Sunday, August 30, 2009

Assembly

We had an assembly on Friday and I didn't get called up on stage! Not once! I know it must seem wierd to you that the fact I didn't get awarded anything excites me, but thats the way it is. You have to be normal. And normal people don't win stuff or enter competitions or go up on the stage at assembly.

So yeah, we had an assembly and I got to stay in my seat the whole time!

But next Assembly I'll probably have to talk bout TOM, but I don't care cause I like it so much.

The wierd world of the high school student!

Tournament of Minds

OK, so today was our State Finals where we had to present our play and then cross our fingers and hope it was good enough to get us to Brisbane. Dad filmed our performance so turn your sound up because here it is!

So what do you think? I want lots of comments plz!

We also had to do a Spontanious, which is a problem you get given and you have to come up with a creative solution in four minutes. The judges watch you and give you lots of points for creativity and team work.

We got a special award for being the best team the Spontanious Judges saw.

Overall we came second (Tournament Honours) :(

There were 19 teams so we beat 16 of them (there's 2 Tournament Honours). So we beat 4 Ogalvie teams, 3 Grammer teams, 2 Quiche teams, 2 Kingston teams, Mt Carmel, Rose Bay, Sorell (not hard), St Patcick's, Leighland and Riverside. If that doesn't add up then I missed someone.

We tied with Scotch Okeburn and one Grammer team.

No Queensland :(

But we still had tons of fun and there's always next year!

P.S. - Maddles - good luck in your state finals. We didn't get enough teams to do regionals so we only had States.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Twins are 10

BTW, it's the twin's B'day 2day and their 10.

They got their ears pierced so I gave them earings, along with chocolate and cardbooard Ipod Nanos.

Ray gave them big soft toys. She gave Kez a rattle snake, complete with a rattle in its tail. Beck got a stuffed littlest pet shop cat.

They gave each other littlest pet shop toys too. Beck gave Keez two hard little frogs on a trampoline that actually bounces and Kez gave Beck a sea-horse in a life ring with glasses and a headband (for the sea horse).

They also got the five Harry Potter movies on DVD and also the Simpsons Movie. They got a rat cage and vouchers to buy some rats. Mum and Dad also gave them a party.

Netball Round Robin

Last Monday, as in, over a week ago, I went to the Primary School Netball Round Robin as an umpire. Mum organised it with the teams that play in her after school roster. I've been umpiring for one of those teams all seson so it was fair enough that I got to go.

This is an article that I have written for the local newspaper, The Easternshore Sun, about the day. I don't know if it'll get published, but I'll publish it here anyway.


A Day Filled with Netball and Fun
(Mum came up with the title after I went to bed and I couldn't think of anything better, which seems really wierd seeing as that is such a bad title)

It’s amazing how quiet over 100 excited primary school students can be during an introductory speech! At the Eastern Shore Schools Netball Round Robin Carnival students immediately became silent when Libby Dilger and Catherine Grace began instructing them, along with their coaches and parents, about how the day would run. But even more surprising was the amount of skill and enthusiasm these students showed when they began playing netball!

Students in grades three to six from Howrah, Bellerive, Lindisfarne, Lauderdale and Richmond primary schools convened at the Creek Road netball centre on Monday the 10th of August to enjoy a day filled with netball and fun. Even the wet weather couldn’t dampen their spirits!

The day ran very smoothly, thanks to the expert organisation of Libby Dilger (parent, Howrah Primary School) and Catherine Grace (teacher, Howrah Primary School). Both were constantly dashing about, not only organising their own teams, but also ensuring that everyone else was on time, organised, and enjoying themselves. Without their dedication the carnival would not have been possible.

These two did especially well, because they also had to cope with the added stress of a lack of umpires. Even with three students from Clarence High (Larissa Dart, Nicola Harper and myself) there to help out, there were still four teams without umpires. I was constantly umpiring, even in the games that my team wasn’t playing, and I know that Libby and Catherine did the same. It was tough, but it was worth it to see everyone enjoying themselves so much.

I remember when I went to the Round Robin as a student at Howrah. It was always the highlight of the netball year. I was always so excited, and the event always lived up to my expectations! You could see that the students participating this year were enjoying themselves just as much as I always did. Everywhere you looked there were smiling faces! Even injured players were still smiling! There was an abundance of cheering, team spirit and good sportsmanship which made this event a brilliant thing to be involved with.

Everyone involved will have a highlight from the day, and everyone’s highlight will be different, but for me the highlight was definitely seeing some of the grade sixes helping out. Joanna Levis, from Howrah Primary, umpired half of the court with me for one game when we were short on umpires. This was her first ever time at umpiring and you could see her confidence building during the game. It just made me really happy to see how willing Joanna, and other students like her, were to help out in order to make the day run smoother.

But it takes more than just two organisers, a few Clarence students, and some willing grade sixes to run this Round Robin Carnival. Thanks to all the parents, friends, grandparents, and whoever else was there, for making this carnival possible. I hope that this Round Robin Netball Carnival will receive the organisation and support it needs to continue in the future, so that many other students can enjoy this experience, just like the students today, and just like I did when I went to Howrah.

Hannah Dilger, Grade 8, Clarence High School

My Finger

On friday in sport we were playing Fitball-Basketball. Thats where you play basket ball with one of those bit fitness balls. Anyway, I hit the ball and my finger must have bent some way it wasn't ment to, cause it really hurt.

I didn't think there was anything wrong with it, it just really hurt, so I kept playing. It wasn't till I was back in the change rooms that I actually looked at it and realised it was swelling really badly.

You probably think its slightly wierd that I got injured and didn't even look at it. But I just expected it too stop hurting and be fine in 5 minutes. And there was only another 10 minutes of class so it wasn't till it was still hurting after that I decided there was something wrong with it.

I had an ice pack on it for all of lunch and then I went to maths. I couldn't write and it was still really hurting (and I hate maths) so I went home. I had my fingers bandaged together for the rest of riday and mmost of Saturday. By Saturday night they were feeling a lot better, thogh they were still swollen and a fairly impressive shade of purple, and I had to face a really hard decision - band.

I'm in senior band. And senior band has Sunday rehersals. Mac likes to remind us constantly that these Sunday rehersals are fairly essential. We do so much more work on Sundays because we aren't all tired and silly. We consentrate more and just sound better. So it was just my luck that the Sunday my finger was recovering we had a band rehersal.

I went and I played. My finger seemed to be coping OK, but it was starting to hurt more by the end of the 3 hour rehersal. I turned out that it was a really bad idea to go to band because by Sunday night my finger was hurting tons again and the swelling had gotten worse. But it's getting better again now and I hope that this time I'll help it to stay better.

Tournament of Minds 4

Our finals are in one and a half weeks and we are going fairly well, we have our whole performance organised and all we have to do is finish props and costumes and then practise.

So, where was I up to? I think Maddie and Jacqui had just finished singing Mamma Mia, right?

They are slumped in their chairs when Taylor comes home. She walks through the door and looks at Maddie and then asks, 'Mum, who's this?'

Jacqui replies in an edgy voice that really shows that she's not happy about any of this, 'Taylor, this is your Aunt Maddie. She's going to be staying with us for a while because she has been kicked out of her house.'

Maddie buts in, 'Well your mother has lost her job.'

Taylor turns to Jacqui, 'What about my new shoes! Mine have holes in them, look'

Jacqui - 'Sweetie, we're just going o have to go without these things for a while...'

Taylor - 'But Mum'

SCENE CHANGE
We now have a group of politicians sitting around a table. George is Kevin Rudd and I am his banker, sorry, treasurer. Maddie is also an important politician (some deputy-something). I turn to Kevin Rudd and say, 'So what has been happening that you need to talk to us about?'

Mr Rudd replies,'Well, I have just received a letter from the public. This is what they have to say...
'I work all night I work all day to pay the bills I have to pay!'
Maddie - 'Ain't it sad'
Rudd - 'But still there never seems to be a single penny left for me.'
'That's too bad!'
'In my dreams I had a plan,' (I'm drumming on the table)
'If I got me a wealthy man.
'I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball.'

Mr Rudd (still) with Jacqui singing back up - 'Money, money, money. Must be funny (funny) in a rich man's world.
'Money, money, money (money), always sunny (sunny) in a rich mans world.

'Ah ah ah ah ah ah, all the things I could do. If I had a little money, its a rich mans world.
'Da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da (he sits back down)
'Its a rich mans world.'

There's a pause and then I (the treasurer) turn to Kevin Rudd and ask, 'What are going to do about this?'

Rudd - 'We could give out some money.'
Me - 'No we can't! It won't help anything if our government goes bankrupt!'
Rudd - 'But it would help the economy if we gave out money.'
Me - 'And how do you plan to afford this?'
Maddie (the deputy-something) - 'We could sell one of our mansions.'
Me - 'And whose mansion are you planning to sell? I bet it won't be yours! Exactly how much money are we talking about here, anyway?'
Rudd - 'How about $900 for every family, per child?'
Me - 'That's gonna send our bank balance negative even if we do sell a mansion!'
Rudd - 'Its worth a try. Press! Make up!'

Hayley and Taylor come on the scene as reporters with cameras.
Kevin Rudd turns to the press and sais, 'It has come to my attention that the public has not been getting a fair shake of the sauce bottle. Our government has decided to give out a $900 stimulus to every family per child to help the economy.'
Taylor (as a reporter) asks - 'And how will the government afford this?'
Rudd replies - 'We'll manage.'

SCENE CHANGE
Back at Jacqui's house. Back with the same characters as before. Jacqui as Taylor's mum and Maddie's big sister.

Jacqui and Maddie are eating cereal for breakfast when Taylor comes downstairs.

Jacqui sais to Taylor, 'Sweetie, can you go get the mail?'

Taylor - 'Yes Mum.'

Taylor gets the mail and returns to the kitchen excited. She's holding a letter.
'Mum! Its from the government!'

'We get letters from the government every day, Taylor. They're called taxes.'

Jacqui opens the letter and her face lights up. Taylor is reading over her shoulder.
Taylor turns to her Mum, 'Kevin Rudd's given us $900! Can I have my new shoes now?'

Maddie explodes. 'why do you get money! That's so not fair! I should get money too!'
Jacqui (angrily) - 'I have a child to support and right now I'm supporting you, too!'
Maddie - 'So! If the government gave me money then maybe you wouldn't have to support me too!' She pulls her hand back ready to punch.

We hit a triangle and the scene freezes. Georgina comes from the back, dressed as the Granny from 2063 again. 'I think we'll just stop that there. Keep it PG rated.'
I'm back as her grand kid and I complain, 'But Gran! That was gonna be interesting!'
Gran ignores me. She puts Maddie's hand back at her side and puts a smile on Taylor's face. The triangle rings again.

Jacqui - 'Fine then! Go! We don't care!'

Maddie - 'I will!' She walks out and slams the door.

Taylor turns to her Mum, 'Where will she go?'

Jacqui - 'Just leave it, OK.'

Again, there's still more. And again, I need a break from typing this.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Tournament of Minds 3

Sorry this is taking so long to finish, its just that it's kinda boring to sit down at the computer and just write out everything that's gonna happen.

Back in 2009...

We are in a family home and Jacqui (the mum) is hurrying her daughter, Taylor, off to school. As soon as Taylor is on the bus Jacqui heads to work. But when she arrives she finds that the banker (me) is closing it. I then explain to her that the business she works for is having 'financial difficulties'.

Jacqui - 'What do you mean, 'financial difficulties'?
Me - 'Well...um...'
'Do you mean it's gone bankrupt? Do you mean I don't have a job?!'
'Well, I wouldn't phrase it quiet like that...'
'Do you realise I have a daughter to care for? Do you realise I'm a single mother and that it's hard enough for me already without this?!'
'Look, its not my fault your boss couldn't pay his repayments!'
Jacqui holds up her hand, 'Don't, just don't.'

Jacqui heads back home and slouches into one of her chairs. She has just sat down when her sister, Maddie, arrives.

Jacqui - 'What are you doing here?'
Maddie - 'I don't have anywhere else to go!'
'Well I have enough problems already without having you here eating my food and using my electricity! Anyway, didn't you have an apartment?'
'I couldn't afford my last payment.'
'And so you just expect me to take you in, little sis? Why is it always me who has to be the responsible one?'
'Jacqui, please! Just until I can find some where else.'

Jacqui takes a deep breath and we begin our first song. Me and Hayley are playing it as a flute duet and Jacqui and Maddie are singing. Here are the words, the tune is Mamma Mia. See if you can workout how it goes.

Jacqui -
'I have just lost my job, I don't know what to do.
I am going bankrupt, and so are you!'

Both Maddie and Jacqui -
'Times were once good, and I had everything;
That I wanted, and now its all gone away.
There's so much that I can't pay.

'One more bill and I am going bankrupt.
One more tax and I am gonna erupt.'

'Mamma Mia; where's all my money gone?
Why, Why; did this have to happen?
Mamma Mia; all my money's gone.
My, my; just how much I miss it.'

Maddie only -
'I have just been evicted, out of the flat I rented.'

Both again -
'Mamma Mia; who can save me now?'
My, my; I'm gonna have to work it out.'

Like our words; I do! There's still more - but thats all for now.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Tournament of Minds 2

So, the government is taking all the books on the pretense that they cause Lukemia.

We then go to a scene where you have a family (a Grandma and her two grandkids) watching the news. A reporter is interviewing the PM about the Lukemia crisis. Then there is a comercial break and Jacqui does an ad for book burning parties.

'...and to get a started pack plese call 123 456 787. These packs will contain...well...matches! cause thats all you need! The books are already in your homes infecting your families with deaseses! And if you add a 1 to the end of that number we will also send you a pair of gloves - the government is adviving that you do not touch the books with your bare skin...'

Then the Granny switches of the TV and turns to her grandkids. She tells them how she thinks its all a scam and that the government just wants to hide from the public the events of 2009, with kevin 07. And because they aren't alowed to read books anymore she will have to tell her grandkids the story. Both grandkids groan and we change scenes - back to Febuary 2009.

More soon. If you want. Maybe.