Goodbye, BEDA.

I'm attending a leadership seminar tomorrow. I don't quite know what to expect besides that it "will feature speakers who are local leaders in business, science, education, government and other professions," and the theme is "2010, Leadership for Change". I have mixed feelings about giving up a Saturday and sleeping in to do this. I'll take one for the team?

I've been researching various vintage cameras like the Diana+. I want one. Is this unreasonable?

This is my last day of BEDA. I did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself. I only missed two days out of the whole 30. I appreciate those who commented, and especially those who commented frequently. It made it all worthwhile.

Today in math class we had to write a five paragraph essay. Eww. The prompt was if we had the power to change three things about our school, what would they be and why. Ingeniously I said I'd get rid of the mandatory writing of a five paragraph essay each grading period. I'm such a rebel. The kid that sits next to me wrote about how the lights should be replaced with candles. None of us took it really seriously.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Down the rabbit hole.

Aniesa kindly brought me a Hot Fudge Sundae pop-tart today. Finally, I'm cultured! And now I can stop getting the shocked looks I got when I told people I'd never had one before. I'm not sure they'll become my favorite snack, but perhaps from time to time I'll indulge.

I'm excited for my Catcher in the Rye themed art project. Meanwhile, I've thought about doing something Alice in Wonderland themed as well. Here's a sneak peak:
As evident by the shadow, the pictured Alice is a pop-up and can be flattened when the cardboard is folded closed. It won't be as amazing as the pop-up book made by Robert Sabuda, though. No way, Jose.

I'm extremely close to being done with my homeless man project. My teacher has been having me add things bit by bit to improve upon it so hopefully it will turn out extra awesome.

This Monday wasn't that bad. Still, Tuesday can be better.

Sore throats are the worst.

I have a math quiz tomorrow which I'm just dying to get over with. But you know how it goes: I stress no matter what.

Here's the version of my bottle cap tree, complete with tissue paper, that I entered into an Arbor Day art contest,. As I said the other day, I won 3rd place. I went to pick up my prize today. Woot!
I want to do a few things to touch it up, yet I'm proud of it. I liked my idea and am very glad I carried it out. I'm $20 richer because of it. Now I can use the money to pay for the mattes and canvases I've gotten from my teacher. It's a cycle, that's for sure.

I wish I didn't have a cold. Blegh. And if wishes were fishes...oh, you finish it!

It's one of those nights.

I've spent most of my time texting my best friend, watching YouTube videos and enjoying not having any homework. I'm living the good life.

I'm accepting my award for the arbor day contest tomorrow evening. Also, if possible, I'll be getting a hair-cut in the afternoon. My bangs need snipping. They are just about at their awkward length where no matter how you wear them, you look like a fool.

I really want to go to the beach. I get my big chance this weekend-- more or less -- because I'm going with fellow advanced art classmates to compete in a sand sculpting contest. It should be fun. It's one of those things you have to do once. If I hate it, I'll just never ever do it again. Simple as that.

Wounded.

I went for an invigorating bike ride this early evening. I think I might try to make it a habit. After all, I could stand to be in better shape.

Today I missed two classes because of four guest speakers for history. All were Vietnam War, er, conflict, veterans ready to share their stories. One man went through a heckuva lot in the same 36 hours. First, he managed to get severely wounded out on the field. He described and gestured that he had shrapnel all along his left side. As expected, he was treated and bandaged all up good as new and back serving his duty as a truck driver. However, just as he was about to unload his first box of ammo at one site, a missile launches into the truck (a direct hit!) and he is propelled into the air to some 50 odd feet away. In the process he managed to lose his entire left arm. Fortunately, he received medical treatment and someone found his arm. He was injected with more morphine than necessary and the doctor failed to mark his forehead with an 'M'. This causes the man's heartbeat to decrease enough to fool the doctor into pronouncing him dead. He's then shipped to a death ward inside a body bag --with his arm still detached -- only to open his eyes later. Then he's finally operated on! This doctor successfully sews his arm back on, but doesn't think the man will last very long. He's put in a helicopter to be transported yet another place when the helicopter is shot down.

Moral of the story: don't travel anywhere with this man.

Anyway, it was an incredible experience. I appreciate those who served in Vietnam.

Math homework, here I come.

Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars?

(via here.)

As much fun as it's been to write an update on my life everyday, BEDA is getting somewhat tiresome. It's probably become tedious to you too, dear readers. I don't blame you, really. Regardless, I'm going to try to continue so I can stay true to my word. We'll see how it goes.

It was blissful to not have any homework this weekend.

Distorted.

Take a look through my lenses. I swear my bangs have a mind of their own.

I just watched Iron Man for the first time. Aah-may-zing! I finally understand why almost everyone of my friends on Facebook and Myspace at the time of its theater release wrote about going to see it.

You had me going for a minute there.

The cake is finished. I have an upset stomach due to the unorthodox amount of frosting I consumed while decorating it, though.

The cake had to fit one of the three categories: One, a book cover. Two, incorporate the theme "communities thrive at your libraries." Three, a book character. I chose the third and did Napoleon from Animal Farm. Here's a picture, as requested:

And two more for good measure.
You couldn't tell in the first photo, but there's a barn, too -- made out of Twizzlers!
That's a famous quote of Napoloen's.

This next photo was last year's entry. I think this year's takes the cake by far. (Oh, I couldn't resist.) But I could be bias. What do you think?
I am off to dreamland.

Expect the unexpected.

Today went better in the ways I thought it'd go worse and vise versa. Let me explain.

My history presentation went not-quite as planned and I wish I could've thought on my feet on ways to salvage a few points we ultimately lost. Oh, well. The good news is after nearly crying while taking my math quiz (and whining the night before about having to take it), I got a 97 on it. Woot, woot!

Otherwise, I've been a lazy bum. Speaking of bum, though, I'm ALMOST done with my homeless man/social issue art project. I've added more details and a second canvas -- you'll have to see the picture to know what I mean -- but it'll look really cool, I think. Meanwhile I'm in the sketching stage of the next project which I think I said before would be about The Catcher in the Rye somehow.

Interesting sunset.
Also, my brother went to Prom this past Sunday. He told me he had a good time.

Let's rewrite history.

Here's the completed drawing of my grandfather I drew! Notice the suggestion of an American flag in the background?My grandfather is a WWII veteran. He served as a second class radio man in the Navy. He knows morse code and would help decipher the various Japanese messages they got.

We're covering WWII in U.S. History class currently and we've been assigned group projects. We must each present an alternate scenario or ending to WWII. We start from August 6th, 1945 and say why the U.S. decided to not drop the bombs that day and ultimately we rewrite history based on loose facts and theories of what could've happened instead. My group got the scenario "what if there was an allied invasion of Japan?"

You're just a victim of the circumstance.

The writing club I'm in has finally taken a huge leap towards publishing our work. Sadly, thus far on the wiki page we set up, I'm the only serious contributor. We all have a dedicated page ready to be edited and filled with our various writings. Currently I'm showcasing a short memoir, and two poems, but I want to see and read others'!

This morning I eavesdropped on a conversation in English between three girls and a guy. It made me wonder if my conversations sound so superficial on outsiders listening in. I think if people overheard the ridiculous discussion at lunch today, they would have thought us mad. My friend Garrett said he thought that I will be a goat farmer when I grow up. Yes, a goat farmer. Also I'd apparently acquire a southern accent, (fun fact: Native Floridians do NOT have an accent) whilst being obsessive compulsive about my goats I'll allegedly farm. "White goats here, gray goats there. They must be categorized!" I swear Garrett makes the funniest impressions of me. They are most hilarious because they aren't very accurate and especially today because I was sleep deprived.

Yeah, I need sleep.

Now run along, and don't get into mischief.

One of my most vivid memories of preschool is of The Tale of Peter Cottontail being read aloud and this girl, who I did not particularly get along with, being privileged enough to hold the plush Peter and help act out the story.

I also fondly remember wrangling the crazy daisy (pictured below, in case you weren't raised during the 90s like I was. Oh, those were the days.)

(via here.)

from its haphazard spinning with my friend Maddy to wash off our muddy feet. Needless to say the supervisors were not pleased. I think our punishment was no snack, or we were served snack last -- something like that. But I don't hold a grudge.

Today is the first year my family, er, the Easter bunny, decided not to decorate/dye hard boiled eggs and hide them around the house. I also didn't receive a basket upon waking up. Oh, well. It's the price of getting older, right? It doesn't mean I couldn't go to Target with my mom last night and stock up on jelly beans. The toasted marshmallow bean REALLY tastes like a toasted marshmallow. You should try it sometime. I believe it comes in the assortment bag.

I go back to school tomorrow, thus I hope I can keep up with BEDA like I have been. Only time will tell.

Happy Easter!

Close to home, far from me.

I had a startling revelation moments ago. I never wrote about seeing The Band of the Irish Guards and the Pipes, Drums and Highland Dancers of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 5th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland (yes, it's a mouthful) perform nearby. It was amazing! It makes me want to try sword dancing. Danger and exercise: the best combination imaginable.

My only complaint was you couldn't always see the faces of the Irish Guards because, like the iconic guards at Buckingham Palace, they wore cylindrical, tall, fur hats.

My mom and I had pretty good seats, almost dead center, --though far enough back to not have to crane our necks-- in the orchestra. I'm glad I went; I had a good time.

My plans with Nikki to hit the beach today were canceled. This whole 'ruined plans' deal is not new for us, and thus I'm only mildly disappointed. The next person who updates their Facebook status with something to the effect of "going to beach AGAIN. I'm so tan. Blah, blah, blah," I may just want to punch. It's that frustrating.

I'm going to try to enjoy the day and a half I have left of spring break.

We're all stuck in the middle.

I'm contemplating blogging every day in April. I missed yesterday, but I think I can be dedicated enough to do it for the next twenty-nine days. Writer Maureen Johnson started this event, (acronym-ed BEDA) and I'm excited to participate. Join me?

Today was fairly uneventful. I ate chocolate animal crackers and listened to certain songs on repeat. Tomorrow should be awesome and actually make my spring break worthwhile. I haven't been to the beach in forever.