why I smile

because coffee and cream is such a perfect combination

because our golf team beat our 4-score high school record

because homework doesn't seem so cruel

because Turtle likes my handwriting

because the mail came and Grace wrote me back

because gym class is actually a gym class

because of hotheaded debate

because clouds and trees and leaves are lovely

because I saw a beaver, and a beaver's tail

because Orion's belt is showing up everywhere

because I used the word "sevenfold"

because quizzing practice is lovely

because math is back to numbers

because I cannot wait until college:)

I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then

Title quote: Lewis Carroll

I love the feeling of entering a book and becoming the main character. I cannot not do it. (Pardon my double negative) And when the book is finished, there is always that part of the character that lives on in me, or that I strive to be. Different books make me want to be different people for different reasons. And I made a list of them because in the darkness of night, where it was difficult to sleep, there was nothing else to do:

Lucy: for faith
Vin: for the metals
Kat: for the deadline
Bertie: for her words
Susan: for her beauty
Percy: for the water
Alice: for the rabbit
Katniss: for Peeta
Mary: for the garden
Annika: for the horse
Ariel: for the wind
Annabeth: for the wisdom
Cammi: for observance
Anna: for Rupert
Debbie: for the thought

Do you like my list? Do you have a list of your own?

regular

I sit with my regular cup of coffee. Which means I will be able to stay awake and do my homework-and write this. But it also means I will have difficulties falling asleep, which I desperately need. Somehow, I think I will get through it and find what it takes to wake up the next morning.

Did you know that the world is beautiful? I knew it, but my eyes were re-opened today. I was outside for my gym class, and all the regular stuff started to seem extraordinary when I looked at it from a different perspective. Instead of complaining of the mild heat, I concentrated on how the sun felt on my arms and face. I felt the power in the sun. And then when a cool breeze came by, I didn't feel relieved because there was nothing to make me want to be relieved. Are you following? It just felt nice. Not relieving. Just nice. Then I saw an eagle flying above the tennis courts. I watched it as it soared for a while, but then almost got hit in the face with a tennis ball, so I turned my attention to that.

My teacher in my last class spent fifteen minutes talking to us about her two girls getting married soon. I sighed. Not only was I getting an entertaining story, but we were getting out of going over our homework!

At golf practice, everyone seemed a whole lot cheerier. I don't even know if that is a word. But I just made it if it isn't. I was hitting the balls straight, and we had a friendly verbal fight with the boys' golf team when they tried to take over our putting green:).

I talked to my cousin for about an hour: 45 minutes longer than we should have. I don't even remember what exactly it was that we talked about. I just remembered I missed her, and it was wonderful to hear her voice instead of pretending what it would sound like over our emails. We ended the call with me promising to make her chocolate milk:p

We had our first quizzing practice, and when there were no seats left, I sat on the garbage can, pretending to be funny. I had the two best ham and cheese sandwiches for supper, and then we went to church.

Our youth group was planned outside today. Mostly all we do is hang out because the church still considers it "summer". Turtle's friend sits on the seat of her bike as I stand on the pedals, and we ride together until my arms get sore and her hamstrings start to resist. Then I saw the coolest car in the parking lot with a left over gashing scar from an accident I didn't hear about.

We drive home in our own suburban and I turned up the music to an oldie that I love. We rolled down the windows and I stuck my hands out, stretching at first, but then deciding to reach out to the stars. I close my eyes and breathe in as I pretend I am in a movie: one of my many quirks. I open my eyes, and I am still in my film. Singing, and trying to locate Orion's belt.

I am so happy.
I could never be better.
I cannot wait for tomorrow, and the many days ahead of me.
I love the little things, and I realize God gave us a wonderful picture each day as the sun rises and the birds chirp, and even as the teachers assign homework.
I don't feel like I'm dragging anymore.
I feel like I have gotten my life back together.
I feel like I'm flying, but it sounds so cliché.
Whatever - I hate corny, but that's all I can do.
My Senior year has finally begun.

~The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time~

-by Mark Haddon

Good:
-British:)
-Interesting plot
-Different

Bad:
-Not well written
-Swearing
-Overall morals

I really didn't like it. I don't think I like any books the school assigns for us. Maybe I was a little biased, but even if I wasn't, I wouldn't have not liked it this much.

Putting aside everything I disliked about it, it was very interesting. The main character is very math-oriented, and gives details for everything. It helps you draw a picture in your mind what he was seeing. The fact that the main character was Autistic was also very different. You actually understand why he reacts to different things the way he does when you read his perspective on things. It was actually very logical. But I still didn't like it.

Everyone in my class thought it was good, though. I was the only one who did not. I told them they don't read good books. They laughed. Haha. Twilight doesn't count.

And, no. The picture is not upside down.

update

Other than school starting, getting a new family computer, and putting up a countdown to Mockingjay on facebook, nothing much has been happening. We have a family reunion tomorrow, and I am excited to see everyone! I cannot wait!

The lack of the old family computer has kept me from posting these last couple days, but we have our new own now. Really, it's just a new server or something, not a whole computer, but I don't know much about those things. I just call it a new computer because it looks all different and fancy:).

I am very happy with my last schedule in high school. I had some re-arrangements to make in it, however, because of some class difficulties, but now everything is fine. I believe that was the longest week of my life.

I felt so awesome the other day! I was reading a book in gym class (the first couple days we never do anything or even change for that matter) and I was using a leaf for a bookmark. The kid next to me said it was creative, and I just felt awesome. I guess it was kind of creative...