Tuesday 21 October 2014

Guilty or Not?

Courtney Olexa
October 20, 2014
Blog #2 English 11
 
Guilty or not?

            “Oh, she’d answered all the questions, but that wasn’t the same as telling the whole story. How could she, when it still wasn’t clear?” Gabriella alleged to why her boyfriend is currently in Jasper hospital. She is one of the characters in the short story “Bluffing” by Gail Helgason. Liam who is a self-absorbed arrogant mountain guide who thinks he so high end and is very over confident with his work. “One day,” he would exclaim “[I will] have [my] photo in Glossy Magazines for high-tech outdoor gear. Prestigious companies [will] seek [my] endorsement.” Gabriella had been so content about wanting to settle down and put a lease down on a house with the one she loves, but Liam clearly only has interest in himself and his job. “I’m glad. I thought you would have been here before this,” states Liam. He has not paid attention to Gabriella and her visits to the hospital for the past three weeks after the bear attack during their hike up to the lake. Knowing that Gabriella is a biology teacher and that Liam is a mountain tour guide. You would assume that Liam would be more educated in the outdoors and know what to do and what not to do in a predicament with a Grizzly Bear. But as a result, Gabriella was the one who did the right thing in this situation. “I meant for the bear to come after me instead of you” exclaimed Liam. To Gabriella’s defence she has heard enough of Liam and his falsehoods. Does she still believe that he is going to keep wanting to tour guide and want to travel to New Mexico after the incident? Or will she leave him if he doesn’t want to sign the one-year lease demand because she believes it will keep “holding them [together].”

Smoking Out Depression


Courtney Olexa                                                                                  
October 1, 2014
Blog #1 English 11


                                                                           
Smoking out Depression

            Aging is a natural part of life but not everyone ages gracefully. This aging lady who is trying to maintain her youth by her fine clothes, jewellery and smoking is doing quite the opposite by her apparent addiction to cigarettes. Knowing that the jewellery she wears has been passed down from generation to generation and that one day she will have to give up a piece or two of it too. Having to let go of her prise possessions and give them to who? Who will they be passed down to? Why would she want to let herself trust someone she doesn’t even know? But then again her ancestors probably said the same thing; meaning her. Every morning getting up and applying the same amount of lipstick and a new color of eye shadow. Just knowing that she would soon be heading out to go release all of the evil spirits inside of her body. Making her feel like a new person every day. All the creases beside her eyes, between her eyebrows and around her lips make her realize she is not young anymore and that soon after many of these years of freeing these vile essences, she will soon not have to do that anymore.