Spencer Varney

Ms. McGeeAP English 12

Achilles Last StandIt was an April morning when they told us we should go, and as I turned to you, you smiled at me, how could we say no?

With all the fun to have, to live the dreams we always had .With all the songs to sing, when we at last return again

Sending off a glancing kiss, to those who claim they know. Below the streets that steam and hiss, the devil's in his hole

Oh to sail away, To sandy lands and other days Oh to trust the dream, Hides inside and never seen.

Into the sun the south the north, at last the birds have flown .The shackles of commitment fell, in pieces on the ground

Oh to ride the wind, To tread the air above the din. Oh to laugh aloud, With dancing eyes we caught the crowds, yeah

To seek the man whose pointing hand, The giant step unfolds. To guide us from the curving path, That churns up into stone

If one bell should ring, in celebration for a king So fast the heart should beat, As proud the head with heavy feet, yeah

Days went by when you and I, bathed in eternal summers glow. As far away and distant, Our mutual child did grow

Oh the sweet refrain, Soothes the soul and calms the pain. Oh Albion remains, sleeping now to rise again

Wandering and wanderings, What place to rest the search. The mighty arms of Atlas, Hold the heavens from the earth

Oh The mighty arms of Atlas, Hold the heavens from the earth From the earth... Earth…

I know the way, know the way, know the way, know the way I know the way, know the way, know the way, know the way

Oh the mighty arms of Atlas Hold the heavens from the earth.From the earth.

Table of ContentsSix Word Memoir

Bucket List

Three Artifacts

Soul Essay

My Soul

Research Paper: The Magic of Bricks

Additional Writing: Silly Freshman

This one time, at hockey camp…

Six Word Memoir

The list…Go skydivingGet a tattooGo base jumpingJoin a fight clubMeet Steve YzermanBe the downfall of some piece of Corporate AmericaGet a book publishedBe in house for a game 7 of the

StanleyCup FinalsFall in loveGet MarriedBecome an expert piano player

Punch Somebody famous in the faceGet the hell out of Virginia Beach,

for goodLean to drive a zamboni

Get my ears gaugedVisit Amsterdam

Travel cross country with nothing but a back pack and a great

friendIn some way, make the world a

better placeGet arrested (nothing big, maybe

like streaking or something…)Go to the FIFA World Cup

Learn to surf

Look back at my life with satisfaction shortly

before I dieDie

Be remembered

Artifact UN!

Artifact DEUX!

Artifact TROIS!

“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you will always long to return.” - Da Vinci

My soul is a collaboration of many things. Family and friends take up much of its space, with other portions of it going to athletics, hockey and lacrosse specifically, music, and my thoughts. If my soul were to pour out of my chest and manifest itself onto something, this collage would be the result.

The base color of the collage is green, my favorite color. I chose it as the base because it is my favorite color. Also, it’s the same color as my eyes. The pictures on the left are of me partaking in athletic activities. One of them is my playing hockey for my team, the Peninsula Prowl, and the other is me guarding my post in lacrosse, as goalie. Both of these activities are ones that I enjoy immensely. I have dedicated a lot of time, effort, and hard work into both. I’ve bettered myself on and off the field/ice in these sports and they’ve greatly shaped my personality. I’ve created some of the best relationships through both sports and they’ve helped bring my family and me closer. Both sports have earned special spots in my soul.

In the middle of my collage there are two pictures of my family and me. There’s a picture of my entire family plus my sister’s friend and a picture of my sister and me. My family has played a huge role in my life and each of them has contributed to the shaping of my soul in some way. My mother has made me kinder and more compassionate than I would be. My father has taught me countless life lessons and has been my role model for as long as I can remember. My little sister Noelle really looks up to me which makes me want to be a good role model for her. Because of this, I strive to do my best always to set a good example. Without my family I wouldn’t be anywhere near the person I am today and I might even be handing in a black piece of paper for my soul project….

Soul Essay

On the bottom of the collage, you’ll see pictures of my friends. Bottom right you’ll see a picture of my best friend Drew and myself. Drew is like my brother. That kid is always there for me no matter what. I wouldn’t trade the relationship we have for the world. Also, there’s a picture of my good buddies Wags and Shertzer on there. Both of these gentlemen are great friends of mine and are always there for me not matter what. My friends have a huge impact on my life and my soul not so much in the shaping of my soul, but keeping it in tact and keeping me true to myself. I know that anybody shown on this paper will have my back always.

Over to the right there is a treble clef. I decided to put this on there because music has such an influence on me and I enjoy it so much. Music can totally alter my mood and gives me an escape. I am constantly singing to myself and jamming out to tunes in my head. I am frequently going to shows and I listen to music for at least a couple hours every day. Because of music’s effect on me, I decided that it deserves a spot in my soul.

The head with the light orb in it represents me thinking for myself. I always try and make my own decisions and pride myself on my thinking ability and my use of logic. I am a huge proponent of doing my own thing and that head represents that for me.

Finally, the line at the top of the page, “Master of my fate, captain of my soul” is a line from the poem “Invictus”, which is one of my favorite poems. I think this fits into the whole soul project very well and fits me very well. Also, I really enjoy reading and literature so it works on a couple different levels and definitely deserves a spot in my soul.

That’s my soul. Don’t sell it please.

My Soul

The Magic of BricksIs there anything as magical as the brick? Bricks are

one of our oldest relics. Ancient bricks found in the Middle East have been dated to 10,000 years ago (“Bricks”). Bricks make up so many of our greatest treasures in the world today and yet, they are so often overlooked. Many pass over them with their noses turned towards the sky or their tongues twisted into their cell phones carrying on with their oh so busy lives forgetting to notice all the beautiful bricks in the world. Bricks give us shelter. We walk across bricks. We smoke things that come in bricks. Bricks make up one of the greatest albums ever. Some of the world’s greatest architectural wonders consist of bricks. Some bricks even have high monetary value. This world is full of bold and beautiful bricks.

The Bridge of Alcantara was built between 105 and 106 A.D. by Roman architect Caius Iulius Lacer over the Tajo River ("Bridge of Alcantara on the Tajo River, at Caceres”). This beautiful piece of art measures seventy one meters high and 194 meters long. The construction of this bridge is really outstanding, consisting with large bricks of granite fit together without mortar ("Bridge of Alcantara on the Tajo River, at Caceres”). This bridge was probably if not the most important, the most important Roman Bridge with its name translating to “The Bridge” in Arab ("Bridge of Alcantara on the Tajo River, at Caceres”). Without bricks, the Romans would not have been able to build this crucial bridge and we would not be able to gaze upon its beauty.

Often stored in bricks is marijuana. A brick of marijuana is a kilogram sized slab or cube of compressed marijuana (“Marijuana Dictionary”). Marijuana is a mind-altering drug that affects the brain in ways where it mimics the neurotransmitter anandamide causing the euphoric “high” that marijuana the user feels (Bonsor). While the short term affects of marijuana may be desirable, the long term affects are not. Studies show that smoking marijuana can have adverse affects on the heart, lungs, and can impair cognitive and physiological development (National Institute on Drug Abuse). Some people see pot as a godsend, and others see it as the weed from hell. However you see it, just know that marijuana often times comes in bricks and bricks of all shapes and sizes, no matter what they’re made of, should be respected.

The Magic of Bricks (cont’d)Another thing that is hugely famous that is made of bricks is Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”. The album cover for this is only bricks. This album was the best selling album in the United States in 1980 and is one of the top five best selling albums of all time in the United States. (“The Wall”). Could it possibly be because the album’s front cover is made up of bricks? That could very well be a contributing factor. Roger Waters wrote this album as a way to overcome the feelings of depression about his feelings of “selling out” and playing to such large crowds (“The Wall”). Not only are bricks sturdy foundation for us, but they can be things we pour our souls into and get creative.

One of the most sought after and a precious metal in the world is gold is often times found in bricks. While these bricks may be held in higher esteem than most, all bricks should be valued as much as gold bricks are because bricks do so much for us. A world without bricks would be like a world without color. All bricks are beautiful and this world is full of them.

Silly FreshmanA defining time in my life was my ninth grade year. I came to high school a blank

slate, looking for friends, attention, and belonging. I began to travel down a path of drugs, alcohol, and deception and began to alienate my family and my true friends. Athletics, which I have been involved with my entire life, my academics took a back seat to my destructive lifestyle. Eventually, I got out of it and became myself again, but not before I had put a strain on my relationships with my family and almost killed myself.

Within the first week of school my ninth grade year, I was already involved with the wrong people. The second week of school I experienced marijuana for the first time. After that, it was all downhill. I was getting high before school almost every day and was drinking excessively on the weekends. It got to the point where I wanted nothing more than to sit in my room and to just drink by myself, as a fourteen year old kid.

My parents began to take notice of my odd behavior and actions. They attempted to speak to me about what was wrong a few times, but I just dismissed them as stupid and having no idea what they were talking about. I began to loathe my family. They thought they could control me. I was fourteen, nearly grown from my own perspective; I could make my own decisions. My little sister and I had had a great relationship up to this point, but not anymore. I began to be unnecessarily cruel towards her. I made her and my mother cry regularly with my harsh words and actions toward them. My father and I spoke to each other with sharp tongues. He couldn’t believe what his son had become. I didn’t care.

Silly Freshman (cont’d)My GPA coming into high school was a 4.0. It dropped. My freshman GPA was a 2.6. My teachers had labeled me. I had labeled myself. I was the stoner. I was the kid desperate for attention. I was the apathetic student.

Summer finally rolled around. I was grounded for most of it. I still managed to keep up my delinquent ways. My family relationships were still strained; they still disgusted me and still thought they knew what was best for me. The end of summer came, too quickly. I was off grounding, it did nothing anymore. I was in a park, with large quantities of alcohol. I drank. I drank some more. I threw up. Then I drank more. I blacked out. I woke up in a dark room, with my mother’s soft, cool hand on my forehead, tears running down her beautiful, loving face. My father sat snoozing in the corner, majestic in his slumber. I had nearly killed myself. My heart had stopped momentarily. Death by booze, my parents and the doctors told me. That morning, I decided to make a change. Something had stepped into my life and said “Son, you need to change.” God’s hand reached down and lifted me up from the chaos and melancholy and destruction and held me above it all, as I looked down and saw how terrible it was. I wore the hospital bracelet for the next 4 months as a reminder. I made a change. My family ties strengthened. I regained my trust. I focused on hockey and academics to keep me straight. It took a near death experience to change my life. I am stronger because of it.

“On the way up, nobody thinks about the way down. On the way down, all anybody can think of is the way up.”

Oh the mighty arms of Atlas hold the heavens from the Earth…