anti-sunshine

Today, I had every intention of posting something happy.
I was going to post something that would make you smile, laugh even
...but I'm unable to.
I waited too long to write this.
It's much too late for happiness.

Much. Too. Late.
Sorry, but it's true.
If you came here expecting a silly optimistic post, I'm going to disappoint you.
Why? Because I'm in pain.
And I paid for said pain. (well, I didn't, but someone did. Someone with moolah.)
But pain brings out beauty, right? Something like that, or so I've heard.

Well, hopefully, in this case, it does.
This pain brings out straight, beautiful teeth.
MAYBE.

My teeth are aching. I can't be around anyone. I can't even smile....okay, I CAN, but my smile looks like a grimace.
I've taken pain meds, ok?
Maybe if they ever kick in, I'll re-post something cheerful.

But I don't feel optimistic.
Because as we all know, the optimist is the one saying "Well at least no one will wonder what hand I write with now!!" after having his hand bitten off by a lion.
I'm not an optimist.

Gloomy raincloud: that's me. Not little miss sunshine. NOT.

^not me

Okay, maybe this youtube channel will make you laugh. Maybe just a little bit. They made me smile (on the inside)

Here are some of the videos:
You might have seen this one. It's totally gone viral.




...aren't those canadians soooo friendly?

dance...and "events"

This weekend I went contra-dancing.
It was majorly fun.

Here's what happened on the ride home (we'll call my friend L)

Me: I noticed there were at least five guys wearing skirts tonight. That was just a bit awkward, huh? 

L: Oh yeah, haha, I guess they like twirling too!  Did you see the transvestite? 

Me: *feeling naive* Ohh, really? I thought that was just a really looks-challenged individual... I danced with it! ...I think I'm going to be sick. 

L: haha, well, we can change the subject. 

Me: No really, I'm going to be sick.
...and the contents of my stomach were in my lap. Luckily it was just water and banana, but still. Gross! I got myself cleaned up, and the conversation continued... 

L: I'm so sorry! I didn't know it would actually make you sick to talk about transvestites! I won't ever bring that up again.

...

Contra attracts a VARIETY of people, a real variety. It's not a bad thing -- they're all nice folks, but, um, they just have a different way of doing things.

Ok, ok, ok. I'll just say it. There was a person there who looked like neither a man nor a woman.

And I danced with him/her (let's just say it). Not as a partner, but when you're going through the line, you get a turn dancing with everyone. 

I danced for three hours Saturday night. Every dance (except for the 10-minute-intermission when they played polka music. I know it's shocking, but I don't know how to polka) was danced. Because your brain is thinking about the dance moves and what you're supposed to be doing next, it ignores your body telling you to take a rest.

L’esprit de escalier

Ah, but what I could have said. The words that are too late to deliver. Coming up with an awesome remark, much too late.

English really needs a word that captures the true feeling of wishing you had been wittier. I suppose you could always call someone a few days after a conversation, and tell them what you should have said. Can you say awkward goofball? Not happening. 

So, what's a girl to do?

The love of english grammar

I admit, I'm a grammar nazi. The you're/your, to/too typos are infuriating to me.


I cannot tell you how much these images make me laugh...they're from 11points.com

Enjoy.

b-rate flicks

Yuck, I'm still sick.

Being sick is boring. My mind is mush. To entertain myself, I've been watching Mystery Science Theater 3000.
MST3K is my special treat when I feel ill.
For some reason, it's not as funny when I'm feeling 100%.

Last year, when I had the swine flu, MST3K was the best medicine. (After tylenol and nyquil, that is)

Watching B-rate movies with clever commentary? How can you go wrong?

Parades & Postponed Posting

SO.
I'm thankful. I have much to be thankful for. I'll post an exhaustive list sometime. It will require a lot of scrolling on your part. Be prepared.

But what I am thankful for now is the fact that I exaggerated a bit when I said I had mono. I was wrong.

I don't have it.
It feels like I'm in a never-ending cycle of sickness. It is sickness that won't go away, but it isn't mono. Turns out, the symptoms of mono line up with the symptoms of other viruses to a certain degree...


I'm on the dramatic side of things, just in case you didn't notice.

So, I just have a never-ending cold that is turning into a sinus infection.
I know everyone reading this is rejoicing with me.


I'll try not to be so hyperbolic in the future.



SO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ME. That's why you're here. To read about the inane happenings in my life, right?

Right.


The classic country song by Toby Keith is coming to mind.

(I'm getting back into that kind of twangy music. I thought I very muchly disliked it. I was wrong. It's a love/hate thing. Right now, I *heart* Brad Paisley. Tomorrow, who knows?)

You know that song, "I Wanna Talk About Me"?
(Everyone knows that one. If not, look it up. You need to know it for those times when you feel self-centered.)

Well, actually, talking about me is boring to me. I already know this stuff. But I want to record these happenings for posterity. SOMEDAY, I'll look back at my old posts and...I have no idea what will happen.

An update on my life:

Saturday, I went to the local Christmas PARADE!
I didn't think I was big on parades. I was wrong {again}. I'd better not make a habit of being wrong.

Here's what I thought Saturday night. (I didn't post, because I didn't get to finish my thoughts. I fell asleep)

Saturday night aprox 9:30:

"I'm feeling like a glazed doughnut. I mean this literally.  

Sugar and wheat with a glazed expression.

Because, after a day like today, I am so wiped out.

Want to know why?

Because I can, I'll elaborate.

My mom, dad, Amy and Mrs. Sharon and I took a group of 8 kids from the nearby apartments (the same place we do homework help) to the downtown Christmas parade. None of the kids had ever been to a parade before.

To make a long story short, it was fun.

I got caught up in the child-like excitement of the parade with them. I usually take such events for granted; today the parade felt like a whole new experience. 

To sum up, I was giddy.

Ben (who is 8) kept shouting [to the floats] "WELCOME TO THE CHRISTMAS PARADE!! WELCOME!"

...can you say cute?

When the high-school marching bands would go by, a few of the kids had a dance they performed {reminiscent of the charlie brown gang}

There were very few hiccups (getting them to the bathroom in the huge crush of people was a mess (a figurative mess, thankfully)).

We had two of the them come home with us (John, 6, and Ben, 8.) since their parents were out of town that day. 

I had so much fun. I relived a small part of my childhood.

The part of my childhood that was bursting with energy, always ready to play something new. The part that would laugh and tirelessly chase after soccer balls until I reached the point of collapsing on the grass.  

If you're feeling like such a "mature adult" (I have not, but I have been lately lamenting getting old), I suggest that you take on some rambunctious kids for a few hours. It's totally refreshing (and somewhat exhausting)

So when we got Ben and John, they were only slightly worn out from the parade. Their energy tanks were still very full.

Goal: exhaust the energy tank! 

I can say "goal accomplished". We ran around the park for a few hours playing until utter exhaustion set in. The boys collapsed first, complaining that their legs were "so tired", and "they never could walk again". 

John, lying on the grass, started dragging himself to the car by grabbing fistfuls of grass. 

It was humorous. But he refused to be carried. 

Finally he let me give him a piggy-back ride to the car.  Ben tried to be a tough guy, but he ended up falling over too. He kept telling us he could "beat us up in soccer", but we proved him wrong. 

We then grabbed some burgers and hotdogs (John was adamant about eating CHICKEN) with a healthy dose of ketchup. 

Those boys can use some ketchup! They ate the equivalent of seven packs each. I was amazed. They're both originally from the Congo; I don't know if ketchup is a staple sauce there, but those boys love it!

We went home and watched a few movies, played wii, checked out Miss Makenzie's computer...."

And that's where I stopped on Saturday; I never got around to posting. Chasing after kids all day is hard work.


On Sunday, I saw the boys again. Little John told me that he was going home with me. Awww! His mom, of course, wouldn't be so happy about that...



Also, John really liked the camera feature on my computer:

He is so cute. I am so wiped out. 

As an aside:
I like being called "Miss Makenzie" by the kids I work with in homework help, kid's club, and awana.
It doesn't feel so strange to me. I thought it would weird me out.
Every time I hear "Miss Makenzie!" it makes me smile (at least on the inside).
Maybe I smile because of the ridiculous thought that I'm actually at the age of being in charge and mature.
I'm good at being in charge and bossy, (as my younger sisters will attest) yet,


I don't feel that old.

baby talk

oh the agony.
It's like teething all over again.
Where's the numbing gel?

On top of it, I have a cold. bleh.

The orthodontist reapplied some of my brackets today {using a ray gun no less...my super ability will come...sometime.}

My teeth/mouth/head hurts. I do NOT want to talk. I was fine earlier this evening, but the bad feeling is progressing.

I'm SUCH a baby. I've taken pain medicine, but it hasn't kicked in and the wires are keeping me awake.

Why yes, I would like some cheese to complement my whine. 
Thanks a lot. Sadly, I CAN'T CHEW IT. 


Sucking it up now. No pain, no gain. I will grin (grimace is a better word) and bear it.

I'm going to think about something else.

So I have a new wig from my bestie, Clearance. Clearance is such a good friend. We're tight. If ever I see her in a store, I make a veritable beeline.

The wig is crazy. I'd talk about it more, but it will be a prop in an upcoming skit (if my teeth ever stop hurting. sorrybacktotopic), and I want it to be utterly shocking in the best way. I shan't be recognized. It will be fun.
I need to brainstorm.

Also, I love your comments.
Even the anonymous ones. 

Compliments (and *sigh* I guess criticism too): always welcome.
Compliments are *especially* welcome when I feel like this...


Mark Twain said something like:

"I can live for two months on a good compliment. "

I think this is true for many people...I also think I blog too much. But this is fun and it's taking my mind off of...
OH SNAP
...I just remembered.
owwww

Phobia?

I have a fear of writing papers.
Rather, I dread it.


Yet, somehow I have a blog.

This I do not understand.
............

On another note, I was quite loved at yesterday night's kids club. My church has started one that meets on Wednesdays. We pick up kids from the nearby apartment complexes, feed them dinner, teach them Bible lessons, then help with homework or create crafts.

...I was like a human loungechair...it was fun.

But really, it is a rewarding task, hanging out and establishing relationships with these kids.
They are hungry for attention, and I am more than happy to oblige; listening to their stories and giving piggy back rides.

.........
Right now,
I am loving the
acoustic, indie, singer-songwriter, chill sound.

A few months ago, I was obsessed with the Rat Pack and Michael Bublé.
I had my Beatles fetish. You think those girls in the 60's had Beatle-mania?
Well, they had nothing on me.


But now, I am "in like" with soothing strains.

It'll change soon.
I'm always on the prowl for new sounds.
Let me know if you would suggest anything positively ah-mazing.

.........

As far as academia goes...

Geometry is teaching me to become the mistress of the OBVIOUS.
When I'm working the problems, I feel like I'm being too simple.

See, I skipped geometry, did algebra I & II and then Precalculus.
In order to round out my high-school transcript I have to get in my Geometry credit.

To put it simply, I don't like it.

(It is way better than Physics, so I won't complain too much.)

............
I'm starting a trend.

My right hand has long fingernails. (which I DO keep groomed)

In sharp contrast, my left hand has short nubby nails. (since you can't push down on a fretboard with fingernails in the way.)

I've picked up playing the guitar again.  It is a beautiful instrument. One of the best sounds.
NOTE: I am not meaning to say that that my playing is one of the best sounds, but that the instrument itself has some amazing sounds.

I've learned that my fingernails are the best for finger-picking songs. Much better than metal claws.

So, I have strange looking hands.

It'll catch on. 

............


Believe it or not,
I'm an honor student. 


I'm a geek and proud of it. 


I'm going to be re-inducted into the eta sigma alpha xi zeta chapter tonight...
I need to be there so I can socialize with smart people, and maybe they'll rub off on me.