Thoughts of a Teenage Writer

No! Not the over-writing student!

2007-06-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted so long, but I've had a ton of work to do. Grr. Homework! Ruins lives, I tell you.

I just finished my 'career explorations report' for literature. All of my friends have reports that are four or five pages long. Mine is 35 pages long. Yup. *headdesk* Well, it's double-spaced, has helpful visual aids, has a title page, table of contents and bibliography, and contains a ten-page short story I wrote (since one of the careers I was exploring was a writer - duh) but that's still - too long. But I don't know how to shorten it and I don't have the time, it's due tomorrorow.

It's funny, because last semester I turned in a sixteen-page report for Spanish when the minimum was three. This semester, the teacher imposed a maximum as well - seven pages. Everyone jokes now that thanks to me, my school will one day be famous for enforcing maximums more strictly than minumums. Ha ha.

My sister, upon seeing my 35-page report, did an 'imitation' of what the literature teacher would say: "Oh my God! 35 pages?! THIRTY-FIVE?!? I asked for a report, not a freakin' book! I'll be up all night reading this monster! Just how many careers did she decide to analyze? Twenty? I said two at most! This'll show me to ask for a minumum of four pages but not a maximum! God, why me? Why couldn't I have gotten those under-achieving students who whine when assigned two-page-long reports and essays? No, instead I have to get the over-achievers who write goddamn novels! The students who actually WANT to learn! Argh! That's it, I quit!"

Ha ha. Funny, sundance.

Oh great, she's got more to say, this time for a different lit. teacher: "What? What do you mean I've got StarSkimmer as my student for next year? Don't you want her? Seriously, you can have her. No! I refuse to have her as my student. Give me a few of the football players or blonde cheerleaders instead, please!" And then: "Okay, Starskimmer, you can be in my class, but you have to sign this contract saying that you won't turn in anything that's over 10,000 words long."

Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, sister...

History, yay...

2007-05-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

Quick update before my sister throws me off the computer. Well, I'm studying for my STAR history test tomorrow. 'Studying' as in re-reading the entire history textbook. I took world history last year, so I forgot everything, and like the procrastinator I am, I had to leave studying for the last minute. *headdesk*

And my cello and I have been reconciled. Kinda. I've gone for nearly a month without practicing regularly, only once or twice a week. Argh! I hate that. I want to practice, but when I start I just kind of stop and wander off. Oddly, this doesn't happen to me with the piano. I don't know, with the piano I'll just sit down three times a day and play for fifteen minutes or so. I don't do that with the cello. Maybe because I feel too cramped practicing in my room. Whatever. The point is, yesterday I practiced a ton, to the misery of my fingers (especially my thumb, it's killing me). Don't think I'll be able to practice today, though, because my fingers hurt just thinking about it and plus, I should be studying. *sigh*

One last thing. College: it's expensive! I just checked on how much it costs in my area, and I can't believe how much money you have to pay! Even if you go to a college nearby, it's pricey! Which is really, really bad, considering I have two younger sisters who have to go to college too. (In my family, there is no 'should I go to college or not?' decision. You go. Period.) I need to get a job. Hmm. Maybe at the supermarket; somehow, McDonalds doesn't really appeal to me. :-P

Pachelbel Rant

2007-04-30T10:47:00.001-07:00

This video rocks. Check it out.

Do I really need a title? It's not like this post has a theme, anyway...

2007-04-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

Hello again. Erm. I promised myself I'd post more regularly, but the problem with that is, I have nothing to say. Oh! Go see the very bottom of this page. Do you see the typewriter? Cool, huh? It's from sloganizer.net. It's really great, you just put in a word and they make slogans out of it, and then you can put it in your blog or webpage or whatever. I put in the word 'Stargate', even though I know that nobody here will get it, since everyone reading this is likely a cello freak, not a gatehead and cellofreak like me. *sigh* I was going to put 'cello', but my obsession for a particular sci-fi show won out (namely, Stargate Atlantis. Anyone here watch it?). Anyway, go check out sloganizer. It's worth it, I promise.

-StarSkimmer

P.S. In case you do not watch Stargate Atlantis (shame on you!) then if you want, you can click the link 'gateworld' on the side of this page, under 'Neat Sites'. It basically explains what Stargate is. (You know you want to. Just click...)

P.P.S. Okay, maybe Gateworld doesn't explain it that well. It just explains in great detail 'n stuff. In fact, I probably shouldn't tell or explain what my fav TV show is, since some people seem to be under the delusion that it is a 'junky sci-fi show'. (How dare they! Do they not realize that it is the best show in two galaxies, if not the Universe?) So anyway...just don't make fun of me. Or the show. You might have noticed that I get slightly...weird...when I talk/think about Stargate.

Grr

2007-04-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

Help! STAR testing is coming up - and I have like three days to review all of algebra 2, biology, and world history. *gasps for breath* Who knew it would be so hard to juggle all this stuff? Cello, writing, schoolwork...my poor neglected blog gets pushed to the back. And I haven't visited celloheaven in ages. *winces guiltily* I really should be doing biology right now, instead of fooling around on the computer, but...I'm still burned out from the last all-nighter I pulled, just a few days ago. Work was due, so I stayed up all night. And I was sick. Not fun.

Anyway...nothing new has happened (how is it that in my life, everything happens, but nothing at the same time? It's very strange). I've been doing this author study project - my author is Isabel Allende. She wrote this book called 'Daughter of Fortune'. It's great, everyone should read it. Well, maybe all women should read it - it's more of a girl's book anyway. *tries to imagine a guy reading it, and fails*

Okay, I'll just talk about one last thing before I leave to panic about my still-unfinished biology work. My school is small, so it's well known that I get good grades. (It doesn't matter that I don't brag about it - they check my work! Seriously, its annoying. Keep your eyes on your own grade, dudes!) People seem to have this idea that my grades are the highest in the classes, though. (I don't know if its true, because I mind my own business. Jeez.) Anyway, this one girl started bragging that she got a higher grade than me in Spanish. She had 105%. Me, I had 107.5%. I didn't think it mattered (I mean, two percent? Give me a break.) so I didn't bother to tell her I'd gotten higher. But now, of course, she's bragging about it. Grr. Maybe I should wave my grade in her face next time I see her. *grins evilly*

I'll write later, I hope.

P.S. Polo! Sorry, Madeline, I'll try to be more regular. Thanks for checking on my blog, though. It's nice to know someone actually reads this rambling nonsense.

Update

2007-03-06T11:39:00.000-08:00

Why does it seem like every time I go back here, I have nothing to say?
Well, I don't. My life is completely uneventful.
Although, today has been pretty...interesting...so far. Last night I only slept a few hours trying to get an English essay done. The teacher told us that we better bring it in, and this morning, she didn't even mention it! I would normally be frustrated, but I'm to used to her total inconsistency in assigned homework by now. Sad, huh?
What else...um, I have a ton of homework, but that's nothing new. I'm planning on entering the 'Best Moms' essay contest where I live, but I'm not telling my mom. The thesis is going to be: Why my mom isn't my best friend and why she drives me crazy, and why I'm glad she does. I mean, seriously; I've heard girls gush about how their mom is so understanding and like a best friend to lean on - well, that's not what moms are for! They're supposed to nag you to do the right thing and to stay on track, not to sympathize with your boyfriend troubles! Ugh! (Now you know why my friends say that I'm going to be one mean mother when I grow up. I take this as a complement.)
That's it for now. It's really funny, though, I love to write (as in LOVE love) but this is the order of my favorites subjects: science, math, history, psychology, Spanish, literature. Do you see how lit. is in the very back?

Saturdays = CRAZY CELLO DAYS!!!

2007-02-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

Yup, for me, Saturdays are the official cello days. First, I had to get up at 5:00 AM to start practicing. Then at 8:30 was orchestra, in which the conductor got mad at us cellists for not playing the rhythm right and coming in a beat early. (I swear it wasn't me! *looks around guiltily*) After that, I went home, practiced even more, and had a recital at 4:00. Whew. My fingertips are killing me.
Besides that, I just joined a writer's website. It's called 'Fanstory.com'. I haven't posted anything yet because I'm chicken. Maybe I'll work up the nerve sometime...(that means never, for those who don't know.)
Go to go, my parents are coming. And thanks to cellodonna for commenting, I'm so glad to find someone actually missed me!

Stuff

2007-02-06T16:46:00.000-08:00

I really have to start updating regularly. I actually made a new year's resolution to update at least three times a week - but then I got bogged down with all the schoolwork. January was really bad, I ended up staying up til midnight every night trying to get all the work done. Luckily, I think February is going to be easier...even though the bio teacher has assigned THREE chapters this week...and I haven't even started...oh well.
Let's see - nothing much new has happened, except that I took the practice CAHSEE test - the CA practice high school exit exam. And aced it! A perfect score in language arts, ninety-two percent in math. Of course, the high school exit exam is so easy a smart fifth-grader could pass it, but whatever.
And I turned sixteen. On the sixteenth of January. No presents, my parents just gave me money so I can keep saving up for a new laptop, since the one I have SUCKS. It likes to die every once and a while for no apparent reason. Although it is like six years old - still, that's no excuse. It's still good for another year, though. Maybe I should try to buy an electric cello instead. But I know zip minus one about elec. cellos, so maybe not.
I'm droning. Well anyway, just wanted to update this thing...and brag a little. C U 8er, hopefully Friday, I think.

Competitions and WEIRD Video

2006-12-23T19:28:00.000-08:00

Oookay, first of all: squee! TWO people commented! *dances around room* Guanaco: I know, that's what I do sometimes, I let myself skip another day. *bangs head against dest* Miacello: Yes, I hug my cello often, or dance with it. (Don't ask.) Thanks to both of you for commenting.

Anyway...about my cello. In my orchestra, every year there is a 'concerto competition', and this year, I thought maybe I'd try. I know I won't make it into the finals, obviously (I'm not that good) but it would be soooo cool if I got an 'honorable mention'. The piece I've choosen to play is the first movement of Concerto in C Major by Hayden. The problem? Well, it's supposed to be played at Moderato, and I'm playing it Largo. Help! No matter what I do, I can't seem to pick up the pace!

So I don't know if I can compete if I don't play at tempo. I talked with my mom (she's great, totally supports me in everything) and she says that even if I can't, the point is that it would be a good experience and in the end, I'll still be able to play a beautiful (and fairly advanced) song on cello. So I'm still deciding if I should go for it or just wait until next year.

Oh yeah....you have got to watch this video. It's - just - so weird. Go to this webpage. I promise, it's worth it....I think....
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/video/whitenerdy

I'm baaaack!!!

2006-12-16T12:26:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a while. Well, the way my teachers are acting, you'd think that I only studied THEIR subject, with all the homework they assign. I mean, jeez, we students have lives outside the classroom, ya know!!
So anyway, nothing much has really happened since I last wrote...let's see...I wrote a poem today, will post that later...I haven't had time to work on any of my fanfics...haven't had time to practice cello much *sniffs unhappily* and it's CHRISTMAS BREAK!!! YAY!!! *does happy dance*
Yup, that's all for now. Oh, and here's that poem (I think every cellist can relate to this feeling, I wrote it after not playing for a week or so *hangs head in shame):

I take out my cello
From its case
A feeling of dread prevailing;
I have not practiced for exactly
One week, two days and four hours
And an air of guilt and unwillingness
Trails behind me.
But as I take out the cello,
The scent of it reaches me;
An earthy, rich smell
that of forests and joy
And the smooth feel of it under my fingertips
Combines with the blissful sound of
its strings
And I remember again
Why I love the cello so much.

Hope you enjoyed, feedback is appreciated (although I bet nobody is reading this)

Just a Normal Day

2006-11-10T14:07:00.000-08:00

Today was pretty average. My sisters and I went over to somebody's house for a party - the actors from Stargate SG-1 (my second fav tv show) were there, and so where a few kids from my school. The house was gorgeous and enormous - it had like five floors and a huge parlor as the entrance room. Unfortunately, the five families that owned the house were actually cannibals, so they kept trying to eat us. It got pretty serious and scary to the point that Carter (character from the show) made a machine that emitted a high-frequency noise that put the cannibals to sleep. I was relieved and wanted to leave right away, but everyone else said, "No, we're safe now, why don't we enjoy this beautiful house and have a party?" I thought they were all crazy, but they started to party anyway.
I decided to leave, as I had a bad feeling about the whole thing. I grabbed one of the beds, which had large old-fashioned rolling wheels on the bottom of it. Giving it a push, I jumped on and sped down the stairs, through the hallways into the parlor room. At that moment, the cannibals started to awaken! Startled and horrified, I quickly rolled the bed outside.
Once I was out on the porch, I knew I was safe. The cannibals didn't like sunlight and wouldn't go outside. But suddenly I remembered my sisters, still partying in the house. Cursing them for their stupidity, I knew I'd have to go back for them.
Grumbling under my breath, I headed back into the house, hiding behind luxurious stuffed armchairs and expensive pieces of furniture. Stealthily I made it, mostly by luck alone, to the fifth floor where the party had been held.
It was over by now, of course. The cannibals had broken it up and eaten a few people. To my relief, my sisters were still alive, if scared silly.
I swiftly put them on another of the beds, giving it a push and hopping on as it sped through the house. We were going to make it! The make-shift travel vehicle was only a few meters away from the exit - when suddenly the cannibals leaped.
My last words were: "I told you so. I told you so. I told you so."
And then we died.
I did mention that this was a dream, right?

I'm sooo tired....

2006-11-09T19:52:00.000-08:00

Wow, people actually commented on my posts! Amazing!

Guanaco: No, don't worry, I'll definitely keep posting on celloheaven, it's too much fun to stop going there.

Miacello: Thanks for commenting, yes I love writing (although I don't know if I'll get anything published, yet.) I think I've played a few simple songs by Brahms. I'm going through the Suzuki books, and am at the last few songs of number 8. Shan't say how many years it took to get there...

Anyway... today was interesting, even if I'm now totally exhausted. 'Kay, first, I went to school - spanish class. Ese bien, un poco dificil porque tenemos un prueba. The spanish teacher showed the entire class my flashcards (for the spanish vocab words) because I always draw pictures on them - that's where my 'artist' bragging comes in, I suppose.

Algebra was so-so. At the lunch break, Bigboy (another guy in my school - he's huge, as in WAY taller than me) copied my biology homework cause he didn't do his. He, along with Niceguy, never do their bio work and always end up copying mine. This use to bother me, but not anymore. Now I just tease them about it.

Then was the bio test. And to my surprise, I think I may have passed. Despite the fact that I studied last minute. In fact, I'm sure that I at least got a B. +. Girls rock.
And then, at home FINALLY, I practiced my cello and piano. In the cello I'm working on Allegro Appassionato (probably spelled that wrong) and Elegie.

'Kay that's it. I shall now go visit celloheaven, and afterwards obey my calling as a writer. C U L8TER.

Oh yeah... and here's a poem that I wrote. I think it's cliche, but my family says it's good. Then again, they're called my family for a reason. (And no, I don't drive, and have never run away, so don't ask me where this came from.)

Horizon (copyright November 2006 - All Rights Reserved)

Flying down the deserted road
dizzyingly fast,
the speed limit is broken twice over
and I doubt a cop would even see me pass.

No idea where this road goes
Don’t know where I’m headed or
where I came from
I do know that the wind is playing with my hair
teasing me into its fierce embrace
and that wherever I came from
I’m not going back.

I turn my head, looking back to watch
as the majestic purple mountains of the west
sink down
melting into the horizon
as they are crushed down
by the weight of the endless blue sky.

And I watch
the stately white clouds float by
and the smaller brown-gray ones spring up
as the tires of the car scratch against the dirt road
spraying dust everywhere.

I look ahead
To the east horizon
where the sun is sending out its
yellow rays
so that they illuminate
the dust, the road, and even the mountains
giving the world a touch of gold and
a trace of hope.

Learning new things...

2006-11-08T15:39:00.000-08:00

WOW, I've discovered the most amazing thing!

WARNING: The next coming post will make StarSkimmer sound ignorant, and worse, geeky.
(Don't say I didn't warn you.)

You know the 'Template' part of your blog, where you make posts and whatever? Well, you can add links and edit your blog and stuff using it! That's not the cool part. The cool part is, that just by writing little things in the template, the whole blog can change! So THAT'S what computer programming is! Right? Well, how was I suppose to know? If I had, I would have actually liked computers for the last fifteen years of my life instead of trying to avoid them!
You learn something new everyday.
Oh, and I'm going to fail my biology test tomorrow, because I've spent all day fiddling with the computer instead of studying. Have a nice day.

Elections and Mercury

2006-11-08T08:28:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's only 8:40 in the morning but I have things to post. First: the election outcomes. The democrats took the house and the Senate. (Big surprise - if they didn't then you know they'd need to find a different career.) And congrats, California - you are now officially up to your eyeballs in debt! With props 1A 1B 1C and all those passing. Oh, and the proposition that would have put a tax on cigarettes? Didn't pass. The one that required parent notification before an underage minor got an abortion also didn't pass. So good for you, CA - you are now impossibly deep in debt, are continuing to kill teens' babies without the parent's knowing, and are choking on your own smoke.
Anyway...
Today, Mercury will be passing over the sun. I can't remember when - but this only happens three times a century, so is a twice-in-a-lifetime thing to see. Cool, huh? My family and I are going to track it with our telescope. Something to look forward to.

First post ever

2006-11-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

Wow! I have a blog. Amazing, really. Who knew my parents would ever let me? Not only are they strict - worse, they're paranoid. 'Pretadors and criminals are lurking at every corner' mentality.
Anyway, what to do now? My journals are probably devastated, now that I'm using this to organize my thoughts. And record my life. Whatever.
Shall I start with today? Let's see, I went to school. Had language arts class. It was... interesting. We discussed racism and prejudice...don't remember how that came up. After that I tried to write, and composed a grand total of *two* paragraphs. Pathetic, huh? But I have an excuse. Several, actually.
1) I was tired because last night I stayed up writing.
2) Niceguy (a guy, who is very nice, duh, from my class, who will not be given a name for privacy issues) was there playing cards with my little sister, and they were distracting me.
And 3) I was working on a difficult scene for a fanfic I'm writing. So far it has seventy pages. Yup. It's only four-tenths finished, though. Or two-fifths finished. So it's going to be pretty long.
Oh and I thought of an interesting story idea. I say interesting, because it's also very... depressing. I blame proposition 89 (or was it 66? maybe 98? 58, 68, 87...) the one on abortion notification for minors. (Daughter wants abortion. Parents must be notified if proposition is passed. Doesn't say anything about how parents would be able to actually STOP the abortion, unfortunately.) Basically the story would be about a teenage girl who goes and gets an abortion, and her parents are notified, but they can't do anything about it. Then of course there would be a plot of some kind where the teen struggles with her parents, yadda yadda, and probably dumps her jerk-of-a-boyfriend (I did mention the boyfriend, right?) and comes to terms with what she did. (uh, the whole killing her baby thing) Hmm, sad. This would be sadder than anything I've ever written before, but I guess I could think about it. Needs a plot, though.