In the month of March, I read Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan’s Curse. This is the third novel in the Percy Jackson series, which is written by Rick Riordan. This novel is about the demigod, Percy Jackson, and his continued mission to help save the world from mass destruction, from a fight between the Greek Gods and Titans. A prophecy recited by an oracle sends Percy and his other half blood friends on another dangerous quest across the United States to stop the evil Titan army from overthrowing Olympus (home of the Gods) and causing “Dooms Day”, while facing the prophecy of “The Titan’s Curse”. Little does Percy know that he will face many hardships and losses.

I really enjoyed reading this novel and would recommend it, because it was very action-packed and fast paced. I know that a lot of people don’ like to have to wait for the conflict and climax to come, so this novel is perfect for those people. There was a lot going on continuously, making it a fast and easy read! Furthermore, it had fantastic characters. All of the characters had realistic problems and flaws, which I think is important, because it connects the reader (me) to the characters.

All though all of the characters were good, my favorite was Percy Jackson, himself. I think he was the most likable person and had the most admirable traits, most particularly his bravery. Percy Jackson is brave. Within the text, “ ‘The Sky,’ I told the goddess. ‘Give it to me.’ “ (268). For context, Percy came across the goddess, Artemis, on his quest. He found her being held captive by a titan named Atlas, who made her carry the burden of the sky. Percy knew that Artemis was the only one there that could stop Atlas, so he took the burden of the sky for her, because the only way you can escape from this curse is if someone takes the burden for you. This demonstrates that Percy is brave, because instead of being a coward and leaving Artemis to hold the sky, while trying to defeat Atlas when he knew he couldn’t, he took control of the sky, despite knowing there might be fatal consequences, as even the immortal goddess, Artemis, struggled to do so. He knew saving Artemis was the right thing to do, and he also knew that saving Artemis would help the gods keep ruling Olympus.

My favorite quote from Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan’s Curse is “There is always a way out for those clever enough to find it.” (211). I like this quote, because I find it inspiring. What it means to me is that there is not always a direct way out of your problems, but there can be if you give it some thought on how to solve the problem.

Here is a fan made photo of Percy Jackson holding up the sky:

My dream job is to be a doctor. There are a few reasons I would like to be a doctor, so I’ll share a few of them with you.

First, I would like to become a doctor, because I am interested in illnesses and how they work and how we can cure them. The reasons I am interested in learning this is because there are so many unanswered questions that I can help dedicate my time to answering. I also find it interesting to learn about symptoms for certain sicknesses and how I can teach my patients how to prevent or control them. To be able to pursue a career in which I deal with these things I’m interested in would hopefully make my career more exciting and enjoyable.

A second reason I might want to become a doctor is because I want to help people. I would love to be able to make an impact on people by helping them recover from whatever sickness or injury they are dealing with, and pursuing a career as a doctor will allow me to do just that. Helping people and hopefully seeing a positive result will keep me motivated to keep working, since I know that the time and effort I put into my job is for a good cause.

Finally, I would like to become a doctor, because this occupation provides very valuable skills. If I do end up as a doctor, I would possess very valuable skills, because the things that a doctor needs to know can be applied to my own personal life, as I know how to take care of myself properly. Not only are these skills important, but they give me many options. Many people around the world need some kind of medical assistance, so my skills can be needed worldwide, which does not limit me to specific areas.

In the month of February, I read Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters, written by Rick Riordan. This is the second book to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. This novel is about Percy Jackson’s second quest as a demigod. After saving the world from a war between the Greek Gods, Percy gains both a reputation and fame. However, his troubles don’t end there. The evil titan king Kronos’s plan to make the Greek Gods fight each other and destroy the earth during the process was foiled by Percy, so in response, he attacked Percy’s camp, Camp Half Blood (which is the only safe place for demigods like Percy). Percy and his returning friend Annabeth set out to retrieve “The Golden Fleece”, which is supposed to be able to restore the magical borders around the camp, saving it from being lost. Despite finding the solution to his problems, Percy must travel through the Sea of Monsters and fight several monsters recruited by Kronos to stop him from saving the camp.

I enjoyed this novel, because it was a very unique story. I can tell that the author put a lot of thought into this novel, as it included several fantasy places (which were very well described) and many diverse characters. Because I liked this book, I would recommend it, especially for those who enjoy mythology and fantasy.

My favorite character is Percy Jackson. Percy is a really likable character, because he has so many positive qualities, most importantly his compassion. Percy is compassionate. Within the text, “Nobody went close to the girl. I put my hand on her forehead. Her skin was cold, but my fingertips tingled as if they were burning… I took her by the shoulders and lifted her into a sitting position, resting her head on my shoulder” (278). These are the actions Percy took in response to a stranger girl showing up to Camp Half Blood very ill. This shows just how compassionate Percy is, as he stepped in to help someone in need, despite not knowing who she was or what she might do.

My favorite quote from Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters is “A minute later, Annabeth hit a patch of moss and her foot slipped. Fortunately, she found something to put it against. Unfortunately, that something was my face” (204). This is my favorite quote, because it lightens the dark, gloomy mood of the novel for a brief moment and makes me laugh.

I’m invisible! The possibilities are endless. What will I do, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you.

To start, I would raid the local supermarket. Since I am invisible, nobody would be able to spot me smuggling all of my favorite snacks. Smuggling them out of the store would mean free snacks, which I don’t have to pay for. Next, I would go to nearby amusement parks and sneak in, so I don’t need to buy a very expensive ticket. You’d best believe that while I am there, I will be skipping the lines, so I don’t need to wait one million hours just to ride on an attraction. Also, don’t forget, I’m invisible, meaning I won’t get caught. Lastly, for the fun of it, I would cause some “paranormal activity”. What I mean by causing paranormal activity is causing odd things to happen. Because I am invisible, I can make things appear strange and scary to others. In my perspective, startling my friends and family would be amusing and hilarious.

Imagine having to live on a deserted island every day. Well, I don’t have to imagine, because that’s my life. Now, it may seem exciting to live on your own island, but trust me, it’s not. Before I get to doing my daily routine, let me tell you about how I wound up here. One year ago today, I was on a week long solo fishing trip out in the Pacific Ocean. On the evening of the second day, a storm appeared of nowhere. It struck my boat, and I had to survive the towering waves and harsh winds. My boat was quickly falling apart. A chair on my fishing boat flew straight at me and I was knocked out cold. I awoke the next day floating on a piece of my boat just a few yards away from an island. So, I decided that I needed to swim there so I could hopefully survive.

The island is very small, roughly about one square mile. It is covered with large, coconut trees and sandy beaches. Despite it being small, it has all the resources I need! Now I will tell you how a daily routine on the island goes. to start, I would wake up in my hut that I created out of sticks from the island and washed up items such as blankets and umbrellas. My hat is small and uncomfortable, but it does the job of keeping me warm and sheltered during the nights. Next, I hunt for my daily meals, breakfast and dinner. I start by scavenging the coconut tree forests to look for coconuts. Coconuts provide me with freshwater, which I need, as I am surrounded by the salty ocean. I continue my hunt by taking a swim, just off the beaches, looking for my main course — fish! Once I find them, I pull out my spear, made from sticks found on the island and try to spear them. Sometimes, when I find larger fish, they put up a real fight, but I usually end up capturing some food. Then I try to entertain myself with random games I create. Along the way, I search for any items that could be of my use on the shore. I continue to entertain myself and find little snacks throughout the day, but with each day, I get more bored and lonely. Finally, I go to sleep and repeat this routine the next day. My life on this island is simple, but I need to survive somehow. Hopefully I will be found soon.

I think that winter is the best season.

To start, I think winter is the best season, because it is the holiday season. In the holiday season, you can celebrate both Christmas and New Years! It is also great, as everyone is more upbeat than usual. Not only that, but I get to see more family and friends than I regularly do.

Additionally, winter season is the best, as here, in SoCal, the weather is super nice. It is nice and cool outside, but certainly not harsh. This type of weather makes it the perfect excuse to stay at home and have fun, while being lazy.

Lastly, the best season is winter, since we get a break from school! Everyone loves to get a break from school. School gets out for two weeks during the holidays, which I think is a great time to rest from schoolwork and enjoy doing fun things and enjoying time with family and friends.

In January, I read Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, written by Rick Riordan. This novel is about a twelve year old boy named Percy Jackson, who lives a normal life in New York with his mom. Well, he thinks he lives a normal life, until one day on a school trip, when he is attacked by a monster. When he get’s home, he is informed by his mom that his dad is a Greek God. Percy is taken to a special camp, where other demigods (half mortal, half god people) are safely housed from the monsters in the outside world. While he is there, he learns that the monster attacked him, because he is being accused of stealing a powerful weapon from the king of gods, Zeus. Percy, along with two of his friends, Grover and Annabeth, are sent on a quest to clear Percy’s name and retrieve the weapon, so the gods don’t tear apart the world. This quest takes the trio all round the United States and even the Underworld, while fending off monsters who are trying to steal the bolt from Percy, despite him not having it.

I really liked this novel and would recommend it, as it was very compelling. It did not take long to get to the action and none of the chapters seemed to be unnecessary, since they carried on the action and tied together nicely. Something that also made the novel interesting were the mythological stories that you learned along the way.

My favorite character from this novel is Grover Underwood, who is Percy Jackson’s best friend. Grover is a satyr, which is a minor god that is half goat, half human. He is my favorite character, because he is a friend that I think everyone needs. He has so many good character traits, including his selflessness. Grover is selfless. Within the text, “ ‘I’m a satyr, ‘ Grover said. ‘We don’t have souls like humans do. He can torture me until I die, but he won’t get me forever. It’s the best way’ “ (316). This is what Grover said to his friends when they found out not everyone was going to be able to escape Hades’s palace in the Underworld. This shows that he is selfless, because instead of letting his friends debate about who would leave, he sacrificed himself for his friends. Without hesitation, he stood up for his friends, even though he knew there would be consequences.

My favorite quote from Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is “Hades raised an eyebrow. When he sat forward in his throne, shadowy faces appeared in the folds of his black robes, faces of torment, as if the garment were stitched of trapped souls from the Fields of Punishment, trying to get out. The ADHD part of me wondered, off-task, whether the rest of his clothes were made the same way. What horrible things would you have to do in your life to get woven into Hades’s underwear” (310). This quote is my favorite, because I find it funny. I think that this is funny, because it’s a random comment that brings lightheartedness to the dark moment, as Percy Jackson is on a serious quest in the Underworld.

“We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy” — Albus Dumbledore.

This quote suggests that I always think, then make the wisest choice, which in this case, is the right choice. Making the right choice is important to think about, because I think it will likely determine parts of my future, following my choice. This quote also reminds me that taking shortcuts (the easy option) won’t always lead me to success, whereas the right choice usually will.

I can relate to this, because I sometimes face these choices during practice. Sometimes, I feel like going to practice, but not working to my fullest, since we practice so often. However, I think about it and realize that going to practice just to go won’t do anything to help me. So, in the end, I decide to make the right choice by pushing myself and racing my teammates, as I know it will help me succeed in competitions.

Somebody that I really admire is my dad.

One reason I admire my dad is because of his positivity. When you are around him, you feel great, because he can make you laugh and smile. Even when you are down, he can find a way to change your mood to be more upbeat, since he radiates positive energy. He brings his positivity everywhere with him, so he is always a good person to be around.

Furthermore, my dad is admirable for his helpfulness. If I ever need help, my dad is always there to help me out. Sometimes he will even pause what he is doing if I really need it. If he doesn’t have an answer to my question, he takes the time to look into it.

Lastly, I admire my dad for his support. He has always been my biggest fan in swimming, which is my number one sport. He drives me to practices and swim meets, almost never missing either. When I do bad in swim races or even on tests at school, he always supports me by getting me to focus on the next one.

My word of intention for 2024 is explore. Here are some of the reasons why I want to focus on exploring new things.
One thing I want to explore is new places. It has always been a dream of mine to travel around the world (specifically Europe), because I would be able to meet new people, learn new cultures, and even try new foods! Exploring new places is a fun and interesting this to do.
Furthermore, I would like to explore new activities. The more activities that I try, the more likely I am to spark an interest, which could possibly lead to a career! Not only that, but if there are more activities I enjoy doing, the more exciting my life would be.
Lastly, something else I would love to explore are new subjects. Some of these subjects would include languages, culinary, music, or woodworking. This would be very useful, but I could also help people.
Those are some of the reasons I want to focus on exploring throughout 2024. As they say, “Life is short and the world is wide.”