Love.

Guys, I have very important news.

I'm in love. I just realized it today, and it's a thrilling new experience. I feel all giddy and happy. I fell in love mostly because we really connect in our thought processes. What's his name, you ask?
Oh, um. A more appropriate question would be to ask what are their names? Yeah. Well their names are Adam, Jesse, Mickey, James, and Matt. That's right. I'm in love with Maroon 5.

Now before you scoff and say something that implies I have bad taste for liking Maroon 5, I need to ask why?! Why do people dislike Maroon 5 so much? Is it because their songs are on the radio, and are pop-ish (when did we all turn into such hipsters)? I know Moves Like Jagger is super catchy, and I can see why people would dislike that song (not saying that I dislike it! It's totally my jaaaaam), but have these people that hate them heard their older music?

Okay, this song makes me cry. I said it! And that's saying something because books...movies...music usually never make me cry. Ever. I did not cry watching The Notebook, Up, or Toy Story 3 (you only get to choose one to be appalled at me for. And no, I guess I don't have a soul, I might as well be ginger).

Listen to it. Love it. Maybe cry.

Being Protective.

It is instinctive nature that leads us to be protective, right? We're protective over those people and things we care about (hopefully mostly people...), and will do anything to see that no harm comes their way.

Well, my neighbor's dogs are no different.

I'm not really a dog person, so please don't chastise me and get offended if I don't describe them correctly (not that you'll know what the dogs look like...unless you're my neighbor, in which case...awwwkward). There are two dogs, one of them is a small black dog and the other is a...beagle? Both of them are fairly small in size.

Anyhow, the house that these people live in faces another direction, so that the side of their house faces the same general area the front of ours faces (this is not that important but I'm frustrating myself trying to explain it). Their yard is fenced in, and for good reason.

I have been walking past their yard to get to the bus stop for about...3 years now. You would think that the dogs would learn I'm not going to break into the house and steal their things and kill their family. Every time I pass them, both morning and after school, I brace myself for the barking. They come leaping over to the very edge of the fence, and just bark at me.

The black dog is the one that seems to be in charge; he always initiates the barking and the beagle slowly follows and assists. The black dog runs back and forth, and keeps barking until he can't see me anymore (like I'm keeping my eye on you). The beagle usually looks to the black dog, as if to say what should I do now? and follows his orders.

It's pretty amusing from time to time, but just gets irritating when I'm day dreaming or listening to music, and am jolted out of my stupor, possibly letting a yell escape me, as the dogs come over and sass me: don't you think that we don't know what you're up to! We're watching you! I'm going to menacingly bark until you leave! Ooohh are you giving up? GOOD. Don't try to come back here! EVER.

Such sassy neighbors.

The way to do it.

1. Sturdy Work Space. This is essential. I have to sit at either the table in the kitchen, or the one in the dining room to do any sort of essay or other homework. Since I don't have a desk, if I happen to sit on my bed, or God forbid lie down on it, I will fall asleep. This is inevitable. I have way too many experiences with falling asleep with my face in Tindall last year (but then again, who can blame me?).

2. Shitty First Drafts. Ever since I read that excerpt in AP Comp and forever and forever, that is my Bible when it comes to writing any sort of paper. I just open up a Word Document, type what could be called a "structured free-write." I write it as though that's what I will be turning in, and just let the words be practically vomited into the document.

3. Utter destruction. I print my "shitty first draft" and then proceed to self critique. No...self critique is too nice a word. I tear it apart. It's better that I'm harsh to myself versus someone else, right?
(I blurred it because this paper was embarrassingly bad quality of writing...you can still kinda see the edits though.)

4. Old fashioned. Before I type my new(er) and (more) improved draft, I have to sit down and write my paragraphs by hand. I make outlines, bulleted lists, blurbs of ideas, and (for the first time with this paper), a CRJ. I just can't get my thoughts properly aligned on the computer. Word is okay for thought vomit, but that's it.

4. CAFFEINE! YEAH BABY! As I was creeping through other people's blog posts before I decided to do my own (I'm admitting it because I know you all do it too), I noticed a lot of people said they drink tea or coffee when they are working. I'm no exception to this. Usually I drink tea, but when I feel like I need an extra creative burst, I'll drink coffee (don't ask me how those two relate). My favorite is definitely Tim Horton's French Vanilla Cappuccino from Canada.



5. Taking advantage of space. Yeah...I just let my stuff go everywhere (see last blog post).


6. Revising. I revise and revise and revise until I feel that if I have to read one more word from the paper, I will cry. Or throw up. Or maybe both.

Revising.

When I'm revising...my workspace can become just as scattered as my brain.
All those papers belong to me. I am proud.

What it takes to write.

For me, I have found that I cannot write a good essay or paper unless I have done something on paper first.

Whether that be by brainstorming or writing the actual essay itself, I cannot seem to do it on the computer. You open a blank Microsoft Word document, ideas fresh and ready to be formed, and are met with...the cursor. It sits there, blinking, as though it's impatiently waiting for you to get started. 

Well? What are you going to say? Why haven't you started saying it yet? Type! Type, I say! I don't have all day! Well?!

Yeah. It judges you, and it rushes you. That stupid blinking cursor. 

Paper & an old fashioned pencil never judge. They wait patiently for ideas to come flowing out, and let you write wherever and how ever you want. I tend to brainstorm with a paper and pencil, and then put those ideas  on the computer in a document after that. I can't even proofread without reading it on paper. Mistakes just don't jump out at me on a illuminated screen the way they do after the paper is fresh out of the printer.

Of course, I do have those days where I simply cannot do anything, whether it be on paper or on the computer, no mater how hard I try. 

It happens to the best of us, right?

Plus, doodling is fun!

Well it's a big big city & it's always the same.

Another cute song because...I'm a dorky teenage girl. I really don't like the music video, so if you're going to listen to the song I wouldn't watch it. 

Everything affects everything.

Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity of hearing the author Jay Asher speak at the Ridgedale Library.

If you don't know who that is, he wrote the book Thirteen Reasons Why (left). I'm not focusing on the book itself for this blog post, but rather the message it sends. It really is a suspenseful and strong book, and if you want to know what it's about, click here.

Initially, this seemed like a terrible book to me, why would anyone read this? It sure puts a damper on your day. But I was wrong; the things that were dealt with by characters in this book are very real issues that many teenagers go through every day.

The author himself was amazingly hilarious. He told jokes and laughed and told personal stories about his childhood. He told us how and why he decided to write this particular book, and what an impact that had had on him.
He then spoke of the message the book sends.

(Disclaimer: I will try really hard not to go all SBS* for this part, I really will. Promise.)

Jay Asher told us that everything affects everything. What you said to someone yesterday may have made or broken their day, but it may be something that you said without thinking. The smile you gave someone in the hall could have brightened their day. The rude remark may have been "just kidding" to you but hurtful for that person.

Basically, we don't know. We don't know what people are going through. As human beings we are naturally selfish and think only of ourselves, and don't think that anyone else could possibly have it as bad as us (I mean, my mom took away my phone the other day. My phone. Do you realize how traumatic this is?!)

So...try to think about that. And I will too.


(if you can't read it, he wrote "everything affects everything" on the bottom of the page)

On a less preach-y note, he has a blog! He's a really funny guy, as mentioned before. He blogs about all the places he goes to for his book tours, which I thought was pretty awesome. He updated his blog with the Minnetonka stuff last night, so you can read that if you want.


I challenge you to try to find me in the picture that's second to last on the page. You can do it. I believe in you.

Be a nice person.  

Mrs. Cardona, do I win for cheesiest blog post ever?








* Not trying to say that SBS is bad in any way. Don't hate me.

If I could be your Superman...

This is such a cute song.