Lucy

Final Blog of this school year, and I am going to make it about my dog. I feel as though my dog deserves some recognition in the world before she passes away (not that it is going to be anytime soon. I just am doing it now). 

I have a yellow lab named Lucy. She is a girl (just to clear up any potential confusion). We got her when I was in 5th grade. My sister was still a dire lover of animals, and my brother just thought it was another toy to play with. She was so tiny, I could pick her up even as my 5th grade, small, self. 

When we brought her home, we let her explore the backyard (Which is large for a back yard). The grass was up to her belly and she was galloping around with her big paws. She was so happy!

That entire first summer, Lucy began to grow. We trained her well. She wasn't allowed to go into the living room or upstairs. She wasn't allowed on the furniture. There were several tricks and commands that she picked up quickly too. We taught her not to dig and gave her tons of love. In her free time, she slept. I can remember being so  bored with my dog because she never did anything. Then one hot day Lucy discovered the bathroom. What she discovered was that the tile was cool, and it was especially cool underneath the backside of the toilet. So that is where she spent her nap time from then on. When she was outside, her favorite thing to do was play soccer. I don't know why, but us kicking a ball around really got her excited. She's great defense. 

Now, Lucy is too big to fit under the toilet (the day she discovered this was a sad one. She moped to rest of the day, until she discovered the fire-place was just as cool), She is allowed in the living room, upstairs, and on some furniture. She doesn't bark and never has. The most menacing thing she has ever done is whip someone with her wagging tail. She loves to cuddle and watch TV.

There isn't anything that I am not going to miss about my dog. I'll miss her sneaky, stubborn ways. I'll miss her begging me for food at the dinner table. I'll miss her shoving her toys into my lap because she wants to play. I'll miss her incredibly excited jumping as we get ready to take her for a walk or a  car ride. I'll miss snuggling with her when there is a storm and she fears the thunder. I'll miss how she tilts her head when you ask her a question. And I'll miss her big brown eyes that always get me to hand over some food. I'll miss my dog so much =[

Lucy Joedog Sickles (My brother came up with her middle name)

If you ever come across her, watch out, she might lick you to death. 

Sarah.

Joseph

Let's continue on with the people I will miss in college, shall we?

My brother Joseph, oh he is quite the character. When he was just a baby, we used to call him Mr. Wrinkles because he would constantly raise his eyebrows and create 29387523872034  wrinkles on his forehead. Later in life, before he could decide things on his own, My sister and I would dress him up in poodle skirts and put make up on him. He even used to ask me to paint his toenails like spiderman!

Nowadays, Joseph is 11. I love his spirit and love for life. He is currently what I like to call a walking, talking, iPod. He sings all the time, any song that you can think of. These days, he can decide that he doesn't want to be dressed up like a 50's girl. So we have matching pajamas instead. On Thursdays, we wear batman pajama pants or boxers. On Sundays we wear our matching footie pajamas. 

I'm not too fooled by his lack of desire to dress up, he is still a little kid at heart. He still comes into my room at bed time asking if he can sleep with me, and when I say now, he still asks if I will come sleep in his room. He still sleeps with a light on. and his favorite movie is still Underdog. 

I am so proud of how active my brother is in sports, and how accepting of others he is. I love that he is growing to have a mind of his own and making his own decisions about his activities. I wish that he would spend a little less time on the Xbox, but he is a boy. And boys like video games. 

Though I won't miss the extra body in my tiny twin bed, I'll miss my brother's enthusiasm at the sight of me. You see, while I am in college, he is sure to go through puberty, realize that he is too old to be hugging and telling me that he loves me. I am trying to cherish this time that I have. When I come back, I'll try to remember this Joseph, not the annoying pervert he, like all teenage boys, is sure to become. 

Sarah

Kayla

As we all know, I am moving to Milwaukee for college in the fall. There are many people who I will not miss, but there are few that I will, one of them being my sister.

Kayla isn’t easy to define. She’s beautiful, a smart ass, self-conscious (though you’d never guess it), ornery, hipster, and like an onion. She doesn’t look like me (we don’t think). She gets into these spells where the only thing she wants to do is sit on you. She never sleeps. She’s the best.

Every morning, she takes forever to get ready. I go into our bathroom for my morning pee while she is getting ready in there and she complains about how my pee smells. And I tell her it is a bathroom and that is what people do in bathrooms. This exchange happens every single morning without fail. Some days it’s with a punch to the boob, others it is with a giggle and a flick of the vent switch.

It’s funny. When we were little we never got along. Her being bigger than me, she would sit on top of the over turned laundry basket, trapping me underneath. We were always fighting about one thing or another, and now that we get along, I’m leaving. My sister expressed this to me with a laugh, but I know her well enough to know that she is going to miss me. And I’ll miss her too. Who else is going to chase me around the house and noodle me? Who else will always be willing to watch Criminal Minds with me? Who else will understand me as well as she does?

What I love most about my sister is her personality. Though she looks like super-duper mainstream bitch on the outside, she is really like me on the inside. She loves my music. She has wild get togethers every single weekend at our house. She likes arts and crafts. She has the oddest sense of humor (one time at the dinner table, she envisioned me with hotdogs sticking out of my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. She didn’t stop laughing for days), and the most contagious laugh I have ever heard.

She has her good days and her bad. Her sarcasm is never-ending, but neither are her giggles or her love for cleanliness (Her room is spotless. If you touch something, she will know). Even though we still fight, and I hate her desire for perfection, I’m going to miss my sister in college. She won’t be there when I can’t sleep. She won’t be there when I have a desire to take pictures. And she won’t be there when I want to go shopping (she keeps me in check). I love Kayla.

Sarah

Flowers

The gesture is simple. Present the girl with a flower, and she will be yours forever, right? Well even if that isn’t so, being a girl, I know that we like flowers.

Honestly, it’s the thought that counts. We appreciate the fact that we were on your mind enough for you to want to do something special for us. For some reason I cannot fathom, it seems as though the majority of the male gender has forgotten how to impress women.

I always hear people talking about how their boyfriend didn’t do this, or their boyfriend did this but it wasn’t good enough. In this case, I don’t consider it the male’s fault. I wouldn’t want to get your whiney, unappreciative ass a flower either. If you expect it, you don’t deserve it. And bitch! Be happy you have someone who cares about you. Flowers don’t make a relationship.

However, it can be said that a flower makes a girls day. Today some seniors recieved flowers from parents or other students at Kennedy. I got some from my family, and then I walk into AP Lang to discover that Tommy Kaiser saved me a flower for no reason. It honestly was the highlight of my day!

Other notes:

Carnations are a douchebags flowers (unless those happen to be your favorite).

My favorite flower is a Tiger Lilly, just for reference in case you ever have the desire to send me some sort of flower at any random future date.

Roses are classic. If you don’t know what type of flower to get, get a rose. You can’t go wrong. Unless they don’t like flowers. Then you’re in trouble if it’s for an ungrateful person. A deserving person will thank you for the gesture anyway. And if they’re allergic to roses, offer to drive them to the hospital.

Sarah

Growing Up

This isn't about to be some graduation that is looming in the near future, no, this is about our society as a whole.

Lately I've been noticing that our society pushes us to grow up faster and faster, trying to make us mature at a younger age. Though yes, technically, we do physically mature at a younger age than in previous years, that doesn't mean that we are matured emotionally at that same young age.

Just as I was logging into my email on Yahoo, I noticed something about Miley Cyrus being pants-less. Now I am all about hating on Miley. I find her fake and ridiculous. So I decided to investigate. Little to my surprise, once again, Miley is trying too hard, and failing, at looking mature. In this story, at the Billboard awards, she is seen wearing nothing but a low cut blazer, with an atrocious hair cut stated by Yahoo as "appropriate for a singer in her 40s, but certainly not for a 19-year-old pop singer." Oh! Miley is only 19?! Wow imagine that.

However, Miley Cyrus is not the only one suffering from pressure provided by our society. Has anyone else noticed how in the movies, teenagers are played by people in their 20s? I mean, when I was little, I used to imagine how I would look when I was 17, but here I am, looking much younger than they do in the movies or on TV. I mean, look at Hannah Montana, since we were talking about Miley Cyrus. Her older brother's character is supposed to be a high schooler, but is played by an actor who is 35. Crazy huh? Don't believe me? Google it.

Finally, let's look at the grand Cosmopolitan. I don't mean grand in any sort of condescending manner, I love the magazine, but two issues in a row, they had young people. Dakota Fanning and Selena Gomez are both old enough to be high schoolers. High schoolers, on the cover of a sex magazine. Does anyone else see what is wrong with this?

Honestly, I feel like our society is so fucked up. This is just another example to prove my point.

Sarah

Grad Party Mania

The grad party season has begun. It is filled with free food (for the guests, not so much for the hosts), awkward family gatherings, people who you don’t know, and lots of money. The typical grad party is filled with good food, a shrine of pictures ranging from babyhood to graduation, tables and chairs, and cheesy decorations. For many, the stress of attending all graduation parties that they were invited to can be a little much. I suggest making a chart on Excel with the party times, people, and overlapping parties. Get organized.

At my graduation party, there will be no shrine of baby pictures. I see little of what they have to do with my graduating. Plus, I was not an attractive child. (Insert rude jokes about how I’ve never been attractive here). However, my mother has accumulated some of my awesome and many awards and framed them. Those will be on display. Prepare to be wowed by my awesomeness. (insert jokes about how i am not awesome here). I will have a poster board at my grad party, but it will be bare. At the bottom of my grad party invite, it says “bring your favorite photo memory of Sarah to ass to her collection!!” Bring photos bitches. I want that whole poster board filled with them.

Ever since I could make my own decisions, I decided, for some unknown reason, that I did not like birthday cake. So I would come up with some other treat to have for my birthday, with the same birthday cake concept because candles are mandatory. These ranged from cinnamon rolls to chocolate fountain. So guess what my grad party will be catering? All of my various birthday “cakes” made by none other than my mother and I. So get prepared for a feast of desserts.

Also, do not be offended if I do not attend your grad party. I find them awkward and uncomfortable, seeing as I don’t enjoy awkward social interactions. It’s not that I don’t like you. I just don’t like the general idea of a grad party.

Who thought of the idea for a grad party? I do not like them. It isn’t fair that I have to spend money on a fancy ta-do just to recieve money. Not cool.

Sarah

LAST ANNOTATED BIB EVER!!!!

Sparks, Nicholas. A Walk to Remember. New York, NY: Warner, 1999. 

THIS IS THE LAST ONE EVER. I DON'T LIKE THESE!!!!!

The final book that I read this last year of high school was A Walk to Remember. Again, another Nicholas Sparks novel, and again, a movie, and again, found on my mother's bookshelf.

I didn't find as much of a connection in this book as I did in The Notebook. It could be because I have not seen the movie, and that might have helped me connect the The Notebook. But with A Walk to Remember, the main character is supposedly in love with this girl, and I didn't feel it until we discovered that she had cancer.

However, this was a truly inspiring story, and the end is what was best. She actually didn't die from cancer! He was talking about how he never felt the need to take off his wedding band and blah blah blah, and it was because he was still married to her! She didn't die! That seriously made me so happy, I thought this was going to be another sad book.

There wasn't much relating that I could do with this book. I'm not dying from cancer, I'm not in love with someone who is dying from cancer, I don't torment priests, I didn't marry a girl who was dying from cancer. I don't know why, but I just didn't feel this book that much at all.

If there was one thing that it reminded me of though, it would be Merry Christmas Charlie Brown, mostly because they put on a Christmas play too. And the whole loving someone who is dying from cancer seems like something that would happen to Charlie Brown with his luck and all.


I dunno, this was a kind of disappointing Annotated Bib, and I apologize for that, but I just don't have anything more to say except, I'M DONE!

Also, here is my reading total for this term: 1094 pages.

Annotated Bib Term 3 #4

Mitchard, Jacquelyn. The Deep End of the Ocean. New York: Penguin Group, 1996. 

So I've finished the Deep End of the Ocean. I've decided that I don't like sad books.

For the majority of this novel, recommended by my mother, there is just the whole depressed, negative, pointless vibe going on. I mean, if you're going to write a book, at least make something happen!

Basically, in the end of the book, They find the little boy, he goes to live with his real parents, but he doesn't like it so he goes back with his not real dad, and then changes his mind again, returning to his birth family. Talk about not being able to make up your mind.

I get where the kid was coming from though. It had to be a tough decision to make, knowing that you hurt someone no matter what you do. I don't like being put in that position either. Take for instance, Prom. You all witnessed this. I told Tommy that he could ask me because no one else was going to, then .239470 seconds later, Matt Freeman asked me. How awkward is that? I didn't want to hurt ones feeling by going with the other, so I went with a totally different person who had previously mentioned going with me. I know that i ended up hurting both Tommy and Matts feelings, but I didn't think that it was fair, and I didn't want to have to make that decision.

This book also got me thinking about Criminal Minds. It is my favorite TV show of all time. There is seriously nothing better. But this honestly could have been an episode. The child kidnapped from his parents, young enough to not have any memory of them when he was taken away to grow up as someone else. It's quite saddening really. Things like this happen all the time in real life. I can't even imagine the pain that those families go through. Fun fact of the day though, 12 children a day are given to the wrong parents in American hospitals. That is 4,380 children a year who are given to the wrong parents and grow up with a family that is not their own. You could be one of them and you wouldn't even know.

Annotated Bib 3

Sparks, Nicholas. The Notebook. New York: Warner, 1996. 

Ms. A. I am seriously mad right now. I have to write three papers tonight. This isn't cool. Your class is the only one I'm doing something in! AARGGGG.

Okay, so next I read The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. I loved the movie and had always wanted to read the book. Little did I know that it was sitting on my moms bookshelf. So yes, yet another one of my mothers novels.

The Notebook was a quick read. It was on the shorter side, but it was super good! In my mind, I was constantly comparing Allie and Noah to Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, like the characters in the movie. It worked pretty well for me! I really liked the way it was written. Nicholas Sparks has an identifiable way of writing. I find it quite enjoyable.

So in the book, Noah loves Allie but he can't have her (until the end, but that isn't what I'm relating to right now). I totally understand this. It's going to sound totally ridiculous and chiche and cheesy, but I've been with Dan McCoy since sophomore year on and off. When we aren't together, it sucks. I found myself thinking about him a lot when I was reading this. It could have just been the fact that it was a romance, or maybe I thought we would end up like they did, living happily ever after.

When i read, I'm in a bubble. I don't like to be bothered and I ignore everything around me. I can't help it. It just happens, and it was probably the worst in this book. My mom would ask me to do something, and I wouldn't do it, then leading to a lecture, which I wouldn't listen to because I was reading. You would think that my parents would have learned, living with me for 17 years of my life.

How to Edit Photos Using Photoshop for Macintosh

To tone: push “command” “L” to open the levels window. Then push the “option” key and drag the arrows until you are satisfied.

To Crop: Select the cropping tool on the toolbar. Enter dimensions into the “Height” and “Width” boxes. Hit “Enter.” Then draw the box as large or as small as you like. Arrange until satisfied. Hit enter.

To Cut Out: Use the “Quick Selection” tool on the tool bar to highlight main subject. Make sure you don’t miss any crucial parts like and arm or a shoe. To lessen selection push “option” key and highlight section you don’t want selected. Then double-click on the “Background” layer and hit enter. “Background” should now be “Layer 1.” Select the “Select” menu and click “Inverse.” Hit delete. Then select “Select” menu and click “Deselect.” Now use the “Eraser” tool from the toolbar to smooth out the edges.

To Change File Size: Go to “Image” menu. Select “Image Size.” Make it a smaller number in any of the boxes. Do so until file size is small enough for you.

To Zoom:  Space Bar + Command

To Zoom Out: Space Bar + Command + Option.

To Reset Cropping dimensions: Click on “Crop” tool from toolbar. By the “Height” and “Width” boxes is a “Clear” button. Push it.

To Edit Small Blemishes/Mistakes: Use “Booboo” tool from toolbar. Click on acne or mistake.

OR

Use the “Stamp” tool from the toolbar. Hold “Option” and click on an area similar to what you are correcting. Then release “Option” and click on correcting area, stamping over it.

To Undo: Command + Z

OR for more than one step back

Select “Edit” menu, click on “Step Backward” until you are where you want to be.

To Flip Image: Select “Image” menu. Highlight “Image Rotation” and choose “Flip Canvas” in the direction you desire.

To Rotate Image: Select “Image” menu. Highlight “Image Rotation” and choose which ever rotation you desire. (CW= Clock Wise. CCW=Counter Clock Wise).

To Copy: Command + C

To Paste: Command + V

To Quick Save: Command + S

If you need anything else, google it.

Hope it was helpful!

Sarah

For the Teachers

My high school experience would not have been what it was without my teachers. So I decided to devote my blog to you.

Mr. Neff, you are the best teacher I’ve had. From the jolly ranchers, to the lunch menu, to the keeping contact through my entire high school career, you were by far my favorite. Even though I failed every test of Advanced Geometry, you took the time to help me learn after school.

Mrs. Walsh, you’re awesome. Not only did you teach me the basics of my future career, you helped me become the artist I am today

Mrs. Riley, you hada different last name when you were my LA 9 teacher, I just don’t remember what it was.

Foundations teachers, i learned nothing from you. It’s not your fault, I just didn’t know how much of a waste of time it was going to be. Thanks for raising my GPA anyway.

Mr. Lindsay, I missed you this year. You spoiled us, and we enjoyed it

Mme. Riffe. I enjoyed cooking French cuisines in your class, seeing as we were in a kitchen of a classroom.

Mr. Beal, you’re an asshole.

Mr. Thompson, you’re a great teacher. I actually learned in your class while enjoying it.

Mr. Stoll. You were my Biology teacher your first year here. You’re attractive, and I thought it was entertaining how you used cows in every one of your examples.

Mme. Ryan, you’re class was the best. French was seriously my favorite class of everyday. It was nice seeing you at Carlos o’ Kelly’s that one time.

Ms. Bush, your jokes are great.

Mr. Anderson, you were the highlight of my morning. 0 hour was tolerable! I thank you greatly for allowing me to fetch some Breakfast Club every Friday

Mr. Moran, you were one of my all time favorite teachers, even though I feel like you didn’t like me as a student. I would apologize for arguing with you in class, but I’m not sorry. I liked when you were sarcastic and played your guitar. Seriously, it was awesome.

Mr. Evans, thank you for putting up with my consistent whining in your class, and for not counting me tardy every time I was a bit late.

Mr. Hoyer, I adore your children.

Mr. Grady, I feel comfortable with the concept of economics, I applaud you for having the ability to teach me such a complex subject

Mrs. Horton, I apologize on Hunter’s behalf.

Ms. Asmussen, you are the sweetest teacher ever! I’m sorry I always fall asleep in your class, you have to understand, it’s the end of the day and I’m exhausted!

Mrs. Haynes-Moore, you have a great taste in music.

Sarah

To Do List

There is exactly one week left of school. 7 days, counting the weekend. 5, not counting the weekend. 4, not counting the days of my AP exams. There are still so many things that I have yet to accomplish!

1. Attend Lovely Lane Lunch. I’ve gone to this school for four years, and they have always had Lovely Lane on Tuesdays, yet, for some reason, I have never gone. I have one Tuesday left, and if they stopped serving lunch for the year, I will be eternally regretful. It is something that every Kennedy student should do I feel like. Donate a couple of dollars and eat good food. Lets face it. It has to be better than the cafeteria food. So Tuesday, that is where you will find me during lunch.

2. Get on the roof. This isn’t necessarily allowed, but I’ve got a few friends who know how to do it, so I’d like to go, before I graduate, and snap a few pictures. Lets be real, I’m not coming back to climb on the roof, I can’t wait to get away from this place.

3. Become an AP scholar. I have taken several AP tests now, and I want to know why I’m not on the AP scholar list dammit! I need to figure out these requirements. I want my picture in the case!

4. Send a thank you card to all of my teachers. They taught me and put up with my bad attitude for four years. They deserve a thank you. You should do the same.

5. I won’t actually do this, but if I could call out every person who has done me wrong, I would. I might even punch them in the face, depending on the person. I’m leaving CR. Why hold back any longer?

6. Pull a senior prank. A harmless one though. We are probably the lamest class. It took us until our senior year to win the spirit stick, and the only reason we won was because it was designed for the seniors to win. The Harding class of 2008 didn’t pull a prank. I feel like we need to do something! Dump a bunch of food coloring into the pool, attach string to all of the seniors as they walk through the school on the last day, making a giant spider web. Dump a shit ton of bouncy balls into the foyer. I don’t care, but have never done anything.

7. Wear my “Not everything in Iowa is flat” shirt to school. I’ve bought it, I just haven’t worn it.

Yeah, I’m sure there is more, but at this point in time, this is all I can come up with.

Sarah =]

Beautiful Tuesday

As we all know, yesterday was Beautiful Tuesday at Kennedy high school. The purpose was to send the message that everyone is beautiful, and that make up isn’t needed to make you beautiful. Participating senior girls were to dress up and not wear any make up. Also, all of the mirrors in the girls bathrooms around the school were covered to inspire the young women to go the day without worrying about what they looked like.

However, leave it to immature, caddy high school girls to take something that is supposed to be inspiring and beautiful and turn it into some sort of ugly war. All of the drama was unnecessary and caused by bitches who aren’t comfortable with their own face. I’m sorry, but can you really not, not look at yourself in a mirror for 6 hours of a day? It’s not like we covered up all of the schools reflective surfaces! There were still plenty of trophy cases and windows to look at yourself in. It isn’t Mariah, or my , or Cassidy, or Hunter’s fault that you aren’t comfortable enough with yourself to not wear make up to school. It wasn’t required that you participate, but silent refusal would have been nice. Why did this become such a big issue?

I heard some people say that one day wouldn’t make a difference, but guess what? That isn’t the point. As seniors, we are the schools role models. By not wearing make up and being confident about it, it shows the underclassmen that it is okay to be RAW. They look up to us, believe it or not, and how do you think it looks when we can’t even get along for the soul cause of trying to make women feel better about themselves. We are all women, why the hell are we fighting about our image?

Someone said, “So I’m supposed to dress up, meaning push my boobs up, and not wear make up, so they look at my boobs instead? Yeah, no thank you.” Uhmmm…since when did dressing up require boobs to be falling out of whatever you happen to be wearing? This person completely missed the message that Beautiful Tuesday was trying to send. I’m sorry, but Beautiful Tuesday was a lot bigger than just you. It was about women as a whole. Open your eyes and stop being so ignorant.

No, you didn’t have to participate in Beautiful Tuesday. If you wore make up, it didn’t mean that you were against it or that you were vain. There is an extremely obvious difference in the people who were vain and self-centered, and those who were not. The vain, self-centered people tried to rip down the posters and ruin the day for everyone.

I don’t care who you are. Whether you have a problem with the person who started the movement at Kennedy, whether you like to wear make up, or if you’re the vainest person on Earth. Beautiful Tuesday was supposed to be bigger than all of that. It was to raise confidence in the women at Kennedy. Get your head out of your asses and open your eyes. The world doesn’t revolve around you. And it isn’t my problem that you aren’t comfortable enough to not wear make up or to not look at yourself for 6 hours out of the day. It doesn’t mean that you have to ruin everyone elses time. So next time, participate, support, or silently disagree.

By the way, I congratulate those who participated and started Beautiful Tuesday. They made the Channel 2 news at 3, 6, and 10. If that doesn’t prove that this whole thing is bigger than just you, then i don’t know what does.

Sarah.

F U North Carolina

Why? Why does it matter if gay people marry other gay people? How does it affect straight people? We aren’t the one marrying gay people. So why the hell does it matter?

Two days ago, North Carolina had a vote regarding gay marriage, and they passed a notion against it. I will never understand why some people are so ignorant. Why the hell can’t they live in peace? The government isn’t supposed to control what we do in our free time, and that is exactly what this is. This is supposed to be the land of the free, where we can practice whatever religion we want and can’t be arrested for what we say. But it isn’t possible for some people to marry who they desire?

The rejection of gay people is racism all over again. It’s like the fucking holocaust. African-Americans, Asians, and Europeans are allowed to all use the same restroom. And before that they were “separate, but equal.” Gays don’t even get to be equal. What kind of logic is this? Homosexuals use the same restrooms as heterosexuals, so why can’t they get married? There is no law against and African-Americans interracial marrying an Asian. So why can’t gay people marry who they want too? Are we just going to try to eliminate all of them too? Just like Hitler did with the Jews? How does the marriage between two people in love, whether they are the same-sex or not, have anything to do with politics?

And now let us arrive at the problem with religion and government. They aren’t supposed to have anything to do with each other. So since the Bible says that being gay is wrong, that means that it is supposed to become a law? Um. This is in direct violation of the religion and government thing. Just because some pompous politicians all have the same beliefs doesn’t mean that everyone else does. I don’t even believe in religion! It isn’t okay for only 61% of the population to determine what 100% of the population does.

Personally, I want to high-five Vice President Biden, good for you for not being an ignorant asshole who has to control everything, even though it has nothing to do with you. If you haven’t been watching the news lately, Joe Biden recently expressed that he was in favor of gay marriage. Good. And so has President Obama now. It’s about time.

“Don’t like gay marriage? Don’t get one. Don’t like abortions? Don’t get one. Don’t like drugs? Don’t do them. Don’t like sex? Don’t have it. Don’t like your rights taken away? Don’t take away anyone else’s.”

Sarah

Mis Matched Socks

I'm begining to regret ever not matching my socks. The fad has caught on and is out of control.
There are two types of Sock Mis-Matchers: The ones who do it because they think it's cool. And the ones who do it because it makes life easier. I want to eliminate the ones that do it because they think it's cool.

I mean, i get it. going all rebel and doing what your parents don't want you to do, even if it's the smallest detail, can make you seem cool, or at least, feel cool. But honestly, this is just ridiculous. You don't look cool, you look ridiculous! And don't think that people can't tell you apart from the people who do it to make life easier. There are definitely two different types and you can tell just by looking at the person. On A Day Without Shoes, i was appalled at the number of unmatched feet i saw wondering around the hallway. Ugh! First off, if people are going to see your socks, match them damn it! They are now considered an outer garmet and have to match! If they don't you look like a fool.

Recently, there has been a brand of mis-matched socks that has appeared in department stores called Little Miss Match. Guess what section you can find them in? The childrens section. I feel like this should say something to those of you who are still not matching your socks because its what you percieve as the "hip" thing to do. Children don't match their socks because it's cute. you're a young adult. It isn't cute anymore. You look dumb. And don't give me that whole "I don't want to grow up!" deal. You're in high school. You need to start matching your socks.

The other type of person who doesn't match their socks would be me. I don't match my socks because it makes life easier. I would rather use that extra five minutes of pairing my socks to do something else and live a little. Think about it. Imagine how much time you spend matching your socks, that could be spent doing something else. Add it up, i don't even want to think about how much time i used to waste. And when i don't match my socks, i'm not doing it to make a foolish statement. You can't see when i don'y match my socks, so why does it matter when they aren't matched? Guess what? It doesn't matter. It will not affect how people view me in any way, shape, or form. I will not be rejected from a job because they find me irresponsible because i can't figure out how to match my socks.

I mean, it's just ridiculous how far this fad has gone. I reach into my drawer and pull out the first two socks my hands touch. I don't search for the two socks that don't match, but still look good together. Plus, i love my socks, i have the deepest and upmost respect for what they do for my feet. For people to not respect them makes me angry. Match your fucking socks. You're in high school.

Sarah

Annotated Bib #2 Term 3

The second book i've read this term is The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard. So far it is another depressing read that my mother recommended. I'm not all the way done with it, i'm about half way through the 448 pages. In total this term i've read about 640 pages.

In this book, yes another actual book! my poor nook is collecting dust. I miss it, a mother's son is kidnapped. Now how am i supposed to relate to that? Well, i found a way. You see, i am a huge Criminal Minds fan. I have all of the season so far on DVD. I love my parents. But in many of the episodes, the kid is kidnaped from the parents and the BAU is called in to save the day.

My mom is always telling me about how if i died she would just die. I get it. It would totally suck. But in this book, the mom acts worse than dying. She becomes a zombie (not literally). She doesn't do anything but sleep. It's so sad!

This book is kind id repetitive and boring. All it states over and over again is how the mom feels now that her child is gone. I get it. You've said it 239574857039 times already. There isn't really anything new going on. It kinda sucks. but i will bear with it, i hate quitting on a book. It's the worst feeling for me. I don't like quitting anything.

I dunno, maybe the ending will turn out to be better. So far it's not a gripping read for me.

Sarah

Annotated Bib #1 Term 3

I read I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb starting at the end of second term. It's an extremely long book. Around 900 pages i believe. But it was a fast read!

My mother recommended that i read this book, i'm not sure why she thought i would like it, i'm not really one for sad books. What fun are they to read if they're sad the whole time? I did enjoy this book, but i wouldn't have minded something much more upbeat if you know what i mean.

I guess this means that it was out of my comfort zone, and that it was! It was an actual, physical book, not something that i bought on my nook. I didn't choose this book myself, my mom gave it to me to read. Usually it's the other way around. And it was sad. What a change!

I enjoyed reading this book, i truely did. But it was kind of annoying that i had to carry it outside of my backpack because it was so big. This, however, led me to read it more in class when i had extra time to read. This usually occurs during first hour in Mr. Hoyer's class. It is so easy and i often find myself bored, so i read the whole class period. It is a grand time.

I didn't really relate to the main character, Dominick, in this book. He was a twin with a schizophrenic, identical, twin brother who has been put into a mental hospital after cutting off his own hand in a library for God. I don't have a twin brother. None of my siblings have died. I don't have step parents. My home life is pleasant, and i love my dad very much. This character couldn't be farther from me.

This book made me happy for the life i have, and grateful for my parents. Not everyone has a happy home life, and i'm glad that i do.

Sarah

I'm Artsy, Literally

LOL. conceited title. go sarah.

LOL I PAINT.

Lately i have found myself keeping up with some of the crafts that i enjoy doing. These consist of knitting, taking photos, and painting flower pots. Yesterday i finished my first knit scarf and today i finished a flower-pot. I'm on a role! I'll explain my processes for you.

In order to be artsy, you have to do art. Duh. i feel like it's self-explanatory. I have to be in the mood to do crafts, or else they turn out bad. I do what i feel like doing, you know? If i feel like reading, i read. If i feel like watching Criminal Minds, i watch Criminal Minds. If i feel like knitting, i knit. If i feel like painting, i paint! You get the picture.

Step two to my artsy-ness relates to above. I find out what i feel like doing. Then, i do it.

The End.

I was going to come up with some really elaborate, confusing, sarcastic, and inaccurate description about artsy people, but i decided against it. I'll save my fingers and your time. However, I'll tell you about my recent crafts.

This summer a rather odd feeling came over me. I felt like painting. This was odd for me because I've never really painted before. I knew i couldn't paint something on paper, so i asked my mom to paint my room. She said no. So i asked to paint our hammock stand. She said no. So i asked if i could go buy some flower pots and paint them and she said she didn't care. So off to the store i went. I stopped in the crafts isles at walmart on my way to the gardening section to pick up paints and brushes. Then i invested in four pots, two large, one small, and one tiny. That day i sat out in the sun and painted one of my large flower pots. My mom has it on display on our kitchen table. Now, this isn't just a one color pot. I came up with a design, i sketched it with my pencil, and then i painted over it. Twas quite the good time.

Tonight, however, i painted a pot in about an hour. i got out my paper plates (for mixing paint, i'm ghetto), newspaper (you can't leave a mess!), mug of water (you gotta rinse the brushes!), paper towels (you gotta dry the brushes after you rinse them!), and my paint! I used my small pot.

I was stumbling and found inspiration. I saw a quote i really liked and decided to use it. I painted my pot and painted on the quote. Ta Da! Instant happiness for me. I love my finished products!

There is beauty in simplicity

That ^ is the one i did tonight.

C'est La Vie

That ^ is the one that i did a few months ago in 10 minutes before i had to go to work. I keep my earrings in it=]

Now to knitting. Last winter i started i scarf for none other than Ben Feltes himself. I never finished it. Then i went on a road trip this past week and i finished it. I then sewed the ends together and made it an infinity scarf! Yay! double win right there. I had been wanting another knit scarf and another infinity scarf. Bam. Two in one.

"]"]

hehe scarf =

Yup. That's all i got. And this little diddy right here.

Sarah =]

Color Outside the Lines.

Waking up in the morning

There is nothing quite like the .429374908 seconds right when you achieve consciousness, but before the world hits you, in the morning. This is my absolute favorite time of day. There are no worries. There are no emotions except bliss, or anger depending on your nights sleep. This morning my moment of bliss was interrupted by my mother waking me up and shoving the Lollapalooza line up in my face.

I can't lie. I am so fracken excited for this line up i might have peed a little when i read it. The headliners aren't that great, but i love all of the other bands! I am anxiously awaiting the moments when i get to see Florence + The Machine, Passion Pit, Sigur Ros, M83, Fun., Chairlift, Oberhofer, and First Aid Kit. Seriously. I might die.

First off, i would give my soul to see Florence. They are my favorite band ever! Florence Welch is a lyrical genius, not to mention her killer vocals. I've loved the band since the moment i heard them. Of course i was obsessed with The Dog Days are Over, their first single, but i have decided upon my favorite song by Florence and the Machine. It's Cosmic Love. I can't help but be overwhelmed by the instrumentals and the vocals and how well they collide.

Passion Pit is another one of my all time favorite bands. I remember hearing Sleepyhead on a commercial and then the next day Dan McCoy played it in his car. I became addicted immediately. There is nothing like the bouncy tunes produced by Passion Pit and they never fail to put me in a happy mood. At least one of their songs has been on my summer playlists for three years running. I can't say the same for Rocket to the Moon or a lot of other bands.

Sigur Ros i have recently discovered. I love their music. It's soothing. It reminds me of last summer with Marie Treangen and how we discovered Jonsi, a similar artist. Jonsi was the artist used for the credits used at the end of How to Train your Dragon. Essentially, that is how Sigur Ros feels. I will be listening to them for many more rainy days to come.

Oh M83, how i love you. When i read the fake released Lolla line up, i was so excited to see M83! I am extremely pleased that they are on the real line up for this year. Midnight City is a work of art. Popular, but unappreciated. One of my favorite songs today. I'm sad though that AWOLNATION will not be performing at Lolla. They were on the rumored line up and i would have enjoyed seeing them live.

Fun. has recently switched lanes into the mainstream track. Their hit single, We Are Young, is rocking the radio stations, at least it is here in CR. I agree with everyone who has voted it number one on Z102.9's 9 o'clock most requested. I love it. But the rest of Fun.'s album is also fantastic. Mo Cheetany was angered to hear them on the radio, but i say, more power to 'em! They earned it. And it's about time people start listening to good music.

Essentially, i really only like one song by Chairlift. But i have also only listened to one song by Chairlift. I'm not sure what has consumed me, but i feel like i don't need to listen to any more. Bruises is hilarious to me. It's about falling in love, but every single lyric could be made into a "that's what she said". I just think it would be grand to see them perform that song live.

Oberhofer. This dates back to last summer when Michael Nordstrom made me a playlist. I love them! They were recently in Iowa City for a musical weekend, but unfortunately the show was 19 and up, so i was unable to attend. I was broken-hearted. I love Oberhofer. The oOoOoOoO song is my favorite, i was just too lazy too look up how they spelt the 00oooOOOO's.

And last but not least, First Aid Kit. There isn't much to say.

Honestly, i'm curious to see how many of these bands that i enjoy have talent. I already know Florence and the Machine does, which makes me love them that much more, but i guess we will see the rest! I am so excited for Lolla!

Sarah =]