In the Spirit of the New Year

I realized that I should probably blog today, it being New Year's Eve and all that. Not that I have anything to say about that, but it somehow seems wrong not to have a final entry of the year. Yes? Yes.

Today, after four and a half years of frustration, I finally beat Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess! Oh man, I'm so awesome. Kim was there to cheer me on. She's still on the Lakebed Temple (ha) and I just kicked Ganondorf's ass. Haaaa.

The sleepover was very fun! I don't know if I mentioned that Kim and I were having a sleepover, but we were. Kim tried pizza pockets for the first time (they're so amazing) and I, as usual, drowned myself in soda. We fiddled online a bit, I said silly things to Weslie (like 'KIM THINKS YOU'RE COOL', after which Kim wouldn't speak to me), and I beat Kim in Battleship! Oh, and I applied fabulous makeup to Kim, and she tried to makeover me and I looked bruised. Oh, Kim.

It was nice out today--not that I went outside too much. The day was spent playing Zelda and watching the Planet Earth marathon. I still wish I had some cool New Year's Eve party to go to, but alas, 'tis too late now. Perhaps next year I'll be cool!

My sadistic English teacher gave us homework, so tomorrow should be spent studying vocabulary and A Tale of Two Cities. That is, if I get off my ass and actually look at my backpack for the first time this break. Next week I have to look forward to finishing the biology project and three tests in English. Yayyy.

In the spirit of the New Year, here's a list of the things I have to look forward to in 2012:

• The second semester of school, which means: creative writing!
• Finishing sophomore year (generally agreed upon to be the hardest year).
• Turning sixteen and throwing a wild party and celebrating quietly with friends!
• As an offshoot of that, learning how to drive and (hopefully!) getting a job.
• Starting junior year, I guess.

So, there are some things! Happy New Year, guys! I hope you all have a stunning night :D

Ramblin'

Hello! I'm determined to get into the habit of blogging again! Besides, it was either this or mindlessly play Sims for another hour. You know, I don't know how to take a screenshot. Me no understandy computer-magic.

The other day, I had the shortest-lived conversation with Weslie (previously Up, if I never made that distinction) ever, and then an hour later my friend, who doesn't even know him, had an hour-long conversation with him. I'm kind of bumming about it, actually. I mean, like, yeah, I get the hint, thanks. I lack the social magic which others possess, I suppose.

This is a picture of my cat. In case you thought it was a picture of someone else's cat. My other cat is in the living room, so I don't want to bother her!

I wish I was going to a New Year's Eve party! I would throw one myself, but I don't have enough friends, and also my house is awful. I could wear a sparkly dress and everything :( Although, Kim is coming over for a sleepover tomorrow, which is almost New Year's Eve. Perhaps at midnight we'll run screaming through the streets, "HAPPY NEW YEAR!", and see if anyone calls the cops.

I should probably read A Tale of Two Cities sometime, or do vocab, since my English teacher actually gave us homework over break. I think I'll just play Sims till my dad kicks me off the computer. Hm!

Good night!

THE HAUL

I, being of the materialistic sort, instead of pontificating on the joys of the holiday and the warmth of family, will give you a photo list of what I got!

My dad got me this loverly book, titled Booknotes: Stories from American History. It goes up to 2002, and is basically a bunch of short stories pertaining to American History. I'm quite excited to start reading it, once I stop being lazy!

Oh, see that hand right there? That's my hand. Oh yeah.

A flibbiload of makeup! Isn't it all so pretty and organized? I'm wearing some right now, and, while I think it looks pretty darn spiffy, I believe the rule against my putting pictures of myself on the internet still applies. Regardless I don't feel like asking. Look at the pretty makeup!

Also, my arm is pretty sexy. Ohhhh yeah.

MY FAVORITE PURSE EVER, EVER. Guys, guys, LOOK at this purse. This purse is fantastic. This purse goes with my outfits. This purse is great. I have realized that I'm in love with it.

Oh man, the top of my head? I understand if some of you are getting uncomfortable!

And, what did I take all of these pictures with? I GOT A WEBCAM. It's so pretty and shiny <3 I would take a picture of it, but, you know...

Anyway, I had a rather lovely holiday, with much Doctor Who watched and much chocolate consumed. I hope everyone else did, too!

The Holidays!

Today was a half-day, being the last day before winter break (!), and I can honestly say we did not do a single academic thing in any class. In my chemistry class, there were only four of us (and Lauren!) and Chem Teacher brought in his daughter, who's about three/four years old, and a generally good time was had by all.

My dad and I are setting up the Christmas tree--pssht, no, it's not two days before Christmas. Oh, and it's two days before Christmas! It's Christmas Eve Eve! I exchanged presents with people! Tegan got me a lovely scarf, Chelsea got me little cat figurines, Jennifer gave me a cupcake, and Shari gave me a delightful blanket :D Oh, and on Wednesday, Joy made me a journal (!), and Maia got me a book--The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published. I also got gifts for all of them, of course!

I love getting gifts for people. Later tonight I'll be going to the mall to get gifts for my parents, who I've yet to buy anything for.

Guys, guys, guys. February is in less than two months! I've been looking for a dress for the next Model UN conference, and I think this one would work well, with a business jacket and other accouterments. What do you think? I also kind of like this one, though it's more expensive. Unfortunately, not many stores cater to business-atire-seeking teenagers, so I haven't been able to find anything really perfect.

I've become midlly obsessed with Scrabble. I hate it, really, but then I started playing with Kim on Facebook and now I can't stop.

Now that I'm blogging, I realize how much I forget about things that happen throughout the week. I keep meaning to, but either I don't have time or I don't feel like it. I think, when this is done, I'll comment! Hurray!

Oh, well, I think this is done, actually. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

What what what

Guys, guys, guys, I suck at this. What happened to blogging every couple of days and commenting regularly? Oh, the guilt! It eats away at me! You know, I blogged twice in all of November! How depressing!

Oh, and I centered my text. What what.

My grades right now are so nice, but it's still the beginning of the second marking period, and all of the things which I definitely failed haven't been graded yet. I have three B's and four A's. Yay for me.

I never posted about Quills and Keys! Oh me, oh my--it was so fun! The first meeting, the total number of people was sixteen, and some of them WEREN'T people that I begged to come! The second meeting, there were less, but that's okay! We're all busy with homework, especially ever Thanksgiving break. It's so exciting to be in charge of a club. Maia and I could definitely turn this into something great. Now I look forward to Wednesdays!

I do not look forward to Mondays. Fridays are great because I continually remember, throughout the day, that I don't have to get up early the next day. That's just the best feeling.

I feel like I should include pictures in my posts, but I don't have any pictures handy. Hm! I suppose a giant wall of text will have to do! EAT WORDS, BITCHEZ.

No, no, I kid. You're not bitchez. You're all very nice!

The assignment this week for Quills and Keys is to write a poem. Why I suggested this, I don't know. I never let anyone read my poetry, because I'm not very good. I mean, I'm okay with that, as long as no one else reads them! And one time Maia did when I wasn't looking and laughed at me, and I was pissed. Maybe I'll write something fantastic! Yes.

Yesterday I took a test that f*cked everyone was a bitch was very difficult! The vocab test I took earlier was easy, though. So was the biology test I took today. I don't know. Maybe I'll study for Latin and math this weekend. Hahaha.

I should blog more! I should stop being lazy, yes!

It's the Christmas season. I get to buy gifts for people! Yes!

I'm still alive!

Hello! I'm still alive! The reason I've been silent for the past two or so weeks is because I haven't had access to the computer, but now it's on and I have nothing else to do. So sorry to be so silent! I promise I haven't abandoned you!

I've basically quit NaNoWriMo, which sucks, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. Ironically it wasn't an excess of work which compelled me to fall so far behind, but a lack of motivation on my part, and an abundance of rather ill-timed headaches. I grew to not only absolutely despise my story, my characters, my setting, and my writing, but to be completely unable to come up with anything to write. The trouble was, really, that I didn't develop it properly before diving in and therefore it turned out sloppy and unorganized. Next year!

Speaking of creative writing, though, next Wednesday marks the very first meeting of Maia and I's creative writing club, Quill and Keys! We are very excited. There will be food, and probably writing as well (although no one can be sure). The name was a joint effort. I like it.

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? I cooked the entire dinner (except when my mom helped me cut a giant squash...haha) and it actually turned out pretty well! Of course the only reason I spent half the day cooking and stuck my hand into a dead animal was so we could actually have Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving. Since my mom worked that night, if she were going to cook, it would have to wait till tomorrow. Oh, and I made an apple pie! That, I think, turned out the best. That, and the squash. Yum.

I found out today that an essay is due in English on Monday. One, the school doesn't allow projects or tests on Monday, so Rocky can't even do that. Two, she never actually told period 4 that the essay was due, and hasn't posted it online. The essay is about point of view. Someone explain to me how the hell one writes in essay on point of view, please.

The good news in English is that we're finally starting A Tale of Two Cities, which is one of my favorite books! Also, I got 100 on that narrative essay from forever ago :D In good school news, the new marking period has started, so I can almost pretend that the good grades on the first three assignments of the year can be maintained! As of last marking period, I have three A's, two B's, and three C's. The C's disappoint me, except in chemistry, where the only reason I got a C and not a D is because teacher gave me points for homework I didn't actually do =.= I pity one kid who had an 89.48, or something like that. So close.

Right now I have an 83 in chem since he's only posted one grade, but hopefully I can keep it up! I have 100 in biology. Ha ha ha :)

I think I'll go write something that isn't NaNoWriMo, so I can regain my sanity. Good night, everyone! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

In lieu of a proper, sensical entry, my dears...

The writing's gone well, if by well you mean poorly
If by writing you mean slop set to a story
If by gone you mean delayed and fought for and against
If by the you mean--well, it has been so long since
I put words in a rhythm, prose into rhyme
I tend to slip up from time to time
And, like above, miss a syllable or two
Or go on too long 'fore starting stanza anew

The institution of learning which I have been sent to
Can burn in rotten hell, and every teacher too
In truth, I do not mean to be cruel
But to delineate my struggles given to me by school
In the past week alone would take half an hour
To describe the whole year I don't have the power
To describe the last day I think would suffice
If the very idea did not fill me with vice

However, some happiness! Pieces of news
For which without my san'ty I might lose
Some Sunday past, a week ago since
My dear friend Maia did manage to convince
My easily-won mind to chop of my hair
And now, simply put, it's simply not there
Cut 'round my chin, and with bangs to boot
Do I regret it? The answer is moot

For regret I have none; for other things, yes
For miseries which have fallen into mess
My happinesses, I find, are few and quite fleeting
My sorrows are great, my matches I am meeting
Or failing to meet, or falling behind
The struggle and the stress of my mind
Is oftentimes too great to bear
But in my grades, 'tis apparent there

But speak not of misery! It does not promote
Good nature to feel as if cut by the throat
Or optimism to feel always left in the dust
Though sometimes it is hard, so sometimes we must
Look forward with a smile, find it in ourselves to laugh
Look to the good things, look back to the gaffs
And the jokes and the joys we shared with our friends
So even for hardships we may make amends

A Step by Step Guide

Tonight, I remembered why I used to love dances so much! It was the Halloween dance, and I, being my glamorous self, was a movie star. I had an enormous fur coat and everything, guys! Shari and I got there at the very beginning and throughout the entire night, there really wasn't more than approximately 150 people there. Considering we have a school of 2,000, this is a pretty small dance. Everyone was inside the cafeteria with smoke machines and lights and a basically continuous stream of dance music. I started out nervously moving my hands back and forth, because I'm so incredibly lame, but by the end of the three hours, I was perfectly comfortable shimmying around the dance floor with various Disney princesses!

None of my friends other than Shari were there, so I hung around with Shari's friends! They were pretty cool! There was Monica and Katie, who I vaguely know, and Freya and Jamie, who I didn't know at all. Very fun. There was a not-surprising amount of girls dressed, er, promiscuously, and an even less surprising number of people grinding. Not that I fit into either of these categories :)

It really was fun, and I'm glad I went. On Monday, I'm going trick-or-treating with Shari and some of the people from the dance! I might almost consider going to Sophomore Cotillion now, even though I remain sadly dateless. Ah well. It's still fun to go with friends!

By the way, if anyone was unsure about exactly how lame my dancing is:

A step by step guide.

Well, that was my night! Good night, everyone! I promise to comment soon!

I didn't ask his name!

My first order of business is to humbly, humbly mention that I got 104 on the last graded English test and my average is now a 96. Haha. Hahaha.

Unfortunately, although my last two grades in biology were fairly good, I turned in a lab a day late and my teacher took 50% off of it, which basically kept my grade at 75. Basically all of my other grades are the same, except for math, which has gone down. I expect some of them to go up soon, though! Also, I should mention that I am no longer taking financial literacy hopefully as of tomorrow.

Things I need to do tonight: set up Profile of a Driver project, look up answers to chemistry pre-lab questions, finish reading Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, and finish my math homework!

NOW THAT THAT'S OUT OF THE WAY! Yesterday was the Model UN conference, and it was fantastic. I actually participated, for one thing! Hopefully my progress is exponential and next conference will be even better. I've noticed that I've become a lot more confident since freshmen year, not just in Model UN. Of course, it might've helped that I was wearing this fantastic dress (in white, not pink) that I magically found on Friday.

I actually talked to people, too. Lunch was the best part of the entire day. I sat down with the people who I was working on a resolution with (which is traditionally what one does during lunch) and this guy from the other resolution decided to sit with us. He's one of those people who you wouldn't initially call cute, but then you start to like his face after talking to him. He was Angola. We all talked about anything but the resolution all lunch, including: religion, Fox news, grades, and ketchup packets. It was so much fun. I also met a girl who went to the school the conference was hosted at, and a girl who goes to my school, both of which are now my friends on Facebook. But you know what? This guy that I totally had a great time with? I never asked his name. I never asked his name. I am KICKING myself right now, because the next conference isn't until February. Rage, rage, rage.

Well, that was that. Hopefully I see him next conference and he falls madly in love with me and we run off into the sunset, yes?

The weird part is that I don't really remember what he looks like. I mean, I know what he looks like, but I can't picture his face in my head. It's frustrating. And you know what's funny? He's actually the friend of the guy I mentioned in a previous post, the one with blue eyes who I found (and still find) cute, and they were both in committee again.

When I got back from the conference, my mom surprised me with a new computer, monitor, and Microsoft 2010! I know this seems random, but our computer died on Friday for no reason whatsoever. Now everything is shiny and new, haha. In a stoke of magnificent, beautiful, life-saving luck, when I saved a copy of a school presentation to my flash drive on Sunday, I copied my entire stories bin onto it. We don't really know if the old hard drive can be recovered yet, but if it can't be and I didn't have my stories--I don't think I need to say how devastated I would be. I don't like to think about it. I'm just so entirely thankful that I happened to save them on that very day; otherwise I never would've gotten around to it.

Unfortunately, I lost all of my poetry and schoolwork. A shame, but not the end of the world, I guess.

Today I went to the mall with Happy and Tiffany! They brought their little sisters, who were adorable, and overall it was really fun. I didn't buy anything, even though I saw several dresses I really liked. I need to stop buying dresses! I can't even wear them, it being winter and therefore cold.

I should focus on my homework. By that I mean, play the free trial of Diner Dash 2 which came with the computer. I promise to comment on all of your blogs soon! I'm just lazy!

Grumbles

GOSH DARN IT, IT'S BEEN SUCH A LONG FLIPPING TIME!

I have been incredibly busy this week, and I still am. I just finished the homework that is due tomorrow, and now I can finally update. I have been sleeping so little in the last week. Last night I was practically giddy just because I could go to sleep before midnight.

Yesterday I went to Princeton University. It was for a biology presentation taking place there. Guys, the moment I got off the bus, I knew I wanted to go there. I always have, but being there again just reinforced it. I need to go to Princeton. I mean, the chances of it happening are so unlikely, but the only thing I could think while I was there is that this is the school I want to go to. Princeton, why are you so pretty, filling a young girl's head with dreams? Why, Princeton?

Anyway! Maia was there as well, and we immediately set out to go find some chow. We had about an hour, and most of that hour was spent walking up and back down a street mulling over food options. Eventually we settled on Panera's (adventerous, I know) and shared what may be my favorite meal ever: a blueberry bagel and a giant cinnamon bun. Nom, nom. Then it was about time to go to the presentation.

We got onto the balcony in this huge, pretty room with a stage and fancy Exit signs. Maia and I agreed these were prententious. We're Princeton, and everything here must be pretty. We sat next to a biology major who started talking about a lab he had just done, during which we nodded our heads slowly with a glazed expression. Heh. The presentation was really interesting, even though for some reason I kept nodding off. Probably exhaustion. It was about bacteria and how they "talk" to each other using chemical signals.

The bus ride back was dark. I could see all the lights of the towns and factories off of the Interstate in between the trees. It always makes me sad to see these, because I think of all the people there and the stories I'll never know. That was unelegantly said, but nonetheless. It was hard to tell where we were. We got back around eight.

There was something I wanted to mention here. Every day between sixth and seventh period, I walk in a mostly deserted breezeway in my school. Every day I look at the sky through the windows. Every day it's different. One day, I remember, it was milky blue, like the sky was foggy. One day it was brilliantly clear. Sometimes the clouds are massive and magnificent. Sometimes they're just forgettable, but I appreciate them anyway. It's a habit that I have.

Since Maia paid for lunch on the Princeton trip, I promised to buy her a book. I got her a book of short stories by J. D. Salinger, and an Audrey Hepburn tote to put it in :) I love buying things for people. I love spending an hour looking for the perfect book. Hopefully she doesn't read this before tomorrow, yes?

I would also like to mention that my English grade is once more a beautiful, beautiful dream. I got 104 on a test, and it's now above a 96 :D Ahh, so happy! If only the rest of my grades were as good!

Don't you think the joke laughs at you?

I should really blog more often. I have time, I just don't often feel like it, especially since my days are monotonous and boring. I haven't had as much homework as I did that first week of school, which seems odd to me, but what do I know? The ways of teachers are mysterious and foriegn, and we would be wise not to question them, less our A- inexplicably drop to a B.

My grades seem bizarre right now. I still have a D in chemistry, and it's actually worse than it was last week. My grade in biology has gone up to a C, because I got 75's on both lab reports we've turned. So, basically, I'm still doing terribly, but it's nicer to look at. I just completely bombed a 30-point quiz in math, and I am certainly not eager to see what my grade becomes. History, though, is absolutely baffling. The last three assignments, all worth 20 or more points, I've gotten 90 or above on. And yet my grade is just below an A--89.33. Baffling, and infuriating. I only hope I can bring it up.

Speaking of history, I'm quite pleased with myself, because we took a test the other day and I recieved a lovely 92. The best part was actually that I got the full thirty points on the essay portion, and she included a note that my essay was "beautifully organized and written" and that I had a "nice use of transitions." I love positive comments on my writing. Hee.

What I really want to do is take a long weekend off and just read. I have a constantly accumulating list of books to read, most of which I started and put down, including: The Brothers Karamazov, Crime and Punishment, Paradise Lost, Frankenstein, and most recently, The Sorrows of Young Werther. I believe the quote, "Always read the stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it." applies to me. Half the things I read, I read because they're classics and I want to look smart :) Haha, I'm so vain.

I've officially been in school for a month. Only nine more, yes? Yes.

Maia and I wanted to start a club. It would basically be a creative writing club, because, you know, that's what we do. And wouldn't it look good for colleges? Unfortunately, we've been entirely unable to find a supervisor for it. I mean, we really only need a supervisor to be in the room for most of the time, since we're not taking field trips or anything and therefore do not need things organized by an adult. But supervisors are required, and we can't find one. It would've been so great, too! Lots of fun. There would be food. Everybody likes food.

I think I'll go window shop for clothes online. I swore that I would put the money leftover from my summer shopping into a savings account. So far it has not happened...

By the way, the title of my blog is from I Am the Walrus by, you know, The Beatles.

This is going to turn out well.

Oh, my. I'm a bad person. I'm a bad, bad person.

...but no one else has blogged either! Where is everyone? Don't tell me you're putting your academic and social lives before blogging. Heavens, it can't be.

I have to talk about Halloween. I'm so excited this year! I have such a great costume in mind; I'm going to be glamorous. Not a specific thing, just glamorous. See, I've recently come into possession of this enormous, fabulous fur coat, which screams costume (since I certainly won't be wearing it ever, ever again). And what goes best with a fur coat? A shiny dress, a mass of pearls, and unnaturally red lipstick!

I went to the mall yesterday with Kim and Shari, and we found the perfect dress. I love this thing to bits. It's just the right kind of sparkly, and it really goes quite well with the fur coat. Things left on the Halloween costume agenda: black tights, some kind of obnoxiously sparkly necklace, and to figure out something to do with my hair. I'm already blond, but not super blond, or glamorous blond. Kim, for some reason, thinks I should make me hair brown.

I think I'll talk about my grades! My grade in English is like a beautiful dream. I have a 96!!!, since I got that grade on both reading checks we took. She's currently grading a vocab test which we took last week, and I am honestly terrified that I've failed it and thus ruined by beautiful, beautiful grade.

Unfortunately, no other grade is as spectacular. My grade in math dropped from a 92 to an 88, which bums me out. Since Latin hasn't updated recently, I still have a 90, but I've done every homework assignment, so I'm not worried about that. History also hasn't updated in awhile, leaving me at a dismal 84. Chemistry and biology are horrendous. I have a D in both classes. Considering my current poor grasp of both subjects, I don't see those grades rising any time soon. Bums me out.

I need to write a position paper for Model UN. I haven't read the brief yet. This is going to turn out well.

Good night!

Because It's Beautiful

I quite like the word 'attribution'. I also like 'retribution'. Maybe I just like bution.

I was slightly suspicious of thrilled by the fact that I didn't have a lot of homework, until Kim informed me of some history questions which are due on Monday. Now I'm waiting for someone to tell me what questions we have to answer. We're currently studying historiography, which I can't imagine ever pertaining to my life, ever. Three cheers for useless school topics!

I'm not just wasting time, though. I'm also reading my brief for the South Jersey Model UN (SJMUN) conference coming up on October 21st. My topic is "Effects of Chinese Economic Expansion on Global Oil Markets" and my committee is the World Trade Organization. From what I've read so far (the first paragraph), China is really big and using up a lot of resources and the rest of the world must band together to prevent the evil Chinese Overlords must destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mordor is pissy about it.

To be very honest, global economic politics is far beyond me; I don't quite get why a barrel of gas can't cost the same going to China or the United States. Anyway, my country is Portugal, which as usual does not at all pertain to the topic at hand.

There's a guy who's been in the same committee as I in both conferences I've been to. I don't remember his name, or his grade, and he's not incredibly attractive or anything, but I usually associate him with Model UN. He has blue eyes. Just throwing that out there.

Also, S. has now become Sage (thank you, Kim). I doubt I'll be talking about him at all, but, in case anyone wanted to know.

Yesterday, I went to the aquarium with Shari! I think our experiences can best be summarized by the following picture:

 

Taken by Shari. I ought to make this the banner of the blog. Because it's beautiful.

 

Finally, I'm going to be a cat for Halloween. Good night!

Marvelous Miasma

Word of the Day: Miasma
1. noxious exhalations from putrescent organic matter; poisonous effluvia or germs polluting the atmosphere.

2. a dangerous, foreboding, or deathlike influence or atmosphere.

I've been making a mental list of my current favorite words. Miasma is one of them, though I don't see myself using it in a sentence any time soon. Others include: dissidence, construe, acerbic, substantiate, and sardonic.

I suppose one good thing about only blogging once a week (as I have been doing) is that I feel compelled to write a longer, better blog. Well! I'm also itching to update my layout, even though I'm perfectly happy with what I have now. I think it's the new Blogger interface. I feel like a fraud, since I'm only using that term because I saw it on the top of the page after I switched. Anyway, it's really quite sleek. And I suppose my blog layout is not sleek. But then, I'm not a sleek person. I don't like sleek things. I don't wear sleek clothing. So why should I want a sleek blog?

Well! This week was long, boring, and uneventful--for the most part--and therefore this post will be as well. There was one event, though. I think I attract awkwardness to myself, as honey does to flies, or else it just clings to me whatever I do. I'll explain. As we all know, I'm not a fan of my English teacher. I like her more than I did that first day, but I still don't enjoy her class or appreciate her teaching style. A lot of the people in my class pretend they do, which is funny. Anyway. Here I am, minding my own business on Facebook. I have casually noticed that Up has written on someone's wall--let's call him N., because I can't remember his actual name--about how he's the only one Rocchino likes. Well, that's true.

There's a guy in her first period class. Let's call him S. I don't talk to S. much. We haven't spoken this year, and last year, the only communication with him that I remember was a very awkward project in world civ., and during my human rights presentation when he asked why terrorists shouldn't be tortured. But, through the magic of Facebook, he and others are aware of my dislike of Rocchino. And, on this random wallpost, of which I am no part, involving people whom I never speak to, he tags me in a comment, thereby ensuring my involvement in the conversation. Up and N. join in on the fun, as well.

Oh, social interaction. How little it takes to remind me why I don't like you.

That conversation is awkward, but that's not the worst part. Oh no, it gets worse. After S. psycho-analyzes my dislike of Rocchino (no kidding), I decide enough is enough. I message him, essentially asking what the hell is wrong with him, and conversation ensues. He insists that they're just teasing me, and his insistance involves lots of hearts (might I add). Meanwhile, Kim, who has access to my account and has been watching the conversation, insists that I have the communication skill of a flying turd (in more words) and humbly asks if she may speak with him in my place.

Well, I had to do the dishes, and in my naivety I agreed. Sorrow is born from innocence, I suppose. I came back fifteen minutes later and there was major damn flirting going on. Why was I surprised? Why did I believe for a minute that this wouldn't happen? Who knows? Perhaps the fates are aligned against me. Here is a quote from that horrid conversation:

S: ... Strawberry I love you so much, its amazing, ♥ I can't hold it in!!

^^
passion

Kim: Hmmmmmmm, not feeling it. you get one more try.

Oh, Kim.

Coming back to this, I was faced with two options: let Kim continue with this charade, or come clean and make everything uncomfortable for everyone involved. Naturally, being the honest person that I am, I went with the second option. Discomfort ensued. For everyone involved. Kim then refused to stop talking to him, too, so we were both conversing with him at the same time, on the same account. She wanted him to guess who she was, even though they've never spoken. Oh, Kim.

The next day, nothing was said, because it was awkward. It was just so awkward. Admittedly it was worse for Kim. I wonder if there's a difference between someone blatantly ignoring you or simply being indifferent, or if that sense is just made up in one's own head.

WELL NOW. That, brought to you in about seven beautiful paragraphs, was the one singularly interesting event that happened to me this week.

On Monday, we finally received test grades for a reading check we took in English the week before. Most people did not do well, I have to say. A number of people failed; most people got between a 60 and an 80, and a decent amount of people got between an 80 and a 90. I looked on Progress Book and was shocked to discover that I got a 96. I got one point off the entire test (which, admittedly, only happened because Rocchino was kind enough to take off the questions which came from Book II as opposed to Book I, nearly all of which I got wrong).

We took another reading check today, and it was much easier, which is good, because I was only able to read half of Book II in preparation.

What bothers me right now is that I have three 80s, and they're all due to one assignment (in each of the three classes). But the rest of my grades are As; 96 in English, 92 in math, and 90 in health. I'm quite happy with these.

I also want to mention my latest story. It's not so much of a story; more of a massive inside joke between me and Maia. The main antoganist of the story is the devil, Maiastophles. The protagonists are Andromeda Kara Kristina Melody Enna Emma Aeva B. Wrotten, known as Bea, and her best friend Crea, who is far more interesting than she is. Here's the first paragraph:

If there is ever to be such a planet called Skybound—and I think there ought to be, after the usual names like Ceres and Hestia are used up—I think I should like to live on it. I think it should be a very lovely place, where people use metaphors in great abundance.

I think I'm going to leave it untitled, which of course means that its name will come to be untitled. Oh, and Bea has an evil twin sister named Nejoy, but they call her Joy. There's also a character named Lo, who doesn't wear hats, and whose hair is actually quite long. There was another character I meant to include, but now I forget his name. Oh well!

I think I'll conclude now (six hours after I started this post), and possibly consider what to do with my blog layout. Goodbye for now, friends! I hope everyone has had a marvelous week. 

Sleep Deprivation, Part Three

I would say it's been too long, but I've had a buttload of work and from what I read, I'm not the only one (feel better, Lizzie!). I guess they want to start off the year with a bang, several pounds of homework, and students comatose in class because of lack of sleep.

If I remember correctly, I've had a test every day this week, in every subject. Two of them were pop quizzes. The homework in most subjects hasn't been that bad, but I'm nearly certain my English teacher is trying to slowly drain our souls out. Monday, we had a test which was supposed to be on Book I of The Once and Future King, though half of it was on Book II. Tuesday, we had to write what amounted to an informal essay about a scene in the book. I got to bed at twelve. Wednesday, we had to write an even longer informal essay about some satire or some other ridiculous topic. Again, I went to sleep at midnight, and still didn't have time to work on the essay due on Friday. Thursday night, I did the entire essay (with, through painstaking and time-consuming effort, turned out fairly well), and by midnight I was simply too tired to do my English homework (fifteen sentences). I did all of them in the morning, on the bus ride and into Latin, but it made no difference because she doesn't accept handwritten work. Ms. Rocchino is the terrible mix of a teacher who not only thinks their class is the most important, but also that they're the only ones giving homework, and that anything less than what she's giving us is slacking. That class never fails to depress me. Unfortunately, I don't think I can change my schedule to end up with a different teacher, and I'm sure as hell not going to drop.

Besides that, here's the work I have to do this weekend. Actually, today, since I'm going to Great Adventure tomorrow:

1. Create our own vocabulary study guide, due on Monday. Basically it must include all of the words in the unit that we don't already know. This may take awhile, being English, but I'm thanking my lucky stars that it's only vocab and not another essay.
2. Answer the pre-lab questions for the chemistry lab, also on Monday. Luckily, there are only three questions.
3. Retype a biology lab, due on Monday.
4. Define twenty terms for history. This was technically due on Thursday, but she already said she wasn't checking them and I just didn't have the time. These don't take an exorbitant amount of time, though, so I may do ten today and the other ten tomorrow.

Conceivably, this shouldn't take more than a few hours. Bah, we'll see.

As for my grades, since only one of the tests I've taken this week have been graded, I have 100 in Latin, math, and health. Unfortunately, I have an 80 in biology and history. Those grades are from a pop quiz and a ten-point quiz, respectively. I forgot how to spell encomiendas. Oh well.

I would also like to mention that on Tuesday and Wednesday night, whilst doing my abominable English homework, I talked to Up on Facebook! On Tuesday our conversation was fairly stale; Wednesday, due to sleep deprivation and frustration over what the characterization of Merlyn meant, I went somewhat crazy. I won't go into detail, but I kind of started screaming at him. You know, as much as one can scream on Facebook. It was a bit awkward the next day, when I was looking around for Lolo (my printer was broken, so she kindly printed out my English homework) and suddenly, BAM Up. And then I had to walk right through his posse of Asians to get to Lolo. Sigh.

Oddly enough, even with all the work I have right now and conceivably will have in the future, I'm looking forward to NaNoWriMo. I still can't believe I completed it last year. I wrote over 50,000 words and over 100 pages. I wrote more than I ever have in my life. Unfortunately, the story was a bust, but this year I have one in mind already and I'm anxious to get started. I think, even with all the work I'll have, writing will give me something to look forward to every night--an obligation I actually enjoy.

Well, I should probably get started on my homework. Good weekend, everyone!

EXCERPT! Please do ignore how rushed it is.

The room I am destined to live in is small and round, like the inside of an egg. I suppose that makes me an embryo, a little slimy mass of life that is ugly until you remember that it will be something. Of course, now I have the responsibility of becoming something beautiful, lest all the work that went into making me be wasted. I want to laugh. I feel like being cruel.

I am so tired. My thoughts run in jumbles through the ruins of my brain. There is a window with a projection of the city, enhanced and exaggerated and hideous. Real windows went out of style years ago, when people realized that the city is ugly. The city is so ugly, a lumbering half-dead thing bent for the sky, without realizing it has no wings. An anthill of embryos, like myself. Working for what? Building to what?

If only people were ants. We would not have to think at all. We wouldn't miss art, wouldn't love beauty, wouldn't even strive to progress the realms of scientific capability. We would only work, for one purpose, and if we died it wouldn't matter. When ants die, no one mourns them. I'm so tired of mourning for people I don't know.

But it is not our destiny to be ants. We were made to be slimy, vulnerable, soft and hideous until we tore ourself from our shells and emerged into the world, to be slimy, vulnerable, soft and hideous. Did it never end? Surely we are in another egg, we are just in another stage of development, from which we will one day emerge--we will someday hatch, into something beautiful. Perhaps into something that can take flight.

Sleep Deprivation, the Second.

I am super-duper-duper sorry for leaving you guys with half a crappy entry and then abandoning you for the rest of the week! For the past few days I've been either butt-tired, busy, or both. I had a really bad first day, probably due in part to my lack of sleep, but the week has improved and I've been leaving you hanging. NO MORE!

To make things easier I'll make a handy little list, as opposed to, you know, paragraphs. And I'll color-code it. Organization!

1st Period: Latin

There's only one Latin teacher in the building, but she's nice, so I'm okay with that. Latin is basically a repeat of last year so far, with fewer people.

2nd: Health

Health this year is in the lecture hall, which basically means it's big and the teachers don't pay attention to anyone past the third row. I'm not sitting near anyone I know, but rather, a "popular" girl I've never spoken to and a really, really ugly guy. I don't mean to be mean or anything, but he's really ugly. Definitely no eye-candy in this class.

3rd: Biology

The teacher, Mrs. Mackley, is very nice, but I'm not really friends with anyone in this class and there are a lot of, shudder, juniors. So far we've discussed the principles of life, and nematodes.

4th: English

Holy sauce, I dislike my English teacher. She looks and acts like my eighth grade teacher but has the personality of my seventh. So far she hasn't taught us anything, but she expects us to take notes on everything she says. I don't even know what she's saying half the time! In that classroom she doesn't allow: slouching, yawning, disagreement, folded arms, looking at the clock, doodling, a pencil to not be in your hand at all moments of the hour, poor body language, not having quotes, or explaining yourself. Also, she decided that she hates Shari, and who hates Shari? I basically spend the entire class not attracting notice to myself so she can't decide that she hates me too.

5th: Math

Math is so boring that I almost always forget that I have it. The teacher is alright, if not a bit stale, and the class is taught in a format I like: learn whatever it is we're going to learn for the day, and then do practice problems. I could do math problems all day long, seriously!

6th: U.S. History

This is probably going to be my favorite class this year, for one reason: my friends are in it! Shari joined us yesterday, which is fantastical, because now I actually have a class with her! Also, now there are an even number of us in the class, so I won't be left alone when Lolo and Kim partner up (since they sit right next to each other). Hurrah!

7th: Financial Literacy

This class infuriated me for the first few days because the teacher is annoying and we weren't doing anything substantial. However, yesterday, we actually went over a legitimate curriculum, so I'm hopeful that this won't be a waste of a period yet!

8th: Chemistry

Finally we come to the last class of the day. I heard from Shari that my teacher would be really hard, but so far he's been nice, although according to him, the tests are difficult. There are twelve people in this class, seriously!

Well, that's all for my classes. Sorry this took so long! I'll try to blog more often next week, but no doubt the teachers will forget that we're only a week into school and I'll have eight different essays due by the end of the week. Sigh. I can't believe I've only been in school for a few days--it feels like it's been so much longer!

Sleep deprivation.

Can you guys believe that I almost decided not to blog today? I'm so incredibly tired. I just want to curl into a ball and sleep for hours, and wake up whenever I very well please. Yesterday I fell asleep around twelve, and then woke up at 2:30 in the morning. And then...I couldn't go back to sleep. I couldn't even doze off. I just would not fall asleep, no matter how long I lay there, no matter how exhausted I was. So I went through this entire terrible day with two and a half hours of sleep. That alone made me miserable.

The morning started off all-right. I was nervous and excited. I went to collect Vera, and then we waited at the bus stop. Of course, someone thought it would be a good idea to get a new bus driver, so she can fifteen minutes late. And, she skipped Jaryd's stop! By the time we got to school, home room was over, which is not something I necessarily mind.

First stop: Latin. I was glad to have this first, since I had the same teacher last year and I knew some of the people in my class. We even have the same room. It was...all right? There were a lot less people than there were last year, which is a good thing, I guess. I was just bored.

By the time I got to healthy, it already seemed like the day had lasted forever. Health this year is in the lecture hall, and there are a buttload of people, and due to the magic of alphabetical seating, I am nowhere near anyone I could possibly want to talk to! IT'S LIKE EVERY OTHER CLASS.

By biology I just want to go home. All right, I've made it through two classes, can I just leave now? Alas, no such luck. My biology teacher seems nice, but I could barely stand to listen to her talk. The problem on the first day is that all the teachers do is talk, and it's infuriating. Voices droning on for nearly an hour is not the best remedy to being half-asleep.

Bah, I don't have time to finish this tonight. I'll tell you about the rest of my awful, awful day tomorrow! Now I can finally get some sleep...

SCHOOL STARTS TOMORROW!

Can we say terrible, gut-wrenching fear EXCITEMENT? Oho, yes! As far as last days of freedom summer go, this was not a bad one, indeed! I went to the mall on a last-ditch effort to get something to wear tomorrow, and brought Vera along with me, as is only natural. And, lo and behold, I actually bought things! A delightful teal shirt which I am most definitely wearing tomorrow, and a bright blue button-down shirt which I am most definitely wearing on Wednesday. Unfortunately, I can't find the link for either on the website, but here is a rough sketch of what I'm going to wear tomorrow:

Shield your eyes lest the beauty becomes too much for you. I didn't include shoes because I don't know what shoes I'm wearing tomorrow.

After we returned from the mall, Vera and I hung around my house, discussing what we would wear tomorrow (aren't we such girls?). Also, I painted her nails hot pink! And repainted my toes, because I may or may not be wearing flip-flops tomorrow. It really depends on if my parents find any, at Walgreen's, of all places. Don't laugh! One time both of my flip flops broke in a single night, and I, desperate to have something to wear, asked my dad to pick something up. The only place that was open at that time of night was Walgreen's, and I actually really liked the shoes he got. Unfortunately, being from Walgreen's, they broke not long into the summer, leaving me with: sneakers, fancy shoes, more fancy shoes, pink Converse knock-offs, and the ratty flip flops I've been wearing all summer. Right now, my parents are off to find an equivalent. I figure by the time they break, I'll be wearing sneakers all the time, right?

I should mention that I also got a floral belt, and earrings shaped like moustaches. All in all, a good way to spend the last day of summer.

I should also mention that last Friday, I had lunch with Shari, and then we wandered about. This is, of course, an excellent way to spend a day.

It just occurred to me that school starts tomorrow, and I have devoted my entry to my preparations for the day, as opposed to the day itself. Well! From about five o'clock on, I began to feel somewhat feathery deep within my bowels. Perhaps not as feathery as last year, when I was nearly about to take flight, but quite feathery indeed! It is still pressing on the back of my mind that I don't know anybody in five of my classes. What if the teachers don't assign seats? What if I'm forced to make human interaction? The horrors are too numerous to contemplate. I have no doubt that my face will be in a perpetual state of redness the entire day.

I'm supposed to be showering right now (imagine that! Showering at night instead of the middle of the day!), but my parents are still out buying shoes, and I get antsy about showering when I'm home alone. Also, I'm writing this. You know, I almost forgot to set my alarm! Luckily Vera reminded me, else tomorrow would've been....unfortunate. Ahh, I'm starting school tomorrow! I'm being sophomoric! AHHHHHHH.

Tomorrow you'll have a very detailed, exciting, and mildly breathless account of my first day at school! WON'T THAT BE EXCITING?

I do not like titling.

Hello, friends!

I feel bad that I have little to no inclination to blog. To be honest, I have little to no inclination to do anything writing-wise lately. I just spent five minutes staring at an empty word document, and I just didn't want to write. I didn't want to work on my last story, either, which would make this about the second week I haven't so much as looked at it.

Also, my keyboard's being funky. I hate writing when my keyboard's being funky.

Today I hung out with Shari! We got lunch at Pei Wei (which was delish) and then basically wandered around for an hour. Always an adventure. It's nice to hang out with Shari, since we don't have any classes together and I'm never going to see her during the day. Unmitigated sorrow.

Also today, I finally bought a backpack. It's basically the exact same thing as last year's backpack, but black instead of purple. I am a girl of simple tastes, as we see. To be honest, I've noticed that my tastes have gone almost entirely towards: basic, solid-colored, easy-to-wear pieces. Not a heavy-duty hiking backpack with fifty pockets, but just a regular black Jansport--not some frilly, detailed shirt from the mall, but basically a sweatshirt. I would like to pass this off as some sort of style, but I know I'm just too lazy to deal with fuss :)

BUT SPEAKING OF CLOTHES! Yesterday I dragged my dad to Forever 21 (again) and actually bought things! Only two things, but I consider this an accomplishment. One is a striped shirt which is probably the only striped thing I will get (otherwise I would have a closet full of stripes), and the other was this delightfully warm tan/yellow sweatshirt-like shirt which I can't find the link to...hm. Unfortunately, two new shirts just aren't going to cut it for me, especially since I don't have anything more suited for hot weather to wear on the first day of school(!). So, hopefully my mom will be up for going to the mall tomorrow! UNFORTUNATELY THOUGH, APPARENTLY THE JACKET I'M IN LOVE WITH IS OUT OF STOCK. RAGE.

Speaking of tomorrow, these are things I have to/am going to do: get a haircut, buy a pencil case, start summer reading work, and go to the mall. Eee, school starts on TUESDAY! In THREE DAYS! Ahhh!

School things!

Obviously by tomorrow I meant two days later. Not that I have much more to say, but, you know how it is.

Kim and I scoured a massive mall and still turned up with nothing. The Forever 21 there was pathetically small! It was honestly half the size of one floor of the one at our mall. And besides that, pretty much every store there was really expensive. I am on a budget here, mall!

Speaking of clothes, though, I did get a pair of jeans today! Now I just need one more pair of jeans, and I'll have one for every day of the week. ....Hah. Well, that's true.

Also speaking of clothes, I made a nice little list of things on the Forever 21 website, and everything would be hunky-dory if it didn't take FIVE TO TEN BUSINESS DAYS to get here. School starts in six days and three business days. The obvious solution would be to go to the store and get the things, but I've been to the store and I can never find anything. I need clothes. Rah!

On a slightly related note--don't you love my use of transitional phrases?--SCHOOL IS STARTING IN SIX DAYS. ALMOST FIVE NOW. I can't even fathom this, seriously. LESS THAN A WEEK. I still need a backpack, pencil case, and to do summer reading work! I'm not prepared for any of my classes and I don't know anybody in most of them. I'll have to wake up early again! And do homework! And write essays--and lab reports. I know everyone has to do this and I'm just complaining...but....gah!

At least I have the zoo to look forward to with Shari...which is happening on Friday :D Other than that, though, I imagine I'll be lumping around for the rest of summer. Living the life, here, I am.

A good thing.

HEY EVERYONE! Sorry I didn't blog earlier; the power was out all of yesterday, and today I was at a mall with Kim. Not the mall, but a mall--a very big mall, in fact, though we didn't buy anything. I really need new clothes. Hm.

I really should blog more. In fact, I will, tomorrow. That hurricane was a bit of a joke, at least up north. It's a shame that damage was done along the coast, though.

Also, our basement flooded. It's no longer flooded. That is a good thing.

....I'm going to go now.

Don't go outside!

I AM BLOGGING.

For those of you who haven't heard (ha ha, really): HURRICANE. I figured I'd blog before the power most likely goes out. Anyway, I hope this storm doesn't do too much damage. I don't really know what to expect of it: everyone's saying it's going to be terrible but people over-exaggerate things like this all the time. It's supposed to hit New Jersey in the wee hours of the night, which means I'll be sleeping downstairs tonight...Everyone in the path of the storm, though, stay safe! I know we're all woefully inexperienced with hurricane preparedness :P

In other news, I've been pretty lumpy these last few days. Thursday was my birthday! My mom and I had Chipotle for lunch, and she got me an apple fritter and a $25 iTunes gift card for breakfast (the card was delicious ;D)! Oh, and my aunt sent me a card with $60 in it! Now I can BUY things! How exciting.

Yesterday, I lumped around till about 5:45, at which I went rock-climbing with Vera and co.! I didn't do that badly...except I couldn't feel my hands...or legs...

Today, I lumped around and prepared for the impending apocalypse Irene. We brought in the trash cans and prepared the flashlights and everything. Oh, and I mowed the lawn, which was not so much preparing for the hurricane as it was getting-stuff-done-before-everything-is-soaked. At one point during the mowing process, I went over a patch of grass and crickets came from everywhere. It was like I'd gone over the cricket hive or something. Luckily none of them, you know, jumped on me. Shudder...

I still have not done summer reading. School starts in ten days. What is wrong with me. What.

I think I'm about done with this entry. Good night, everyone! Don't go outside!

Anything's possible.

I've been searching through some old entries, looking for a specific one in particular, and, if I'm correct, that date is April 5th, 2010. But, more importantly, I realized that my entries were really terribly written--I definitely sounded like a thirteen-year-old! Maybe in two years, I'll look back and think that this is poorly written as well :)

I feel like writing something. The proper and responsible course of action would be to continue with the last story I worked on, which I have abandoned for several days, but I feel like instead of doing that I'm going to write something silly which I'll focus on for a week before forgetting about.

Yesterday, I went to the beach! It was such a beautiful day--actually, every day has been beautiful now that that infernal heat wave is over. Naturally, by the end of it, there was sand in places there need not be sand, and the smell of the beach was caught in my nose. I love the smell probably more than anything else about the beach--you can't find it anywhere else. When you smell it, you know you're at the shore.

The entire time I couldn't help but think that the stereotype of the Jersey Shore was ridiculous, at least for the southern half--I wouldn't know about the northern. Yes, there are plenty of scantily clothed people, but that may be the only thing that's similar. The beach isn't made up of wannabe Italians, orange-hued tans and petty fighting--it's full of the boardwalk and sand and water and people wanting to do the quintessential summer activity. It kind of annoys me that New Jersey gets such a bad rap. I'm not Italian, I'm sure as hell not rich, I don't say "wudder" (although I do say Tren'in when I'm talking fast--haha). Yes, there are a lot of people and a lot of roads, but why is that a bad thing? There's also plenty of forests, and an entire side of the state is devoted to beach. New Jersey is not a bad place to be.

I actually wrote all of the above around 1:30, and then went back outside to visit Vera, only to see that I had a missed call from Jaryd! So I called him back, and then we hung out, haha. It was nice to see him before school starts again :) We mostly just walked around and watched TV, since my mom didn't seem to want us alone in the house together. I honestly find that a bit laughable, since Jaryd's...Jaryd. But, it's not important. It was still fun :)

In other news, there are LESS THAN TWO WEEKS until school starts! What is this! However, this being the case, it seems like a good idea to actually start the summer reading work--and soon. So far I've not even looked at it, and judging by what I've heard of my teacher, that is not a good idea. Maybe I'll have a burst of motivation tomorrow and finish it all! It's possible...kind of!

MERRIMENT!

SORRY THIS IS LATE.

The birthday party was FANTASTIC. In every way. It was like, constant laughter, everyone being happy, being with great friends, all that jazz. I really, really wish I had more pictures!

It started with anticipation. I, ever being a nervous sort when it comes to deciding on times for things, told people to come between four and five. Shari arrived first around 4:30, so we went off to collect Vera, and busied ourselves with the computer (like cool people). Kim arrived, and Dana arrived AFTER five, to my unmitigated rage (just kidding!). Unfortunately Maia, who apparently JUST got back from camp yesterday, was going to be late. But it was okay!

After everyone was there, we broke out the food, which is obviously the best part of any sleepover ever. We had rather copious amounts of fruit and vegetables for the allergy-monger and the vegan (i.e. Shari and Dana), and four pizzas for all us milk-and-gluten eaters. But we also got pizza that Shari and Dana could eat, so it was all cool :)

By that point, I was anxious to open presents (because I have lovely, lovely friends) even though we were all still eating and no one was paying any attention :) GET READY FOR A BLURRY PHOTO-MASH!

Shari first! Pictured: a 20-pack of markers with FIVE SCENTED MARKERS INCLUDED!, a delightful little picture frame, Black Amethyst Body Butter from Bath and Body Works (the name of which makes me giggle), a little notebook with a CHANDELIER on it, and one of Shari's adorable Wormer dolls! The Wormer is so adorable, in fact, that I feel compelled to devote an entire photo to it:

Ahhh, so cute!

Next up: Vera!

AH. Vera got me a fantabulous skirt, a lovely earring-and-necklace set, and my new favorite necklace EVER. Seriously, I wish I could wear all of this all at once.

Kim got me this lovely little owl figure from MEXICO. This picture is pretty blurry, but it's really quite pretty, and makes me exceptionally happy :)

Dana next! She got exceptionally pretty things, I must say! I lovelovelove those earrings, and THAT JOURNAL. HOLY BEANS, IT'S THE PRETTIEST JOURNAL I'VE EVER SEEN. LOOK AT IT. LOOK HOW NICE IT IS. LOOK AT THE INSIDE:

It's not even fair how pretty this is.

I feel bad spending such a huge space on my presents, but it's mostly pictures :) I honestly love all of them to death! My friends are great gift-givers! Ahh, I'm getting happy again just thinking about it!

Then we ventured to my room to play Apples to Apples! I am very bad at this game, have I ever mentioned? Anyway, while we were playing that, MAIA ARRIVED! At she brought BALLOONS. BALLOONS AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE!

When I saw these outside my door, I actually screamed.

But the shiny, shaped things aren't all she brought! NAY! She also brought a pack of blow-up balloons, which turned into us all sitting around blowing them up and drawing on them with my brand-new pack of Sharpies! For those who may be concerned: yes, there are unused balloons and balloon bits all over my room. And Shari drew all of us! Behold!

Shari!

Vera!

Kim!

Dana!

Maia!

And me!

I figure no one can argue if I post drawings of us instead of actual pictures. That should be all for the blurry, awful pictures, don't worry!

When we were ballooned-out (which, surprisingly, can happen) we once more descended in order to feast on the delicious chocolate cake my mom prepared. I realize that "delicious chocolate cake" is a bit redundant, but nonetheless. When we had successfully drowned ourselves in chocolate, we had an [epic] Mariokart showdown. I did awfully :D But it's okay! Unfortunately, Shari had to leave early, which is blummy and blue and awful. A party without Shari is like a party without bunnies, which is, of course, a sad party indeed. We survived, though.

At just past 10:30, the rest of us abandoned Mariokart and took to my scant closet, which is full of pieces which have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Therefore the natural course of action was to have a crazy dress-up extravaganza, which my parents judged. Accessories included rainbow belts, deflated balloons, toilet paper, and shirts worn as hats--we looked insane enough to be fit for the pages of Seventeen! When finally we shed our mismatched arrangements, we partook in a rousing game of Two Truths and a Lie--during which everyone else managed to come up with things like, "I know how to swim," and I could only think of my deepest darkest secrets, haha.

After two rounds we decided to move to the old sleepover stand-by of Guitar Hero, even though everyone wanted to play guitar and not sing or play drums. Naturally we rocked out in a way only Guitar Hero can induce one to do--eyes mildly glazed, mumbled singing, curses when we messed up our 100-note streaks, and arguments over who got to play what. When at last this was exhausted, we moved on to board games--I originally suggested Trivial Pursuit, till we looked at the cards and realized we didn't know the answer to a SINGLE QUESTION. So as an alternative, Kim brought out Taboo!, which apparently I am very bad at! I don't know how long we played that, half-shrieking at each other, but I know we got through 30-something rounds before the game was retired. I manage to make almost every card sexual, of course :D

It was maybe two in the morning, or later. Some suggested watching a movie, but as everybody knows, the movie is effectively the end of the sleepover: everyone falls asleep. Therefore we journeyed to my room in order to find something to do, and that something ended up being some game Maia described to us, which I know forget the name of. We had to guess a word in the most convoluted and ridiculous way possible, which is the best way to do everything, of course. After that we started to retire: sleeping bags were brought out, or, in Kim's case, a blanket was put on the floor and a stuffed horse used as a pillow. Unwilling to admit defeat (read: go to sleep) I entertained Maia and Dana with some of the more ridiculous stories I devised in yesteryear. Then Maia told us a story about a hideous moth, and at 6 o'clock in the morning we couldn't will ourselves to keep our eyes open any longer. We could see the sky lightening when we passed out, so I'll just go ahead and claim it was an all-nighter, even though we eventually slept :D

We woke up at 11:11--well, I did, after remembering that the people in my room were not scary strangers, but were invited, and usually quite friendly. This was actually bad, because people had to leave at twelve, so that we could drive Kim to the marching band practice she had inconveniently timed at 12:30. To pass the time we played more Mariokart, and then stuffed our faces with the Munchkins my mom brought home for us.

Then was a dilemma, because Kim had to leave, but no one else had been picked up yet. So instead of abandoning my house guests, I abandoned Kim. Of course, three minutes later, everyone was picked up--at the exact same time. One minute, everyone was gone! It was eerie!

And so that concluded my birthday sleepover party. It was magical :D