Rock the Wall

Hay everyone!

For starters I'm starting to get in to an argument with my itunes. I think how lucky I am to have so many close friends it plays 'my friend misery' and 'nobody likes you'. I wonder how John (a guy from the navy I met in an airport that took me out to eat.) is doing, it plays the 'single ladies' and 'single 07 mix' fallowed by 'got to find you'. I wonder about band, it plays 'drummer boy'. I sit down to do homework and put my nose back to the grind stone, it plays 'dancing through life.'

Really itunes?

Any way back to the point of the post. Yesterday I competed at JMU at a rockwall show down....when I only found out the day before that I was going. Yeah, I hadn't been able to pay to go so WAC sponsored me for a HOP trip.

And JMU's wall eats ours for lunch! It's all natural mountain cliff locking with cracks and little cliffs and spots. And it has a boldering cave built into the side! What the heack!? Come on Hollins, we need to upgrade out wall!

Anyway I competed in the beginner level, and in order to make the skill of the climber you couldn't just scurry up the wall. Oh No! You must use the routes! they were all numbered 1-12. The skill leval of the routs were also 5.0 to 5.12ish. I thought 2 ment 5.o2. No.

It was the hardest wall in my class! I went on that one first! Gurrrrr. Didn't make it to the top, but when I got stuck on the tiny cliff I was 2 thirds of the way up so I got points for that. I then went on to rout 6. I could have made it up that one but I couldn't see the other little rock that I needed to put my foot on! And it was the same move I use to get up clock on our wall! It was the same wall gymnastic splits I do ever other night! If I had just seen that little rock!

I should now mention that I was only allowed to fall five times before I had to stop climbing for points, and every time I fall I have to come all the way down and pick to start again or move on.

So I climbed about and after my 5 falls I scurried up a few walls for the fun of it. Their wall is really fun to just climb when your not mentally cursing the colored tape and rocks, and then you can get up to the top of alot of them. Still couldn't get up the wall that had 2 on it! Next year I will have my revenge on wall 2!!

I think it was two that gave me the scrapes and bruises on my knees, and we we're forbidden to paw the wall with our foot, or put any weight on our feet outside of marked areas, such as rocks or boxed off peaces of wall, I I used my knees. Not sure what wall cut my fingers, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was 2. They all made my hands hate me and turn all red and sore.

I was a ton of fun and I'm so going back next year.

2 and I have somethings to settle.

(Something witty goes here)

I have now discovered the the Wonder that is working Italian into poems! Before I reveal my latest work I would like to share how my first job went.

For starters I wish I had the flexibility to give a Hot Stone Massage to myself. Am I really this good? It's so odd, I haven't been doing it for to long...but then again my friends are completly willing to help me practice. They seem to almost encourage it. hurmmmm..... anyway My first costumer was Kayla and she was having the 20 minuet Hot Stone rub ($5), and with me the 20 is more of a I look at the clock and go 'oh, time to start wrapping up.' so it's more like 25 minuets. She said it was really good and enjoyed the whole thing and:

She Tipped me! a hole dollar!!!! Do you realize how much that is in a collage economy!?

So far my playlist of soft pretty music I play has gotten positive reviews from everyone, as has the style I use. Even from the Prosbie's from Baton weekend that wanted one. I wonder is there anywhere I can go over the summer to get licensed and certified and trained and all that? I like giving them and people like them. There Mom and Dad I have a back up plan! Ta-Da!

Well now here's the poem! Enjoy!

Ma Che Merviglia

Dreamer, Fighter, Schemer

from the Castle quest.

all three Hooded

Ink Blooded.

guided by Padrone Conigilo most blest.

out to where the Campanile can’t call.

into the Forbidden maw.

through the Bones that grab and claw.

throwing open the Gate with no Door at all.

through the shadows Lupi guide the Rangers

out of the Darkness to Dance with the Fey.

protected by those, Skeletal alone,

woven together strong as Stone.

Occhi to watch for any Danger.

for the Dragons that Mock and Goad.

for the daunting scarlet Glow.

for the Train that will never Show.

for the Clouds creeping low.

all because Padrone Conigilo instructed them so.

In the Ring of Blackened earth

the Dreamer speaks with Muses.

the Fighter disarms to Laughter.

the Schemer with the spirits Dances.

and when from this Haven they must go

Padrone Conigilo sends his Stag to guide them Home.

Long time no see,

So here's my long over due post.

Classes are going grate so far. My math teacher worked music from Rent into class today and I love the way he teaches! Mondays are for people who learn through hearing it. Tuesdays are for those who need to see it. Fridays are for those of us that need it done in a fun interactive full mind in gear way. (Mundane Mondays, Workday Wednesdays, Fun Fridays).

In Creative Writing we're writing losts of poetry, here's two:

Arrivederci, Buona Fortuna

Running too fast to Fall

Yet

Not fast enough to Fly

Grass and Rock

Tree and Rain

Pass the Feather’s Breath in the wind

Racing

Racing

Racing from Fate

Still

With no Escape the

Fubacchione rides his Murder

After the Wings

After the Innocent

After the Dammed

Campione

Codardi

All the same to the Chaser of the Wings

The Chaser of the Flightless

Deaf to the pleas

Perdonatemi

Running too slow to avoid the Fall

Yet

Slow enough to Fly

Wings caught in the Net with the Silent Cry

Fubacchione the captor of All

Papa

Puttana

All sown by the scythe

Requiescat in pace

Sluggish Wings that no longer Run

Nestled by the Apple tree

Still as the Stone

And away rides Fubacchione to chase

The Racing Wings once more

And parts are in Italian! here's one from today we wrote after wandering around outside for fifteen minuets.

(insert clever tittle here)

Friends to catch you when you fall

Posing though the moment's small

Clatter of dry leaves

Racing by the forbidden lawn

The whispers between wind and plant

the echo of the hidden bird's song

the Crunch of gravel

the Wall of stone

Steps on a wooden bridge all alone

the shy Trees swaying Dance

the small, small spiked Ornaments dropped by Chance

a lazy Stream, a winding Path

a clear blue Sky that stretches vast

the Cursed arches

Empty benches

and Broken rock

the Tunnel hidden in plane Sight

Squirrels that chatter and fight

the 4 way rode

watched by the Clock that never Calls

this is Hollins spring and fall

TaDa!

Now onto other matters. Japanese is going good. Same animated sense, smaller class as a few people dropped it. Psychology is now pure lecture but it's more like a discussion and it's so thought provoking! Tuesdays and Thursdays are my work out days. I have Tai Chi at 6:30. It's fun and the names are so funny. Monk stares at the moon. Parting wild horses main. White crane spreads it's wings. and you move slow and elegant and balanced (yin yang and all), and the whole time the instructor is telling us "And this would be a blow to the neck." "This is where you would throw them to the ground, or down in general, and bring your knee up to kick them as your hands move to block or strike" If you want to know what it looks like watch the Last Airbender cartoons, and look at the water bending. It's all Tai Chi.

Well after balancing my Chi and feeling very Zen, I go straight to Fencing where I then proced to preform fling lunges, slash, attack and move very quickly. It's grate. Monday and Wednesday I have work at the rock wall so I clime that.

Now to not academic things:

I now can give, I quote, "amazing" hot stone massages. and according to Roanoke law I can charge money as long as I don't claim to be a professional, don't do inappropriate things (never planed on it), and something was there about how me and the one enjoying the hot stones must match in gender...I'm at an all girls school. So I'm good to go! Hello laundry money! the rates as they stand now is $5 for 20 minuets, and $10 for 40. this is collage so I stay affordable!

Other than that nothing much is happening....so I'll see you around.

On the Fence!

Fencing is my new sport! I love it!! For those who don't know, there are three different weapons, Foil, Epee, and Saber. I'm on Foil right now, will most likely move to Saber later. But it's a blast! All the girls are just as zany as I am, and you never eat alone if another fencer is in Moody at the same time as you!

Other than that, my first tournament is this Sunday at University of Vergina. And they mix gender so look out boys, I can stab there and it'll count as a point for me! There also, some time in the year, will be super grandparent!! Apparently these people are 80 and still beat every one...someone gets the cool grandma mug. I also can see myself being that grandma!

So wish me luck!!

HU You Know!!

Scout Camp - Day Four

Eli went white water rafting in kayaks yesterday over some class three rapids and did very well. He also took third in the camp climb off. Braden and Asa swam a mile this morning in the camp lake completing the last part of their mile swim. Right now they are cleaning up merit badges and finishing off the hanging requirements so that Friday can be just a fun day. Asa is supposed to go on a trail ride as part of his horsemanship badge. Other than that the facial hari is getting thicker and the smells from the boys is getting riper and riper.

Day three - scout camp at hump day

Well, day three is down and we are still standing. Eli went white water rafting while Braden and Asa kept rocking away at the merit badges. Braden and Asa have the mile swim in the morning and I am hoping both boys do well. It got down a little cooler last night and it was really hard to get the boys out of their cots as they werew all in deep rem sleep. But, man o man do they smell!

Scout Camp - Day Two

Well, day two went well so far. Yesterday after I posted our update Braden competed and won the lunchtime climbing challenge much to the roar of delight from his troop. The three boys are staying really busy with their activities here at camp, tomorrow Eli actually is going two hours south of camp to go whitewater rafting with the scout camp as part of his older scouts program. I went on a hike today with four other dads, ten miles up into the mountains and back round trip with no bad side effects. No injuries thus far. But then again, it is only day two.

Day one from Hale Scout Camp

Hey guys, they have wifi in the adult training center, which sounds so much better than the dark cave where the parents all hide during the heat of the day. Just wanted to let you folks know what was going on with the three amigos here at camp. Asa and Braden have decided to do the mile swim and left this morning at 0600 to start the training. Eli is doing an outward adventure program for the older scouts that will involve whitewater rafting, overnight hikes to rustic campsites (read in dump in woods here) and fly fishing. Asa has signed up for

Snow Sports (they ski on astroturf in Oklahoma, maybe the stereotypes are right)
Horsemanship
Canoeing
Archery

Braden has signed up for

Snow Sports (see note above)
Canoeing
Fly Fishing
Motorboating

I've tried to sign up for reading books and staying in shade we'll see how that goes. Check back in tomorrow and we'll try to update. Sorry no pics, the wifi will not support uploading.

Book of the Bizarre Chapter one, section one.

{By request of She who must be obeyed, here is my latest spark of insanity. enjoy}

If I was a Bug I'd be a Butterfly! If I was an explosion I'd be a firework! If I was an element I'd be fire! If I was a bird I'd be a Pheniox!

So what am I?

A PHIREWORK BUTTERFLY!!!!

They live for about 6 months then explode into tinny fireworks. But don't worry, they rise again from the *ahem* ashes. this can reproduce at lest 6 more little butterflies. They're from any where to the size of a newborn hand to an adults hand.

They like to eat dew, nectar, raw flame, and taffy. and if you get a lot of them to fly by at one it sounds like sparklers.

The best way to find one is to have a campfire cook out, the flame and smell of smores will attract many of the sparkling bugs. Be sure to have a clean jam jar with holes punched in the lid to catch one. (If you really stink at catching put a bit of taffy in the jar and wait.)

Their natural predators are flying monkeys and jackalopes, and they live just about every where out side of a 10,000 mile radius of the poler circles, concentrated in China, New Zealand, Ireland, Narnia, USA, Italy, Moscow, Middle Earth and England. They migrate through flying, wardrobes, rabbit holes, and looking glasses.

They also build nests like birds to sleep in out of string, spider silk, leaves, and grass, usawly found in dry places

First discovered by Jack F. Thaddeus in New Zealand on July 18, 1801, when one made a nest in his toy-chest. He promptly caught the bug putting it in a jam jar and fed his new pet taffy till the sad day at the end of 'Racers' life, upon witch he was baurried under the sandbox in the back yard in his favorite jam jar.

Since little Jack the Phirework Butterfly has sparked a Roman candle in the Zoology/ Biology and general world of research. Could these little critters hold the cure for cancer? an end to the energy crisis? The answer to where that little sibling disappears to for hours on end? Maybe even why jimmy cracks corn when no one cares.

Only time will tell.

Shut Up Stupid Cookie!!

Okay so yesterday was not my best day...ever.

It went bad with the yearbook. after three years of amazing books...it went icky. you could tell the staff wasn't paying attention to their work. Then I had gotten the Perfect Attendance Award all four years, if that happens the school gives you $200. I wasn't called up to get my $200. So I run to Office Ladies and apparently I only had perfect attendance my Junior Year. So I have to dig out all the award papers before I can get any thing.

So I come home not happy; Hollins (my first choice) is too far away and we can't afford the travel and I have to baby sit. Lucy ran and tore her diaper off some where and peed on the floor, while I'm cleaning that up and looking for the missing diaper Finn poos through his pants. And then we ran out of satin remover when I went to squirt it! And when I had too use the toilet there was poop on the seat!

Even more unhappy I crack open a fortune cookie from Pei Wei. 'Handle all your problems with dignity'.

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