March 7 - At Least, For Now

Sometimes the best thing to do,
is to just do it.
Just get it done.
Once you do it will be over.
Finished.
And you can put it behind you,
at least for the time being.
Now you don't have to worry,
or fret about the time it will take to be completed.
You can turn it in,
and it will be over.
At least,
for now.

March 6 - A Rant

Edouard Manet is arguably the most annoying artist out of every artist ever. He's this super important guy, but I had never heard of him until now, and probably never would have. I'm being forced to take Art History, which is fine, but I really don't like research projects, especially ones that lead to oral presentations. Which this one does. Manet is like Monet, but not as commonly known, and probably more important. Manet was basically the father of impressionism, which, for those of you who don't know, is an art era that lasted from about1865 to about 1885. It was all about painting real lower and middle class people, and using lighter and less brush strokes. It didn't last very long, but was important and lead to paintings like Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. Anyway, I have to make a flyer on Edouard Manet and give a presentation on Wednesday, as well as complete a painting with Hailey HH that mixes Manet's and Michaelangelo's artistic styles, which will be really hard. Come to think of it, Michaelangelo is pretty annoying too. Why are all artists so hard to understand? Why is art so hard to paint? Why is this assignment so hard?!

March 5 - The Wondrous Joys of Shopping

Go all day,

To every store.

Try every option,

In all sizes.

It doesn't fit,

Try again.

Feet hurt,

Don't sit down.

Keep going,

Don't stop.

I need new cleats.

Emphasis on the need.

The wondrous joys,

Of shopping.

March 4 - Excpet for the Goat Heads

Goat heads are a pain. Quite literally. They get everywhere. In your socks, your shoes, your volleyball, your hands. And they hurt. A lot. They have, like, a billion little points that stick in everything. And they're everywhere. Literally. We had to go to Ute Mountain Tribal Park at the last minute when Chaco Canyon closed, and there's this big field full of goat heads. I brought a volleyball cause I thought it would be fun to play in our free time, but it's nearly impossible to play without getting goat heads stuck on the ball every time it touches the ground. I swear when I get home I will find goat heads in my volleyball that just seam to magically appear. They're on everything. Packing the tents will hurt a lot. The bus will probably get a flat tire from all the little holes poked in it. But at least we found some old red hair spray, and I'm folding, like, twenty little paper cranes to give to Brynn. And we can eat wherever we want, and get to look at cool old kivas. So I guess maybe it's not so bad here, except for the goat heads.

March 3 - Homonyms

Today I experienced two different types of shots. The first occurred this morning at soccer practice. We did a drill that involved shooting on goal, however bad at that I may be. I made at least a couple goals, though got out eventually. About five hours after practice ended, I had a doctors appointment to get the second of my HPV shots. It wasn't that bad, but hurt a little. That's the funny thing about homonyms. They are the same word, but mean totally different things.

March 2 - All I Can Do Is Get Better

Even when I study, even when I practice, it doesn't feel like I'm prepared. For anything really. I studied and studied until my brain just about exploded, but I still didn't know the title of the painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. I practiced and practiced, but still felt like I wasn't in the right place to intercept the ball. I've had the last four years to practice being a buddy, but still felt like I wasn't prepared for the forceful attitude I received today. I thought I knew how crisis six would work, but it turned out I missed a whole paragraph. But that's all I really can do, right? Practice and study until I remember when Mannerism was popular, or figure out where to be so the stopper doesn't have to do all the work. If I practice and study, all I can do is get better.

March 1 - An Overwhelming Sense of Accomplishment Washes Over You With the Sun

There are some times when all that is necessary is the serenity of the moment. Like when you reach the top of a mountain, or sit and listen to the rain falling outside your window. After hiking four and a half miles up five peaks there is nothing better than sitting down, drinking some water, and finally getting to eat your lunch. There are no words that fully express how much your legs burn, or how painfully your backpack rubs on the back of your sunburned neck. The fifth peak was probably the hardest. You have to go straight down the back of fourth and then right back up the front of fifth, the steepest of the quintet. But one you get there, you're no longer having to stop every thirty feet to catch your breath. The clouds blot out the sun, and you can see almost the whole valley. You really are quite a distance above the bottom. The clouds blow out of the way, and again you are blinded, but it's okay this time. An overwhelming sense of accomplishment washes over you with the sun. You made it to the top. You've hiked half of Fifth Peak, the longest hike at camp. You know you will have to go back down, but it's all okay, because you made it when you thought you wouldn't, and you know you can do it again.