Nearing the End of Winter Break

Oh wow, its been a while since I last posted. I'm sorry to those who actually take an interest this blog.

Winter Break is almost over, and the second half of the school year is about to begin. Graduation is looming ever closer and the end of the year crazyness is about to begin. Military ball in February, Prom, Graduation and of course balancing it all with classes. I hope it will go relatively smoothly. I have help, thankfully.

Also around to help is my boyfriend, the best boy ever to be found. He was born and raised in the South, and maybe it was stereotypical of me, but I had reservations about telling him I was Pagan. He is very much Christian, but he took it all in stride and it doesn't bother him in the slightest. I love him all the more for it.

This (school) year has gone better than I could have hoped for in my best expectations, so I hope it will continue down that route, and the coming year as well.

If I don't post again tomorrow, I wish to convey the happiest of blessings to everyone and hope the have a wonderful beginning to their new year.

Schooooooooooooooool....ugh

School is insane!! JROTC is awesome but tiring, but I get to do Drill Team everyday, play with rifles, and slowly make friends with the people in my class. Most of the guys in my class are on Drill Team, so I get to see them twice a day, plus the art class I share with two of them. It's been a nearly a month or so since school started, and only now am I just barely starting to communicate and be friendly with them. Because they all know one another from Drill Team last year, when I wasn't there.

I particularly like three of them, one of whom is just a natural people person and was an instant friend, and the other two, who I see multiple times a day and are nice even though we aren't really friends, per se.

School....is school. That's all I can really say. It's been the most interesting year yet, and also the most boring. I'm on my own a lot, because people already have their groups they hang with here and there, and trying to work my way into one would really be a waste of time, because I don't know a lot of my friends' other friends, and nobody really makes time for the new person who just randomly showed up.

Everyone here has history together, and I'm somewhat on the inside, and yet most definitley stuck on the outside. But, despite my desire for companionship, I just don't know how to integrate myself enough into a group for them to take an interest in me.

Hopefully Drill Team will change that though...any advice?

On Movies and Books

Watching The Spiderwick Chronicles...I adore all of Holly Black's works. I know she cowrote this, but I forgot with whom for the moment. I love any urban/faerie fantasy like that. Cassie Clare, Neil Gaiman.

I love the Mortal Instrumants series, and have all of the Tithe series. Also, but not quite the same, is the Heir Trilogy, but Cinda Williams Chima. Warrior Heir, Wizard Heir, and Dragon Heir. Those were wonderful books. They've got everything you could want, but refreshinly unique.

Really not much to update, really, so when I do have something, talk to ya then! )O(

Checking out a new home that as of now, is pretty much ours. My room is cool. There is a window that overlooks the land that we'll put the horses on. Dad says he'll put a slanted writing desk in for my art and stuff if my current desk doesn't fit.

We'll actually have a yard for the dogs to run in. Speaking of dogs, the neighbores have like five beagles and other assorted dogs. They're very loud. I can just see our dogs going nuts all the time in response.

It's lightning like crazy outside. But you can't hear any of it. Interesting. It looks so close, so bright, and yet nothing. Nature never ceases to amaze me.

JROTC it is!

My schedule has been fixed: and I have JROTC. Ironic, isn't it? That's the class I transferred out of to take culinary arts. And I'm happier. I didn't even consider asking to be placed back in the program until last night. I was so happy when I finally thought of it, I almost didn't sleep.

Now that that's taken care of...the first week of school is over!! Only about eight months left...Anatomy is going to be sooo hard. I'm going to have hundreds of notecards when this is over with.

Drill team and Color Guard are fun prospects to look forward to. I did them my freshman year, and I'm a little rusty on my commands, but my military dad is more than happy to test and retrain me. It won't be too hard to get back in the habits.

Lots of Work and a Big Project All in the First Week!

I've taken so many notes today, it's not even funny. Working problems in Algebra II, English PowerPoint, Government PowerPoint, and a multitude of Anatomy/Physiology notes, definitions and notecards. I've written so much today, I would be happy if I never had to take notes again, and this is only the first week!!

I still haven't heard anything about my replacement class, so I have to go visit my counselor tomorrow to sort that business out. Fun stuff.

Also, for Anatomy/Physiology, we have a big project due in November. I have to shadow someone in a medical profession. And it just so happens, the complex I live in is right across the street from the hospital. And my sister's friend's mom, across the street, is a nurse who works in recovery. I may not be able to shadow her, but she said she'd try, and if not, she'd see if she could find someone else to work with me.

It sounds like a lot of fun. Lots of work in there too, but it sounds like it'll be worth it.

Class Chaos

I don't get to keep my culinary class... :( The teacher scratched me from the list, but I'm on the waiting list in case someone drops out of the class. I get to go see the counselor sometime this week to fix things. I'm hoping to get creative writing and contemporary issues, both half a credit.

My school even has its own advertising business that uses the profits it makes for the art program's supplies. I think that wouold be fun to join. I also want to look into the school's literary magazine.

We had a practice lockdown as well today, so we had to sit scrunched up in the dark in the corner of the room for about five minutes. That was oh so fun... but thankfully that was the only practice we have to do.

Tomorrow we have class meetings with the seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen all in different parts of the school. I don't know what they're for though. I'll find out though.

)O(

And Senior Year Begins!

Yesterday was the official first day of school. It was hectic because there were tons of people lost after the assembly. The seniors (myself not included) were acting all macho and tough to scare the freshmen. This year's assembly theme was the jungle: the seniors were "the Kings of the Jungle" and the freshmen were the "fresh meat" and "prey". The classes had assigned sections in the gym, and although I'm a senior, I sat with my sister in the freshman section, since it was her first day of high school and all.

As for my classes, they're ok. I have very few people I know in any of them. But that's okay. I'll be able to focus on my work, because there is no way I'm not graduating this year. My classes are all big. My Anatomy class is so large we had at least five people without chairs, and there were about 30+ desks.

Bad news with my culinary class. The counselors didn't thin out the class before school started, so there were many more than the 16 person limit the culinary teacher requested. So I may not be able to take it. Some people even had to write essays to get in, but I wasn't here for the registration process, so I don't know where I stand.

And, without extra curricular club dues, I have $60 in fees already, plus the cost of the art portfolio I have to get for my art class. I don't even know how big I need it to be, unfortunately. Speaking of my art class though, the four main tables are really cool. The centers are eight sided, with four tables extending out, so they look like equal sided crosses.

I can't wait for school on Tuesday, since Monday is staff development day already. For having the best school in the county, the admin is really thick sometimes.

Well, to everyone else who's starting a new school year, and even to those who aren't, good luck!!

Almost Time For School

School starts on Friday! Our school system is weird, because we start with a half day on Friday and then we don't go back until Tueseday.

We fixed my schedule yesterday. So now, instead of JROTC, I have Culinary Arts. I'm definitely focusing on my creative side this year. I also have Visual Arts as well. Then come all the required classes, like Algebra, my science: Human Anatomy and Physiology, English and Government.

Unfortunately, I have the same locker as last year, so I have a bottom locker. I have not once had a top locker in high school. I hate having to bend over or crouching down. But hey, it's right next to my Culinary class, and Visual Arts is just down the hall, so that's the first two classes of my day close by. At least I don't have to worry about being tardy.

Crazy Kitten!

My sister's kitten is a few months old now, and she is quite the wild child. She runs around continuously and when you aren't looking, she'll pounce out of nowhere and start clawing and biting.

Our own personal feline anklebiter. She's been known to scale people's legs, backs and chests, especially if you have food or shiny necklaces.

It's so bad, that if she crouches and gets ready to pounce in our direction, we literally run for the hills. If she sprints in our direction before we can run, we'll jump on the nearest couch or chair and hope she doesn't follow.

We think she's part Siamese, because one of her littermates looked like one, but other than that, we don't know, because her whole family was dumped on the side of the road in a box. My sis's friend and his brother rescued them. I couldn't believe it when I heard about it. People are so cruel and heartless.

House Hunting!

We might be getting a new house!! We visited it yesterday and had an informal tour from the owners. Everyone loved it. The house was two story, had a pool, a shed/work area with a small loft and was in a semi secluded wooded area. I absolutely love it!

One of the drawbacks is very limited internet. Blogging on my phone via text would become my only means of posting. Does anyone know how that works? Would each individual text be its own post? Say, if I typed out the message continuously over like three text messages, is it only one post or three?

I'll have to make time to test it, I guess.

Thank goodness for unlimited texting, because I'll be updating this blog, and my Twitter from my blackberry, and possibly some other stuff if I can work it.

Entertainment

It is raining yet again. No thunder yet, so if it keeps up, we might get to go play in it! Haven't done that in a while...and it stops. It'll rain again soon. I hope.

I've found some new amazing shows: 10 Things I Hate About You, and Make It or Break It, both on ABC Family. My sister and I like to see ourselves as Kat and Bianca. We refer to me as Kat with her as Bianca. We like it so much, we've even taken some of the quotes to fit us:

Me: How do I look?

Her: Scary.

Me: Thank you!

(I prefer to dress really Goth, much to my fashionista sister's dismay. Lol.)

And I'm the only one who really likes Make It or Break It. Our whole family sits down to watch Secret Life of the American Teenager, which really isn't my cup of tea, but hey MIoBI comes on right after.

And another ABC show: Glee!

It doesn't officially start until September, but I loooooove it already and can't wait for it to start up! That's another one it was mostly just me who likes it, but I'm cool with that. I'd have to say my two favorite characters are Finn and Mr. Schuester. Rachel, the female lead, is ok, but she scares me sometimes. Way over dramatic.

Ah TV, a great escape. That and books. Speaking of which, I need some new ones to read. Anybody have any good suggestions?

My sis and I are on better speaking terms now. Things are kind of relaxed now, and she's reconsidering the bracelet we made. But she still has a fixation with being "smited" (sp?). Since I never paid attention in Sunday School, I'm not even exactly sure what that means, or if it's even the right word.

School starts in a few weeks. Another fresh start. Yay...note the sarcasm. Thank Nyx it's my senior year...but hopefully I'll get photography class.

I feel like watching Tomb Raider.

An Assignment and a Run-In With Stereotyping

Well, I told you my sister made a wish charm bracelet with me. But, a few days ago, she took it off, and has been acting kind of strange. We did have a fight that day, but I've been kind of on edge ever since.

I keep getting worried that she might blab to her mom, (my stepmother) or her grandmother about my no longer being Christian. And if she does, all hell would break loose in my family. I'm not worried so much about my stepmom, who I think would be semi ok with it, but if her Grandma found out, then she'd freak. There's no telling what she'd do.

I once wrote a story for a Forensic Science assignment, and I was trying to find some pictures for the cover page. It ivolved a religious hate murder of a Pagan woman, so I was trying to find both a cross and a proper pentagram to put on the cover. Google was a pain, because when we searched for pentagrams a lot of them came up to be the upside down ones, or the ones portrayed in stereotypical, untrue circumstances, which wasn't what I wanted.

During the time I was workinig on the project, I was using my sister's computer, because I didn't have mine with me, and she had a minor virus issue, which the anti-virus software mostly took care, of. We just needed some help getting rid of it, because we didn't understand what the software was telling us, with all the technical gibberish. So, we went to her grandma, to see if she could help us, and explained what we'd been doing when it popped up.

She then helped us fix it, but told us to be careful what we did on the computer and what we searched for, "especially those pentagrams". The way she said it implied that you could get a virus searching for pentagrams on Google, but anything else was safe.

Isn't any picture or link on Google just as harmful to your computer as the next? I couldn't say anything then, but it still bothers me that stereotypes like that are still around.

Harry Potter Six!

What's more magical than Harry Potter? I'm in the theatre now waiting to see it! About twenty more minutes, yay! What did ya'll think of it when you saw it?

Electricity Galore!

More storms on the way. Rain, thunder, lightning oh my! Lots of thunderstorms heading our way, so it's going to be a restless night. This morning was sunny, then it rained buckets with lots of lightning, and then it was sunny until sundown.

I might just sit with my window partly open so I can see better and smell the wonderful rain. I absolutely love the smell of rain!

Also, speaking of lighting: my dad has a little pulse machine thingy that he needs for physical therapy for his wrist. He had surgery a while back, and he has to wear it for his muscles. Not exactly sure why, though.

Well, I was curious as to what it felt like. So, he put it on my hand and arm, because there were two little pads to convey the pulse. It felt like my hand was throbbing while experiancing that needle like feeling you get when blood goes rushing back into a limb that is asleep. All that, but softly. It was really weird, and it lasted for a few minutes after he removed the pads.

I seriously hope I never have to use one of those for physical therapy, because the feeling would drive me crazy!

Another Wish Bracelet

A while ago, I made a wish anklet for myself. It's still on, and last night, my sister, Alice, was spending the night with me in my room. We were up talking all night, and she was curious about the anklet.

So, I told her what it was. She was interested and said she wanted one. I explained to her that it wasn't just some fun accessory, that it actually meant something. I told her how it worked, and why, and she was conflicted for a while. She's Christian, while I am not. But, eventually, by her own choice, decided she wanted to do it.

She now has a bracelet made of three red sewing threads and three pink wooden beads on her wrist. She wanted love, hence the red and pink. School starts in a few weeks, so I hope it works for her. She'll be so happy to have a boyfriend.

I was surprised by the fact that she would even consider doing it. All while we were making the bracelet, the storm was brewing, and afterward she swore she thought was going to get smited (sp?) by God for dabbling in witchcraft. I told her she'd be fine.

Hmmm. Well, now we just have to wait and see what the charms do. Hopefully good results!

)O(

Storming Again

It's storming again. The thunder is rolling every few seconds, and you can hear the rain starting to come down. Just saw the first of the visible lightning, and it was pretty close. Hopefully the new coffee maker doesn't blow out like the other one before I can unplug it.

Whew. Coffee maker is safe. Mom and Dad would kill me and my sister if we didn't unplug it and it was the second coffee maker to blow out in three days. It's really coming down now. And the thunder is getting more frequent.

Apparently lighting struck on the other side of our park. Wow. Only a half a mile away.

Thunder. It gives you such an edgy feeling. I like it.

Wicked Thunder Storm

Last night, while the family was watching a movie in the living room, there was a huge thunderstorm going on outside. In the middle of the movie, there was a flash of light, the loud pop the coffee maker made when it blew out, and a wicked thundercrack from the lightning. It was all instantaneous, one right after the other.

It was amazing, because the power from the thunder shook the whole house. Granted, because we were surprised by it, it set everyone on edge for awhile, but it was still wonderful. It only happened once though.

I love thunder. And we get it out where I live a lot. I love watching the rain, lightning and thunder when it storms. My family thinks I'm crazy, but I don't care.

Zeus has been busy lately. :)

No Church and the New School Year

My sisters and I ended up not going to church today, for which I am thankful. I'm so uncomfortable there. I don't want to go back for youth group Wednesday.

Senior Year starts in less than a month, and I'm glad. The sooner I graduate, the sooner I can get my own place, and then I can breathe freely. I can't wait. But on another note, I just want to graduate. I might have failed the second half of my math class last year, so I have to make that up, plus take another full class of math, the required government and economy requirements. The last three years of school were total crap, because I just transferred over to my third high school, and lost marks in both moves.

I need to find a good charm or spell for luck, because I'm gonna need it this year if I even have a dream of passing this year. If I find a good one, I'll post it.

Rain!

I love the rain out here. It rained a bunch today while I was out shopping with the family, so I got plenty of it. My sis kept complaining about not having an umbrella, but I liked getting wet. I love being outside, especially when it rains.

)O(

Church Again

Last night was my second night at our new church youth group. The fact that I'm attending a youth group still gets me, but I don't exactly have a choice. It was uncomfortable the whole time. I could just see everyone in the room turning on me, especially since they didn't know me. They already don't make any effort to include me or my sister, and we're considering not going back. I think, if this Sunday doesn't improve, I won't go back.

Also, remember that amazing red sunset I told you about on the way home from church last week? It happened again. I haven't exactly been watching the sunsets lately, but I see a sign. And I can take a hint. But this Sunday will be the deciding day. Hopefully, all goes bad. Well, not too bad.

My Color Correspondences

White - purity, honor, protection, healing, trust, the moon, innocence, peace, understanding

Green - nature, money, growth, fertility, prosperity, peace, earth, success, calm, luck

Orange - confidance, attraction, success, creativity

Yellow - happiness, intellect, the sun, air

Red - courage, good fortune, fire, passion, love

Pink - friendship, love, acceptance

Gray - peace, neutrality

Brown - earth, calm, nature

Blue - healing, water, calm, peace

Black - banishing, divination

Purple - spririt, divination, magic

At Night in the Rain!!

The last two nights have been...different. Last night, July 4th night, we could here fireworks all around the mile long loop of houses I live in, but we couldn't see any of them, since fireworks weren't allowed in our complex. So me, my sister and her friend all decided to go sit in the bed of the truck in front of the house, hoping for a glimpse. What we ended up doing was dancing and sprinting up and down the rain soaked road like complete idiots, and it was so awesome!

We were bored, but it felt nice outside and it was sprinkling. It's like at night, you can be yourself because it's dark and no one's watching. I was skipping in the mini stream of water in the middle of the road barefoot and spinning in circles, because I felt free. Normally our parents keep us on a tight leash, but we were unexpectedly allowed to stay outside the house until 11 o'clock at night for the first time ever! My sister tried to pull a move from The Notebook, lying down in the middle of the road waiting for a car, but she chickened out and got out of the road she saw headlights hundreds of feet away. It was quite funny to watch.

It was nice, being outside for once. It's the middle of summer, but usually I'm cooped up in the house on the computer because I have nothing to do and it's to hot to go outside, and I wouldn't need to anyway, because there's nothing to do where I live.

Tonight we got to go outside again. We were out until 10, while it was misting rain. I was flat on my back on the porch, totally relaxed, staring up at the overcast sky. It wasn't totally dark, because lights from the hospital across the way and nearby complexes (sp?) kept reflecting of the clouds. No running around today though. Mom kept us on the porch. Oh well, maybe tomorrow night....

Wish Bracelet Charm

I'd heard of these before, but had never thought of making one until I found a small tutorial. Wish bracelets are braided cords which, as you make them, you focus on your wish, and when they break, your wish comes true.

All you need is the string (ideally embroidery string you can get at a craft store) in three colors of your choosing, and any little charms/beads that have meaning and are relevant to your wish. You need to cut the strings long enought to wrap around your wrist (or ankle) three times.

Some people like to braid their bracelets/anklets in a ritual, but I don't feel this is necessary. I made mine right in the desk chair I'm sitting her typing in right now.

Mine is just all light pink, made out of regular yarn. I wished for new friends/love, acceptance for who I am, and confidance. I got into a pattern as I was braiding: friends, love, confidence, acceptance, friends, love, confidence, acceptance... It helped me keep my focus as I braided.

Once your bracelet/anklet is on, you wait however long it takes for it to break, and when it does, your wish will come true.

Sunset Meaning?

On the way home from youth group, we had this amazing red sunset. Aren't sunsets like that supposed to have special meaning? I know it was special anyway because people were stopping their cars to take pictures of it. I guess it doesn't happen very often where I live. I moved here from across the country not too long ago and I don't recall seeing them where I used to live very much, if at all, either.

Irony Should Be My Middle Name

My patron Goddess, Nyx, the Greek Goddess of darkness and deception, fits me very well I think. My life is just chock full of irony and secrecy. Of course, if I had my way, it wouldn't be, but I'm not stupid, and I know when to keep my head down, especially in my family.

Last Wednesday was the first time in two years that I'd been to church. Church of all places... It wasn't even intended. My youngest sister, goes with a friend to a church weekend gathering, and then we went for the commencement ceremony, and then my other sister decides she likes the place. Then bam!, we end up going to youth group Wednesday and now church and sunday school tomorrow. And I think this is going to be a regular thing now.

I feel really bad, because the people there are nice, and they think they're teaching me the ways of God, which they technically are, and I respect that, but all the same, Christianity is not the religion I follow. The church is Southern Baptist, too, and I live smack in the Bible Belt, so if word ever got out...The kids I have youth group with go to my school and everything. My life would be so over for my whole senior year of high school.

But it's only been one meeting, so far so good. But wait, there's more irony to be had!

Just yesterdy, I received a letter from Dayton University in Ohio, saying I was eligible for the Father Chaminade Award. I googled it, but I couldn't find what I was looking for. So, I looked up Dayton University. A private Catholic college. I wasn't even raised Catholic! And I'm certainly not Christian anymore. That would so go over well. An eclectic Neo-Pagan at a private Chatholic University. Time bomb waiting to happen I think...

But on an interesting side note, we had youth group outside, sitting under a tree in the grass. This was the closest I'd been to nature in a long time, and it was nice, all religion aside. After, all the younger classes came outside and everyone just had fun. It was part of the schedule, just being outside and playing like little kids at recess. Definitely not something I expected, but it was nice, running around barefoot in the grass and dirt...