually we start off hitting the ball to each other within the service line, also called short court. Then we back up and do some more rallying. Dad/mom will then feed me the balls to practice my backhand or forehand. For the past couple of weeks, I've been doing the tennis class again with my friend Isabella (who I also surf with). We wear masks the whole time and it's been fun to see people my age again. I really enjoy seeing myself improve and pushing myself to get better. 

PS5 by Ethan V.

                                    PS5

By Ethan V

On November 12th, Sony released the PlayStation 5 (PS5), which is its most recent console to be released since the PS4 in 2013. There are two editions, the disc and non-disc version which means one can play discs that are from the PS4 or PS5. The disc version is $499, and the non-disc is $399. 

We were lucky enough to get a disc version for free through my mom's work, and I love it. I mainly play NBA 2k21 and on the PS5 the players in the game look very real, and the screens load very fast. I start a game and start playing it only 2 seconds later, and I don't have to wait.  Also, the new controllers that come with the PS5 are very nice because they have a really cool texture from a lot of super tiny PlayStation symbols. They also have features like adaptive triggers that I noticed adapt depending on what is happening in my game. For example if my player in the game is tired it will be harder to press the triggers because when you are tired it's harder to run, and this makes it a lot more realistic. 

Not only did the new PlayStation release last month, the new Xbox did as well. It's called the Xbox Series X, and on launch day the Xbox Series X sold 1 million units, while the PS5 sold 2.1 to 2.5 million units which is over double the amount. Both of these sold the most consoles ever on launch day in the history of their companies.

Overall, I think the PS5 is very good and worth the moola, and very fun. Just definitely don't buy an Xbox Series X if you have the chance to get either console. I can't wait for more PS5 games to come out now!

Candy Canes

 Candy Cane History

Izzy 

12/15/20

    Around this time, I get to enjoy my favorite seasonal candy - candy canes. I really love candy canes so I thought I would learn some more about how they were invented and how they are made. 

    According to history.com , "1.76 billion candy canes are produced in the United States annually." One story says that candy canes were invented back in 1670 in Germany to keep the choirboys quiet during the Living Creche(Christmas pageant) performance. They were supposedly turned into a cane because of the holiday. 

    Candy canes are made from a sticky goop of sugar, water and corn syrup. The peppermint flavoring is mixed in with starch that is folded into the sugar mixture by a machine. The machine also had cold water piped into the mixing shovels to cool the hot sugar mixture down. The mix is spun around a metal post by a machine (it's better if you watch the video yourself, linked below) which aerates it and makes it white. I found this interesting because i though the white color was from an artificial color but it's actually just from air. One batch of the sugar mix makes 3200 candy canes!! The mix gets stiffer as it cools down but is heated back up into a thick log. There are two strips of red candy laid onto each side of the candy log. The log of candy weighs 100 POUNDS!! It is put into a series of machines that roll out the candy into the proper thickness. It gets twisted to make the signature stripes and then is cut. The cellophane is wrapped around and hot air is used to shrink it. Another machine curves the end and then they get put into a cardboard box. I definitely recommend watching the video, it was super cool to see all of the machines working. From now on when I eat candy canes I will be amazed at the process it went through to get to me and into my mouth. 

    Nowadays they make so many different types of candy canes other than just pepper mint like Nerds candy canes, Sweet Tart candy canes, Dum Dums candy canes, and more - there are some even for those who aren't big fans of peppermint. I love the normal candy canes - I eat about 5 mini ones a day - and the candy ones. I think I get my love for mint from Momo because she loves York peppermint patties and candy canes too. Now you know a little bit more about candy canes - enjoy some this holiday season :)!

Sources:

Who Invented Candy Canes? - History

How candy canes are made

Starting my Second Quarter

 Second Quarter 

November 15, 2020
Izzy

    Tomorrow will be the start of the third week in our second quarter classes. In first quarter, I had English, French, and History. This quarter I have PE, Math, and Science. We also have Advisory on Wednesdays before first period where we work on our community project (it's only 28 minutes). Our school is only doing 3 classes each quarter, so first three classes in quarter 1 and 3 and the other three classes for quarter 2 and 4. I think it has been nice to only have three classes because it's easier to balance everything. We do only have half a year for each class though, so we still have lots of work. 

    I originally thought these classes would be harder and I would have a lot more homework but I really haven't had much at all. This quarter has been easier and I enjoy the classes more. P.E. has been great because we workout everyday. We do a workout video, a game my teacher creates, or something for a specific aspect like core strength or cardio. I like having P.E. first because I get energized and it feels good to workout in the morning. Another thing I like about online learning is having a late start at 10 because I can play tennis before school. I have been going with my dad and mom to play tennis at my school's tennis courts in the morning and it's been really nice to start my day off with exercise. We are supposed to do independent work from 8-10 and then zooms start at 10 but I always finish my work after zoom classes end so I have free time in the morning.

    One not so great thing about being on zoom for school is that it's pretty draining. Something about staring at a screen all day is very tiring and it's not fun to be alone in school all day.  I really miss getting to talk to my friends during lunch and getting to work with them in class. I also find that it isn't great for my back because I am sitting all day, sometimes hunched over.

    I have done quite a few presentations over zoom and they are different than presenting in person but are still nerve racking. I feels weird to not hear anyone else or sometimes not even see their faces (if you're screen sharing in Zoom). We present everyday in science and it's been getting easier each time. We split into breakout rooms (small groups of 3-4) and then present what we wrote for the warm up questions. I don't mind presenting anymore but still don't like the thought of presentations in real life.

    Overall, online school has a been very different experience that I will never forget. I hope to be able to see my friends again at school somewhat soon.

 Our Weekend in Paso Robles

Izzy

11/5/2020

    This past weekend, Mom, Ethan and I went to Paso Robles. We drove up on Friday, October 30th and missed our last zoom class. The drive was pretty long, about 6 hours going and 5 coming back. We had a great weekend with mom's friend Lecy and I really loved visiting a new town!

    When we first arrived on Friday evening, we got to our room and got takeout from a nearby restaurant called Odyssey. I had some pretty goods tacos and then we filled up the hot tub on our balcony and hung out in there for a while. On Saturday we got to explore the town. It was small but welcoming and Ethan kept saying it seemed really old because of all of the brick buildings. We had an AMAZING brunch at a place called Brunch. which was only a short walk from our hotel. We stopped in a really cool shop on the same block as Brunch. called Viva Paso. We found some really cool art and the artist, Jeff Classen was there selling his art. Mom and I each got a piece and another really cool print. Ethan got a swan stuffed animal and actually named him Joe Biden. Walking back from the shop, we experienced our first Trump 2020 car parade. SO many trucks drove by honking with their Trump flags. And I mean there were LOTS. Honestly, I had no idea how to react. It was scary to see that so many people support someone so putrid, and ignorant and we were reminded of how much of a bubble we live in in San Diego. 

    After that we hung out into the room until Lecy came, and then Mom and I went to walk around with her. Ethan, Mom, Lecy, and I then went to the Field of Lights, the main reason we went to Paso Robles. The Field of Lights is a light instillation by Bruce Monro with almost 60,000 light spheres. They were different colors and we got there before it was dark so we saw it come to life. There is a trail to walk around through the field. I really liked it and it was super cool to walk through. We went to La Cosecha after walking through an art exhibit for a while and spent a long time talking at dinner. 

    On Sunday, we had to go back to Brunch. with Lecy. We stopped in Viva Paso again and then got ready to leave. It was a quick trip but a fun one and I hope to be able to travel again soon after COVID. 

My picture from the Field of Lights.

 Surfing

October 19 2020

Izzy

    One good thing that has come from COVID-19 is that I've been surfing a lot and have gotten a lot better! I learned how to surf a little bit last summer when I did Junior Lifeguards, but I didn’t really have a teacher and I kind of had to learn on my own. This summer I did surf camp which really helped me improve my form. My friend Isabella, who also goes by Izzy, also really got into surfing this year. We started to go together a few times a week because she had a board I could use. We have both improved a lot and are now going to the beach about three times a week. We usually go around 4 PM after school and surf for a couple of hours. I have always loved the ocean and surfing just makes me love it even more. I’m usually in about waist deep water, catching smaller waves before they break. It’s so peaceful and so nice to be out there when the sun is setting. The water is cold at first but I always get used to it. If it weren't for COVID-19 I wouldn’t have the time for this so I'm really happy something good came out of it.

    Sometimes there are a very big waves which is why I hesitate to go to the “outside,” past where the waves break. Most of the time the waves are about 2 feet which is perfect for me. I have seen a stingray which is a little bit scary but as long as you shuffle your feet, you can scar them away. It is their home, so you can’t completely avoid them but it's always possible you could get stung. 

    I have been using a spring suit, which doesn't have the full arm and legs like a normal wet suit. I am going to have to get a full wet suit soon because Winter is approaching and I will freeze my butt off if I don't. I've always thought surfing would be a super fun sport to try, and now I am living out one of my dreams as a true Southern California (SoCal) kid. I've learned a lot about the sport too, like the different boards and the waves. Most people learn on a long board first because it is way easier to stand up on. Those are typically 7-9 feet, sometimes longer. Then a lot of people go to a short board, which doesn't float as well but is better to maneuver and do tricks with. I just got my own surfboard, which is 5' 11" (a short board) and made out of foam. I actually bought it from Isabella because she is getting a hard board now, which are made out of fiberglass or resin and are easier to ding. I love my board and had already tried it out before I bought it. It is so nice but definitely takes some getting used to. I'm still learning how to take bigger waves but I'm so glad I got to take up a new hobby over these COVID-19 lockdown months.

Update: 12/7/2020

A few weeks ago I actually bought a wet suit! I tried on a few before finding a great one but I really love mine and it keeps me warm. I originally bought a Roxy wet suit from Sun Diego (a beachy store with surf stuff, clothes, skateboards, etc.) that was a green/blue color. Then I went to the Ripcurl store, which is a clothing/wet suit brand and found an even better one which is the one I decided is best for me. It is all black and fits perfectly! The thickness of the neoprene is "4/3" which is 4 millimeters on the torso part and 3 for the arms and legs.

A picture of me surfing from a little while ago

A Pup-date

 A Puppy Update

October 20, 2020
Izzy 

     It’s been a while since I’ve posted on the blog, but I’m gonna give you a puppy update — a pupdate! ;)

So I did apply for Fuzz and never got a response from that organization. After searching for a little while longer I found another adorable puppy. She was so tiny, only around 10 pounds and not going to be much bigger when fully grown. She was a Schnauzer Terrier mix. I applied for her so fast and the organization, Second Chance Dog Rescue, was very responsive. Only a little while later that day they notified me that they looked over our application and had already contacted our landlord. We were good to go except that she had a meet and greet later to meet a possible family. Sadly, she did end up getting adopted but the organization said they would keep our application for the next four months. For a while I just looked and waited for another perfect puppy. It took awhile but I found another puppy named Rachel, from a different organization. She was no longer on the website a day after I applied and I didn’t hear anything from the organization. I had definitely become a little disappointed because it was taking so long to find a dog and it sort of felt like it wasn’t gonna happen.

    I applied for a fourth puppy from yet another organization but then we heard from the organization that had Rachel, Karmic Rescue. They just got a really really really cute litter of puppies and asked us if we were interested in meeting any of them. I almost screamed because I was so happy and they were all so adorable!!! We had to decide between two puppies, Whip or Lasso. We decided to meet Whip, and I finally felt like things were going to work out. The whole time during my school Zoom meetings I was just thinking about meeting her because I was so excited. 

    That was October 9, and the day everything changed. We have friends who foster puppies and were taking care of a three-month-old shepherd mix puppy. Our friends brought the puppy over to see how Noodle would do with it. At first, they just sniffed each other's butts and the puppy, Sarah, was just walking around our courtyard. I kept Noodle on leash and they seemed to be doing fine. Then he started walking beside her and basically tried to attack her twice. It was pretty scary, we had never seen Noodle do this before. It could've been because we were in our backyard and he was “defending his territory,” but she wasn't doing anything to him. After that I sort of knew what was going to happen. We talked about it and I knew it was enough to stop us from getting a puppy. I cried.

    We had to turn down meeting Whip because that would only make it harder. I mean, we did know it was going to be a gamble hoping he would be fine would another dog. I was and still am disappointed because I researched and looked for so long and had to do a lot of work to convince my parents to say yes. It’s also so frustrating that Noodle doesn’t get along with other dogs but it’s not even his fault because before we adopted him, he had a hard life on the streets of Thailand. I'm still very devastated and kind of mad at Noodle, who doesn’t even care. And I don’t know when I’ll be able to get a puppy because Noodle probably won't become friendlier. This whole process has just made me want a puppy even more because I've come so close to having one a few times. I was prepared to lose sleep and put in a lot of time for training. I was so excited to have a little dog to sleep with in my bed.

The small schnauzer-terrier mix puppy

Rachel

The top right is Whip, my almost puppy