On a different note…(although I’m still ranting about stuff no one cares about) the swim season is almost over! YESS! Although there is the big JV Champs meet this Friday that will last forever. And then I’m also going to districts the NEXT Friday. BUT THEN IT’S PRETTY MUCH OVER! I don’t even know what I’ll do with free time. Maybe I won’t have any. Maybe I’ll just join another sport.
And this weekend it’ll be Halloween, and I’ll have a bag full of candy I’m not allowed to eat for swim team but will anyway, and maybe I’ll go to a party and trick-or-treating and other fun stuff. And soon after that it’ll be Thanksgiving and my birthday and winter break and Christmas…HURRAY!
It’s kind of strange to read this now. I sound so hopeful for the future. I always think of myself as a pessimist…but you know, maybe I’m not. Maybe I am hopeful. Maybe I have to be. Just to keep going.

Anyhoo. There are just over two weeks left til school!! I think that is very insane. Also, the question in my mind now is – what did I DO all this time? Where WAS I? What the heck? Because it does not feel like it has been nearly three months since the end of school. Certainly not. But, apparently it has. So.

Currently I am reading Digital Fortress by Dan Brown. Because I just finished Deception Point by Dan Brown. Because I read Angels and Demons by Dan brown, because I read The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. These are VERY, VERY good books. Seriously. READ THEM!!! Luckily I like them, or I could beat up Liam, because at the beginning of this year I read nonviolent, depressing books and now I read violent crime/government novels, usually with extremely complex plots involving traitors, murder, deceptions and various secrets encrypted somehow and hidden. However, they rock. So I won’t beat him up – at least not because of this particular topic. I think it is rather odd that someone as brilliant and genieus-ish as Dan Brown has such a commonplace name, but oh well. I will forgive him for that because he is so brilliant.

Another thing I think is queer is that with at least half of my current friends, I had no clue they existed precisely one year ago. Seriously. I had no idea they were ALIVE, and now I think about them every day. And the freakier thing is, now, obviously, if one of them died I would be quite depressed. But had they died one year ago, no matter how fond of them I am now, I would be accurately INCAPABLE of feeling any sadness whatsoever about their death, because I had no clue they existed. Or even if I vaguely knew they were alive from seeing them a few times in the hall, I might remark, “Oh, that’s unfortunate. Sorry,” and continued without feeling much sorrow. How bizarre. And that is true for nearly ALL my friends 3-4 years ago. Huh.

Also, I wonder…how many people living in Bellingham RIGHT NOW do I not know are alive? (Liam, if you read this I KNOW I am stealing your thought, but I have had it too, so suffer.) And I mean never ever EVER seen them or remotely heard their name or anything. And how many I never will. For that matter, how many of the 6 billion + people on the planet will I NEVER EVER EVER know exist, no matter how remotely? 1 billion? 2? 3? 4? 5? Will I ever even remotely think of, see, hear, etc. ONE billion people??? How many so far, I wonder?

I feel very prideful today, because after a few fruitless days I succeeded in producing an awesome poem. Finally. YESSSSS!!!!!!! So you cannot injure my pride right now, no matter how you insult me. That probably wouldn’t hurt me anyways, but now it ESPECIALLY won’t. Just so you know.

Quote-i-dee-doo-das!!!

The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won’t.  ~Henry Ward Beecher

Everything is possible. The impossible just takes longer. ~the NSA, organization in Digital Fortress by Dan Brown

The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places.  ~Author Unknown

If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again.  ~Flavia Weedn, Flavia and the Dream Maker

Oh well, I am looking forward to eighth grade. And then high school!!! People think their lives are so long, and by many comparisons human’s lives ARE quite long.  But they go so fast!!! Don’t waste all your time thinking of yesterday and tomorrow and before and later and years ago and someday. LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is my bit of philosophy for today.

Right now I am listening to the Flobots – which are and AWESOME, AWESOME band. My favorites would be Handlebars, Rise and Stand Up, but I haven’t heard all of them. Just YouTube those so far.

Right now I have this undiminishable desire to go travel the world – or even camp or just drive away. But unfortunately, for another two weeks I am stuck in Bellingham, Washington. In my house/neighborhood/part of town. Which isn’t all that lively or close to anything. Not that I’m throwing myself a pity party or anything,  because I know how lucky I am just to be alive. But let me tell you, when I turn 18, I am SO gone out of this small town. Where I go I don’t know – sometimes I even think it doesn’t matter. But I will not be HERE!!!

Quotes. MY last word, however – LIVE!!!!!!!!

One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us.  ~Michael Cibenko

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.  ~Mark Twain

Today, at 11:30 am, the epic saga of seventh grade was concluded. Unfortunately, the saga of my orthodontia is still going strong – and I must go to the stinking orthodontist in about an hour. BLECH. I HATE braces. Who’s with me?

My list for today is  awesome reasons that it is good that school is out.

1. No more homework!

2. No more doing stupid worksheets!

3. No more tests!

4. FREEDOM! I can sleep as late as I want and do whatever I want all day!

5. Vacations! YAY!

6. CAMPS! YAY!

7. Swimming. And no wearing jackets!

That is what I’ve got. Of course, my teachers were really awesome this year so I will miss them, and I will miss seeing all my friends every day. But that I can get over, hopefully, because…it’s SUMMER!!!!

What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade.  ~Gertrude

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.  ~Albert Camus

If you search the world for happiness, you may find it in the end, for the world is round and will lead you back to your door.  ~Robert Brault

SCHOOL.

Now don’t get me wrong, I do feel lucky that every child in our country is guaranteed a basic education.  But it seems to me that that “basic education” could use a bit of sprucing up. More art and music and overall creativity.  But then again, what do I know? MORE THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE PLANET.

So, disregard my opinion if you wish. But the next time you see a three year old holding a butterfly like it is the most precious thing in the world, you will remember this. Because, ten minutes later, you will see an eight year old laugh at the “clumsiness” of the butterfly’s flying, try to grab it’s wings and see what it will do, poke it without mercy. And you know why? Because as we turn into adults, we are taught that so many things that we thought were extraordinary and beautiful and precious are ordinary, and we should not waste time appreciating them. Well you know what I think? I think we should.

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.  ~Rabindranath Tagore

As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.  ~Henry David Thoreau

Those who can laugh without cause have either found the true meaning of happiness or have gone stark raving mad.  ~Norm Papernick

Today I will do a list of things I HATE. And trust me, there are WAY more than I am posting. There is just a limited amount of memory on my computer…and, on the internet. Get the picture?

1. Cherry medicine (it tastes NOTHING like cherries, which I LOVE)

2. My orthodontist (  I wonder WHY?)

3. Conceited people (they are just so ANNOYING!)

4. Liking people (you have no control over your LIFE! It SUCKS!)

5. Cockroaches (EWEWEWEWEWEWEW)

6. Earwigs (more disgusting than COCKROACHES even)

7. Country music (how do people listen to it without ripping their hair out?)

8. Religion (it causes way too many wars and it’s all pointless)

9. Being bored (what do you DO?)

10. Being hot ( I would WAY rather be freezing)

11. Certain people

To be continued. Any suggestions?

Anyways, I want to see the diversity of my viewers, so if you read this, kindly comment a random word. Or what YOU hate. Let’s just limit it to 79 pages, okay, folks?

QUOTES!!!!!!

Love has reasons which reason cannot understand. – Blaise Pascal

He who praises everybody, praises nobody. – Samuel Johnson

All the president is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing, and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway. – Harry S. Truman

Another question I have is – do you believe in cows? Because it is my personal belief that cows are a government hoax – cameras and microphones covered in fur. Which may or may not  be ridiculous, but as it is a free country, I can believe what I want to. Yay! So cows are a government hoax, in my book. What do YOU think?

By the way, you can’t sway me with logical argument or reason, because I am not a logical or reasonable person. It’s true. Which is why it makes sense that I believe in numerous crazy, random, absurd and ridiculous things – except God. Honestly. God is the world’s biggest imaginary friend, so basically it is an oxymoron to tell other people that imaginary friends are ridiculous if you are religious. What was up with those people that were handing out bibles at FMS on Wednesday? I asked the principal if, indeed, that was a violation of the separation of church and state, but as they were on the public sidewalk apparently it was legal. What kind of person stands outside of schools and tries to corrupt children into joining his or her religion? Who knows.

Anyways. Time for quotes.

Fiction reveals truths that reality obscures. – Jessamyn West

A baby is born with a need to be loved – and never outgrows it. – Frank Howard Clark

If Jesus had been killed twenty years ago, Catholic school children would be wearing little electric chairs around their necks instead of crosses. – Lenny Bruce

If I had to choose a religion, the sun as the universal giver of life would be my god. – Napoleon Bonaparte

Brilliant people. What would we be without them?

So, people, the time has come again to choose our electives!! I am wondering what people are doing. I have done band since sixth grade but I am BORED TO DEATH with it. I REALLLY want to take year long spanish for high school credit but my mother is basically disallowing it. In other words, I am looking forward to a weekend full of heated argument. But I sincerely hope I will win!! Who else is taking year long Spanish?

Yesterday I put new sheets on my bed. Of course, instead of being called “Blue” or “Green” or “Bluish-Green” they are called “Lagoon”, which is basically bluish green. Whatever. It is an awesome color anyways, regardless of the idiotic things people somehow feel the need to call it.

Isn’t it funny how people who think they are normal are completely oblivious to how that MAKES them weird? I mean, seriously. I am SO weird that it’s not even VAGUELY humorous. Okay, it is. But that is because I have a warped sense of humor. ANYWAYS, all my friends are really weird too. And so is my mom.  And my aunts and uncles and cousins, etc.  And the people that are “normal” actually always end up having a very bizarre side. Which is more than I can say for myself, having all sides of me being bizarre, strange, queer, odd, and WEIRD. Which I am so sure you didn’t know already.

Anyways, as always, some quotes to finish us out.

“There are two kinds of people, those who finish what they start and so on.” – Robert Byrne

“Never bear more than one trouble at a time. Some people bear three kinds – those they have had, those they have now, and those they expect to have.” – Edward Everett Hale

“Sometimes I think that the surest sign of intelligent life in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.” – Bill Watterson

So… has anyone read my poems? Since all those years ago when I posted about them, AKA yesterday? If not, you are a failure in life. Well, okay, that brings me to my  TOPIC. CHEESY PICKUP LINES. Here are a few for your enjoyment.

1. Did it hurt? (Did what hurt?) When you fell from Heaven?

2. You are a failure in life.

3. You are FAT. (This works in any situation, no matter how dire.)

4. YOU DUCK SQUATTING HILLBILLY!! (I made that up ALL BY MYSELF, Mommy. Aren’t I BRILLIANT?)

5. Go die in a hole! (Flattering as it may be….)

This shall be continued at a later date. Anyways. Most of you people who read this are in seventh grade? Yes. Great. Well, anyways, in my experience, seventh grade girls are fine. But eighth grade girls? Well, let’s just say I have made enemies with about 96 % of eighth grade girls. MORTAL ENEMIES. So this is just a warning to all you about to be eighth graders out there – WATCH YOURSELF!! DO NOT BECOME A PAIN INFLICTING, HORRENDOUS, STUPENDOUS BULLY! (And for those of us who are already pain inflicting, horrendous, stupendous bullies….I am truly sorry. I am a psychiatrist, so NEVER hesitate to come talk to me. I don’t fly off the handle at the slightest mention of anyone’s feelings. That is how I got my job. And NO, I did NOT Confund my boss!!)

I’m sorry. I love to ramble. If anyone likes to ramble, they can comment and PROVE IT by rambling in their comment!!  I have a feeling that was a dangerous sentence to write. We’ll see. Until next time, a charming quote -

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”  – Margaret Meade

And another one….

“Sure, lots of people believe in God. Lots of people used to believe the world was FLAT, too.” – an awesome characer in Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult

Anyhoo. Topic of post. SHINY ITEMS I ENJOY STARING AT ARE…

1. Coins

2. Gold

3. Certain shiny jewelery types

4. Some people’s hair

5. Nice shiny new bikes

6. THE SUN!!! (which technically you are not supposed to stare at but whatever.)

Also. I am very cheerful because I am getting a new bike as soon as school is out!!!!!!!

ALSO – I am writing all these random poems on www.poemhunter.com so search Nina Dringo on that because I have to protect my identity from THE STALKERS.

Also. This is VERY VERY VERY random, but you know how people always name their Ski-to-Sea teams random things? Well, next time I am on a team, mark my words, it will be named the GENDER CHANGING FISH ALIENS!!! HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!

Anyways. HAHA! GOTCHA! THOUGHT I WAS GONNA SAY ALSO, DIDN’T YOU? WELL I DIDN’T!!! ANYWAYS. Farewell, children of the universe. I must go become one with the stars.