College Anxiety

      There were few places that Kelly felt more comfortable at than her childhood wooden swing set. A few years back she and her friends had broken it when they piled six or seven girls on it at the same time, so tonight Kelly had no swing to swing on. Instead she sat on the patchy grass where the childhood monument used to be, iPod ear buds in, munching on stale Cheetos.
     Despite her efforts to calm herself, her mind raced. Two mornings from now she would be sitting in her first college class at a school she knew she was going to hate. She moved in a week ago for soccer camp and decided that she had chosen the wrong school within 20 minutes of arriving to move in.
     Kelly ripped her nails apart with her teeth one by one. She wasn't used to feeling this uncomfortable. She was used to her posse of high school friends blindly following her every move, and her parents giving her what she wanted just to appease her for the day. Now her friends were all at different schools and everyone except her seemed to be enjoying themselves. Meanwhile, her parents believed that she was simply throwing another tantrum to get attention.
     She hit the up button on her iPod a few times to down out the sound of the crickets chirping.

Two Cities

Walking down the streets, I couldn't help but notice the red, white and blue decorating nearly every corner. Every light colored building shines in the sun as men and women in suits walk in and out of large metal doors. How different it looks from my hometown, which is less busy and less bright, and much more hilly. My hometown is not full of politicians and congressmen, but its workers are the blue-collared kind. Each city has its own story and own heart; that city remembers the red, white and blue at all hours of the day, and mine holds the black and gold as a religion. Each is beautiful in its own way and while I bleed black and gold, I hope I can bask in the red, white and blue someday.

Keeping Secrets

Swinging higher and higher, time moves faster and faster.
A shiny beer can under the slide catches her eye in the morning sun,
little does she know in a few short years this playground will become her late night safe haven.
Now home to laughter, sunlight and youth, soon doubles as a getaway for deceit, sex, and alcohol.
Swinging higher and higher, time moves faster and faster.
Today, high speed merry-go-round spinning has caused her to get sick in the bushes.
Years from now, she'll empty her stomach in the same bushes because she had too much to drink.
The red see-saw will forever hold her virginity, and the monkey bars her sobriety.
Swinging higher and hgiher, time moves faster and faster.
Source of entertainment to girls and boys of all ages, the neighborhood playgound is the best secret keeper of all.

Airport

Everyday, thousands of people step through the metal security barrier that separates 'here' and 'there.' Where are they going? Why are they going? Who will they see?
Rushing down the hallway, luggage in hand, each person and family keeps to themselves. Employees, other travelers, and even unusual wall decor goes unnoticed.
Who have they missed the chance to meet because their faces were buried in itineraries and boarding passes, rather than being in the moment?

Jane Eyre

About a month ago, my sister introduced me to Jane. Ever since then, I've been obsessed with her. I read her at work everyday and she's taking me quite a while, but finally I'm almost done (she's a teacher in St. John Rivers' school right now) and my sister said the best part is coming up soon.
As an English major I feel as if I'm so behind on reading all the classic novels. I made a list of books I want to read ASAP.

Jane Eyre-Charlotte Bronte <3 <3
Emma-Jane Austen
Wuthering Heights-Emily Bronte
The Count of Monte Cristo-Alexandre Dumas
Animal Farm-George Orwell
Brave New World-Aldous Huxley
Frankenstein-Mary Shelley
Heart of Darkness-Joseph Conrad
The Invisible Man-HG Wells
Catch 22-Joseph Heller
A Tale of Two Cities-Charles Dickens
Notes from Underground-Fyodor Dostoyevsky

I started reading The Invisible Man last summer at work, but I left it there and couldn't find it the next time I went to work (who would take that book?) I also read a lot of Notes from Underground senior year in high school, but it was second semester and I don't remember any of it.
I definitely want to read more Charlotte Bronte and Virginia Woolf. Henry James? Not so much. I know it would be a good idea though.

Paula Creamer

No one ever notices my dimples,
...maybe that's because I have tons of them.
No one ever comments on how fast I go,
...maybe that's because I'm gone so quickly.
No one ever asks me for my name,
...maybe that's because it's written on me.
No one ever understands the pain I feel,
...maybe that's because I'm hit daily.
No one ever pays attention to what I want,
...maybe that's because her wants actually matter.

I'm yelled at, tossed around, and smacked repeatedly,
...but I don't have a choice.
After all, I'm just a Precept 4. The lady in pink
...is the one calling the shots.

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
.....-Robert Frost