Another drawing of mine...

Bored On a Monday

One of a Kind

it's funny how quickly the mood of a piece of writing changes depending on little things. if i never use capital letters, for example, the writing becomes less serious and more fun and inviting. that is, of course, unless you are one of "those" people-- like me-- that gets really annoyed about any type of error. but let's just say that this isn't an error. i'm not writing like this to bother anyone, just more for the freedom and relaxed mood i want to give off through my writing.

writing really is the author's voice, just taken and plastered down in a jumble of letters. so in order to know the author's mood or how they feel about certain points they write, these changes of tones and emphasis somehow need to be delivered to the reader as though they were actually a listener. when a word is put in bold letters, it really gives more power and emphasis on what the writer finds important. and just like the writer may use sarcasm, change voices, or exaggerate a word when speaking, italic font can be used to draw out and elongate what is trying to be expressed.

it's fun to test out different ways to write, even if it's not the style you normally use when writing. everyone has their signature way to write and speak. it's funny to notice how you can reconize the writer's own voice in what they've written, and in your mind you can picture them saying the exact same thing. each person has their own special voice, whether it is spoken aloud or through paper.

Now enough with this no caps business; that's not my style!

Iowa on Impulse

I love spontaneity! Choosing on impulse makes life more fun and relaxing. Whether it's suddenly deciding to make a weekend getaway or seeing a restaurant that looks good and just stopping to eat, it is one less choice you have to make in days filled with choices and constant chaotic planning. Some things in life, such as the dinner plans and a project you have to complete by a certain deadline, just seem to hang in the back of our minds. They are unwanted reminders of to-do's and the building blocks of stress.
Of course, many things in life do need proper planning in order to have anything accomplished. Completing homework cannot be spontaneous. Guidelines need to be followed for it to be finished at a reasonable time. But other things, like how to spend your free weekends, or what to do during summer break, can be more spontaneous and on impulse.
This Sunday will begin our long, somewhat annual summer drive to Iowa. We weren't planning on going this year but just two weeks prior to this coming Sunday, we decided to make the trip. I'm hoping that this will be the best drive ever! I still clearly remember all the "fun" we had on our drive last year: dinner at Ponderosa's, pulling over at the underpass until the storm settled, and watching the entire Season 1 of Psych. Last year was a blast because we were together through these times, and we can make more memories just like those but better!
I want to add some spontaneity into our trip. If we see a neat-looking landmark, let's stop and take pictures! These sudden decisions to stop and take a look are how new places are discovered, places where I can say I've been and no one else I know has. I want to take a lot of pictures this year of our roadtrip. I want to capture the special family moments that make our summer memorable. I want to continue the spontaneous decision to make the trip into our entire time there!

To Do List

I'm in such a good mood!

I guess that's a pretty random way to start off but oh well. I actually wanted to write about what I 've been thinking lately. I've been thinking (drumroll please...), this summer I would love to just become involved in trying new things. I'm assuming everyone goes through this phase at some point in their life and my time has come! I want to make the most of the life I have and be able to have a pretty lengthy list of things I've accomplished. So here goes:

#1 I want to join 4-H again. As a kid, I did not like being a part of 4-H at all because I was so embarrassed by it. But looking back, I miss everything that it taught me. I used to give public presentations on anything, followed by feedback from judges. I learned to sew, did crafts, found my love of cooking and baking, found special moments photographable, and entered this all in the county fair. I really hope I get the chance to become involved in this again and to see what else it has to offer.

#2 I want to learn to play guitar. My dad and I have talked about this for a while now, and we can't wait to start taking lessons after school ends. Becoming involved in music is so important because it helps with other subjects as well, such as art and math. I used to play the violin from fourth grade to sixth grade and I did not like it at all. I'm glad I tried it, but now I think it's time to experiment with a different instrument instead of giving music up altogether.

#3 I want to become more of an outdoorsy person. I would love to spend my weekends hiking in the Adirondacks or kayaking on the Mohawk. There is so much to do just in our own backyards and I feel like I'm being held back by countless busy days. Just having some fresh air for a day can make a whole difference in the world. Especially since my parents will be working this summer and it'll just be Steph and I at home, I want to take advantage of the warm weekends as a family!

These are my top three goals for the summer and I am so excited that this'll be giving me something to look forward to! I will update on how much of this has been accomplished by the end of the summer, seeing as I'm a procrastinator and all... :)

......................DAY 12........................

The day started off like any other typical school day-- struggling to wake myself up and actually be on time. I decided to wear a dress today for the first time here because it was supposed to be nice out and we were going to the beach. I specifically told myself last night as I fell asleep "Do not forget my camera. Do not forget my camera", because it was charging. Guess what? I forgot my camera...must be good ol´Mary Carrier´s genes. Thank you mother!! Luckily I remembered right as we were getting in the car so it didn´t make us late at all. When we left the school as a group, we walked to the train station and departed to Gijón by train. It was a nice change from the bus and didn´t take long to get there. Gijón is the largest city in Asturias and it´s right along the northern coast. Once we arrived, we first went into the aquarium. It was so fun because I always love looking at all the different types of sea creatures! Next we walked around for a bit and had 40 minutes to shop. There weren´t really any tourist shops, so instead we went into a clothing store and spent the entire time there. We can also thank Mary for this one-- I had to go to the bathroom so bad right as we were supposed to meet up, so Anna and I ran to the bathroom while everyone else waited...hehehe. We walked around for a bit more and at around 12:30 the teachers let us wander and meet back at 3. Grace, Kayla, Bri, Anna, Alisa, and I stayed as a group and went shopping a bit longer, had some ice cream, and then hit the beach! We met up with most of the others at the beach and took pictures, ate lunch (a banana, kiwi, some bizcocho, and some chicken sandwich), made pyramids, and played in the water, while people walking by would stop and watch us. I guess you could say we were entertaining :) After returning at 3, we walked around Gijón a little longer and then left on the train back to Oviedo. Grace and I had fun people watching on the ride back. Back in Oviedo, I walked around practically the entire city sweatshirt hunting with Marta and her friend Virginia. There is a sweatshirt I really want and we couldn´t find it anywhere! We finally found it in one store but they didn´t have my size. I guess I´m outta luck... My legs were exhausted and Virginia´s mom gave Marta and I a ride home at around 7. For dinner I had a type of macaroni casserole: pasta, mayonnaise, tuna, olives, and boiled eggs were the ingredients that I was aware of. Let´s just say it´s not my fave! I also had part of a steak fillet and bread of course. Well, as you can see it´s been a long day and I didn´t get my usual daily nap! I won´t have trouble falling asleep tonight.

Spaining It Up, Day 11!

Today was a busy day! Once again, I woke up by myself at ten, but this time I made sure the steel blinds were already open so I could see the light of day. After getting ready and eating breakfast, we piled in the car for a day trip to the coast. We drove for about an hour, but once again, it was worth it! I can´t get over how beautiful and blue the sea is here. I took pictures along the rocky coastline and watched the seagulls swoop down and around the coast. I remember feeling so so jealous as I watchd those birds, because they have the most freedom out of all of us. They were able to be part of the beauty, while I just had to stand and watch. We went to another city afterwards that had a harbor filled with boats. We also had lunch at a restaurant here. I was so sick of eating steak, so surprisingly I was willing enough to have them choose something for me. Not doing that again! The first plate comes out and the waiter puts it in front of me-- a big leg of some unknown meat. Apparently I ordered lamb. I had no idea how to cut it so Marta´s mother did it for me. I honestly have to say that seeing that bone shake back and forth as she cut it gave me a little gag reflex. I did eat it, and of course I did pretend to like it. The truth was, however, I did not like anything about the slimy textured leg of a once living animal on my plate. As full as I always am here, I kept telling myself throughout the meal that I deserved to have dessert. I´m so glad I did becuase the dessert was to die for! It was a glass plate with a pile of cut up strawberries next to a huge pile of whipped cream. I am in love with strawberries now. Next we made our way back to Oviedo and I fell asleep in the car. I woke up to Marta´s mother saying (in spanish) "Look, Allison! Look!" and then her father responding "Shh! She´s sleeping, she´ll see when we get there". I found this funny, and I also felt grateful that they thought I was still asleep because I was too tired to look. We reached the top of a mountain and got out to look over the entire city of Oviedo. It was an amazing view! Next to this lookout area, we drove a little further to a giant stone statue of Jesus with his arms opened out and a heart on his chest. It really did take my breath away, just realizing the symbolism of how giant he was, standing on top of the mountain, overlooking the entire city. We also went to two ninth century churches nearby, similar to the others I´ve visited while being here. When we returned home, I received a demo from Marta´s mother on baking bizcocho. Later, Marta´s brother Hugo and his girlfriend Paula came to visit. Marta´s aunt Begoña came soon after and stayed for dinner. We had chicken tortellini and I had a kiwi afterwards. Marta´s parents and I then made a CD of photos from their memory card of my stay here. I´m so glad they took pictures to share with me. Well, it´s already past eleven here and I have to get up early tomorrow to go to Gijón!

Días Nueve y Diez en España

Day 9
I woke up at the usual time and left for school. Marta and I are always the first ones there and we wait on the patio of the school with two of her friends that walk in with us. Others start to come in soon after. When Anna came she had random tan colored stains on her white shorts, so her and I went to the bathroom to clean it off. Because of this, all the computers were taken already by the time we got down to the room. I eventually got one for a few minutes and then we left by bus to Llanes. It took about an hour to get there but it was worth it. Llanes is a beautiful small town by the sea where we spent time shopping and taking so many pictures. It was so green and mountainous, with colorful house surrounded by flowers, and the sea right next to it all made it such a relaxing and gorgeous place to visit. The coastline was rocky and in one area there were giant cubes carved in the stone and painted all different colors and designs, just adding to the beauty of it all. As we made our way back by bus, we stopped at two other little villages along the coast. Our second stop was so fun because we had an hour to explore and we all spent it on the beach. Instead of exploring the village and shops, we explored for seashells! We found so many seashells and sea glass, we wrote in the sand, we played with a crab, and we rolled up our pants to wade in the water. The weather was finally so nice and warm! The last stop we made was just to walk around a quiet town and we didn´t spend too much time. When we arrived in Oviedo, it was raining once again and everyone was exhausted from such a fun day. Unfortunately, instead of taking my usual nap, I had to go with my horrible pounding headache to the mall, along with Kendra and Cova. Kendra and I went into several stores and tried on ridiculous pants. We were hungry and my headache wasn´t going away, so we went into the grocery store and bought a loaf of fresh warm bread for 60 cents. We downed the entire thing before we left! I returned home with Marta to a pasta dinner, chicken nuggets, and chocolate milk. The only way for my day to have gotten better was if I hadn´t had such a huge headache and been so tired going to the mall. It was the best day of my trip so far and I will never forget it!

Day 10
I woke up today at 10am so confused. It was pitch black in my room, my watch said it was 5, and I had to go to the bathroom so bad! I realized my watch was on the wrong mode and it was actually 10am, so I opened the steel blinds and the sunshine beamed in and practically blinded me. I got changed and finally decided to leave the room because they still hadn´t come to wake me like they said they would. After getting all ready for the day, Marta finally woke up. I ate breakfast and went on the computer. We then left to go to a town that I still don´t know the name of. Marta´s cousins Jorge and David live there and we saw them briefly. We then walked around the outdoor market, where crafters set up every Saturday. It was so great to look at all the handmade items and typical Asturian food. A woman made thread from wool, people walked around playing the bagpipes, a man was making horse shoes, kids were getting donkey rides, and a man was carving a picture on a bull horn. We bought some warm churros for me to try and they were delicious! We then went into a small cafe and had drinks before we left. We drove back into Oviedo and went to a restaurant for lunch. I passed on the shellfish soup appetizer but I did try fabada, a soup with sausage and white beans typical of Asturias. As we finished up our fabada, Beccah and Daniel walked in with his family. We said hello and talked for a minute. For my main course I had a steak fillet, followed by ice cream for dessert. I was so full by the time we left, I thought I would burst. When we got home, I fell asleep on Marta´s bed again while writing Steph a letter. I just woke up and decided to catch up on this blog and email. I will probably have a small dinner because I´m still full and we´re spending the evening here because it´s raining out. Marta´s parents left to Gijón because her mother has a dinner with coworkers. I´m a little glad we get to make our own dinner so I won´t be overfed and fattened up even more!

Days 7/8 in España

Day 7
Marta´s dad had to leave for a meeting early in the morning, so instead of driving to school we took the city bus. It was pouring out all morning and I was freezing before even arriving at school. After we got off the bus we still had a ways to walk and my jeans were soaking wet on the bottom. It continued to rain until around noon. With the group of Americans, we toured around Oviedo (the city we´re staying in) and visited old cathedrals, the town center, and a large park. It was very beautiful everywhere we went, and in the park peacocks roamed around freely! I took the bus home with Marta and her friends after school. After a long nap, I spent much of my afternoon one-on-one with Marta´s mom. She made me read aloud from a spanish picture book and asked me questions and made me answer all in spanish. We practiced vocab and she gave me the recipe to bizcocho, the delicious cake she made earlier. All in all, it was such a helpful experience and we got to know each other more. That night for dinner I had lasagna and a steak fillet. I went to bed full and happy :)

Day 8
My long day began when we arrived at the school, first ones there as usual. It was sunny out this morning, but still cold. Once all the Americans had arrived, we went to the computer room at the school and had a chance to check email. Around nine we left on a bus to León, which is a little over an hour away. The city is smaller than Oviedo, and I actually liked it more. We toured through some cathedrals and other historical buildings. Next we got the chance to shop around for a little bit on our own. At around two, all the shops closed because this is the time for their main meal followed by a resting time. It began to rain and we left soon after. An amusing part of our day was that everyone was packed a humongous lunch from their host family. Mine consisted of 5 sandwiches, a large piece of bizcocho, a bag of bugles, 2 oranges, a banana, a sleeve of cookies, 3 juice boxes, and 2 water bottles. Let´s just say I´m not starving over here... When we returned to Oviedo it was raining and I took a siesta. It was a fun day and I´m excited for tomorrow!!

Days 4/5/6 in Spain

Day 4
This Sunday was Easter!!! We celebrated differently than what I am used to. They woke me up at 10:30 and we left soon after to the village where Marta´s relatives live. It took about half an hour in the car to get there. We went to mass in a small, old church for a short amount of time and then followed the crowd outside and walked around the village with people playing bagpipes. This is part of the easter customs in Spain, and afterwards we celebrated under a large tent with traditional music and dancing. Later we went out for lunch at a fancy restaurant with the entire family. I tried a seafood soup, wine, coffee, and had a steak fillet for my meal. Next I walked with Marta, her mother, uncle, and six year old cousin up a mountain to a ninth century church. The view was spectacular and we were lucky enough to go inside the church and take pictures, which is normally not allowed. This was the highlight of the day and I don´t think anything else really happened during the rest of the day.

Day 5
This was the first day for the parents to return to work and the last day of Marta´s vacation. She had to get her hair cut in the morning (the hairdresser is the floor right below us), so I decided to come along. I ended up getting my hair cut also, with bangs (hey, why not? I´m in Spain!). Later we took the city bus to the mall. I bought a scarf, a pair of shoes, and a dress. We went to an italian restaurant for lunch and I had some type of unknown green pasta and cheese, but it was good! The rest of the day was just spent relaxing at home. We had a snack around six consisting of ham, cheese, and bread, followed by a bowl of strawberries. Later for dinner I had a traditional Spanish meal-- a tortilla made of eggs, filled with potatoes. We went to bed earlier because of school the next day!

Day 6
Today I woke up at 6:45 to get ready for school. We left the house by car with Marta´s parents around 7:30. I met up with the other Americans and we started off the day by going into the computer room to check our email. Next we got a tour of the school. It looks different then our schools because it was much nicer and it seemed more like a museum or a hotel. There are only three classes per grade, and the kids stay with their class as the teacher moves for each subject. We visited the kindergartners and first graders, who have already begun learning english. We then moved up to the seventh graders. They were very eager to talk to us one on one and practice their english with us. Next we went to an eleventh grade english class and each of us was put with two or three spaniards to be interviewed by. It was a lot of fun to talk to them in english and try to have them understand us. After returning home, Marta and I had pasta and chicken for lunch. When her mom came home, her and I went to get my SIM card while Marta stayed home. We also bought candy and she brought me to the flat they´ll be moving into in the summer. It was nice to get outside walking around and to be practicing my spanish with Marta´s mother. Later in the day she made a cake-type something typical in Spain. It was so good and she said we´ll have some for breakfast tomorrow also! I also tried a green olive stuffed with anchovies, which was disgusting. I´m so full already, but dinner is approaching...

Days 2/3 in España

Day 2
I woke up at 11am to a tapping on the door of my room. The day started off with breakfast in the cute little kitchen! I had a spanish version of cocoa puffs with non-refridgerated milk, which wasn´t bad actually. After breakfast we drove at least an hour into the green mountains. I fell asleep on the way there, of course, but once we arrived it was hard to fall asleep again. It was so beautiful because there was an old cathedral next to a waterfall. It was there to remember the history of Asturias. We went through a cave in the mountain to the tomb of the king who conquered Asturias and they I drank from the waterfall. I couldn´t fully understand what they were saying, so my retelling of it sounds kind of vague. I took a lot of pictures though! Next we went out for lunch in a village. They brought out a whole platter of cheeses- I was in heaven!! Unfortunately, they were very strong and started to make me sick after eating a lot of it. I also had a steak at this large lunch, and dinner wasn´t until nine at night. For dinner I had fish and salad. By the end of the day, I felt sick from eating so much, especially since the flavors were new to me.

Day 3
The more time I spend here, the more comfortable I am. I´m beginning to understand their customs. A big one I´ve noticed is greeting someone with a kiss on each cheek. Also, there are many more smokers, and the restaurants are overwhelming with the smell of it. Today I went to a museum about the coal mines in Asturias. Asturias is known for it´s large coal mining industry. It was pretty interesting and we took a guided tour through a pretend mine. For lunch we went to another restaurant, where I tried "sidra" (cider) and octopus! The cider was good, but kind of strong because of the small amount of alcohol in it. They pour it a special way, above their heads, into the glass and your supposed to gulp it down fast. I did not like the octopus, but I´m very glad I tried it. Later, Marta and I went out to the discos and I got to see my American friends. This is where all the kids our age go out on Friday nights in Spain, so I got to meet her friends also. It was fun because I had the chance to be with my friends, but also not fun because it was hot and filled with smoke. We arrived home around 10pm- just in time for dinner! I had MORE steak, but it was so good with the flavoring on it. I wonder if I´ll have meat or fish tomorrow, hmmm?¿? uuuugh.

Day One in Spain

Well, I´m officially in Spain! The flight over here was brutal because it was so long. Because it was a night flight, we all tried to sleep but it was impossible. I may´ve fallen asleep for a little while but only in quick dozes. We could tell everyone was overtired because we would laugh so hard at things that weren´t even funny. When it finally reached time for our one hour flight from Madrid to Oviedo I crashed and I don´t even remember taking off. My host family is nice, they make an effort to learn english as I learn spanish, and the mom is a good cook! The downside was the lasting effects of the awful plane trip. I did not feel well at all today, partially because of no sleep and also because of the time change. Overall, it was a very overwhelming day and not really one of my best memories. I´m hoping I will fall into a regular sleep routine and the rest of my time here will be amazing!

Ripple Effect

A man overlooks the vastness before him.
A winding snake of reds and browns
Going down for miles.
His heavy breathing breaks the silence.
The thick heat pressing against his creased aging skin as he shouts,
“At last!”
His voice punctures the air,
And begins to travel.
Loud and booming at first,
But making its way down the canyon
Until it dies away,
softer and softer with each ripple of the echo.

A boy overlooks the vastness before him.
A simple pond with no waves,
No movement at all.
Brushing soft blond curls out of his eyes,
A half smile curls upward on his young face.
An abundance of greens hide the boy in his private place.
A place to watch life grow each day,
As he himself grows in the process.
By his size three sneakers is a smooth black rock.
He picks it up and fits it in the palm of his hand,
Perfecting his grip, thumb pressed on top,
Forefinger linked to the side.
With a flick of the wrist, the rock whizzes away.
Through the fresh summer air.
Hitting the water with a thump! and splash.
Then it came,
Spreading to the outer edges of the pond.
Ripples in the water created movement,
Gave the water life.

I overlook the vastness before me.
Wading in knee deep water
Sun partway up in the early morning sky
A keen eye on the ocean floor,
Only to notice my bare feet gripping the sand.
Eyebrows furrow, fingers running along the surface,
Exploring for that special reward.
An early morning’s hunt in the low tide.
Nowhere in sight.
Until I feel a light tap on my shoulder.
Slowly I pivot, only to see a little boy.
The boy standing there,
Hands down by his side.
Suddenly reaching out for my hand,
Carefully pressing a circular object in my palm.
As quick as he came, he is gone,
No words exchanged.
I look down to see my new gift.
A perfect, white sand dollar.
Flutters in my stomach,
I finally have what I’ve searched for.
As I look up again,
Smile on my face,
All I see of the boy are his blond curls,
Beautifully dancing in the ocean breeze,
Bobbing in the distance.

I walked that summer.
Barefoot on the path to nowhere.
Right hand pressed against my chest.
A memory around my neck.
I stroke my fingers against the gift,
The perfect, white sand dollar.
As I walk,
I see a man.
An aged man sitting in a lawn chair,
Fresh green grass brushing against his fragile ankles.
He sits outside a brick building,
The Hospice building.
I stroke my necklace,
I remember the boy with the curls.
My feet take me to the man,
My legs sit me down next to him,
My mouth does the talking,
And my ears do the listening.

We talked everyday that summer.
I told him my stories,
He told me his.
His wisdom was still in my thoughts,
As I walked home,
And I spread his stories to those around me.
We talked about kindness,
About changing the world
In little ways.
And each day when I arrived,
He greeted me with two special words:
“At last.”

The Color Orange.

As I sit at school, I look out the window thinking about how bored I am at times. I think of how I'm just sitting at my desk and only certain bits of information are being saved, while the rest of my teacher's thoughts are sifted through my head and out into nothingness, where it sits and is longed later on when I need it for my homework. I think of how sometimes school is too long; how most of what we're learning could be taught in half the time if it weren't for distractions and side conversations. As I sit there letting my mind creep away unknowingly, I happen to glance down and notice something different. What is it? It's the color orange I saw flash through my eyes. After a second glance I realize it is my new braided yarn bracelet. Just in this quick glance a whole flood of new thoughts fill my mind.
This bracelet was made by a special friend of mine from CLI, where I stayed for five days over February break. Christian Leadership Institute (CLI) was an amazing experience and I met so many great people that I will never forget. When this opportunity was offered to me, I didn't want to go at first. Now that I look back, I'm so glad I made the choice to go. This experience taught me to live my life to the fullest. Had I not gone, I would've never realized what truly amazing people there are just in my area that I may've never met otherwise. It taught me not to hold back on anything I do, just to be myself and enjoy the experience while it lasts. It also taught me that it's okay to be open about my faith and my views; that you can judge me if you want, but it will never change the way I feel. Adults aren't the only ones that should go to church or be considered religious. Children are the future and camps such as CLI teach that we can be the leaders of our ministry. I will never forget the special times I had at CLI and the friends I made in the process.
As I sit at school, bored after a long day, the orange bracelet on my wrist opens the gates to my cherished memories of CLI.

"No love, no friendship, can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever." Francois Mocuriac

Meant To Be

Everything happens for a reason.
I cried that summer night on vacation in Arizona when my parents told me we were moving. I was going to be in eighth grade and I already had settled into my great group of friends and life in Burnt Hills. I kept positive thoughts about moving to Maine, like being near the ocean and closer to relatives. I will never forget that night, trying so hard to hide my tears and to show my parents that I was old enough to handle the news without making them feel bad. I needed to show my younger sister that if I could handle the move positively, so could she.
Now that I am back in the same town, same school, even same house, I realize that the move was fate for our family and a life-changing experience for me. Our house in New York never sold and my dad pulled strings to be able to continue the job we moved for in his New York office. I couldn't have imagined the whole experience ending up more perfect.
One of the best explanations I can give for that being a life-changing experience is that if I had never moved I may've never met one of my closest friends. I did crew before moving and was heart broken after discovering that the school in Maine didn't offer this sport. This is how I decided to play field hockey. In the meantime, back in New York, this close friend I speak of was convinced to play field hockey with her friend for the first time also. When her friend quit, she decided she might as well stick with it. Freshmen year when I returned, I chose to continue, as did she. This is when we first met :) :)
Sophmore year field hockey season was the beginning of the close friend stage. We saw each other everyday during preseason. One day before school started I decided to go into the school to see my schedule ahead of time. I was upset when I found out that the Adolescent Psychology class was full and I had a choice between a study hall, criminology, and shop class instead. I hesitantly chose criminology but later was in shock when I walked in the first day and saw this close friend of mine sitting front and center, legs crossed, smacking those glossed lips as she ran her fingers through her hair!
This year her and I have become so close because we have similar views as far as our faith, we can listen to each other at times, we're there when we need each other most, and, as we say: "we hold each others' self-confidence". She sends me the most beautiful emails and she knows when she can tease me and when it's not the time. I'm am staying true to my promise for her: that we will be friends forever no matter what. Don't forget it, girl!
For this reason, I am especially happy I moved to Maine. Had I not moved, I would have never began playing field hockey. I would have never checked my class schedule at the time I did. I would've never taken criminology. I would've never met my closest friend! For this, I now know that everything happens for a reason. That one summer night two years ago, I cried when I found out we had to move. Last night, I cried after reading the best email I have ever recieved, from my best friend Mary.

Tireless Chase

I always thought it was amazing how much we can think about in just a few sentences of conversation. If someone is talking to you and you continue thinking about the conversation, you can think of so much more than you're able to say. All of this thinking happens in so little time and it's not even possible to speak as fast as you're thinking. Your voice is always trying to catch up with your thoughts; your mind is always a little ahead of you. I think one of the reasons is probably because in our minds we can think visually and without words. We already understand what we're trying to express so there is no need for explanation.
On the other hand, there is and always will be so much to think about. Even though so many thoughts can rush through our minds in seconds, we'll never be able to conquer all that there is to think about in life.
Just a thought.

Between the Lines

My very bestest friend Kaitlyn and I are going to play a game. We'll alternate writing every few sentences to write a story. So here goes (starting with me):

Beads of sweat raced down her face and chest as she scrambled to free herself from the terror in the dark room. She looked around frantrically for another way out as the door knob rattled one more time. Zoey screamed in fear of her life and felt hopeless when cracks on the door began to appear from the serial killer's forced entry into the room. She glanced around one last time, and finding no way out, turned again towards the door and stood waiting...

Earlier that day...
It was the morning sun peeking through her curtains that first woke Zoey up on a warm summer's day. Of course she was ecstatic that school was finally out for the summer months but at the same time the thought of growing older upset her. She wanted to stay sixteen forever; she was shocked that she was practically a junior already.
Looking out her window, she thought about how young she really was. When she was in elementary school, juniors seemed so big and worldy, but really, she just felt naive. All of a sudden, her phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. Zoey smiled at the ironic timing to make herself feel better, but in the inside she felt as if the sun she sought for comfort before was now burning her fragile body. She had always been known as the follower in her group of friends and had no idea how to respond to the invitation she just received.
"Zoey! Oh.my.god!!! Guess whose party I just got invited to?!! PEYTON JONES! She even said I could bring a friend so... we're in!!!!" Zoey flinched away from Ella's high-pitched squeal.
Ella and Zoey were best friends but different in so many ways, including their personalities. After several minutes of persuasion, Zoey hesitatantly agreed. She would later regret this life-changing choice.
The rest of the day passed uneventful until around dinnertime, when one short knock came at Zoey's door. Opening the door, Zoey came face to face with a short silver dress who, at first glance, looked like it would be short on a Barbie doll.
"Ummm... Ella?"
"ZOEY! What are you wearing? This is a high school party, you need to wear something else."
Zoey looked down at her soccer sweatshirt, faded jeans, and converse sneakers and didn't know what to say as her over-the-top friend gave her a look of disgust.
"Ugh, just follow me." Ella led Zoey into the bathroom off to the side and whipped out her makeup case that bulged with mascaras, eyeliners, and lipsticks foreign to Zoey. She felt like a mime caked with makeup and unable to express in words that she didn't want to go.
Ever since Ella got her drivers license a couple months ago, she had felt so independent and took Zoey everywhere. As they turned into the neighborhood it was apparent on which house was hosting the party.

Okay, we got bored. I wonder if you can tell who wrote which parts; we think that it's obvious. To be continued, eventually...

Takeoff

Here I am, starting my own blog. I am actually very surprised at myself for doing this because I’ve never enjoyed writing. Two classes that helped me change my mind: keyboarding and writers’ workshop.
I took keyboarding last year as a freshmen because I’ve always been horrible at typing. I remember fourth grade when we would go into the computer lab to learn to type and I was always the slowest. I tried so hard but my fingers just never touched the keyboard where I wanted them to go! We didn’t even do very much in the keyboarding class; I actually thought it was somewhat a waste of time because we only typed for the first half hour of class and then did nothing. Looking back now, I am so thankful I took that class, especially my freshmen year, because it really did improve my typing dramatically (I don’t even have to look at the keyboard!) and I made so many new friends with all the time to spare for the rest of class.
Writers’ Workshop was a class I took last semester and it really opened my eyes to all different types of writing: movie reviews, poetry, memoirs, short stories… I never enjoy the writing process, but just seeing my end results is amazing to me! Especially at times like this where I come up with one idea and thoughts just continue to pour out of my mind and through my fingers onto the page. I really discovered my (soon-to-be) love of memoirs in this class also. After having to write one on my own, I am so tempted to read one. Whenever I walk into a book store I see all the memoirs and how each author’s life is different, just by the cover. In this class I also read a book I chose called The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. It is now my favorite book because there is so much to think about. Alice Sebold has also written a memoir, so I can’t wait to read that as well.
So this is how my “finding pleasure in writing” began. As I grew, the timing was right for each class I took and together left me typing endlessly at my computer about nothing. This is just a little sample of all my never-ending thoughts, trust me!