Stitches

Well, that’s interesting. I could have sworn I was just on the four-wheeler… Why am I on the ground looking at the sky?

I was so confused. What had happened, and why did everyone around me look so panicked? My genius seven-year-old mind jumped right on it: It probably has something to do with my bloody forehead!

No kidding.

Yeah, but what’s the big deal? I asked myself. I really don’t feel much pain, just a slight headache. So why am I crying?

Someone was carrying me towards our cabin as fast as they could, but it seemed like they were trying to run through mud. The cabin seemed like an eternity away. I saw my mom hurrying toward me with a panicked look on her face and a wet washcloth for my forehead. I began crying harder.

I must have been crying quite loudly, because once we were in the cabin people kept shushing me and trying to get me to calm down. I wanted to tell them I wasn’t really sure why I was sobbing my heart and soul out, but no one seemed to understand me. That made me cry even harder. I could hear my dad explaining to someone how I had flown off the back of the four-wheeler and cracked my head on a rock. My cousin, who my dad was teaching how to drive, had gunned the engine before checking to see if everyone was holding on. Sadly, I wasn’t.

The nearest hospital to our ranch in Wyoming is an hour away, and I must have blacked out during the car ride there. I don’t remember a thing until waking up in the E.R. with what felt like hundreds of masked doctors surrounding me. That’s when I started panicking.

I’m dying. I though. That’s the only explanation.

One of the nurses held up a brown teddy bear. Somehow, over my renewed wailing, the nurse managed to convey that she would give me said teddy bear if I would just shut up and cooperate.

What good will that ugly stuffed thing do me in the afterlife?! I wanted to demand, but before they would even give me a chance to stop bawling, two doctors leaned forward. One was holding a numbing needle and the other held a very sharp, very long stitching needle.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I woke up a while later in a chair with my new teddy bear in my lap. I decided it was actually pretty cute. Stitches the Bear now lives on my bookshelf.

As awful as that experience was, I’m kind of grateful for it. I learned that in painful situations I am capable of putting my pain aside and thinking, even if it’s not very clearly! Another important lesson I learned: check to make sure the driver knows that you are not holding on, especially when that driver is learning to drive the four-wheeler for the first time! True, this experience has caused me to be slightly paranoid on four-wheelers, but I have become quite a safe driver because of it. Plus, who wouldn’t want a good scar story? :)

Some random thoughts...

One of the things that has been interesting is that I'm the first teen Marci has ever taken on in her program. The age range before I came in was around early 20's to 60 (our Mamma Jone!). After I started, my neighbor that was in the first group got her son into the program, too. Thank goodness I'm no longer the youngest! He's two years younger than me, and is like an awesome little brother! :) Being one of the youngest has been an interesting experience. It's like having a big family of wonderful older brothers and sisters that are constantly encouraging you and looking out for you. Every day it's "do you guys want a ride tonight? No? How about tomorrow?" "Can we do anything for you? You know we're always here!" "Anytime you ever need anything, you just give me a call!" They're all amazing and I love them so much!

One of the interesting things about being so much younger is listening to the adults in the group. Most of the women in the group are moms, and they talk about things that I was honestly shocked to hear. Talking trash about their ex, mother-type-things (well, how else do you say it??), and, with one or two, quite a bit of swearing. Not just cussing, swearing. After the shock of it wore off in about a week, I came to the sad conclusion that I have lived in a wonderfully sheltered bubble for most of my life. I have sadly gotten used to the loud and unreservedness of most of them, but the swearing still makes me cringe. Why they must use that language, I do not know.

Being one of two teens makes things really complicated. No one else in my group is going through school, and their schedules are fairly flexible, even with work. Braden and I have tight schedules that have almost no wiggle room for things like the six small meals (more on that in a second). Being in school makes this whole process even more exhaustive and confusing than it is for the others in the group.

Nutrition. My mom was lucky (strong?) enough to not have a very hard time with her nutrition changes. The hardest part for her was the intensive workouts. For the first 3 weeks, Marci had us count calories and fat. When I heard that, I was not very excited. I did that with a nutritionist, and it drove me crazy.

The workouts. Marci rightly calls them High Intensity workouts. Her theory (or can it be considered a law, since her groups are proof that it works?) is that high-intensity workouts are more effective than spending an hour at the gym. You can do a quick, intensive 20 minute workout and burn fat for 2 days. She's constantly telling us "Slow and controlled! Slow and controlled!"

90 Days... The Start to a New Life

I think most (if not all) of the people that read my blog have already been told about what I'm doing, but just in case there are a few that happen to stumble upon this.....

I am now over a third of the way through The 90 Day Mind and Body Transformation! Sounds impressive, doesn't it? :D It's an intensive (not kidding) program run by Marci Lock that educates how to exercise effectively and use proper nutrition. On top of that, and what sets it apart from other fitness programs, is that Marci works with the mind, too. She assists you in overcoming mental barriers or habits that you've formed, and educates in how a positive attitude and vocabulary can make all the difference to everything else you do. But what's so amazing about this program is that she shows you how you can make it into a lifestyle, not just finishing the program and going back to your old way of life. (That link to her website explains it really well)

My mom and I watched our neighbor go through the first group, and my mom just finished her own 90 Days in the beginning of May. Both of these amazing women had (and are having) amazing results! And results don't lie! This program works, and I have now learned it for myself! In the first week, I released 6 lbs and 3 1/2 inches. That's amazing. But it gets better! After Week 4 (last week) I found out that it has now been bumped up to 14 lbs and 9 inches. But you know what's amazing? I have come to not care about the numbers.

The week before I started, I was on the last hole of my belt. (Pretty depressing, no?) Well, I did something about it! I am now on the shortest hole, and will soon need a new belt! But it gets better (or worse, depending on which way you look at it): None of my jeans fit. Even with the belt, my pants are extremely baggy. They've gotten so bad; I can't even wear my favorites anymore! My mom got me some new capris that are a size smaller, and even after a few days they're already getting a little loose! :)

Anyway, I'll keep you updated! It just keeps getting better!

Je suis un machine de brûler gras! :D

What if, what if, what if....

I had an[other] emotional breakdown today. Kind of a freaky one.

For the last several months I've been thinking quite a bit about death. (stop freaking out, I'm not suicidal) I think it started with all the suicides and accidents happening to people my age recently. It seriously had me freaked out, but it's gotten worse.

What if something happens tomorrow?

What if I or someone I love dies tomorrow?

What if I never get to say goodbye?

What if... What if... What if....

I think one of the big reasons this has come up more recently is how many things I've realized are my last somethings. Last year in junior high, last year with all of my friends before we all go our separate ways, last voice lesson until what seems like forever, and every time I say goodbye to someone. I just feel like something is going to happen.

It's kind of an eery, ominous, foreboding kind of feeling. I feel crazy thinking about it, but what if it's a sign? What if something really is going to happen, and these are just warnings to not waste any time?

Like I said before, there have been several events that have added to this now hysterical freaking-out-ness. One of the other ones that really solidified all of these and pieced them together was reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I kept thinking about what Captain Beatty said to Montag.

"This is happening to me."

"What a dreadful surprise," said Beatty. "For everyone nowadays knows, absolutely is certain, that nothing will ever happen to me. Others die, I go on. There are no consequences and no responsibilities. Except that there are. But let's not talk about them, eh? By the time the consequences catch up with you, it's too late, isn't it, Montag?"

Pretty creepy, am I right? Well, that really got me thinking. A lot. And it hit me hard today after I was coming back from my last voice lesson. I'm going back in September, but I keep feeling like this was my last one, ever. And I burst in to tears.

Darn those hormones.

So I started to voice all of my worries to my mom (lucky her!), because I had her pretty worried when I started crying with no warning. This turned out to be a pretty good idea, because she gave me some excellent advice. (Don't you love moms?)

This was my very favorite thought she gave me, and it was a HUGE relief:

• Thoughts are just thoughts. You don't have to believe or accept them. They exist and come and go, but that doesn't mean that they're true or ever will be.

Byron Katie has a really amazing website/book/theory/etc. that my mom was telling me about. She has some steps you should take when unpleasant/negative thoughts come up (which I have had plenty of, lately):

1. Is it true?

2. Can you absolutely know that it's true?

3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?

4. Who would you be without the thought?

5. Then turn it around (the concept you are questioning), and don't forget to find three genuine, specific examples of each turnaround.

An example on her website is the phrase "Paul doesn't listen to me." Here's how you do it:

1. Does Paul NEVER listen to you? (if false, skip #2)

2. Re-evaluate. Are you ABSOLUTELY SURE??

3. How do you feel when that happens? Angry, sad, frustrated, frightened... any negative emotions.

4. If you didn't have this thought, would you be happy? How would your life be better if you didn't have this thought?

5. "Paul sometimes listens to me" "I never listen to Paul" "I never listen to myself" If any of those are true, you need to re-evaluate. Put the first in a positive form, flip it around, and put it to yourself. What you'll often find is that you are often everything you claim the other is.

That's just a taste of what she teaches (which you probably didn't want to read, anyway), but I would read it on her website. It's really, really good.

Anyway, this can work for my problem, too. Yes, bad things CAN and MAY happen to me, but the idea that they WILL is false.

Obviously, this thought freaks me out and scares me to death. If I didn't have it (or, as my mom and Marci put it, "Huh. That's interesting that that thought keeps coming up. Good thing I don't have to believe it."), I would be much more relaxed and much happier and cheerful.

"Bad things never happen to me." Not necessarily true, but still more true than the other phrase. Definitely comforting :)

You don't need all the details of this chat with my mom, but I came away from it much, MUCH happier. Still kind of creeped out, but I have more time to think about it, and time to find it out for myself!

No regrets!

Whyy Doo Peoplee Typee Likee Thissss???

UGH! Why does no one bother with spelling or grammar anymore? Seriously! You look like an idiot when you write like that!

Look at this comment on a poem I found: iwsh i had som one who wold love me and car for me but i dow not know wheni fall in love again

Seriously? Is that the best you can do? Have you ever heard of spell check (not that it would help... Some of those it probably wouldn't even recognize...) Do you even TRY? Or do you write like that deliberately?? Do you TALK like that? THEN WHY THE HECK ARE YOU KILLING MY BRAIN?!!

What the heck is wrong with TV?!

What’s Wrong With TV?

What’s wrong with that horrible beast, the television? What does it have against society and everything good in the world? What did we ever do to it? Nothing. And everything.

Many people are inclined to blame all the bad things in the world on TV. This is a pointless accusation! The television is nothing more than a machine. It exists solely to entertain us. It has no control over what it shows or who watches it. The TV isn’t the problem—it’s us. People are using the television to replace and avoid living in the real world. Watching TV makes people lose interest in experiencing things for themselves. Wasting our time in front of the television leads to unhealthy lifestyles. People aren’t learning how to develop social skills or good relationships.

What’s ironic about technology is that it’s supposed to help us live our lives. Instead, it lives them for us. We sit inside on a beautiful day watching shows about The Great Outdoors instead of getting outside ourselves. We have become a spectator society. We waste thousands of hours in front of the television. Children spend more time watching television than in any other activity except sleep. (Huston and Wright, University of Kansas. "Television and Socialization of Young Children.") Children used to play with friends all day. Now, because of the thousands of shows playing 24/7, they’re glued to the screen. People become so addicted to their soap operas and cartoons that their schedules are planned around the TV guide. Never mind that their friends want to play, SpongeBob is waiting for them. Children and adults alike are quickly becoming couch potatoes, hardly aware of the kind of damage it can cause them.

According to The New York Times in January 2010, nearly 34 percent of American adults are obese, more than double the percentage 30 years ago. The share of obese children tripled during that time, to 17 percent. Why are these numbers so grossly large? Does it have anything to do with watching TV? Most certainly. If you’re glued to the television all day, how are you supposed to get exercise? Kids used to come home from school and play sports and run and play with friends! What has happened? They have become too attached to their TVs. Obesity is quickly becoming a huge issue. When you’re overweight, you feel sluggish and you don’t want to do anything except nothing. Watching TV is a highly convenient activity that doesn’t involve anything but staring. You don’t have to exercise your brain, much less the rest of your body! Society came up with the Wii, which made everyone feel active, even though you’re just going through the motions of the sport. You can stay in the comfort of your basement and feel like you’re outside playing tennis or soccer… But why not just go outside and actually play tennis or soccer?! Playing sports isn’t just good exercise, you can interact with other people, too.

Watching movies as a family is great quality time, right? Um, no, not anymore. We live in a world where one household can have as many as five or fifteen different TVs. You don’t even have to be in the same room. Why would you sit and watch what your five-year-old sister is when you can watch what you want on your own? Or even on your iPod? Family road trips, which used to be an opportunity for bonding, are now a time when everyone plugs in and tunes out. Portable DVD players have made it possible for everyone to be watching different movies in the same car. This lack of communication and interaction is seriously affecting families. Relationships between child and parent and husband and wife are becoming extremely broken up. If a son or daughter is watching shows about rebellious teens that are disrespectful of their parents, how are they going to act? Or a husband and wife; is their marriage going to last long if one or both of them are replacing their own relationship with shows about dysfunctional relationships? The Americans for Divorce Reform estimates that 40 or possibly even 50 percent of marriages will end in divorce if current trends continue. Television can hardly be helping this!

It’s really our own fault that we’re being subject to this. The film directors are only giving us what we’ve asked for. We need to live life, not just be alive. This will help with better health, which, in turn, will also help with healthier relationships with our family and friends. We just need to be careful with how much TV we are watching, and stop trying to blame our problems on inanimate objects! Go outside and LIVE!

UYIHF 2010... (Part Two)

So after my interesting lunch, I left in search of my friends. I hadn't seen them at any of the tables, and wasn't sure where else I would find them. I wandered outside, and there they were! In a tree!

It turns out while climbing the tree they had found a mysterious wooden box that was about 2 cubic inches... (haha how's that for nerdy?) Inside, there was a folded up note that was full of random things like what the girl (it looked like girl's handwriting, at least) had eaten that day, etc. We had fun laughing at it, because they thought it was some kind of secret coded love note. They wanted to rewrite the note, but they didn't have any paper... (Which was a good thing) Instead, they caught a fly that had drowned in one of my friend's fry sauce and stuck it in the box along with the original note and my friends phone number.... He's still waiting for them to call him :)

So after lunch we went back and sang for like four straight hours. My feet felt like they were going to fall off. There were a many people that would just sit down on the risers until the director would start yelling at them to stand up again... I was sorely (quite literally) tempted to join them, but the director was starting to scare me a bit and I would kick the person in front of me every time I tried to sit. It was that crowded.

After our last practice before the performance, we had about an hour and a half to do whatever we wanted. Instead of sitting (sitting!) and napping like I had planned, my friends and I walked down to the Fresh Market several blocks away. It was actually a LOT of fun!

I got to chat with one of the coolest girls on the planet for like an hour. I had never realized how much we had in common. There were a lot of things that I had never known about her, even though I (very stupidly) thought I knew her pretty well. She gave me the "What I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Went Into High School" chat, which was very nice :) Like I said in a previous post, I've been feeling VERY overwhelmed, and she really helped. She was able to answer a lot of my questions and give me very useful tips.

I had never realized that she often feels as left out and out of place as I do. I look at her and think of her as everyone's friend, the person that EVERYONE knows and loves, and the girl that loves performing and making people laugh. Oh, how little I knew! During that walk I learned just how out of place she often feels, even with her best friends. We both kind of hang back from the rest of the group, listen in on conversations, roll our eyes at how immature people can be... She told me how until terrified she is of performing, which really, really surprised me. She's one of the most outgoing, friendly, and talented people I know, and here she is hating to perform. What is this?? She told me that that's one of the reasons that she feels so left out. All of her friends are in the musicals and performing all the time. By the time we got to the store I was feeling very connected with her. There was so much I was learning about her, stuff that I could relate to.

When we got in the store we watched the others go off looking for stuff to buy and break and mess around with. We saw a huge chicken costume by the deli which made us laugh. One of the others found some small watermelons and started chucking them in the air and catching them. That's when we left. The two of us and two other girls walked out of the store to wait for them. My friend told me how she had gotten kicked out of a store when she was in like 5th grade and didn't want it to happen again... So we waited by the four-way stop by the parking lot.

That's when the sex offender comes in.

There was an ad/warning sign on the lamp post on the corner where we were waiting that was warning locals about a sex offender on the loose. It was very disturbing, and it seriously freaked us out, especially one of the other girls. She decided she would not wait any longer without the others. So she called them up. When they didn't answer, she left them a message, something to this effect:

"Hey guys. Hurry up. There's a sex offender on the loose and we need to go. HURRY. Bye."

We all laughed really hard, but sobered up pretty fast when we saw a creepy looking guy across the street from us. He crossed and went the other way, but we were seriously freaked out for a minute. The others came out of the store and we started walking back up.

One of the guys decided he wanted to go on the other side of the street. He crossed while we were still waiting for our light, and when he got over to the other side, my friend looked at us with wide eyes and said, "Guys? What if he's the sex offender? He looks like he could be." We burst out laughing for like the millionth time. He heard us and probably guessed what we were laughing about. He put his hood up and started walking in a really disturbed sort of way... We started screaming and laughing.... *sigh* it was really funny, but we were driving the people in the cars crazy, I think. We took forever crossing the street because one of the girls was throwing her flip flop into the road then wandering over to get it, then wandering back....

Anyway, I was gradually realizing how stupid high school makes many people. I think even more than learning how to better my singing, I learned that much. I was really grateful for my friend. That whole day would have sucked if she wasn't there to help me and pull me in. So thank you, if you're reading this :) You're really awesome and I love you just the way you are!!

(That's pretty much how my whole day was, but if I can't think of anything to talk about for next week's blog, I'll tell you how the performance went. There isn't a whole lot to talk about, but I'm sure I could milk 500 words out of it, if needed. I hope for your sake that I can think of something more interesting!)

UYIHF 2010... (Part One)

What could be better than a day doing what you love most? I'll tell you what! Here's my Facebook status from this morning:

"...had an interesting day yesterday, full of sore feet, fainting people, sex offenders, three Lehi High-ers, a strange note hidden in a tree, a fly that drowned in fry sauce, becoming closer friends with one (okay, more than one) of the most amazing people on the planet, and a TON of singing! Gotta love UYIHF!!"

So yes, that is just the beginning of what my day was like.

Utah Youth In Harmony Festival is a day-long camp for all youth ages ~12-18 or something like that. You spend all day with (in my case) about 100 girls from all over Utah and learn about and perform in Barbershop Quartets. It sounded SO. FUN. and I was SO. EXCITED.

My day went something like this:

(don't worry, it gets more exciting than I'm about to make it sound)

It all started at about 8:30 AM when my carpool (which was very entertaining) and I got to the college where this was being held. We signed in and walked into the very tiny auditorium, which I swear was half the size of our cafeteria. We were welcomed by the Chair of the festival, were given a taste of Barbershop Quartets by an AWESOME women's group called Bounce. Then we jumped right into singing! They split us into boys and girls and started teaching us the songs from about 9 to 11.

It isn't even an hour into it the day, and things are already getting exciting.

We were in the middle of one of our songs when I hear this little "Ohh..." from behind me, and a huge THUNK. I'm talking riser-shaking, teeth-rattling THUNK.

Me and all the girls within 5 feet freak out and turn around just in time to hear and see the cause of the second THUNK. The girl that was standing directly behind me is suddenly on the floor. Strangely, human bodies seem to become twice as dense when they pass out. It's not like a dainty fall to the floor. This was as serious THUNK to her knees then another THUNK forward onto her face. She probably would have broken her nose but she lucked out and just missed the edge of the riser. The director, Tori, hadn't noticed any of this, and didn't stop conducting until we all started yelling at her to stop and that there was a girl on the floor. She didn't move from her spot, but relaxed when she saw a bunch of adults lifting the girl from off the risers. I guess she's seen quite a bit of locked knees in her time as director, because it didn't faze her. When she saw that the girl was awake, she just got us right back into singing for another hour or so until we had like a 15 minute break.... then back to singing for like an hour until lunch!

Here's where the Lehi High-ers come in.

We had to go to another building on campus for lunch, and my friends were slower getting there than I was. I got my sack lunch that they provided and proceeded to look for a table. There was none. They were ALL taken except for one in the corner of the room which looked really disgusting. I grabbed a bunch of napkins and started cleaning while looking around to see if my friends had come yet. They hadn't, so I sat down.

Before long, three guys wander over looking for a place to sit. I was thinking I must have looked pretty lost or lonely or something, or maybe they were just really desperate for a table, because next thing I know I hear one of them saying loudly, "Hey, guys! Let's make a new friend!" They come over to me and ask if they could eat with me.

Oh dear. Ooooooh dear. Having lunch with three guys that are obviously older than me who I have never met in my life? WAY out of my comfort zone.

I was going to say that I was waiting for some of my friends when I opened my mouth and said, "Sure!" Stupid instincts. I was pretty mad at myself for not even hesitating, but it turned out to be a good choice.

Of all the Juniors I could have had lunch with, these were probably the coolest. They introduced themselves with smiles and asked me what my name was, even though we were all wearing name tags. They made me feel really comfortable because they didn't try to make conversation, which really drives me crazy. They would ask me the occasional question like what school I was from and what I was interested in, etc., but there was no we're-cooler-than-you-because-we're-older-and-wiser-so-we're-going-to-ask-you-questions-in-a-condescending-way kind of awkwardness. They just cracked jokes the entire time. And they weren't even dirty, stupid one-liners. These were entire-conversation kind of clean jokes!

My favorite one that they started towards the beginning was when the one sitting next to me said, "Guys, I have a confession to make. I'm addicted to water. I swear I go through like five glasses a day!" Then another would say something like, "Yeah I'm the same way with air. I don't know how I'd live without it."

"You mean like my grandpa?"

"Yeah. Is he dead?"

"No, he's in a better place."

"But doesn't that mean he's dead?"

"No, he just lives in Bermuda."

The conversation would go on like that for a while until they ran out of random things like that to say. All in all, they were pretty darn cool :)

I shall continue the rest of my story in a later post, but for now I just need to get this one posted. Stay tuned for the rest of my exciting adventure!!

Plunging Into History

Imagine yourself on the maiden voyage of the world’s most popular and exciting ocean liner. Everyone has said this ship to be “unsinkable”. People would die to have the opportunity to go. And many do.

On April 14, 1912, the bridge of the R.M.S. Titanic was phoned that an iceberg was straight ahead. The officer tried to avoid it by turning, but it wasn’t fast enough. The ocean liner rammed into the iceberg, shearing the side of the boat off and filling the watertight compartments. The ship plunged into the freezing ocean. 1522 people were killed on the sinking boat, while lifeboats saved 705. No one would see the Titanic for 73 years, until a French-American expedition was successful. On June 28, 1985, Robert Ballard and his team used the most advanced equipment: side-scan sonar, underwater video cameras, and robotic submersibles. Ballard saw the ship just as the captain was about to abort the mission. They sent down Jason Jr., a robotic submersible, to get a closer look. One of the things they found was that the Titanic split into two major halves, not in one piece like many believed. Five years after their discovery was made, Hollywood made a billion dollar movie, and a Broadway musical was made as well.

The story of the Titanic has always fascinated me, and this article condensed the story nicely. I think that we need to use this story as an example for future inventions and preparations. Slacking off in even the smallest things like preparing lifeboats affected thousands of people’s lives. We need to use this event in history as an example for ourselves.

The trial run for the Titanic only lasted a few short hours because the engineers and crew felt so confident that they didn’t feel it needed a longer test. They never had safety drills, so no one knew what to do when the time came for them to use them. They didn’t even have enough boats for everyone, and many people died because there just wasn’t room for them, or they didn’t even think it was serious.

We need to learn from this gruesome story that you can never be too prepared. We need to be more careful with our safety and drills. We need to take things like fire or earthquake drills more seriously. What if the school really was burning, and no one knew where to go or what to do? Many people could get hurt. Anything can happen! Expect the unexpected!

Literary Analysis/Comma Essay

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is a classic novel about the French Revolution. During the chosen passage, the Defarges, a dedicated revolutionist couple, are discussing change and how it requires time. Change doesn’t happen in an instant; multiple events have to take place beforehand to bring about change.

‘It is a long time,’ repeated his wife; ‘and when is it not a long time? Vengeance and retribution require a long time; it is the rule.’

‘It does not take a long time to strike a man with Lightning,’ said Defarge.

‘How long,’ demanded madame, composedly, ‘does it take to make and store the lightning? Tell me.’

Defarge raised his head thoughtfully, as if there were something in that too.

‘It does not take a long time,’ said madame, ‘for an earthquake to swallow a town. Eh well! Tell me how long it takes to prepare the earthquake?’

‘A long time, I suppose,’ said Defarge.

‘But when it is ready, it takes place, and grinds to pieces everything before it. In the meantime, it is always preparing, thought it is not seen or heard. That is your consolation. Keep it.’

She tied a knot with flashing eyes, as if it throttled a foe.

‘I tell thee,’ said madame, extending her right hand, for emphasis, ‘that although it is a long time on the road, it is on the road and coming. I tell thee it never retreats, and never stops. I tell thee it is always advancing. Look around and consider the lives of all the world that we know, consider the faces of all the world that we know, consider the rage and discontent to which the Jacquerie addresses itself with more and more of certainty every hour. Can such things last? Bah! I mock you.’ (A Tale of Two Cites, page 181)

I think Madame Defarge is indirectly talking about the Revolution taking place. The way she was saying that it takes a long time to prepare an earthquake is longer than the earthquake itself made me think about how similar that is to a revolution. It takes years of disagreement and discord to start the idea of change, and then even longer for change to actually happen. This passage is important because it sets a feel for what the Revolution is like; there’s a lot of tension, anger, confusion, and frustration.

I think the comparison to the lightning and earthquakes was really smart. They take ages to build up, and, whether you’re ready or not, they strike! Natural forces have to come together to bring about physical change, much like a revolution takes preparation before any changes can happen. It gives a strong comparison, one that you can picture easily and makes a lot of sense.

Madame Defarge and her husband are almost debating about how timing affects everything. Madame Defarge obviously feels very strongly about her side; she uses really strong words like retribution and vengeance, ‘grinds to pieces’, ‘rage and discontent’, and there are descriptions of her, like her flashing eyes. She’s a passionate and bloodthirsty revolutionist, and it comes out clearly in this passage. It helps you get a feel for what she and other revolutionists are like.

What is going on between Madame and Monsieur Defarge mirrors what has to take place in society during a revolution, except on a smaller scale; there are clashes, debates, and expressed opinions. This passage really expresses that well. Madame Defarge’s points were very good, however fervently they were given, and they show exactly how a revolution works. A cultural revolution won’t happen overnight or with a single battle or event. It’s the result of many chains of events over a long period of time. She says that you need to be patient and believe that it will come.

I think this passage was very important to the flow of the book. Without it, it would have been very difficult to get the same feel for the angst and eagerness felt behind the revolutionists’ actions. It really helps portray how change, or the Revolution, takes time. Time is required and necessary in everything.

No, it's not high school.....

Tall school. Big school. Large school. HUGE school.

High just doesn't cover it.

I found that out on Wednesday when my peers and I (haha) went over to the high school for a "Sophomore Orientation" tour and introduction (a.k.a. Let's All Stare At The Tiny People). Sure, I've been to Davis before, but never during school hours. It's amazing how much of a difference having students in the halls and classrooms makes.

I felt small again. I felt like a sevvie. I felt like they were all staring at me, thinking, "Oh, great, more tiny people. Let's stare at them until they feel even more self-conscious."

(not done, but it's late.... i'm going to bed... I'll finish this later when I'm awake...)

In A Moody Mood....

Sometimes I really wonder why I go through all the trouble with guys. I mean, are they really worth all the anxiety? One day, a guy can act like they would like nothing better than to talk to you, like you're the only person in the world. The next day they act like you're the last person on the planet that they want to spend two minutes with, even just chatting on Facebook. And it's driving me crazy.

And they say girls are confusing! Take a look in the mirror! Sometimes I can't believe how blunt I am with my thoughts and feelings and you still manage to turn away and brush it off. Are you actually doing this to me on purpose, or can you really be so very oblivious to my feelings that you haven't noticed how much it hurts?

Actually, I hate it when ANYONE is oblivious. "I state the obvious for the benefit of the oblivious" (--unknown) is a good way of describing how I often feel. Some of my closest friends, including my cousin, can be quite oblivious to just how serious some things can be to me. I trust my cousin with almost everything. Like this thing about guys. I was trying to explain to him what's been going on and just how painful it's been to watch this guy ignore me for the last two weeks, but, even though we have these discussion all the time, he just didn't seem to understand me. I almost expected him to tell me I was overreacting. And maybe I am. But it hurts, and I want it to stop.

You probably want me to stop now. Then again, you're still reading this, so it can't be that bad. Maybe you just feel bad so you're listening to me go on and on in nothing more than pity. Either way, it's late, and I'm going to stop now.

G'night, whoever is still reading....

"Streams of Hope"

Have you ever dreamed of swimming in an orange, green, white, or even purple river? Sounds pretty awesome, right? Wrong. That is what the extremely polluted Nashua River that travelled through Massachusetts and New Hampshire looked like for a long time, until someone decided to take a stand.

In the 1960’s, this 56 mile long river was so polluted from dyes in the wastewater that it would turn colors! The color changing was so unpredictable that locals would even place bets on what color the river would be the next day. The fumes from the river alone were so toxic that children had to be rushed to the hospital for tetanus shots when they got too close. Marion Stoddard, a local to the area, decided to make a difference. She sent samples of the water to officials and made a proposal—they were going to clean the water to the point where everyone could swim in the river. People laughed and told her to be realistic, but she persisted and, with the help of many others, found ways to clean up their river. Mill treatment plants were built along the river, mill owners began to treat their waste properly, and locals monitored the quality of the water. Today, the river is just how Marion Stoddard wanted: clean enough to swim in.

I think it is awesome that Marion Stoddard did this for her community. She set a really good example of how we all need to be more careful with how we treat our environment, and how one person can make all the difference. I think that water supply is extremely important, and pollution like this could have seriously hurt their community.

In this article, it said that the fumes caused paint on nearby buildings to blacken. This couldn’t have looked very nice, but, in addition to its unsightly appearance, the fumes were very dangerous to everyone’s health. As I mentioned before, children were often rushed to the doctor to get a shot when they got too near the water. Environmental authorities classified the Nashua as “unfit for sewage disposal”. If it weren’t for Marion’s involvement, who knows how long the river would have stayed polluted? Its quality could have gotten even worse!

I think we all need to be a little more involved in the quality of local water. We use water for almost everything we do, and without it we would be in serious trouble. I’m glad that someone had the courage to stand up for their community to bring a problem to everyone’s attention and stick to their ideas. Water is recycled constantly, so let’s not ruin the only water we’ve got!

HELLO OUT THERE!!

HEY, YOU! YES, YOU!!

see that sign on the side? right over there. ==>

[PLEASE] COMMENT!! IT'S NOT THAT HARD!!!

does no one take the time to read or talk about the posts anymore? seriously, people, you can do better than this!!

(Thank you, Smartiepants!)

Persuasive Essay: Early to bed, Early to rise?

Oh no. It can’t be 6:00 a.m. already! It seems like you only fell asleep a few minutes ago (and maybe it’s because you actually did)! You hit the snooze button as you groan, roll over, and go back to sleep. Has this ever happened to you? There’s nothing worse in the morning than knowing that your little brother or sister gets to sleep in an hour later than you. I believe that secondary schools should start school later than the elementary schools. Teens are more awake and alert later in the day. It can be dangerous for teens to be low on sleep. Studies show that teen sleep patterns are different from children and adults.

In my classes, I have noticed that my peers and I are more alert later in the day. We can concentrate better, learn things easier, we’re much happier, and, to be honest, we look a lot better, too! In the morning, we’re all bleary-eyed and half asleep. In the National Sleep Foundation’s 2006 poll, over ¼ of high school students fall asleep in class, which has been linked to poorer grades. Let’s face it—teenagers are useless in the morning, and sometimes even dangerous to be around!

Parents may argue that having elementary students going to school in the dark would be unsafe, but, in reality, few kids at that age go to school on their own. Parents usually drive or walk with their kids, so safety wouldn’t be an issue. Most teenagers either drive themselves or their friends to school, or walk alone. I think sleep-deprived teens can actually be more dangerous in the dark, early hours. Teens that drive drowsy have been responsible for many accidents. This problem is made even worse when these same teens are driving themselves to school. The National Highway Safety Traffic Administration estimates that over 100,000 accidents are caused every year by drivers who are tired. About 40,000 become injured, and 1,500 people are killed. Sleepy teens can cause many problems, but it is understandable when you know the science behind it.

Studies show that teens need about 8 ½ to 9 hours of sleep each night to function properly. There is a hormone in the brain called melatonin that is produced at night. It is produced later for teens, which keeps them awake longer. Children and adults’ brains produce melatonin earlier, so they can get to sleep sooner than teens do. It is unfair that kids would be able to sleep later than we do because they are actually more capable of waking up early.

Many a teenager has had to wake up in the early hours of the morning to get to school by 7:30 or 8:00, while they see their younger siblings still sleeping soundly. This is what I experience every day, because I share a room with my younger sister. Every morning, as I get ready for school, I see her sleeping soundly and I become annoyed and jealous when I realize that she doesn’t have to get up for another hour. This feels even more unfair when she often gets to bed sooner than me. Secondary schools seem to give much larger projects and harder homework than elementary schools do. Teens are at a stage where they have a lot more to deal with, and yet they always seem to get less sleep.

Imagine, if you will, a teen staying up late to finish a persuasive essay that is due the next day. They don’t get to sleep until one or two in the morning. If they have to get up at six a.m. the next day to get ready for school, that means they’re having to work on about four or five hours of sleep! (That’s hardly half the time they need to function properly!) Imagine this going on for a week or more. Pretty soon their sleep schedule is completely messed up, and they end up sleeping a little later each morning because they just can’t wake up. They start getting to school late, if they don’t get sick and miss it completely. They may even start falling asleep during class. This, as I mentioned before, can lead to poor grades, and, quite often, very angry parents and teachers.

Many may argue that this was probably the teen’s fault in the first place, that they should have worked on their homework earlier instead of getting on Facebook or watching Psych. This is very true. Way too many teens waste their time during the day, trying to do anything but their homework, and then complain that they didn’t have enough time to finish the essay. This is very typical, and can hardly be avoided. Parents can always delete Facebook accounts or get rid of the TV, but teens will almost always find some other way to avoid homework. Some may even resort to staring blankly at a wall instead of working.

Another argument may be that teens need to get out earlier from school so they can go to work. This isn’t a big issue because many jobs available to teens don’t even start until around five p.m. Most employers know when high school gets out, so they don’t put them on shifts that would require them to leave school early.

I think that the school schedules should be swapped to accommodate the needs and habits of each age group. If high school students need more sleep, and elementary students can get up earlier, why not have them switch times? It makes a lot more sense. So why haven’t we made this change? A teen who is low on sleep is dangerous to more than themselves. Teens are pretty much useless early in the morning, and we can focus better later in the day. I compare this issue of the messed-up schedules to a bass singing soprano in his falsetto: it’s possible and it occurs often, but it shouldn’t happen and is unnatural! So, students and parents, let us rally to make this change for the benefit of all!

It's corny, I know. I could [obviously] use your help with this. I have read and reread it a million times, but there are many things that I just can't seem to get right! Please read and comment!!

New Years Resolutions...

WOOT! IT'S THE NEW YEAR!! Actually, it has been for a while now, but I'm only now getting around to talking about it.

It is now a week after coming back from a long, 2 week vacation. And it's hard to go back to school. It's even harder when you were (and still are) sick. Like me. I have had this blasted head cold for over 2 weeks now. (it's driving me crazy! It just won't go away!) Because of this cold, it put very much unwanted pressure on my ears, which has been making me insanely dizzy. As we speak (read?), my computer is revolving and the keys are like one giant spacebar. I can't focus on anything! I ended up missing Wednesday through Friday last week because I could NOT go to school. I would have been running into people and coughing all over them, and I am all fuzzy headed.....

*sigh*

Anyway, how about we talk about New Year resolutions? just like everyone else in the world is?

I'm really trying hard this year to keep a more positive attitude. (I'm doing really good, aren't I? Just look at that overview of being sick!) I was thinking earlier about my homework, specifically, and how I always beat myself up (not literally, so stop freaking out) about how bad my grades are. I have set the bar so high for myself that, when I don't reach it, I get really frustrated. I've decided that I need to realize that as long as I'm doing my best, that's good enough.

My other resolution was to try to get more sleep.... By getting to bed earlier and waking up earlier..... I'm doing really good with this one, too, right? Nope. It's 12:30 am. And my mom is standing over my shoulder telling me to GO. TO. BED.

NOW.

.....bye.