Week 15 (Week 2 Prompt Revision)

"Those who forget history are forced to relive it, first as tragedy, then as farce."

There are people in this world who would just like to run away from certain things in their lives. Whether, it be a person, an event that significantly effected them, or a place that they want to get away from. There is usually motivation behind why they would want to forget and move on. People do not want to drag painful or regretful situations out. There first thought is to just remove themselves and try to forget, in order to move on from it.

When people choose to forget who they are or leave a part of their past behind sometimes they leave stones unturned and there are still some strings attached. Without closure, these events or people tend to catch up with the people who left them behind, almost like karma in a way. People usually end up facing what they left behind, whether it was a person or a tragedy they had moved on from. Especially if they did not have full closure. "Those who forget history are forced to relive it, first as a tragedy, then as a farce"; In other words, people who end up facing their past for whatever reason are first saddened, destroyed, or regretful by what memories it brings back to them. However, after they have revisited and come to terms with it, they learn from it and begin to overcome whatever it may be. They start to look at their past in a different light, as a positive rather than a negative. For example, I've made decisions in my past especially in relationships that I thought were so great and intelligent at the time. Then I woke up one day and things had changed and my feelings had changed and I no longer thought my decisions were the right ones. I was upset and annoyed at myself at first but I couldn't beat myself up about it so I learned to just shake it off and laugh about it. Your life changes as it goes on and a lot of the times your feelings change along with life. Just because your feelings down about something doesn't mean that it wont get better or you can't learn to live with it.

This is where the farce comes in. For example, if the event someone has chose to forget is embarrassing, they're ashamed or they regret it for a while, but not long after that they begin to get over it and learn to laugh at themselves. Over time one learns to live with their past and learn from the mistakes they have made. One way to make yourself come to terms with something is to find the positive int it, laugh about it, and forget the negativity and the bad feelings.

Reliving a part of your own personal history is kind of a way of finding oneself. Someone could go through all their life experiences and figure out how they've been affected and how they felt during certain situations. This would allow one to become more aware of the type of person they are, what they like and what they don't, how much they can handle before they break, etc. As stated before, once one is more familiar with who they are, the easier it is to look back on their history. They can look back and laugh and know that all those experiences were what made them who they are today.

Week 14 #2

She was happy. Finally content with her life and her relationship. This time she thought they were going to make it. It was the best she'd felt about them in a very long time. She was content in her daily routine. They were both working, and seeing each other when they had time. She gave him space to breathe and he did the same for her. It made their time together so much better. He was slowly regaining her trust and her heart. This was good for them, she thought.

She was angry. Everything was supposed to be better now. Why had it not worked? What did she do to deserve this? How can someone that she did every thing for and gave everything to do this to her? She asked herself all of these questions over and over again. It killed her that it had to end this way. She would've wanted things to work, but he made it impossible. She could forgive him but there was only so much she could forget, and she had definitely surpassed that limit.

She was sad. She was only sad for a little while. It was mostly the loneliness. The change from talking to someone all day every day to not at all was big. She wished he could still be in her life but he couldn't, he didn't deserve to and she knew that. It still ran through her head every day; how could he do this to her. They could have been happy. She wanted answers.

She was excited. There was a new boy in her life. She had met him before but under different circumstances. He treated her well, made her feel special, told her they could be together. She finally had something to look forward to everyday. She felt like things were looking up.

She was angry. The new boy in her life changed his mind. He fell for her told her how much he liked her, and made her fall for him just as hard. He got an internship out of state and didn't think they could keep seeing each other. He wanted to end things now so he wouldn't have to then. She was confused; why couldn't they still try? Why didn't he have any faith in them lasting. She wasn't sad about it because they weren't too attached, but she was most definitely mad. Mad about the wasted time and that she rushed into something she thought was solid, when it turned out not to be.

Things had changed for her in so many ways. She isn't completely happy but she's getting used to her new solo life-style. She is confused, sad, and angry, but she still manages to smile.

Week 14 #1

She finally decides to wake up after pressing snooze on her alarm at least 5 times. She knows she needs to hurry but instead, breakfast calls her name. Eggs and toast it is! She prepares her coffee and  travel mug and starts the up the Mr. Coffee. Time to shower!

She gets dressed, brushes her hair and teeth, typical morning routine. Next step is the makeup and hair do. After she's done she rushes to gather her notebook and folder for her Tuesday classes. She has Audiology first on these days and her teacher is always late. That gives her at least an extra ten minutes to fix her coffee and do any last minute things before she leaves.

The drive to school takes about 3 minutes. She parks the car towards the far end of the parking lot. It is 9:40, he class starts at 9:30am. She'll probably be fine because her teacher is always 15 minutes late but she's never been this behind. So, she hustles in the direction of her class in hopes that she'll beat her teacher. She does, by about 3 minutes; either way she was successful.

Sitting in class she drifts away to another world. The daydreams are coming in thick, if they go any further she might just slip into a dream. But she can't, she can't fall asleep in class. "Pay attention!" she tells herself. She flips through her phone, check her email, plays with some apps, anything to fight the tired feeling, but she still isn't paying attention.

Two and a half hours later she finds herself walking out of class. She had paid some attention and taken notes, but they weren't as good as they could have been. She tells herself she'll make up for it when she studies later on. Pushing class to the back of her mind he hurries back to her car because it is too cold to doddle. Two minutes go by and she's back at her apartment; home sweet home. Lack of sleep, mounds of homework, and a comfy couch in front of her. She wonders if she'll be more productive than in class.

Week 13 Theme

Alpine skiing is downhill snow skiing. It involves having two skis, both attached to the front and back of your foot. This is different than Nordic (cross-country) skiing, where one would have the heel free and only the toe of their boot attached to the ski. Skiing has been around for thousands of years, but downhill skiing only became popular in the late 1800's. This new fascination with the "alpine" skiing got it's start in the European Alps. Now a days skiing is a popular sport and past time during the winter months. There are many Ski resorts and areas around the US, including a few great ones in Maine!

A few of the bigger resorts in Maine are Sugarloaf, Sunday River,Saddleback and Shawnee Peak. They all offer a variety of trails ranging from black diamonds and free terrain for the more experienced, to bunny hills for the beginners. They also offer mountainside lodging and rentals so people can come and stay for extended trips. Each one has a main lodge that includes dinging areas, restuarants or small snack shacks, rental shops, waxing and sharpening areas, locker rooms, and more. One can enjoy a full day out on the mountain and is able to come inside to all the amenities these resorts have to offer. It is a very relaxed and fun environment.

I personally enjoy skiing very much and I look forward to it each and every year. My favorite place to go is Shawnee Peak however, I do like trying out other ski areas as well. I know that mountain like the back of my hand and even though it's not the biggest I still choose to go there. It is where I've done the majority of my skiing. I started going there when I was in 7th grade with the middle school ski club and have continued skiing there ever since. Although I've been going to Shawnee Peak for many years I got my start at another mountain, King Pine when I was in 6th grade.

Starting ski club when I was younger was the greatest idea. My parent's encouraged me to do it and I ended up falling in love. I was a "natural" I guess you could say and picked it up right from the get-go. I loved the rush I got from cruising down the mountain in the crisp, cold air. It was refreshing, energizing, thrilling, and so much more. I used it as a relief from the outside world, when I was on the mountain it was just me and the snow, nothing else; I had no worries, no problems, I just cleared my head. It was fun, it was like I didn't have to think much about what I was doing once I got the hang of it. It didn't feel like I was exercising or exerting myself, although I liked that it was challenging at times, I never found it hard.

Here I am today, I junior in college. A pair of K2 skis, Noridca boots, hats and mittens, all packed up with odds and ends in a big duffel bag. Going to hit the slopes for the day at Sugarloaf with my friends and family. The excitement is killing me, I cannot wait to ride right to the top and do my first run. I love the feeling when I first ski off the chair lift, pick a trail, and just start going like it all just came rushing back to me. Just like I had said before, It's more of a release for me, I don't have to think about it. I just go.

Week 12 theme

We were out to eat at Kosta's for lunch just laughing and talking, catching up on the little things. We were discussing our plans for the rest of the day and how we were going to spend it.

"I really want to go ice skating!" Kelsey said.

"Oh my gosh, I do too! It's been so long since I've gone!" I replied.

"I can't believe it's time for that already! and the fact that it's almost Christmas, holy crap!"

"Speaking of Christmas, we should go across the street and do a little gift shopping after we eat!"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Where would you want to go?"

"Well, Mard--..."

Just as I was about to tell her where I wanted to go Christmas shopping I was interrupted by our waitress. We had already ordered and finished our food so we assumed she was just coming over to give us the check.

She asks out quite loudly, "Would you folks like any divorce?!" *Pause* "... Ah I mean dessert!"

"Divorce?! No thank you." My friend chimes in and calls her out on her mistake.

Kelsey and I just stared at each other in confusion. It was one of those "Did that really just happen?" kind of moments. After a few seconds of recuperation, we told the waitress we would just like our check and no dessert. She started back towards the kitchen. As she walked away Kelsey and I changed from blank expressions to laughing and giggling out loud. It wasn't that we were making fun of her exactly, we were laughing "with her" not a her. It was just that dessert and divorce really don't sound that much alike and it was slightly funny that divorce was on her mind. The situation was awkward especially because there was other people around that heard what she had said. We just had to laugh because it made it less uncomfortable.

Week 13 Prompt 65

There is a shoebox in the closet that holds some of my most favorite things from when we first moved here. To others they look like little stupid, meaningless things but to me they hold special memories. Inside the box there are seashells, all different shapes and sizes as well as dried starfishes and small pieces of coral. For years my mother would tell me to get rid of the things I don't want or need anymore but for some reason I could ever bring myself to throw them away. I knew they were just shells and things that I could just replace in a heart beat but I couldn't do it. That box and it's contents were a symbol of a significant change in my life. I had picked some of them out on one of our trips to Southern Maine when we were looking for a new house, and some of them I had picked up after we had settled into our new home. They were a reminder of a major turning point in my life. Everything changed for me when we moved, the area we lived in, my friends, life was different. The box was a comfort to me and I was not yet ready to throw away something that brought back such strong and significant memories.

Week 13 Prompt 68

It's almost 1am, I lay in bed wide awake. I have to be up in 7 hours but I cant seem to fall asleep. I don't know if its the two cups of tea I decided to have after 6pm or the fact that I have one million thoughts running through my head. I can't shut them off. I'm thinking about classes, homework, friends, the weekend, boy troubles, friend's boy troubles and more. It's literally exhausting yet I still can't sleep. Sometimes I feel like I think too much. I over analyze situations, over think past and present situations, think of conversations in my head that I want to have with people but probably never will. All these different thoughts fill up my mind, and I think why? Why, am I wasting all this time and energy thinking about all these conversations, situations, and people? Yes, some of it is significant, but a good majority is just random thoughts and daydreams. Then it hits me, thinking like this reminds me of who I am, who I want to be; my personal and sometimes eccentric thoughts, my aspirations and dreams; what important to me. It reminds me that I have a working, intelligent brain capable of having and creating these complex and incredible notions. It reminds me that I am alive, that I am human. I think, therefore I am.

Week 13 prompt 67

They were whispering in the hallway about what had happened the night before. It wasn't much of a whisper though. I could hear the anger and annoyance in their voices as every word slipped out. Her door was only two feet away but they didn't care if she heard them. They wanted her to because they wanted the confrontation. Me? I don't like confrontation so I sat and listened from my bed. However, they tried to involve me. They told me that she let some boy try and kick our door open. How'd that turn out? well the whole door frame broke and needed to be replaced. They wanted me to react but I still stayed neutral. I knew we'd figure it out. Anyway, that's what they had been whispering about.

They continued to talk about the situation throughout the morning as we got ready for the day. The two of them were out eating breakfast in the kitchen when quiet, Roommate B comes flying out of her room and boy was she angry.

"If you have something to say, say it to my ******* face! I've told you that before!" She yelled at them.

"I was drunk and wasn't thinking. It will get fixed. You don't need to sit here and talk about it without me when I can hear every word you're saying!".

I couldn't believe it. She was always so passive and then all of a sudden she found her voice. I was glad that she was standing up for herself. They should've just confronted her in the first place instead of talking bad about her within ear shot, and she definitely let them know that.

Week 12 Prompt 61 A

These are more or less things you could do to make someone want to leave you, not necessarily ways to leave your lover.

1. Being too clingy
2. Lying
3. Cheating
4. Picking a fight about anything and everything
5. Never loosen up, always be uptight
6. Wanting to know every small detail about your partner's day and life for that matter
7. Being self-centered
8. Pushing certain hobbies on your partner
9. Pushing habit's/lifestyle on your partner
9. Pushing your beliefs and/or political views
10. Caring more about your personal gain than your partner's
11. Being too aggressive, always shouting never just talking things out
12. Being too clingy
13. Just break up with them. Just do it like a band-aid.
14. kill them (awful but one way to leave them!)
15. Make them fall in love with someone else
16. Fart, burp, pick your nose, do anything gross/unhygienic in front of them and in public.
17. Never say Thank you or you're welcome
18. Never do anything nice for them
19. Make your problems their problems. If you're troubled they're gonna be too!
20. Bring up past boyfriends/girlfriends
21. Bring up your's and their past mistakes all the time
22. Talk bad about their best friends or people close to them
23. Act like your parents/family hate them
24. Get an online dating account that your partner doesn't know about
25. Get a separate phone and text hookers on it
26. Don't wash your undergarments
27. Never shower or wash up
28. Get a pet your partner absolutely laothes
29. Let yourself go
30. Have bad dental hygiene. Bad breathe is always a good thing. (sarcasm)
31. Chain smoke
32. Binge drink
33. Do drugs on the regular
34. Party and go out all the time
35. Being immature, never act your age
36. Always adding your two-cents to a conversation
37. Let your mommy make all your decisions for you, regardless of your age
38. Be a mommy's boy
39.  Be a prude, never make them feel wanted sexually
40. Let your work consume your life
41. Be lazy, never help out around the house; wash dishes, clean, etc.
42. Never offer to pay or take them out. ever.
43. Ignore him
44. Find someone else
45. Develop a strange addiction
46. Be extremely anal/ Obsessive compulsive
47. Insult/talk about their friends and family to them
48. Point out insecurities and imperfections
49. Criticize how he does household chores
50. Be extremely indecisive and always say I don't know.

Week 12 Prompt 57

"Hey, hows it going?"

"Rough, I need a drink after the day we've had today".

"How has your section been today?"

"Eh, not wonderful. I havehad some good tables and some bad but I have made quite a few tips!"

"Ugh same but right now I have the worst table EVER. The woman on the end of 24 if freaking AWFUL. She literally had a question about everything on the menu and I answered all of them but she still does not seem satisfied or happy no matter how kind I am to her or how quick my service is. God, I hate people that aren't understanding".

"That's so stupid! Does she not realize we are wicked busy today? Things are running as smoothyl as possible and she can clearly see your section is packed full!"

"I know right! I'm not a robot, I am a human and I absolutely cannot do ten things at once, especially not for people like her".

"Just try the best you can, and if it's not good enough for her just remind yourself of all the people that you have made happy today. You're doing an amazing job, just keep your head up!"

 "Aw well thank you! But I just don't even want to go over there anymore.. I hope they finish their food very soon and leave".

I've worked for the past five years as a waitress on York Beach. There are times when it gets so busy and things start to get a little stressful for the waitstaff. I start to feel unwanted and not appreciated by costumers when they do not fully understand how a restaurant runs. There are so many factors that play into the service our customers gets. A restaurant is like a factory, it is a working system, and all the parts fit together to provide excellent service to a costumer. There are the servers, the cooks, the managers, the bus boys and more, and if one of these parts fails or falters it affect the whole system.

It is the most discouraging and annoying thing to put it bluntly when a customer does not consider every part of the restaurant and doesn't take into consideration their waitresses efforts it's very frustrating. I work very hard and try to be as quick and as friendly as I possibly can and it is always so rewarding to have someone completely enjoy your service. However, sometimes my attitude gets a little negative when I encounter some not so pleasant and inconsiderate people.

Week 12 Prompt 58

I've been on my own for a few weeks now. I am sad but happy; and confused but sure of myself and the decision I had made to leave him. I was lonely but hoping that it wouldn't be for long. Then I met you. We weren't meeting for the first time, but it was so different than before. Nevertheless, there had always something about you that caught my attention. I don't know what exactly but I knew you were my "type" of guy (sounds cheesy I know). I wasn't looking to settle for someone again. I wanted to find someone I really wanted to be with, that I sincerely liked, and someone that would give me the same amount of love and trust that I gave to them. For some reason, I was sure from the very beginning that that person could be you.

You came into my life when I needed someone most, and you were so understanding. I knew it was kind of wrong how fast things were going or at least it felt that way at first, but it was so right and more real than anything I had experienced. Real in the sense that we talked about things that were actually important in a growing relationship. We put our feelings for each other right out in the open and made it clear what we wanted in a relationship. There was nothing to keep from you, and I didn't feel like I had to hide away and neither did you. We were 100% ourselves and it was perfect.

Week 11 Theme

It was small-talk, she hated that. She didn't talk over messages the way she would in person. She felt there was so much to say but she didn't know how to say it. Would she come on to strong or was it just what he was waiting to hear? She didn't like squishing things down into a tiny text message. It didn't say how she truly felt or what was really on her mind.

Some days go by and she wont hear anything until the afternoon.
"Just got back home. Hope your day is going good."
"Mines going pretty well, kind of busy. How was the ride?" She replied.
"Long. I'm glad its over".
"Yeah I bet".

Simple questions replied to with simple answers. It could go on like this for hours or days even. It was a little boring at times but she didn't want to bug him so she followed his lead. Although there was some lull in conversation there were times where they talked about what was really on their minds and didn't beat around the bush with mundane questions and chat. She said what she felt and so did he.

"I've really never felt this way about being with a girl. It's just easy to be me around you and you let me be myself. I really like how relaxed things are between us".

He let her know what he really thought of her. He was a true gentleman in his words and in his actions as well. He always made sure she was comfortable and had what she needed when they were together and she did the same for him. He made her feel special. They saw each other a few times a week, and stayed in touch when they weren't together. They decided not to rush things and that was absolutely fine with her.  She needed some time to find herself and to figure out what exactly she wanted. Nothing was stressful or tense and she felt she could be herself. She knew good things take time and she was sure this was going to be a very good thing. Even if it they were moving slow, it was only just the beginning.

Week 11 Prompt 54

After handling the perfume bottle, he smelled of old woman from decades ago, a woman who had to be dead.

He set the perfume back on the night stand as he took in the elegant design on the outside of the bottle. She always did have good taste, he thought.

The smell of her perfume comforted him. He walked around her bedroom stopping here and there to reminisce and to go through some of her things. He and some of his family had come for the day to go through her belongings that she had left behind.

She had been in a nursing home for a year now and her home looked just as she left it, like she hadn't even gone away.

There were clothes still in the closet, necklaces and rings in her jewelry box, candles placed here and there with little black wicks looking like they had just been burned. There were pictures of her grandkids in frames on the walls and on side tables and the furniture was just as it always had been. Nothing had changed here, but so much had changed for him.

He gazed at all the little things that she had left behind in this world and he sighed. "What am I going to do without you?" He asked aloud, in the quiet of the home.

He was very close with her throughout his childhood and as an adult as well. She practically had raised him along side his mother. It was hard for him to be in her home and go through her things. He couldn't face that she was passed, not yet. She was no longer just a short drive away, she had left him forever.

Week 11 Prompt 53

There is a flat stretch of blacktop out in front of me. There are signs on either side of the road for the D.O.T station, speed limit, and business' around town. The cars speed by going at least ten over the speed limit, always. There is no side walk, only a break down lane. I don't like to walk here but I have no choice at least for a while until I reach one of the side roads branching off. Normally, I run on my road instead of walking. I hate running on it because it is very busy and I feel like everyone and their brother that passes by is staring at me to see who I am. However, I only think this because I do it to others when they are running so it would only make sense that someone else must do it too.

I don't feel at home here. Once I leave my driveway there is nothing that draws me in or gives me a feeling that I am where I belong. If I died and went to heaven I would hope i wouldn't live on such a bore of a street. Although my road doesn't provide me the feelings I would like it to, there is a side road I love to run on just down the street from my house.

When I run, I use it as a time to clear my head and to take in the beauty of the scenes around me. It is so much better and safer to run on than the busy street I live on. Everything is so peaceful, and mostly quite besides the house a ways down on the right with the two Great Danes that like to bark at passerby's. I like to run down to the little stream where I stop to take a break. It is gorgeous. The green colors of the foliage, the moss on the tree's hanging over the water, the pebbles at the bottom, and the old bobber hanging in the tree from fishermen in years past. It's the little things that please me and make me feel at peace.

This stream and other things I pass while on this street, like the color of the leaves, the old hunters tape on the trees, the four-wheeling trails, and the calmness of the road reminds me of the street I grew up on before I moved here. That place is home in my mind, and when I come down to this place it brings me back there. It may not be my actual road, or exactly like the one I grew up on but it's nice to feel content just for a moment when I am here.

Week 11 Prompt 52

http://unclehenrys.com/init/classifieds/ad_detail/4053105/?_next=http%3A%2F%2Funclehenrys.com%2Finit%2Fsearch%2Fresults%2F5%234053105
Harley Davidson Stool.

This ad probably came from a women trying to clean out her house of junk from the past. If she's anything like my mother she's constantly organizing things and trying to find stuff to throw or give away. I'd say she's getting rid of old junk that she and her husband don't use anymore. This stool was probably sat on a total of 3 times by the looks of it. It belonged to a whole slew of Harley Davidson Memorabilia that was shoved into one tiny section of the basement that her husband liked to refer to as the bar or his "man cave". She thinks it was part of some mid-life crisis he had where he thought he needed to feel like a young fella again. He spent more time building this little man cave and finding stuff to add to it than he did actually using it. He had high hopes of his buddies coming over, watching the game, getting a little buzzed, and talking about the good old days when he actually had a Harley. However, it turns out he didn't use the cave as much as he would've liked. He wasn't actually young anymore; he didn't have a bike, and he went to bed by 7 (even on the weekends) so there wasn't much excitement happening down there. So, regardless of whether he still wanted to use the room and his favorite Harley stool or not, his wife thinks it's necessary to fill the space with something they will actually make use of on a regular basis. Hence why she put up this ad for the Harley Davidson bar stool, just one item on her list of things to sell.

Theme Week 10

When I'm out there the rush I feel is bigger than any other. I'm not a professional or a trickster but I'm good. Just being plain good if fine with me because I like to play it a little on the safe side. I'm not a baby but I wouldn't like to get hurt either. It may seem a little contradictory but I do not like to wear a helmet even though I'm afraid of crashing and burning I have enough confidence in myself that I'm sure I will not fall. Regardless of my worry and small fears it is easily one of my top 3 favorite things to do.

I usually start out in only a few layers, like a long sleeve shirt and I sweatshirt. By the end of the day I've put on all the layers I've brought. I'm probably sweating on my top half, but my feet and toes are almost always frozen at the end of the day. The sun doesn't help when you're out because your cold but the bright sun beating down kind of makes you hot, it confuses your body temperature a little. The chilled breeze on my face is refreshing though as I cruise down along the trail finding the perfect path to travel. I don't like the ice particularly and I don't like too much powder either. My favorite time to go out is right in the morning when it's just starting to warm up but the sun hasn't had a chance to change the condition of the trails and make the sticky or crunchy. When the conditions are perfect it is amazing but I still have fun when they aren't because I enjoy a little bit of a challenge when it comes to maneuvering around a trail. I also like to go with friends, especially ones that push me to try new things. We can race or start together, split up and then meet at the bottom to talk about our run. However, I do not mind going out on my own because it's a time to think and also take in the beautiful surroundings that the mountain has to offer. It is my most favorite winter past time and I can not wait until I take my first trip this season.

Week 10 Prompt 43

We all sat in a circle around the living room. The room was usually quite spacious but so many of us had piled in there it didn't seem so large anymore. Our tight-knit group of friends came together in support of our friend and her family. They had planned for us to tell stories and reminisce on some of our happier times and our favorite memories of her. We wrote our memories and thoughts on little pieces of paper and put them in a little box her father had put out. The outside of the box was decorated with some of her favorite things, or things that represented her in some way. We all took turns telling stories and mostly laughed, there wasn't much crying. This was a time to remember a wonderful life and a wonderful mother. We all needed to be positive for ourselves, and for Courtney most of all. To lose the person you had looked up to your entire life, who raised you, who was your best friend is almost too much to bear. However, it was soothing to have this time to be happy or try to be at least. She was the type of woman who would not want people to be sitting around crying over her all day. We had spent a few hours at their house talking amongst ourselves and with some of her family as well. Then we decided to give her some space and time to herself.

Although we left Courtney's house we did not split up, we all wanted to stay together. From the second we walked out the door there was a different feeling about us. We weren't giggling and talking anymore and we could no longer hide the fact that we were aching inside. I do not think any one of us realized how big of an affect her mother had on us and how awful it was to think that we would never see her again in this life.

 That night the majority of us sat together and we cried. We shared our true feelings about what was going on and tried to console each other. It was a confusing an sad time but we would get through it together. LeAnne would want us to be strong for Courtney and that's what we were gong to do. Even though we would never be able to fill such a large void in her life we were going to come together and do whatever we could for her.

Week 10 Prompt 51

I remember it clear as day. My sister and I were racing down the gravel road from the house my grandparents were building. We were riding without hands, swerving in and out around each other, and singing out loud. We were having so much fun.
***

The road was mostly flat for the first quarter mile or so. Then it started to slant more down hill and just up ahead the gravel was going to meet the tarred road. Jade and I slowed down over the bump where they meet. We knew the rules of the road, we wore our helmets, and we watched out for each other; we were safe riders. After we made it on to the tar we cruised smoothly down the hill.
***


We started gaining speed much faster than we wanted to, but we had it under control or so we thought. There was a sharp right corner up ahead and I yelled to Jade who was slightly behind me so she'd know to start slowing down. We were nearing the turn and I rounded it, shakily but unharmed. I turned back to look for Jade but I didn't see her at first.
***

I'm pedaling back up the hill alone. I had to leave jade down at the bottom. It wasn't extremely serious, but she couldn't ride back up by herself. She was hurt pretty bad, and I'm hysterical, can't breathe, trying to run what just happened through my mind. I needed to get back to the house quick. I didn't know how to help her on my own. All I could do was ride back up the hill as fast as I could to tell my family and get help.
***

Tired and out of breathe I reached my grandparents house. I was trying to talk, trying to make sense of what had happened but I couldn't find the words. They said "Just calm down, slow down and tell us what happened", and I tried. I took a few deep breaths, just enough to spit out that Jade was down at the corner and she needed help. My dad and my uncle immediately took of in the truck to go to her. I wanted to go and I still wanted to help. I was exhausted but I knew I had done a good job. My mother made me stay but I knew everything would be fine. My dad would race her right back there and bandage her up. Now it was just a matter of waiting til she got back. I knew she was OK, but I was scared and I wanted to see her to make sure.

Prompt 50 Week 10

We are hugging goodbye for the last time. It is so sad, and I want to cry but I refuse to. I refuse to because he doesn't deserve my tears. This is like a break from chains for me. I will finally feel free from the baggage and drama that I as linked to because of him. I should be happy in this moment almost, but saddened  by the the happy memories that I am leaving behind. However the bad outweighed the good. This goodbye is liberating.
***

Summer 2012, the best we had shared together. I worked my butt off waiting tables, but the money and tips were so worth it. He had a landscaping job and also made a lot of money. We weren't right on each other all the time, or seeing each other every day. We gave each other space and saw each other only when we could. This made the time we spent together amazing and so much more worth it. Finally I felt as though we could be perfect, that we were in a good groove and we were headed in a positive direction.
***

January 2012 was a rough patch, but not one we couldn't get through. My problem was that I put too much faith in him and trusted him more than I should. I was always thinking he'd change and not be shady and lie. I was mistaken, but for some reason I wanted to try again. The thought of him being with someone else killed me. I should've known then that that wasn't a good reason for me to give him another chance. I wanted to see if he could prove me and everyone else wrong, I wanted him to change.
***

Freshman year of college. We were so happy yet there was so much that I kept replaying in the back of my mind. I knew he was lying, about a lot of things for that matter. However, I didn't want to believe it. I wanted us to be good. He treated me so well, but he still lied and we still fought. I was confused and he took advantage of my trust. I didn't know it at the time, even though I thought it may be true I refused to believe that he could be so snake-like. I continued to push away the unhappy thoughts of what happened in the past and pushed forward and tried to be happy with him. I needed to prove everyone wrong and she he was a different person. I should have thought more about myself.
***

It was senior year of high school. I strayed away from my usual group of girlfriends friends. I made new friends with two girls that were a little more crazy and fun. I started talking to this new boy. I wanted him so bad even though it was so wrong. He had dated one of my friends before and I knew he still talked to her yet I couldn't help myself. He was the first guy to give me so much attention and I loved it. I thought my year was going to be awesome with my new friends and this boy, but instead it back fired. He asked me to be his girlfriend and we started dating, but along with this new relationship came a loss of friendship with all my old friends because I had betrayed one of them. At the time it seemed worth it in my crazy teenage mind but but none of it was. My year got worse before it got better, and even when it got better I still could not forget the worst.
***
I wish I had known then what I know now.

Theme Week 9

Running around the yard in our matching bathing suits, yelling and screaming. Our high pitched voices echo down the road toward the neighbor's house. The Crazy-Daizy whipping wildly as he water sprayed all over and we tried to dodge it. We were six and loving every minute of our care free lives. Her and I got along so well, we had our little meaningless fights, but we were inseparable.
***

We are nine now. We have different friends. She is a "Miss Priss" as we would call her and hung with all the girls in our grade. I was a Tom-boy, hung with all the boys, and played football at recess. I was jealous sometimes that she was better friends with all the girls, but I pretended I wasn't so she could have her own friends and I could have mine. I didn't want to be the same in everything. I was an individual. We were still the same, we didn't hate each other but we were finding our different personalities.
***

My parents say we're moving somewhere else. We'd be leaving the house we grew up in, where we made countless memories for a new town to make new friends and new memories. I didn't know how to feel at the time, but I chose excited. My mom sat in between our two twin beds, helping us wrap fragile objects and pack up the small things as she comforted us and got rid of any inkling of doubt we had. She told us Dad got a new job opportunity, this was a our "family adventure" she said.
***

I step out of the car, looking through these ridiculous things on my face. The ground seems uneven and strecthed out, I can't walk straight. I'm 12 and I just got my first pair of glasses. Mom took my sister and I right to school after we'd gotten them so we had no time to test them out. I felt like a geek, like most twelve year old's would. I couldn't believe I had just moved to a new school which was hard enough, now I had to wear glasses everyday. It was horrible but I sure as heck didn't want to wear them.
***

I'm 13 now. We're in the 8th grade at the middle school. My dad always liked to tell us we were big fish in a little pond now. We'd finally had made some good friends, we were a pretty tight group. I started playing basketball, soccer, and softball through the school. I was in band, because back then it didn't make you uncool to play the flute. I got mostly A's and I tried to be as involved in the school as aI could be. My sister was the same way so we kind of had a little friendly competition. This was also the year we both picked up a little attitude but we were teenagers. My parents were very proud regardless and a little sass wasn't going to stop that.
***

I'm 18 years old. A fresh tattoo on my foot, walking into marching practice five minutes late with my best friend and my sister. Needless to say, my grades and my time management skills weren't exactly the same as they were in middle school. I was full of life experiences, new friends, a new boy, and I was going off to a new school. I couldn't wait to move to a new place and be somewhat "on my own". I was especially happy because my sister decided to go to the same school, it was comforting for me knowing she'd be there. We'd had our rough times but she was still my twin sis and my rock. Neither of us cared that we were doing similar things, it was just exciting to be living on our own and making our own decisions. Our parent's weren't going to be there every single day, but that was fine because we had each other.

week 9 Prompt 41

She walks into the gymnasium, but it doesn't look the same. This time it is different; it is different because she is graduating today. The gym is filled to the brim with people on either side, the people are sitting on each others laps in the bleachers and the temperature has to be at least 100 degrees. Today she's not going to gym class, or going to play in one of her basketball games. She is looking a the room and the school in a different light, with a different state of mind now that she is moving on.

She and the classmates around her round the corner of the bleachers preparing to take their seats to listen to the countless speeches and awards that await them. After that time had passed, the diploma's were to be passed out. She waited for her rows que to get up and start walking up towards the make-shift stage in the middle of the gym. There she was, a 18 years old sweet heart with big dreams of college and a life of her own. She's already accomplished so much, yet there is so much more she hadn't experienced yet. As she marches to the beat up to her mark at the edge of the gym floor, the crowd in front and behind her cheering for her classmates in line in front of her that walk up on stage to receive their diploma. Each person makes their way up the three steps to the stage. They shake 2 or 3 hands, maybe get a hug and then its the big moment they have been waiting for since their first day of school. She and every other student anticipating that one special moment where they are handed their diploma symbolizing their hard work in high school paying off. Afterward they motioned to turn to the man holding the camera standing on the side of the stage, and shake the hand of the principle who most have probably never ever spoken to. As they exchange congratulations and thank yous she can her the hooting and cheering from her friends and family. While she walks down the steps on the other side of the stage, diploma in hand she looks up into the crowd to find her family to see their smiling happy faces. This is such a big moment in her life and so many people were there celebrating her accomplishment. The person she was, the person she's become, and the person she will be in the future are all lingering before her. In this moment she knows exactly who she is, what she likes and doesn't, what she's skilled at and all of her success' and failures; she's set goals for herself. Her experiences flash in her mind as she looks back on her 18 short years, and looks forward to what she'll do with the years ahead. She waves to her family and loops back around the back of the stage and marches in time back to her seat.

Prompt 39

All the desks in the room were almost filled. The lighting was dark, with only a little sunlight coming in through the cracks on the sides of each window shade. I sat squinting at the note cards on my desk through the shadows of the dark room. I was reviewing all my research, making sure I had it all down pat before I had to strut my stuff.

"OK, we're ready for you Jordan" Mr. Bragdon said as he looked at me and shuffled the papers in his hands into a neat pile.
"OK, thank you".

I stood up out of my chair and slowly walked by the two rows of people, passed Mr. Bragdon's desk up to the front of the classroom. There in front of me was a podium and a projector projecting my slideshow up on the white board behind me. I was about to give the biggest speech/presentation in my entire high school career. I had worked all semester to get to where I was in that moment. Sitting at the table just outside the classroom door to the right of me is where I did all my research. I knew so much about my topic (Down Syndrome) that there was no way I would fail this. I was sure even though I had some presentation jitters, that I would be successful in educating the audience on my topic.

As I prepared mentally for my presentation in the few seconds remaining before I had to begin I scanned the room to see all the  guests that had come to hear what I had to say, some I invited and some I did not. There were more than I expected, however I still felt quite confident because I realized it was mostly all people I was comfortable speaking in front of no matter what my topic was regardless of whether they knew me well or not. I tried to focus mostly on the small cluster of people in the center of the room in front of me which consisted of my parents, grandmother, my favorite teacher, and my closest friends. After analyzing the audience I had to speak in front of I began mentally reviewing my opening lines, sweeping over my note cards, and taking a few deep breathe to calm the nerves. Subsequently, I looked up to the crowd of eyes staring up at me. I was finally ready to present my hard work to all these people and surprisingly I did not feel nervous at all.

Week 9 Prompt 42

1. I'm a student at UMO
2. I do field hockey club/intramural and love it!
3. Participating in sports is the only exercise I truly enjoy
4. My birthday this year will be my first one not celebrated with my twin sister. ever.
5. I don't have many "best" friends but I have many friends
6. My major is communication sciences and disorders and I love it
7. I have a lot of pet peeves
8. I hum during awkward situations and even when I just think about something awkward
9. I'm rarely angry and no where near confrontational
10. I never think I give good advice but for some reason my friends are always asking me for it
11. I hate talking on the phone, I think it gives me anxiety
12. I also hate texting and typing a lot of the time
13. Both things make me a horrible person to keep in touch with but I do my best!
14. I LOVE animals, my own especially
15. I'm a cat and a dog person, I can't choose between the two
16. I'm a very honest and trustworthy person and sometimes it actually makes things suckier.
17. I'm probably one of the frugal people you will ever meet, but I'm not stingy.
18. I'm afraid of death and growing old
19. I am a pro procrastinator when it comes to work, but I always get it done
20. I take pride in the things I do and make sure they're done well
21. I have the worst short term memory ever
22. I have the best long term memory
23. I don't hold grudges, I forgive and try hard to forget
24. I miss having my sister here more and more everyday
25. Sometimes I say things in conversation even though i know I don't actually think what I've said
26. I love to ski
27. I really having alone and quiet time. I try not to take it for granted
28. I love summer, but would take fall weather over the heat any day.
29. I try to be the most understanding person I can be, I'm usually successful
30. I love my family so much. They are the most understanding, loving, and genuine group of people I know.
31. Even though my sister and I are the same age, I look up to her.

Week 8 Theme

I awoke on the couch, opening my eyes slowly as they got used to the light. All I could see at first was the huge camo comforter wrapped around me like a cocoon, bunched up so high that I can hardly see over. I push it down with my hands to reveal the dining room. It was empty, the big wooden table spotless, no one had eaten yet and I couldn't here anyone over near the sink. I peered to the right of where I was laying, past the fridge and the space heater and I see that the TV across from me was not on. The house was very still and quiet, every one must still be sleeping. There was a calmness in the air but I sensed that someone should be getting up any minute. I turned my head hard to the right to check on Ben who was at the other end of the of the big blue wrap-around to make sure he was still sleeping. The morning sun shining through the cracks of the curtains blinded me as I looked over to him. He was awake, just sitting uncomfortably in silence trying his hardest to fall back asleep. He just had surgery so he was propped up with his eyes fluttering open and closed in one of the reclining seats. All his pillows that he had brought home from the hospital were strewn on the curve of the couch between him and I, along with extra blankets and a chip bag left over from the night before. On the arm rest next to him was a bottle of Tylenol, water bottles, and a half empty container of brownies; his survival items for his couch ridden recovery. I look back to him from the clutter in front of me and see that he is awake and struggling to reposition himself without hurting his shoulder any more. I can see the pain in his face as he slowly leans forward in the seat using the foot rest to pull his body up. I feel bad for him and want to ask if I can help, but I know he'll say there is nothing I can do so i let him go about his business. Behind him the bathroom door is cracked and the light still on. I should get up to shut it off now that the sun is up because it was only being used as a night light. Instead I stay wrapped in my warm cocoon surrounded by the calm and coolness of the house with only the sound of the creaking couch keeping me from falling back asleep.

Prompt 34

The tall maple tree's with their gorgeous yellow and purple-red leaves line the old broken asphalt road. The sun peaks through the dewy leaves as it rises over the field at the top of the hill. It's rays shine on me and warm my body as I take a walk down memory lane, the road I grew up on. It's fall, my favorite season and there is no place I'd rather be this time of year than right here on Park Street.

The scenery gives me a feeling of comfort and security that I can't find anywhere else. The smell of the leaves and the colorful patterns they make up in the trees and on the ground, are small things I look forward too. I look at this area in a different light, with an open mind. I do not see a as my old house or just an ordinary road. I can see it for it's natural magnificence; the beauty that can be found in the surrounding nature. With open eyes as I walk I notice small things, like the tree that got hit by lightening across the street, that bring up the memories that I have held here in my mind. Being here this time of year also reminds me of the hours my dad spent racking, dragging, and putting leaves in piles in order to burn. I can smell that smoke now and how pungent it was when he set all the piles on fire. As I walk down the road further past my old house I see all my neighbors houses and how they glisten with the frost that has formed overnight. I can see the natural beauty that everyday things possess. Everything sparkles with frost in the sunlight, and the light brings out all the colors in the leaves. It is truly beautiful to witness and it is a wonderful place to reminisce on my favorite times.

Slowly walking I can take in all the sights around me and really appreciate all the things that I may not have noticed before. I could stay in this area forever, live in my past, and take in the moments I have spent here. Sitting on the front steps of our big green house, looking out to the field across the street, taking in the sights of the season and enjoying every moment. This could be my heaven.

Prompt 36

7am, a sea of faces and a crowded sidewalk. Gum and other items that have been tossed aside scatter the cement, some of it carried away on the shoes of people walking by. Garbage, cigarettes, and the smells of all the different street venders and shops swirl around in the breeze. The constant smell of sewer and steam unpleasantly rushing up through the tiny spaces in drains and man hole covers filling the noses of pedestrians as they pass. The incessant honking from crabby morning drivers in the street and the chatter emanating from the early birds getting their daily morning coffee. In the background there is the sound of jack-hammers and saws coming from various construction sights just starting their daily work. People walking under scaffolding and the awnings hanging from doors and windows of buildings, skipping over drainage holes, dodging slow and clumsy walkers, and other obstacles that stand in the way of where they need to get to. Cars filled with people rushing off to their important meetings trying to stick to their very elaborate schedules. It is very busy and hectic with so many people in one tiny place trying to get one million different things done at the exact same time. Each person running on their own time, having their own worries, and wanting to reach the goals they've set for themselves in the day. 7am on a city street, just a little to hard pressed and fast paced for me.

Prompt 33

You know those words that are really hard to listen to, ones that you would never wish to hear if you could prevent it. "We are gathered here today to remember...", this is one of those phrases that bothers me because it is attached to something I hate to be a part of, a funeral. I mean they could be used in a positive way to start in describing a happy memory, a person dear to you, or to remember a certain celebratory event. However, when I think of them all that comes to mind is death and the loved one's that I have lost. Funerals are where I have heard these words the most and one seems to stick out the most. He was my dad's uncle; he owned a successful apple orchard, had three children, was one of the hardest workers I will ever know, and was happily married til the day he died. His funeral was a gathering to celebrate his long well-lived life after he had passed and it was a time to remember him during his best days before he grew ill. Although, there was a time for mourning during his funeral it is mostly a time to remember what type of person he was and to recall all the great things he had accomplished. We all wanted to send my great uncle Ray peacefully to the other side, to whatever was awaiting him on the other side. However, I think these words I'm speaking of are sad and depressing especially when hearing them at at a family members wake. Instead of immediately thinking of happier times in his life when I first hear it I think of how heartbreaking it is for such an amazing person to loose such a prosperous life. Death is something I fear and that I would never wish upon anyone especially one of my family members who was always so positive and so hard working til his very last day. I'd still much rather not have to speak about them as if they were departed and this is the reason why I find that phrase so hard to hear.

Losing someone for me is something I absolutely dread and I'm sure anyone would. I am terrified of death and what it brings. I've heard positive things and know all about Heaven and God and everything that supposedly waiting for me on the other side. However, the fact that nothing is certain scares me and I worry about the loved ones I've lost like Uncle Ray and where they are now. So, when I sat at that funeral and I heard that one little phrase it mustered up all these thoughts in my mind. I tried to and still try to stay positive and think of the perfect, wonderful life they are probably having now, despite the fact his and my future are uncertain after death. Wondering whether I'd ever see him again makes it all the more painful to remember him.

Week 7 Theme

I have this roommate, we'll refer to her as Roommate B. She's soft spoken and is one of those people where she doesn't seem like she has a whole lot to say, but when she finally starts talking and her personality just bursts out. You would think she was shy or something, but no once that girl gets going she has a rough and tough type of attitude. She's the type of person that always says if you have a problem with her to just say it to her face. This is where the problem arises. You see, we've all put in an equal amount of money for cleaning products and a vacuum and we've all had our share of cleaning. All, meaning every one of us but Roommate B. We've tried to solve the lack of effort on her part by simply doing what she told us to do. We would say hey Roommate B can you please wipe up your mess when your done, pick up occasionally, and put your dishes in the dish washer? She'll say yes and do it once and the next time it's like we never asked her anything. It is very annoying to deal with people who say all you need to do is ask, and when you do ask them to do somthing it still does not get done. Consistently asking her over and over to do simple every day chores feels like I'm living with a child. She is 20 years old and should know how to clean up after herself. If there were a better way to confront her about not doing work, I'd hope she would tell us because just confronting her has proven unsuccessful.

Although she is very busy and uses that as an excuse on the daily, we are all busy and we don't want to have to do our chores and then her's on top of that. I do not think that simple cleaning tasks is too much to ask especially when she is the most messy out of all of us. I wish she would actually come off how she say's she is and do what is asked of her because we all do what is needed around the apartment. It is only fair that we all put in an equal effort, but that cannot happen until she joins in. If she was the type to just solve a problem about a certain issue (like chores) after someone has nicely asked she would be more apt to continue to help out around the house. However, she is actually very passive-aggressive and does not solve issues like that at all. So, I do have an occasional problem with people, like Roommate B who do not complete simple tasks when asked and people that falsely represent themselves and say they are a certain way when they are in fact not.

Week 7 Prompt 32

Transition, that is the state I am in right now. It's my third year in college. I am trying to find out where I want to go on the career path I've chosen. I just ended a two year long relationship and my sister moved to California. It is like the two people who were there for me constantly are there any longer. Although, I chose to end my relationship it is still strange to go about my days without a constant someone to talk to. My sister moving to California made things a lot tougher on me as well. She is no longer living with me or just a drive away, she is all the way across the country. I did not realize until after she had gone how big of a part she actually played in my life and how much a leaned on her when I needed someone. Whether it was the advice she gave me or the consistent companionship I shared with her, it is different now and I am getting used to that.

In terms of where I am at now in my life I think t I would want to see is my sister in my last moments alive. She is the one person I've shared absolutely everything and who I have experienced the most with in our lives. She was and is there for me through thick and thin and I would want her to know how very special she is to me regardless of how many times we've argued or disagreed. She has always been my strong side and my better half. I would want her to hold on to my last words and remember them so she would know how dear she really is to me. However, in terms of the absolute, last person I'd ever want to see in my last moments in life, that is if they were to occur in the near future, would be the boy I recently broke up with. This is not because of hatred or anything like that but because I would not want to make backwards progress after all the time that has passed. I have moved on and am happier now so I wouldn't want to put myself in a place of confusion and most likely sadness in my last moments.

Week 7 Prompt 30

All the memories come flowing back when I look at that photo of us.. The good, the bad, and of course, the ugly. We were on our way to a fourth of July cookout at a family friend's and my mom insisted on a picture. Both of us had red white and blue on, it was cliche but we were dressed for the holiday. I had a red and white baseball shirt and he had on a Boston Red Sox T-shirt. My mother placed us just in front of the pine tree in the corner of my house. I remember not wanting to take it at all but then it came out really well. For once I looked good and so did TJ, a rare occasion in photos with us. It was always one or the other that was photogenic. Although I thought we looked great together, and loved the picture at one time, now when I look at it over a year later the feelings I have about it are not the same.

You keep pictures because they remind you of certain times you don't want to forget like trips to the beach in the spring or hiking up at the lake house. In some cases though the memories trapped inside a photo turn into ones you'd rather just forget. When you have a relationship with someone for a number of years, you take many pictures of the times you had together and some just of the two of you. During your relationship you want to capture every moment of your time spent, the laughs, the embarrassing acts, and the special moments you've shared with one another. Taking a photo is a way of capturing and keeping that memory forever.  However, when that relationship ends or isn't as successful for whatever reason you're feelings towards the moments and experiences may change along with your feelings towards that person. Now you might look at the same photo and feel regret, uncertainty, and sadness. Breaking off a relationship with someone and getting rid of the things that are attached to them some how, like photos or cards are some of the hardest things to go through. Your thoughts towards a person you once loved dearly may change, but I've learned to live with the changes. After all, some change is good.

Today as I look at the picture of us together my feelings have changed. Before I would've kept the photo to show everyone who may look what an amazing person I was with, how happy we looked, and to show them and myself how many good times we had together. Although we had our great moments, some times things just go sour. Not because I wanted them to but they have just changed with time. So, now instead of putting this picture on display, I look at this photo and place out of sight from myself and others.

Week 7 Prompt 31

She is my best friend and my other half, and I would do anything for her. We have been together from the minute we were conceived until this very day. I remember we would wear the same clothes, but they would have opposite colors. My mother loved these specific outfits where I would wear a purple top with green shorts and my sister would wear a green top with purple bottoms. We were these two adorable little blonde haired girls but we would always be running around like heathens. We would run and play out in the woods with each other and make up stories and our own little worlds and narrate them together. Sometimes we would bring a friend along too. We were sweet kids, very family orientated but we were also a little mischievous. I once convinced my sister that we should play hairdresser up in our tree houses. Meanwhile I had planned this whole scheme of actually cutting her hair off and I had stolen my moms large orange handled scissors. I lured her up into the tree house, pretended to play with her hair a little bit, then hacked off the majority of her pony tail. My mother was not too pleased when she discovered Jade's hair on the floor that she initially thought was dog hair but I do not quite remember getting punished. This, unfortunately was the beginning of Jade's short hair days.

Despite my one-sided mischief, we did everything together from sports, to riding bikes, to playing dolls; we were each others other half. It was awesome to always have someone to play with, talk to and be there for me whenever I needed someone. The memorable moments we made as children, all the fun and goofy times we had together are the ones I remember most. She was right by my side from the day we were born, because of this my fondest moments and experiences with her are also my earliest memories.

Week 6 Theme

It had been a long ride to my hometown. Three hours in a tiny car was just about all I could take riding alone. I could not wait to arrive at my grandmother's house so I could give her a big hug, but most of all I wanted to make a trip down to the basement. I wanted to reminisce, after all my father grew up in that house, as well as my sister and I. The basement was the home for many toys, old and new, old clothes, hobbies, and memories. Seeing everything in there was my way of reconnecting with my past as well as my families and I was so excited to go back.

I ran to the front porch and swung up on to the steps as I'd done as a child, and opened the front door. My Grammy was there waiting for me with her arms open wide. We hugged for a moment and said are hello's and how are you's and then I asked  if I could spend some time downstairs. She said yes, not that I was expecting a different answer. So began my journey down in to memory lane.

The stairs are older, but cement so they're not creaky or flimsy. Each one has an edging of metal held on by screws, and are blanketed with the most hideous orange and black speckled carpet. Clearly straight out of the seventies. As you descend down the stairs Farther down, near the opening at the bottom of the stairs there is a hole in the wall where the water heater sits, one of my sister and I's favorite hiding places. Reaching the bottom step you can see the enclosure my grandfather had made to hold the wood for the stove int he winter time and the washer and dryer right next to that. Directly ahead of the stairs there is an island that houses all of the laundry goods and a few random doodad's that had been picked up over the years and placed there. Everything is dusty down here, not like it hasn't been used but in an old kind of way. Traveling between the washer/dryer and the island on the perpendicular wall sits my grandfathers old work bench. He sat there for hours making models of his favorite airplanes and tinkering with her electric ones. All his prized models hang from the ceiling, displayed in a neat fashion right above his desk. Looking back on the island, on one of the beams holding it up there are the heights and ages of my sister and I and maybe a few cousins too, from the time we moved in to the time we moved out. A nice little spot to stop and reminiscence on the years we all spent here together.

The rest of the basement, to the right of the stairs is split in two horizontally by a faux ply wood wall running through the middle of the room. On the right side of the division it is mostly storage; totes of seasonal decor, old clothes and toys, yard sale stuff, and more. In the far right corner there is a huge chunk of rock protruding out of the wall with a flat top surface. On top of this structure there is a crudely painted railroad track with tree's and such lining the way and there is a small box of toy cars in the corner. Every generation has played with their hot-wheels on this little track and the memories of my sister and I playing there come swooping back every time I see it. To the left of the rock there is a doorway running from floor to ceiling connecting the two sides of the basement. On the other side of the wall it's like a scene from a living room in the seventies. There was an old "toy" organ that was probably from my dad's younger sister up against the dividing wall. There was an old white, brown, and orange plaid, corduroy couch farther down which was directly across from an old wood stove that was used to heat the entire house. The wall behind the couch was decorated in framed pictures of airplanes or landscapes, and on both sides of the pictures there was an light that looked like an older latern. Again, straight out of the seventies. Everything about this room was right out of my dad's childhood, and that's why I loved it, it brought me back to a time I wish I know more about. 

Although the room looked like it was from a time machine, to the left of the stove was our video game set-up, with the original Nintendo 64. I can just imagine all the times my cousins and I sat down there for hours trying to beat each others scores and move up a level. This whole basement brings back memories, not only for me but for my family and grandmother. Every inch of dusted covered surface and totes, all the old toys, and hobbies that have been discarded over the years down here. This is a dark, chilly basement but it holds so many bright happy memories.

Prompt 29: When I finally arrived, it was nothing like I imagined...

I had great expectations in my head of this kick ass summer camp. It was going to be this amazing campus with great shiny, red buildings. The location was right on the water, and I was thinking there was a sandy beach with a swimming area. I had seen pictures but they did not show everything, only bits in pieces. So, when my parents pulled the car up to the main office that summer day in July, 2002 the images I had in my head kind of dwindled away. The "main office" for the summer camp was this tiny red and white building, in little room with a little old lady working the desk. My parents talked about signing us up for a few minutes while my sister and I sat in two chairs that were smushed to the right of the desk, and directly in front of the door.

After we were all signed up and the t's were crossed we walked out of the cramped office and looked out onto the rest of the campus. Immediately in front of us was the soccer field and the basketball courts. Beside them to the right was the chapel, because this was a Christian camp, and right behind the chapel was the girls dorm rooms. The dorms were 10 rooms all connected in one long building. They fit 6 pairs of bunk beds and were very tight on space but were very cozy. Looking to our right still standing in front of the office, we could see the dining hall, a few small cabins, and the boys dorms around the corner farthest to the right. Connected to the office we were standing at was the "Snack Shack" where campers could go and get snacks, ice cream, and soda, it was the popular place to hang out at night during free time. We decided to take a way down the road that lead past the boys dorms, and the dining hall after looking around for another few minutes. We passed the back entrance to the Chapel on the left and the dining hall on the right. The road we walked on crossed over the "Jordan River" which was a little stream that ran parallel to the road from above the driveway all the way down the lake entrance. We walked a little bit farther to the end of the actual camper area where the bonfire area was and all the benches around it, as well as the volleyball court.

Although the camp was very simple, modest, and old it had so much character. It had been around so many years, and a whole bunch of memories and friendships had been made there. My mother went there as a child and enjoyed her time so much she wanted my sister and I to have the same experience. It was an amazing place for finding yourself, true friends, and finding the Lord as well. I realized this after a few days there. All the people were so genuine and taught me how to live my life in a positive and moral way. Each day in chapel, in our rooms before bed, and in all activities the counselors were teaching us things about life and lessons from the bible. They shared their personal experiences that lead them to where they were and other's stories as well. The songs we sang each day and the things that were read to me made me feel empowered, like there were people behind me supporting me in my journey to find who I wanted to be. It was a judgement free zone in a way, everyone was there to learn, have fun, and to better themselves and their relationship with the Lord. That camp gave me a strong sense of who I was and the person I wanted to be and the people there gave me the courage and support to do so.

 I had poor assumptions of what the camp was going to be like when I pulled in on the first day. Those were due to my opinion of the way the building and grounds looked. However, I was seriously mistaken by the outward appearance. I ended up returning there for 6 years as a camper, and a 7th year as a staff member. The time I spent there made me realize to not judge something by the outside, because the things you learn inside and the people you meet along the way will truly be worth the experience.

Prompt 27: The safest place in the world

As I sit on my bed in my cozy little room, surrounded by memorabilia of my childhood and high school career, I feel safe.I feel safe surrounded by things that i love and that represent me, hearing the sounds of chatter and chores coming from other rooms, and the fact that my family is all around me makes me feel comfortable.  Even though I feel safe in my home, in my little haven at the end of the hall, there is something that comforts me and makes me feel even safer than I already do. The place I feel safest is located in my home where I grew up and spent the majority of my adolescent years but it's not the house itself, any room, or any piece in the house that makes me feel this way. It is a person within my home that makes me feel like I am in the safest place in the world. This person is my rock, he is my father and in his presence and his arms I feel the safest. Although I do feel protected in my home with my family, I feel most safe with my Dad no matter where we are, regardless of whether we are at home or not. My dad is my protector and I know he would do anything to keep me and the rest of my family safe. He listens to me, he cares about my petty, girl issues even though he's a grown man, he helps me, and he lets me know that I, my mother, and my sister are all very important to him. Knowing that he cares so much for my family so much and would do anything for us allows me to feel secure and sheltered from harm when I am with him, and even when I am away.

Prompt 26

I drive down the hill leading into town in my little green Honda. It had been so long since I'd been back, and I'd definitely never driven through it myself. I passed all the old, but familiar buildings from my childhood; Pizza shops, banks, churches, the town garage, and Shop n' Save. It feels so weird to be back in this place, I feel like I've almost gone back in time. I was a kid again when I came here, I felt like I had never left and most everything had not changed. After driving just out of town I turn onto my old street I can sense little things have changed, a house color here, a new sign there, but nothing major, most of the same people live in the houses that line the road. I pass by my best friends house at the beginning of the street, then my uncle and aunts', and my cousins home further down. You see, most of my dad's family lives in a row lining the right side of Park street, with our old house right in the middle of them all. When we moved, it was hard to leave here knowing we were leaving a home surrounded by family and love.

All of my relatives homes had not changed, they give me that same feeling of refuge when I passed by because they acted as the pathway that lead to my home. I finally arrive at my drive way, the mail box number has changed but it is all the same. I turn in and drive up the little hill and park in front of the garage. The big green house hadn't changed much, just an addition of a porch out front. My mothers flower garden along the drive had dwindled but it was still alive, and the little light post and sitting bench were all still there as well. I shut the car off and stepped out into the door yard, it had been dirt when I lived here, but now the entire driveway was tarred. I peered out past the driveway and back towards the road which could see clearly from where I stood. This was different because all the tree's had been cut down. When I was little my sister and I used the cluster of trees in our yard as our sanctuary and one of our favorite play places. I had to admit though, it looked so much better with the sprawling green grass and the ability to actually view the road on that side of the driveway.

After I had pondered the slight differences I had noticed I turned back around to my old house, which was now my grandmothers. I drank in the sight of the big front windows with my mother's flowery curtains, the wood-shoot to the basement that my grandfather had built, and the front porch that my favorite dog used to nap under. This house held a very special place in my heart and my soul. It is so important to not forget where you've come from and all the things in your past that have made you, you. If only you could hold on strongly to all your childhood experiences and enjoy them in detail whenever you chose just so you did not loose touch with your history. Ah, the sweet memories of youth that this place brought back, I could relive those times forever.

I've lost it! Where is it?

There I go running out the door to my apartment. I'm on my way to class at EMCC. I know that I am out of gas and I need to stop for a few things at the dollar tree on my way to Bangor. I run down the stairs and out the door to my car. I turn the key and thankfully it starts up despite the amount of gas I left in it the day before. As I drive through town I'm thinking of the things I need to buy and where the best place to buy gas is at that moment. As I continue down that train of thought I began to wonder if I have any cash on me, or if I am going to need my debit card. Knowing me, I have about 3 dollars in cash, never enough for gas, so it was looking like my debit card would be my best option. As I drive into town I decided I was going to treat my self to a pumpkin spice iced coffee from Dunkin' Donuts. When I pulled up to the second window after she'd told me the total I grabbed my wallet and reached for my card and believe it or not, it wasn't there! Luckily, the little bit of cash I had covered it. I began to worry about the multiple scenarios that could have led me to this position. I had lost it, but where? I pulled the car over to the side of the Dunkin' Donuts parking lot so I could search around my car safely. I looked high and low, in every crack, crevice, and compartment and it was still no where to be seen! Even though this was a regular occurrence for me, it was obviously still a little freaky considering it is how I access my money when I am at school. I knew if it was not in my car that it would most likely be in my jacket pocket at home. You see, I have this horrible habit of paying for my gas with my debit card then putting in my pocket, not my wallet. So  decided to call up my roommate and ask her to check my jacket for me.

"Hello!" She said
"Hi, could you do me a favor, please?!"
"Sure, whats up?"
"Could you go in the coat closet and look in the pocket of my rain jacket for my debit card?" I asked anxiously.
"Of course! Hold on one second".
"Thank you so much!" I said.
After waiting patiently for just a minute she came back on the line.
"I found it!" She exclaimed.
"Oh thank God! I knew it must be there! Thank you for looking!" As I said this I thought to myself, I should probably look after my debit card a little better in the future.

Well, I managed to keep my debit card in my wallet, where it should be for a few solid weeks! However, I lost it again today and where do you think I found it?

You go on a journey

"I'm moving to California next summer, for two years!" She said.
I remember when my sister uttered these words to my family and I. It was August 2011, we had just got back from our very first family trip to California. We went there because my sister, Jade had gotten married to her childhood sweetheart. He is in the marine core, and is stationed at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. Although, we wouldn't be living there like Jade would be in just one short year, we now had an amazing place to go and visit! We were all so happy for Jade and excited to be with her while she made this new transition in her life. It was like switching lifestyles for her. She was moving from Maine to California, and she was now going to be living alone with her "husband" on a military base. Wow, it was kinda crazy to think about! Her world was going to be so different but she, and we were all so thrilled that she would be experiencing so many new things like, getting a new job, decorating and living in her first house, and meeting many new friends. Everything was exhilarating for her, she was anxious and excited to begin her new life as a wife and a Californian. This was her journey.

Although Jade's journey in her new life was just beginning, my life as a twin and as a sister was going to change dramatically. It was going to be  very different for me and I had to adapt to my new, sibling-less life. Don't get me wrong though, I was and am so happy for her! Now, I live vicariously through her experiences on the west coast and she lives through mine here at school. Learning to live without my sister here with me was my journey, and it was going to prove to be tough.

Week 4 Theme #3

2. There was a girl I used to know. She absolutely loved to play field hockey and was amazing at it too. No matter the place, the day, the season, she was always be prepared to play and improve if there was an opportunity to do so. She lives and breathes the sport and would never pick any other over it. She started playing field hockey when she was a freshman in high school. This was due to the fact that soccer was becoming a bore, and she wanted to try something new and field hockey seemed like the "cool thing'. Many of the girls in her family had played field hockey and she figured it was time for her to follow in their foot steps. From her freshman year on she pushed herself athletically to great lengths to gain respect of her coach and the older players on the team. She was a little timid during her first year of playing but once she reached her sophomore year she was very confident in her abilities and many of the girls were envious of her progress. At the beginning of her second season her coach told her she had made the varsity team. This was the best news she had gotten in a while, well since the beginning of her field hockey career. However, she knew she deserved it because she worked hard through her freshman season and had continued practicing all summer long. She was beyond excited and so proud of her accomplishment. She could not wait to make strides in the new season and show off her skills to her varsity teammates.
Preseason that year came and went just like every other one before. The sweating, running, sprints, drills, and team bonding. The team hated it but enjoyed themselves at the same time. They used the time together to make new friendships and catch up with girls they hadn't seen in a while. However sports wise the work was tough but they all knew that it would pay off in the end.  She used preseason as her time to better her skills on the field for the season ahead as well as a time to be social. In order to make a good impression she would make sure she was on time, tried to be in the front during team runs and drills, and if she messed up once she made sure to try again until she felt comfortable and confident. It definitely helped her knowing that the older girls supported her and pushed her positively to be the best she could be. However, there are always a few bad apples when you get a group of kids together but she tried not to let those few influence her feelings towards the game. Some of her teammates did have more negative attitudes, some had issues with poor sportsmanship, and some even argued with the coaches. Nevertheless she knew it was best to stay positive for the sake of herself and the team.

The actual season started during the first week of September. She felt more prepared than ever and was ready to blow away her opponents with her talent, and the skill of her team of course. She felt fully accepted by her new teammates and was excited to see how they played together on the field. The team had played a few games and she was feeling so ecstatic about the work that they had put in regardless of their record at that point, she felt they had done amazing. Her coach had had her in for whole games, playing the entire duration without a sub. This really boosted her confidence and made her feel that she was a great asset to her team. One thing she had learned through player was that when she felt good about herself and believed in herself she was an all around better player. She had confidence and felt she had to go into a game feeling good like she could attempt any skill or trick because if she did not have this mindset she would be clumsy and unsure of herself on the field. Along with her self-confidence, she was a great team player as well. Her will to be the best and play to her highest ability came from the fact that she did not want the other girls on the team to be disappointed in her performance. Therefore she worked very hard in practice and in games to better her skills from great to amazing and put them to use in the games ahead. Turns out her team had an excellent season and made their way to the playoff's! She was not big-headed however, she thought her addition to the team really played a noteworthy part in their success. She could not wait for what the next two seasons had to come, and the thought of continuing on after high school excited her even more. The triumph of her team's season had her on cloud 9 and gave her the ambition to continue playing on such a prime level. Little did she know that this would be one of the most successful years her team would have during her time in high school, and they would not make it to the playoff's again.

A stranger comes to town

The first day of the new school year at the Mary R. Hurd school in North Berwick, Maine. All the fourth and fifth graders itching to get off their buses, and running to find their new classrooms. Every one of them eager to have old friends in their classes with them and to make new friendships with others. Teachers are preparing their plans for the day and making their finishing touches on the schedule. They greet every child that walks into their classrooms and directs them to their seats. As the day is just about to begin and the last students come trickling in and take their seats the anticipation of the first day settles in. Specifically in Mrs. Michael's room fifth grade classroom everyone is chatting about their summers and talking about their adventures; they all seem to know each other pretty well. Meanwhile, there's a new girl walking the halls searching for her new classroom. She's wearing a brand new outfit and a new shirt, that she thinks is so cool. She's nervous but confident and excited about her first day at a new school. Not at all worried about whether or not she'll meet new friends, she's just excited to make more memories in a new town and be apart of something unfamiliar to her. I envy that young girls confidence and poise when it came to a new school and a whole new set of kids and teachers she was about to get to know. She was not afraid what this new town had in store. She hadn't quite experienced much in her life so there was nothing to be afraid of in her mind. I envy this girl because I wish I could take her place when it comes to her self-assurance and have that type of confidence now that I am older when I walk into unfamiliar territory. I long to trade places with that new girl in town because that girl was me. We all wish we could tell ourselves what we know now, that we didn't know then. Being the new person in town is fun and exciting but it was difficult at times because I did not know anyone's past. It was hard to be a good judge of character when you don't know much about the majority of the kids you're going to school with. So, to all the kids at the Mary Hurd school that day I was the stranger in town. In a way I felt like a stranger because I didn't know anyone, but I dove into my new life positively and was hopeful about my new friendships and class and I think I came out of it just fine.

Week four theme #2

2. There was a girl I used to know. She absolutely loved to play field hockey and was darn good at it too. No matter the place, the day, the season, she will always be prepared to play and improve if there was an opportunity to do so. She lives and breathes the sport and would never pick any other over it. She started playing field hockey when she was a freshman in high school. This was due to the fact that soccer was becoming a bore, and she wanted something knew. Many of the girls in her family had played field hockey and she figured it was time for her to follow in their foot steps. From her freshman year on she pushed herself athletically to great lengths to gain respect of her coach and the older players on the team. Once she reached her sophomore year her coach told her she had made the varsity team. This was the best news she had gotten in a while; she new she deserved it because she worked hard through her very first season and all summer long. She was beyond excited and proud of her new accomplishment and could not wait to make strides in the new season.
Preseason came and went just like every other one before. The sweating, running, sprints, drills, and team bonding. The team hated it but enjoyed themselves at the same time. It was a lot of hard work but they all knew that it would pay off in the end. She used preseason as her time to better her skills on the field for the season ahead. She would make sure she was on time, tried to be in the front during team runs and drills, and if she messed up once she made sure to try again until she felt comfortable and confident. It definitely helped her knowing that the older girls supported her and pushed her, positively to be her best. However, there are always a few bad apples in a group of kids but she tried not to let them influence how she felt about the game. Some of her teammates had more grumpy attitudes, had issues with poor sportsmanship, and some even argued relentlessly with the coaches. Nevertheless she knew it was best to stay positive for the sake of herself and the team.

The actual season started during the first week of September. She felt more prepared than ever and was ready to blow away her opponents. She felt fully received by her new teammates and was excited to see how they played together on the field. A few games went by and she was feeling awesome about her team and the work that they had done regardless of their record at that point. Her coach had had her in for whole games, playing the entire duration without a sub. This really boosted her confidence and made her feel that she was a great asset to her team. One thing she had learned through player was that when she felt good about herself and believed in herself she was an all around better player. She had confidence and felt she had to go into a game feeling good like she could attempt any skill or trick because if she did not have this mindset she would be clumsy and unsure of herself on the field. Along with her self-confidence, she was a great team player as well. Her will to be her best and play to her highest ability came from the fact that she did not want the other girls on the team to be disappointed in her. Therefore she worked very hard to maintain and better her skills and put them to use in the games ahead. Turns out her team had an amazing season and even made it to the playoff's! She was not big-headed however, she thought her addition to the team really played a part in their success. Little did she know that this would be one of the best years her team would have during her time in high school, and they would not make it to the playoff's again.

Week 4 Theme

1. There is a girl I know who loves to play field hockey. No matter the place, the day, the season, she will always be prepared to play. She lives and breathes the sport and would never pick any other over it. She started playing field hockey when she was a freshman in high school. Once she reached her sophomore year her coach told her she would be playing on the varsity team. This was the best news she had gotten in a while but she new she deserved it because she worked hard all summer preparing and improving. She was beyond excited and proud of her new accomplishment and could not wait to make strides in the new season.
Preseason came and went just like every other one before. The sweating, running, sprints, drills, and team bonding. The team hated it but enjoyed themselves at the same time. It was a lot of hard work but they all knew it would pay off in the end. She used it as her time to better her skills on the field for the season ahead. She would make sure she was on time, tried to be in the front, and if she messed up once she made sure to try again until she felt comfortable and confident. It definitely helped her knowing that the older girls supported her and pushed her to be her best. However, there are always a few bad apples in a group of kids but she tried not to let them influence how she felt about the game, whether it was their grumpy attitudes or their poor sportsmanship, she knew it was best to stay positive for the sake of herself and the team.
The actual season started during the first week of December. She felt more prepared than ever and felt fully received by her new teammates and was excited to see how they did together on the field. A few games went by and she was feeling awesome about her team and the work that they had done regardless of their record at that point. Her coach had had her in for whole games, playing the entire thing without a sub. It really boosted her confidence, and when she felt good about herself she was a better player. This is one thing she had learned. She had to go into a game feeling good like she could attempt any skill or trick and be successful because if she did the opposite she would be a little clumsy and unsure of herself. She was a great team player and did not want some of the other girls on the team to be disappointed. Therefore he took this realization and her skills and put it to use in the games ahead. Turns out her team had a pretty good season and even made it to the playoff's! Little did she know that this would be one of the best years she played, and they would not make it to the playoff's again.

What would i get paid to talk about?

I'm sitting here thinking about what would be a topic that I would love to talk about. One that is easy for me to express my opinion on and something that I actually enjoy. After a while I came up with an obvious answer, well for me at least. The theme I thought I'd like to get paid to speak about was twins and what life is like being one. I myself am a twin. For me, it is just my every day life. I do not look at my sister as a twin, I look at her as a normal sister. Yes, we've always heard we were special but we were treated like any other kids. However, people are so interested in how it is like to be a twin and they are always asking me questions about it or saying that they would want there own twin. So, I think it would be fun to educate people on what day to day life is like with a twin, what is was like growing up with someone that looks just like you, and how twins are actually created. This is a topic that I would like to go more in depth about and it would also be really fun to educate people on how life is like with a twin. Many people think it is so different from having any other sibling but to me it's really not. I think it would be interesting to see the different reactions to what I'd have to say because I feel like a lot of people think being a twin is way past normal. Believe me, I know that it is a really cool thing. It is somewhat rare, and exciting to know that there is someone almost identical to you physically, mentally, and socially; it is truly amazing. However, if I were paid to talk about this I would not focus so much on the biological aspects of it but I would focus on the everyday life of a twin, what its like to have a sibling that looks like you, and how in some cases, like mine twins can be quite different individuals, they are not identical in every aspect. I would want to help people come to that understanding.