Happy New Year!

Happy new year my dears! It doesn't seem like a full year ago that 40 of our number were gathered together in the Big Apple to ring in the months that would mark our first anniversary as a semester, our graduations from high school, and our entrances into college or gap years. It's always nice to hear Auld Lang Syne and think of you all and realize that, indeed, though long days have passed, we'll never forget those old acquaintances. I still feel as though I know you all well, and I think about you every single day. I hope 2011 has been wonderful for you and that 2012 is even better (and hopefully we won't all die next December). Hope to see you all quite, quite soon. Kisses and hugs to all.

I ran into someone yesterday while taking public transportation who was wearing a Mountain School sweatshirt. Turns out he was there last spring (S'11) and lived in the same dorm/room that I did. It's funny how having something like that in common with a random stranger can make you feel as if you have some sort of connection with them, even though we'd never met before and probably won't ever see each other again.

He asked so many questions about our semester. It brought back so many memories.

i really loved seeing a couple new posts when i checked the blog again after like a week and a half. thank you all for making my day that much better

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I am so thankful to have all of you in my lives! I love you to infinity and beyond.

Reminders

Met a sophmore who went to the Mountain School. We had a very short conversation about it, which semester he was, where he lived (Miles), where I lived. As he was walking away he said, "I miss it every day." It feels so good to hear someone say that when I feel that every day and usually don't tell anyone. I felt a little more home here.

Missing you

It's so funny how the little things always remind me of Mountain School...the mention of homemade donuts, real maple syrup for sale, ice skating in New York. I love you all so much and I miss you more than you know.

Pearls and Seaweed

Last Saturday, a group of friends finished watching the extended edition of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In the aftermath, someone brought up journaling, and how they wanted to start, but didn't think they had anything good to say. I piped up with a cryptic 'pearls and seaweed, love.' (I didn't actually say love, but imagine Jack Sparrow saying that. I know, right?! So cool. So fitting.) I explained to her the concept, which was probably poorly worded, but I think she got the idea.
Tonight, a girl stopped by my room (Business as usual HIYOOOO!) asking if I'd done a reading yet in Peter Matthiessen's Snow Leopard. She complained that not much was happening, even though it was a journal (of his adventures in the Himalayas; I recommend it). That reminded me of my journals, which were boring but also brilliant sometimes! So I told her about it! And she was all, cool. And then she left a bit later.
The point of this all is that you should journal, because it is fun and fulfilling. Watch pearls emerge from seaweed, love.

Second Humble!

Hey all you beautiful people. It's been way too long since i've posted on the blog. Firstly, I must admit that, as usual, I miss you all dearly and love you.

Here's what will hopefully be the second humble of many more from all of us. For my poetry class, we have to write a weekly response to the poems we read and tell us why all of them, or one in particular, moved us. This week, we read Robert Frost. After I got over my initial I-love-Robert-Frost-so-much-he's-the-literary-soundtrack-to-TMS reaction (and subsequent teary memories rehash), I wrote this in response to "Birches." I wanted to share it with you. I hope you are all doing well in college and on gap year adventures, and I can't wait to hear all about them!!

Anyway, here's what I have to say. Love you all so much. As always, I can't wait to see each one of you whenever I get to.

Megan

The first time I read Robert Frost's "Birches," I was on a cold winter hike in the middle of a forest in the middle of Vermont. I'd been at the Mountain School (a semester boarding program that's part-farm, part-school) for about a week. My teacher stopped my group in the middle of a trail. "Read this," he told me, thrusting a laminated copy of "Birches" into my hand before leaping off the trail. As I read the poem aloud to my classmates, my teacher began to climb up the nearest birch tree, evidently to show us exactly how one could swing from a birch. Even though my teacher's demonstration didn't end well (the tree snapped in two when he was halfway up the trunk, causing him to plunge headfirst into the snow), his attempt marked a difference in my education. Indoor, textbook learning went on sabbatical that semester. Everything I learned at the Mountain School had some hands-on element, some kind of experiential quality, and this learning style defined my semester—and life—in Vermont.
Reading "Birches" again brought memories, although, for once, I did not just reminisce about making maple syrup or sledding down Garden Hill. I always saw myself in the poem as more of the speaker's younger incarnation, the swinger of birches. Now, I begin to wonder if I have become more of the present speaker, the man who once swung.
At the Mountain School, I certainly was the young swinger of birches. Although I remember my time there through the faces and voices of my classmates and teachers, I also remember much of it through the sounds of the Inner Loop hiking trail and the leaves of different species of trees, both of which I grew to recognize during the time I spent in solitude. However, my connection to the swinger of birches does not stem chiefly from the ability to play in nature alone. Rather, my primary connection, the link I feel most strongly, comes from our youth. At the school, I experienced a peculiar personal paradox: I matured and grew more independent, yet I felt more like a child than I think I did when I was ten years old. In many ways, my life at Mountain School reads like a strip from Calvin and Hobbes. I trusted my community implicitly, I played some kind of game every day, and my hands always had a little dirt on them from hiking, planting, or generally being outside at some point during that day. I may never have actually swung from birches—my teacher's demonstration deterred me from attempting that—but in spirit, I was right there alongside the speaker in his youth, riding down hillsides again and again or carefully keeping my poise while crossing a brook.
All of that ended a year and a half ago, though, and since I returned from Vermont, so much has happened to me. I graduated from high school, I became a legal adult, and I started college in the environment I least expected myself ever to wind up in, the urban roar of New York. And all of that is wonderful. Still, life in the suburbs and in the city naturally doesn't quite taste the same as it did in my mountain home, and the idea that I might be Frost's present speaker, older and less spry, is one I completely realize only now. I am not so "weary" as he or she is, but I too have already felt pangs of wishing to "come back to [Earth] and begin over" (Frost). To paraphrase the poet, I, too, once swung from birches, and found no greater manifestation of Heaven than in doing so. Although I know it is impossible to be the same swinger that I once was, "so I dream of going back to be" (Frost).

First Humble

I just got back from spending almost two weeks in maine building a yurt for some friends. i have this thing where a few days before i leave for something i really dont want to go and sort of through a temper tantrum haha and this time was no different. after 13 days of creating a yurt from nothing i couldnt be in a better place. i feel so grounded and know so much more about myself. working along side 10 other people of all ages was such an unforgettable and enlightening experience for me. it made me think back to those first few days of mountain school when we were all like "i dont know you at all now but in a couple weeks we'll all know each other really well!"

humbles

i remember a while ago there was some talk about each of us giving a humble sort of thing on the blog. i dont know how many of us still look at the blog, but what do people think about doing a humble/journal entry kind of thing on here? rachels comment about alden really liking this made me want to revive the blog. i know tms was sort of a long time ago, but i still thing about it everyday.

the second semester

Sarah and I are once again at Mountain School, living in Underwood with Brigitte and Timo and babysitting faculty children during our gap year. Alden asked me last night about how the Spring 10 blog was holding up, and when he told me how touched he had been by our efforts to continue with anonymous, journal-like posts, I felt inspired to try and re-invigorate this thing!

(this is Rachel speaking)

I want to tell you guys everything about the new semester; I don't even know where to start. Sarah and I arrived at Mountain School a few days before the Fall '11 kids did, and for a few days we roamed the campus pretending that it was ours once more. On the first weekend of the new semester it was strange and more painful than I thought it would be to watch the kids meet their advisors, cook brunch for the first time, talk about Ayn Rand and stay up late in the dorms. I sort of had no idea what my identity at Mountain School could be outside of the parameters of class schedules and planned activities, etc. The kids seem SO young! I really can't believe this, but there have already been like 4 hook ups! The first one happened on Tuesday, the FOURTH NIGHT of the semester! It's funny, Sarah and I have been explicitly forbidden by Alden from talking to the new kids about any details from our personal lives or the spring '10 semester. They ask us tons of questions like what we did on Solo, who our favorite teacher was, what activities we did on weekends... we aren't allowed to answer any of them.

After two weeks here, I finally feel completely comfortable with a new gang of kids roaming around. Sarah and I eat meals with them and play knockout with them, but we also have a great time doing things that none of them can do--for example, I ate dinner at Missy and Alden's house with the Kruses, and I got to hear Jack and Alden gossiping about all of their English students! Babysitting Ella and Smalden and peeking into Alden and Missy's secret glamorous world is a joy for me.

If anyone wants to come visit us during the fall semester, we would love to see you! And so would all the faculty--they really do remember every single one of us, and lots of details from our semester.

Anyways, greetings from Vershire, and good luck with all of your adventures. Post them here!

--Rachel

I was talking to a friend of mine who is going to be a sophomore next year. I then spent 45 minutes telling her all about Mountain School and explaining all the reasons to apply. I think she's convinced, but it made me miss all of you. I know we're all busy, but it is nice to look back on those memories with such joy and know that those bonds will always exist. Good luck to everyone as you embark on your life's next great adventure. I hope our paths cross again.

For you guys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_lyAtcTBU8

I'm not sure if the blog is dying or not, but I'm still going to post to it.

On Wednesday this week I'm having surgery on my lip I'm talking about my birthmark. It's kinda scary to think that part of what has defined me for so long will no longer be part of me after Wednesday. I don't really know how I feel about losing part of myself. I don't know if I define myself by it, or others define me by it. I don't know if my birthmark is what grounds me and helps me remember to be a good person. Granted the part that hurts will still be there, but supposedly my lip will be normal. I wonder if I'll be able to smile normally now.

I wish I knew what I was doing.

I had another "back at tms" dream last night. Except it wasnt with all of you, it was with my high school class and we were camping out in the carriage shed. it would have been more fun if it was you guys. thats all. much love

you guys are just awesome.

Up until this point, every day before my high school graduation has felt the same. Last day of classes? Just another day. Turned in my senior project? Just another day. I have not felt the finality of everything until this afternoon, when I noticed this slow uneasiness in my gut. I think I'm really going to miss what friends I have here. More than that, I'm just going to miss the school. Well, this is to be expected when you've been attending the same place for over thirteen years.

Going to the Mountain School was a leap of faith, but I knew that I had Milton as a constant behind it. I knew it existed as a home away from the home away from home that was Vershire, TMS, and Miles. Wooster isn't like that. Milton isn't going to be a home anymore. Come August, I won't be a resident there anymore. I'll be an Ohioan. OHIO. I'm going to have to choose a place to live after that. I'll always have my parents as a final fallback, but soon it's going to be just me. I've wanted this, I won't lie. But at the same time, it won't feel real until it's happening. And, knowing me, once it's happening, it'll be the only reality I can know.
What I need to do is remind myself of everywhere I've been and how far I've come. I see where I am, and pretty much just that. If I give myself perspective, then I think I will be able to appreciate what I have more.

I've been eyeing this unfinished draft for a while. No activity so I wonder if people want to think on this and post their own endings in the comments.

I lost it today. I was talking to a teacher that I'm close to about leaving for college next fall and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbKGsEK_T9g

I put my library on shuffle and this song popped up - I didn't even know I had it. Someone sang it at a coffeehouse, right? Tobold? I don't remember but it made me happy.

Thinking of you all (but not longing for the past). To quote one of the comments in a previous post, listen and 'Be Happy'.

i miss you guys. i find that i am inspired by so many of the things that are said on this blog and i just wanted everyone to know that i feel so lucky to know each of you.

hello, friends.
i keep wondering how much this matters, this contact, this desperate attempt to hold ourselves together and maintain a semblance of community. it's nice, i admit, to search the blog and read about what some else is thinking. but i don't have that same longing when i check it, anymore. i don't want to be back at mountain school and frankly i don't want to abandon everything to run away to the woods with you all. what i do want is to maintain the self i made at mountain school. you all are part of that but i know i have to let you go. mountain school gave me a better, more authentic, more honest me. it gave me friends, yes, but more important than that it taught me that i could find friends--amazing friends--anywhere. you all mean so much to me so don't look at this as a break-up. you all were my first loves, and we always hold fast to those in our hearts, but i have no desire to linger on what we had, what was past. we are all moving out, up, and on. let me go, i'll let you go to, and we'll watch each other walk away.

come on guys lets step it up. i really dont want this thing to die, its such a great way to stay connected and it really doesnt take that long to write something and i dont know about the rest of you but i love finding new posts on the blog. it just makes my day that much better, ya know?

I have to make a speech at my graduation and I am feeling so overwhelmed about all the things I could talk about. Please help! If it were your graduation what would you want to hear about? What would keep people interested, but not too cliche for a grad speech?

I love you all and appreciate any and all suggestions. I like my school, but I love you guys and I feel like you will have amazing ideas for me!
Thanks in advance!

as the one year anniversary of us leaving tms is fast approaching ive been thinking about mountain school and you guys more and more. its hard to believe that a year ago we were all together and for me at least, it seemed like mountain school would ever end. now looking back on this past year, i think of all the times ive seen you guys since of tms and id say weve done a pretty damn good job of staying in touch and seeing each other. now were going our separate ways with college and gap years and everything and we probably wont see each other as much but its not the end of the world. i think about mountain school and you guys so many time every day and im sure its no different for the rest of you. i think my favorite thing about all of you is that it doesnt really matter how long we havent seen each other for, when we get back together theres no awkwardness, we jump right back into and its like old times. theres something to be said for that, and you dont find friendships like that every day or in the quantity we have because of tms. i guess what im trying to say here is that i cant believe its been almost a year since we left and im so proud of every one for making it through senior year, and i dont know about the rest of you, but i had a great year. and i know that you guys helped to make it as good as it was. thank you guys for always being there. i love you.

You Better Be A Gentleman

This is a song I wrote about something that happened to Ms. Hallie Meyer.

Young boy ask young girl to the prom

She say no thank you and so long

Young boy ask young girl to the prom

She say no thank you and so long

Young boy ask third time once again

She say, "When will your silly

Courting routine end, I do not

Want to go out with you

Not today or tomorrow I will not

Go out to the prom with you

Now will you please go away?"

Take it from me, you better

Take it like a gentleman, you better

Take it like me, you better

Take it from a gentleman, you better

Learn your lesson

Be the better man, and

Take it like a gentleman

Young boy and girl in play are cast

During kiss scene, she say be fast

Young boy and girl in play are cast

During kiss scene, she say be fast

Young boy enjoy his kiss with her

She complain, he retort you are

Not the (boss or)* director, I

Think it helps my character, to

Kiss his wife, he's fond of her, you

Aren't the boss or director, now

Kiss me, dearest wife

Take it from me, you better

Take it like a gentleman, you better

Take it like me, you better

Take it from a gentleman, you better

Learn your lesson

Be the better man, and

Take it like a gentleman

Young girl make prom plans with a friend

Just so the drama has an end

Young girl make prom plans with a friend

Just so the drama has an end

Boy ask, she forget, and say alright

But when she call to tell he start to fight:

"You bitch, you knew, I don't believe

Your lies you just want to deceive

My aching heart has no reprieve,

You bitch, you lying slut."

Take it from me, you better

Take it like a gentleman, you better

Take it like me, you better

Take it from a gentleman, you better

Learn your lesson

Be the better man, and

Take it like a gentleman.

*I don't know whether these two syllables should be 'boss or,' 'lousy,' or 'fucking.' I feel 'fucking' might be too much, but could add depth to the Young Boy character.

I feel alone.

What the *@#$ is Prama?

After reading the previous post I had no idea what prama was so I went to trusty Urban Dictionary and this is what I found:

Prama

(n) Term used to define the drama of a highschool prom. Usually frustrating and doesnt seem to end. The guys usually dont haev much to do with this, or you do not hear as much. The term Prama is widely unknown but it is believed to be originated in teh early 20th century somewhere in southern United States.

"OMG this prama is killing me i dont have a date yet..."

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=prama

Refrigerator

I realized today how much I missed sitting in the dining hall and hearing the refrigerators decompress (or something; I never learned what exactly). It sounded exactly like the opening to Back in the USSR, and I always thought it had just come on the radio, but it never had.

Missin' It

Hey guys

prama at my school, and within my friend group in particular, is reaching insane amounts. can't tell you how much i wish we were just bangin out some good old ballroom and '60's dances as we were around this time last year (much thanks to the three stars). i miss you guys so much and i wish we could go back to the way it was, so little drama and so much love.

Recent History

We really need to continue posting on this blog. It helps us stay connected.

My life has had its fair share of ups and downs recently. School to be honest is terrible. I have trouble with my friends who seem to resent me for leaving, and just not understand why I would ever leave. I do have a couple friends who seem to understand, but they don't seem interested in the same type of meaningful relationship that I am. I'm having some fun, but it seems to come in small amounts compared with the relentless stress of being a senior—and no my teachers do not believe in letting us slide, more work, harder grading, stricter policies, horror stories about not being allowed to enroll due to poor senior grades.

Right so sorry bout the rant. I'm also sorry that this isn't prophetic, or eloquent, but it is true.

I miss everyone and I look forward to seeing more of you in the future.

The last day I have in my journal. 42,814 words spread over 52 pages (102 double-spaced!). Certainly a document I will keep for a long, long time.

Day 98

Good Intentions Paving Co.

Since Ian's posts are coming to a close, I want us to start doing our own humbles.

Here is mine today:

Sarah and I realized near the end of the semester that the lyrics at the end of of Good Intentions Paving Co. had a poetic similarity to what was happening in our lives right then. I wanted to post them, because I still think that they are beautiful, and that they describe us.

And no amount of talking

Is going to soften the fall,

but like after the rain

step out of the overhang, thats all

and there is hesitation,

and it always remains,

concerning you, me,

and the rest of the gang

and in our quiet hour,

I feel I see everything,

and am in love with the hook

upon which everyone hangs

and I know you meant to show the extent

to which you gave a god dang

you ranged real hot and real cold,

but I'm sold

I am home on that range.

And I do hate to fold,

right here at the top of my game

When I've been trying with my whole heart and soul

to stay right here in the right lane

But it can make you feel over and old

lord you know its a shame

when I only want for you to pull over, and hold me

til I can't remember my own name.

Love,

Rachel

And here we are again.

Day 97

We're dwindling down to where the days contain nothing more than a notice of existence.

When you get down to it, is anything really anything other than that?

If that much at all?

Day 96

How about something more light hearted?

I made this not for you, but you can think of it as if I made it for you.

Hello again.

Day 95 tuesday

Oh boy oh boy it's a Monday. On a Wednesday! What luck. That's about all there is, though.

Day 94 monday

Cold Spring Mornings

These New England spring mornings are shooting me back to the old 7 45 AM walk uphill to breakfast.

Every time I walk out my front door and shiver in the part of my driveway that the sun hasn't hit yet, I get overcome by a creeping sense of anticipation...as if I am once again getting ready for a day of doing work on the dusty library floor and eating five cold pancakes at 10 30 AM because its the only thing in the dumb snack container and then lying around in the tall grass making animal noises and then traipsing across Siberia to my site.

And even though I'm not actually in Vermont with you guys, it makes me feel better to know that at this time, last year, I had an amazing day...and it started with a morning just like this one.

Sunday, May 23rd, just because you're such an amazing group. Today is a day where we at TimTams. TimTams! So fun to say. TimTams!!

Day 93

Lazy day so far... finally woke up at 10 after brief bouts of consciousness at 8. After a shower I read Color of Magic outside. It was only Sam S and P in the dorm, and we all left at separate times for brunch. Brunch was fine; the eggs were not as satisfying as that one time that David, Rafi and I made them. Nell helped out on dish crew, and we got it done by 12:30. I was on sanitizer, and was glad to hear Jeremy [by Pearl Jam] on the radio after Patrick changed it from a pop station.

I shot some hoops with Freddy before heading to Miles and playing guitar some. Mom called after that, and then I listened to Dire Straits and Nevermind before reading some more. Study soon? We'll see.

So it's later now... after that first block I sat around and listened to music. I did start writing my English speech, and found Lex after amazing pizza dinner to work on it. Seriously, Shizue and I freaked out over the steak-peppers-onions-mushrooms-olives-pepperoni pizzas. Nick, Aidan and Jay gave a Monty Python humble: the part from Holy Grail where Arthur and Dennis argue. My favorite line would have to be the one involving the moistened bint lobbing a scimitar. You can't be king because some watery tart hurled a sword at you! Many laughs.

After dinner I worked on my speech with Lex until my battery ran out. He, Rachel, Yoyo, Anika, Freddy and I looked at portraits of Yoyo and Anika that Rachel took. Back at the dorm, I found Kit and Rowan walking down, and then sat with Adrija, Nell, Sam P, and Sarah. We chilled for a bit, like the time we chilled earlier, except without Sam P and Nell and with Sam S, Celli and Megan K. There were popsicles and TimTams. After that, I worked on my speech and procrastinated with Jimmy and Taylor, talking about how Rafi would act at the Island School. Going to review stories and practice my speech after this.

Hey guys it's an actual day!! Could this be Saturday, May 22nd? I don't know. Probably.

Day 92

Won two games of knockout this night! Probably not that good for my ankle/foot. Breakfast was oats and things; Hallie, Shizue and I had good times on cook's crew. Hallie and I played Lisztomania on Derby Lawn while Sarah, Rosii, and Zoe RA listened. I also played my second song, which she liked. I wrote that after breakfast while Patty sort of soloed off it. Lunch was steak sandwiches with cheese, peppers, and onions, lasagna, rolls, and cider, great cider. Great bite to it. Cleaned a bit more. Lay on Derby Lawn and played music. Wrote up tabs for two songs before the Wagon Wheel recording session. It went well, although the take they liked best was later, after the knockout games at 10. They is Isaac, Rafi, and Taylor by the way. I got some good recording studio footage though... hrm.

After that was the activity, a murder mystery at the Miss America pageant. It was alright, but multiple people had to double up on roles. Celli and I were a team. People had fun with it. It was fairly interesting. I've never been much into the whole murder mystery deal (I got a book of them... they're just stupid. Maybe I'm saying that because I find them hard... but I just don't like them). I figured out how to play Romeo and Juliet, at least the beginning, after several puzzling moments. Comfort brought Cedar up for Sarah to babysit when she was visiting, and soon Rachel and Rosii had stopped by. We all played with Cedar, Taylor and Isaac coming in, which was fun (This was all around 3-4). What else? Maddy, Sarah, Kemi, Nora, Claire, Isaac, Rafi, Taylor, and I all played knockout and a make-a-shot-take-a-dare game. That's about it. My cast is starting to bug me. Tomorrow I'll study English. Fun.

Another nothing day. Sorry about that. How are you today?

Day 91 friday

Hemenway Speech

Every member of the senior class at our school had to give a speech today - their Hemenway speech - to the senior class, some faculty members who judged, and anyone else from the school who had a free period and wanted to come listen. It was really incredible to hear from everyone - you could basically write about anything you wanted to write about. What I loved the most was that people really opened up, just like we all had at TMS. People shared intimate, personal thoughts and feelings - taking risks and being vulnerable.

My speech was inspired by TMS and my final reflection. I thought I'd share it all with you. It actually takes part of my final reflection because that's really the message that I wanted to deliver to my class, because I hadn't gotten to tell everyone about this one thing I took back from TMS. I thought it also really applied to our situation now - at the end of our senior year.

Raindrops and Dandelions: Life At It’s Fullest

Last spring I spent a semester at The Mountain School. I can remember one day very vividly. A light sprinkle fell from the sky as my roommate and I crossed Siberia, an expansive, open field filled with hills. We were heading back from our science sites, Our heads turned down, and our bodies pulled into ourselves, we tried to protect ourselves from the cold wet droplets that were bringing our spirits down. We were cold, wet and tired. Yet then, all of a sudden, Sarah and I decided that we just wanted it to pour. If we were going to get wet, it better not be from a light sprinkle. We wanted to feel the rain pound hard on our bodies, to shower down and soak us to the skin, just like in The Notebook. We looked up to the sky, opened up our arms to the clouds above us, and screamed at the top our of lungs, “POUR!” I gazed up as if I were looking into the soul of the sky, and slowly turned around as I heard my voice echo “RAIN! POUR!” in the distance.

Shedding our raincoats, we wandered through the grass and plopped down in the middle of the rolling hills to string dandelion crowns. By the end, I was shivering from the cold and the excitement. I not only felt such appreciation for the world around me, but also felt so alive. It was in that one spontaneous moment that despite the rain and cold, I was happy.

~~~~~~~~~

Too often we lose site of the moment. In our society, so many people get caught up in busy lives filled with schedules, appointments, activities, and plans. Often my concentration is the future – I need to study hard to get into a good college so I can get a good job so I can live a happy and successful life. Many other people have similar mindsets, concentrating on fulfilling their aspirations and planning their lives based on future goals. Although it is not bad to keep goals in mind, I believe that we should not be afraid to live in the now. We need to take time to do something not for the future but instead because that is exactly what we want to do in this very second. This is one lesson I took away from my time spent at The Mountain School. I learned to live as if there were always a finite time limit. I learned to be spontaneous and ready to spin any occasion into a positive, fulfilling, memorable event.

Too frequently in our lives, time moves so slowly. I previously felt that I would be at Winsor forever. However, I do not have much time left. Yet, although endings are sad, they allow you to better appreciate the time you do have to spend with the people around you, wherever you are. With the pressure of time and the realization that we do not have forever together, it is harder to get lost in daily routines. For seniors at Winsor, we are able to concentrate more on all the good things we love about our school – the people we care about, the support of the teachers, the community we are a part of. So why can’t we live like this all the time? The answer is – we can. Even without the pressure of time, we can still appreciate every moment of our lives and remind ourselves to take some time to simply live.

I believe that everything happens for a reason. It does not matter if each decision fits on the line that leads straight to your goal, for if that is where you truly belongs, you will get there eventually. Even if a decision or action does not make sense, in the end, every person will get to where they need to be. Until then, you should not be afraid to take time to live as if there were an approaching end. You should try to always feel the need to make the most of every situation, no matter where you are in life. Appreciate the people in your life and remind them how much they mean to you – even if you are not about to part from them. Put a positive spin on any situation. Live in the moment and make spontaneous whole-hearted decisions. Scream at the sky. Run through the pouring rain. String dandelion crowns. Live your life – do not let it pass you by.

This is another odd day. It could almost be a poem? Or maybe a song lyric? Anyway. Apparently Thursday was not terribly interesting. What I CAN tell you from this day (and probably the previous) was that Scibetta and I had a work station set up in the Miles common room, and we both pumped out our essays while lounging about on those sofas, me with my obnoxious cast, he with his obnoxious keyboard. Good times there.

Day 90 thursday

Cool spider outside the door as a moth flies into the window over and over while I finish my research paper. Wrote a song.

accumulated thoughts

hey everyone. love you all to the moon and back. there are a lot of things i've been wanting to say for a while, but quite frankly really haven't gotten around to doing.

firstly--ian, you really are the man, i love reading your blog posts...especially the latest introductions about your (mis)adventures in Italy. Awesome. sometimes i just sit there and refresh the page a billion times hoping that another diary entry will pop up, even if i know it won't. those entries make my day. love you!

so FIRST, there's been a lot of mountain school in my life lately. just quiet little reminders, soft and piercing as a ray of light. that sounds super duper corny, but it's true, you know? those little touches that just brush by you, but somehow shoot right to your core. that's what a reminder of mountain school feels like. in my short story class, we recently read "good country people," by flannery o'connor. and we had a fairly good discussion, but nothing on par with english class. no sirree. even though i'm not a ginormous fan of the story, just reading it again, remembering our discussion of it and the room where that took place...brought me back. wow. we also did some sigma notation in calculus--a small amount (which was probably way better for my grade in all honesty), but still something. shout out to precalc! these are just the tip of the iceberg, as i honestly cannot remember all the other little details, but there have been plenty more. and, of course, sugaring. sugaring, sugaring, sugaring. that obviously brought a whole lot of tms back into my life.

secondly...there's a quote/story/general train of thought i want to share with you guys. i guess this is a humble style thing to say. i've always hated one thing about dreams, and that's that when they're absolutely amazing, once you wake up, it's all gone, and you can't really remember it for more than a day or so. not as vividly, at least. when i think about you all, it's as if we all shared the same dream, the most wonderful, beautiful, most delightful amazing blissful dream, but didn't ever know each other in real life. when we go away from each other, it's like waking up from the dream, but seeing people again, or talking with them again--that makes the dream start up, right where it left off. but it's not a dream, it's all real. and that's so beautiful to me. I'm so grateful i have you and the teachers and the sheep and the goats and the cows and the chickens and nigel and EVERYONE else in my life. dr. seuss once said, "you know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." that's what i think of when i think about mountain school.

Change

Things seem to be changing right in front of my eyes this year.
While at Mountain School my oldest sister began dating a woman. It was something that I didn't think a lot about because she is my sister and I had no issue with her change in sexual orientation. I admire her ability to accept and embrace these new feelings; I love her more for saying "I accept love of any kind, boy or girl." She doesn't need to restrict herself by "coming out" as a lesbian or bi, she simply is able to accept the fact that she has found love with a woman.
My feelings toward this situation haven't changed, but since she finally got the courage to tell my parents a couple months ago nothing has been the same. There have been moments during the past couple months where I have felt as though my family is falling apart. My parents did not react in the way that my sisters and I had hoped. Family is the most important piece of my life for as long as I can remember and it has felt like a disconnect in my life with my parents not talking to my sister and my sister feeling as though they don't love her anymore. It has scared me to feel as though my family is capable of being broken after so many years of believing that nothing could.

I know my family must grow up, but to see it grow in this way has affected me more than I think about, more than I like to say. I have been so busy with school work, college apps, performances, and my senior project that I haven't allowed myself to acknowledge or at least put into words how my parent's actions and my family's dynamic has changed me. No longer do I feel as though I have the unconditional love of my parents; intellectually I know I do, but emotionally I doubt their ability to accept things outside their understanding.

I have become trapped in a small box and all I want is to escape the uncertainty and fragility that is closing in.

May your pools be frail on this first of April. As for today's entry, it's quite exciting, and all true.

Day 89 wednesday

Heard a woodpecker today.

Aaaand we soar back into school with two essays due at the end of the week. Harp de darp. But in good news, I think I just got a job as a co-host of an online Spanish news show. Which is cool. How're your lives? TMS exists today, though slightly repetitive. When I started writing this one, I was getting all the ideas onto the page, but then decided to go back and actually flesh it out. And there you have it.

Day 88

Luna moth, purple cast thing, good discussion with Susie and Taylor, called Dad and left a message, talked to Mom and Grace. Got chocolate milk shakes and Sunkist with Taylor; looked at movies. Breakfast: eggs and toast. Lunch: sloppy joes, pulled pork, bean salad, sugary cookies. Dinner: gumbo/curry thing. It was hot. Last classes today... oh man. Memorized most of Spanish in the free, then read a poem about an Oven Bird in English. Everyone liked my reading. Acting FTW. Jack gave back our final essays; 87. Solid ending. I liked that I went back to basics; that'd be a regret, that I overcomplicated the necessary themes.

Mark drove me down to the Pole Barn to give us all a demo of how haying works, and it was really cool to see all the machines. Oh, machines. How metal and mechanical you are. In E. Sci., Pat gave us a lecture about changing things and natural ethics... he ended telling us that we have the potential to do great things, or something of that nature. The last words of his speech: “I think you can do it. Have a nice life.” Zoe J's first reaction, dismayed almost, perhaps shocked: “Pat!” Phoebe, Matt, Sam P, Megan B and I discussed lunch trays and efficiency at home with Pat before heading to lunch. After lunch Susie drove Taylor and I to the doctor, where we limped up and waited, reading The Week before being admitted.

They cut off Taylor's cast, noted that I could take showers with my bandage (or not), and then squeezed my foot. It really hurt, even though she said she didn't squeeze that hard. I got myself a purple cast. My pinky toe now is tingling and I fear it atrophying to nothing. I can walk now! Yay! Once we got back, I was a bit late to Math class, and Steph helped me decide which class to go to. We reviewed proof by induction and an interest/loan problem before ending Math for the year. I miss PK [Math teacher at Milton].

In Spanish Dan brought us a strawberry-apple (Maybe, I don't know exactly) cobbler with vanilla ice cream. We listened to a song and then watched some odd Spanish films: one where a woman was being stalked by a guy eating bread, who was about to rape her when her shirt turned red and she woke up from a dream; one where a man invited a woman to his house, they share a drink, then start kissing on his bed and at that point Dan changed it. The next one we watched was of a kid playing a videogame when he hears a noise from upstairs, so goes upstairs, then heads down to get his action figure. He checks his room and finds nothing, but when he checks his sister's room he finds two people having sex and Dan changed it again. I actually want to see what happens to the kid. The last one I remember was of a Dad showing his kid the countryside and saying “one day, all this will be yours,” when another father and son, farmers by the look, walk up. There's an intense stare-off before the wealthier family leaves, and the famer Dad says “look around, my son.” End. Weird.

On the ride to the hospital we listened to Won't Get Fooled Again and Under Pressure on the radio. At dinner, Nell, Kemi, Hallie, and Sam P were entertained by my shower tales, especially when Sam S showed them my hair. After dinner I internetted for a bit in the library, then headed down to do the History paper. I found Sam S watching Family Guy, so we watched that and the Hangover, and then I set up camp on the couch to write. I got a good page and a bit done before check-in, and have three pages done at the end of this day. During check-in we cleaned and I had more chow mein... still awesome [I could taste it as soon as I read the words. Mmm]. Kit brought us chocolate-chip banana bread, which was very nice of him. I encouraged Rafi to work, then read before bed.

First off: Italy is really good at art. Like, incredibly good. Second: You should all watch Megamind if you get the chance. It is a great movie; I watched it on the plane.

Whew, now I'm back in Milton. I tell you, being abroad made me feel like a different person almost, writing these intros. But it's good to be home. Here's something interesting regarding today's entry: it doesn't exist, per se. Or, it does, but it's nothing. Want proof? This is all I have for Day 87.

Day 87

So yea, we got nothing today. Don't even know the date. BUT! Because I have made a commitment, I offer this instead: my plan for the GREATEST E. SCI CHAPTER EVER.

I never actually did this, but I thought of it on the plane and just had to let the world know. If anyone actually did this... I still claim credit. Hehe.

Step 1: Write up a description of whatever the topic is, tectonics, cosmology, rain, whatever. Use all the terminology learned freely.

Step 2: Write up descriptions for each confusing term, and each term in these descriptions.

Step 3: Formatting! On the original descriptions, cut out the terms. Where there was, say, "Doppler effect," now there is just a hole.

Step 4: Align the subsequent descriptions with their respective holes, cutting additional holes as needed.

Step 5: The completed product should be a packet maybe 10 pages in length. When reading the first part of the chapter, any time the reader didn't understand something, s/he could flip the page to read up on it, and then return. BOOM. INSTANT A++ FOREVER. Plaque on the Silo, Bronze statue on Garden Hill, Portrait painted in flowers across Siberia. Congratulations, you win E. Sci.

My trip is nearing a close! During my stay in Venice my family saw many museums and churches. We went on a gondola ride, and ate plenty of gelato and pasta. Today, on our way to the train station, an old Italian man hobbled his way toward us, yelled at us, and pointed his finger vigoursly at the correct maze to get to the train station. Only a minute later he caught up with us again around another corner and yelled us in the right direction...once again. I think it was obvious we were lost tourists. Too bad I didn't have a map and compass to do some orienteering!!!

Day 86 (written day 87)
This morning I woke up and finished my Spanish story, along with the math work. I watched the end of Kill Bill vol. 2 before heading up to brunch, where I was faced with the terrible prospect of not having any eggs with vegetables. There were cheesy eggs, so that was something. Brigitte told me not to do dish crew, so I rang the bell and asked; Yoyo answered.
After brunch I went to the library and did work, or internet. After a bit I went back down to Miles to start my History outline. I played guitar, practicing Get Back and a few new pieces. Indie and harder rock. Around 2:45, Isaac, Rafi, Taylor and I went to Conard to play songs; I got a ride up in a cart while Isaac pushed. We arrived uptown to see Hallie finishing her interview (on the way up we were joined by Adrija). We hobbled in, or at least I did, and had Taylor, Rafi and Isaac play first in Jack's house. Maddy, Adrija, Hallie, Yoyo, Megan B, Caitlin, Steph, Claire and I chilled in the common room working on History and singing Once In A Lifetime and Reelin' In the Years.
Our recording of Wagon Wheel did not go over so well; everyone was just off. Back in the common room, Hallie gave me a packet of peanut butter and Patrick and Jake joined us. Adrija recorded next, and Hallie and Maddy got pwned by copyright issues trying to record Hey Jude and Hallelujiah. My solo instrumental was the last piece, after Claire's harp. We dashed to dinner, getting a ride in Jack's pickup, passing people from Underwood and arriving a bit late for Alden's humble, which seemed to be talking about notes in the margins of used books.
Dinner was pizza, and I believe I sat with the Halsey-Leckerlings, as I have been doing for several days now. Or at least several meals. Or at least a few. After dinner, there were distractions from work in the library, such as Yoyo going crazy over a Newsweek article and Phoebe just being her crazy self. It ended with watching the first half of Mean Girls . In the dorm, I caught up on my journal and started outlining ideas for English. Read a little bit of Color of Magic before sleeping.

How come there are so many mishaps while I am exploring Italia?
Today I was throwing some coins into a wishing well when a pigeon flew in front of me and caused me a bit of a fright. I kinda jumped and tripped and fell right into the wishing well, getting absolutely soaked...of course.

Day 85 (written day 86)
I woke up late today, missing my chore appointment with Liana. Oops. Brigitte called my parents after breakfast and we went to the hospital. On the drive we listened to Chicken Jazz and the Vermont Public Radio fundraiser. I was wearing my wacky-colors-slipper-sock over the ACE bandage. Upon arriving, I crutched in on chafed armpits and read Newsweek. We moved in to a room, and I worked on my Spanish story. A doctor came in, and asked the story. I told him the truth, not the version I told to Jay and Hallie, where Sam S was hitting the leg of our bed with a sledgehammer to straighten in when the hammer slipped and hurt my ankle. Nor did I say the one where Nigel stomped me. Nor did I tell the one where Jake jumped out of bed onto my foot.
We then got some X-rays after a wait, and the doctor's immediate opinion was that it was fine. On the ride back I called home, and passed a farmer's market selling a plywood cutout moose. We got home just in time for delicious quesadillas. I had 4. Well, 4 halves. But 4 like they were served. In halves. I remember sitting with Tina. That's 1 out of 7 people...Hm.
The rest of the day was working on Spanish, icing my foot and watching Sin City with Sam S and Taylor, who called the bit when Dwight was sinking in the tar 'poetry!' He really loved it.
Dinner was ribs. Meh ribs. Nick, Aiden, Jimmy and I had some silly conversations about brooms and MagLev. Hallie, Maddy and Charlotte took way too much whipped cream for their apple-rhubard crisp, so Nick and I got minimal. Hallie and Freddy were nice enough to get me my dessert and main course, respectively. There was also mac and cheese, which was better than the ribs. And broccoli. And rolls. Alden joined the silliness at the table at the end, and then an hour passed in the library.
The activity was TMS theater—reenacting times from the semester. Maddy, Sarah, Matt, Zoe J, Phoebe, Steph and I were theorizing on Faculty Meetings. We impersonated them reacting to a zombie invasion. It went well. The other groups, doing themes like Wood Crew, Science Hike, and First Day, featured Nora, Pat, and Freddy doing excellent impressions of Rowan, Pat, and Rafi. Freddy was the best Rafi I've ever seen. Later, Taylor and I failed to convince Phoebe, Hallie, Rachel, Sarah, Adrija and others to watch Reservoir Dogs with us, so we watched it it the library while they played games in the dining hall. We were just tired. Yo-Yo and Rafi joined us for parts. Lex sat behind us. Alden gave us a ride down in his truck to get out of the rain. We talked about how he broke his ankle in a punt return senior year. A specialist called earlier saying that it might be a fracture, so we'll see the doctor tomorrow.

"This one time, at the Mountain School..."

I know this problem may sound trivial, but it has gotten to the point where I'm actually upset with my friends. My friends never take mountain school seriously and whenever i mention it, they ALWAYS make fun of me and say "this one time, at the mountain school..."

Yeah, it's not that big of a deal and they're just joking and I thought it was funny at first, but it just happened like multiple times in one day, and I didn't even bring up TMS! it just seems like they are trying to find things to make fun of me. I don't really know how to explain it but it's now pretty upsetting and I can't tell them anything about my experience there or how I feel without them rolling their eyes.

I just want them to understand but they refuse to even try. I probably didn't help with this because I do talk about it a lot but not so much anymore, which is why I am so annoyed with the fact that, all of a sudden, they are bugging me about it again.

I can't confront them about it without sounding like a sensitive bitch. I just don't want to talk to them anymore. I honestly thought I was pretty solid with my friends... and now I'm not so sure. I mean, I don't hate them of course, and yeah it's important to keep in mind that it's trivial- and i don't even know why I'm writing so much about this! but it just bugs me and you guys are the only ones who understand- or even possibly care...

Lots and lots to talk about. Not much time to say it all. A few interesting facts about my trip so far...we went to Pisa--did you know there are two other buildings by the leaning tower that are as, if not more, impressive? I also bought a nice leather wallet. I wish I could have come to TMS to see you all and sit in the dining hall and drink some tea. Sadly, I get to enjoy the wonderous wonders of Italia instead. PS. It's freyeday freyeday fried egg......

Day 84 (written day 86)
Friday?
Well... uh... I did work on my project in Spanish, and got a good reading done in History. In English Taylor and I both thought Tina in the story was an adult with problems when they first mentioned her, to Rachel's mirth. Jack read the part of my journal talking about Hazel. It drew stares.
The rest of the day... in wood crew we practiced a song and processed a lot of wood. The bugs were diminished today. It was a nice finish.
In other classes... things. Dunno. The activity was a step-into-the-circle-fun-time about going home and alcohol. It moved to the hay loft, with cookies. It was a nice enough discussion; at the end people started crying. I received applause (that word looks a lot like applesauce) for saying that the semester of spring 2010 won't end until we're all dead. Yea, fun things. I was leaning against Adrija for the entirety of the conversation.
Walking down with Yo-Yo went well, until I missed a step at the end and rolled my ankle in. I limped on it for a bit, then Adrija dragged me to Miles in a cart. David took a while getting ice, on Kit's orders. It hurt, but not in a burning way. There was a nice purple welt, bigger than my ankle. That was the fun for the day.
I couldn't sleep, so I read Equal Rites and the Color of Magic until the A.M. I did have a dream about trying to play Fireflies on RB drums, but the chart was all flams in rapid succession. There was no bass, orange was the square (it was a square, not rectangle) in the middle; blue was to its left.

OH BOY did we do a lot of work at TMS. Especially on this joyous of all days. Enjoy.

Day 83 (written day 86)
Farm day! Early breakfast, and then off to garden hill with Hallie, Becky, Kate, Kemi, Chelsea, Shizue, and Zoe RA for raking and planting. Kemi and I bonded over Magnetic Baby by Semi Precious Weapons. There were amazing donuts and lemonade for a snack. I talked with people.
Next task: waiting for Susie. We napped: Kate, Kemi, Shizue and I. When she showed up, I started shoveling compost with Shizue and Kemi, while I thought of lyrics for Drinking Problem's “There It Is Again.” I think they're good... for a joke band. About alcoholism. <_<
After that, Kate joined us in planting peas, and Susie instructed me to then de-dandelion the beds. I sang Trick of the Tail. Lunch was hamburgers, and oh boy were they good: onion rings and everything. We all ate outside. After that, I went back up to Garden Hill with Becky and Zoe RA to work in the orchard. They worked on shoving rags soaked in ammonia down woodchuck holes while I tosses ash at trees to fertilize them. Not too much—the wood ash I dragged up from the shop basement has lye in it. Jake and Jay joined me, and we sang the “pie iesu domine dona eis requiem” chant from Monty Python. Jay and I had shovel fights.
The last task was with Nora and Gabby: we rode out with Alden, Matt and Jack to a wood crew site and moved wood. It cumulated in a fantastic move of one pile, wherein I lapped Alden while singing Rock and Roll, pt. 2 and D.O.A. by someone and Foo Fighters, respectively. Dinner was again good. I don't remember what it was. There was work and chilling after. I was too tired to do any real work.

EMBARRASSING STORY!! Today we went to the Italian theater. Before the film started, they gave the usual safety precautions (in italian and in english!). This included a fire one. I wasn't listening properly, so all I heard the man say was "Fire, evacuate the building as quickly as possible!" (Of course missing the "In the unlikely event of a...") I automatically jumped out of my seat and shouted to my parents, "Fire! Fire! We have to get out!!!!" while jumping up and down completely out of control. I only realized that it was a safety precaution when my sister was pulling my down into my seat telling me to be quiet... oh the shame....

Day 82 (written day 86)

Woke up early for Remicaid, ate waffles with 4 Corners farm honey. There was not much on TV—just Celtics highlights from when they dominated the Cavs, 120-88. Remicaid on the whole went well. I took a nap. I got out early and waited at the blood center for Dad, after which we got more Boloco. Woo! I love that place. I could eat there every day.

Afterward, we drove about Boston looking for the bus stop. We found it after shenanigans. The bus up was fine; I listened to music and did work in the bus stop. I did more work at this Darmouth art building, then searched the internet for a TMS phone number. I finally found them in a .pdf handbook, and called Tobold when I thought I was calling Miles. Zoe RA and I had a nice conversation. Dan pulled up and we sped home, arriving in time for dinner. I think it was chicken... Sam S and Rosii called me over, and I ate with them and Steph. And also forgotten others. There was a tasty cake or something for dessert. Knockout after that and work. Oh, and I got an ovation upon walking in.

When in Rome! Wow! Italy is incredible! We saw lots of museums and interesting architecture and statues and all that fun stuff. And we saw the Colosseum yesterday! I enjoy Rome very much. There are so many interesting foreign people here I would just love to become acquainted with. Maybe I won't come home.... just kidding I would miss you all too much!

Day 81 (written day 86)

Way behind... short entries right now. Had my first few classes (sorry, no meals—the breakfasts were the usual rotation), doing work in frees, and meeting with Susie in between to plan the trip. For work, Jimmy, Brigitte and I peeled onions and plucked basil leaves, and the onions only really got to me at the end. Susie drove me first to pick up Cole and Hazel, then through beautiful valleys to the bus stop. I noted things on my iPod. On the way, Hazel sang Jingle Bells, but forgot the last half of the chorus. Susie and I discussed the Mountain School musical, which is kind of a joke now. Completely forgotten [yet not quite completely forgotten!!].

We ate at Boloco before the bus came, and while sitting there waiting I started Ender's Game. On the bus down I watched Reservoir Dogs with poor audio (bus headphones ftl), and was about to finish when the bus pulled in. A guy saw me and asked for money with a lie; I lied back. Mom and Dad picked me up, and we drove home to strawberry-rhubarb pie. I drove to see Arya and ran into Kasey and Ms. Gerrity. The former I had a nice conversation with, the latter I said hi to as she drove past. Well, she stopped. But yea. Arya wasn't there, so we just spoke on the phone. I returned home, watched Lost (ftw!), and skyped with Arya before staying up too late.

Hey y'all! Just watched The Notebook on the flight to Italy. My sister made me watch it with her. Didn't really want to see it, but now I'm feeling all sentimental. It brought tears to my eyes! Imagine that! I think I like it more than The Princess Bride. If I could find love like that one day I will be eternally happy. Have a nice spring break all! Enjoy Day 80.

Day 80

This morning Rafi was talking about how he went to sleep at 5:30AM. We breakfasted on cream of wheat, cinnamon toast, and hash browns. In History Matt, Sam S, Kemi and I hit Phoebe with rubber bands, and Kit entered to find us still laughing. I got kicked out, and in the ensuing study time did not find anything much more interesting. In the free I continued my English essay, but a power outage made that difficult. I occupied myself with playing Cat Planet forwards, and then backwards.

After Precalc, wherein we learned about sigma notation and I looked for a way to do sigma stuff on my new calculator that Freddy gave me that isn't mine but will have to do, the power came back on, and I finished my essay. Jack won't like it that much, and it bothers me that I haven't had a really good essay topic in a while.

Lunch was fried rice with vegetables, you might call it pad thai, and leftover pizza. I went to the final reflections planning meeting and was feeling the Remicaid blues. Jake, Rafi, Jimmy, Zoe RA, Matt, Hallie, and a few other people were there; Brigitte and Dan proctored. During Science Hike Pat explained the E. Sci. final exam (it won't be too hard; we get notecards for the site description and the other things we've already done), and then I went to the kitchen for some chocolate milk. Charlotte roped me in to cooking with her, which I did. I made the crusts for some brownie pies sunflower-esque. (BTW, earlier, maybe 2^nd period, Charlotte and I had a shoving fight, me pushing her out the door and such.)

David was in the kitchen too. I helped Pam and Charlotte make crusts for pies, and a cake for Claire's month-early birthday (it's actually in June, apparently). It was fun. After that, I wrote in my journal with Phoebe, ate some of Adrija's strawberry-rhubarb pie, and went to Spanish class, reading listverse.com instead of working on my project.

In E. Sci., Phoebe and I just sat in class listening to Cat Stevens (who is a man, apparently. Definitely a girl's name) and talking about torture and stuff. I was on digg. Dinner, which we barely arrived in time to, was beef stroganoff. Tina asked what it was (or someone did... maybe Steph), and I conconcted a story about Germans being inspired by spaghetti to create their own spaghetti after WWII, but instead it came out fat and is now called beef stroganoff. In my story, beef stroganoff was German for Cow Spaghetti. That was fun...

Steph told another story about a 5^th grade trip to a boat, and the horrible sleeping conditions there: the chain hammock above her was only a few inches from her face. Maddy was at the table, as was Dan and Megan K. After dinner I went back to the E. Sci. room and played music (Hendrix, Iron Maiden, Rush, the Who) with Isaac, Phoebe, David, and at the end, Jake, Aidan, and Katja. Sarah got us to play one game of knockout; people are getting quite good.

After knockout, Isaac and I talked about music; I did some math; I wrote in my journal, did shutdown, and had a nice conversation about conducting in the dorm. Laughs were had all around. Also, earlier, Hallie commented on this journal. She would like to read it. Oh, and how could I forget: science books were returned today. How grand. Some people had extensive "about the author" sections; I did not bother with such nonsense. Miles had a humble today: Taylor read a humourous log of the events of last night, much to the chagrin of Alden, who made an announcement about not staying up late and how he was proud. Before dinner, Rafi and Sam P gave a ramen demonstration. That was nice. Tomorrow I go home; I'll see everyone! And Arya!

The Van

So today i was inspired by ian's journal posts to look at my pictures that i havent looked at in far too long. For today (March 10) i expected to find some crazy picture of sugaring, sledding, ramen, or nigel. however, the most notable picture from today (one year ago) i did not take and i was not there when it was taken. i came across a picture of the flipped van. courtesy of jake's photography, here's a picture of it.

P.S.

Probably typo's in this. i didnt proof read (YAY SENIORITIS!!!)

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

Day 79

Got 9 hours of sleep ftw. Wrote in my dream journal, finished Spanish work and got an outline for English done before brunch. Brunch was great, but the eggs with veggies were not mixed enough. We did dish crew before 1. I procrastinated in the cold. Sam S and I watched the finale of Step Brothers. I did laundry. I did some E. Sci. work. I didn't do some E. Sci. work.

Pretty much yea... dinner was pizzas. Nora, Maddy, Lex, and David sat with me and stressed about chapters. Danny too. At least there were good brownies. I finished my chapter and had hard times printing it with Sarah, Hallie, and Rachel. Eventually we did it, and I got my book it. Phoebe approves of the title, which is too long for here and for now. Yea, then in the dorm I ate ramen, called home, and wrote two paragraphs of my English essay. Tomorrow should be a relief. Glad to sleep.

Day 78 (written day 79)

Breakfast? LOL. No meals for you. Actually, dinner was mini-burritos which were splendid. So there. Farm visits were great; Adrija, Jimmy, Kiana, Sarah, Rachel, Rebecca, Shizue, Megan K, Claire, and maybe one more person went to Bob Gray's farm. We saw cows and vegetables. Sarah fell in love with the Highland cows, which have very shaggy coats. There was a calf who, except for the hooves and head, looked exactly like a bear. It was raining lightly the whole time, so my shoes got wet. We had to keep lowering electric fences to get across the farm. Rosii was also there.

We pulled up some Rhubarb and tried it; it was very sour. We saw several greenhouses, and it was a great day. We went crazy in the shop, and everyone was buying things, and I got some honey. Jimmy and I debated buying a strawberry-rhubarb pie for Comfort, but we didn't. Adrija did. We played tic-tac-toe on the van window on the ride back, and then we stopped at the pharmacy for Jack, and then we went to a Hannaford's for the lolz. Jimmy bought Reese's, but didn't buy Apple Dapples, whose mascot is a green rhino. There were also boxes of Magic Stars, whose mascot is a wizard who we agreed is a pedophile. Tobold bought lots of snacks.

Yea, once we got back I did work... not much else. The dance was fun; beforehand I went to Underwood with Pheobe to get costumes, but I didn't choose any. I should've gotten a green vest/shirt combo. I ended up with a red shirt and jeans. Other than Beatles songs, the only song I really liked was Take On Me. Sam P, Isaac and I bonded. Hallie and I danced and the end, and overall I had a fun time with dance moves. Sam S and I played with off-beat clapping for several lulz. Jake, Hallie, and their dishcrew had a trippy dance bordering on terriffying [sshhh, this isn't a typo. terriffying is a combination of terriffic and terrifying], and the polka music Jimmy played with Aidan was the same. Earlier, Charlotte, Kate, Megan K, Phoebe, David and I had an advisory board conversation that went well. I told yarns. Charlotte was serious. Phoebe, Megan K and I argued about the Miles-Derby non-existant rivalry. That's about it. Jake, Rafi, and Sam P argued about Monsanto while Isaac, Sam S, David and I watched Harold and Kumar. It was great.

Sisters... they can make you so proud. One day they're applying to Mountain School, the next dancing like a pro in front of the whole school, and the next asking you to not return your copy of Fight Club to Netflix because they want to watch it... *sniff* Here's Friday, May 7th, 2010.

Day 77 (written day 79)

Well, breakfast might've been oatmeal that was soupier than I remember. We did our first research time in History. There was some presentations in Precalc about sequences. Easy stuff. Spanish was working on the thing. It was fine. Rachel and Rebecca and I in math did the homework in class. Freddy joined me on the internet in Spanish. In E. Sci. I guess I worked on my book... don't remember. Lunch was food. Not remembering right now I'm so sorry. On our way to wood crew I forgot the first line of the third verse of Reelin' in the Years, but found it on my iPod.

I walked with Adrija. We walked over a stone wall onto our path and a turkey flew out. That was fun. I don't really like this site [Tina's]—too much steep, not enough trees. There were also a lot of bugs that dove into my eyes. I cut down two trees, but we all ended up talking about fairs anyway. I did nothing during my free, and in English RAAH don't even know. Dinner the same.

There was knockout, in which I Cinderella'd my way to 3^rd place, and then Maude Tisch arrived. She, Hallie, Steph, Lex and I dashed about campus having a time. She seems nice enough. I learned Sofia hooked up with someone while here, which shocked me. The vegetable farmer panel was interesting; I asked a question and hung around after. Kit left earlier today, so nothing really happened [sick correlation!]. In dorm meeting I finally proctored, and we talked about flags.

Aww, you guys are too much. I knew this would come in useful some day. I had a busy day today. In between hearing poetry readings, watching a 4-hour hockey playoff game (that we won, 4-3, in TRIPLE OVERTIME!), and writing a lab report, I am wiped. Hoo boy. And then we do it again. We did it on Thursday, May 6th, 2010, and we'll do it for just a few more weeks until senior spring. Ahh, spring. Ahh, spring.

Day 76

Pancake breakfast! Jake had a sing-a-long of What A Wonderful World for his morning humble that went well. In Spanish we talked about the projects (spoiler alert: I just finished a rough sketch of the beginning. A guy who loves his slightly sheltered mother goes to the sanitarium in that one story and overcomes his grief and finds independence he didn't have before). In E. Sci. I reviewed for History a bit and got an outline for my synopsis; I'll ask Pat about woodlots, orchards, and sugarbushes tomorrow. The History quiz was fun; the first page was iffy, but after that I was confident.

In English, David, Lex, Taylor and I had trouble discussing Goodbye, Colombus, but we picked up at the end with questions. I got an A- on my E. Sci. chapter; Pat said in the comments that he was too busy laughing to care if a novice reader would get it. Kit returned my History corrections; I went from a D+ to a C+, so that's something. Lunch was coleslaw, baked beans, and a brown bread that Chelsea and the faculty loved, but I couldn't stand. Something about the toughness and disagreeable flavor. I had two servings of coleslaw, it was that good. Dish crew was fine; we ended early. Sam P and I brought up chickens from below for dinner.

In Outdoor Program, I was on the internet for a bit, then did the SAT II (710, better than last time. Many more left, many more left blank.), wherein I was annoyed with David's pen-chewing arrogance [Y U SO GOOD AT NUMBERS?!]. After that I typed some words for my E. Sci. synopsis and wondered as to the future of orchards, sugarbushes, and woodlots. I'm finding new uses for the Oxford comma, in terms of the feel. It has a time and place. After that free was Math class, wherein there was a mad scramble for signing up for a slot to teach the class one part of the curriculum: Rebecca Celli and I are doing Probability.

After that, she, Rachel and I attempted the Exeter homework packet, made more difficult by my lack of a calculator. Dinner was arrived late to by Kemi, Hallie, Matt, Nora, Anika and I due to our being in the library. I was listening to Comfortably Numb, so it was cool. We sat with Missy, Alden, Ella, and Sue Kruse (Alright, now I'm very partial to the Oxford Comma. It gives the list the sense of space it needs.), but missed Jake's second humble. Dinner was chicken, rice, and greens that I didn't try. I did have multiple slices of pull-apart bread, which is apparently loaded with butter.

Charlotte and I did our reading; I got some good voices and emotions going in scenes with a drunk Jew and a Neil-Brenda breakup. Overall it was a fun book. I look forward to a total discussion in class. There was a rainbow in the sky, at which we all gathered and exulted. I started a recitation of My Heart Leaps Up. Next was a little more internet, then some research for History. The book I chose might not have much on protests... the section I thought would've been good, and read tonight, was more on a chaotic convention floor... I don't even know what it was talking about. Check-in was fun; we did the usual laugh riots. Taylor and I played Goin' to California, Reelin' in the Years, and More Than A Feeling after: I pioneered the pencil-pick theory. People are stressing about the History AP; I just make jokes. Panic of 1837? First horror movie! It's a dance move! Van Buren saw a monster in his closet! Well, once more, let's escape into Discworld. I left Hallie a crazy note; I wonder as to her reaction.

ians journals

Ian, I want to thank you for writing something almost every night of tms. It brings back so many memories of everything. whether its all of us hanging out as a whole or the crazy shit we did in miles from time to time most nights. Also its pretty entertaining to see what was going on in your hear haha anyway thanks so much for keeping the tms spirit alive in me! much love bro

What will you do when the journal ends? Well, I could post the days in reverse order, where we're great friends but slowly devolve into strangers. It could be titled Fall 20X0! *ba-dum* But seriously now. I'd invite everyone to try to post once a month about something Mountain School related. It could be as simple as posting a photo from facebook or a personal collection and describing the scene it tells, or recounting a reunion or experience cooking something from the cookbook! Whatever it is, post and tell us what new adventures you're experiencing. I can't wait to hear. Wednesday, May 5th, 2010:

Day 75

Broke fast upon eggs and toast. I led morning meeting, and Kit announced Fun Week [FUN WEEK! AHH!!]. We'll have an entire week of activities that we brainstormed, so that'll be fun. I read my 'While Riding the Subway' limerick for a humble, to much acclaim. Jay and I signed up to perform our two equations—women=evil and the witch proof—on the 22^nd as a humble. I gave Hallie my note, and she responded with glee. For some reason, the academic building was quite smelly; Nick said the composting toilets had back-pressured, or something.

In AP Wood Crew, Jimmy, Aidan and I rode in the back of a pickup with Kit to a site where we split wood, lifted wood, and threw wood the whole day. I'll get some good sunburns from that. Lunch was leftovers [those leftovers, man. Those leftovers]: I consumed some pizza, some of the great salad, a potato pancake, BBQ pork chops and Brigitte's birthday cake. It was all good, but the pork chops were tough chewing, though they fell apart, and the cake was different tasting than any other cake I've had. Hallie gave me her response note, which was done entirely in Cockney. She asked if I'd go to her site later, and I replied yes, after Jake took my portrait in Miles and Pine Top.

I pretty much chilled during my free on digg, cracked, and iTunes, listening to Killers and Led Zeppelin. In History we did the 90s culture slideshow with Nirvana, and Kit was great enough to include a picture of Warcraft in the slide about gaming and the increased violence that was percieved. In English we discussed Goodbye, Colombus, Lex, Megan B, Taylor and I and then started to reenact a poem about sketchy guys and the girls they weird out on Derby Hill. Then it was my advisor meeting with Susie, which resulted in a plan for my Science book, and then Jake took my picture, first in Miles (not really that great), then on Library Hill (much better).

Hallie and I then went out to our sites to draw maps. I heard Rafi but did not see him while I was walking to my site. I sat down a fraction of the way there and actually tried to draw a map this time. It came out nice. There were bugs flying around me; I examined a spider with a black body and white scale patterns over the black on a stick. Hallie and I were quite late getting back to dinner, so I did not get to do my humble, but the people I showed it too liked it. After that I did more internet before reading with Charlotte, which went great. I got to act. I like to act. Once that finished it dissolved into a spatula-scraper fight. I won, but she did hit my funny bone, lighting my arm and hand on fire.

On a side note, I don't think this is going to be as long as I had expected. Perhaps 50 pages by the end. Charlotte and I had a nice conversation in the kitchen, which we will continue at a later time. After the kitchen debacle, I fed the chickens for the last time with Hallie. David, who was kind enough to sit with me at a dinner of green beans and lasagna, came with us. I threw chickens for fun, more of a toss, really. There was some humour when Charlotte scared Hallie by banging on the window. After a stop in the chick house (I picked one up!), we went our separate ways, I playing All These Things That I've Done on my laptop, while using the screen as a flashlight. I got my laundry and bumped into Dan coming out, who Ben wants us to prank by asking him to sign things. Kit was puzzled by my load, but we laughed it off. I noticed a christmas-tree scent in the air.

The next hour was laugh riot time, involving math equations in the vein of “women=time x money.” I wrote in my journal about great Capture the Flag games, basing it on E-Cast and Jono-led sieges. I reviewed History, and then read in bed before sleep. Oh sleep. Great sleep. Hey, do you think the reason Miles stays up so late is due to the architecture of the majority of the rooms being centered on the common? Underwood only has two; there's a large upstairs. Conard has a large downstairs populace, and Tobold is very scattered in comparison with Miles. Derby is too small to count. Huh. I'll think about that. But for now, I escape into Discworld.