"Girl, don't get me started!"

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So one of my pet peeves is when I want to take a picture of or with a friend and they cover their face, turn away, or say, "No, don't! I look disgusting!" I mean, I would understand if they truly did look disgusting or they were dying, but they generally aren't in that

state. They look fine! Still, they act like the picture will steal their soul.

This I hate. I mean c'mon, it isn't about YOU. This is about ME. I want to keep and record a memory, because you make me happy. For the love, you are my friend! (sorry, that wasn't necessarily directed to you, I was just... replaying my thoughts towards the other guy. I apologize for yelling at you, it's just when i 'get started'...tehe)

So anyway, I'm not sure how well this connects to the rest of my post. I actually intend to head in a positive, uplifting direction... well that's randomidity for ye.

Anyway, so I was looking back on THE LIST and it turns out that quite a few of them are photography or artistically themed.

2. Be a freelance photographer and photograph a family, wedding, and graduation pictures

4. Sell a photograph for at least $50

6. Make a book of at least 25 of my own quotes

13. Make a photo book of really abstract art

14. Decorate my home with original art

17. Teach a photo lesson

18. Create a large painting

52. Take photos in San Francisco

61. Finish one of my songs completely!

68. Own an SLR camera

69. Have my own dark room

101. Master Photoshop

102. Take a photo that needs no Photoshop whatsoever

Oh and by the way.......

CHECK! 3/29/2010

#20: Make something out of wood, metal, or other 3D material.

I finished my family tree Ithaca illustration...thingy--I mean, masterpiece. It's pretty abstract and a bit messy, but I'm proud :)

I understand that my numbering is a tad skiwampus and some of you may be frustrated that I don't just get it over with and post the whole darn list for you to see. Here is my reply: To be quite honest, some of them aren't that interesting and the rest are embarrassing or personal, so... embrace the system. Besides, I just don't feel like typing it.

Okay, so the point of everything is... well, let me share one more pre-point.

Long, Long ago, I was a wee little sophomore and I had--still have--this amazing senior role model. We'll call her Terry. Terry 'got me started' ;) I wanted to be just like her. She treated her life with the utmost respect and passion. She had her struggles, but remained strong. She was junoesque, creative, sweet, well dressed, sincere, hard working, spiritual, a great example and sister, I mean this girl popped out of an angel cake or something. Two years later, I am a senior and wondering if I'm becoming the kind of woman Terry inspired me to be, and I find her blog! Even through an insidious computer screen, she still inspires me. On her blog she shares her experiences, her work, and it still seems like people are drawn to her--even through the--blogworld?

My thoughts have started to say: You can do that too! See what good she's doing? Why don't you publish your work? Why don't you study this out? (meaning my artistic interests). Look, enthusiasm is in everything she does.

And this came at a time when senior year is ending and I sorta feel like I'm dying inside, if you get what I mean. I just don't want do do anything anymore.

So (here's the point I've been getting to) I've decided I may create a second blog or website dedicated to my more...uh...haha, sophisticated side ;) Simply Art. I live by the stuff. It would be a contrasting, yet complimentary blog to this one. A Yin and Yang sort of deal. My only issue is that... well to be quite honest, the internet kinda scares me. I can just see someone stealing my work off the web or something. I actually shy away from putting things on the web, sooooooo... I may make it a bit exclusive, but I'll be sure to let you in on a bit of it.

Yes I took that picture and put it out there...just to 'get started'.

baby steps....

HAPPY DANCE~ ! # $`*)& ^( @ += % + < ;'

Well, it's been a while since I looked at THE LIST so...I just did.
Lotsa stuff... I thought I'd share with you some, just so you know. I'm currently doing Task #20: Make something out of wood, metal, or other 3D material. For my mythology class we have to aesthetically present a poem about our Ithaca so I'm creating a family tree out of hangers. Yea, it's pretty cool. I'll put a picture up once it's done.

Anyway, here are some other tasks to look forward to in the future:

3. Study Abroad
8. Travel to South America or Spain
19. Invent a meal/dish... that actually tastes really good
21. Adopt or foster a child
22. Read to a child in the hospital
23. Dance with an old man
28. Memorize "We Didn't Start the Fire"
32. Go on a cruise
37. Peace Corp
44. Write a play
47. Meet Oprah or Ellen
52. Experience San Francisco and take photos
53. Get lessons on how to scream like a rocker
54. Read my mom's diaries... that'll have to wait a long while
62. Write at least 7 of my own lullabies for my children
64. Successfully tutor a child so they understand material and are confident

Random task: Study Celtic Mythology

The bolded ones are tasks that my happen in the near future.

OH! Here's another wonderful, exciting, splendidly jovial new random task: Live in New York (anywhere east) and seek out family history (that's my Ithaca). And it's not totally impossible either. I already have living arrangements worked out.

HAPPY DANCE ~ ! # $ ` * ) & ^ ( @ = % + < ; '

What, you didn't hear the music? Then you're not a believer.

Joy is abounding,
And I MaMo, of the passionate heart, close mine epistle

Random Thought: Gorgeous Men

I think some men are gorgeous just to taunt me.

That is all.

Happy Days Are Here Again

Random Task
Operation Hugless: CHECK! 3/14/10

March 13
Day Six: Today wasn't too difficult. I didn't go to school, but it was my sister's birthday. Yes, I gave her a hug. But other than that, no temptations.

March 14
Day Seven: Today was the least tempting day, oddly enough (Sunday). No hugs offered, no hugs given. I was sort of to myself. But never again... I can now end what has been one of the most unintelligent things I've ever done. I thought I would have to suffer another day, but for the first time, my faults in counting bring me exuberant joy. If you see me in the halls hugging every other person I see, you know why.

Suffering (continued)

Update on OPERATION HUGLESS

March 10
Day Three: So, I kind of don't know what do to when a person insists on hugging me even after I tell them the situation. I feel like a jerk not hugging them back and acting like a wooden board, but I do anyway for the sake of the cause... Whatever the cause is. I feel like I should have done something that I could actually gain from. Like only eating from one food group. Ugh! Now I think about it. Well perhaps that can be the next one.

March 11
Day Four: When this is over, I'll owe a lot of people multiple hugs withheld from each day. This honestly has been more difficult than going without sugar or food. And being teased with open, outstretched arms does not help. I've never wanted to give up on something so badly. And it's only been four days.

March 12
Day Five: I'm losing it. I really should just make it easier and cut myself off from people all together. I hung out with friends and almost gave in to the hugging instinct four times. Maybe this would be better if I took on a different mindset, gave myself a purpose. It takes too much energy to explain that it's for an article and people give me a confused look. It should be simple, but it's not. Maybe I should just tell people I'm ill and it's contagious. Or perhaps I can say I'm studying the effect little or no touch has on a person.

Hugless

New Random Task

Operation Hugless: for the school newspaper I write for, we have a column called 7 Days of Suffering. I've always wanted to do it and never have. My fault is I try to find a convenient time to go without something-sort of against the point. So this time I volunteered and plunged into suffering before I could think about how inconvenient it would be.

The task came out to be: no hugs... little friendly contact at all really, but especially no hugs.

You may laugh, but this truly is suffering for me and probably for you too. I honestly think if a person went long enough without friendly touch, they would dive into depression or their whole aura would change. Someone should study that...

Anyway, so here are the first few days:

March 8
DAY ONE: I hate this. I feel so rude when a comrade approaches, arms open wide, and I have to push them away saying, "No hugs." I was doing pretty well until I was talking with my friend after lunch. I was happy, in a good mood, feeling pleasant--I mean c'mon. I was filled with food. And she had kindly shared her rice and orange chicken with me, one of my favorites. Finally, we had to part and head to class. Five long seconds. I didn't realize I was hugging her that whole time. Can you believe it? That's a really long time. Go ahead, count it out. It's like placing your hand on the burner for five seconds. I didn't notice a thing. Finally another friend decided add another layer to the cake and encircle us both. Then I realized my forgetfulness. "Oh, no!" I practically screamed and my friend did too when she realized she had half-caused my downfall. Strike one.

March 9
DAY TWO: At the end of the day, you've survived, you part from school and your friends, and you head off to prepare for the next one. What I'm trying to say is, the end of school is when I usually receive and give the most hugs to thank them for being a part of my day. So today, after school I had to turn down six hugs within a time span of five minutes. It was agonizing, I hit myself every time. Especially when I hadn't seen my friend in five days and an attractive guy had come to visit. I did have another strike, though. I went to see a musical and a guy friend of mine did an incredible job in it. I call him Prince Charming, so you can guess that when I saw him, all thought of restraint had fled.

Once in a Lifetime--That's it.

So... I was looking at THE LIST for which number "participate in a food fight" was and I couldn't find it. I was sure I had written that down. But I guess it was such an obvious desire that I forgot. So I'm just going to tag it at the bottom of the list.

Task # 104: Participate in food fight.
CHECK! 2/26/10: So my school held an official food fight. Boys against girls. Surprisingly, there were more girls who participated, so we won. Betty did it with me and it was fun--in the moment. We both teamed up and attacked another friend with mashed potatoes... and then it ended fairly quickly and I got a whiff of myself. I felt like I would throw up. As I had time to let the mustard soaked pants and food encrusted shirt cling to my skin, my giddy grin twisted into a disgusted frown. They could have had a food fight with lighter, yummy food like whipped cream, pies, ice cream, vanilla pudding...sweets. But of course the school would not provide such delicacies--a fact I should have thought through before. Instead, the provided mashed potatoes, ketchup, mustard, chocolate and vanilla pudding (actually a rancid smell mixed with everything else), noodles, ratatouille leftovers from the foods class, and...green stuff.

So I stood in my soiled clothing for a few minutes contemplating how I was going to get home and wondering how I could escape the stench. Betty and I waddled to my car, got our clothes, and headed for the girls locker room.

So...yeeeeaaa I'm not saying I'd turn down giving a pie in the face, I wouldn't even turn down getting one, but once in a lifetime is good for me as far as food fights go. Unless the food mixes well together--but I guess that's against the point of a food fight.