My Scarlet Letter

Hi! Megan Treadwell; filling in for Jonathon.

In the Scarlet Letter, a woman is damned to wear the letter "A" on her chest for committing adultery while her husband is lost at sea. This is revealed when Hester (adulterer) has a child. As if life didn't suck already for Hester, being all isolated and condemned and what not, it gets worse when her husband comes back to Boston, where Hester lives, and plots revenge on she and her lover asses. What started out as a sexy love affair ended as quick deaths and a shared tombstone.

I realize that the theme of this book is really the shame, guilt and remorse that a person can harbor in their lifetime for past decisions made. It's really easy for me to say "Hey, Hester had it comin' ", but instead I think of what my scarlet letter is. It's one that everyone can see, though I don't wear it on my clothes. Out of all of my flaws, my extreme fear is the most detrimental. "F"

For me, fear isn't like the kind that comes from anticipation of riding a roller coaster, waiting to hear a punishment from parents after lying, or being alone in the dark. It is a fear of failure, rejection, my shortcomings, and being revealed to others. I know I'm not alone when I say that these are things confronted every day, but I try to eschew them as such as possible. That only makes it worse. Somehow, at the end of the day, I end up staring all that fear in the face.

• sometimes I feel like I cant compare, my shortcomings don't seem so short; they seem to be off by a mile
• my parents are constantly pushing to me to try new things and master them. shoving things into my ears like test grades, scores, comprehension and the unanimous "bar". you know, that thing that always seem to be set too high.
• The never ending struggle to fit in with your surroundings are not just mental, they are also physical. Its hard going to a place everyday where no one really looks like you
• rejection is killer, but even harder for me because i never like to be vulnerable, yet it happens so fast....

Hester lived a life where her crime or sin defined her and ultimately killed her. I don't want that to happen to me. When people think of me, I don't want them to think "hey, that girl was a ..... wait .... who is that?" Never risking anything and always trying to impress others. I'm going to look at this issue as a stone to step over and make that move.

For those of you who are like me and have this issue, here's a suggestion, let the shit go. truthfully, life is too short and it'll all seem funny after a while; just ask Hester!


megan treadwell

The Power Bloggers and the Fundraising Fiesta

In 2000, the UN held a Millennium Summit. From this meeting, eight Millennium Development Goals were formed with the goal of eradicating extreme poverty and many of the problems associated with it; lack of education, gender inequality, and lack of sustainable development by the year 2015. The eight goals are as follows:

So I was looking more into this when I stumbled upon a site called Millennium Promise and I completely geeked out. Basically, Millennium Promise works by building millennium villages, and working from the ground up. By focusing on a small area, they are able to attack all the problems at once to reach the eight goals.

When you work towards one goal, such as achieving primary education for everyone, you have to address other problems as well at the same time. If the family isn’t able to make enough food with the kids attending school, they’ll have to stay home, and if there’s a lack of gender equality, many girls won’t be allowed to attend school. But if you attack all the problems at once, it’s the fastest way to escape the poverty trap.

This local approach has worked really well in micro financing, whereby giving small loans to individuals, they can pursue ventures that they could not have otherwise. This not only helps them to support themselves, but it helps the community develop in turn. This tactic is based on the idea that by attracting small pockets of larger income, this money in turn will stimulate the local economy, which will stimulate a bigger economy and so forth. So, the millennium villages are kind of like the Grameen Bank on steroids (see, we did learn something in HUG).

I decided that I wanted to donate something, but I realized that I don’t have enough money on my own to make as great a contribution as I’d like to. That’s when I thought of having a fundraiser, but I didn’t know who’d want to help. And then it hit me. I’m part of a SuperBlogging Team am I not? Surely my fellow Power Bloggers will help me ( and obviously, anyone not an actual member of the Power Bloggers can help out too, we’ll need all the help we can get).

So think of it as our first mission, are you up to the challenge?

-Viv

P.S. You can visit the UN site for the Development Goals here: http://www.undp.org/mdg/

And the site for Millennium Promise here (or just click on the title) : http://www.millenniumpromise.org/

Sorry, Its Me

I'm sorry but Lacey asked me to write her blog today, she returned from her vacation in California today and unfortunately hasn't slept for the past two days.

Well I'm Ross, Lacey's boyfriend, not that it matters but I just thought people would like to know who exactly is writing this post. For the last five almost six months I have been dating Lacey. I'm not going to tell you how we met or anything else because Lacey will most likely use that some other week once she returns. But what I will say is that she is very influential, Many of my actions or likes have been altered because of her, not by force or by her even wanting me to, but because I know that if I liked that or did that things would be a lot better, not that they aren't just we would avoid a minor argument.

I guess that is just one of the many ways I view that you are truly in love. Not that I matter or my opinion matters but I view there is a test you can give yourself to see if you have truly fell in love, found your one, whatever you call it its all the same.

1st. Do you want to spend the rest of your life with this person?
2nd. Can you imagine yourself with this person for the rest of your life?
3rd. Can you sacrifice important things in your life to be with them?
4th. Does any feelings you have for another person compare? (if you have to think hard, like pro's and con's most likely not)
5th. Does it feel like you have to have them in your life?

If you haven't heard there was a earthquake in California today, Ironically it was in the same part that Lacey was staying in, twelve hours after she left.

Thanks for reading sorry that Lacey isn't here. but the great news is that she will be back next week.
PS. I don't usually talk about this stuff, honestly I am tempted to re write it to something more actually me but have no time. And my last words are Will Ferrell is the BEST, can't to see Step Brothers.

~Ross J.

A View Of Facebook

I was recently discussing with my mother the conveniences of our generation. I expressed to her how I couldn't imagine living in a world where I couldn't just get on the Internet and find information on almost anything. She told me she could, and in fact had. She lived in an age where they had to go to the library...and look in encyclopedias for information. To me that sounds ridiculous, but I think growing up in the age of computers, we often forget how lucky we are.

I think one of the greatest Internet commodities we have is Facebook. As addicting as it is, it is a great source to stay in touch with friends. I think it's the easiest way to spread information to all your friends through events, groups, notes, and statuses. I'm a full supporter of the Facebook epidemic. But then again, I feel as though things as Facebook are making our friendships less real. And of course I'm not only referring to Facebook, but also email, blogs (yes, blogs), and websites. My attention was drawn to this when speaking to a man from my church about his proselyting mission a year prior. He said how he would get tons of emails but what really meant the most was a letter in the mail. And how true is that? I know when I get letters in the mail I'm pretty excited, though I get a ton of emails everyday.

So I guess I basically want to make two points. First of all the difference of Facebook and reality. It seems to me that people are much more open on the Internet than they would ever be in actual life. Jonathan noticed, as did myself, the growing talk of religion amongst our friends on Facebook. I'm not saying I was not a part of it, in fact I may have been one of the forerunners, but it is getting huge. People who I didn't even know were religious are popping out their beliefs. I know I've been always very open about talking about religion, but people at school never really show much interest. So, it amazes me that when it's not coming out of their mouths, how quick they are to state something. Not that I think this is so much a bad thing, but it's Facebook, so pretty much everyone can see it. And I can understand why people would be offended. I think many of our friendships have change in a way they never would have, it there was no Facebook. Views and thoughts about people have changed by reading their profiles, their notes, and even their one sentence statuses.

My other point is about the tangibility of our friendships. I have a box of memories that I keep. I was looking through it and found that the majority of the box was from middle school. Notes, letters, pictures fill the box. And I wish I could have more stuff from high school, but these things have become obsolete. There is email now plus Facebook walls/messaging. There is digital cameras which allows you to organize all your picture on the computer. And there is text messaging which makes 'note passing' a lot easier during school. I feel like I barely have to talk to people anymore. With instant messaging and text messaging I don't even have to hear their voices, or see their faces. It feels like friendships aren't even real anymore. I don't communicate with a person; I communicate with a machine.

I think in this new high-tech age, we should be careful. I think we should still try to treasure our friendships. Every once in a while I think we should send a letter. Or perhaps give someone a hand-written note. I don't know about you guys, but I treasure this kind of stuff. We have two years. Let's make the most of it, by doing things that will really make our friendships last forever.

Yeah so since my post is so serious this week, I thought I might add something that made me laugh...a lot.

Hello to our multiple views from Canada. Pretty cool, eh?

-Brianna

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not...

I had initially planned on blogging about my own religious beliefs today, but I decided to let the God vs. No God issue simmer down a bit so instead I am writing about something else that I am pretty obsessed with: Boys.

Except when it comes to boys, I kinda got the short end of the stick. Sure, I am pretty smart, I like to think that I am somewhat good looking, and I am fairly friendly. There are a couple of problems: I am really short (I guess this is a turnoff) I can be a know-it-all, and I suck at flirting. Yes, I have had my share of boy problems, and for future reference, I have organized them into scenarios. Now, to all of our male viewers, I advise you to read this as well, just so that you may get a bit of a further glimpse into the female mind...

Scenario 1: The Two Timer
Okay, so I was in first grade and I had my first "boyfriend" (I don't really think you can have an official relationship in elementary school, but at the time, I didn't know any better). Things were going swell, when I found out that my boyfriend was sharing his snack with another woman!! I didn't know a six year old could be a player...

Scenario 2: Tag
All during third grade, I liked this kid. Then, over the summer I accepted the fact that he didn't like me back, so I moved on. It seemed like just when I stopped liking him, he started liking me! It went back and forth like this for a while, but then I found out that he was a jerk and stopped the madness...

Scenario 3: Excessive Pursuit/ Rejection
There was this other boy I liked in elementary school. Everyday on the playground, I asked him to be my boyfriend. This went on for a couple of weeks, until he finally gave in. The only problem was, he didn't go out with me because he liked me, but because he thought that if he said yes then I would stop bugging him. Shortly later, I found out that he was flirting with my arch nemesis...

Scenario 4: Dead End Flirting
Okay, so this one guy and I sat next to each other in a couple of classes and we flirted constantly. I remember being so enraptured by him, thinking that he certainly liked me as well, but then he asked out another girl and I was left wondering, "was all that flirting in vain?". I guess it was one of those, "I'll flirt with you until something better comes along" kind of situations...

Scenario 5: The Two Year Crush
These past two years, I've had a crush on one guy. And let me say, it sucked. Sure, we were great friends, but our relationship was based on teasing. He would say, "Caroline, shut up! You're short!" and I would respond with some sort of witty comeback. We always joked around with each other and just had a good time. But Neither of us ever left our comfort zone, at least not for long. Occasionally, he would say something that just made my heart melt, but then it was back to joking and teasing. Oh, and now he likes one of my friends...bummer

Scenario 6: Surprise Rejection
Then there are some relationships that you're POSITIVE will work out. You chat on the way to class, you share a lot of the same interests, and rumors are going around that he likes you, too. You think all is going great, that is, until that person's best friend breaks the news that he's really not that into you...

Scenario 7: Major Turn Off
Well, one time I had a huge crush on this really cute boy, but then I actually talked to him and he was a major racist. Next...

Scenario 8: Stay Tuned...
Maybe this person could be the one that actually likes me back! Between cute text messages, hugs, sharing drinks and major flirting, something could blossom. I don't know what, but I fully intend to find out...

So hopefully that was somewhat entertaining. Maybe you picked up a few tips along the way; Maybe you just laughed and said, "Man, that girl has a sucky life!!" But all I know is, things HAVE to start looking up for me in the boy department.

-Caroline

Origins of the Power Bloggers (Green Blogger's Perspective)

After reading a post, my mom asked me,
"Exactly how did you guys get this blog going? It seems so random and yet well put together."
I don't even know the answer to that but what I CAN do is tell you how I met everyone on the power blogging team (you can correct me or scold me in the comments if I forget anything because i think i'm starting to get amnesia) and how this blog started =) I'll be going in order by day.

Caroline:
I actually have no memory of how we met. I vaguely remember saying hi to you from time to time during freshman year. How we REALLY got our friendship going was the class we all love and hate, chemistry. Ah yes, our teacher decided to change our seating arrangements one day. I was like, "Whatever," when I was paired to sit with Caroline. Right when I put my head down to sleep, she started singing/humming. I looked up a bit annoyed but later on, I learned that she wanted to become a singing architect. She is really good at singing and she was the one I looked to when I didn't know the answers to most of the problems. She also drew graffiti all over my papers when I was asleep. Caroline is such a delinquent. Anyway,
blue power blogger = great singer.

Brianna:
The awesome person who started this whole blog. I can semi-remember how we met. Ahhh the good old days with Mr.Miller back in middle school. I remember that every year, the violas would dwindle in number to almost nothing. But you would stay firmly put in the orchestra as a viola... no matter how many viola jokes we made xD. Haha you even got mad when I asked if you were ever going to switch to violin. Hmm... how we first met? I think it was like,
Me: "Hi, my name is June."
Bri: (very shyly) "Hey..."
Me: (thinking) "Oh okay. She doesn't want to talk to me. Meh, I'm going to try talking anyway."
"So what's you're name?
Bri: "Brianna."
Me: "Oh cool."
(If you remember how we met, please tell me because that's all I remember)
gold power blogger = dedicated viola player who likes superman and the power rangers

Lacey:
Haha. Sorry Lacey but I don't really know you all too well. But I CAN relate to when we actually interacted with one another. Back to the chem class. I was partnered up with my friends until I was forcefully yanked apart from them and put with Blair's and Lacey's group. I was a little sad because Blair gave me the impression that she was evil (she even agreed to it when I said she was evil) and I barely knew Lacey. So I say hi twice to them because I'm slightly uncomfortable with them. Then Lacey gives me this glare like she was saying,
"I don't know you but I already don't like you."
She walks away and I look at Blair and ask,
"What was with that look? I mean she was all like... (does the Lacey glare)"
Blair just laughs and I ask,
"What?"
Blair just laughs again.
yellow power blogger = emotional girl who can use telepathy with her eyes

Viv:
I remember you with Megan in Math Research. I was in the waaaaay corner of the room and you guys would be in front of me. I had a weird streak going that year and I tried to bother Megan and Viv a lot... no I mean a LOT. I remember looking at you doing math (which we rarely did in that class) and I was like,
"Wow. How do you know all this?"
Viv: (giving me a weird look) "I just do."
Me: "Ummmm.... okay."
Viv also commented on my "not smiling all the time" a lot.
Viv: (semi-nagging tone) "You never smile. I look at you and you're just like... (puts a very glum face on)"
Me: "Sorry. I'm just like that." (puts on a very forced smile)
purple power blogger = one of the smartest people i know who really wants to see me to smile

Jonathan:
This goes back... waaaaaaaaaay back in time during the period of Yugioh cards and the big dirt mound we allegedly called,"God's pimple." Actually Sarah named it that but I still remember =).
I was new to the elementary school so during recess time, I was hopelessly lost on who to play with. So I sat on a table and watched these weirder-than-average people play. Suddenly the red head spots me and says,
"Hey! You want to join us?"
I was a little reluctant because I was a shy little Asian boy with little to zero social skills but I decided to play anyway. So then the red head says,"Hi. I'm Jonathan. And this is Rebecca, Sarah, etc, etc, not important people (just kidding xD). So we all put our feet in together to decide whos "It". After that, it was all Yugioh, tag, digging for ant lions, etc. I don't think I would've survived that school without you and the rest so thanks =).
black power blogger = DIY frenchman who likes Apple

Kejing:
You remember the first thing I ever said to you when we met? It was the first day of team sports (a very pointless fitness class). I try to look for someone I know and I finally spot someone. My friend Anna and I were talking and she made an Asian crack,
"All you Asians are smart."
So I look over at two bored looking Asian girls and I tell them,
"Hey. You see that girl over there? (pointing to Anna) She's racist against Asians." Immediately (i was really surprised) they band together and defend their continent. One of those girls was Kejing. As the year went on, I learned that she was smarter than the average Asian and a certain someone even called her the Asian Wonder.
red power blogger = communist stalker who is also one of the smartest people i know

Brianna decided one day to choose 6 other people for their different personalities. Those 6 people happened to be us. Together, we agreed that this blog was going to be random but at least we would have fun out of the randomness. It was going to be modeled after the Power Rangers and we would each have our own color. A few ground rules were set but I don't want to recite rules and I very much doubt anyone would want to read them. Rules are meant to be broken anyway.
7 different people all banded together for one purpose. We are the Power Bloggers.



(man we chose weird colors. so lets settle for this picture. and ignore the "please select a category from the left")

God, tell me I'm wrong.

Last night, my father shut off the modem, so I couldn’t read more of these interesting, heartfelt responses. And I was kind of cold this morning, so I decided to take a nice, warm, bath. Yeah, that didn’t go so well, because I was thinking about The Power Bloggers almost the entire time. What was I going to say, and how would it come out? Would Jonathan be mad if I didn’t fully support our atheist views? Would Caroline give me a disappointed look because I did not meet her belief in a strong relationship with God? My my, how some of you have given your all last night, and into the early morning. I respect the people who stood up for their beliefs on both sides, because they were struck with considerable force.
What am I doing, writing this post? You, or well, I, cannot be the power blogger after Jonathan and not offer my own thoughts.
Jack and I are basically best friends, and what do best friends do but talk about anything? Religion has been a large part of many of our more serious conversations, and yes, believe it or not, people like us actually have them. You may give him credit for the stronger points in the next paragraph.
Why would God send someone to Hell? Humans are naturally flawed. If there were a God, then he would want people to be good, and if he were all-knowing, then he would know that people are not perfect. Would God want us to worship Him if pride is a sin? Of course, He does not sin. But of course, religion does not make sense to me.
June, I agree with you that people are given the choice, and that many people choose not to believe at all. But what about all of God’s children in the history of the world who never made contact with Him? Many Christians encourage each other to spread the Word of Jesus, but we cannot be disappointed in people who have not spread the world enough for every other sinner to hear. In fact, centuries ago, they did not even know that people lived on other continents. How can we make sure that every single soul on this planet hears the Word?
Now, not everyone has the same chance to worship, either. Ryan’s mother, to whom I mean no offense, encourages his family to attend church this Sunday. My father strictly believes there is no reason for church. Why? Well, he was brought up in an environment in which one can grow up, work, and eventually die without ever glancing at a Bible. But he is truly a moral man, so I do not understand why God would make him suffer in the end.
Caroline, this may not be the best place to discuss things, but at least we are discussing it. You know that God will continue to challenge you, and maybe this is one of those times.
What am I going to do? Well, I have no problem teaching little children Bible stories, or even encouraging my own children in the future to go to church every Sunday, whether I am physically taking them there or not. If they do not want to go, then I will do my best to convince them otherwise, and tell them not to grow up the same way as their mother. This must sound like severe irony to you. It is because I think that a relationship with God is a good thing, prayer is powerful, and it gives us the why in life, as one of my Mormon friends confirmed. Religion is a good thing, and it teaches good morals. However, I cannot bring myself to be a part of this. I will not believe because I want to go to Heaven, or because I do not want to go to Hell. I will only believe because I love God and what he has done for everyone.
The above post could not cover all my feelings and opinions regarding this subject, but I hope it is sufficient during the late morning of a beautiful, July day. If you have any questions or comments for me, I am free to hear them. And thank you for taking the time to read these lines.
-Kejing

The God Paradox

Take a look at the number of religions. All of them claim to be correct. Most of them are mutually exclusive. Herein lies a paradox: if there are all different religions, each claiming something a little bit different from the other, how can they all be right? Which is the true religion? Who knows the truth? Does anybody? Are we all blind, shuffling around in mosques, churches, and temples, or is someone going to practice what he or she preaches? Who has God on their side?


More importantly, religion itself must be addressed for what it is. This does not apply solely to Christianity or Islam. It is all-encompassing for religions as a whole. They are fatally flawed. What is their common flaw? Well, actually, their flaw is more physical and closer than you think-- it's you. Humans are the creators and ultimately the destroyers of religion. In order to address what I am sure will be some of your first questions after reading the initial paragraph, let us examine the origins of all religion.


All religions, whether you like it or not, started for the very simple purpose of explaining life's questions that we hadn't figured out yet. Why are we here? What happens when we die? Are we special? These are questions we ask ourselves all the time. We don't know the answer to these questions... yet. How about wind? Can you explain wind? Yes, of course you can. There's even a webpage to explain it for us. But what if I told you that is was just as important and unexplained as the questions mentioned just a few sentences ago? What about fire? Lightning? Oceans? The Moon? The Sun? The way Earth moves through space? These are all undisputed answers to questions that baffled humans just two thousand years ago. Look at how long it took us to answer half of these questions. These are questions of the same level of the modern philosophical ones and yet, we view them as pithy. So have you seen where I am headed with this? Religion answers questions. We created religion to create answers. Turns out science had something to say about religion's answers to why wind blows and water falls from the sky. So who's to say that history's time-honored tradition of patterns won't continue? Why can't science simply do to modern day questions what it did to the questions of yesteryear? The answer to that question is something neither science nor religion will answer.



Religion is not an evil thing. I'm not going to say it is. Religion was a naturally devised method for explaining things, but let's face it: science is and has made serious headway where religion's version of science fell out. Take the order of the galaxy. Do I have to spell it out? Take a good look at a model of our solar system and compare it to one of the Catholic Church's in about the 15th century. Notice a different object in the center? Do you remember how the Church responded? Just because we don't know any better doesn't mean we should stick our heads in the sand and not move forward. We must shed the weight of untruths of religions. Now don't get me wrong; I am not calling for the destruction of religion. I'm merely saying that the statements there are imprecise. What do I want to keep? The most important part: the one all of you will defend. The part that all of you will use as an excuse for justifying belonging to your religion: morals. I believe that the morals that Jesus taught were right. People should show compassion and love for one another. It is essential for the survival of this species. Religion added the aforementioned untruths to gain credibility. Well, I'm sorry, but the reason I don't subscribe to any one particular religion is because of these untruths. I'm fine with worshiping without them. In fact, I relish the fact that we can teach morals to our children in a friendly atmosphere, but I refuse to raise my children in an atmosphere where they will be taught, in addition to morals, that the Earth was just willed by an omnipotent being when the science behind planet-building is quite solid. What of life, you say? I don't pretend to know how life started. But that's more than I can say for the Bible, and truth be told, aside from its morals, it's been pretty much wrong on every superstition. I'd rather hold judgment on the origins of life until science can provide me with a satisfying answer. And it will. It took thousands of years for us to learn how wind, fire, the oceans, lightning, the Moon, and the Sun worked, and who's to say it won't take that long from now to learn how life started? All I'm saying is that I refuse to accept a story that, while its morals are rightly placed, has miscalculated science.



So what about gods? Furthermore, what about this one god, popularly titled "God". It seems that these days, whatever you say will contradict what at least one other person believes, so when you believe and proclaim to a room of other like-minded people that Jesus Christ or some other prophet is the Messiah and that no other alternative exists, don't you think you're going to contradict someone else, just as entitled to their opinion as you? Aren't they, since they are equal to you, just as entitled to contradict you and name another? Who is right? Are you so sure you're right when the other guy is so sure of his own beliefs? God forbid, what if his religion states that if you aren't a part of it and that you'll burn in some dark and fiery place for eternity? Is he wrong? Herein lies why I think that there is no God, let alone any gods. Someone has to be wrong, and yet, we're all correct. Are you so convinced and conceited that you'll say that they're wrong? Step right up; try and knock this God Paradox out of the park, but be warned: you'll be meeting your newly-damned adversary again in a dark fiery place as soon as you do due to your own convictions.



Load your quivers and prepare to shoot holes through my post by commenting. I'll try and respond as much as I can. Thank you for understanding.


- Jonathan

The New Pollution

First, thanks Sarah for your post last week! I really enjoyed it, not to mention you saved my ass.

So I got back from the nationals trip some time ago, and yet I’m still suffering from jetlag (a.k.a. laziness) and I’ve basically done nothing. In fact, I spend most of my time just feeling guilty about not doing anything when I have so much work to do. I haven’t started the Calc packet, the summer reading, or my SAT prep homework.

But I have been listening to Beck. A lot. I just started listening to the album Odelay and it’s been on repeat for the past week. So I decided to share a little bit of the fun with all of you.

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

I only wish I could dance like that.

Also, I have a little story for everyone. During nationals, on our way back from Yosemite, a group of us were bored and decided to start a story where each one of us (I didn’t actually participate since I suck at storytelling) would add on a sentence (or extreme run on sentences) alternating. Well, this went on for so long that by the time we got a taxi to go back to our hotel three of us had died and Erica had given birth to a full grow Shuyao. Now, for some reason, one of was blind, and they were reading something in braille when our taxi driver decided to share a little story of his own.

“A friend of mine once found a whole stack of Playboys in braille,” he says in a smarmy, husky voice.

At first, there is dead silence as the creepiness of this man who is currently in full control of our well being sinks in. We all then let out a mighty laugh, the type of solid laugh that comes only when you’re in too uncomfortable a situation to do anything else. The driver, of course, takes this as a sign that his joke has gone over well and lets out a hearty laugh himself.

We quickly wrapped up the story after that.

May your week be free of awkward moments with taxi drivers.

-Viv

My random life

Hey everybody... This is Arthur filling in for Lacey because her internet is out.

So far, this summer has gone by really fast for me. I guess that the older you get the faster time moves for you. The first week off of school i went to St. George with my cousin Chris and My friend (who has a beach house) Mikey. That week was pretty much consisted of video games, going to the beach, skimboarding, and watching Spongebob Squarepants.

Yesterday I saw The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger was totally awesome as the joker. Hopefully there'll be another batman, but i would'nt like to see a replacement joker. Christan Bale also played a great part as Batman. (Holy Crap Spongebob is on Mtv!!!!!) In comparison to Batman Begins, it was much more action oriented.

By the way i think spongebob is very insightful....

So Monday today and tomorrow i have trombone camp.... which was really cool. I learned how to do the guillatine and most of the marching commands. Tomorrow we're just gonna hang out and play 360 and wii because we have gone over most everything we needed to know. At band camp in about a week, the trombone section swore to aquire the pride pole(a dowel rod recieved for your entire section following direction well) first, as they apparently have done the past 5 years.

The Secret flawless deoderent commertial is completely stupid, no one shows their armpits that much.

Earlier tonite I was watching The Man in the Iron Mask, which really is a great movie if you haven't seen it. Circa 1998, It mainly stars Leonardo de Caprio as king Louie, a tyranical king of France. King Louie starved his people in order to keep his meaningless wars going. So, three verteran Musketeers decide to rescue Louie's twin brother Filipe for seclusion in a prison in an iron mask. A very good movie.

-Arthur

I Generally Follow The Rules

I was at another church camp the past week. It was one of those outdoors camps with cabins and stuff. So since it was a church camp, the rules were pretty strict. Although I was a youth leader so the rules were not enforced so much. Curfew was at midnight, and no one was in bed at that time.

The people in my cabin decided we should stay outside since we weren't going to bed at 12 anyway. I was cool with this. Then they decided we should go to the lake. I was a little nervous about this. Going to the lake when there wasn't an adult there could get you in huge trouble. But I went with them. I freaking out the whole time as we walked to the lake. We had to turn our flashlights off for a portion of the way so that we wouldn't be noticed.

We get to the lake, and the members of my cabin get right on the dock. Now I knew if we got caught, there would be a good chance that we would be sent home. I was so freaking scared. We stayed there for an hour gazing at the stars and talking about life. In all honesty it was pretty awesome. The whole time however I'd listen intently in case there were any voices coming our way. Nothing happened and we returned to our cabin. I was relieved.

The next night my cabin buddies wanted to do the same thing. I almost said no, considering how scared I was last time. But I went with them. And once again was full anticipation, sure that we would be caught. We weren't caught and once again we went to bed.

After this situation I was thinking about how this small thing was one of the biggest risks I've taken in my whole life. As sad as that sounds, I'm OK with it. I realized that I'm not a risk-taker. I like obeying the rules. Which in a way makes me really lame, I know. But there have to be some people to obey the rules, right? I know people like that rush you get when you do something you're not supposed to. I don't get a rush; I get nausea. So I guess that trip to the lake was my last attempt to be a spontaneous person. I guess I was just born to be predictable. Oh, well.

Hello to our visitor from Kenya.

Just so you guys know I will be in town for the rest of the summer. So I'll read the posts everyday, on their posted day. I haven't done that in weeks. Lacey (if you're here), I can't wait to see what you have tomorrow!

-Brianna

Big God, BigStuf

Okay, so this past week I was at a church camp called Bigstuf in Panama City. Did I enjoy it? Let's put it this way: It was the best week of my entire life.

First of all, I reached a more intimate relationship with God. To know that someone died for my sins so that I may live for eternity in Heaven just amazes and overwhelms me. This feeling of unconditional love is indescribeable, uncontainable; This feeling of joy is simply fantastic. I learned how to truly worship, whether it be jumping up and down and pumping my fist in the air, screaming the lyrics at the top of my lungs, or kneeling on the ground with tears running down my face, completely speechless and awestruck by God's amazing love. I even wrote a song based on the events of BigStuf. In one week, I became closer to God than in my seven years as a christian.

Then there was my roomate situation. I roomed with some of my best friends, and some girls that I hadn't known really well. I strengthened my friendship with all the people in my room. They are the most wonderful girls I know and I love them all. Except three of them are practically in love with the guy I like. But that's besides the point...

Oh yeah, and I met my future husband. He is nineteen, extremely adorable, and a magnificent singer. I can't even describe how cute he is!!!! He led worship, using his glorious voice and guitar skills. I'm basically in love with him, and I got a picture taken with him.

We also saw a world famous magician, the african children's choir, and Jeff Foxworthy came and preached.

One of the best parts was getting closer with my entire youth group. We are all like one big family. I cheered for our volleyball team, THE JORTS (jean+shorts) I talked to them, and I just got to know them all a lot better.

So, as I said before, this was the most amazing week of my entire life. I've seen that God can create miracles and I have felt his love. I have made many friends and even more memories. And know I can broadcast the message of God to everyone.

-Caroline

Cell Phones and Social Life

Hello people! I'm back and more importantly, the nationals people are back. I would like to say welcome back! And thank you for all those happy birthdays =) Now as for my post, I would like to stress an issue: cell phones.

I was practicing tennis on the wall for a good half hour so I decided to take a small break. A lady and her kids were playing in a nearby playground. As I watched them play, I noticed the lady had a cell phone glued to her ear. She was laughing and calling the person "honey" and "sweety" so I assumed she was talking to her husband. A blue SUV pulled up next to her and then she yelled to her kids," Hey guys time to go!" They gathered together and walked away from the SUV to the parking lot on the other side of the playground. They eventually faded from view and I went back to practicing. A few minutes later, I noticed that the lady was leading her kids back towards the playground. A little confused, I thought,
"Hm, maybe she forgot something."
Yes. She did forget something. Remember the blue SUV that pulled up next to her? That was her car and in it was her husband. The SAME person she was talking to on her phone! Talk about ignorant. Not watching her kids and not even noticing a car... no I mean her OWN car pull up right next to her.

Cell phones are everywhere. Old people, young people, small people, big people, one fish, two fish... they all have phones. And one of the few things that annoy me are little kids with phone obsessions.
"I have an iPhone!"
Me: "Cool."
"Do you have a phone?"
I show my phone.
"Mines better. Oh wait my mom texted me."
I wait.
"When did you get yours?"
Me: "Um... like when I was in 8th grade."
"Really? That's weird. I got mine when I was seven."
Well you know what little kid? Not everyone is as rich as your parents. ARGH!

Cell phones are convenient. I'll agree with that. You can stay in touch with your friends very easily. But it escalated to something so much more. Now people can be alone without ever being alone. They are never alone. People use their phones so much that they redefine what being lonely means. Well let me clarify something. Being alone does NOT mean lonely.... ok... done ranting.

Random news of the day: On the KLOVE radio station, I heard a very interesting story. It turned out in Flint, Michigan, a group of people stole 200 manhole covers from the city. They can be sold $20 apiece for scrap metal but cost $200 to be replaced. Nice.

That's all I have for you guys today. So stay tuned for the blue power blogger's post because she's fantabulous.

-June

Happy Happy Birthday!

Some people fear Severus Snape, who most of us realize come from a wondrous fictional series of fine novels. Every now and then, you find a freshman who is adamantly scared of speaking to his or her Algebra II teacher. And the red power blogger never knew she would one day fear(not anymore!) someone because he was smiling at her.
Anyway, from an early age, I had a slight fear of my mother. She would sarcastically joke in a highly realistic way that she needed to procure a special stick just so she could spank me more effectively. Apparently, rulers weren't didn't meet her standards of punishment for four year olds. And the thing is, four year olds can't usually run away from their parents, or wrestle their way out of a strong, motherly grip. The last time this happened was probably about seven years ago. She warned me that she would hit me ten times for each incorrect music theory problem. I was in shock. And in even greater shock as soon as she checked my work and found five mistakes. It wasn't the best afternoon of my life. Eventually, I grew taller, thank goodness, and the corporal punishment was replaced with extremely cruel lectures.
My father has always had higher expectations, but he only really swiped at me once when I was about 10 or 11 years old. But somehow, he incites more fear then my mother ever did. The thing is, we never really speak to each other. Holding conversations isn't even a thing of the past, because it didn't happen. The most contact I had with him was probably around the age of three. Each evening, he would read library books to me, and eventually, I read them to him. I'm a lot like him, being stubborn, and sharing many other qualities, and that doesn't really work out.
I'm actually writing this on Wednesday, July 9, 2008, and look forward to the slew of posts that will sit in my Google Reader, waiting for me to read voraciously. I hope you enjoyed reading the 50th post last Friday, by Anna Plevak. Of course, I'm sure you had a marvelous nine days or so without any of the MAO Nationals kids, who are such perfect people. Wait, that means you had to have missed us. There may have been a rule about not commenting on other power bloggers' posts unless it is within your own post. So, ten days late in public, but I loved Lacey's apology post, and it was funny because it was the day I tried to call her, so it was even more marvelous. Today is also my big brother's birthday. Happy birthday, June, you get at least two birthday wishes on here now, thanks to the great timing of the trip. It was different when you talked to us all the time in freshman year, and I guess maybe I would have gotten to see you more if I liked tennis, as the rest of the family does. Please forgive your little sister (and boss) for not contacting you enough this year, and I hope you have had loads of fun... at home... not doing anything... being away from us... not even in the same time zone or close. And you're still really extra super cool because you were born in Green Bay, WI.
Have a happy Friday.
-Kejing

Why iLove Apple

Ahh.. I've been often asked why I like Apple so much. The simplest answer is design. I mean this in both the form and function. No other computer really comes close to imitating Apple's gorgeous displays and simple packaging. Notice how similar Vista is in aesthetics to OS 10.5 (Mac's Operating Software). Do you think this was a mistake? No, Microsoft recognizes that your product needs to be beautiful to sell- too bad people prefer OS 10.5 more than Vista!

So instead of beating you to death with Apple versus Microsoft statistics, I thought I might give you a quick look at the basic product line and my impressions of them. This way you can become an informed reader who might just have a new appreciation for this wonderful company.

Macintosh Computers (AKA Mac)

Mac Mini
This tiny little computer has a little secret. You know that computer you're using right now to read this post? Yeah- it's probably more powerful than that. This super compact (6.5"x6.5"x2") case contains a full fledged Mac inside, complete with OS 10.5. Unfortunately, it's BYODKM. What's BYODKM? You'll have to Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse. (Starting at $599)

MacBook Air
"The world's thinnest computer", or damn near it. This super light weight computer will weigh you down with the price but you'll be stunned that Apple has somehow created a laptop so light you have to check to see if it's on your lap or not. This happens to be the only one in the Mac line of computer to offer a SSD option (Solid State Drive- instead of using a little disk that spins REALLY fast like nearly all computers and bigger iPods, it uses flash memory -like the kind of memory your USB stick uses- which is quieter, quicker, and more efficient). However, you will notice the lack of a disk drive (the CD drive). Instead you can purchase a USB attachment one or use a snazzy piece of included software that allows you to wirelessly "piggy-back" on your other PC or Mac's disk drive. Pretty nifty. (Starting at $1799)




MacBook
This lightweight laptop isn't one to disappoint. Though it's not as powerful as some of the computers further down, it's an economical balance between cost and performance. This is a common choice for college bound students due to it's power and portability. If you're considering one of these, may I suggest the Black MacBook ($1499). It has the most "bang for the buck", if you will. (Starting at $1099)



iMac
The iMac is Apple's quintessential Mac. You might remember working with an iMac in elementary school (those big dome shaped monitors with a handle on top). Well what you probably didn't notice is the iMac's greatest weapon- the entire computer (except keyboard and mouse) is all combined into one unit. Since our elementary school days, you'll notice the iMac when on a bit of a diet and is a sleek as ever, but don't mistake that for a lack of power! The iMac is a full fledged desktop that you'd love to try. If interested, I suggest the 2.66GHz 20" model ($1499), again- it's the most "bang for the buck". (Starting at $1199)




MacBook Pro
If you like editing movies, running big computer games, or an edge-of-your-seat experience, there is no better laptop. This powerhouse is a monster! The (15", 17") display won't hesitate to display anything- there's no slowing down here! The Core 2 Duo processor from Intel in this sucker means that one processor is dedicated to running your computer smoothly while the other is rendering your graphics at breakneck speeds without breaking a sweat. This is truly the only portable solution for the movie editor, animator, or avid power freak. (Starting at $1999)




Mac Pro
Remember those dual core processors I mentioned above? Yeah, well this has two Quad core processors. That's 8, count 'em. It's so fast you might have to wear knee and elbow pads. This mega power house will outstrip any computer you throw at it, and I wouldn't be surprised if it gave Deep Blue (nerd reference, don't ask) a run for its money. This computer is simply just that- you'll have to buy a display if you want to see what's going on. (Starting at $2799)

iPod Personal Media Players

iPod Shuffle
The ultimate in ease and simplicity, this lightweight (1GB, 2GB) mp3 player won't let you pick and choose your songs (sort of a bummer, if you ask me) but instead shuffles them around. It comes in assorted colors. (Starting at $49)



iPod Nano
Don't let the name fool you- the video enabled mp3 player kicks some serious butt! The ability to play games on it begins on this model and on up. It's a good price for either the 4GB or 8GB version. Assorted colors too! (Starting at $149)



iPod Classic
Basically the iPod Nano on steroids, this badboy will hold more songs than you know what to do with (80GB, 160GB). All of the same features as the Nano except it only comes in silver and black. (Starting at $249)




iPod Touch
Sort of the diamond in the rough (loosely speaking, of course) this iPod isn't really an iPod- it's so much more! Not only does it do all of the simple tricks of music and video, but it also combines apps (applications) to the bunch. Apps include the iTunes Store that you can purchase songs straight from your iPod or Safari, a full fledged internet browser. This is quite simply the best iPod on the market. If you have the money for it- get it. If you don't, save up and get it. It's worth it. Trust me. (Starting at $299)

iPhone

iPhone 3G
Like an iPod Touch on steroids, this beast of a device will undoubtedly blow your mind. Imagine, if you will, an iPod Touch, as perfect as it is, except with a camera, microphone, speaker, GPS, the EDGE and 3G Network (provided by the all-too-crappy AT&T), and the ability to text and call (AT&T as well). If that's not convincing enough, maybe you should move to an island deny the existence of the perfect phone, because it's here folks, and it's here to stay! (Starting at $199)

So there you have it. It's the design and the ingenuity behind all of Apple's products that I love. I have a confession though. I didn't show you the pieste-de-resistance that I find so alluring. Why? Because it's too hard to explain- you'll have to see for yourself. Click here to find out. Enjoy.


-Jonathan

What a weird concept love is.

This is Sarah Marie filling in for Viv tonight. So tonight we're gonna talk bout love. What a complicated subject...it hurts people and brings them together. Some people might say love is weird and confusing and crazy like an elephant riding a tricycle. But its always good when you do find it, cause then you have that one person you can always turn to whether your right or wrong. Ah how nice is that.



So then there's that situation where you really like someone and they don't know you exist. It just sucks. Trust me I know. But if you really truly like them then you should take a leap of faith and just talk to them cause you never know what might happen...but first make sure he's in your league...so check with your friends first and make sure your making the right choice. Oh and make sure he's actually single when you tell him. There's nothing more uncomfortable then you telling him and then him having a weird look on his face and telling you that he has a girlfriend...this has never to happened to me...but when I've seen it on TV it always looks way awkward.

But when you like a guy... try not to become a stalker... don't take pictures of him, or learn his school schedule, or follow him everywhere....thats a little creepy...but maybe if you just "happened" to pop up where he is, maybe he'd think of you differently and possibly ask you out..but don't make it obvious that your following him..then he might get a restraining order up against you. Then your plans are just completely blown and the only possible way that you would have a chance then would be if you got some plastic surgery done over in 90210, and that sorta costs a lot of money which only movie stars or snobby housewives have.

So your best bet with love is just to go with it when comes and when it goes. Don't force it too much, you might end up with it up your butt. And everyone wants to find love, just be calm and it will come. Don't worry bout it too much, if your single enjoy it! Flirt a little, no harm in that. But if your in a relationship, congratulations, hope you're enjoying each other and having fun together. Try to keep it, don't let it die...do little things to show you truly love them and care for them and think about them.

So all in all Love will always be one of those understandable concepts, but love it if you find it.

~sarah.marie.

its madness i tell you

I, like a surprisingly large number of people, am going to be vacationing in California this summer. Next week in fact. I believe that my day for the Power Bloggers being Tuesday is destiny because I will be gone from Wednesday to Monday. This is clearly not a coincidence.

Today my boyfriend and I took a big step. We each had ten dollars and we purchased a DVD together. So many questions sprung up in my mind. What if we break up? Can you have joint custody of a DVD? Could I let the DVD go in the case that we couldn't settle it ourselves? What about if we cut it in half? Is there ANY END TO THE MADNESS? Then I watched the movie and although I thought it was very good I realized that my boyfriend enjoyed the movie more than I did. I now know that I would give it to him. Not that I am foreshadowing our breakup because he reads this and that would be mean.

The movie was Semi-Pro in case you were wondering.

I got my hair cut last week and it's pretty short. Actually I made a couple changes last week. Some have different effects. I've found that I am very emotional lately. "Bipolar" some might say. If you know my boyfriend then feel sorry for him because two days ago he saw me go from crying hysterically to yelling at him for something dumb to apologizing to yelling again. In like. . . 2 or 3 hours. Yikes.

I'm very close to finishing one of my online classes and my Cosmetology course. Which is awesome. If i wasn't such a procrastinator. I'm ready to have my summer. . . people are just mean.

I am so tired. I was tricked into taking a nap. I know this because I was not tired at all and then all the sudden I was asleep. That is not normal. I feel kinda jet lagged so I think I will blame that in case this post isn't very good. (I almost always have an excuse if you feel like complaining.

One more thing. I have new respect for that one dance move, "The Worm." For this point I am going to have to enforce a "Don't ask, Don't tell policy."

-Lacey

What's That!? A Mormon.

I went to a church program all of last week (that's why I was out of town). So right now I'm on what I like to call a "spiritual high." Basically it's when you're so closed to God and you just are so happy because of it. It's almost the appearance that you are high. You get it, spiritual high? So because of this I pretty much couldn't find anything else to write about except religion. So it might bore some of you or whatever, but you know I'm going to do it anyway.

I'm LDS, for those of you who don't know. Or if you prefer I'm Mormon. There are a lot of misconceptions about Mormons and let's clear them up right now. We are Christians. We do not worship Satan or any other evil being. We do believe in the Bible. We haven't practiced polygamy in about 200 years. We do drink soda and eat chocolate. And finally we do not all live in Utah. Yeah, I think that's a pretty good start. I know there's more out there but I can't think of anymore at the moment.

There are some really awesome things about being Mormon. For one, wherever you go the Mormon church doesn't change. You can be in Florida or Japan and you'll hear the same lessons taught all around the world. It's pretty sweet. There are very few religions like that, especially in the Christian world. The only one I can think of (Christian I mean) is Catholicism, I think that's right at least, correct me if I'm wrong, Erica. Another cool thing is that we are all over the world. Mormonism started in the Northeast of the US and has spread all over. You can find Mormons in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and Australia. Yeah, that's everywhere.

It's funny because people always think we have a lot of rules. We can't drink alcohol or coffee. We can't go to R-rated movies. We can't use curse words. But these are not rules. It's not a matter of "we can't". It's a matter of "we won't". These things are here to help us have a happier life. Think about it, alcohol is awful for you and can lead to problems with your liver. Coffee is filled with caffeine which stunts your growth and gives you sleeping problems. R-rated movies serve you in no way, in fact they can desensitize you to evils in the world. And cursing (sorry, since I know a lot of my friends cuss) makes you sound like you have no real vocabulary which sounds uneducated and frankly stupid. See we choose not to do these things because they can only help us.

Don't get me wrong we're not perfect in anyway. Perhaps you know some Mormons who aren't living the standards of our church. Don't judge them, because I'm sure they're trying. Which leads me to my final statement. I'm trying so hard to leave my life that would be pleasing to God. But you know even if there isn't a God (although I'm sure there is), I would still be happy with the life I'm living because I'm trying to be good and do good. Hopefully my life can have a good effect on other people. Because I'm living the life I am I know that I can't make the world any worse of than it already is. So tell me I'm naive. Tell me I'm stupid. But I won't change my beliefs and my ways because I'm a good person, or at least attempting to be.

Oh and one more thing. Hello to the two visits we got from Ireland. I'm so bad about remembering to do that.

-Brianna

PS I'm leaving town tomorrow and won't be back until Saturday. Can't wait to read all your posts then!

What's Love Got to do With It?

So one of my favorite movies in the whole wide world is Moulin Rouge. One of the main characters, Christian, is obsessed with the idea of true love. "Love is like oxygen; love is a many spendored thing; love lifts us up where we belong; all you need is love" he exclaims, yet he realizes that he has never been in love. Thats how I feel. I want to love and to be loved, except not in this high school way, where hooking up means you're in love. I don't even know if true love exists in high school. I want a modern day fairytale, to feel truly loved.

But maybe love is more than this. Maybe love is knowing that even though you really like this guy, you remain friends because deep inside keeping a friend is better than losing a boyfriend. That you can see to the future because you know that breakup is inevitable and then you would be strangers, or enemies. That you like the little jokes you share and simply the thrill of a crush but that anything more would just be awkward.

Maybe love is being able to talk to someone and confide in them, and to be there for them when you are needed, even if it hurts to hear them talk about their own relationships. When you can take into account their feelings, and not just yours.

Or maybe love is letting go, because its the best for both sides, even though it's painful for you. Or holding back and taking things slow.

Love is friendship, and through this I have found enough love to last a lifetime.

Stand in the Hail

Hey guy peoples and girl peoples. We've had 50 posts and I'm about to break it. 50 delicious posts and now its going to be 51! Yay!!!!!!!!*&@#(@*!&%R&*!TR&*!#(R&T!#*(R&^#!(R!#^ yay. So without further ado, here is the post.

This happened a few weeks ago. I was going to post it but I was forgetful, ADHD, ADD, bulimic, whatever you want to call it. We were done with church for the day and my dad let me drive us home. I was paticularly exhausted from today's praise worship and I just wanted to unwind and drive. I was listening to my favorite radio station (KLOVE!) until suddenly,
" BRRRRRRRT! BEEEEEP! Warning. Heavy thunderstorms in areas ___ county, ___ county, ----"
I heard the county we were currently in.
" Blah blah blah drive with caution blah blah blah. Also there are penny-sized hail in the affected areas. Please, once again, drive with caution."
"Penny-sized hail? Haha yeah right," said the skeptical me.
"It's summer. Why would there be hail in the summer?"
My dad just stayed quiet. He was trying to sleep. I doubt he even heard me... much less the warning.

So I was driving and listening to I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe until- BAM!
It was like someone smacking a table. Rain slammed the windshield and I instantly turned the windshield wipers to full power. My dad was awake now, a little miffed that he couldn't nap.

Suddenly I heard a little plunk sound. Was that a spot of white? No, no, no. I'm just being schizo. The plunking multiplied and soon the windshield was getting bombarded by little chips of ice. Penny-sized hail. They looked more like quarters to me. I swear, if those were real pennies and quarters I would be rich. Unsure whether the glass would break or not, I prayed in my head. Hoping and hoping and yet still hoping we wouldn't get shot by pieces of glass and ice, I drove on.

Desperately trying to find the line that distinguished the lanes, I drove at 25 mph. For 7 intense minutes, I fought the sea of water and ice thinking," IT'S SUMMER! WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!? WHY IS THERE HAIL! More importantly, WHY IS THERE HAIL DOWN SOUTH!?" My dad started getting a little worried because I didn't even have my license yet. The hail was stopping and we were almost home. I was so relieved. My dad refrained me from trying to eat the ice that was on the roof of the car.

So that was my experience driving in an unrealistic situation. Though I can't help but say,
" That was really fun."

-June

random thoughts

Hey, this is Anna filling in for Kejing while she is at MAO nationals. When I found out that I would be blogging for The Power Bloggers(which I think are awesome), I thought I knew what I was going to blog about, but then I started to find other things I could blog about so this blog entry will be random(hence the title).

The first thing I thought about blogging was about me recently having jaw surgery a little over two weeks ago. I don't really like how I look now, but partly that is due to me being used to looking at my "messed up" jaw and that I'm still partially swollen. Its just different, not horribly different, but different. After all, I can't do anything about it now. I had my first post-operation appt. today and the doctor who did my surgery didn't recognize me. I really don't think I look that different! Me talking about me and my surgery is probably getting boring, onto the next random thought...


My sister who is three years older than me and blonde like me dyed her hair brown. I was really shocked when I heard this news especially because I found out about it from my mom talking to my sister on the phone on the way back from my appt. today. My sister I guess decided this last night that she was finally going to dye her hair. She's been wanting to dye her hair for awhile. I like it actually. I just think she made a mistake of dying her hair because I love her natural hair color. I'm glad she didn't dye her hair permanently.


I'm such a Harry Potter nerd that I remembered earlier this week that today is exactly a year that the fifth Harry Potter movie came out in theaters. My obsession for Harry Potter isn't as bad as it used to be, but I still love the world of Harry Potter.


I don't have anymore random thoughts really. I really hope that this wasn't too horribly boring.

-Anna

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

Whiskers on kittens? Warm woolen mittens? These are not my favorite things. Nah, this week, I decided that I should share my favorite websites- the ones that are constantly open in tab form on Firefox- and my favorite TV shows.





INTARWEBZ
First

http://www.facebook.com

It's an obvious choice. 'Nuff said.



Second

http://www.instructables.com

Perhaps this is the best DIY website. Evah. They're the same people who own MAKE magazine and where I meet all of my creative DIY needs.



Third

http://www.engadget.com

For nearly all of my tech needs. Engadget (coupled with gizmodo.com) keeps me abreast with everything tech that I need to know.



Fourth

http://www.gmail.com

Quite simply the best email client available.



Fifth

http://www.apple.com

If you even have to ask why I say Apple, consider scheduling more time to talk to me. We need to talk.






TELL-A-VISSON
First

Ace Of Cakes

Duff Goldman is my hero. Charm City Cakes makes completely custom cakes to order that are insanely detailed. Pure genius.



Second

Ninja Warrior

G4, the gaming network, has given me reason to live. Ninja Warrior inspires me to get up and live. Or attempt crazy obstacle courses for no cash prize. Either or.



Third

Good Eats

Alton Brown is perhaps the reason I am into cooking. His show (though he doesn't know it) is primarily about molecular gastronomy. What is molecular gastronomy? Why it's the chemistry of cooking. Enough of wishing your cooking well- Alton Brown teaches why that sauce went bad and how to fix it- all of this with hilarious trivia and light humor.



Fourth

Junkyard Wars

Being an avid DIY freak, the idea of taking junk and repurposing (BUZZ WORD!) them for something far cooler- I'm down with that.



So, when the dog bites, the bee stings, or when you're just feeling sad- check out my favorite things.


- Jonathan

No Soup for You!

Last Sunday, for an entire hour, I had to sit next to a man that smelled like canned soup.

I was at meeting (I’m a Quaker for those of you who don’t know) and had just settled down into my seat, when a strange man came and sat down next to me. A few minuets into the silence, I began to notice a suspicious odor creeping over from my left. As the scent grew, stronger I realized that it was the stench of old, canned soup, possibly coupled with the smell of urine.

If I belonged to any other faith, in the event of this happening I may have been able to focus on a sermon that was taking place, or even moved over a bit in the pew. But alas, in my church there is nothing to focus on but silence, and we do not have pews, but chairs. Slowly the smell began taking up more and more of my breathing space, until I was completely surrounded. It was terrifying. Every time he breathed, the smell became overwhelming, but I learned not to breathe for ten seconds after this and adapted quickly. You have to in situations like this.

I may never have soup again. It’s a shame too, because I really like soup. But after being completely encased by the smell of rotting tomatoes for an hour, I just don’t think I’m up to it. And if it would bring the person next to me as much pain and suffering as I went through that day, it would by no means be worth it. I just wonder how much soup he must have consumed in order to have its scent radiate out from within the depths of his stomach.

And Happy Birthday June! May it be a wonderful, soup-free one.

-Viv

P.S.- I'm going to be out of town next Wednesday, so if anyone wants to fill in just ask.

apologies

Life. Sometimes I feel like it's moving too fast for me.

I have been helter-skelter for so long now and I'm finally getting back to where I want to be. I just don't know if the people around me are keeping up.

I would like to apologize to a couple people:

We've called ourselves sisters. We stayed up until 4 AM. You have been there for me and I have for you in the past, but not recently. I shouldn't have done things the way that I did and I am very very sorry for that. You are one of my favorite people in this whole world. I love you.

Oh my. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said the things that I said to you. I was wrong. You are a wonderful person and I wish we were as close as we used to be. I miss you more than you probably think.

You hurt me more than nearly any other friend. I realize that I over reacted to what you said. You were one of my best friends and one of my top advice givers. I miss you so much. I'm just not sure if things will be the same, but I'm sorry.

I'm sorry that I deserted you at the lunch table this year. Despite the fact that you're one of the coolest people I know, we haven't ever hung out that much. When you have invited me to events I have had a great time. It's really special to me that you think of me in those times. I wish we were closer.

Wow. Our friendship means so much to me. There isn't any other friend who I feel so comfortable being my "blah" self around. A few times you have been there for me in an amazing way. I love love love hanging out with you. You are so smart and pretty and awesome and I'm lucky to have a friend like you. I'm sorry about some of my actions. You were trying to help and I appreciate it very much. We are hanging out very soon, just so you know. I love you.

I feel like I've been a horrible best friend. I've completely lost touch with you and I'm sorry. I know that I care about it way more than you do.

This one is hard. I know that a few things that I've done and said haven't been perfect. I'm sorry, but all I have ever wanted is for everyone to get along. I wish that instead of getting mad you would listen to my points and realize that everything that is going wrong is fixable. You may think that I am going to the dark side, but I'm not. I can't. "I'm sticking with you. Cause I'm made out of glue." If you're going to fail, I'll be there with you. I'd prefer that we both succeed though. I love you. It's unconditional, by the way.

Geez. What can I say? I hope there is going to be more to our friendship. I love hanging out with you and I always have such an amazing time. I know that next year you are just going to get busier, you genius you, but I hope we find the time to hang out. I'm sorry that I've been so busy.

I'm sorry that I've let other relationships get in the way of our friendship because you are one of my best friends. We may be awkward but we are the best kind. I want to spend time with you and I'm ready whenever you are.

Hi. You are the best, just so you know. I feel that in our friendship is unbalanced. You always give and I always take. You are an amazing person and I wish that you could hang out more. I wish that I could hang out more. I am very sorry that we haven't been able to hang out as much outside of school as I'd like. You are an especially awesome person and you should never forget that. I love you.

Last but not least, I'd like to apologize to one of the power bloggers. I don't know you well enough to feel as though I've done anything wrong so the only thing that I can think of to apologize to you for is that I don't have anything to apologize to you for. Which is something to apologize for in itself I suppose. So there you go.

Guess who you are. I'm not telling you this time.

Hope that wasn't too boring for the outside readers. I'll try to be more general next week. This was just something that I had to do.

-Lacey