Gone in 30 Seconds Paragraphs

Today, several interns and teachers got a small taste of my Gone in 30 Seconds writing activity. They were shown a series of images for 30 seconds at a time and required to write as much as possible about the image to use in a paragraph later. We only viewed 15 of the 75+ images, and then they had to choose one to write about. Here are some of their paragraphs and the images that inspired them! I promised some of the teachers I wouldn’t identify them…so I’ve left the names off for everyone! I am so happy with the results I received from just 30 seconds of exposure to these images! Imagine what your STUDENTS could do! Great job guys!

The death defying radical riders are cheating death, cheating life. The speed and danger of the racing life is pumped up adrenaline captivating a whirlwind of devils. The dirtier the better are the hero marks in flesh and metal, proving the champions of legend in a world pushing the limits. Velocity and risk are the foundation of common ground.

I paused, breath coming fast after my sprint. The only noises I heard about me came from the insects buzzing and chirping in the lush jungle growth. I waited another minute, afraid to stay in one place for so long yet daring to believe that perhaps I was alone at last. The hunting party had chased me for the last hour, often right at my heels, nearly toppling me with their quickly-thrown javelins. They could not yet be tired by the chase, and I doubted that I was too elusive for them to follow my trail through this thick undergrowth. Even after two minutes, no sounds reached my ear but the usual sleepy burblings of early afternoon in the forest. There was only one possibility: the party had called off the chase, convinced that I would not try to return to their village.

and

We arrived in Belize in November of 2006. The port was crowded and hot. We boarded our bus. The air was sticky and I could feel my shirt clinging to me. Would the bus every leave? I needed air. I needed to get away from all this noise. Finally the driver boarded and started up the engine. We lumbered through the traffic up into the mountains. I could feel my tension dissipating the higher we climbed. 90 minutes later the bus came to an abrupt stop and the doors opened. The first thing that hit me was the cool air and the aroma in the air. It took me a moment to place it and then I realized….the air smelled of exotic spices. We walked into the rainforest. The ground was soft and the air was sweet. I walked up to a tree that was as old as the world itself. I stretched out my arms and couldn’t begin to even circle half of the trunk. The ground was scattered with beautiful pale smooth rocks. Millions of years of water had eroded them into majestic stones. I picked one up and held its beauty in my hands and felt as if I held the history of the world.

and

I am walking alone in the woods. As I come to a clearing, I see a beautiful place before me. I can see the sunlight streaming in through the trees. It is cool and peaceful here. I stand in wonderment at the quiet. Not a single sound can be heard. I hold my breath so as not to disturb this silence. I am reflecting on my surroundings. I am reminded of a place I have been before at my parents’ house. Not because it looks the same, but because I feel the same as I enter it. I stand for a long time. I wait for the magic to pass. There is something special about this space where I am standing. Something I feel rather than see. I wonder is someone else would come to this place only to walk through it unchanged. I pause another minute, then walk on into the woods.

and

The painfully stagnant air wraps its damp, sticky arms around my writhing body as I fight the exhaustion that is pulsing through my panicking veins. It’s been eleven days and still no sign of anyone. What I wouldn’t give to hear a human voice in the distance, the beating of a helicopter blade, the static of a walkie talkie. Nothing. Water falls from the sky, something of which I’ve seen pitiful glimpse of through tiny cracks in through the suffocating greenery that tangles my ankles and pulls me into the earth. The light taunts me as it freely skips off the elephant ears and away into the sky leaving me behind in the vastly secluded prison in which I lie.

The fireworks. They were beautiful, sparkling and shimmering. The brightly colored explosions represented what was going on inside me. Freedom from darkness. A release from loneliness and despair. With every boom, my shackles break apart. I am free. A new day has dawned.

This is just one piece of my fantastic vacation. I arrived by flying first class, something never done before. I spent 5 days in Cancun, eating at the local restaurants & enjoying the live music each night. It was a tropical paradise. The ocean water was a lovely shade of light blue, clear and warm to the touch. I found lounging on the beach a great way to unwind & read a good book. We stayed on those lounge chairs as long as we wanted. The beach was sparsely populated and no chatter of folks nearby interfered with our bliss. After a walking tour of the nearby sites, we moved on to the pier to meet with our guide and captain for the 45 minute sailboat journey. It was a pleasant 80 degrees & mimosas were served on board. There was a CD playing floating sweet melodies over the air. We found some light appetizers, yummy and tantalizing to please our appetites.

Disturbed? Demented? Depressed? Contemplating? There are so many faces one can put on depending on the focus of the mind. Of course, if one is demented they do not have a choice on the expression. I have a choice. I can make you believe anything I want just by creating a facial expression. I can make you believe I am absolutely crazy. I can do all of this just by creating a certain expression.