There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom

     I recently received this book as a Christmas gift, and I wanted to share it with you. Even though it's below my reading level, it was very sweet, like a rom-com, but for littler kids. Louis Sachar is my favorite author (really the only author of multiple books I've enjoyed), and the story is the cutest, heart-warming. Bradley Chalkers, the main character, is misunderstood and disliked by his class, but with the help of a forward thinking, compassionate counselor, he is able to share himself and his ideas with others, and make friends. The writing isn't distracting even though it's targeted towards younger ages, and the fictional story Bradley Chalkers reads from Carla is complete and fun in of itself.
     Sexist themes and ideas are woven through, and this made me like Sachar a little less, I'll admit. I couldn't help but notice that the female characters didn't have any conversations or ideas of their own- they were props, paper compared to Bradley's fleshed out profile. Some of the attitudes of the characters- for example a mother splitting up boys on teams, as if they are inherently better than girls at all games- were disappointing, but overall I enjoyed the book. Said attitudes weren't necessarily written as good, but they seemed natural from the writer's pen, so I don't know how that looks against Sachar. Anyways, on plot, I think it is interesting to see how Bradley tries to become a nicer, better person. It's simplified, a fairytale, in that it all ties up neatly, happily, and unrealistically, but it made me smile anyways.
   I would recommend this book despite age, and I invite anyone who has read it to tell me what they think. Have a great 2019!

the most gratifying experience I remember

Today it rained, which is kind of a big deal in California. And I was driving home in the rain, beautiful blue lightning flashing around, when I got a text from my friend saying she couldn't turn "it" in, it wasn't letting her. At first I wondered what she was talking about, then it hit me. My English assignment! I had a poetry assignment due that night at 10:00pm, and I had forgotten to turn it in before I left home; it was already 9:48. And of course, even though I had typed everything out, I couldn't access Google Drive to turn it in. So I text asked my friends to turn it in for me. I know, it's ethically dubious, giving out your passwords, and having someone else turn it in, but I was desperate, and they were my words at least. Thank (potentially the) god(s) my friends check their devices half the minutes in the day and are kind generous souls. The friend who originally texted me agreed to help me out and kept updating me, which was stressful and exhilarating. I felt so grateful that I had a friend who would take time to help me fix my mistake and rush through such a process with me. As I rode home and took in my first lightning strike/ thunderstorm, feeling the adrenaline coursing through me (don't judge me), I loved my friends so much. Sometimes this friend makes me really annoyed or hurts my feelings, but she is really the best. Whenever I feel offended or sore, I will try to keep it in perspective. It's too easy to forget how amazing someone is, but hopefully this experience will remind me from time to time.

Also- cool! Blue lightning! It was really pretty that night, and I am grateful to California's mostly perfect weather.

September First

     Happy...

Bacon Day

Emma m Nutt Day

No Rhyme or Reason Day

Saturn’s Day

!

     I’ve been reading Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project lately, and one of the things she talks about is how she started emailing her husband small interesting things about her day to satisfy her resolution to "give proofs of love". Although I don't really have opportunities for emailing to give "proofs of love" ( since the people I love are always either in person with me or unreachable), I realized I do have the opportunity to loosely apply the idea to my own relationships.
     Even though I have a phone now, the friends I made over the summer have started drifting from my mind. In order to keep in touch, I decided to send each of my friends a Happy - insert holiday here - text to check in. And it worked! Almost all of my friends replied, reigniting text chains gone dormant for up to 17 days ( not much, for some people, but for me, 17 days snowballs into months). I’ve “resolved” to check in once a week with a new interesting holiday.

If you were wondering:
My limited knowledge on:

Bacon Day:
Always the Saturday before Labor Day (and there is another Bacon Day on December 30th), this holiday was started by college students Alexa Haflord, Seth Rittenhouse and Evan Salim from Bedford, Massachusetts, and first celebrated in 2000.

Thanks to:
https://anydayguide.com/calendar/3170

Emma m Nutt Day:
Commemorating Emma M. Nutt, the first female telephone operator. Her first day at work was September 1st, and her sister actually became the second female telephone operator ever.

Thanks to:
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/emma-m-nutt-day/

No Rhyme or Reason Day:
Celebrated on September 1st, this holiday is dedicated to refractory rhymes (words that are hard to rhyme, like Orange, Purple, Plankton, and Arugula). 

Thanks to:
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/no-rhyme-or-reason-day

Saturn's Day:
We get Saturday from the Roman's Saturn (approximate counterpart of the Greek's Cronus who was the youngest Titan and killed his father to rule the Earth {only to have the exact same thing happen to him by his son, Zeus}- I know, mythology is complicated). As tidbits of language came together to form English, the Germanic peoples- then speakers of English's descendant- couldn't find a Norse god equal to Saturn (unlike Tuesday/Tyr's Day, or Friday/Freya's Day). Another, less popular theory is that Saturday is named after Loki, (Saeter loosely meaning "the one who waits in ambush", following with Loki's theme and Anglo-Saxon and Norse sources) but this theory is convoluted and a bit questionable, in that Loki was not an official god.

Thanks to:
https://www.norsemyth.org/2010/04/gods-goddesses-part-five.html
https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/days/saturday.html

To find September 1st holidays, I used checkiday.com.

But what about you? Have you read The Happiness Project? Are you also interested in strengthening casual long-distance relationships? Do you, too, have trouble keeping in touch through the busy school year? Or am I alone and everyone already has texting and all that down?

The Best Week of My Life: Tech Trek UCSB

The Best Week of My Life

     I just got back from Tech Trek, a science camp for 7th grade girls. It was AMAZING! Sleeping away with strangers for the first time was not stressful, as I was surrounded by a bunch of new and cool people. I learned to surf, and all about marine life. On the last night of camp our dorm broke the rules and had a party after curfew. Very fun. I had my nails painted with glitter, but my nails already had polish chipping off on them, so I got a very... unique result:) If anyone (especially introverts or ambiverts) reading this is afraid of going away from home, I would tell you that it can be amazing if you get lucky and find people like you, and still fun if you find away to connect with people different from you. I would tell you to be yourself, and trust that everyone else is nervous and wants to make friends, too.

My weird family:

     I am an only child, very close with my parents. Way closer than most families. We know everything about each other, and are a perfect mix of introvert, extrovert, ambivert, trying new things, going outside, and staying at home to watch Netflix. We always say "I love you" whenever we part, even if we are going to see each other in a couple hours. The first two days of Tech Trek, I felt homesick. I naturally drift to the edges of any group, so it being the first couple of days, I hadn't developed any close friendships yet. I was sad. "Is this what college will be like?" I  wondered gloomily.
     When my parents came to pick me up, I was sad. I wanted to stay for another week! I hugged my parents, but then pushed them away to keep hanging out with my friends, singing and dancing together for possibly the last time. I thought my parents might feel bad, so I was worried when we drove home, but they were actually happy that I pushed them away. Is it common for parents to be happy their one and only baby girl is growing up? I think not. I could be wrong, but I think not. Even if I am wrong though, I still think my family is weird (in a good way).

I am always last.

     Here is the perfect opportunity to explain the title of my blog. Of 84 girls at camp, I was number 84.  My last name starts with a Z, hence, I am always last. One other girl had a surname starting with Z, and we were next to each other in line. But her second letter was before mine and I was still last.

Has anyone else had any similar (or contrasting) camp experiences? I'd love to hear/read about them!

Where I'm From Poem

Where I'm From Poem

Did you know the name Dylan means "born by the ocean"? That's what my parents tell me, anyway.

Where are you from? Have you ever written a Where I'm From Poem?

Upcoming Ben and Jerry's Carnival

Did you know all Ben and Jerry's employees get three pints of ice cream per day!? Your favorite ice cream brand's nearest office is full of ideas for delicious ice cream flavors and workout equipment  (to help you maintain your health after all those sweet ice cream scoops). I am currently working on a Buzzfeed style "Listicle" about the Pros and Cons of working for Ben and Jerry's. In the meantime, I thought I would tell you about the Ben and Jerry Carnival: For the Love of Ice Cream that I just learned about. You can check out this link for more information. I really hope I will be able to go, since I (think I) will be near San Francisco on the 28th. Maybe I will see you there!

Unfortunately, if you live in or near Boston, you just missed it. (Unless you went... In which case, how was it? Did you have fun? Was the ice cream delicious?) If you live near SF or Portland, are you planning on going? On the other hand, does anyone dislike ice cream? WHY!? Just kidding. But seriously, what is your favorite ice cream brand or flavor, and why?

This is Just to Say Poem

This is Just to Say Poem

I wrote this in the SCWriP Writing in Digital Spaces Camp.

This Poem is inspired by William Carlos Williams' Original "This is Just to Say" Poem.

Disclaimer: I have never actually done this to someone :)

Have you ever apologized for something without really meaning it? You might want to write a "This is Just to Say" Poem yourself. Tell me about it in the comments!

Extrovert vs. Introvert

Extrovert vs. Introvert

Which one are you? Introvert or Extrovert? Or are you an Ambivert, like me? Tell me in the comments!

The Spring of My Fourth Grade Year in Six Words

The Spring of My Fourth Grade Year in Six Words

In fourth grade, I was a monkey. Our school put on a production of The Wizard of Oz. Our dance teacher and choreographer, Miss Caitlin, taught the flying monkeys stunts. Being the smallest monkey, I was easily a flier. So after a couple weeks of preparation and a demonstration by Miss Caitlin and her cheerleader friends, I got to fly. The other flyer and I were thrown  into the air by Miss Caitlin’s friends first before being thrust into inexperienced ones, so we both knew we were in trustworthy hands. Although I was nervous- again I was being tossed in the air and caught on someone’s hands and shoulders- the experience was thrilling and exciting, and it made the monkeys closer (we were devastated when we found out we wouldn’t be able to perform the stunts, afterall). Once I mounted and stood in the air, I let my problems fall to the ground, and I found a fun kind of serenity. Flying may not be possible for me now physically, but I can still dream about it. Starting sometime after that first stunt, my dreams offered it as a solution to any problem. Once I closed my eyes I knew everything would be all right. Whether running from a witch or getting lost in a labyrinth, a flap of my ever present wings or a leap of faith onto a scaly steed magics away my problems and I am given a taste of that beautiful feeling, once again.

Have you had a similar experience, or enjoy flying (in your dreams, a plane, or in a stunt way)? Does anything other than flying make you feel carefree and serene like I describe? Tell me in the comments below!

The Just City in Five Words

The Just City In 5 Words

     Complex. Thought Provoking. Clever. Good.

Expansion:

The Just City is a book in which  Jo Walton, the author, explores Plato's idea of a "just state." In this book, the greek gods are real (and sometimes petty) and Athena, the goddess of learning, is conducting an experiment to see if Plato's "just city" could work. One of my friends, who tried to read it, described it as "a philosopher's idea of an interesting book." This is not the book for you if you bore easily. Personally, I really enjoyed reading it, following the characters as the "just city" develops complications and they have to solve them, or decide which parts of Plato's idea should be followed and which should be ignored for the sake of the city. But, if you don't like to explore thoroughly the moral implications of time travel (or anything) you probably won't be able to finish this book without skipping a few pages. I would highly recommend The Just City to anyone who is up for some extensive thinking and possibly discussion.

Would you read The Just City? If you have already, what do you think about it? Do you think I summed it up accurately? Please tell me in the comments below :)