I met Mrs. Neidl in the ninth grade on a stage-design team for a play and she was one of the directors. Almost instantly I loved her. She had an unpleasant voice and a direct way of speaking,1she was encouraging and inspiring. For some reason, she was impressed with my work and me.
Mrs. Neidl would ask me for my2. She wanted to know how I thought we should3things. At first I had no idea how to answer because I knew4about stage design! But I slowly began to respond to her5. It was cause and effect: She believed I had opinions, so I began to6them. She trusted me to complete things, so I completed them perfectly. She loved how7I was, so I began to show up to paint more and more. She believed in me, so I began to believe in myself.[]Mrs. Neidl's8that year was, "Try it. We can always paint over it9!"I began to take10. I had been so afraid of failing but suddenly there was no failing—--only things to be11upon. I learned to dip my brush into the paint and 12create something.
The shy, quiet freshman achieved success that year. I was13in the program as "Student Art Assistant" because of the time and effort I'd put in. It was that year that I14I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing stage design.
Being on that stage-design team15Mrs. Neidl changed me completely. Not only was I stronger and more competent than I had thought, but I also16a strong interest and a world I hadn't known existed. She taught me not to17what people think I should do: She taught me to take chances and not be18. Mrs. Neidl was my comforter when I was upset. Her19in me has inspired me to do things that I never imagined20.
Mary is my friend and she is a very goodhearted girl. She's always the first to help out others. But her habits make me mad sometimes and she just won't change her ways. For most situations, that's just fine with me, as I know it's what makes her who she is. However, sometimes it's just so hard for me to bear her behavior. She has recently got a cellphone, but she often borrows mine to make calls. My phone has a chain with it. She always tries to open it like her own phone. I usually open it for her, but not always, as sometimes I'm driving my car, so she needs to get it out of my purse and open it herself.
This weekend, we were at a party in a faraway village. She borrowed my cellphone. As it was cold outside, I let her take it outside without opening it. Now it's broken because she didn't open it properly. I wouldn't be so mad, but over the weekend she also borrowed my car and never offered to pay for the gas, which made me very angry. She should have offered to pay for the gas. As I have mentioned, she's the type to help out others when and where she can. Perhaps because of that, she thinks others should also do the same for her. Sometimes I just think she is very childish. I don't want to hurt her, but I do want to let her know that not everyone can accept that. What should I do to let her know that?
Yours,
Lily
The National DarkSky Week (NDSW) is a week during which people all over the United States turn off their lights to enjoy the beauty of the night sky without light pollution. This event was started by Jennifer Barlow of Midlothian, Virginia in 2003, and it is becoming more popular each year. It has been supported by the International DarkSky Association, the American Astronomical Society, and the Astronomical League.
This event always occurs in April, during the week of the new moon so that the sky can be as dark as possible for the best viewing conditions.
“It is my wish that people could see the night sky without other light in the sky as our ancestors saw it hundreds of years ago,” explains Barlow.
Since it only lasts a week and not everyone in the country will take part in it, how will the National DarkSky Week reduce light pollution? The main goal of NDSW is to increase awareness of the harmful effects of light pollution. It is not possible for all of the light pollution in this part of the world to disappear. However, it is possible to make a small difference in the quality of the night sky. Another goal of this event is to promote the use of better lighting systems that direct light toward the ground instead of up into the sky.
Jennifer Barlow states, “The night sky is a gift of such beauty that it should not be polluted by wasted light. In this way, our children will not lose touch with the wonder of our universe.”
