By~ Riya Dhokia

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AN ORDINARY LIFE

A~ Alien

My parents were not born in America. They were born in Africa. My mother grew up in Canada. She would sometimes tell me how cold it would be in the winter. Snow would be so high; my mom would get snowed in! My dad grew up in England. He tells me about the activities they did at his school. He was able to play rugby, soccer, swimming, and table tennis. He tells me about the delicious food there too. Sausage Rolls, Fish N Chips, and Chicken Kabobs. He explains which each food tastes like, the smoky and juicy flavor of the chicken, the crunch you get when you bite into the fish, straight from the sea. My dad tells us what we’re missing, how food here is nothing compared to the food by the British. My dad and mom also tell me about their really good friends, the ones who they have kept in touch with, after all these years. My parents are foreigners, aliens! But that’s not a bad thing, because they bring their stories with them.

B~ Boom Boom Pow

Have you ever heard the Black Eyed Pea’s song, Boom Boom Pow? It’s a great song, and it symbolizes something too. When I hear the words boom boom pow, I think of Tae Kwon Do. I have been doing Tae Kwon Do for almost a year now. I enjoy Tae Kwon Do because it is very fun, and I get to hit and kick stuff. When I break a board, and hear the crack, I smile. I know I have accomplished something. When my instructor compliments me, it motivates me to keep going. Tae Kwon Do helps me build up my confidence, keep me at work, and make me happy.

C~ Cliques

All around me, there are these little groups. There are a group of girls who are girly. There are a group of boys who like to be the class clowns. I have my own group. My friends, I know, will always be at my side. They will help me out, and encourage me. I will do the same for them. I have one group of friends that I have been going to school with since I was 6 or 7 years old. One friend, I have known since pre-school. All those kids were boys, so I got annoyed at times, but all my friends are great. They all mean a lot to me.

D~ Defending

I have been a defender in soccer, ever since I was 8 years old, which is when I started playing. Being a defender is important; because you have to make sure the ball doesn’t reach your goalie. When you kick the ball away from your goal, and watch it take flight, it feels great. Being a defender is amazing because you have to be strong, aggressive, and fast. You must always try, because doing your best will always pay off.

E~ Engine

I am like an engine. I am sometimes lazy, tired, and out of use. And sometimes I am ready, energetic, and happy for work. I am not always ready to take risks. I might get nervous and back down. Or I will jump for a thrill and muster up my courage to go try it. For instance, a roller coaster, I have to take in the circumstances before I make a decision. I might do it, for the sake of being strong. When you turn a car on, you have to start the engine using your keys. I turn myself on when I have something to do that makes me happy. When I have low self-esteem, I turn myself off. Being an engine will effect my decisions. But whenever I get t he decision to have a thrill, I will always take it.

F~ Farts, Dream

Have you ever dreamt of being a vampire? What about dreaming to be a donkey? Or how about dreaming to accomplish something big? Dreams are a big part of my life. I dream about something every night. Dreams help you form goals you want to achieve. When I start dreaming, I don’t have to think about anything. I let the dream carry me away. When I dream, the image is so vivid. When I look into certain details, the image fades. Sometimes, when I get bored in class, I have a dream fart. A dream will pop into my head, but then I get distracted, and my dream fart disappears.

G~ Gifts

Gifts are 2 things. They are presents, and they are chances. I had a wonderful chance, to play the alto saxophone. I auditioned, and I made it! The saxophone was so shiny and golden. You could see your reflection. When you move your fingers up and down the white pearl keys, it feels so relaxing. The sweet sound of this saxophone is so jazzy. I feel the little buzzing sound, the vibration, come through this magnificent instrument. I am proud to say, that I play the alto saxophone.

H~ Hurricane

Hurricanes are giant problems. They will always bring challenges. It depends on how you handle the challenge that determines if there will be disaster or victory. You can’t leave challenges to the last minute. You have to hit them face on. I like to fix a problem, by looking into smaller parts of the whole picture. Even though my attempts might fail, trying my best, will lead me to success.

I~ Illegal

I am not a big fan of cussing, even though I hear it around me all day. I might not like it, but the use of bad language sometimes makes me laugh. Watching a rated R movie with my dad is fun. I might have to close my eyes and ears at times, but those inappropriate things and such, amuse me at the same time. You need words that might make you feel uncomfortable and illegal; they might actually make your day.

J~ Journeys

When I read a book, as I read, a picture form in my head. It’s like my head is playing a movie. I can hear all the sounds, and see the detailed image. My mind takes me through a journey as I read each book. When reading books, questions form inside my head. When I have a question, I try and find a solution. Books impact my imagination. They sometimes form a belief.

K~ Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

You probably don’t know what that is. It mans that something happy is going to happen. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is my favorite movie in the whole wide world. And it is Indian. I love everything Indian, movies, songs, clothes, food, holidays, and rituals. Indian shows are so dramatic and false, they make me laugh. Indian food is so spicy! One bite of a certain food, and I could gulp down a whole glass of water! Non-boring Indian songs always have a beat to them. That is what I love about them. Being connected to my Indian culture always makes my insides jumble. Knowing that I’m Indian, and not being afraid to say that, makes me happy.

L~ Land Ahoy

In cartoons, someone on a ship, will always shout, Land Ahoy when they have spotted land. For me, Land Ahoy means smiling, and spotted land is to dreams. Once I accomplish a dream, I smile. I have always dreamt of getting straight A’s. I have achieved that, and I smile. I have always wanted to go to Europe, and I have, so I smile. I know accomplishing my dreams will take hard work and luck. But once I achieve it, I will smile.

M~ Mint

Mint always spices up my mouth. The English soccer team Arsenal, does the same for my life. I have been raised to support Arsenal. If you asked every single member of my family on my dad’s side, almost all of them would say they supported Arsenal. It is just the way it is. Every year for my birthday, my cousin will send me an Arsenal jersey with a players name on it. When I tell people I am a fan of Arsenal, they usually become my rivals. Mot people like other teams in the league. But I am okay with that; it brings some more competition into my life. I don’t care where Arsenal ends up in the league. I will always support them and love them, because I know they tried their best. And that is all that counts.

N~ Night and Day

Early in the morning it is pitch black. As it turns toward early morning, pinks and oranges fill the sky. Daylight brings sky blue. Evenings bring back pinks, oranges, reds, and purples. As night falls, all those wonderful colors change my mood through the day. Neon colors make me happy. They spring joy into my life. Blackness makes me tired, upset, and bored. Colors are around us. Let’s explore them.

O~ Omnivores

Omnivores eat both meat and vegetables. I love food. I love the textures, some smells, and some tastes. When I eat cheese pizza, I love the aroma. I see the cheese melting off the pizza, and the steam rising up from it. Some food, I will demolish and just keep eating. Or I will take my time, enjoying the food that I am able to eat.

P~ Pinch

On the first day of every month, everyone in my family has a competition of sorts. What you do, is you say, “ Pinch, punch, first day of them month.” As you say that, you pinch and punch another family member. If someone does that to you, you can’t get back at them. If you don’t get pinched or punched by anyone, you win. These small fun rituals won’t mean much to anyone else, but I love them, because it is a family thing.

Q~ Quest

A quest is like a mission. It is my mission to live in England. I will be close to my family, I will enjoy its history, it’s food, and the atmosphere it brings me when I visit. I also want the British accent. I would like to be able to say, “ I speak the Queen’s English.” Knowing that for me to get a job in England, I have to go to University in England, so I have picked a few choices. I really want to go to Cambridge or Oxford University. Growing up is so far away, but at the same time, so close. I want to take my quest being prepared.

R~ Rights, Miranda

“You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in court of law. You have the right to an attorney and if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you.” Those are the Miranda rights. I love watching criminal TV shows. They always send a chill down my back when I watch them. I enjoy the mystery behind each one. I love criminal law so much; I want to be a criminal lawyer when I grow up. Criminal law excites me. Whenever someone gets arrested, I recite the Miranda rights. Criminal shows are very interesting with a twist everywhere!

S~ Split!

Banana Splits are great. All the satisfying toppings, cherries, sprinkles, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream make the banana so good! Well, I’m not talking about banana splits. I am talking about tennis. Before I hit a shot, I always split step. When you split step, you kind of jump and spread your feet apart to get you ready. It helps you keep your balance and improves your shot. My favorite shot is my backhand. My coach sometimes tells me that I have a killer shot. At the end of practice, my brother and I sometimes have the chance to play my coach. I always try to beat him. If I come close to either beating my coach, or beating my brother, I start cheering. My brother and I are pretty competitive when it comes to sports.

T~ Trying for Triumph

There once was a glorious event,

That tool place in October.

It contained rollercoasters, rides,

Disgusting food, and pig races.

And my dad, brother, and I,

Bought some tickets,

To go and see if the fun was enough

For us to survive.

My dad gave us some money,

To spend at the state fair.

Who knows? We could win a prize.

We walked down the dirt path road,

Looking for booths that caught our eye.

I spotted a game I loved to play.

I gave $3 to the lady, took a seat, and pointed my water spout at the target.

Oh, Yes! It was a water shootout.

My brother and I were two spots away from each other,

And we were scouring the prizes for what we would want if we won.

I spotted a stuffed animal in a wizard costume.

My brother saw a leprechaun that looked someone who is in the medieval times.

And all of a sudden,

We hear the ringing of the bell,

So I press the red, blinking buttons, watching the water rise and rise.

Ding! We had a winner!

I looked excited, waiting for the announcement, but it wasn’t me.

It was my brother! He took his Leprechaun and a few minutes after,

Wanted to exchange for the stuffed animal I wanted so dearly.

I bet he did that to make me jealous.

And because I was so upset,

I spent all of my money trying to win one.

No lick! I tried and tried and tried.

How awful I felt having to look at the stuffed animal everyday of my life!

But my brother did the nicest thing.

He spent some of his money, to win something for me!

And so we made a deal.

I could hug the stuffed animal, I could squeeze it,

As long as my brother remained in control of it.

And to this day, it sits in hiss room, looking lonely as can be.,

Until I sit next to it, feeling very cheery.

My brother did a nice thing for me. I will return the favor,

Because he will always be number one to me.

U~ Unstable

Whenever I am about to do something in front of people, I get nervous. I try to calm myself, but it always fails. I don’t like it when everyone has their eyes on me. I feel like everyone will judge me. When I am nervous, I talk a lot, especially with my friends. They calm me down. Whenever I am about to walk onstage or something, I panic, almost losing my balance, feeling unstable. When I am anxious and nervous, my cheeks turn bright red, and I feel like the air is getting sucked out of me, like when I go on a roller coaster. I’m working on building my confidence.

V~ Voltage, High

High voltage! When I watch TV, I love to turn the volume up. But my mom always tells me to turn it down. When I go to the movies, the volume is extraordinarily loud, and no one can change it. Movies are important to me because actors and actresses live a whole different life from me. I will always learn something from a movie, no matter what movie it came from.

W~ Windows

Windows are opportunities. Not everyone gets opportunities like I do. For instance, I have been to England. I have been to London, Kings Kross Station, and Piccadilly Circus. I have been to Portugal, on the beach, with the sand stuck between my toes. I was on stage reciting a poem for my cousin’s wedding, right off the beach. I have been to Belgium, tasting the crunchy, chocolate waffles, the vinegary fries, and looking at the beautiful colors of the flowers. Opportunities open up more possibilities, and it is your decision to take them or not. You get the decision to take the chance to follow your dreams.

X~ X-ray

I don’t like X-rays. When I look at the black and white picture of my teeth or body, it looks so ghastly. X-rays make me nervous. I have no clue what will come up on the screen. How do I know nothing treacherous will be revealed? I am also not very fond of needles. When I have to get a shot, I tell my doctor to do it while I am talking. When I am talking, I am relaxed, and I don’t feel it very much. I have a lot of fears. X-rays aren't on that list though. I am afraid of needles, spiders, snakes, and all that most people my age should be. But the thing that terrifies me the most is a dog. Dogs make me petrified. Their agility, barking, licking, sniffing, and claws, make me uncomfortable. It will take me a long time to come over my fears. But I will achieve it soon.

Y~ Yellow

Do you know when you are a baby; your parents will sometimes surround you in everything pink, or in everything Toy Story? Well, I was surrounded by everything pooh bear. I loved the yellow animal with the red top. I have a photo album with pooh bear on it. I have a blanket with pooh bear characters on it. I had a bubble-making machine with pooh bear on it. The color of pooh bear reminds me of honey. That is why I love him so much. Pooh bear always had a place to think, called Thotful Spot. He had a low, humble voice, which made him sound smart. His friends were always encouraging and kind. Pooh bear was like a role model for me when I was a kid. And this year for Christmas, all I want is a Pooh bear, because my brother won one at the fair and I didn’t. I love Pooh bear no matter how silly it sounds. He is my yellow, fuzzy friend.

Z~ Zany

I am very strange. When I am tired, I will talk and talk. I talk a lot. I care about things that most people don’t think about. I care about the less fortunate and the homeless, even when it doesn’t seem like it. I want to go to a country in need, and really change their lives. It seems strange to me to have those feelings, but I am a zany girl. I love learning about the culture of the world. It excites me so much. When I grow up, I am going to achieve this crazy dream of mine.

Overview

What makes my ordinary life, so extraordinary, is my family. They are with me everyday of my life. They encourage me to do the things I love, they inspire me to take chances, they teach me about the world, and I love them. They make a giant difference in the way I interpret things. They help me through thick and thin. They are always by my side. I wouldn’t have achieved all that I have if it weren’t for them.