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Hey Oak Park!
Exams are finally over and the new semester has come! After a month of hard work, finishing late assignments and cramming, it feels great to be able to take a deep breath and start off the month with new classes and no homework. The Opinion would also like to welcome you to a new semester with yet another issue sure to entertain and interest you.
To celebrate the season, we have included lots of Valentine’s features, such as the history of Saint Valentine, a love quiz, the best romantic movies and songs, a list of the best valentine’s day presents to give to your sweetie, and of course, a Valentine’s day rant, to cheer up those of you who are feeling all little alone this time of year. We also have our usual features, such as sports updates, poems, horoscopes, movie and book reviews, recipes, puzzles, and more!
Once again, we would like to thank everyone for their support of the newspaper’s Friedreich’s Ataxia
Fundraiser for Brittany Sommerfield’s wheelchair, and remind you that we are still accepting tab donations.
You can place your tabs in the cans marked “Tabs for Wheelchair” located around the school! Also, there will be a Breakfast in support of Brittany in the coming month, so watch out for more info about it and please participate to make a huge difference in a fellow student’s life.
We hope that you enjoy this issue of the Opinion, and remember, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, you can email us at oak.park.opinion@gmail.com
. In addition, we are always on the lookout for inspired new writers, so come join us at our meetings Thursdays at noon in room 211 to get involved.
Thanks!
The Editors

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Tonguetyed. Candy Hearts . Digital image. Flickr . 14 Feb. 2006. Web. 3 Feb. 2012
Tanakawho. Preparing for Valentine's Day . Digital image. Flickr . 24 Jan. 2010. Web. 3 Feb. 2012
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Nee, Ween. Valentine's Day Cupcakes . Digital image. Flickr . 22 Jan. 2010. Web. 9 Feb. 2012
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Lyons, Derek. Mysterious Morning . Digital image. Flickr . 29 Jan. 2012. Web. 9 Feb. 2012
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We’re in room 211

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It’s crunch time! With only a handful of games left in the regular season for both of our hockey teams, every game is a must win.
The Oak Park boys’ team, recently returning from their highlight trip to a tournament in Phoenix, Az., has been labeled the team to beat as they have consistently ranked first in the league this season. However this means that every team they come up against plays them with extra drive, making for games after games of exhausting battles and hard-hitting opponents. The boys hope that this will only fuel their own fire as playoffs are approaching quickly.
Let’s keep that title boys!
Our Raider girls are also looking towards the playoff run as their list of remaining games continues to shrink. With a brilliant defeat of the first place Dakota
Lancers in January, and inspired by a walk through of OP female hockey history from two graduates of the team, the seniors on the team are hoping that through this they have finally found the key to their team’s success. They, along with the rest of the team, are hoping to finish the season strong and to continue the streak right through to the
Championship!
Be sure to mark our Raider’s hockey games on your calendar as there are only a few league games remaining, and listen to the announcements for playoff times and results! Go Raiders Go!!!!
The Oak Park Men’s and Women’s Soccer programs are tearing up the turf this indoor season as both teams are leading the pack into playoffs!
Our OP girls’ team is ranked second going into playoffs, but they are breathing down the necks of first place opponents Glenlawn Collegiate, and are confident that they will have an excellent showing through playoffs.
Be sure to listen for game times and results throughout
February and March as the Indoor playoffs begin, and try to make it out to watch some skilled and aggressive soccer from your Raiders!
Also in OP soccer news, the boys’ team is coming on strong again this year, as they also sit in second place behind Vincent Massey Collegiate going into the first rounds of playoffs. The team is eager to show their speed and fierce style of play against any team they may come up against and are aiming right to that Championship! Listen for updates throughout
February and March and be sure so show some Raider pride and come and cheer on the boys!

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Oak Park’s Community Service Committee and Opinion presents....
nd
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February 7- 10 th
Thank you to everyone who purchased their Matchmakers! We hope you enjoyed the sweet tarts
:) :)

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As many of you already know, Mrs. Harder left Oak
Park this past semester. We know we won’t forget her or the mark she left on our school , and that she won’t forget us, but before she left we wanted to know what Mrs. Harder thought about her time here. As a teacher here at OP, on and off for 3 years, Mrs. Harder had a lot of fun with her many classes.
She’s not picking any favourites and says loves all her students; each and every class was “awesome”. She experienced many memorable times at OP. She had a hard time narrowing them down, but vacuum packing and dissections were high on the list. One funny moment involved coming back to school after being sick and finding out that one of her students, ‘Mr. James’, had pretended to be the student teacher to the unwitting substitute. Of course, she loved coaching her basketball and volleyball teams, but also enjoyed being a photographer at OP’s many championship games, being on the field close to the action.
Likes and dislikes about OP? No dislikes except having to leave (awwwL), but having the opportunity to teach
“bright, beautiful” students, coming to a school she loved, and teaching what she loved were highlights of her day.
Now, Mrs. Harder is off to Fort Richmond Collegiate to teach chemistry and science, but she’s really going to miss interacting with all the students here. However, she’s looking forward to the challenges at FRC that come with going to a new school, and being able to continue teaching chemistry, her favourite subject. But don’t worry, this won’t be the last we see of Mrs. Harder. When asked if we’ll see her any time soon, she said “Oh definitely!” Being with the grade 12’s since they first arrived at OP, she wants to be there to see them all graduate, and she also promises to come back for the musical and
Fashion Show.
Though Oak Park was the first school that felt like home to Mrs. Harder, we know she’ll soon find her place at FRC. We wish her all the best at her new school.
As much as you’ll miss Oak Park, we’ll miss you even more. We appreciate all you’ve added to Oak Park.
Thanks for making the classroom, and the court, so much fun!
The 2011 High School Indoor Track and Field Series is now underway for all our talented athletes, and already
Oak Park is showing that their track team is one to contend with!
With three more meets to go before the individual
Championships, all four categories (JV Boys, JV Girls,
Varsity Boys, and Varsity Girls) are in the running for the team Championship title! Keep it up Raiders!!
Be sure to look back here next month for final team and individual results! Also check out the meet placings posted in the gym on your way by to see the results of some awesome Oak Park talent!

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One of our favourite gym teachers and track coaches of all time, Mme Lafrenière, has offered to share some of her wisdom about life to students in an Opinion feature. Read below to gain invaluable life lessons from one of the pros!
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To quote Mme Laf: “this was years ago”.
Mme. had gotten a heads up from a coach at Charleswood, about two girls who were coming and how they always ran together. He explained that she needed to push the one girl harder, because she could go faster, but was just sticking with her friend, even in races.
Laf went to talk to the girl, but she got the names mixed up because they were so similar. So there she was giving the wrong girl her speech: how she needed to push herself, to run her best race and not her friend’s. And Jaydene
Moralee, the girl who ‘accidentally’ got the speech, went on and won provincials in grades 10&11. She got a crosscountry scholarship, won the Manitoba Marathon and got a rep to sell Nike products!
1)
2)
In Mme. Cordeiro’s Grade 10 Spanish class there was a special guest from Costa Rica who came to talk to the class about Costa Rica and its connection with
Winnipeg. The guest was a music teacher from a small town. This was his first time in Winnipeg and it was an exciting event for everyone. In the presentation he talked about his school and how things are different. At the school that he teaches, they care very much about the environment. Their school is quite environmentally friendly and the students there all learn how to take care of the
Earth by replanting trees and learning what types of trees grow in which area. The guest then sang us a song. He played and sang with great melody. After that each student got lyrics and we learnt a traditional song from Costa Rica.
The school and the city that the guest came from has a good connection with the University of
Winnipeg. Students from the U of W can go to Costa
Rica and spend time at the school and with the students out there. This is a good connection and we were very happy to have this guest come and give us a great presentation. It was a great experience to learn about another culture in a different part of the world!

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February can be a bit of a dull month at times – marking the half way point of the school year, sometimes it makes you think, “I still have another 5 months of this?”, and the bad weather outside doesn’t exactly help the dreary feeling. Even at only 28 days long (or for this leap year, 29), it can feel like it lasts years! However, sometimes one particular day of the month, February 14th, can help spruce things up a bit. Saint Valentine’s Day is one time of the year where you can acknowledge somebody that you may have been eyeing for quite some time, or give a gift to that special somebody to help them notice you. But, why do we celebrate all this? What’s the history behind the 14th, and why has it always been associated with love? Saint Valentine’s Day has a quite interesting history that’s been forgotten over the years, so why not take a few minutes to learn more about this intriguing day?
Saint Valentine’s Day is often represented by symbols such as hearts, flowers, chocolate, but none are seen as often as the young winged boy, Cupid. The son of the
Roman goddess Venus, Cupid is regarded as the god of affection and erotic love. Cupid is often portrayed in western culture as wearing a diaper, however this is simply a modification of the traditional Roman Cupid who’s portrayed as being naked, to make him more suitable for younger ages. Cupid uses his bow and arrow set to shoot people, and whoever the arrow hits is filled with a feeling of uncontrollable love and desire. Because
Saint Valentine’s Day is celebrated in honour of the
Roman priest, Saint Valentine, who believed that everybody has the right to love and marry, it’s only natural that the day is often associated with a Roman
God who can create a deep feeling of affection and love.
However, Cupid and Saint Valentine have no relation to each other, despite having a common set of beliefs.
Long ago during the third century of the Roman Empire, the emperor, known as Claudius the Second, was looking into strengthening his army. During the Roman times, the strength of your army represented the strength of your country, and the amount of power that you had. During these times, young men were the only ones allowed into the army, and Claudius wanted more of these men to fight. However, he thought of married men as more vulnerable, weak and unable to fight when compared to the bachelors that hadn’t yet settled down.
So, to strengthen and grow his league, he decided to ban all marriages in Rome, making all men single and in his opinion, strong. However, many couples disagreed with Claudius’ ways, and wanted to get married. Unfortunately, because of the law, no church or priest was willing to let them wed, and they were left unmarried. One man, though, known as Priest
Valentine, also disagreed with Claudius, and believed that two people had the right to be married. So, hoping to create a better life for couples, he opened up his church to secret, discreet weddings, defying the emperor and marrying right under his nose. Unfortunately, Valentine’s good will didn’t go long without being noticed, and the secret was revealed to the emperor and the Roman government. As a result, he was condemned to death by a public stoning, but after it failed, was beheaded at the Piazza del Popolo, on February 14th,
269 A.D. After Valentine’s death, it wasn’t until 496 A.D. that he was honoured as a saint, and the date February 14th was named, “Saint Valentine’s Day”, because of his death.
In conclusion, although Saint Valentine’s Day may seem like any other day during the oh-so boring month of
February, its rich history and fun social traditions of exchanging gifts and letters make it a lovely addition to the month. And don’t forget to give a valentine to that special someone this
February 14th, after all, it’s what Saint
Valentine would’ve done!

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Time passes fast! Most students may not remember when the first Louis Riel Day was celebrated in Manitoba.
The holiday’s name was chosen from solicited student suggestions from across Manitoba and was first celebrated as Louis Riel Day on February 18, 2008. Several Manitoba schools put forth the name of Louis Riel and, when chosen, shared a monetary prize.
The choice of “Louis Riel” showed how historical attitudes have changed over time. Louis Riel helped create the province of Manitoba when he fought for land rights of Métis and French people in Western Canada. But years later he was hanged as a rebel and traitor to his country by the then largely English Canadian government in 1885. Afterwards, when Canadian history was taught at school, it depended on which school one attended because two different versions of history were taught. In French schools students learned Riel was a hero, unjustly hanged, and in English schools, students learned Riel was a traitor to his country.
Unless your parents are francophone, they probably learned about Riel as a traitor, while Français and many
French Immersion programs taught about Riel as a hero.
Currently, students are taught both versions of the story of Louis Riel. He did order a man to be killed when he resisted Riel’s government and taunted his captors. But he also fought for Aboriginal people and
French settlers living in Western Canada when the
Canadian government denied their rights. Most importantly, students knew enough about Louis Riel to be able to put forth his name as a suggestion. And the committee who chose Riel as the winning suggestion was educated as well.

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A boy and a girl sat under a large cherry tree. It had already gone pink, fully bloomed petals falling off the branches and blowing away in the summer wind. It was warm, the sun beating down relentlessly. The couple, however, were protected from the heat by the shade of the tree. This was their place, private and secluded, a place where they could come to be together.
“I love you so much.” The girl said, her head resting in the boy’s lap. Her eyes moved through the branches, fixated on the cherry blossoms and their simple beauty.
“You are so beautiful.” The boy said in reply as he ran his fingers through the girl’s hair. His eyes also scanned through the tree.
They both laid there, completely relaxed. Time passed, and the sun got lower in the sky. The pair just lay there, not needing to speak or even to move. As long as they were with each other that’s all they needed to stay entertained.
As the sun was almost down and the sky was almost completely dark, they finally moved. The girl sat up and stretched and the boy, who had fallen asleep, jolted awake.
They smiled at each other and leaned in for a passionate kiss under the semi-moonlight. The cherry blossoms appeared as though they were tinted blue.
“Did I mention that I love you?” The boy asked, pulling away from her ever-so-slightly.
The girl smiled and leaned in again, only this time to hug the boy. They held each other for what felt like ages. It was during that time that the girl noticed a slight movement in the tree. She stared at it for a few moments before recognizing it to be the shadowy figure of a person walking in the distance.
“Do you see that?” The girl asked, pointing in the direction that she saw the movement.
The boy looked over but didn’t see anything. Jokingly, he said. “No, I don’t. Maybe it was a vampire, or a werewolf, or…”
“Do you really think it could be a werewolf?” The girl pushed the boy back, causing him to bump his head on the cherry tree. As he rubbed his head the girl climbed to her feet, her attention completely focused on the movement.
“I wasn’t being serious…” The boy said.
The girl didn’t appear to have heard him, and if she did she ignored his words. She followed the shadowy figure with her eyes for a few heartbeats until it vanished from her sight. Instantly she started walking towards where she’d last seen it.
“Where are you going?” The boy jumped to his feet.
“I’m not going to miss out a chance to date a werewolf!” The girl shouted back. “I mean come on.”
The boy was flabbergasted. “I was only kidding!
You can’t be serious.”
The girl paused for only a moment, turning back ever-so slightly as she spoke. “Look, you’re a great guy and all, but you’re no werewolf. I mean have you not seen Taylor Lautner? Team Jacob!” The girl continued to walk away into the shadows.
The boy was left standing, jaw open and in shock. He couldn’t speak, just kept staring after the girl.
He stood there for almost five minutes before he regained his composure.
“Well, it’s her loss.” He said to no one.
He turned his gaze to the sky then. The moon shined brightly, full and beautiful, a symbol of what was to come. The boy closed his eyes and waited. Soon his skin began to crawl, fur starting to grow all over his body.
He could feel his face elongating, his teeth growing sharper, his hands and feet turning into paws. Within minutes he was a fully-formed werewolf. He lifted his snout into the sky and howled with great force. He then ran at full speed into the night.
A minute of two later the girl came trudging back to the cherry tree. She had branches in her hair from walking through the forest and she was in a terrible mood. “False alarm, it was just a woman walking her cat…” She stopped and looked around, confused.
“Hello? Where’d you go?”
She called out a while, hoping that he’d come back, but eventually gave up, stomping her foot in the grass in defeat. “Fine, it’s his loss.” She said, and then walked off into the night.

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With the air full of love in February, it reminds us that St. Valentine’s Day is coming soon! Do you have any idea what you are going to do with your honey on this special day? What if you are not ready or have no clue what you should do/ buy for your darling? Don't worry about it, we will give you some ideas and help you figure out the best thing to get them, so that you both have an unforgettable day!
Homemade chocolate in a heart-shaped box Flowers (especially roses)
Sweet DIY card Text a sweet message
A Watch A Watch
Gadgets and Gizmos
Romantic message in a bottle Romantic message in a bottle
(one for you and one for her)
Perfume
(one for you and one for her)
Perfume
Hugs and Kisses personalized frame
Fancy headphones A Watch
Romantic DVDs/CDs
A Watch
Clothing Clothing
Homemade chocolate cake/cookies Homemade chocolate cake/cookies
A Wallet A Wallet
Stuffy toy (teddy bear)
Romantic cards
The Evening of Dance marked the end of the semester at the Gas Station Theatre on January 12 th
. As usual, there were two shows; 6pm and 8pm, but what made this year different was that classes performed 3 dances each, which meant a greater number of styles to offer for the audience. There was also more opportunity for
Company dancers to try their hand at choreography. Thirdyear Company member, Jennifer Page, choreographed a beautiful contemporary number to Headlock for the
31G/41G class. Miranda Ferris did a similarly outstanding job with the 31G class with a fun, creepy jazz dance to
Eyes on Fire . Company choreographers also included Erika
Horvey, Jolene Bayne, Jamie Zimmerman, and Kayla
Seminiano. It was great to see the talent these girls have in so many areas of dance. We hope to see more of the
Company dancers’ choreography skills next semester.
If you’re one of the unfortunate few who missed this amazing night or any of the other shows, you don’t know what you missed! We hope you come out to the next show because the dancers really appreciate being supported by all of you. This spring , it will start all over again with the Semester 2 dancers. We’ll keep you posted with upcoming events, as there’s sure to be even more exciting performances that you won’t want to miss!
Pictures of dancers at the student choreography show!

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Life is Beautiful, an Italian film, is the story of a
Jewish man trying to protect his son from the trauma of
Nazi death camps during world war two. The movie begins before the war begins, in the 1930s, and the first half of it tells the story of how the man, Guido Orefice (Roberto
Benigni), wins the heart of his future wife Dora (Nicoletta
Braschi) with his hilarious antics and unfailing love for her.
The first part of the movie is quite light-hearted and full of laughs, and helps the audience to get to know and love
Guido’s character so that they can root for him and his family as he tries to save them from concentration camps.
In the second half, we meet Giosué(Giorgio Cantarini),
Guido’s young son, and shortly after we watch him and his family get taken away by Nazi officers. Throughout their experience with Nazi horrors though, Guido keeps up a façade with his son to protect him, and makes him believe that everything they are going through is a completion, and the winner gets an army tank. He blinds his son from the devastating truth of their situation, telling him that they could go home at any time, but that it is worth the trouble to stay and win the grand prize. From we witnessed in the first part of the movie, Guido is a witty, ingenious man who loves to play games and to please people with his funny acts, and now we can see that he must use these skills not only to keep his son’s innocence but to survive.
The way that Guido tries to make a big joke out of the Holocaust caused such a conflict of emotion inside me, that often during the movie, I didn’t know whether I should laugh or cry. The mix of fantastic humour, tragedy, and the love story between Guido and Dora make Life is
Beautiful a rollercoaster ride of emotions, keeping you engaged with the characters and feeling as though you were right there with them the entire time. I especially loved Roberto Benigni’s portrayal of Guido, the loving husband and father, for which he won an Academy
Award for Best Actor. His hilarious jokes, his caring attitude, and his awkward, gangly look, make him a very lovable character.
I would also recommend watching this movie in the original Italian soundtrack with English subtitles, since the beautiful language adds to the beauty of the movie, and the characters and setting seem more real. After a couple minutes of watching, reading the subtitles becomes easy to follow and don’t distract much from the action on screen.
I would give this movie 5 out 5 stars because of its creativity and because it is so well done and believeable. I guarantee that you will enjoy it!

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Titanic is a very famous film that came out in 1997.
It is an epic romantic/disaster film that shows happiness, sadness, fear, and love. The movie stars Leonardo
DiCaprio & Kate Winslet. Despite being an older movie, the filming and effects are brilliant. It is known as the most expensive film ever made, which held an estimated budget of $ 200 million, which is more money than the cost of making the real ship. Although Titanic is based on the true story of Titanic , which set sail on April 10 1912, the main plot is a fictional love story revolving around Jack, a 20 year old penniless artist who wins his ticket onto the titanic through a poker game, and Rose, a 17 year old high-class lady who is forced into an engagement to 30-year-old Cal
Hockley.
The movie stretches over 192 minutes, with the first half centring on Jack, as he boards the Titanic, when he meets Rose and the love story begins. The second half is full of dramatic suspense as the ship hits an iceberg just 5 days after departure, in the North Atlantic
Ocean. As the two main characters are told the ship will sink in just 2 hours, they struggle to stay together, and survive though the panic and horror.
The movie is one of my favourites, I can easily give it a 5 on
5, and recommend it as a wonderful
Valentines Day flick, for its romantic love story.
Blood Diamond is a raw story depicting to what extent a person will do for what they love; be it diamonds and money or family and security. Directed by Edward
Zwick and produced by Len Amato and Kevin de la
Noy, Blood Diamond is set in war torn Sierra Leone, in
1999. It begins with an average family, in an average village. The family consists of a poor fisherman, Solomon
Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), his son and aspiring doctor, Dia
(Kagiso Kuypers), Solomon’s wife and his two daughters.
When the Vandy’s village gets rampaged by the
Revolutionary United Front (R.U.F), the family is forced to separate. Solomon finds a large pink diamond and his fate is then irreversibly tied to a ruthless diamond smuggler,
Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) and an outspoken journalist, Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly).
Blood Diamond was an inspiring movie. All aspects of the movie were well thought out. Each component complimented the next, creating a cooperative whole. Blood
Diamond is recommended to an adult audience due to the violence and mature themes.
Despite the harshness of the premise of the film, sensitivity, courage and devotion find itself evident throughout.

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Recently I read Possession , a sci-fi dystopian novel by Elana Johnson. In the book, the world that Vi lives in is controlled by Thinkers, who brainwash the citizens into thinking and behaving in a way the Thinkers consider
“good”. But Vi doesn’t listen to the rules and, even though walking with boys is not allowed, she visits Zenn, the most important person in her life. However, she is caught and put in jail where she meets Jag – who has grown up outside the city in the Badlands – and together they escape. The Thinkers pursue them, trying to get Vi to join their ranks. Along the journey Vi will have to decide the course of her life and learn who to trust.
I found the book very confusing, which made it hard to enjoy. The world was futuristic and very different from our own, with a lot of made up, advanced technology.
However, I found that the way Johnson described the technology and the world didn’t give a very clear picture of it and made the story hard to follow. I will admit that even though it was very tiring trying to figure out exactly what was going on, I still finished the book. There were twists in the story that were completely unexpected. Also, I really wanted to find out what was going to happen to Vi. She had hard choices to make about what path she wanted her future to take. I knew what I felt was the best choice, but I wasn’t sure if she would choose that, and of course I had to keep reading to find out! I can definitely say that Vi’s world would be a horrible place to live in. It seemed as though all the characters had ulterior motives, which was something else that annoyed me, even if it seemed believable. I didn’t like that I was constantly doubting the characters’ actions.
Still, that sort of uncertainty might appeal to other readers who like not having any idea what is going to happen next.
There was also – as usual in young adult novels
– a love triangle. Vi has known Zenn for a long time and even though he means a lot to her, the Thinkers have brainwashed him. Then she meets Jag, and although he may have grown up in the “Badlands”, she begins to have feelings for him. You’re going to have to read the book if you want to find out who she chooses, though!
I would recommend this novel to people who like dystopian novels about a different, imperfect world, and also to those who like unexpected twists in a story.
Overall, I did like the story and thought it was very creative. The twists were also unexpected and helped keep my attention. Vi’s character was fun to read as well, since she actually sounds like a real teenage girl with a
“don’t mess with me” attitude. However, the confusing way it was written really made it hard for me to love the story, and for that reason I give Possession 3 stars out of
5. The sequel, Surrender , comes out June 5, 2012.
Although it continues off the (cliff-hanger) ending in
Possession , it is told from a different character’s point of view, but still has the main characters of the first book. I hope you enjoy the first book in this new series!

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'The Tale of Despereaux' describes the journey of a sickly mouse named Despereaux who wishes for more than the life he has been given. Despereaux is an odd mouse, strangely small, able to read and fascinated with light and humanity. He falls in love with a human princess and meets many creatures, good and bad, while on a quest to prove his bravery to win over the girl who holds the key to his heart.
'The Tale of Despereaux' was an amazing book. It was a fairly easy read and it kept the reader's attention. The themes used within this book, for example, are the choices we can make between 'light' and 'darkness' and the relationship between action and consequence, were thought-provoking. Characters were well-developed, raw, often innocent, and sometimes naive. They were relatable and by the end of the novel, the reader wanted them to succeed and have their happily ever after.
'The Tale of Despereaux' is a great book filled with optimism in adversity. Its easy-to-read writing style allows for a larger spectrum of readers. I recommend it to all genders ages 12 and up, older readers can really get a deeper sense of the text and themes while younger readers can simply enjoy this entertaining story. I rate it
5/5 for its story and ability to appeal to a large group of people, I mean, who doesn't want to read about how a mouse became a better man than most?

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Guess what? This puzzle is actually a cookie! Find out how you can make your own delicious personalized crossword at http://iambaker.net/valentines-crossword-cookies-cake-gift-box
R D S
B L D
L S D V
B S I
S R I O
I R D
V
O S B
E
1. Handle with care by JRA
2. Lucky by Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz
3. Hero (Spanish and English version) by Enrique
Iglesias
4. Valentine by Kina Grannis
5. Love me do by The Beatles

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So, February 14th is coming just around the corner! And we all know what that day is…………… :D
My dance teacher and my cousin’s birthday.
JUST KIDDING! :D (But seriously.)
February 14th is Valentine’s Day! It’s a day for couples, and loving, and romance, and… and loving….
And……… uhmm……………………………………………………………
……………. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Well this sucks. What do you do on Valentine’s Day when you’re single?
NOTHING.
Maybe cry over an ex while eating Ben and Jerry’s?
(YUMMMMM BEN AND JERRY’S <3)
Have a pillow fight! (Oh wait all your friends are out with their significant others….)
Have a pillow fight by yourself! (….how does that work…?)
Watch Valentine’s Day movies. (oh wait they all have happy endings… and are bound to make you more lonely…)
Work at a nice restaurant and serve a bunch of loveydovey people. (Or make salads and desserts for them……….)
Oh yeah what a fun day!
And who the hell is Mr. St. Valentine anyways? Some priest who got killed for marrying people…??(As in getting people married not marrying them…) wait he was a priest? What? What does he even know about love? This is confusing….
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am totally supportive of love and relationships and all that stuff. But why is there a specific day to celebrate it? This is what I really don’t understand. If you’re really in love and care about each other so much , shouldn’t every day be
Valentine’s Day? The fact that there is a Valentine’s
Day just makes you expect everything and makes every other day so un-special and boring! Plus Valentine’s Day is hard on the guys. Flowers and chocolates… why do they have to buy these? Flowers last like a week…. That’s not a long time. Chocolates usually get eaten right away.
I would much rather have something that’s gonna last…
All in all, I personally see Valentine’s Day as a day to make couples spend all their money on each other, which is just stupid. But hey, the music is pretty nice… gotta love love-songs.

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3 eggs
¾ cup butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ¼ cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 ounce bottle red food coloring (2 Tbsp.)
1 ½ cups buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons vinegar
Small chocolate heart-shaped cookies (optional)
Powdered sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, and 3/4 tsp. salt, set aside. In large mixing bowl beat butter on mediumhigh 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until combined. One at a time, add eggs; beat on medium after each. Add in food coloring.
Add flour and buttermilk to egg mixture; beat on low to medium speed after each until combined. Stir together baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter; beat until combined.
Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake 15 to 17 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pans.
Cool completely. Top with small chocolate cookies. Dust with powdered sugar. Makes 28 servings and will make your
Valentine and everyone who tries one melt.

OPinion Page 21
Ah, love, this feeling that turns heads and makes hearts pound. Everyone has known or wants to encounter love! But there are several ways to express this feeling. Are you more romantic? Would you rather live in the rhythm of passion?
Are you a daredevil? Here is a test to find out ...
1. For you, the ideal man/woman is:
 The one you meet only once in a lifetime, and could miss if you don’t pay attention.
 The person you are currently dating
 It changes every couple days
2. You are organizing a weekend getaway for your spouse.
Your destination is:
 Venice.
 St. Petersburg.
 The summit of Mount Kilimanjaro
3. The story you read most often as a child is:
 Sleeping Beauty.
 Beauty and the Beast
 Little Red Riding Hood
4. Your most beautiful love story lasted:
 It is still not complete.
 Three months.
 One night.
5 . For you, Valentine’s Day is:
 A scramble to find the perfect date
 A night of suspense followed by satisfaction
 A l rollercoaster
6. For you breakfast in bed is:
 A ritual every Sunday morning.
 The easiest way to get your first cup
of coffee for the day
 A preliminary meal before a morning cuddle.
7. The Color of Love is:
 White
 Red
 Shiny silver
8. Which quote seems to you the most truthful:
 "Love does not consist in gazing at each other, it is looking together in the same direction"
Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
 "You must love ever having loved," Alfred de Musset.
 "You have to love anyone, anyhow, as long as you love" Alexandre Dumasson.
Max of

’s : You are a hopeless romantic! Even if you do not want to admit it, you still believe in Prince
Charming (or Princess of your dreams). Don’t worry: being romantic is not a flaw. Instead, idealized love is perhaps one way to find a soul mate. But watch out, if you feel a continual sense of disappointment in your attempts at a relationship or if you remain hopelessly single, you may need to rethink your concept of love. You must be more realistic. Life is not a fairy tale. Try to take people as they are, not the surreal, perfect beings that you make up in your imagination.
Max of

’s : You like to live and love in the moment! Your relationships are filled with passionate love, and you are very dedicated to the person you are seeing. But be careful not to tire yourself out or put too much pressure on yourself or your partner with a fast paced, serious commitment. You may find yourself alone, and miss out on something great because you rushed into it.
Max of

’s : You are very flirty! You love to experiment and to check out many different people you meet. Your relationships are lots of fun, exciting, and unique, and you have dated all kinds of people.
One day though, you may wish for something more serious and long-lasting, and a partner that you can confide in and trust deeply. Be careful not to love too superficially, and don’t be afraid to get closer to someone. You may find a sweetie that will last a lifetime!

Page 22
Everything I've ever known, my life, my home away from home, taken far away from me, like a carpet being torn from right beneath my feet.
It used to be so comforting to be within these walls, but now they do confine me, and send a chill right down my spine, splitting right down the fault line.
Things used to be so different,
I wish they could go back,
I cannot stand to live like this, in constant fear and hate.
Everything I've ever known, my life, my home away from home, taken in new hands, and telling me I need to leave, my sense of safety forever blown.
Where do I go from here ?
OPinion

OPinion Page 23
Libra- (The Scales) September 23-
October 22
Follow your heart and tell the person you have a crush on how much you like them. Making the first move is the best thing that will happen to you.
Aquarius- (The Water Bearer) January 21-
February 19
Think once, think twice but not thrice.
Valentine’s Day is around the corner so remember to give everyone you know a card to show everyone how nice of a person you are.
Scorpio- (The Scorpion) October 24-
November 22
Roses are red, violets are blue, tell them you love them or just look blue. If you have feelings for your significant other, tell them how you feel, don’t keep it in a bundle, take a brave step to happiness.
Pisces -(The Fish) February 20- March 20
Having the Valentines Day blues? Well turn that frown upside down! If you have not been asked to be someone’s
Valentine yet, don’t fret! Go up to the person you’re crushing on and just ask them. your shirt.
Sagittarius (The Archer) November 23-
December 21
Wear red all day Valentine’s Day. You will most definitely get lots of attention for your amazing spirit! If you want a look that’s more caring add a giant handmade heart to
Aries – (The Ram) March 21- April 19
If you started to dream of someone other than the person you are crushing on, that means that times are changing, people are changing. Your feelings are pushing towards another. Follow that streak of light that’s coming from your heart.
Capricorn -(The Goat) December 22-
January 20
This Valentines, the one you love will show you the real definition for true love.They will bring you roses and chocolates. Get ready for a true day of real romance. Your significant other will most definitely keep you smiling all day.
Gemini- (The Twins) May 21- June 21
The snow may not be gone but you’re heart will most definitely melt for the cutest guy in your English class. You will start to look forward to that class everyday and your style will change really fast. You wont be able to stop smiling because of the looks he gives you. take a look around you, the outdoor is just waiting for you to snap a perfect shot of the beautiful outdoors.
Cancer- (The Crab) June 21- July 22
Stop and smell the roses… I know there is still snow outside but I meant stop and
Taurus – (The Bull) April 20- May 20
HOT, HOT, HOT!! Watch out not to eat too many of those hot red hearts people will give you. If your significant other gives you more than five, sparks are flying and they are trying to communicate something to you!
Virgo- (The Virgin) August 23- September
22
Many roads that you take will lead you somewhere in the journey you call life.
Take an alternative path, and take a path that may be good change for you. Signs are all around you that help you learn from past mistakes.
Leo- (The Lion) July 23- August 22
Your life should contribute to peace and quiet for just a little while. Your social life is buzzing with posts and non stop texts! Let your brain relax from all the hustle and bustle. Give yourself some one on one time… With your inner self.

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