Safety Warning: Watch for Ticks

It's supposed to be an especially  bad year for them. They are disgusting and even worse, can carry diseases. I'm sure you all know about them, but just be careful. If you find one on yourself, have someone pull it off with tweezers and make sure that all of it is gone. Watch the spot to make sure that nothing happens. If it was a deer tick (the little tiny ones) watch for a big red ring that may form even a month after around it. That would be a sign on Lyme Disease. 

Finding a tick on me may have been one of the single grossest moment of my life.  I woke up and saw a bug on my side. Not realizing it was a tick, I tried to brush it off. It held fast, though its legs started moving in place. When I came to the realization that it was a tick, I scream bloody murder. 'MOOOOOOMMM, THERE'S A TICK ON ME. HEEEEEELP!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" I'll admit I may be a slight drama queen, but it was horrible. She came and got it off quickly, peroxided the spot and stuck a band aid on. Now 2 days later, the spot where it used to be is very tender and looks like someone welted me with a brand. I'm not sure whether this is natural or not (I think not) but I'll go see the nurse tomorrow. 

Either way, be careful of those ticks. They're not something you want sucking you blood. 

Life Stories: Kuthunk

The title is the sound my head makes when it collides with a sharp rock. I was standing outside the library with Chris. Hayley had just left and we were just about to head inside when "Kuthunk" a rock comes flying at my head. I stood there in a that shook. It's the place where you're not sure whether you're hurt enough to cry or whether you should just brush it off. My hand flew to my forehead and I felt a good sized bump swelling rapidly. I held in my tears for a second, but then it hurt so much. I leaned into Chris and started to cry with my hand still on my temple. He took my hand off it and declared a big bump but no blood. "You're going to be fine," he told me. "I'm getting dizzy," was my response. Chris led me into the library and sat me down in the cafe. "Stay here, I'm going to get ice." He came back a minute later with a bag of ice cubes and a librarian who wanted to call my mom. I insisted that I was fine, that the whole thing was an accident and that I'd let her know if things got worse so she let me be. When I'd calmed down Chris and I went into the other room and sat in front of the fan. Finally Chris had to go home. "You sure you're going to be ok?" I looked at him and nodded. 

Life Lessons Learned: 

• You enjoy throwing rocks, don't. It's stupid and someone's bound to get hurt. 

• If it hurts, cry. Even guys that might not be the most sympathetic at times will understand. 

• Sometimes a shoulder to lean on makes all the difference. Even if that shoulder happens to be your best friends boyfriend. 

• Guys can be so sweet when they're not being all macho and showing off for their friends. (and I don't mean that they're not normally) 

• Ice it. The more the swelling goes down, the less painful it is. If it gets to cold from ice, sit in front of a fan. 

• A giant green bump on your forehead and an ice pack are a great way to get out of doing things at practice! 

Memorial Day Weekend

We had our Memorial Day Assembly last friday. The band play, the chorus sing, teachers read poems, the junior air force had a color guard that presented the flag. It was your pretty typical ceremony. But it really got me thinking. I live in a relatively unpatriotic state. There aren't many kids I know who are proud to be American.  People who say the pledge of allegiance are often scoffed at. But why is that? Since when is it a crime to love your country? There are so many teachers and parents that tell of how different things were when they were kids, how people actually took pride in being American. During our commemoration, I realized that, maybe I don't agree with everything that my country has done, maybe it really frustrates me at times, but it is still my country. There have been people who have given their lives to defend what I have, the least I can do is to pause and appreciate them. So no matter where you live in the world, please stop some time today and think about those who have come before you. 

Quick fact: In America, if all else fails, if our army, navy, national guard and everything else goes down, the boy scouts are the last line of defense. It sure makes me think about them differently. I mean, these are our little brothers who go camping and tie knots. 

Top 5!

People pick favorites. Whether or not they matter, whether or not people should, they do. I'm wondering what: 

Your Top Things to Do When You're Bored? 

Favorite Color? 

Best Day of the Year? 

Biggest Pet Peeve?

Sorry... I had to ask favorites sooner or later... 

WARNING THIS IS A RANT!

First of all let me apologize for taking so long between posts. It is hell week for our musical and I will be home less than 8 hours this weekend which includes writing a page paper. The second thing I'm apologizing for is for using this as a rant site. Feel free to complain about what ever is on your mind in comments or posts you email to me. 

Today, at least where I live was bike and walk to school day. I live pretty far out in the middle of now where, but my little sister really wanted to bike to school. She biked last year with me, so my parents were fine with it. (I would have this year but my school is an hour a way and I've been dancing 5 hours a day and not getting home until after 11.) 

So at the end of our little road, she met up with friends on a still small but paved road. There were a good number of them, enough to be seen from very far away considering the road is flat and straight. However, they are conscientious and bike no more than 2 in a row. 

Here's where my rant really starts. They were biking and some idiot speeds by in his car. My sister swerves to avoid him, which sends her flying off her bike, 5 feet of the road, down a 10 foot bank, head first into a shallow river. 

The only good thing seems to be that she landed in a deep enough place, that she didn't break her neck or otherwise kill herself. 

The bad? She doesn't actually remember what happened. Her Back hurts. She got a ride home with a random young couple. But what irks me the most? The stupid idiot (insert explicates here) didn't even stop to see if she was ok. 

As if it's not enough to speed on a small road with tons of kids age 5-13 biking to school, you could at least stop to see if you can help when you cause someone to almost get killed. As Margaret put it, "I don't understand people sometimes..." 

The Debate on Motherhood

With Mothers Day just gone by, I wanted to know you's all's opinions on teenage mothers. Do you think that teenagers can be mature enough to give kids what they need? Will they be able to make it alright for their child if their family helps them out? What about abortions; is it alright for teenagers to get abortions if they know they won't be able to offer their child the support kids need? 

Mothers Day

Hopefully, you all did some wonderful things for your mothers today! I have been feeling rather overwhelmed because I'm getting over being sick, the musical opens in 3 days, and I have tons of work to catch up on, so I didn't do as much as I should have. I sort of wished her Happy Mothers Day, gave her a hug and left it that. (Normally I get up early, make her breakfast in bed, clean the house, pick fresh flowers, etc, you get my drift.) 

Did you do anything for your the mothers or grandmothers or important women in your life? Any ideas for easy things to do that will mean a lot to mom?