Day Eleven: Overachieving Underachiever

Today was nothing out of the ordinary. You know, really thinking about it, today was anything but ordinary. Ordinarily I would have been stressing about something, making sure I had such and such homework done, running around trying to smooth out the ruffles in my feathers but today I relaxed. It was okay that I didn't get quite enough sleep last night, and it was okay that I didn't want to share my journal write out loud in English today. If I had headed off to dreamland earlier in the night like I had planned, I wouldn't have came to the same realizations I had in my post, and I wouldn't have been the cause of tears. If I had read my writing aloud, I never would have known that some of my classmates are deep, philosophical, and actually inspiring. Usually being one of the firsts to share, I thought I'd make up for the lack thereof earlier and try to copy it down here, but I don't have the sheet anymore. When I get it back, I'll definitely make sure it goes up. The pictures to the right? The inside of my tall paper floor lantern. I was feeling artsy, and I didn't bring my camera out of the house today so I was kind of limited for interesting shots. Anyways, although it was a relatively easy-going day, I'm practically falling asleep on the keyboard. Looks like a short one tonight, blogosphere! Homework time then sweet, sweet sleep. Fingers crossed I make sure my laptop is shut before my eyes do the same, cause nobody likes the girl who has "asdfghjkl;" imprinted on her forehead.

"In three words, I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -Robert Frost

live simply.

Day Ten: Is There Anything Greater Than Friendship?

Today was tiring. Obviously I've laughed before, but when I'm surrounded by good people, it's impossible to keep a straight face for more than a minute. It's just a great feeling; being able to completely be as weird/silly/strange/goofy as you want and knowing that the other person or people are 100% on the same page as you. The years leading up to my last in high school, I wasn't always on the same page as people. Sometimes, I wasn't even in the same book. And other times? I felt like I was on a completely different shelf. This year is different though. Maybe we're all realizing the finality of our relationships come June. Maybe we're all growing up. Regardless, senior year has brought the class of 2011 much closer than it's been since I've been a member. These are the last few months that we will see each other's faces on a regular basis. These are the last few weeks that we will be able to call each "classmates". These are the last few days of our childhoods together. As we become legal adults and are thrust into this society, these people, the ones you've seen have bad hair days (or years) and braces and grow 6 7 and 8 inches since their peewee days, these people are the ones you find comfort in. No matter how many times so-and-so has stabbed what's-her-face in the back, or how many times the guy gets turned down by the girl (or vice versa), there are never going to be any other people that you can turn to and say "remember when?" Remember when we all stood for Feldy at 8th grade graduation? Remember when every fall varsity team went to playoffs? Remember when we went to D.C.? Remember the championship hockey game freshman year? Remember all the dances, games, grades, projects, finals, nights we didn't sleep? Remember procrastinating our papers and projects until the night before and going on Facebook to see who was up with you, just to find that everyone in our class was up at 3 AM as well? Remember "Take out a piece of PAYPAH!" ?

At the end of this school year, a diploma and robes will mark our survival of high school and our steps out of this chapter of our lives and into the next. Since September 2007, I marked the days down until June 2011, but now I count how many more days I have to laugh until I cry, sing in car rides until I lose my voice, and make as many memories as I possibly can with my friends. When I finally switch my tassel to the left, I know I'll be able to say that senior year was the year. The year that mattered most. The year that I realized there is nothing greater than a good laugh with great friends.

"The universe is made up of stories, not atoms." -Muriel Rukeyser

live simply.

Day Nine: Increased Productivity in the Technicolor Dream

Today was back on track. My first day back from the long break and I felt like I never left. My high-strung tendencies crept back with the first chimes of the bell as I slunk into familiar territory. I was so excited to discuss Tuesdays With Morrie, and all we did on it was talk about what we would do if we were in Morrie's shoes. Not that that's a bad thing to talk about, I was just hoping to get into deeper topics, or touch on some of the incredibly inspiring words on forgiveness and love and life in general. Hopefully we get to, it's already a shame that some of my classmates sold themselves short by not reading the novel in its entirety, we don't need to lose more value in the words and phrases beyond that. Although I could feel the thoughts swirling and spinning in my mind, I didn't really feel the effects of my extended vacation until Chemistry. Luckily the uncertainty and uneasiness drifted away as I fell back into the familiar phrases- ionic, covalent, polarity, ions, solution, moles, molecular weight. Sure, I'm not the greatest mathematician that walked the halls of SHS but it's just so natural. I'll take 40 practice problems on finding the molarity of a solute over matrices and systems any day.
Beyond academics within my current year, I sought out former and current teachers and recruited them for my next step: (hopefully) a post graduate year at Exeter. Three down, one to go. All that's left is the essay portion, application and some technical stuff. While I can see myself at Brandeis; sitting in the student center in the middle of the hubbub, coffee in hand and making my way across the beautiful campus to the brand new science library, I'm always open to new paths. Perhaps Exeter is a path that will lead to more doors. Perhaps I'll end up at Brandeis, or UVM, or even Middlebury. Wherever I end up, I'll be proud because I, me, Taylor Early made it happen.
Now on to the construction-paper confections! Since our winter semi-formal theme is "Candy Land", myself and most of the Council (Student, that is) spent an hour or so creating sweet inedible treats for this coming Saturday. I decided to make a few cupcakes, and in turn got roped into creating a chain. Flash forward a few hours and we have a plethora of pastries! (I don't know what it is about alliteration today but I'm all about it.) Tomorrow I'll be glitterizing, yes I definitely just created a new word (Take that, Merriam and Webster!) said cupcakes and starting in on the collection of snowflakes my fellow council members started today. Everyone needs a few minutes of arts 'n' crafts, besides being a creative outlet those few minutes allow you to focus on only the task at hand. Too many times are we caught multitasking and giving a little attention to this, a little attention to that. Can you say you put 100% of your effort and attention into constructing twenty kaleidoscopic cupcakes? I can.


"Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints. Kill nothing but time." -Anonymous

live simply.

Day Eight: Did That Really JUST Happen?

Today was unbelievable. I have so much to blog about, yet I don't know where to start! That's a lie, I know exactly where to start, at the beginning, but I just can't wait to get to the good parts. Alright. So the previous night I went to sleep with the intention of attending my first block English class as I was really excited to discuss Tuesdays. Yeah, that didn't happen as I woke up to the sound of Weezer ringing on my phone. At 8:30. Safe to say I wasn't seeing SHS today. After wrestling, literally wrestling with my hair, eventually forcing it into  fishtailed-shaped submission, we headed to my second home. Also home to my father's childhood home and school years, Exeter lends its name to the school of my dreams, Phillips Exeter Academy. Now, if you know anything about Taylor Early, its that she's tried to get into this super competetive, super prestigious private school every year since eighth grade. Two denials, a Waitlist decision and a withdrawn application later, we have arrived to January 3rd. Originally I applied a 5th (technically 4th) time for my father's sake, but I'll take the blame now. Why put yourself through yet another application process for a school that's denied you not once, not twice, but thrice? It sounds silly, but Exeter is magical. The people and the campus and the academics and the teachers and the opportunities? Indescribable and irreplaceable. I've met some really beautiful people through PEA. Some of my best friends are across the country, and without Exeter I never would have been able to experience what I have, or even become the person I am. (Side note, I tried on some femininity today with some fake, stick on nails. EXTREMELY difficult to type with. Not the wisest decision I have come up with.) After my interview, which I have to say went rather well, we scooted over to Oliver's doctor appointment. That was the exciting part. End of blogpost.

I jest! After we wrapped up Oliver's appointment, we were on our way to get my retainers fitted (most people would find that statement embarrassing to admit but as you'll come to find out, I'm not like most people) and as we slowed to a stop, this ridiculous woman rear-ended us into the car in front of us going at least 25. I'm thankful that Oliver, my mother, and myself weren't hurt, but I have never resented driving or other drivers as much as I did that woman. After information was exchanged and the police were called, my mom asked the woman if she hit a patch of ice or something, and she replied "No, I just thought I was going with the flow of traffic. I didn't see everyone stopped." Oh humanity. I have never had so much faith in you as I did right in that moment. After a few thinly veiled insults under my breath, the police questioning me and the firemen checking my physical state we were all set to go. Whiplash can really put a damper on your mood. We were late to my ortho appointment, but obviously my dental retainers are not exactly priority when you've just fallen victim to the carelessness and stupidity of another human being in heavy machinery. No big deal, I didn't want to turn my head to the left all day any who. As you can see, not only thinly veiled insults, but thinly veiled sarcasm is part of my tool belt. Attempting to practice my newfound serenity, I quickly accepted the incident and chalked it up to decent blog material. The whiplash has dulled, the back pain has lessened, but the excitement for what's next only courses stronger through my blood. Not knowing has never been so exhilarating, and scary. Let's hope for the best over a cup of mint medley and enjoy the ride.

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Dr. Carl Sagan

live simply.

Day Seven: If I Was Technologically Savvy...

Today was repetitive. I sat on my laptop and moved files and copied files and pasted files and burned files and deleted files. For hours. It's a wonder I'm even able to post on my blog right now... thank you Safari, Internet Explorer, and Firefox for crapping out on me in my time of need. On the bright side, I was able to play around with some yearbook pages before my computer tried to overthrow me in a coup and get my iTunes library plus the last three years of my life in pictures onto discs. Now let us pray to whatever spiritly, godly, universely thing is up there swirling around in the sky that I don't break/lose/smash/destroy these cds. Bad news bears, folks.

Not a whole lot else happened today, I was for the most part very devoted to making sure my "google machine" as one of my friends would call it, was running up to speed. Besides that, I'm on a bit of a Taylor Swift/European dance/Guster/James Morrison kick and starting to yearn for February vacation. Sleeping in, catching up on my reading, snuggling the crap out of my Snuggie and eating my weight in whatever I please is just so nice. Plus, it's far too cold to go outside on a regular basis. Unless you're sledding or making snowmen and snowwomen, I like to curl up and watch the flakes fly, safe from my bedroom window. So long, sweet, sweet vacation. See you in February.

"There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self." -Aldous Huxley

live simply.

Day Six: Starting the New Year off Right

 

 

        Today was unproductive. You'll notice this post is a day late. You'll also notice I'm wearing the same dress as yesterday's post... I was playing dress-up. The first day of the new year and I'm acting younger rather than older. Nothing really new, other than it's physically documented. Oh, technology. In spite of your advances, you still catch me in rather awkward situations. I happened to take eight pictures of myself, three of which were much too dark and blurry to post, and the other five were in this dress. Four of those five were shots of the dress rather than my face, leaving one only bloggable photo, see above. Oh the irony.

Besides acting like I was six again, I attempted to go out and find a pair of heels to match my lovely dress. That was a fail. Three stores later, I found myself in Target purchasing slippers and Cosmo. Can you say glamorous?
I did however run at the gym for a solid 30 minutes. I love treadmills! You don't have to face the elements or fear for your life on slick, chilly roads. The only downside is staring at the same place on the wall for longer than necessary. Maybe next time I'll bring a Sudoku or my Cosmo for company. Looks like I forgot to add a resolution to the list yesterday: make friends. I'm just kidding, besides, a little "me" time never hurt anybody, right?

Green Fact: Aluminum can be recycled an infinite amount of times. It doesn't lose its integrity and can be made into virtually anything however many times, forever!

live simply.

Day Five: The End Where I Begin

Today was the end. The end of one of the most eventful years of my life. Sitting here on my couch next to two of my sleeping siblings, I'm content. I'm ringing in my graduation year with not a bang, but a yawn. The minutes tick away, getting closer and closer to the big moment, but there's no feeling of loneliness or neglect. To my surprise I'm perfectly lonely. Mom came down and we watched the ball drop and the fireworks flare. On an unrelated note, I got my semi-formal dress in the mail today! On a much more related note-

Happy 2011! 

My resolutions?
1. Eat a little healthier.
2. Have a little more compassion for those I might not usually.
3. Find a little more understanding in the universe, as well as myself.
4. Spend more time with the people who mean the most to me.
5. Work the hardest and smartest I can to accomplish the goals I set, as well as help someone else accomplish their own.
Here's to the many laughs, the countless smiles, and the priceless moments with the ones who have a piece of your heart. Here's to health, life, and love.

"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness." -Friedrich Nietzsche

live simply.