Sophomore Year

I'm back! I can't believe it, but summer is over. Sophomore year is now beginning.

Now I'm back with Jessie and Kyle and Jasmine and Tricia and my big ol' Melcher buddies. Sure, summer was fun, but school is...not only mandatory but I need it.

I can't wait till the end though, when I can look back and see what we've done this year. And who knows? Maybe I'll have a boyfriend by the end of the year. Or more friends. Or another best friend.

Who knows?

Life's an open book.

And I'm an empty page. *wink*

-PRH, Starsinger

The End

I suppose the Book of Paige is coming to a close.

I promise to write back again. I won't abandon everyone all together.

Everything is finally over. Freshman year. The fun times we had. The sad times we had. The drama and then the drama. The fighting. The breaking up. The making up. "Getting a room." Lost friends. Gained friends. Relationships...friendships.

Best friends. The best friends any girl could ever ask for.

I guess it's all over.

And yet...

Isn't it all just...


Beginning?

Lonely Empty Room

I sit in the classroom in Performing arts, this lonely, empty little room. The wind makes the beige shade smack against the tables; the tables that have held so many slices of pizza on plates, Pocky sticks, crying heads on arms, sleeping heads on arms, books, cell phones, and hopes and dreams. It is filled with pianos, upon which we can play to our heart's content and not be judged. This old brown wooden piano beside me, out of tune, scratched, keys chipped and broken, is so beautiful. This room, empty now of decoration and people, looks so lonely

But I am hopeful. Because this empty room only means that next year, there will be another room like this, waiting for me. It will at first be lonely, empty and cold. But soon it will be bright and full of life. The chalkboard will be covered in little drawings and words in many colors. The pianos will play, the tables with hold pizza and Pocky, and Mrs. Bles and Mr. Hewitt will yell at us for misbehaving...and I will be able to love every minute of it.

This year seems like such a finale, such an end. I feel as though nothing could feel more complete, this slow closing of the book. And yet, it was so abrupt and you could hardly see it coming. This year has lasted more than the length it truly has. It has dragged on and on forever.

And while a lot of it was bad, I treasure...I absolutely treasure...every single minute of this year. I found Jasmine. I found Jessie and Kyle, Trish, Sydney, Serena...all my new friends. All my best friends.

I found love. Not in a boy, but in my friendships. This year...while it is only my freshman year and most of these people I will see this summer...it seems so final.

I wanted this year to end so badly.

Now...I just want to start it all over...from the very beginning.

I say farewell to all my friends. All my loves.

Thank you for everything.

Finals

I got a ninety-eight on my final in performing arts! I tied with Kevin M. as second highest score on the test! The highest, of course, was our very own Emcee, Joe C.! Oh, Joe, we love you and your huge brain! ^-^

I'm so happy. I knew I was going to do well (not to sound conceited, but I knew my stuff.) But I didn't think I would get such a high score. I'm so proud of myself. Pats on the back, Paige. Pats on the back!

Cool Brain Game

THE PAOMNNEHAL PWEOR OF THE HMUAN MNID: Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny opromoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Can you read this? I can.

MLIA Worthy

Ok, so I was telling Chris M. some jokes. One of them was, "How do you confuse a blond? Paint yourself green and throw forks at her."

Chris replied, "What?"

Guess what color Chris's hair is?

Finally, Jokes that Make Sense!

A duck walks into a 7-11 and says "Give me some chapstick, put it on my bill!" But the cash register attendee doesn't speak English and cannot understand him. He does, however, question whether his God is punishing him because as all people know, Ducks cannot speak, however, this hallucination must be punishment for a horrid misdeed. THe employee breaks down into tears and begins reciting prayer. The duck, slightly miffed, walks out, pondering why he'd need chapstick anyway, since he has no lips.
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A priest, a rabbi, and a buddhist monk walk into a bar, sit at the end and start having some drinks. Two hours later, they come out with a better understanding of each other and a mutual respect, the beginnings of a friendship that last a lifetime.
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What's the difference between the Pope and Michael Jackson?
The Pope is dead.
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A pirate walks into a bar with a ship's wheel stuck to his crotch.
The bartender says, "Hey, you got a wheel stuck to your crotch."

The pirate replies, "Yarr, me ship wrecked in a terrible storm and my testicles swelled with an infection while I was knocked unconscious against the wheel. Can you please call a doctor?"
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How many dead babies can you fit in a blender?

The police report indicates three.
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So this guy dies right and he goes up to Heaven and when he's at the pearly gates he- oh wait, nevermind, he just rots in the ground.
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Man 1: Knock, Knock
Man 2: Who's there?

Man 1: It's me Johnny.
Man 2: Oh, hey man! Come on in, and have a beer.

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How many people does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
If you call up Steven Murphy Electrical Contractors on (08) 9284 7281 they can send over a qualified electrician to screw it in for you between 9-6 on any working day, guaranteed to arrive within an hour of your call or you get 50% off!
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What do you get when you stick a knife in a baby? A life-sentence in jail.

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A white man is driving his Cadillac on a highway in Texas. He notices a black man pushing his bicycle along the side of the road.
He pulls over to talk to the black man and offer him a ride. He says "I can't fit your bike in my car, but I can tie it to the back and let you ride behind me. If I'm going too fast, just yell."
The black man says "No thanks, that sounds pretty risky" and keeps pushing his bike down the road.

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Knock knock
knock knock
knock knock
knock knock
knock knock
Aw, man, I guess nobody is home. I'll try back later.

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What do you get when you cross a chicken with a centipede?
A media circus about the debate over the morals and ethics of genetic engineering.
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So, there were an Irishman, an Englishman and an American wrecked on an island. One day, they found a bottle, and when they opened it, a ghost came out and offered them each a wish. However, even though they wished for different stuff, nothing happened, as the three guys of varying nationalities were just having shared hallucinations from hunger.

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So a mushroom walks into a bar, sits down, and orders a drink.
The bartender calls his psychiatrist to report that he is hallucinating again.

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Patrick and Michael were walking along in a forest, when Patrick falls over and breaks his leg on a tree root.
In agony, Patrick turns to Michael and says "Quick, call me an ambulance!".
Michael replies " Okay I'll just go to that public telephone we saw earlier down the path - I'll be back in five minutes. ".
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A duck walks into a bar...

Animal control is promptly called, the duck is then taken to a near by park and released.
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Why did the deaf man take his parrot to work?
He was weird.

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Why was six afraid of seven?
It wasn't. Numbers are not sentient and thus incapable of feeling fear.

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All jokes came from http://www.somethingawful.com/d/comedy-goldmine/jokes-with-realistic.php?page=5 Read more if you want to!

Thank You

I want to say:


Afrikaans


Dankie (dahn-kee)

Arabic

Shukran (shoe-krahn)

Cantonese

Do je (daw-dyeh)

Croatian

Hvala (H-vah-lah)

Czech

Dìkuji (deh-ku-yih)

Danish

Tak (tahg)

Estonian

Aitäh (ie-tehkh)

Fijian

Vinaka (Bvi’-nah-kah)

Filipino

Salamat (sa-la-mat)

Finnish

Kiitos (Keetos)

French

Merci (mehr-see)

German

Danke (dahn-kah)

Greek

Efcharisto (ef-har-rih-stowe)

Hawaiian

Mahalo (mah-hah-loh)

Hebrew

Toda (toh-dah)

Hindi

Shukriya (shoe-kree-a)

Indonesian

Terima Kasih (t’ree-ma kas-seh)

Italian

Grazie (gra-see)

Japanese

Domo (doe-moe)

Korean

Kamsa hamnida (kam-sa-ham-nee-da)

Latin

Gratia (grah-tyah)

Lithuanian

Achiu (Ahchjooh)

Mandarin

Xie xie (syeh-syeh)

Norwegian

Takk (Dahk)

Paraguay

Aguije (ah-we-JAY)

Polish

Dziêkujê (Zhe-koo-yay)

Portuguese

Obrigado (Ob-ree-gah-doe)

Serbian

Hvala (Khvah-lah)

Romanian

Mulþumesc (Mool-tsu’-mehsk)

Spanish

Gracias (Grah-cee-yas)

Swahili

Asante (Ah-sahn-teh)

Swedish

Tack (Taak)

Thai

Khop Khun Krab (kowp-koom krahp-khak)

Vietnamese

Ca’m on (Kam ooen)

Wolof

Jerejef (Jay-ray-jayf’)

Welsh

Diolch (Dee-olkh)

Yiddish

A (shaynem) dank.

Zimbabwean

Maita Henyu (Mah-ee’tah Heh’-nyoo)

And last of all, American: Thank You
 
To the following people:
 
Angelo G.
Mindy G.
Ms. Ivler
Mr. Sunkett
Jennae H.
 
But especially these people:
Jessie C.
Kyle B.
Trica K.
Serena H.
Sydney B.
Joe C.
Mark P.
Dana M.
Dometrious T.
Chris M.
Kevin and Jason M.
Cait F.

And most especially...these people, who the closest people I have to family:
Lexy M.
Jasmine C.
and Kylie H.

There are people in this world I could just not live without. You, my friends, family, teachers...I could not ever...ever...live without. And I thank them very much.

Relationships and Friendships

Have you ever seen two people that are just destined to be together? These people...when you see them, you may tear up by how perfect they are. You'll ooh and aww over the romantic things he does for her and the adorable things she does for him. They are always laughing, always smiling. They giggle at the yells of, "Get a room!" when they kiss and hug in the hallways. Even when they fight, you find their little spats adorable because it just shows that they have a good relationship. Couples that fight are often some of the best.

But sometimes, no matter how they are destined to be together...it just doesn't work, for whatever reason.

I know two people that are absolutely perfect for each other. They dated for a while and they were one of the cutest couples you could ever see. Somewhat of an unlikely match, some might say. But...in other cases, if you knew them, you'd realize just why they are together. I've known both of these people since about sixth or seventh grade.

I wasn't with them last year. But they became the best of friends.

In the beginning of the year...this year...I recognized both of them. I pointed out her in class and said, "Hey...don't I know you?" I would never have imagined she would become one of my best friends.

I saw him. I used to have a big crush on him back in sixth grade. He was still the same, still cute and silly and a little bit like a puppy. I no longer had a crush on him, though. In fact...in the beginning I found him annoying.

But they started dating and at that time, I beared with him because of her, because she was my friend. But after they broke up, I still talked to him and I realized that he was my friend, too.

It was a heartbreaking situation. I wanted them to be together so badly. And then they did get back together...but it didn't last long before he broke it off.

As badly as she and he were hurt, I was hurting, too. I wanted them together more than I wanted world peace...end to world hunger...to be married and have children someday. It was just supposed to be that way, him with her and her with him.

I had no one and still don't. Not the way they did. And while I complain that it isn't fair sometimes...that it's not fair for them to be happy while I'm alone...nothing, absolutely nothing, makes me happier than to see two perfect people together.

Everyone seems to say that she deserves better or he's no good for her or that she made a mistake or that he shouldn't have to do something he doesn't want to do. But...these two people...these two perfect people...shouldn't listen.

I know in my heart that they belong together, that they will always belong together.

Someday they will cook meals together for their family and lay out in the grass and count the stars and then go to bed together, holding each other.

But for now...they are friends.

And you know what?

I have more than what I thought. I have friends. Not 100, not 2. Just enough friends to feel loved. And that's all I really need.

I used to believe that haing dozens and millions of friends and being popular and wearing the "in" clothes was what mattered. But...I was wrong.

That girl over there could have had 50 boyfriends and 2,000 friends and wears all the "hot" clothes she can, all silk and lace and expensive things.

Or that boy could have a harem of girls and be captain of the football team and can buy anything in the world he wants.

But in the end...I come out on top.

With the few, perfect amount of friends I have...I win. And I need nothing else.

Twilitis

Ok, so, I am not a Twilight fan girl. I don't obsess over "how perfect Edward Cullen is" or "how pretty Bella Swan is!" (However, Taylor Lautner can show up in my backyard any day.) However, I will agree that it was a good book and a good movie. I do happen to like Twilight. I don't really know why. I just really like the idea of the story. Of course, I love vampire and werewolves and all that supernatural stuff, but that's not the point. While I hate what Edward Cullen looks like in the movie, he sounds cute in the book. However, he needs an attitude check. He's way too serious and way too possessive.

As for Bella...she seems like the typical, every day girl...that happens to fall in love with a vampire. But these things happen, ya know?

But why is EVERYONE obsessed with it? "Twilight's amazing, New Moon's so cool, Eclipse is coming out, Edward's hot, Jacob's sexy, why do they like such a plain girl like Bella, Bella's pretty/smart/stupid/weird/cute/sexy/hot." And so on and so forth.

Has everyone caught Twilitis?

Yes, it is official. There is a twilitis.

Definition of twilitis:
the addiction to vampires and werewolves and a fetish for blood-sucking, sparkling skin, fangs, furry people, clumsiness, and black-white-and-red book covers that have no relation to the book whatsoever.

Synonyms for twilitis:
stupid, dumb, crazy, retarded, obsessive, possesive

Antonyms for twilitis:
smart, intelligent, sane, normal, wise, plain, amazing, awesome, cool, sweet, fantastic, great, good....and so on and so forth.

Symptoms of twilitis:

Owning all four books
Buying dolls, figurines, posters, or clothing that portrays the characters
A need to drink blood
Biting fetish
Drawing "I <3 Edward" "I <3 Jacob" "I <3 Twilight/New Moon/Eclipse/Breaking Dawn" or "Bite Me" on your arms/legs/hands/fingers/face
A shrine in your closet or beneath your bed dedicated to one of the characters
Knowing all the Twilight trivia, including behind-the-scenes stuff

If you start experience symptoms of Twilitis, notify your doctor immediately. Twilitis is a dangerous and potentially fatal disease. Side affects include loss of friends, life, money, hair, and spirit, a tendency to bite people, paper cuts, weak eyes, strange bruises on your neck that may or may not be bite marks from your last one night stand, and heart failure.



ADS FROM GOGLE (can't use Google, it's copyright!)

WANT TO GET RID OF TWILITIS?!

Use Vamp-B-Gone, the garlic flavored pills that will make those leeches pop right off!

Not Vamps that are bothering you? Then get our special flea collar, Flea-tador! It will keep those furry beasts away!

Side affects include depression, realization that your life was a failure, gaining of friends, life, money, hair, and spirit, oily skin or hair, thinning of blood, and fun happy times.

Do not take if nursing, pregnant or plan to become pregnant, as these products will make the vampire/werewolf child inside you go nuts and begin to tear apart your insides and break your bones and suck your blood, making you weaker and weaker until eventually it will start to bite through your womb to the outside world to wreak havock on the world.

Talk to your doctor before taking Vamp-B-Gone or wearing Flea-tador. For more information, go to http://www.iwantmylifeback.vampsandwerewolfssuck.twilitis.net/ .

ROFLMAOLOL

GLee

No, that's not a typing error. I did mean to type GLee.

I have watched the show Glee for such a long time but I have never made any reference to it. Well, now, here is my analysis on each of the characters.

William Schuster: A big-hearted man that wants nothing more than to teach his students lessons through song and to have them win at Regionals and Nationals. His heart is broken when he discovers his wife, who claimed to be pregnant, is not pregnant. However, he can find love in the school guidance counselor, Emma Pillsbury.

Sue Sylvester: The coach of the Cheerios at McKinley high, she has a very sweet heart under her cruel insults at Schuster's hair (which she secretly envies) and her underhanded attempts to destroy glee club. She has a sister with Down syndrome that she visits every day and it shows her softer, sweeter side that she tries so desperately to hide.

Emma Pillsbury: An OCD, germaphobic, paranoid school guidance counselor. She is in love with William Schuster but things seem to keep pulling them apart. One of those things is the fact that she is still a virgin.

Terri Schuster: Schuster's wife of five years. She feared that he would be leaving her when she got the good news that she was pregnant. It renewed his love for her...until she found out the pregnancy was false. She bought pregnancy pads that are put on mannequins in maternity clothing stores to fake her pregnancy. She planned on adopting Quinn Fabray's baby. But, sadly, her little act was found out.

Rachel Berry: A hopeful, perky girl with big dreams of becoming a star. She is often seen as the main character in Glee, probably because of her many solos. She struggles with the fact that she never knew her mother. She is also in love with Finn Hudson.

Finn Hudson: Star quarterback at McKinley High. He is alienated by his fellow football players when he joins Glee club. He believes himself to be the father of Quinn Fabray's baby, who is his girlfriend. He is heartbroken to discover that she cheated on him with Noah "Puck" Puckerson, his best friend and he is the father of her baby.

Mercedes Jones: An overweight funky black woman with an amazing voice. She has fantastic clothing sense and loathes having to sing backup most of the time. However, on the show itself, she has many fantastic solos.

Kurt Hummel: Another fantastic singer. He has trouble coming out to people that he is gay, but he holds his ground against the insults. He also has fantastic clothing sense. He is in love with Finn. No one knows.

Artie Abrams: A paraplegic with incredible guitar playing abilities. He is in love with Tina Cohen-Chang.

Tina Cohen-Chang: A Gothic asian girl with a sweet voice that she used to hide with a stutter. When she started dating Artie, she came out with the truth, that she didn't actually have a stutter. She used it to have people leave her alone.

Noah "Puck" Puckerson: Finn's former best friend and the father of Quinn Fabray's baby. He is basically a player, dating several different girls for usually selfish reasons. He dated Rachel Berry because he had a dream about the fact that both of them were Jewish and she came to his room one night. He also dated Mercedes when he became unpopular for shaving his mohawk and Mercedes was a part of the Cheerios. He is very mislead when it comes to "love." But he claims to love Quinn Fabray.

Quinn Fabray: She used to popular and head cheerleader of the Cheerios. Now, she is seen as a loser and slut. At pregnant one, at that. For a while, she kept up the story of how Finn was the father but, being such a "good girl" Rachel had to tell Finn.

Santana Lopez: A spicy, fiery Hispanic Cheerio that joined Glee club in the beginning to destroy it. But she found that...she liked it! Former girlfriend of Puck.

Brittany (no last name found): A ditzy, silly blond that often says the funniest of the quotes in Glee.

There are also plenty of famous characters that join in on the fun: Josh Groban, Olivia Newton-Jon, Idina Menzel, Neil Patrick Harris, and (my favorite!) Kristin Chenoweth.

Glee has awesome characters.

What Do We Do?

Now, anyone who has read my blog knows that most of the things I write in this blog are not personal at all.

But to be honest, I've been having a very terrible day.

All this terribleness (if that is a word) made me think about how cruel this world really is...

Does anyone else think that the world we live in now is our punishment? Our sort of...Hell? Perhaps at one time we lived in a very peaceful and carefree place. Somewhere with no problems whatsoever. I like to call it Etolan. I know it is an odd name, but it must have a name, correct? So call it Etolan. Well in this place, nothing went wrong. The world was magical and at peace with everyone else. Music was heard everywhere. No animals killed one another. No one died unfair deaths. Everyone died peacefully and naturally. There was no cancer or pneumonia or AIDS and HIV or anything deadly. Weapons didn't exist because there was no need for them.

But something went wrong.

Who knows? Evil crept in somewhere into this gentle, untouched place and destroyed it. Pure white souls turned rotten and black. The peace here was destroyed beyond repair. So, as punishment, once the people of Etolan died, they began a new life in a little place called Earth.

And Earth was our Hell. Earth is a place we see as light and life.

But what if it isn't? What if...somewhere...Etolan still stands? What if there is a way to get back to it, get back to our untouched gentle special lives of no pain at all!

But...don't you think that...since we were put here, we deserve to stay here? Obviously if we were put in this Hell we did something positively ghastly.

What do we do?

Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Death

Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Death




Ashes to ashes

Dust to death

What’s left, what’s left

But nothing



Skin to skin

Blood to gore

Who’s home, who’s home

But no one



Alive to dead

And dead to gone

What’s here, what’s here

But nothing



Red to black

And back to death

A death, a death

Of a nobody



Ashes to ashes

Dust to death

What’s left, what’s left?

No Choice

No Choice




Look at my hands

Do you see them?

Do you see?



They’ve been stained with blood

Burned with passion

Slashed with hate



The cuts, the burns, the scars

These scars

My misery

Shows in these scars



I bet if I cut my finger

Even just a prick

The blood would not be red

Nor black

Nor blue

But nothing



I have nothing left to bleed

Because you gave me no choice

But to die

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall...What the @#$% Happened?

Aging. It's inevitable and will always happen. Unless you are a vampire. But the word aging...

Can it mean mentally or physically? Because mentally, I might be very old but physically I am very young. Or perhaps my body is old, wrinkled and dried up and yet I still play with Legos and have trouble in math.

Aging is an odd thing. So is the circle of life, and our different thoughts at different ages.

As a young child, we never want to grow up. In the words of Peter Pan: "I don't ever want to be a man. Yuck! I always want to be a little boy and to have fun."

As a teenager, we spend our entire angst-filled lives thinking, "Can't wait to be fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen!"

Once we are legally an adult, at eighteen, we do one of two things. We rejoice at finally being able to do certain things. Driving, voting, buying cigarettes. All the fun stuff that as teenagers we couldn't wait to do. Parties are thrown, drugs are experimented and sadly, occassionally lives are lost due to the reckless behavior of people just barely out of their teenage years.

Or...we miss our childhood greatly. Sure, we may engage in the parties and we'll drive our cars and sometimes smoke a cigarette or two. But we'll miss the fun-filled innocent days of Legos, milk and cookies, and nap time. (Ahh...nap time.)

Once we reach our late-twenties or early-to-late-thirties, we realize just how serious life is. We start to become tired, more serious. We don't go to parties as often, we don't have nearly as much fun. Cars are no longer for showing off and being "cool." Now, they are means of transportation, driving from home to work, from work to the store, from the store to picking up your children from school, back to home.

The next stage, in the thirties, forties, fifties, is when we start uttering this phrase: Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall...What the @#$% happened?

Once we reach fifties, sixties, seventies, it is time to retire and relax. We become softer, more relaxed and sometimes happier.

And by the time death comes, we have accepted it. Our lives, while they may not have been entirely pleasant, have been well lived and loved.

Enjoy your life, my aging friends.

PB&J

A child's dream. Coming home from school to a nice peanut butter and jelly sandwich made by mom. Maybe the peanut butter is creamy. Maybe it's chunky. Maybe the peanut butterr is mixed with chocolate. Perhaps it is grape jelly or strawberry jam or raspberry preserves.

But no matter what, it tastes delicious.

Why is that? I decided to do some research on peanut butter and its history:

There are many claims about the origin of peanut butter. Africans ground peanuts into stews as early as the 15th century. The Chinese have crushed peanuts into creamy sauces for centuries. Civil War soldiers dined on 'peanut porridge.' These uses, however, bore little resemblance to peanut butter as it is known today
In 1890, an unknown St. Louis physician supposedly encouraged the owner of a food products company, George A. Bayle Jr., to process and package ground peanut paste as a nutritious protein substitute for people with poor teeth who couldn't chew meat. The physician apparently had experimented by grinding peanuts in his hand-cranked meat grinder. Bayle mechanized the process and began selling peanut butter out of barrels for about 6¢ per pound. First Patent Around the same time, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg in Battle Creek, Michigan, began experimenting with peanut butter as a vegetarian source of protein for his patients. His brother, W.K. Kellogg, was business manager of their sanitarium, the Western Health Reform Institute, but soon opened Sanitas Nut Company which supplied foods like peanut butter to local grocery stores.

The Kellogg's' patent for the "Process of Preparing Nut Meal" in1895 described "a pasty adhesive substance that is for convenience of distinction termed nut butter. "However, their peanut butter was not as tasty as peanut butter today because the peanuts were steamed, instead of roasted, prior to grinding. The Kellogg brothers turned their attention to cereals which eventually gained them worldwide recognition. Joseph Lambert, a Kellogg employee who had worked on developing food processing equipment, began selling his own hand-operated peanut butter grinders in 1896. Three years later, his wife Almeeta published the first nut cookbook, "The Complete Guide to Nut Cookery "and two years later the Lambert Food Company was organized.


In 1903, Dr. George Washington Carver began his peanut research at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. While peanut butter had

already been developed by then, Dr. Carver developed more than300 other uses for peanuts and so improved peanut horticulture that he is considered by many to be the father of the peanut industry.
Peanut Butter Goes Mainstream C.H. Sumner was the first to introduce peanut butter to the world at the Universal Exposition of 1904 in St. Louis. He sold$705.11 of the treat at his concession stand and peanut butter was on its way to becoming an American favorite!
Krema Products Company in Columbus, Ohio began selling peanut butter in 1908 ~ and is the oldest peanut butter company still in operation today. Krema's founder, Benton Black, used the slogan, "I refuse to sell outside of Ohio." This was practical at the time since peanut butter packed in barrels spoiled quickly and an interstate road system had not yet been built.

Peanut Butter As We Know It In 1922, Joseph L.Rosefield began selling a number of brands of peanut butter in California. These peanut butters were churned like butters they were smoother than the gritty peanut butters of the day. He soon received the first patent for a shelf-stable peanut butter which would stay fresh for up to a year because the oil didn't separate from the peanut butter.
One of the first companies to adopt this new process was Swift &Company for its E.K. Pond peanut butter ~ renamed Peter Pan in1928. In 1932, Rosefield had dispute with Peter Pan and began producing peanut butter under the Skippy label the following year. Rosefield created the first crunchy style peanut butter two years later by adding chopped peanuts into creamy peanut butter at the end of the manufacturing process. In 1955, Procter & Gamble entered the peanut butter business by acquiring W.T. Young Foods in Lexington, Kentucky, makers of Big Top Peanut Butter. They introduced Jif in 1958 and now operate the world's largest peanut butter plant ~ churning out 250,000 jars every day!

I never realized that peanut butter had such a history. I commend George Washington Carver. But who decided that peanut butter and jelly would taste good together?

Well, it all started with the American soldiers:
1880 - A St. Louis physician, Dr. Ambrose W. Straub, crushed peanuts into a paste for his geriatric patients with bad teeth. At the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, known as the World's Columbian Exposition, it gained exposure and popularity.
1903 - On February 14, 1903, Straub received Patent No. 721,651 for a "mill for grinding peanuts for butter." Dr. Straub encouraged the owner of a food products company, George A Bayle Jr., to process and package ground peanut paste as a nutritious protein substitute for people with poor teeth who couldn't chew meat. Bayle Food Products of St. Louis purchased all commercial rights to the physician's peanut spread and went on to become peanut butter's first American vendor.
1904 - Bayle food Products took its new peanut butter to the St. Louis World Fair. It was a big success and gained exposure and popularity after it sold out in three days at a penny a sample, earning a profit of $705.11. Soon grocers across America were selling bulk peanut butter in large wooden tubs to satisfy their customers' demands.
1920s-1930s - Commercial brands of peanut butter such as Peter Pan and Skippy were introduced.
1941-1945 - Both peanut butter and jelly were on the U.S. Military ration menus in World War II (1941-1945). It is said that the American soldiers added jelly to their peanut butter to make it more palatable. Peanut butter provided an inexpensive and high protein alternative to meat for soldiers. It was an instant hit and returning servicemen made peanut butter and jelly sales soar in the United States. Food historians haven't found any ads or other mentions of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before the 1940s.
1943 - Nationwide food rationing was instituted in the United States during World War II. Each member of the family was issued ration books, and it was the challenge of the homemaker to pool the stamps and plan the family's meals within the set limits. Margarine, butter, sugar, lard, shortening, oils and assorted fresh meats were rationed and expensive. Peanut butter was a good cheap (peanut butter sold for 24 cents a jar) alternative and a readily available source of protein. Peanut butter was not rationed.

Thank god the soldiers like peanut butter and jelly! Otherwise, what snack could I eat after school?

The Story Behind "Who's Counting?"

Okay, she doesn't have a name yet, but I'm thinking Penelope. I'm not sure why, but I love that name.

Penelope's father is very abusive. Her mother left, years ago. Now, Penelope is eighteen. She has no friends and is very quiet, shy, and very, very smart.

Now she discovers, through a doctor visit, that she has a rare blood disease. (I have no idea what I'm gonna use for the disease.) She will be dead by the time she turns twenty-one.

One of three things will happen.

She's going to meet somebody, a guy, and will fall in love. Since he is the only one who cares about her, she will tell him everything about her. Her abusive father, her abandoning mother, and even her fatal heart disease.

OR.

The disease is actually a suicidal fantasy that started because of her abusive father and terrible life. But it will be like the women who think they are pregnant. There is something that happens to some women when they desperately want a baby. They will start showing every symptom of pregnancy without actually being pregnant. Pregnancy tests will even show that they are, indeed, pregnant. But they have no baby. In this case, she will believe that she has a heart disease so much, she will actually stop her heart when she turns twenty-one. In this case, perhaps I will bring in the boy too and he will help her through the pain.

While this one is very interesting, it doesn't have nearly as much of a bite to it. There isn't as much suspense from the real risk of her death.

OR.

She will start to die but as she is dying, suddenly realizes all of the people that actually do care about her and will live long enough for her to have her surgery to fix her heart.

That's all for now.

Who's Counting?

This is a small excerpt from a new story of mine called, "Who's Counting?"

I suppose you could say I'm normal.

Then again, I suppose you could say that a purple-and-green polka-dot seahorse lives under my bed and does nothing but read Japanese folklore and eat cheeseburgers and and red wine.

Doesn't mean it's true. But, I'm a pretty average girl. Dark brown hair with a hint of auburn, too-big blue eyes, a tiny nose, a big mouth, couple freckles. You know. Boring.

I turned back to studying myself in the mirror. Yup. My eyes were definitely too big. My eyes looked like giant blue marbles. And in my face, it just gave me a sort of fae look. I've got a very small frame and a delicately boned face. With my big blue eyes I look extra-pixie-like.

My heart contracted painfully, and my lungs squeezed in return. I froze, my left hand on my pulse, my right over my heart.

Ba-thump. Ba-thump.

...Pause. My head spun dizzily and, I suppose it could have been my imagination, but I could have sworn I turned even paler than usual...

Ba-thump. The pain stopped and my vision returned to normal.

That's one thing no one knows about me. And even if I told someone, no one would believe me. No one ever does. (Plus, I doubt anyone would care.) But...you see...

I have a heart disease. I'll be dead by the time I turn twenty-one.

2 years, 8 months, and 4 days to go. But...who's counting, right?

A Writer's Drive

What drives a writer to be what they are? For most people...it's the money. The fame. Everyone wants to be rich and famous for their books. Very few actually become famous, like my friends Mr. Dickens, Mr. Poe, and even Mr. King. (Charles, Edgar Allen, and Stephan, for you non-writers.)

For others, it's being able to have the satisfaction of finishing something and haven't it be successful or even semi-successful.

But for me...it's the feeling. I love the rapid click of the keys as I pour out my heart onto a pixelated screen, watching the words appear. I like the swish of pencil lead brushing paper as letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, pages, chapters, books are made. Writing a book is a seemingly magical thing. In a book, anything can happen. Turtles can marry faeries. Vampires can fall in love with an unlikely person-a human. A seemingly normal man can control wind, fire, air, and water. Ghosts can haunt houses. Wizards can shoot lightning.

Anything can happen.

And don't get me wrong. I don't just write books and stories. I write poetry. Songs, music. I love to write. Anything and everything. Fantasy, sci-fi, realistic fiction, historic fiction, even.

A writer's drive...a good writer, anyway...is her heart. You can't write with your mind or with dollar signs in your eyes. You need to just let go as you write. Find the words you want inside yourself and let them flow onto the page. Sure, you need some thought in it. But...all you really need to be a good writer...is to feel.

Countdown to Hell (A Song)

**NOTE: The "hell" in this is not the cursing form. It means, literally, hell.

(Chorus) [spoken in mechanical sounding voice]
This is
My countdown
My countdown to
Hell

This is my
Tribute
To the sorrow...
The tears
The pain

My heart
My soul
My hell...
My hell
Countdown

(Bridge)
Tick...tock
Tick...tock

(V1) [sung]
Numbers rushing by so fast
Then they slow, slow, slow
Numbers
(Are they lines or my death)
My heart, my heart
My countdown

(Chorus)

(Bridge)

(V2) [Missing the first two lines]


Pain, pain, pain
Is eternal
And infamous

(Chorus)

(V3)
The flames
As they engulf
Engulf my broken heart
So cold
(The blue, the blue)
So cold

These hands
(ahh, ahh)
Sliding slowly
Turning slowly

Tick...tick...tick

Tick, TOCK!

(Chorus 2x) [less mechanical, frantic]

Countdown 3x [spoken, each time more frantic]

3...2...1...

Hell...[whispered]

Balance of the Scale II

I wanted to see more about it. So I found this!


Libra Strength Keywords:
- Diplomatic
- Graceful
- Peaceful
- Idealistic
- Hospitable

Libra Weakness Keywords:
- Superficial
- Vain
- Indecisive
- Unreliable

Libra and Independence:
Libras like to be around other people, they are all about partnerships and groups. They are happiest when other people are around and when other people are doing their work. They are lazy but like posh surrounding and nice decor. These two extremes could strike a balance and the Libra living on his own could either have a very messy place or a very intricately decorated place. They can be independent, they have the intelligence and the full capability within but would a Libra rather co-exist/depend on others.

Libra and Friendship:

Libras love excitement, new situations, adventure and the unusual. They make friends with people from all walks of life and they are always up to something new and exciting with enthusiasm. Libras are great at getting along with people, everyone likes a Libra. They are all about partnerships and groups, they are the glue that hold a group together because they are the ones responsible for keeping harmony and peace. Libras have mastered the art of relationships, not just romantic but business, personal, and family relationships just to name a few. No one is able to see another person's point of view better then a Libra.

Libra and Business:

Libras dislike hard work, they are lazy when it comes to getting their hands dirty and doing the work themselves. Fortunately, their intuitive instincts are good at telling them where money can come from. They can think up great business ideas that are original and bound for success, they can initiate the idea but they need someone else to do the work. Libras make good business partners but not good business people on their own. Libras have potential of being a good leader with their diplomatic ways, but but they are just too lazy to do the hard work required and climb a corporate ladder. A good way for Libra to become wealthy is through artistic endeavors. They can be painters, interior decorators, actors or writing screenplays or composing. These are great ideas because it incorporates Libra's hobby with a moneymaking venture.

Libra and Temperament:

Libras have excellent instincts and intuition, most of the time they do not trust them enough. Libras are likely to be underachievers due to the easygoing attitude. This does not mean that they are necessarily lazy, they just make do with whatever comes their way. They do not want anything badly enough to fight for it. The only time that a Libra will usually stand up is if a situation is unfair, the only time a Libra will definitely stand up is if they feel something involving them is unfair. They need their respect and their fairness, after all, Libra has done so much for other people, it deserves at least fairness, right? When this issue comes into play, Libra becomes courageous.

Libra Deep Inside:

They are also likely to hide or bend their own true feelings in order to bring peace with a group and to make others like them. Sometime this results in them not really knowing what their true feelings are because they are trying to make everyone happy. Other people can see this and Libras have earned themselves a reputation for being indecisive, they simply do not want to hurt anyone's feelings or cause disorder or friction in a situation. This spills over inside the person and many times, Libras have difficulty making decisions. Inside, the Libra is very insecure, they suffer from a lack of self confidence, they are always searching for something to complete them. This is another reason why they are social butterflies, it is an unconscious attempt to find the missing peace through other people. By trying to appease other people all the time, Libras don't really know who they are inside. Libras desperately need love and approval, they will do the favors that people ask and and have a hard time saying 'no' or 'I'm too busy' in order to prove how nice they are, this gradually builds up resentment and negative self esteem issues inside. Libra's indecisiveness is caused by fear, their fear that a wrong decision will make everything come crashing down around them and cause turmoil in their lives. Life is not like that and the Libra that acknowledges the fact that life has ups and downs will be less emotionally wound up, not so hard on themselves and as a result, they will be a much happier person.

Libra in a Nutshell:

Libras are the diplomat of the zodiac. They are able to put themselves in other's shoes and see things through another person's point of view. They are the ones that always want to make things right and have balance and harmony in their life, their surroundings and the lives of the people close to them. They have captivating charm, elegant taste and they are easy to like due to their eager-to-please, easygoing nature. In return for a Libra's amazing ability to be a good listener, sooth and calm people, they expect admiration. Libras will gather a group of people, everyone will become friends then the Libra will be in the center of the group. They like the attention and the admiration for the people that they have brought together. Libras are very intelligent, they often hide this inside their easygoing exterior. They express their intelligence through creativity, most are involved in some sort of artistic or creative pursuit. Many people overlook just how intelligent a Libra actually is. When others see a Libras wide range of interests and hobbies, their intelligence and creativity is more then obvious. Libras love variety and different situations. They welcome change. Libras love luxury. They will spend lots of money and surround themselves with beautiful things and they seem to be constantly fussing over their appearance. They love anything upscale and classy. Libras work hard to please others, this they do an others find them incredibly captivating.

What it's Like to Date a Libra Woman:

Libra woman is enchanting and charming, she is the master of the art of seduction. The environment is important for Libra, make sure the first date is somewhere classy and elegant with posh surroundings, such as lunch at an elegant bistro then a walk along the tree lined pathways of a ravine in the summertime with the flowers blooming. Libra will feel at peace and love it. Give her compliments and tell her how much she is appreciated. She may reply bashfully but with each compliments, the radiant glow inside her will shine brighter and brighter. Once the initial seduction is over with and the relationship has become more stable, she will stop her sweet seductive ways, not because she has completely lost interest, but it is because she is lazy in love. She may need a few days away without you, this is like pressing the reset button on the relationship. Be romantic with her and she won't lose interest. Be dramatically romantic, sweet love notes tucked in her pocket, flowers, these things bring great joy to the Libra woman and they make her feel special, which is essentially important to the Libra woman.

What it's Like to Date a Libra Man:

The Libra man is very popular with women because he is charming, harmonious and can relate to women on their level - a characteristic of Libra is the ability so see the world through the eyes of others. Libra men do this to seduce the girl and it always works. He always seems to be on the search for the perfect women, unfortunately, that does not exist. The closest thing a perfect woman could do is appreciate and be in awe of his stardom. Look up to him, admire him, he is a sucker for flattery. Do not nag or pick on his inability to make a decision, it will simply put pressure on him. You make the decision if he cannot, he will happily go along with you and deep inside will be happy that you took control.

How to Attract Libra:

Libras are easy to attract, they probably have attracted you first with their easygoing nature. First and foremost, admire and flatter them. Treat them like a prince or princess. Libras love to talk, they can talk about anything but are especially interested in themselves. Want to leave a lasting impression on a Libra? Ask questions about them and talk about their interests, hobbies, anything regarding them. Even though Libras are diplomatic, they enjoy seeing things from other points of view. Engage in a light debate about an issue exploring both sides and the conversation will flow. Dress nice, keep the atmosphere posh and upscale and clean your house before they come over for the first time. First impressions are lasting for Libras. Have fun, be yourself, you are almost guaranteed a good time with the easygoing, interesting Libra.

This all seems so interesting! I must learn more!

P.S. There was some stuff that I was not allowed to put on here. If you want to see it, go to my other blog.

Balance of the Scale

My birthday is September 28th, 1995. I am a Libra. I wanted to know more about myself so I went to http://www.psychicguild.com/horoscopes_zodiac.php?sign=Libra to find out more about it.


Your element: Air

Your ruling planets: Venus

Symbol: The Scales

Your stone: Opals

Life Pursuit: To be consistent

Vibration: Unsteady

Libran's Secret Desire: To live an easy, uncomplicated life.




Description:
Every adolescent Libran's fantasy is to find the Prince or Princess of their dreams. As their lives unfold, the experiences, false starts, dramas, broken hearts and disillusionment they encounter seeking this personal Holy Grail, often shapes their futures in the most extra-ordinary manner. Love and love-lost makes a big difference to the Libran although their often happy-go-lucky appearance against all kinds of odds may not reveal this as fact.

Librans can switch off from the world around then and during these periods much more occurs on the deep innermost levels of the Libran's psyche, than their closest companions imagine. Many Librans after establishing a lifestyle that somehow falls short of their childhood dreams, manage to conjure up a most independent life and keep up an image of being dedicated to a "close relationship". They can escape into obscure role playing - and often this makes them extremely successful business people. When it comes to romance and love, Librans can be difficult to fathom yet in business many Librans discover they can not only be creative, but it provides an opportunity to express the more diverse sides to their personalities. Their charm can win jobs and provides powerful friends. But in both work and play, looking for peace and harmony, Librans often say "yes" when they should be saying "no".

It is a sad fact about many a Libran's personal or business lives to say - many would have faired far better had they remained alone! But for those Librans who do find their secret dream and meet up with their Prince or Princess, that's another story! You'll find them living in some exotic, distant beautiful place, probably running the local bar or restaurant, designing the beach or ski gear, looking wonderful, sipping cocktails and finding life to be the total paradise they knew it could be. What Librans always have to remember when looking to fulfil their dreams is they should never undermine their own integrity and hold out until their dreams do come true - not simply take whatever is offered.

your fully- detailed astrology report no ordinary horoscope can provide. If you were born on the first or last day of a Sun sign, in astrological terms you were born on a cusp. If that's the case, you will probably benefit from reading your own Sun sign and the Sun sign that ends or begins right before or after your date of birth. For example, if your birth date is 22 December, your Sun sign is Capricorn, but you probably have some Sagittarian traits as well.

I'm not quite sure if this is accurate or not...I somewhat hope it is at the same time as it isn't.

Evaluation of a Picture

I chose this picture for my blog because of the hair, to be honest. I love red hair. An interesting thing about this picture however is that there is blood on the tombstone. I'm not sure if that means she is dead or if she is crying tears of blood. But it shows a deep inner pain that is also portrayed by her arms crossed in front of her, her head bowed and resting upon them.

This dress is beautiful and very detailed.

The wings are small and look at though they couldn't carry the body attached. This also gives a sense of pain and vulnerability. I like the feathers floating around her and the birds in the sky.

Meaning of Harsh

Some people don't understand the meaning of this poem, so I wrote an explanation.

A poem that, at first glance, is a love poem. Perhaps it is telling the story of an old couple and their unbroken love. It mentions memories of "that first time." It compares love to aging wine and mixes in the five senses. The foods mentioned are said to be romantic. Strawberries and chocolate and of course liquor, especailly red wine.

But the final verse...ah, that is when you see the true meaning. You might miss it if you don't look hard enough.

This poem is the poem of the broken-hearted. The single mothers, the wives of cheating husbands, the tired souls in a divorce. To have had a taste of love, so decadent and perfect, just like strawberries, chocolate, wine and champagne, and then to have nothing is very, very...

Harsh.

Harsh: A Poem

Oh, the soft scent of love
The feel, the taste
Like champagne and strawberries
Or chocolate and red wine

Rich, luxurious, new...
Love
Like a decadent wine
Growing stronger-
And sweeter-
With age

Oh, but don't you remember?
Remember, remember?
That first caress against her cheek
The slide of your gentle touch

Oh, but don't you remember?
Remember, remember?
That first secret kiss
His lips like spiced silk

Oh, the soft scent of love
The sight, the sound
Of a dinner alone
Can be...
Oh, so alone, can be...

Harsh.

I've Worked On This For Days!