Yellow, as in Corn

It's a well-known fact that corn is yellow. It is a little known fact that my best friend's mom's college friend's favorite color is yellow. In fact, these facts have nothing to do with each other other than the fact that I met this woman (Let's call her Ginny) on the same day I went in a corn maze.
Now, Ginny wasn't the brightest crayon in the box.
In fact, she was closer to the other end of the spectrum.
As I joined my friend's family in their car to journey to Lewin Farms, Mrs. D told me that she'd already received four calls from Ginny asking about directions.
"It's easy enough," Mrs. D stressed. "Just go straight, turn right, fork left, bear right, and it's there! I just told you them once, now, and I bet you could direct me there."
My friend and I looked at each other and then just chose to smile and nod. I can't direct you to Lewin Farms.
But it was comical, the way Ginny called two more times before we even got there, once to ask if she should use her GPS and another to proclaim she was supposed to be there forty minutes ago and she was exhausted.
"Where are you?" Mrs. D asked her in a voice one might use to calm down an angry toddler.
"By the Tanger Outlets," a tinny voice replied.
The Tanger Outlets are, indeed, forty minutes past where Ginny was supposed to turn left. Or fork left, who knows.
We arrived at Lewin Farms at about the time Ginny turned around and began the long drive back. Unfortunately, we were a little lost ourselves. We had gotten to Lewin Farms alright-but there seemed to be a great lack of orchard and an abundance of corn.
A staff person directed us farther down the road, "Go to the intersection and turn," she said. Which way was unclear.
Left seemed good, but all we found was a peach farm. Peaches are not exactly in harvesting mode during the autumn months.
But we did find a friendly guy who told us that Lewin Farms has an orchard back where we should have turned right at the intersection. We piled in the car and received (Surprise, surprise) another call from Ginny.
She was at the first farm, the corn one, and we drove back to fetch her, and take on her and her daughter in our car. This seemed like the safest way to get everyone to the orchard.
It was a relief when we all ventured out into the orchard as a group, the ditsy Ginny trailing a little behind, munching on pretzels shaped like bats and pumpkins. There was only one thing missing. The apples.
It was back into the car and to the first farm for this very disorganized clan.
"Corn Maze should take about twenty minutes," the woman running the ticket stand said.
My friend and I ran off in the other direction, finding a dead end but not caring, just wanting to get away from Ginny and the others.
About half an hour later they emerged. My friend and I had gone out the way we came in, having given up after reaching the edge of the corn field.
"Wow! You girls must be really good at directions!" Ginny commented.
"We just have an innate sense of judgement," I shrugged. That sense of judgement told us we'd never reach checkpoint five, and so we had high tailed it out of there.
Next on our Fall Day of Fun checklist was roasted corn, which I politely declined. We ventured into a farmer's market, where we bought apples-and lost Ginny and her daughter.
"Go back inside and find Ginny," Mrs. D told us.
"How many times," my friend asked, "can one woman get lost?"
After locating Ginny, we told her we would wait for her just outside the market. About ten minutes later she emerged. I smiled at her, thinking she'd seen me, but she continued to walk right past us-I could have reached out and touched her-with a dazed look of bewilderment on her face.
"Ginny! Over here!"
"Oh!" She laughed. "I see you now!"
It was at that point, nearly five hours after I first joined them, that we all decided it was time to go home.
We lingered in the parking lot, waiting for Ginny to follow us in her car.
"Oh, you don't have to wait for me, I can find my way!" Ginny called out as she got into her small car.
Parting words aren't usually ironic, but I'm pleased to say that these were.
We got a call from Ginny twenty minutes later.

Nah. But it'd be funnier if we did.;)


~Katelyn

Face the Music

When you were little, I bet you had that one color that your mom would dress you in all the time, either because you wore hand-me-downs and red was your brother's favorite, or your mom decided HER little girl was going to be the one wearing the green dress on Easter, as opposed to all the little girls in floral.
I don't think I really had that. I wore a mismatch of clothing. There's a picture of me wearing a god-awful sweater (A lovely striped number in magenta, yellow, and bright blue) over a white turtleneck, and my hair is short and I look like a boy. A pitiful, un-stylish boy.
But the color I loved as a kid (And only sometimes admitted to liking) was always pink.
Most of my friends liked blue. They were rebellious. They were cool.
I liked pink.
But I stayed quiet, I learned to love blue as well, and now when I think back on my favorite colors as a kid (Ranging from peach to peeled-grape green to even clear) I realize that pink was always a second or third place.
Not a gaudy pink. Not a pink that stands up, gets in your face, pops a pink bubble and then sashays away in a flurry of sequins. More like a ballet slipper pink. The new blush of a baby. That sort of pink.
And since I'm feeling sort of nostalgic today and in awe of the fact that I'll be sixteen in a few days, I've decided that light pink is today's color. Monday's anthem-well this Monday at least-is the color worn by baby girls across the nation.
Yesterday I went to the college fair at a coliseum. There were over 700 colleges there, and thousands upon thousands of students and their parents. Not a very good place for a claustrophobic. Luckily I'm not one. I did feel a little uncomfortable as I was sloshed around by waves of people, smacked by plastic bags filled with brochures, and transformed into a common grocery store item as each college booth scanned my "Bar code" to attain my information. It was so OVERWHELMING. Not just in the sense that "Oh my goodness, I am actually going away to college in a year or so. This is a little weird!" But also in the sense of "Did that guy mean to punch me in the rib cage, or was he shoved by the woman in the track suit?" It was kind of funny (and weird) when my mother and I stopped by a California school's booth. "Oh no!" my mom cried. "You are not going to school in California!" I laughed and grabbed a pamphlet. (I felt sorry for the guy behind the table-he looked lonely) The thing is, we hadn't MEANT to stop by that booth. I had #716 highlighted because it was marked for creative writing, although we had been only looking at New England schools. Maybe it was fate!...or a mistake on my part.
Today in chorus, my teacher handed out the first page to a piece we might be learning, and I almost started crying and laughing and hugging anybody who was near me. It was Billy Joel's And So it Goes, which my choir from two years ago had sung at a competition. Not gonna lie, there's a cupboard full of memories piled up like cereal boxed behind that song. And when she started teaching it to us, I looked around the room to see the faces of other kids who had been in my old choir, wistful and giddy to be singing something that felt like an old friend. A bit awkward, though, was the moment in which I realized I would be singing the soprano part to this song. (I used to be an Alto)  I think it will be an interesting experience, though. It's an old song, but a new part. And I can't wait to learn it.
On a very different note (Not to be punny) if one day I become a celebrity, and am faced with the task of naming my children bizarre and bewildering names, I had pulled a few obscure ones from the internet and various books and I've decided. Marlin, Alaska, and Kismet shall be my celebrity children. You know, if that ever happens. If not, I can always name my dogs/fish/various other pets those wonderful little names.
Now it's time to get back to reality, or face the music, shall we say, and bid adieu to this lovely bit of prose in order to jump into my history assignment. I must read Thomas Paine's Common Sense. I hear it's a good read. I'm excited.
To make it a little more interesting, though, I'm going to look at it with a wary eye. Pretend I'm a loyalist and this pamphlet is supposed to tear me away from my homeland. I think that's how my history teacher wants us to look at it. I'm not sure, though. The man practically talks in solely riddles and rhetorical questions.
So long, fare well, *German/Austrian word I do not know* adieu!
~Katelyn

Green...#GoForth

Today is forest green because I’m sick :(

Nah, that’s not the only reason.

Today is green because the desks in my physics classroom are green, and it is upon that surface I want to lay my head down in defeat and finally admit that I don’t get I, I’m not the smart blond, and sometimes science just doesn’t make sense. But I’m not giving up without a fight, and for me that means at least one more quiz. At least one more topic.

Today is green because I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday and the room was painted like under the sea and as I got my flu shot, a little green fish was smiling at me. (Hey that rhymed…maybe I should consider poetry? Hah, no) And that little green fish was still there as I found out I have a slight curve to my spine and will have to get an X-ray for the second time in my entire life. The first time was when I had an odd, inexplicable pain in my toe that lasted for months and then mysteriously went away like Mary Poppins.

Today is green because I’m jealous of all those writers and bloggers who have the time and dedication to write or post every day. Maybe someday I’ll be able to sit down for three hours and simply WRITE, but as of now I’m just happy that I could crank out four pages of who knows that that sort of sounded pretty and I could label as “half of a short/medium/possibly long story”.

Today is green because my tissue box is green, and it’s been my conjoined twin ever since I got home. People look at you funny if you walk around school with a tissue box, so I use those cute little packets until I can go home and carry around this apparently lumbering and ostentatious cardboard box. I swear, it’s been three hours and I’m almost finished with the whole thing.

Today is green because the senior who made me a shirt chose a green one, and I love it, it’s beautiful and I’ll be so happy to wear it tomorrow. I just really hope I don’t get stickered. At my school, the seniors do this obnoxious ritual where they take stick labels with horrendous things written on them and stick them on unsuspecting underclassmen. Last year I was spared. But this year, I’m a half an inch taller, and hey they might notice me now. Better watch my back.

Today is green because I wish I was upstate in the mountains, with all that lovely nature stuff around me like trees and grass and wildlife. Firstly, because it is gorgeous up there and freeing and all those lovely things. Secondly, because that would mean I wouldn’t have to go to school tomorrow, or next week for that matter, and I could instead sleep for about forty days and forty nights (a good solid number, just ask anyone) and feel a heck of a lot better.

Today is green because…eh, I’m done with that. There’s this MAGNIFICENTLY AMAZING COMMERCIAL I would like to share with you. Normally, I detest commercials as much as any self-respecting TV-watcher. When I’ve already decided to take the time out of my schedule to pencil in a hearty episode of Modern Family or whatever I don’t need to sit around watching moms pour detergent onto polo’s and watch the stains magically erase.  But THIS commercial, this Levi Jeans commercial, shocked me because in the background, instead of playing some sort of indie elevator music, it had something that resembled slam poetry.

I can remember my first night at writing camp, way back when in June, where everyone followed this super friendly girl from New Jersey up into her dorm room to watch slam poetry on YouTube. I had always liked it, appreciated it, and because I am both a writer and a performer and this was undoubtedly a pretty good combination of the two.  And since hearing slam poetry preformed in all the brilliant and exhilarating ways that YouTube had to offer, I’ve liked it even more.

So hearing it in the background of this made me smile. :)

I hope you liked, or at least found it interesting.

~Katelyn

Orange You Glad?

Corny jokes are one of my specialties, even though they aren't as appreciated as you might think.
I was picturing today as being one of those crisp fall days. I wanted to wear a striped sweater, and be all comfy, and I was in the mood for apple cider. But it wasn't meant to be.
See, today's Orange day was orange like...a traffic cone, or a reflector thing on a bike, and it was just a tad bit in-my-face. I realized I needed to change my outlook on this whole Junior year thing, and fast, or I am going to start off running and then fly off the edge of the "Cliff of Failure" somewhere around January.
Okay! So, my problems are, as follows:
PROCRASTINATION
I can't remember the last time I sat down when I got home and actually did my homework. Because let's face it, there's this beautiful thing out there called the *Internet* and it's got it's silvery gates spread wide as soon as I turn on my laptop. Now I know everyone procrastinates, and it shouldn't bother me, because I'm not as bad as some people, but there's anther little issue.
I HATE STUDYING

It is a wonder, a miracle I have been as fortunate in school as I am. I never really study. I'll try to study for science, but basically I flip through notes, do the worksheets, and pray I remember everything. And math...okay, I think it's been proven that you cannot study for math. Besides all that, there are some other pressing issues.
FOOD
Food, glorious food...Sorry, I told you there'd be theater here. Today I ate REALLY kind of healthy. I had an apple. And a banana. And a fiber/protein bar. But then there was pizza for dinner and it all went to pieces.

So, now that I've had all these epiphanies, I'd like to praise TLC for making yet ANOTHER reality TV show that we don't need but love anyway. That's right, I'm talking about Breaking Amish. 
a) I thought the Amish were supposed to be nice, but these girls seem just as catty as any other girl on television and real life. 
b) I also was under the impression that the Amish were allowed to leave for a year to discover themselves and have the illusion of being rebellious. Did these four already leave and come back, and now are heading out into the world again? Are they really that indecisive?
and
c) They're in the city now. Why not put on some new clothes? Are they washing them every night...or are they as shocked at the prices of detergent as they were at those of the steaks? I guess I'll have to stay tuned and find out.

Alright, I really wanted to share some more writing, and even though it's another poem-and I used to stay clear of all poetry-this is also my character bio for the show. I picked a name for my fairy! Amaryllis:) I love how it sounds, and I bet it'll be a lot nicer as a character name and NOT the name of one of my future daughters. I apologize as this one is just as corny and rhyming, but some people found it cute. Enjoy!

Amaryllis am I, and I am a fairy

Dainty and light, and allergic to dairy

I do have a sister; they call her Tink or Bell

If you know Peter Pan, you must know her well

This sister of mine is in quite the fix

She’s trapped in Hook’s ship with a lock and no picks

So it’s into the woods that I must fly

Trying to be valiant, and never to cry

For as a small fairy I can get very scared

But I’ve brought some of my friends, they’re always prepared

My sister does need me—though she is quite the floozy

And the thought of a giant does make me quite woozy

Into the woods without delay

And hoping not to lose my way

A compass, a map, I think I’m all ready

Though I dare say my wings aren’t so steady

I’ll fly into the woods to save Tinkerbelle

And get my adventures written in a story, as well

"You is kind, you is smart, and you is important." [Kathryn Stockett, The Help] 

^Read this book!

~Katelyn

Feeling Purple

Purple.

I wore this amazing purple skirt today that I adore, and got so many compliments on, that it made me really happy even though today was bittersweet.

For all those out there who actually read this thing, you should know I recently was cast in my school's musical. WHOOPEE FOR ME. Actually, I am really excited. The only thing is, I would have been only about a bazillion times more excited if I had gotten cast as Little Red Riding-hood.  

Maybe I let myself get a little carried away at the prospect of getting to scamper around stage in a red cape. But it didn't help that my friends reassured me it'd all work out in the end.

I am a modest person. 

I don't let myself get carried away. I don't ask for the spotlight. I LOVE sharing the spotlight. Here, take some for yourself! And you, and you, and hey-why not-you too! I'm like Cady Heron at the end of Mean Girls when she throws bits of plastic crown out to the crowd. That's me. 

So today we had our first rehearsal. A lot of my posts will have a LOT to do with theater, sorry if you're not a theater person, but it takes up a majority of my life. But don't worry! We can do lots of fun things on here, like review books and movies and take stupid quizzes and watch funny videos! Yay! 

And I mean, if you don't like that, Nay-Sayers gonna Nay-Say, that's what I say. 

Sooooo purple. Purple is apparently a royal color. It's luscious and ludicrous and a lot of those flowing type of words. Speaking of flowing words, I need a fairy name (I'm a fairy in the show now) and it's supposed to be ethereal and all that jazz.

I wanted to be Tinkerbell.

However my director was worried about copyrighting (who cares if my unpublished cast biography has Tinkerbell on it, I don't know) and so I need something else. Ideas, anyone?

Feel free to comment, all you viewers. All you FANS. WOW I really feel like my writing is reaching the people! Yay, literature! I told you I could do it, Mom.

And hey, that's another thing. I feel like purple is a very inspiring color, and I certainly felt inspired today. Purple days are kind of like a fuzzy socks day mixed with lots of candy. Like caramel chews, fuzzy socks, and loads of smiling. That's what a Purple day feels like.

On a slightly different note: What would you think if I posted some original work here? Nothing major...wouldn't want to post anything I could see myself publishing in print one day...just a few little blurbs and poems here and there. 

Oh, haha, just kidding you don't really get a choice. Here's a poem I wrote and I adore, it's about a boy, of course. Purple days are strong, but they can be wistful. Like today I thought about this guy who I haven't heard from in a really long time. He just floated up into my brain like a bubble and popped, leaving this boyish fuzz in my head. ANYWAY.

This Poem is Terrible, and so are YOU

Take a look in the mirror

Small head, squinty eyes

I wish your nose would blow up

To the size of your thighs.

Take a look at your love life

It’s lacking, I’m sure

And your one shot at love

Just walked out the door.

Take a look at our friendship

And look what you did

Your oblivion is heart-wrenching

I hope you are eaten by a giant squid.

Now take a look at this poem

It’s, awful I know

But take another look in the mirror…

Now THAT’S the most awful thing I know!

Thank you, y'all have a nice day.

~Katelyn

The Verdict for Today is Grey

Okay, so this is it. My first blog post. And I hate to say it, because it's awful to think, but today is definitely a Grey day. I'm laying on my bed, with white papers spread around me, a tissue box because I now have a cold (what else) and a looming sense of procrastination.
The Scarlet Letter is not fun. Sorry to all you die-hard Hawthorne fans-if you exist-but the best part about the book was when I finally got to the end. Actually, I never got to the end. But when I stopped reading, that was pretty exhilarating. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE literature. I'll read Flannery O'Connor and Tennessee Williams until the cows come home. However, spending my last day of freedom writing a drab journal about Hester's little mishap is not entertaining in the least bit.
My weekend has been kind of all ups and downs, I was disappointed and then kind of floating along until I landed on a Grey day. I visited a college and was thrown for a loop after a two hour long conversation with my mother and aunt about EFC (Expected Family Contribution), state schools versus private, and if I'll end up living wherever I go to school. CRAZY stuff.
If I could be doing anything right now, it'd definitely be, well, almost anything but this.
Grey days are depressing and they sink down into you and stay there all day, like you just had a bucket full of Chinese food and now you'll be full until next week. (Oh, hey, that actually DID happen.)
There are some good things about Grey days, though. Grey days are perfect for:
1. Reading something for FUN. Yes, that totally exists. Just grabbing any book and sitting next to a window, where outside it looks like someone put the world in a plastic bag, because the light is just white and everything's dim. I recommend, if you want to cry, anything by Jodi Picoult. Grey days are perfect for courtroom drama and misunderstandings and plot twists.
2. Drinking tea. Or hot chocolate.  But not coffee. Even though I really like coffee and other coffee-flavored items, today is a day for wallowing in whatever mood you're in. Not buzzing around the house because it's too gross outside to go anywhere.

3. Listening to this. Or songs like this. 
I absolutely love his voice and this song, and I used to listen to it every night before I went to sleep because it was simply soothing. Parachute is also great for Grey days.
4. Taking off nail polish. Painting nails requires energy and bubbliness and sunshine and happy music. It means you have to be in the state of mind where you can pick the most cheerful and trendy color out of your polish collection and slap it on your nails like you were born to do it. But if you, like me, hate taking nail polish off, then today might be a great day to do it. Because, hey, you're not going anywhere and that nail polish is only going to chip.

Ugh. So, today is like a Sunday, because there's school tomorrow and I am not used to waking up at 5:45 in the morning. There are two good things about public schools in comparison to private schools. No uniforms, and we get off for all holidays.
But this concludes my very first post.
Bye:)
~Katelyn