whisk some sugar, drink some water

Well, it sure has been awhile. For all you readers out there. I can see you. Yeah, you, don't look around, you know who you are. I hope you enjoyed the pictures. I did. Well. The verdict is in. I have officially been accepted into college. I will not be wasting my life watching tv for the next four years. My life will go on. I submitted my applications a mere two weeks ago, and it only took Drew University one week to decide that they wanted me! Can you believe it! And, get this, they offered me the Dean's Scholarship as well. I'm pretty pumped. Now I can relax supposedly although don't get your hopes up. I don't think me and relaxing can be put in a sentence for awhile. Like 10 years. All is well though in the scheme of things you know? No more worrying about whether I'll get into any of my colleges. No fear, Drew is here! On the other hand I still have high school, and boy do I love it. Sense sarcasm...here. Wonderful being a senior, not a care in the world. NOT! Still got AP classes and I'm not a slacker. So I'm living the life, occasional mario cart "study breaks" and living out the last few days.

More letterpress and Sasha.

More France

Moldova v. PMR simulation

Best negotiation ever!

ummmm. ice cream.

More France

Letterpress Things- Broadside

Family October 2009

Live Life to the Fullest

So, this weekend during Vermont's educational break I visited my adorable family. I have the best cousins in the universe, cutest and smartest. (which are soooo words) My cousins of the same generation are also fun, although twice my age. My grandmother celebrated her 91st birthday and it was great to hang out with everyone. Talking about college gets old, but not when the comments are made by family, (well, maybe even then). Short entry tonight. Fatigued from flying, (great alliteration eh?)

Lemonade Tastes Sweeter on the Other Side

Hallelujah! My worst nightmare turned out to be much less of a big deal than I had anticipated. My college essay which has been looming over my head since i was three, has finally been fleshed out and the bones and structure are terrific. My plan...work my magic through my writing. It's not the finished piece, but it's pretty damn close. I'm so proud of myself, and I am more confident as a writer because of it. I feel like taking creative writing this semester has allowed me to open up to my word documents and write how I feel, which is super important. Short entry, not need for explanations. Living up the great life, as a teenage survivor.

Wonderful SATs

Life is getting better all the time. The social life of me, senior year and I, is getting quite better. My friends and I are much better which makes me better which therefore, makes me better to live with. Ergo, life is much better. Tomorrow, however I have my SATs which I am prepared for, but not excited for. I have been practicing forever so I should do much better. But wonderfully, I also get to see Sasha!!! I can't believe that this quarter is almost ending. And in two weeks I'm off to the relatives! Exciting weeks ahead.

Life as we know it

Life. Interesting word to define. So many options, so many lives. School, life, work, life, laughter, life. What's next? All I can say is that every single person is lucky. Everyone should value their life and make the most of it. I hope to make the most of mine by helping others. We'll see how the rest of the world follows suit.
Life in the small community in Vermont that I live in, has been mediocre. As it turned out senior year has been harder for me emotionally then academically for me. So much drama, so little time. Not only are the pressures of college applications, school, senior project, and work at hand, but also every other little piece of life that comes along. Bouncing, dragging, or walking alongside every other important aspect of life. It can get overwhelming and soon, almost unbearable. My solution, so far at least, is to read. I find that becoming involved in a book, someone else's words, issues, trials, and tribulations, releases me from some of the difficulties I have to deal with. Then the everyday things seem like less of a huge deal. Currently I am reading Reading Lolita in Tehran. It's hard to think about high school drama, A.P. Biology and Calculus when reading about Nabokov and the horrors of Iran in the early 90s. And truthfully, my life without literature would feel empty and out of sync with the rest of the world. Having recently discovered Paperback Swap I have over 30 books on my shelf that are sitting there, waiting to be read. And I can only imagine the moment when I can crack open the story and dive in. Until then, I am finishing Reading Lolita in Tehran and attempting to enjoy my last year of high school.

Fun not in the sun.

Currently I am writing my Summer Research Assignment for AP Lit, which involves me writing bout three possible colleges. FunFun. The paper titled Monumental Decisions (also fairly sarcastic) is driving me rather crazy because I am at the point when thinking more about colleges just makes my head explode. And we don't want that. Meanwhile I am beginning to understand the tortures of this kind of writing and although it may not be organ failure I am aware that I will have to write an even longer paper about Letterpress not too long from now. After having read ever possible piece of mail that these lovely institutions, and I swear I would rather they save all of the money they put towards printing this propaganda and donate the money to someone who actually needs it my mind will certainly either explode or implode if I learn about one more wealthy liberal arts institution. Maybe I should give all this up and just live a nomadic life in Asia. (just kidding). Anywho, this distraction hasn't been very helpful. Off to neverland.....

Hell

So basically scheduling sucks. Trying to coordinate three different schools into my schedule senior year is like trying to fit a square into a circle. It just doesn't work. But fortunately, I have to wait, so I know that I can't worry/stress about it now. It won't do anyone good. I also have a lot of AP. Lit homework to do, which I am super excited about (meant to be read in a sarcastic tone) and should be done with one piece by Friday. Huck Finn was better the second time I read it, and I actually finished it. Hopefully everything will work out a-ok by the end of this week, but in the meantime...When Life Gives You Lemons......SCREAM AND THEN MAKE LEMONADE!

Vandercooking

So, yesterday I started my senior project which for those of you who don't know is a requirement for graduation. I must learn or do something I have never done before, create a final project, write a fairly long research paper, and give an 8-10 minute speech. My project is learning how to use various letter presses and book binding. Yesterday I took a crash course with my instructor, Kelly McMahon, and learned a cornucopia of information about the patience of setting type and the result of too many ink/lead stains on your hands. It was a lot of fun and I am excited to continue working. Eventually I will post pictures.

Name Change

Not mine, don't worry. But I thought that I might change my blog name so that I can continue writing, but it would be better to change the name so.... When life gives you lemons, make a new blog name. I will try and write about interesting or abnormal things that happen in my life, or things that I think about and I hope that it doesn't cause you, the reader to be bored. Let me know! I need input.

Lance!!!!!


ASTANA!!!


Lance again

Crazy Bird Guys before the Tour

Sasha

My hiking boats- oh how you served me!

Me on a windy mountain

It's the International Space Station- can't you see it?

Kevin and Sasha having way too much fun with their evaluations.

Bernard...on his cellphone

Our refuge


Scott, Me, Kevin, Sasha, Christa, Ivan, Adam

Last Photos of Tufts Summit 2009!!!!!!!

Refuge in the Alps-overnight hike

my younger host sister

the best profiteroles ever!!!!

steak frites!

My younger host sister's friend and my host sister

Tour de Awesome

So I just got back from the Tour de France. It was amazing. I saw the individual time trials which was great because we got to see each rider go by individually with their entourage. First a parade of vehicles came by from all of the sponsors throwing stuff at the crowd. Basically the entire day was a parade, an eight hour parade. We got to see Lance twice. The first time he rode by we didn't really know it was him. We saw some guy wearing a complete livestrong getup- but the race hadn't started yet and he was talking to someone else. but as soon as he rode by we knew it was him and he smelled really good. A leisure lap. Then we saw basically 180 riders. Each had their own policeman as well as several cars following them. A great experience. Anyone want to join me next year???

The Overnighter

So, I just got back from the most hiking I have ever done. 4 weeks with a cumulative total of hiking hours that is more than I have completed in my entire lifetime. And now I know why. First of all I am a swimmer, completely different climate. Hiking at 2100 plus meters which is more than a mile, is a lot different then swimming a mile horizontally. Second of all the shoes. Or should I say hiking boots. Mine may be comfortable one but once I take them off I can feel the blisters appear and my feet smell like vinegar. Yum? The refuge that we stayed at however was adorable and the man that ran it was quite nice although a little too concerned about les filles et les garcons. It was a lot of fun and they made us potatoe pancakes and we had fresh french cheese made by the brother of the owner right across the valley. Quite an experience. Then at 10:23 we got to see the International Space Station pass by which was cool. Today when we were hiking up and down this very narrow and steep sheep/goat trail it started hailing! Those hail stones pelted us and the stones creating a very shaking environment. Glad I made it out of their alive! :) I am very tired but I am so greatful for the experiences. Pictures up soon. Tomorrow is the Tour de France and you all should watch it because it is coming right through where I have been living for the past month. You may even be able to see me! So tune in.

Last Week.

Oh my, this experience has been one in a lifetime. Nothing like what I had expected. I am so fatigued that I can barely concentrate on the fact that I will be home in my own bed in less than one week! The weeks/days/month here go by so quickly. Although the french host family was not at all what I expected I learned to cope and I have come to understand the "less french" part of France. Last night after dinner Jasmin and I helped our younger host sister pronounce English words. It was a lot of fun. Tuesday we have an over night hike somewhere in the Alps, we will again have a mountain goat as our guide, and hopefully my feet/blisters won't fall off.

Lyon

Me in Lyon

Sasha, Me, Jasmin-fountain

sasha and lianna and cafe in lyon

lyon

all of us in lyon

Lyon

Lyon- church and faux eiffel tower

cecile, stephanie, jasmin, me, molly, christa, sasha

Mont Blanc is the tall one


sasha, me, jasmin, christa

Me on the bus back from Geneva

Our Swiss army knives (see mine?!)

man washing boat...for you dad

me in front of the river/lake in Geneva

Great colored windows (for you mom)