Everyone here has been so supportive and I thank you all. I've been having my ups and downs everyday. One way I cope is by writing sketches I plan to send to Studio C. Here are my latest sketches:

THE NEW

NATIONAL BIRD

Written by

Isabelle M. H. Jolley

INT - MEETING ROOM - NIGHT

Five of the main Founding Fathers are sitting while waiting for the meeting to start. There is a huge storm outside.

ADAMS

Is Benjamin here yet?

MADISON

Not yet.

JEFFERSON

He’s probably doing another one of

His crazy experiments.

MADISON

I’m surprised he hasn’t already

been arrested for animal cruelty.

ADAMS

There isn’t a law for that yet.

MADISON

Oh, that’s right.

George Washington stands up and walks to the podiums.

MONROE(SOTTO)

George is ready!

Everyone stands up in respect. WASHINGTON reaches the podium and accidentally knocks his wig askew. He fixes it and clears his throat.

WASHINGTON

You may be seated.

Everyone sits down.

WASHINGTON

Before we begin, allow me to take

attendance. If you hear your name,

please say ‘aye’. John Adams.

ADAMS

Aye.

WASHINGTON

James Madison.

MADISON

Aye.

WASHINGTON

Thomas Jefferson

JEFFERSON

Aye.

WASHINGTON

Alexander Hamilton.

HAMILTON

Aye.

WASHINGTON

James Monroe.

MONROE

Aye.

WASHINGTON

Benjamin Franklin.

No answer.

WASHINGTON

Benjamin?

FRANKLIN walks in, his hair crazy (like Albert Einstein’s) and smoking, and his clothes torn and burnt. He looks like he was electrocuted. He starts moving over peoples’ legs to get to his seat.

FRANKLIN

I’m here! Hi. Hello. Sorry I’m late.

You wouldn’t believe it. I was

flying my kite that has the key

tangled in the string and lightning

struck my kite!

ADAMS

Well… That’s new.

WASHINGTON

Oookay? And me, George Washington.

There. All present. Right, first

order of business is the matter of

our national bird. The floor is

open for suggestions.

Everyone stands up when they speak.

ADAMS

Wren.

JEFFERSON

Turtle Dove.

HAMILTON

Mockingbird.

MADISON

Bluejay.

MONROE

Hummingbird.

JEFFERSON

Falcon.

MADISON

Cockatoo.

HAMILTON

Swans.

MONROE

Raven.

ADAMS

Sparrow.

FRANKLIN

Turkey!

Everyone goes quiet and looks at him.

WASHINGTON

Um… Maybe not turkeys. Swans! 

Swans were a good idea. Who said 

Swans?

HAMILTON

I did.

FRANKLIN

No no no. Swans are a terrible idea.

HAMILTON(SOTTO)

So are turkeys.

MONROE

Bald Eagles?

WASHINGTON

Oh! Yes, that’s a good one.

JEFFERSON

Yeah, I like those. They’re so 

majestic.

FRANKLIN

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Did you know, 

Bald Eagles hunt other birds and 

eat them alive?

Everyone is silent for a few seconds.

MADISON

Why? Why would you say that?

WASHINGTON

Okay, fine. If you don’t like the 

Bald Eagle, can you give us 

another majestic bird?

FRANKLIN

Flamingo?

ADAMS

Too pink.

WASHINGTON

Okay, maybe try majestic and strong.

FRANKLIN

Oh. Canadian Geese.

HAMILTON

That’s the wrong country!

FRANKLIN

Kookaburra?

MONROE

That’s Australia’s national bird!

WASHINGTON

How about long-living bird-

FRANKLIN

Ostrich.

WASHINGTON

No-

FRANKLIN

Dodo.

WASHINGTON

No!

MADISON

Those are extinct!

FRANKLIN

Oh! Pterodactyls!

MADISON

Also Extinct!

HAMILTON

Plus, they’re dinosaurs, not birds.

FRANKLIN

They fly, don’t they?

WASHINGTON

Look, Ben, there are thousands of

birds you can choose from.

JEFFERSON

Possibly millions.

WASHINGTON

So stop choosing the lame ones.

FRANKLIN

How about the chicken?

ADAMS

I don’t want our national bird to

be a sandwich ingredient.

MONROE

And other countries might call us

chickens forever.

WASHINGTON

If you can’t think of any cool 

birds-

FRANKLIN

Penguins!

ADAMS

No!

WASHINGTON

Then we’re going to go with 

Bald Eagles.

FRANKLIN

Wait! I can think of a good 

bird.

WASHINGTON

Okay, shoot.

FRANKLIN

Um… Kiw-

WASHINGTON shakes his head.

FRANKLIN

Nope. Uh… Tou-

WASHINGTON shakes his head again.

FRANKLIN

No again? Okay, uh… Cock… atoo?

Silence. Then everyone starts talking at once.

WASHINGTON

Yeah, sure. That’s better.

ADAMS

I’m fine with that.

JEFFERSON

Comparatively that’s better.

MADISON

I already said that.

WASHINGTON

Shh.

HAMILTON

Okay.

MONROE

The YouTube videos of them dancing 

are so cute.

JEFFERSON

What’s YouTube?

MONROE

I don’t know.

FRANKLIN

Really? I don’t even like them.

WASHINGTON

Please! No more complaining!

HAMILTON

Good idea, Ben!

They shake hands and immediately they both get electrocuted and FRANKLIN falls down. Everyone goes quiet.

WASHINGTON

We should probably get him to a 

hospital.

ADAMS

Yeah.

They pick him up and carry him out of the room.

JEFFERSON

So, how do Cockatoos dance?

MONROE

I can show you on my phone.

JEFFERSON

What’s a phone?

MONROE

I don’t know.

FAULTY PARACHUTE

#SHORTS

Written by

Isabelle M. H. Jolley

INT - STORE - CLERK’S DESK - DAY

The store CLERK is typing something on the computer when someone drops a backpack on the counter.

PERSON(OC)

I would like to return this 

parachute.

The CLERK doesn’t look up from his computer.

CLERK

And what’s the reason for your 

return?

PERSON(OC)

It didn’t open.

The CLERK looks up and finally sees that the PERSON is a ghost.

They were fun to write. I'm also writing a fan fiction for Doctor Who but I might not post it.

I've just been trying to indulge myself in my special interests. It's hard at times when my Mom gets pushy, but I'm okay.

I'll try all your advice with trying to convince my parents to get me a Therapist. My Mom says she's never met a helpful Therapist and they all are just people who have problems of their own.

Thanks for all your support!