Song stuck in My Head

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S-BEz0f_fI


Just so you know. B-)

Awkard Amusement Park Moment

Well this is the first SOS I've done in a while. It's good to be back...

This SOS happened just this past week when I went to an amusement park with my family and a family of friends. The family of friends is one that we've known forever and ever.. They have five boys and two girls. The boys ages are 15, 13, 10, 8, and 5. The girls are 4 and 2-ish. So we went to Kings Dominion in VA which was super fun, but also ...(everybody say it with me) awkward. - This word basically describes my life right now-. So anyways, the 15 year old has always been my friend and we get along great together and blah blah blah blah. We went on this roller coaster together (both families were there too!) and decided that we wanted to ride in the same car together. It wasn't ooo la la or anything (i don't think.. unless it was for him.. eww). But when we got to the gate where we had to load into the car, I noticed how the car's seats were laid out. It was shaped like a tabogan (the ride was called Avalanche) and there was one wooden bench in the middle for both passengers to sit on. But there was no division. You step in and there is just a block of wood to share with the person behind you. I say behind you because you have to sit on this like you would a horse. So stradling this wood. **do you see where I'm going with this?**
I took in all of this information in the split second that he is putting himself in the car and I started to silently... hyperventilate. This is wierd. So, he being obviously larger than me sat in the back part of the seat and I sat in front of him. When the safety bar came down, it totally squished me into him in a wierdish AWKWARD way. Both of us with our legs spread apart straddling the wood bench shoved together by the safety bar. AGHHHHH! I could die. Honestly, it was so strange.

As the ride got going, he began talking to me and making me laugh. He was also making funny noises the whole way through the roller coaster. Funny "wooooh" noises and "aahhhh" noises. We were also mocking this poor girl in front of us who was screaming bloody murder. It was histerical.

So I guess my story ends up okay in the end, but awkward still is the word that I would describe that whole entire day with.

A Treat for a Sunday Evening

BEHOLD! The most glorious meal around. Did I say meal? I meant healthy side snack. I've been up to much embroidery and various forms of stitchery lately, so my mind needed a rest. I dug out this bucket of B&Js figuring I deserved it. Plah! Ya right. I was sitting alone at the kitchen table in the dark and was compelled to open the freezer when my grumbling dinner-less stomach shook the walls of the house. As the summer usually entails, I've been wakeboarding with the fam a lot lately too which may account for my bloglessness stretch. Will school starting in a couple of weeks, there may not be much time for very interesting or particularly entertaining blog entries, so I wouldn't expect much if I were you. Plruking is also the newest fashion which you may want to pick up on (ehem, Christian) if you prefer to not be left in the dark.

www.plurk.com

Check it out.

Beating the Summer Blues

It seems like during the last weeks of the school year all I ever said and all I ever heard said was "I'll just wait until summer to do that. Then I'll have plenty of time". Oh no. This summer has proved to me how completely filled with things to do our everyday lives are that we hardly have time for the things we said we would do. For essample, going on hikes. Hikes are amazing and I love them a lot. Especially up in the New English part of the US where there's tons of trees, wildlife, and easy trails to follow. I always said that the summertime would be the optimum time to go on such a hike because I could stay out all day and not have to worry about anything. By anything I mean school. So, part of my reasoning was valid... I don't have to worry about school. But it seems like other things keep getting in the way of all of that. Things that I never quite thought of during the school year as "must-dos" now seem to take over. Cleaning the house, for instance, or walking the dog. Or practicing the piano or working in the yard or blah blah blah or duhdee duhdee. I don't know! And then when all of that is done, I get so exhausted and don't want to do anything else for the whole day expect sit in front of the TV with a cold lemonade or something like that. Then I wake up the next morning and decide that I don't want to work super hard and have a repeat of the day before, so I do nothing and end up bored out of my mind.

The vicious circle that haunts us all.

So I have come up with some personal "goals" if you will for how to make sure that I don't waste away my summer, or miss out on it completely:

1. Stay inside for the morning-time hours. My reasoning is I'll be doing household-y chores that won't wear me out, but part of the staying inside will include not being hooked to the TV or anything. I will piano practice or do needle work or something like that.

2. Refer* to my list of things I wish I could do during the school year but never had time to. I think that if I plan out my days then I will have more time than I thought (this is all hypothetical) and hopefully be able to get things done like check the all the fire ladders in the house to see that they're the right length for the windows or reorganize the DVD cabinet or read a classic novel. I think that this will work for me, but if it doesn't, which I totally understand, then I will reevaluate what kinds of things to spend my time on.

3. Hang out with the fam and friends. I'm not very good and contacting people that I know from school over the summer - I don't know why - but I'm just not. So I think that if I just call up one of the girls that I know they would come over and hang out with me. If that doesn't work (which is my fear) then I need to just be with my family and do family things. Last summer we went to this great park all of the time. There was a lake, a playground, tons of little animals running around. I don't know what happened to that place, but it was always a cool place to go.

I will probably be checking my own blog from time to time to see that I remember these ideas that I have. There is a huge chance that this little snip of organizational genius may leave me in an hour, so that's why I wrote it down. You don't have to read it if you don't want to ... It was kind of for me so that I don't forget ... but comment anyways!! Let me know how your summers are going. I want to hear all about 'em.


*Refer is a palindrome.

Disney Sing Along Time!

Look at this stuff

Isn't it neat?

Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?

Wouldn't you think I'm the girl

The girl who has everything?

Look at this trove

Treasures untold

How many wonders can one cavern hold?

Looking around here you think

Sure, she's got everything

I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty

I've got whozits and whatzits galore

You want thingamabobs?

I've got twenty!

But who cares?

No big deal

I want more

I wanna be where the people are

I wanna see, wanna see them dancin'

Walking around on those - what do you call 'em?

Oh - feet!

Flippin' your fins, you don't get too far

Legs are required for jumping, dancing

Strolling along down a - what's that word again?

Street

Up where they walk, up where they run

Up where they stay all day in the sun

Wanderin' free - wish I could be

Part of that world

What would I give if I could live out of these waters?

What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand?

Bet'cha on land they understand

That they don't reprimand their daughters

Proper women sick of swimmin'

Ready to stand

And ready to know what the people know

Ask 'em my questions and get some answers

What's a fire and why does it - what's the word?

Burn?

When's it my turn?

Wouldn't I love, love to explore that world up above?

Out of the sea

Wish I could be

Part of that world

A Story from A Sick One

I honestly wrote this down in my math notebook while I was sick in the nurse's office today.

The bright white lights of the infirmary bounced off the white washed walls and white curtains that divided me from my fellow sufferers. The furnishings were white and metallic - the black-rimmed analog clock ticked tediously in the corner above my head. The dark walnut bedside table was a little shorter than the blodd-red cot I laid on, and a vase of artificial pansies wilted suprisingly realistically at the center of it. The bright square lights that filled the room gave me even more of a headache, and seemed to force my eyelids shut over my tired eyeballs. My breathing was slow, calm, but my body was aching. Now was not the time to sleep even though sleep is what I craved. My legs were too cold - my toes shivered - but my arms and back sweated relentlessly. I wonder when my turn to be helped will come. Everyone else seems to be more important, or more hurt rather. All I need is an Advil. I'll be out of your hair in an instant if you would just medically reduce my minor pains. The wood of my cot started to burrow itself inbetween my shoulder blades, making my wait very uncomfortable. I could feel myself slowly sliding down the slick polyester that was supposed to be cushioning me, and my pants buttons squeaked as the rubbed against it. The nurse's telephone rang yet again and awoke me - again - from my semi-consciousness. I mentally crossed my fingers that this call contained news concerning me. Maybe that's Mom calling. Maybe I can go home now. At least let it be my Math teacher yelling at me to get back to class! Alas, as in every other circumstance, the phone was not for me. I tried to close my eyes, but they continued to flutter open. The lights till bore down on me tirelessly, preventing any sleep of any sort from coming. I look over at the dark walnut medicine cabinet with the glass doors that fail to conceal its contents. Cotton balls, ace bandages, antiseptic wipes and a few bottles of ibuprofen.

That's as far as I got.

Sorry for the delays in posting.

The Wait is Over

Last week a group of our Young Men and Young Women from church all got together and went to the temple (about an hour away) to perform sacred ordinances for those who have already passed on. It is a sort of tradition that the youth of our church get to participate in. We all dress in identical white and are baptized physically for those who did not get a chance to on this earth. Normally, I would go to be baptized for some stranger I did not know who had died hundreds of years ago and leave with a feeling of happiness for that person and relief that I hadn't done something stupid like slip down the stairs on my way out. But this last week was different.

My Grandma C------- works in Salt Lake City at the Family History Library where they do family history research and compile names that can be sent to temples across the globe so their work can be done. I asked her if she had some family names that needed to be baptized. She said yes, and sent my brother and I a package filled with pink and blue cards that were ready to have their work done for them. We took these names to the temple with us and were able to be baptized in their name. We were the last two to perform the baptisms, which made the ordinance especially meaningful for me. The fifteen cards I held in my hand represented fifteen people who had waited, wait how many years? I looked down...three hundred years to be baptized. They were waiting for someone to come along and do the physical work they could not do for themselves. They wanted to be sealed together with their families for time and all eternity, but just needed someone to help them along. As I stepped out of the water after my baptisms were done, the brethren there stopped me and confirmed each and every one of those names right there on the baptismal font steps. I stood there, shivering with cold as they placed their hands on my head. I was instantly warm and felt a peaceful stirring inside of me. I knew the women on the other side were grateful for my service and I knew that I was doing the right thing. They had waited a long time to be baptized, just like I waited a long time in line. But the funny thing is, now it doesn't seem like that long of a time compared to theirs. When put into the eternal perspective...

50!

Wahoo! This is post 50. Count 'em baby! Isn't that exciting? I sure think so. Have I honestly been blogging that long? Man, time does fly when you're having fun, eh?

Hmmm, what does one write on their fiftieth post? I could write about my weakening immune system and vulnaribility to even the commonest of colds. (I stayed home today because I'm ill). Or I could write about my sad attempt to make a suprise dinner for my mom and family. I told her that I had learned how to make "something" last weekend at a friend's house (which I did) but when she asked if she needed to buy anything special, I couldn't tell her seeing as every ingredient is so distinct. All I could tell her to buy was eggs. Any other ingredient would give it away. Honestly. I can't even tell you what they are because she'll probably read this post!


Change subjects:


My librarian is out to get me. She's teaching our English class how to research biographical information "properly". I'm afraid I'll go to school tomorrow with a pile waist-high of work that I missed. What's funny, though, is that I'm not the only who isn't necessarily fond of her. She's got a little army of passionately devoted followers (almost like a cult) but besides that everyone else hates her.


Change subjects:


David Hernandez is my favorite American Idol guy this season. I adore his voice, and he's so cute! Google him. You'll be pleased...as I am.


Change subjects:


I'm finally on the HARD level on Guitar Hero. It's pretty hard. But I like it. The songs I play are now starting to sound like the real songs on the recordings. After a good solid session of playing, my fingers start to tremble from strumming the button so fast. It usually takes me a minute or two to let my eyes readjust and my hand stop shaking. Strange, isn't it? Maybe I should take a couple days off...


Well this has been fun, hasn't it? I'm not really sure what people could possibly say about all this, but go ahead. Comment away!

This is Gonna Be Great!

The complete Cullen family has been casted (finally!) for the upcoming thriller-romance Twilight, based on Stephenie Meyer's genius work. You can go to www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight_movie.html to see other pictures, and the official scoop.

I honestly am pretty happy with the choices, with the exception of Jasper -- the supposed hansome blond on the far left-- who in my opinion was casted incorrectly. I was a little skeptical about their choice of "Edward" when they first announced him, but with his supporting family, I think he fits in with them, complimenting them and vice versa. Alice and Edward look perfect together, (they are the closest brother and sister combination in the family due to their ESP-like communication) and Carlisle (the father) looks perfectly perfect and very doctorish. That's a good thing.

Make sure to leave a comment and tell me what you're thinking!



**Edit: Jasper's on the far right. I was just testing you. To make sure you were paying attention. And you've passed the test**

Untitled

"I must now stand aside, for our party and our country," Romney told conservatives.
"If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror," Romney told the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington.

You've got to love Romney for that speech, come on. As my dear friend Sara commented to me, "He's got class!" How true that is.

Dad recieved an e-mail today from one of his friends who made an interesting, and I think very valid point. He said, "After that speech today, Gov. Romney is going to be the most popular candidate come 2012. See you in four years in New Hampshire."

He and my father drove to New Hampshire this year to rally and campaign with the governor, and Dad went by himself to Florida (yes, Florida) to work for his candidate. That is dedication. He also hasn't let us kids forget that his father worked for the Reagan campaign in '68 and '76, both years when he did not win nomination until 1980 when he did. There is still hope, and Dad is continually optimistic. No heartbroken teardrops at our house. We'll hang on to those MITT '08 stickers to hand around in a couple of years. It should be interesting how the rest of this election plays out, though. Especially on the Democratic side, oh my goodness. I don't think that McCain will be able to beat Obama - he'll tear him limb from limb - and I'm not sure what would happen between him and Hillary.

What do you all think?

Wordless Wednesday: We're Ready for Tuesday. Are You?

I AM SO ANGRY!

I don't normally get angry (not like this), but when I do writing it down is my solution. ( I apologize in advance if I offend anyone in my ranting of The Chocolate War. We'll chat later about our opinions on it. Promise.)

Ugh. The source of this body-shaking, mind-boggling, anger is my ever infuriating English teacher. She's an intelligent woman with intelligent things to say, but we're not always on the same page. She has some very different opinions than me, and for those who know me well, I'm always the first one to express mine given the oppurtunity. Anyways, her new book assignment for the next month is a choice between Ayn Rand's Anthem and Robert Cormeir's The Chocolate War. Initially, I picked The Chocolate War (I'm not sure why; probably because my best friend did), but quickly came to learn of the gross content and sick scenes this book harbors. She told us yesterday (after I had made my decision) that this book did have some "disturbing scenes" in it and that it has been banned in other schools.


She also said, "Now I want you all to be mature about this and handle this novel like real adults. Some of the things they mention in here, you should already have learned about in your Health class and your sex education course in Science." I didn't really know what she was referring to (or rather, I tried not to think about what she was referring to), but one of my other friends who had read ahead whispered to me, "That's for sure."



Okay, so this was getting a little bit weird for me. I then raised my hand (if you know me, then you already know what I was going to say) and said, "Mrs. C-----, I'm being very bold here by asking this but, shouldn't you have told us about some of the innapropriate things in here before we made our decision? I think I would have liked to know this yesterday so that I could've made a more educated choice."



I said all of that in that voice that my dad uses all the time to persuade people he's right. That voice that's probably a little too loud and questiones one's authority a little bit too much.


At this point everyone had turned around in their seats and were staring at me - me all alone in the back row - with mixed expressions on their faces. Mrs. C----- looked at me, looked down, looked at the clock (?) and then back to me, suprised that I had made such a comment. She then lashed back with, "Well you hear about all of these things on the bus, at home, on the TV...none of this should be new to you."



Well thank you Mrs. C-----. That is the perfect thing to say in this situation [exclamation point] That totally makes a little Mormon girl with an over-developed sense of superiority feel a lot better.


So then I said to her, "At school and in the halls I have no choice but to hear innapropriate conversation topics and profanity. At home I choose not to watch it on television and choose not to go finding it on the Internet. I also choose not to read it."



Again, all of this in that forceful tone I learned from Prince Charming.



At this point, she was obviously uncomfortable and I was raging - and FREAKED out. I personally couldn't believe I had just told her that and was slightly embarrassed. I also didn't really care just then. She was making me mad. "You can come talk to me after class if you really feel that strongly about it, Alice". I mumbled a "Thanks" but she said under her breath, "I really didn't think anybody would."


I wasn't quite ready to talk to her, so I went back at the end of the day.


I was cooled off (a little) and went up to her desk . She then asked me, brilliant as always, "So what was it that bothered you?" Oh my goodness, Mrs. C-----, where do I start? The bad language? The pornography? Everyone had been talking about it at lunch time, and giggling as they told each other what page to find the such-and-such bad behavior on. I was sickened. I honestly didn't know what to tell her, so I simply asked her for the other book and returned the first. It felt dirty in my hands as I handed it back to her, another tell-tale sign of bad literature. "Are you sure you don't want to give it a chance, Alice? You really can't judge a book before even reading all of it. It really has a wonderful message in it; you have to dig for the deeper meaning." She had a hopeful look on her face, like somehow that worthless comment had changed my mind. Ya right. I shook my head. Wait, wait. There's more.

"Well honey, its probably just where you are in your life right now." She said it in a very final tone, no doubt expecting me to walk out and leave for the day. But really, what in the world was I going to say to that??? Actually, I knew exactly what I was going to say (...'where I am in my life'? I guarantee that I never will be apart of any pre-marital sex EVER and I don't have porn magazines in my room under my bed like the kid in THIS book does. That will never change.), but I didn't, knowing I would just get her and myself more mad.

I was still fuming when I got home, and sat my mom down to tell her everything. She is such a good listener, that woman. She reassured me that I did the right thing, and asked if she should write my teacher an e-mail, agreeing with me. I said no, just that I would apologize the next day. My mom then quoted herself saying, "You know, Alice, 'It's not worth wading through all the muck to get to the good parts'". She had made this comment before concerning a movie, and a time before concerning a friend. I didn't realize how true that statement is until that moment, and I'm grateful for "the spirit...of power, and of love, and of a sound mind," (2 Tim. 1:7-8) that I am blessed with every day.



I think I've finally calmed down. A miracle, writing is.

My thinking silence is broken...

My November Guest

My Sorrow, when she's here with me,
Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves the bare, the withered tree;
She walks the sodden pasture lane.
Her pleasure will not let me stay.
She talks and I am fain to list:
She's glad the birds are gone away,
She's glad her simple worsted gray
Is silver now with clinging mist.
The desolate, deserted trees,
The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauties she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
And vexes me for reason why.
Not yesterday I learned to know
The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow,
But it were vain to tell her so,
And they are better for her praise.
~Robert Frost