Little Girls in Jelly Shoes

In his song "Babies of the 80s" Andrew sings, "We watched the wall fall down/ Woke up early for Bozo the clown/ MTV then Nick-at-Nite." Bozo was filmed in Chicago. Both my sister and I personally went to tapings of the Bozo show during our childhoods. My sister was actually CHOSEN to do Bozo Buckets. Andrew and my sister were both born in the fall of 1982.

ANDREW MCMAHON COULD HAVE WATCHED MY SISTER PLAY BOZO BUCKETS.

Ender Will Save Us All

Ender's Game is ending. I have really enjoyed reading this book. I don't want it to end. I'm milking the last chapter for all its worth. (Also, I don't have another read on hand.) Kids do so much. But, I really don't love living in a society that says that is strange, nor one that says there is a peak on excellent achievement. If I were ever a teacher, which I will be, I am unsure of how I would promote students' greatness while sticking true to my thought that it's not so crazy incredible to achieve, to be wise, to create in youth. In fact, it's often easier. I guess...you just love everyone greatly (equally) and celebrate everything--with a grain of salt.

They get nostalgic 'bout the last ten years before the last ten years have passed.


Lazz & Blanchie, May 2010

When Chickens Listen to Rap?

from my third grade sketchbook

Also, deciding where I am going to live next year is really starting to wear on me. Do I like having a bunch of choices (down to three)? Or, do I wish someone would just decide for me?

Will I lose my dignity? Will someone care? Will I wake tomorrow from this nightmare?

Pride 'n' Joy

a friend finishing a triathlon, 2010

Walked down to the grocery store today. It gives me pride and joy to walk places. Obvi the electrolytes are all pumping through me and gas is sitting in my tank instead of pumping through the air. So, that's nice. Saving money, saving environment, gettin' a little exercise...but also! I had the pleasure of walking through the park, of noticing the store windows, of appreciating the weather, AND stopping in a restaurant to play two games of Pac-Man.

In hindsight, I would not deprive myself of the walk. I find such a mindset to be very valuable to making my life choices. Simple: do things that in hindsight will make you proud. It's so nice to fill my life with pride. Think of it on a daily basis:

Some Basic Daily Choices
Run or skip it?
Drive or walk?
Write or skip it?
Eat three bowls of ice cream or five?
Tip the waitress well or averagely?

Besides the second to last one, it is clear which actions make me proud. So, that's easy. Just keeping doing proud things. They should make a TV show about it! The proactive lifestyle for you and your family! The Proud Family! Oh...wait...?

A New School Year

Resolved: The American school system should move forward to begin in November.

Support One: How beautiful it was tonight as I walked along the canal outside my father's house--cool, crisp, aromas of burning leaves and sweaters coming out of the closet. Students would be free to enjoy the perfect weather and feel grateful to be shoved back into buildings as the climate became more bitter (instead of more beautiful).

Support Two: The holiday schedule of our country would align nicely to the new schedule. Halloween would be a last hurrah before the school year, and Thanksgiving would be a brief beginning break (akin to Labor Day). A half-week Christmas break would serve as a stopping point between quarters, and Spring Break would be longer. A long spring break makes the most sense ever, does it not?

Contention One: Isn't summer the best time to have kids free? Or, late spring for some schools?
Answer: No. Summer is mainly too hot to enjoy. Having a fall break would be much more relaxing, and there is not much wrong with having shorter nights for the bulk of a school's vacation. Spring and early summer are also prone to more allergy-issues than fall. Again, happier children.

Contention Two: But, what about swimming etc?
Why can't everyone swim during the end of the school year for pizza'a sake? We only fill our breaks with children bopping around in pools endlessly because that's a good activity for the time we have off. Plus, most schools will still have August off.

In conclusion, all American schools should begin in November instead of September or August. Thank you.

Should I Be Worried?

42nd Street, 2007

As a senior in high school, I got a nice chunky college scholarship from the International Thespian Society after winning an acting competition at the state festival. It was a lovely little honor--complete with plaque.

When I began college all I had to do was enroll in a theatre course, give the information to ITS and the registrar, and bada-boom money money money honey.

A couple months agoI got a letter reminding me that I had won that scholarship. I hadn't thought about it in years, so it was a warm little hello. But, then, quickly the letter took a strange turn. Apparently, my files from that transaction were accidentally made public online for some period of time. So, my social security number, name, addresses, general information etc. was just rampant on the World Wide Web. They offered me an identity detective for a small fee and closed with, "We'll contact you with further information." That was was the last I heard.

Worst. Scholarship. Ever.

And it's uncanny to see, you'd really think it was me, I do the best imitation of myself.

Freedom!

Great inspiration for today--
We're all familiar enough with "Truth makes man free." I believe it fully. But, I always think "free" as in the noun. Being truthful, experiencing Truth, makes me to be free! But, try this on for size my friend! "Truth makes man free" as in a VERB! Blew your mind open?! Yes, it's true either way you slice it. Being truthful lights a passion within you to let others share perfection and freedom. So, really, by being free, and then encouraging others to see truth does not only help those others but inherently demands that they take up their part in freeing as well. Woo! An end to slavery of all kinds!


Fourth of July, 2009: KWall, Cocoa, Me

I won't let you down. I will not give you up.

Something Corporate, Kansas City, August 19th

Something like a Setlist

Straw Dog
Space
Down
Punk Rock Princess
Watch the Sky
Fall
I Woke Up in a Car
Globes & Maps
Cavanaugh Park
21 and Invincible
Ruthless
Only Ashes
Me and the Moon
She Paints Me Blue
Hurricane
Drunk Girl

Konstantine
The Astronaut
If You C Jordan

Something to Remember the Night


Something Good
I'm really glad I went ahead and drove many miles and spent many dollars on this concert. It was, well, heck with the good writing, it was awesome. All the guys were stoked to be playing their old stuff. A reunion tour in a packed little theatre. I was happy as a clam bake. Today I am taking time for me. Gathering together, pulling in flecks of sand and paper, making a life. Kay flew out. I'm being alone. I'm writing and scrimping, biding my time, crunching the numbers, making the calls, praying.

Something Corporate
You will have had your fun. Do you even remember?

Cozy Dogs

Choppy internet for a while. Bye?




Everybody knows it hurts to grow up.

Dream: Sunday, August 15th

It was Christmastime. There were twinkle lights of red and green artfully hung in a kitchen with an island. I was in the kitchen. There was a living room attached. There were people of all ages in the living room. Kay was in the basement. The people were all there to celebrate being veterans. They were going to do some physical tests, and Kay was sad reminiscing about his wartime. I went to the basement to see how he was doing. He was quietly looking at his feet. I told him one day he wouldn't feel this way anymore. I went upstairs to make him an omelette, and the eggs were bloody. I tried to get it out, but it was everywhere.

Creme Puffs, Wedding Cake, and Assorted Memories

Well, How-dee DOODY hasn't it been a busy weekend?

Yesterday Kay and I went to Mr. and Mrs. Blitzkrieg's wedding! It was a lovely affair. Mrs. B was my best friend when I was fifteen. It was harder to keep in touch when I moved, but we're still pals. She and the Mr. started dating in the midst of our best-friendship, so it was wild to see them actually tie the knot! High School sweeties. My heart piddles.


Me & Mrs. B August 2009

Anyway, I knew a couple people there from a high school. Twins who did speech with me, a sister here, a brother there, and Kay ironically got seated right next to one of the groomsmen who I actually dated for like a couple seconds six years ago. Anyway, in my mind weddings are so awesome. All stuff I like: dancing, love, food, an emphasis on cake, etc. But, then, you're there, and you're just kind of tired, and there are strangers, and music is eclectic so you can't really dance...a lot...and weird...the party's not as happening as you thought. Okay, well, I'm not disappointed at all because the actual wedding wedding part was very important to me. It's just this thing about expectations.

Today my dad, Kay, and I woke up early to head down to the State Fair. We met my sister and braved the blistering heat for some country bumpkin fun. On the way down I tried to remember our last visit. I was five or six. My dad just won a small contest at his newspaper, and said how he was using the money to buy us all creme puffs! So, we got there, and it was nice. But--just nice. It was hot. HOT. And, yes, we saw the butter cow, and the salesmen with their slimy pitches, and yes, Kay even MILKED his first cow. California boys. Pssh.

The creme puffs...were not actually good. Goopy and way too much sugar. The diving show...had some technical difficulties. The rides didn't look so appealing...suddenly it was like, "Okay..why are we here?" Again, don't get me wrong, it was a great day all in all...but those expectations.


Kay's Illinois Thanksgiving 2007

Honestly, the best parts of the whole weekend were playing improv games with Char and Kay on the dark ride home from the fair.

You remind me of a girl
that I
once knew.

A-N-D-R-E-W

ganked from Mia--SoCo in STL just a few daysies ago

It's that time again. That time I think a lot about Andrew McMahon. By this time next week I'll have seen Andrew in concert for my 6th time--which really doesn't even feel like a lot. Anyway, I'm especially excited because this will be my first Something Corporate show. I mean, so what if I'll have to drive a couple hours out of the way in the middle of a very busy time (what starting a job what?)...Worth. It. Who knows if they'll ever be back together AGAIN.

Anyway, I started the creeping process, and, naturally, googled blogs that have mentioned Andrew, and what should I find but a photo blog featuring a couple old shots of Andy AND A TON OF SHOTS FROM THE EXACT LOCATION I JUST SPENT MY SUMMER UP IN BUFU MICHIGAN. Say who?


Kay and Cocoa on the dunes this summer

Maybe I do and maybe I don't, but I know I haven't yet.

Timeless

Kay explaining the end of Mouse Hunt when the mouse helps the men who own the house decide to make it a cheese factory.

Kay: I like this part.
Me: Yeah, because you want to work in a cheese factory.
Kay: No...because they...they understand each other.


tried to take a nice picture of me and Kay--this is what I got

AND

Diana Ross being sung at the top of high school girls' lungs from the showers twenty feet from my bedside window at camp.

Stop in the name of love before you break my heart.


June 2010

Mia and I Rented Camp Rock and Funny Games for Viewing with Spencey and We Watched Funny Games First:

Spencey: I never thought I'd say this...but can we watch Camp Rock now?


Four years ago today--Me&Vince


Time is blowing my mind. I can't believe I'm probably done with my camp experience. I can't believe it was only four years ago I was starting college...that's no time. Okay. That's enough nostalgia. Less nostalgia, more donuts. New motto.

To Do Today:
-Call Human Resources for my new job and start getting things done with that
-Pedicure appointment (goodbye nasty camp feet)
-Read
-Get Ordained

We gon' light it up like it's dynamite.

Broken iPod

important things, summer 2007

Is making me sad. I know it's such small potatoes in the grand scheme of things, but I hope all these software updates that are ruining my early departure dreams work.

I thought you'd always be mine.

Fun Run (Part III)

The other day as I walked through the little town outside camp I stopped to admire my lovely name on a corkboard of people who had finished the 5K the previous week. The names were lined up based on time finished. I was squat in the middle of the bunch. I looked lovingly at my time: average. *Happy Sigh*

I don’t think I’m ever going to be disappointed with a run time as long as I finish. It’s just not my jam. I used to be really confused in high school by kids on speech teams who just never placed well. I understood freshmen who struggled, and sophomores who were mediocre, but I was in disbelief of kids who had four years under their belts and still consistently competed without breaking to final rounds. I was asking a teammate about the conundrum once, and she told me, “Well, maybe they like it.” I was like LAME, but now I realize all the runners who whizzed past me, or saw me as I crossed the finish line after they had already eaten a buncha bagels were probs thinking, “Why does this girl bother?”

Average--just fine with me. I get it.

and you don't care your face in on a billboard, and you're everywhere, you don't care much for interviews
you're gone, you're gone, you're gone, you're gone, you're gone, you're gone, you're gone, you're gone away

Twelve Years Later

Last night I was awarded my Ten Year Blanket. It's a blanket, but it's actually a big honkin' deal. It's, like, every camper's dream to make it to the fuzzy grey excellence marked by your name. And, I was, like, last in my group of friends to get it because I skipped a couple years. When I was a freshman in high school I made a list of life goals, and I have actually accomplished a bunch of them. Obviously, my goals have changed, but, for what it's worth, I checked a goal off last night--blanket. Check.

Summer camp is almost over. Just some paperwork left, and we're out of here on Tuesday.


"Oh everything is so funny!"


"Haha you guys!"


"We better see these on Facebook. Oh wait....ALICE DOESN'T HAVE FACEBOOK!"


"You better put these somewhere I can see them!"


I throw my hands up in the air sometime.

Water

Lake Michigan with all her moods and Slou

I never drink bottled water. It's lame. It's the fastest and most expensive energy-suck I can think of that virtually everyone can quit.

However, after running a 5K last week I was dizzy dizzy dizzy dizzy dizzy, so I drank one. How do we feel about this exception? I've done runs before and declined the free water--to make a point. (I just know my sister is out there reading this smacking her forehead and calling me an idiot.) But, I was cray cray after this one. I did the smart thing. How could I get around this issue in the future? How many exceptions can one make on promises before it counts for naught?

Hmm every little bit counts? Something like that?

Every day seems a little longer,
Every way, love's a little stronger