In Which Emily Puts On a Dress and A Smile.

Hello girls it’s Wednesday… er, Sunday… uh, Monday.

So I’m writing this early because I have drivers ed. On Wednesday and hopefully I’ll make it to services meaning and, either way, by the time I get home I’m going to have to do homework quickly and pass out. I can get by without sleep, in fact I usually do, but during the week it gets to a point where I’m just running on empty. If I do, by some miracle have time on Wednesday I’ll add to this, but otherwise, this is all prewritten on Monday because I didn’t have school.

            Also, girls, Le-Shanah Tovah Tekatevu (may you be written down in the book of life). Sunset on Wednesday night marks the beginning of Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish new year. This is the beginning of 5771. Long time. ראש השנה, in Hebrew, “Rosh HaShanah” directly translates to “head of the year” (thanks Wikipedia). In case you didn’t know, we Jews have our own calendar, you should check it out; it’s pretty inaccurate (it’s measured by the moon). Traditionally, on Rosh HaShanah, we eat apples and honey, for a sweet new year. It sounds strange, but it’s actually delicious. Rosh HaShanah marks the beginning of The Days of Awe/ the High Holy Days/ The Days of Repentance. The Days of Awe/ the High Holy Days/ The Days of Repentance are all the same thing. They are the Ten days between (and including) Rosh HaShanah (New Year) and Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). During these days you are supposed to be extra charitable (not that you shouldn’t always be charitable, as the Rabbi reminds us) and ask for forgiveness from others and from God so God will right you down in the book of life. Essentially this is as it sounds, but I’ll explain anyhow. In Judaism it is taught that in the first 10 day of the new year God will decide who will live and who will die so you wanna be extra good so you can live ‘til next year. That doesn’t mean that if you’re a bad person you’ll die or if a you’re a good person you’ll live… it’s just a recommendation or something of that sort. The Torah doesn’t really teach of a hell so I suppose this is just supposed to show that God will punish bad people? I dunno, a discussion of Judaism and the afterlife can wait for a whole other blog, lets just say we’re all different. I should tell you about my own take on these here and I will, but I just want to make sure something’s clear. I don’t think that you’re gonna be written down in the book of death if you don’t go to temple or you’re not Jewish or you don’t believe in God or any of that. I’m not trying to say that, I’m really not. This is purely informational as I support what ever you believe no matter what. I’m not saying what I believe is right, hell, we could all be wrong, I’m just saying this is what the holiday is and I’m about to tell you what I believe. Feel free to agree or disagree. Yep… So, I’m actually a pretty terrible Jew. I probably won’t make it to services on Wednesday night. Right now (on Monday) it doesn’t sound like I’ll make it to services on Thursday either as I’m not so comfortable with missing class. I don’t really say sorry when I actually do something wrong. I’m loud; I’m rude, I’m proud. I question… A LOT. On Yom Kippur you’re supposed to fast (there are exceptions. If you’re a kid, or it could be harmful to your health you shouldn’t be fasting.). I’m almost 16. In the Eyes of Judaism I have been an adult since my Bat Mitzvah about three years ago and I’ve never made it through I whole day fasting… I get to about 4 in the afternoon and I say, shit, it’s gonna get worse than this cause I can’t eat ‘til about this; fuck it, I’m gonna go eat an apple. This year Yom Kippur is on the same day as my school’s homecoming. My family and I are going to the kids’ service (to be fair, my brother is 7) and then I’m going to watch some tennis and soccer and go to a dance. I am going to try to fast though.  So let’s finish this up. I, Emily Blue Warshauer, am not a very good Jew. I dropped out of Sunday School. I ignore invitations to join youth group. I’ve never successfully fasted. I won’t skip classes to go to services. I’m unapologetically rude. I’m going to spend a good portion of the most important holiday of my religion at school (probably, at least I’m planning to). I got a lot of the information for this little discussion from Wikipedia. I question a lot… like miracles… creation… I dunno, maybe, but I’m kind of a fan of Darwin here. In fact some people say I’m a deist, not a Jew. I still see myself as a Jew though, and really it’s about self-identification, if I identify myself as a Jew than I am one. Okay… moving on.

            Excerpts from a conversation with Katie today:

“When I imagine dating him I imagine a lot of sitting next to each other listening to radiohead, mocking movies together, and annoying the hell out of other people together. Also, sitting next to each other reading books” -Emily B. Warshauer, almost 16-year-old girl.

Mmmhm.

So I write quotes on the windows of my room a lot. Currently I have:

“Damn”

“A kiss with a fist is better than none” –Florence + The Machine, Kiss With A Fist

“I think you’re crazy, maybe” –Radiohead, Motion Picture Soundtrack

and the text from this Picture:

mhmmm…

So that’s that from Monday. If I add to this I’ll add it bellow.

Ok, I was right. I’m busy. Going to services so I’m missing some school so I iz extra anxious… I may start moaning because of it… STREZZZZED. Ok. AH! Also, debate class, best thing ever.

Insert Short Story Here (look, I know it’s long, but I dunno, I’ve been told it’s pretty good. It got Honorable mention in The Scholastic Arts and Writing Competiton):

The One I’ll Miss

            I suppress tears as I prepare to begin my eulogy. I found the perfect place for him on my favorite path under the birch tree. Clover grows around it in the spring and summer. It’s by the lake. He’d love that, and every time I walk past it, I’ll think of him and remember the good times together. Even though I’ve done all I could to prepare myself, I’m not ready now that it’s finally time to let go, to say goodbye for good and to learn to face the world without him.

            Now that I’m saying goodbye forever, the things I wrote for him don’t seem good enough. I don’t seem good enough. He deserved someone smarter and more talented than me. His best friend should have been more creative; she should have brought out his strengths and introduced him to new situations. As I look back, I can see that I was no good for him, and now that I realize it, it’s too late. This is not the only thing that doesn’t seem right. As hard as I worked on our last goodbye, the people I wanted to be here are not. The crowds of people here to celebrate his life, and the ways he changed their lives, are not here. Even his family is only here because they have to be. They lean against the tree bored. I could not bring anyone who would show that he had more than just me as a friend in the world. I dragged my brother here, but he is not support. He smiles like the death of my best friend is some kind of joke, holding back laughter as I try to keep hot, wet tears from running down my face and mixing with the dirt and sweat, the true sign of a hot July day like today. Even at the funeral of my best friend, people are ready to laugh at me. The people who would have actually helped me could not come. Mama is too busy, and Daddy is at work, and Miles is too little to talk, let alone understand the sadness of a funeral, so I’m stuck here with Ross who is “trying” not to roll his eyes.

            As I take in the sorry scene my brother nudges me, telling me to get on with it so he can go back and play with the friends from whom I dragged him away. He can’t take all day for his stupid older sister and her stupid friend who he didn’t like when he was alive. Why would he show any respect for him now that he’s dead; at the least he’s here to celebrate that my friend is finally gone for good. I glare at him and gulp back tears to try to begin our last goodbye. Then an idea strikes, and I whisper in Ross’ ear. Laughing yet annoyed he steps forward. He is kind enough to do this for his grieving older sister, the same one with whom he often fights, but he will not by any means do this for her “poor” late best friend. He looks back at me, rolling his eyes, telling me that I now owe him, as he begins to speak. “I didn’t know you that well,” he starts. His first grade mind doesn’t have the vocabulary my much older third grade mind has, and for a moment he seems at a loss for words, but slowly I can see it come to him as he opens his mouth to speak again. “My sister really liked you, but I don’t know why. You were only-…” I shove him, cutting him off, and shoot him a look that could make anyone cold, even on a day like today, reminding him that now is not the time, that he should play nice. He glares back and continues, “but anyway my sister’s sorry to see you go, and I guess I’m sorry to see you go, even if I think it’s stupid that she liked-,”

“Not now,” I hiss angrily reminding him that I’ll beat him up if he isn’t good.

“Well, you know what I mean,” he continues, trying to fix his mistakes, “goodbye and everything.”

I nod at him and step forward, still choking back tears and clutching the forget-me-nots I picked to my chest. The flowers were his favorite. He liked their small shape and blue hue; he loved the dandelion yellow middle; he felt it accented them perfectly and made them truly, well, unforgettable. The flowers will always remind me of him. As shy and quiet as he was, if you looked he was everywhere: along the wood path by my house, growing with the lily of the valley, even between the cracks of the sidewalk. He was in the sky on a perfect fall day, in the walls of my house, in my school backpack, the nametag on my desk. He was there even if you didn’t notice him, which most people didn’t, but I noticed, and I loved him and his quiet vibrancy. Now I had to say goodbye to that. As I opened my mouth to say goodbye to my best friend, I could not find the words in my head, the ones that I had thought out carefully, trying so hard to describe all he meant to me, one last time. I had to say something, the silence had taken too much time, and Ross seemed to be ready to dump my body in the lake, so I began.

“Well, words can’t describe you, who you were, and if they could, I can’t use them well enough to put you into words. You were beautiful and perfect. I don’t know anyone who truly disliked you, even if they say they did. So many people love you even if they never realize it or admit it. You fit in with everyone, yet you were so different. Some people may not have noticed that you were there at all, but now that you’re gone they’ll notice. The world won’t have the same snap or zing; it won’t fit together any more, at least not for me. Even if no one realizes your place in the world of art, if they never understand, then that may be that, and that’s okay, but even if they don’t realize what’s gone, they’ll see some difference, because you had a real talent for art. You belonged in the sky, in the rain, in the deep blue sea, in the forget me-not-flowers you loved so much, the ones that will now remind me of you because they too are versatile and lovely; just like you they belong anywhere and bring out my good side. You brought out the good in me, the happy side, the one with the funny jokes and words I meant. You gave me character and reminded me to be different to strive to be like you. As good as you were for me, I was no good for you. I made you fit in with everything else. I made you into everyone’s basic idea of what you should be, and I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry I didn’t make you different. I’m sorry I didn’t make people see your greatness, the greatness everyone should have seen, the greatness that should have been understood, the greatness I should have showcased. I should have made everyone see in you what I saw in you. You deserve recognition, and I’m sorry. I’ll miss you. The things I love won’t be the same without you. My world will be turned over. You were always there for me, when they made fun of me and yelled and wouldn’t let me play. You were the one who would come and sit away from all them in the far corner of the playground, when we would sit with nothing but some blank paper and imagine. I don’t know how to go on without you, but this is goodbye, forever. I’ll miss you.”

By now my cheeks are striped with tears. I allow my brother to finally leave. I stand there alone now and stare at his blue body, now less than half an inch long. After about a minute, I cover him with some mulch and write “ RIP sky blue pencil” in the sand before walking home. I try to erase the tears from my face as I trudge towards the front yard, already beginning to forget my sadness and loss. My mom is watering the garden, and by the time she sees me I’m smiling. “Are you ready to go buy a new box now,” she asks me.

“Can I buy the box of 100,” I ask, excitement in my voice.

“Absolutely,” she replies. I smile and run to the car as fast as I can.

Quote: "I'll be laughing with everyone I see/ can't believe/ how strange it is to be anything at all"
What I'm Listening To: Creep- Radiohead
What I'm Watching: Novak as he suddenly blinks... Not currently, just in AP US... it sounds better than "the pages of my text books" or "drivers' ed. videos"

In which I write about a Pedophile...

Hey bloggers, it's Tuesday! I actually have a lot of homework to do tonight (most of which I could have done this weekend but let's just ignore that fact) so I'm just gonna go straight to the story. But don't worry, your not missing anything, because nothing exciting happened this week anyway (school, work, Youtube... repeat). Anyways, at this moment I still have no idea what my story's going to be about. I'm just gonna make it up as I go. I'd like to apologize in advance.

Once upon a time there was a young Unicorn who lived in an enchanted forest just beyond the Sea of Unattainable goals. Most Unicorns in the forest spent there days hiding out, in fear of course that certain clocked men from other children's stories would come looking for them. But this Unicorn, more commonly known as Una, was not afraid of such... creatures. She skipped through the trees and high into the heals, even occasionally going down to the water. The other Unicorns were skeptical of course, but nothing could stop Una from participating in her favorite activities. 


One day, not unlike any other day, while she was getting a drink from the Sea a voice called out to her; "hey there, enjoying the water?" The question was simple, but the voice stung Una to her core... and so she didn't respond. But instant later, the voice spoke again, but this time it was closer, too close "its rude not to say hello... I suppose I'll have to teach you some manners" he said with a sly smirk. Una was terrified, she didn't know what to do, maybe her adventures weren't such a good idea after all. She started to speak, but before she got the chance a Stallion burst through the trees and trampled the mysterious creature. "It" was no match for the beautiful stead and within seconds "It" disappeared into the trees. Only after listening to one last threat from the Stallion, "never come here again, this is my territory." With that Una and the stead faced each other and after a brief silence the Stallion spoke, "I'm Erwin, pleasure to meet you." 


Okay... when I said I was going to make it up as I went along I had no idea it would lead to me writing about a mysterious pedophile who stalks young Unicorns. I apologized in advance, but let me just say once more, I am so sorry.

In case you want a slightly less creepy story it just so happens that several months ago I posted one of my elementary school stories on Youtube. I kind of forgot about it for awhile, but with this challenge I remembered it and figured I'd mention it. So here it is if your interested:



Emily, I'll read you tomorrow.

DFTBA
Tenley

Currently re-reading: "Devilish" by Maureen Johnson
Currently listening to: Um... the Veggie Tales theme song.
Quote: "If you like to talk to tomatoes, if a squash can make you smile... if you like to Waltz with potatoes, up and down the produce aisle... Have we got a show for you." Veggie Tales

When PB Met Jelly

Hey bloggers, it's Monday.

So this week's theme is pretty challenging for me, since I have a hard time keeping things G, but I'll try my best. And no, the story is not going to be based on When Harry Met Sally.

     This is a story about how PB&J was born. Once upon a time, there lived a man and a woman. They were husband and wife, and they loved each other very much. However, they had their differences, especially when it came to spreads for bread. The man liked peanut butter on his toast, and the woman liked grape jelly. They never fought about the issue but one day, they found themselves poor and penniless due to the recession. They had just enough money to buy themselves a loaf of bread and their peanut butter and jelly.
     The couple thought they were very lucky to have food and place to sleep in hard times like these, however, the food they bought quickly disappeared and they soon found themselves penniless. For days, they had nothing to eat and soon, they grew angry and sullen from hunger. Finally, after several days of hunger, they acquired one spoon of jelly and one spoon of PB, and decided that they would share their spoons. They put the PB and jelly together and thus, PB&J was born.

Wow, that was extraordinarily bad. I have no idea what nonsense sprouted from my brain.

Tenley, I'll read you tomorrow.

Being Lazy

Hey girls it's another glorious Sunday! It's a good Sunday because I don't have school tomorrow because of labor day, yay! This week we had our first sci-fi club. We watched Waterworld which is a terrible movie and ate food. It's more or less the best club ever. Also this week I gave my boyfriend a signed copy of Artemis Fowl #6 (his favorite book) for his birthday along with a pokemon themed birthday card... with stickers! Inside I wrote: "you know you're awesome when your girlfriend gets your birthday card from the children's section" Yeah, I'm an awesome girlfriend. (btw, he reads this blog... HI ROBBY!)
Further news this week. I started driver's ed this week with Emily, everyone there seems a bit skeptical of us because we always wear collared shirts and skirs/dresses and talk about school constantly... they think we're insane.. they're right. Also, I aced my french and japanese quizzes, did alright on my precalc quiz, and aced one english quiz and failed on another. CONSISTENCY!
So Hannah picked out the theme: Write a children's story.
Now, Hannah, Emily, and I all have an advantage because we had a project in 8th grade where we got a 1st grader as a buddy and then we interview her, hang out with her, and then wrote a children's story with them being the main character. i'm betting than Hannah, Emily, and I are going to cheat and use that.... Well, Emily might use her other short story she wrote last year which I LOVED and it kind counts as a children's story, but whatever. SO basically, I'm slacking off. My buddy's name was Kitti and she loved cats. I basically hit the jackpot with mine because I LOVE CATS TOO!
I now present my story

Kitti's Kitty Adventure

Once upon a time Kitti was swinging on a tire swing in the playground. She was swinging so high she could see the entire playground with all the kids running and sliding on slides. The sun was up and it was a beautiful day with green leaves and a brilliant blue sky. Kitti was enjoying the warm near summer weather. She was going up and down and it gave a refreshing breeze after being in school all morning. Some of Kitti’s friends came over to her and yelled, “Come on Kitti! Let’s go play tag!” Kitti started slowing down to get off the swing. While she was getting off the swing something caught her eye by a group of trees. It was furry and had bright eyes. She stopped swinging and went to go look. The furry animal was a kitty, it was all black and bright green eyes that reflected in the sun. The kitty went up towards Kitti and then another kitty appeared that looked exactly like the other came up, soon tons of kitties that looked exactly like the others appeared. Then they all yelped “MEOW, MEOW, MEOW!” Seemingly chanting to a rhythm. Suddenly Kitti turned into a Kitty! Kitti ran back to the playground to her friends trying to ask them what happened, but all they heard was “meow, meow, meow” and the petted and hugged Kitti. Kitti ran off into the woods realizing that she was a cat. At first Kitty was scared and then she thought, “This is awesome!” Right then, Kitti heard a scream. Kitti ran to where she heard the sound to the dense forest. First she didn’t see anything, but then she saw it! Up in the tree it was another cat! The cat was stuck in a tree and couldn’t get down. Kitti called to the cat “Hold On! I’ll save you!” Kitti climbed the tree and grabbed the cat and climbed back down. The cat was black with shining green eyes and it’s fur was all tangled and messed up with leaves from the tree. When Kitti and the cat came down from the tree the cat said “Thanks so much! My name is Millie. My owner, a fourth grader, brought me to school for her VIP day and I got lost and stuck up this tree. Thanks so much!” Kitti replied, “I’m glad to help. Your owner must be worried! Let’s get you back to your owner.” Kitti and Millie went back up to the school and snuck past all the kids to the fourth grade hall. There was a girl crying out in the hall. Kitti and Millie went up to her and when the girl saw Millie she was so happy! She hugged Millie and started heading to her class.When the girl was picking Millie up. Millie looked to Kitti and started chanting “Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow.” And with that, Kitti slowly turned from a kitty into a girl again! Kitti was amazed and so happy. She loved cats, but she wasn’t sure that she wanted to be one forever. Kitti ran back to her classroom. And luckily she got back right before snack. Mrs. Foland came in and said “Class,we have a special surprise. A fourth grader is bringing in her kitty. Her name is Millie!” Kitti smiled and went up to pet Millie with the rest of the class, knowing that she would never forget that day. And she quietly whispered…

MEOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the printed out version given to Kitti, there were hand drawn pictures, but I didn't scan mine so I don't have them. I hope you enjoyed my story!

Less than three,

Katie Z

Currently reading: Pretty Little Liars: Killer (PLEASE DON"T JUDGE ME!)
Listening to: Let Me Be Your Wings from Thumbalina (again with the not judging thing)

watching: Barbie Princess and the Pauper... okay you can judge me now

just watched: West Wing (SEE! I watch good things too!)

My best friends are Nerdfighters, they just don't know it.

True story.

Sorry girls, I don't really feel in the mood to blog today, so I'll take my free pass.

Katie, I'll read you tomorrow.

Currently watching: Stickaid live
Currently reading: Looking for Alaska

Gosh I don;t know what to write because Katie and Emily stole everything.

Hey girls its Friday! And my first blog in a while.

So update time:

Favorite thing in the room I'm blogging in:

-I'm in my bedroom and I got new green furniture which I adore. I got a desk, dresser, and a bookcase/nightstand.

Pointless Blog:

-I was gonna blog about my injury and a bunch of scientific terms for stuff but then i realized that that is actually interesting so i got stumped and was gonna write about how to assemble a fish tank but i lost the manual.

This weeks blog:

        Best friends. ummmm....... my best friends don't live where I do. They are Katie, Emily, JoAnna, and Robby. I also have some friends here but I'm not as close to them as I am to the previously listed friends. Their names are Alan, Lukas, and Todd. Alan is someone I only met about a week and a half and ago but he is so nerdy and just like us it is amazing. I talk to him all the time. And I truly mean that. We are almost always talking. Lukas is my french buddy who is also kind of nerdy. I helped him jump a level in french over the summer by giving him my amazing verb folder. It has all of the verb tenses and is so helpful. Todd is my super smart genius friend. He is taking all the same core classes as me and gets A's in EVERYTHING. It is so not fair. Luckily, this year he is in my study hall and my math class so we can help each other with homework. Thank God cause our teacher is insane. Oh and I have a foreign exchange student in my french class and my study hall. Her name is Mia and she is super nice. She is from Germany.

-Hannah

rawrgh. Thinking of a blog title is hard.

Howdy bloggers it's Thursday.  W00T W00T!

Hmm.  Well it's only 8:30, so there is probably some law that says that I should be conserving my summer vacation, but I woke up early.  I've actually been waking up early everyday, which is a bummer. It's probably some higher power paying me back for starting school so much later than most of my online friends.   On that subject, I feel like the internet is getting more baron everyday, at least baron of my friends.  Today my last to friends that I email regularly went to their first day of school.  I guess that means that I'll have to clean my room again?  Poop on that. 

That is Katie.  She is just ravishing.  That is at our Best Friend-iversery.  So if you didn't already pick that up... Katie is my best friend.

Hmm. Let's see.  Let's talk about Katie.  I met her in third grade.  We used to shake outhouses together, and talk about the slutty girls at her elementary school who stuffed their bras.   I believe that she was born in the same place that we live now.    She has two cats who I don't know the names of because she just talks about how much they pee and poop and they are always locked in the laundry room.  She has a dog named Poopy, well actually her name is Piper, but she answers to Poopy.  She has a mum, and a dad, she always talks about much she hates her dad,  I always try to convince her that she doesn't hate him.  Katie also has three siblings, she says that she hates  them too, but I don't believe her.

Katie and I basically hang out with each other only because we don't like most other people.  We did have this other friend named Abigail, but then she started getting jealous, so she started hating me, and then she told Katie that she could only have one of us, and she picked me. 

Katie has a weird obsession with math teachers, and she loves Snape to the point of obsession.  We had a birthday party for him.  We made cupcakes. 

Maybe I'll go try and find a more appealing picture?  She'll probably be a bit upset if that is what everyone sees.  Oh well, she'll get over it.

There is the most recent picture of us.  I've just noticed that I have an inability to really smile in pictures.  Katie looks nice though, and this blog post is about her.

WHOAH!  I just realized that I'm wearing the same shirt in those two pictures.  Ewwy! :D 

Farewell bloggers.  I'll see ya'll next Thursday.

Currently watching: Fitness for Nerds.  Again and again. :)

Currently listening: Popular from Wicked

Currently reading: Inkdeath

Currently putting off: Cleaning her room