Line 'em up, line 'em all up...

Hello and welcome to a long-overdue post! :)

Yes, yes. You know what I'm going to say: I've been busy and tired and blah, blah, blah. No one likes to hear the same old excuses, even if they're true. Which they are. :P

However, I decided that I should quit neglecting my creative mind like I have been for the past few months and update my blog. You're welcome. Haha.

I recently got a job in my hometown, which I'm pretty excited about. I don't get paid much, but I'm working with kids in a local version of Chuck-E-Cheese and I get to socialize with people from my old school. AND IT'S NOT HORRIBLE! :D Haha. I was really surprised, to be honest. I worry that I can't socialize with people outside the Academy, but things like that help me realize that yeah, I'm weird (duh.), but not so weird that I can't talk to people who I used to be able to talk to. I got my first paycheck three weeks ago, which feels like forever, but I feel like I'm actually making my way in the world instead of solely relying on an allowance that my mom provides for me. I do appreciate her doing it, but I needed a job. So I got one. And I'm happy about it. 

I've also been working really hard lately with my Research in Humanities course and my Research Creative Projects independent study research. Apparently I'm the first person to have ever taken these two courses at the same time, and now I know why! It's really tough, stressful, and time-consuming, but it's been worth it. My full proposal is being turned in to the board of directors for my RCP project and I'm really hoping it gets accepted. Only seven people are endeavoring to take part in it, so I feel that if I fail at this point in the game, it'll be all for not. Only a few people in the eight or so years have been declined, though, which makes me hopeful. My Research in Humanities class was really great, and was taught by one of my favorite teachers. I did research about Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and its feminist ideals, Alcott's personal struggles while authoring it, and her society's reactions to her work. I ended up doing an alternative creative project by hand-making three diaries from Alcott and two young(ish) girls who read her book, all in different time periods. I'm really proud of my work, honestly, and I'm interested in seeing how well I did.

I finally got to meet part of Misha's extended family this weekend, too! His grandparents on his mother's side came down to visit from Utah (I think) and spent the weekend at his house, and on Sunday they took him, me, his mom and dad, and his younger sister and older brother out to eat at a delicious burger place in the city we go to school in. His grandparents were so sweet and funny and I had a really good time socializing with them. Thankfully, our Indiana weather held up enough to not rain or feel horrendously humid while we were eating. Overall, I'd say I had a great weekend, between working, getting my bunk bed out of the dorm room, and spending time with his family.

As the year is winding down, I've found myself de-stressing a lot. Now, I think the one final I have to take this week has a lot to do with it, considering how many other people have (an average of 4+), but I know that I have worked hard enough and consistently enough to deserve a little break before May Term comes around. Of course, spending time with my boyfriend, some of my good friends, and my all-time favorite teacher who I have a huge crush on isn't exactly punishment, either. ;) Haha. I've also purchased a 100% recycled journal and made use of some amazing multicolored pens Misha gave me to write down things I'm thinking so my brain doesn't get too overloaded. I know that I still have a blog, tumblr, facebook, quote book, poetry journal, and diary, but they're all for different purposes; I honestly don't think I could put all of the contents of them into one...thing. Haha. It just doesn't make much sense to me. It has helped me out a lot, though, and I plan on maintaining it for as long as I can.

By the way, I think Twitter in itself isn't a bad idea, but the fact that people use it to talk down about or be passively-aggressively (sp?) rude to others is bullshit. Of course, people always tend to ruin nice things. relkgnelkrgnlw

I'm really excited for this summer! I'm planning on doing a lot of working, visiting Misha as often as possible, and looking for scholarships so I can pay as little as possible to go to Manchester University. :)

Oh! Prom is this weekend, too. Everything is coming up so quickly! Honestly, I never wanted/planned to attend Prom until I came to the Academy. It just didn't seem like it'd be any fun if I had to be around people I didn't like. While there are people here at the Academy I don't like, I think going here for Prom will be a better experience for me overall. Misha's coming home with me the night before so I can get my hair and nails done (weird) and we can take pictures in a nice park in my town instead of paying far too much for some taken by a business. I'll try to remember to post pictures on here, but they'll probably just end up on Facebook. Haha. I'm planning on doing understated black/red/white this year and next year going all-out in a floor-length purple mermaid-style gown with silver accents. Haha. My mom would probably have a fit if I decided against wearing that dress. It does look durn good on me, though.

Well, it was nice chatting/ranting with you. :)

Postly read:
TUMBLR - Pusheen!

Postly Cute Cat Picture:

He's so derpy! :D

Things and some more things...

Well, people have been on my arse about writing a new post lately, and now (for the first time ALL YEAR), since I don't have any homework, I decided to write a new post. Woohoo. I'm just going to write about some stuff that's been on my mind lately...I guess that's nothing new for blog posts, though. This just won't have much consistency in regards to how the topics will connect.
I guess it doesn't really matter if it's okay with you or not. Haha. Oh, well.

I've been thinking a lot about the past lately. More specifically, my personal past. Visiting Greenfield-Central (my old high school) spurred a lot of that thinking, mostly because of how dreadful it was for me.
Of course, it wasn't all bad. I just want you guys from G-C to know that I don't hate you.
Well, if you're reading this, I don't hate you. Haha.
A lot of people - and the people there as a whole - made me miserable, but if they hadn't, I wouldn't be nearly as happy to get away and be living the life I've wanted to live for so long.
I also really miss being able to do whatever the hell I wanted to while I was at Greenfield; I worked in the main office for a class period, so I ran passes and socialized in the hallways. I also managed to only have one Study Hall the whole time I was there, which was nice. Even when I just went back to visit, the principal remembered me and called me by name. He even let me have a visitor's pass to go see my teachers and old friends, which is prohibited due to safety issues.
Needless to say, I was kind of given the star treatment by the adults. It didn't make staying there any more worth staying at, though, not by any means.
I miss my guy friends the most. James and Alex, Zac and Jarred. Sure, we have history together. Sure, I messed some shit up for some of them. Yeah, things are kind of tense with us. But you know what? It's worth it. They let me stick around long enough to get used to me and even develop a friendship with me. That's something I really treasure and desire when it comes to people. I want people to not like me right away! Things are so much more fun that way. Haha. Anyways, they are and always will be "the guys," whether they want/like/care about it or not.
I miss a few females from G-C, too, but I won't name them for the sake of being called out on it later. Let's just say if I take the time to contact you first every once in a while, I miss you. :)
The past sucks. It's the same with everyone, which is a lesson I've learned slowly, but it's true. Almost everyone I know is ashamed of the way they used to be. You know what, though? It's okay. It really is.

I'm setting out and already starting to move out of the Academy. Just stuff I won't use for the next few months, but it makes a big difference. Living in a 12x12 room with another person, you'd think you wouldn't have much stuff. You are so wrong! Every time I went home, I would take stuff back and bring less than half of that amount back. I suppose it's better to be overprepared than under.
I've come to realize how ridiculous how much I clean is. I'll clean other people's rooms for them just because I want to clean. Okay, okay. It's more than a want. It's almost a compulsion. It's not interfering with my sleep/work/eating/relationships, so I'm not really worried about it. I guess I've realized how bad it is since coming to the Academy and seeing how clean I am in comparison to other people.
I'm just picky.
And GUESS WHAT!?
I'm more than okay with it!
I'm loving myself. I really am.
Maybe it's because today was a really good day, but I'm feeling so much better about everything.

I haven't been doing much more than schoolwork lately, but I'm pretty excited for Spring Break coming up next week. I'm planning on looking for a job somewhere in town for the summer, volunteering so I can get my community service hours worked on, cleaning up and cleaning out my room some more, and trying not to miss Misha. It's hard, guys. It really is. Breaks get me more and more psyched up for next year. I'll have fewer classes, a later-starting schedule (eight o'clocks are killer. -.-), and more free time to get things like my Research Creative Project and college applications done. I don't know if that's slacking off by the standards of most people, but I don't think I can do any more than that, let alone want to do any more. If you're reading this, you should know me better than that. Haha.

I miss my mom all the time, which is probably the most painful experience of the Academy. Yes, I'm close to my mom, and yes, I have friends. My mom is my main support system, fountain of all things knowledge, and humor. She knows exactly what I need when I need it and does more than enough as a single mom to make me feel worthwhile, taken seriously, and loved. I just wish that I could spend more time with her, even though that time will be less and less within the next few years. It happens, though, but she'll always be my Mama and I'll always be her Bebee. :) <3

Misha is wonderful and does everything that he possibly can to make me feel like the most beautiful and cared-for woman in the world. He succeeds, too, and somehow keeps me young in the process. :) He already knows how much I love him, though!

Postly Nuggets of Wisdom:
"What you want is important and it matters. It is the most important thing in the world."
"If someone decides to spew on you, it's their shit. Their shit's weak and it's not about you, so don't make it about you. You're great, but not that great. I don't see anything wrong with you at all."

Postly Read:
Because I haven't been reading much lately, I advise cracked.com. It's always funny and has great random information that's true and entertaining. 

Postly Cute Cat Photo:

I guess that's it for now! Thanks for reading! :)

Patience is a virtue...

And one that I think I'm finally getting the hang of.
I don't really know how, why, or when, but I've discovered the art of being patient in any given situation.
For example, if you're walking from one place to another for a very long time on a hot day with people who won't be quiet, imagine yourself sitting in the car with the A/C on or the windows down with your favorite song playing. Imagine the air blowing across your cheeks and cooling your skin while your legs thank you graciously for giving them a rest. Go, in essence, to your happy place. It may be your ideal situation at that time or a specific memory you go back to in times of high-stress. The key, though, is to imagine it in the most detailed way possible, all senses included.
It works. I promise.


Postly Read:
Err...about that...I've been a little busy lately. >.<
I'll post a quote, though. How does that sound?
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell


Postly Nugget of Wisdom:
Honesty is the best policy. However, you need to be honest with yourself before you're "honest" with other people. See through your "good intentions" (and gooberness) and figure out why you're doing what you're doing. You'll save yourself and others from pain and suffering.*


*My Postly Nuggets of Wisdom aren't directed toward anyone's behavior but my own.




Postly Cat Picture:

                                                       
I really miss my cat, guys and gals. She's pretty much the best feline companion I could ever ask for, and over Winter Break she finally got over her anger of my leaving and cuddled with me whenever I sat down. Oh, cats! :)


Thanks for reading, kids.

"The Rose Bowl, The Toilet Bowl, The Chip Bowl..." No, this isn't about football!

Imagine this for me, if you will:
A social setting, some kind of get-together. About nine people are gathered for some reason or another.
- The Host(s) - n. plural: The person/people holding a get-together at their home or location of choice, prepares most of the food, and introduces anyone who does not know one or more of the other guests of the get-together.
- The "Happy" Couple - n. singular: The two people of a relationship at the get-together who might or might not be in a fulfilling relationship; the man of this couple is quite arrogant, was once a woman-chaser and longs to return to those days, who would rather manage his business applications on his Blackberry than socialize, and who seems to not give a damn about anyone else; the amicable, slightly-overweight-but-still-beautiful wife who adores her husband / significant other for all the wrong reasons and takes to either attempting to turn his disinterest into a joke or flat-out ignoring him.
- The Has-Been Popular Girls - n. plural: Two (or more) females at the get-together who spend most of the time passing alluding to girls the attend(ed) high school with / restaurants that "just absolutely blew [them] away that you ABSOLUTELY MUST GO TO!!!!" / the life of others at the get-together to stock up on gossip; the females of the party who truly do care about the others attending the get-together but make it appear as though they aren't the generous, kind individuals they are on the inside; the ones who arrive "fashionably late" and leave early...and together.
- The Socially Hopeless - n. singular / plural: One or more individuals of the get-together, typically males, who were obviously the very sheltered, highly intelligent males during their school years who never got around to socializing and learning social etiquette; the individual making frequent additions to the conversation to clarify or correct the claims of the other individuals; hopelessly tactless; ridiculously wealthy and worldly, typically owning more than one home in more than one country, fluent in 3 or more languages, and most likely teaches or works with technology; Sasha Chemey (I adore Sasha, don't get me wrong. If you know him, though, this is it).


How do you think this would play out? Who would you imagine to socialize with each other? I suppose I'm a very biased party, what with seeing the worst in the stereotypes very clearly represented in the get-together I witnessed, but seriously!? These were ALL adults over the age of sixty, not including my mom and myself. Still acting the same way, still judging each other...Let me paint one last picture for you to see it clearly.


We're sitting at the dining table, chatting away, as everyone has (finally! -.-) arrived. The arrogant husband and the socially hopeless are discussing the roots / similarities / differences / etc. of different languages while I interject to help support the absolutely correct socially hopeless against the arrogant, passive disbelief of the husband. The host is sharing sad stories about her dead father to the has-been popular girls and the wife of the happy couple has already started drinking at eight o'clock so she may attempt to enjoy her evening. Soon, everyone starts in on the serious discussion of if having a five-day notice of your death would be advantageous and helpful for closure or a crutch for those who never had closure and "need the last word." People start to get offended and, even three hours later, cannot prevent themselves from mentioning the "five days notice" to the person who was the most passionate about the discussion, the arrogant husband. Everyone's just so passive about disliking each other; no one has the 'nads to speak up for fear of "offending" anyone else.
One word: Obnoxious.


I'll never be a good adult. Luckily, I didn't know these people well so I couldn't call them out on their shit. Once I'm in a situation like that, though, almost everyone is going to hate me. Haha. I'll defend the socially hopeless until I die because, truly, that could have been me. I wouldn't say that I'm thankful that it isn't, but I think my level of passion just doesn't allow it.


Postly Nugget of Wisdom: Adult social situations are just as bad, if not worse, than teenage social situations...and a with a lot more innuendos.




On a lighter note, I finished I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou today, and I enjoyed it fairly well. I'm not usually one for African-American Literature, but this was well-written and kept my attention with its shorter, vignette-type stories. This will be known as the "postly read" after this...post. I'd give it 3.75 stars. Don't ask me what that looks like. I dunno!


Finally, California has a lot of dogs. All different kinds of dogs! As my mom put it, "Well, everyone here seems to walk. They must think, 'Well, if I'm gonna walk, I might as well have a dog to go around and pee on everything with.'" The only cats I've seen here were disgusting, but that was only because the owners were disgusting, so it doesn't count.


Looks like I covered everything: Cats, Lit, and Life. I hope it was worth the wait. :)

Getting Started - Woah, Buddy!

Well, as it is, I have finally succumbed to getting a blog. I'm not sure if it was the pressure from my wonderful guy, Misha Chemey, or from the Peer Tutoring supervisor at my elite high school who told me I wouldn't succeed in my dreams to be an English professor if I didn't create a blog.


ANYWAYZ!


Misha told me I should post about how wonderful he is for helping me create and design this blog. He really is great, y'know. He's a genius with computers and has helped me exponentially when it comes to Macs (which our high school provided for us), Google Chrome, and all that good stuff. Honestly, it has all made my life a lot easier and more technology-friendly, as much as I hate to say it.


...But don't tell him that. He's gonna brag.


I guess I've always wanted to make a blog, but it was hard for me to come to the point where I asked to get one. I suppose I've always worried if my thoughts are good enough to share with the world rather than just keeping them in my diary. Hopefully I won't let anyone down.


I'll conclude this first post with saying I don't know how often I'll post and if it'll be worth reading, but I suppose it's worth a shot. Thanks for reading. :)


- Karli