A Day In The Life Of A Freak

Inspiration Board: Earthly Belongings and Adventure

2012-01-01T20:03:00.000-06:00

Transcendentalism and Minimalism

2011-12-08T21:04:00.003-06:00

We've been studying Transcendentalism in my AP English class, and I can't help but notice an abundance of similarities between Transcendentalism and Minimalism, a philosophy that has taken hold recently, and to which my mother is an adherent.

The idea of purging your earthly belongings in order to achieve a greater sense of satisfaction really speaks to me. I like the idea of being portable - not having too many things holding me to one place. Becoming Minimalist and Minimalist Woman are a two lovely minimalist blogs that I was introduced to by mom.

Marimba

2011-12-08T21:02:00.001-06:00

Into The Wild

2011-12-08T20:31:00.001-06:00

Something about this story speaks to me. Am I self-centered, foolish, and unrealistic if I have the same youthful desire to take the words of my favorite authors and philosophers and put them into action? If I have an overwhelming desire to rid myself of my modern, cookie cutter life style, full of material conveniences, and 21st century assurances. What if I want to live ballsy, and see where life takes me when I have nothing to my name, no diplomas or other such pieces of paper assuring my abilities?

“make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty.”

There are a lot of things in my life that we force ourselves to be "conditioned to" because they guarantee security, conformity, and conservation. For instance, school. Don't get me wrong; I wholeheartedly believe that education is a necessity in every individual's life. I also believe that, especially in a democratic nation, every citizen has a responsibility to educate themselves. And I also know that in order to achieve that reality, it is necessary for the government to regulate and require it.

But that doesn't mean I have to like it. I really believe that life is the best teacher and would love to learn out of curiosity. Ultimately, though, what I took from this book was a desire to live life to its fullest and take every opportunity for adventure.

London

2011-08-01T16:37:00.000-05:00

Spent a couple of weeks in London and I have to say, they were two of the most memorable weeks of my life thus far. It's my favorite place in the world. There are so many architecturally cool buildings, everything looks like it's out of Harry Potter. I love pubs. Best places ever. Also, English Breakfast tea. That stuff is the bomb.

They have really good shopping, too. First of all, they have places like Topshop and H&M, which exist in America, but only seldom few. They also have this place called Primark, which has REALLY affordable, cute clothes (and DOESN'T use forced/child labor. I have no idea how they manage to manufacture clothes so cheap. It's beyond me.) They also have the best flea markets in the world. There's a couple really big, famous ones, like Camden Market, which we went to and is awesome (an entire stall chalk full of vintage suitcases. I was in heaven), and then there are smaller antique markets in big shopping areas like Covent garden, where you can still find really unique stuff, but it's not totally crazy.

The music is wonderful. I didn't go see any of the well-known artists that were playing there, like Arcade Fire and The Foo Fighters and Alicia Keys, and I still saw some really impressive music. We just went to free concerts at the Meltdown music Festival at the Southbank centre, and were totally impressed. I fell in love with The Caezars, an upbeat, rockabilly-type band, and a couple other indie bands. I also went to go see Wine, Women, and Song (a.k.a Matraca Berg, Suzy Bogguss, and Gretchen Peters), who are actually from Nashville. Matraca just came out with a new album, The Dreaming Fields, and it is stupid how good it is.

The people are really nice, too. And fascinating. When you're in London, you don't have that feeling that you do when you're in other big cities like New York, where everyone is really rude to each other, and you constantly feel unsafe like everyone is trying to take advantage of you because you're a tourist. Everyone's really helpful and nice. Also, there are these bicycles for hire all over the city, called Barclay's. They would probably be gone in a day if you put them in New York. But not in London. People actually use them, too. There are people on bicycles everywhere, on the streets, and riding through the parks. I think London is the only place where you can live in a massive city, and take advantage of everything that that entails, and still get to experience beauty and nature and kind strangers on a daily basis. There are beautiful courtyards and gardens and parks all over the city. In a couple of the public parks, there are these free standing lawn chairs all over the place, and if you happen to come across a day over 65 degrees, EVERY ONE OF THEM is occupied, and there are people sprawled across the grass, including men in business suits. It's SO COOL.

Pretty Intense Ramblings About My Life

2011-08-01T16:08:00.003-05:00

I used to be the kind of person who had a thousand things they liked to do, but no one calling or thing I loved above all else. Sometimes I was envious of people who had callings, because I thought it meant their lives had a clear direction: to follow that calling until the day they die. Most of the time, though, I was pretty content with having a multiple extracurricular activities every night of the week, because I knew I could do any number of things with my life and be pretty happy.
And then a realization came to me last week. The realization that perhaps there is one thing that I love above everything else. The one thing that I never considered dedicating my life to before now.
I also realized that knowing what you love doesn't make your future any clearer. In fact, it makes things more confusing. I still don't know what I'm going to do with my life, or how this realization fits into the plans I have for myself, but I really don't have to. I've got my whole life ahead of me. My middle-aged mother still doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up, so why should I?
What is clear to me is that no matter what I do with my life, there are a few things that I need to be happy: love, creativity, and the sense that whatever I'm doing is helping other people in some way.

I love

2011-05-27T16:19:00.006-05:00

Some things that just make me think of my town, and which I adore

Sophomor-itis?

2011-05-13T17:01:00.000-05:00

I didn't wake up this morning until I had silenced Taylor Swift's teeny bopper beets at least five times. I then proceeded to take an hour to come up with an outfit that indicates absolutely no level of creativity. I can't remember what I ate for breakfast or, now that I think of it, what I ate for lunch or what I did in basically any of my classes except French, because we're reading Les Miserables in French, and it makes my nerdy senses tingle. Oh, and history, because we're watching Saving Private Ryan, which I hate, because I don't like seeing blood or violence or watching anything that doesn't have music or dancing. Or at least a prominent female character.
So, Basically, I'm brain dead. And I just wanted it to be
Summer

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

2011-05-13T16:06:00.002-05:00

I originally picked up this novel hoping to be swept away by the refined, antiquated language of Edith Wharton and the 1920s New York setting. I was NOT disappointed. The Club Box at the New York Opera, The Beaufort's ballroom, high-society dinner parties, archery competitions, Skuytercliff, fifth avenue, UGH. It was wonderful. But the contrast between the antiquated morality displayed by the characters in this novel and the morals we accept in modern society was striking, which really spoke to me. Although as a female, I love living in this day and age because of all the opportunities and freedoms that exist for me that didn't in Edith Wharton's time, I can't say I don't have a respect for the values that we've lost since then.

2011-05-13T16:05:00.000-05:00

Wrock

2011-05-13T16:04:00.000-05:00

Wizard rock (a.k.a Wrock) is a genre of music entirely dedicated to music about the Harry Potter series. In other words, it is the best thing to ever exist on Earth. I went to a concert the other night with a friend and we got our "nerd swagger" on. Just sayin'

Tegan And Sara

2011-05-07T16:06:00.001-05:00

More Sites I Love...

2011-05-07T16:06:00.000-05:00

Asterisque

Women's Inspiration Network

Urban Outfitter Bikes

The Athena Film Festival

Rant

2011-02-22T15:43:00.000-06:00

Something that annoys me is people thinking they're unique because of the bands they like or the clothing stores they shop at. Everyone is unique, and certainly your taste in music and clothing can be indicative of your personal style, and therefore be an expression of your individuality, but they shouldn't be your source of identity, or you're screwed. If I ask "who are you?" and all you can tell me is that your favorite color is black, you shop at hot topic, and you label yourself as "goth", you haven't told me anything about who you are as a person (besides telling me two things that are a dichotomy - would true "goth"s really shop at a chain in a mall? I think not).

Blogs I Love

2011-02-10T12:18:00.001-06:00

Diary of A Vintage Girl

I love this blog!! Her outfits are always so inspirational and amazing and I love the little tutorials she has on how to do forties hair. I also love her circle of friends and all of their "vintage" get-togethers!!

The Stylish Wanderer

Another really awesome fashion blog. The stuff she wears is always giving me ideas for stuff to do with my own wardrobe. Plus, the photos are amazing! :D

The Last Door Down The Hall

This blog has everything... Recipes, fifty billion different kinds of craft projects, pictures of gravestones, and more. But what I really love are her journals. I make journals like these, too (I call mine scrapbooks, actually, but whatever) and I thought it was really awesome to find someone who did them, too, and get inspiration from hers.

Surrounded By Utter Randomness

I must say, I'm a little biased, seeing as this is written by one my best friends, but I can honestly say I have laughed out loud at every single thing she's ever posted.

The Style Rookie

I bought a tutu in freshman year, and I gotta into fashion after realizing I was too much of a coward to actually wear it to school. I stumbled upon this awesome blog, and was totally inspired by the ballsy outfits this girl even younger than I, Tavi Gevinson, wore. In short, I ended up wearing the tutu to school, found an awesome blog, and totally got into the whole street style thing.

Andrea Joseph's Sketchblog: An Online Sketchbook

Seriously. She drew these. Before I found this blog, I considered putting some of my own drawings up, and then I saw these, and realized how much my drawings resemble toddler scribbles.

Karla's Closet

Another fashion blog that gives me tons of outfit inspiration! This blog and the Stylish Wanderer make me wish I lived in L.A. just so I could go to the Fairfax flea market they're always talking about... :D

I gotta three day beard and I don't plan to shave :D

2011-02-10T11:26:00.000-06:00

Another snow day today. It's all good, though, because it's melting fast and it's actually pretty sunny out. I'm in a pretty good mood, been listening to some good ol' happy country music, thinking about the kind of person I want to be and how I want to get there. I'm starting to realize that I don't need all the things I used to think I needed to be happy. I'm not going to achieve happiness by having an Ivy League diploma, living in a big city, or having everyone know my name. I'm not going to give up on working as hard as I can to have those opportunities, but I don't need them. Good music, happy people, trees, and books are really all I need.

Wish list

2011-02-06T15:35:00.000-06:00

I really need to get a job...

1. Beaded Geometry Bag from Anthropologie

2. Simple Compositions Blouse in Moss from Anthropologie

3. All Star Slim Slip in Parchment from Converse

4. Yuma Cardigan from Anthropologie

5. Belted Jacket with hood in Insignia Blue from Mossimo Supply Co. (Target)

6. Simple Compositions Blouse in Gold from Anthropologie

7. Super Shiny lip gloss in Juicy Peach from Burt's Bees

8. Margarita Sock in Loden Heather from Smartwool

9. Solid Perfume in Meringue from Simpatico

10. 993 Running Shoes from New Balance

We're looking for something dumb to do

2011-02-06T14:37:00.000-06:00

Went to a cute place to eat last night. It's an old home that's been converted to a restaurant and it's only open when they have live music, which is about three or four times a week. It's usually some form of bluegrass or country.

They have stuff all over the walls and underneath the tabletops. It kind of reminds me of my room.

(I did not take these pictures)

I love living in a small southern town where places like this exist. And where 90% of the population owns a guitar and a pair of cowboy boots.

In other news, I went driving for the first time today in the mall parking lot with my mom. Let's just say her stomach's probably a little sore... :D

Whenever you smile

2011-02-05T13:01:00.001-06:00

Chill Saturday at home. I have rediscovered a couple of books I bought for the purpose of looking at the pictures. The first one is called Maripolarama, a book I picked up at a used Book Store in Dallas a couple years ago. It's a series of old, artsy polaroids by a woman named Maripol. Unfortunately, my scanner is broken, so I can't show you the pages of the book at the moment, but here's a photo I found of a gallery of her photos. They're so awesome!!! lovelovelove

The second is the living solo book, distributed by Ikea. For this one, I couldn't even find anything from it online, so you'll just have to wait for my scanner to be fixed!! But for now, you can look at these beautiful pictures of Ikea rooms!

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

2011-01-31T16:54:00.001-06:00

was a total jackass, can I just say? I mean, the guy was a total hypocrite. His whole philosophy was about how children should be nurtured and cultivated and their education should be carefully looked after. But the dude didn't care jack shit about kids. He had five illegitimate children (yes, FIVE, with this one woman who he didn't marry until, like, forty-five years after they hooked up), which he just dropped at random orphanages around Europe and didn't bother to check up on them or anything.
But does it matter that I think Rousseau was a douche bag? No. I still have to do a massive research paper and dress up as him and prove that he had this wonderful impact on history, when really, he was just mean. He was a meany poopy head.

Prospective Colleges

2011-01-26T14:36:00.000-06:00

In no particular order...

Brown

UPenn

NYU

Barnard

Sarah Lawrence

Harvard

Sick of Snow

2011-01-25T15:16:00.004-06:00

There's supposed to be another snow day tomorrow. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I love days off of school to do homework (yeah, that's what I end up doing with my snow days - homework - I know, I know, I'm a freak), and for a while there, I could really appreciate the beauty of white wintery world outside, but I'm getting kind of sick of the snow. See, it's, like, cold, and, like, you can't drive, and when it "melts" it accumulates in these big ugly grey piles of slush on the sides of the road and in parking lots, and you have to wear waterproof shoes or it sops through and then you have to walk around with freezing wet socks for the rest of the day. And for your viewing pleasure...

This interesting... thing. It's awesome, isn't it?

The Mondays

2011-01-24T17:52:00.008-06:00

Um, yeah. I have been trying to update consistently lately, to no avail. See, I actually think to go to blogger on a relatively consistent basis with the intent of writing a new post, and then I just sit there with the "New Post" box open and no ideas come out. My mind is a creative void. I blame school. I should just cut that out, and then everything would be A OK. Really. It would. Anyways, I had a fabulous new year at my friend's house

I've had a nice few weeks back to school, with so many snow days, I'm still not quite adjusted. In school district, it's always one lady who calls everyone's house to tell them that school is going to be cancelled, and she has a lot of fans here. I've seen t-shirts, facebook groups, and recently discovered a song that some teenage boys wrote for her. I'm not kidding.

One of my best friends, who shall be named Bob, gave me the link to this really awesome intensive language study abroad program. I now really want to go to India for a semester to study Hindi sometime in 2012/2013. GAH!!!! That would be so awesome!!!

Currently, I'm thinking about majoring in Conservation Biology. This is completely unrelated to anything; I just thought I'd throw that out there.

New York

2011-01-02T13:05:00.010-06:00

If it were possible to marry a city, I would be married to New York. I'm in love with it. I plan on living there in a few years, and I can't wait. Being there makes me feel like I'm in the center of the universe, exposed to every idea and trend worth being exposed to. I love walking down the street and hearing and seeing people from so many cultures and walks of life. The diversity of New York City is something I think is unparalleled by any other setting. Anyways, I had a BLAST in New York with the fam. I went skating in Central Park,saw Jersey Boys on Broadway, went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, ate delicious pizza from John's Pizza (No Slices!) as well as the best BLT I've ever had in my life from a Deli somewhere on 8th avenue (I think...). Anyways, I had a blast, although the rest of the fam didn't seem to be having quite the blast as I. My sister was sick and got stuck in the hotel and my parents seemed to be tired. Oh well. New York is kinda my thing. It is my life partner.

Pennsylvania

2010-12-24T08:53:00.004-06:00

Christmas was (and is, as I feel I'm still experiencing it) simply wonderful this year. My family stayed at the Inn at Pocono Manor, a beautiful 1902 resort not five minutes from skiing (or in my case, painful attempts at snowboarding) at Camelback. I feel like I've been sucked into the resort world depicted in Dirty Dancing. Although I've seen many kids my age and younger, I've seen no avid texters or Nintendo DS players. Most of the families would congregate together in the many lounges of the hotel, talking and playing games. It was perfect. We drove up on thursday, after driving from Philadelphia and stopping at an adorable art deco diner in Allentown. On the way to the Inn, we passed many turn-of-the-century Summer homes. I told my parents I was going to have one, and they could come visit me in the Summers. They laughed, but I really wasn't kidding.
We ate dinner in the buffet at the hotel restuarant pretty much every night, which was delicious, but didn't vary much. I loved sitting down to a full table setting. It contributed to the being-taken-back-in-time feeling. My grandmother, of course, chatted up the hospitality manger every night, which provided much amusement.

"You don't have to be straight to shoot straight"

2010-12-19T16:30:00.003-06:00

I was so ecstatic yesterday to find that the Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) policy had finally, after seventeen years of ridiculousness, been repealed, with a vote from Congress of 65 to 31 votes. Since, I've observed a resounding elation for the repeal, from the trending topic on twitter to the always enlightening banter on Smart Mouths to the shout out on Maddow blog. I'll be honest; it's made me a teeny bit more optimistic of America's future. :D

Midterms

2010-12-17T16:47:00.003-06:00

Winter exams are finally over. I publish so inconsistently on this blog that it makes me laugh that I've had a post on winter exams each year, and that my first post ever was on semester exams (remember, with those pictures I put up of Harvard's primal scream that came up as 100% pornography on my friend's computer? yeah...).
You know, everyone told me that Junior year was gonna be tough, but nobody warned me about Sophomore year. And I think it's been pretty ridiculous. I haven't had the time to read a single book for pleasure since the school year started (I won't make the overly optimistic assumption that anyone actually noticed I haven't made any book review posts in the past six months, but I haven't). The first semester of Sophomore year has been pretty stressful, and I am SO happy that it's finally winter break. I'm a little disappointed with how my first semester has turned out, so I'll definitely be using Winter Break to do some restrategizing for the next semester.
Ah, screw that, I'll be PARTYING IN NYC, LOSERS!!!

Wizard Rock Concert

2010-10-26T18:28:00.004-05:00

Got to see a wizard rock concert this weekend. I have to say it was pretty epic. I shared my excitement over this to my french class, and my french teacher was apalled at the concept that people wrote actual MUSIC about HARRY POTTER. She was all "really, Andie, you're willing to share that with the PUBLIC?" and went on to tell us this story about how she used to watch this reality TV show about people who were so obsessed with Jane Austen that they went to go live like the characters of the time period. (I fail to see how this correlates to my wizard rock concert in any way, but whatever)
Anyways, this "concert" was in someone's GRANDMOTHER'S LIVING ROOM. I'm serious. Like, we had to drive around in suburbs until we found this person's address, and her parents and her grandmother were, like, sitting in chairs in the kitchen behind us looking at us like we were, like, freaks, or something (where would they get that idea?)
My friend made this lovely analogy when we were driving there about a "Harry Potter sea". See, normal, non-harry-obsessed people are on land, far away from the sea. People who think they're harry potter fans are on life rafts floating on the top of the sea. My friend and I are hanging on to the life rafts, with our feet dangling in the water. But there are people at in VOLCANIC VENTS at the BOTTOM of this sea, and they're not coming up for air. People like that were at this concert. These kind of people actually are GROUPIES to these wizard rock bands, and like, FOLLOW the bands on their "tours".
A little creepy.
BUT, Justin Finch-Fletcley and the Sugar Quills, and The Whomping Willows were well worth being in the company of these slightly creepy albeit funny-ish-ly lovable people. I've had the "Dumbledore is Gay but that's OK" song stuck in my head ever since, and I was very excited to place my order for a Justin Finch-Fletchley t-shirt. :)
So...Yeah...

Marching Band

2010-10-25T12:51:00.005-05:00

Sometimes I resent the very existence of Marching Band. I don't even march, and yet, the grueling three-hour-long rehearsals four times a week plus eleven hour camp days and away football games and competitions that inhibit us from getting home until the early hours of the morning wear down on me. The lack of social life that band members possess between the months of August and early November kills.
The thing is - and if anybody from band or school read this, they'd probably think I'm a freak (who doesn't?) for admitting it - but I can't deny the pride and satisfaction felt at the end of a grueling season. It's the end of the year, you're at the last competition, and you've played the show for the very last time. You know you've just given the performance of your life, and you're so ecstatic that you can't help but smile even when you know you're supposed to look fierce and intimidating. But you have absolutely no idea how anyone else has done. You stand out on the field, not allowed to move a muscle, and they start calling results. Your anxiety grows as the numbers get smaller and smaller. The band could very well have made tenth, but you didn't. Not ninth, either. Or seventh. Or sixth. Or fifth. Or fourth. They call third place, and you don't have to hear the first full syllable to know it's not you. You can't believe you've done this well. Yout start calming yourself down. 'Second', you think, 'second would be so great.' But what you really want is to hear that you've exceeded your wildest miracles, by some miracle beaten out every other band and gotten first. Then, the announcer calls second place. It's not you. You've won. You want to scream and jump and hug every person in the band, every person who has stood out there with you for twenty hours of rehearsal a week, in the heat, in the rain, in the freezing cold. But still, you have to stand still.
When they call first place, you listen carefully, to make damn sure they call your bands' name, and there's not some fluke. And they do.

2010-09-16T12:23:00.003-05:00

I've been reading The Feminine Mystique lately (more on that later in the form of a book review), and I have to say it's been making me kind of depressed. I read what this woman wrote in 1963, nearly fifty years ago, and I can't help but see how little we've come since then. It seems as if being allowed to wear pants and allowed to be professionals and allowed to do pretty much anything is enough for women. It's not about being allowed to do things, it's about doing them, and asserting our power and perspective as women in positions of leadership. I truly believe that women posess a kind of intellect and reason that would make them far superior leaders to our male counterparts. Those behavioral characteristics that are inherently feminine - consciousness, nonviolence, maternal instinct - ought to be the traits desired in a political leader, especially in this 21st century, when diplomacy and compromise should be prevailing. No longer do we need leaders with good battle instinct or military strategy. We need leaders who won't be corrupted by power or money, who are working for humanity and morality and not political gain. Now, more than ever, we need women.

Infinitus 2010

2010-07-23T13:28:00.004-05:00

I know it's been, like, forever, but I haven't slept in my own bed in almost a month!!! First texas, then girl scout camp, then more texas, then Disney World, and then the Harry Potter Conference!!!! CRAZINESS!!! But it's been so much fun. I have to say that as much fun as the other stuff was, The Harry Potter Conference - Infinitus 2010 - was the highlight of my summer. It felt so good to be surrounded by people who felt just as passionately about the fates of all my favorite characters as I do, where I didn't feel like such a freak to own certain pieces of harry otter merchandise (coughwandcough), where I felt like I was with my KINDRED SOULS!!!! :D

PLUS, I met the Mugglecasters (minus Jamie Lawrence, which made me sad, but STILL) and it was AWESOME. I've never really seen any pictures or video of what any of them look like, so it was rather wierd seeing their voices come out of these strange people's bodies!!! I have to say, Andrew Sims was a lot hotter than I thought he was going to be. ;)

I met a girl named Alia, who I found out is originally from Bahrain and speaks Arabic fluently. (I totally didn't know this until we were in the MuggleCast event and she stood up and told everyone that, because she doesn't have an accent or anything that would give away that she wasn't born here). She loves Dr. Who and her favorite characters were the same as mine - Snape and Dumbledore! :D

The PARK was absolutely amazing. It looks just like you imagine it to be. Hogwarts is absolutely magical and built in force persperctive, so it looks ridiculously massive, when it's really only hugely massive. The butterbeer is delicious. The fake snow on the rooftops is hilarious, especially in contrast with all the people wearing shorts and tank tops (hello, July in Florida? makes it very uncomfortable to be wearing your wizarding robes around the park) I didn't go to the Night of a Thousand Wizards event at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but everyone raved about how awesome it was. The forbidden journey ride was an experience that I don't think I'll forget. The special effects on the ride are really quite brilliant. You really have to look to figure out how everything works. It really seems magical.

Also, before the conference, I hadn't really gotten into Wizard Rock. But the Wizard Rock Classics Night made me a die-hard fan of the Wrock movement. I cannot wait to hear The Moaning Myrtles, The Butterbeer Experience, and The Remus Lupins again!!!

Can't wait for Ascendio 2012!

I don't wanna go to GIRL SCOUT CAMP gee, mom, i wanna go, but they won't lemme go, gee mom, i wanna go HO-O-OME. GIRL SCOUT CAMP

2010-07-05T10:30:00.006-05:00

Okay, so it's been super crazy for me lately. I went off to Girl Scout camp on June 13th and haven't had a minute to spare since. The first Girl Scout camp I went to was absolutely amazing. I had such a blast canoeing and hiking and swimming and rappelling and tight-rope walking over their high ropes course. The counselors were so amazing and were clearly enjoying themselves as well. I love any Girl Scout camp, because I love singing girl scout songs and being sweaty and dirty and talking to the five-year-old brownies at meal time, but this camp added a whole new level to my experience. I had such a blast, and me and my sister actually wrote letters to a couple of the counselors after we got back. I think this camp is where I'd like to become a counselor in the future. ANYWAYS, after I got back from camp, I had a jam-packed week hanging out with my friends, going to birthday parties, and packing for the NEXT girl scout camp.
The second girl scout camp was fun, too (I mean, it's Girl Scout camp, HELLO), but I couldn't help comparing it to the first camp, and I have to say, it didn't add up. The camp had severely declined in numbers since the last time I'd been there - there were ELEVEN counselors - and the camp had ZERO returning staff. It was actually really bizarre. The activities were really fun. I got to go wake boarding, knee boarding, tubing, windsurfing, canoeing, and white-water kayaking. But the people and the environment weren't really what I had been hoping for. The whole "community" aspect of going to camp was completely lost.
My mom has pointed out to me that the experiences I had at both camps have helped me figure out what aspects I like about Girl Scout camp and what I need to look for when I pick camps for the future (even though I totally just plan on going back to the first camp, like, every summer from here on out, but whatever).
SO, I had fun, and there's more to come.

3 Willows by Ann Brashares

2010-06-02T11:55:00.006-05:00

gets 1 out of 5 stars. It was essentially the same as her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. The book cuts between three girls during their summer vacationa as they experience essentially the same issues that Brashares' characters in the Sisterhood do. It was vastly unoriginal and formulaic, which was fine, because sometimes that's what you're in the mood for; just don't expect to remember the book ten years from now. What I am looking forward to from this author is her new book, which came out yesterday, My Name is Memory. It seems to be a historical fiction novel revolving around the concept of reincarnation and past lives. It could be interesting.

Swim Team

2010-06-01T14:07:00.002-05:00

I suck at swimming. Theoretically, I know how to do all the strokes, but they never seem to look the way everyone else's do... but my strokes aren't even my main issue. ENDURANCE. THAT'S my issue. I joined a swim team in my old town outside Dallas, and I remember the coaches being like "400 free - go" the very first day, like it was nothing. And it WASN'T for any of the other kids there, but me, I was about to cough up a lung after one lap. I thought these days were long past me once I moved to Tennessee, but I decided to join the neighborhood swim team again this year, and alas, they persist. But what I find exceedingly amusing is that here, I'm NOT the only sucky person on the swim team, AND I'm three years older than I was then!!! On this new swim team, I found a communnity of varying age ranges and abilities, and they have actually created a designated "group" for those of us with, erm, lesser ability. I think it's absolutely terriffic - I think every sport in every town should have a designated league or team or unit especially for non-competitive people - that's what makes for a healthy lifestyle. You don't have to be great at a sport to enjoy it or burn calories from it. You just have to DO it. Yes, America?

Summer Goals

2010-05-30T08:04:00.003-05:00

The first week of summer vacation is already gone (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and I must say, I have been exceedingly successful in keeping up with my goals:

1. Pewn my little sister at our reading "competition" (I find it vastly amusing that she thinks it's a "competition" at all)

2. Run twice a week so that I can run in the Halloween 5k and pant around in my Harry Potter costume next October, looking like a freak.

3. Update twice a week on this blog (becuase I have been a little... ahem, inconsistent in past posting)

My Summer Reading List

2010-05-23T12:47:00.006-05:00

2010-05-23T12:42:00.004-05:00

Today, at approximately 2:00 p.m., when senior graduation takes place, summer officially begins (even though we got out of school last friday).

When did "You're so skinny; you look like a stick" become a compliment?

2010-05-21T11:40:00.002-05:00

Part of me understands why the fashion industry has come to idolize stick figures. Women were sick of being objectified for their bodies, so the voluptous, curvy form that men were so attracted to became moot, and women with no form at all were introduced, considered to be the new symbol for "women's power." I can understand that. But now we've come to a point where it's us women beating ourselves up about our bodies, not men.

When did this become appealing to us? Who decided that the "ideal" body should contain visible ribs and hip bones???

We don't have to be anorexic to look powerful. To me, a powerful woman is a woman who is strong and curvy and nourished. A powerful woman looks like my beautiful mom, or Marilyn Monroe, or Oprah. Powerful women can be happy with their bodies no matter how sizist the fashion industry gets. Call me a freak (:D) but that's what I believe.

2010-05-19T20:39:00.001-05:00

Holy crap, I just realized this!!! RECURRING THEME in my POSTS, MUCH!?!?!?!?!? HELLO, FREAKY

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

2010-05-19T15:02:00.001-05:00

Guys, this book made me cry. I know this seems to happen a lot with the books I review, but seriously. It's so... I guess "ironically prophetic" as my english teacher would say. It kind of depressed me how right-on Ray Bradybury was in guessing where our society was going fifty-seven years ago. Because it's not exactly a happy guess. seeing as it's this futuristic society where people burn books, because they OFFEND people, and it started out because people didn't WANT to read (Sound FAMILIAR, idiots in my sixth period class?)!!! And just the way people would rather watch their plotlesss non-offensive TV shows and listen to their "seashells" (basically earbuds, except Ray Bradbury didn't have those in 1953, he just happened to take a GUESS at their existence - I know, FREAKY - and he had to come up with a name for them) was so true to what I see today, walking through the halls of my school. What's really wierd to me is that I really do think that Ray Bradbury understood what he was saying - I don't think he just took a lucky guess; I think he was really just perceptive enough to anticipate this kind of evolution within our soceity. Ray Bradbury, if you just HAPPEN to SOMEHOW be reading this blog among the billions of other ones that exist at SOMEHOW the right time to come across this post,

YOU ARE A FREAKIN' GENIUS!!

(Oh and please please please don't be mad at me for my improper use of the English language, kaythanks)

Deep Cheese

2010-05-17T17:43:00.000-05:00

It's exam time right now, and there's only THREE AND A HALF DAYS OF SCHOOL LEFT. Isn't it kind of crazy to believe that my very first post ever on this blog was about exams? Except they were winter exams, and I published a picture of Harvard's Primal Scream that apparently came up as 100% pornography on my friend's website blogger - isn't that lovely? Anyways, It's wierd to believe that my freshman year has completely passed me by, and with only like five posts for the entire school year? Crazy, huh? I keep seeing this quote by Mark Twain, I believe, something like "Twenty years from now, you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did." As the year is wrapping up for me right now, and I'm thinking of all the opportunities that I didn't take, this quote is totally striking a tune. I know that fear of taking risks is something all generations as teenagers probably experienced, but to me, this trait seems magnified in our generation, because of the environment in which we are being raised. Experiencing life through escapism is the driver for our society right now, when you think about it. Television, video games, social networking, texting, the internet - all methods of escapism we use to experience things without having to take real-life risks or deal with their real consequences. For so long, people in support of all these forms of technology have claimed that they support and promote our social skills, but aren't they really hindering them?
JUST SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT

2010-04-06T11:35:00.000-05:00

They are the trees outside my window - he is the far one - tall and thick with dark foliage, angled branches, and a straight and typical trunk and frame. She is the close one - it curves, drapes and weaves elegantly, pink rosebuds clustered on the ends of its branches, rustling each time the wind blows. It's a foreign shape among the trees in the neighborhood, its curvy,estranged branches looking almost deformed when compared to nearby trees.

2010-03-25T19:06:00.000-05:00

I went to a psychologist today... I'm going to get tested this weekend to see if I have a mental disorder. I'm not sure what I think about all of this. I don't know if I should be relieved, glad, sad, or freaked out. If I do have a mental disorder, it means I have a problem and I'll have to take medication and it confirms this underlyng suspicion that I've always had that I am seriously NOT NORMAL. On the otherhand, it gives a reason for my inability to do my homework and my constant procrastination and disorganization and the social awkwardness I'm only starting to overcome. I think it might be relieving to know that there's (sort of) a solution to my problems.

In which I give you an in-depth analysis of my weekly schedule..

2010-03-21T12:53:00.000-05:00

Okay, Okay, before you get crazy out there in your rolly chairs, let me just fill you in on my insanely hectic schedule right now, okay? Mondays I have art club right after school, an hour to eat dinner and do my homework and softball 'til 8. Tuesdays I have percussion ensemble until freaking FIVE O' CLOCK and then I have to go to my sister's softball games (where there is no internet connection!), wednesdays I have writers' club 'til five and then a meeting with my organizational tutor (because I'm a lazy ass not only in updating my blog, but also in homework - make you feel any better?) and thursdays I have figure skating and then double header softball games, and then on Friday's, somehow I manage to have a social life, and I actually do stuff that's more important than your viewing needs, so HAH. Yeah... anybody else out there got schedule that hectic??? That's right.. I think NOT.

Anyways, I've got some reviews of Wicked by Gregory Magure and one you probably haven't heard of, How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford, which made me cry like CRAZY, so... fun.

How To Stay Goodbye In Robot by Natalie Standiford

2010-03-04T12:45:00.000-06:00

was more bitter than sweet. Persuaded by the hot pink cover and bubble-gummy sounding description into thinking this was chick-lit, I was looking forward to two hundred fifty-some-odd pages of irreverant bliss. BUT NO. That is NOT what I got. I just wanted the book to end, because my heart kept breaking OVER and OVER again.

I kept thinking of this guy-friend of mine from elementary school, whose name was Greg. He was my BFF for FOUR WHOLE YEARS (this was record-breaking at the time for me, because I had lived in about eleven houses in eight years). We both fantasized about medieval times and narwhals and neopets and pentominoes and we played jump rope and hopscotch at recess all by our lonesome selves, because we were pretty much outcasts. We were gonna to go to the Renaissance fair together the last day before the summer (in which I was moving for yet another house). But I was STUPID. And I REALLY wanted to be popular. And two days before the fair, I still hadn't told my mom about the renaissance fair. At lunch, a popular girl invited me to a sleepover....

... When I got home, I told my mom about the sleepover instead of the renaissance fair. And Greg never spoke to me again.

THAT is what this book made me think of. It made me cry out of grief and guilt and regret and heartbreak and it WASN'T CHICK LIT!!!!

(edt: BTW, this isn't the official review)

pppiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssssssseeeeddddddddd (This was from a long time ago and I never published it :D)

2010-02-19T18:00:00.000-06:00

As you can imagine, from my last post (I know, I know, it was forever ago, whatever, you'll live) I am NOT HAPPY with the results the judges gave Johnny Weir for his long program at the Olympics.

For those of you who live under a rock, and don't know what's going on, I'm referring to Olympic Men's Figure Skating, and secifically the fact that the best skater EVERwho gave the performance of his LIFE at the Olympics was totally and completely UNDERSCORED.

J-J-Johnny Weir!

2010-02-08T16:07:00.000-06:00

So, the Winter Olympics are coming up on February 12th, and I am TOTALLY STOKED. I have to admit, the 2006 Olympics in Torino were rather disappointing... Sasha didn't win the gold, Kimmie Meissner made SIXTH place and Johnny Weir didn't even make the freakin PODIUM!It was an outrage! A Scandal! (Lily and James Potter killed in a car accident!?)

But this year... Ohhh, THIS year... Things shall be very different. I've pretty much completely given up on Sasha Cohen and Kimmie Meissner - I was really only mad about Kimmie Meissner, because she's not normally a very strong skater and she skated a completely EMACULATE program at Torino, but she hasn't really had a good performance since, so... bah. And Sasha just fell off the face of the planet after Torino. ANYWAYS, this year we've got this like whole new GENERATION of figure skaters... Rachel Hamlett, who came outta NOWHERE, let me tell you, and snatched up the US championships, Mirai Nagasu, who was fourteen when she won Nationals in 2008, and there's...

... J O H N N Y W E I R

2010-02-04T15:51:00.000-06:00

I have nothing to say to you creepers

21st century soap box lectures...

2010-01-31T15:58:00.000-06:00

You know what really pisses me off? When teenage girls spend a bunch of time taking pictures of themselves.... You know, like when they purse their lips, do funky things with their arms, and aim the camera down their cleavage? yeah... those pictures... It's like, you're not fooling anyone, girls, no matter what your subtitles may say, we all know you're self-posessed and care way too much about your physical appearance. Why don't you guys take all that time you spend taking pictures of yourself and instead spend it doing things to better yourself - I think you're more likely to get a boyfriend that way, and he's probably going to treat you a lot better than any boy who'd date you because of the cleavage shots you have on your facebook page. Okay?

Side Effects by Amy Goldman Koss

2010-01-30T08:43:00.000-06:00

gets 3 out of 5 stars... Although it wasn't any great piece of literary art to rave home about, it was cute, funny, and refreshing. The grave topic of fatal diseases has been in the media a lot lately, with movies like "Extraordinary Measures" and "My Sister's Keeper" topping the box office chart, but what's refreshing about this book is the stubborn, irreverant, humorous voice of Izzy, a sharp contrast to the tearjerker dramas we're used to. Izzy is an 8th grader who's used to the low of her day being P.E. - not chemo. When she's diagnosed with Lymphoma, she fights it with the fierceness that is typically Izzy. She knows very well that the Lymphoma is not going to kill her - but why doesn't anyone else seem to believe that? And why don't they have any joke books about cancer? Or at least ones that don't make you cry?
Yeah, so good book... I'd recommend it.

In other news, it's snowing like crazy here, and I'm stuck inside with nothing better to do than blog, play guitar, and eat chocolate, because the snow is like, all screwed up, and you can't have a snowball fight, because it would be like throwing rocks... so..whatever.

In which I randomly list things I enjoy

2010-01-29T09:45:00.000-06:00

Harry Potter (It's just so... AAAGGGH... and I mean... AAAGGGHHH... And the writing is just... AAAGGGHHH)
Doc Martens (The most beautiful and comfortable combat boots on the face of the planet, which happen to go with everything I wear)
Rainy Days (Because you have a viable excuse to stay inside and sit on your ass all day, making random lists of things you like)
yellow (It's just the best color ever... and the title of a decent Coldplay song)
Tutus (I mean, seriously. Why don't more people wear tutus - they are the BEST CLOTHING ITEM EVER!)
Leo Tolstoy (ANNA KARENINA!!!!!!)
Gay People (I went out to dinner with my friend last night, and there was like this gay people sitting at the table next to us.. and they were wearing matching square-framed glasses and one of them had this giant hot pink scarf thing wrapped around his neck and spoken in the most feminine voice I have ever heard a male manage... and they were just SO ADORABLE!)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Every person on the face of the planet should read this book! I read it, and I cried the whole time - not because it was sad, but becase everything Charlie felt was just so...... TRUE.... and maybe I was PMSing, too, but it was a freaking GOOD book!)
Manhattan (Ah, Ah AAAAHHHH!! I wanna go there right now, and buy cupcakes at Jefferson Market and go the Alice in Wonderland statue in central park, and stare at the adorable gay couples walking around in Chelsea and eat a giant piece of pizza folded in half....)
G-2 pilot pens (I used to despise pens, because I just couldn't draw with them the way I could pencils.. but now... Oh NOW....)
Eleanor Roosevelt ("Do something every day that scares you")

Quoting Toy Story

2010-01-29T09:26:00.000-06:00

Hey, kiddos! I don't know if any of you knew this, but I've had another blog, devoted to reviewing books I've reqad, called "Book a Day from the Bookworm" (lame name, I know, but shut up), and I post on it about as oftten as I post on this blog (basically, not often)... ANYWAYS, I've decided to combine the blogs, so that maybe out of the two of them, my blog postings will be just slightly more frequent.

So, for my first, Book a Day-type posting, I am reviewing James Patterson's Breakfast at Tiffany's, which gets 2 out of 5 stars. SO....Cute concept, although mostly formalic, unfulfilling, and rather Twilight-esque. Jane is a thirty-year-old woman, still hung up over her childhood imaginary friend, and allowing her boyfriend and controlling mother to boss her around. She really wasn't much of a likable character, with her constant self-depricating narration and her general patheticness. The only original concept was the whole "imaginary friend" thing - other than that, it felt like Twilight all over again, what with the whole I-don't-deserve-you-because-I'm-a-fat-clutz-and-you're-perfect and the oh-my-gosh-you're-finally-mortal-I-can-love-you-now crap. It also had that lovey-dovey stuff about how they'll never love anyone else even if they life forever. I don't think I would recommend it. This was my first James Patterson (seeing as I'm lazy and have yet to get around to reading the Maximum Ride series like all my friends have told me to), and I was rather disappointed.

In other news, I am totally and completetly addicted to the blog Style Rookie (tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com). It is a totally and completely amazing style blog, but I would most certainly recommend it to EVERYONE, because it's just THAT amazing, and I know that you'll enjoy it even if you don't know who the hell Chanel is (in which case you are an UNCULTURED SWINE!) So... yeah :D

Reasons Our Educational System Suck:

2010-01-24T09:19:00.001-06:00

1. They don't pay teachers enough. Seriously. My teachers should get paid MILLIONS of dollars for having to deal with being responsible for educating a bunch of adolescent punks who don't care about their grades, but instead, they get paid something around twenty bucks an hour. That's what people who work at the GROCERY STORE get paid!

2. The kids who are barely holding on to the course curriculum are in the same classes as people who are pulling their hair out from boredom. This is SO wrong! The students who are behind continuously build up a massive inferiority complex, and the advanced students have to wait five years to learn anything! It's a no-win situation!

3. You don't have any variety. If you want to do something (like band, for instance), then that's ALL you get to do, and you have to stick with it for the rest of your public school career. So, since I'M in band, I can't just decide to do Art next year, because I would have had to do it as a prerequisite.

I would love for America to just go towards the whole European school system, where they start sorting kids into the "college" and "vocational" tracks at an early age, because it seems to work for them, but it's just kind of sad, you know? What about those kids who are put on the vocational track at eleven, and then they decide later when their sense of self has increased, that they want to college - well they can't! They're stuck! It's just a no-win situation, you know?

My new addiction... Polyvore

2010-01-22T19:15:00.001-06:00

Catalina Summer by Hermionebookworm featuring Lanvin shoes

sniffle sniffle

2010-01-22T18:43:00.000-06:00

My poor blog... It's in such a decrepit state of disrepair that I don't know how I will ever give it enough love to feel accepted ever again. It's been over a year since I started this blog, and yet, there are only fourteen posts. Ah, how I miss the days when I had amusing-only-to-me thoughts to write down. But now my mind is filled only with an excessive to-do list that makes me cringe when I think about it, and a few dead flies and bits of fluff (Harry Potter reference, anyone?). And I suppose my thoughts on how I have no thoughts are really about as much compensation as broccolli to a child wishing for a lollipop, but it is all the love I have to give, poor blessed blog.

Sleeping Beauty needs to wake up

2009-08-19T17:16:00.000-05:00

I mean really. If you were supposed to die if you pricked your finger on a spinning wheel, don't you think you'd be a little pissed when you found out your parents never even frickin TOLD you? I, personally would be pissed that they couldn't trust me to avoid spinning wheels. It's not like curiosity would make her want to touch one. People know that guns kill you, and therefore don't touch them. It's not that hard. Sleeping Beauty needs to cut the naive act and stop romanticizing everything!!! :D ranting is fun :D

Why must guys be guys?

2009-08-19T17:11:00.000-05:00

I hate guys so much. So very very much. The ones you like won't give you the time of day and the ones who do cinch onto you and refuse to let you out of their sight. I hate guys with a burning passion. I really do. And yet I love them at the same time. Why must I be female?????

EUROPE!!!!

2009-06-22T21:23:00.000-05:00

Okay, my overall rating on a scale of one to ten is 9.5. I deduct the point five points purely for my dad being pick pocketed in Paris - otherwise, it was totally awesome!!!!!
I'm not really sure how I should organize this... I guess I'll start with some things I found interesting about Europe.
Okay...
- The people in Rome in their suits and dresses on motorcycles and Vespas. You have not really had a good laugh until you have seen a man in an Armani suit on a Harley Davidson Sportster.

- Oh, I laugh just thinking about this one. We went to the Piazza de Spagna/ Spanish Steps (I was the only one who actually CLIMBED the Spanish Steps :P) and got gelato at this place around the corner, and there was this dark chocolate ice cream called VIAGRA... I am not even kidding. And I mean, you would think that everyone would find this unappealing in an ice cream, but apparently not, because EVERYONE got that flavor... well, I guess that's MY family for you.

- Purple is apparently THE color in Rome, because all the clothing stores and street vendors have ALL purple stuff on display... I kept thinking of Hannah (Goins - as if that needed specification) and her hundred-day purple thing.

- I don't think I saw a SINGLE three-row car the entire time I was in Europe... and Smart Cars are like, the car to have. I think the ratio of Smart Cars to all other cars was about equivalent to the ratio of SUVs to all other cars here... they're THAT popular.. plus, in all the parallel parking areas all over the cities, the Smart Cars park sideways, like, perpendicular to the sidewalk rather than PARALLEL, entirely defeating the purpose of PARALLEL parking.

- The tour guides, man. The tour guides were AMAZING. Illyria, the tour guide we had for the Colosseum, the Vatican, and the Roman forum, was probably my favorite. She was REALLY enthusiastic about Roman history and wanted everyone else to be as excited about it as she was. And, you know, listening her say "Seeeenatore" about fifty times wasn't all that boring, either. Oh, and there was this other tour guide we had on the top of Mt. Vesuvius... You couldn't understand anything he said except "160 kilometres level up", but he was pretty funny with his Louis Vuitton purse, designer sunglasses, Ferrari baseball cap and beer belly.

- St. Peter's Basilica. I thought that it was mostly going to be the Sistine Chapel that I liked in the Vatican, but it turned out that having it described by Illyria was better than actually being in it, because it was really crowded and loud, and everyone's flashes were going off, but St. Peter's Basilica was really something to see. It's so... I don't know... magnificent, astonishing, breath-taking, amazing, incredible, impressive, can you tell I'm using Microsoft synonym generator. But really. My mom said she got TEARY when she walked through the doors. (Not that it's all that difficult to make my mother teary, but still)

Wow. Have you noticed a pattern? All of these things were in Rome. Whatever, I LOVED Rome.

Sticky Notes

2009-06-01T18:06:00.000-05:00

I love them. So very much. And now, I have this calendar made by "Post-It" that is MADE for covering in sticky notes!!!! It makes me so happy!!!! Plus, I have like every color of post-it note that they make, so my calendar will be very colorful!!!! :)

Purple Turbans

2009-05-31T16:46:00.000-05:00

HEY! Want to know where the largest collection of people over sixty in my town is? Hmmm... Let's see.. I KNOW! The writers workshops at the library! And want to know which thirteen-year-old was surrounded by said blue hairs at the writers workshop at the library on Saturday morning? Hmmm... Let's see... THAT'S RIGHT! ME. I was. And I totally should have known, you know, when I registered for this class, because they were kind of hesitant about letting a thirteen-year-old in the class. Of course, I thought by "adults" they meant cool artistic types in their twenties, thirties, and fourties - NOT people in their EIGHTIES writing HISTORICAL NOVELS ABOUT 1940S GIRL SCOUT CAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT THEY WENT TO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm writing a book!

2009-04-29T10:50:00.000-05:00

Yes, this will most likely amount to nothing, as I have only three chapters written, and that happens to be like a record for me, because I often get some really awesome idea and then start writing and then after like a few pages I get really bored... but whatever. Because suess what the name of my book is!? Day in the life of a freak!!! That's right. I decided to write a semi-autobiographical book about a freak similar to myself!!! I, personally, think that the three chapters that I have actually written are almost mediocre, too, so check it out!!! Here's the link: http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/hermionebookworm/401906/
And it would be totally awesome if you (five nonexistent) guys could review it!!! Just leave them as comments or whatever, and if, magically, I happen to get a response, I pinky promise that I will jump up and dance!!! :)

The new title of my blog: "Sorry I haven't posted... I digress"

2009-04-29T10:36:00.000-05:00

*flinches from flying vegetables* Yeah, yeah, I know I haven't written on this thing in like two months, because I've been super busy (I mean, seriously. I've got softball practice mondays, TWO HOURS of percussion at the high school and my sister's softball games on tuesday, percussion practice at MY school on wednesday, creative writing club and softball games on thursdays, and the fun RESUMES on friday and through the weekend with various festivals and appointments. I hardly have time to BREATHE!) But, anyway, I have most of today to do nothing, because I didn't feel like going on the field trip. (Actually, I just never turned in the permission slip, but saying "I didn't feel like it" sounds better). Plus, this is one of the few websites I actually have access to through the school. But anyway, I'm posting, aren't I? Not that I really need to say sorry for not posting, because really, how many people read this? I supposedly have five followers, but seeing as four of those five people are pretty much obligated to follow this blog (as they are related to me and/ or are my friends), five doesn't really amount to anything. Oh my gosh... I just realized that nearly all of my blogs start with that same introductory paragraph (you know, "I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while"... digresses into something that has little relevancy). I have absolutely no originality!!! I should just retitle the name of this blog "Sorry I haven't posted.... I digress" or something like that. I mean, seriously.

ʇ,uɐɔ noʎ ʇǝq ı puɐ - uʍop ǝpısdn ǝdʎʇ uɐɔ ı

2009-03-27T20:46:00.000-05:00

¡¡¡¡¡pooƃǝʌoן ɐunן ǝʞıן ןǝǝɟ ı (: ¡uıɐƃɐ dn ǝpısʇɥƃıɹ ǝʇıɹʍ oʇ ƃuıoƃ ɹǝʌǝ ɯ,ı ʞuıɥʇ ʇ,uop ı ˙uʍop ǝpısdn ʇxǝʇ ɹnoʎ uɹnʇ uɐɔ ʇɐɥʇ ǝʇısqǝʍ sıɥʇ ɟo ʍouʞ oʇ pǝuǝddɐɥ ʇsnɾ puǝıɹɟʎoq s,puǝıɹɟ ʎɯ ˙sǝʎ ˙ɐɥɐɥ

Algebra

2009-03-10T19:24:00.001-05:00

So I'm sitting here, supposed to be working on my math homework, and instead, I feel the urge to complain about how much Algebra sucks. Because it does. It really sucks. I know maybe a couple people who are reading this might disagree with me, because, I don't know, they're just little people who have already taken Algebra and feel the need to let it go to their head and rub it in my face, even though they can't really do that, unless they comment on my post, which they probably wouldn't do, because I am taking the time to point out that to do that would be arrogant and idiotic, so, unless someone feels the urge to comment on my post purely to contradict me, which i don't think they will, because really? the only people who read this are my mom and a couple of my friends, and this girl from like, California, or something, who i don't know and probably isn't going to read this post because they probably just read this thing once and added it to their subscriptions thingie and never looked at it again, because they thought it was too time-consuming, and they're probably not so happy because I don't appreciate my anonymous fans the way, say, my friend Johnny Cash (you know who i'm talking about) does and WOW... Again with the stupid digressing thing!!!!!

oW... I hurt all over

2009-03-10T19:15:00.000-05:00

Wow... I just come to the halting, eye-opening, enlightening, stunning, overwhelming, astonishing, mind-altering, breathtaking, staggering, overpowering (don't you just love my command of the english language?) realization that I am incredibly out of shape. In fact, i'm so out of shape, that drumming for too long hurts my wrists. That's right; practicing the drums for two straight, intense hours has somehow made me sweat. And now, because not only because of the drumline thingie at the high school, but also softball practice, EVERY SINGLE MUSCLE IN MY BODY ACHES. I am in so much pain right now, that it has taken me half an hour to type this, because my the muscles in my wrist hurt so much. So the next time you're thinking about how horribly out of shape YOU are, just think back to the poor little freak, sweating away while practicing on a 12" rubber drum pad.

******** High School, HERE I COME!!!!

2009-02-21T17:13:00.000-06:00

And I'm so excited!!!!! And I'm also scared about being in classes with the freaky people with excessive facial hair!!!! (and yes, I am fully aware that the people reading my blog already know me, and probably aren't going to be able to stalk me based on where I go to high school, but as my family is very strict about publishing personal information on the internet, I'm not supposed to tell you that I go to ******** high school :P)

Okay, so as strange as it may seem that they're putting us through all of these meetings and assemblies about high school SEVEN MONTHS before we even GET to high school, we are in the midst of high school registration, and I am so pumped for next school year! (See! they've got me all excited, but now I have to WAIT seven months!)

The person sitting next to me is an idiot

2009-02-19T10:17:00.000-06:00

The person sitting next to me, Tim, is a perverted chauvanistic idiot. The fact that he "doesn't hate women; loves women" is simply evidence of what an idiot he is. My stomach is also growling, and my back is killing me because I've spent the last week doing back strength exercises for drumline next year - in which I will carry a fifty-five pound instrument by a metal strap on my back - often for hours at a time. The fact that the person next to me is saying that I won't get onto the drumline because there has never been a girl to get onto the drumline is even FURTHER proof that he is a chauvanistic idiot.

Pretty In Pink is Amazing

2009-02-14T09:26:00.000-06:00

And not just because the main character happens to share my first name. I also LOVE Duckie... he's like the best character in the entire movie. And I think the scene where he's singing and dancing in the record store along to "Try a little tenderness" is the BEST scene in the entire movie... possibly even in Movie history (actually, I take that back. The scene where Heath Ledger sings along to Frankie Valli in 10 Things I Hate About You is the best scene in movie history... Does anyone else see a recurring theme here? I love movies where guys sing)
I do happen to agree with "Princess Mia", however, about how the dress Molly Ringwald wears to the prom kind of looks like a sack, but it was still a good scene, so I can get over that.
Anyway, my 4 followers, You need to go see this movie. As I said in the title of this blog, Pretty In Pink is Amazing.

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

2009-02-13T18:12:00.000-06:00

The Top Five Reasons I HATE Valentine's Day

1. It's an excuse for all the big commercial companies to feed off of the impulses of Americans by urging them to spend tons of money on chocolate and flowers and jewelry
2. Lovey Dovey Mushy couples making googly eyes at each other make me want to puke!! So those of you (yes.. I'm aware that there are only a whopping 4 people who follow my blog... one of which I happen to know is married, because she's my mother, but anyway) out there who have a significant other need to be sympathetic to those of us who are SINGLE on Valentine's Day!
3. It's almost impossible to find any junk food that isn't pumped with gobs of artificial food coloring for the entire month of February
4. There was this fundraiser at our school where people would "dedicate" a song to another person (of course they had to pick from a list of only, like, FIVE songs, which sucks) and this teacher at our school SANG and DANCED to "My Girl" by the Temptations during lunch to the entire Eighth Grade. And, see, when other people do embarrassing things to themselves, it makes me feel really uncomfortable, so you can imagine...
5. My two least favorite colors (pink and purple) are everywhere

I've been humbled

2009-02-05T16:12:00.000-06:00

Jeez. Weeks have gone by and still.... nothing too talk about....
...
...
...
OOH! Wait!! You know that "MASH" thing that I talked about a few weeks back? Well, I just got back from serving my first MASH. That's right. The great freak herself got assigned to MASH. Well, I think I'll spear you all that deep, spiritual crap about how it has changed my life and the way that I see the world... But it WAS probably one of the most humbling moments of my life, you know, being shoved in with all the other rejects of my school. Yeah.

STUPID SCIENCE QUESTION!

2009-01-26T19:14:00.000-06:00

An egret eats insects swept up by cattle grazing. This is an example of which of the following:
a. parasitism
b. synthesis
c. commensalism
d. mutualism

This question was on our science test today, and frankly, I find it to be ridiculous. Do you know why I find this question ridiculous? Because it implies that we have been taught what the heck an egret is, or that we might know SOMETHING that could POSSIBLY lead us to the correct answer, but in reality, the situation is in fact the complete OPPOSITE. Our science teacher deliberately told us that we DIDN'T have to memorize examples of parasitism, commensalism, and mutualism! In fact, even if I DID decide to memorize examples from our science textbook, just for the heck of it, I WOULD STILL NOT KNOW WHAT THE HECK AN EGRET IS!!!!!! AARRG!!!!!

Sorry. I really needed somewhere to vent, and this seemed more appropriate than actually telling this to my science teacher :)

I DONATED MY HAIR

2009-01-25T00:14:00.000-06:00

Yeah... I know I don't normally really talk about MYSELF on this blog; I mostly just complain endlessly about politics and the screwed up educational system (I am crossing my fingers that this will change with the "new era"), but whatever. Today I'm talking about myself.

So I happen to have INCREDIBLY THICK hair. It's not like "oh, you're hair's so 'pretty'" because it's thick; it's more like "oh my god that girl has triangular hair" because it's thick. And before 3:45 today, it was not only triangular, but also halfway down my back!!!

(Now you get to use your deductive reasoning to figure out what happened at 3:45 today. HINT: looking at the title might help)

A warm, fuzzy theory

2009-01-22T19:33:00.001-06:00

Why is it that, in spite of the fact that we are in the largest economic recession since the Great Depression, the only movies that are currently theaters are either idiotic, horrific, or DEPRESSING!!!! But mostly DEPRESSING!!!!!!

I have a theory: You know how America's salesman, merchandisers, and advertisers (and this counts for the majority of the population) feed off of the consumerism of the average American citizen? Well, my theory is that the people in the production business are deliberately advertising movies as happy-go-lucky movies (ahem, Marley and Me) so that people who are currently DEPRESSED about their lives can see these movies to lift their spirits, in spite of current economic (and education and health and military and global) problems, but instead give them a movie that depresses them even FURTHER, so that the aforementioned average American citizen feeds their depressed soul with compulsive eating and shopping, so that America's salesman, merchandisers, and advertisers, can profiteer off of their emotionally insecure state.

Doesn't that theory just give you warm fuzzies?

Pep Rallies

2009-01-22T16:07:00.000-06:00

I find it amusing that the entire eighth grade at my middle school can deliberately coordinate themselves to do things. For instance, today at our pep rally. At our school, we have these "cheer cans". When the can is open, you scream, when the can is closed, you shut up. It's a pretty simple concept. But because the eighth graders at my school are, you know, eighth graders, they decided to do the OPPOSITE. And I'm not surprised that some people in my grade thought to be difficult; it's the fact that they got the ENTIRE eighth grade to cooperate that I find amusing.

I know; you're wondering- do I participate in these events?? However, I do not. That is because I am non participatory. No, instead I just watch from the very back row in the bleachers, clutching to my quads (a fifty-five pound marching instrument that is carried by two straps of metal on your shoulders) for dear life, hoping and praying that they do not fall down the stands.

Martin Luther King Day today, the Inauguration of the first black president tomorrow

2009-01-19T13:21:00.000-06:00

Today I felt the urge to write about something not-so-disturbing. And I just happened to realize something pretty interesting: Today is Martin Luther King Day, and tomorrow is Inauguration Day. As my mom put it: "What better way to honor the father of the civil rights movement than with the Inauguration of the first black president".
Now, I don't really have a political party, because I'm only a kid, and since I hate when other kids share their uneducated political views (entirely based upon their parents'), it would be a bit hypocritical of me to do the same, but I DO think it's pretty nifty that we've finally got a black president, over forty years after Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream..." speech.

Guilty Pleasures

2009-01-17T09:34:00.000-06:00

Wow. Okay, so my mom just read to me an entry from Jeniffer Crusie's blog, Argh Ink. The blog said that "we use our tastes to define us and how limiting and ultimately dishonest it often is because we choose to advertise the things that reflect who we want to be more than who we really are." These are apparently called "shadow faves" (although I really just think this is another take on the whole "guilty pleasures" thing). So here are my five "shadow faves":

1. Even though it goes against pretty much every moral value I have, and I think it's a reflection of how chauvinistic and patriarchal American society is, I am addicted to America's Next Top Model. Maybe it makes me feel superior, I don't really know.
2. I prefer Hershey's chocolate to Godiva
3. I have a Jonas Brothers' song on my iPod. And it's not on the "25 most played" list because of my little sister. *wink wink*
4. Even though I claim to be this huge Leo Tolstoy fan, I was never actually able to get through War and Peace. ;)
5. I can't really think of another one, but I think my last four are horrible enough to make up for it. :)

So, what are your "shadow faves"??

Expository Writing Samples - I HATE them

2009-01-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, in English, we had to do YET ANOTHER "expository" writing sample. I HATE expository writing samples. And you know why? Not because I hate writing (because I love writing. duh) or because I hate expressing myself (again, duh) or because I don't think the school should gauge people's progress as a writer, but because EXPOSITORY writing samples don't fulfill ANY of those needs. They limit a person's ability to express oneself, and so many people aren't able to write within the cookie-cutter needs of an expository writing sample, that people are wrongfully discouraged as writers!

Whew. Thank goodness that's out...

MASH - and why it's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of

2009-01-08T16:30:00.001-06:00

Um... yeah. Sorry (to the nonexistent person reading this) that I haven't posted in a while. I actually don't have any excuse, unless you count having a completely unremarkable life as an excuse, which is kind of stupid, because most of the people on this blog aren't blogging about incredible, life changing events. Instead they continue endlessly about how empty and not incredible their lives are. I mean really? Who cares that some random person was inspired by the shape of the taco shells at taco bell? It's completely insignificant, and although you might be able to make some point that it's an example of how prominent genetic engineering in the American culture has become, because that's TRUE. I mean, I'm surprised we aren't all suffering from some crazy disease in which you have limbs growing out of the side of your head, because something like 85% of the food the average American ingests weekly is genetically modified...Wow; I digress quickly, so MOVING ON...

Our school started this thing called Mandatory Afterschool Study Hall (MASH). And it is the STUPIDEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD OF. It's basically detention for those of us who don't do our homework (that would be me). Apparently, NCLB (the idiotic program that our current president started that doesn't actually help the children that are being "left behind") requires homework to "show a mastery of the skill", so when those of us who don't do our homework get a zero for not turning an assignment in, it screws up the whole guage. So my question is- why can't we just NOT have homework?

Exams are OVER!

2008-12-19T11:41:00.000-06:00

exam- (n) A cruel and unusual form of punishment in which students are forced sit in a classroom for 3 hours, taking a test that covers materials which haven't been covered (i.e. our MATH exam!)

Why do we even have to take exams anyway? What is their purpose? I mean, we already have state standardized tests to make sure we're learning everything we're supposed to, so who knows what the heck is the purpose of a mid-term, huh? Well... do ya, punk?

I mean, exams are such a prominent part of our lives that they have hundred-year-old traditions that go with them. For instance, Harvard's primal scream. That's Right. They run around naked, screaming right after winter exams. I swear, I think taking exams at the most difficult school in the country must have some effect on their frontal lobe, because no sane person I know would do that. (although I must admit, many of the people I know aren't sane)

Reasons Our Educational System Suck:

2008-12-18T20:15:00.000-06:00

I have a lethal weapon!

2008-12-18T20:10:00.000-06:00

Yes. This lethal weapon is also known as a "blog". Unfortunately, the people who thought of "blogs" did not think of people like me. Because know I can use this blog to write every bizarre thought that I feel like sharing with the (zero) people who will read this! Mwahahahahaha!

A Day In The Life Of A Freak

Inspiration Board: Earthly Belongings and Adventure

Transcendentalism and Minimalism

Marimba

Into The Wild

London

Pretty Intense Ramblings About My Life

I love

Sophomor-itis?

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Wrock

Tegan And Sara

More Sites I Love...

Rant

Blogs I Love

I gotta three day beard and I don't plan to shave :D

Wish list

We're looking for something dumb to do

Whenever you smile

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Prospective Colleges

Sick of Snow

The Mondays

New York

Pennsylvania

"You don't have to be straight to shoot straight"

Midterms

Wizard Rock Concert

Marching Band

Infinitus 2010

I don't wanna go to GIRL SCOUT CAMP gee, mom, i wanna go, but they won't lemme go, gee mom, i wanna go HO-O-OME. GIRL SCOUT CAMP

3 Willows by Ann Brashares

Swim Team

Summer Goals

My Summer Reading List

When did "You're so skinny; you look like a stick" become a compliment?

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Deep Cheese

In which I give you an in-depth analysis of my weekly schedule..

How To Stay Goodbye In Robot by Natalie Standiford

pppiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssssssseeeeddddddddd (This was from a long time ago and I never published it :D)

J-J-Johnny Weir!

21st century soap box lectures...

Side Effects by Amy Goldman Koss

In which I randomly list things I enjoy

Quoting Toy Story

Reasons Our Educational System Suck:

My new addiction... Polyvore

*sniffle sniffle*

Sleeping Beauty needs to wake up

Why must guys be guys?

EUROPE!!!!

Sticky Notes

Purple Turbans

I'm writing a book!

The new title of my blog: "Sorry I haven't posted... I digress"

ʇ,uɐɔ noʎ ʇǝq ı puɐ - uʍop ǝpısdn ǝdʎʇ uɐɔ ı

Algebra

oW... I hurt all over

******** High School, HERE I COME!!!!

The person sitting next to me is an idiot

Pretty In Pink is Amazing

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

I've been humbled

STUPID SCIENCE QUESTION!

I DONATED MY HAIR

A warm, fuzzy theory

Pep Rallies

Martin Luther King Day today, the Inauguration of the first black president tomorrow

Guilty Pleasures

Expository Writing Samples - I HATE them

MASH - and why it's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of

Exams are OVER!

Reasons Our Educational System Suck:

I have a lethal weapon!

sniffle sniffle