Best quote of the day (I made it up)
Expect nothing and you'll never be disappointed. Expect something special of yourself however, and you can make it happen every time.
Happy New Year's!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wrongly Accused
I hate getting crazy phone calls in the morning.
Today someone called my cellphone number and demanded her newspaper back. She was sure that it was me even though I told her that she had dialed a cell phone number whose address could not possibly be located in any phone book in the United States. When I'd asked her how she'd gotten my number she told me she was "psychic." I told her three separate times that neither I or any of my family members would steal her paper as we get our own. She responded with, "I'm not talking about your family members, I'm talking about YOU!" (Do I even know you?)
She then proceeded to tell me that it was completely understandable to steal a newspaper "for the thrill of it, not because it's right or wrong, just for the thrill." and that she herself would(does?) steal treadmills, not because she needed them, but for the the "thrill" of it. She was either off her rocker or in serious need of her morning cup of coffee. Then this woman had the audacity to call me rude for lying about stealing her paper because she had apparently "seen" me do this even though I hadn't step foot out of my house all morning.
"Well, I think it's rude that you would still accuse me of taking your paper when I've told you at least three times now that I didn't. Especially since my family doesn't condone stealing of any type! Have a nice day ma'me." And I hung up!
I wish I had come up with something better with stronger words but I was too angry at that point and I already knew it was pointless to reason with crazy people due to previous experience. How do I keep getting these phone calls?
Today someone called my cellphone number and demanded her newspaper back. She was sure that it was me even though I told her that she had dialed a cell phone number whose address could not possibly be located in any phone book in the United States. When I'd asked her how she'd gotten my number she told me she was "psychic." I told her three separate times that neither I or any of my family members would steal her paper as we get our own. She responded with, "I'm not talking about your family members, I'm talking about YOU!" (Do I even know you?)
She then proceeded to tell me that it was completely understandable to steal a newspaper "for the thrill of it, not because it's right or wrong, just for the thrill." and that she herself would(does?) steal treadmills, not because she needed them, but for the the "thrill" of it. She was either off her rocker or in serious need of her morning cup of coffee. Then this woman had the audacity to call me rude for lying about stealing her paper because she had apparently "seen" me do this even though I hadn't step foot out of my house all morning.
"Well, I think it's rude that you would still accuse me of taking your paper when I've told you at least three times now that I didn't. Especially since my family doesn't condone stealing of any type! Have a nice day ma'me." And I hung up!
I wish I had come up with something better with stronger words but I was too angry at that point and I already knew it was pointless to reason with crazy people due to previous experience. How do I keep getting these phone calls?
Sunday, December 19, 2010
The Gift
A short Christmas story for the holidays :)
"The Gift"
There is a boy who is walking in the snow on Christmas Eve. The wind is biting and cold through his coat. But he keeps trudging on. He has a package that must be delivered tonight. His mother had baked special Christmas cookies that still felt warm in its wrapping. He was heading toward the little house on the hill.
The boy knocked on the door and he was hurried inside. When he saw the family his heart fell. They were bundled up in thin blankets and huddled near a small coal fire. He could see that the stockings each had only a small weight inside and the remains of a meager Christmas dinner sat on the table. He gave them the cookies and the children's eyes shone brightly at the sight of the colored and sugar coated treats.
The parents thanked him and offered him a place by their fire, but instead he said a quick goodbye and headed out the door. His own family would be waiting for him with a hot honey ham ready to eat and the Christmas tree with presents all beautifully wrapped sitting underneath. He didn't like the Christmas he had seen back there in the little home. It seemed too bad that such a good family would go with little that year.
He didn't know them very well. He only knew that they were new to the area and the father had lost his job that year. His mother had sent the cookies as a welcome present as well as a holiday treat. None of his family knew just how bad the situation was for the family on the hill. He could keep quiet and enjoy the bright warm Christmas in his own warm home with its piping hot fire place and warm mugs of chocolate to go around. He could just ignore the family he barely knew. He hurried through the snow, desperate to reach his family before the storm got too much worse. But he couldn't escape the thought. What if that had been his family?
He burst into their kitchen out of breath and told his family in a rush the state of Christmas for the family up on the hill. It was like every member knew exactly what to do. No one had to discuss it or say anything. The ham was neatly wrapped, coal was packed and the presents were stacked and each child held a Christmas burden in a sack.
They came quietly to the house, stacked the present and the ham, then as the family hid the smallest member knocked upon the door before hurrying away to hide. The father's face lit up in surprise, the mothers dissolved into tears. The presents were brought inside, and as the boy's family walked slowly back to their warm home with their empty tree they could hear the songs of praise raise behind them in the little house. And the boys heart was full.
The End
Christmas is so much more then getting, it's about giving. It always has been ever since the first Christmas. My favorite thing to do at Christmas is the "ding-dong gift ditch." Mainly because it's fun to try and not get caught, but also because we're giving a gift to someone and they don't know who its from. That makes it all the more special. (Mathew 6:3) What's your favorite Christmas thing to do? Hoped you like the story, I really just made it up.
Merry Christmas.
"The Gift"
There is a boy who is walking in the snow on Christmas Eve. The wind is biting and cold through his coat. But he keeps trudging on. He has a package that must be delivered tonight. His mother had baked special Christmas cookies that still felt warm in its wrapping. He was heading toward the little house on the hill.
The boy knocked on the door and he was hurried inside. When he saw the family his heart fell. They were bundled up in thin blankets and huddled near a small coal fire. He could see that the stockings each had only a small weight inside and the remains of a meager Christmas dinner sat on the table. He gave them the cookies and the children's eyes shone brightly at the sight of the colored and sugar coated treats.
The parents thanked him and offered him a place by their fire, but instead he said a quick goodbye and headed out the door. His own family would be waiting for him with a hot honey ham ready to eat and the Christmas tree with presents all beautifully wrapped sitting underneath. He didn't like the Christmas he had seen back there in the little home. It seemed too bad that such a good family would go with little that year.
He didn't know them very well. He only knew that they were new to the area and the father had lost his job that year. His mother had sent the cookies as a welcome present as well as a holiday treat. None of his family knew just how bad the situation was for the family on the hill. He could keep quiet and enjoy the bright warm Christmas in his own warm home with its piping hot fire place and warm mugs of chocolate to go around. He could just ignore the family he barely knew. He hurried through the snow, desperate to reach his family before the storm got too much worse. But he couldn't escape the thought. What if that had been his family?
He burst into their kitchen out of breath and told his family in a rush the state of Christmas for the family up on the hill. It was like every member knew exactly what to do. No one had to discuss it or say anything. The ham was neatly wrapped, coal was packed and the presents were stacked and each child held a Christmas burden in a sack.
They came quietly to the house, stacked the present and the ham, then as the family hid the smallest member knocked upon the door before hurrying away to hide. The father's face lit up in surprise, the mothers dissolved into tears. The presents were brought inside, and as the boy's family walked slowly back to their warm home with their empty tree they could hear the songs of praise raise behind them in the little house. And the boys heart was full.
The End
Christmas is so much more then getting, it's about giving. It always has been ever since the first Christmas. My favorite thing to do at Christmas is the "ding-dong gift ditch." Mainly because it's fun to try and not get caught, but also because we're giving a gift to someone and they don't know who its from. That makes it all the more special. (Mathew 6:3) What's your favorite Christmas thing to do? Hoped you like the story, I really just made it up.
Merry Christmas.
Monday, December 13, 2010
I Love Creative Buzzes
I was so encouraged by my peers and friends reaction to midnight manor I've recently planed out a whole series! O.k. so it's a trilogy, but it's a GOOD trilogy, full of fantastical monsters, a healthy dose of adventure, scar fair, and yes, a slight bit of romance.
Here's the plan, I'm expecting a list of literary classics from my Creative Writing teacher because according to him, (and who am I to argue?) I need to recon with the "greats" before I can consider myself a legit author. Even if I never write a book with quite their style I need to know what worked before. Kinda like the universal English rule where once you know the rules you can break them? Yeah, I've been breaking rules since I was in middle school, but I can only see an upside to this "summer homework." And while I'm reading a mountain of classics I'll be weaving new and exciting tales about monsters and researching the market.
I'm planning to stick to my English Major and Exercise Physiology Minor and see where it takes me. Cause once again I've proven to myself that math and science is more than just difficult for me, it's next to impossible at the college level. What can I say? It's hard to pay attention to subjects that don't interest me. Oh well.
Anyway, this is the year that I get a million rejections from publication companies and (hopefully, cross fingers!) get one acceptance. Wish me luck!
Here's the plan, I'm expecting a list of literary classics from my Creative Writing teacher because according to him, (and who am I to argue?) I need to recon with the "greats" before I can consider myself a legit author. Even if I never write a book with quite their style I need to know what worked before. Kinda like the universal English rule where once you know the rules you can break them? Yeah, I've been breaking rules since I was in middle school, but I can only see an upside to this "summer homework." And while I'm reading a mountain of classics I'll be weaving new and exciting tales about monsters and researching the market.
I'm planning to stick to my English Major and Exercise Physiology Minor and see where it takes me. Cause once again I've proven to myself that math and science is more than just difficult for me, it's next to impossible at the college level. What can I say? It's hard to pay attention to subjects that don't interest me. Oh well.
Anyway, this is the year that I get a million rejections from publication companies and (hopefully, cross fingers!) get one acceptance. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Midnight Manor
A bit of a cliche title, but that's o.k. Then maybe no one will steal my story. I know I've been all gruff and buff the last couple of posts so I thought it was about time I got back to my CREATIVE WRITER side of me.
So for my final I've had to write a short story. I like it a lot and I could see my self flushing it out for a Young Adult audience. It's in the revision process right now, but I thought I might as well post a portion of it anyway. Enjoy
Midnight Manor
(Note: This is the journal of a girl who was shipped off to a new academy by virtue of a free scholarship her mother won in an obscure magazine. Turns out that the academy is full of myths and monsters and she must find a way to survive or be eaten alive. Her waking nightmare is embodied by three of the most powerful students in the school, a banshee, a witch, and a werecat, who call themselves "The Three" and all take great delight in tormenting her. Meanwhile students have been going missing from the academy. If there's something that hunts monsters out there our heroine isn't so sure she wants to find out what it is!)
Day 23: Operation: SURVIVE!
I know it’s been a while, but you won’t believe the horror I’ve gone through! First of all, my own parents believe I’ve gone completely mad. They won’t believe that this school is full of monsters and are convinced that I’m just being an ungrateful twit after being offered a free scholarship. All I hear from home is how lucky I am to be in a brand new school (tell that to the mice!) and how fortunate it is that I’m here for free. So I just have to survive the term, then I’ll run away to Aunt Norma’s for my own protection. She’s a bit of spiritualist so she at least might believe me. It’s a pity I can’t remember her address.
I’ve been able to mask my scent thus far with a compound of witch herbs and other ingredients. It’s a bit musky smelling, but not too bad. Besides, that’s not the worst of my problems. The so called Three have pitted me as a target for their amusement. They found it hilarious that on the first day with Professor Vald Tepes (the one and only a.k.a. Dracula!) that my last name happened to be from an obscure family line and that I had openly admitted to having no monsterly talent whatsoever.
Quinn gets quite a kick out of waking me in the morning with his wailing screeches. But being a banshee that wasn’t all he could do. I’ve been tripped and trapped by his magic on numerous occasions, and apparently it’s funny when breakfast oatmeal turns to slugs in your mouth. Adela is worse. She manages to make me feel like a dust mite just by looking at me. She does this combination of glaring and ignoring that I’ve seen before in previous schools, only her glares are usually followed by some kind of misfortune. Misplaced pencils for example, or the words on my homework assignment rearranging themselves into complete gibberish. Manu mostly ignores me. He seems limited to turning into a tiger even though he’s supposed to be a first class sorcerer. He just stands there, big as a mountain, and ignores everything and everyone with a grumpy expression, when he’s up to it though he’ll creep around and scare the daylights out of me. He’ll appear out of nowhere when I leave the loo, or jump at me from around a corner, or yell one of his terrifying roars from right behind me. It’s all very exhausting!
One last strange item of interest, the student body seems to be decreasing. The number of tables set up at meal times is getting smaller and smaller. Not that I don’t mind the decrease of potential threats, as the Three aren’t the only ones who’ll bully me, but it is slightly unnerving. No one has said why any of the students have stopped coming or if they had just gone home. The teachers don’t seem too worried about it, but still…it makes me wonder if there is a bigger threat out there, bigger than the monsters themselves. Oh, it makes me shiver just to think about it! I should stop writing now. That is the last thing I want to think about while I am here! I get enough nightmares as it is. Usually about pranks the Three will pull. (Sadly, these pranks usually come to pass.) How I wish I could just go back to my comfortable safe Delta Academy!
Later…
I just had the most terrifying fright of my life! This evening, after a particularly nasty prank by a nasty siren creature, (she had the audacity to sing my hair into a frightful knot that I couldn’t untangle!) I had wandered out to a secluded part of the estate to let out some steam. The nerve of them all! Treating me like filth just because I didn’t have a noble title or could juggle a rock with my mind! I paced back and forth in an angry stupor, imagining crushing their skulls beneath my heels. I hated them all. I hated this school. I hated my parents for forcing me to remain here, and most of all I hated the Three!
I gasped and whirled around. Something, something very large had moved out near the edge of the woods. I couldn’t quite make it out, but I could hear its breath hissing between large jaws. I grew very cold. I’d lived among monsters long enough to know that whatever I imagined could easily materialize from those woods and devour me whole. Slowly, a massive sinuous head snaked out from between two trees with a low rumbling growl followed by a long body with two chicken-like legs inching it forward slowly. The rumbling growl turned into a massive roar and I felt hot breath and sticky spittle spray across my body.
It looked like it was about to charge when there was a blinding flash of light, a loud high piercing screech that rang in my ears followed quickly by pained roar and a whooshing of a fierce wind. I don’t know when I had fallen over or closed my eyes, but when I looked up again, completely breathless the monster was gone and in his place stood another monster crouching over me (of all people!) Quinn Byrne, leader of the Three.
“What the heaven were you thinking?” he demanded, “A weakling like you wandering near these woods at night is dangerous! That Jabberwocky nearly had you for dinner! You brainless, idiotic, half-witted, human!”
“Uh…what?” I said stupidly.
“Which part of brainless, idiotic-“
“I get it alright!” I growled, “Get off me!” He moved away and didn’t offer his hand to help me up. Despite my oddly grateful feeling toward him for saving me, my gut still clenched in fear, and it wasn’t only because of the weeks of torment I’d suffered from this ghoul, he had just called me out as human. I must have looked paler than Tzeital because Quinn laughed,
“What? As if we couldn’t tell that you were a human from the start. It’s going to take a lot more than mothballs and demon awful smelling witch herbs to fool those of our blood line.” Out of the shadows behind him stepped the rest of the Three with knowing looks in their eyes. I should have known they’d be nearby. The Three were inseparable.
“Y-you knew?” My knees nearly gave out from under me, “How?”
“Apart from the smell?” said Manu, “not even witches want to smell that offensive all the time. Plus you didn’t behave like a proper whatever you were trying to be. You just acted like a scared little rabbit all the time!”
“Thanks a lot.” I said, “S-so, what now? Are you going to eat me?”
“I only eat humans on holidays,” Manu growled, “What kind of weretiger do you take me for?”
“Besides,” said Quinn, “You possess certain qualities that we monsters prize in humans. In the past, you would have been elevated from stock to private slave.”
“Is that supposed to be some kind of compliment?”
“Prophetic dreams, the ability to see ghosts, the ability to mask your identity from the weak sighted, being able to sense what you can’t see, these are all traits of a first rate psychic.”
“That’s...great.” I said. I didn’t personally notice these gifts they claimed I had and I certainly didn’t like the look in their eyes. The more they talked the more hungry they seemed to look with a lustful glint at the corners of their shinning pupils.
“Here is my proposal,” said Quinn, “you help us solve the mystery of our missing classmates, and we’ll protect you from our teachers and anyone else who just happens to find out about you. Anyone would leave you alone once they find out you’re the property of the Three.”
That’s what I thought. It’s like they said, I’d be a glorified slave. Then again, the Three were powerful, and teaming up with them could help save my skin until the end of term when I could get out of this crazy place. And, strangely, I was also curious about what had happened to the others. If powerful monsters could disappear without a trace, so could one lowly human.
“It’s the perfect combination,” said Adela in her superior snooty voice, “A breed, a sorcerer, a witch, and a psychic, we should have this case wrapped up by noon tomorrow.”
I wish I had that much confidence! I don’t know the first thing about using my powers or even if I have them at all! However, it was true that there pranks didn’t fully surprise me, and I was beginning to almost predict whenever Manu would pop out around a corner. But that could be just paranoia built up over time. It’s too much to think about now. And even at this school, there is class to worry about tomorrow.
(AAAAAaaaaannnnddd that's all folks! Just kidding. There's more but I'm slightly paranoid about putting too much of a story online. I still have a lot to go on the literacy department, but an imagination is something just as valuable. I'll probably flush this story out someday into a novel or several short novels and adventures. It all really depends.)
So for my final I've had to write a short story. I like it a lot and I could see my self flushing it out for a Young Adult audience. It's in the revision process right now, but I thought I might as well post a portion of it anyway. Enjoy
Midnight Manor
(Note: This is the journal of a girl who was shipped off to a new academy by virtue of a free scholarship her mother won in an obscure magazine. Turns out that the academy is full of myths and monsters and she must find a way to survive or be eaten alive. Her waking nightmare is embodied by three of the most powerful students in the school, a banshee, a witch, and a werecat, who call themselves "The Three" and all take great delight in tormenting her. Meanwhile students have been going missing from the academy. If there's something that hunts monsters out there our heroine isn't so sure she wants to find out what it is!)
Day 23: Operation: SURVIVE!
I know it’s been a while, but you won’t believe the horror I’ve gone through! First of all, my own parents believe I’ve gone completely mad. They won’t believe that this school is full of monsters and are convinced that I’m just being an ungrateful twit after being offered a free scholarship. All I hear from home is how lucky I am to be in a brand new school (tell that to the mice!) and how fortunate it is that I’m here for free. So I just have to survive the term, then I’ll run away to Aunt Norma’s for my own protection. She’s a bit of spiritualist so she at least might believe me. It’s a pity I can’t remember her address.
I’ve been able to mask my scent thus far with a compound of witch herbs and other ingredients. It’s a bit musky smelling, but not too bad. Besides, that’s not the worst of my problems. The so called Three have pitted me as a target for their amusement. They found it hilarious that on the first day with Professor Vald Tepes (the one and only a.k.a. Dracula!) that my last name happened to be from an obscure family line and that I had openly admitted to having no monsterly talent whatsoever.
Quinn gets quite a kick out of waking me in the morning with his wailing screeches. But being a banshee that wasn’t all he could do. I’ve been tripped and trapped by his magic on numerous occasions, and apparently it’s funny when breakfast oatmeal turns to slugs in your mouth. Adela is worse. She manages to make me feel like a dust mite just by looking at me. She does this combination of glaring and ignoring that I’ve seen before in previous schools, only her glares are usually followed by some kind of misfortune. Misplaced pencils for example, or the words on my homework assignment rearranging themselves into complete gibberish. Manu mostly ignores me. He seems limited to turning into a tiger even though he’s supposed to be a first class sorcerer. He just stands there, big as a mountain, and ignores everything and everyone with a grumpy expression, when he’s up to it though he’ll creep around and scare the daylights out of me. He’ll appear out of nowhere when I leave the loo, or jump at me from around a corner, or yell one of his terrifying roars from right behind me. It’s all very exhausting!
One last strange item of interest, the student body seems to be decreasing. The number of tables set up at meal times is getting smaller and smaller. Not that I don’t mind the decrease of potential threats, as the Three aren’t the only ones who’ll bully me, but it is slightly unnerving. No one has said why any of the students have stopped coming or if they had just gone home. The teachers don’t seem too worried about it, but still…it makes me wonder if there is a bigger threat out there, bigger than the monsters themselves. Oh, it makes me shiver just to think about it! I should stop writing now. That is the last thing I want to think about while I am here! I get enough nightmares as it is. Usually about pranks the Three will pull. (Sadly, these pranks usually come to pass.) How I wish I could just go back to my comfortable safe Delta Academy!
Later…
I just had the most terrifying fright of my life! This evening, after a particularly nasty prank by a nasty siren creature, (she had the audacity to sing my hair into a frightful knot that I couldn’t untangle!) I had wandered out to a secluded part of the estate to let out some steam. The nerve of them all! Treating me like filth just because I didn’t have a noble title or could juggle a rock with my mind! I paced back and forth in an angry stupor, imagining crushing their skulls beneath my heels. I hated them all. I hated this school. I hated my parents for forcing me to remain here, and most of all I hated the Three!
I gasped and whirled around. Something, something very large had moved out near the edge of the woods. I couldn’t quite make it out, but I could hear its breath hissing between large jaws. I grew very cold. I’d lived among monsters long enough to know that whatever I imagined could easily materialize from those woods and devour me whole. Slowly, a massive sinuous head snaked out from between two trees with a low rumbling growl followed by a long body with two chicken-like legs inching it forward slowly. The rumbling growl turned into a massive roar and I felt hot breath and sticky spittle spray across my body.
It looked like it was about to charge when there was a blinding flash of light, a loud high piercing screech that rang in my ears followed quickly by pained roar and a whooshing of a fierce wind. I don’t know when I had fallen over or closed my eyes, but when I looked up again, completely breathless the monster was gone and in his place stood another monster crouching over me (of all people!) Quinn Byrne, leader of the Three.
“What the heaven were you thinking?” he demanded, “A weakling like you wandering near these woods at night is dangerous! That Jabberwocky nearly had you for dinner! You brainless, idiotic, half-witted, human!”
“Uh…what?” I said stupidly.
“Which part of brainless, idiotic-“
“I get it alright!” I growled, “Get off me!” He moved away and didn’t offer his hand to help me up. Despite my oddly grateful feeling toward him for saving me, my gut still clenched in fear, and it wasn’t only because of the weeks of torment I’d suffered from this ghoul, he had just called me out as human. I must have looked paler than Tzeital because Quinn laughed,
“What? As if we couldn’t tell that you were a human from the start. It’s going to take a lot more than mothballs and demon awful smelling witch herbs to fool those of our blood line.” Out of the shadows behind him stepped the rest of the Three with knowing looks in their eyes. I should have known they’d be nearby. The Three were inseparable.
“Y-you knew?” My knees nearly gave out from under me, “How?”
“Apart from the smell?” said Manu, “not even witches want to smell that offensive all the time. Plus you didn’t behave like a proper whatever you were trying to be. You just acted like a scared little rabbit all the time!”
“Thanks a lot.” I said, “S-so, what now? Are you going to eat me?”
“I only eat humans on holidays,” Manu growled, “What kind of weretiger do you take me for?”
“Besides,” said Quinn, “You possess certain qualities that we monsters prize in humans. In the past, you would have been elevated from stock to private slave.”
“Is that supposed to be some kind of compliment?”
“Prophetic dreams, the ability to see ghosts, the ability to mask your identity from the weak sighted, being able to sense what you can’t see, these are all traits of a first rate psychic.”
“That’s...great.” I said. I didn’t personally notice these gifts they claimed I had and I certainly didn’t like the look in their eyes. The more they talked the more hungry they seemed to look with a lustful glint at the corners of their shinning pupils.
“Here is my proposal,” said Quinn, “you help us solve the mystery of our missing classmates, and we’ll protect you from our teachers and anyone else who just happens to find out about you. Anyone would leave you alone once they find out you’re the property of the Three.”
That’s what I thought. It’s like they said, I’d be a glorified slave. Then again, the Three were powerful, and teaming up with them could help save my skin until the end of term when I could get out of this crazy place. And, strangely, I was also curious about what had happened to the others. If powerful monsters could disappear without a trace, so could one lowly human.
“It’s the perfect combination,” said Adela in her superior snooty voice, “A breed, a sorcerer, a witch, and a psychic, we should have this case wrapped up by noon tomorrow.”
I wish I had that much confidence! I don’t know the first thing about using my powers or even if I have them at all! However, it was true that there pranks didn’t fully surprise me, and I was beginning to almost predict whenever Manu would pop out around a corner. But that could be just paranoia built up over time. It’s too much to think about now. And even at this school, there is class to worry about tomorrow.
(AAAAAaaaaannnnddd that's all folks! Just kidding. There's more but I'm slightly paranoid about putting too much of a story online. I still have a lot to go on the literacy department, but an imagination is something just as valuable. I'll probably flush this story out someday into a novel or several short novels and adventures. It all really depends.)
Saturday, December 4, 2010
IT'S OVER!! ......or is it?
The triathlon is over.
But first, the couple dance. I made it two rounds with my partner, which turned out to be a good thing because I had about 10 minutes to get to the pool. We had fun. He wore a snazzy fedora and a pin-stripped suit with a black button up and a red tie. (I can see why girls like the mafia look. Very attractive.) I wore my white fluffy skirt and silk blue shirt. We were excellent dance partners. I think what killed us was that we made up a new move in the second round. Oh well, we had fun anyway.
I was VERY impressed by how gentlemanly he was. He even offered a hand to help me jump down from a high place and always escorted me everywhere we went. He was impressed with the upper upperclassman's shiny shirts and more than once wished he was wearing it. I told him that he should go ask him for it after-wards or steal it off his back as I could imagine him having a gun holster hidden under that jacket. (then in an accent) "I don't know why but the Family wants the shirt. Give it to me now!" He laughed.
Triathlon.
I finished it! Well duh, all I had to do was keep going until the time ran out, but it was still hard. There was only one other guy competing with me and when we got to the treadmills he started talking to me.
"First time?"
pant pant "Yes"
"You're doing pretty good for your first time.
pant pant pant "Thanks!
Ending score? I did 350yd swim, a 4 mile bike ride (it was the bikes I swear! Thank goodness we actually used the standing up ones and not the reclining ones or I would have been sunk!) and a 1.7 mile run. I feel really good...and really tired. I still have one more competition to get to tonight. I think I'll just stay for my five dances, 90 mins, and group performance then go hit the sack.
Later
So I really didn't want to go to the dance. I was pooped! Wonder why? In addition to the goings on above I've been running all over town and campus to help my roommates decorate our apartment for a Christmas competition. Fun. But exhausting. I had to literally drag my feet out the door. But once I got to the dance I was able to put on a happy face and practice with my group, (If you could call it that, a good half-hour of it was arguing) and then dancing with six different partners in the first half. All very charming and good men. Changed for our performance and danced with four more guys then performed. We fudged our way through it, but finished with style. All in all. A good day.
But first, the couple dance. I made it two rounds with my partner, which turned out to be a good thing because I had about 10 minutes to get to the pool. We had fun. He wore a snazzy fedora and a pin-stripped suit with a black button up and a red tie. (I can see why girls like the mafia look. Very attractive.) I wore my white fluffy skirt and silk blue shirt. We were excellent dance partners. I think what killed us was that we made up a new move in the second round. Oh well, we had fun anyway.
I was VERY impressed by how gentlemanly he was. He even offered a hand to help me jump down from a high place and always escorted me everywhere we went. He was impressed with the upper upperclassman's shiny shirts and more than once wished he was wearing it. I told him that he should go ask him for it after-wards or steal it off his back as I could imagine him having a gun holster hidden under that jacket. (then in an accent) "I don't know why but the Family wants the shirt. Give it to me now!" He laughed.
Triathlon.
I finished it! Well duh, all I had to do was keep going until the time ran out, but it was still hard. There was only one other guy competing with me and when we got to the treadmills he started talking to me.
"First time?"
pant pant "Yes"
"You're doing pretty good for your first time.
pant pant pant "Thanks!
Ending score? I did 350yd swim, a 4 mile bike ride (it was the bikes I swear! Thank goodness we actually used the standing up ones and not the reclining ones or I would have been sunk!) and a 1.7 mile run. I feel really good...and really tired. I still have one more competition to get to tonight. I think I'll just stay for my five dances, 90 mins, and group performance then go hit the sack.
Later
So I really didn't want to go to the dance. I was pooped! Wonder why? In addition to the goings on above I've been running all over town and campus to help my roommates decorate our apartment for a Christmas competition. Fun. But exhausting. I had to literally drag my feet out the door. But once I got to the dance I was able to put on a happy face and practice with my group, (If you could call it that, a good half-hour of it was arguing) and then dancing with six different partners in the first half. All very charming and good men. Changed for our performance and danced with four more guys then performed. We fudged our way through it, but finished with style. All in all. A good day.
Friday, December 3, 2010
NERVES!!!
I feel like my blood is on fire and my breath just isn't working the way it's supposed to because some demon decided to lodge it's claws deep into my chest!
Why?
I'll tell you why...
I can't believe I did this to myself. I have a couple dance competition at 9:45 am tomorrow, a triathlon at 10:30 am, a last minute rehearsal at 7:00 and a group/formal dance at 9:00 pm!!! Hello, I'm not very good at competitions. Part of the reason why I sounded so bad as a trumpeter in band was because I would get so tight on stage that I couldn't play. Sports is a whole different stage but it's still a stage I can look like an idiot on. I'm excited to compete, but I'm also scared out of my wits!
Earlier this semester I tried to participate in a Saturday dodge-ball tournament, besides the fact that it looked like I was going to have to wait at least 4 HOURS before I'd even get to play, my brain kept telling me, "You're not an athlete, you can't do this, you don't belong here." So..I left.
I'm scared that I'm going to walk into that pool room and that same demonic voice is going to enter my skull and ruin my performance. It doesn't help that they changed the rules LAST MINUTE. Instead of getting as much time as I want to complete 300yd swim, 8 mile bike, and 2 mile run. I only get 10 min to swim, 20 min to bike, and 15 min to run as far as I can and it doesn't matter how far that is. PLUS we're not using the stationaries but the the reclining machine bikes. Totally different muscle groups and brand of equipment. I've been training on the wrong bikes all month!!
I'm wearing my 2010 champion shirt that I earned in ward softball as a sort of good luck charm. Praying would be a good idea too. Whatever happens tomorrow I'm going to do this. For me if nothing else. Because I don't want to go back to that girl who wasn't confident at all and couldn't do the things she wanted to.
I've always wanted to be an athlete, ever since I was in elementary school and saw all those kids running ahead of me and feeling so angry and ashamed at myself for being fat and slow I've dreamed of being with the kids up front. I've always admired athletes. And I believe that if I really wanted to I could become a triathlete. I could compete in the big cities someday. I just got to get over this mental block that I'm not good enough to do this. I've trained all month for this. I'm going to do it no matter what. If I can't do this, what right have I to believe that I can achieve any of my dreams? It's not like they're going to kick me out of the race. I could do only one lap and they'd still keep me. It's not difficult. But I'd still like to try for the original distances anyway. That would really make my day.
Wish me luck.
Why?
I'll tell you why...
I can't believe I did this to myself. I have a couple dance competition at 9:45 am tomorrow, a triathlon at 10:30 am, a last minute rehearsal at 7:00 and a group/formal dance at 9:00 pm!!! Hello, I'm not very good at competitions. Part of the reason why I sounded so bad as a trumpeter in band was because I would get so tight on stage that I couldn't play. Sports is a whole different stage but it's still a stage I can look like an idiot on. I'm excited to compete, but I'm also scared out of my wits!
Earlier this semester I tried to participate in a Saturday dodge-ball tournament, besides the fact that it looked like I was going to have to wait at least 4 HOURS before I'd even get to play, my brain kept telling me, "You're not an athlete, you can't do this, you don't belong here." So..I left.
I'm scared that I'm going to walk into that pool room and that same demonic voice is going to enter my skull and ruin my performance. It doesn't help that they changed the rules LAST MINUTE. Instead of getting as much time as I want to complete 300yd swim, 8 mile bike, and 2 mile run. I only get 10 min to swim, 20 min to bike, and 15 min to run as far as I can and it doesn't matter how far that is. PLUS we're not using the stationaries but the the reclining machine bikes. Totally different muscle groups and brand of equipment. I've been training on the wrong bikes all month!!
I'm wearing my 2010 champion shirt that I earned in ward softball as a sort of good luck charm. Praying would be a good idea too. Whatever happens tomorrow I'm going to do this. For me if nothing else. Because I don't want to go back to that girl who wasn't confident at all and couldn't do the things she wanted to.
I've always wanted to be an athlete, ever since I was in elementary school and saw all those kids running ahead of me and feeling so angry and ashamed at myself for being fat and slow I've dreamed of being with the kids up front. I've always admired athletes. And I believe that if I really wanted to I could become a triathlete. I could compete in the big cities someday. I just got to get over this mental block that I'm not good enough to do this. I've trained all month for this. I'm going to do it no matter what. If I can't do this, what right have I to believe that I can achieve any of my dreams? It's not like they're going to kick me out of the race. I could do only one lap and they'd still keep me. It's not difficult. But I'd still like to try for the original distances anyway. That would really make my day.
Wish me luck.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Tutoring is like a Bowl of Psychology
It's official. I love my job. End of story.
I am a writing tutor and my students are usually freshmen. They come to our office and I sit with them and talk about the pieces they have assigned in the class and give them a short grammar lesson. It may be required work for them to come see me once a week, but for me it's weekly fun!
For instance, I just had a student who wanted to write her final paper about when her family adopted a little girl and custody battle that followed. This papers only guideline is that they need to use all of the tools that they've learned through the semester in being physically, emotionally, and psychology descriptive. Meaning being able to show me the place, make me feel what they felt, and perhaps get a relate able moral to boot.
This is a place where I get to put my psychologist hat on. In addition to the question, "How did you feel about that?" I ask "What else can you tell me about this event? At what point did you have the change of heart? Is there a specific moment or was it gradual?" It's great. And I usually get a laugh out of it.
In other news. Crystal is sitting right next to me and is acting like a creeper! Haha, just kidding. She's my dance buddy and new friend as of this year. She teaches with the enemy tutors "across the glass" eeeevvvviiiillll. Anyway gotta go.
I am a writing tutor and my students are usually freshmen. They come to our office and I sit with them and talk about the pieces they have assigned in the class and give them a short grammar lesson. It may be required work for them to come see me once a week, but for me it's weekly fun!
For instance, I just had a student who wanted to write her final paper about when her family adopted a little girl and custody battle that followed. This papers only guideline is that they need to use all of the tools that they've learned through the semester in being physically, emotionally, and psychology descriptive. Meaning being able to show me the place, make me feel what they felt, and perhaps get a relate able moral to boot.
This is a place where I get to put my psychologist hat on. In addition to the question, "How did you feel about that?" I ask "What else can you tell me about this event? At what point did you have the change of heart? Is there a specific moment or was it gradual?" It's great. And I usually get a laugh out of it.
In other news. Crystal is sitting right next to me and is acting like a creeper! Haha, just kidding. She's my dance buddy and new friend as of this year. She teaches with the enemy tutors "across the glass" eeeevvvviiiillll. Anyway gotta go.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Just because you've never done it before doesn't mean you'll never be able to
New life decision! In addition to my life goals of being a mom, author, and physical therapy assistant I'm going to be a tri-athlete! And someday, I'd like to run in the Boston Marathon.
I know that seems a bit much, but all this cardio over the past month has got me thinking...I like being competitive. I like the conditioning and the goal making and the promise of a competition at the end. So why not?
I was talking about this with a friend of mine at work and the guy sitting next to us over-heard the whole thing...coincidences of coincidences he's actually run in the Boston Marathon, was wearing the jacket to prove it, and was planning on trying out for the Olympics. Hello!
In other news I have a couple of goals for this winter. Starting with a job shadow this Monday at a physical therapy clinic where I plan to make myself as marketable as possible and then maybe land a job that I could keep year round at school. Also, I'm going to research the publishing process religiously and see if I can't get an article in a few magazines, maybe land an agent and a book deal. Probably not this year, but I have to start sometime.
Sigh, so many dreams, so little time. Maybe I'm going to have to postpone my learning to play the violin/piano, skydiving, scuba diving, and Europe tour goals? I may seem like a bit of a dreamer, but my attitude has always been and probably always will be...well...why not? Just a bit of motivation and maybe a little cash and you're golden. Life is meant to be an adventure and I fully intend to live it even with all its faults and disappointments. That's part of what makes it exciting. There's always something that can be worked towards and talents that can be perfected and obstacles to overcome.
Speaking of which here's Obstacles I've recently overcome that are responsible for my current happy mood:
The idea that my body image has anything to do with my relationships with people. The truth is that people are attracted to personality, not curves (or extreme excess of them) And as long as I'm truly happy with myself nothing else matters.
The lie that I'm a horrible person that no one likes me because I've done x,y, and z. The past is the past. If I was perfect I'd be God. All I have control over is myself and I am pretty awesome and can live that way today and forever. Learn from history, but always move forward, not backward.
I can't run or do things because I'm not enough whatever...well guess what...I can RUN!! Enough said.
Healthy food is gross and too much work. Reality check, I like healthy food and how it makes me feel and helps my body perform and I'm a pretty good cook too.
I'll never be able to publish. A whole semester of Creative Writing later and people saying awesome things about my work = a great confidence booster. Even the negative comments made me feel good about it. I guess that's because it shows me that they actually cared enough to think about it unlike in high school where I had this "good writer" stigma so no one even bothered to look over my stuff and just said, "It was good." Psh, heck yeah it was good, but it still bothered me that they didn't even read it.
Moral of the story? Life can be amazing if you just change your focus and perspective. Then all things are possible.
I know that seems a bit much, but all this cardio over the past month has got me thinking...I like being competitive. I like the conditioning and the goal making and the promise of a competition at the end. So why not?
I was talking about this with a friend of mine at work and the guy sitting next to us over-heard the whole thing...coincidences of coincidences he's actually run in the Boston Marathon, was wearing the jacket to prove it, and was planning on trying out for the Olympics. Hello!
In other news I have a couple of goals for this winter. Starting with a job shadow this Monday at a physical therapy clinic where I plan to make myself as marketable as possible and then maybe land a job that I could keep year round at school. Also, I'm going to research the publishing process religiously and see if I can't get an article in a few magazines, maybe land an agent and a book deal. Probably not this year, but I have to start sometime.
Sigh, so many dreams, so little time. Maybe I'm going to have to postpone my learning to play the violin/piano, skydiving, scuba diving, and Europe tour goals? I may seem like a bit of a dreamer, but my attitude has always been and probably always will be...well...why not? Just a bit of motivation and maybe a little cash and you're golden. Life is meant to be an adventure and I fully intend to live it even with all its faults and disappointments. That's part of what makes it exciting. There's always something that can be worked towards and talents that can be perfected and obstacles to overcome.
Speaking of which here's Obstacles I've recently overcome that are responsible for my current happy mood:
The idea that my body image has anything to do with my relationships with people. The truth is that people are attracted to personality, not curves (or extreme excess of them) And as long as I'm truly happy with myself nothing else matters.
The lie that I'm a horrible person that no one likes me because I've done x,y, and z. The past is the past. If I was perfect I'd be God. All I have control over is myself and I am pretty awesome and can live that way today and forever. Learn from history, but always move forward, not backward.
I can't run or do things because I'm not enough whatever...well guess what...I can RUN!! Enough said.
Healthy food is gross and too much work. Reality check, I like healthy food and how it makes me feel and helps my body perform and I'm a pretty good cook too.
I'll never be able to publish. A whole semester of Creative Writing later and people saying awesome things about my work = a great confidence booster. Even the negative comments made me feel good about it. I guess that's because it shows me that they actually cared enough to think about it unlike in high school where I had this "good writer" stigma so no one even bothered to look over my stuff and just said, "It was good." Psh, heck yeah it was good, but it still bothered me that they didn't even read it.
Moral of the story? Life can be amazing if you just change your focus and perspective. Then all things are possible.
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