My body is a cage.

Great song, even though this reminds me that Arcade Fire's performance at the Grammys made me grateful I am not epileptic. No, seriously, what was up with the excessive strobe lights the whole night?

I feel like I owe you readers an explanation for my extended absence. As you can imagine, I spent it drowning under piles of books and assignments, playing tennis and little else. I had no time to do "leisure activities." Simple as that. Oh, and dwelling over moments of stupidity like forgetting to bring my ID and being denied the opportunity to give blood today.

My school work is going well and I have been good about time management and blah, blah, blah. Still, I fear that with the nine weeks ending soon and teachers neglecting to input grades until the last minute that I will have B's on my report card. It's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I tend to beat myself up for it. Also, on a purely materialistic level, it means not being rewarded a giant candy bar as part of club a school that promotes academic excellence.

Watch out for this seque...

I've also been studying for ACT. Somehow just writing and reading that sentence is inherently stressful. Turns out I'll have to take the make-up one offered by the school because of a trip now scheduled for the end of April. More on that later.

We've been continuing to read Invisible Man and discussing it for English class. Call me an overachiever, but I actually read the assigned chapters and then sparknotes (I love how this is a verb) it to make sure I understood what was going on. It's an intriguing book with many layers that I delight in pulling back and exposing.

I saw Food, Inc. in my AICE Biology class and it has widened my perspective on the whole issue of subsidized crops. After stomaching Super Size Me last year for HOPE class, I lauded (and continue to laud) my family and I for very rarely going to Mickie D's.

Tennis updates: I've played four matches that don't matter and won two of 'em. The two I won were singles matches and the two I lost were doubles. See a trend here? Yes, I play doubles with Puja so I don't despite my partner or anything like that. I think I'm just a better player when I'm on my own. I don't mind the diversity and I don't mind losing, I just prefer to be able to play my best all the time, y'know? Also, since we lost 7-0 this past week to two really good competitors, the rigor of practice has escalated. I wouldn't mind getting more toned, burning more fat and being able to hit consistently with topspin. Sorry if that was mumbo jumbo.

In the realm of art, I've been quite inspired lately. I made a turtle out of recycled materials (a picture of it to come whenever my art teacher decides to send it to me) and now am working on a piece for a patriotic art contest. I'm thinking of sculpting a homeless veteran. That'd be cool, right?

It's later. This past Saturday the middle school science bowl team that I coach had their Regional competition. Amazingly, they placed first and are advancing to Nationals! In Washington, D.C.!! I am incredibly thrilled, proud and honored to get to go along for the week. Of course, it has to be scheduled for the same date as a field trip to the Salvador Dali museum. Grr, anger.

I think that's all, folks.