Part 5

I apologize for the wait. Finals. *sigh*

But I made it extra long to make up for it.

Enjoy!

"What is it?" Kelsie asked.

"There's some weird stuff goin' on in Ronan, Nebraska. People lookin' like they been killed by a bear or something, but I know there ain't any bears in Nebraska,"

"We'll check it out. Thanks, Uncle Joe," He smiled, and motioned to the kitchen.

"Finally," Kelsie muttered as she sat down to a plate full of warm pancakes.

"Gee, Kels, you weren't hungry or anything, were you?" David asked.

"No. I just had a strange desire for pancakes for no apparent reason," she ignored him for the rest of the meal.

"Do you have a computer I could use?" Nicole asked when she finished her pancakes.

"Sure honey," Aunt May replied, "Just in the other room."

"Why d'you need a computer?" Jacob asked.

"Because I had a physics test a couple of days ago, and I want to know how I did on it,"

"Why? It's not like it matters anymore,"

"Yes, it matters! Not that you'd understand or anything, but I just need to know whether or not I got a good grade! I know it has no practical bearing on anything anymore, but I still need to know!"

"What?" she asked in response to Kelsie's raised eyebrow. Kelsie shook her head and said nothing.

______________________________________________________________________________


David's thoughts danced in time to the pounding of his hammer on the shed roof. Kelsie was somewhere; looking for more shingles, he thought.

We might need to see the bodies.

Bang.

We aren't old enough to pretend to be anybody legit. 

Bang.

We have to find it. 

Bang.

And then kill it.

Bang.

Venom. Bang. Claws. Bang. Teeth. Bang.

This is bad.

Bang. David swung too hard and bent the nail. With a grunt of frustration, he pulled it out, and threw it, forcing those thoughts out of his head as he did. Tomorrow, they would get in the car and drive away. They would go looking for and hiding from trouble at the same time. But tonight, they would laugh and watch a movie and throw popcorn. Tonight, he would pretend like everything was okay, and he would say a prayer, because tomorrow could be the last.

________________________________________________________________________________

The nine hour car ride was like a crash course in magical creatures for Nicole and Jacob.

"I don't know about the past, but now magical beasts like griffins only come into being if someone summons it," David said.

"Most magic is purely mental; you don't need a physical object to make the spell work. But summoning a creature is different. You have to have something of each element related to that creature in order to make it work," Kelsie continued, "So if you wanted to summon a griffin, you would have to have something of Air, and something of earth."

"Is summoning it the same as like, binding it to you?" Nicole asked.

"No. If you want to bind something to you, you have to have something that represents that. Like a lock or something,"

"But only an idiot tries to bind a griffin," David said, "They're ridiculously smart, and independent. Like dragons, only less cruel. If they find a way around your binding, you're dead."

"How do we kill it?" Jacob asked.

"We have to either physically kill it, like any other animal, or we have to destroy the summoning ring, which would be better, because there's no body to dispose of."

"Also, just so you know, Griffins have a deadly venom in their claws. So try not to get scratched," Kelsie added.

"Great," Nicole muttered, "So you rescue us, only to take us to the lair of a dangerous beast with venomous claws,"

Nobody answered.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Ronan Nebraska wasn't a large town. There was a diner, a motel, a bar, and a convenience store/gas station combo. Beyond that, there wasn't much but prairie, and a few farm houses. Most people lived right in town.

"Where the heck do you hide a griffin here?" David grumbled as they pulled up to the motel.

The next morning, they went to the town's diner to eat and plan.

"We're just going to have to ask around," David said at last.

"Oh yes, cause that won't make us look weird at all," Kelsie retorted.

"I could do it," Nicole said after a moment. Three incredulous faces turned to her.

"What? I'll just pretend I'm doing a project for school. It's not that hard," David and Kelsie looked at each other.

"Not a bad plan," Kelsie said.

"You sure?" David looked at Nicole, not bothering to hide his surprise. She took a deep breath before answering.

"Yes,"

"I'm going with her," Jacob spoke up quickly.

"Alright, good," David said. His day, he thought, was starting to look up. Just then the waitress, a redheaded beauty, came by with the coffee pot, and refilled his mug.

"Thanks, beautiful," he said with a wink. She blushed, and said, "My pleasure," before hurrying away. Kelsie rolled her eyes.

"What??" he exclaimed, "Bet you five bucks she brings me her phone number with the check,"

______________________________________________________________________________

"So there's definitely something here," Nicole said when they met up again that afternoon at the motel. David barely glanced up from his sandwich. Aunt May had apparently filled the cooler in their trunk with sandwich meat, and cheese, and bread, and everything else, and David was in heaven. Kelsie rolled her eyes.

"Yeah?" Kelsie nodded for her to continue.

"Yeah. The guy I talked to said all the attacks have been happening just beyond the town, like out past the farmhouses."

"Supposedly there's a recluse living out there in a really beat up farm house. I bet that's it. What do you think, David?" Kelsie asked.

"Hmm? What?" Kelsie scowled.

"Yes I think that if the killings happened way out there, and some weird hermit lives way out there, that's probably our guy. Can I eat my sandwich now?"

"That's what you've been doing!"

"Yeah, well I want to finish this beauty. Let's head out tonight when the sun starts to go down."

"Okay, sounds good. I'll make sure everything's ready."

_________________________________________________________________________________

"I want you two to stay back as much as possible. Keep a look out for the magician," instructed David.

"Explain it to me again, I don't think I got it the first one hundred times," Jacob answered.

"You know Jacob, I can still knock you out and leave you here," David said.

"That wouldn't be very nice of you,"

"I think keeping you alive is pretty nice of me," By this time, the road had begun to fade to dirt, and they'd left most of the town behind. The farm house in front of them looked like it was about to crumble.

"Spell," Kelsie muttered, "Apparently doesn't want any visitors." They crept behind the house, and looked around. There wasn't much to see; just an old willow tree. But underneath, the ground was burnt in a circle. David and Kelsie nodded. They crept closer, guns out, leaving the other two to keep watch at the edge of the house.

In the dirt on the burned patch someone had drawn a circle with three smaller circles on the edge; one left, one right, and one top. A feather, a clump of dirt, and a chain. They straightened up, but there was a flap of wings as the griffin screeched and flew at them. David barely had time to throw himself to the ground as the animal swooped low. Kelsie managed to get off a shot, but it went wide, and only grazed the wing.

"Someone's coming!" Jacob shouted, and then he and Nicole ran to the tree. Kelsie grimaced. The element of surprise would have been nice she thought, as she tried to figure out where the griffin had gone. David stood and turned to face the new threat from the direction of the house.

"Trying to kill my pet, are you?" The man asked. He looked old, and unkempt; definitely a recluse.

"You're an idiot," David replied.

"Am I?" The man gave an eery smile.The swoosh of wings came again and David and Kelsie looked around frantically. This time, it came at them from behind the house, but instead of going after the one who'd shot it, it knocked into Nicole, dragging it's talons across her back, and she fell.

"NICOLE!" Jacob screamed; at the same time two gun shots rang out. Kelsie shot the chains lying on the ground, breaking the bond, and David shot the griffin in the chest. The animal plowed into its former master as it died, talons leading. David din't spare them a second glance.

"Car!" Kelsie said, as David shoved Jacob to the side, scooping up Nicole in his arms. They made it back to the car in record time, and Jacob slid into the backseat, Nicole stretched out beside him, head in his lap. Blood dripped everywhere.

David glanced back once as he peeled out onto the road. Jacob's face was nearly as pale as Nicole's.

Every night I say a prayer

In the hope that there's a heaven

~Styx, Show Me the Way

Part 4

"Those people who killed your parents want to kill you too. And they never leave a job unfinished. If you go home, you'll be dead. But right now, you have a job to do: staying alive. You don't have time to grieve! Stuff it all away, and move on with your life!" David stopped shouting, and the room fell painfully silent for the second time that morning. David turned and began throwing things haphazardly in his bag, zipped it up, and practically stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Kelsie tried to think of something to say that wouldn't make the situation any worse, but to no avail. So instead, she did what she always did--packed up their things and got ready to leave.

"Get ready to go," she said at last, hardly looking at Jacob and Nicole, who hadn't moved an inch.

'Why?" Nicole asked.

"Because we'll be leaving soon. David'll be back in a few minutes; he won't be mad for long. But he's right you know. The best thing you can do is pull yourself together, and keep moving with your life. It's time to grow up a little, whether you like it or not. It gets easier. I promise."

________________________________________________________________________________

David's face seemed to have settled permanently into a scowl as he walked out to the car, and the sight that greeted him made it deepen even further. A tall blonde in heels and a red blazer stood by the driver side door of his car. She reached toward the handle just as David shouted, "Hey!"

She jerked her hand away and looked up at David.

"Oh!" her voice was soft and sweet, with a British accent. "Is this your car?"

"Yes," David all but growled.

"It's a beauty," she replied, "I've always been partial to the sixties."

"Great. Leave my car alone," The day was definitely off to a bad start.

"Well! Nice to see there are such pleasant people in the world. Cheerio!" David watched until she was out of sight, then lovingly patted the hood of his car.

"It's okay, baby," he whispered. He turned with a last look around the lot and went back inside.

"We should go to Uncle Joe's," Kelsie said when he came back in.

"Yeah. We need to talk to him."

"Also pancakes," Kelsie's voice was muffled as she pulled her hoodie on.

"Let's go," David addressed Jacob and Nicole, and then followed Kelsie out the door. Back in the parking lot, David looked around suspiciously.

"What is your problem?" Kelsie asked.

"Some British chick was hanging around my car," he grumbled.

"Was she hot?" Jacob asked as he got in. David pointedly ignored the question.

________________________________________________________________________________

Uncle Joe and Aunt May lived in a big, old house out in the plains of southern Illinois. Some of Kelsie's favorite memories were at that house. It only took about an hour to get there from where they were, but it would feel longer because of all the winding country highways they had to use. But to Kelsie, driving the old roads through miles and miles of corn always brought the sense of coming home, the remembered warmth of a loving embrace, of peace and comfort. She smiled.

The first half of the trip had been quiet. Jacob was alseep, Nicole was reading, and Kelsie had given up messing with the radio dial; her favorite method of annoying her brother. So it came as a great disappointment to David when Jacob broke the silence with, "What are you listening to?!"

"Classic rock, man! You know, Bon Jovi, Queen, Kansas?"

"That stuff's awful! It's just a bunch of electric guitar with drums and guys with scratchy voices!" Kelsie smirked as she listened. She knew exactly how this would go.

"You are insulting some of the greatest musicians who ever lived! How can you say that?"

"You obviously have never listened to real music before," Jacob replied.

"You're just a kid, so I'll give you some grace, but these men deserve respect!" As he said this, they turned on to a long dirt road.

"Where are we?" Jacob asked.

"Almost to our Uncle Joe and Aunt May's. And pancakes," Kelsie replied.

A few minutes later, they pulled up to the old farmhouse, and got out of the car. An older man in blue jeans and plaid stepped outside.

"Hey Uncle Joe!" Kelsie called.

"It's been awhile," he replied as they came up the steps, "These the kids you picked up?"

"Yep," David answered, "Jacob and Nicole,"

"You can just call me Uncle Joe," he said with a smile.

"Don't you stand there all morning yappin'! Bring those kids in so they can get something to eat," a voice called from inside.

"You heard her," Uncle Joe said, as he followed them inside. The cheery kitchen smelled of pancakes. Aunt May immediately welcomed Jacob and Nicole, and sat them at the kitchen table. The older two were about to follow, but Uncle Joe stopped them.

"How long are you planning on stayin'?" he asked.

"Not long. Just a day or two. Why?" David replied.

"Because I've got a job for you."

Part 3

Hey guys! Sorry for the length. I had fun writing this; that's my only excuse! 
Enjoy!

David glanced at the clock. 7:30. They'd been driving for an hour and a half. Kelsie and Nicole were asleep, and Jacob stared vacantly out the window.

"Okay, Jacob?" he asked. Jacob jumped, but never answered. A few minutes later, David shoved Kelsie awake as they pulled into a gas station.

"Hey, Kels. Wake up,"

"Hmm...what?" she shoved the hood of her sweatshirt off of her head, and pushed hair out of her eyes.

"We're stopping for gas. You want anything?"

"Yeah. Get me some Pringles and an orange pop,"

"Got it," When he came back he, he spent a few minutes pumping gas, and then they were on the road again. Kelsie opened the convenience store bag, and opened her Pringles and orange drink.

"You should call Uncle Joe," she said after she took a sip.

"I'll do it first thing tomorrow morning. We should stop soon."

"Where are we?"

"Somewhere in the state of Illinois,"

"Helpful,"

"I try,"

                                                                                                                                              

About half an hour later, they were checking into a small motel in a small town in Illinois.

"We'll have to share beds for tonight," David said as he opened the door. Inside the rectangular room, were two double beds with a nightstand in between them, and on the side closest to the door, a small round table with a couple of beat up chairs. There was a small bathroom on the side opposite the beds.

"Anybody hungry?" Kelsie asked, as everyone put their stuff down. Nicole shook her head.

"No," Jacob replied, "I just want to go to bed,"

"Suit yourself," David shrugged. Jacob barely bothered to take off his shoes before falling into bed, and it wasn't long before Nicole followed suit. Quietly, David and Kelsie sat at the table, and finished off the Pringles.

"They're just going to have to stay with us," Kelsie said.

"No! We can't babysit two kids and teach them magic on the road. It wouldn't work," David answered.

"Where else are they going to go?" Kelsie gave a half-smile as she spoke.

"I don't know. That's why I'm calling Uncle Joe,"

"I'm going to get ready for bed," She stood, dug some stuff out of her bag, and walked to the bathroom. A few minutes later, she emerged, wearing a pair of sweatpants and tossed her jeans and shoes at the foot of the bed. She sighed and rubbed her face.

"Kelsie?" David said, concern laced through his tone.

"Yeah?" her voice came out as a throaty whisper.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. 'Course,"

"C'mere," She did, and David stood as she came over to him. Her lip quivered and her eyes watered. She pulled her arms in to her chest as though trying to make herself small. David wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace and she finally let the tears fall.

David was quiet for a minute; he just let her cry. Then he began to sing. His voice was smooth and a little deep.

Good night my angel

Time to close your eyes

And save these questions for another day

I think I know what you've been asking me

I think you know what I've been trying to say

I promised I would never leave you

And you should always know

Wherever you may go

No matter where you are

I never will be far away

It was the song their mother used to sing. It was the song that chased away childhood nightmares and the pain of scraped knees. Kelsie cried harder. David continued singing. He sang the whole song, and slowly Kelsie's sobs faded into quiet sniffles. He rubbed her back for a moment then said, "Get some sleep, Kels." She nodded.

"You too,"

"I will. Don't worry," he whispered. She never saw the tears glistening in his eyes.

______________________________________________________________________

The next morning, Kelsie woke up to the sound of a door closing. She opened her eyes in time to see David slip out of the motel room with his phone to his ear. Quietly, she got out of bed and started getting dressed. She wore a pair of blue jeans frayed at the end because they were too long for her, an old band t-shirt, and her shoes; a beat up pair of black high-top Converse. She was in the process of brushing her shoulder length blonde hair when David came back in.

"Alright. Yes, I understand, Uncle Joe. We will. Okay, bye."

"What'd he say?" Kelsie asked, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. 

"He said we'll have to keep them with us. We can't send them to a government place, and giving them to another magic family would be a death sentence."

"Told you," she couldn't resist the words. David just glared. 

Nicole rolled over in bed and blinked.

"What time is it?" she asked groggily. 

"7;30," Kelsie replied, "You should probably get up. We won't be here much longer." Nicole pulled herself out of bed, walked over to Jacob, and poked him awake.

"Get up," she said. The only response was a groan, and Jacob burying his head in his pillow.

"Suit yourself," Nicole muttered.

A few minutes later though, Jacob got up and ran his fingers through his messy hair, trying to flatten it a little. 

"Are you guys hungry?" Kelsie asked in an effort to dispel the sullen silence that had descended.

"No," Jacob's voice was monotone; painfully flat.

"I just want to go home," Nicole said. She sounded like she was about to burst into tears. 

"Well, you can't!" David rounded on the pair, shouting. "You can't ever go home!"

Here's the link to the whole song. It's called Lullaby by Billy Joel and it's amazing.

Part 2

Here's part 2! 

Sorry if this is kind of long; I had a little too much fun writing it.

Also, character bios are in the works, possibly to be posted in the future.

Anyways, I think that's all. 

Enjoy!

An hour later, they pulled into the parking lot of a boarding school with David grumbling about guest parking fees. He parked and said, "Time to go get your sister, Jacob,"

"Why should I listen to you?" the kid crossed his arms and stared back at David.

"Because I said so. And because if you want your sister to be safe, you'll go get her."

"What if no one listens to me?" he spoke with the same tone of bravado as before, but a slight quiver flowed through his voice; like the first tremor before an earthquake.

"They will," David exuded confidence, "Act like you belong, like nothing is out of normal and no one will question you. Tell them that there's a family emergency, your parents are waiting outside and you need your sister. You'll be fine,"

                                                                                                                                               

Inside, Jacob took a deep breath and approached the lady at the front desk.

"What can I do for you?" she asked in a bored tone.

"I need to get my sister," Jacob tried to swallow, but his throat was dry. He continued, "We had a sort of family emergency and my parents are waiting for us,"

"And your sister's name would be...?"

"Nicole. Sorry. Nicole Freedmont,"

"Alright, I'll send someone to get her. Any idea how long she'll have to be away?"

"No my parents didn't say. They haven't told me much of anything yet, but have her pack for a couple of days. That's what my mom said,"

"Just sit over there and wait for her, then," the woman didn't even give him so much as another glance. After what felt like a thousand years, but was really only five minutes, Nicole came down. Dressed in a plaid skirt, white, button-up shirt and a pull-over sweater, she was the picture of over-eager freshman.

"Jacob?" She said, "What's going on? Is everyone okay?"

"Let's go. I'll tell you in a minute." She hesitated.

"Come on, Nicole!" At last she followed him out the door. Outside on the sidewalk, Jacob stopped and turned to his sister. He couldn't speak. To speak would turn this haze of confusion into reality. When at last he forced the words out, his voice was emotionless and monotone in a way that surprised him.

"Mom and Dad are dead," Nicole didn't say anything. She stared at her feet. An innocent and child-like pair of feet in saddle shoes and white knee socks. The left sock was slipping down her leg. Jacob stared at her, unsure what to do. He made a point of being sure of himself, and in the past it had never been that hard. Today, everything had been turned upside down.

"Come on," he tugged on her hand, hoping for, needing a response, "There's two people parked over there around the corner. They brought me here. They want to help. I'll tell you what they said."

                                                                                                                                               

"Okay. Thanks Uncle Joe. Yeah, I'll let you know. Bye," Kelsie hung up the phone just as Jacob and his sister rounded the corner.

"What'd he say?" David asked.

"He said we should take them to a relative and try and explain the situation,"

"Again with the explanations!" Kelsie didn't answer.

"You okay, Kelsie?"

"Hmm? Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." He gave a her a Look. It was the I'm-Your-Big-Brother-So-Don't-You-Dare-Lie-To-Me Look.

"I'm fine. Really, David."

"Good. I need you." Then he got out and opened the trunk for Jacob. Once they were back in the car, Jacob said, "This is my sister, Nicole."

"I'm David. This is Kelsie,"

"Nice to meet you," she murmured.

"Do you guys have any relatives we can take you to?" Kelsie asked.

"No," Jacob replied, "Our grandparents on both sides are dead, and both our parents were only children."

"Lovely," David muttered. Kelsie punched him in the thigh.

"Well, I guess you'll have to stay with us for a night until we figure something out," he said.

"Why??" two voices exclaimed. David opened his mouth, but Kelsie spoke first, scrambling for the right words.

"Well, the people who killed your parents will come after you too. Our original plan was to take you to some relatives and try and explain. But since that's obviously not going to happen, we have to think of something else. But we also have to keep you safe. And right now, the safest place is with us. You're just going to have to take it on faith, if you don't believe me," There was silence in the back seat and David took this as his cue to start driving. His face settled into a frown and he didn't look back until they were on the highway.

A quiet sound broke the silence in the car. Kelsie barely noticed it at first. She glanced back to see Nicole curled in a ball quietly sobbing. Jacob had an arm around her, and his eyes glistened with un-shed tears he refused to let fall. She knew no words that would help the pain. She didn't believe any existed. So she closed her eyes and rested her head on the cold window.

David glanced over at his sister. It was unfair. This should never have happened to them. To the kids in the back. To Kelsie. He knew what she kept behind locked doors in her mind. All because of that one day a year ago. And he couldn't change a single thing. I can't change it, but I can drown it.

He turned on the radio and stepped on the gas.

Story Time: Part 1

This is an experiment. However, since I'm mostly doing it for my own entertainment, it'll most likely keep going no matter how many people actually are interested in it. 

So here's how this is gonna go. I cam up with a story idea and I'm going to write it in sections, developing the story and characters as I go. I'll post it each time with the label "Story Time" so they can be found all in the same place. 

That's about it. Here goes!

"Look at this masterpiece," David said as his sister Kelsie walked in. He held up a sandwich stacked high with meat and cheese and who knew what else. Kelsie rolled her eyes.

"Disgusting,"

"Come on, Kels! It's not that bad! Look, I made on for you, too," Kelsie eyed the slightly less enormous sandwich as though it might attack her.

 "The last time you made me a sandwich I felt like puking for the rest of the day,"

"This one's normal. Promise!" Kelsie accepted it and took a bite.

"Okay, this is actually good," she admitted.

"See? Anways, what did you find?"

"There's a used book shop that looks promising. Lots of old stuff. I found out where that family lives. Oh, and it looks like the Suits are here too,"

"The sooner we get going the better, then," He grabbed a set of car keys off the bedside table. Together, they walked out into the motel parking lot and got into David's car--a bright blue 1960's mustang.

"Where do they live?" David asked.

"On Walden street. I don't remember the number, but trust me, you'll sense it when we're there," A few minutes later, after they turned onto Walden Street, Kelsie pointed to a modest house painted a soft beige with a welcoming front porch.

"There," she said, 'The door's open."

"That's not good," David replied, "Let's go." He got out of the car and pulled a pistol out from underneath the car seat. Kelsie did the same. Inside the house, everything was quiet, but there was a smell. When they came to the staircase, they found the source of the odor. Two dead bodies, a man and a woman lay at the foot of the stairs. David sighed and shook his head.

"Come on. We have to check upstairs too," Kelsie nodded, but he'd said it as much for his own benefit as for hers. At the top of the stairs there was a spacious landing, and then a hallway. Every door was open except for one at the end. When they reached it, David turned the nob, and then shoved the door open. It hit the other wall with a loud thud.

"Who are you? Why did you kill my parents?" Inside stood a boy with a pale face and fists held in front of him, though he obviously didn't know what to do with them. David and Kelsie both tucked their guns inside the back waistbands of their jeans.

"Oh wait. You're not the same as those other guys," the boy lowered his fists as he realized his mistake.
"Who are you?" he added.

"Time for introductions later. They could be back. You have ten minutes to pack everything you need for a couple of days,"

"What?? Why??"

"Look, kid. Those people who killed your parents are dangerous. Unless you want to be killed, you have to get out of here. You'll get a full explanation in the car. Clear?" The kid nodded, and began packing.

"Do you have any siblings?" Kelsie asked.

"I have a sister."

"Where is she?"

"At school. She goes to a boarding school for really smart kids." He zipped up his backpack. "I'm ready."

"Good. Can you tell me how to get to your sister's school?" David asked.

"Yeah," In short order, they were across the street and in the car. As David started it up, their new companion crossed his arms.

"So. It's explanation time," he said. David glanced at Kelsie, who stared at him.

"Why do I always have to do the explaining?" he asked.

"Privilege of age. You're older." she replied.

"By one year!"

"I'm too young," she continued without listening, "Therefore to naive and immature to give an appropriate explanation. The task falls to you," She stopped talking and grinned.

"First things first," David said, ignoring his sister, "What's your name?"

"Jacob,"

"I'm David, and this is my sister Kelsie. I don't know how to put this, so I'm just going to say it: You're a magician."

"I'm--what? But magic isn't even real!"

"Oh yes it is. You're a magician, your sister is, and both your parents were. Kelsie and I are as well. The people who killed your parents are anti-magician for some reason, and they kill every single magician they can find. Which is troublesome, because magicians work hard to keep themselves secret. Pretty much all we know about these people is that they're trying to kill us, and that they always wear suits. They're dangerous, and that's why we made you leave. That's about all you need to know right now."

"If I'm a--a magician, but I didn't even know it, how did you find me?"

"Every magician, even an untrained one, has a sort of sense, or an aura you might say, around them," Kelsie answered, "It lets you know who is a magician, and it's one of the first things you'll learn." By this time, they were pulling onto the highway.

"I just can't believe it," Jacob muttered as he turned to look out the window.

To be continued...

Fire

I see fire

Fire burning, burning bright

Bright behind your eyes

I see fire 

Fire burning, burning embers

Embers of desire

I see fire

Fire burning, burning sparks

Sparks of passion flying from your eyes

I see fire

Fire burning, burning high

High flame in your eyes; cannot be quenched

I see fire

Fire burning, burning and consuming

Consuming and I am afraid. 

The Skinny Jeans Dance

We all know it.

We all do it.

That odd little jig you do when you pull on your skinny jeans.

The one that gets a little more...enthusiastic when they're fresh out of the dryer. It looks like some twisted combination of an Irish Jig and a tribal rain dance. And then you do a few squats at the end just for good measure.

We need to put our thoughts into spiritual Skinny Jeans.

The Bible tells us to take every thought captive. The whole point of the Skinny Jeans Dance is that the pants are tight, difficult to get into, difficult to get out of. But not so bad once they're on. We need to put our thoughts through a little bit of dancing and stick them in some nice, tight, spiritual Skinny Jeans.

Which is where God intended them to be. He intended our thoughts to be pure, focused on Him. Not running every which way with every little idea. It takes a bit of a dance to get them there.

A sort of mental Skinny Jeans Dance. You have to jiggle them around, force them where you want them to go. Kind of like forcing your heel through the leg hole of a pair of skinny jeans.

But once they're on, Skinny Jeans aren't to bad. They're pretty comfortable, really. If we could make our minds focus 100% on God, on what is pure and good and holy and right, imagine how comfortable we'd be.

I wish I had more personal experience to say, "Yes! I've tried it, and it's so comfortable keeping my mind focused on the right things all the time!" But unfortunately, this is an area in which I struggle. I don't keep my mind where it needs to be. I tend to wear spiritual sweatpants. But I feel pretty confident saying that keeping our minds focused on what God wants us to focus on would be better and more pleasant for us.

So go forth and clad yourselves in spiritual Skinny Jeans, my friends!

5 Things You Should Know About College Kids

1. They are always tired.
No, like really. It's a given , a constant state of being. To what extent varies, but it's always there in some form. In the background. So that when one of them sees a long bench at a booth or something the first thought is not, "that bench is strangely long," it's, "that bench is long enough to sleep on". Always. Tired.

2. They are utterly broke. (cliche, but who cares).
To the point that they usually know (or can figure out in a few seconds) the cheapest way to eat at any given restaurant. Because not only are they broke, they also have no time to eat actual meals where you sit down at an actual table and take the time to enjoy food and company. And if they have a gift card, they will eat at that place, regardless of how much they do or do not like it.

3. They could live out of their cars.
Seriously. If you get in the car of a college student, there will be a plethora of cups and bags from fast food places, a coat, a pair of shoes, a textbook, probably some old homework assignments, CD's all over the place, and any number of other things. They could probably pick out an entire outfit just from the clothes that get tossed in the car. Missing assignments? In the car. Phone? In the car. And while we're on the topic, they're good at multitasking in the car. They can eat, talk on the phone, put on make up all while driving.

4. They are firm supporters of the statement "Ignorance is bliss."
Most of them, at least. Those few days after a test and before grades are posted are some of the most blissful days in a college students life. The test is over, for better or for worse, and grades aren't there to be known yet, so why not spend a few days not stressed?

5.One word: Caffeine.
It doesn't matter what form it comes in. Coffee, Mountain Dew, tea, whatever it is. If it has caffeine in it, there's probably college students not far away. People like to think that college students hang out in coffee shops because they're quiet, or because that's where "cool people" go, or something like that. This is false. They are called COFFEE shops. What is contained in coffee? That's right. Caffeine.

There you have it. Five things you should know about college kids. If you are a college kid, read this and laugh. If not, read this and have sympathy for us.

Just a Regular Morning

Noise. Ringing. Bells. So loud. Be quiet.

MAKE IT STOP!!!

Light.

Turn on the light.

Ouch. That hurts.

Get up.

But it's warm.

Get up lazy butt.

Cold. So cold. 

Warm shower.

Cold and wet. Mornings are evil.

Clothes. Look like a person.

I don't want to be a person.

Too bad.

"Good morning, dear."

CAFFEINE 

"Need to make coffee."

Hurry up.

"You look cute."

"Thanks."

"What classes do you have today?"

Zip backpack. Computer cord? Check.

"Math...lit...and chemistry"

"Okay. What time will you be home again?"

"3:30ish. I have to go. Now."

"Oh. Okay, bye! Have a good day!"

Stop hugging. Have to leave.

"Bye. Love you too."

Score. I left on time.

No. Blow warm air, you stupid car.

Drive faster. Slow pokes. Move. I'm gonna be late.

Score again. Got here on time. 

So. Cold. 

Almost there. Almost inside. 

Aahh. Warm air.

Early. Time to read. 

Ew. Don't sit next to me again. You smell like pot. Or cigarettes. Or something. 

Good. Alden's here.

"So how was your weekend?"

"Uh..."

Think! What did you do?

"It was good. Did homework. Worked. Went to church. Ate lunch with some friends. How was yours?"

"Pretty good. Didn't do much."

"Okay guys, let's get started."

Numbers are dumb.

***

End part one of the totally random and uncalled for internal monologue of a college student. (Namely, myself. Mostly because I didn't have anything else to go off of.)
Part Two to follow some day. Hope you all enjoyed. :)

Love,
Robin

Fat Books

This is truth. 

You don't notice it until years after you first bought the book. You pick it up, and look at it. You take in the battered corners, the way the edges are peeling back on the paper of the spine. The spine is covered up and down in a thousand creases. How the paper back cover that used to lie so flat is now creased and doesn't rest flat on the page any more. The pages aren't sharp paper cut material any more, they're sort of....fluffy. And you realize just how long you've had that book and how many times you've read it. You open the front cover and a strange sort of nostalgia comes over you. It's like the excitement of opening it for the first time all over again, only you know what happens. You're walking on an old road you've traveled a hundred times, returning to meet old friends, but you still feel that sense of adventure and suspense like that first time you opened the cover. 

I read so many books over the course of my childhood, I couldn't even begin to list them. But whenever I think about the books I read when I was a kid, the dominating ones that come to mind are the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. 

I loved them. I read the Hobbit first. I've read it the most. 

I read it the for the first time in sixth grade. 

I read it because my friend said it was really good. And she was right. 

I read the bit on the first page telling about Hobbits. I adored the story. I've reread it several times over the years. 

That book say me through that awkward stage of life we call middle school, was used many times as a boring evening's entertainment, gave birth to a brief obsession of riddles, and was still listed among my favorites by my junior year of highschool when I used it in an essay. (still among my favorites. always will be.) That paper was my favorite assignment all year and I couldn't wait to write it. 

Now I open it up again and smile the way you do when you find your stuffed animal from when you were a kid. You know the one. It looks like its been soaked, run over, tread on, maybe used as a napkin. I see the familiar first page heading "And what is a Hobbit?" I flip through all the pages and find that some places lay open better than others. 

I remember that first reading and all the subsequent ones. I remember nearing the end and clutching the pages in fright in a chair in my living room. I remember reading it another time at the pool waiting for my sister. I remember reading it my room when I was bored waiting for my parent's small group to finish so my sister and I could come out. I remember all the times I reread certain parts, and searching for quotes for my paper. 

Bits of my life really are preserved for me within those pages. 

Each time I read it, I understand a bit more. I bring new experience and new knowledge to it every time I read. 

So every time I open it I'm greeted by some old friends, and younger versions of myself, getting a bit older each time. 

Sorry about this completely random, slightly not-flowing post, I'm feeling a little nostalgic over here, and kind of missing childhood. Also the Hobbit just came out, so it's on my mind. 

Love ya!

Robin

Lavender Brown

I have one more final, you guys. One. More. Tomorrow morning at 10:30. Unfortunately, because it's a group project where we're putting on a skit, I can't study for it. So in order to distract myself, I'm here.

Warning: Harry Potter character death spoilers.

Lavender Brown.

We don't know much about her early on, just that she's in the same year as harry, Ron and Hermione and sorted into Gryffindor. But by the third book, we begin to get a sense of her. She seems frivolous and shallow.  She hangs on everything that Professor Trelawney says even when its obvious that it's a bunch of nonsense. We get the idea that she's maybe an average student. Good enough to remain unnoticed in the middle; not poor or good enough to attract the attention of the teachers.

And then.

We get to sixth year. And this is where everyone loses it. For multiple reasons, but as far as relates to this post, Ron starts dating Lavender. This is the point in the story where every girl wanted Lavender to go jump in the lake, and wanted to slap Ron silly for how he was acting. The relationship was the never-stop-kissing-cheesey-nicknames-always-need-to-be-with-each-other type relationship. Finally, Ron manages to break it off. Takes some difficult circumstances, but still. No one likes Lavender at this point though. She's the kind of annoying person that we couldn't care less if she just disappeared forever.

And then the seventh book. At the end, the great Battle at Hogwarts. McGonagall tells all the first years and everyone who does not want to fight to leave. And we were all thinking, "Okay, yes, good, send the sweet little first year babies home." But then later there's s moment, just a small one, where we see Lavender dead. Killed by Fenrir Greyback, a werewolf.

And here's where I want to camp for a moment. There're a whole lot of places I could go with this, like the casualties of war and all that, but I won't. Lavender Brown, whom we all thought was silly and emotional, flighty, and out of tune to anything that really matters, stayed to fight in the battle of Hogwarts. She knew what the risks were. She knew the odds against them, she knew she didn't have to stay.

She chose to stay and fight, and was killed for it.

Looking back, we notice something not-so-noticed the first time round. Lavender joined the D.A in fifth year, despite Umbridge's reign of terror at Hogwarts. And then, during her seventh year, she joined the second Dumbledore's Army to oppose the Death Eaters at Hogwarts. She hid with the others in the Room of requirement, and she fought in the battle when that time came.

Lavender Brown, who's always dismissed for her somewhat shallow personality, showed that she was more than everyone thought she was. Just because she's not like Hermione-smart, brave, and true, or Luna-individual, unaffected by others, and intelligent, doesn't make her a Pansy Parkinson.

The ordinary people that are so easily dismissed often end up being just as brave and loyal as those of whom we expect great things. No one expected anything above average of Lavender-but she gave the ultimate sacrifice for the cause she believed in.

Lavender Brown; silly, emotional, and maybe a little boy crazy.

Lavender Brown; brave, loyal, and hero of the Battle at Hogwarts.

A Learning Curve

I haven't posted in a long time. The oh-so-typical truth is that I've had crazy amounts of school to do. College is hard, guys. But I didn't come here to complain. I came here to say something that is, for once, serious and a bit painfully honest.

Most of my posts in the past have been things that make me laugh, or drive me crazy, or the generic, "Hey, I haven't posted in awhile, I should say something" things.

This is different. Like I said, I haven't had much time lately. I thought about just giving up on the whole blogging thing because I have zero time. But then I decided it didn't matter how often I posted, or how many people read it, or anything like that. As long as I enjoy doing it, there's no reason not to, unless I have homework.

But that's also not the point.

What I'm trying to say is: I'm learning.

You're probably thinking, "Well, duh! You're in school!" This is true. And I AM learning. About how to write bibliographies correctly, about the Cold War, world economics, and all kinds of other things.

That's not what I meant, though. I'm learning about myself. I'm learning who the heck I am. Or, more correctly, that I have absolutely no idea what the answer to that question is. It's like, I went through high school pretty confident in who I was, and then in senior year, I got a taste of what change would do to me, but I didn't really think much of it. I didn't think much about anything but graduation for the entire second half of that year. :) Then college hit. And all of a sudden I didn't know how to answer that question.

So many questions that I never had to ask before (like "How do you study for tests?) and things I've never had to think about. But even beyond those things, world issues, school issues, have been other things.

When did I start caring so much what other people think?

When did guys become interesting to me?

When did my mom stop being able to solve every problem that exists?

When did my dad stop being the most perfect man in existence?

How do I interact with my parents now that I'm becoming an almost-adult?

How do I handle the changes in relationships with my friends?

Who the heck am I??

I don't know the answers to those questions.

It's a learning curve.

That's what one friend, who's a few years older than me said once when I was talking to her about one of those questions. It's a learning curve. You have to learn. That sounds painfully obvious, but it's so true. She and another friend have told me that multiple times in different words. That growing up is hard, that you have to learn, that your parents don't know what they're doing either.

Thinking about this the past few days, I've realized something.

I don't know who I am yet. I don't know who I will be when I graduate. Or even in just a year.

But there are some things I do know.

I am saved. Even if I struggle 99% of the time. Even if I doubt, (which isn't thinking on that which is true anyways).

I have a Bible. And I know how to read. I have great teachers at church, and I have friends with a better understanding than me that I can go to for help.

I have been blessed with friends who are older than me and who can help me through the struggles. They'll tell me that college is hard, and growing up is confusing, and they'll answer my questions, and give me a hug when I need it.

I'm not trying to be super optimistic or something, like all those inspirational pins you see on pinterest. This is real. Those questions, those are the things that keep me awake at night. Those are the things that make me want to cry. The fact that I don't know myself terrifies me. But then I remember the facts, and I think that at least I don't have to do it alone. I might still die a little, but at least I won't be facing it entirely alone.

Now, do me a favor, and go start a land war in Asia.

Robin

Hey There!

Well, after a long absence, I'm back. I feel like I haven't written in forever and I was like, "I need to write a blog post." So here we go. 

I feel like I should have something to tell about what I've been doing, but I haven't been doing much. Just working. So it's weird. Also my "s" key is sticking. Whatever. Anways. I've been working. And then, this past week, Monday through Thursday, a dear friend of mine came to visit (well actually I sorta kidnapped her, but that's beside the point) and we had a great time. We stayed up late every night, and made many midnight runs to the pantry. We watched Emma, which I'd never seen before (it was amazing) and she introduced me to the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. They were brilliant. Like they had me cracking up and sobbing on Annakate's arm. Go watch them. They are beautiful. On Wednesday night, we had coffee with a bunch of friends and got to surprise everybody, which was completely awesome! I think that the conversations you have with your friends at 1:30 are the best; and we had so many of them. It was wonderful; even if she stole my phone and hacked my facebook and told everybody that I was a Peeta fan and preferred Percy to Jason.   

In other news, today was the first day of college classes. Needless to say, because I'm me, I was freaked out about it. However, it wasn't to bad. Granted it's pretty hard to get worse than my first day of LAST semester, but still. :) I was well on my way to school when I realized I'd forgotten my schedule, so I had no idea where my classes were. Then, I was already close to being late when I missed the turn into the parking deck at school and had to search for it. When I got there I had to find the building (my mom texted me what was on my schedule :)) and was late to my first class. But then I went to my next class (English) and I LOVE my professor. She's going to be awesome! But then, for some reason I had an alarm set on my phone for 9 am, and (despite the fact that I had the sound turned off) it went off in the middle of class. And my professor just started laughing. Over all though,  it was a good day. :) 

But now I feel the need to watch a Harry Potter coming on. So I'm going to leave you lovely people for now and watch Harry Potter.

Until I get my Hogwarts letter, 

Robin

How to Not Annoy Fast Food Workers

1. If you have a huge order, go inside instead of the drive through if at all possible. Because in the drive through, we're supposed to keep our times down. And when some lady comes in, orders two plates, three wings meals, a grilled cheese, and two orders of fries, then it takes us forever to make it, and then our drive times go up and that does not make anybody happy.
2. When you order, you don't have to taaaaalk liiiiiiike thisssss aaaaannnnnd saaaaaaayyyy eeeeeeveeeryyyythiiiinnng suuupeeeer sloooooowwwwwwlyyyyy. See how annoying that was to read? That's how it sounds to listen to as well. As long as you're not speaking at the speed of light, and you're enunciating your words like a good English speaker, I promise we can understand you. I've seen people take like 3 minutes to order, (although that may have been a combination of this and the above, but still) and then our drive times are blown.
3. Know what you're asking for. Please. I understand if you don't come to that place often, but, news flash guys, THAT'S WHAT MENUS ARE FOR!!! Don't sit there telling the cashiers, and there by the cooks, that you want something that's not on the menu. One time this guy came to the drive through asking for something none of us had ever heard of before. Not even at other restaurants. So. If you're unfamiliar, read the menu really quick, or if you can't GO INSIDE! Because in there, you can sit and stare at that menu as long as your little heart desires without affecting us.
4. This follows along with the last one. When you get to the drive through, order, and then don't change it at the window. That also causes drive times to go up. When we have to make another whole meal. And if you do do this, kindly remember that it is not our fault when you have to wait longer. (not saying people do this, I'm just throwing it out there) We are not the ones who have decisiveness issues.
5. Please, please, for the love of all that is good, KNOW WHAT YOU WANT!! When you pull up to the drive through, our clock starts running. And when you sit there going like this "Umm....I want a umm......hmmmm....I think I'll have a hmmm....a...no, a umm..." IT IS THE MOST ANNOYING THING IN THE WORLD. Or this one: "Ok, give me just a second" makes everyone want to say things like "I'm sorry, we don't sell those here,"  While you're sitting there, deciding what exactly you want and changing your mind a bajillion times, and using all the variations of "um" known to human kind, precious seconds are ticking away on our clock. And we can't start making YOUR  food until YOU order, so for Heaven's sake know what you want, don't sound like a sea sick whale, and order your food!!! And when you have kids with you, I have a ground breaking idea! While you are driving to the restaurant ask your children what they would like to eat. NOT when you pull into the drive through. ON THE WAY THERE say "We're going to such and such a place, what would you like?" So that you're not sitting there going "What do you want honey? No, I don't think they have that. Yes, you may get a kid's meal. Are you sure that's what you want?" And on and on it goes. Yes, we CAN hear you. And what you say in the car.

Okay, I'm done ranting now. It's safe to uncover your ears. No more shouting. So. I know I've been absent for awhile. School starts soon orientation is this Thursday. (Yikes!) And one other thing. Hopefully I will be posting a much longer, more interesting post soon. It's a  story I'm working on. No promises on how soon though.

Love,
Robin, the annoyed fast food worker. ;)
 

A Ripped Soul

I miss the sweat.

I miss the chalk.

I even miss the blood and tears.

I miss the noises.

The shouts of coaches, the cheers of teammates.

The chatter of little girls, the thuds and creaks of equipment.

I miss the smell.

That peculiar combination

That can be found in one place.

The strange mix of chalk and sweat

That never gets blown away by the air conditioner.

I miss the pain.

Feeling like my limbs are on fire.

Wishing my hands would fall off.

The stinging brought on by sudden loss of skin.

The bruises and rug burns of a thousand falls.

I miss the fear.

The moment of telling myself to let go.

That moment in the corner where all my fears rise up

And try to choke me.

Yes, even that split second of terror as my narrow solid surface 

Disappears from under my feet.

I miss the joy.

The time with my team talking by the chalk bowl.

The relief I feel after a long day of school.

The moment when I realize we're conditioning ourselves.

The feeling of being part of a team.

 I miss the satisfaction.

The knowledge that however much pain I'm in, it's worth it.

The sound of my feet hitting the narrow solid surface right on.

The moment I know I did my routine correctly; straight legs and all.

The feeling after I get a skill for the first time.

The knowledge that I did it.

That relief that floods me as I realize I can do what needs to be done. 

The knowledge that weeks of hard work have paid off.

I miss the gym.

Every aspect of it.

Even the parts I used to complain about.

I miss my team, who never let me chicken out, 

But who were always there for me.

I miss hearing my coach yell at me (loudly enough for the whole gym to hear)

That I just needed to get over it and go.

I miss being told for the hundredth time that my full turn won't count.

I miss the hugs from my team when I was scared and the coaches angry.

I miss the giant hugs from my coach the first time I got a skill.

Then I knew that all the yelling had been worth it.

I miss the sweat dripping down my forehead.

I miss the chalk coating my hands

And the callouses that snag.

I miss the gym.

Have you ever had something that was so much a part of you it felt like it was ripping your soul when it was no longer part of your life? Like it was tearing apart the very fabric of your being? 

When I first left the gym, thoughts of it would bring hot tears to my eyes and I could nothing to stop them. Now when I think of gym, I don't cry, but there is a dull ache there that is somehow worse than the raw emotion of the tears. An ache that will never quite go away. Only lies unnoticed. An ache that cannot be healed.  

This Cube of Rubik

If you don't recognize that line, get of the internet this instant and go watch movies until you do. I'm not even going to tell you what movie to watch. Just leave and don't come back until you can tell me the movie and scene that line is from.

Recently, I learned how to solve a Rubik's cube. And it makes me happy. The first time I ever solved one, I laughed so hard I cried. But I couldn't do it by myself. My friends had to help me. But that night, my friend (who had also just learned to solve it) and I went to her basement, turned on Hercules, ate Reese's and solved Rubik's Cubes. It was great.

But then I went home and kept practicing it, and bringing it to church so I could ask what the next step was, and yesterday, I rode to the airport with some friends to meet the team our church sent to Croatia this year, and I solved the thing like 3 times in the car, and a bunch more in the airport. And each time, I got closer and closer, until I finally could do it myself!!!

So the whole point of this random little ramble is that I can solve a Rubik's Cube with no help at all and it makes me very happy! This is quite possible the stupidest most pointless post I've ever written, and I have no excuse. Only that I am bored, and so I thought I should tell you guys a story so you could join me in boredom. I will not be offended if you decide not to read this post.

Love, 

Robin  

I Jumped Off the Face of the Earth

It's been ages since I posted. The truth is I jumped off the face of the earth and explored the great void beyond ran around like a crazy person at work camp and vbs. I always said, "Oh, I'll post later," and then....later never came. Later is not a faithful friend, you guys. Never shows up on time. Ever.
So. Typical but hopefully not generic update on what I've been doing while I have been absent form the internet.

First, I got a job. I work at Zaxby's, and no, I am not sick of their food yet. It's a nice job, even if I do have to wash a ton of dishes. :)
I was a councilor at my church's Kid's Camp for the first time, which was great fun, as kid's camp always is. A little rain will never stop us! Our team was the Blue Eggs and Ham (don't knock the Suess) and our theme was Return of the King, and we referenced LOTR constantly. The green team was called the Green Dragons, and their cheer was the song Pippin and Merry sing about the Green Dragon pub in Two Towers. Only they changed the words so it wasn't about a pub. :) One of my dear friends came back from Indiana for camp and made camp all that much better!
Then there was a week's reprieve and VBS started. I was in the skit that we performed at the end of each day, and it was a blast! I had to learn to speak with a western accent, and not burst out laughing at the funny parts. Especially when I could see all the kids laughing. It was a great time though, involving much laughter, and the consumption of copious amounts of coffee.

That's about it, and now that my life has calmed some what, I will hopefully begin to post more often. But as this is summer, and summer tends to be spontaneous, no guarantees.

Until the next time, 

Robin      

Summer

A sleepover with two of my best friends last night, even though it was a Monday. Staying up late writing and talking. Getting up in the morning to a breakfast of toaster waffles and syrup. That's summer. That delightful season where I can never remember what day of the week it is. Where I can stay up late every night if I want, because I don't have school the next day.

I love summer.

I love having my friends here on a Tuesday morning, and we decide to have lightsaber fights just for old time's sake. Then we get hot and go inside to sit in the basement drink coffee and write. Then we return to the outside to defend the planet backyard from the invading munchkins. (We won). Going to get slushies just for the heck of it.

I love the feeling I get when I realize that my church's kid's camp is only a week away. And I squeal with excitement, because, let's face it, I'm just as excited for camp as the kids are. I get to be a counselor for the first time this year, and I cannot wait!! And then this realization spurs on a conversation that goes something like this: "Remember that time..." "Yes!!! Remember the year...." And on and on it goes.

To me, all these things make up summer. Days where the sun shines and the air feels like the inside of an oven and all I want to do is jump in a pool. Summer days are filled with memories, and every summer I remember the things that happened last year and smile. And I know that knew memories will be created and I will have more stories to tell.

Also, pictures from the trip to Orlando that I forgot to tell you all about will be posted soon! (hopefully!)

Love, 

Robin

 

Suck It Up

So I've been thinking. Awhile ago, everyone was doing these things where they came up with a manifesto, or a life motto or something like that. And I was like, "Eh, that's cool. But I don't really have one." I don't really have one thing that can sum up how I view my life. I could tell you lots of things in life I enjoy; rainy days, cool breezes, good stories, the feeling of sticking a landing, a hug from my coach, but none of that is the sort of thing I could use to sum up my life, or how I try to go about living my life.

Well, the other day I was thinking about gym, and I was laughing about all the things our coaches say to us. The most common being some version of "Suck it up!". This, I realized should be my life's motto.

Suck it up!

I know you're all probably thinking, "Isn't that more like a sports thing, Robin? That doesn't apply to the rest of life." I know it sounds like something you would only hear in the gym, or the pool or the playing field. I know it sounds harsh and mean, and usually life mottos (or whatever you want to call it) are sweet or inspirational or something like that. And this, well it sounds like an irritated coach who is tired of complaining. (Probably because it came out of the mouth of one). But it really actually applies.

When I'm at gym (logical place to start), and I start complaining about how my arms are about to fall off, or it's not my fault my legs aren't straight, they have a mind of their own, or how I'm not flexible and this really hurts, I hear, "Suck it up!" (or some variation there of) from my coaches. Or sometimes from my self mentally. Suck it up, and deal with the pain. Get over it, you're not going to die.

In school, when I have tons of homework and I'm driving home thinking that all I want to do is lay on the floor pretending the world doesn't exist, I have to remind myself of this (hard). Suck it up, girlie. Just get home, get the work done. Suck it up, and deal with it. You can handle a little extra work.

When my plans for the week get thrown off, and I have to be super busy, or someone forgets to tell me that something needs or doesn't need to be done. I have to say, (you guessed it), suck it up. Pull yourself together, and get a move on. So you have to stay up till midnight writing a paper. Suck it up. Sleep is for the weak.

It even fits in with my Christian walk. Okay, now I know you're probably thinking "What in the world? That one really doesn't make sense." Who knows. Maybe you're not and this all makes perfect sense. Either way I'm going to explain it. When trials come (even little ones) and I want to get grumpy, and not do the right thing, I need to say to myself, "Suck it up!" No one ever said the Christian life would be easy, in fact, Christ said it would be hard. So when bad stuff happens, and I want to complain, or take the easy way out, I need to suck it up and deal with it. Even in the small things like reading my Bible every day. A lot of times I say I'm to tired, or to busy. Too bad. Suck it up, kid. Get yourself out of bed and do what you have to.

So there you have it. Life motto. Suck it up.

Crayons Can Melt On Us For All I Care

That is how I feel at this point. Crayons can melt on us for all I care. Everything is crazy right now with graduation and finals. Again. crayons can melt on us. Unless they're poison crayons. Then that would be bad.  Extremely so. I mean, who wants to be covered in poison crayons? Anyways. Whatever. 

I want to have a Disney movie marathon. My sister is watching Cinderella right now, and earlier she watched The Emperor's New Groove. And now I want a marathon. Any one interested?

(a picture for your benefit)

This is quite possibly the most random post I've ever written. Mainly because I'm avoiding my anatomy homework. But I really should get off the internet and work. But I really don't want to. Oh well. Maybe I'll get my Hogwarts letter, or the TARDIS will show up in my yard, or I'll walk into my closet and find myself in Narnia. That would be nice. Or maybe my cup will magically refill with coffee. Sorry, I'm rambling. 

This made me laugh. Hopefully you can see it. 

If not, take my word for it. It's funny.

Also, before I go, the title for this post is the title of a song by Relient K. Here are the lyrics. 

(Trust me. Watch the video.) Enjoy! =)

Until a later time when I don't have homework hanging over my head, 

Robin