The Girl With The Cup Of Coffee

Lost Generation

2010-01-24T13:23:00.000-08:00

Exam Week

2010-01-20T17:02:00.000-08:00

Life has been a balance of the positives and the negatives lately, and I feel like they're stretching further to the extremes of each one. Some fantastic things have happened lately; I figured out a way to compete in Visual Arts Classic and Academic Decathlon! (It's going to be a lot of work, but I'll hold that though until the next paragraph.) Also, I got into Lawrence with a $10,500 scholarship, and Beloit gave me a $10,000 scholarship! I'm so grateful. I was worried about the cost of private schools, both because of the burden on my parents and the student loans I'll be paying off later on, but it's beginning to become manageable.

What hasn't been manageable lately, however, is my time. (It's really bad that I'm blogging right now, but today is the first day I got to go home right after school in quite a while.) I have Visual Arts Classic, which involves meetings, research, and working on my photos; meetings and tons of reading for Academic Decathlon; writing and meetings for newspaper (we really need to get on that); pit rehearsals for Thoroughly Modern Millie are currently twice a week, but will bump up to 5-6 days a week pretty soon; I'm writing a 15-page paper for my senior AP English project; and on top of that, I have normal homework and a job.

I'm so busy, I don't even have enough time to write about my work predicament. Great.

“All human beings are also dream beings. Dreaming ties all mankind together.”

2010-01-13T19:17:00.000-08:00

I rediscovered my love for Jack Kerouac in English class today. We spent the whole hour listening to recordings of him and reading his poems. This one is much more lighthearted than most of his stuff, but it makes me giggle every time I hear it, so I just couldn't help posting it:

bluuurrrghh

2010-01-11T19:41:00.000-08:00

(Sorry for everything being either rants or doom and gloom lately. Ah, January.)

AWESOME THINGS:

We're going to state for Academic Decathlon! I can't exactly say we dominated, but one of the other schools in our region is second in the nation, so coming anywhere close to them is great, considering we're a new team.
VAC is starting up; the more art, the better.
Musical is starting, too. Throughly Modern Millie seems like it's going to be a lot of fun. I play cello in the pit orchestra, so it's a great day to be involved and use my talents.
I GOT INTO BELOIT! I can't believe I haven't posted this yet! I got my acceptance folder a couple weeks ago.
My best friend sent me my belated birthday gift today. It's almost three months late, quite spontaneous, and overall very lovely. :)
Intrinsic motivation. It's so helpful.
I'll have 8th hour senior release in two weeks. That means I can go to study hall, sign in to a classroom, or go home! It's going to be very helpful.
The phrase "balance between hope and uncertainty." It's from my friend Morgan's speech on limerence (not limericks!), and I think it's beautiful.

NOT-SO-AWESOME THINGS:

Regionals for VAC and state for AcDec are the SAME DAY. I have no clue what I'm going to do. I've been committed to VAC since sophomore year, so it's going to end up taking seniority, but...I've devoted to much to AcDec.
Musical is going to take up a LOT of time, as is newspaper, VAC, and/or AcDec. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do.
I still have a job. Money is never a bad thing, but, again, I have to devote 10-20 hours a week to it.
On top of all of this, I still have regular classes. Which mean regular homework/projects/essays/tests.
Exams are apparently next week. It doesn't really seem like it though...literally one teacher has fully told us what the exam is, and that's my gym teacher. This seriously concerns me.
My brain is so worried about all of this that it resorted to list form for this blog post.

The Sixth of January-David Budbill

2010-01-06T17:48:00.000-08:00

The cat sits on the back of the sofa looking
out the window through the softly falling snow
at the last bit of gray light.

I can't say the sun is going down.
We haven't seen the sun for two months.
Who cares?

I am sitting in the blue chair listening to this stillness.
The only sound: the occasional gurgle of tea
coming out of the pot and into the cup.

How can this be?
Such calm, such peace, such solitude
in this world of woe.

Frustration

2010-01-05T19:10:00.000-08:00

(this book is much more exciting than you'd think, actually)

I need to go on a mini-rant here. Sorry, but AcDec stress has made everything I already find irritating even more frustrating.

I don't know how it is at other schools, but my high school seems to have huge amounts of students who take AP classes. Some of them are the kind of high school kids who don't put a whole lot of effort into things; they skip or stay home "sick" from school, rarely do homework, don't show up to class the day a project/paper is due, talk/text during class, and make fun of the people who are actually interested in learning.

My AP English 12 class is overflowing with people like this, literally; we're currently short four desks. Out of the 35 or so in the class, between 10 and 20 are actually interested. (This varies depending on if I'm counting overachieving, over-involved students who do well in the class, but seem to only have extrinsic motivation. It's not the same thing as being lazy, but they usually seem to repeat what the teacher says rather than contribute to discussions, which is another one of my pet peeves.) I'm almost dreading the class at this point. I would love to have the luxury of discussing poetry, literature, and short stories with a small group of like-minded students, but I instead have to sit through a dumbed-down version of the class. Nobody wins; the people who enjoy English are bored because the information is being spoon-fed to us, and the people who don't care are stuck in the class either way.

I would love to go on (about my English class in particular, there is so much I could say about it), but I don't want to bore you. I really have to wonder, though: why take an AP class if you're not interested in the subject? Is it because it "looks good" on a college application? (In Wisconsin, UW-Madison is the hardest school to get accepted to, and also a notorious "party school." Ironic.) I just can't fathom it. Maybe this sounds pretentious, but I feel people like this are hindering my education. Is it really that ridiculous for me to wish people who don't care about school very much wouldn't take AP classes? Everyone would be better off.

What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding?

2010-01-05T16:17:00.000-08:00

I've been listening to a TON of Elvis Costello recently, which made me think back to this picture I saw on nerdboyfriend.com. love love love.

December 8th? Seriously?!?

2010-01-02T09:50:00.000-08:00

So, my life has essentially been school work acdec school senior project acdec school VAC school musical acdec school work senior project acdec work school acdec senior project work for the past few weeks. Even Christmas break has been super busy. I was looking forward to actually having time to blog during my time off of school, but apparently that hasn't worked out. I've got a lot more to get done this weekend (I'm skipping IKEA today to do homework, which is really disappointing) and the next couple months are going to be equally swamped, so I honestly don't see myself having much time to write. Or sleep. Balance, Renée, balance...

Oh my goodness...

2009-12-08T18:39:00.000-08:00

...winter has hit. We got about a foot of snow yesterday and it was 0 degrees Fahrenheit all day today. But before that...

I went to the Christkindlsmarkt in Chicago on Tuesday. It was a bit cold, but so gorgeous and the food was great. We walked around and shopped for a few hours, and I brought back a ton of German chocolate. Sieh mal!

Hedgehogs!

And squirrels.

After returning from the market, I spent the night in bed procrastinating on my homework. We had a snow day on Wednesday, as I had hoped for. It was lovely; I slept until 10:00, met some friends for coffee, and spent the day lazing around and gazing at the snow outside. I got a bit more studying done too, which was great; we had our regional AcDec essay today, and I've been struggling to get through A Tale of Two Cities. (I don't hate it, but I'm just not a Dickens fan.) The essay wasn't that bad, and despite the cold, today was gorgeous. It was really sunny, and the snow formed a tiny layer of ice, so everything glittered. I spent most of school staring out the window. Now I'm waiting for it to warm up so I can actually go outside...

2009-12-07T19:11:00.000-08:00

If only one essay I read sticks with me my whole life, this will be it. It's disturbing, eye-opening, and enlightening; and it highlights some huge flaws in our culture's views on rape.

ART VS. CRAFT

2009-11-28T17:17:00.000-08:00

I went to this today, and it was insanely awesome. The Scottish Rite Masonic Temple was weird and beautiful, and it was filled with amazing handmade items and fashionable people. I bought an awesome "loot" bag from Sweetie Pie Press and a gorgeous bird headband from Megan Lee Designs. I'm also feeling really inspired by the hand-sewn items. I may have to get my hands on a sewing machine (it's the only thing on my Christmas list right now) and go over to Fashion Ninja to take some classes. I also really need to knit again too; I've done a couple scarves in the past, but I just want to take it on. Ah, school; why must you get in the way of my crafting?

Snow!

2009-11-25T21:59:00.000-08:00

IT'S SNOWING RIGHT NOW. And it's sticking and everything. I am so incredibly happy about this.

The snow started right at the end of my craziest shift ever. Apparently a lot of people save buying turkeys until the night before Thanksgiving. At least it went quickly, and was kind of fun.

Also, what exactly are Swedish Fish supposed to taste like? I'm trying to figure it out.

Just some thoughts.

Smart Girls At The Party

2009-11-24T21:38:00.000-08:00

Just a quick link. Smart Girls At The Party is a show hosted by Amy Poehler, Meredith Walker, and Amy Miles that showcases smart young girls. I just watched Ruby's episode and I love her so much. I wish I (consciously) knew that much about feminism when I was her age.

I see a sea anemone the enemy see a sea anemone and that'll be the end of me.

2009-11-21T21:17:00.000-08:00

I'm having major "stuff" love right now. I go a few weeks without much attachment to any of my possessions, and then it suddenly returns. I think this bag started it.

It's a Le Sportsac; it has well-dressed, world-traveling bunnies on it; and it is amazing. My mom's friend brought it back for me from Hong Kong and I appreciate it so much. :)

I also went to ReThreads today after our children's orchestra concert. (It's essentially the first week of Christmas, so we do a Christmas sing-along/arts and crafts/Santa/cookies kind of thing.) I scored this little hat...

...and this jacket. Look!

I'm in love with it. It's absolutely tiny, and I found it in the men's section. I imagine Rudy as being about 5'1". He smokes all the time, is really thin, and is tough. I love this jacket so much. Thank you, Rudy, whoever you are.
These jeans fit perfectly and are kind of dressy, which I like.
Okay, these aren't from ReThreads (I wish I could find patterned Doc Martens around); I've actually had them since seventh grade. I just wanted to share them with you because it's getting to be Doc Martens season again and I'm looking forward to wearing them.

(Oh, and the weird post title is Andrew Bird. Witty alliteration, whistling, and violin playing; YES.)

Likes and Dislikes

2009-11-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

(In the style of Facebook. Also in the style of lazy bloggers that make lists instead of well thought-out paragraphs.)

Likes:

The New Devendra Banhart CD. I received it as a late birthday present today, and it's awesome. I have an uncle and aunt with really good music tastes, so I always look forward to getting music recommendations from them.
DIY Ideas. I also got a cool DIY photo/craft book for my birthday, and I've already looked through and found the projects that I want to do. These include: a photo messenger bag, a photo lamp, a water bottle cap tripod, and a fisheye lens. I've always really wanted a fisheye lens, but they're super expensive. The one in this book is made with a peephole, which can be bought at a hardware store for a few dollars. I'm so excited to make one and try it out.
Le Sportsac Bags. My mom's friend went on a shopping trip to Hong Kong and brought back purses for everyone. (It's been such a fantastic weekend for gifts! Thanks, everyone!) I got a Le Sportsac messenger bag with chic little world-traveling bunnies on it. All their patterns are seriously adorable.
Clean sheets.
Lemon 4-layer cake.
Academic Decathlon. We're doing really awesome so far, and I'm learning tons about the French Revolution. Good stuff.
Honors Pre-Calc. I went from a D to a B in that class in one week, and I feel so awesome.
Second Quarter. I needed a fresh start.

Dislikes:

Work. It's not that bad, but I'm really dreading having to do carts in a slushy parking lot. You'd think Pick 'n Save would find some way to make it easier for us, since they're a Milwaukee-based company and pretty much all the stores experience snow. Target has a electric cart pushers, and their carts are plastic now. Sigh.

I apparently don't have anything else for the "dislikes" list. I guess it's just been a good day. The only thing that could bring me down would be getting sick (sicker than my normal 3-month cold), so I really hope that doesn't happen. Super-immunity, please don't fail me this year.

Can has pictures?

2009-11-14T21:13:00.000-08:00

I finally got a new camera. It's a Canon PowerShot, so it's just a little point-and-shoot, but that's all I really need for a digital camera. I got excited and ran around the house taking uncreative macro pictures. (It's like starting over. My lack of a digital camera and having independent study during a Photo 1 class is killing my creativity.)

Before a real post...

2009-11-06T20:07:00.000-08:00

...I would like to briefly comment on how much I love this book. I'm only a few chapters in, but it's so charming and beautifully written. It's an interesting look at "re-education" in China, but also hilarious at times. "Mozart Is Thinking Of Chairman Mao!" has to be my favorite line so far. (Also, I love the picture on the cover, and the book is small & smooth & feels lovely. Because I just enjoy things like that, apparently.)

I'll talk about my crazily happy and stressful week later. I really just need to get to bed. I work a pretty long shift tomorrow, and then I'm going to go see my school's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream"! The drama department hasn't taken on Shakespeare for a while, if ever, so I'm curious to see it. Also, I get to see a friend who just spent the last two months in Germany; catching up is always fun.

And I'll catch up with this blog soon, I swear. :)

November already?!?

2009-11-01T19:06:00.000-08:00

My, how the time flies. It's been a busy week, and I didn't even go out on Halloween!

We only had a three day school week this week. It would seem nice, but that usually means teachers pack five days' work into three days. Also, first quarter ends next Friday, which means the homework, tests, and projects are getting piled on. I did get through the three days, barely; we did "taste tests" for our Sensation & Perception unit in AP Psych, and I almost didn't make it through the rotten egg flavored jelly bean. (Yes, it was totally as bad as you'd think.)

After the school week, I went on an overnight visit at Beloit College. It's my top choice, so I had a great time. This was the first visit I've done where we've had an unstructured kind of day, so it was fun to hang out with my host at night. We went to her FCA meeting, did a "ghost tour" of campus (there was hot cider!), saw a humorously tacky cover band called The Karls, and just hung out with the other people in her dorm. The next day was spent at presentations about the school, as well as visiting classes (which I didn't have time for, unfortunately). It was a great couple of days, and I know Beloit is definitely the school for me. It's really diverse, everyone is into social activism there, and it's a college of learning rather than competition. It's such a refreshing difference from both high school and the UW colleges that many of my peers are applying to, and I'm ready for that.

Currently, I'm in Chicago. We did the Art Institute today, which was amazing. More about that later. I'm just blogging quickly while trying to write my Chinese-style poems for English class. Doing homework while on vacation stinks, and so does not having a digital camera to take tons of pictures of yourself at the Bean.

What a fantastic couple of days. :)

2009-10-24T19:13:00.000-07:00

I had a fantastic birthday on Friday. I made time to enjoy toast with lemon curd before going to AP Psychology. After that, we were excused from class to go to the rehearsal for our Halloween "Wizards and Witches" concert. I wore a Snow White costume and every six-year-old in that auditorium thought I was actually Snow White. It was adorable. The concert itself went really well, too.

After the concert, we were excused from classes for quite a bit longer, so I went and picked up my paycheck. I then headed home with my friend Stephanie to make some amazing sweet and sour chicken we got at the grocery store. I then had to hop back up to school for pre-calc and gym, which would've been bad if I had been at school all day, but I was refreshed enough to get through my quiz. We ended up having a free day in gym, which meant not having to change, but I was disappointed that we have to wait until next week for "progressive relaxation", which sounds right up my alley.

After school, I just kind of bummed around. I made really good pork tacos, went to the library, and watched Amelie, which is all I really wanted to do. :)

Saturday was great, too. I slept in for the first time in quite a while, and then spent the afternoon completing my college essays at the Steaming Cup. It was "Live Clue" weekend, so watching the people/characters run around all day was pretty entertaining. It's also totally fascinating talking to people in character, too; I had a totally serious conversation with Shaggy, Velma, and Daphne from Scooby Doo. I love playing along like that.

Anyway, I ended up finishing my main Common App essay on Saturday, and the Beloit supplement essay today, so I have my Beloit and Lawrence apps fully in, and I just need to finish my supplement section for Knox. I'm pretty excited; the UW apps should be easier,

After submitting the stuff that night, I went out for Thai food with the family. We came back, had an amazing, homemade, mint chocolate ice cream cake, and then my mom gave me the most amazing pair of cowboy boots! I'm really looking forward to wearing them, and hopefully I'll somehow find a way to get a picture of them. I really wish I had a camera...

Overall, a great weekend. :) Now I need to get through these three days before the five-day teacher's convention weekend; I'm visiting Beloit, coming home for Halloween, and then going to Chicago for a night! It's going to be another good weekend, provided that I can push through this week...

achoo.

2009-10-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

(I'm not actually sick, luckily. Just a little cold.)

So...that big post I promised last week? About that...

School has been crazy. (Work too.) I spent the rest of last week writing a comparative analysis paper for AP English about two Flannery O'Connor stories. Her stories all have extremely gory endings that contain religious messages conveyed through symbolism and allegory. It's really interesting, but I hit a few walls while trying to write the essay, which wasn't too great.

I'm also trying to finish writing my college application essays; who knew it would be so hard to get into college? I'm trying to submit all my private school applications by Sunday...we'll see how that goes. I need to do early applications so I can get scholarships.

We had our first orchestra concert last night, and it went so well. We got a ton of compliments, which doesn't always happen. We're playing for elementary school students during school on Friday, and we get to be in costume! I'm borrowing this adorable Snow White dress from my mom's friend...I'll try and have someone else take some pictures. I would love to show you both that and the auditorium; lots of stories about that another time. It's also my birthday; I'm looking forward to missing classes, performing in costume, and getting a 70 minute lunch period.

More later, seriously!

Good Morning

2009-10-14T06:39:00.000-07:00

I am currently sitting on my couch in my pajamas, typing on my laptop, eating lemon curd, drinking milk, and listening to 88.9. It's "academic focus" day, which means seniors get to stay home and work on college apps or visit schools. I'm planning on camping out at the Steaming Cup all day to get college essays and my AP English essay done. I'm just really happy about today and I had to share that with you. There'll be a larger post soon; I have some photography I found that I would love to share with you.

Dear America.

2009-10-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

(More like "Dear Ignorant Portion of the U.S. Population." But you know.)

Almost a year ago, we had a presidential election. People came out and voted, the votes were tallied, and Barack Obama received the majority according to the electoral college. In January, he was inaugurated, and he's served as President for the past nine months. He hasn't started another unnecessary war, created a national youth group named after himself, or sent the police to kill racially impure citizens of our country. So, why do you keep acting like he is?

I've seen President Obama compared to Hitler in many different ways, and I don't understand this at all. Most who claim this argue that he's asking the whole country/world to worship him, when he in fact is simply doing his job. Those who write songs about him (sorry for posting a Fox News clip here), claim he should stay president forever, and praise him are doing it because they like him, plain and simple. He's not asking people to worship him, he's just promoting the changes he talked about in his campaign and people like what he's doing. I know, especially for those who are my age or younger, it's hard to remember a time when our president wasn't a complete moron. It may seem strange to many of you that we could actually elect a president who can present himself with intelligence and be liked by other countries, but it's happening again.

I also think that many people are turning President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize into something larger than it is. Not to say that a Nobel Prize isn't a big deal, but they award them every year, and for many different reasons. He actually seemed a bit confused when he was awarded the prize, along with a lot of Americans. ("To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve it.") However, I feel we need to look at this from a European (Norwegian, specifically) perspective, because that's the perspective the committee had. While President Bush was in office, most of Europe looked down upon the United States. Our president and vice president were both children of big corporations, which made us a more strongly capitalistic nation than when President Clinton was in office. Though capitalism is alive, kicking, and socially acceptable here, it's not that way in Europe, or at least not to that extent. To Europeans, the switch from President's Bush's big oil-promoting capitalism to President Obama's focus on the working class was quite a contrast. Obama has also done a lot of promoting peace in the Middle East, advocating for women's rights, and raising the minimum wage, among other things. From a European perspective, I can definitely see how the Bush to Obama transition makes the U.S. a much more peaceful player in international affairs, and would be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize based on that.

Essentially: stop drinking Haterade for breakfast and look at the facts. You'll be surprised at how much of what you hear from the media/pop culture is actually false, especially when it comes to politics.

Peace,

Renée

Spirited

2009-10-09T06:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy week, as homecoming/spirit week always is. Monday started off with impromptu chants of "Toga, toga, toga..." on White Out day, and everything got crazier from there. Wednesday was Decade Day; I had been waiting to wear my 80s dress for four years. (It's kind of unfortunate that everyone thinks 80s=Flashdance though, because nobody dressed like that.) Anyway, it's pretty much been a full week of not paying attention in class due to the weird energy that homecoming week brings.

I'm not going to the game (our team never wins and it's always so cold out!) or the dance, but I have really enjoyed this week. It's an opportunity to dress up; I'm wearing red tights, black flats with white polka dots, and a beaded beret right now (school colors are red and black), and I'm loving it. The pep rally is this afternoon, and though I'm not a huge "OMG SCHOOL SPIRIT WOO SENIORS" kind of person, it's always fun to watch the dance-off, the pie toss, and the football team's cheer/poms routine.

I'm also seriously looking forward to the homecoming court. One of the senior boys is gay, and decided to wear a dress, makeup, and hair extensions for today and tomorrow. A lot of people are really angry, but we voted him in, and I'm so proud of the senior class for doing that. Not too many people have the guts to be who they truly want to be in high school, especially when what they are is gay, and I really admire him for that.

An added bonus: classes are shortened from 47 minutes to 38 (apparently we can't do round numbers?), so I'm off to AP English already!

Broken

2009-10-04T18:03:00.000-07:00

So I went to the Oriental Theatre this weekend to see Capitalism: A Love Story. The theatre was beautiful and the movie was fantastic. (More on that later. Moore on that later? haha.) Before the movie, I was standing in the lounge next to the bathroom, planning to take an outfit picture and some pictures of the theater. I turned my camera on, however, and the screen looked like it got smashed. I don't know what happened, but I don't have a real viewfinder, so there's almost no way I can use it. I feel like I had ten times more things to take pictures of this weekend, and no digital camera. I'm pretty frustrated. I'll probably end up using the camera my family is going to buy for a while, and then saving job/birthday/Christmas money to buy a Canon Rebel, which isn't that bad. I'm just really frustrated. It wasn't an overly expensive camera, but we went to Germany together, and I took good care of it...R.I.P.

Irony, Among Other Things

2009-10-02T15:32:00.001-07:00

The senior class's votes for the "most likelies" were counted today, and I apparently was voted "Female Next Bill Gates"? I'm a bit confused by this. I'm not particularly good with money, and I'm not really popular. Also, I'm (possibly notoriously) not a huge fan of capitalism, which is what made me find this to be so hilarious. I've come to terms with it, though, due mostly to the fact that Bill Gates is a really awesome philanthropist. I'm probably thinking into this too much...

Anyway, school is going really well. I'm loving my English class, though the teacher is "spoon feeding" symbols and themes to us in every story we read. We're in an introduction/short story unit right now, so I'll accept it; I know not everyone is as up to speed on their literary terms as I am. We read "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway earlier in the week and I really enjoyed it. Hemingway doesn't get flowery with things; rather than going on for pages about a character's emotions, he will just say "She smiled brightly at the woman." and let the reader actually think about the meaning. It's really refreshing. We also read "Rape Fantasies" by Margaret Atwood, which is actually a hilarious story that's barely even about rape. It explores the balance of reality/fantasy, men/women, and sex/rape. It was really good.

I also got asked to be on the school newspaper. There are only four or five people on it (for now) and we're going to do it online. I'll be sure to post a link!

This is the contact print for my first photography project. (There was water on the glass; the negatives aren't actually that scratched up.) I'm really excited to work with these in the darkroom. I love medium format film.

That's all for now. I wish I could blog more, but school is kind of a priority, and college apps are driving me crazy...

Some quick thoughts...

2009-09-27T18:08:00.000-07:00

Monsters of Folk is awesome. I totally bought it at Target, and I was so proud of myself for going out and buying a real CD. Plus it was $2 cheaper...
Half Price Books is awesome.
TJ Maxx is a much better store than you'd think.
It's pouring buckets here right now...perfect tea, apple pie, and book weather.
I had to re-do my film for Photo class...boo! At least I get to develop it tomorrow...
I may or may not have spilled coffee on my rather expensive, brand-new, school-owned English textbook...oops. Anyone know how to get coffee stains out of really thin, literary-looking pages?

I'm going to go do #4 for the rest of the night now. Real post soon, I promise!

Happy Wednesday...

2009-09-21T06:15:00.000-07:00

It's a sleepy one. I've been working quite a bit. I would rather do three four-hour shifts than four three-hour shifts (I don't get a break for shifts less than four hours), but I can't complain. Grocery is surprisingly complex. Ah, Pick 'n Save.

Good things about my new job:

1. It's reliable: people always need groceries, carts always need to be put back, etc. It's completely unlikely I'll get sent home, and restaurant wasn't like that.

2. Great peoplewatching: you can tell so much about a person by looking at their groceries, and I get to stand there and observe each item as I put it in the bag.

3. Union benefits: I get overtime pay for working Sundays, breaks are regulated, etc.

4. Minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Thank you, pseudo(American)-socialism!

Bad things about my new job:

1. People are jerks: they get angry about different things and start yelling at us. Also, I have to watch people come through and just scream at their kids the whole time. It's so frustrating. They're always the kind of people who wonder where their kids learned to swear, too...what a mystery! If you tell you kid to "sit your ass down, right there, RIGHT NOW!" they're going to start talking like that too. Also, I've seen people with six kids who were way calmer than those with two kids.

2. Pushing carts: I'm not that great at manual labor, but I do okay. It's just really tedious, and sometimes one cart will break off from the line and get away, since we don't have the magnetic things like Target.

3. Comments because I'm a girl: Especially when I'm doing carts. Traditionally, girls are always cashiers, and boys are always utility clerks. I've had a few people say "You're not supposed to be doing that, you're a girl!" I think the first guy was kidding, but the other ones seemed pretty serious. I would rather be a cashier, but I can physically be a UC, even though I'm a girl!

Well, I'm off! I wish I had more time to blog. I have a moderate amount of homework tonight, but Glee is on and reading Kate Chopin's The Story of an Hour has made me crave feminist literature, so I'm going to try and get some reading in!

Waukesha Art Fest

2009-09-17T06:38:00.000-07:00

I'm finally uploading my pictures from Saturday. I walked downtown to the city's annual Art Fest to look around. There was some great art, but nothing I could afford, so I made my own art.

This is the Waukesha Civic Theatre. All the plays put on are open for the public to audition for, and everything they do is fantastic. It was the Pix movie theater when I was very young; apparently I went to see Pocahontas there and got my foot stuck in the seat. I have absolutely no recollection of this.

This is the "Five Points." All our streets are old, especially those right in downtown, so there are a lot of inconvenient five-way intersections. It's pretty cute, though.

Art is everywhere, and I love it.

Bam Bam and the Gigolos. They play at the Steaming Cup often and it's always a great show.

Dancing. I love that girl's outfit; not too many people can pull off skirts and tennis shoes, but she really makes it work.

I love everything about her. Her husband was dressed like a pirate and selling his photography. He had a lot of fantastically abstract, Edward Weston style photos.

People's Park. An apparently fantastic new restaurant. They display art from the teachers at my school, and above the bar is this giant "stuff" collage; it's hard to describe, but it's a bunch of toys. I'll take a picture sometime.

They built a new hotel in town and they have some fantastic fake planters on all the windows.

Herbal cranberry iced tea=love.

She owns one of the galleries downtown and has the coolest hair I've ever seen.

This is Sloppy Joe's, a 50s-style soda fountain that just opened. They also own a gelato place down the street, which I can't believe I've never mentioned before! Gelato beats regular ice cream, any day.

That's all for now. I'm going to take film pictures of my awesome flapper hat in the "mini studio" on Monday, so I'll make sure to take some digital pictures of it too, just to show you the room. Also, I have a lot to say about my new job at Pick 'n Save when I get a chance. (It's not as bad as I thought it would be, actually.) Peace!

I feel obligated to post.

2009-09-14T06:21:00.001-07:00

It's been a few days. I was going to upload stuff from the Rebel today, but I had to choose between bringing it to school or bringing my AP Psych poster to school, and it was a group project so I felt obligated. (It's a family tree, so I made tiny branches and leaves! It's adorable.)

Honestly, though, I just want to get back in the darkroom. Developing one's own film is truly a magic like no other, and knowing I can fix a picture's exposure with some adjustments and a wave of my hand is just amazing. There's something calming about it; the rushing of the water from the big sinks, moving the tray of chemicals back and forth rhythmically, the darkness and quiet. I can't wait to get back in there. I'll have to take my Nikon or Holga out and produce some magic.

I discovered Holga cameras my sophomore year, and I've been in love ever since. Our photography department owns a giant bin of them, and I feel so lucky. If I could, I would only work with medium format film. It's what we use in our studio, too, (yes, we actually have a studio!) and it produces the best enlargements I've ever seen. I'm so blessed to have ended up at a school with this fantastic of an art department. We always make it to state in the Visual Arts Classic competition (the theme is Art and The 70s this year!), our teachers' art is often displayed in galleries/restaurants around the city, and we take a trip to NYC every year to go art museum hopping.

I almost wasn't going to be able to go, but I just found a job! I work at Pick 'n Save, the grocery store refered to as "Pick 'n Slave" by many. It's actually not that bad. I'm a utility clerk, so I bag groceries, push carts, take out garbage, etc. Carts aren't too fun (especially when there are a million high school students using your parking lot for the football game), but bagging isn't that bad. Plus, it's a fantastic people-watching opportunity. I've always said that you can tell a lot about someone by what's in their fridge, and the same goes for what people buy at the grocery store. Ive found that people buy a ton of yogurt and milk, for whatever reason. Strange...

I'm about to run off to English. I'll hopefully be posting my pictures from the Rebel tomorrow or tonight. See you then!

PS-I just went on the VAC website and the artist list is already up! I'm really excited, especially about Andy Warhol, Psychedelic Posters, and TV:
Marilyn Levine, Andy Warhol, Peter Max, Richard Avedon, David Hockney, Andre' Courreges, Bridget Riley, Roy Lichtenstein, George Segal, Minnie Evans, Psychedelic Poster Artists (especially Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse), and Visual Impact of Television (especially Sesame Street, Electric Company, Schoolhouse Rock, Rowen & Martin's Laugh-In, and The Smothers Brothers Show).

sigh.

2009-09-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

I'm still pretty frustrated about the whole situation with Obama's speech. I mean, they even released the text and nobody's changed their minds. I was almost at peace with it, and then I read the freerepublic.com forums. Bad idea...

What's good, though, is the fact that I'm sitting in photography class. My independent study hasn't gone through yet (thanks for nothing, School District of Waukesha), so I'm just signing in here every day during my study hall. It's fun watching the Photo I kids learn about 35mm cameras for the first time; I almost want to go back and re-experiment with coffee can pinhole cameras. I'm actually checking out the digital Canon Rebel for a few days, and I'm so excited to produce some awesome digital photography with it! I'll have to go out with my Holga, too, so I can get back into the darkroom. It smells a little strange, but it's so dark and wonderful, and the constant rushing of water from the sink is so calming. It's honestly my favorite place in the school.

I'm awfully optimistic for a Tuesday that feels like a Monday. I'm off to AP English 12 in a few minutes. I think we're going to write a lot this year, and I'm excited. We were told to buy a huge notebook in AP English 11, and we ended up only doing one journal entry the whole year, so I'm really looking forward to this year.

And the ridiculous lies and hype persist...

2009-09-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I wrote a post about my opposition to the restriction of viewing President Obama's back-to-school speech. I ended up creating a short letter to send to the School District of Waukesha's superintendent, South's principal, and South's three assistant principals. I felt I should share it with you, and if you're a Waukesha person who I haven't already forwarded this to, please feel free to send it out!

To Whom It May Concern:

I am strongly opposed to the School District of Waukesha's decision to restrict viewing of President Obama's back-to-school speech. Tuesday's speech will simply welcome students back to school and encourage them to work hard in the upcoming year. The beliefs that it will be politicial in nature, socialist, or a method of indoctrination are simply lies created by those who don't support President Obama. It is unfortunate that these lies and paranoia have infected such a great deal of the population, and it is just appalling that the fear has spread as far as those in charge of the School District of Waukesha.

Many other school districts in the area are allowing the speech to be shown, such as New Berlin and Kettle Moraine, and there is no reason for Waukesha to not follow in their footsteps. As spokesman Robert Gibbs said, "I think we've reached a little bit of the silly season when the president of the United States can't tell kids in school to study hard and stay in school." Students should be taught to listen to and respect figures of authority, whether they agree with their opinions or not. This is not a partisan issue; it is a respect issue.

I truly urge you to reconsider your decision to restrict the viewing of Tuesday's speech. Thank you.

(Your name here)

A Concerned Student

I can't even believe how ridiculous this is.

2009-09-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

If you've been watching the news lately, you've probably heard about the outrage that President Obama's planned back-to-school speech has caused. (If not, read about it here. Jezebel does a good job of summing everything up, and it provides videos/links if you really want to find out about this. also, I like the title. "GOP? STFU!" is genius.) Essentially, the speech is going to be a welcome back-to-school pep talk that encourages kids to stay in school and work hard. If not beneficial, at least harmless, right?

That's not what a lot of people think.

The right wing has been spreading lies about this speech. It's been called propaganda, indoctrination, cult-like, and socialist, among other things. Jim Greer, the Florida GOP chairman, has gone far enough to compare him to the Pied Piper, and many other have likened Tuesday's planned speech to early Hitler Youth propaganda.

I...I don't even know where to begin with this. First of all...socialism?!? If that particular claim wasn't getting old already, it doesn't even fit with the spirit of this speech. The idea of working hard, earning money, and participating in the U.S. economy is a completely capitalist value. What, do you want our president to promote laziness? Because this is America, and we totally should be able to be unemployed by choice and buying anything we want with credit cards we'll never pay off! NO. No matter where you stand politically, hard work and education should be important.

I really don't understand how anyone can say that President Obama is bad for our family morals. It's almost ironic that the right-wing is both anti-Obama and pro-family values. I couldn't find a family with stronger morals than the Obama family. They've worked their way to where they are, they value education, and though they're in the White House, the girls are still expected to do chores. If anything, they're a fantastic model of a modern American family with strong values and morals.

The thing that annoys me the most are the comparisons between Obama and the Pied Piper, Hitler, and Big Brother. It's completely the opposite. He's encouraging open, curriculum-related discussion after the speech, which is the complete opposite of the "dictator" many seem to believe he is. It's almost ironic; the right-wing wants everyone to be free from government control of the media, but they want to control what our nation's children are allowed to view and discuss. I understand not wanting kids to be exposed to sex and violence--that's the parents' choice--but this is a speech created for children to emphasize positive moral values.

In the end, he's our president. We should be teaching children to respect authority, whether they agree with their opinions or not. In fact, we should be teaching children to respect everybody, whether they agree with their opinions or not. So, working hard, staying in school, and respecting differences? None of those should be censored from our schoolchildren.

In addition, here's the form letter that the district is sending out to us to deal with the whole thing. I'm pretty frustrated with this too. Mild fear of political propaganda is just as bad, especially when it's directly from the school district:

"September 4, 2009

Dear Families,

As you may have heard, on Tuesday, September 8^th there will be a nationwide program involving the President speaking with school-age students via the internet. Because we do not know the content of the address and we do not want to violate Board policies related to political endorsements and activities, the School District of Waukesha will tape and review the presentation prior to making it available for teacher use.

While this is not a mandated program, teachers may choose to watch the speech with their class as it relates to their curriculum. If teachers choose to use the speech in their lessons, you will be notified in advance of the lesson/activities. You will have the opportunity to opt out of participation.

Please contact me with questions.

Sincerely,

Principal"

Pet Peeve: "That's so gay!"

2009-09-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

I'm sure many of you have heard it used before, especially if you're a high school student:

"Class, this story needs to be completed and ready to present for class tomorrow." "That's so gay!"

"Ugh, I'm grounded all weekend. I know, it's so gay!"

"My mom bought my school supplies for me this year and I'm stuck with gay folders and stuff."

"Can you hang out tomorrow?" "No, I have to work." "Ew. Well, that's gay."

That drives me abosolutely insane, so I present to you an open letter to all people who think that "gay" is synonymous with "stupid":

Dear Youth of America (I sincerely hope your ignorance hasn't yet spread to other countries",

Why are you constantly using the word "gay" as a replacement for "stupid"? Is it because you don't actually know the definition? If not, here's how Merriam-Webster puts it:

Main Entry: ¹gay
Pronunciation: \ˈgā\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French gai, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German gāhi quick, sudden
Date: 14th century

1 a : happily excited : merry gay mood> b : keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits gay spring song>
2 a : bright, lively <gay sunny meadows> b : brilliant in color
3 : given to social pleasures; also : licentious
4 a : homosexual <gay men> b : of, relating to, or used by homosexuals gay rights movement> gay bar>

None of those definitions are anything close to "stupid." So, why do you keep mixing up the two? I'm sure some of you out there actually do hate gay people and think it's a "disease" that can be "cured", but I'll save that rant for another time. (I really hope you're not that ignorant, but anyway...) I personally know some people who have no problem whatsoever with the LGBTQ community, but they still use "that's so gay!" all the time. I know others who have no stance on the issue. The fact it: nobody should be using "gay" as a synonym for "stupid". Seriously, everyone. I would really like our generation to look more intelligent and well-spoken than this.

Sincerely,

An Enlightened Youth

"Fall is here, hear the yell...

2009-09-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

...back to school, ring the bell.

Brand new shoes, walking blues.

Climb the fence, books and pens.

I can tell that we are going to be friends."

-We're Going to Be Friends-The White Stripes

I started school today. Weird, I know. But, before I talk about that...vintage shopping! My mom and I ran to ReThreads in Milwaukee on Saturday and I found a few great pieces.

Those cowboy boots are rubber. I'm amazed how convincing they are. Not something I'd wear all the time (sweaty feet are gross), but they'll make fantastic rain(or light snow)boots!

This is a tee from the Alterra down the street. I'm in love with their coffee, their cafes, and this shirt. Unfortunately, someone put a men's shirt in the women's stack, so I have to exchange it.

This dress does not photograph well, so here's a preview. I'm loving the minimally asymmetrical collar on it.

I love this cute little skirt, and it was brand new!

On to my first day of school! It was good, relative uneventful. AP Psych seems really fascinating, and I'm looking forward to learn things that can apply to everyday life. My AP English teacher seems both fun and not afraid to discuss any topic related to our books (something that became a big gripe about English last year for me). The new Orchestra director seems friendly and open to working with us on keeping tradition for the concerts. German 5 is going to be crazy because there's 3 and 4 in the same class, but I'm excited to do real literature rather than the textbook. AP Economics seems interesting (we did two chapters over the summer) and the teacher is hilarious. I'm not sure what Honors Pre-Calc is going to be like, but the teacher is new and seems to be having trouble treating us like we're an honors class. Trends is my gym class, and it's more yoga/body pump/pilates oriented, which is great because I'll actually use it for life. All I need to do is get my photo independent study and my schedule will be fantastic!

However, it is a bit of a shock coming back and realizing how annoying a lot of people are. Isn't it unfortunate that 85% of the most outspoken people in class are the least intelligent? That's going to get old really fast, especially in classes like AP Econ and AP English where we're trying to discuss politics. We'll see how it goes, I guess.

Top-Charlotte Russe. Sweater-Target, from when I was a kid. Bracelet and earrings-Target. Skinny jeans-Kohl's. Flats-Target. (I'll have to take a picture of the flats soon because they are super cute.)

Pretty Things

2009-08-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

We went to the farmer's market last weekend, and it was lovely. I found a booth selling won tons and crab rangoon...not something one would usually eat at 10am, but fantastic all the same. After picking up our normal produce, we bought a bouquet of flowers. There was a 20 minute wait, but there was much to look at and it was completely worth it. I was fascinated by both the art of putting together bouquets and the three different patterns in the woman's outfit, not to mention the adorable little boy running around behind the table.

We've had a surprisingly large crop of tomatoes this year. We grow heirloom ones, which are all beautiful. They're different shades of red, and some are even striped. They sit on the windowsill to finish ripening, while with my Buddha statue holds it open.

This is what I wore to my OFA healthcare meeting on Tuesday. The blouse is cream colored with little red flowers and it's adorable. Cute blouses/shoes/accessories are the only time I'll post outfits with jeans on here.

Blouse-Charlotte Russe. Jeans-Kohls. Bag-Target. Bangle-Thrifted. Earrings-Target. Moccasins(not shown)-Minnetonka.

These are "Chinese meditation balls" my friend bought me in Chinatown while visiting her sister, who lives in San Fransisco. They have little bells in them, and you're supposed to rotate them in your hand. I haven't quite got the hang of it yet, but I do really like the design.

Relief

2009-08-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

I met the school's new orchestra teacher today, and I'm so relieved! Everyone loved Mrs. T, and we were so worried her replacement wouldn't match up. However, she seems really nice, and she's primarily a cellist. Awesome. I don't have anything else to say...I'm just so relieved and I had to express it!

Photography, School, and Coffee (As Usual)

2009-08-26T21:34:00.000-07:00

I'm returning to photography class once my independent study is worked out, so I've started to re-inspire myself for upcoming projects. I discovered a German photographer named Patrick Runte, and I love the whimsy and geekiness of his work. (I would love to show some of it here, but the URLs seem to be protected.)

Speaking of school, it's all I can think about lately. I haven't been very busy this week, other than having a "movie day" with a couple of friends today, and I'm honestly just ready to go back. There's something I absolutely love about fall. Even though it's a time for nature to begin hibernating, it's a time of new beginnings for many of us. The school population shifts, changes are made, new friendships are created, and people are excited to learn (or I am, anyway.) I miss tights and can't wait to wear them again. I'm also looking forward to more experimentation with outfits that can be worn while playing the cello; I've picked up a couple skirts that are long and flowy enough, as well as some more tunic-y tops that can dress up jeans a bit. It's going to be a great year.

OH, and I had my first blogger recognition today! It's supposed to take a year or two (right?), so I was definitely surprised. I went to apply for jobs, and I stopped in this cafe (as mentioned in this blog post) because I have a friend who just quit in order to leave for college. After taking an application, filling it out, returning it, and staying to sip coffee, the own approached me and said that he recognized my name from what I wrote about them on here! He seemed pleased, but mentioned that he doesn't actually live above the shop (though the previous owner did). After my initial surprise, I was pleased...hopefully it'll be positive in my potential for being hired there! Knock on wood. Though I'm not actually superstitious.

P.S.-Photos soon of the farmer's market, my awesome striped tomatoes, and other aesthetically pleasing things I've come across in the last couple of days.

Sounding Off

2009-08-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

There are many things I love about my city, but the amount of closed-minded conservatism drives me insane. Our newspaper, The Freeman, fuels this. While most papers have editorials, we also have "sound-offs." Editorials are generally long, thought-out, and held to a bit of a standard. Sound-offs, however, are usually short or obnoxiously long, and don't seem to be held to any sort of standard. People write in about all kind of things (Obama, Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle, and garlic!) and most have been about the evils of socialism lately. So, I decided to bring in a sound-off from the other side and write about all the beneficial socialist programs in the United States government. It's hopefully going to be printed tomorrow (the don't print on Mondays), and here it is!

"The Republican Party and its followers have done nothing but complain about the evils of socialism recently. However, socialism is what drives most of our society. The fire department is a government program; the FDA makes sure our food is clean and our medication is safe; public libraries provide us with free books to read, free movies to watch, and other resources; Social Security assists the elderly and disabled; the city fixes roads, and keeps them clear and safe to drive on in the winter; we have sidewalks to walk on; there are parks and public pools for us to enjoy; children can get an affordable education; we can use the Amtrak or buses to get around; there are ramps for those with physical disabilities; there are regulations on buildings so our houses and shops don't collapse; and that's just the beginning. So, have any of those services benefited you? Thank socialism, and try to be less closed-minded about it!"

Note: It sounds kind of lecture-y? Hm. I guess I'm doing more of the sound-off writing style than my own...except for the correct use of semicolons.

"And even though we ain't got money...

2009-08-22T20:59:00.001-07:00

...I'm so in love with ya honey,
And everything will bring a chain of love.
And in the morning when I rise,
You bring a tear of joy to my eyes,
And tell me everything is gonna be alright."
-Danny's Song

That has nothing to do with anything in this post...I just heard it sung at the farmer's market this morning and fell in love with the chorus a bit.

Anyway, I'm just quickly writing this to let you all know that I'm going to be gone for longer than usual. My family is cutting back on technology, and any time I have on the computer this weeks will probably be used making sure I can hang out with all my older friends before they go to college. So, I could blog from my iPod touch, but this is waaay more trouble than it's worth, and I can't put pictures with it, so I guess I'll just take a break. See you in a week or two!

Mexican Food

2009-08-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

I went out for Mexican with a friend a couple days ago. There are a ton of Mexican restaurants in the area. Most of them are fairly authentic (and cheap!), but a few are a bit fancier. La Estacion is one of those: the menu is huge and the building is an old train station, complete with refurbished train cars to sit in. I guess I was really happy about the food, because I took pictures of everything...

I love guacamole. I eat avacado on everything: burgers, chili, and more. It's the wonder food.

We always request to sit in the train car.

This is in my top two amazing local restaurant salads. It has: lettuce, spinach, strawberries, goat cheese, dried cranberries, shrimp, and amazing dressing. I'm very much a taco person, but I can't resist this every time I go to La Estacion.

Happy/Sad Things

2009-08-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

Happy.

Finishing my summer AP Economics homework. This resulted in putting on a hat and dancing to Girl Talk. By myself. Completely the highlight of my day.

New earbuds. My Apple ones were completely falling apart. I love my iTouch, but I really feel like their stuff is made to be disposable.
School starts in a couple of weeks. I know, I know, but I'm pretty excited to start and finish my senior year. My classes are going to be interesting, hopefully...I have a lot of new teachers, so we'll see.

Sad.

Scheduling Problems. I had to drop AP Art History to fit everything in my schedule, and I'm taking Photo Seminar as an independent study, which means not having class with everyone I've had class with for the last three years.

Les Paul Dying. The "Wizard of Waukesha" and quite an innovator in music. I'm proud he's from my hometown.

I can't stop thinking about school. It IS soon, but I need to enjoy the last two weeks of summer!

Fooling Around With Makeup

2009-08-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

Green! What do you think?

(This is totally the comic of Ghost World, which inspired the movie.)

This is my turntable. I bought it at a rummage sale for $15. I talked the guy down from $20 because it was my 15th birthday that week. I'm still pretty proud.

Tuned to either 88.9 or 90.7...independent radio is awesome.

Janis Joplin, if you're curious.

I love summer...

2009-08-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

...but I'm almost ready to be done. I'm craving tights, and I'm not crazy enough to wear them in the summer. Also, all the "back to school" stuff has started to pop up, and I'm just ready to go back. However, summer sunlight does produce some fantastic pictures.

My cousin's balcony.

My brother, hanging onto the balcony.

We "married" her to Robert Pattinson.

One of my grandpa's paintings. The fish is real!

We went to Phantom. I couldn't take pictures during the show, but the set at the beginning was amazing.

This is from a while ago. We visited my cousins in Illinois and went to a "Dog n Suds" drive-in on the way back.

These are all pictures from my bike ride. We stopped in a town called Wilton before the ride.

Get it? Like pi(r^squared)..the area of a circle!

And it was cute! And they had antiques! And the pie was awesome!

I bought a mug...because I don't have more than my cabinets can handle already.

Awesome jacket.

Then, we went on our bike ride. This was a giant stone flume for runoff from these huge old train tunnels.

My bike. I am in love with it.

The "light at the end of the tunnel."

closer...

almost there...

Sweetest bubbler ever. (That's a water fountain, for you non-Milwaukee folk.)

Overall, a fun day.

We stayed in La Crosse that night, so I could tour the college. This is off Grandad's Bluff...apparently we could see Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

I'm driving now! (with parental supervision...) Look out, world!

Oh man...

2009-08-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

...I am so terrible at this. Quality not quantity, right?

Really, I plan on blogging every night, and then I'm just tired after Tyra. Blah.

I'm planning on doing another big photo post in the near future, but right now I just want to quickly talk about how fantastic a movie Ghost World is. There's something eerie and magical about the weird small town they live in, and I love everything that Enid wears. Rebecca is pretty awesome too.

So awesome.

Seymour! And geez, Enid has the greatest vintage wardrobe ever.

The guy on the bench. And then, the bus came...

She is SO ADORABLE.

I am totally going to the library and getting this today because I'm too cheap to buy books.

And that's my little two cents for the moment. I'm off to look for a job today. I'm trying the YMCA (lifeguarding), the library (please?!? I would LOVE it there), and ACE Hardware (I don't want to, but I know people who just put their two weeks in because they're leaving for college). Wish me luck!

I didn't want it to come to this, but...

2009-08-08T18:11:00.000-07:00

...as you you can see, I've had to remove part of this post. I'm really disappointed that it had to come to this, because it was probably my most thought-out and poignant post, and the more examples one can have, the better for emphasis. My opinion isn't something that can be laughed off; "Oh, she's 16. Everyone her age thinks like that. She doesn't know what she's doing." NO. I know who I am and I know what I think. I'm educated on issues and events, and I have formed my opinion based on what I feel is morally right, not what youth culture tells me to think. If your opinion is different than mine, that's okay, but please don't shove it down my throat. I am who I am, and I believe what I believe. Nobody can change that.

Moxie and Mayhem

2009-08-06T18:16:00.001-07:00

Oh look! I have a post about Sufjan Stevens up at Moxie and Mayhem, my friend Ellie's music blog. :)

"Stand up! We shall not be moved...

2009-08-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

...except by a woman dying from the loss of food

If you've got more to give then you've got to prove

Put your hands up and I'll copy you."

-Stand Up-The Flobots

WARNING: I rant for pretty much this whole post. If you can't handle me being angry because people are stupid and intolerant, don't read this. :)

I'm really angry about racial intolerance today. It seems to be creeping up... (blah blah blah. here's where I had to remove stuff. to get you caught up: "terrorist convention" is the phrase discussed in the next paragraph.)

When we were home, I asked my mom what she thought it was, and our best guess is that she was referring to some kind of gathering held by the Islamic Society of Northern America or The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. Ugh. Are people still that ignorant? Did the Bush/Cheney administration actually do that good of a job of brainwashing Americans after 9-11? I thought people were over the whole Muslim=terrorist thing, but I guess not. That really pissed me off. Ignorance like that weakens our country; it doesn't make us any safer from the very few extremists (of all races and religions) who do want to terrorize us.

My general frustration with racial intolerance didn't end there. After getting home, eating dinner, and running errands, my family sat down and watched old episodes of the Twilight Zone. (That's what every average family does on a Monday night, right?)

The second episode, called "Deaths-Head Revisited", depicted a former Nazi solider revisiting Dachau, the concentration camp where he had worked during the Holocaust. The gate locks behind him, and the ghost of one of the prisoners comes out of nowhere. He begins describing all the terrible things the solider did while working there. The prisoner is making him really uncomfortable, and the guy keeps saying things like "Let me go! This is inhumane!" to which the prisoner says "What you did to us was inhumane." That line is really powerful to me, especially because of the persistent ignorance of the solider. More ghosts arrive, they hold a trial, and find him guilty of crimes against humanity. After another argument, the ghost takes him back outside and makes him feel the pain of all the things he had done to others: the thousands of bullets he has shot at prisoners lined up against the fence, the choking feeling of a noose, the suffocating poison of gas chambers, and many other tortures the prisoner considers to be unmentionable.

I was blown away by this episode. While all of them seem to have morals, this one was especially strong. It's easy for most us to look back today on what went on in Germany during WWII and consider it pure evil, but this was only filmed seventeen years after the fall of Hitler. I get the impression that it was still a really controversial subject at that time, and barely enough time had passed for people to understand its full impact on history.

This made me wonder: what is currently going on in our society that people are ignoring now, yet will be looked back on like the Holocaust after it's been stopped? I feel like the genocide in Darfur is like this. Terrible things are going on, the government is torturing people, and yet nobody is doing anything about it except activist groups. If governments/society were intelligent enough to learn from history, we would've stopped the genocide in Darfur already, or at least have our government working on it. It depresses me that so many people are ignorant of history to the point of repeating it.

I continued to sit around and watch TV for the rest of the night (what a great political activist I am...I get angry and do nothing about it but watch TV and blog!), and I flipped to an episode of The Tyra Banks Show. She can be crazy and over-the-top sometimes, but her episodes dealing with race, the LGBT community, tolerance, poverty, and other social issues are very well done. Tonight's particular episode had a group of people from all different backgrounds and races, and asked them to watch a series of video clips and discuss them. A lot of stereotypes were brought out, but there were a couple people who truly shocked/scared me.

Many of the people who were raised in Southern, white communities used Christianity as an excuse for their racism throughout the whole show. They kept claiming that it was their upbringing, that they grew up in a small town where everyone hated non-whites and the Klan was still active, and that their parents told them that the Bible condemned things such as interracial dating. That last one I really can not believe. As a liberal Catholic, I understand not all Christians share my views, but it drives me insane when people ignore Christianity's teachings of love and tolerance and pretend that racism, discrimination, and hate are magically written in between the lines in the Bible.

There was also the other extreme depicted: hating one's own race. One of the people on there was Arabic, and he talked about how completely ashamed of his race he's been since 9-11. He avoids traditionally-dressed Muslims on the street, refuses to get on a train when he sees other Muslims getting on for fear of them blowing it up, doesn't allow his own mother to wear her veil in public, responds to his parents in English when they speak Arabic, won't tell the girls he dates his last name, tells people he's Italian or Latino, and pretty much considers his whole race to be terrorists. I can't even say anything to that. I'm simply appalled to the point where I'm at a loss for words. I just don't understand.

In fact, I don't understand intolerance at all.

We're all different.

It's beautiful.

Embrace it.

Photo Overload!

2009-07-31T22:30:00.000-07:00

(Side note: does anyone know how to get my picture to squish into the box at the top without cropping it? Or does Google Chrome just display it incorrectly?)

It's been, what, 10 11 (I clearly have no time, since it took me two days to do this...) days since I last posted? (I really need to step this up if I ever actually want readers.) So, I'm going to summarize the last ten days with a series of words and phrases. Lazy American haiku? Here goes:

vintage shopping. Alterra Coffee. goodbyes. train station. airport. breakfast for dinner. German exchange student. local cafes. lost phone charger. college applications(!). phosphates. gelato. concerts. sexy flutes and clarinets. custard. curtains. canvassing. mosquito bites. cottage. UFO bar. cake. downtown. good friends.

And now, another summary of the past 10 days. In pictures.

Café de Arts is cute, but I have to say that the Steaming Cup is my favorite. Their bakery and sandwiches are amazing, and everyone who works there is so friendly and personal! Also, they have a great collection of cute mugs, and photos everywhere (the freestanding tables are all giant pictures!)

After our coffee outing, we dropped Sarah off at the train station so she could head back to Indiana.

We went vintage shopping and I scored, among other things, this adorable dress!

Dress-ReThreads. Belt-Vintage. Jewelry-Target. Bag-Target.

On Monday, my family headed up to our friends' cottage. It rained the first day, but it was beautiful the next morning.

It's peanut butter jelly time. :)
We found some old plates. Ah, the good ol' People's Republic of China...
Look! Good weather!

We took the boat over to Benson's UFO Headquarters.
Alien in a jar!

I absolutely love the "beer" one, especially since it's by a kid.
Groovy.
The cottage was so adorable.
The loft had red floors, and we hung paper lanterns...
and the door was "firefly yellow."
Creepy statues across the street.

That's all! Hopefully I'll get back to some better posting soon.

Renée

Welcome to Waukesha

2009-07-22T23:32:00.000-07:00

I've spent a lot of time in Milwaukee over the past few weeks, and I think it's time to give you a glimpse of Waukesha, my hometown. It's a small-ish city (about 65,000, but many of that is from subdivisions pretty far from downtown), but it's growing and definitely has its own charm. In the 1800s and early 1900s, it was famous for its springs, and many believed the water could cure cancer. (You'll be getting a full history lesson someday, believe me. I'm really fascinated with all the stories behind this little city.)

A springhouse! These are still everywhere. (Source: http://springcitychronicle.com/)

Quickly, one of my favorite mini-stories...

There's a building up the hill by my house that currently houses a missionary school (New Tribes Bible Institute) which was a hotel in the early 1900s. When Prohibition was passed, a tunnel under the hotel (that also could be accessed from the side of the hill) was used to make, store, and distribute liquor. I don't know what it is, but I've always been fascinated by that. Maybe it's because the tunnel is still there...

The tunnel! (Source: http://activepaper.olivesoftware.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q1RGLzIwMDkvMDcvMDgjQXIwMDEwNA==&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom)

The old hotel, and current bible school/dangerous sledding hill. (Source: http://www.laniertribe.com/laniertribe/Our_Training.html)

On to modern Waukesha. Isn't this the cutest coffee shop you've ever seen?

It's called Café de Arts, and it's owned by this really friendly Turkish guy who roasts all the coffee in the shop. Also, he lives above it, so they're open whenever he feels like it.

Off-topic, but this is our bus station. I love that sculpture in the fountain.

One of the main features of Waukesha is the Fox River. "Waukesha" is Chippewa for "little fox", and there are a ton of foxes in the area. (And albino squirrels...I don't know how they don't get killed, they're so easy to spot...)
There are some pretty awesome bear statues by the river, too. The statues depict a mother bear teaching her young how to fish and are called "Life Lessons". (This is Sarah, and Katherine's hair because I'm too lazy to crop.)

We saw some adorable baby raccoons, too. They're only cute for so long, and then they get mean...

Numerous Café de Arts trips have been taken in the past week. On this particular one, it was pouring out, and we ran over there. The door was locked, but the guy let us in and sold us coffee. Before we got there, he was just sitting there, smoking a cigar, drinking wine, and talking to friends. Again, the magic of living at your small business.

We took shelter from the storm on the side porch.

The floor was painted! Also, moccasins!

There have also been quite a few walks around the river. I love the way these fountains light up at night.

On a completely different topic, here are some pictures of my adorably retro kitchen! I was going to write a whole story about tea here, but I have finished the tea and shall be going to bed shortly...I have my last day of driver's ed tomorrow morning.

His eyes and tail barely even tick anymore. It's so sad.

My kitchen is very yellow, and I love it.

"Bread and water can so easily become toast and tea." When I was little, I used to always comment that it could even more easily become soggy bread.

Further Geeking Out

2009-07-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

Here's the verdict: Harry Potter was amazing. But Tuesday was great even before that...

My best friend flew in from Houston yesterday! She's a military child, so she moves around quite a bit, but she actually spent 4 years here before heading back to Texas. It was so fantastic to see her again. Three of her friends (plus my mom) went to the airport and picked her up, and we went to my house and just talked on the porch. Nothing compares to catching up with someone in person, no matter how often you text or talk on Facebook. After a good, long chat and some homemade macaroni and cheese, we headed off to Harry Potter!

First of all, I'm not gonna be all like "people like this, I can't possibly be a fan any more" because I've loved the Harry Potter books since second grade. I'm not a jump-on-the-bandwagon fan and I also don't abandon things when they become cool. Just so you know.

Anyway...we got to the theater at about 8:30 to stand in line. I think they had 6 screens showing Harry potter at midnight. The theater here is crazy; it's called the Marcus Majestic, and it has 2 ultra screens, around 15 regular theaters, another ultra screen called the Palladium that serves full meals, a huge concession stand, a pizza place, a coffee and ice cream shop, a martini bar, a child care center, and valet parking. It's seriously insane. So, the seven of us sat around in line until they opened the doors. We were pretty far back and ended up toward the front, but at least we found seats together. It was such a huge party (I chose not to dress up this time, but there were some pretty great costumes) and everybody in the theater was screaming and singing. One of the theater workers got a megaphone and tried to get the whole theater to sing "Mysterious Ticking Noise", which completely failed. The row in front of us was filled with a lot of drama/choir people from my school (including a kid in a Batman mask) and they sang Bohemian Rhapsody, Build Me Up Buttercup, and a ton of other songs.

Then, the movie! I legitimately liked it. I think it was the first one that I would've been able to enjoy even if I wasn't a fan. There was good action, and enjoyably awkward sexual tension. ;) (Ah, those 16-year-old.) Won-won! I'm not going to spoil the movie, but I'm going to tell you that it was awesome.

This is sort of (but not completely) off-topic, but ModCloth had a list of bad pick-up lines, and there was a Harry Potter one on it. I was bored, so I ended up searching for Harry Potter pick-up lines. Here's a list of the best ones!

My name may not be Luna, but I sure know how to Lovegood.
If I were to look into the Mirror of Erised, I would see us together.
I'm not wearing an invisibility cloak, but do you think I could visit your restricted section tonight?
Is that a wand in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?
Are you using the Confundus Charm, or are you just naturally mind-blowing?
I must need Occlumency, because I can't get you out of my thoughts.
Did you survive Avada Kedavra? 'Cause you're drop dead gorgeous.
I'm like Oliver Wood, baby--I'm a Keeper!
I'm like the spine on the Care of Magical Creatures book Hagrid assigned us; stroke my spine and I'll open right up.
I might as well be under the Imperius Curse, because I would do anything for you.

I hope you enjoyed that. I did. :)

I AM SO EXCITED...

2009-07-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

...TO SEE HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE ON TUESDAY NIGHT.

This Entertainment Weekly article had the cutest pictures ever. (Bonnie Wright looks so much older in real life. I couldn't believe it!) Though Daniel Radcliffe doesn't have the greatest fashion sense (toggle-clasped suits?) and Rupert Grint usually looks like he just rolled out of bed, they put awesome outfits on them and ended up doing great pictures. I've been trying to find these pictures, but it looks like only the cover is online. :(

Anyway, Potter mania! I'll try and post a review, but I have work and a friend visiting from Texas next week and it's going to be pretty crazy.

Costumes, Jewelry, and Crepes

2009-07-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hey look! Crazy, ghost, poofy awesomeness! (Awkward posing!) The blouse is a lot poofier in real life. I'll have to take a picture of the broach, too.

This is the watch-necklace I bought thrifting a few weeks ago. It's so beautiful, and it actually works. (Though it's really loud and makes things weird when everything else is quiet.)

On to my week...I started driver's ed, something I'd been putting off for quite a while. The class is pretty boring, but I know it's important and I'm excited to drive. I won't actually drive that often, but walking isn't really an option when it's dark out. I also got my temps, so I went driving once. I didn't crash, but I have a long way to go before I can get out of the parking lot...

Other than that (and working on the movie), I've been working a lot. I started to intern for Organizing for America, so I'm doing a lot of calling people/spreadsheets/going through papers. The work isn't that fun, but overall it's so inspiring. I'm really excited to do it!

On Thursday, I went down to Milwaukee again. The Alterra on the lakefront does a mini Florentine Opera once a month, so we went to that for an hour or so. Then we headed to Cathedral Square Park for...

BASTILLE DAYS! It's a lovely little East Side French festival with great food and a lot of impromptu street performers. (And a miniature Eiffel Tower.)

These guys were spray painting this mural of the Storming of the Bastille.

CREPE CREPE CREPE. Mmmmmm. My favorite part.

Oh look, an outfit! There's that skirt!

Skirt-Summerfest. Shirt-H&M. Earrings & Bracelet-Target. Necklace-Vintage. Purse-Orla Kiley from my mom's friend.

A little story behind the purse. My mom's friend has the greatest sense of style of anyone I've met. She has a ton of purses, and that much closet space, so she brought a bunch to work for the taking. My mom snatched up this fantastic little bag for me, and it's one of the cutest purses I own. Thanks!

Cheer them on to their rivals...

2009-07-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

...Cause America can, and America can't say no

And America does, if America says it's so

It's so!

And the anchorperson on TV goes

La de da de da de da de da de da de da...

-16 Military Wives-The Decemberists

Look! Pictures from Bob Dylan that I forgot about!

Ceiling of the Marcus Amphitheater.

Awesome lights that Bob had during a song or two. (I clearly had terrible seats, this is way zoomed and it's not even close.)

On to the weekend!

On Friday, my friend asked me to come help her with this movie. Her friend works at the county's historical museum, and they have to make a modern-day "ghost hunter" video dealing with one of the building's ghost stories. It's the city's old courthouse/jail, so there are a lot of ghost stories floating around (no pun intended. well, maybe.).

The story they chose involves Grace, a schoolteacher. She was asked by a doctor to help him write a book, which was common in those times. They ended up having an affair during the bookwriting process, and he told her Grace would leave his wife for her. When he didn't, Grace got angry and shot his wife. She was put on trial, and had to live in the jail for the duration of the trial. However, women were not usually accused of crimes, so there was no women's jail. An apartment was created for Grace on the fourth floor, where she could have tea and visitors whenever she pleased. Eventually, she was convicted and sent to the state women's prison. However, many believe her ghost returned to the courthouse after she died because it was the last place she had hope.

We spent most of our first day planning, but we also got a tour of the hidden parts of the museum. The basement is wonderfully creepy, and the fourth floor is as well. There are still old cell walls and doors, and the elevator mechanisms are ancient. I'm planning on getting some pictures of the building as well as me in the Grace costume.

To find a costume, we ran to St. Vincent de Paul, my favorite under-appreciated thrift store. After finding a perfect white poofy blouse, we figured we would look through the hats. In the pile of baseball hats and woven sun hats was this perfect flapper hat. It was only 99 cents, and I'm pretty much in love with it.

AWESOME.

I also had a great 4th of July. It was great to finally celebrate America's independence from Bush/Cheney. (And Sarah Palin's resignation!) In the morning, my family headed down to the parade. I always appreciate how my school is represented. There are three public high schools in Waukesha. The other schools just have marching band, colorguard, poms, cheerleading, etc, and so do we. However, South brings something extra: the robotics team, pushing their robot, and the step/dance team, wearing Michael Jackson shirts and white masks. We're a more unique, diverse school, and I really enjoy it.

After the parade, we headed down to Summerfest again. I brought a friend, so I actually got to ride the skyglider. (It makes my mom nervous to see my brother and I on it, though she's not afraid of heights herself, se I've never been on it before.) We did a lot of shopping, watching local bands, and trying new foods. (I had my first gyros!) I really enjoyed walking along the lakefront, where a lot of shops and smaller stages were located. We went to the Tiki Stage, which smelled like Lake Michigan and incense. (totally a good thing, actually.) This guy named Dan Rodriguez was playing there. His songs were a mix of sweet lyrics, acoustic guitar, and silliness. He did a version of the Beyonce song Single Ladies, which could have been terrible, but was quite enjoyable. After watching his set, I picked up a really cute skirt at one of the shops. Here's the pattern, and I'll be sure to post an outfit with it soon:

After Summerfest, we headed down to the Expo Center to watch the fireworks. To me, nothing says Independence Day like laying on a blanket, playing BS, eating homemade popcorn, and watching fireworks fall through the sky.

Lazy blogger already?

2009-07-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

It's been, what, a week? Erm...

I guess I'm feeling kind of uninspired/unmotivated lately. Summer should mean I have more time to do stuff that isn't school-related, but this lack of structure just makes me feel like not doing anything. Also, it's been in the 60s all week here. So cold!

One good thing though: I went to Summerfest. If you're not a Milwaukee native, this is Summerfest in a nutshell: a ton of stages with local bands during the day and headliners at night, lasts about 10 days, a lot of beer, one admission prices, tons of international food, lots of shops, and more good people-watching than anyone could ever ask for. It's apparently the world's largest music festival, and the second largest people-gathering in the U.S. (Mardi Gras being the first).

Anyway, it's right in my area, so I always try to go check it out. A lot of times I just go during the day, but this year I saw Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson at the Marcus Amphitheater (the only stage where you have to pay for tickets). It was a good show, despite Bob not interacting with the crowd at all. Also, he didn't do as much of his older stuff that I would've liked. Regardless, it was a great show, and it was Bob Dylan. He's a legend.

The only other exciting thing I've done all week was find a new thrift shop in a church in Elm Grove, a wealthier suburb between my town and Milwaukee. I scored some awesome jewelry which I plan on taking pictures of soon. Lazy blogger indeed. Sorry...

Peace!

Renée

It was one hundred degrees...

2009-06-24T22:02:00.000-07:00

As we sat beneath a willow tree

Whose tears didn't care
They just hung in the air
And refused to fall, to fall.

-Crooked Teeth-Death Cab For Cutie

This is generally my view right now, minus the flip-flops (no reason for shoes if I'm not leaving the house, right?). Porch swing, good independent radio, and a fantastic book. I'm completely loving it. Reading on the porch has been my favorite part of summer since I was little.

However, not all of my summer has been that chill. It's been a bit of a crazy week. The temperature has been in the high 80s to mid 90s all week, which isn't too out of the ordinary. There's a great public pool nearby, and lots of great shops where I can grab a gelato, custard(normal ice cream? psh.), or frozen drink. I've managed to "beat the heat" pretty well.

On Tuesday, I went to a small cookout with a friend. Her dad's ex-wife lives nearby, and her now adult children (my friend's half-siblings) invite us over whenever she's out of town. I know it's terrible, but I really enjoy swimming in a private pool sometimes. Plus, her brother grilled some avocado along with the brats and corn on the cob, which is surprisingly amazing!

Tuesday night was when things got a bit hectic. I got home around 11:00, and the air conditioner was broken. I'm not that much of a diva and wouldn't mind if it happened during the day. However, my family prefers it cold when we sleep, so we ended up setting up air mattresses and other makeshift beds downstairs, where it was a bit cooler. I wound up sleeping on the porch, which was more comfortable than the house, actually. This went fantastically until about 5:30. I'm used to having shades that allow me to sleep past sunrise, but that's a bit of an issue on the porch. I got back to sleep eventually, but it made for a rather sleepy day today.

Today Pride and Prejudice and Zombies finally came in for me at the public library. I've had it on hold since before spring break, and I'm ridiculously excited to read it. However, the heat kind of freaked out the city's power grid for a few hours. I was at Divino Gelato and everything shut down. Not too terrible (hopefully no gelato was lost!), but I still didn't get my book...

Tonight went well. I went to an Organizing For America "Health Care Kickoff" party. Organizing For America is essentially a continuation of the Obama campaign that works toward some of President Obama's initiatives. I was really active in the campaign last year, but I hadn't really done any political work since then, which made tonight that much greater. On top of that, I got to see people I hadn't talked to since November! The hostess was one of the members of my mom's "team" (each team covered a small part of the city), and she and her husband own the most adorable piece of land. She has an antique store in the front, her husband has a cafe in another building, and their house is attached to the cafe. The house is so beautiful and historically accurate; it's like Old World Wisconsin, but cozy. On top of that, they had part of an old stone silo and lots of room to explore. I'm going to have to stop in for lunch sometime.

Anyway, outfit post! I remembered!

Dress-Kohl's. Bracelet and Earrings-Target. Necklace-thrifted. Flip flops-Old Navy. Flip-flops are a habit I need to break. It was hot out, so I feel like I have an excuse. Sort of. Sorry for the bad picture, too. I positioned my head right with the birdhouse and the mobile, and it's not working.

The bracelet is actually a lot more gold than this.
Adorable little nautical necklace! I believe I have another one with a different picture, but I forget what of...
Lovely lacy earring. Also, my beauty marks? flat moles? big freckles? What are they called? I honestly don't know.
Carousel horse mobile from when I was a baby.

Much love, (I need a closing. I'm not sure I liked "Shine on"...hmm.)

Renée

The future hangs over our heads...

2009-06-19T21:38:00.000-07:00

...And it moves with each current event

Until it falls all around like a cold steady rain

Just stay in when it's lookin' this way.

-"Landlocked Blues"-Bright Eyes (featuring Emmylou Harris)

I went to a good friend's grad party this weekend. It was a great time; a bit awkward at first, as many parties are, but some intense ping pong started in the basement, more people arrived, and conversations started. We enjoyed some dinner off the grill, fruit, and cake. Though we were going to all head out at 8:00, the weather was terrible and some of us stayed and enjoyed the company of a smaller crowd. After my host's eight-year-old brother beat me in chess (I'm not as good as I used to be, and he takes lessons!), the rest of us headed home. Overall, a fantastic evening.

However, grad parties always get me thinking, and this comes more with each year. I watch all of the seniors discuss where they're going to college: Harvard, Penn, Madison, Lawrence, Carthage, UWM and more. As they discuss where they'll be heading off to in the fall, I realize I'll be filling out applications in the fall, and getting ready to move away for the first time. The concept of packing up and leaving people/possessions behind isn't new to a lot of people. However, I've lived in the same exact place all my life; I've never moved away from Waukesha, I've always lived in the same house, and my bed has been in the same corner of my room for all 16 years of my life. I'm excited for college, but also nervous. What if there's nowhere to hang out in my new city? What if everyone there turns out to be stuck up? What if my classes are impossibly hard? What if the weather's weird there? What if my new friends aren't as great as my current ones? What if I hate my major? I understand I'll have time to check out colleges (and I already have a pretty good idea of where I want to go), but that doesn't make my worries go away. Change is good, but that doesn't mean it isn't a challenge sometimes.

I'm having trouble writing this because I don't want to come off as overly attached to my family and hometown. It's just something I think about. I tend to spend a good chunk of time "people watching" at parties. A lot of times, the way people interact is more fascinating than the actual conversation. (More on observations later. I do a lot of this, and it deserves its own post.)

(Here's where I was going to do outfit pictures (yay vanity!), but I completely forgot to take them. That's probably my first goal: remember to take outfit pictures, then use said pictures to improve style. I was attempting to describe my outfit, but it wasn't going too well and I decided to skip it. It was getting a bit long for a footnote. Anyway...I guess I'm ending this post? Better luck next time, self.)

Shine on,

Renée

Oh, and one more thing...

2009-06-18T15:19:00.000-07:00

Moxie and Mayhem is my friend Ellie's music blog, and it features a bunch of contributors, including me. :) I suggest you check it out!

Welcome!

2009-06-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

Hi there. I'm Renée, and this is my blog. I'm starting it for a few different reasons:

Improve my style. I'm mostly a jeans and a t-shirt girl. I love skirts, but don't own very many because I play cello. This won't be as much of an issue in college, but as a high school student, I have to show up to orchestra every day. I have weekends and summer to wear skirts and dresses, so I'm going to focus on that these next few months.
Love life. It's not that I don't, but having an outlet to write about the small things that I enjoy and share photographs of things that make me smile will hopefully make me further appreciate everything I have in life.
Be heard. I love politics and I'm a really opinionated person, but my friends can only take so much of me talking about politics. I plan on discussing social issues I find important and sharing ways to become politically active.

That's about it for now, and I'm really looking forward to this. Feel free to share your blog with me, if you do have one!

Shine on,

Renée