plans/planes.

as the school days start winding down into the lemonade-scented oblivion called summer vacation, i am estatic to tell you that i can graduate next year as a junior! my academic plan for the upcoming 2008/09 year is as follows:
- take financial literacy, computer tech., and .5 credit of u.s. history during the summer
- english courses: a.p. language and english 12
- history courses: government (.5 credit)/psychology (.5 credit)
- math course: 1060/pre-calc.
- science course: physics OR physics with technology
- CTE course: photography
- electives: creative writing (1 credit) and drawing (.5 credit)/painting (.5 credit)

after graduation, i'm planning to do unschooling for a year while living at home. i started making a list of things that i'd like to complete/explore during that time:

1. working on a farm: there's a handful of organic peach farms in northern california that i'd like to take a look at. i had been planning on doing this for the upcoming summer vacation, but if i wait a year, i can do it for a longer period of time without the looming expectation of school.

2. writing: i'd like to at least finish editing my novel from nanowrimo and possibly complete a collection of short stories that i could submit to magazines, etc. i have finally broken through that dry spell of no creativity at all (and just in time to illustrate a children's book for creative writing) so if it keeps up, i should be able to keep writing and improving.

3. start a baking business. my great uncle and great-grandfather are/were bakers so i guess it runs in my genes.

4. traveling. i-to-i has a fantastic program in south africa to work with lions... but unfortunately, the age requirement is 18. i'd love to find another program that resonates so deeply with me and have another experience like the bali trip last year.

psst... do you like my template change?

pink crocodile post

while i was in venice over the summer, i noticed the pink crocodiles. hanging delicately over balconies, on top of roofs, and dangling over the canals, they beckoned everyone with their colorful optimism.

besides being a perfect example of how people should live their lives (metaphorically, being bright pink and not caring who the fuck notices or points and laughs), the pink crocodiles are something that we need to bring into our own culture. yes... they do seem like just tourist attractions ("come to venice! we have pink crocodiles!"), but i feel that if people start to do random, almost schizophrenic, things like hanging inflatable pink crocodiles outside their bedroom window, we could be more accepting of things like graffiti and huge chalk parties on the streets.

okay, i know this is starting to ramble and not make any sense, but i just feel that the pink crocodiles represent something more than just a tourist attraction or whatever. if we all incorporated the freedom of the pink crocodiles, maybe this society wouldn't be so restrictive and we wouldn't have to worry so much.