Favorites

May I submit that the past 8 weeks have gone past uncannily fast? Yes? Thank you. Because they really have. The subterm is winding down (!), and all I have left is a test in Bible and a concluding paragraph or two for my nature vs. nurture research paper, which I am taking a break from writing to write this. It's funny, though, because for once I haven't been counting down the days to the end of this subterm like I usually am. One, it has been less stressful, so there has been no reason to wish it were over. Two, it's not like I'm counting down to anything, since my math class continues over Fall break. However, I'm not even chagrined about that. I guess I've finally learned how to stay balanced, and not let school take over my entire life when it doesn't have to. Besides, school has become a habit, so it fits into life easily. Oh and I haven't turned into a grumpy basement troll :).

Yet again, all of that could also be because I finally feel like I have a life. As in, other people are in it and I can't just focus on me. For as much as weekdays are filled with school and family, the weekends are usually jammed with people as well. And I recently discovered that I really do need people. All that self-reliance, I'm-perfectly-fine-by-myself protective wax I've been wearing can melt for all I care. Melt, and then get molded into crayons because crayons are my favorite.

Speaking of favorites, here's the top three on my list right now:

• Friends
• Music
• Food :)

Too obvious? All well. Saturday we had a bonfire for anyone who could come. I tried to overlook the fact that of the 6 people in my age group who came, they were all in relationships with each other so I was the third wheel wherever I went. Anyhow...that didn't stop it from being fun or anything so who knows why I mention it. When it got dark, a lot of us went for a walk through the woods. Jordifer and I decided we would scare everybody, but Isaac beat us to it (of course). So instead of walking the rest of the way up the road, we sneakily turned around, and walked back down to the opening of the woods where there is a relatively large (unused...I think) outhouse. We had decided we'd hide there, and just do something funny when they all came back. So we stood there in the pitch black outhouse, and Jordan alternately told Jenn and I ghost stories or serenaded us (he'd brought the guitar with him). I occasionally just laughed due to the absurdity of the situation. When everyone finally came, we carried on a rather loud, normal conversation while Jordan strummed the guitar so they would hear us and get weirded out. It worked. Someone opened the outhouse door and they all just stood there, mouths open, faces puzzled.

At church the next morning I got a couple "so what were you guys doing in the outhouse again...?"
We spent that (beautifully warm, sunny, blue sky, fall colors) afternoon/evening at the H's for Mikaela's 18th birthday party. Before everyone else came, we played croquet as teams. Mikaela and I won. :) But it brought back memories of when we'd play it with the Slacks. Or rather, they would play it up at the inn, and we'd play it at our house, and we'd have screaming competitions with each other. Concluding that rabbit trail...when we got enough people we played sardines. Unsuccessfully. Because the two people who hid (first Jesse, then Isaac), hid way too hard...and no one could find them. We also tried playing crack-the-whip, but that didn't work either. The chain of people kept breaking up really quickly, for some reason, and no one went flying. Probably a good thing...but it did work better (as in, you did go flying), when my friends and I were little. Huh. Maybe we all hung on better back then, or our height/weight ratio was different.

Once it got dark we had a dance party on the back porch. That, thankfully, did work. Except for when we disagreed over which song to play next :).

Monday morning was too early for a late night, and it was back to the books. But only for a little while because Mr. Slack had to get some wood from us and they decided to stay for supper. Another late night, but very fun again. Whenever they are here, it's like the whole family has come home for Christmas. Only without the tediousness connected to real relative get-togethers, so it's even better :). Mariah and Brooke and us W girls came up with and made some really good cookies...if I do say so myself. I only burned my finger once, which was great. While we ate cookies, we watched oldish home videos of when they were our neighbors. Then we listened to our favorite classical pieces on youtube. Sometimes, I think certain classical music makes you feel the same as what you feel when falling in love...not that I know exactly what the latter feels like, but it's a hypothesis. It's this relaxing, energizing, joyful, falling, beautiful, painful feeling. So whatever that all equals, that is what it is like.

Soon Jordan got the urge to play Canon in D on the piano (and no, I was not associating the falling in love feeling with a song traditionally played at weddings...it was other songs that made me feel that way), and tried to come up with some way to merge it to another song. It didn't really work, but we had fun. I got my bass and accompanied him. Wasn't exactly a good idea since my primary plucking finger had been burned, but pretty soon the pain went away and was replaced by a dull throb. I probably killed the nerve endings....it was worth it though, because I don't get the opportunity to play with someone very often. But that will change now that Maryah has a cello as of her birthday. 

Now it is too cold, and too rainy. I think I was created for some place temperate.
Haha, actually, come to think of it, I was.