elinaa3

Ozark Henry: Radio
This Last Warm Solitude

Nostalgia, melancholy, and the strife for amusement flood my mind. This artist is one I love, and the instrumental aspects are genius in all the music he creates. This song speaks to me on so many levels. First of all, I read this book about a woman who deals with the emotional set back of her sister who struggles with an acute case of leukemia, called The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters, and as I was reading, my ipod happened to be set on the repeat one song button. As Elisabeth Robinson, the author, described the condition of Madeline Hunt, the equipment she was attached to, and the decisions she was forced to make, Radio was counting off, somewhat like some sort of clock, counting off the days Madeline had left to live. “We’re drawing lines that have no end/ but you differ/ you have these fiends/ you fight with hope and radiotherapy”, the lyrics match up absolutely perfectly with what is going on in the world of the Hunt sisters, and it personally affected me as well. I know several people with cancers (none with leukemia) and what they go through is horrific. It scares me very much, yet I’m in complete awe of their strength and perseverance. I’m astounded at the irony of the song in relation to the book I was reading, and to the lives of those I know dealing with cancer. As I now listen to the song, I feel my emotions well up inside me. The thought of losing my sister, or anyone else I love makes me feel like tears are ready to stream down my face. “Of course it is unfair/ it's life/ as the case maybe/ the basics boil up/ and nothing that can change this now” No words can exactly describe how those lines make me feel, but I know that this is one of those songs that really upsets me and makes me realize how lucky I am to have a healthy family and healthy friends, and that I shouldn’t take advantage of them, rather embrace the love I have for them, because life can be unfair and sometimes things happen that you have no power over. It makes me want to make the most of what I have, and have fun, rather than dwelling on things that bring me down.
The artist, Ozark Henry, is from Belgium, and so as I listen, I reminisce on the fun days and nights with my friends that I so rarely see. I adore being in Bruges with a few of my closest friends, having the privilege of being completely carefree and being allowed to do so much, because of the leniency there. We walk around the town, people-watch in the cafés and eat amazing crepes while drinking Kriek. Late at night there are live shows and entertainers, and we sit on the steps of the buildings listening to local bands play, and laugh at the drunkards gaily parading the streets. This song basically sums up everything I live for, although it’s not all meant to sound depressing, because I definitely don’t see it all as that.

Au Revoir Simone: Where You Go
Verses of Comfort, Assurance, & Salvation

This is one of those songs that makes me smile for some reason. It’s light and pleasant, although some the lyrics are a bit bizarre. I’ve never been in love, but I have felt a strong feeling of a connection to another person, almost entrancing me. “I remember your eyes, they made me way too late/
Now if I'm standing at a party waiting for the train/ I know you're out there, can't wait till we meet again”. The connections tend to happen when eye contact is met. Enthralling eyes and contact lead me to think about the person for ages, and yearning to see the person again. “Waiting for the train” connects to Europe again. It’s too personal to go into on here, but basically living so far away from someone you’ve missed for so long is frustrating, and when you finally get to meet them again, which I associate with stepping of a train, is an amazing feeling.
This song is comforting and could put me to sleep, in a good way, yet it could also revive me and make me want to pursue my goals. Finally, “So much to tell you, I have to find you”
, is a feeling I feel so frequently with my friends. I absolutely love them. Sometimes I feel this strong need to just find one of my friends, or call/meet up with them and just share thoughts or talk about whatever is on our minds or has happened. That line makes me relate to adrenaline that is sometimes associated with the psychological need to talk. (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is fulfilled at that point.)

The Cranberries: Animal Instincts
Bury the Hatchet

“So take my hands and come with me/ We will change reality”. I love that line. Something about it makes me think of a couple frolicking in a field, I’m not sure why.
I love fields, and frolicking in one is really fun, and so perfect for summer, which is something I definitely can’t wait for! This song sparks so many different things. It’s depressing, up beat, optimistic, etc. I love the Cranberries, all their songs have congenial instrumental aspects, and the lead singer’s voice is soothing, interesting, and I love hearing her. I actually find the music video of the song to be really upsetting, and this made me realize that all the songs I’ve written about have a bit of a depressing underlying tone to them. I’m not sure why this is. Maybe it’s because it’s a bit late, I don’t know.
My dad works tons, and when he’s not away in some foreign country, at a conference, or in his lab, he seems occupied nonetheless. Sometimes I try to tell him a story, and although he replies and shows that he’s listening, I feel like he’s not really there, absorbing what it is that I’m saying. I don’t see him very much, and it’s always so frustrating to explain something that happened at school, for example, and then when it comes up again later, he’ll have no idea what it’s about and is unaware of the fact that I’ve already told him about it. (I don’t know if that makes sense at all…) The line, “And the thing that gets to me/ Is you'll never really see/ And the thing that freaks me out/ Is I'll always be in doubt” relates to this concept, I feel like.

Disclaimer: I'm struggling with this blog because I'm not good at conveying my thoughts and ideas in so little words... I guess it's a good exercise. I'm sorry to anyone who reads this awful thing.

Biography: Vegetarian chapstick junky, free-spirited liberal kid.

My singles-ad: Outdoorsy, holistic living vegan woman (67), I let nature take over a long time ago. Searching for a woman (60+) who enjoys gardening vegetables and is willing to do voodoo yoga on my hemp rug.

I come from a very down-to earth family and find myself looking down on those who use hot water, shower more than once a week, and drive cars. (I opt for an old bike)

My cooking abilities are above the ordinary and I make sure to rinse everything many times seeing as I'm a rawist (I don't cook my foods). Yet despite the multitudes of rinsing, I recycle my water.

A woman who loves scrawny wrinkled women would be ideal. And a ganja garden too please. Indulgence has gotten pricy.

Dear 7th grade Eline,

You’re on the right path to success. Keep your head on straight—focus on school, but don’t forget your friends.

First off, let’s talk about running. Work hard but be careful and don’t keep going when your knees hurt. You’ll need your knees for many years to come, and hurting them now will cause so much pain, time, energy, and stress in later years. When anything hurts, stop the action and ice it or stretch.

As for school, straight a’s are the way to go. Keep the study habits consistent… middle school is important, but high school is what will really matter. Stressing about an A- or B+ at this stage in the game is rather silly, just don’t fall behind. Don’t tire yourself out now, wait until it really gets difficult!

Don’t let boys interfere with your friendships. Friends go a long way, and letting everything drop for a silly boy will cause friendships to disintegrate and break apart. Don’t ever let yourself be one of those girls who only spends time with her boyfriend, because when it’s all over, who will you turn to?

Understand that all your friends are unique and may not share similar interests, causing them to not get along so well. It’s important to have many, and try not to get upset when you end up the middleman between a couple of feuding friends.

Take advantage of trips and excursions to new and foreign places. Dreading camping or a bad museum exhibit isn’t a good route to take. Make the most of it because your interests change and later on you may be disappointed that you didn’t care more before.

Your siblings are your friends, not your rivals. Comparing mile times, gpas, and other silly things is never a good idea. Rather than making fun of eachother for something embarrassing that happened, show your support.

Don’t regret the choices you make, but think through them before you make them. You’ll have to live with the consequences for the rest of your life, so make sure you really want to do whatever it is you’re choosing to do.

Take shorter showers and turn off the lights more often. Conserving energy goes a long way, and just because you don’t feel the effects directly, the earth won’t last very long at the rate that we consume things.

Stay passionate and interested about things. Theatre, running, climbing, music, and so on. Don’t drop your passions just because something didn’t work out the way you wanted it to.

Signed,
Yours Truly.

The daily news that rants about the latest bombs, deaths, accidents, and such makes me feel really down and hopeless. There’s only so much you can do, and I wish those of us who had the power were more intelligent, and would take more initiative.

Third world countries must be scary to live in. I was talking to a friend whose parents fled from a country with a military dictatorship, and he was saying how thankful he was that his parents did leave, because it gave him so many more opportunities than he would ever be able to have had he lived there. I think that’s really interesting, but so sad for those who do not have the means to flee, and are forced to suffer, living with very little of anything, barely struggling to survive.

Feng Shui is an interesting concept, and I often find myself feeling uncomfortable in an environment because of its bad lay out, and relaxed or at ease when the lay out is switched up, or just completely different. In my room I feel like I have very little room to change things around, and it’s a bit confining, mostly because I feel so accomplished and relieved when I’ve reorganized or changed something around.

Africa. I want to travel there really badly. We have several African artifacts, like these two small giraffes, one yellow and the other red. Whenever I hold them, I think of a small village where women sit in a circle, plastering papier-mache into animal shapes. It sounds so intriguing to go there and experience a culture so vastly different from what I’m accustomed to here.

It’s interesting that a majority of artists produce works while under the influence of drugs, or with drugs in mind. The lyrics of so many songs make absolutely no sense when you stand still and process the meaning. Alice in Wonderland, the Dr. Seuss stories, The Beatles, and Bob Marley all come to mind. When I was little I obviously had no idea of what drugs were, and when I’d listen to Bob Marley or Beatle songs, I was always so amused at the funny lyrics, and would often wonder what a Buffalo Soldier was, for example.

Doing work whilst someone is talking really loudly or on the phone or something can be merely impossible.

Loud cell phone callers. My brother and I were walking by Longs and there’s this woman walking towards us, talking so unbelievably loud on her cell phone that we both burst out laughing. We both felt incredible fontrum for this woman, (Lucia’s incredible word, meaning a feeling of embarrassment for someone else.) who had no idea of how ridiculous she sounded. Not only was she basically yelling, it was almost impossible to understand what she was saying, due to awful enunciation. All together, it was a painful situation. Driving in the car with someone who’s talking on the phone can be very annoying as well, because for some reason you never really know how loud you are actually being.

I find that the issue of vegetarianism is becoming more talked about, and more consistently brought up. Meat consumption is a large factor in global warming, firstly. This is because cows produce so much methane, they eat so much grass, which means a lot of water is used to grow the grass, (yet some asshole farmers feed their cows weird cereal type foods that are really bad for the cows, and despite the “positive aspects” of fattening them, the cows can’t digest the feed unless they’re given hormones, which is bad too). And all that does not just go for cows. In addition to being bad for the environment, it’s ethically wrong to kill animals, in my opinion. I suppose it’s one thing to kill an animal if you’ve got nothing else around, and it’s a matter of life or death. I just don’t agree at all with the idea of a massive factory-type environment where animals are forced to grow up in, in tiny little cell-like spaces, living in their own feces, eating other animals, and being treated awfully. People should consider the terrible conditions before consuming meat, and definitely consider becoming vegetarian!

The best way to eat a strawberry is by sucking it slowly, so you can savor the sweet and sometimes tangy flavor. I can’t help but bite basically all the foods I consume, lollipops and hard candy included, but my one exception is strawberries, because of the amazing flavor involved in sucking them.

My Death Valley experience made for so many anecdotes. I still can’t believe some of the things I experienced there, most namely, the irony in finding the little shrine of baby Jesus in the Devil’s Golf Course. If you’ve ever been to Devil’s Golf Course, you’d know that it’s huge. Basically it’s made up of salt formations and they go on for what seems like miles. We were randomly walking around the formations, when a ways in, we noticed this little crevice with a small Jesus baby thing wrapped in a little blanket. Seeing this was extremely creepy and gave me an eerie feeling. The whole valley really freaks me out actually, and I don’t recommend going if you don’t like really hot, deserted places.

Unless you are really skilled and know what you’re doing, don’t try to cut your dog’s nails. My mom just tried it and she cut too deep and now my dog’s nail is gushing with blood and it makes me feel sick. I hope he doesn’t get a gross infection!

What is the point of wind? It never seems wanted. A nice day is always ruined by it (because it’s cold), and it makes storms worse too. Granted, it can cool you off when it’s really boiling out, but then your stuff blows everywhere and that’s just annoying too. However, it was cool in Death Valley because it shaped the sand dunes.

“And all shall fade the flowers of spring the world and all the sorrows at the heart of everything”

The journey to Radio City is an experience in itself. Going past Times Square, bustling by store after store in high heels that barely allow you to walk, you’re already fully anticipating the show that you are about to sit through, relate to, and reflect on for months.
Honestly I expected for the theater to be huge with seating incredibly far from the stage. The theater was the smallest theater I’ve ever sat in. We were seated a few rows back and I could tell it was going to be a really good piece. The set was plain. There was a brick wall, and many neon lights.
Suddenly the lights turned off, and upbeat rock started to play. The set is filled with German school children, dressed in woolen coats and knee-high socks. The contrast between the modern set and music and the old-fashioned (Post World War I) looking actors gives a refreshing feeling. The story line of ignorance and deceit is effectively portrayed through a modernization of language. The songs are not PG; their lyrics show anger, confusion, desire, and loneliness.
“Spring Awakening” deals with sexual urges of teenagers, masturbation, rape, and homosexuality. With no adult advice and education, the children are forced to deal with their surging hormones. The parents are too prude and embarrassed even, their teachers too harsh, and the main character, Melchior deals with the death of his two closest friends. His best friend, Moritz, commits suicide after being continuously tormented with his bad grades in school, and sexual desires, while his girlfriend, Wendla, doesn’t live through an abortion process. Had there been more support and better education, the children would have had the knowledge of what sex means and what its consequences hold.

As Wendla sings “Mama who bore me/ Mama who gave me/ No way to handle things/ Who made me so sad”, it becomes apparent that she wants to know more, longs to be able to explain what she feels. Her mother tells her that babies are brought to parents by some sort of creature, a stork, rather than explaining the concept of the birds and the bees. When Wendla is together with Melchior later, he rapes her, although this may not be seen as true rape, because it was somewhat consensual.
As an audience member, one becomes fully enthralled and eagerly wanting to embrace everyone as they are forced to cope with painful hardships. The music varies from upbeat to quiet and saddening. Viewing “Spring Awakening” is an emotional rollercoaster filled with the agony of growing up.

I absolutely love Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and really like this blog... however, I had a difficult time figuring out what my ideal day would be like. I don’t know that it would be anywhere as eccentric as Ferris Bueller’s day, although that would be really fun too. My day wouldn’t involve breaking too many rules or lieing and stealing (in addition to ruining) things, simply because I don’t need to do illegal or stupid things to enjoy myself. My ideal day would be spontaneous and although some things may be roughly planned out, I like to live in the moment. (Unlike my grandmother who whenever she visits, insists on planning all daily activities ages ahead of time… no matter how fun the plans may be, it drives me crazy.)

I awaken as the sunshine seeps into my room. Stretching lazily, I get out of bed and pull on a really cute and comfortable outfit. When I’m dressed in an outfit that I like, I feel so good. As I settle down to a really nice breakfast of waffles with peanut butter, honey, and banana, as well as some Irish breakfast tea, I prepare myself for my amazing day. I decide to head off to the beach for a few hours. I’m in the Provence (Southern France), and the weather is absolutely to die for. Situated a mear fifteen minutes from the Mediterraean, I take my bike and head down. Along the way I stop by the shops in the small town and flirt with a local surfer. He joins me to the beach, and we talk about endless things as we bike.

Once we get to the beach, we strip off our clothes (down to our swim wear) and race to the water. After swimming out a ways, we head back to shore. I give him my number, and then leave to get a lunch at an all-organic café on a deck overlooking the water. I run into a good friend at the café, and we sit together, deciding to go for a rock climb followed by some shopping and a play.

We both bike to our secret climbing area, where we set up our ropes and start climbing. I conquer the rock that I had been struggling with for several weeks, and feel so accomplished, and ready to continue my ideal day. We bike back to my home, and I take my parents’ hybrid, rather than my own shitty car, to Aix en Provence. After the really fun drive of listening to upbeat music and laughing, we reach Aix. All the college guys come talk to us, and two of them take us to a bar and buy us drinks. After some socializing, we go to the small boutiques and larger stores lining the cultural streets of Aix.

An Indian boutique is especially interesting, and we spend over an hour in there, trying on various jewelry and shirts. We take artistic pictures of people and architecture, and then head back home. On the drive home, as we wait at a red light, we decide to dance crazily to my favorite song, and people crossing in front of us raise their eyebrows and laugh at us. We find this funny, and can’t stop laughing. Then the lady that we used to always see running on Solano runs by and we almost die of laughter. I get my friend to whip out my camera (I can’t because I’m driving at this point) and she films the woman running while huffing and puffing.

Once home, I eat a very gourmet meal, and go in the hot tub for a little while. The jets massage my back, and my muscles relax from the day’s activities and strains.

That evening a bunch of friends and I head out to the beach where we lay out a huge tarp and roll out our sleeping bags. We have a bonfire and gaze up at the stars. After playing silly games and doing crazy things, we settle down, and doze off into a deep and satisfying sleep.

I’ll start off saying that I love Magritte and grew up knowing about him and his very unique surrealist art. My parents love him, and we have a few decks of Magritte playing cards, and my dad has a shirt with Ceci n’est pas une pipe on it. When I was little I loved his shirt, and I would always stare at it and debate its meaning. My dad would explain how it wasn’t a real pipe because it was on the shirt, and it was a drawing. I would still question the tagline and never gave up on the fact that it is a pipe… okay so it’s not a real one, but it still is a drawing of one.

I really like the painting of the house and the large tree. It is so odd, because the sky is bright blue with scattered clouds, yet the house is dark, as if it’s night time.
The house is one that I wouldn’t mind living in—it seems to be a typical French-country side house with aged shutters and a foresty yard.

Maybe the inhabitants are depressed, or feel like they’re living in the dark. Maybe tragedy has struck, and the people don’t want to face the world, or come out into the light. The sky seems so inviting, but ominous in comparison to the darkness of the rest of the painting. The main tree stands so tall, making it seem as if it’s just a shadow in the bright day. The puddle or lake in front of the house reminds me of the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz. The puddle may be the melted reminants of something, maybe the cheer or happiness. All light has been reduced into a small area of water, which reflects the house.

The lower row of shutters are the lightest color. They are a greenish. Usually I think of green as being a rather cheery color, yet I can’t say I find that particular green very cheery. The Second row is a bit darker in color, and the third row just a little darker still. It may be because of the street lamp, yet it seems odd that the upper levels are completely dark. (Besides two windows on the left). The house reminds me of Beautiful Mind, when John Nash delivers letters to an abandoned house. (He suffers from schizophrenia.)

My ideal life when I grow up is something I’ve pondered my whole life. I remember rollerblading in the Marina and telling my mom about the job I would have, the perfect house I’d own, and my family. Over the next ten or so years, my dream life has changed a bit, but there are still things that remain the same.

First off, when I finish high school, which I can’t wait to do, I plan to go to Europe for a month with some friends and go to all the countries I haven’t been to. With a month-long eurorail pass, we will go to Finland, Portugal, Hungary, Sweden, Ukraine, maybe Russia, and some other places. We will camp along the way, and stay in little hostiles. I really can’t wait to make this trip, simply because I will finally get to see old friends again, in addition to meeting new people, living in completely different environments, and become familiar with different cultures.

Preferably, I’d be accepted into a good college. Somewhere in a fairly big city, by a beach, or in a really gorgeous setting, never in the middle of nowhere. When I was little, I wanted desperately to go to Stanford, but now I would settle for UC Santa Barbara or something along those lines. Most likely, I’d major in psychology or sociology, or something else that focused on humanities and such. I’m not sure what I would minor in, but possibly art history. I would definitely want to go to graduate school and get a PhD, just so that my job opportunities are greater.

Sometime during my college years, I would love to do a year or two abroad, either in Belgium, France, or England. Ideally, I would also join the Peace Corps for some period of time, because the experiences would be amazing, and it would give me an amazing opportunity to explore the world and help people.

After my schooling, it would be amazing to work as a professional psychiatrist or sociologist. Maybe even an anthropologist. The study of humans in the past, present, and future interest me immensely. I would want a job that wasn’t ordinary and mundane, like an office job. I would want a lot of human contact, and work in an environment that constantly changed and brought new opportunities and challenges about.

Once I was finally set in the job category, and had a steady income, in addition to successfully traveling at least a large part of the world, I would hopefully buy a house and nice car, and settle down.

My ideal house would be in a city. It wouldn’t be a huge city like New York, where you can only get an apartment, but it would be near a big city. I would either live in the Berkeley hills, a nice district of San Francisco, a little outside of New York City, or I would live in Europe. If I lived in Europe, I would live either on the outskirts of Paris, near Versailles, or somewhere gorgeous in England, like Oxford. My house would be fairly roomy, but not extremely big, because I don’t really like big houses. The house would run on solar energy (solar panels), and would be built in a very gorgeous style—depending on where I lived, it would be either Spanish style, modern, or typical old-English. Whatever style it was, it would have charm, and be original and beautiful. The furniture would be mainly from stores like Anthropology and Pottery Barn. It would have 4 bedrooms and several bathrooms. There would be a gorgeous view and a spacious living room with a deck or balcony overlooking a well-kept garden and city view. The kitchen would be huge. It would have a professional Viking stove, stainless-steel appliances, and amazing counter-tops, perfect for making intricate meals, and for doing messy cooking projects with my kids.

I hope to have two kids. I don’t really mind their genders—two girls, two boys, or one of each—I’d be fine with anything. They would be well mannered and brought up to be bright, independent individuals. I would raise them as vegetarians, and only buy all-natural, organic food, preferably from a store like Whole Foods or The Natural Grocery.

I would have an amazing husband who cared about our family, and had a good income, like mine (hopefully…). He would be environmentally aware of things, and hopefully have a really amazing background.

We would have at least one dog, but no more than two. In addition, I would own a Frisian horse, either in our yard (if we lived in England), or boarding in a ranch near by. We would also own a second house somewhere in the Alps or in a beach area somewhere exotic.

My dream car would definitely be an Audi TT, but with two kids, a dog and a husband, we’d probably have something bigger, preferably fully electric or hybrid, although it has to be cute.

My job would give me the opportunity to spend a lot of time with my kids, and I would also have time to ride, rock climb, and go to the gym. The weekends would be spent hanging out with the family, with my friends (hopefully old friends from school, as well as new friends). My kids would both go to a public school (because I think it’s important to support public education), however, if the public school in the area that we live isn't not good, I would send them to private school. My kids would grow up speaking English, but also Flemish (what I grew up speaking), and maybe even French or Spanish. I would love to send them to a bilingual school, so they would learn two or more languages really well, from a young age. I think knowing several languages is really important, and it helps so much with everything else.

I would try to be a fashionable mom, and I would make sure my family was fashionable as well. I don’t like walking around with my family (right now) when they aren’t dressed nicely.

I guess I really could go on forever, fantasizing, but I’ll just wait and see how my life plays out.
(I'm sorry this is so lengthy!)

Growing up, I always felt like I was a trendsetter. Since I was a baby, I made my own style decisions. From before I could speak, I found a way to show my parents that I wanted to wear the red and white jumper, and not the polka dotted green thing they tried to force on me. I felt so cool walking around in mint-green overalls with pink ribbon decorations. There was even a miniature doll in a pocket on my chest. I would take it out, and it fit perfectly in the palm of my chubby hand. Sometimes I’d take it out to show my best friend, just so I could rub it in her face that I had a doll in my overalls and she didn’t. She would start crying and try to take it from me.

When I became a little older, I had a fetish with making movies on our family camcorder. I would dive into the huge dress up bin in our living room, and put together an outfit. I looked ridiculous. Sometimes I sported oversized glasses and a large baseball cap. I’d wrap a belt around my stomach, pull up some really high socks, and sag my shorts, usually revealing Barbie undies. Other times, I’d put some undies on my head, adorn my body with beads, and paint my face like an Indian tribal chief. I’d strut around the house like this, pretending I was an announcer on TV. I always announced tennis matches.

My brother always begged me to let him join in. I’d stick him in an oversized pink dress, put his hair in several pigtails, and smear some bright red lipstick on his small puckered lips. We would play proper British women having tea, announce tennis, and talk on broken phones. My mom would take us out to the park, and we’d be wearing our crazy, daring outfits.

Then I decided I was too old for that nonsense. Why on earth should I embarrass myself and walk around outside wearing feathers on my head when I could dress like a Prima Ballerina everyday? I went through a phase where I had 5 or 6 leotards, a tutu, a gold star wand, and a crown, and I would refuse to wear anything else.

My mom told me about how we were in Brussels that summer, and my parents continuously tried to get me to wear something else, but I’d refuse, throwing a tantrum when necessary. I guess it’s pretty cute when you see little girls walk around looking like Prima Ballerinas… it’s sort of stupid too though.

My next trend involved leggings. I was an obsessive legging-wearer. My favorite were these blue leggings with green and white flowers on them. I’d wear a sweatshirt over them, usually my San Francisco Zoo sweatshirt. It had a bunch of orangutans on it. Classy right?

Then I moved on to dresses. I remember wearing this one dress, a cotton thing with little kiwis and oranges on it. In its better days, it was pure white, but I wore this dress so often that it had turned from white to a brownish color. Holes formed in it, and it was falling apart. I refused to let go of my treasure though, instead wearing it more and more. I must have looked like a hobo child.

From this, I moved into wearing “normal” clothes, like oversized pants and small tops. I tended to wear my pants with sneakers, and I’d pull them up so they went past my bellybutton sometimes, creating the flood effect. I loved drawing on my shoes. I’d write messages and quotes, draw pictures of little things, and color strange shapes on them. I also named my shoes. I had this pair of shoes that I must’ve gotten from REI, and I named the left one “Ziploc” and the right one “Leftie”. I wouldn’t get rid of them for ages, although there were large holes forming, and the laces were falling apart.

I also went through the chocker phase. Chocker necklaces are made of some sort of nylon, and were weaved to create a stretchy effect. They fit tightly, forming to your neck. There were also the chocker bracelets and anklets, which I wore in rainbow and black. The trouble I went through to get my first chocker chain was immense. I got obsessed with the idea, and begged my mom to take me to Fourth Street for weeks, so I could get myself one of those much sought after chains. I ended up getting a bright pink one. I thought I was the coolest person in the whole world when I wore it. I actually looked like a complete idiot. People probably looked at me and thought about what a wannabe teenybopper I was. I just couldn’t get enough of myself.

I guess I could go on and on about my fashion history… but it mainly consisted of awkward pieces that I really shouldn’t have ever considered. I continue to go through different phases, and looking at pictures of myself, even from a year ago, I continue to shock myself with my bad style habits.

1. Do you believe in karma? 

I guess I believe in Karma. Sometimes when there’s a spider in my room or something, I’ll put it on a piece of paper and throw it outside, because I don’t want bad karma, and simply because I don’t want to kill a fairly harmless creature. However, there are occasions when the spider is just too gross looking, and I have to kill it. In that case, I don’t let myself believe in bad Karma.
I remember once I said something mean to my friend, and thirty seconds later, I broke my necklace, and my friend quickly screamed, “Bad Karma!!” I will never forget that, simply because it was so ironic.


2. What one current event in any aspect of world news do you think is being most neglected or underrepresented? 


I think the most neglected current event is maybe famine and starvation in third-world countries. I almost never hear about it, although I go on freerice.com sometimes, and when I do, I think a lot about all the deprived people out there and get really obsessed with doing the vocabulary thing.

3. If you could have any one superpower, what would it be and why? 

This is sort of like the superhero question we had once… I would want to be able to fly, so I could easily go to any country in the world in very little time. When I didn’t want to be down on the ground, I could just run and take off into the air. It would be so cool.

4. If you could invite any 5 famous people or characters to your birthday party, who would you pick? 

I would invite Gemma Ward, because I think she is so gorgeous, and although I’d be a little jealous of her, I would want her to give me style tips and such. I would also invite Jane Austen, because I love her books, and when I’m reading one of her novels, I feel like I’m there, and she would make my party so proper and amazing. (For some reason I feel like the British have the coolest parties.) I would also want Chad Michael Murray to come, because he’s so gorgeous. I also love Audrey Hepburn, so I would want her to come. Finally, I would want someone like Amelie (from the movie, Amelie) to come, because she seems like she would make any event really unique and interesting.


5. If you could live in any film or book, what would you select? Would you want to be one of the characters, or would you want to be you (introduced as a new character)? 


I would want to live in Pride and Prejudice. I would want to be a new character, like a close friend of the Bennets, or I would want to be Elizabeth Bennet herself, because she seems like such an outspoken, sensible person. She also has Darcy, which is a definite plus. I love the English countryside, and although I love the city more, it would still be cool to live in a very green pasture in a gorgeous old house.

6. Who of your friends would make the best president? I can't wait to know why.


Of my friends, Suzie would make the best president. She has a very strong personality and doesn’t let others overpower her. She is very aware of the current issues, and has read so much, giving her so much insight on things that not everyone has the advantage of seeing. I agree with her stance on things, and think she would change the world immensely, all for the better.

7. I used to always trip out that my strawberry Chapstick tasted so strongly like strawberries (and why was I eating so much Chapstick?). Then I realized that it wasn't the taste that was strong; it was the smell. They say that smell is the strongest sense (and I agree). What is your favorite smell? USE CONNOTATIONS, FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE, OR ANALOGY in your (butter) saucy answer.


I have this mocha chapstick that actually does taste like mocha, and it also smells like it. As for my favorite smell… I love the smell of gardenias and roses. I like a lot of smells, obviously, especially the smells of flowers. Roses smell like something amazingly sweet and fragile. They remind me of Christmas, when we make Marzipan balls with rose water. They bring me back to France, where I’ve gone to so many rose gardens, and even fallen into a rose bush once. The crispness of gardenias make my head clear up. It’s like the freshness after a rainy day. The strong smell is overwhelming to some, but instantly perks me up.
I don’t know how to make a smell sound saucy…

8. If you could invent a new class for AHS to teach, what would it be? 


It would be sociology. Sociology is so interesting, and I think it would be an amazing addition to our school.

9. Will humankind still exist in 300 years? 


I hope so, but at this rate, I’m not sure. I think we’ll just have to wait and see… if the next 50 years are worse still than today, the chances may be pretty slim. When I went to Mexico once, we went to Tulum, and these Mayan people told us about how the world would end on December 21st, 2012, according to their ancestors. This sort of freaked me out, because I would be just 21 in 2012. I hope people cut down on their consumption of unnecessary things.

10. What is the most embarrassing song to ever grace your IPOD? Why was it there, may I ask?


I’m sure I have many embarrassing songs on my Ipod. However, I don’t care, because the embarrassing songs are memories of things that I’ve done or experienced. Barbie Girl, by Aqua, for example, was possibly on my Ipod at one point. It was on there because it reminded me of my amazing experiences in France.

11. Corey Chin's brilliant question (and it's got me curious): How much would you charge to clean Mr. Ross' microwave? 


I don’t want to clean Mr. Ross’ microwave. Honestly, I’ve never looked inside, but microwaves smell disgusting regardless, and I hate using them, much less cleaning them. Ew.

12. Did you support your answers? 

I think I did support my answers.

I can't believe Mr. Ross is making me do this when I could be sleeping. I don’t really want to sleep right now, although it definitely sounds nice. I’m pretty tired actually. Today was really long but a lot of fun. I can’t really think of much to say right now, because I can’t focus on anything-- there’s too much floating around in my head. I wish I had parents who weren’t so uptight about my whereabouts, I know its because they want to protect me, but they don’t need to have fat sticks up their asses to do so. I can’t wait for college. Having my own place, my own life, sure school will require attention, and be even more demanding, but I’ll be out of the house and free to do whatever I want, whenever I want to. I really want to go on vacation right now. I don’t know where, but I just want to get away. Maybe Costa Rica or something? I wish I had gotten better grades for my semester. It sucks to try really hard on something only to be let down in the end. I really can’t wait to get a cute car, because I hate driving around the car I have now. Parallel parking stresses me out. What also stresses me out is driving on the freeway when it’s raining like crazy, and there are huge puddles all over. My mom said something about aqua planeing? I don’t know but that’s probably when you skid all over the place due to the excessive amounts of water everywhere. I’m excited to see my best friend tomorrow. I haven’t seen her in so long; it’ll be fun to catch up. I had fun tonight. Guitar hero is really frustrating, but really cool to watch good people do it. I love Jackie and Debra on youtube. It makes me want to make my own movies. I think it’s really sad how you think you know someone really well, and then suddenly it’s like they’re a totally different person. I have this friend in Belgium who used to be such an amazing person who always cared about everyone and wasn’t into doing drugs because he had fun without them. Now he’s having issues with his family and is into all kinds of drugs and it scares me. He says he wants to run away. I wish I didn’t live as far as I do. I want to live in Europe so badly. To be able to go to Paris whenever, see family in Brussels, go to Spain and Portugal, anywhere, and all are reachable within six hours approximately. The US is huge, and all our government problems are so annoying. January 2009 needs to hurry up so that we can finally have a new president, hopefully someone more fit for the position. It’s completely ridiculous what Bush has done. All the people he’s killed, families he’s brought down. I hope no one else I know gets drafted. I’m so glad my siblings and I all have dual citizenship. The time is almost up. Time goes so fast it’s insane. Sometimes I just can’t believe that it’s the day that it is. And then I get into all these deep thoughts that I can’t even begin to explain. Okay times up. The end.

Mixtape:: Maltese Falcon

Track 1: Owen, Femme Fatale

Brigid O’Shaughnessy is the femme fatale in Maltese Faclon. “Everybody knows/ The things she does to please/ She’s just a little tease”. Brigid is mysterious, and very sexually alluring and irresistible. “She put her hands up to Spade’s cheeks, put her open mouth hard against his mouth, her body flat against his body”(89). Spade and O’Shaughnessy sleep together, so that Spade is on Brigid’s side, and protects her through the journey of crime that lead to the Maltese Falcon. Brigid is the criminal behind some of the events in the book, and because her desirable body is such a turn-on, she gets away with the crimes she commits. The song seems like it would play while they have sexual intercourse. Sam Spade knows that Brigid lied to him, yet he can’t ignore her presence, instead he denies to fully recognize and take action against what she has done. “She’s a femme fatale/ See the way she walks / Hear the way she talks”. Brigid is described as being curvacious and having no angles. She has gorgeous hair, and a sultry voice that pulls her victims close to her, so she has them wrapped around her finger.

Track 2: Supertramp, Crime of the Century

“Now they’re planning the crime of the century/ Well what will it be?“ This seems like it would be the opening line of the book or something. I feel like when Miss Wonderly, who later is Brigid, comes in and tells Spade of her problem, this song should play. The reader doesn’t yet know what the detective will have to do, and this song sort of sets the stage for the mystery behind it all.
“Read all about their schemes/ and adventuring/ it’s well worth a fee/ so roll up and see/ and they rape the universe/ how they’ve gone from bad to worse“ This reminds me of when Spade browses the news paper to find evidence about the case he’s trying to solve. Some of the characters introduced in the book seem to become more evil as time goes on, like Cairo; “Who are these men of lust, greed, and glory?/ Rip off the masks and let see.”

Track 3: 50 Cent, In My Hood

Sam Spade runs the show; he’s got the women, the fists, and the macho attributes. “The party jump, with shorty bouncin' that ass/ I won't fuck, gimme a second, I'ma holla, I'ma see whats up/ I got my razor in my hand, got my pistol in my trunk/ Carve ya ass up nice, you play me like a punk” This makes me think of his relationship with Brigid, and the experience in his office with O’Shaughnessy and Cairo, when Cairo is beat up. Spade isn’t afraid to have a fight, and easily makes up a story to save himself from the police. “On some real shit son, they don't want beef/ I cock that, aim that shit out the window”. When someone bothers him, he is quick to punch the guy in the face. “Well thats what you get for stuntin' on my block show off/ Uhh you shit out of luck if niggas catch you slippin”. When other detectives, or the police come around to check up on Spade, or try to solve a case Spade is working on, he sets them straight, and kicks them out of his business, his “block”. The “show off” could be attributed to Cairo, who seems very sure of himself and a really annoying person in terms of how he holds himself and acts. The beat sounds like it would play while Spade checks out some new evidence. The saxophone in the background is mysterious, and has a creepy tone to it, hinting at violence or potential crime.

Track 4: U2, So Cruel

The song begins with, “We crossed the line/ Who pushed who over/ It doesn’t matter to you/ It matters to me“. The line they crossed may be a police line, the yellow tape, it might be an emotional line, a physical line. I think it’s up for debate. “Who pushed who over“ is the perfect line that goes with all the murders occuring in Maltese Falcon. It isn’t always clear who killed who, and the police seem to always ask Spade, and even accuse him. To some, like Spade, it doesn’t really matter who did it, but to others, like the police, it matters. “Desperation is a tender trap/ It gets you every time/ You put your lips to her lips/ To stop the lie“ Those who are desperate to get the bird fall into a trap, fighting and dieing in the process, because greed over powers. “You put your lips to her lips/ To stop the lie“ is an example of the instances where Spade kisses Brigid to stop her lies, and kiss the troubles they have away. The song is a bit sensitive at parts, but I think it fits the book, because parts of the book are more sensitive and less upbeat-macho, like Spade’s outward persona.

Track 5: Cali Agents, This is My Life

“This is My Life” could easily be the theme song to Spade’s life, moreover, it is an appropriate theme song to Maltese Falcon. “Schemes and big dreams, big money themes”, the falcon scheme is all about the money, everyone is in it to gain a little towards their pension funds. Each individual dreams of owning the Maltese Falcon, everyone wants to free it of the black coating, revealing its bejeweled stature. “I might leave niggas sprawled in the street”, Spade’s life is all work, and when his colleague Archer dies, he doesn’t seem very upset about it. Of the several murders in Maltese Falcon, Spade never really stops to mourn, leaving them, and blocking them from his mind.
The police are probably thinking, “We figured you out, we know your whole damn game”, yet Spade thinks this too, towards the characters in the novel that act mysteriously.
Finally, “This is my life, I gotta live it/ And if you cats really/ Don't know we gotta let y'all feel it” is a sum-up of Spade’s life. Spade shakes off his problems and hardships, and when he has a particular issue against someone, he let’s them feel it.

    The room is bustling; there are scattered conversations, people laugh, nod, and talk loudly. The walls are a terracotta color, the tables of thick wooden slabs. Behind the bar lie hundreds of liquors and mixers. The waiter comes over to us, and tells us they currently have no available seats, but that we can wait by the bar and a group is to leave soon. We walk over to the crowded bar and order mint lemon drinks. We all take in the colors and smells of the various dishes. Soon, a table clears, and we sit down.
   
    We’ve ordered several dishes. Olives, Brussels sprouts in a pesto-like sauce, bocadillos with mozzarella, red bell peppers and portabella mushrooms, potato slivers sprinkled with thyme and other spices, and some other divine things.

    I carefully take a Brussels sprout. It’s cut in half, and adorned in a deep green sauce. As I put it to my taste buds, the taste of basil, spices, and maybe even a little garlic jump out at me. I break a piece of baguette and soak up the green sauce. I savor the mélange of flavors, wishing it would never end. The plate has been quickly finished. The bocadillos stare at me now. The two halves of baguette are enclosing a piece of mozzarella, which is covered by a roasted bell pepper, soft and smooth. On top of the red pepper lies a sliver of portabella mushroom. It’s bite-sized, of the most delectable things. I taste the warm Tuscan sun, my trip to the Orcas Island comes back into my mind, and the Acme bread reminds me of the mornings I’ve spent at Café Fanny.

    I don’t want it to end, although I’m starting to feel more satisfied of my hunger. I take a small handful of fired potato slivers onto my white plate. The garden spices remind me of what we have at home. The rosemary and thyme dance across my palette. I take a few more olives, and sip some of my drink. The mint is subtle, yet the green leaves adorn my glass. The lemon is perfect, not too sour, nor is it too sweet. I want to save it and drink it slowly, but it seems to be a challenge.

    As I take a quick break from eating, I observe those around me. Berkeley people dressed in Berkeley clothes sit around me. People come in wearing thick wool pea coats, shielding them from the freezing cold out doors. The walls are slanted artistically; the diagonals make me feel as if I’m in a painting.

    Next come the desserts; a rich chocolate pudding, a thick custard with cranberries and orange, and a bread pudding laced in a caramel sauce. My family breaks out in “Happy Birthday”. I sit there, completely embarrassed and blushing. When they finish, I laugh, and then we all begin to eat the delicacies brought to our table.

     The chocolate pudding is so strong that only a couple of spoons make me feel satisfied. The cacao percentage seems so high that I feel like I will be up all night, strung out of caffeine. I try the custard; its berries so voluptuous and tart. The orange triggers something; barely above my difference threshold. Next I try the bread pudding. Growing up we’ve always made this. But here it’s different. There are so many flavors involved that I don’t even know what to begin with. After several bites, I feel as if I may explode.

    As we all finish, we get up slowly. We put on our warm coats, grab our things, and lethargically walk out to the car. The meal was so incredible that I feel as if I can’t eat anything for the next week.

1. If you could be a fly on anybody's wall, on whose wall would you perch? Why? What would you do with the information?
    If I could be a fly on anybody’s wall… I think I would like to perch on the wall of a high government official’s private office. I would like to perch there because I would be able to listen in to this person’s extremely private conversations, most likely involving tactics to rip-off the public, war tactics, and other issues that a common person would not get to hear, due to media distortion, and press control by the government. With the information I would have gathered during my perching time, I would probably start campaigns and protests, and eventually maybe bring issues to court, in hopes of somehow impeaching the person, so the government would be less of a controlling, unjust body of people.

2. What is your favorite piece of art? Describe what it looks like. Why do you like it so much? How does it make you feel? Does it tell a story? Have symbolism?
    My favorite piece of art is a sculpture by Edgar Degas, called The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer. It is a mixed-media sculpture of a ballerina. The girl is bronze, but is adorned with a cotton dress, and a satin hair ribbon, which makes the piece very interesting. Her chin is up, and her eyes are closed. She stands in ballet shoes, with her arms behind her back. The dancer isn’t pretty. She stands funny, and looks fairly ugly. From her stance it seems as if she thinks she’s the most famous dancer in the world.
    I love this sculpture for so many reasons. It was the first sculpture I saw as a little kid that I really liked, mainly because I used to do ballet. That is not the only reason I like it however. I like it because you can look at her and make up a million stories about where she is, what she’s thinking about, what she wants to do, and so on. Whenever I see the dancer in an exhibit, my mind is creating vivid pictures of a studio, of a prominent ballet company, and of a grassy field with a beautiful girl dancing. Another reason why I like it so much is because my mom does ceramics in her spare time, and used to make amazing sculptures and I always admired. Although her work is nothing like that of Degas, the two still seem connected in my mind. When I look at it, it makes me feel really happy. It reminds me of when I was little, making me a little nostalgic. It makes me feel like the world is flawless and perfect, and like everything is peaceful.
 

3. If you could choose your parents, how would they be? Describe how they look, act, and parent. What do they do (for work, hobbies, etc)?
    I wouldn’t want parents any different from what I have now. I love my parents so much, and have so much appreciation and respect for how they raised me. When I think about my friends, and how many of their parents should never have been allowed to be parents, I feel so thankful. My parents could have been a bit taller, have better running abilities, better knees and backs, so that I may have had a chance to get some better genes. They are amazing people though. My mom is a stay-at-home mom mostly, sometimes substituting at the Albany elementary schools, and sometimes working at UC. I like that she’s always here for us, because so many parents are not, and I think that has a huge affect on how the kids grow up. My mom is very artistic and makes really cool pottery, as well as very unique mirrors. My dad is a phyisist at the Berkeley Lab. I wish he wasn’t gone so much though. He travels on a weekly basis, all over the world. This is cool sometimes (especially when we can tag along), but it’s also hard to not see him for such long periods of times. When he is home, he likes to build things, like a really cool house in our backyard, a larger deck, and so many other things.

4. If you could live in any decade, which one would it be and why? ELABORATE. What opportunities would you take advantage of in said decade?
If I could live in any decade, I think I would live in the 1960’s (ish) because that is pretty much in the middle of the civil rights movement. I would want to really support the people of color, because only few white people did. I think it’s important to stand for what you think is right, even if it means harassment by others who disagree with you. The 60’s also just seem like a very cool decade, because the style was so interesting (compared to today’s style) and I think people were much more chill than they are today. (That’s not to say that things were anywhere near perfect back then.) However… I’m definitely happy to live in the era that we’re in now, because women have so many more rights, as do different races and ethnicities.

5. If you could/had to be any Disney character, who would it be and why?
If I had to be a Disney character, I would be Marie, the white kitten from the Aristocats. I think she is such a cute little cat, and although she may not have a very admirable personality, because she seems a bit snobby, I think she is sort of like me. I would be her because she seems to be the best Disney character that I can think of.

6. There is a difference between the moral man and the criminal in that the moral man has a legitimate reason to steal. Support or refute this idea (that a person's objectively bad deeds can be justified by the subjectivity of their life).
   I feel like stealing for no reason other than the adrenaline rush, the peer pressure, 'coolness' factor, to get back at someone, or to want something that you don't feel like working for yourself is not right. That is what I'd call a criminal. The moral man who may steal probably has a much more legit reason than that of a criminal. A moral man might steal a loaf of bread because his family is starving and he has no money to pay for a decent meal. He might rob a bank because of the love for his family, and what they mean to his life. He risks doing whatever it takes to satisfy others, and free them of their pain and sorrows. A criminal does not care about others, (except for what others think of him) and he does it for himself, to make himself look better, and to feel momentarily happy.

Another cliché story about rich snobs and their drama. (I must admit that my movie-writing skills are weak, despite the constant development of plots in my mind.) I promise I won’t ever pursue a career in the film industry. (AND I’m REALLY SORRY THAT IT’S SO LONG AND BORING.)

Setting: Modern day Wales, in the Vale of Glamorgan. Set mostly in the Royal Academy, a boarding school the main characters all attend.

Main Characters:
Cayden: Cayden is 17 years old, and the son of the prime minister of England. He has shaggy dirty-blonde hair, deep, enthralling aquamarine colored eyes, and a smile that tends to light up the room. He’s fit, and dressed very properly. He has a girlfriend Elodie, and is on the rugby team, as well as being the school’s head prefect. He is a best friend with Trae. Trae and Cayden don’t like Alexander.
Trae: Trae is Cayden’s best friend. He’s 17 years old, also very attractive in appearance, with a cute dimple in his right cheek. He has hazel eyes that mysteriously change colors constantly. His hair is the color of autumn, and he has a very tall build. He has had a difficult past, and has recently overcome an addiction to hard liquor. He has a girlfriend Laine, and is on the same rugby team as Cayden.
Alexander: Alexander is new to the Royal Academy, coming from France with his sister, Constance. He is 17 years old, has a very indie-alternative style, dark brown hair, and bright blue eyes. Although he is still new, he is already going out with Margaux, but he has feelings for Cayden’s girlfriend, Elodie, although he knows the chances are far too slim. He plays water polo, and is the son of artists.
Elodie: Elodie is 17 years old, has mile-long legs, very posh style, silky golden locks of hair, and green eyes. She comes from a very prominent family, and has a boyfriend, Cayden. She throws a lot of parties, often goes to beautiful, exotic places, and has two best friends, Margaux and Laine.
Laine: Laine is 16 years old, has short, red hair, blue eyes, and is very athletic. She wears nothing but Chanel, and has a boyfriend, Trae, whom she expects to spend the rest of her life with. She rides horses; rock climbs, does yoga, and plays women’s water polo. She loves spending time with her friends. She too throws many parties, and never wastes a moment of life.
Margaux: Margaux is a very spunky and optimistic 17 year old. She has freckles, crazy dirty-blonde hair, and wears very eccentric clothes, making her fit right in with her boyfriend, Alexander. Her parents are divorced lawyers, and she often goes to Spain to visit her mother.
Constance: Constance, the new girl, is 16 years old. Her perfect, dark hair is luscious and long. Her eyebrows are dark, and her face is pale. She has a cute pointed ski-slop nose which seems to makes her appear less intimidating. She fancies Cayden, and couldn’t care less about the cliques at her new school. She seeks relief from her stressful life by biking in the countryside whenever she can.

The opening scene starts with a shot of the amazing scenery of Wales.
 Two girls walk in the distance, on a dirt path, under a veil of trees. The sky is dark, storm is in the air. Elodie and Laine come into focus. They talk about Constance, their tones hint jealousy. In the background, Bittersweet symphony, by the Verve, plays. As they near the academy, their gossip comes to a close. Margaux runs towards them, smiling. The three girls embrace with hugs and kisses. Alexander comes towards them, and the three girls watch his very attractive walk. Margaux leaps into his arms, and kisses him, running her long fingers through his hair. She jumps down from his hold, and they entwine their fingers. Alexander looks at Elodie quickly. She’s beautiful as always. He notices her amazing figure, her beautiful, flawless skin, and the mystery behind her eyes. Margaux follows his stare and nudges him. She whispers in his ear, “Alexander, I love you dearly.” He snaps out of his trance, and kisses her forehead. They all begin talking about last night’s crazy party, when the chapel bells sound, signaling the commencement of the morning service. Elodie and Laine walk ahead, towards the beautiful, aged chapel.


In the chapel the two girls meet up with Trae and Cayden, exchanging kisses. As the pastor speaks, the four giggle and fool around. Alexander and Margaux sit a little further, whispering affectionately. In the opposing row, Constance sits, looking effortlessly amazing. She is alone, and intently listening to the pastor, although she sneaks several glances at Cayden and Trae.
The scene ends when the sermon is over.

The next scene involves a call from Margaux’s mother. Her father has died in an accident. Maybe I’m Amazed, by Jem plays softly. She is to fly to Spain with her mother tomorrow morning. As she hangs up the phone, tears begin to stream down her cheeks. She drops her bag and begins to run. Speeding Cars by Imogen Heap plays. She runs, shedding off her scarf, her Vera Wang pea coat, her blouse, kicks off her heels, and soon she is running in a mere tank, short pencil skirt, and tights. She slows down, her face red and puffy. It begins to pour, and she sinks down by a large oak tree overlooking the valley below. Hours pass, and it becomes darker. She shakes, sobbing.
The scene ends.

Scene opens in the main dormitory level. People run from room to room, asking if Margaux is around. Laine begins to sulk a bit. Elodie stands strong, though beneath her skin she feels frightened and worried. Constance, walks by, smiles, and walks down the long spiral staircase.
The girls follow her, exiting the medieval building, into the rain. They run past the orchard, through rows of pear trees. Their hair plasters their faces, yet they keep running, yelling Margaux’s name.

They end up finding her, and she tells them of her father’s death. The next scene is of the funeral, with Margaux and her mother, together, sobbing.
It cuts back to Wales, Trey and Cayden are at rugby practice, and talk about the hottest girls attending the academy. They both agree on Constance, each wishing they could share a moment with her. Her sexy French accent is enough for anyone to fall in love with her.
The scenes continue, parties happen, gossip is common.
Cayden and Constance spend time together, taking ‘innocent’ walks, although one thing seems to always lead to another. While Margaux is still gone, spending time with her mother, Alexander takes the time to get to know Elodie, who seems rather happy to break away from Cayden, who has been acting increasingly bizarre. Cayden and Constance hook up, as do Elodie and Alexander.

When they find out about each-others private situations, there is much disputing. Elodie hates Constance, and Cayden hates Alexander. A fistfight breaks out. Both the boys are expelled, bloody and hurt.

The next scenes are short, flashing from group to group, as sum ups of all their lives. Cellophane, by Amanda Ghost is playing for most of it.

Trae and Laine are the only sane couple left. They become engaged, and plan to marry after graduating from the academy.
Elodie moves to the new boarding school, where Alexander is now. They take up smoking marijuana, only leading to a very negative, vicious cycle. Elodie’s flawless façade comes tumbling down as they are both labeled “pott heads”. I’m not an Addict, by K’s Choice plays.

Margaux moves to Spain, where she meets her amazing Spanish soul mate.
They marry, and move next door to where Margaux’s mother lives.

Constance and Cayden have a relationship that one can compare to a roller coaster ride. They have so much in common that being together can be both the best thing, but also the worst thing. They often take breaks, yet the viewer knows that they will last.

    Sitting in a large RV on Christmas Eve in the Grand Canyon, we were brainstorming invention ideas. My dad had really good ones. He told us of his childhood, growing up in a very small town. His father owned a pharmacy, taking up the bottom level of their house. My dad would often sneak in there and take some chemicals. Then he would run up the stairs to the attic, where he had a mini laboratory. Shelves were lined with myriad chemicals and foreign substances. There was a disconnected bathtub, which he used to mix things in, light things up, and do many other things in that I don’t understand. He would go onto the roof and blow things up, always fulfilling his curiosity and proving theories; hence his career path as physicist. (I seem to be going off on a tangent…) He came up with invention ideas in his attic (although he still comes up with ideas today), including something that could be used in the hair-salon industry: a pair of scissors that had a vacuum suction attached, so no pieces of hair would fall and have to be swept up. Someone else has patented this idea in the meantime, sadly. While he was talking about his other invention ideas, I wondered what I would want to invent, and couldn’t think of anything. I kept thinking about it, however, and as global warming awareness increased, I thought of an invention.   

    Wouldn’t it be great if you could get onto a moving sidewalk that would take you to your destination without wasting gasoline or emitting carbon dioxide, slowly deteriorating our ozone layer? You could feel the breeze hitting your cheeks, smell the exhaust-less air, and feel so earth-friendly. The sidewalk would have two lanes, going in two directions. It would run on energy made from gym-goers who bike/run/x-train/row. All this potential energy goes to waste currently, and if only gyms hooked up their equipment to an energy plant, we would be able to save energy in the long run, by physically creating it. (Like in this PG&E commercial I saw once, where there is this guy on a stationary bike, and his peddling efforts keep the house lit.)
Anyways, you could get on the moving pavement, sit or stand, and quickly arrive at your destination, guilt free.

    I came up with this idea when my friend and I were walking up a really steep hill one afternoon, on our way to a friend’s pool. We both wished we could get there faster, but didn’t feel it was worth the fuel consumption. With some deeper thinking, and maybe a more realistic approach, I’m sure this has a lot of future potential.

1. What is your favorite book?
A Great and Terrible Beauty is an amazing novel, written by Libba Bray. It is set in England, about a sixteen-year old girl with a power to attract the supernatural unfolds. It’s a really complex novel, but extremely hard to put down. I am not usually very interested in books like this, that really make you want to curl up under the covers, but A Great and Terrible Beauty is really amazing. It’s really dark, as well as sad, but the diction is exquisite, as well as the plot, making it nearly impossible not to read in one or two sittings.
 

2. If you could/had to live in any country besides the United States, where would it be?
If I could live in any country, it would most definitely be a country in Europe. Most likely, Belgium. My family is from Belgium, making me 100% Belgian. Although the weather is mediocre, it is my home, and occasionally, I can’t stand not being there. The food is amazing, the stores are really different, and the people, although they seem to have a bad reputation, can be very friendly. Things are much more laid back, and no one is uptight about laws and rules, making it so much more relaxing to go about your day. The one thing that I’m not so keen on, is that it’s really small, and although you can easily go to any other European country (all within a couple of hours), it’s not as lively as a city like Paris, or a region like the Provence, both located in France. All in all, it’s a pretty trivial question, because although I have no intentions of staying here, in ridiculously boring and small Albany, I’m not sure if I want to even move out of California. All in good time.
 
3. Who is your favorite superhero?
Superheroes?? I just don’t have a favorite superhero. I don’t read or watch cartoons or movies like Superman and so on, and personally, I find the concept rather ridiculous. A spandexy-guy, who can fly around lifting cars and helping people, with supernatural abilities, is just silly. But okay… I guess Elastigirl from the Incredibles isn’t so bad. I admit that I’ve watched that movie over 50 times, because the “Edna Mode” scene was hilarious. I like Elastigirl because she has a funny voice, and although stretching all over the place sounds pretty weird, I’m sure it has its benefits. It isn’t as cool as being able to fly, or become invisible, but hey, it’s not bad. Elastigirl also has a funny voice, and seems like a pretty cool mom. Not that I plan on being a mom anytime soon…
4. If you could change any one law, what would it be?
If I could change one law, it would be to only be allowed to drive hybrid cars. Although many are converting, so many people still drive huge gas-guzzling SUVs with no respect or even thought about the environment. It’s sad to see how Earth is being destroyed, slowly and surely, and while some care and want to make a difference, so many people just shrug it off, forgetting about it, and going on with their lives. I admit that awareness levels are definitely rising; yet many people still don’t feel the direct affect or global warming, thus not caring at all. Hybrids, along with saving energy by turning off lights and appliances when no in use, could save the planet for somewhat longer.
 
6. Is it better to be too hot or too cold?
It’s better to be too cold, in most cases, because you can simply add on layers, while if it’s too hot; you’re screwed, because you can’t take off layers that you’re not wearing. However, when you’re too cold and there are no more jackets or blankets to comfort you, you’re in a pickle. Being too cold makes me feel sick, and then my fingers and toes go numb, my nose gets all icy, and I feel depressed for not being in a warmer environment. I love the cold season, because there are so many cute things you can wear that are warm, plus, you can wear funky hats and not feel like a retard. I love the warm season because you can walk around in a bikini and feel perfectly happy, which is fun too. I don’t have a preference, as long as I’m content.
 

7. Which is better: to get in a car accident that isn't your fault and lose a leg or to get into a car accident that is your fault and kill an old lady?
Old ladies are so cute!!! I’d feel so awful if I killed one. Yet… they were bound to die soon anyways… plus, I would probably commit suicide if I lost a leg, because it would impair my running ability, which I can’t live without. But sure, I’d rather get into an accident that isn’t my fault (which has definitely already happened… sadly, seeing as I don’t even have my license yet, and have to wait another month to get it). Either way, accidents are extremely scary, and to avoid them completely would be great. Final decision, in favor of the old lady, and let’s hope, a very advanced surgical procedure, I’d rather get in a car accident that isn’t my fault and lose a leg.
 

8. Do you believe that pain and suffering is a necessary part of life?
I don’t believe that pain and suffering is a necessary part of life, but no doubt, it is a part of life. If no one ever suffered or was in pain, people wouldn’t appreciate life. They would all have long taken advantage of not ever being hurt, physically or emotionally. Having suffered or been in pain, you gain much more respect for life. If you haven’t suffered or been in pain, how have you been living your life??

9. Is animal testing acceptable?
I completely disagree with animal testing. It’s unacceptable, inhumane, cruel, and wrong. There are no excuses for harming animals. They should have nearly the same rights as humans do, because after all, they are living things too, and as humans, we are a species of the animal kingdom. Animals are used to test all sorts of cosmetics, enduring crazy amounts of pain. To test hairspray, many companies test by spraying it directly into innocent monkeys’ eyes. That’s insane. Sure, people argue that animals are also used to find cures to human diseases. Yet, I still don’t agree with that. Human DNA varies from that of our prime-mates, it’s wrong to inject diseases into innocent animals that may not even end up helping scientists. There are other techniques to testing things, and animals should not be taken advantage of like that.

10. Do you believe that ghosts exist?
This question reminds me of this email I got once, with several pictures of “ghosts” lurking in the background. The concept, to me, seems pretty far-fetched, and inaccurate. There really is no proof that they exist... although I actually had this extremely creepy experience over the summer at camp, "calling ghosts" with something similar to a weegie board. This was pretty scary, and all I could think about was if the ghosts might come distort my dreams that night. So many people always tell stories about calling ghosts, and seeing ghosts, and honestly, you can't believe it all, but this was a really awful experience, and I don't recommend trying it, unless you really know you can handle it. (Even the ''toughest" guys at camp were crying...). I think one day, however, i might want to try it again...

11. Do you believe that you can never have too much of a good thing?
There is a limit to everything. Having too much of anything can have bad effects. For example, having too much candy will eventually make your teeth rot away and you’ll end up gaining a lot of weight, which may lead to obesity. There are of course, many other effects of having too much candy… Same goes for exercising too much, which can lead to eating disorders, distorted body images, and so many more things. Everything should be consumed and done without over-doing it. My mom sometimes says, “Alles in maten”, which means, nothing should be exaggerated, anything can be overdone. I think life should be lived to the fullest, so you won’t regret things in the long run, but I don’t think you should consume too much of the same thing at once, rather, within good measure.

12. Do you believe that school is the best way to make a person smarter?
There is so much more to life than school. School teaches you your basic subjects, language, math and sciences, and history, but it does not teach you the ways of the real world, communication, street smarts, etcetera. Some of the smartest people completely blew-off school, instead gaining knowledge through life, observing things, and trying things themselves, until they work. Colleges are accepting people not just based on grades, but on life experiences, like traveling, sports, and things that make a person more rounded, rather than just very academically advanced.
 
14. Do you believe that war can be justified?
I don’t believe war can be justified, ever. I see no reason to make wars with people, because of different governmental views, or for any other reasons. So many innocent people are killed, land is destructed, money is wasted, and the aftermath is devastating. People need to understand that war is never an answer. It’s just a bad solution to problems that could be solved very differently. Peace can be justified.
 

15. If you could switch your gender, but it had to be permanent, would you?
I don’t think I would want to switch genders, ever. I like being a girl, and although we can’t pee standing-up, that’s about the only downside. Well no, it also sucks to be the ones to give birth, and the ones to have periods… I don’t think I’d miss that stuff, but for the most part, I have no complaints. Girls are given way more rights nowadays, unlike 40 years ago, when they were still more or less expected to be the perfect Stepford-esque housewife. We almost stand equal to men, in terms of salaries, as well as everything else. I wouldn’t want to be a guy, because guys are expected to be manly, and not very in touch with their emotions, otherwise, they are classified as gay.
 

16. Do you think you are anyone's favorite person in the world?
Am I anyone’s favorite person in the world? I don’t think so. My parents seem to love me, but I have two other siblings, so I know I’m not the favorite, “We love you all equally.” Maybe I’m my best friend’s favorite person in the world, but again, I don’t know, because she loves her parents and other friends too. I don’t have a favorite person. I love my family, especially my parents, I love my friends, some more than others, no doubt, and I love my two dogs very much. I don’t have favorites. I hate when people do. Especially teachers. Teachers who have favorites, are so annoying. I hate when they deny the fact that they do have favorites. It’s extremely obvious whether or not they do.  When your teacher does have favorites, the situation is always sticky…You are either the favorite, and treated like a little angel, sending the entire class to hate you, and call you “teacher’s pet”, or you’re not the favorite, instead given less than fair grades, and pretty much ignored the whole time.
 

 The weather is cold, the fog has rolled in. The road is a reddish earthy color. I squint my eyes as the dust flies up. Down below is the deep blue Pacific Ocean. I can barely concentrate on anything. I’m in my own world, my only thoughts are, I need to win this thing. I’m yearning to be home, in my warm bed, or soaking in my hot tub. Instead , I’m an hour away, running a completely foreign course with girls I’ve never seen before. I need to beat these girls. I need to win. I repeat this over and over again. I can win this. I can do it. Just behind me is a girl, and I feel her breathing on me. I let her pass me, knowing that I can beat her. I keep her right in front of me, shielding me from the wind. I pressure her to go faster, push it, bitch. The course is 5 kilometers, and I can tell that I’m nearing the end. I keep my breath steady, and my feet quick. I pump my tired arms as I’m ascending the seemingly endless hill, like I’m pulling on a rope. I pass a couple girls, as I always do. Hills are my specialty. I watch the girls clamber up, struggling to get to the top. When I reach the top, I overlook the beautiful setting. I see the end straight. I pick up the pace. Faster. Faster. I’m there. My adrenaline rush locks in, and I sprint. I can’t even hear my cheering teammates, I’m completely absorbed in winning. I run over the finish line. I’ve gotten first. My heart is beating fast, and I’m so overcome by happiness. Then I start feeling sick. I walk it out, then I get my water bottle. After hydrating a bit, I run my cool down. All I can think about is how I can go home now, and warm up and sleep.

I couldn’t live without running. I run when I feel upset, when I want to be alone, when I want to debrief on my day, or contemplate a situation. I’ve been running for about 5 or so years, although even as a little kid, I loved to run, and my brother and I would always have races. I’d always win. I admit that I’m really competitive, and I don’t like to loose. High school running is much more intense than the running I was used to. The races are harder, faster, and longer. The girls are better, and more intimidating.

But that doesn’t stop me from running. I do it for myself mostly. After I run, I feel so unbelievably happy, and all my problems have just gone away. I don’t want to stop, usually, and after my work out, I just feel like running more and more. If I don’t feel like I’ve done well, then I get really upset and emotional about it. All I want to do is run more to make up for it.

I love the feeling of the sun shining in my face, and my ponytail flying. I love the feeling of making it to the top of a hill, my calves and thighs stinging a bit. Recover and go. That’s what I always tell myself at the top. I slow down a little and when I’ve recovered, I go.

People always tell me I’m crazy for liking to run. I just don’t really care. I can’t live without it. When I’m injured, which happens a lot, because of my knee and back problems, I feel really depressed and just can’t wait to run again. I’ve been to so many physical therapists and chiropractors, and although they never have real solutions to my problems, I just run anyways.

    When starting this blog entry, I was relating myself to a house cat, but I’m rethinking that now. I don’t like cats, and despite the fact that we share the common interest of liking the sun, that’s it. Cats are fake, and moody, and I don’t think of myself as a fake or bipolar-esque type of person. I decided to look a little deeper in the whole animal kingdom deal, and decided I’m somewhat like a gazelle. My dad always calls me that. Gazelles are a type of antelope, brownish red in color, with a dark stripe across their sides. ‘They are known as swift animals; they are able to reach high speeds for long periods of time. Gazelles are mostly found in the grasslands and savannas of Africa, but they are also found in southwest Asia. They tend to live in herds and will eat less coarse, easily digestible plants and leaves’ (wikipedia.com). I’m a runner, so I’m swift also, and I run longer distances, like the gazelles do. They are herbivores, as I am also. (i.e. vegetarian)
 
    Gazelles run in packs, seeming to be very social creatures. They seem to be really nice, and sharing with their fellow pack-members. I try to be nice, and sharing, although sometimes my looks are deceiving. My looks are sometimes perceived as bitch looks or looks of disapproval or hatred. I just space out sometimes, staring meanly at people sometimes, although I don’t do it on purpose. I don’t like to be misjudged, but it happens so frequently, I’ve found. I think gazelles are misjudged also. They are extinct, and people don’t really care for them, other than their beauty on a mantle. To be completely honest, I don’t know too much about gazelles other than that… I’m assuming they are stressed out a lot of the time, because they need to run a lot, probably to get away from predators. I get stressed out a lot too… just not because I need to get away from predators. They also seem like responsible animals, because of their confident stance. I see myself as a responsible being for the most part.

    I did the online animal quiz, and it said I was like a wolf. I disagree though. I don’t see myself as a sly person, with aggressive manners and weird hunting rituals. Wolves seem like creepy-stalker types, and personally, I don't view myself as a stalker-ish person. Oh well; online quizzes always disappoint me.