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.

Truth Potion. Prompt 15

If I had a truth potion that I could give to anyone I'd have to give it to one of my old friends. We have gone through periods of being really close, drifting apart, to being really close again, to not speaking to each other. There were many reasons contributing to us having our last fall out, life problems, stress of school, living together... etc. However, we have managed to patch things up now and talk to each other on a pretty regular basis. But it is still a little weird when we see each other. So, if I gave this to her I would love for her to tell me exactly what was nagging at her and what she thought about me and our friendship, truly. I feel that there is a lot we both could say and bring back up but neither of us want to stir that pot again. Although, I do think that it could help us grow strong again, but I am afraid of creating something I wont want to finish. I do not enjoy confrontation but I do like to talk calmly and be truthful with people when their is something that's been bugging us, whether it be bad or not there is something to say there. So, I'd want her to tell me her true feelings about our past and present friendship so I could take what she says and help us both understand each other and our feelings in order to be genuinely friendly again.
 If she were to have a sip of this I'd imagine she'd say something like, "You've been ignoring me and I feel like this is a one-way friendship and I'm the only one that is trying anymore". She would say things like, "Remember when we used to talk all the time? We basically lived together and had so many great times". I'll agree with her but still have hard feelings because we did have countless good times and made so many memories, but we also had bad times where she kind of forgot about me and put other people before me. I do not really like disrespect especially when i had done so much for her and been there for her; for her to kind of just drop me, disrespect me and my things in our room was not something I enjoyed. Therefore, I just really was not feeling her company for a while. So, maybe I'd ask her why she did that, or where she was at ow with those people, and if she knew how much it hurt my feelings. I would ask her if she understood why how she treated me would make me feel badly about being her friend again. Knowing her she would be upset if I said all of this and she would feel very badly. She would say, "I didn't even realize what I was doing and I was wrapped up in my newer friends, having fun, and going out with them. I'm sorry". I would tell her I understood and let her know I still want to have her in my life but this time I want to communicate with each other. I feel as though I've been holding a grudge which I hate, but it is only because we haven't really had closure on whats bugging us. We have seen each other a few times and have had laughs and chatted but it was not like it used to be. Overall, I'd like to give her this truth potion so it would be easier for us both to open up about our feelings and what went wrong.

If houses could talk...

If I had to chose one inanimate thing that I would want to talk, I would choose a home. Think about it, houses hold family secrets, heirlooms, traditions, old conversations and new. I am really interested in history, specifically older/historical buildings, so I would really love to hear what an old house has to say about it's past inhabitants. A house is a home for people it is a haven for their every day lives. They eat, sleep, talk, and dream in them. A house could tell you so much about someone. It could tell you about their daily routine, what they talked about in privacy, their interests and hobbies, what school they went to, who their friends were, and what kind of job they held. Houses can hold years and years of history, memories, and milestones; birthday parties, holidays, new babies, special moments, and other significant events. Let's say there was a random singed piece of a door frame and you have no idea what happened to it. You could just ask the house and he/she would say something like, "Oh that happened when little Johnny, who lived here 30 years ago found his parents matches and was experimenting with them until his mom found him and stopped him before he burnt down the whole house!". Or there could be height markings going up one of the beams in your basement. You could ask your home, "What are these from? Whom do they belong to?". Your house could reply with something like, "Oh those! They are left from the family before you. The mother and father kept the height of their daughters from the time they were 2 until the girls left the home. Now that they've both gone off to school the parents decided to move to a smaller place, and now here you are!". A house could explain things for you, tell you things you never knew, and even tell you about what time were like many years ago (depending on its age). Wouldn't you like to know what stories your house has embedded in it's walls?

Week 3 Theme

I walk into the room only to find myself feeling even more nervous and awkward. Feelings that I don't often have. I'm the second one to walk in and I find a seat in the second row towards the side of the room, out of view from most of the class. You see, I missed the first two classes due to a mix up in my schedule. So I am the odd one out, the girl who doesn't know how the classroom works. As I got settled, I sat in the rolling chair provided, reached down to grab my things out of my bag, and teetered in a way that almost made me fall. Meanwhile kids have begun to sit all around me. I'm beginning to think I'm going to make a fool of myself in this class, but I know it's just the first day nerves. Back towards the doorway I see that everyone is writing their names on a sign-in sheet, one thing I do not know about. After everyone had filed in, signed the sheet in the front, and found a seat the teacher began talking. He started explaining the computer program we would be using, and again I had not heard of it. So, after he was done explaining and there was a free moment, I went up to his desk to ask some questions.

"Hi, my names Jordan. I was wondering how I go about using the computer program?" I said.
"Oh, you are one of the ones that missed my first class!"
"Yes" I said disappointed in my mistake.
"Well." he said. "You are going to have to take this CD here and put it in your computer so the software transfers over".
Feeling somewhat stupid again I said, "There is one problem, my computer does not take CD's anymore."
"That's not a problem" He said. "All you have to do is bring in a USB pen drive next class and you can use one of our class computers to transfer the information to the drive".
"Awesome! Thank you so much!" I replied as I turned to walk back to my chair.
"You're welcome!"

The rest of the class went smoothly, as we only took a few pages of notes after he was done explaining the rules of his classroom. However, after class I found that we could not use a Macbook to run the computer program, which of course is the laptop I own. Yet another thing that went wrong for me in the class so far. However, my roommate has a PC so I am able to my work and studying on her computer because she so nicely let me borrow it. All in all, my first class experience was a little shaky and I was not quite prepared, but I'm sure I will slip right into the flow as soon as the class picks up.

Fly on the wall: Watching

I am sitting at a corner table in the center of the memorial union. There are tables spread out out in front and to the left of me filled with students eating lunch, grabbing a snack, or just stopping for a study break or a chit chat. I have a view of the lobby and a little more in front of me, the different food stations available to choose from. To the right of me there are windows going all they way down the length of the building. It is a beautiful day outside. I can see bike riders, people walking to class, or some just enjoying the weather in company of others. As I move my eyes from the windows and back in to the cafeteria-like area I see various things around me. There are kids that are just arriving,  some pacing in circles trying to figure out what they'd like to get for lunch. I see the cashier's, friendly as ever, cashing people out and slamming their drawers over and over again with every person buying their lunch. There are people eating and chewing their food, some messy with their mouth open and talking, while others eat quietly and politely. There are students on their cellphones and laptops, some trying to work and finish homework. While some students are working hard, there are teachers on their breaks, relaxing during their free-time. There are people laughing and gossiping, making plans for the night or for their weekend parties. Although there are some serious people, like the one's who look like they're doing work. In a crowd this big you see a lot of emotions, happy, sad, anxious, stressed... etc. There are also people constantly leaving to go to class or back to their dorms, and there is a continual stream of student trailing in. The cycle of people traveling through the union is ceaseless, people coming, people leaving, eating, talking, or completing certain tasks whether it be school or social based. It is a constant system of students, teachers, and regular joe's that is apparent each and every day.

Fly on the wall: Listening

11. Go to a crowded public place (not one of your classrooms, though) and be a fly on the wall. Just listen. Can you pick out conversations? Write down a little of what you hear, maybe as dialog (he said--, she said--)

Here I sit in the Memorial Union with my boyfriend. People watching and waiting for him to finishing his lunch. All around me I hear different noises, it's always loud in here. Right close up I hear things like TJ talking to me, chewing his food and the lite noise that is coming from him rubbing his napkin in between his fingers. Moving a little farther away from me I hear the laughter of girls near by, chairs rubbing up against the floor and the chatter from the boys next to me talking about day-to-day things.

"I am a runner for the bands" He said.
"What does that mean?"said another.
"They ask me, "Hey, can you get us coffee? and I'm like yep, no problem!"

... And the talking fades while their voices get quieter, or it is just the noisy cafeteria getting louder. Though, there conversation returns; the louder voices come to me through the noise.

"What? ... What?" He said. There was a moment where I could not hear.

"Oh really? Wow"
"That's the problem. What day is it on?" The other one said.
"I think it's either Friday out Saturday."
"Alright. That's good to know!" Exclaimed the first boy.

After I heard that the conversation died out again and I could no longer hear it. The cafeteria was getting busier and more noisy. I spread my hearing range out to the entire cafeteria. I can hear dishes, pots, and pan clanking in the kitchen. People talking about their day and what their plans are for tonight. I can hear some party plans being made and some late night adventures. There are cashier drawers slamming, more scraping of the chairs, and the clicking of keyboards close by. I can also hear the waterfall trickling that runs in between the set of stairs going to the bottom floor of the building near the bookstore. Closer up, I can still hear the sounds of laughter and talking as well. Lots of talking in fact, it kind of creates kind of a loud hum across the entire cafeteria area. I find being here comforting, all the sounds coming together and all the people going through their day just like I am.You can learn a lot from listening to what some people have to say, even though they may not know you're listening.

I said, she/he said

I woke up this morning wrapped in my cocoon of blankets to the sound of my roommates clanking around and talking to one another. I didn't have to be up for another 3 hours but  I could not go back to sleep, as usual, when I'm up I'm up. The sun was coming through my window and shining right on my bed so there was no hope of me closing my eyes again. After I gave myself some time to wake up I and walked down to the kitchen at the other end of the hallway. I passed one of my roommates in her bathroom and I said "Hello!" in my typical morning voice trying to sound more awake than I really am. "Good morning!" Kelsey replied back. As I continued my way down to the kitchen I found my other roommate cooking eggs, like always.

"Eggs again?" I said, as she pushed them around in the fry-pan.

"As usual, I love eggs soo much!"

"I am not that hungry, but if I was I would totally have some fried eggs and toast with apple jelly! My Favorite!"

"When do you have class today?" She asked.

"I have one class, 1:00 to 2:15! Quick day for me!" 

"You are so lucky! I work 9 to 5 today." She said.

"Well, I would much rather work and make money, than go to physics class!" I replied.

"I think so too!" She laughed.

As we spoke, I sat down on the couch as she finished up her cooking. She then sat down on the couch with me to watch TV while she ate. I grabbed the remote and started to flip through the channels, when I came across Boy Meets World and immediately stopped.

"AH, I am so excited, I love this show! It was one of my favorites when I was younger!" I said.

"Oh me too, I wish they still made new episodes! Eric is so funny!" She replied.

I agreed with what she had said and we went on watching for a little while. Afterward, despite the fact that I had plans to go to the gym I decide to stay plopped on the couch while she got up and got ready for her day.

"Good for you!" I said, as I wished I could muster up the energy to get ready too. My class was at 1pm so I just did not see the point. As Kelsey ran around getting ready I decided to start some of my homework, even though I wished it would do itself. I had just broken into some vocabulary and word problems when Kelsey exclaimed, "Alright, I'm headed off to work!".

"Bye, have a good day! See you later tonight!" I exclaimed.

"OK, thank you! See ya tonight!" She said as she headed out the door.

"Ahhh.. finally alone in the house." I thought to myself, "What to do..."

Theme Week Two

There I am sitting on the floor in the living room of our new home. My sister and our new yellow lab puppy by my side. It was the year 2000, over a decade ago (wow that makes me feel too old), and we were headed to the 5th grade. We had just moved into our new home, on High st. in North Berwick. Three hours away from everything we had known; our friends, school, family, and our home. We moved because my dad had received a new job and both our parents thought that there was more opportunity in southern Maine for my sister and I with school and in recreation as well. This was the start of our exciting new adventure as a family, or at least that's what my mom always told us.

Flash forward a few years and I've made it to middle school! By this time I'd made plenty of friends, some I had lost, and others I had made for a lifetime. The set up of the school was different so I was able to see people I hadn't really got to know before and we also started organized sports through the school. I played soccer, basketball, and softball. I also played the flute in the band; we were very good. These were the years that I began to become more social, I tried new things, found out what I liked to do most, and found some of my very best friends.

Another two years has gone by and now I am a freshman in high school, scary! Although, I actually was not nervous at all. I was so excited and sure of myself going into my first year. Freshman year I made friends with older kids, had awesome new classes, ditched band (which I kind of regret), got into art and LOVED it, and started hanging around with the "scene/show kid" group. I dressed in skinny jeans, Chuck Taylors, and wore hot pink eye shadow. This was the year I stopped playing softball cause it bored me, stuck with basketball, stopped soccer, and picked up field hockey. I could not have been more happy about this! Field hockey was available in middle school, but I had always played soccer. I had no idea what I was missing with field hockey. I tried it, loved it, and it turns out that i was a natural. I was happy as I could be with my group of friends that year and grew closer to new ones that I had met going to shows, hanging around my older, new friends, and all the girls I had met playing at a high level on my sports teams.

Then came sophomore year. This year was kind of a dull year. I was kind of transferring out of the group of kids I hung around a lot with the year before, but I still remained friends with most of them, just was not into some of the things I was before, such as shows and I began finding other interests. This year I really focused on sports, especially field hockey. I worked my but off and ended up making varsity as a sophomore and it was only my second year playing! I was happy with myself and what I'd accomplished in sports and how I was doing in school as well.

Junior year came next, and was sort of like sophomore year in the dullness department. However, this was the year I parted ways with my very best friend from the moment I started school in 5th grade. She decided to go down a different path than I and I wanted to focus more on school, sports, and my family, you know the positive things. It turns out she thought I was judging her for her decisions, which maybe I was but I knew I didn't want to be around what she wanted to be about. This was when I learned that sometimes you lose people that mean so much to you, but it is almost like it was meant to be. We are both very happy now with our lives and I still wish her the best. I write mostly about this specific event because it rocked my world and it changed my everyday life for a long while afterward. Although, I lost Bethany I still had all my other friends and they were always there for me; it made me closer to them and I am thankful for that.

Senior year was one that affected my life more than any other. It was a year of many struggles, successes, and changes for me. Looking at the sports aspect of my year I was very successful. I was voted captain of the varsity field hockey and basketball team. I also received awards such as the coaches award in field hockey and an academic athlete award in basketball. Senior year was also the year I followed my sisters advice and tried out for lacrosse; I made varsity. I had so much fun with the girls on the team, and the game in general was very easy to pick up! I had one amazing season and I wish I had started so much earlier. Although, athletically I did well I struggled in the friend department. I made a bad decision and turned my back on my group of good friends, one of them specifically, for a boy. I thought nothing would change, but I was very wrong. I got too wrapped up in something new and exciting and kind of lost myself. That is one thing I regret. I do not regret the relationship I have now but I would take back how I was treating myself and my friends.

Today, I have become a very level headed, understanding person. The obstacles and tough experiences I had to go through in high school really made me realize how one thing can change many aspects in your life whether negatively or positively. For example, when I turned around on my friends and ended up losing most of them for a very long time. Luckily though I have mended all bridges that were burned and I am finally back to feeling content and it is awesome. I am enjoying my time in college, meeting new people, having fun with old and new friends, staying positive, and really thinking before making complex decisions that could impact me. Every happening in my history, and more specifically my high school years have significantly affected my life today.

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

There are people in this world who 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. When people choose to forget who they are or leave a part of their past behind without closure, it tends to catch up with them, almost like karma in a way. "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 regretful or sad by what their history had brought to them. However, after they have faced it, and learned to deal with and overcome it, they begin to look at their past in a different light. This is where the farce comes in. For example, if something embarrassing has happened to someone in the past they're ashamed 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. Reliving a part of history is kind of a way of finding oneself. Someone could go through all their experiences and figure out how they've been affected and how they felt at various times in their past. 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 and laugh and know that all those experiences were what made them who they are today.

Journal 5

Today, I woke up feeling very well rested. I got out of my bed and strolled out to the living room. I sat on the couch for a few minutes just to wake myself a little more and then decided to make some breakfast. I tried out a new kind of blueberry bagel and it was delicious! After breakfast I called my sister and talked to her for a while about how her first week or so has been out in California. It is nice to hear from her a lot because I am not able to see her everyday anymore. When I'd hung up with Jade I decided to do a little bit of reading for my CSD classes and watch a movie on TV. So far, that is about where I am at in my day. But, later on my friend Jenn is coming to visit me and I am going to go talk about a job with a company in Bangor! I am very excited about finally having a "real" job so to speak, that actually pertains to my major! So, I am hoping today will be a great one!

Journal 4

Today has been dragging on and on. It started with me waking up at 7:30am (really don't know how because I only got around 5 hours of sleep) and walking back to my apartment from my boyfriends. It was his roommates birthday yesterday so we had a little get together to celebrate. When I got back to my apartment I killed way too much time trying to wake myself up by sitting on the couch watching TV. Bad idea, I know. Then I made myself some toast with apple jelly and an egg. So simple, but literally one of the best breakfasts ever. I proceeded to rush around and get ready for class at 9:30am. Thankfully, I managed to get there only a minute past time and the teacher still wasn't there! I have class from 9:30 to 12:15 in the same room, although it is too different classes it was really slow, especially since I didn't get my morning coffee. After class I came home, did some homework and dishes. Maintenance came by to fix our shower because the drain was clogged, while I was cleaning up around the kitchen. After fixing the shower, the man left and I sat down to relax and do some more homework. That is where you can find me now, content, watching Wife Swap and doing my prompts :).

Looking in that photo album, I see...

I absolutely love photo albums and their purpose. I am a big picture taker, especially when on trips or during important events, or sometimes just for fun. I am just like my mother and grandmother in this sense. They both have always been the ones saying "Hold on, I need a picture of this!". My boyfriend teases me and says that I am obsessed with pictures however, I look at it differently. Photo albums are a way to look back on your past. For my family, they hold things like parties, events, precious family moments, graduations and important markers in our lives. It is like looking at a visual timeline with specific details. Pictures help you capture special moments, so why not put them on display to share with others and for you to look back on your own history. Looking at the photo albums that I own, I see remnants of happy times, I see my favorite childhood memories laid out before me, and many faces I haven't seen in a long time. Seeing pictures certain pictures gives me mixed reactions; whether I feel sad, happy, or regretful. Every picture brings back so many memories, like they say, "A picture is worth 1,000 words". When I see pictures of birthday parties and family functions it makes me so happy, remembering all the great times we've have together and it reminds me of how much I love and cherish my family and friends. I find myself feeling sad when I see pictures of old friends, one's that I haven't seen in a long time, or do not have anymore. However, changes in friends and in life always reminds me of how I've grown and changed over the years. Photo albums are a way for me to remember my life through stages and its a way of entertainment for me. Looking back on pictures makes you feel like you are really back in that moment and that is what makes photo albums very cool.

Knick-Knacks from the past

Ever since I was little I have always been a pack rat. Stuffing things here and there in the hopes that I will either use it later on or put it in a scrapbook someday. I have separate containers and drawers for the different scraps, cards, old jewelry, and just plain junk that I feel some sort of connection too. You see, that is why I keep this "stuff" because even though it may be broken or old it reminds me of different times, or of a different age, and I just feel like saving it or fixing it and making it better than it was. Opening those drawers and boxes full of my treasures gives me such a feeling of nostalgia. Your past is such a big part of you so why not save things that meant something to you, even if it is just for the occasional trip down memory lane. So, would you like to know what sort of things I have kept over the years? Well, some may say that it is junk but I consider most every piece an important part of my past and they all have some sort of sentimental value.

            I have one box filled with cards I received at different holidays from Halloween, to Easter, to Christmas. I’ve been collecting them probably since I was 10 years old. Some, I kept because the card itself was pretty or had a cool design on the front. Others I chose to keep because the notes inside were very kind and meant a lot to me. I've kept a lot of cards from significant events, holiday, and graduation, for example; the one from my grandma where she wrote such lovely, heart-felt things about my graduating and I don't want to ever forget what she thought and felt during that time. So, I kept it so I can always look back on it.
In the same box I have kept things such as jewelry pieces, necklaces and bracelets from when I was young that I cant part with just yet. They remind me of my childhood and of the people that gave them to me, like my great-grandmother. I also have name-tags from places I’ve worked/volunteered at, like summer camps and church programs. I've kept my name-tags because they remind me of the person I was becoming at such a young age. Already volunteering for things that I thought made a difference in young kids lives. I've kept little notes and my name-tag from summer camp because that camp made me who I am today in a lot of ways. It was Living Waters Bible Camp and I went there for seven years, one of which I was on staff. The people there taught me so much about how to be a good, positive, moral human being and I love them all for passing on their morals and life experiences on to me. The places I’ve worked, cards from certain holidays and event, and jewelry I used to love all bring back wonderful memories that I want to hold onto as long as possible. It helps me to not forget who I am as a person and where I have come from. That is a big part of why I decide to keep certain knick-knacks that remind me of the past.

Journal 3

I woke up today with my alarm. It wasn't the usual press snooze one hundred times, type of day; I just got right up on the first ring. I think that may have to do with the fact that I had trouble going to bed last night and slept kind of lightly (probably from anticipation for my new classes). I rolled out of bed, made breakfast and watched Boy Meets World with my roommate, Kelsey as we ate. Then I had to start preparing for the day which has been taking a little longer because of my addiction to the show Desperate Housewives. I can't shut it off and I can't peel my eyes off the screen on some episodes because every little, whispered detail may be important to remember in the long run. Finally, I was finished getting ready and headed out the door.
Today was the first day of classes for me. Seeing as me, Ms. Scatter-brain did not go to my first classes at EMCC last week. I found it so awesome to be back at school, I felt like I had not even left. Here, it is like I'm in my comfort zone especially being in my 3rd year here. I know where everything is and most everyone who is in my classes. So, needless to say my first two classes went very well and I think I will like them!
After my classes I came back to my apartment to relax and have lunch. I made a tuna sandwich with banana peppers(my FAVORITE) in it; So delicious. Although, I forgot to add cheese to it, it was obviously still satisfying. Later, when I had finished eating and had time to unwind, I decided to go get some grocery because I still needed a few things. I like to go grocery shopping when I've just eaten because that way I do not feel like buying everything yummy I see. Sounds stupid, I know but if I went when I was hungry I would buy more than I needed!
I have been back for a while now, and Kelsey has returned from work. We are tanning and going to the gym in a little while with out other roommates. I am more than excited to be back at the school's gym because it really is so nice and so close to home.

Alone in a dark room. But what's really happening?

I am sitting here in my bedroom, in the dark with only the light from the parking lot shining lightly into the room. As I sit here, I am thinking about 100 different things I need to get done and all the things that have changed recently for me. I am with my thoughts in the dark, not alone but connected with my worries, wonders, and hopes for this semester, and for life as well. However, as I sit here in the dark my apartment is actually buzzing with the sounds of the TV and the chatter of my roommates. They are watching Entertainment and playing UNO, continuing our roomie "bonding" night. All around me people in other apartments are continuing their days whether they're getting ready for bed, eating dinner, doing homework, showering, or just hanging out, our building is alive and buzzing.

Alone in a dark room: How did you get there?

I find myself here in this dark room because I am tired. I am laying on my stomach, relaxing on my bed just thinking about the day I have just had. My sister left for California today and I also moved more things into my apartment. I have been out in the living room with my roommates, hanging out, and playing some card games but I found myself getting very tired. So, I decided to come in here. Today was a very long and sad day in more ways than one. As I lay here I am contemplating how this year without my sister and living in an apartment with 3 other girls will go, and I am also wondering how my first classes of the semester will go over tomorrow. The dark is a good place to clear your mind, you're free from noise, from light, and from others. I find myself thinking a lot of my sister leaving for California, and all the recent changes in my life, and about school starting up again. I guess, I find myself here because I need to think and clear my mind of all the things clouding it. When I find myself overwhelmed I like to just think the situation over and figure out a way to go about dealing with something or completing homework or a certain thing I need to get done. The dark, especially when laying in bed before sleeping is my way of going over my days; What I've done; What I need to complete; and sometimes I think of things I should change.

Alone in a quiet room. What do I hear?

Alone in a quiet room it is night time, and fairly quiet. In the dark the first things I hear are the constant hum of the refrigerator/air conditioner, the short puffs of breath coming from my sleeping puppy next to me, the occasional beep from a text message, and the cars zooming by outside. I hear creaking from the movement of other people in the house as they move in their sleep, and my cat crying out randomly in the dark as she always does. As I type I hear the keys clicking and the fan of my laptop coming on every once and a while. I also hear a noise I am unaware of. It is sporadic and sounds like the water pump? but no one is using water, unusual. Going back to the prominent sounds around me I hear the different consistency's in breath from my puppy as though he's having vivid dreams. His breaths are short and fast, and then suddenly drop to deep slow breaths, and this continues. I wonder what he's dreaming of. I can hear myself breathing as well, and the gurgles and sounds of my hungry stomach seeing as I haven't eaten since this afternoon.

Journal 2

Where to start... Last night my family and I had a fire out on the patio my dad made this summer. It was a perfect last night all together. My sister leaves for California tomorrow, until December. We're twins so it is definitely going to be a difficult process learning that she will not be just a few steps away. The most we've been away from each other has been a week-ish, maybe two weeks. So this is definitely gonna be something new! I do not think it will be a bad thing for either of us though. I am beyond excited for her to have new and exciting experiences, all with her husband in their first home together. Jade and I will not be close (in distance) forever and I guess this is just the beginning. Luckily for technology we can stay close and talk all the time, if we wanted of course! I have my sad moments every once and a while now but I know when she leaves tomorrow it will hit me, and it will be a while until I'm used to her absence.
But back to what I did last night. After the fire I went into my room thinking I would go to bed around 10:30pm. Yeah... That did not happen. I fell asleep at 11:30 and was woken up less than an hour later by my boyfriend calling. Needless to say I lost about 2 hours of sleep that I was planning on getting just by not going to sleep right away and by the phone call. However, I am up and at 'em already this morning, having my cup of coffee, and preparing for work 11-8pm :(! It is my last shift of the summer so I definitely think I will make it through! It is also raining so, although it is Labor day weekend I think I'm in for another normal shift, rather than a busy one which is super exciting.

Journal Day 1

Busy. Busy. Busy. Lately, that is all I seem to say to people who ask me how I'm doing. Working almost 6 days a week for most of the summer waiting tables can take really take a toll on you! I just moved into my first apartment 3 days ago and it was such a great feeling! I finally have my own space, for just me. During the first two years of college quiet, private space was somewhat hard to find. Although, I do enjoy living with three of my friends because it is also comforting knowing that I always have people there is I need someone or something.
Anyway, I had to come back to wait tables yet again for Labor day weekend. It was so hard to pull away from my apartment knowing that my roommates were all going to be together for the first weekend. Knowing that I probably wont be going back next summer, that it may be busy, and that I have never worked Labor day for them before I figured I might as well make some extra money for myself and that made leaving a little more comforting.
Today (Saturday) is usually our busiest day of the week, especially on holidays. However, i worked from 7:30 am to 5 pm and the morning was busy but then it died right of by 2:30, which it does on a normal day. So, needless to say my fears of it being a really hectic, stressful weekend of working kind of dwindled away, BUT tomorrow's work day is still to come.
When thinking of work it makes me think of waiting tables in general. There are some people who really take waitresses for granted and are not polite or understanding of a busy restaurant at all. It is really frustrating to have 5 tables at once and to have that one woman being obnoxious about extra napkins, a new fork, more soda (even though she's had 3), or she didn't want lettuce (even though our menu marks what has lettuce). Any one of the wait staff could be swamped and there is always that one person every shift who does not understand our dining room is most always packed and seems to think that their needs are better than the other 5 tables waiting for your service. Sometimes I wish people would take a step back and realize their surroundings and become more sympathetic and less selfish or judgmental, and that goes for more than just customers at a restaurant, but in life as well. I try to be as positive as possible and more and more lately I find that people tend to focus on so much negativity and I think that should really change.

Autobiography as a Writer!

Myself as a writer (Me):

I find myself always worrying so much about assignments when they are first given. Like, “How am I going to start this’, ‘Do I have enough time’, and ‘Is this going to be a challenge for me?” However, once I begin a prompt the words just seem to flow out of me. One of my weaknesses is not having enough confidence in myself to be as creative and as artistic as I know I can be when writing. I envy the people who can whip up this amazing, powerful piece of writing in a matter of minutes. I am the type of writer who needs to know exactly what is expected of me. I feel that this is a weakness because I tend to hold back and I am unsure if I am writing successfully. After I get into the mode of writing a lot or more frequently it seems to come easier. Writing more often or at least a little everyday, like keeping a journal may be a way to become more confident in writing. I believe one of my strengths is my ability to assess a writing prompt, although sometimes worried at first, and work through my weakness to adapt to the style of writing that is being asked for. I have gotten stronger over time with correctly framing and constructing a piece of writing. As long as I am able to break down that wall and not hold back my thoughts and ideas and have confidence in my abilities as a writer; I feel that my work is strong.

2^nd Person, As a writer (You):

You like to write but do not do it very often unless it is assigned to you. You have had some issues in the past with breaking out of your shell and letting your creativity shine in some cases. However, if you wrote more, when it is not assigned you may find that writing in different styles may come easier with time. You get enjoyment out of expressing yourself through words especially when writing about something that interests you. You wish you could be more creative and think “outside of the box” when writing but sometimes it just feels like there is a wall keeping you from becoming the writer you could be. You are more of a report type girl, rather than an expressive writer but you believe that you have the skills in you to become a strong creative writer regardless of what writing you may be more comfortable with.

3^rd Person, As a writer (She):

She was always a hard worker and writer as well but never seemed to start a writing assignment with the creative and confident mindset she knew she had in her. She likes to have examples in front of her and have every detail of the expectations lined out. This is especially true if the assignments are ones she thinks are more challenging than others. She wishes writing could be like most art is to her. Creating art is a way of expressing herself in anyway she chooses, it passes the time, lowers her stress level, and clears her head. However, unlike drawing or painting, writing does not come as freely or as easy to her. She has always thought about keeping a journal like she did sporadically when she was young. Keeping journals and writing about her life experiences could help build her skills as a writer and help clear her mind. She needs to let go and not care so much about what others may think of her writing and become more positive about the work she can produce.