Solar System Story
My Memory of Brazen
A Different Culture Interview Paper

September 11, 2001 writing - This date is historic
Finally Writing
Tribute to Robert Lees

"My Report on the Solar System: 'War of the Worlds'"

by Karrlin Field

In our solar system, sun is the ruler, source of life for the nine planets, and a possible source of death millions of years from now. So since we have so much time, lets research the famous nine planets.

Mercury, a hot little planet, hot not just because of the extreme temperature near the o so powerful sun, but also because it feels fortunate to be first "in line" near the important one. And for some reason Mercury has the thought that it has some rule of the other nine planets because of its placement, despite its dwindling size.

Venus is next, it is seen as a gentle and mysterious planet by the other 8 planets. Represents women, and being second in line feels as if it is a possible "queen" in the order. Venus has an extremely arrogant appeal.

Earth, the one us humans dwell, but in the matter of our solar system is almost always overlooked. When many think of the word "solar system" they acknowledge earth is in it but denies its importance to the other 8 planets. But earth doesn't mind, it like the people on it, have always been a observer of its surrounding planets, not wanting to draw attention to its self, and could care less that its third in it, other then the perfect balance of the suns temperature.

Mars, red, fourth, and one planet earth is obsessed with. Earth inhabitants could very well live on it one day. Mars has a lot of pride for this reason.

"If you can't handle it I'll take the race." It says to earths back as it naively stares in wonder at the rest of the solar system.

Asteroid belt isn't really a planet at all, it's a large group of mini planets that just run around the solar system looking and watching and maybe spreading rumors. At times hold small threats to those who have no atmosphere, there for having a small power but more one where they don't know how to use to their advantage.

Jupiter, the big one, it feels strong and mighty. The 16 or so moons following its presence of sixth in line make it feels like a planet bully. The huge red storm on it gives it the means, it thinks, to maybe have some outrages at the planets around it. Having no comparison to the thick solid matter smarts of mercury, it thinks it's the best planet being second in size to the leader sun.

Saturn considered its level of cool by the shape of the rings it wears. Sounds familiar, the one with the best looks is cool. It has its own car company for screaming super nova. Also the fact it considers its self luck being "lucky number seven". For some reason it feels that even the sun looks to it as popular among the planets. It 'thinks'.

Uranus feels constantly put to shame, do to its name. But despite being almost constantly embarrassed, its just weaves by taunts from Jupiter and Saturn. It gave up defending the pronunciation of its name millennia's ago. Its order in the solar system is number 8.

Neptune comes to mind of a water-ruling planet. To many it's just, there. Some might go as far as just calling an "extra" planet, being ninth. It doesn't really mind. It wouldn't get along with most planets anyway. It switches places with second to last to last every so often. But it's solidly known as second to last.

Now the start of my story, who ever said 'last', was bad? No one really, it's just always assumed. The word 'last' has always had a sort of overshadowing around it. But when you specify the meaning you use with last, it can become a great opposite of, bad. Pluto, the solid last planet in our solar system it's mysterious in its own ways as it is small and disconnected from the planet community. Refusing to follow suit of gas planets and solid planets. It slowly revolves around the sun from a distance observing all that goes on in front of it.

Although named after the god of Hades, and encompass a satellite named after the carrier to Hades, Pluto has always kept a cheerful appearance. But long long long ago, not so far away from each other as they are now where the planets, in a small group, near a small star, in a small space known as the universe that hadn't been fully developed yet.

It was almost like a few friends sitting around a table just simply chatting and doing nothing in particular, until there is an unexpected bustle from Neptune. It turns to its left facing one of its moons, feeling an un-settling sensation. "Pluto, what exactly have you been doing lately? I'm just implying that your surface is cold and Charon isn't a help to my temperature either."

Pluto looked to Charon then back to Neptune. Taking the sudden question in an un-needing harsh tone. "Same as you Neptune," Pluto replied "same as you I have been waiting for the sun to get hotter so I cold possibly escape the claustrophobic confines of this planetary meeting."

"Well yes I assume, but could you please restrain your self and Charon a bit? I'm after all one of the smaller planets like your self. And I can't support such a drastic chill for so long. Go see if Uranus is willing would you?"

Not being one to argue, Pluto solemnly took Charon with it over to the side of Uranus.

"What? What do you want squirt? Are you here to make fun of me too?" Uranus boomed getting flustered as Pluto and Charon approached. Pluto began to speak but was brutally cut off by Uranus's continuing.

"Sorry but this revolution has favored the bullying of my name especially, and right now I'm not about to take it from the likes of you and your ice ball so scram!" Uranus concluded. Pluto slouched over and moved away from the last blue planet. As it thought of what Uranus stated it got slightly angry. The process of making fun of poor Uranus's name hadn't been any more or less focused on lately or at any specific time. It defiantly showed that Uranus would be joining Neptune at a far spot from the sun.

Not looking up ahead of it's self while it traveled, Pluto suddenly bumped into Saturn's rings. The rings moved like a round hoop around a rubber band. Bouncing back and knocking Pluto back a distance. Saturn whirled around and steadied its rings.

"What are you trying to do Pluto? Watch where your going man, what do you want?" Pluto shook some of Saturn's ring dust from its self and brushed some from Charon.

"My apologies Saturn, but Neptune, and Uranus deny me some room next to the sun. I was wondering if I could harbor next to you?" Saturn thought for a minute then suddenly turned from Pluto and Charon and pretended to rotate away from the sun to sleep.

"No my apologies dear Pluto. I can't ruin my good-looking rings; they need space to obtain this wonderful shape. And I have enough moons as it is. But maybe Jupiter will oblige, what's one more moon for that guy?"

Pluto sighed and heard the slight reasoning in Saturn speech. Jupiter probably wouldn't notice it and Charon's presence so what not?

As Pluto made its way, it heard Jupiter and its largest moon conversing about Jupiter's obvious superiority to the planets. The moon was larger then Pluto it's self and both it and Jupiter intimidated Pluto largely and sent Charon shaking behind Pluto for protection.

"Um excuse me." Pluto queried softly. But the boisterous laughing from the two planets snuffed its voice out.

"Excuse me!" Pluto shouted.

The laughing stopped abruptly as the moon looked at Pluto with Jupiter's glance following. They didn't reply, just stared coldly. Pluto continued.

"Neptune, Uranus and Saturn have all neglected Charon and I a place near the sun. Is it possible for us to stay with you Jupiter?"

Jupiter's stare would not lighten. It looked at the poor shaking Pluto as if it was a bad score on a sports page. Then suddenly all its moons joined Jupiter as they shook while they laughed at Pluto and it's Charon.

"Please, Pluto I haven't heard anything so funny my entire existence. No that's ok, no vacancy, but come back some time and tell me another one ok?" As Pluto pretended to storm off it failed only to become forlorn again when still hearing Jupiter's thunderous laugh in the distance.

Coming between Pluto and the next Planet where the Asteroid belt. Pluto took a deep breath secured Charon behind it and dashed a head. As Pluto blazed through the rocks as fast as it could it got hit, scratched, bumped, and bruised by many an asteroid. Not hearing a remark from a single one. After what seemed centuries Pluto was free of the field. It panted as Charon looked at Pluto in concern. Shaking any daze it had Pluto continued to Mars.

Approaching Mars Pluto and Charon wished that maybe, just maybe, Mars would be kind enough to even consider their company. Looking closer at Mars reveled to Pluto that it was in fact sleeping at the moment. Gathering up all its courage Pluto nudged Mars slightly. IT not working Pluto nudged harder. Mars gave a yawn as it faced Pluto. "Who are you?" Mars paused getting a closer look from its tired eyes. "No wait your that moon from Neptune right? And Charon, what do you want?"

"We where wondering if we could join you in your spot next to the sun?"

Mars thought deeply, it could truly spare the room for Pluto and its Charon. Pluto looked slightly beat up. Mars wondered how the satellite got away from its planet. Maybe it was headstrong. Maybe it would be bad for Mars's moral. Making a decision Mars replied.

"No."

Pluto let its mouth hang for a few seconds. Then it held its chin high and walked by Mars.

"Thank you for your consideration." The wondering satellite had decided to keep whatever pride it had left. It went past Mars's questioning look to head for the next planet.

Along came a strange planet to Pluto. It wasn't like any other. It had a strange substance covering the majority of its surface was an unusual liquid. Pluto heard it was called 'water', H?O. It was so unheard of it scared Pluto too much to ask the strange earth for any assistance.

"2 more planets left." Pluto sighed. Feeling almost as it has lost all hope of ever being in livable temperature zone of the sun again.

Pluto and Charon cringed at the planet that they head towards next. And now they came to Venus, the most arrogant planet known to the system. Planets like Saturn and Jupiter where just full of them selves. Venus was arrogant, something that has the power to be more unbearable.

Karrli FieldPeriod 3Mr.Sindaco

"My Memory of Brazen"

by Karrlin Field (10/25/2000)

I haven't yet lost any person important to me. It eventually happens to everyone, they lose someone they love. The person could pass away or you could never see the person face to face ever again. I'm fortunate this hasn't happened to me yet. But there are other losses. To me, cats and dogs had absorbed their own version of the human spirit through domestication. So when I lost a dear friend in the form of a dog, I feel the sadness, maybe not in its true effect, but in a way, I know how sad it can be.

Two dog friends of mine have passed away. I can only write about the second one. It happened more recently so I understood why it happened and why I felt the way I did. Her name was Brazen; she was a Jack Russell Terrier, and was one of the 20 dogs my neighbors' (Jack Russell breeders) owned. She had mothered many puppies for them to sell, and my neighbors had kept one of her sons, named Baby General. Brazen was also a racing dog. She was the best in her category, and would often race against 10 or more other dogs. I had first met her son after he began jumping the small fence that he was held while getting daily exercise (my neighbors knew this and were ok with it). He would come over and visit any time he wanted. Then after a few weeks, he coaxed his mother into coming with him.

It was a sunny day, and Baby G came over the hill to visit, then I got this feeling something else was coming. The moment I saw her dainty brown head pop up the hill, I was standing a few yards away from, I gasped. I had never had this strong sense of elegance from anything. The feeling is hard to describe; she walked by as if saying to anything she passed, "Excuse me, I'm the wise, beautiful, and elegant me." She wasn't shy at all; she came up to me and licked my hand.

"Hey girl, you must be Baby G's mommy. He must be proud to have a mom like you." I said.

Her son accompanied her into our house. Once she was in she ran right to our furniture and lied down like she owned everything in it. She was a queen, so we called her Queen Brazen. I heard of her as a racing dog, but she was unbelievably sweet. I found the only time she wasn't was when she was trying to out run the other dogs in her 150-meter races. At those times, she would be as fierce as anything.

The day she passed away is the only thing I remember about her vaguely. It happened around September/October a year ago. It was dry everywhere but on the grass, and an immense layer of dark clouds was looming over my neighborhood. There was no wind and not a creature anywhere was making its daily sounds and noises. I came into my house and noticed the nonconforming stillness. Three days earlier I had gotten news of Brazen getting a bad case of heartworm. My mind was not on te subject that day, so the attitude of my house made my heart jump.

"Hello? Anyone home?" I questioned.

My mom came into view. I could tell something happened. Deep in my mind I knew what happened, but I try to convince myself it didn't. Brazen was so young, only 9, her spirit lifting presence can't be gone so soon. "What happened mom?"

"Libby (my neighbor) called, Brazen, (she sniffed and wiped her eyes) Brazen passed away last night around 4." I went blank for a second, "She did?" My mom nodded. I set my book bag down and stared at the floor; I slowly sat down on my couch. As the truth set in, I rested my head in my hands and cried.

I thought about her, her sweet comforting licks, the sight of her slender body running two feet in front of the rest of the racers, the refreshing feeling of her jumping on to our couch after I had a bad day at school, and the confidence I could see coming from her as she trotted around our house. I would never physically feel those things again. She was the strongest soul in an animal I have ever known, she would never back down, or tuck her tail between her legs. She never whimpered if she were in trouble, she just wouldn't do it again. She had the comforting stress release of a cat, in the elegance of a dog. I will always miss her.

Now if I want to feel her again, I go outside to the place I first saw her pretty face and stand there. I smile every time I do, I feel her sweetness and her strong soul, I always feel well when I think of them. I know Queen Brazen is somewhere where she owns everything, and is the best of them all, she will remain that way in my mind, I'm positive.

A Different Culture

Interview by Karrlin Field

(Note: the interviewee's identity is not revealed in this interview, but instead is represented by "*******" in the text below.)

The manner that two humans can conduct daily life can be as different as night and day. Even the same sort of life, being an high school student, a teenage girl, a daughter, a niece, a grand-daughter, an athlete, a friend. Despite how any of that is done; there are times when race and culture effect how people view others morally, and physically. I don't believe its right to treat someone differently because of his or her race. I have friends that belong to many races, Asian, Italian, Russian, Australian, and African American. I have interviewed my closest African American friend, and have set out to compare and contrast our different worlds.

There has never been a large migration in our lives, we have both lived in Pennsylvania for 15 years. Even *******'s relatives live in the tri-state area. Unlike my own family branches, any extended relatives I can think of live across the country in California. Its believed that in African American cultures the aspect of older family members and extended families is more focused on and practiced. Its always societies viewed painted picture to see a African American family saying a prayer at a table with grand-father and grand-mother at the head of the table during supper on Martin Luther King day. ******* and her mother and father simply note it on the calendar and go out to a quite dinner together. My family does not celebrate the holiday, but we do recognize it, and its meaning.

We are both athletes in similar ways; her skills expand on many different horizons. She takes a successful part in, basketball, track, soccer, and club style dancing. A superb runner, and well coordinated, endurance wise ******* could beat some one with my physical attributes with hardly any effort. I'm sure that with a little training, ******* could even beat me at what I do best, throwing javelin. Athleticism seems to come naturally for her. She protects it well, refusing to ever try or do drugs. I do as well; drugs don't have a place in our lives.

I asked ******* if she felt like she needed to know other African American's she replied, "Yeah, because I need to know people like me." Looking at the majority of her friends, she has few that are African American. That is probably due to her living in the suburbs and going to such a Caucasian oriented school. But for me, there are times when I feel the opposite; I'm more driven to befriend people different from me. Probably because I know I belong to a vast majority, a majority overwhelming at times. ******* did make it clear to me that she believed that race didn't matter. Only the things that people did around her determined how she treated them.

No one has ever been clearly or harshly prejudice to *******'s face, but if that ever happened she wouldn't take it to heart. She would just feel extremely bad for that person, how they lack a good minds eye, and for their upbringing. She would also stand up for some one who got effected by another's prejudice, best to her ability she would get her point across to the little minded abuser that its not right. I'm not sure weather I could stand up for some one or not. I think I would feel awkward defending someone if I wasn't his or her same race, because then would I know what I was standing up for?

The only thing that ******* and I are completely different about, besides the obvious of physical appearance, is our taste in music. I think I would knock my head in with a 2x4 if I had to listen to endless hours of Aaron Carter, or Busta Rhymes. I don't have problems with some hip hop/rap, but I wouldn't listen to it if I had a choice. Some songs are okay, but I like more genres like alternative, modern classical, modern and Techno, some bands like Westlife (an Irish boy band), Jimmy Eat World, Default, and Blessid Union of Souls. But these small things can't keep us from getting along.

"This date is historic"

by Karrlin Field

Not a journal

The date is the historic peace day of 9-1-1 (9/11/01). I walked into 3rd period, and the TV was on CNN News. I didn't really get to see what was on it till I sat down.

Most people know of or have been too the famous twin skyscraper towers in New York City that function as the main world trade center. I stared in disbelief as it depicted gapping holes in both buildings. One quite near the top, and the other 8 minutes fresh near the middle of the other tower, both creating a cloud of smoke and debris.

Funny thing, they had video footage of the second explosion, both appeared to be caused by huge commercial 767 airplanes with about 90 peeps each.

Once they replayed the second plane clearly crashing through the second tower I was in terrible awe as the fire ball fused from all sides of the floor in a horrible explosion, watching the transfer of a whole high jacked plain to a fire ball inside one of the symbols of new York, the twin towers, made me tear like mad. I couldn't start balling, not in front of...you could see and hear the passenger's screams, and you could so well.

In the 20 min length so many souls and memories were stolen from their bodies. Police and firemen race up both towers in a frantic rescue attempt. Around 200.

10 minutes later,
The world trade center collapses at separate times, each once symbols of industrial NYC are completely gone. Disappeared, one floor impacts the other till they are both completely leveled. Estimation that a combination of 6,000 people was in the two towers combined when that happenedä

That is not only impossible to conceive, it is the equivalent of every soul in willistown dieing in an airplane incident, 2 times.

My tears haven't even started to fully dry when the news of another highjack plane 747 with 60 or so peeps crash into the pentagon. Few more minutes' later news of a fourth and final one of the day in rural Pittsburgh with 40 or so peeps all high jacked 7-somethin-7's all planned horrifically all happened in the length of 2 hours.

No one in America can begin to believe it yet.

I cant, and I know the people in the planes just about to hit the twin towers couldn't either.

TuesdaySeptember 11, 2001

Finally Writing

by Karrlin Field

So I leaned over to turn the oxygen flow meter up to 3.5, or until I could really hear the gas flow. It joins the midnight ambiance as I try to sleep in here, that and my I.V pump churning slowly, and my feeding pump rotating promptly. No wonder I clamp a pillow over my head and never wake up feeling rested. But its little things like turning on my own oxygen supply, and connecting my self to those pumps that grab at me. It's just like weights pilling up in my gut,

"Why? I have to do this, and why?"

Why does the world have to be so horrible and be so wonderful? A horrible world of killing each other, shooting innocence, mass destruction, real oblivion, powerful ignorance, soul stealing, unimaginable greed. A wonderful world of charity, true love, caring souls, rewards, laughter, happiness, thankfulness, and friendship.

Then don't forget horrible things that are wonderful, like a disease that changes you to appreciate life too much, and causes you to care too much, so much that you appear like you don't care. You can't escape the world, you can't answer all the questions, you can't come to terms with you can't, you can't. I can try to tell you about it.

I don't know what to think, so it's givin me an outlet to say a few things instead. Thought is your own disability and savior, nothing else matters but what you think. Thought can't change a thing; it's the will that drives thought to action. Yes you can feed a will thought but then a will must take energy, that's where physical comes into play. And if you have a problem there, then much energy gets driven back to will, will can be over loaded, then energy flows to thought. Thinking can get out of control. I must fix the link, there are no attempts, and I must fix the links. Trying does nothing, it only matters if you do it or not.

That little puppet was the wisest creature in the universe.

Would I sacrifice thought to gain the link of energy to action? I think I would, but I don't think I would loose everything, I would gain the physical world and retain my mental stamina, I could walk and think at the same time instead of focusing on my destination.

I even think so sporadically I need to review my thoughts to make sure I brought them to reality. Which is sorta funny, because iam typing on a computer, the expresser that turns nothing to text. Zeros and ones.

"You're gonna carry that weight.."

"Tribute to Robert Lees — For the Memory of Bob"

by Karrlin Field

I don't know who will read this, but that's the draw back of living 3,000 miles away. But I did want to let you know grandma, how much his influence had when you brought him here.

I only met him once, I know you remember, but there was no mistake about it, he was a writer. I wanted to ask him to look at something I had written. It was my mother's idea really, and I didn't know what to expect because the work was an assigned essay, only read by my parents and my eighth grade science teacher. And since I had a rather high opinion of my little essay I was jumping at the chance to get real a writers opinion. That was the first time I had branched out to share something so close to me to some one with such expertise on the subject.

So I sat across the dinning room table from him, practically sweating from the excitement. He put on his reading glasses and began to review. The time seemed to be lost in my nervous state, but he set the four-page essay down on the table and gave a little smile. You can imagine my exuberance. But I had to settle my self down, for I wanted to know what I could do to make some one stand up and cheer after reading my work. I waited with carefully concealed baited breath.

He commented on how interesting and very cute it was (I strived for it to be so) How I was starting with a good story. Then he added picking up the paper.

"The main character needs a struggle, something that the audience well embrace him for fighting." said Bob and symbolized the impact struggle could have on an audience with a quick clench of his fist.

I sat there amazed, why hadn't I realized that? It was what I so direly needed to know, but had not discovered. The struggle is what can give an amazing story and unforgettable character. I hope I smiled big enough for him as I took back my paper from the table and thanked him for looking at it. I was still jumpy from the shot of adrenaline from the first official review and critique of my work. I was younger then, and I hadn't developed that proper way to let him know how much it meant to me, timing I guess.

I wish I could remember exactly what Bob said to me.

Every time I think of my characters a stronger story now forms in my head, purely automatically. As Bob has turned on a switch to be passed down. The Character with the struggle shall prevail. I have always remembered that.

"Now I forever know, thank you so much."

And even though I don't see you that much grandma, I love you and I am sorry that he had to leave that way.

You can call me or write to me whenever you want to. I'll be happy to talk.