Out of my Comfort Zone

Hello, all!

I'm emailing this to my blog from my phone because I kind of doubt I'll want to write it later when I get home. It's very possible I'd forget to post altogether.

If you know me in real life, you know I'm awkward. Even more so when you put me in a situation that is out of my comfort zone. Case in point: tonight.

Every year, Habitat for Humanity hosts these dances for local high schools, and the cost of the tickets goes towards their work. It's a win-win for area teenagers-- you get to socialize and "dance" with the added bonus of seeing people from other schools and pretending that all of that is merely to benefit charity.

I avoid such things on principle, but I kind of regret missing out on some of these events in the past. Tonight, however was the neon dance, and for the first time in my high school years, I went.

I can't say I was really impressed. It was exactly what I expected, and I was so far out of my comfort zone that I couldn't even fully enjoy it.

I fully believe that everybody should try something out of their comfort zone at least once. But, I understand the reluctance, too. Because doing something completely different from what you would normally is TERRIFYING. It's awkward and you look around constantly, searching some other option-- like escape.

There's nothing that quite makes you feel so powerless (and, again, awkward) as being in a room full of people that know what they're doing while you cross your fingers and your arms and try to maintain the carefully constructed mask of indifferent confidence. Especially when all you really want to do is bury your face in your hands and run from the room, maybe even screaming, but potentially crying because it's AWFUL.

But you don't and you walk around and breathe (in my case, breathing in the heavy scent of sweat, body heat, and booze...) and hope that by the end of the night you find some semblance of courage.

The thing is, even out of my comfort zone, horribly and awkwardly out of place like christmas carols in July, there is something to learn in moments like these. However, I have yet to know what, exactly. I'll let you know :)

A demain!
-Aly
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

EGGHEADS!

HELLO!

Final day of my Blog Posting Month! I have a story to tell.

I generally don't think of myself as the type of person that actively seeks revenge. I confront problems, sure, but I am a very forgiving person. Unfortunately, I'm also a very determined person, and when I feel that an apology is necessary, I expect an apology. A week after the insult ("unintentional", but only in the sense that you can say something and make an opinion based on something that is offensive...), after the words of our teammate and the coach... an apology hadn't been given, and the plan was in motion.

The eggs sat, wrapped in bubble-wrap, inside a small cooler; this sat on the floor of my car since last Thursday, when the plan was supposed to happen but didn't. We left it there, waiting for the words that would signal our abandonment of the plan; they never came. The decision was made by practice today, and we continued to be patient, waiting until the end of practice to see if they would say anything. They didn't, of course, and we figured out how to ambush the select few (the order changed, since one of the guilty ones was not there).

While they were distracted by the requested babbling, we unpacked the eggs, clasping them in our hands, hidden behind our backs as we approached our respective targets. With a look, we brought justice down on their heads simultaneously, with the odor of stinky egg and the satisfying SPLAT of cracking eggs.

A demain!
-Aly

P.S. Their reactions were great; only one understood our purpose, the others were quite upset. We'll see what they do. I don't care that much, because that sweet, sweet revenge was rather stinky. :)

Pretzel Roll

HELLO!

Today was long run, homeworkhomeworkhomework, Rock the Block, and some time to talk to Frenchies.

What do you think of the slightly-altered blog design? Hopefully it isn't as hard to read now... I'm hoping that at some point I'll be able to get a more customized design, but I'm still controlling how it looks, so this is as good as it's getting! I can alter it again or do something different, but I am LAZY and it may take a while for me to get around to that.

It feels like fall. Though I just got new shorts and tank tops from Margaret (stolen from her Goodwill pile). Good timing?

I don't dress transitionally. I wear the clothes for the weather that I want to have, which is currently shorts and flip-flops, despite the discomfort from the cross-country blisters. The blisters are a result of the snazzy new socks we got to race in, but wearing them for seven miles ended up torturing my poor feet. I was doing so well, too!

Every day at practice, I realize how naked I feel without my running watch. I'm generally so obsessive over time that not having a watch annoys me to no end. Especially on days like today when there's a bit of a workout going on. A new watch is on my list again, but then again, my list of stuff I want (*feels so greedy*) is too long and I'm too broke.

As the weather gets cooler, I keep thinking about indoor and outdoor track and whether or not I want to participate in either. I'm not really a track person but I love spending time with my team (especially my best friends that are runners, because I won't see them otherwise and their presence in my life is very important to me). I'll be so busy! D: Thus, I'm putting off decision-making until it is absolutely necessary. Help? :/

Tomorrow is going to be fun-- Lunch with Alex, Colin, and Molly, and then we'll be going to see the Tempest. I love Shakespeare class, and this week we'll be starting the Taming of the Shrew; I have a feeling that I'll adore it. Unfortunately I have lots of work to do other than that. On the bright side, I don't have Business Law on Monday morning! :D

Now, more homework. Sociology. Whoops.

A demain!
-Aly

NaBloPoMo

Hello, everybody!

So, I’ve been back from France for a month-and-several-days, and time is still passing far too quickly. I’ve got less than a week until school starts again, and to be honest, I’m not at ALL ready. I still haven’t come to terms with the fact that this is my last year of high school, though I’ve been worrying excessively about colleges since about April.

In other news, I’ve been REALLY busy lately, which is why I haven’t yet finished the last two blog posts from France. Sorry about that. Part of the reason is that finishing those posts feels like saying goodbye to that time in my life. I’m still holding on to the memories and the people I met there, my friends and “dreamland”.

Since I’m not that great at blogging or keeping up with this blog, I’ve decided that I’m dedicating this month to be my National Blog Posting Month, which is rather like NaNoWriMo, except it’s basically any time you like. I’ll be blogging daily until September 19th, even if it’s a small post. During this time, expect the last couple blog posts about France, and a few other big posts with excessive pictures. However, it’ll all depend on my schedule—cross-country season is nearly here for good (not just pre-season), and I’ll be busy with college applications, classes, and volunteering soon enough. With a bit MORE luck, I’ll be able to keep up with my French by tutoring others in French, since they cut the AP French program. Basically, if you know anybody that wants to learn French or is struggling with French, let me know, and I’ll see if I can help! ;)

(In reference to the “volunteering” thing—I’m applying to volunteer at the public library! I turned in the application yesterday, before settling in for an hour and some of working on school stuff. I love libraries :D)

Last night was Orientation (at least I didn’t have to go to REAL orientation in the silly clothes I wore to the “What Not To Wear skit” for Freshman orientation in the morning. The Freshman are probably embarrassed about the seniors xD), so I got to “meet” my teachers, though I more-or-less know them all. I’m really excited for my English class, because I have it with Molly, Matt, and Duncan… though I feel sorry for my teacher.

My dual enrollment classes begin Monday. With luck, I’ll be able to change my study hall to be a study hall with French… so that I can speak in French for an hour of my day!

In a strange way, I’m excited for this year. I just know it’ll be hard and crazy, though I think I can handle it. Don’t hold me to that one, though, because I’m probably going to spaz out in a few weeks!

-Aly

Dreamland

Hello again!

I’ve put this off for a few days now, but it’s about time that I sit down and actually write this blog, so here it goes.

I’ve been here for five months now, and in that time, quite a bit has changed. The most obvious is, of course, language-wise, but I’ve also gained many amazing friends and experiences.

Some things haven’t quite been what I expected them to be, but some, such as the relationships I’ve built, have been so much more important to me than I expected. I’ve spent these last two months (ever since the last vacation) in my own personal version of heaven, so busy with my French friends that I didn’t have time to miss home. And now, I’ve moved in with my friend Charlotte—I finally get to experience a “host family” with somebody my age, which is quite fun.

I could get all sappy here, but the video I posted on the 21st shows it pretty well—all that video was taken in a span of four days, and it’s kind of a present for the Frenchies, with whom I’ve passed so many good days lately.

OH! In other news, I only have 2 days of school left. And then I’m off to Bordeaux again, and the final few weeks in June, I’ll spend with Charlotte (B.) and my other friends. I’m so not ready for this to end, it’s just TOO GOOD.

♥,
-Aly

Trips to McDonalds/Quick: 12
(*hides in shame*)

Apple Juice

Hello!

It's obviously not Tuesday anymore, but today was uninteresting (again), except for watching Astérix (sp?) in French class. It's not actually in French, but it's a French cartoon and is based on an actual character from French history. But yeah; it's good. :)

So, because of THAT and the fact that I wrote this when I had nothing to do in math yesterday, I'll just type it up and you'll have to pretend that it is still Tuesday.

It's Tuesday, which means Molly and I had "Fattie Club" this morning (you can join! Molly and I are co-presidents; she's the founder. xD). We went to Chick-Fil-A and bought a wonderfully greasy and unhealthy breakfast, including apple juice boxes. xD No strange and slightly embarrassing '90s music, for once!

Although by normal standards, today has been unexciting, I'm quite pleased to say that it has been infinitely better than yesterday. [note: Monday was a terrible day, even by Monday-standards, and it only got wayyyy better after I won NaNo.]

We've started sicussing gender inequality in Sociology; my class seems to be largely conservative, making the conversation feel like beating my head against a brick wall for hours. I don't understand how they can hold such double standards, especially after the last unit (race inequality). They say somehing, and then contradict themselves in the next statement.

What they don't seem to grasp is that people are STILL people, no matter what race or gender or sexual orientation. Your discomfort with their differences should not force people to repress themselves for fear of judgement, discrimination, or harassment.

With any luck, as we progress through this unit, my classmates will find themselves considering their opinions more thoroughly and opening their minds.

Also, YAY MOLLY for posting on MAlly Chat on Monday! I didn't notice until today (back to present tense). Go check it out! MAlly Chat has a lot more than this blog; it's a lot more randomness and fun.

Hope you're having a good week!
-Aly