I really had fun doing all the exercises, this class was really helpful... so here are my assignments 

1) Two Short paragraphs describing a thing from a different perspective: ( I chose rain) 

- The rain poured down on me to clean me from all the things I've been thinking about, I spread my arms to welcome it, it's refreshing and empowering, it's a new beginning... seems like I am reborn and I finally have a second chance.

- The rain poured down on me, it messed my my expensive bad I was holding, I let out a grunt while looking for a place to hide and wait for it to stop, it's unexpected and makes everything wet and soggy, it's a terrible omen... seems like I'm going to be late 

 

2) The Transnational plotting: ( I got amused to angry, having a barbecue  ) 

I’ve always liked our quiet town, it gives us so much time to relax specially when the school is ending and everyone is getting ready for summer, and one of the main events everyone looks forward to every year is the annual barbecue we always have at our house for the end of our school year, the barbecue is nice and it’s a great way to meet my school friends outside school and to talk about relaxing things like what are our plans for the summer and such, tomorrow is the barbecue day and for the first time mom and dad wasn’t prepared for it, It never occurred to me to ask about it since they are always ready in time, I went downstairs to see how is the preparation going and if they need any help but I found mom and dad watching TV and eating some snacks recently bought

“WOW, you finished everything already? “I said as I went to the window to see what they did with the garden, but found it clean and no preparation done what so ever, I furrowed my eyebrows, This is weird, I expected to see the usual decorations and the barbecue oven in the middle of our yard, I turned back to my parents with a questioning look, they both looked at each other none of them are willing to talk

“what’s wrong, did something happen? “dad rubbed the back of his neck, Uh Oh, something is really wrong, he does that when he has extremely bad news to deliver

“Katie, sweetie” mom finally talked “the thing is ... we won’t be having a barbecue this year “I remained silent for a moment until I broke into a laugh

 “You almost got me there, are you having the barbecue in the back garden? Did you finish the preparation that fast to play this prank on me?”

“The thing is …” dad talked for the first time today “The Riley’s are having a barbecue, and everyone will be attending theirs, so it will be a waste to have two barbecues across the street from each other “the smile disappeared from my face

“you’re serious?  ... you will give up our tradition for this reason?  “dad shrugged

“Maybe we can take this year as a break, it’s tiring planning the barbecue, let’s relax this year and do it next year, how about that? “oh my god, they are serious! I never loved the barbecue tradition, yes it’s tiring and the planning takes week to execute, but I never hated it either, it’s just is .. and now that we are sacrificing it this easy ... what will we sacrifice next?

“and you both are really ok with that? “

“They were very nice that they invited us to the barbecue, no need to over complicate things “ I blinked several times, I really can’t understand what is happening, the Riley’s same to this neighborhood last year and people were so fascinated with them because they are rich and they’re not afraid to express that in any way, since they moved in Mr. Stone donated so much money to our school that we now have a new gym and a library, and he personally supervised the building of a new health center so we don’t have to drive forty minutes to see a doctor, and his son Jason is the leader of the environment club at our school, yes they seem like saints but I know there is something they are hiding with all this façade and I’m not going to let them steal my family’s tradition, I clenched my fists

“you know what, I think it’s time to have a real talk with Mister Stone Riley” and I bolted through the door without waiting for their reply.

The Riley’s house is literally across the street from our house, so it wasn’t a long walk to get there, but it was a ling wait to wait for someone to reply to the door bell, when the intercom finally buzzed to life it was the sound of Jason, the only son of Mr. Stone Riley

“Hello there Katie, how can I help you today?” his voice was artificially cheerful, like he was trying so hard to smile while he’s talking but at the same time, he wishes this conversation over as soon as possible, I looked around to see if there is a camera installed but decided to reply

“I need to talk to your father, it’s urgent “

“Can I know what’s this about?” again with this artificial cheerfulness, I took a deep breath

“it’s about the barbecue you’re having tomorrow”

“yes of course you are invited! Everyone in this town is invited, we apologies if we didn’t extend the invitation to you, I assure you this wasn’t intentional” I sighed with irritation, he is so fake that I can feel it through a machine, how fake is their life really? Is everyone is falling for this act?

“Yes I received the invitation that what I am here to talk about, you see every year we have a barbecue at the exact time, and this year you decided to have your barbecue at that time, this is a tradition, can you tell your dad to postponed it until next century ?” he was silent for a few moments until he replied

“I’m sorry Katie, I can not help you with that, but you are more than welcome to attend the barbecue, see you then”

“What? ... wait I …”  but I heard the speaker go off, I can not believe that just happened, he just hung up on me! arrogant prick, he is truly his father’s son, as I went back to my house I realized no one really cares about this, it’s just me… and the only way to show people what they are missing is to take matters in my own hands.

I entered the house with force and announced

“I will make the barbecue, or die trying” my parents were both startled as they were still watching TV not caring about what I did or will do

“I don’t believe it’s a good…” but I interrupted dad with my determined voice

“I will prepare everything and even use my own money to pay for it, but we will have this darn barbecue in our house, and we will not lose this tradition”

“fine… just don’t mess up the grass, I just mowed it” replied dad

Over the course of the next six hours I nearly had everything complete, of course I wouldn’t have done it without my best friend Heide, we went to grocery and bought decorations and food and plastic pantry, we decorated the garden and brought out the heavy barbecue over  and put it in it’s usual place like every year and pretty much it was done… except for one thing

“did you send the invitation to the towns people? “asked Heidi while we were sitting on the white plastic chairs, we have catching our breath, I rose up from my seat

“Oh no, I don’t know how to send those, mom usually takes care of that” I barely get involved in the barbecue preparation at all since it happened on finals week and all I want is to focus on my studies and exams, but it is tiring for sure

“That’s fine, we can send them tomorrow”

“The barbecue IS tomorrow, gosh, what do we do?”

“Maybe they will show up anyway? The barbecue is always at the same time each year maybe they will show up without an invitation” huh, I never thought of that

“Maybe you’re right… it is a tradition after all, and Mr. Riley can bite his nails when he sees that no one is attending his lame barbecue and we are having the last laugh” I smiled just thinking about the prospect, that would wipe up that fake cheerfulness of his arrogant son too, I couldn’t suppress my giggle at that image.

That night I couldn’t sleep from the excitement, mom and dad barely had any reaction to my preparation but I wasn’t fazed, I know they are happy from the inside and so proud of me for pulling it off, it’s the first time I feel this excited about the barbecue, maybe I should participate in it more, it’s tiring but also fun, getting to choose the decorations and the foods I like … no wonder mom and dad made it a tradition all these years, and I will keep this tradition no matter what.

The next day I woke up at 8 am to prepare last minute things, I went to my parents room to show them what my final product was but they weren’t there, I looked for them in the house but there was no one there, that’s odd, usually my parents are up from 7 to prepare for everything because people start getting here at 11 and everything should be ready by then

“MOM, DAD… are you there?” no reply, I furrowed, maybe they went to the store to get extra things for the barbecue after they saw how hard I worked for it, I got out my phone and called Heidi

“Hey, are you ready for the barbecue today?” I said with a circus level of enthusiasm

“umm, well…” I sobered a bit

“what’s wrong? “but before she answers I heard her mom calling

“are you ready? come one we don’t want to be late” I couldn’t help but ask

“are you guys coming to the barbecue?” after few beats of hesitation she said

“yes… we are going to the barbecue” I let out a huge breath

“that’s great, I will be waiting for you, I can’t find mom and dad so you guys can help out”

“Katie, we are going to the other barbecue”

“What… What are you saying?”

“please Katie don’t be mad, mom is forcing me to go and I have no choice in the matter, please Katie please I really want to be with you there but I don’t want any trouble with mom, she is finally getting herself together I don’t want to ruin that for her” my voice was so low when I said

“did you know this the entire time?” her voice broke

“I’m sorry... I really thought if we do the preparation she would change her mind, but she said that your parents are at the Riley’s so everyone will be there so ..”

“MY PARENTS ARE THERE?” I shrieked, I went to window and had a look, and sure enough, there was my parents laughing with Mr. Stone Riley while helping in setting up his fancy barbecue over... traitors! That’s what they are… they left everything to impress a fancy guy showing off his money everywhere, I stayed still watching the scene before me while Heidi’s voice on the phone is pleading me to forgive her

“please Katie, I promise I will make it up for you …”

“no, you won’t… have fun at the barbecue” and I hung up the phone and went to my room, I can’t stop pacing, I banged the wall so many times my wrists hurt, I screamed into my pillow, I stomped on the floor … traitors, every single one of them ..

After I’m done with my fit I was laying on the floor, my bed sheets are crumpled on the other side of the room and my school notes are scattered everywhere, it’s a mess but that’s how my mind feels … at that state I came to a realization … it’s not Mr. Riley who is the fake one, the towns people are the fakes, I lived all my life with these people and I believed them .. and that’s makes me so darn angry, I will never ever trust these people again, specially Mr. Stone Riley.