"At 9:10 p.m. reality hit. I was in my room when all of a sudden I heard my mom scream and I knew something bad had happened. I heard my sister's voice in the living room. I heard, 'look its dead.' I sat in my room paralyzed–a million thoughts rushed through my mind? How? Why? Is this real? My sister claimed my turtle dead; she was not moving. My mom's voice cracked and I knew she was trying to hold back tears. While I refused to take a look for myself and remained away, still in shock. I was listening to everything that was happening but for some reason I couldn't find my words. Then... my sister said something that returned the life to us all. 'Oh just kidding, she was just asleep.' (I wanted to beat my sister up so bad!)" Field-notes 10/16
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10/19/14 Photo taken by Nayeli Robles
(It has been a long day–how she sleeps) |
Besides the great urge of smacking my sister upside the head for scaring us like that, she also made me realize something. We all cared for our turtle. (It makes sense we've had her for a long time but no one really showed much love for her.) I guess I just realized my turtle is living; therefore, one day she can die too. She breathes just like I do. Both of us will go through life–of course not in the same exact way. (I would drown in water since I'm a 16 year-old who still can't swim! -.-)
After I also started to wonder a lot of things. I wondered how long turtles have been on Earth? Since all living things must have a beginning and an end. I found that seven species that still live today have been around for more than 110 million years. I also found one of the Earth's most ancient creatures are sea turtles! (
http://www.defenders.org/sea-turtles/basic-facts) Turtles have been around for a long time! (How cool!) Now that I know turtles have existed for a long time–will they become extincted one day? How many turtles are there? Are they in any danger? It would be awful for some amazing creatures like turtles who have survived for so long to one day not live on Earth.
I imagine how you felt when your sister said that the turtle was dead (a mimi heart attack) I remember when I used to have a turtle which I don't know what happened to her. I think I lost her. But I like your blog, Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought there was something prehistoric about turtles. You need to read "The Old Turtle." It is my favorite children's book. I gave my copy away...
ReplyDeleteYour turtle story is adorable. Made me a little sad when I thought your turtle had died. As dull as a turtle may seem, there's a ton you can discover. I recently found out that touching a turtles shell can harm it because it takes off some of the natural mucus the shell needs. Does your turtle get irritated when being touched?
ReplyDeleteThis was great, I really enjoyed reading that. You have a great voice in this that really shows personality and brings life to the writing. I love that you bring up the fact that these animals, like anything living, can go extinct, it just goes to show how we have to value and protect animals.
ReplyDeleteI think turtles are pretty cool, they remind me of TMNT(Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Over the summer I went to school at University of California Santa Cruz for marine biology I had to do a little research for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. Surprisingly sea turtles aren't doing so well, people are littering a lot in the ocean and it's really messing stuff up for animals in the sea. I really enjoy your blog, sounds like you've made a new relationship with your turtle.
ReplyDeleteThis post was amazing. You had a lot of emotion in the quote from your field notes that almost had me tearing up. You showed a lot of personality throughout the entire post and that made the read all the more enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Elizabeth Cuna you do have a lot of emotion within your blog and you also give facts too that's what makes it better. I also have turtles they are always fun to watch they don't do much but, I like watching my turtles eat--they seem so vicious when they do. Nice blog though!
ReplyDeleteNayeli I love how your writing sounds like you, you're not trying to be some complex writer and sound like someone you're not, and I'm not sure if I feel that way because I have known you for a long time and on a more personal level, but I absolutely love the voice you create. I can totally imagine the chaos and the livid screams, I'm surprised if the neighbors didn't wake up. Reading your blog makes me want to get a turtle for myself.
ReplyDeleteThat totally sounds like something your sister would do. But anyway, I liked that beginning. It was so intense, so interesting, so intriguing. I was so caught up with this intro that I seriously thought your turtle had died. It just had a lot of emotion and well...I totally agree with Elizabeth to shorten this comment.
ReplyDeleteI like how you view your turtle as if she was a relative of yours and how you care about her so much. I also like how, throughout your blog, there is a lot of personality in your writing. Great Job and Amazing Blog ! (:
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