eighteenandunder's blog

So, I deliver the announcements to my school every morning on the intercom, and usually end the agenda with a “Would you rather.” You know, like “Would you rather win a Nobel Prize or an Oscar? Always lose or never play?

When I was younger I had some weird obsession with reading books about death. I know, I know, that can’t be healthy but I am now aware that I was a definite freak in the fifth grade. Basically, if you take a gander into the depths of my bookshelf, it is not uncommon to come across books titled “Baby Alicia is Dying”, “ I Want to Live”, “ Don’t Die My Love”, “ Somewhere Between Life and Death”, “ Too Young to Die”  and “ Sixth Months to Live”, all credited to the same author, Lurlene McDaniel. I can confidently say my taste in books has improved since my little Lurlene phase. At least I hope. Somehow, it always ends up that holidays always bring a whirlwind of literature. Come holidays, come books. Sometimes I ask for them, sometimes I don’t, but I always receive many many books.

Well, it has indeed been a while. With
confidence, I can say that I do believe I am back to the normal scheme of
things! You see, I could go on about how this last month I sort of went through
a bit of a crisis, kind of similar to that of Britney Spears, minus the head
shaving and…well actually it had absolutely no similarities to Britney Spears, but
I will still spare you the details of my petulant angst. Basically I didn’t
clean my room for a month and I think I let college applications get the best
of me. Long story short, it is all over now, well not the applications, but the
crisis. For some anomalous reason I woke up this morning, despite being exceptionally
tired from my winter formal the night before, feeling so swell! I realized that
it is the holidays and there is so much to be excited and thankful for! So,

In August one of my German exchange students had given my parents a handmade Cuckoo Clock as a gift. It was hung up on the office wall and up until a few days ago it had just kind of hung there, gone unnoticed. Well, apparently we forgot that it is actually supposed to “coo.” Yesterday, my dad took the initiative to flip the switch. I am now granted the gift of knowing EVERY hour when it is, well, a new hour. I am not sure how much I like that concept.

I really wish I was more informed on politics. I mean I guess it’s not entirely accurate to say I am completely clueless because I guess I do know a little, maybe even enough to get by only being seventeen and all, but I definitely don’t know enough to win a heated argument. My water polo coach, Kirk, has been trying to pick at me all season, all out of fun of course. He is quite conservative and I guess I come off as rather…well, liberal. Its no ones fault but my own really. There are dozens of political affiliated magazines around my house, newspapers, websites…parents. But I still find my self still quite clueless. Its not that I don’t care… because I do. I get really envious of people my age talking about a certain proposition or candidates platform with the most confident and accurate depiction. Similar to how I am just obviously not a natural artist (you should really see my Art 1-2 portfolio), I am just not naturally politically informed. McCain and Obama both seem to have these grand ideas of “change”, some of which I am even slowly beginning to understand. I really hope that whoever does end up winning will follow through with their so called “change.” Coach Kirk did say something a while back that I do agree with, “They're not running for God, they're running for president.” Boy is he right.

I use to be so organized. It was awesome. Then I started going to high school and other then scribbled notes on the back of old receipts found at the bottom of my glove compartment to remind me of a dentist appointment or English assignment, and occasional entries into my “Beyer High School Daily Planner”, I have lost my gift. My mom use to really take pride on the fact that I was so organized too. It was a thrill. I really don’t know what happened. I have become lazy. I think that’s what happened. My room is a mess. My car has become one huge purse. I have started procrastinating on just about everything, constantly telling myself it will all get done eventually. The worst part is…it doesn’t bother me one bit. Everything ends up getting done…eventually. I guess I will just have to wait and see if this unfortunate transformation is permanent! Only time will tell I suppose.

My dad turned fifty this weekend. It was quite the production. There was a party, a pretty big party actually. He brought in the new age with just about 75 of his closest family and friends. Turning fifty hasn’t really seemed to bug him all that much. In fact, he has embraced it quite well. I really hope that when I turn fifty I am just as happy as my dad is. I can’t picture myself at that age and still being the procrastinating, day dreaming, mind wandering kid that I am today. My dad says that in many ways he still views himself the same way he did when he was seventeen. I wonder if that is genetic…