The Anti-Hell

To hear everyone - like, the rest of the world - tell it, high school is either the best four years or the worst four years of your life.

Personally, I stand behind neither. High school is seulement pas grave.

I know there are people who get bullied, and it sucks - but people can (and do) get bullied at any age, even in their post-education years. I know there are people who fall in love (or claim to) and end up marrying their high school boyfriends in a white fluffy wedding of joy - but most people's relationships don't survive graduation.

My point is, high school is generally average. Why does it get labeled as the Greatest Burning Pit of Fiery Hell? Sure, some of my classmates get on my nerves (I'm fairly certain this is a situation that will persist for the rest of my life), but I have met many awesome people, some of whom I am good friends with, some of whom I chat with in class, and some of whom I appreciate simply for existing.

Admittedly, I can't stand some of the subjects I am required to learn. I dread going to Chemistry, not because I don't like the teacher (he's nice enough) but because I REALLY DO NOT LIKE CHEMISTRY. However, there are classes I enjoy, or at least tolerate, that balance it out (English; the now-free-period of Yearbook; History for the subject more than the class; French, sort of). Despite the early mornings and the constant minor annoyances throughout the day, I actually LIKE LEARNING. Crazily enough, it's nice to, well, know stuff, even if it's only for the sake of knowing.

High school is supposed to have a Queen Bee and her Court and everyone else is supposed to be Loyal Subjects. I don't see that at my school. It's not that everyone gets along (they don't) or that there aren't cliques (there are), but there isn't a dominant group that everyone loves/hates. Maybe it's because there's a combination of regular high school/magnet program at my school, but everyone is more accepting that they get credit for. It's hardly a paradise for anyone, and I'm sure there are people who genuinely hate how they're treated by their peers, but in general, it's not that bad.

I won't pretend that I arrive at school skipping and singing for joy. Occasionally, though, I have these mini-epiphanies on the bus as it rolls down the New-York-City-in-the-twentieth-century-looking street; sometimes, if I'm in a decent mood, I can convince myself that "oh my gosh, I GET to go to SCHOOL! How awesome is that?" Because sometimes, it makes sense: I don't have to go to work; I have the government looking out for me; I have so many opportunities in the future. More than anything, it's the sense of community that really makes me tolerate school. It's like, we're all in this together - all two thousand of us, all relatively close in age, and we all have to do this, and hopefully, it's going to make all of us better people.

All I'm saying is, if these are the worst four years of my life, then I am ridiculously excited for the future.

The frenzy has actually begun (1 day left)

Okay, because I have 1 and 1/8 days left to write 20 pages of script, I am going to kind of cop out and post the most recent pages of my script.

What you need to know here is that Ruben is this awesome, eccentric, drama guy and Margaret is a sassy, generally lovely, nerd girl and they are at Ruben's sister's band's show and they are making a fortune teller/cootie catcher. (don't know what I'm talking about? You sad, depraved child. See this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_fortune_teller). They are writing the fortune bit of it.

MARGARET

Did you just say moral support? Your sister ruined you as a "real guy".

Margaret uses air quotes around real guy.

RUBEN

I've been saying that for years and now I finally have someone to agree with me. I cannot describe the self righteousness I am currently feeling.

MARGARET

Don't try. Self righteousness is for assholes.

RUBEN

Duly noted: do not be self righteous around Margaret... what's your last name?

MARGARET

Linberg.

RUBEN

Swedish?

MARGARET

Yes, actually.

RUBEN

I love Sweden.

MARGARET

I don't know much about it. Other than my parents hailed from there.

RUBEN

One word: IKEA.

MARGARET

IKEA is pretty sweet. I love their hot dogs.

RUBEN

I love their ice cube trays.

MARGARET

Who knew Ruben was into ice cube trays.

RUBEN

Ruben knew.

MARGARET

Third person, eh?

RUBEN

Ruben cannot believe that Margaret just said eh.

MARGARET

Margaret can't believe this conversation has gone from normal to third person due to one comment about ice cube trays.

RUBEN

Ice cube trays work in strange and mysterious and magical ways. Hence Ruben's liking of them.

MARGARET

Ice cubes trays have been getting the job does since before the ice age.

RUBEN

Much like Bob the Builder.

MARGARET

You're a Bob fan?

RUBEN

He's my hero.

MARGARET

I love his positive attitude.

RUBEN

He has great hair.

Margaret

I don't know what to say to that.

RUBEN

Am I not supposed to admire a children's cartoon show character's hair? Have you met my sister?

MARGARET

The psychic?

RUBEN

She has many other titles. In my heart.

Margaret picks up the pen and starts to write on a corner of the fortune teller. Ruben reads aloud what she writes as she writes it.

RUBEN

"You will make a fortune taking spare change out of unlocked cars and rolling it up."

MARGARET

I won't call it stealing. Call in involuntary, unknowingly done taxation. No one cares anyway and I'm sure they'll make sure to give it back to the poor some way a la Robin Hood.

Margaret offers Ruben the pen which he takes and places its tip close to the paper. He waits.

MARGARET

Inspiration is never going to strike. Just write.

Ruben starts to write and Margaret reads aloud his fortune as he writes.

MARGARET

"You will meet a tall, dark stranger. The stranger is an axe murderer, not the man of your dream, unfortunately. Run away quickly." Nice. Turning cliches on their head. I like it.

RUBEN

I try.

MARGARET

You know, Ruben, you don't have to try to impress me. Just be yourself.

RUBEN

You know, Margaret, you can just shut up.

MARGARET

Well that's a snappy comeback right there. Alert the media.

RUBEN

You're starting to act more and more like my sister.

MARGARET

I happen to like your sister.

RUBEN

You don't live with her.

MARGARET

The truth is, Ruben, I'm not sure I'm ready to take that step with her yet. I haven't even told my parents about our relationship.

RUBEN

Lesbian humour. Great.

MARGARET

I thought this would be a good time to tell you about this, Ruben. I hope you understand. It's not that I'm a different person, I'm still the same person but this is just a part of me.

Almost one day left. The frenzy has actually begun.

Okay, because I have 1 and 1/8 days left to write 20 pages of script, I am going to kind of cop out and post the most recent pages of my script.

What you need to know here is that Ruben is this awesome, eccentric, drama guy and Margaret is a sassy, generally lovely, nerd girl and they are at Ruben's sister's band's show and they are making a fortune teller/cootie catcher. (don't know what I'm talking about? You sad, depraved child. See this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_fortune_teller). They are writing the fortune bit of it.

MARGARET

Did you just say moral support? Your sister ruined you as a "real guy".

Margaret uses air quotes around real guy.

RUBEN

I've been saying that for years and now I finally have someone to agree with me. I cannot describe the self righteousness I am currently feeling.

MARGARET

Don't try. Self righteousness is for assholes.

RUBEN

Duly noted: do not be self righteous around Margaret... what's your last name?

MARGARET

Linberg.

RUBEN

Swedish?

MARGARET

Yes, actually.

RUBEN

I love Sweden.

MARGARET

I don't know much about it. Other than my parents hailed from there.

RUBEN

One word: IKEA.

MARGARET

IKEA is pretty sweet. I love their hot dogs.

RUBEN

I love their ice cube trays.

MARGARET

Who knew Ruben was into ice cube trays.

RUBEN

Ruben knew.

MARGARET

Third person, eh?

RUBEN

Ruben cannot believe that Margaret just said eh.

MARGARET

Margaret can't believe this conversation has gone from normal to third person due to one comment about ice cube trays.

RUBEN

Ice cube trays work in strange and mysterious and magical ways. Hence Ruben's liking of them.

MARGARET

Ice cubes trays have been getting the job does since before the ice age.

RUBEN

Much like Bob the Builder.

MARGARET

You're a Bob fan?

RUBEN

He's my hero.

MARGARET

I love his positive attitude.

RUBEN

He has great hair.

Margaret

I don't know what to say to that.

RUBEN

Am I not supposed to admire a children's cartoon show character's hair? Have you met my sister?

MARGARET

The psychic?

RUBEN

She has many other titles. In my heart.

Margaret picks up the pen and starts to write on a corner of the fortune teller. Ruben reads aloud what she writes as she writes it.

RUBEN

"You will make a fortune taking spare change out of unlocked cars and rolling it up."

MARGARET

I won't call it stealing. Call in involuntary, unknowingly done taxation. No one cares anyway and I'm sure they'll make sure to give it back to the poor some way a la Robin Hood.

Margaret offers Ruben the pen which he takes and places its tip close to the paper. He waits.

MARGARET

Inspiration is never going to strike. Just write.

Ruben starts to write and Margaret reads aloud his fortune as he writes.

MARGARET

"You will meet a tall, dark stranger. The stranger is an axe murderer, not the man of your dream, unfortunately. Run away quickly." Nice. Turning cliches on their head. I like it.

RUBEN

I try.

MARGARET

You know, Ruben, you don't have to try to impress me. Just be yourself.

RUBEN

You know, Margaret, you can just shut up.

MARGARET

Well that's a snappy comeback right there. Alert the media.

RUBEN

You're starting to act more and more like my sister.

MARGARET

I happen to like your sister.

RUBEN

You don't live with her.

MARGARET

The truth is, Ruben, I'm not sure I'm ready to take that step with her yet. I haven't even told my parents about our relationship.

RUBEN

Lesbian humour. Great.

MARGARET

I thought this would be a good time to tell you about this, Ruben. I hope you understand. It's not that I'm a different person, I'm still the same person but this is just a part of me.

Retraux BEDAdge

(PS to comment on other blog of Saturday: I typed that before I realized I had Caps lock on--as I type like an 8-year-old, looking at the keys-- and was too lazy to change it, so instead added a beginning. YOU'RE WELCOME. That was intentional.)

(The above: Super-awesome Frenchish way to spell "retro". Because "aux" sounds like "o". Your language makes tons of sense, Frenchians. Prefiero hablar español.)

Wow. Vita's mention of BEDA made me realize how long this has been going on. *pulls rope which releases balloons and confetti and the like from the ceiling* Woooo. So, in "honor"* of this I shall revert to the EXACT VERY SAME topic I rambled on about a year ago. Which waaaaaasss... *scurries to MJ Ning*

That I stay up late as a hobby/because I'm weird and slightly masochistic and thusly don't/didn't blog that particular day.

Very nicely applicable here. Yes. I'm probably going to do something of the sort today in fact because today is my Friday (meaning I have NO SCHOOL until Monday. HELL YES. Also meaning that I'm going to put off the homework that I have acquired-- presumably enough to last us the entire week-- until Saturday. And even then, only because I have things to do Sunday. Ah, well. Cross that bridge when I come to it and so forth. Procrastination is bad.) and I have nothing better to do. Once I get tired I'm too lazy to get off the Internetz (shiny, flashy Internetz...) until well after I should. Then for some reason I'm energetic for a while and use this small period to do productive things normal people would probably have a well-laid-out plan for doing in the normal waking hours.** This is a horrible habit, no one should ever follow my example. Unless you really want to. Or need to. Or are attempting to flatter me. (I don't know how this would work, but if you want to try, go ahead. Lists should have a minimum of three items in order to be considered real lists and that was the only third I could think of.)

Footnotes:

*Read: Lack of better ideas. Also, "honour".

**Really. Folding laundry, studying for tests, practical things.

Hallo

GUYS WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO WRITE ABOUT?

Let's just go with a brief letter thingamajig.

Dear Alex and Rena (and anyone else who cares),

I'm sorry for neglecting this blog for the past month (has it been a month? Or three weeks? Same difference). Excuses are lame, so I don't have one of those, but I do have a reason. Subtle difference. Generally, you can blame Drama for any extended period of absence on my part. I had Hell Week, and then a show, and then a something I can't even remember, and then a show, and then I think I blogged, and then a show.

Anyhoo, that's over now (boo-hoo). It all went relatively really well, and I have all the songs from Thoroughly Modern Millie Stuck in my head, and I am all of a sudden feeling quite emotional about the end of Drama and the leaving of the seniors and the being a junior next year and the actually having to think about my future. In other news, I think I failed my Chem test but I think I did pretty well on my math retake and test so in the logical realm of things I am doing okay-ish. Which is better than it could be. So yay. Also, I am taking pleasure in the fact that getting a 100% in APUSH is actually bringing my grade down (this isn't going to last, but regardless, it's a very nice experience).

I think my blogging skills have deteriorated since I last blogged regularly (and I need to go and finish reading a chapter in my review book), so I'll try to come up with something interesting to say for this Friday.

ADIEU.

Love,
Vita

Old school BEDA

Tonight I will sleep. This is not news, I suppose. What's with my tired blogs lately? I guess I'm busy, as usual. Today was a particularly on the go day. Thank God I decided to skip out on the Nite Hike this year or I would probably have fallen in front of a sky train by now. That would have been sad. Question: do these sentences even make sense? I feel like every word is its own complete entity and whether they make sense as a sentence is completely beyond my scope of intelligence right now.

How about some nice bullet points instead?

Things I like:

• sleeping
• pirates
• grammar
• Google
• sleeping
• music
• my bed
• David Suzuki

Did that list make my blog seem longer and more substantial than it actually is?

As for an update on my script, I'm still satisfyingly far behind but I think I can do it. At this point, it's more of a 'I want to get to the 100 pages simply so that I can say I won' more than a... I can't even think of another reason I might want to finish. I think I'm at 43 pages and have five days to get the remaining 57.

Luckily, my birthday is 2 weeks and 1 day away. Don't ask how that relates. I will tell you though. I started the sentence with luckily and then I couldn't think of a script related way to finish it so I moved on to another topic. This is Alex's brain on blogging.