Last Post of the Year

Thanks for reading my blog this year guys. Don't worry, I'll still post, just probably not for school anymore and probably not as often.
I'd like to thank my loyal followers for sticking with me for this long. I'd also like to thank all of my readers...you guys are awesome.
This has been a fun school year, and I'm really looking forward to next year. Hopefully, this blog will live on through the internet for suite some time. If it sinks like the titanic instead, well, at least we had this small bit of fantastical creativity.

It's been fun, you guys, and I'm gonna miss you all.

Thanks for everything!

-Sara out

RAAAAWR

STAHP CALLING ME A CAT
I'M NOT
SHUSH MEW GUYS
IT'S EASY TO TAIL THAT I'M A HUMAN
*HISSES*

Just Another Ordinary Day changed by Animals

As well as technology, I really love nature. I always have, and I probably always will. In fact, I'm looking at career options in the Biology field.
Probably the thing I love most about nature is its vast diversity of animals. "It's not like you live in the middle of the woods." You might say, and you're right, I don't. However, my house is right across from a large sagebrush-covered hill (not quite large enough to be classified as a mountain, but pretty close) and I see a wide variety of wildlife (read the text in parentheses if you want to know what kinds of wildlife I see often. If you don't, just skip over the parentheses.).
(((For starters, I see deer, elk, moose, or all three nearly every day.
Now about the predators.
I've never seen a coyote in our neighborhood (or heard of one), but I have had a few close encounters with mountain lions. My dad was once mountain biking and nearly ran into one. Another time, when I was much younger, I was playing in the yard with Nina and thought I saw a deer up on the hill/mountain across from our house. I told Nina to go call Mom so she could see, and by the time Mom had gone outside, it was painfully obvious that this was not a deer.
It was a mountain lion, and probably a sick one, too. They usually don't venture down from the mountains, but this one was actively seeking out Nina and I.
There are lots of smaller animals, too. There are tons of rodents. Field mice, shrews, moles, voles, ground squirrels, chipmunks. Raccoons aren't rodents, but thy still really enjoy raiding my bird feeder at night.
I also have seen a wide variety of birds. There are tons of chickadees, magpies, robins, and blackbirds around, as well as birds of prey such as hawks and eagles.)))
Animals often influence the kind of day I'm having and my mood. When I take the bus home form school, Fuma, my dog, is always outside in the driveway to greet me. She does this adorable little dance thing where she jumps up on her hind paws and paws the air. It's seriously adorable, and her enthusiastic greeting is often the high point of my day.

Le Dog howling and doing the happy dance thingee

Please, take good care of any animals that you see. They have feelings too, you know....

Uniqueness

I've been known to be fairly device-savvy throughout my life. Even when I was young, I enjoyed taking electronics apart and putting them back together. Unlike my little sister and my Mom, I know how to replace batteries and lightbulbs. I know how to tune radios. I can fix most problems on phones and computers in a matter of minutes. My mom always asks for help on her presentations and Powerpoints.
I've always really enjoyed art as well.  Mixing the two mediums, technology and art, was quite difficult at first. I used larger brush stroke sizes and drew more sloppily. I didn't know how to use many of the features that Paintbrush, Photoshop, Flash, and Illustrator possessed.
For example, here's a little example of one of my art things I drew on Paintbrush. It's Tony the Clock from Don't Hug Me I'm Scared 2.

Sorry that was a bit off-topic; I just thought some of you DHMIS fans out there might want to see it.
So anyway, I really like technology. I always have.
I think our generation is gonna make the awesomest grandparents ever.
"Hey Grandma! Can you help me program my iWhatever?"
"Sure thing Tommy! Let me show you a cool trick. Also, do you like cookies?"

I haven't been doing enough illustrations lately.

Don't get me wrong, I love drawing. It's just that I've been really busy lately and my drawings take up a lot of my time.

Mostly the GOOD drawings.

Not ones like these:

Don't let me drive the bus

Ones like these only take a few minutes:

I DON'T WANNA GO TO RIO

But THIS kind of illustration. These things sometimes take me half an hour or LONGER to complete.

 And it's not even finished yet!

Hmm....Ten Day Detox Diet?

My entire Leadership class is participating in this strange experiment known as the Ten Day Detox Diet. What we're doing is..well...eating healthily. As in really healthily. No unnatural sugar, no gluten, no dairy, no artificially made items. Whole foods only. I've been practically surviving on smoothies and all sorts of almonds. Almond butter, salted almonds, unsalted almonds, roasted almonds, almonds in my smoothies....
Yummy.
This is certainly an interesting experience. This is my first diet ever, and it's actually not that hard to stick to it. The smoothies I make (although sometimes a weird shade of green) are usually pretty darn tasty.
Yummyyyyy!

Le me wearing pajamas making a tasty after-volleyball smoothie

So I've been feeling pretty good, actually. It's nice! I've been sleeping better, getting my homework done more quickly, and even been a bit more alert and cheerful during the day!

I even got my mom to do the Ten Day Detox Diet with me. It's been a great experience for both of us. 

Did you know that sugar was eight times more addictive than cocaine? I didn't, but now I do. It scares me quite a bit. 

Tune in next time for something awesome!

CHUCKLES THE WATER CLOWN PART TWO

(Link to Part One Here)
We all fell asleep (which took quite a while) a few hours later, and when we woke up the next morning, it was a beautiful day to go out on the lake.
After getting sunscreened up and putting on swimsuits and such, it was time to go.
My friend Anna has a boat (as I may or may not have already told you) and also a canoe/kayak thing. We decided to start out in the canoe/kayak thing to warm up a bit.
"It's nice out." I said noncommittally. I was still recovering from being....woken up.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Anna enthusiastically replied. By now, we had paddled out a few hundred feet into the lake, deep enough that if we capsized we would have to swim. "It's a beautiful day! Perfect for--" When she had said beautiful, she had gestured quite a lot with her arms, and the canoe/kayak thing (which we had named Finnegan (Finnegan was a pedo canoe/kayak)) capsized.
"AAH!" I screeched gracefully (not really though). The water was really, really cold. "O-oh my c-c-cod!" Anna and I were treading water, and for some reason, the story of Chuckles came back to us.
In this lake, there is a type of water-grass thing that is strangely fuzzy and tickle-ee. We had just so happened to capsize in a patch of said water-grass.
We were thinking about Chuckles as the water grass tickled our toes.
We totally, completely, and absolutely freaked out, swimming towards Finnegan the pedo canoe/kayak and climbing onto it. Finnegan had capsized, so were were climbing on to the side that normally sits in the water, and it was really slippery. The paddle was floating a few feet away from the canoe/kayak thing, out of our reach unless we swam for it.
"OH MY GOSH." I yelped. "OHMYGOSH THIS IS REALY BAD."
It didn't help that Nina was swimming out towards us to see if we were okay, or perhaps to play some sort of cruel prank on us.
It turned  out that it was the second option.
When Nina arrived, Anna and I were huddled on top of the capsized Finnegan the pedo canoe/kayak thing.
Since there was an air pocket trapped under the capsized Finnegan, Nina grinned and quickly dove under, ending up under Finnegan but still able to breathe because of the air bubble trapped there.
An eerie voice floated up from under the canoe/kayak thing.
"I have de-cie-ved you~!"
And then Finnegan was pushed over again and Nina had a great time chasing us around.

Yes

No

Passive Aggressive Hat War (that may or my not actually be happening)

I have special permission to wear a hat at school, because, well, just....because. I'm special. Just don't ask about it. Most of the staff and teachers know about it, but some of them still don't know that I have permission to wear hats. Some of the people I know also think me wearing hats is 'against the rules,' which technically it is. For everyone else. This causes some harassment and hat-stealing, which really sends me over the edge.
I alost ALWAYS wear SOMETHING on my head, even at home. (Slight tangent: I wear hats so much that I apparently 'look like a totally different person' without them. My good friend Audrey was doodling a picture of me on the bus and even added a hat. It's hard to imagine me without one.)
Anyway, I usually wear hats to school. This combined with the glasses and the almost-constant presence of coffee gives me the nickname "Hipster."
That, however, is beside the point. The point is that I'm currently (probably) in a hat war with some of my fellow students.
They don't have special permission to wear hats, and whenever a teacher sees them with a hat, they're told to take the hat off. Sometimes when this happens, I'm walking with that friend (wearing a hat, of course) and they shoot me a quick glare.  They don't usually say anything, of course, but sometimes they do.
"How come you get to wear a hat?" They sometimes ask.
"Just because." I usually reply, trying to grin cockily. "Because I'm awesome."
Once in Biology class, a boy (who shall remain anonymous) was told by the teacher to tae his hood off.  "Well how come Sara gets to wear a hat?" He asked, seemingly annoyed. Luckily, my biology class is awesome.
"Be cool, ____." Someone said. "Let Sara wear her hat."
Fellow students at this school are usually okay with my hat-y-ness, but, like I mentioned earlier, people steal my hat in class sometimes. This always freaks me out a lot, but I fortunately have very cool friends who understand and help me steal my hat back.
Thanks you guys, if you're reading this. I mean it. Thanks to you and you and you.
You guys are awesome, I don't know what I'd do without you <3

An Inside View as to What Happens to me when I Eat Chocolate

The title is long, true, but this post is one of the most important posts you will ever read in your entire existence. This is big, this is a huge deal.

A HUGE DEAL.

I hope you understand how big of a deal this is. This is from my point of view and it's what happens to me when I decide to eat chocolate. Here is the way my brain works in a step-by-step diagram....

1. I notice the chocolate. 
2. I pretend that I don't notice the chocolate that I just saw.
3. I tell myself that I can't eat the chocolate because it'll bring on the apocalypse/cause acne/take over my mind.
4. I slowly walk over to the chocolate.
5. I study surrounding of the chocolate, looking over my shoulder as well. I need to make sure I'm not being watched and it's not a trap.
6. I make sure it's dark chocolate. If it's not, I scoff in disgust and leave instantly.
7. I again check to make sure it's not a trap.
8. I slowly and carefully unwrap the chocolate.
9. I take a tiny bite out of the corner and let the chocolate melt in my mouth.
10. I lose all control of myself and proceed to eat/make out with the chocolate viciously.
11. My face is usually covered in chocolate afterwords.
12. I usually go through periods of blacking out/extreme spastic-ness followed by complete chillness and relaxation.
13. I pretend that the whole thing never happened.

Wait what's that

Omgz is that chocolate

Oh gog it is keep a poker face Sara

I really wanna eat it now

THERE IS NO HOPE FOR YOU CHOCOLATE

That about sums it up. If anything or ANyONE is in the way when I spot high-quality chocolate, I insist that you get out of the way.

I'm serious, it's for your own safety.

Run.

...FiEsTa!!! (Also Chuckles the Water Clown)

Don't ask me why I named my post this, I have no idea either.
It might be because it's fourth quarter and  we're nearing summer.
Perhaps it's due to the fact that I didn't have coffee and it's six in the morning as I'm writing this.
Or maybe I named the post FiEsTa because I was just feeling bored.
As you may have noticed (or may have not), my posts have been a bit irregular compared to how much I used to post. I apologize for this, it's just been harder and harder to come upon inspiration for posts lately. It seems that pictures from my desktop and stories of vicious dogs just aren't gonna cut it anymore.
The real reason I've made this post is to ask for your help. I need something to post about, I've run out of ideas, and you, dear readers, are my LAST HOPE.
Do you guys have any ideas?
Any flashes of fantastic inspiration that you wish to share with me?
Any random epiphanies?
If so, I'd be thrilled to hear about them. If you give me permission to make a post about them, well, you've just saved my blog.
Aslo my English grade.
Also it would help me get un-grounded and get my phone back, that would be truly fantastic.

Now to skip to another, less boring and less serious topic.
Chuckles the Water Clown and Slenderman.

Le setting:
I was with one of my good friends, Anna, last summer. We were at Bear Lake with Anna and her family and my family, too. That includes my little sister, Nina, who I owe a ton of credit to for helping me with this awesome prank thing, if you could call it that. Actually, since Nina obviously inherited her prankster genius from yours truly, let's say it was mostly Nina who did all the work.
It was  a heart attack for Anna and the rest of us laughing about it until she tipped the kayak over.
Bear lake, in case you don't know, is a huge, massivelybiggiant lake that is super, super blue. It's always very fun to go there, as there is a beach as well and the water temperature is fantastic. Not to mention the fact that Anna's family has a boat that they so kindly let us use each summer.

PART ONE: CHUCKLES THE WATER CLOWN

Nina, Danielle (Anna's li'l sis who's Nina's age), Maria(Anna's littler sis), Anna and I were sitting around the campfire one night, roasting hot dogs (and after that, marshmallows). Our parents were there too, but they were all sitting at the table talking about the plans for tomorrow. Us kids and teens were the only ones at the fire. We were all staring into the fire, watching the flames dance. It had been quiet for a while. After a few more minutes, Nina spoke, her face eerie with all the flames flickering over it.
"Do you want to hear a ghost story?" She asked, followed by a sinister grin, one that I was very proud of.
At this point, I was a bit alarmed, seeing how Nina is the ghost story MASTER and Anna (no offense to her of her sisters) is pretty gullible and easily frightened.
"Sure!" Anna replied. She had no idea what she was in for.
"Uh, Anna." I said quietly. "Are you sure you want to hear a ghost story?"
Anna nodded eagerly, and I sat back in my chair, watching the fire crackle. It was dark out, slightly windy, and I couldn't help but shiver a little. I could almost FEEL Nina's wonderful awful idea build over the flames.
"Nina, are you sure about this?" I asked her. She nodded. "....Okay."
So she began.
"Once there was a boy. He went to the circus with his family for his birthday. He was turning..." Nina thought for a second. Even the tiniest details counted. "He was seven." I tried to hold back a smile. I had never heard this particular story before, but I knew it was gonna be good. Nina's stories almost always are.
"There was this clown at the circus that was totally cool. He kept giving the boy all sorts of attention and popcorn and things. The boy was having a great time!"
I was beginning to get a sense of where this was going.
"Finally, the clown (whose name was Chuckles, by the way) asked for a volunteer for one of those thingamajig boxes where you saw people in half. You know those boxes?"Nina asked. Anna nodded.
I thought to myself that the story could be better if she worded it a bit differently, but I wasn't complaining. Anna looked vaguely freaked out, and that was good enough. Fortunately, the story was getting better as it went on.
"Well, the boy raised his hand and of course the clown chose him. as the volunteer. Chuckles took the boy to the middle of the circus ring and put him in the box. The boy was getting pretty nervous because Chuckles hadn't said a word the whole time. Also he locked the box."
Anna nodded in anticipation.
"Chuckles leaned down and whispered something in the boy's ear, still smiling. Do you know what he said? He said, I have deceived you."
(Parts two and three in further posts)