2010!!

Happy new year! Another year has gone by in this great big ball of fun we call Earth. What will happen next year? Will we all die due to some horrible prophecy from long ago? Or has everyone given up on that yet? I doubt it, but still. Oh, I know! Everyone that likes the Twilight series will realize that vampires don't sparkle, they explode. Oh well. So long, year of the ox. Hello year of the tiger!

Christmas miracle

well I am at my dads house in Connecticut for Break. I just got here yesterday and I woke up this morning and decided to take my dog for a walk. i got all bundled up and walked downstairs outside to the freezing cold and the snow. I walked off the front step and looked down and found a 100 dollar bill frozen in the street. I finished walking my dog and got my 13 year old brother,justin, to help me get it out. We planned to spilt it 50/50 because We both helped get it out. My brother broke some of the ice with the shovel. He ripped part of it and then I remembered from econ that if you rip the corner off of a bill then it is no good. I then thought about it and told my brother to get some hot water. He poured it over the ice and it instantly melted freeing the 100 dollars. We took it upstairs and blow dried it. It is good and ready for spending. We are spilting it three ways though with my 8 yearold little brother ,Rick, because he wouldn't stop crying so we are each giving him 10 dollars of our 50. So I am up 40 dollars, life is good.

My Friend is an Idiot.

On Wednesday, I helped my friend make cupcakes for his girlfriend for Christmas. Because I can't drive anyone yet (legally), and his parents refused to take him my friend made the brilliant decision to walk there.
Now this wouldn't have been to bad if I had the proper warm clothing, but the weather that day was warm, and being short on time, I decided I would wear flip flops and shorts. We walked for about 45 minutes to get there only to find that not only was she not there. My friend had forgotten to call her to confirm that she was even at her house.
When we got to her house to find no one was there, for some reason my friend keeps calling his girlfriend, and she wouldn't answer. We sat outside on her porch, in the freezing cold, for an hour before he finally gave up.
The worst part was that his parents would not drive us home so we had to walk the 45 minutes back to his house where I could get in my car and drive home. When I got to my car I drove as fast as I could back to my house and walked into my house and I realized that the bottom of one of both of my feet were numb, as were a couple of my toes. For 10 minutes they would not warm up so I went to the bathtub and filled it up with hot water where I was finally able to nurse my feet back to health. All because my friend was to dumb to make a phone call.

Soldier On.

I'm getting a special Christmas present this year. My cousin Thomas is in the National Guard and just passed basic training. He's going to be deployed soon. We don't know where he's going to be deployed. This Christmas will likely be the last time I get to see him before he is deployed, so I don't think I'm going to be too concerned about opening boxes this year.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

Just like the ones I used to know. Up until I moved to Rocklin, that is. It's just so weird not having much snow during winter. When I lived in Alta Sierra, there was a decent amount of snow. Then, when I moved to Sparks, Nevada, there was tons of snow. And rain. And hail. And ice. Now I'm living in Rocklin, the least snowiest place ever! Or, at least, that's what it seems like. That's definately one thing I miss. Mostly because of snow days. Those were fun.

Winter Break

I am so excited for school to end. My friends and I are going to lunch after school and exchanging presents. It is a great way to start the break. I don't think I will be going anywhere so I will spend most of the break just reading books. A few of us may go and see Avatar but maybe not. I am still very happy about the two weeks we are getting ff but school but I hate the Thunder Day on Monday. All of my clases are so far away from each other on the those days, I always have to walk across the campus just to get to each one. Oh, well can't wait to see everyone when we get back. Happy Holidays!

Break!!!

I am so excited that it is finally winter break! We get two weeks off to simply relax. Thanksgiving break was nice, but there was so much homework. Christmas break will truly be a time to rest from school. I find that it comes at a great time of year, because after coming off finals in most classes, trying to boost up grades, and late night homework sessions, everyone needs a break! I am also excited, because I love the holidays, as you get to spend quality time with family and friends. I am looking forward to these next few weeks! ...And when you think about it, the February break is not that far off returning from winter break!

Merry Christmas to Me.

The other day I was hanging out at a friends house when I recieved a text from Sam Cowley, asking for the key to my house so she could borrow something. Since she is my best friend I have no problem letting her do that. She came and picked up the key and told me she would leave it under the door mat so I could get in my house when I got home. 4 hours later I recieved a text from her telling me that my mom had texted her and said if she got ahold of me to " get home now!" I had just texted my mom so I refused, she then proceeded to text me randoms text such as "someone is breaking into your house" and "tripod (my cat) is having a sezuire" I rushed home to see what was going on. Shawna Grizoffi's car was next to my house and I got really confused. I walked into my house and started to get really upset because all the lights were off and my fear is being surprised and scared in the dark, which I thought they were going to do. Then I looked up and saw lights coming from my room, I looked down and there were arrows on paper pointing toward my room, I followed them and when I walked into my room there was christmas light everywhere with streamers hanging from the ceiling and snowflakes and candy canes on the walls. But the biggest surprise was the REAL christmas tree with presents under it! My mom and I have been having financial problems because of the economy and I had mentioned one time that I might not be getting any presents. My friends made my christmas amazing. I love them with all my heart!

California Weather?

For the past couple of weeks the weather has been ridiculous. Never would I thought it would be this cold in the mornings. I moved here from Connecticut when I was 7 years old and never did I think that living in California I would have to warm up my car or wipe off the snow. I have to get up an extra 10 minutes early to make sure that I can see through the window while I am driving to school, and so I dont freeze. This weather needs to stop.

snow again?

my window opens up to this feild of grass and trees where some horses used to graze and it was reeeally pretty last week when it snowed, and this morning there was snow all over the trees and grass again - not as much, but still pretty.
Its not as cold as i was expecting it to be with the snow.
i leave tuesday morning at 4 am for iowa, and i come back at probably 11 on sunday night before school starts again.
yay for lack of sleep this week? 5 hours for two nights in a row is bad news for paige. i dont function humanly with less than 6, and even that is iffy. boo.
on a happier note, i've watched 4 movies this week :) i loooove movies. four christmases, julie & julia, transformers II, and i finally got to see angels and demons!! loved it! and im seein 'the blind side' on sunday before i leave. :))
anyways, happy minimum day, and happy holidays!

Wonderful Winter

All I can do is cross my fingers and hope that my good luck will last just a little bit longer. Before December, I was dragging. I didn't want to do anything for anyone. I would just sit around. I even gave up on homework most nights. Now, I am more motivated. I have more of a goal and it's all because of this past week and the weeks to come. On Thursday of last week I found out that I got into Cal Poly which has been my number one school for years now. I had been worried I didn't have good enough grades and such but once I found out, my whole mood has changed for the better. Then we won the game against Del Oro. Again. On Saturday, I went to a show at the Boardwalk and got to meet the people from one of my favorite bands. And just the other day, my friend invited me to go to LA with her this weekend to visit Azusa Pacific University and go to the game. I was informed last night that we would also be going to Disneyland!!! I am just hoping that this good streak won't end any time soon. I am anticipating 2010 to be a good year. :)

RIP

It happened again, in only a matter of weeks. Another life, another friend snatched away. It only leaves me wondering "Why now?" and "who's next?" I've never experienced the death of a school mate until high school. Freshmen and sophomore year = 5 lives. Even though I didn't know them that well, I can still remember them being in the same room as me, or sitting on the same bench with me. First comes shock, then the anger, then the bargaining, then the realization that there is nothing I can really do. Then I go back to school, the voice over the speaker delivers the news and everyone is upset again. The teachers try to lighten the mood, and as weeks eventually go by, the school is back to their high spirits. Of course, my thoughts drift back to the subject, but it's different now. It feels as if they just went on a long vacation, or they moved far away because their impact on the people they smiled at, laughed with, and loved, still remain. They will never be forgotten. RIP.

Rain

I love the rain. It's been raining nonstop since Friday and I am soaking it all in. (Not literally, but inside my house, of course.) All of this grey weather makes the winter season really come alive. It makes me want to do sit around and watch television while I eat food, which is bad since I still have a week left of school.

So...

Who's frozen yet? One day, we're wearing t-shirts and being thankful for a cool breeze, and the next, we're wishing for down jackets and a shining sun. Talk about weather coming out of nowhere.

WOW! We are top 50 in nation!

So I am doing my monday routine checking highschool rankings around the state and nation on ESPN. Then boom! I see rocklin high as the #44 team in the US! Thats out of like 10,000 teams! No exageration. Then i look at the regional rankings. Thats the western region of the US rankings and we are #8. The whole state of california is talking about Rocklin High and wondering where we came from! Now we beat the #8 team in the nation Grant and next week we have a chance at the State Championship! I have never been so excited. We have a great team and coaches!

Snow!

Today was an unusual day in Rocklin waking up to find snow! It has not snowed in Rocklin since January of 2002. It was unfortunate that is was really cold, but I know many students were just really excited about the snow. When I was walknig onto the campus, a bunch of seniors in the parking lot were throwing snowballs at each using the snow that accumulated on their cars. I thought it was pretty funny, especially because of how big of a deal Rocklin students think the snow is. But it definitely is, if you realize that it is really rare for this town. However, RHS teachers that are Auburn residents (ie. James, McCullough, Sellers) weren't able to arrive to school because they were snowed in! Hopefully, the snow will melt quickly so they won't be stuck for awhile!

17 days of -not christmas- but sickness

i've been sick for 17 flipping dayssss. first the sore throat, then just constantly blowing my nose, then that plus throat problems, then just the coughing, then that plus nose problems. i dont even cough much at all at school during the day, but once im tired and ready for bed, i start having insane coughing fits. my stomach muscles hurt from all of it. i swore i was in the middle of my 4th round of strep throat since elementary school days, but that test came back negative, so my Dr. just said instead of that, im on my 3rd sinus infection?? too bad my other ones never made my throat feel like sandpaper and make me cough uncontrollably.
booo.
glad its snowing today though, that's nice. it makes me think of my family in idaho, and of my upcoming trip to Iowa to see my dad,. yay!! its been too long. cant wait to spend 14 days in the snow in the middle of nowhere?!

Journalism Lecture

Yesterday, I went to listen to Mr. Nichols' friend, Bobby Hawthorne. To be honest, I did not expect it to be all that interesting but it ended up being a lot of fun and I felt like I walked away with a whole, new understanding of journalism. Mr. Hawthorne made it very funny and entertaining. He really broke it down and helped us to understand. He went through lots of examples of good and bad journalism which were really helpful. He also stressed that fact that for good journalism, you have to look beyond the obvious and write about things that are will be new and exciting to the reader. I am really glad that I went and felt that it was very helpful.

Thunder Galleria

I do not know why, but for some reason I have never been an elf at Thunder Galleria before. It seems like something that I would want to do every year, but I am excited about doing it this year! Elf training was good, I learned that an elf should always keep their kid next to them at all times. And no texting. Which is a good point, because if you were shopping with a high school kid, you'd probably be pretty excited, and nervous. But if they were on their phone the whole time, that would just be awkward and no fun. So mental note: no texting on monday night. I am so excited to walk the kids around, and hopefully make the holidays exciting for them. It's a hard time of year, especially if someone does not have the money to get presents for everyone. Which is why this is such a great event. It makes everyone feel happy about gift giving, and holiday cheer :)So Thunder Galleria, here I come, a few years late.

Motivation

Have you ever seen an indivdual lose over 200 pounds within just a couple of months? Well, if you haven't, you better tune into The Biggest Loser. We have heard everything possible people do to lose weight, and in my opinion, most of the ways are rediculous. Some people may have diseases or contain something from genetics that may affect the individuals ability to lose weight, but for everyone else, basic diet and exercise should be the answer to their weight problems. This is exaclty what they do on The Biggest Loser. Yes, they make it a little more dramatic, but the results are incredible. Season 8's finale is going to be next week and I can't wait to find out who the winner is. I am so addicted and motivated by this show. It's been one of the motivations to help me escape diabetes and lose 60 pounds. I believe that if I could do it, any one can. I know that may sound a little cheesy, but it is true! I mean, there was a man who was 63 years old on the previous season of the biggest loser and started out at 369 pounds and ended up getting in the 170's! This means that it is never to late to lose weight and anybody can do it. From experience, it's really hard to get started and trying to eat healthy was a challenge. So if you decide to start a weight loss program, don't get stressed out because it's only the beginning. After 2 weeks of success, it will be way more easier to get to your goal weight. Just don't stop!

Socratic Seminars

Lately in Language Arts, we have been doing socratic seminars every day. And surprisingly, I love the discussions! Today, we were talking about the conscience and how moral laws affect us and how we react to good and bad situations. We went into how religion creates morals and therefore creates the conscience. I guess I was a little more philosophical and psychological about it because the only questions I could think of were pertaining to how the mind works with the conscience. This has led me to really want to take a psychology class. I was thinking about taking either sociology or psychology at Sierra at night during the second semester but there is a rule for RHS that you can't take a class at Sierra that could also be taken at our school somehow. Which sociology and psychology fall into with AP Psych. So I'll have to wait until over the summer for more discussions about the conscience.

Tis the season for some earplugs...

Seriously, I want some earplugs! This is always the time of year where every Christmas song is being played over and over and over again, until I want to just stab my ears out. If I could choose a radio station I'd be fine, but my mom seems to love this repitition of songs that were only decent to listen to in the first place. Of course songs that were great now get shoved aside just because "It's the holidays!". Yay!

Over the break...

I can't wait for this period to be over so I can go and enjoy my break and my time at home and with friends. I'm waiting for Wednesday already because that's when my sister and her financee is coming over to help with some of the Thanksgiving stuff, but other than that it'll just be hanging out with some friends with WoW and Call of Duty. Sounds like a fun break to me!

ALSO- the one thing that can ruin break is the release of NEW MOON. Twilight is bad, mmkay?

REBEL!

Abercrombie's fading

We all know the economy is not in its top condition right now, but the adored fashion retailer-Abercrombie and Fitch is certainly feeling the financial situation. I remember how popular this brand was in middle school, and I continue to see its popularity among my fifth grade sister and her friends.

It's just interesting to see how something so popular can lose it's appeal over time when people have financially supported the buisness for years.

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/108199/abercrombie-is-worn-out-and-quickly-fading

Finally

I have been waiting for break for so long, and now I only have to wait 2 more class periods. School certainly has its high points, but it can be tiring, to say the least. I just want a chance to relax and have nothing that I have to get done for a little while.
Of course, I do still have to finish up some college applications and will have a little bit of homework. But I intend to be proactive and will get everything done over the weekend, maybe a little bit on Monday too. I guess we'll see how that goes.
And of course, I cannot leave out the food. Thanksgiving food is the best! I get to go to my Grandma's on Thursday and she is pretty much the best cook I know. The food may not be super healthy(plenty of butter) but its sooooo goooooood. So yeah, I intend to have a good time. Have a great break everyone!

Thanksgving Break

I am so happy that we get a week of, it seems like forever since we got a long vacation. I think everyone feels like they really need the break, we all work so hard at school. The best news is that it is my birthday in eight days. I started the countdown when November started so I'm sure all of my friends are tired of hearing it by now. While I am on the subject of countdowns only 112 until school gets out. Most likely I will go and see New Moon over the break, everyone who already saw it at midnight said it was so good and much better that the first. I have converted to Team Jacob so I think I will like this one more. However, I think for the most part I will just stay home during Thanksgiving Break. We don't have many family members around here so it will most likely be just my family, but I still think it will be fun.

Winter

As the temperatures begin to descend, my excitement escalates. The chilly weather symbolizes my favorite part of the year, winter. I love absolutely everything about the season.
It brings ski trips:
I have been skiing since I was three and it is what I look forward to every year. My dad takes my brother and I up to Sugar Bowl on the weekends, where we get season passes every year.
It brings the holidays:
Thanksgiving, because I love love love to eat.
Christmas is a given. Everything about christmas is amazing, I'm a Christmas fanatic.
Then New Years is awesome. Just the feeling of starting a new year is rejuvinating.
It brings marvelous weather:
The rain, the snow, the wind. I love it all.
So bring on the winter.

SNOWW yay!

Thanksgiving break commences TODAY and I can't wait!! Northstar opens this weekend and I have been waiting to go snowboarding since spring. Well, I've been to boreal, which opened weeks ago, but 'boring-hill' isn't as exciting as the bigger slopes. Plus my Northstar season pass has been collecting dust all summer. I am double excited because this year I have been learning to ski too. I used to ski all the time, but I haven't skied in like 6 years, so im pretty rusty. Honestly, if I were to describe my perfect day, it would involve me driving up to Northstar with my brother and his girlfriend, snowboarding all day, then after hanging out at the icerink there and getting MIKUNIS definitely! I can't leave that place without getting an 'incredible roll'. It's soooo good. While I love my little Tahoe, I'm super jealous of my dad. Tomorrow he's leaving to go skiing in switzerland!! Yeah, the SWISS ALPS! One of his best friends lives there, so they're going skiing together. Oh well, while he's gone, Northstar is calling my name. I'll have a good time at the snow right here in Tahoe.

Less pumpkin pie this year?

Nestle warns that there may be a shortage of canned pumpkin for pies because of the weather. This brand sells 800-90% of the nation's canned pumpkin. So would the shortage of pumpkin raise the price for Nestle bakers? Or are people going to have to use another brand? Perhaps apple pie will be more popular this year.

New Moon!!

Last night, I went to the New Moon premiere. I loved the movie! I thought that it was much better than Twilight. I got to the theatre at about 6:30 and I had a lot of fun waiting for the the 12:01 show. We passed the time playing card games, ninja, and making random runs for energy drinks. I saw so many people that I knew from school, and got to talk to them more than I normally would. I had fun on my random adventure with Katie! It was so cold!!

I loved how everyone was dressed in Twilight/New Moon tshirts. It was hilarious how one guy dressed up as Jacob and was taking pictures with girls throughout the hallway. There was some other person there, who wanted to be the opening act for Jingle Ball, and passed out flyers saying to vote for him. Everyone was trying to stay awake, since it was late, so everyone was really hyper and crazy, which made the movie even more exciting.

I loved the way that everyone was so spirited about this premiere. Everyobdy there was truly excited for the movie, and that really added to the overall atmosphere of the theatre.
With how much I loved this premiere, I can't wait for the Eclipse premiere in the summer!

New Moon Adventures?

So last night I went to my first movie premiere and I got way more into it than I thought I would! There was a huge group of people... We almost took up an entire row! And apparently cross country boys get really really hyper with energy drinks and are chased by crazy red headed children when they go to the gas station to restock on snacks. Who knew?! But overall I had a really fun night. And I got to know Danielle more who is my partner again for the print issue!
Now I have break to look forward to with finishing college apps, letter of recommendation requests, projects, studying, and my usual volunteering throughout the week. Not to mention, I am really excited to be seeing Transyberrian Orchestra on the 28th and going to a Battle of the Bands on the same day! I am in for a busy week of eating, watching movies, and giving thanks.
I am so thankful for my family and the friends I have met. Last night I met and got to know way more people than I expected. Thank you for an amazing night... Team Jasper all the way!

Go Warriors.

So, yesterday i went to William Jessup University on a visit for softball. It was really cool because its a private christian college, and Ive always really wanted to go there. They have an awesome softball program and the coaches are great. There was a girl from the team that showed me around the campus, introduced me to all the teammates, and the girls were all really nice and friendly. I sat in on an English class during the day and it was cool because the class sizes are really small which is something that i really liked. After that i went to lunch with the girls and then hung out with them in their dorm. The dorms are really cool, and super big. Then after that we had practice from 2-5 . Practice went really well and their team should be good this year. Overall, i had a really good time, and i look forward to playing with them again this Saturday.

College Application Deadlines and Break!

For some reason I thought that being a Senior with only six classes would give me more time for all of my college stuff. I couldn't have been more wrong. With three AP classes, and the end of the semeseter approaching, my work load at school has remained consistantly heavy. Working, something I have adjusted too, has also been a new constraint on my time. Due to tough economic times, my dad's business has not been doing as well and it is extremely important for me to work on scholarships as much as possible. All of that on top of the college applications themselves and figuring out what to do with my future. It's not a bad life, but it's definitely a busy one. I'm excited for what is to come, and I know that eventually all of my hard work will pay off. For all of you who are not seniors, stay on top of your game so that when you are...you're not in the same boat as most of us are now.

Birthday!

So my birthday is coming real soon its this weekend, so i decided to do something fun for it. This weekend i invited a group of my girl friends and we took a limo to Sac. It was a blast we were all dancing and sticking our heads out of the sun roof, did you know that you have to wear a seat belt all times in a limo? two of my friends last year in a limo got $100 tickets because there heads were out a limo and the windows were child protected so the windows were half up! Luckly no one got tickets this time. A great part of the limo was the driver Scott, which he wanted us to call him uncle Scott, so we did. He was so laid back and next time i get a limo i definantly getting him again. After we got dropped off at BJs and it was so good, i was so happy because i got a free pizookie for my birthday and it was so yummy! It was such a fun birthday for me!

Job Wanted

During these tough economic times, money for recreation use seems to be scarce. Unlike some people, my parents are not made out of money and will just not just give me money for anything I want whenever I need it. I have to earn it. Until recently the allowance my parents give me for my work around the house has been sufficient enough to keep me afloat. But now I have a car that needs gas and has to have insurance, both of which are expensive.
Yesterday at dinner, my dad turned to me and told me that I need to start looking for a job and that I must have a job by mid-December and that with my new found "wealth" I will have to help pay for my insurance. Now I'm not bothered by this as I knew this moment would be coming for a while. Hopefully I can find a job soon, so if anyone knows somewhere that is hiring, tell me :)

2012

Lately, I've been hearing alot about the 2012 theory, how the world is going to end, with the movie in theatres, people talking about it, or educational channels on TV. What is really going to happen on December 21, 2012? Are people going to panic? Will one or more of the theories come true? And the most worrisome question: Is the whole population of the world going to die? However you put it, there really isn't anything we can do either way, but personally, I think the world will go through some sort of transformation, but maybe not an apocolypse. Anyway,
people will still continue to go about their daily lives and not worry about it.

Thankful

I realized this past weekend that I am really happy with my job and should be more grateful. I mean, I get to go to an elementary school three days a week and just play with kids and joke around with them and the staff; it's my dream job!

There are always those many moments throughout the day where I just have to laugh because one of the fourth graders calls my co-worker "foxy" or one of the first graders falls from the glider in one of the world's weirdest positions and just starts busting up laughing. And I just have to smile when a fourth grader helps a kindergartner win at two touch on the ball wall, even though she's playing too.

It's those precious moments in the every day hustle and bustle of this world that really matter most, and at Kids Junction you can't possibly stay in a bad mood because those kids simply love you. They have so much life, kindness and energy in those tiny bodies it's completely inspiring and makes me forget about anything bad going on in my life. I look forward to going into work, and I realize now that that's really, really rare and I should cherish that. I was worried that there could be a chance I wouldn't want to be a teacher anymore after working in a second grade classroom as one of my classes AND working at KJ, but honestly I want to be one even more now. I love going to that class every other day, and I love my work. I feel like I am where I belong :)

Asian Art Museum

I was reading the newspaper and I came across an article promoting the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Asia has very unique, and what I think to be lovely, artwork that I have to go see. It features new and old artwork, sculptures, textiles, etc. from all over the continent. They also have some art from the Middle East. I'm pretty sure that the stuff from the Middle East is newer then that of Eastern Asia but they still have some old stuff of both. I think a lot of the really old stuff of the Middle East is located in several museums in Cairo and Europe, but I could be wrong. Anyway, all of the artwork dates back from 2500 AD to the 19th century.

They currently have an exhibition on the art of Siam and Burma that is of the 19th century, that I think would be fun to go see.
The one I really want to see though is the Tibetan Buddhism that features works from thousands of years ago. The sculptures are amazing, plated with precious metals and minerals and the fine detail only adds to it. The artwork back then was so beautiful and had so much time put into them I could stare at them all day.

This is a link to some pictures.
http://www.asianart.org/collection.htm

One day Vacation.

Well we had Wednesday off and I decided to take full advantage of it. My friends and I were having a hard time finding things to do that did not cost any money due to the lack of it in these economic times. So we decided to go walk around Old Sacramento like we had done before. We got there and walked around the shops and took lots of pictures. We love to do things like this because it doesn't cost any money and it is good quality time for all of us before we all go off to college.

Finally

Monday I went to the DMV to take my permit test. I got there at quarter to three and my number to be called was G117. G117.... The man sitting next to me was G92 and he had been waiting since 1:00! He said he was waiting for two hours and not one G number was called. So I thought, "I'm screwed..." because I only had until 4:30 to be able to recieve a test. Around 4:20, a swarm of G numbers were called, and at 4:29, G117 was called at window 15 all the way on the other side of the room. It took me at least thrity seconds to walk to it, and by the time the guy at the window finished checking all my paper work, and stopped chatting with the lady next to him, he said, "I have 10 seconds until I'm not allowed to hand you the test, so hears the test." Well hey there Mr. DMV guy, just saying that took you at least five seconds and talking to that lady took at least 2o. And then he finally decides to hand me the test, and by that time I was so stressed out. And then I worried about not passing the test and having waited all that time for nothing. I didn't take drivers ed in school but took an online course. Big mistake. The questions about DUI's and going to court I felt weren't emphasized as much. So... I missed 7 questions. Ya... 7. Barely made it. And then then the guy laughs at me. That made me feel great. But at least I passed and I learned from the problems I missed. So ya... I have developed a strong dislike for the DMV and I am not looking forward to having to deal with them for the rest of my driving career.

Walking in on your own Funeral

I was reading the Sacramento Bee and was looking at the "Strange Stuff" section which is on the second page. This section of the newspaper uses the oddity news value. I always love to read this section because it is so interesting. In the past, this section has had stories about a man hiding a gun in his fat rolls, someone stealing a ferret, and a guy with a pet crocodile. Today, the story was about a man from Brazil who was reported dead from a car crash, but came to his funeral the next day. His family identitfied the body and thought it was him, but obviously it was not. He heard about his own funeral while it was taking place and came to set things straight. It must have been such a surprise for the family and a happy one at that.

DanceDance, BreakBreak

The winter jig is on tuesday. That is really early, but even though it is still November, I think that having it on the night before our day off is a good idea. People will probably be looking for something to do...so if you are, you can go to the dance! I'm just looking forward to a break in the school week. Kind of like two mini weeks. Anyway, I think this is one of the best dance to dress up for. I always say I'm going to plan an outfit, but let's be honest, I never do. Maybe this time. Either way, I'm just glad to have no school on Wednesday. Definitely some useful time to get some college stuff done...The end of the year means deadlines for apps. I am looking forward to it.

Racism

Hey peoples! Well, this morning ... it has been a tough time. Today, some people were making fun of a musical that was made for African Americans... basically, they were being racist and joked about it when I was right there listening to it. It was the most hurtful, disturbing, and painful thing I have ever heard in my life. I was so frustrated and upset. This is an on going epidemic at this school. Even though I agree that Rocklin High is one of the best schools out here, there are still some issues regarding racism. Everyday I hear people joke about black, white, brown people, and it seriously needs to stop. We don't need our peers making fun of race, it is so 1600's and its not cool anymore. Even though there are celebrities who joke about their own race, I don't think it is appropiate. I mean, when kids listen to these jokes, they think its cool and its ok to joke about it... but guess what.. its not! I have never been so insulted in my life. This isn't the first time that this has happened. We as teenagers need to stop this, because if someone felt the pain I had today, it would be extruciating. It's up to you to stop this. Yes, I understand there is peer pressure and people want to please other individuals, but is it really worth it. The consequences are huge if someone heard you make a racial slur and reported it. So, again, its up to you to stop this. "It don't matter if your black or white" MJ.

Whats a Thanksgiving?

I was watching America's Funniest Home Videos the other night, and during a commercial break ABC was advertising their "Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas". And that got me thinking, how often do you see anyone promoting Thanksgiving? Everyone seems to already be celebrating Christmas in November. Families get together for it, but the media seems to skip over it and just focus on Christmas. Everybody give thanks... for Christmas! In November! Anyone else think that it's kind of stupid?

optimism

ive been really optimistic this week:
i hated my UC essays but my counselors said they loved them.
even though i swear i just failed the anatomy lab practicum, i still love the class.
Im pretty confused in ap econ, but i still like the class.
Brought my calc grade up 12%, still failing, but only by 4% :D
I hate the poetry anthology but still liked writing poetry.
umm, what else am i optimistic about....
im moving this weekend which i absolutely hate doing, but im getting used to the idea.
getting a new phone soon too!
i havent seen my dad in 2 months but looking forward to christmas break.

oh and i went shopping today which always makes things better =)

Assumptions

The one thing that gets on my nerves more than anything else is assumptions. People assume that because you live in California, you live by the beach. Or that if you are a Democrat, you're a bleeding heart. Assumptions are bad first impressions. Assumptions can kill friendships and relationships. Assumptions cause families to split apart and war to start.

If we didn't assume things, we would be able to build better relationships. We would be able to trust more. We would be able to befriend just about anyone. And people take advantage of assumptions as well.
I know my parents trust me more than I trust myself. They assume I won't do something bad. Which generally I don't but I know of plenty of people who do.

You also don't know what really goes on in other people's lives. They could be suffering and you just assume that they're emo and yearning for attention.

What do you assume?

Jingle Ball

So, I got my Jingle Ball tickets. Needless to say, I'm stoked.
I mainly wanted to go because of Justin Bieber, which you probably could have guessed. My two friends and I have been huge fans since about the begining of June.
Also at Jingle Ball will be: Boys Like Girls, Cobra Starship, Kris Allen, and Jason DeRulo.
Since I had only heard a few songs by Boys Like Girls and Cobra Starship, I decided to look them up and listen to their songs in preperation for the concert.
I LOVE them.
I have only been to a few concerts: Backstreet Boys when I was 5, Jingle Ball in 7th grade, and Jack Johnson last year.
Yep.
I'm pumped.

SAT's

Being a college-bound senior I have come to despise two three letter combinations, SAT and ACT. It frustrates me beyond all believe how much our future as seniors could depend on a test that completely drains all of your brain power in one day. I understand the fact that colleges and universities need a way to test/compare everyone in a standardized way, but honestly the tests do not represent us as individuals. What if you are just a bad test taker? Is it fair that you may not be able to get into a good college because you didn't do well on the test? When I hear people talking about reviewing and 'studying' for these sorts of tests usually they talk about test taking strategies, not studying academic material. I see why these tests came about, but I wish there was a better way to do things, maybe someday there will be.

Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

I just finished reading a book called A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. I only picked it up because I needed an AR book and the librarian recommended it, but it ended up being one of the best books I've ever read. It's a firsthand account by a (now 29 year old) boy from Sierra Leone named Ishmeal Beah and his story of running from the war, becomming a part of it, and then running to escape it once again. The war that was going on in Sierra Leone up until recently drastically impacted his life. He wasn't alone; his story is no doubt like the stories of countless other boys from that country. The most heartbreaking part is that he consistently loses every person that he dares to love. Not one person in Ismael's life has lasted from cover to cover. The book is filled with page after page of detailed imagery and personification that make for a great read. Even if this isn't usually your style of book, I'm sure you'll be hooked before you read 50 pages.

Frozen in time

I was watching TLC the other day and there was a special on of a girl, Brooke, who is 16, but stopped growing and aging as a baby. "Her mental age is estimated to be 9-12 months old, and her physical size is that of a six month old." I feel sad for the family, but at the same time I think it's a miracle.
Scientists are trying to find the gene that made her stop aging because they believe it can help unlock the secret of eternal youth and how to put an end to alheizmers. Brooke also had a brain tumor that disappeared on its own. I don't know if the tumor had anything to do with her not aging, or if it is just another miracle. But, I mean, if science could uncover the secrets in her genes, countless people's lives could be saved. Especially with alzheimers. The scientists actually did track down the correct chromosome, but they still haven't found the exact mutated gene. I hope science will be advanced enough one day to unlock the mystery.
Anyway, watch this video on her:
http://www.mahalo.com/child-frozen-in-time

Elementary Halloween

Go read my webstory about the fall play "Ghostlight"! It was really good and I watched both casts and enjoyed both performances! Three days left to watch next week...
On another note, YAY for Halloween! I miss the days when we used to have class parties with food and movies and art...but thankfully I get to experience some of that with my elementary TA class today :) I go to Cobblestone every seventh period and help with the kids in a second grade class, and it is by far one of the best classes I've taken. I love going to it-thankfully, since I would otherwise hate having a seventh period- and it is amazing to see kids who still love learning and get so excited when you walk into the room. More about it later, but I'm so pumped to see them in their cute little costumes today, as well as at Kids Junction! Happy Halloween :)

Snowstorm

I just heard about the huge snow storm in Colorado and Wyoming and I have to admit I am kind of jealous. There are over three feet of snow in some places and school was cancelled. Snow is one of the best parts of winter and we almost never get it here in Rocklin. Obviously the snow storm isn't all good, roads were closed down and flights were cancelled. Some of the roads were major highways and I am sure a few of the flights were important.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_western_storm

Jon & Kate Plus Hate

Why are Jon and Kate everywhere in the news these days?? I can't understand why everyone is so fascinated with two random people who have reproduced eight times too many. The divorcing couple is everywhere from E news to people magazine to my yahoo homepage. If you google 'Jon and Kate' there are almost 38 million hits! It is ridiculous. I just wish everybody would stop obsessing over them. Their children are probably going to grow up to be annoying attention-loving reality TV stars too. But, really, I feel extremely bad for their children. It is not their fault that their parents are crazy. The Gosselins need to step out of the public eye and settle their problems more maturely.

World Series

The most exciting time in baseball has finally arrived. After postseason series, it has finally come to the World Series. This year, it is between the Yankees and the Phillies. So far, the series is tied with Philadelphia winning the first game, 6-1, and the Yankees taking last night's game, 3-1.

There is some conflict left over from last night's game, as Phillies Manager, Charlie Manuel, is unhappy with a specific call. He says that Chase Utley was safe at first, but he was called out. This was a double play, and ended the inning for the Phillies. Manuel is upset, because one of the best power hitters, Ryan Howard, would have been up to bat, and the Phillies could have scored or won.

I don't really know who I want to win the world series, as all of my favorite teams have already lost. The Phillies won last year, but the Yankees have not won since 2000. The next game in the series is tomorrow night, and at this point, anyone could take the title.

Yeah, Halloween..

Yeah, tomorrow is Halloween. I'm not super-excited like most people, just based on the fact that I'm not a huge fan of this holiday. I guess it's just that I'm going to be home alone (refusing to pass out candy, muahahaha), but I'll probably go out with some friends or something...

I always get nervous because there are usually a group of some pretty weird people out on halloween, and they can be very superstitious, so I keep my black cat (who is always outside and probably the most awesome cat you can have) inside. Those people creep me out and are one of the reasons why I'm not too fond of that day. But Halloween knocks out another day until Christmas, and thats a day I can wait for. :D

Huntington Beach.

So, this weekend im going to Huntington Beach for a softball tournament. I'm kind of upset that i wont be in rocklin for Halloween, because i really wanted to go trick or treating with my little sister and hang out with my best friend Alicea and my Mother. But, im still excited because i get to go trick or treating in LA with all of my teammates. Our last game gets done around five, so were all excited to go out to dinner before, and then dress up in our costumes and go out and get candy :D Hopefully we dont get jumped while trick or treating in the neighborhoods, because LA can get kind of scary and theres a lot of weird people down there.

Nothing to Blog About

There's nothing to blog about... unless I ramble about how school work is taking control of my life and health. But I think I blogged about that last time...
I'm not fully aware of things that are going on anymore. I'm not in the know of anything really exciting that has been happening or have come across anything that has sparked my interest. The days have been going by so fast and I feel as if I'm living the same day over and over again: School, sports, stay up doing homework, sleep, wake up early to finish homework, school... but I guess it's just one of those long, flat, monotonous roads we all find ourselves traveling on every once in a while. However, the rest of the school year gives me a lot to look forward to, so hopefully the next time I have to blog there will be something to blog about.

The Freedom Writer's Diary

The Freedom Writer's Diary is a book about a group of teenagers that live in Long Beach, a place filled with gang violence. A new teacher comes to their high school and turn their world upside down. The book has since been turned into a movie. I first saw the movie a couple years ago and found it extremely touching. It profiles their lives and the struggles the face everyday and makes it feel like you know the characters. Now, I have read the book twice and is by far the best non-fiction book I have ever read. The book goes into a lot more detail than the movie and shows how one teacher changed the lives of these teens. It covers topics such as gang violence, drugs, and rape. The teacher, Mrs. Gruwell, teaches her kids about people like Anne Frank, who gives them inspiration to change their lives around. This book has led me to start reading the Diary of Anne Frank to learn more about this girl who has inspired so many. Both the book and the movie are moving and informational on how some people can overcome their struggles.

Pep Band Has No Pep

I've been in band for four years. Yes, I am a band geek but I've been okay with that until this year. We never play good songs. Sure they're "classical" and moving. But no one cares about that anymore. And the fact that pep band is a required outside of school activity this year is sucking the fun out of band. Pep band used to be voluntary and I also used to have fun with it. I would go to hang out with friends and occasionally play music. But now, this year, we have to play at four of the six home games. And to add to it, the Granite Oak Honor Band is joining us today against Woodcreek. We already don't have enough room for our two bands and now adding 40 more kids? That sounds exactly like something I want to do on my Friday night. I am just holding out for my brick at the end of the year. The hallway behind the theatre is made of cinder blocks painted white and every year after graduation, the four year VAPA students get their own bricks. They can decorate it however they choose. It's like a Rocklin High School VAPA Hall of Fame. Band's requirements are unreasonable and it is making all of the dedicated musician's think twice about their enrollment in the class. I'm just glad that it's my last year of high school band. Soon, I can play with people who actually care and just play for the fun of it. Because I want to play for fun. Not because it is required. If there are such heavy requirements this year, how will that contribute to getting more students to join band in the years to come?

Underated Undefeated's

The Rocklin Thunder Varsity Football Team is undefeated and has gotten no real exposure. Finally we broke into the top 5 this week! We have played against top teams like Napa Nevada Union and Granite Bay. We crushed two of them and outplayed Granite Bay. All the talk is about How many games Del Oro and Grant will win and when will Rocklin lose. We are not good enough to be undefeated says everyone outside the community of Rocklin. We shut them up after beating Granite Bay! Finally starting to earn some respect from all schools. In the Same boat as the is the Denver Broncos. Also undefeated and also the lowest ranked unbeaten team. on ESPN and NFL Network all they say is this will be the week that they lose. They continue to shock the football world every week. Great seasons by both teams. You have my respect.

Halloween

So Halloween is tomorrow and I am so excited. I love dressing up and going around a different neighborhood with my friends and getting candy. It seems like there are so many articles saying what are the best costumes and what are the new ones for this year. Most of the articles include being Lady Gaga or Balloon Boy. One article said that a couple should go as Kayne West and Taylor Swift which was probably one of the more original ideas. This weekend is going to be fun, after celebrating Halloween, I get to go to a friend's birthday party. And its almost November which is my favorite month because of my birthday and because I love the winter. I can't wait to go shopping for a winter wardrobe

New Moon!

Only three weeks until the New Moon premiere!! I am so excited for it! I bought my ticket a few weeks ago, and I know a bunch of different groups that are going. I hope that this movie is as good as the book. I did not like the movie of Twilight, as much as I liked the book, but hopefully, New Moon will be better! I was not very surprised that the 12:01 showing sold out a few days after it opened, but the 12:02, 12:03, and 12:04 are also sold out! They added a 3am, that is going to be played digitally, rather than traditionally.

Since I found out about the 3am showing, I became curious about what it exactly was supposed to be. It is done in digital projection, which has the equal clarity of traditional film, but does not get scratched or ruined over time.

I am so excited to go to this premiere! I went to the Twilight midnight showing last year and it was really fun! Hopefully, this year will be as good as last year! I have seen the New Moon trailer and it looks great. Since there is a new director and a larger budget, I am have high hopes for this movie! Just a little while longer until November 19th...

San Jose.

So, this past weekend i went to San Jose for a softball tournament. It was really exciting because i got to see my best friend that moved away three years ago. Her names kadi and she moved to Washington, her freshmen year. While we were there my best friend Alicea and I talked to her and her family, and we watched her games, and she watched ours. It was really cool to see her because i havent seen her in two years, and Alicea and I have really missed her. Ive always kept in touch with her through myspace, and texting but it was just really good to her in person. While we were there we all decided that Alicea and I are going to go Washinton during Christmas Break and spend four days with Kadi. Were really excited because it snows up there, and Alicea has only been to the snow a couple times. So.... im just waiting for Christmas break to be here, which seems like 20 years away but oh well. Guess me and leasha will just have to wait :D

So i am loving this fall season. The weather is great and i love the rain and sitting inside drinking hot chocolate and watching it. I have been working like crazy these weeks so i can save up money to go on fun trips for thanksgiving and christmas break. I have never worked this much but im managing to finish my homework so im not up all night doing it. Im hoping my parents will let me go down with a few of my friends to Disneyland over Christmas break because i have been wanting to go for soo long and I don't want parents there following us everywhere! I have also been wanting to go down around southern California area because i want to see some of the colleges like UCSB and others around it because i am planning on moving down there and attending college there. Hopefully my plans follow through!

Spirited Away for Halloween

Halloween. Time for everyone to get their costumes, plan their trick or treating routes, figure out which party to go to, and whatever everyone does for Halloween. I don't really know, because the only thing that I've done before is dress up in a costume, and that was when I was really little. I've never gone to any parties or gone trick or treating. Usually I just sit near the door and hand out candy. This year won't be much different, except I'm going to Reno to do it, at a friend's house. I'm just kind of curious if anyone else does that. Just stay home and hand out candy. Anyone else out there do thats

Time

Today in English we started watching a movie on Quantum Physics. It posed a lot of questions about why we live the way we do, the perspective we have on life, and essentially what is life in the first place? It was a bit far fetched and confusing, but none the less got me thinking. Lately I have been dealing with time management, as most seniors are. How do we work, do our high school stuff, our college stuff, scholarship stuff, friend stuff? But then there is the question what exactly is time? Is it simply a measurement that limits how productive we can be? Often I find myself wishing I had more time. Does our mentality about time affect how much we can in fact get done? I want to be the person in this busy season of my life that takes advantage of time to its fullest potential.

DEXTER!

The last two weeks have been pretty hectic for me, since I was out for an entire week and I had a ton of make-up work to do, with the print story on top of that. I'm glad I was able to finish it all on time, thankfully. But, there was a major road block for me because while I was sick, my sister told me to watch the show Dexter to pass the time. So I did, and it's probably one of the greatest shows that I've seen. For those of you who haven't seen or heard of the show, it's about a guy named Dexter who works for the Miama Metro Police Department as a blood spatter analyst in forensics, who is also a serial killer. I can't really describe in detail why he does what he does, but he only goes after murderers to save innocent lives. It's just a really good show, and I'm glad that my sister showed it to me.

AND IM GLAD THE PRINT ISSUE IS DONE! :D

October 31st!

Since Halloween is coming so soon, i want to make sure i do a lot of things fun for it. I really want to go to fright fest at six flags because i have never been and it sounds like a lof of fun walking around at night and getting freak out by having people in costumes follow you around. I also really want to see Paranormal Activity because i hear it talked all around school saying how people were so scared and how many couldn't even sleep alone at night. I heard that the movie was not going to be playing anymore after this week because too many people were commiting suicide after seeing it, but that was all rumors and they will be still show the show for awhile. Well hopefully Halloween will be a blast this year for me and i am really looking forward to it!

The Gathering Inn

This Saturday, I'm going on a five mile run to raise money for the Gathering Inn, which is a nonprofit organization that supports homeless people in Placer County. The nonprofit is made up of 60 churches in Placer County. Every night, one of the churches opens up their building, providing homeless people with hot meals, showers, clothes, a place to spend the night, and many different self enhancement services designed to help them get back on their feet again. Their website has some statistics about homelessness in Placer County:

41% are adult males
32% are adult females
23% are children
20% self report a substance abuse illness
17% increase in foster age youth
80% have been unemployed within the last 12 months
40% self report a mental illness

October Craziness

This month has been crazy busy! With tons of school assignments, The Flash Print issue, extracurriculars and college applications and other preparations. I can't wait until it is the end of November and I get to spend time with my family for Thanksgiving. I just need a break from all this work and I am very anxious. Luckily, Halloween is next weekend, and hopefully I will be able to do something fun and take a breather. I still have much fine-tuning to do for my UC Personal Statements and I have to do all the essays for my Stanford application. Deadlines are quickly approaching and it is just so much to deal with. But once it is all over, I am confident that the stress and hard work I have put into everything will pay off.

Creepy Concert!!!

Hey all! Well, I 've got some scary but exciting news! The annual Creepy Concert is showing this Saturday! There will be band, choir, dance, and other performers, like me, performing in the Creepy Concert. I've been to the last two CC's and they have been so much fun and awesome to watch. They had great MC's, which were hilarious in my opinion, and also, there will be refreshments!!! Yeah, you still have to pay for it but at least you'll have the chance to get food! YAY! Also, the performers that got picked to be apart of the creepy concert are all awesome. There are going to be a couple of actors, a couple of singers, and a dance group from the Hip-Hop Club. I can't wait to perform my song and my skit with my freind Robyn Kramer. You know, its going to be my last here doing the creepy concert so, WHY NOT!? So, again, the Creepy Concert is this Saturday and starts at 7pm! Don't miss out!

Down Again

Well, I dropped 10 spots in the Stocks today as the DOW plummeted 100 points, and that's only last time I checked. It sucks for me, but it got me wondering what's going on in the financial industry. It shot up above 10000 points a few days ago, which is amazing considering how recent the crash was. But then today it shot back down into the 9000's, hurting me in my little game and a lot of other people who were playing with real money.
The people in charge are too fond of speculation. Obviously it's necessary for stocks to even exist, but every financial crash in American history has been caused by overspecualtion in something, and only a year after the meltdown, it looks like we're already headed that way. We're rising too far too fast with nothing to back up the speculation. Until the economy gets on its feet, this seems especially risky.

2nd Chance

This year at Homecoming, I did not have all that great of a time at the dance for many reasons, the main reason being that my date more or less "ditched me," allthough I did have a good time before and after the dance. I was kinda bummed because we haven't really spoken about it yet, but I still feeled that the night was, in a way, wasted. I was down that I wouldn't have a chance at another Homecoming this year.
This was until my friend invited me to go to the Whitney Homecoming. I'm hoping that this will be a fun and exciting event and hopefully it will be better then the Homecoming RHS had.

Go Green with Your Health

Since last winter, I've become enamored with green tea. I used to not like it, but somehow I started liking it and now I drink it almost every day when I do homework. It's so healthy, too! Here's what I discovered about the drink:

1. Kills Leukemia Cells
2. Boosts memeory function
3. Increases metabolism and fat loss capabilities
4. Reverses the Aging effects of sun damage and fights skin cancer
5. Therapy for poepl with rhematoid arthritis
6. Helps Ward off Alzheimer's Disease
7. Lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels
8. Prevents tooth decay and kills plaque-causing bacteria and prevents bad breath
9. Lowers stress hormones
10. Rich in vitamins like A, B, C, folic acid, potassium, fluoride, and manganese.

The list goes on and on...if you haven't tried green tea, I reccomend it. My mom likes to put honey in her's to sweeten it.

Halloween Project!

With the troubled economy and increase in homelessness, we knew for a CSF semester project, that we needed to do something to help out those truly in need. Our first plan was to work with an organization that helps families dealing with abusive relationships. Our plans did not work with this particular organization's schedule, so we basically scrapped our previous plans and started new. We brainstormed alternate projects, and decided to have a meeting in order to involve our club members more and get some of their ideas. We had the ideas of maybe working with Shriner's hospital or a homeless shelter, and everyone decided that it would be a great idea to throw a Halloween Party for a homeless shelter; and that is what we are doing.

Next Friday, we are hosting a Halloween Party for needy children. I know it will be a success. It is such a good feeling to know that we were able to come together in CSF and create this. I am so excited for next Friday and cannot wait to put a smile on the children' s faces.

This has really made me realize how important it is to think of others and the tough times, especially as the holiday season approaches. It is easy to forget, if you are not strongly affected by the poor economy, about those who are. So, I think that everyone should give a bit of their time during the next few months to go out of their way, to help someone who is less fortunate than themself.

Blood Drive

Yesterday I donated blood for the first time! I was so excited because I love first aid, nutrition, CPR/AED, etc. As I was leaving French, Madame told me that she couldn't donate because she passed out. Funny she should say that because it nearly happened to me.

I was fine until the very end. The pricks and pokes didn't bother me. Seeing my own blood while I sat in the chair didn't bother me, either. I felt calm and relaxed. My favorite song, "Mr. Brightside" by the Killers was even playing at the time. Discomfort didn't arrive until the nurse took the needle out of my arm. I felt like I had ran three miles then swam a whole (vigorous) workout! My face was sweating and my body temperature was really warm. I wanted to close my eyes but the nurse told me I had to keep them open (STRUGGLE). I got sick afterwards, so the nurse had to come down. I ended up going home at lunch.

The resonable reason I almost passed out was because I didn't eat or drink enough, even though I had a really high iron level in my blood. Next time I'm going to drink more fluids, for sure. The sick feeling was definitely worth saving 2-3 lives :)

ohhh joy

So i have been looking for a job for a while, i turned in many applications and had no call backs. I really needed a job for a little extra cash. Well finally i got a seasonal job because i kept bothering them and they finally told me i have it. I was so happy and i started working there, but now it is crazy and very stressing. I have been working none stop each day. The work is not bad but it is tiring staying on your feet and walking around for hours. I have not been able to attend my soccer practice due to work and i have been staying up very late each day finishing my school work. So i have been living off coffee each day. So this saturday i have a soccer game, work and PSAT all at the same time! so i have no idea what im going to do! I have not been able to hang out with my friends very much. Now i know why nobody wants to work! Its stressful but its good for the money. Hopefully i will be able to catch up on everything. Now the one thing im excited for is my check and that means..... shopping!

College, of course...

So I heard the other day that CSUs won't be accepting the writing portion of the SAT or ACT? I'm not sure if this is true but I certainly hope not, I mean why on earth would they do that? Do they want this application process to be totally objective now, no personal thoughts or feelings involved in between those test scores? It sounds ridiculous. My SAT writing score was so good, and I think really reflects what my writing style is like and shows that I enjoy writing and am reletively good at it, which goes to show why I should be in the liberal arts major. Taking out writing is taking out what should be a major part of the application process. CSUs don't get personal statements like UCs do, and so they need to compensate somewhere besides the little other writing about ourselves that we need to do. They need to know our school writing and how we adapt to timed situations like that. I really hope this information is wrong, because CSUs are making a mistake taking the writing portions out. So what if it narrows down some of the harder decisions in the applications; they could be narrowing down in the wrong direction.

Meanwhile, feast your eyes on this beautiful school (not in our state of course...:( )

Lovefest 2009

Some people will be heading down to San Francisco this weekend for the LovEvolution parade on Saturday. As I will be working, I don't get the pleasure of attending the massive orgy of dancing, fun, and "love." It's ok. The problem with things like these is that they sound good in theory, but you know what, in reality they aren't. You're not going to get tons of people who are really down for love, peace, respect, tolerance, etc. What you're going to get is a bunch of people seeing an oppurtunity to get drunk and act ridiculous in the "name" of the event. Hopefully in coming years and decades our generation can find something new in culture, philosophy, or just life in general to actually believe and celebrate, rather than pathetically repeat cliches from the past.

Bedridden Bummer

This past week, I missed three days of school for being sick. I've also missed my last period classes (French and Chem) I don't come home until eight some nights and then I still have to eat dinner and then I start homework.

This is only sophomore year. I'm in only one AP class. I can't even imagine how juniors and seniors taking multiple AP classes and with a job can manage. My goal was to have an impressive transcript, a job, play varsity golf and more, but I can barely handle one AP class. I feel as if I'm gradually lowering my expectations, just so I can meet a few of them. I'm used to doing really well in school, and now I'm just doing ok. And truthfully I could be happy with "ok", but my parents don't find that acceptable.

I don't get any sleep anymore. Especially during homecoming week, I would be finished with half my homework by eleven or twelve at night, and then have to wake up at five in the morning to finish the rest. This continued every day during homecoming week, and along with the added stress of sports and homecoming events, took its toll on my health. My immune system must have become weak and I easily caught the bug that was going around. Sunday, I had a 102.5 fever and a horrible feeling in my chest that made it hard to breath, and didn't go back to school until Thrusday. I felt so sick, I didn't have the energy to work on any of the homework that kept piling up from the school I missed. Since I'm never really sick much, I don't really know teachers expectations on when homework should be turned in. Some teachers think you should know the homework and have gotten it done while you were sick, while others cut you a little slack. I didn't know what I should do, so I pulled an all-nighter again to finish all the homework I missed, plus homework I didn't finish over homecoming weekend... And I just got over being sick for that reason. I never would have thought that school could have a negative effect on a person's health, but it can. I've been trying to get assignments done ahead of time, but it's really difficult to do when involved with sports. I need to think of new work ethics that can help me make my high set goals and still get enough sleep... I miss the days when we had bedtimes...

Something New

Today I noticed something new when I pulled up the Google page. The logo was different. Today it happened to have Ghandi's face for the "G" and I thought it was pretty interesting because of the design and I didn't know it was his birthday. Also, you can click on the logo to view other information about it. I learned that he was commonly known around the world as Mahatma, which means "Great Soul". Also, over the summer, I remembered seeing the Google logo written as a sand castle, which a little kid was building. I thought, "Oh how cute." So it is kinda neat to learn something new from seeing a different logo once in a while or just to admire a creative design.

2016

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will be hosting the 2016 olympic games!!
Tokyo, Midrid and Chicago were also in the running but were said to not be chosen because they were from places that had recently held the olympic games.
South America has never hosted the games in the total 54 ceremonies, which is just wrong if you consider that 42 of them have been hosted by either Europe or the United States. And, that London already has the 2012 games. It is supposed to be a cultural event that unifies the world and I think this really broaden the spectrum out of the usual U.S., Europe and Asia. (Despite that, however, I will be rooting for San Fran if they decide to place a bid in for 2020.)

I was watching the news this morning, and there is a 12 year old kid from Rocklin who is training to go to the 2016 games for gymnastics. I hope they make it! : D I didn't stick around for the story but it will probably be on Monday too because they are very repetitive in the 6am news.

OH Homecoming.

It was my Senior year homecoming Saturday night. I think for every Senior it was bittersweet. I think it may have sunk in for a lot of people that its never going to happen again. So, you would think you want to get the drama and confrontations to a minimum. ohhh no that can't happen ever. My weekend was drama filled. I don't know what it is but it's something about having real solid plans that stresses people out and to lose their values. Talking about other people behind their backs and being rude to new people seems to be a common theme. Then again I suppose it's not only homecoming, but I think that homecoming just adds more fuel to the fire and everyone reacts at once. Luckily ill just brush it off and pretend nothing happened. It was my last homecoming no need to cause a scene. On a lighter note Homecoming despite the on going drama from it was fun. I really enjoyed spending time with my best friends afterwards. They are my favorite people and pretty much hilarious. But, who knows maybe Ill have another one :) Maybe ill get invited next year.

WOW! This is totally ridiculous!

Ok, so I am really upset right now. So, you know Rocklin Idol right? I worked my butt off to win and I was pretty happy and had lots of fun doing it. But then I went on the Rocklin High School webpage, and you know that banner picture thing on top of the website? Well, they had a picture of the winner for Rocklin Idol, but the thing is that it wasn't a picture of me, someone put another person on there. This isn't the first time something like this happened. Sophomore year, me and my lovely friend did a duet, but they only took a picture of her and not me. Then the musical this year, they never talked about me and talked about everyone else. Then, the dance show, i did this duet with my friend as apart of the dance and they showed her in the video only and not me. I don't want this to happen again. Its making me upset and hurt. Other things have happened too that go along that line and it really needs to stop.

What I've Learned So Far

I've been thinking lately about how much I have learned so far this school year. I feel like I have learned more than I did all last year and it's only been about a month and a half of school. So far, a few things I have learned are:

• How to salsa dance
• 4,700 years of world history
• The secrets of a stapler (if you press the button on the bottom then rotate the metal plate it will staple about 20 papers)
• That it is illegal to honk at someone unless it is preventing an accident
• Grande battements, chaines, pique turns
• How to get a fly out of a room (turn off all the lights and open the door and the light will attract it and it will fly out) 
• How to become a dictator (thanks to reading Animal Farm)
• 37 Spanish verbs and how to define and write a sentence using them in Spanish
• How stupid it is to drink and drive or drive recklessly (thanks to Red Asphalt)

I feel so thankful that I have the opportunity to go to a great school and take difficult classes that really challenge me. Knowledge is such a useful thing to have and people take advantage of opportunities to learn all of the time. Of course, I still dislike the process it takes in order to learn material but the feeling you get after is well worth it.

i "broke" my computer

yeahhh. defiinitely did.
i thought i was being all smart and had a good idea to save memory or something so i removed microsoft 2000 off our programs list because we have microsoft 2003 so i figured it didnt matter. nope. it mattered.
now we don't have any microsoft program access on any of the accounts and i swear our internet gets slower every day. we dont have dial up but we might as well because it took like five minutes for our home page to load and it when somthing finally loads most of the time it says it can't find yahoo as my home page.
ugh.
oh and we cant print anything either. dont ask me why all of this is happening because i pressed the little "remove program" button for one thing. SO, now we have to spend money to have someone come look at our computer because we have no idea whats up.
i have everything on my USB drive now and i have to do everything at school at break or in the mornings.
:/
i feel like "oops" won't even begin to cover it.
any ideas?

Tuition

So the UC tuition will most likely go up more than 30%. This is such a big price hike, and a lot of people are extremely upset, like the current UC students. With the state budget issues, it was expected that the prices would rise. But this seems like a LOT more than expected. Or at least a lot more than what I was thinking. But I guess in the long run, it will hopefully pay off. Students just need to decide whether or not their education at a UC is worth paying that much more. On the other hand, it seems like private schools are helping more with tuition costs. Maybe it just seems that way because all of the public schools are rising. But it does appear that the private schools are being gernerous and understanding about the financial issues so many people face.
I definitely still plan on applying to UCs, as well as the private schools. I just have to consider scholarships, and loans, and saving money, much more. But really, I was planning on doing all of these things anyway, and now I will be that much more motivated to find ways to save.

Homecoming Plans?

So two weeks ago I asked my friend to Homecoming and she said yes. Unfortunately, that's where the plans have stopped. It is the Thursday before Homecoming and we have barely talked about plans, such as where we are going to dinner, if we are going to dinner, or even if we are taking pictures. We still have not even got tickets yet. I don't think this is either of our faults but i know we need to figure this out soon.

This is alot different then my Homecoming plans my freshmen year because me and my date had plans two or three weeks ahead of that Saturday. I think the difference is that freshman year I went with a group who had a "leader" who set all the plans and made the reservations. Oh well, I'm sure the plans will be made.

Getting the Hang of It..

After like a month and I don't really know how long now, I'm finally starting to adjust to this school of yours. Its about a hundred more times strict though! I got 6 hours of detention for random tardies when I was only 3 seconds late to class. In addition to that, I still got a load of make up homework all the way up to my neck. However, I finally met some friends and I don't feel like a total loner anymore. The lunch here is better too, you guys got REAL meat.

Homecoming is almost over. Yay.

Am I the only one who is glad homecoming week is almost over? Everyone gets to dress up to show their school spirit, woohoo! If I had any school spirit, I probably wouldn't be so eager to get the heck off this campus every day. Since I feel like ranting a bit, how did sophmores get stuck with Frontierland? If you're going by the original Disneyland, the only things in Frontierland are Thunder Mountain Railroad and the boat ride. Everything else is either in Adventureland, Main Street USA, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Critter Country, or New Orleans square. WHY????

Rocklin Idol!

Hello RHS Blog Friends! I am too excited for homecoming week that it is a bit scary. The most fun I've had so far though was Rocklin Idol. I remember doing it last year (my sophomore year) and I didn't go on to any rounds. I started to realize that all this was, was a popularity contest. Then they announced it again this year for homecoming week! I was pretty darn dang ecstatic. I just wanted to go on to the next round and I would be totally satisfied! The cool thing is that did happen to me just today and I am so satisfied that I am happy! I'm happy I got to show the talent I have to the whole school and I love all of them for applauding for me to win the first round and go on to the next. I felt so loved! Everyone else did amazing! We have so much talent at Rocklin High and it would be so awesome if there was a way we could show everyone's talent that they have. It feels great to get known by something you love to do. I can't wait to go on to the next round. It should be way more fun than last time!

Controversial Concert in Cuba

Today in AP Spanish we watched a news clip about the Juanes concert that was held in Cuba on Sunday, September 20. Juanes is the most popular rock artist in Latin America. Juanes, along with several other popular musicians, organized "Paz Sin Fronteras," or "Peace Without Borders," a free, five-hour concert in Cuba. Over a million Cubans attended. The concert was very controversial since Cuba's goverment is communist. Many Cuban exiles were opposed to the concert because they feel that Juanes was legitimizing communism. However, Juanes said he was there only for the music, not for political reasons. He said "Music should travel like air, it should reach everywhere."

I think that the Juanes concert was a good thing. Despite the fact that Cuba is communist, Juanes made it clear that he was not there to support the government, but for the people. I think that his concert actually brought a taste of freedom to the Cubans-a taste of the freedom of speech- because music is a wonderful way of expressing ourselves.

Blogger like Facebook?

I was just thinking, is there anyway to stay current with comments on your post or a post you have commented? (like facebook). If anyone knows of any little notifications, please let me know :) thanks!

College stuff

Hmmm, I'm really thinking I should get a start on all my college stuff. I wrote the UC personal statements, but I havn't really gotten around to much more than that. It's just all so dull, writing the same stuff again and again. It's also kinda nerve racking, if I get anything wrong, then I'm pretty much screwed over for at least a year, and a very important year at that.
But I do think that I'm going to force myself to do as much as possible this weekend, although I'm not applying to that many private schools, so I suppose there isn't THAT much that I can get done right now. Really need the UC and CSU apps to come out, then I'll have everything I'll need and will just spend a week or 2 going through everything and getting it all done.

Busy Week!!

This may have been my busiest week so far!! With Monday being a minimum day, I had off campus practice for cross country at Cavitt. It was really nice to get away from Rocklin to run, on a trail by Folsom Lake. On Tuesday, I went to a pasta feed for cross country. This was really fun, as it is where everyone of the xc team gets together, to load up on carbs before a meet. Wednesday was our first league meet of the year. I love cross country meets, and cheering on our team. Yesterday was not bad, but with all of my homework, it was stressful. This morning was my favorite part of the week, because we had morning practice! I love running in the morning, in the cool, crisp morning air. Afterwards, we went to Starbucks for breakfast, which is what everyone looks forward to at morning practice. This week has been fun, but I am glad to get a break this weekend and relax!

not feeling well

So I have a feeling this is going to be a very bad weekend. This morning I woke up and I think I am going to be sick all thru the weekend. Unfortunately I have too much homework and other things to do to just stay in bed. I dont really want to miss a day of homecoming week but I think I will. On the bright side at least I be able to sleep in this weekend. I don't think this blog is long enought so now I am just going to list off random things I did this week. The season premire of Gossip Girl was on Monday and House is on this Monday. I just had my first test in APWH which I am pretty sure I failed.

CAR! :)

I have had my license since last December and until last Saturday night I didn't have a car of my own. I live with my dad and we always have had a truck. I didn't really mind sharing the truck with my dad because I know and appreciate how much he has done for me over the course of my life. It also worked out fairly well last year, I really only needed the car in the evenings anyways because I had to be at school all day long. I also drove the truck to school for four months because my grandma was out of town at her second home and my dad could use her car. This year is a bit of a different story, I get out early and arranging transportation became a pain. But not anymore! My dad bought me a bug :). It's a 1999, it's silver, cute,and classy. Slight problem...it's a stick. Yes, by now (having the car almost a week), I have learned to drive a stick but I am absolutely terrified of what could happen. My wish at the moment...to never stall out ever again in my life time. Simply said...thanks to my wonderful dad I have a car that I love :)

Writing your name...writing your personality?

Sure, we all know "you can't judge a book by it's cover", but you certainly can judge a person from their handwriting. That's right-the way someone writes can reveal a lot about their personality and ambitions. Handwriting analysis is real. It's used in courts, the FBI, etc. Handwriting analysis has been one of my hobbies since last year when my dad talked to me briefly about the subject. Now, I've learned so much (and still there's so much more to learn!) about lettering, slants, spaces, signatures, etc. I've analyzed my own handwriting and my friends' (when they ask me). It's so fun! I feel like a detective and a yearbook/journalism nerd at the same time! Hahah This is a VERY basic link you guys can try just for the fun of it.

Interactive T-shirts

This boy in my Spanish class, Daniel, was wearing a really cool t-shirt today. It had a picture of a drum set on it and when you press each drum/ cymbal it made that noise! I had fun playing with it in class but I felt bad that I was basically poking him over and over haha. And then I guess I felt like seeing how it worked so took off the velcro part and almost broke it. (Oops!) I looked up the t shirt online and found the website that sells that and other cool interactive t-shirts! They have one that lights up when it detects wi-fi, and another that has an equalizer on it. (Those bars that go up and down with the beat of the music.) They are sold at thinkgeek.com. I really want to get one!

Harry Potter

So a little over a month ago we were visiting family in Maryland. My cousin Amber, who is 15, was reading a Harry Potter book for what she claimed was her fourth time. One dull day after we got back to Rocklin, I remembered that my brother owned the whole series and decided to start the first one. I suddenly realized what all the hype was about, I finished the first one that night and immediately started the second. I texted my cousin Alicia that lives in Rocklin and asked her if she had read them. She told me that she had happened to have gotten the first one as a gift and had started it the day before. About a week later school started and I got a lot busier. I have school, then tennis immediately after, followed by loads of homework. Despite this, I always find time to read my Harry Potter books. Alicia finished the series, since she is 23 and has more time on her hands, but I am already on the 5th. We are now trying to get my uncle to read them, and we believe if we get him to read up to the third it will be smooth sailing from there :)

NEW CAR!!!!

A little while after walking home this Monday, I came home to find that my Mom had gone out to do some errands. So, I sat on the couch and finished my homework, and about an hour and a half after I walked in the door, my Mom came in and told me to help her with the groceries. I walk outside, and in the driveway is a 1996 MAZDA MIATA DARK BLUE CONVERTIBLE! I told her about 3-4 years ago that I want a Miata as my first car, and she came through and delivered. It surprised the heck out of me, and now I can't wait to go out and drive it in a bit. I just need to learn how to drive a stick, now... It's a little tricky, the first day I stalled the car twice driving to KFC and back (oops). Eh, I'll get the hang of it... eventually...

Right-handed, but left-brained

Lately I've been fascinated with the idea of right and left parts of the brain. I took a test online and it said I was 74% "left-brained" and 26% "right-brained". I'm right-handed, although not entirely. For example, when I cartwheel, I like to cartwheel with my left foot in front. The right part of the brain is wired to the left side of the body and vice versa. Anyway, back to the meaning of the "left" and "right" brain results. The left brain is the part of the brain that is associated with patterns, logic, facts, analysis, observation, details, and objectivity. The right brain focuses more on feeling, creativitity, perception, subjectivity, looking at the "big picture", visual and nonverbal information. If anyone would like to take the test, here is the link: http://similarminds.com/brain.html Let me know what your results are!

P.S. I think this is going to be one of my web stories :)

Maid Of Honor.

So, this weekend was fun. I went up to Mt. Shasta where my grandparents live and spent the weekend up there with my family. We spent all day saturday up there, and went quading in the meadow thats behind my grandparents house. We came back sunday and got into rocklin around noon. And then we had to go meet my sister at David's Bridal because she's getting married in May. All afternoon i was trying on bridesmaid dresses, and my sister was trying on wedding dresses, and she looked beautiful. Im really happy for her and the guy that shes getting married to is really nice, and treats her like a princess. Although im kinda nervous for her wedding because im her maid of honor and i have to make a speech in front of over 170 people. And knowing me..... ill probably trip walking down the isle.

ohhh jobs

Jobs are extremely difficult to find these days especially when your only 16 years old. I have turned in probably over 100 applications and no calls back. I would call and speak with the managers and all they say is "were not hiring". So a few months ago i got a interview for cool river pizza. i was so excited, so i did my interview and everything and i didnt get the job. It turns out my good friend got the job instead. Then i turned in this application to be a receptionist and my brothers friend over heard and he turned in a application to the same place too. I called back to the manager and they said they were setting up interviews for next week and they might call me. The week came and they called my brothers friend for a interview! I was so upset but im still trying though. Both me and one of my best friends have interviews for party city next week so im hoping both of us will get the job! Hopefully i will get a job soon.

Oh, Reader's Digest...

Even when I was little I was amazed by how unfunny these supposedly "hilarious" jokes in Reader's Digest always were, but this one takes the cake.

NPR was reading and reviewing "Reader's Digest's 10 Funniest Jokes in America" and out came this jewel:

#1A man is walking in a graveyard when he hears the Third Symphony played backward. When it’s over, the Second Symphony starts playing, also backward, and then the First. “What’s going on?” he asks a cemetery worker.

“It’s Beethoven,” says the worker. “He’s decomposing.”

After the joke was told, the panel on NPR crashed the drums in that hokey, old timey way after a punchline; they agreed that "if you say a line and any one of the people at the table says barump-bump, that is the ultimate dis to do that because you just did a bad one-liner."

Other jokes followed that weren't as horrible, though, such as:

#2 A priest, a minister, and a rabbi want to see who’s best at his job. So they each go into the woods, find a bear, and attempt to convert it. Later they get together. The priest begins: “When I found the bear, I read to him from the Catechism and sprinkled him with holy water. Next week is his First Communion.”

“I found a bear by the stream,” says the minister, “and preached God’s holy word. The bear was so mesmerized that he let me baptize him.”

They both look down at the rabbi, who is lying on a gurney in a body cast. “Looking back,” he says, “maybe I shouldn’t have started with the circumcision.”

#3 Every ten years, the monks in the monastery are allowed to break their vow of silence to speak two words. Ten years go by and it’s one monk’s first chance. He thinks for a second before saying, “Food bad.”

Ten years later, he says, “Bed hard.”

It’s the big day, a decade later. He gives the head monk a long stare and says, “I quit.” “I’m not surprised,” the head monk says. “You’ve been complaining ever since you got here.”

True Friends

I have a friend that has been playing football for years now and he is quite good at it. And he is such a great honest and trustworthy friend. When I was hospitalized this summer with chronic migraines from a clogged Basilry artery he was in the hospital multiple times to be with me the five days I was there. Now that I am ok, he has developed much of the same symptoms I had! I heard over twitter (spanks2) that he was in the hospital and needed someone by his side. Immediately sadness came over me and I rushed to my phone to call my girlfriend and Randy to see if they would go with me to visit him in Sacramento. They of course dropped everything and came along. In his room he had four other people that were there with him. I was so happy to see so many true friends of his. We stayed and talked to him for an hour or so then it was time to go. I wish I could have stayed all night with him, he spent the night by himself. They believe he has the same issue that I had so I will be with him step by step to help him along the way. If you are there for your friends, they will always be there for you. That's how you determine if you are a good true friend or not.

School = DEATH

So im pretty much really disliking school. It really feels like there is no point anymore. I mean I am a senior and I come to school until 12:05 to me it feels like a huge joke. The only thing I like about school is seeing my friends but I could always do that out of school. I dont know if it just because I have been in a weird mood lately and just overall grumpy or if I really am over this whole High School thing. I'm ready to start my adult life more then ever right now. The stresses of life are really getting too me. I have to worry about college and how to pay for it and what I want to do when I grow up. I think that maybe another reason why I am over school, Im already applying and preparing to go away to college so it just feels like it is time to leave. All I know is i have 164 school days until I walk at graduation and I cant wait.

STRESSFUL SENIOR YEAR

Sure they say senior year is fun, but until I became a senior I couldn't fully capture all of the STRESS! I didn't really understand before why seniors were freaking out about applying to multiple colleges and universities, I figured hey! I apply to one college, all the information can just go to all of the other places. But there are so many different requirements for different types of schools, it's almost impossible to keep track! UC and CSU differences are so immense, how can we be sure what place is right for us? And what about early admission? How do we know for sure if that's what's right, we are trapped if we do it, but at the same time maybe it's a good idea... So many thoughts are going through my head, and having to get scholarships and FAFSA stuff doesn't make anything easier. Some scholarships on zinch.com seem so easy to achieve, but how do we know if we get them or if we have to sign anything or go through the school? College is a whole new world, one that's already starting, and I sure hope I'm ready :/ So far not so good, but after November things should get a little easier for all of us... And by a little I mean a very very little, scholarship time will pick up after college applications, a whole other story. Oh to live in the days when college applications were a mere fantasy. But then again we only have one year left! So all of this stress is definitely worth it... If I get accepted to the places I apply. Breathe all of you seniors, we all need to remember to have fun, our last Homecoming is approaching rapidly and it's our last chance to go to float construction and go to a Homecoming rally and game and see the halftime show as a RHS student. We all need to make the most of this time, even if we want to scream with our stress!

Coincidence?

So I was reading the Sac Bee in class and I come across an article titled "3 convicted in plot to blow up plane" and of course it struck my interest. Three years ago, August 2006, three men were caught attempting to bomb airliners in what would be known as the deadliest terrorist attack since 9-11. Since then, four more men pleaded guilty to having been apart of the conspiracy. Apparently the men were trying to assemble bombs in the airplane toilets using soda bottles with hydrogen-peroxide based explosives injected into them.

And this story brought me back to an unusual occurance that happened in my own life. Well I'm more of a secondary source because my mom was the one who experienced it first hand. I was still there, but I didn't know about it until later.

Summer of 2004, my parents and I were flying back from home from Heathrow, London. We were not able to get seats by each other, so my mom sat in a separate section of the plane, while my dad and I sat next to each other. After the flight, my mom told us that there was a suspicious man sitting behind her with no carry-ons. He was stiff and sitting very still in his seat. He had his hands folded in his lap, his eyes looking down upon them. Every hour on the hour, he would get up and use the lavatory that my mom was sitting in front of. Everytime the man went into the bathroom, she would hear a continuous scratching on the wall. So eventually, my mom decided to walk into that bathroom and inspect. In a small corner behind the toilet, a piece of the wall was missing. It looked as if it had been torn out. This got my mom worried so she told the security on the plane about that man. They kept an eye on him, and the man stopped using the lavatory.

So this got us thinking? Could this have been a test run? To see how far they could get? Ever since then I've been afraid of planes.

But things got even scarrier. We arrived in San Francisco that night and drove home. The next morning, we wake up to the news of the London Bombings.

After the flight, the man disappeared, but he must have been somewhere in San Francisco. The men convicted on Monday of the attacks were planning on bombing a flight from London to San Francisco, similar to our flight.

Tuesday when I read this article, everything just fell into place. We told the story to friends and family but never thought of taking it to the police. But at least the men were caught before anything happened. From this I learned to report anything that makes me suspicious no matter how small because it could save thousands of lives. This may have been an insignificant observation, but now that I think of it, it may have been more than just a coincidence.

Tomorrow is September 11. God bless America.