Another Letter

How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You'd never take a walk with me.
Would you?

- Pink, Dear Mr. President

- - -

This letter is to my Calfornia Congressman.

Dear Congressman,

I’m a 17 year old junior. I recently visited Washington DC through the Close-Up Program. I had the experience of a lifetime where I met kids from across the states, explored all the memorials, and debated domestic issues. On Wednesday, May 19^th, all Close-Up students had a Capitol Hill Day. Close-Up had arranged meetings for us with our respected senators and congress men and women. Foothill students met with Senator Boxer and Feinstein’s staffers, and were severely disappointed to learn that a meeting was not arranged with you. You represent a good majority of our town, and we were looking forward to meeting with you. Rumors said that you didn’t want to meet with us; others said that you were out of town. Whatever the case may be, I’m also disappointed that you were present or willing to be present.

Through Close-Up, we learned that America’s youth has a voice. We have a voice, and we are seldom heard. Close-Up wants to break down those barriers that restrict us from becoming involved. If you met with us, you’d understand as well. To the other staffers, as well as to Congressman Stark (who was the replacement for you), Foothill students posed many intelligent questions. What’s your opinion on the stimulus package? Where’s the morality in Arizona’s new immigration law? Do you support affirmative action? What about “don’t ask, don’t tell”? Should gays have equal rights? Where do you stand on the gun ban proposition? Should the DREAM act for immigrant children be passed? What’s your plan for the Louisiana Oil Spill? Do you place all the blame on BP? As a congressman, what charities are you openly involved with?

This past week at Close-Up has inspired me to become more involved in these issues facing Americans. I’m considering interning for a congress man or woman in the future, and you may just see me working on the Hill one day. America’s youth have a voice, and while Congressman Stark and our senators’ staffers listened, you did not. Please take this into consideration next time you are given a chance to meet with some of today’s youth. As they say, today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders.

Thank you,

Megan

17 years old

California

Parenthood TV Show

And may you never love in vain

And in my heart you'll always remain

Forever young, forever young

- - -

Letter I emailed to the producers of Parenthood:

Hi there,

I'm a 17 year old junior in California. Junior year is known as the most stressful in high school, and that's true. Yet, I still make time every week to watch Parenthood.

I wanted to thank the show's creators, producers, writers, and cast for diagnosing Max with Asperger's. I volunteer a lot with kids with Autism (an ongoing sports program called E-Soccer and a summer camp called Exceptional Needs Network). I'm also looking into a career to help autistic kids and hopefully find a cure someday soon. My friends don't understand what drives me to work with autistic kids, and they don't see how they inspire me. Through Max on Parenthood, I know there are tons of viewers across the country who are learning more and more each week about these kids. They're special, and they deserve the world. Thank you so much for opening America's eyes to the beauties and wonders of autistic kids.

Megan

17 years old

PS The mom of a child with Asperger's shared this with me: AUTISM= Always Unique Totally Intelligent Sometimes Mysterious

PROM.

It's gonna be a night to remember

Come on now, big fun

It's gonna be the night to last forever

We'll never ever ever forget

- A Night To Remember, HSM3

- - -

Junior Prom is in two days. TWO DAYS! It's crazy how time flies. Growing up, you always talk about prom. (Note: not ball. always, always prom). You pick out what you're going to wear, imagine the limo, dream up the guy, plan the parties, etc. And now it's here.

When my old next door neighbor (she now graduated college) was going to prom, I would go sit in her bedroom and watch her and all her friends get ready for prom. Then I'd go back to my house and watch from the window as her date showed up. And later, as the limo pulled in and all the kids went inside, laughing and smiling. I couldn't WAIT to go to prom.

Now prom is on Saturday. I have my dress. I have my shoes. The boutonniere will be ready tomorrow. I have a pedicure appointment Saturday morning. And my cousin's coming over to do my hair later that day. We're going to take pictures at a friend's house, where they are also serving dinner. At prom, appetizers and desserts will be served; but I think eating will be scarce. Then after, there's between 6 and 13 girls coming over for a midnight breakfast and sleepover. All girls this time, so we can gossip about our dates and boys and so forth. I'm looking forward to it. :)

We have family friends who are coming over to see me get ready before prom. It's going to be so weird, seeing the nine-year-old girl watch in awe (or so I hope) just I used to do. We grow up way too fast. I'm going to Junior Prom!! It's still incredible to think about.

Corruption and Concerts

Rain makes corn,

Corn makes whiskey,

Whiskey makes my baby

Feel a little frisky

-Rain Is a Good Thing, Luke Bryan

- - -

That's it. My friends (and my mom) have officially corrupted me. I have now been converted into a country music loving hillbilly. I hate to admit it, but it's true. Well, I still won't listen to the full-out, honky-donk stuff. That will never happen. I cannot even believe I'm actually enjoying country music.

I just bought over $30 worth of country songs after the Hot Country Nights concert. Oh! The concert! Let's recap of that night...

• we ended up taking BART with my cousin. (I won 2 free tickets, go figure). There was a creepy gangster guy who was checking Meg out the entire time. So funny
• we were, like, the youngest people in the MUSH POT by about 4 or so years
• everyone was drinking. it made me wish that I was legal. a little...
• we quickly made friends. this (totally wasted) girl named Alley came over to us and had us pose with her poster that said "Smile, it's for facebook". Then she thrust her beer, and some other guys' into our hands because we'd "look cooler". So we smiled and took the picture. then she took the beers away, don't worry
• Michelle Branch was the first up. She was pretty good; sang a lot of her old songs
• we had some nice cowboy-hat-wearing men in front of us. one kept leaving and coming back every 10 minutes. it got annoying
• somebody spilled their beer on Casey. poor Casey
• Luke Bryan is gorgeous and hilarious
• I knew most of Blake Shelton's songs
• there was a guy on weed in front of us who was pretty entertaining...
• gotta love dierks bentley
• someone else threw their beer at casey. apparently she's a magnet
• i had a lot of fun for my first country concert. converted to country? guilty.

Now I have to go finish making my t-shirt for country concert #2: Taylor Swift!

PS Note how many times I used "C" words, all on accident. corruption. concert. country. cowboy. casey. convert.

Junior Year Sucks.

I'm flat on the floor

With my head down low

Where the sky can't rain on me anymore

-Flat on the Floor, Carrie Underwood

- - -

Who's ready for summer? I know I am. At least Spring Break starts on Thursday. It's a much-needed hiatus (SAT word!) from school, even though I know I'll have a lot of homework that week. Junior year is so time consuming, stressful, and busy. Junioritis is a thousand times worse than Senioritis for sure. There's so much more to worry about when you're a junior. In case you're interested for some odd reason, here's what I'll be doing the rest of the school year. I have no free weekends until the end of junior year.

Apr 3- country concert with my besties!

Apr 4- easter (obviously)

Apr 5-7- college tours

Apr 10- ACTs

Apr 11- Taylor Swift concert for my birthday prezzie

Apr 17- Prom! (already one of the most stressful days of the year)

Apr 24- this weekend is technically free. but I'll probably do something for my birthday one night

Apr 30- my 17th birthday!

May 1- SAT subject tests

May 2- church confirmation rehearsal

May 4- youth court

May 7- AP USH exam & church confirmation

May 8-9 - AP study weekend. I will be locking myself in my room

May 10- AP Psych class final

May 11- AP Psych exam

May 16-21 - Close Up (school trip to DC!)

May 28-June 1- Five day weekend, probably doing something...

June 5- SATs

June 9-11 - Finals

June 9- dance dress rehearsal

June 12- dance recital

And amongst all of this, I have AP USH review sessions (2x a week), dance (3x a week), and confirmation class (3x a month). Can you say D-E-A-D?

Dancing Through Life (Why I Dance)

Dancing through life

Mindless and careless

Make sure you're where less trouble is rife

-Dancing Through Life, Wicked

- - -

I dance. I compete in jazz, actually. I take 4 classes a week, 3 days at the studio. 2 Ballets, 1 jazz, and a competition rehearsal.

I guess I'm kind of new to this whole "dance" thing. I mean, I danced when I was little, like I'm sure every girl in America did. I quit when I was about 7 years old. In 8th grade, I started dancing again; jazz and tap. Freshman year, I did competition team at my studio. Last year, I chose not to compete because my team friends quit as well. I missed it so much, and now I'm doing company again. The season's almost over, and I know I won't be competing senior year. Company's changed since I was last in it and it doesn't have the same excitement it used to. I'll still take classes for sure though. Why? Let's see...

Because I started dance later on in life, I was always slightly behind. I missed those key 5 years or so where girls my age really became dancers. Nonetheless, I loved dance and kept through it. Even now, I'm definitely not the best in class; but I'm definitely not the worst. There's something about dancing that simply captivates me. The way you tell a story through your body is remarkable. There's a quote I once read that said "Dancing is the language of the soul" or something like that.

One of the reasons I went back and forth with competition team is because I love competing. (Sounds simple, right?) I love the "good" nervous I get when I wait backstage before we go on. I love walking onstage when my dance is called. I love the bright lights blinding you in the eyes. I love the beginning of the music, when you look up and smile from ear to ear as the audience is watching you. I love watching the judges' expression as I dance my heart out in front of them. I love the plastered smile on my face the entire dance. I love the way all the moves come together perfectly in sync with the other dancers on that stage. I love, when the music stops and I take a small bow, the applause that erupts from the audience and judges. I love walking offstage and panting because I can't breathe. Yet, I can't stop smiling after a great performance.

It's a feeling that is so euphoric, so exhilarating, and so exhausting at the same time that you can't help but love it. When I stopped competing after my first year there, I missed that feeling so much. It's hard to describe. I still have that feeling now when I compete, but the rest of dance; the classes, the girls, the attitudes have changed and it's not the same.

Nonetheless, that's why I dance. I can't get enough of being on that stage with the lights and the smiles and the makeup. What can I say? I'm a dancer at heart. :)

I'm No Superman

But I can't do this all on my own.

No, I know.

I'm no Superman, I'm no Superman.

-Superman, Laslo Bane (Scrubs theme song)

- - -

I realized that I never really discussed my blog in general. The web address is "crandamonium", as I hope you've noticed. A word that I'm pretty sure I've coined. It kind of describes my life; crazy + random + pandaemonium.

I'm going to try and actually keep up with this blog. I usually make them, then quit soon thereafter. But this one might actually endure my insane life as a high school junior (aka Hell Year. I'm pretty sure all my teachers got together in August to make sure none of us students had a life outside of school this year).

Every post will start with song lyrics. Simply because music makes the world go round. And it's the perfect remedy to life. Whether you're upset, ecstatic, nervous, mad, happy, sick, or just bored, there's music to accompany your mood.

Belated Welcome!