Spring 2007

Spring Vacation—a Day with Mom, March

My week-long spring vacation in March was pretty low-key. I mostly slept in late, hung around the house, and rested. But Mom took Thursday off from work so that we could spend the day together.

First we drove to downtown Seattle to look at Bodies the Exhibition. It was an up-close-and-personal look at preserved human bodies dissected to display biological systems. The first room showed the skeletal system, and then successive rooms showed the nervous, circulatory, muscular, digestive, respiratory and reproductive systems. The exhibition was controversial because it used real human bodies preserved permanently by a process called "polymer preservation" so that they wouldn't decay. Some of the specimens were arranged as if they were performing activities like playing basketball or conducting an orchestra. Along the way were other displays showing a human intestine stretched out, the polluted lung of a smoker, and all of the arteries and veins without the body itself. I was close enough to touch them—but I didn't dare because a lot of what we saw was not only fascinating but also gross. (And yes, Mom, educational.)

After a hamburger lunch at Burgermaster, we went to the UW campus [right]. While we walked around I reminisced about my summer camp days on campus. Seeing all the students studying on the grass and walking to class in the sunshine almost made me excited to go to college. I have only one quarter left in junior high, and then I'll be off to high school!

Easter, April

I woke up on Easter, April 8, 2007, to Sofia standing beside my bed, holding my face in her two small hands, and earnestly, excitedly insisting that I wake up to see the chocolate in my Easter basket. "Okay, okay, Sofia, just stop pinching my cheeks!"

The Easter Bunny had brought me a basket full of chocolate (my favorite is the Cadbury caramel egg), but it was almost more fun watching Sofia joyfully look through her basket (which contained more toys than chocolate) and, later, search the house for hidden eggs. This is the first year that she's really understood and anticipated the Easter Bunny, and I liked playing it up for her [left].

Grandma Joanie came over (with more chocolate for Sofia and me), and we had a really good brunch with salmon, rice, salad, and carrot cake for dessert.

Then I went to Dad's, where the Easter Bunny had left yet another basket (this one full of yard toys and salty snacks). Grandma Joyce was over, and we had a fancy dinner.

Whew! What a nice Easter: lots of chocolate, good food, and family.

15th Birthday, April

This year my birthday was strung out over several days because I wasn't actually home on the 26th (more about that later). So Grandma Joanie took me shopping and to lunch on the 21st. And we celebrated at Mom's on the 25th. Among other things, I got a Chris Botti CD, four movie ticket vouchers, a basketball hoop net, and two hackey sacks [right]. Mom made me barbecue ribs, corn, and potatoes for dinner (my favorite), and we had a chocolate on chocolate cake.

We celebrated at Dad's on the 29th. We had more barbecue ribs (can't ever have enough), and my friends Taylor, Alanna, and Claire came over. Grandma Joyce was there, and Sofia was too, 'cause Dad and Suzy were watching her for a few hours. I got Star Wars KOTOR2, another hackey sack, a Blockbuster gift card, and some shirts. And we had carrot cake for dessert.

I really liked having a birthday last for so long, especially since my actual birthday, the 26th, was such a blast... And best of all: now I'm old enough for driver's ed!!!!

Band Trip to Oregon State University, April

Thursday, April 26, 2007, was a great day to have a birthday. The Kamiakin Wind Ensemble (9th grade band) spent the entire day, from 5:00 AM to midnight, on a trip to Corvallis, Ore., for the Oregon State University Invitational Middle School Band Competition. Mom was a chaperone, and she and I got up at 4:00 AM to start the trip.

There were 58 students, 10 chaperones, and one band director, Mr. Brannman, in two buses. We were originally in one 75-seat "superbus," but a broken hose that leaked fumes into the cabin as soon as we left the school forced us to stop at the Greyhound hub in West Seattle and split into two buses.

Because we didn't have to play until 5:15 PM, we took some side trips along the way. Our first stop was at Centralia, Wash., for breakfast. Next, we stopped at Lloyd Center in Portland for a quick hour of shopping. And then we went to the Oregon Zoo in Portland for lunch and a few hours of stretching [left].

Our next stop was at a construction business in Tigard (where one of the kids' dad had a contact), where we changed into our black and white uniforms. Finally we arrived at the Oregon State University campus. We listened to a couple other bands play, and then it was our turn.
We played Polonaise for Piccolo; Ladies, Lords, and Gypsies; and Aires of Agincourt. We didn't perform our best, but the adjudicator had some nice things to say to us afterwards, as well as some constructive criticism. And we later learned that out of two full days of 30+ bands competing from all over Oregon and Washington, the Kamiakin Wind Ensemble ranked 4th.

After we finished, we took some group photos [right; I'm in the front row, 6th from the right], changed into more comfortable clothes, and began the long trek home. Mom handed out chocolate chip "birthday cookies" that she'd brought along, and a busload of friends sang Happy Birthday to me.

We stopped in Portland for a late dinner at our choice of fast food restaurants, and then we conked out in the buses. We didn't get back to the school until after midnight, and Mom and I didn't walk in the front door until 1:00 AM on Friday the 27th.

I spent my entire birthday having fun with all my friends (and my mom); even though I had to get up the next morning and stay awake at school (which I didn't do very successfully), I can't imagine a better day.

High School Musical, May

After six weeks of rehearsing for three hours a day, four days a week, 28 of my classmates and I finally opened the Studio East production of High School Musical on Thursday, May 3rd, at Kamiakin Junior High. For three nights we had a blast singing and dancing in front of sold-out crowds (i.e., friends and family) in the junior high drama room. It was some of the most fun I've ever had.

I procrastinated trying out for the show because I couldn't do both theater and track. At the last minute, I decided I'd try the show, persuaded because a lot of my good friends planned to be in it and to challenge myself because the play intimidated me. Although everyone who showed up was guaranteed a part, since I had never been in a real play before, much less a musical, I was really surprised to learn that I had been given the part of Troy Bolton, the lead. Then I got worried!

The premise of the show, which is based on the 2006 Disney Channel movie, is that kids should be who and what they want to be, rather than allowing themselves to be pigeon-holed, by others or themselves, into restrictive groups and cliques (like Nerds, Jocks [above], or Brains).
Rehearsals were a big commitment and a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. When May 3rd finally arrived, I felt nervous but prepared. And every night after we finished, and I felt like we'd all done a good job, I was on a total high.

After our last performance on Saturday night, one of the parents hosted a cast party. Almost everyone came (David A. is a party machine!). I learned that when you spend that much time and effort working together toward one goal, you kind of become a family. Although I was glad to have my weekday afternoons free again, I was still sad to see it all end.

Driver Training! May

On Wednesday, May 16th, Mom took me to the Department of Licensing in Kirkland with a license application, birth certificate, and $20 in hand. They made us wait a frustrating hour (during which Mom and Sofia were mostly outside so Sofia could run around), but when we finally left, I had my learner's permit! [left]

I started driving class at SWERVE Driver Training on May 14th. I take classes two hours a day, three days a week for five weeks. In addition, I'll have six two-hour driving sessions with SWERVE trainers. The course costs $600, and Mom and Dad made me pay a third so I'd be more motivated. (As if the prospect of driving isn't motivation enough!)

Once I got my permit, I started driving to school every morning with Dad in our Corolla (major power...) The Corolla is a manual, which is pretty amazing to some of my friends. Kevin T. told me, "I can't believe you're learning on a stick... all I do is kill the thing." I'm not sure when Mom's going to let me driver her car, though; somehow I can't get a commitment out of her. By Washington law, I have to have accumulated 50 hours of driving practice and be 16 before I can get my first (restricted) real license. Maybe she'll let me then!

CAPStone Graduation Project, May

After months of preparation and work, I finally completed my ninth-grade graduation project, called CAPStone (Community Action Project). Planning for the projects began last year, and we all had to volunteer at least 15 hours in the community and then research the issue addressed by our volunteering and create a presentation explaining that issue and the work we did. On CAPStone night, 212 ninth-graders set their presentation boards up in the gym [right], and parents came to look at them and were told to ask us lots of questions.

I volunteered 20 hours (two hours a week) at a local retirement community called Madison House. While I was there, I played games like backgammon and "acey-ducey" with residents, helped out with small chores, and even taught some of them how to use their new Nintendo Wii. The people I met were really nice and seemed to appreciate my being there.

The end of school has been very hectic, but I hope that I can return and volunteer some more because I liked helping out.

Honor Society Field Trip, May

On Thursday, May 24th, I, along with 106 other Kamiakin Honor Society initiates (we had to maintain a 3.50 GPA and volunteer at least 15 hours of community service over the first three quarters of the school year), had our annual field trip. This year it was to the Experience Music Project museum at the Seattle Center, and Mom took the day off from work to be a chaperone.

We explored several parts of the museum, including the Science Fiction museum and a special exhibit on the music of Disney. Then after lunch at the Center House, we headed to the International Fountain [left]. Of course, we all had to see how wet we could get, and we ran through the spray to our hearts' content. The ride home on the bus was a bit damp and cold, but we didn't care. The day was a blast.

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