Quilting, Phase 1

Phase 1 of the T Shirt Quilt I am making for college over the summer.

I will be working at a Girl Scout Camp this summer, up in the canyon near Park City, so have decided to take a bunch of old T shirts (since I have a pretty good number) and make them into a quilt for my bed in college. The first step involved choosing all the shirts I was ready to give up wearing, and I found 24 camp and school shirts that I cut out using a record as a template and with enough leeway for a decent amount of seam to work with.

I am also planning to tie dye quite a few shirts and sweatshirts at camp, particularly the blood drive shirt seen on the last row (probably in pinks, purples, and reds since it is a blood drive shirt after all) and possibly incorporate those into the quilt.

While my job will be relatively busy, I also have weekends off and breaks every day or so, so I am excited to have some crafts to do up at camp this summer.

AP Tests and Wisdom Teeth

I haven't written in a while, and am now a Senior at Brighton High School. I went on a Foreign Exchange to Argentina, and wrote a travel blog while I was there, which is linked in my profile if anyone wishes to read it. I learned a great deal, both about Spanish and the culture, and am just wrapping up my last years in High School and in Utah altogether.

I am attending school in Missouri next fall, at Truman State University, which is a wonderful little liberal arts school in the small town of Kirksville. I am excited to be living out of state, and will be living in an immersion dorm, where I will be rooming with other students who are interested in Spanish and especially in keeping up language skills while attending college. We will have a few meals and parties a week, and it will be interesting to see where others have picked up their language skills.

I am glad to be going to a small, personal school where I can have an individual relationship with my teachers and hopefully find a major and career that will be both fulfilling and financially practical. Currently, I am interested in History with a minor in Spanish. I have a plan, anyhow, but who knows where it might go.

Truman has been attentive during the long season of college applications and acceptances, and are publicly funded so cheaper than the average out of state school that calmly asks for $50,000 or more a year, as if this were a reasonable request. Truman also offered me a good deal of money for being out of state and for doing so well in high school and on standardized tests (which I am certainly relieved to have done with), and I am very happy with my choice. I visited the campus this summer after returning from foreign exchange with my dad, and we also looked at big city schools such as Saint Louis University, which I also loved, but felt it was too urban, expensive, and fast paced for an Undergraduate degree, but am keeping my eye on in case Law School becomes a goal in the future.

This week, I finally finished the last of my four Advanced Placement tests, which was a weight off my shoulders. Hopefully, I will be exempt from Freshman writing, history, and government courses. I took AP English, which involved a great deal of poetry and novel analysis that, although grueling, I think I will be grateful for come the infamous university research papers, and finished up AP American History, which I had begun my Junior year and enjoyed so much that I decided to finish what I had missed when I left for Argentina, aiding for that teacher second trimester and taking the class third trimester. The studying was helpful, as I entered the test more comfortable with the material than many of the Juniors.

My last two tests were with Hodges, my Model UN advisor who I have traveled with and took AP European History with my Sophomore year, and I took AP American Government and AP Comparative Politics more to avoid the horrific mandatory government credit and because I knew the teacher and students than out of genuine desire to gain credit. Since I am planning to be a History major, I may get credit for passing the tests, but this will not count towards my major classes. It was enjoyable in any case, and essays were not a part of the tests, which made for a welcome respite. However, both tests were in the same day, which was grueling in itself.

I survived all my tests in any case, and since all my classes third trimester (my last term of high school) were Advanced Placement classes, I am literally just waiting for graduation at this point. My plan is to bring books and music every day.

However, this end of vigorous school work means facing things I would rather not. One such trial is the removal of wisdom teeth, a necessary evil that I never hoped to face (my father's teeth never came in, but I didn't inherit his luck). The day after my last AP test, I went to the dentist bright and early and went through the infamous surgery. Fortunately, the anaesthesiologist was very good at his job and I don't remember much beyond having an IV put in and my arms strapped down (apparently people tend to struggle during the surgery). There were some very frightening possible side effects I had to hear, however, the most horrifying of which involved losing your sense of taste permanently after the surgery. Fortunately, this did not occur.

I don't even recall falling asleep, but suddenly I was opening my eyes and very groggy, and felt absolutely floaty, an effect of the drugs that people still get addicted to on a regular basis. My mother took a video of me prattling on about nothing (including a shiny shirt) upon the request of my younger brother. It truly is amazing what drugs can do to one's mind. I have enough pain medication to make Edgar Allen Poe crack a smile, and for good reason.

While it is not searing pain, it is unpleasant to eat or swallow, and I am very thankful for my medication as well as my ice pack which is clearly inspired by eighteenth century dentistry; it is a white band with pockets for the ice packs and wraps around my jaw and over my head, like all the old photographs. The pain is getting better, and I sleep a lot which helps, but I am glad that this week full of trials is finally over with.

Happiness

I have found the secret of happiness in my own personal universe. The secret consists of three very simple things. After all, most philosophers worth mentioning (of the Greek Civilization and otherwise) did not prescribe  any long, complex methods to achieve enlightenment, happiness, or freedom. Mine is similar.

Firstly, one should definitely get a pet, preferably a dog. 

I have a mutt (Australian Shepard/Border Collie Mix) named Brownie who is absolutely adorable. If one gets a dog, not only do you have to get outside in order to take care of it, but every dog I have met has undying adoration and love for its people/pack/flock/owner, depending on the dog's point of view. No matter who you are, what you do, how you feel, or any other factors in your life, any loving, sweet, happy creature as a dog will cause happiness in return. It is just the simple idea of the Domino Effect. If you own a dog that comes to greet you when you get home, no matter what you look like, how smart you are, how mean you may have been to anyone the day before, etcetera, the pet will always be overjoyed to see you again. This can boost morale, begin a cycle of happiness, and overall improve the nature of a household and person.

Get outside as often as possible.

Nature is extremely beneficial, and if you followed the previous step, then you have a fantastic reason to get out. Especially if you live near a National Monument, National Park, or a similar outdoors experience, you should experience as much as possible while you have such a unique opportunity. When one is secluded from all civilization, surrounded by the natural world, you are in an entirely different universe all your own. One can feel more beautiful than any other who ever lived, happy, fulfilled, enlightened, thoughtful, understanding, and enlightened all at once. This is one of the best ways for me to quite literally "get away from it all", and it occurs quite often because of the frequent camping trips I go on with my family. In my home state, Utah, there are all sorts of beautiful secluded areas (i.e. Moab) and I enjoy going off to climb up a rock structure to simply think about what has recently happened personally, and the solace puts everything in perspective.

Just let things go. 

This is basically self explanatory, and probably the most important of the steps to liberation. So many people (myself included at times) are consistently anxious on so many levels for so many little, insignificant things, that are simply not worth the pain and effort. There are certainly issues and events that should be thought over and given lots of effort, but smaller things should not. If more of our population learned how to let go of artificial friends, busy work, and other such issues, then so many more would be peaceful. Some simply cannot do so. I aim to free myself a bit each night through a version of meditation, thinking over stressful events that happened during the day, any work I may have overlooked, and simply relaxing before sleeping each night.

These are all extremely beneficial to the mind and perhaps soul (I am not overly educated in the philosophy of religion), and if you attempt to follow them as much as possible, I sincerely believe that you will begin to live a more fulfilled life. The fourth thing you may do is to sleep at night, because too many skive this great responsibility.

Why We Hate Gym

I have Gym this semester (feel sorry for me if you have any feelings whatsoever) and we also have a new gym teacher, Mrs. Griffiths.

One of the few ways to describe the woman is a Nazi Barbie. She actually modeled for Barbie when she was younger, but has HUGE muscles and is stricter than I had thought was possible when one is teaching Middle School Physical education.

 Last year, we didn't have to swim if we guilt tripped our parents into signing the Ice Skating form and coughing up thirty dollars. Not this year, under Griffiths. First of all, you must have an A (which almost no one has unless they ice skate because they dread PE so much), then, even if you are one of those insane students who have something like a 4.3, you can't do more than two sessions. And they have to be in a row. So you have to do at least one swimming session and one Gym session. Ugh.

Another awful thing about this teacher is that she is so strict about dressing. You don't get Participation Points if you don't have a Sweatsuit and Sweat Towel with you on Monday, when you are apparently supposed to wash everything, even though you're only going to ever use three things: a shirt, shorts, and shoes.

 Plus, she closes the locker room on Monday, and makes us go straight to the gym, as if we're not going to wash our stinky clothes. Thank you for your confidence, Coach Griffiths. Come on, we're not filthy, with no regard to hygiene, like, well, eighth grade BOYS, for instance.

Dress Code

My school is very strict about dress code. They go on and on about it at back to school night, from the length of shorts to the cut of shirts. But what I didn't expect was their stupid rule about leggings.

My mother survived the 80s, so she thought a short dress and leggings was perfectly fine and acceptable, because it IS, and got me the outfit. But when I wore it to school a teacher decided that I was being a rebel and breaking the dress code.

"That is INappropriate!" she cries, and when I lean down to measure the length of the leggings, which go down past my knee, she starts yelling at me to stop leaning down to try and make the dress look longer. It is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

My mom heard this and started ranting about how this teacher obviously hadn't paid attention to the 80s because that is simply how girls survived. My dad told me he would buy me another outfit just like it, and if anyone yelled at me, I should ask them their name and tell them that my lawyer (AKA my father) would be getting in touch with them. 

I got two pairs of skinny jeans, the tightest jeans I know of, and will wear them with the dress and see how the overreacting teacher responds. The jeans are probably as tight as the 'revealing' leggings. Revenge will be mine. 

Contacts

I got contacts today, and I can finally see for the first time since second grade without absurdly chunky glasses. It is amazing.

The first thing I had to learn with contacts was how to get the things in without poking myself in the eye like an idiot. It always seemed simple. Until I had to do it. I have to pull my lashes up and out of the way so I don't blink on my contact, then do the same with my middle finger on my bottom lash. Next I have to gently push the contact onto my eye with my index finger. Without flattening it, ripping it, breaking it, or getting my finger stuck in my eye.

It also seems way too easy to put in the contact upside down. The only way to tell is to look for some minuscule, almost transparent numbers on the outside of the tiny little bowl, or look if there is a tiny flare on the outside of our bowl. I'll never put it in right side up every single time. It also feels like being stabbed with steak knives if you do happen to put them in wrong.

It is also important to clean the lenses every day, since they are now practically my eyes. It reminds me of the Greek myth about the three sisters with only one eye between the three of them. My doctor gave me a long lecture about how it can't touch water, how it has to stay in the solution for at least six hours, how 'easy' it is to put it in and take it out, how your hands and everything used in going near the contacts has to be as clean as possible, and how to toss the things the second the two week deadline hits.

Oh, yeah. Contacts are no problem. Who wants to bet I'll poke myself in the eye, put the contact in backwards, and blink on the thing all in the same time?

Update: I love contacts, and can't imagine relying on glasses again. They have become as natural as breathing and highly recommend this amazing technology to anyone with impaired vision, on any level. I am virtually blind without my beloved contacts now.

Toddlers

And the alarm should go off in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . .

“Mamaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

I was currently staying in Michigan, visiting family for a week. During that week, my mother, my brother, and I were staying in a chalet with my 6 year old cousin, Charlie.

Charlie, like most kindergartners, was hyper, resolute, and exceptionally loud. She had beautiful blonde hair that was, unfortunately, extraordinarily curly. When I was her age, I was a brunette with long, straight hair. I screamed and cried every time my mother so much as hinted that she was going to try to comb my hair. I cannot imagine what my poor parents would have gone through if my hair was curly. Especially as a child who detested getting their hair brushed, making outrageous mats form.

Unfortunate Charlie went through the exact same thing I did. But, as she hops eagerly out of bed at 6:00 AM, she serves as my personal alarm clock. Lucky me.

After I was sure there was no possible chance of falling back to sleep, I resolved to heave myself out of my nice, warm bed. I was still half asleep as I trudged down the stairs, past a screaming little girl, and to the bathroom to take a nice warm shower.

Forty minutes later, feeling clean, refreshed, and almost awake, I flounced out of the shower over to Charlie, who was determined to hold a grudge against her mother and finally quiet.

Aw, I thought with affection, she is so adorable! Was I ever that cute?

Then I remembered my alarm. All the same, I thought, I’d rather wake up to my radio alarm.