Saturday Sweethearts

On Saturday, September 07, 2007, I went to my first ever rock concert! Here are a few more photos from that night:

Short Story Sunday

Grey. Everything is grey. 

I'm standing outside of a funeral home. 

People walk by me, try to comfort me but they're just blurs in black. Words have no meaning to my drowning ears. 

Black. Everything is black. 

I'm wearing the dress I wore to Grammy's funeral. 

My mother says he's gone somewhere better now. That he's in heaven and happy. She says she's conquered her grief, that I'm a young lady and should do the same.

Red. Everything is red. 

I want to scream. Scream and scream and scream until my lungs collapse and I die too. 

I can still hear the sirens. Why didn't I die, too? Why do I have to keep dragging myself through a semi-normal routine without the most important man in my life?

Grey. Everything is grey. 

I'm wishing so hard for a miracle, like he sits up and didn't die, or like I'm dreaming and I'll wake up soon. I feel dizzy. 

They're burying my father today. 

Saturday Sweethearts

My best friend posted this picture recently to her Facebook. It was too cute not to post! Have a happy Saturday, and make sure to give your Saturday Sweethearts a big hug today! :)

Friday Funnies

Being Busy Can Make You Miss Out On All the Small Things in Life

Wow.

That's really all I can say about this summer. Obviously, from the lack of posts, you as a reader can surmise that I was:

A. Kidnapped by zombies and forced to make them pancakes.

B. In a coma all summer from a skydiving lesson gone wrong.

C. Really busy and exhausted (okay, and a bit too lazy to write.).

Okay, everyone knows the answer is of course C.

I was part of a play this summer; Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night." I played the role of Curio, servant to the Duke Orsino (who is, for all you ignorant readers, one of the play's main characters), and the Priest, who everyone knows is the Priest. Anyway, rehearsals went for like 4 million hours (or 4, whichever you choose) and by the time I got home I was really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really tired.

The play did go well though. I got a bunch of PR opportunities while in it (I wrote an article for Voices about it and made a video advertising it.)

The only really bad part was how much I missed out on doing with my family and friends. I made a lot of new friends, sure, but I wish I could get that time back.

Sigh. Where has all the summer gone?

Friday Funnies

Saturday Sweetheart

Friday Funnies

Saturday Sweetheart

Friday Funnies

Thoughtful Thursday

Thinking Without a Box on Facebook!

Thinking Without a Box is now on Facebook! Like it! I post awesome thoughts, pictures, fan made pictures, fan comments and much more! Thinking Without a Box appreciates your like! (Plus, once I have 30 fans, your name will be on a collage, posted on my page and this blog!!) :D

Wordless Wednesday

Touching Tuesday

When you hear the word "therapist" doesn't it make you think of a person? Well, at a remote resort in Bali, dolphins are the therapists! Read about it in this excerpt from ndtv.com.

"Bali: Three dolphins rescued from a travelling circus have assumed the role of therapists at a remote tourist resort in Bali. They have treated more than a thousand patients, most of them children, in the last six years. 

Ter Heide, the head therapist at the resort believes that the sonar helps increase human sensory activities. 

"It's two main things, the animal contact what helps the people, also the sonar the dolphins have. It has influence on the brain waves and membranes of the cell to improve several things like motor skills or speech skills," she says.

5-year-old Ukrainian Eugene suffers from a rare genetic disorder which causes him to develop weak muscles and grow much slower than other children of his age.  

Three years ago, Eugene's parents Vasyl Babiy and wife Nataly Bykh brought him to the resort. 

During therapy, dolphins swim around Eugene and sometimes touch his body gently.Earlier he could barely move his body and would shun contact with others, including his parents.

Three years into therapy, Eugene is now able to crawl, sit and touch others.

"He doesn't speak but he tried to tell Mama Mama Mama. I don't know if he understands what he is saying, but mum is really happy," says mother, Natalya. 

12-year-old David Parera is visiting the resort for the first time. He finds it difficult to speak and walk unaided.

"We cannot really see what kind of progress he has had here, but yesterday, he was listening to a song from television, and he started singing back the song like the way it was heard. He has never done that before and it took us by surprise," says George, David's father.
Ter Heide says each patient receives a tailor made therapy programme, but in all cases it is crucial that the dolphins interact with the patient as much as possible. "

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Hello, Monday!

This Monday, I'm thinking about someone I like a lot. He's really sweet and I kind of maybe sort of definitely have a tiny little minuscule gigantic crush on him. We're around the same age and we've got quite a lot in common. 

The big problem is that whenever I see him, my mind goes completely blank. There's like NOTHING there! The night before I normally see him, I try to think of things to say to him that don't make me sound (choose any of the following) crazy/stupid/silly/uneducated/completely in love, but they all vanish! 

My mom says whenever I see him, I look very standoffish. I don't want to look standoffish. I just don't want to blush! So I think super hard, "Don't blush, don't blush, don't blush." And then I end up looking like this.

Sigh.

I'm not really sure what to do about this. I keep trying to email/talk to him whenever I can though. Who knows, maybe he'll be a future "Saturday Sweetheart" in like 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 years. Look out for a cute guy on my blog... Other than my family members of course. *Wink.*

Short Story Sunday

Dax stared at the steps. The kids would get out any minute and then he could leap and lick and wriggle around them and then they’d walk home with him and they’d never have to go back to the big brick building all summer and— Phew. He was getting ahead of himself.

 He stared at the stairs again, trying not to think about summer but he was so excited and the kids would be too and they could run and play and he could lick their hands when they ate those drippy things on sticks that Christopher said were so tasty and—Dax! He said to himself. If you keep thinking like this you won’t be able to wait for them!

His eyes followed a lone ant that was wandering along the bottom step, looking for crumbs from the last lunches to be eaten on the steps until fall. Dax wanted to chase the ant, to forget about waiting the ages it took for the kids to get out of school, but he didn’t.

He thought he heard feet and he leapt up, barking joyfully, but it was only the mailman across the street. Dax wanted it to be little Jenny or Ron but they weren’t out yet. He put his head between his paws and howled softly. He wanted Jenny’s sticky hands to pet him over and over and say “Oh, Dax! Did you wait for us? Yes, you did! Yes, you did!” and then all the little Mary-Jane clad feet would crowd around and pet him and he’d wag his tail so hard! Or Ron’s freckled face to be thrust into his and kiss him on the nose and tell him how he loved him and he couldn’t wait to play fetch as soon as they got home!

Then the bell rang and Dax sat up as hundreds of feet pounded towards the door. His first summer was going to be absolutely amazing.

Saturday Sweetheart

Happy 10th birthday to our Adorable Doggie, Buster Brown!! 

Friday Funnies

I don't really like Justin Bieber. (Gasps from every "Belieber" who is reading this!) I just think he's a bit too popular for his own good. But I don't really want people to like injure him or something (he's a person too, ya know?) That being said, the video Edward found on YouTube the other day was pretty funny. Soo... WITHOUT FURTHER ADO....

{I don't own this video, I don't think it's right to hurt people/throw things at people, I just think the remix is hilarious. ;) }

Thoughtful Thursday

I've been thinking about growing up more and more lately. My parents and I were even having a discussion about what will happen to my room when I move out.

Me: You're going to keep my room when I move out, right?

Dad: Nope. We're knocking down the wall between your bedroom and our bedroom and making a huge master bedroom. 

Me: (getting a bit worried) Uh.. What about when Edward moves out?

Mom: Oh, we'll knock down the wall between the bathroom and his room and make a gigantic bathroom. 

Yikes!!

Now, that was a joke of course (I hope?!) but it does kind of inspire me to think about the future. My future (according to me and my big dreams) changes a lot. Here are the top three ideas:

1. CEO/Fashion Designer of Leaton Design: A successful business woman with a world-wide chain based in New York, NY. Married to (?) an awesome, supportive husband that works either Leaton or something of his own. 3 children, all cyberschooled with a nanny.
2. Lawyer: Woman lawyer that is fiery in the courtroom but sharp at getting her client's wishes. Married to another lawyer. 3 children, all cyberschooled.
3. Dolphin Trainer at Sea World: Friend to all her dolphins. Trains and presents in shows and spends all day, every day with them. Not married, no kids.

Okay, so they sound a little silly. I'm going to try to start Leaton this summer though. We even have our own Facebook page! And I'm hoping to get a website up where you can actually buy things! 

Oh well. All in God's hands, right? That's how I look at it. Just can't wait to see what He wants me to become!

Wordless Wednesday

Please Pray

Hi, guys! I just want to ask you all to pray for one of my dad's coworkers. He's in the hospital at the moment, and he's in a coma with no brain activity. My dad and mom are really upset by this, and I am too. Please pray!!

GRYFFINDOR!!!

I just want to say one teeny tiny sentence. Ready?

GOOOOOOOOO GRYFFINDOR!!!!!!!!

Touching Tuesday

One of the most touching stories I've read about lately (in this case I saw her movie first) is of Winter the dolphin. 

  "Winter is an almost 6-year old sub-adult female bottlenose dolphin who was born around October 2005 off the coast of Florida. One day on December 9th, 2005, Winter found herself entangled in a blue crab trap in Mosquito Lagoon near Cape Canaveral, FL while playing with a buoy on the surface of the water. She would remain trapped for the next 36 hours. Then, the next day, Winter was saved by the rescue staff from the Harbor-Branch Oceanographic Institute and the Hubbs-SeaWorld Institute the next day on December 10th, that same year. The rescuers arrived after receiving a distress call from a local fishermen who found Winter entangled in the fishing gear. When she was freed, Winter was in serious condition that she was not expected to survive. She was then sent to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, FL four hours later. There, her rehabilitation began. With blood cut off as a result of being in the trap for so long, Winter lost both her entire tail and two vertebrae a few days later.
  Most dolphins who get entangled in fishing traps often die either during the process or shortly after getting trapped. Winter on the other hand, despite the prediction that she would not survive her ordeal, her condition later began to improve. But, this was only the beginning of an amazing story of survival from the dangers that many dolphins face as a result of human activity.
  In the Wild, dolphins having no tail can lead to either serious injury or even death. Winter on the other hand, was now in human care but still had to learn how to swim in a very different pattern that is similar to that of fish and snakes. She had now adapted to this swim pattern as well as eating on her own for the first few days of her arrival, she was hand fed by the vets and volunteers who rescued her. They used a tube to feed her. In 2006, CMA announced plans to create a bionic tail for Winter. So for several months, people everywhere collected money for the project. In August 2007, Winter was fitted in her first artificial tail that was created by Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics, Inc. Winter would only become the second captive dolphin to ever receive an artificial tail.
  Over the course of a number of months, Winter had to learn how to use the correct body position to be fitted for the stretchy plastic sleeve. This is the one that is mainly used for human prosthetics. Her trainers have also created one that is more form-fitted version of this sleeve. The sleeve will probably have to be adjusted as Winter gets older. So far, she has had 16 tails over the course of her lifetime.
  The tail fluke acts as a dolphin's power house. The dolphin uses it to swim at the fastest of speeds, and to sometimes defend themselves predators such as sharks and killer whales."

Hello, Monday!

Good morning! It's Monday, June 11th and its the FIRST day of SUMMER!! This reminds me of a song from High School Musical 2 (if you've seen it, you'll know which one I'm talking about ;] )...

Anyways, I'm pretty happy it's summer. Summer is awesome! It's nice and warm, we can do stuff with friends 'cuz they're out of school, I'm doing a play this year (my first since I was 6!), and we're just going to hang out together as a family. And plus, I have two cuddly bunnies to play with, two fun brothers to play with, and two awesome parents to play (games like Catch Phrase, Parcheesi, and Monopoly Here & Now) with!

Welcome back, Summer! We missed you! 

Short Story Sunday

Lionel woke up and stretched. For a little kitten that was only 6 weeks old, sleeping was boring. He wanted to play! He wanted to run and jump and catch butterflies and stalk ants and—

Oof. He ran into his mum and plunked down, looking up at her with wide eyes, knowing what comes next. She started licking him.

“Honestly, Lionel! You can’t go out with your fur looking like that!”

“Aw, Mum! No, ouch, gerroff!”

Finally she was done. Lionel shook himself while his mum surveyed his fur.

“Hmm… Well, it’s not perfect but it’ll do. Go ahead and play.”

“Yes! Love you, Mum!” Lionel shouted as he raced out of the barn and into the green grass. Oh, smell the beautiful summer air! A light breeze ruffled his fur and he flipped over onto his back, rolling in a fresh patch of dirt outside the barn door.

Standing up again on his soft little paws, Lionel spotted an ant and crouched. The ant scurried here and there, carrying a big piece of leaf back to the anthill.

“Meow!” Lionel said as he pounced (unsuccessfully) on the unsuspecting ant. He rolled in the long grass and batted playfully at some butterflies. He spotted a pair of the farmer’s shoes and snuck inside one, peeping out at the beautiful rolling hills of England. He breathed in and out, happy to be such a little kitten in such a beautiful land.

Saturday Sweetheart

(this was inspired by my mother, you can visit her blog here)

  Okay, so the other day I was just starting school when I heard my little three-year-old brother telling himself a story based on a book he and my dad like to read at night, called "Mutt Dog."
  The book is about a dog who is is brave and fast and gentle and loyal and smart and also hungry. He doesn't have a home, but one day his luck changes, and he at last finds a family. Ethan really likes this book, and so he makes up a lot of stories based on it but this is the funniest I've seen so far.

Friday Funny

My brother, Edward, and I like to watch Phineas and Ferb on Disney. They normally sing songs in the episodes, and this is one of our all time favorites. 

Lyrics: 

Bāchan Hirano: Hey everybody, Phineas and Ferb are here!

Phineas: Wow, Stacy sure has a lot of cousins!

Cousins: Welcome to Tokyo

Being glad that you are here

You can visit 10 delightful us

Welcome to Tokyo

Phineas: Hey, do you guys have any vegetable oil we can use? We need to refuel.

Cousin: Oh, sure. Bāchan owns a tempura restaurant. 

As for a list of exotic amusements

We choice between the summer there

Is here we look at baseball

Like the fact that it does

As some people the fact

That volleyball is done and is enjoyed

When it's hot we spin in water

Like the fact that it goes

Phineas: Thanks a lot! We'll say hi to Stacy for you! Man, Tokyo's a fun town.

Candace: I have no idea what just happened.

Thoughtful Thursday

I'm sitting here, staring at my computer screen. There's only 3 or 4 lessons left in most of my subjects. I'm nearly done 9th grade. I'm nearly a sophmore. The teen paper that I write for already lists me as one. Soon, I'll be dating and driving and doing AP courses to prepare for college. Then I'll actually be in college. The world is so big and bright right now and I want to spread my wings but..

I'm scared. So I think I'll go watch a cartoon Princess movie with my family and forget about all that. There's always tomorrow, eh? 

Wordless Wednesday

Q&A With the Perfect Stranger In Line Behind Me at Starbucks Who's Staring at Me Like I'm Some Kind of Alien

(Inspired by a post on Writer's Block)


Q&A With the Perfect Stranger In Line Behind Me at Starbucks Who's Staring at Me Like I'm Some Kind of Alien: 

Me: Um.. Hi?
Stranger: Why aren't you in school, young lady?
Me: Uh... (Can't you figure it out?) I'm cyberschooled.
Stranger: *Narrows eyes to a sort of glare.* You mean homeschooled.
Me: No, its not the same as homeschooling.
Stranger: So you spend all your life staring at a computer in your pjs.
Me: Um.. no. I'm not a mindless, pajama-wearing drone.
Stranger: *Looks confused and frustrated.* Well, don't you miss public school?
Me: How could I miss public school when only been to one day, and that was like a field trip to see what the other side does?
Stranger: *Glares and looks away.*
Me: *Sighs.* Uh...
Stranger: You'll obviously lack the social skills needed for the real world.
Me: AM I NOT POLITE AND RESPECTFUL?  Well, if that's what you think...

(Yikes. Just a snapshot of my world.)

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Don't Let Me Fall by Lenka

Happy Pi Day!!

Today is Pi day!! Not pie, but 3.14!! I love this number, because it helps me with my geometry!

Luv, Emi

Wordless Wednesday

Broken by Lifehouse

Wordless Wednesday

Breakeven by The Script

Wordless Wednesday

Blind by Lifehouse

Wordless Wednesday

A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton

Wordless Wednesday

1234 by Feist

Wordless Wednesday

24 by Jem

aMusing Monday

Okay, okay so it's a bit of a stretch.... :P

I Write, Therefore I Am....

Today when I woke up, I was considering one of the things that makes ME the most ME. I got a whole list of things in my head:

• dancing
• God
• my family

I paused there, considering any other options. I sometimes feel like I don't even know who I am anymore, which apparently is a common feeling in teens. I am trying to "rediscover" myself. As I lay there, one thought floated into my head.

• WRITING!!!!

Writer Flannery O’Connor said, “A story is a way to say something that can’t be said any other way, and it takes every word in the story to say what the meaning is. You tell a story because a statement would be inadequate.” I am trying everyday to take this to heart, whether it's on my blog or in one of the numerous stories I'm writing or in my essays for school. And I hope, by sharing my heart on this blog, you'll take this to heart too.

Fairytale Tuesday

Wolf and the Lamb A WOLF, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf’s right to eat him. He thus addressed him: “Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me.” “Indeed,” bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, “I was not then born.” Then said the Wolf, “You feed in my pasture.” “No, good sir,” replied the Lamb, “I have not yet tasted grass.” Again said the Wolf, “You drink of my well.” “No,” exclaimed the Lamb, “I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother’s milk is both food and drink to me.” Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, “Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations.”  The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.
Translated by George Fyler Townsend. Aesop's Fables

Wordless Wednesday

2 am by Anna Nalick

Bending the Rules

I recently had to write a research paper for school. Hope you guys like it!
Luv,
Emi

There’s a twist in everyone’s story. In mine, it is in my back. Ever since I was eleven years old, I have had scoliosis, a condition in which my spine is not straight. While scoliosis is not fatal, it can lead to many problems if not monitored and properly dealt with, because many steps are needed to control and/or fix it.

             Scoliosis is a three-dimensional deformity of the spine and rib cage. It may develop as a single primary curve (resembling the letter C) or as two curves (a primary curve along with a compensating secondary curve that forms an S shape). Scoliosis may occur only in the upper back (the thoracic area) or lower back (lumbar), but most commonly develops in the area between the thoracic and lumbar area (thoracolumbar area). A physician attempts to define scoliosis by the shape of the curve, its location, direction and magnitude, and, if possible, its cause. The severity of scoliosis is determined by the extent of the spinal curvature and by the angle of the trunk rotation (Shah).

            One of the first steps is noticing symptoms, which are most likely based on the type of scoliosis you have. In my case, I had lower back pain that bothered me, sending me to our doctor. Other symptoms can include fatigue or uneven shoulders or hips.

            The next step is to determine which kind of scoliosis you have. The three general types of scoliosis are Congenital, or present at birth and due to problems while the spinal bones are developing while still in the womb; Neuromuscular, which is caused by problems such as poor muscle control or muscle weakness, or paralysis due to diseases such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, and polio; or Idiopathic, scoliosis of unknown cause, which is the most common type in adolescents. (Shah)

            Numerous tests are performed to determine how bad the curve is. The “forward bend test” is the most common test in which the child bends forward dangling the arms, with the feet together and knees straight. The curve of structural scoliosis is more apparent when bending over, and the examiner may observe an imbalanced rib cage, with one side being higher than the other or other deformities. In a few other tests, the patient is usually requested to walk on the toes, then the heels, and then is asked to jump up and down on one foot. Such activities indicate leg strength and balance. The physician also will check for tight tendons in the back of the leg, which is usual in adolescence but may also indicate nerve root irritation or spondylolisthesis, a condition in which one vertebra has slipped forward over the other. He also will check for neurologic impairment by testing reflexes, nerve sensation, and muscle function. (Shah) An x-ray will be taken to determine the exact degree of the curve. If the physician notices anything unusual in the x-ray, or if there are any neurologic changes noted in the exam, a possible MRI may be performed.

            Then comes the decision of how to treat the curve. If it is small and the child is done growing, the doctor may suggest just watching her to be sure she does not experience any more side effects revealing a larger curve. If it is small but the child is not done growing, the doctor will want to check it every six months to a year.

            If the curve is severe, the doctor and the patient will have to make a more in-depth decision: brace or surgery? Both options come with major physical and emotional side effects and recovery.

            For medium curves (24 – 40 degrees) bracing is most often recommended. The types of bracing include: the Milwaukee Brace, a wide flat frontal bar with two smaller ones in back that attach to a ring around the neck with rests for the chin and back of the head (Shah); the Wilmington, Boston and TLSO Braces, several styles of braces that can be worn close to the skin so that they don’t show under clothes (Shah); and the Charleston Bending Brace, a type worn only at night.

                The physical downfalls to bracing are that it may decrease lung function, causing the patient to find it hard to breathe if she does not exercise right while wearing it. One small study showed that patients who performed torso flexibility exercises experienced less spinal twisting and had improved curvature. Another reported that young girls who wore the Boston brace and performed aerobic exercises for 30 minutes four times a week experienced improved, instead of declined, lung function (Shah). Another downfall of wearing a brace is that it may not work, causing the patient to need surgery anyway.

                The emotional downfalls are the ways that patients may be treated while undergoing treatment via a brace. Adults who have had scoliosis and its treatments often recall significant social isolation and physical pain (Gelb). Many families indicated that establishing a daily routine was helpful in coping with wearing a brace (Walker).

            For the patients with curves over 45 – 50 degrees, surgery is almost always suggested. The goals of scoliosis surgery are to straighten the spine as much and as safely as possible, to balance the torso and pelvic areas, and to maintain correction. These are accomplished by fusing the vertebrae along the curve and supporting these fused bones with instrumentation (rod, screws, hooks and other devices) attached to the spine (Shah). Before the operation, a complete physical examination is conducted to determine leg lengths, muscle strength, lung function, and any postural abnormalities (Shah).

            While this infirmity can be hard to deal with, the many treatment options and the dedication many doctors and hospitals in the United States put into it make scoliosis a condition that people are able to live with.  As for me, I just don’t get bent out of shape about it!

Bibliography

Cyndi Walker. OANDP. Version 4S. American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetisists,         n.d, Web. 18 Dec 2011.

A.D.A.M. PubMed Health. U.S. National Library of Medicine, September 17, 2009, Web. 16 Dec 2011.

Suken Shah. Nemours. Pediatric Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery, 2009, Web. 16 Dec        2011.

Thank you!!

Thank you for all the comments I recieved! It really made me feel better!!

Luv,
Emi

I am...

My name is Emily. Have you met me?

I am a nerd. I enjoy school and reading and have in fact written essays for fun.

I am a sister to two wonderful brothers. They fill my world with light and joy and have a very different perspective that sometimes makes me think about things differently.

I am a daughter who adores her parents. I have amazing relationships with both of them and can talk to them about ANYTHING. Who do I go to when I have problems or just need to chat about the most random stuff in the world? My parents.

I am a Christian. I have accepted the Lord into my heart and I know that even if I have no friends, I'll have Him.

I am a dancer. I can go for hours alone in my room, dancing my heart out. I danced from the moment I was born and I haven't stopped yet.

I am a music lover. I know a ton of songs and have basically grown up on music, from REM to Taylor Swift to Owl City to Michael W. Smith. I'm always singing, it just isn't always out loud.

I am 50-75% British. I can do the accent, say the slang, and I love drinking tea. I drink it all day, from my morning cup of Earl Grey to the two or three cups of regular tea I drink with my mom in the afternoon, while doing school or watching 24.

I am a writer. I write and write and write. My passions, my anger, my sadness are among the feelings I express in my writing.

I am shy. I'm often the one on the outside of groups, listening to what people say but never talking. I'm the one who listens to the problems and woes and amounts of homework. I may offer a quiet suggestion to help with your problem but most likely I'll listen.

I am cyberschooled. All of what I learn happens on the computer. I get so many questions (like: do you even do anything all day? answer: yes, of course I do, and why are you homeschooled? answer: I am not homeschooled, and I like it and feel like I do better in this school enviroment.) and so many looks (like: woah, is that kid mentally challenged? answer: no....). I feel like the stupid kid when I'm with other people, only due to the fact that they seem to associate "stupidness" with "homeschooled." I am not stupid, but when people make me feel like I am it hurts. Deep.

I am sometimes very depressed. I can spend hours in my room crying over a heart that's been hurt more times than its owner can remember by people the owner believed were friends.

I am tall. I have nearly reached 5'10. Sometimes I wish I was a lot shorter. Sometimes I get picked on for being this tall. Short people sometimes get mad at me for it. I really did not choose my height. I just kept growing after many people stopped.

I am excluded. I don't know why, or how the "popular people" always find me to pick on and leave out. I hate being left out. I've cried about that before too. Cried and cried and cried.

And finally...

I am human. I'm a human who makes mistakes and isn't perfect. I'm not afraid to admit it. I make the same mistakes you do, I'm not always as nice to my family as I wish I was, and I don't always include everyone. The one thing I do know I am not is a hypocrite. It kills me inside to see the very people who have bullied and excluded me stand up and say how they feel excluded and bullied and we should all try not to do it, and then glare at me or not talk to me even when I try to reach out.

My name is Emily. Have you met me? If not, I'd love to meet you.

The Silence of the Night

Hi, guys! Here's a short story I wrote a few weeks ago that you may enjoy. Hope you like it!
~Emily

                                                                                                                                    

            I’m laying in my bed, listening to the sounds around me. Silence. That’s all I hear. Before now, just weeks ago, I would have heard the radio going. Mum and Dad would have been laughing at some program. I might have even been awake with them, doing my homework but not really concentrating. The streetlights would have been on, cars rumbling happily down the lane, happy to be driving somewhere.

            Of course, that’s the old London now. The London we have to live in right now is dark and defensive, almost expecting bombs to pour out of sky at any moment, breaking the fragile peace we have right now.

            I wish this wasn’t happening, wish the Nazis hadn’t decided to start this. Why did they decide this was the place they wanted? Why do some people believe the world isn’t something to live in, you have to take it over too?

            I hear a noise, creaking floorboards. My parents are going to bed, making as little noise as possible. They weren’t the kind of people to creep around before this happened. My dad would stride places, hands in his pockets, back straight. He wore a lot of suits and worked in a bank. My mum wore flowered dresses and was always cheerful, always humming some tune from the radio. Some nights, I’d hear them dancing together, swaying back and forth to the crooning pouring from the radio. I longed to join them, with a boy of my own.

            The house is quiet now, much too quiet. There is no radio pouring swing music into the living room, my father and mother are in bed. My mum cries much more now, too much. My dad creeps around, tiptoeing on the thin ice the Nazis have put over the city. And the silence of the night breaks my heart.