Sorry

I'm sorry, I haven't update in millions, it's just that you get excited you start posting like crazy, and then you get bored and distracted and you forget. I will promise to add something today. Then you want here from me in two weeks.
I will be at a lovely camp with no internet and computers. Missing all my online buddies.

Love ya!

Dreams

It does not snow in the summer! It does not snow in the summer! At least not in our hemisphere. Well it did in my dream, heavily, white snow covering the ground in the middle of June. Ugh, my dreams are messed up. Seriously!
And whats worse is I feel awful, I think I have a sore throat, and how gets that in June. Not cool. Not cool at all. But now that we are talking about dreams, I think I can have a long rant about them. That for once isn't about school, for the most part.
Ahhh.....Dreams. I love them, I adore them, they make it worth to go to bed. And really why would anyone mind a full-fledged long and complicated movie every night, even if you are like me and almost immediately forget it afterwards. (If you don't; I envy you, there were at least a few best sellers in my dreams *sighs*) Plus you never really no whats going to happen next, or in your next dream, for dreams are one of the many things we don't control, sort of. Unlike when you are making up things, for a story or something similar, dreams come form somewhere in our head. They reflect our thoughts, emotions, or somethings that we recently saw or did. This has happened more then once with books or movies that I'd see the night before. After I would sometimes have a dream with me somehow involved in it, and everything messed up. Proof a very long time ago I saw this movie with an airplane that had like a whole in it, which they had to fix. Then in my dream I was on that flight, except the whole was on the floor and we were trying to cover it with a pair of shoes? Don't ask, just don't. But sadly it doesn't always work like that, I've read Twilight way too many times before bed, and I don't Edward or Jacob appearing in my dreams. *sigh * It all somehow involves the brain, even though even scientist aren't even sure how. Its not like the person can tell them, "OK I am dreaming now." and even if they can record brain movement, there is no specific proof. If you are really interested in the science- Go on wikipedia.
But you know what they say about wikipedia

Mr. Kelly: Wikipedia is edited by random people. Encyclopedias like Britannica are edited by experts.

Carter: I actually read that Wikipedia is the most accurate encyclopedia out of all of them.

Mr. Kelly: Did you read that on Wikipedia?
-tjbash

Sorry, I had to add that. I like that quote a lot, yeah..... So like I was saying dreams represent things that happened in a really twisted fashion. And through that theoretically new ideas can be created, gah I am contradicting myself. But nothing is ever completely new, it can get close, but not be completely new.
Dreams also represent our emotions and our worries. I've had quite a bit of that too, like before I started 8th grade, there were quite a few nightmares about that. And that part is quite clear our problems don't stop when we fall asleep.

Dream interpretation
I smirk at things about dream using symbolism. To me its very absurd, very. I mean how can your brain know to use an UFO to show you are seeking higher purpose in life (that is what an old magazine of mine said). Everyone is different, and isn't it a bit much for the brain to use complicated symbolism to send you a message. Or maybe I just hate symbolism (bad memories). Still while dreams probably reflect and give us a message, not through complicated symbolism. Though I am not a professional, thats what Freud and others are for. Even so I am amazed by dreams, and possibly will research them more one day. But for now I will just keep dreaming and hope to remember one long enough, to make a novel.....like SM! (Don't ask me who she is, you have to know this. Oh I love you SM)............

What are some of your wackier dreams?
Mine tend to be epics that lead from story to story, but usually have some overbearing I-they-find-me-i-am-dead suspense.
Also when you are free-falling in your dreams you tend to wake up.
And according to wiki: Common themes in everyones dreams are "situations relating to school, being chased, running slowly in place, sexual experiences, falling, arriving too late, a person now alive being dead, teeth falling out, flying, embarrassing moments, failing an examination, not being able to move, not being able to focus vision and car accidents."
I can not disagree here, I had plenty of that.

FInally only 12% of the population dreams in black and white, poor people.
Dream away!

Lunch.....errrr Yum?

Blogger: Crazy pigs and thoughts on life - Edit Post "Lunch.....errrr Yum?"
Ahh, another popular TV ridicule, that almost every kiddy/child/"fun when you don't want to use your brain" show used. Its simple classic the evil lunch lady with slop/mystery meet/ something not meant to be edible totally delicious. Take for example the image on the right. While that is unrealistic, unless all of those government agencies have gone MIA, lunch still isn't the delightful restaurant meal. *If this is the situation where you live, please take action. Not only should you not have to suffer, it is illegal.* But today I will outline several issues from my school, most of them not even related to the actual content of the lunch tray. As in modern day, while the food looks real, no one ever said that is was. And the lunch planning at my now former school is drastic.
Background:
You are allowed to get as many of the following as you wish, one of each:
Entree, Milk (Or water for a little more), Bread (unless part of the entree), two fruits/vegetables. All for 2.25. Snacks, seconds entries and etc. Cost more.
Here is a sample menu: http://www.fcps.edu/parents/print/mslunch05.pdf

Issue #1-anti-vegetarian
So theoretically for the entree, there is supposed to be an option of meat or a meat alternative. Which is not always true. In fact many times both options have meat, I mean unless chicken tenders and pork egg rolls don't have meat, if that is the case, well I apologize. And sometimes when the menu says they have it, they don't. (See bellow) Although they always have half frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and gross salads, that even a veterinarian would not like. This is not a little thing, and a pretty big trend. It would only fair for the school system to accommodate those who don't eat meat, as they are not a tiny minority. If they put so much focus on treating everyone fairly, they should apply the same effort to lunch. Or do vegetarians don't count?

Issue #2-lunch lines
At my old school there were about 1200 people, in 4 lunches. So its about 300 people per lunch, between 100-200 buy lunch everyday. With three lines it takes forever. In fact on worst days, you may have only 10 minutes left to eat everything (and socialize). What is the problem safety and overprotection (and avoiding lawsuits) or else something dangerous might happen. Correction it did: Food tampering The result slow, slow lunch lines; It is at the point where there is a teacher in the beginning of the line, saying if you can enter, so like 5 people can be in the line at a time. Its gotten better, but at one point, you had to ask the lunch lady to hand over the little dishes, that are right in front of you. All of this procession takes very long, unless you are lucky to get there very early. This can be impossible. Especially with middle school lunches being only 25 minutes, lunch lines need immediate rethinking. People deserve time when they can eat, and really talk. Not just stand in line forever, everyday.

Issue #3- Availability
Like I already said we have 4 lunches, and I had the unfortunate of being in the last one and perhaps that was the reason for Issue 1 (I haven't been in the other lunches). The school gets a set amount of food for the day, and they start setting it out, obviously some things are more popular then others. As a result by the last lunch they may be out of some things. Like I know there should be four sides, but all they have is pineapples. Usually it doesn't matter much, most things are of the same quality. And its Ok, that they set them out not accounting that people in latter lunches might want that thing. (You are following, or am I rambling?) They have to sell out, and I have no idea how they manage- I mean its cafeteria food! But there is one thing, that they always sell out off, but sometimes there isn't enough for last lunch: CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, which is the only good thing they have. And its unfair that just because I am in last lunch, I can't have a cookie. This they can fix easily, they don't even have to divide them evenly for the lunches, just set a tray or two aside. So the last lunch can have the for sure. With cookies being the only thing worth getting, they should take some effort to improve that. Most of you think this is overreacting by now...but chocolate chip cookies...they matter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Issue #4 Portions
They are small. Chicken tenders, means 4 not very big pieces. While that may be enough for elementary school, by middle school and high school its not enough. Ok so they increased the meals a tad since elementary school, but not enough. As a result most people get a double deal, which costs more. So why not increase the price a bit, but make all portions bigger. And many times half the food sucks. Hence people get lots of snacks which brings me to the next point.

Issue #5- Healthy eh?
So meals are geared to be healthy, but do they really achieve it. Lets take a look.
Ok...so it might be healthier then your McDonalds, but still not too good. Did I mention it doesn't taste good? The hot dogs are always well to salty, the corn on the cob just gross. And while they are supposed to have fruits and vegetables, but usually its just canned fruit or this thing, but I have no clue what it is. Things teens wouldn't take, instead they take snacks. So the effort of a well-balanced meal goes to waste. And sadly I don't have a solution to get some 500 kids healthy food, but I am just saying- they need to give bigger attention to this issue, and not just the food.

By now some of you might ask, why don't I just bring lunch, why doesn't everyone.
Personally I am either too lazy to pack it or forget to do it in the evening or I keep forgetting to write down everything I need (I'll stop this is a personal rant), so it is my fault. But getting lunch from school is easier and for some people cheaper. Whatever the reason is, school don't give food enough focus.

And while they should try to make the meals healthy, it should still taste healthy. But also leave some of the old stuff, by High School people are old enough to start making their own decisions, or learn the consequences.

For fun, amusing and interesting things from other schools:
"Children in a New Zealand school have been banned from bringing cakes to share on their birthdays, due to new government healthy eating guidelines." -Source

In another school, you couldn't even bring junk food from home, if you got noticed you got detention-true story.

In another school "the new company is apparently cheaper, nicer, yet healthy. They work in other schools with positive feedback, where they do packs for people at lunchtime clubs(a big thing in our school), all fresh produce, local where possible, stuff like salads and sandwiches, but also hot paninis, pizza, and traditional main meals.

they also want to have regualr meetings with the council to see what we think, and receive any ideas or complaints we might have. They have all the healthiness covered by the manager who apparently was in the olympics some time, and knows all about a healthy diet."

Nice school huh?

SO what is it like where you are?
And what do you think teachers should do?

The Popularity Myth: after 8th grade perspective

Well Disney certainly abuses it, could you blame them: an evil popular girl simply begs to be the antagonist. But Disney also has witches, talking cars, villains, and time travel machines, which last time I checked don't exist. If they do, could I have a phone number, please. So this is my analysis of how it works. Please consider my conditions: Middle school, in a fairly upper-middle middle class area in a partially magnet school. I can't provide a very "Disney" lunch time scenario, because in most of their movies the hero vs. mean kid scene is during lunch. For several reasons: a) We had assigned seats, and you would get in trouble if you moved. b) For quite some time this year, I didn't come down to lunch (long story). c) I stuck to a fairly tight-knit group of friends, not big on social experimentations. Still I think I have a fairly comprehensive view on how it works.

For the longest time to me, it seamed that popularity was something simply reserved for tv. There were simply people who were my friends and who were not my friends. The social ladder didn't seam to fit. Ehhh, well turned out it did, maybe in form of a bumpy ramp, but still. In other words there were categories of people, based on several factors, but friendships between them were not subject of a school wide drama. Unlike in High School Musical, it turns out to be not a big deal. Maybe because middle school is about *quote* Finding your niche or place*unquote* there aren't specialized cliques, I don't know I hadn't had the high school experience. But there was nothing much shocking about 'out of level" friendships. In fact on the most popular, secretary of the student government girls was BFFs (Best Friends Forever) with a semi tom-boyish soccer girl. Maybe it was because...(grrr I get side tracked, physc. later) So these divisions are fairly subjective, and classify the person, not necessarily who they are friends with. For as it turns out, you can have very diverse friends. So without further ado: Annie's Classification System *everyones case is different though*
Note: This is for scientific purposes only, I am against judging and classifying people. Except that it is inevitable in school and I wish it wasn't, but reality sucks.

Jocks: What PE teachers think everyone is, except that everyone else doesn't try. Usually set all the records and play many sports. Can be identified, in GYM, as the only people who try. Outside of gym they are fairly average.

"Popular" people/preps: An extremely varied area, contains those who win school elections, fashionably/preppily dressed, rather shallow and outgoing people. Its kind of hard to define, because there are several different groups of them, some who I like and some how I don't. The whole concept of them is slightly intangible, because they are so different. If anything they are social people, hence they probably know more people. Maybe shallow is wrong, too. Some of them are incredibly talented smart people. So maybe popular is a wrong label, instead "Socially outgoing people, who have many friends* While many of them are not bad people, I don't care to be their friend and neither do they, yes there are those among them who are snobs and mean people. But those make up only a percent of the Popular Preps.

People: Not that different from the previous, except less known, less social, and possibly with less friends. They can be very different, but not extreme. Tend to be on the more intellectual side of society, but that too is subjective.

Other: Rare outcasts of society, those who don't bother to be social or at all interact with the rest of the world. Sadly tend to be common victims of bullying.

Now throw this all away and consider that everybody are just people: Smart, funny, some more athletic, some with more friends, some with less, some nice, and some mean.
Sure everyone is just people, does it work that way in school?
Erm since I have apparently gotten my self confused with all these ramblings, I think I will just come to a conclusion. The thing that disney got rich on, doesn't affect the majority, but more of the extremes. Everyone else just has their circle of friends, not really caring about social status, well not too much. Then maybe 2% become the subject of teasing, and rejection from friendships, but our world cannot be perfect. And I think its easy to confuse simple bullying with popularity. In middle school people make friends they like and stick with them, in fact the people may not want to be friends with the preps, because what they care about is so different. Conclusion: Disney is not realistic.

But does popularity exist?
YES! The easiest way to explain it is with school elections. Sure there are the posters and speeches, but no one really listens and looks, they simply vote for their friend or their friends friend. And since popular people tend to have very wide relations, they win. You could ask anyone and they would tell you middle school elections are about popularity. Someone who no one has ever heard of, will never win, even if they are the best candidate. Is that fair? No, but otherwise popularity doesn't really affect personal lives. At least thats what I think. And in High School, who knows I'll see.

How was your experience? ANd what is your opinion on popularity? Your comments are greatly loved.

The Proper Introduction

Hi! *waves shyly*
This is going to be very boring, because I don't feel snarky or sarcastic; consider yourself warned.
So this is my blog and if you are reading this you probably know me. Unless my blog is very famous, or you found it randomly, in which case I hope you are not a creepy stalker. Anyway now you know me. I am going to be a freshman in high school next year, at "nerd school". If you in the other *real* world, then you know what it is, and if you don't then you have no business knowing. I can't even give the initials, because Google (evil) brings it up as a number one search. So I got sidetracked, but this blog is mainly for criticizing, analyzing, and trashing the failed school system. And schools are corrupted, if you haven't noticed. Otherwise it is my haven for ranting, about life, writing (I am a novelist), and etc. And since it is unthemed, it will work, unlike the several blogs I attempted before, and there are certain people, who will force me to write if anything.
Now in case you were curious, why I blog.
To share my oppinion with the world, to make a difference, to reach ultimate fame...right *psht* no. My biggest reason is because I wanted this dorky, geeky shirt:
And I wouldn't want to lie to the world would I? So I decided to start a blog, and at the time I happened to be very annoyed by yearbooks. If my really long rant bellow, didn't suggest that. And I happened to be very bored on the first day of summer vacation, and at last my dear was born. If you want it you comment, if you don't I get the message I will stop...OK

About the title. Some of you said , that you loved it. Thank you, but I'd like you all to know that it refers to someone very real. If you noticed the url, and I certainly hope you know what that is, if you don't I may have to hurt you, anyway the url has the words cochon dingue. For those of you who don't know French, it means crazy pig, hence the title. *Oooooh I get it* So like I said before he is not a figment of imagination, he exists in flesh. Vive le cochon dingue. Sadly I cannot give you a picture, because as real as he is, he isn't mine, but my French 1 teachers. One of the few people, who do not fit under the corrupted school system. And on the last day of the school, instead of taking a picture, I spent twenty minutes huddling him, so use your imagination. You have one....right? If you are still confused he is a cute pink plush pig, who belongs to my old French teacher, but in spirit is here at my blog. Sorry he isn't available, he had a girlfriend, la blonde, once again she is as real as him. So now you know that the title isn't random at all, but for someone near and dear to my heart. I many talk more about this later.

I will take any ideas for blog posts, actually I would almost pay you, because I need things to write about...yeah.
Oh the font problem not my fault, sorry.

Yearbooks part 2

If any teacher reads this, I want to apologize, if this offends you. I am sorry if I am wrong about you and these are just feelings. If you would like to share your view as a teacher that is welcome and appreciated.


So we covered the basics of students signatures.
But I want to refine a couple of details. As you know and may have experienced someone you expected an extra-special note in your yearbook from, end up writing. "Good times in Geometry, Hags" Familiar? Well like I said previously, don't get too upset. THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND. There are many other reasons that I brought up before, which can justify, explain why they did that. It doesn't mean they never cared about you, even though what they did was hurtful and rude. Mais c'est la vie.

For now I want to dissect teacher signature, and yes people do ask teachers to sign yearbooks. Why? That is beside the point, and I am not about to go in detail about physiology, except that wonderful teachers exist and you want to remember them. But for the reference, this may not always be the best way to have a thing to remember. I personally suggest taking a picture, with that you expect it to be cheesy. Because seriously the things teachers write in yearbooks are very cheesy. (I am very sorry to any teachers who may be reading this. I am sure the reasons are professional) I am not going to defend either side, but I will argue both, the teachers and the students.
The things teachers right in yearbooks are always so professional, sincere, and proper. Very very very different from students. While it can be justified.....teachers are adults. But sometimes it feels the comments they make are generic, and they do not bother to make it a wee-bit personalized.(Especially if you are sure, they knew you personally, and you were a good student in their class.) And it may not be easy to pull off something like that, and still keep it a teacher's comment, but you could try. People feel good, when they see that there was a personal thought put into their comment. Also these students are leaving the teacher, could it be that hard to leave something personalized to remember. (I am attempting to remain neutral and unoffensive and probably falling miserably! Sorry, I think teachers are amazing to survive at their job, but this is a personal quirk) Then teachers may have nothing to say to their students, but judging by experience there always is something. (Even if it is like one of my 7th grade teachers, who commented on not being able to get my name right for weeks) That was cute and I know she could have not written that accidentally in any book, because most peoples names are much easier too pronounce. And with many things teachers write, all you can do is wonder did they mean it personally or just wrote it. While it make seam like nothing, writing something truly meaningful or personal, make mean a lot to a student.
On the other hand, STUDENTS what do you expect when you ask a teacher to sign. They are teachers, awesome teachers, but they will not sign like a friend. So don't be surprised by what you get. Even, even if they are the coolest teacher in the world, and you are one of their favorite students, you still may get something fairly cheesy. (Though you results may vary).

Now that my venty is done, we can move on to fun analysis. The snarkiness is for laughs, please don't be offended by it.

• Teachers have a tendency to write I am sure you will succeed in the future or make a special contribution to the world. (No pressure, I hope so too)
• Or something along the lines of "You are a great student to teach" (hmmm maybe I should have gotten in trouble more, then will you write something more original.

• And sometimes also, you are creative, nice, have a good personality. (Hmm thanks for the compliment, but how is this compliment special to me?)

Then again maybe, if you were not a distinguished student in the class, the teacher will not have more to say, but if you were, you'd probably expect a bit more.
So I am done and with it I have an epiphany (such a twilighty word) with yearbooks don't have Great Expectation, as people may not take it as seriously as you expect.

Fun Fact: People right more in 8th grade or which ever year you are leaving the school, then in the others.

Done, criticisms is welcome and hailed.

Yearbooks

I am not going to bother with an introduction, not today....too lazy. Instead I will do my first ramble, post, flow of consciousness vent.
Ahh the end of the year, schools ending and that means it's time for yearbooks! You go around asking people to sign, only to come to the conclusion that you might not have any real friends and memories. All you get is HAGS (have a great summer) or "It was nice to have you in my ' ' class."
This leads to two conclusions people are lazy or people have nothing to say. Then on the other hand maybe they don't realize how much this means to you, and just scribble a note. Except the same people write a lot for others. Like my friend for some people she scribbles a couple of sentences, but for her friends she writes a full page in tiny handwriting. Her reason, "I write a lot for the people I like." Perfectly justifiable. But taking the same logic all but maybe three people don't really like me. So as you see yearbooks open up the sad reality of life and that we have so few real friends. More proof of this is that the popular, yet extremely nice girl, lets call her Sally. Sally's yearbooks is full of very long notes, lots of them. Proof: She has lots of good, real friends I don't. Sigh. But I am her to discuss physiology of yearbook notes, not be shallow and annoying.
So Theory #1 aka I want people to feel sorry for me theory revolves around likings. Theory #2 is the plausible, yet making life more confusing theory. Lets go back to the scenario.
Sally enters a classroom full of people, and immediately she is swamped. 7 people run up to her with their open yearbooks all asking her to sign. They are not strangers, pals even and she wants to write more then her name. Except she doesn't have time to think through it, or remember something special so she writes "I loved having you in this class.-Sally"
Does she hate the person, not at all. They are a good friend, but more of the "talk about whatever during class friend", and with the yearbook in front of her, her mind goes blank. That happens to me, so I try my best to improvise. And sometimes even the best heart-felt attempts turn out pathetic. The best entries contain inside jokes, specific memories, something that only you will get. And to think of that for 15 people in 10 minutes....impossible much. Unless you are a brilliant writer, champion at debate, or very good at improv (or steel people's yearbooks over night). So theory #2 brings us to a summary of most of the time people want to write something good, but get nervous freeze up and in the end leave the wrong impression. Then again in an idealistic world notes should be pure, from the heart, and what you have to say to them, this shouldn't take much thinking, unless we all are barbaric morons.
Train of thought seams to lead me into a dead end, so I will try to restate things.
Maybe length isn't as important, as what people actually say. And real things usually take some length to write.
Much better, now back to my inconclusivenesses.
Reasons why people write bland things in yearbooks: Lack of time, creativity, writer's block, they don't like you. And I got some good ones, not all very long, but once that make you smile, and remember the dearest things. Those people are your real friends, but does not doing that mean they don't really care about you? Possibly, but with all the situations previously mentioned, you cannot know. Yearbooks can show how were dear friends, by the good entries, but by the other entries how can you know. To close of I will quote "Write in others yearbooks, how you want others to write in yours." If you want other people to write something special, do the same. Ok.
For fun I will quote one of my favorite signatures, which is under half a page
Hi Tasia,
Get a really hot bf in TJ, alright?
Oh I almost for got isn't kesh (this guy from my bus) going to TJ too (hint, hint)
ha ha....jk. HAGS+HUGS.
Luv,
Neyha Gangsta.

To you it may be weird and "so what" to me it is hilarious.