Friday Report #5

This entry is really choppy and plain as I am worn out with a lot to say and not all that much energy to form flowing words.

Happy Birthday to me!
Tuesday was my birthday. I turned 14 years old (err, young). To school, I brought in lemon cupcakes topped with vanilla frosting in a pretty swirl and a lemon drop adorning the top. The cupcakes were a hit! They were devoured by friends and anyone who asked for one by the end of second period.
At home, Fudge Eater and I watched a movie (Letters to Juliet, not the best movie I've ever seen, but it was okay) and did homework for 3 hours. After that, we made dinner for my family, ate, had Boston Cream Pie, and of course, opened gifts.
Overall, I had a wonderful birthday!

A new home
This part is bittersweet. I am moving. It's not that I'm moving far away, actually, I'm moving less than a mile away, but I still have to pack and set up. It's sweet because our new house has a flat driveway, a deck, and a pretty spacious yard. It's bitter because it's smaller. A lot smaller. Our current house is roughly 3,500 feet,in other words, it's rather small. The new house is downright TINY. I don't know the square footage, but I can tell you that even though it's 3 stories; the hallways are narrow, rooms small, stairs steep and even MORE narrow than the halls, and atmosphere is slightly cramped because of the limited space. It feels like an apartment, it's so small! Another downside, between school, moving, and having a social life (however minute it may be) I won't have time to write for as much a 3 weeks! So, I make a promise to you here, when I have the chance to report back-- day or night, weeday or weekend, I will.

I need to go pack more, I haven't even started on my dresser yet!
Always,
Hope

Pre-Friday Report

Note: This weekend is going to be very busy. On Friday, I'm doing my weekend homework as soon as I get home and heading over to a friend's house. I'm staying the night with her for her birthday. Then, on Saturday, an hour after I get home, I have to head over to a lobster feed that I'm serving at for community service. THEN, on Sunday, I'm going to Six Flags with some of my best friends. My schedule is so packed this weekend, I know that I will not even be able to squeeze in a Friday Report if I tried really really hard. So, in anticipation for my busy weekend, I am writing a Pre-Friday Report.


Cookie Massacre
Classes on Mondays are hectic. Mondays are the shortest days (we get out at 2:40 vs. 3:25) and we have all our classes except for 1st period. That makes for shorter passing periods, shorter classes, and heavier bags/backpacks. The shorter passing periods make for no time to get to my locker, causing us to lug around our textbooks all day. This Monday, I had my heavy backpack as usual (out of curiosity, I weighed it-- 41 pounds! HIGHSCHOOL TIP: BAGS ARE HEAVY. PACK AS LIGHTLY AS YOU CAN), 3 heavy textbooks (HIGHSCHOOL TIP: NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS, GET A LOCKER! IT WILL SPARE YOU GREATLY), and, to top it off, a tray loaded with home baked chocolate chip cookies.

I had baked my cookies in a general act of kindness. I was giving them to my health class, just because. But, it just goes to show, that when you're being nice for no reason, Karma goes bipolar, screwing things up.

I was walking down a crowded walkway on my way to Geometry, sluggish and weighed down. People were bumping me, and each time they did, I swayed back and forth, the weight of the heavy bag on one shoulder (I have a tote bag, it carries more) threatening to topple me to one side. I was unsteady, the books were sliding out of my hands, and people were bumping into me-- altogether, a very dangerous combination. Because of the glare in the silver tray, I wasn't able to see the pavement ahead of me and there was a raised panel in the sidewalk. My toe caught it and I toppled down, smacking my knee hard on the pavement and dropping EVERYTHING.

My face burning with embarrassment, I scrambled to gather up my textbooks and to get off the dusty ground. As I reached for the tray of cookies, hoping that the cover had protected them from the ground, I found that the cover had failed. There were all 40 of my delicious, secret recipe, homemade cookies fell on the sidewalk. All 440 of my cookies were never enjoyed. They never got to serve their purpose-- just making people smile. Those poor cookies.

Well, it's late, I'm tired, and I have a Geometry test tomorrow. So, have a great weekend everyone, and I'll post soon!

Always,
Hope

Missing

Okay, so I'm missing this week's Friday report. But I do have an explaination, I swear. Here it is, my super important, intelligent reason for not writing a Friday report:
I have nothing to say.

That's right. There is nothing to report this week.

Shout Outs

Today is Tuesday, September 7th. I'm done with my homework and the power just came back on (there was an accident, someone drank a little bit too much and a power pole jumped out in front of them ("That's all that happened, Officer, I swear!)and a small fire ensued. No one was hurt.) so I figured I'd go ahead and blog before going to bed. I'd like to thank my two favorite (and probably only) readers.

Shania/ FROSTING: That's right, code name shattered! Frosting's actual name is Shania Prince. Nia, I'd like to thank you for reading with me, crying with me, and of course, making me laugh for hours on end. (Stop reading dirty, Ni.) I love you Hopper (another nickname) and am sincerely proud to call you one of my two best friends.

and to Jill: You are an amazing woman with an amazing journey (everybody, she's a breast cancer survivor, not to mention an incredible person) and I am honored that you take the time to read my little blog. If only you knew how much I appreciate you and your blog. I hope you are feeling well and return to full health soon.

So thank you to these two amazing ladies and to anyone who is reading this! I appreciate the time you are loaning to my little thoughts. If you have a little more time, please leave me a comment, I think you might be forming an idea of how much they mean to me.


Always,
Hope

Friday Report #4

Happy 4th week of school everybody! I'm going to go ahead and skip the intro because I'm pretty tired and am ready to dive right into writing my Friday Report:

BAKE SALE
The bake sale for Europe (I mean the multi-cultural club, shh, don't tell the administration) was beyond successful. I made a grand total of: $69.75!
Whoooo! I was the only one with chocolate chip cookies there, and they sold like, well, home made chocolate chip cookies.

Homecoming
It seems everywhere I look, left or right, there are guys with roses in their hands (I am not kidding, I have seen roses as a part of asking out to homecoming) asking girls to homecoming. I, however, do not have roses in a glass vase and a dress hanging in my closet. I have made myself a promise that I will NOT be the pathetic girl who shows up to homecoming without a date. Nope, it's a date or a gallon of mint chip ice cream for me. (I'll be buying the icecream tomorrow, then.)

Which leads me to some sour personal news:
Why Homecoming Will Be Spent At Home
You probably don't know that (or maybe you do), but I have liked 1 guy for almost 3 years. In teenage time, that's forever. He, of course, was my ideal homecoming date. But, the ideal, as I am quickly learning, is about the farthest thing from what I am going to get (me, myself, and I). He has asked some other girl to homecoming. :( I wish I could just wise up and move on already, but really, there is no one else. :( He makes me crazy.

Happy Birthday Big Bird
Yes, yes, another code name. I would like to wish my dear, darling friend Big Bird happy birthday and would also like to appologize for the fact that her birthday waffles were cold. Sorry Big Bird!



Anyway, that's all I really have to report. Sorry there's no better news. (Although, I am honestly willing to admit that I'm just writing to myself. If you want to make me feel better and get a shout out in my next post, please comment telling me that I'm not some crazy weirdo writing to myself weekly.)

Always,
Hope

Friday Report #3

Well, actually, today is Saturday. But I have a good excuse for being late. Yesterday, I had Fudge Eater and my dream friend, Frosting over to my house to bake. But more about that later. On to the report:

Is it really the weekend?
Once again, another week has flown by. I really don't understand how the days could possibly be disappearing so quickly and I hardly notice. I've reached another weekend (practically) unscathed, and it seems like it's been only an hour or two since I typed out my last Friday Report.

BAKE SALE
This is where Fudge Eater and Frosting come in. This summer, Fudge Eater and I are going to Europe with our French class. Naturally though, Europe for 10 days is impeccably expensive. And so, we are doing immense amounts of fundraising. To start this is a bake sale. Fudge Eater, Frosting (who is not going to Europe with us because she has already been, but we wanted her there to help and because we love her to death) and I made sugar and chocolate chop cookies, caramel topped brownies, as well as half a red velvet cake. Then, this morning after Fudge Eater had left, Frosting and I finished with the cake, made 2 batches of cupcakes (that's 68 cupcakes!) and frosted everything. I have also spent all day packaging our goods and attempting to store them in our PACKED refridgerator.


That's all the baked goods.

And here:

are the adorable sugar cookies.

(My appologies for the poor lighting, it was raining and the table, as you may be able to see, is by a large window. This makes for near zero lighting.)


PE
PE has quickly become my most disliked class. This week we have done a 12 minute run I have dubbed as "hell sped up", many many squats, more walking lunges than I care to count, and I serious medicine ball workout. And that's just the rigorous stuff. Being about the farthest thing from athletic or even very physically active(but don't get me wrong, I am in tip-top shape), PE is rapidly becoming a 2 hour glimpse of hell. Ow, I now I need to drag my sore self out of bed to get some water.

HOMECOMING!
Homecoming is "coming"! Only 27 days to get myself a date. Looks like I'll be going alone. YEY! (Insert sarcasm here.)

Anyway, have a great week everyone! Next Friday, I'll update you on the bake sale, homecoming date, and more. Tune in for the next: (professional newscasting music)
FRIDAY REPORT (deep manly voice).


Always,
Hope

PS-- Frosting, "damn is good! damn is good" (insert happy dance.) "damn is good! damn is good."...

Friday Report #2

Oh my gosh, this week has flown by. I woke up (or more, my dad frantically woke me up telling me I had to be to school in 30 minutes and reminding me that the drive takes 20 minutes) this morning and when I glanced at my calendar (my day planner in the car on the way to school)and was shocked to see it was Friday.

It was a good week, and while everything I write about today is pretty negative, the week was really a good one.

Real, true Freshman Friday: A horror that's not so horrifying
Today was the official "Freshman Friday". And thankfully, I have no reports of any FF activity. So, all future freshmen attending Eggo Academy (I'm not going to put my real school name) DON'T WORRY. The teachers are serious when they say that hazing is not permitted, and you won't get condoms full of shaving cream or batteries thrown at you-- if you're smart, that is.

Dance tonight!
The first school dance was tonight! I didn't go though, so I can't exactly report on it. I actually wanted to go, but my dad decided that he didn't want to drive all 15 miles to the high school to drop me off. However, after seeing how "bummed" (her word,not mine) I was at not being able to go; my mom promised I could go to my next dance.
Which is... HOMECOMING! But I have made a promise to myself: I will not go to homecoming like the pathetic loser I am. I will only go if I have a date. I know that sounds stuck up, but as much as I love my friends, it's seriously time for me to take action on the crush I've had for 2 and a half years.

PE Embarrassment
I am what you might call delicate. Even moderate heat affects me quite negatively, which makes me glad I live in the mountains. And rigorous exercise (okay, running or jogging) almost always makes me dizzy. That said, it's only to be expected that heat and exercise is a dangerous combo.
Today the temperature reached 96 at around the time i had PE in the late morning. And we were running on the turf, where, on average, it is 20 degree hotter! So we were jogging at a rather slow pace for a pretty long distance in that heat, and right at the end: boom! My head started throbbing and the edges of the world started going black. I knew I was going to faint, and I needed to get to softer ground. So I turned around and faced my PE teacher and began a slow lumber towards her, hoping I wouldn't collapse immediately.
Unfortunately, hoping doesn't help, and as soon as I reached her,, I was able to mutter something like, "I don't feel well," or, "I feel faint," (I honestly don't remember what I said)before crumbling at her feet.
I must have been out for a minute or more, because when I was able to open my eyes, she was shading me with her clip board and calling frantically for the TA to get me some help.
I quickly assured her that I was fine, and to prove it, sat up. That's the only positive thing about fainting rather often, you know what pushes your limits and sends you back under and what will just prove that you're okay. After a minute or so of trying to recover, I walked back to the locker room with the rest of the class and dressed back down.
I escaped the not so dainty swoon with just a throbbing headache for the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon, a red face from my embarrassment (I mean, I fainted in front of the rest of the class!), and a deep exhaustion. So, tonight at only 11:30 PM, I'm going to bed.

In closing, it has been a wonderful second week and I am excited for next. There's just one thing I'm not excited for: my next chance to faint. Ugh, I hate my body sometimes, it's so weak!

Goodnight y'all. I hope you had as good a week as I did (minus the passing out).

Always,
Hope

It's Friday

It's Friday, actually it's nearly midnight, so by the time I post this, it'll be Saturday.


Freshman Friday: Horror of High School
Today was "Freshmen Friday", the day every high school freshman fears most. Okay, so technically, the worst is yet to come when the official FF rolls around next Friday at the welcome back rally, but there was a nice little slice of freshman terrorizing today. First, at a bus stop this morning, some upperclassmen used some zip ties to keep the freshmen under control. Basically, they tied them up. And there were a few water-balloons thrown. One of said water balloons landed quite near to my foot, and let me tell you, it was not water in it. It was some sort of yellowish liquid. But since the splash did hit my face, I'm praying that it was just apple juice.


Friday Report
This week has been incredible. The high school is so foreign and so different than the tiny school I got used to last year. I was thrust from a school with less than 300 students in the entire school, K-8 into a school with a few THOUSAND students. Just getting to class, I feel like a salmon swimming upstream in the river of upperclassmen.
I have also developed a healthy respect for aforementioned upperclassmen, not just because they could throw me in a dumpster at any second, but because they deserve that respect. They're all so much more knowledgeable than me about everything from Calculus to relationships. And even though I'm taller than a few of the seniors I have spoken to, I look up to them in hopes that I'll amaze freshmen someday as much as they do me.



For now, I'm thinking it's bedtime for me. It's not even that late (ten till midnight), but I'm exhausted after waking up at 5 AM this morning. Goodnight y'all, I hope your first week of school has/was/will be as smooth and awe inspiring as mine (standing next to a buff football playing senior is an experience that will make you feel small and feminine as well as be a surreal experience that nothing compares to.)

Always,
Hope

I'm baaack!

I'm back. Actually, I've been back for 4 and a half hours. But I had homework and a little bit of school shopping (more binders, oh joy) to take care of. But now, as I am about to go to bed, I will write y'all a post (still hooked on "y'all". My, how a week spent in the south can change a person!).

First, I'll start with the pictures:



This one was my outfit. A simple gray tee shirt with colorful pieces woven into the fabric (my dad absolutely insisted that I wear a tee shirt instead of the cream blouse I was going to wear so I would blend in until I was comfortable enough to stand out) paired with also simple denim shorts from Old Navy, my late summer staple. Because it was chilly this morning, I threw on a punch of color with my lime green blazer.







Because no outfit would be complete without shoes, I added two pictures of my second color pop, my purple faux-suede wedges.




And lastly, my minimal jewelry, a diamond encrusted key necklace that my mom gave me. I've been wearing it every day since she bought it for me and since then, nothing but good things have been happening, so I wore it for good luck. It worked! I had a great day.






Well, I'm out of time. I'm tired and I have to wake up at 5:30 to be at school on time, so I better go to bed. I promise that not all my schoolyear posts will be so vauge and offer just about no information. I'll clear time in my schedule if not tomorrow, then soon. For now, it's time to shut my laptop down and go wash off my silver eyeliner and mascara (the only makeup I wore today). Goodnight y'all!

Always,
Hope

Eh My Gosh

Eh. My. Gosh. It's 7:12 on the morning of August 9th, 2010. In 10 minutes, I am departing for the highschool.

Yes, that's right. School starts today. Later thiks afternoon, you'll be getting a long post which will include how the day went and pictures of my first day outfit.

Anyway, it's time for me to go. Wish me luck!

Always,
Hope

Good news

Good news when it comes to my classes! My Algebra teacher last year recognized how hard I worked and the fact that I knew the material, I just didn't do well on the final and pushed me into the next grade level math, Geometry!

That's right, I am taking Geometry (the level of math most freshmen take). Haha! I am so happy about it right now, I don't even want to take the time to write a full and proper entry.

Anyway, thanks, Mrs. Brown!

Great!

WARNING: Heavy sarcasm used in this entry. Just so you all know, I am very unhappy about the following:

Great, just what I needed. Today, I found out another spectacular complication I'll get to enjoy next year. I'm excited to share with you all the fact that I will be getting braces early next month and get to wear them for the next 2 and a half years! Yey!!!!!!

Today at the orthodontist, everyone kept saying that I'll be so pretty when I get them off. And I'm just sitting there like, "Thanks for inplying that I'm ugly! I hate you too." They kept saying that nothing they do will hurt and that they have the most competant facilities and employees possible. Then they turn around and split my lip and make me bleed (and let me tell you, it hurt!) just so they can get some stupid "before" pictures and cram a second patient in the room meant for one patient at a time, and in a "private" consultation no less!

So, I get braces on my top and bottom teeth (which is weird because according to my dentist, I have the straightest bottom teeth he's ever seen) from a place I hate and I get to let people I loath hurt me. Yey!

So, the apparently ugly me will get to start highschool as an even uglier me. Great! As if I wasn't scared enough for highschool, let's add some magnatism!

Anyway, I'm done being negative now. I'm going to watch a movie ("Valentine's Day" again, anyone?) then go to sleep. Goodnight y'all (hehe, I love saying y'all, it reminds me of my favorite place in the world, the American South. Yeah, I've only been there once; but I loved the chivalrous guys, polite culture, and phenomenal history.).

Always,

Hope

P.S. These braces couldn't have come at a better time, I was just starting to get complements on the street about my being beautiful and told I should model. Great, just great. Not that I would model, but talk about a confidence booster! Those days are over evidently though... sigh.

First Day Outfits

First impressions are often the deciding factor in making new friends. And, so what you wear on your first day of highschool is highly relevant to how your next four years will be.
Now, I don't mean to sound shallow, going on and on about clothes. However, clothes really are an expression of your personality. For example, if I were to wear all pink clothing that is obviously designer, I would likely be percieved as a snob. If I were to wear a minimal quantity of skin tight leather and a visible thong, I would be percieved as a slut. Using those two (highly) unlikely situations as my proof that fashion contributes to how people see you, I will continue on and tell you all my First Day of Freshman Year Outfit Options:

• Option #1: Coral colored, soft cotton, flowy tank top with turquoise detailing on the neckline paired with turquoise semi-short shorts (six inches longer than crotch) and gold gladiator sandals. Pros: This outfit really makes my skin seem to glow golden and highlights the natural blonde highlights in my light brown hair. Cons: The shoes could be a little more comfortable (I'm not very comfortable in flats) and the shorts seem really short when I'm sitting down. This outfit says: I'm fun and colorful, fearless and confident.
• Option #2: Comfy black and white striped tank top made of flowy cotton adorned with pale pink roses that appear to be painted on, paired with pale pink jeggings and tan peeptoes booties with wedges. Pros: This outfit is super comfy! Cons: It's still hot in August and I may be a little too warm in the jeggings. This outfit says: I'm classically beautiful with a modern twist./I have an attitude and killer style.
• Option #3: Sweet spaghetti strap, floral patterned, pale pink chiffon top with swingy motion, paired with pale pink leggings and strappy gold gladiator sandals. Pros: This look is really innocent without being matronly and would really set me apart from the T-shirts and short shorts most other people are bound to be wearing. Cons: See Option #2 cons. Pink, pink, and more pink! I'm pretty girly, but I'm not usually that bad. This outfit says: I'm sweet and innocent, but I know how to have a good time!

(Note: All clothing and shoes in Options are from Wet Seal.)

Which oufit do you like most? Comments on any of them? Please post these in the comments section. The outfit with the most positive comments will be the one I wear on the first day. Thanks for your help and input!

Always,

Hope

Update: The shorts shrunk the first time I washed them. They are now quite short, too short for school. And the pink jeans were the wrong size (I'm a 3, they were a 0), I passed them on to Fudge Eater. So, in outfit 1, I would replace the blue shorts with regular dark wash denim shorts (Diva, Old Navy). And in the other two, I would replace pink jeans with other light wash jeans.

Classes and clubs

As anyone who has gone through high school will tell you, what classes you take really affect your highschool expirence. For example, if you take AP Philosophy, you're bound to have a lot of very personal homework that includes reflecting nightly. Ditto with clubs. If you join Chess club, there's a 90% chance that you'll be labled as a nerd. What sports you join also dictate your high- school career, for exmaple, cheerleaders tend to be peppy and fit with little time to excell in academics. Basically, what you do decided how you'll do.
In March, we were required to sign up for our classes and reveiw the list of clubs so we could consider what we'd like to join. To allow you all to fully understand my highschool strategies, you'll have to know my plans for activities in freshman year. Please, no criticizing my choices. They are my choices and my opinions were used to make them and while I appreciate your opinion, this is one instance where I'd like to be confident in what I'm doing. Here it goes:

Classes:

• French 1 as my first elective. I have always admired the french language for it's beauty and while I have taught myself as best I can, I still aspire to be fluent.
• AVID is my second elective. For those of you who don't know, AVID stands for Achievement Via Individual Determination. AVID is primarily a college prep class that has a focus on organization. AVID is for good students who aspire to be great and are willing to work hard to achieve their goals.
• Advanced English is my English class. I have always excelled at English and am placed in the highest English class available to Freshmen at my school.
• I will be retaking Algebra 1 because I got nervous during the county test and bombed it. I knew that the test dictated my entire next year, combined with throwing up that morning because I was so terrified, and the unfamiliarity of the strange classroom I had never entered before-- I just couldn't think as straight as I needed to.
• 1 semester Health/1 semester Computer Technology. Both are required at that level.
• Science. It's actually a specific branch of science, but I'm not sure of which one.

Clubs

• French club. It corresponds with my French class and hopefully will offer help from more expirenced French speakers.
• Speech/Debate. I love public speaking. I admit that I'm a bit addicted to having people listen to me as I present my argument and being able to convince people to see my way. I can be convicing when I want to be and am known for capturing my audience (don't let my Oral Interp. presentation fool you, I just didn't care).I've never understood how people could fear public speaking, the power I feel when I'm standing behind the podium is great!

Sports

• None. I couldn't play a sport to save my life.

Some Advice I've Been Given

Most of the people I know are eagar to help eachother. For example, a few weeks ago, my alarm clock was broken, so my dad chopped wood outside my window at 7 o'clock AM to make sure I got up on time-- isn't he thoughtful? But that doesn't mean that all their help is bad, here's some of the wisdom they have offered me:

"On the first day, go up and find the tallest, meanest, toughest girl in school and punch her in the face. After that, even if you lose the fight ensuing, you'll be known as the girl who beat up the biggest and the baddest bully in school and no one will mess with you." -Forrest, 17 year old close family friend. (I don't reccomend you follow this piece of advice, unless, that is, you want to die.)
"Befriend the older students." --Tawnee, 18 year old highschool graduate, close family friend. (Doesn't seem that that bad of advice.)
"Take AP and ROP classes, you save a lot of money on college by completing some free in highschool." --Mrs. Montgomery, my 8th grade history/language arts teacher.
"Just do your best,"-- my parents.



Well, that's all for now. I'm going to go to bed now, it's pretty late. Goodnight y'all. (That's right, I just said y'all. I spent a week in the American south in early June, and I picked the word up.)

Always,

Hope

Introduction

Right now it's mid-June and I am preparing to start highschool in the fall. Everyone keeps patting me on the back and promising me that it'll all be okay and highschool will be great. I however, realize that if I plan to walk across that stage in four years still in one piece, it's going to take some serious survival skills.
That's where this blog comes in. I'll be posting as often as I can all throughout highschool to let you all know my various tips and skills to coming out alive. I'm scared stiff, but hopefully, you will learn from my mistakes and triumphs and be prepared for when you get to walk through those terrifying front doors and into your highschool career.

We'll hold on together.

Always,

Hope