C=

I got a volleyball for my birthday. =) I like volleyballs. It's a Wilson beach volleyball, "the official volleyball of the Olympic games" or something like that. I need to re-figure the way I hit it, though, because hitting with my
wrists is causing bruises to form. =/ I'll experiment with higher up the forearm, but I don't remember bumping the ball that high up... Hmm... In the meantime I've played a long game with my garage wall. The score so far is Garage Wall: 125, Kiwi: 5. My five were a few lucky overhand serves that were just out of Garage Wall's reach.

Mom and Dad found me a lovely hope chest off of Craig's List. It's from the 1930's, we think, from a company that has since gone extinct.

Right under the "L" in "Lady" is 1936 penciled in.

It's a little taller than most cedar chests, and it has a drawer at the bottom. Isn't it beautiful? =)

My brothers gave me a little, pink Swiss army knife to replace my flimsy, dull one. Aaand my sister gave me a camera case, so now I don't have to worry about my camera's screen getting scratched.
Aaaand my dear friend Kate gave me a chocolate bar. =) She's now well on her way to my top-friends list with that gift! ;)
Aaaand my other dear friend, Queen Lucy, gave me a hat she crocheted herself! It's so perty! I'd put a photo of that up, too, but I can't go get my camera right now.

Twas a very nice birthday, wot wot?
~Kiwi~

p.s. We watched a bit of "The Madness of King George" the other day, and he was constantly repeating "wot wot?" and "hey hey?" It must have rubbed off on me. =)

Chemistry Graduate

You are now reading the words of a self-taught chemistry graduate!! At about 12:00 today I officially completed my chemistry course, despite its best efforts to ensnare and kill me. (Yes, I'm sure it wanted to kill me. Probably with some HSbF6 hidden in my lemonade.)
I'm so glad to have it all over and done with! And this last test ended up a 94%, which I'm perfectly satisfied with! The one problem I got wrong was because I missed something in looking over the text one last time. =P Now my average is 90.6% or so, and an A- is great, considering all the pain and agony I went through to get it! What I think is funny, tho, is that Dr. Jay L. Wile says in the last paragraph that "If you get a C+ or B, you should be proud! You taught yourself chemistry! If you get an A, however, you should be quite proud, because you are obviously talented in this, and consider pursuing a career in chemistry." Ha! I think it's more "cram-cram-cram/memorize-memorize-memorize/pray pray pray" than talent! But oh well, he can say what he wants and I'll do what I want. =D
The important thing is that I'm DONE!
=D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D
~Kiwi da Joyous Proud Accomplished Fruit~

Reflections on 18 Years of Life

In the past 18 years of my life, I have learned many many things. 

How to walk......how to talk...to tie my shoes....to ride a bike.....how to read.....how to avoid punishments....I've learned to do handstands (sorta) and cartwheels. I've learned to drive some, and how to fill up a gas tank (Dad: "You fill it and keep filling it until the gas pump shuts off. It shuts off by itself. The tank is FULL when the pump shuts off. It is not full until the pump shuts off. It is 9:20 on a Monday morning: when I ask you about it later I expect you to know that! Unlike your sister."). I can quote to you many many random quotes from random movies I've watched over these past 18 years. I've learned to play volleyball, softball, dodgeball, foosball, soccer, and (against my will) some football. I've made it through almost 12 years of schooling already! 

I'd say I have a decent amount of accomplishments for 18 years! =) 

Now to go find and open those Mysterious Packages that people have been trying to sneak into the house.....

And get some cake. It looks like a good cake! German Chocolate.... C=

~18 year old Kiwifruit

Are you tired of watching action movies and not being in on the adventure? Are you tired of watching the hero talk with and tell his suspicions to the bad guy himself? Do you wish you could get in the movie and get rid of the bad guy yourself??
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Yessirree, all you need is an Action Hero Nerf Gun. You can shoot the bad guys from the comfort of your own couch! Wish "24" didn't take up an entire day of your life? You can spot and shoot the terrorist before Jack even knows there is one! Scared of the Smoke Monster on LOST? Shoot it! Don't like the American Idol winner?.....

Well, what are you waiting for? Go out today to your local Action Hero Nerf Gun Supply Shoppe. Action Hero Nerf comes in single shot, six shooter, and machine gun styles. Missile Launch coming soon! Come on down Today!

"For Lack of a Better Title" does not necessarily endorse Nerf guns. The opinions in this ad are not necessarily the opinions of the writers, editors, and/or producers of FLOABT. All names used in this ad are fictional, resemblance to people living or dead is purely intentional. Please do not shoot Nerf guns at faces or plasma screen TVs--damage may be irreparable. Nerf guns are not recommended for use by children 15 and under w/out adult supervision. Please do not shoot American Idol contestants. Please do not attept to deter actual terrorists with Nerf guns. It will not work. They would just laugh at you. FLOABT does not own any of the company or product names. Names used without permission.

Me In Motion

I won a cd from Centricity Music last Friday!! It's the self-titled debut album from Me In Motion, a band I'd never really heard of before. Then when I looked them up I found that their song "Losers" is played frequently on the radio.
My cd arrived yesterday in a lovely padded manila envelope (you have no idea how tempting it was to type Vanilla rather than Manila!) from Washington. (I thought it would be from Tennessee, but no, the return address says WA.) They are quite an interesting-looking bunch. Seth Mosley takes care of lead vocals, guitar, and keyboard, Tim Wilson does bass and vocals, and Brian Dexter plays drums and sings. That last guy also thanked "Southern Steel Tattoos" in his 'thank you' thing....rather an odd place to thank on a cd cover....
They remind me of Stellar Kart and a bit of Hawk Nelson in the vocals and a some of the tunes--more Stellar Kart than Hawk Nelson.
One thin I like about Centricity's music is that they seem to support musicians whose cds are more Christian than just alternative: Downhere, Jason Grey, Lanae Hale, Daniel Kirkley, and Matt Papa (who, I've heard, takes his lyrics directly from scripture). And now Me In Motion.
So far I've listened to the cd twice, and my favorite songs are "Losers," "Gotta Be Something," "Seek Justice, Love Mercy," "Leaving Here Someday," and "Here In The Middle." Basically I love half the cd and enjoy the other half. =)

What music are you listening to this week?
~Kiwi~

Spring Fever

It's Spring! It's Spring

The bird is on the wing!

Now isn't that a funny thing?

I thought the wing was on the bird!

(stolen from the back cover of a magazine.)

I have a serious, possibly deadly case of Spring/Cabin Fever. I want to leave this house for a looooong time (like, all day, or something. ;) because I'm sick of it, and I want Spring weather so that I CAN get away from the house. I want to take a bike trip--and entire day; sun-up to sun-down. I want to perfect (or at least improve) my volleyball skills. I want flowers, sunshine, and green maple trees! I want short sleeves and flip flops. 

I know, I know, this is sounding like a selfish rant (I want, I want I WANT!), but it's not. Yes, it's a rant, but I'm wanting Spring for you guys. I want you to have lovely weather, I want you to have the pleasure of playing volleyball with me! 

I was looking at pictures of me from this past Summer and now feel like a ghost. I was so dark compared to now! Not saying that I 'need' to go tan, I'm just surprised at the difference between now and a few months ago.

I'm trying to decide what to look forward to the most this Spring/Summer. Graduating? Volleyball and softball games? Getting my driver's license (finally)? Hmm.....I think it's close to a three-way tie.

What are you looking forward to this spring?

~Kiwi~

Essay

There I was, sitting alone in the corner, watching everyone else laughing together. Watching everyone else choose between sitting with the weird girl (me) and the others. They always chose the others. I could practically read their minds! "Hm. Should I sit with one dull, boring person or all these bright, colorful, interesting people? Ha! Why ask?" Maybe this little 'experiment' of mine wasn't as brilliant as I had originally thought. All it did was make it even easier for them to shun me.
When you have been shunned, ignored, and avoided, you feel like an unwanted outsider. Some people don't seem to realize that you're being left out. Or if they do, they don't understand that just a little bit of friendliness can make an 'outsider' feel so much better!
When I attended the Sunday night youth group at my old church, I was an Outsider. Sure, I had two or three friends that I always sat with, but I wanted so badly for some of the others to accept me! I sat with them, but was ignored, I tried to join conversations, but got weird looks and turned backs instead of replies. Due to this, I was lonely, annoyed, and unhappy most Sunday nights.
But one Sunday sticks out in my memory, because I came home happy. It had started out even lonelier than most, because my handful of friends weren't there. I played the game and was knocked down numerous times. I sat by The Clique during song time. I endured a lonely seat by the rest through the lesson. then I managed to get 3rd place in the snack line. Here, I deviated from my normal routine. Instead of simply existing by the Popular group, I walked over to the last table. And sat alone. Would anyone come sit with me, or would they just ignore my presence? My bet was placed on the latter option.
Person after person left the line, glanced once 'round the room, and placed their plates at the Popular Table. Maybe this wasn't such a hot idea after all.
Two people left in line. Ethan picked up his drink and let his eyes wander the room. They stopped at my lonely table. Happiness swept over me as I realized I was not doomed to eat alone this time! Ethan took a seat, then Blake, the last person in line, didn't even glance at the Popular Table, but marched over and joined us.
The three of us ate and talked together, deciding that the game we had played (broomball) was the best game in the last few weeks. We also agreed that dodgeball, even though we were all better the dodging part than the throwing, should be played next, and that the brownies were tasty. I returned home in higher spirits than the past weeks, happy that I was not invisible.
Ethan may not have known it, but him coming over and sitting with me, even though it was such a little thing, made a lasting impression on me.
Now, when I see an Outsider sitting alone, I try to go say 'hi' and sit with them, or invite them to join us. Because I know what it's like to be alone, and I know how much a little thing can help.

Untitled Poems

I haven't tried to chose names for these poems as of yet, although I have a few ideas. These are just the preliminary titles or, as they call it in the land of lyrics and songs, "Working titles." (had to say something professional-sounding there)

March Fourth:

"March Fourth!"

They told me

So I marched forth

While they laughed behind me.

I asked "Why?" 

They laughed still harder

Till I thought they'd die

And then laughed harder!

They never did say why...

Spring:

Snow keeps falling

Piling up around us

Rays of sun may melt it

In time, in good time, in distant time.

Nevertheless, I continue with my live

Grieving over the cold, and dreaming of

Spring.

That poem that I just wrote the other day:

Like a cat

I follow the sun's beams

Curling up to read

Despite its best schemes

To run away

And steal the light;

I'll follow the sunbeams

Until the night.

~Kiwi~

Weekend Adventures...

This past Saturday I went ice skating with friends, which proved to be an immensely entertaining activity. I think this was my third time ever ice skating; a friend had an ice skating birthday party 4 or 5 years ago (And we went to Whitey's afterwards for ice cream!), then about a year ago with a few of the same friends.

I lasted about an hour and ten minutes without falling, and then in the last five minutes I ended my no-fall streak with a spectacular slip-and-fall! I had tried to turn around without slowing down enough (they make it look so easy on television!). Fortunately, all I ended up with was a painless painful-looking bruise.

We played hat-tag with Scott's hat--whoever was 'it' had to wear the had. Tag doesn't work that well in a large crowd without something to distinguish the tagger, hence the hat.
I discovered that other people have trouble with skating backwards, which had never really occurred to me before. I just barely remember teaching myself how to when I was about 10, on roller skates, and since then I've forgotten that not everyone (myself included) was born with the ability to skate backwards... ;D

After the 1 1/4 hours of skating was done I stood there and developed a slight inferiority complex from watching 10 or 11 year old hockey players zip around. Nothing makes you feel clumsy at something more than watching other people (especially those younger than you) doing it better!
So, on Saturday I learned that
a) I'm not Apolo Ohno,
b) I need to be more careful (or creative, perhaps?) in sharp turns,
c) I'm not Meryl Davis, and
d) I want to go ice skating again very soon.

Perhaps later in March? I'm looking at the weekend of the 19th-21st right now...

Later in the afternoon we headed over to 'The Bachelor Pad' to see Scott's (adorable!) new puppy, Remington. I came close to losing my hair, corners of my skirt, my shoes, my ankles, and my fingers to that dog! He's  still teething, which means that EVERYthing is edible, or at least chewable. Oh well, my hand only needed 27 stitches and I'm sure he'll outgrow it eventually. ;)

So that's what I did this weekend. What did you do?
See ya later, alligator!
~Kiwi~

p.s. if you couldn't see the pictures on the last post, try them now and let me know.