Chirstmas this year

Was great.

But having a job really does make a difference. And having homework. And other obligations. And friends.


It seems that with each Christmas Eve, a little bit of joy is missing as I age. I wish it wasn't like that.
This year was definitely the worst with its many weeks' worth of shopping and partying and eating and shopping and anticipation all leading up to the 25th when
BAM
over.


That's it?

All of that energy was spent for this?

Next year I'll make sure it happens differently.
And next year I'll budget a bit better.
That was hard lesson I needed to be taught. But I will continue to keep my Christmas gift giving attutide as it is-give with love and friendship and care, as if you don't expect anything from them.

Stay Healthy

So. Many. Sweets.
Too. Many.

This will be a very fattening week. Blecch.
I'm making cookies along with bringing cookies to a party that will have a giant gingerbread house.

Just thinking of the countless other cakes/cookies/candies/pastries/etc that I will be nearby this week makes want to search out people to eat it all. I'm actually getting a bit desperate :)

Fotografía

This last year I feel I've developed my style for when I take a photo.
So here they are; basically my year in photos, but not exactly.
Just a select amount of my favorites.

Literature

I read books too quickly.

And because of this, reading through twice may not be a bad idea.
I become so interested in what is going on that I can not stop reading, until it's over and done with.

And then I am disappointed because, I remember the main points and major happenings of the book, but not all of the details. Which may be significant.
And novels are better when you can remember what happened.

When a book is exciting, I make time to read it.

I should read more often-I've always loved it.
I should find more exciting books.

It may be

that a little bit goes a long way,

but certainly,

a lot more will go even farther.

FEAR

Growing up, you probably realize somethings about yourself.
Like what you are afraid of.

Let me scroll down that list for a second...

• Heights
• Spiders
• diseases
• terrorist attacks
  
• needles
• incredible storms
  
• noises in the dark
• Any of those jump-out-at-you Halloween places
  

Most of these I can deal with nowadays if I can calm myself down before. I've gotten so much better with spiders-even just in these past few years. I've gone from hysteria and anxiety to nervous, forced, courage. I can walk across the bridges above our quad at school without becoming too shaky. Diseases and needles? They can go hand in hand, so I had to get over at least one.

Anyway. As I've grown, there are different things in this world that frighten me. More serious and psychological things.

• Environmental damage/ resource depletion
• Hunger
• Economic collapse
• Straying from my faith
• The 2008 election
• Not doing enough for others
  
• College/Careers
• Bigger spiders (seriously)

I may still have to keep my cool and refuse to look down when I climb the stairs at the Civic Arts Plaza, but I am working toward letting go of those unimportant fears, so that eventually I can relieve myself of these other worries. It's okay to be aware, but I'd like to rid myself of any major, stressful fears, especially any that simply concern me.

In Good Company

I know some pretty amazing people.
But this year is so completely different from last year.
Each person has their own complex schedule,
their own individual priorities,
their own precious time to spend.

It's disappointing when I don't get to see everyone on a regular basis.
But on the bright side I feel that this challenges us to make an effort to see each other, and in a way, it might just provide opportunities to see who really matters in our lives.
It's a sad thought, but it is true.

School Spirit

This was an entry I wrote a year ago, when I was planning on starting a blog, and then never posted. It was after one of the best football games of the year, when we played Rio Mesa. It was so much fun, and tells the story of Jessica, Katie, Hilary, Sharika, and me during those 3 hours or so.

I just feel like reminiscing. We plan on going to Café Topanga again this friday before the home game. It's now a tradition to get our crème brulee to go. Hah.

So.

What happens when you put a plate of crème brulee and a bowl of chocolate mousse in front of 5 hungry teenagers at Café Topanga?

They scarf it down.

Now, three of them, whom you’d expect to be the more hyper ones, have no after-affects from the sugar whatsoever.

The other two begin to have extreme sugar highs; and what can come out of this can only be described by the following:

The twisting/creating of songs/cheers-

The band plays the songs, we sing our lyrics…which just happen to be cheers for when we play TO.

The “Hey Song.” (to the tune of 'Rock and Roll' by Gary Glitter)

Da duuuh da-duh, HEY! da-duh da-duh da-duh,

Da duuuuh da-duh, HAY! that’s-what the-horses-eat,

Da duuuuh da-duh, MEAT! that’s-what the-Panthers-eat!

The cheerleaders then get up and cheer, as they should.

Catch up,

Go, go team panthers!

Catch up,

Go, go team catch up!

Or something along those lines-I don’t recall the entire thing.

So then we, that is, Jessica and me, create a condiment cheer.

Ketchup,

Go, go team Mustard! (Please keep in your mind that our school colors are black and yellow before you begin to think that Jessica and I lost ours)

Ketchup,

Go, go team Mustard!

And I’m sure there was something about olives and lettuce in there somewhere, but it was improvised.

The two acts of Treason-

So after all of this, we notice that Rio Mesa has a bigger crowd than we usually see.

And the more we look on at these super spirited students and parents, the more like a feel-good sport movie it becomes!

They brought posters and hung them from the railings and fences; their band, though small, is louder than our cheerleaders and band put together; their chants are more creative and the band is very active and did as they pleased-so much so it reminded me of HSM; EVERYONE knows the cheers and everyone sings them; there is even a bobbing, dancing squad crowded in behind them!

We are quite amazed. Naturally, we are drawn to join them and observe this spectacle.

Twice we travel across to the opposing side to sit among those visitors. The first and less cautious trip, we sit as near as we can to the pep squad.

However,

A few moms get rowdy and recognize Katie’s NP DRUMLINE sweatshirt from behind us.

Not good. We leave in haste.

When we go back, we sit in different seats. And we only return so one of us, who shall remain nameless, can see this one shirtless band guy.

Can’t really say I enjoyed booing when NP scored a touchdown. We miss the Hey song, so we leave, homesick, again.

Hahaaaaaa

I've blogged for a year on Thursday.

53 posts.

About one a week.

Man, I'm good at this :)




^ (sarcasm)

I'm a better chef.

When I have nothing else to say, I can always just show you.

I enjoy art walks/shows/exhibits so much. It's always interesting to see how each artist has their own style, their own strength.
Like this person who I think is great with shadows.













Or one of my favorite local artists known for incredible color and abstract concepts. He paints these aquarium scenes on mirrors as well...





John Sidman






And today, I thought this man's photography was amazing. There were others that I deemed even more innovative and impressive.







'Jocko' McFadden








I find it intriguing that there are hundreds of artists involved in this biannual art show; artistic people are still thriving wherever you go, bu tyou can tell its difficult for most to have it as a career.
Artists enjoy other artists' work at such a deeper level than most others. Which is sad, because artists don't usually have the money to afford others' works of art because they're trying to sell their own. For the most part, those who buy artwork are investing in a decoration that they find asthetically pleasing.
I've felt its more than that. I love to critique and observe and search a peice for meaning, purpose, message, and tone. It really helps inspire me.
I already have ideas after today.