The name of my favorite character from the book Everyday by David Levithan.
Excerpt: "In my experience, desire is desire, love is love. I have never fallen in love with a gender. I have fallen for individuals. I know this is hard for people to do, but I don't understand why it's so hard, when it's so obvious."
academic, adj. (see school)
I know no other life than the academic. Help.
acne, n. (see body image, faces)
I thought my acne would be gone by the time I became twenty years old. Puberty is supposed to end, and then the acne is supposed to end. Isn’t that how it works?
And yet, without fail, once a month, about a week before my female cycle (see were-wolfing) a series of zits form around my chin and mouth.
I always try to pop them. My face is a battlefield, scarred and spotted.
Africa, n.
Traveling to Africa at the age of sixteen changed my life forever.
I received the typical public K-12 schooling, used the public library, read voraciously and always kept a diary. My love of English and literature eventually incited my dream of becoming a children's librarian. Through the Running Start program, I tucked two years of undergraduate work under my belt. At Everett Community College, I was even able to receive my Associate's degree by the time I finished high school.
Only average. So I thought.
Average ceased to exist when my sixteen-year old self stepped out of a small plane and onto the tarmac of Chileka International Airport in the land of the flaming waters. That summer, my family participated in a service trip to Blantyre, Malawi. There, the opportunity arose to speak with four girls who were about my age: Caloreen, Elebe, Freely and Rebecca. We talked about their dreams of becoming nurses and teachers, and the difficulties that hindered them from achieving these goals. I saw how earnestly these girls endeavored to stay in school despite the many obstacles. After meeting them, I could no longer take my education for granted when these sisters were struggling to obtain theirs.
anomaly, n. (see school, weird)
In high school, I was the student who received the highest test grade and made the test curve higher than average. Much to the dissatisfaction of my classmates.
In college, I was the 18-year-old taking junior level classes.
In grad school, I was the little sister who liked to hang around her older siblings’ friends; they tolerated her.
anorexia, n. (see body image, EDNOS)
All of the eating disorder but none of the results. I was so desperate to be thin. To be beautiful.
I was completely jealous of anorexics.
acne, n. (see body image, faces)
I thought my acne would be gone by the time I became twenty years old. Puberty is supposed to end, and then the acne is supposed to end. Isn’t that how it works?
And yet, without fail, once a month, about a week before my female cycle (see were-wolfing) a series of zits form around my chin and mouth.
I always try to pop them. My face is a battlefield, scarred and spotted.
active, adj.
An active lifestyle is a happier lifestyle. Running half marathons. Biking 50 miles with friends. Not getting stuck in one place.
affectionate, adj. (see love, relationships)
Let me hold your hand and play with your hair and send you letters in the mail.
Africa, n.
Traveling to Africa at the age of sixteen changed my life forever.
I received the typical public K-12 schooling, used the public library, read voraciously and always kept a diary. My love of English and literature eventually incited my dream of becoming a children's librarian. Through the Running Start program, I tucked two years of undergraduate work under my belt. At Everett Community College, I was even able to receive my Associate's degree by the time I finished high school.
Only average. So I thought.
Average ceased to exist when my sixteen-year old self stepped out of a small plane and onto the tarmac of Chileka International Airport in the land of the flaming waters. That summer, my family participated in a service trip to Blantyre, Malawi. There, the opportunity arose to speak with four girls who were about my age: Caloreen, Elebe, Freely and Rebecca. We talked about their dreams of becoming nurses and teachers, and the difficulties that hindered them from achieving these goals. I saw how earnestly these girls endeavored to stay in school despite the many obstacles. After meeting them, I could no longer take my education for granted when these sisters were struggling to obtain theirs.
anomaly, n. (see school, weird)
In high school, I was the student who received the highest test grade and made the test curve higher than average. Much to the dissatisfaction of my classmates.
In college, I was the 18-year-old taking junior level classes.
In grad school, I was the little sister who liked to hang around her older siblings’ friends; they tolerated her.
anorexia, n. (see body image, EDNOS)
All of the eating disorder but none of the results. I was so desperate to be thin. To be beautiful.
I was completely jealous of anorexics.
anxiety, n. (see mental health)
- "My anxieties have anxieties."
- Sometimes I can't move. Or breathe.
approval, n.
Is this good enough? Did you like that? Do I look alright? Did I say that right? Do you like me? Do you love me? Am I good enough for you?
art, n. (see creativity)
Everything is art. Art is everything.
asexuality, n. (see love, relationships, sex)
An often-misunderstood sexual orientation characterized by the lack of sexual attraction to any gender or sex.
author, n. (see books, Brontë sisters, Virginia Woolf, writing)
When I was in middle school, I wanted to be the next teen author. I wanted to write a great fantasy novel about love and forgiveness and good versus evil. The next Lord of the Rings, but written by a sixteen year old.
The book was called The Prophesied. Here is the beginning of the first chapter:
A boy, about the age of 17, lying in a dark and musty dungeon. His hands and feet are bound and he looks as if he hasn't eaten for days. A tall man with no left ear is bearing down on him with a whip of some sort. Strike after strike the man hits him. The boy cries out, but he doesn't stop. Another man comes in. He isn't as tall, in fact he looks about the same age as the boy, but you can feel the evil presence around him and there is a blood red X on his hand. He whispers something to the man with no left ear and leaves. The man with no left ear beats the boy one last time and leaves also. The boy looks out the small barred window and cries, "Valisha, where are you?" and then faints.
Valisha woke with a start. She knew that boy. Who was he? She suddenly realized it was Collen. "I swear if he's gone, it'll be the end of my days." she said aloud to no one.
She hurriedly got dressed and ran out to the stable. Her white mare, Chrysanthemum, snorted, sensing urgency. "Come on girl, to Collen's." As the horse started to gallop, Valisha saw a black shadow with red eyes making its way to the forest.
I had great potential. Obviously.
I am also the author of a rather terrible Star Wars fanfic involving Boba Fett and the woman who changed his life forever.
art, n. (see creativity)
Everything is art. Art is everything.
asexuality, n. (see love, relationships, sex)
An often-misunderstood sexual orientation characterized by the lack of sexual attraction to any gender or sex.
author, n. (see books, Brontë sisters, Virginia Woolf, writing)
When I was in middle school, I wanted to be the next teen author. I wanted to write a great fantasy novel about love and forgiveness and good versus evil. The next Lord of the Rings, but written by a sixteen year old.
The book was called The Prophesied. Here is the beginning of the first chapter:
A boy, about the age of 17, lying in a dark and musty dungeon. His hands and feet are bound and he looks as if he hasn't eaten for days. A tall man with no left ear is bearing down on him with a whip of some sort. Strike after strike the man hits him. The boy cries out, but he doesn't stop. Another man comes in. He isn't as tall, in fact he looks about the same age as the boy, but you can feel the evil presence around him and there is a blood red X on his hand. He whispers something to the man with no left ear and leaves. The man with no left ear beats the boy one last time and leaves also. The boy looks out the small barred window and cries, "Valisha, where are you?" and then faints.
Valisha woke with a start. She knew that boy. Who was he? She suddenly realized it was Collen. "I swear if he's gone, it'll be the end of my days." she said aloud to no one.
She hurriedly got dressed and ran out to the stable. Her white mare, Chrysanthemum, snorted, sensing urgency. "Come on girl, to Collen's." As the horse started to gallop, Valisha saw a black shadow with red eyes making its way to the forest.
I had great potential. Obviously.
I am also the author of a rather terrible Star Wars fanfic involving Boba Fett and the woman who changed his life forever.
Love this!! I hope we will be making our way through more letters of the alphabet :D
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