She Came from Planet Z

hello again, spring!

And hello all!  I have crazy vacation tales and pictures, which will come up in the future.  But now, cherry blossoms!  Woo!

closer...

closer...

too close!  Back up!

Ahhh... there we go.  A shockingly blue sky.  But yesterday, that actually was the color of the sky.  And I was going to have a very happy photo of the pretty pink and green and blue, but then my friend and I had to have a cherry blossom petal fight.  And that is very important.  (OH, the wholesomeness)  I actually wanted to paint this, with acrylics or something, but we do not have those.  First painting urge, here.  Either way,

cherry blossoms!

spring!

happiness!

hello spring

happy march!

Happy March!  March means spring!  Spring means change!  It means opening the windows and having that un-familiar smell of sunny air waft through the house as the birds chirp continuously!  Ah yes, we have met yet another confusing spring -OOPS- I mean string of emotions (ha ha ha) tofollow yesterday's post featuring "I hate life".

More "I hate life" pictures from yesterday.  I think it's kind of evil that I'm still putting them up, but there's 150 of them, so we're going to be featuring this gray day for a while.  How about something cheerful?

Ha ha ha!  Here I am in a little hat!  It's ME!  Don't we just love me?  And a cute little hat it is too...

And so, before I go off walking with my friend on this beatiful spring day, I'm going to give a few spring resolutions:

1. do what makes you happy

2. go outside

3. go outside and DO stuff

4. walk around random stores and absorb the products and scenes you are a part of

5. do not take anything seriously

6. do not over-think anything

And I think I'll end it at that. 

my perspective, by me, about me, and probably for me

In our household, we're getting a lot of perspective on different ages and time periods throughout a person's life.  We hear all about grandparents, middle-aged friends, and young go-getters at dad's work and how they are finally reaching their "breaking point" in exhaustion.

And, as my twisted teenage mind rapidly absorbs these tidbits, I think-

I hate my life!  I hate being my age!  I am no go-getter in their 20's nor grandparent!  I get by!  In 8th grade!  And I hate it!

Each day at school has felt like stepping into a hurricane and standing there for ten solid minutes before getting to go back inside.

Instead of doing my homework today, I sat down and filled an entire sheet of notebook paper with tiny, perfect stars.  And then colored them.  And then ate my third bowl of cereal while reading the same clothing catalog for the third time.

I do yoga every wednesday.  And I like it.  I try to find more perspective by thinking about the little 5-year-old girl in our class who seems so focused, instead of on my confusing social life.

I should have drawn some cartoons.  I could have many of them right now, on all the freak-out moments I've had with mom or at school.  Note to self: walks are dangerous.  I open my big mouth every time I agree to go on one.

Me: mom, what's your opinion on dating?

Mom: oh, I think it's fine, I mean... (blah blah blah keeps talking... this is great, I'm happy it was so easy to ask that, OH NO she won't stop talking... )

and then, for some strange reason, it hits me.

I JUST REVEALED AN INCREDIBLY TENDER PART OF MY SOCIAL LIFE TO MOM!

Freak-out time! 

And so, this most often results in me sprinting away at full speed and staying away from the house for an hour or so under the shade of a tree trying to sort out my thoughts (poor me).

Now, for a short explanation, the above question was just one of those "I was just wondering" questions, in case you got any ideas.  I have to cover up my anxieties even on this here blog.

today, let us be calm.

Hiii new bannneeeerrrrr!!!!  Doesn't it feel strange?  And new?  Here's the picture again!

These are girls from my school with anxiety.  Well, about 4 percent of the population of people with anxiety (a.k.a. the whole school).  So I've learned that 7th grade is pretty bad, anxiety-wise, but 8th grade is worse.  No question I am queen of the world back off where are you going are you mad at me I feel really sad now oh look at that funny cat picture.  And then: OH NO!!! TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST!!!! NOOOOO!!!! I hate tests!  And I am ashamed to say I got better grades as a 7th grader.  And yet life some how goes on.

So, now that I've whipped you all up with this whole anxiety idea, let's be calm!  Today is Friday.  Yesterday I felt anxiety, but today, oddly enough, I did not.  Huh!  How 'bout that! 

More about drawing: I am learning to observe.  Fully observe.  I am learning to make notes in my planner on a particular shade of pink I saw someone wearing or the shape of a person's face.  Noticing appearance, not personality.  Or creating personality based on appearance?  Oh dear, this could get a lot less zen.  But anyways... I have a lot more people I want to draw from school.  It feels like you're keeping them in your pocket, like they're just characters you've made up that have no purpose.  Agh!  I don't know what I'm saying.

(another banner idea I had... it just didn't seem original enough) 

Christmas eve

Christmas eve eve

This was a trip we took to D.C. about a week ago...

And the chocolate shop we spent most of our time in:

update

Early this morning I skipped my first two classes to go to the interview.  For Einstein... art high school.  And guess what? 

I got in!!!  YAAAAAYYYY!

Okay, I received a verbal invition to come to Einstein.  Which basically means, if you want to come to this school, it's okay with us.  We're waiting for the paper work to finish up.

Meanwhile, middle school is proving more and more to me how great it will be to get out.  Gossip is flying madly, circulating through me, and then jotting around again.  I think I get asked if I like "like" random people three times a week, and same for everyone else.  Hey, all I did was give him gum.

Our school finally had an art show.  I've got this.

And this block print.  I also had a little clay house that I like to call the "martian out-house", and don't particularly feel like showing it.  I'm not big with clay.  I do feel like showing these, however:

Ha ha!  There were tons of them.  They crack me up.

And finally?  New York!

We focussed on the more subdued side of New York.  This is the high line.

And Chelsea market...

only a matter of time before we win the lottery and ride away on unicorns

Heya!

I've really been working on stop-motion animation with my free turkey break time.  I wish I could figure out how to post some of my 12 second long videos, but alas, one must wait.  Same with all the other art I've been doing on the computer.  Poo.  In the mean time, here's our neighborhood in the calm morning mist:

Thanks to mum for the photos, of course.  If I was given the camera on my way to school I'd be too tempted to take it with me into school and start taking pictures and cackling madly.

And now, for something completely different (Monty Python, eh? eh?)

A vase with a spoon in it!  It's been my third attempt to create something serious for "the big portfolio" to get into that art high school.  For accuracy, the trick is to use a grid.  I say no more.

Oh YEAH... what about Thanksgiving?  It consisted of the Macy's day parade, Turkey, three extra (crazy) friends, and a puzzle.  Oooh, that sounded so... um... BOOK-ish.  My days since have felt identical.  Get up, eat, play basketball, shower, eat, draw, eat, computer, walk, eat, T.V.  Yup, it'll only be a matter of time before we win the lottery and ride away on unicorns.

the crazy hour

'Had another meet today.  I improved by one and lost one.  Minute.  So, I came in 16th place and, instead of 13 minutes, got 12 minutes (chopping off all those pesky segonds, of course).  I realize now that, for meets, you dread and dread and dread, and then run and hate and run and hate, and then, poof!  It's done!  It's great!  It's fun!  You feel good!  And now I'm already dreading our next one.

More talk about sports?  I'm considering basketball next.  I've got the long arms an' big hands... and the height.  My teacher says I'm good at it, and so do the kids, and that's rather reassuring. 

NOW - something more accomplishment-related!  I think!  We went to the open house at the art magnet high school in our area, and I am definitely going to try to get in.  We picked up vibes of artsy kids who do not compete in being unique style-wise (I was about the 10th girl in the particular room wearing a plaid shirt and jeans), but compete with themselves and their talent.  There is only one big art space that people spend hours in splattering the walls with hand prints and inspiration.

It is the hour of being reved-up with useless night-time energy.  It's the crazy hour.