Back to normal blogging

After that lengthy memoir, which I'm sure none of you read, I'm quite pleased to return to my old method of blogging. But with a new feature- The Image Macro of the Day!
I'm not writing this blog for anyone's pleasure but mine. Here, I can rant, share memoirs and hone my writing skills. If someone comes across it and enjoys my work, that's fine, it will give me some small joy in my life.
So many people write solely for page views and drama. But I write for the joy of it. My mind is filled with many tumbling and rumbling thoughts, dancing in my skull. Yet my memory is like sieve. Often I will lose these great thoughts, in that great river made of lost memories and ideas. I must harness these thoughts by blogging them, a reservoir of sorts.
I want to become a better writer. I want my ideas to come across clearly. I want to write stories that make people think, that make people feel. I want to write things that are beautiful and disturbing, I want people to question their world after reading my books. I am greatly inspired by Stephen King.
I have other life goals. One of which is to visit every single known cemetery in the state of Vermont. So far, I've been to five of the cemeteries in Bellow's Falls, one in Burlington, one in Bristol, one in Swanton, one in Windsor, one in Lyndonville and one in Bennington. I just noticed three out of six of these towns begin with the letter B. The ones in Bristol and Burlington, I visited as a child. The rest I have visited in my teens, with the exception of Bennington. I visited that one the day before my birthday, thus making it the first cemetery I visited on the cusp of my twenties.
That's right, I suppose I'm in my early twenties now. I turned 20 last Tuesday. Most people my age look to this as a time of great change. Not so, with I. I felt the last of my childhood slip from my fingers, on April the 14th. The days of innocence and freedom from logic are forever locked in the archives of memory, only taken out to be mused upon, never to be relived. I am no longer a child, not even close, I am a woman now. A woman, what do you suppose that means? What does in mean to be a woman? Women are the bearers of life, but not all women bear children, women are the owners of wisdom, but not all women are wise. To be a woman is a complicated quilt. We dance the complex dance between weakness and strength, domination and submission. To some we are considered helpless, to others we are considered tyrants.
Women cannot be categorized. Everyone has tried to put women into neat little categories, but like cats, we cannot stay in one place for too long.
You may notice that I leap from subject to subject, like crossing a river by jumping rock to rock. Free writing is a favored method of mine.

Macro of the Day:

Hershey Part Seven

And now the last chapter...

Part 7: Plunged Into Night
I stood with my friends, staring up at the bright orange behemoth known as Fahrenheit. Hannah and Courtney wanted to ride it, but Mr. Burke and everyone else were going on the gondola ride. I had already gone on that, and so had Amanda, who didn't want to ride it again. I wasn't sure what to do; should I ride the roller coaster, like I said I would? After some deliberation, I made a decision.
I would not ride the Fahrenheit. The sight of that vertical drop filled me with a sense of unease, and I chickened out. Instead, I would ride The Monorail with Amanda. I felt a little foolish, I had told everyone I would ride that coaster, but my bravado had been false and I had broken my word. But it didn't matter, because at that moment, I had realized that being with my friend was more important than anything. She would be moving to Utah that summer, and I wanted to spend as much time as possible with her.

As we made our way to get in line, I bought a lemonade. Employees wandered around the park pushing carts filled with cups of the cold drink, along with other amusement park snacks, such as cotton candy. I paid three dollars for a cup, but it was worth the money, because it was the best lemonade I had ever tasted. It was sweet, tart and very refreshing. It wasn't too sugary, too watery or too sour. It was perfect, and much better than the Pepsis and Gatorades I'd been drinking all day.
Amanda and I boarded the monorail, with the Blue Cross Blue Shield logo plastered on the side. The seats were hard, white and institutional. I could understand why a medical insurance company was sponsoring it. Another family boarded the ride and then, it started. It was slow, gentle and boring. To pass the time, Amanda and I gossiped about our day and admired the scenery. The park was starting to shut down, and was virtually empty now. It was creepy, for all those glittering lights, and had a vaguely haunted feel. I wondered if the ghosts that resided in the park were wandering now. The thought made me shiver.
I sipped my lemonade, and I tried to shake the uneasiness I felt. The ride itself was well lit, but the world around it was being plunged into night. We actually left the park at some point, and rode over train tracks, past the factory. This was rather creepy, as we were outside the glittering safety of Hershey's Chocolate world, and out in the doom and gloom of the real world. But even inside the park, there was still a vaguely sinister feeling, as there always is at closing time in an amusement park.

We re-entered the park, and passed the Animal Reserve. We howled to the wolves, hoping they would hear us and answer. They did not, much to our disappointment. They were no longer nocturnal, the park's schedule had changed them.
After the ride was over, we went to meet everyone. We left the creepier parts of Chocolate World, and into the more well-lit areas close to the park's entrance. We passed a stand selling turkey legs. I couldn't help myself, I bought one. It was hot, greasy, salty and delicious. I shared it with my friends, though I eventually had to tell a few people to leave me alone and stop picking at my food without my permission. I prefer it when people ask me, before they start acting like damned vultures. But it was good meat, and if I had not shared it I could not have finished it. After I stripped it of viable flesh, I went into the gift shop, wiping grease off my fingers.

I wanted a souvenir, something to remind me of my wonderful day. This was the last time, I would go to Hershey with Miss Westbrook, maybe the last time I would go to Hershey ever. I called my mom, asked her if I could use the rest of the money she had given me. She said I could. I bought a small brown bear that had the word "Hershey's" embroidered in silver. It was $11.99, but luckily, Amanda lent me a dollar to cover it. Miss Westbrook and I named him Herschel. I'm holding him now, as I type; the tag is still in his ear.

We finally left the park, exhausted after a long day. I felt some sorrow as we left. I also hoped I would get a seat to myself.
On the bus, I found my bag had fallen to the floor and slid to the back of the bus. I growled to myself about the damn bus driver and the damn bus. Then I growled even more, when I realized that the search for my scattered had lost me my seat. The spot I had claimed was taken by someone else, who was hogging the whole damn thing. I should have put my backpack down on the cushion, claiming it, before I got up to search. So, I ended up sitting with Olivia instead, right across from my original seat. Because I had to share a seat, I knew I would not sleep well.

The ride home was long and strange. I slept uneasily, my back and hips flaring in pain, my neck screaming in agony. I could not get comfortable! I scooched down in my seat, rested my legs up against the seat in front of me. I would sleep fitfully, wake, then sleep again. The bus was oddly quiet. It was the sort of silence one experiences after a long journey. The sort of silence caused by pure exhaustion.
We stopped at a strange gas station; I remember that we stopped because the driver needed to get some food. The line for the bathroom had a family that did not speak any English. They cut in front of us in the bathroom, or did we cut in front of them? I cannot recall; I felt so dazed and groggy. I wanted a snack, but had no more money.

We returned to the bus. Someone's shoes smelled like wet dog and cheese. Miss Westbrook had tried to prevent this from happening (in 2007, there was so much foot stank that the whole bus smelled like New Jersey) Though I can't say anything about foot odor, as my feet can be pretty noxious themselves. One girl complained of having blisters. Mr. Burke explained that because her shoes had gotten wet, she had gotten blisters. So that was why I had blisters the previous year! This year thankfully, my feet were unscathed.

A bunch of the kids were sitting in the aisles of the bus, whispering into the night, I longed to join them; I felt left out. But I wanted to sleep so badly, I couldn't keep my eyes open. I do not recall if I dreamed or not. I think Morpheus and I did not meet that night. Or if we did, I don't remember it. The night was a very surreal blur. While I can remember so many details of the drive to Hershey, I remember so little of the ride home.
Then, as the sun danced across the horizon, bringing a pink and gold dawn, we arrived in Vermont. By five AM, we arrived at the high school. It was over. Our weekend was over. It was Sunday June 1st, Hershey and my experiences there seemed very far away. We exited the bus, stretching our limbs and rubbing our eyes. Belongings were gathered, and we waited for rides in silence. It may have been drizzling, but for all I know I could be confusing 2008 with 2007.

My mother picked me up. I showed her my bear, but neither she nor I said much. I felt like a refugee from a strange land. I wanted to fall into my bed, I wanted to pet my cats. I'd had a fun weekend, but it was over now. It felt like it all happened in another country, another lifetime. After all that planning, all the anticipation, it was over, faded into nothing more than a memory.

Hershey Part Six

It's never going to end is it?

Part 6: Highly Amusing
Lindsey and I stood as still as we possibly could, our backs straight and our chins high. I pretended I was in the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, and if I didn't stand perfectly stationary, I would be flogged. It worked for the most part, though I fidgeted a few times; I can't help it. Ms. Westbrook would later compliment Lindsey and I for standing so dignified in comparison to the representatives from other schools, who slouched, moved around and whispered the entire time.

The ceremony dragged on and on. Eventually the awards for high school choirs were given out. Unfortunately, we didn't do as well as we did last year. We certainly didn't win first place, and the rating we were given was a "good". That's the lowest you can get! Last year we had won best overall with a rating of 'excellent'! Why did we do so badly this year? I turned my head to look at my choir sitting in the bleachers. After the initial cheering (which one must do out of graciousness if not actual joy), their faces were still as stone, some looked incredibly disappointed. Angry thoughts raced in my head, our choir wasn't as good as it was last year, no one took the music very seriously, they only cared about the theme park. I hoped the band would do better than us, and they certainly did. The Jazz band even won the best overall award! Last year they were the ones to do poorly, while the choir had succeeded. This year was a complete role reversal. Also, Kenny won a special award for best soloist accompanying a choir! We were all so proud of him!
After the boring ceremony finally ended, we navigated our way out of the pressing crowds, I was relieved that it was over. Some of the choir members were complaining about losing; I wished they would shut up about it. You can't win every time. Yeah, I was upset about losing too, but I was more accepting of the situation. We had won last year, so there were probably some high expectations. Some of us may have gotten overly confident, and as a result, slacked off during the long months of rehearsal.

We all gathered together and took pictures of ourselves and our trophies. It was hot out; I wanted to get photo shoot over with and run back into the park. My impatience was recorded, in every single group photo, I either appear frustrated or forlorn. My slightly sullen expression stood out in a sea of grins.
Then, we made the short but agonizing walk back into the park. I felt rather rushed and panicked, because one of my friends wanted me to walk faster and was acting rather snippy, much to my annoyance. She even whacked my leg with her bag, in an effort to make me speed up. I think she was just anxious to get back inside Chocolate World, though.

I grouped up with Brandi, Steph and a few other girls. One of them was Amanda, a dear friend of mine. We are both Abenaki and had bonded over that during the school year. She couldn't go on many rides, but I had promised her that I would join her on the rides that didn't make her sick.
Our little band of chicas stopped at the chocolate shop, where they sold chocolate fresh from the factory and Hershey themed merchandise such as plush toys, pillows and mugs. I bought a king size Cookies and Cream bar for $.85, the price of a regular sized one back home in VT. I also bought a chocolate covered pretzel, garnished with milk chocolate and white chocolate chips. They called it "The Dalmatian" and it looked delicious.

We wandered around, munching on our sugary treats and watching some lame music group who went throughout the park banging on trash can lids and singing. I declared them the dumbest band ever. I couldn't finish my pretzel, it was too decadent, and gave it to Amanda to finish.
We left the Idiots and Their Trashcans, deciding to go on The Scrambler. Amanda didn't get on with us, but I politely asked her to hold the bags and purses. She said yes, and added that it was nice of me to ask, because usually no one ever asks the person who holds all the bags to do their duty.

For once, the line was short. I got in a carriage with Brandi, we buckled in, and closed the carriage's gate. The ride started, it was fast and fun, as Scramblers usually are, but I demanded more speed, anyway. Nothing is ever fast enough, you know?
Afterwards, the other girls went off to do something, what it was I can't remember. Amanda and I rode the gondola (kind of like a ski-lift) that went over the man-made river. The ride was slow and gentle, only jerking along the cable slightly. We admired the size of the carp swimming in the river and the ducks. We spotted the largest carp we could find and joked about how our ancestors would call it good eatin'.

After, I somehow found myself with Nick, Emily and Josh. I don't know what happened to Amanda. They didn't want to go on too many rides. We may have gone on the pirate ship again, and at some point I bought a giant bucket of French Fries, which were amazingly good. I shared them with my friends, and Nick invented the "Feasting Song", which went somewhere along the lines of "And we were feasting, and we feasted..."

My memory gets really hazy at this point. I don't know what rides we went on, we may have gone on the Himalaya, which is always fun. I know we rode the bumper cars, which was highly unpleasant. I felt pretty winded from all the times I got hit by the other cars, because the impact would make me jerk forward and bash my stomach into the lap bar. One girl slammed into my car very hard, causing me much pain. She apologized, and seemed genuinely concerned. Nonetheless, I vowed to never ride one of those fuckers ever again, a promise which I would break. At some point I met up with Stephenie, Brandi, Kenny, Ashley, and Shaylyn. Maybe it was then that we rode the Himalaya; I really wish I could remember, but it's not important.
Kenny and I got in line to ride the Wildcat. It was my second time riding the coaster that day, but we had made pact several months earlier that we would ride it together. I would not break my promise.
The line was much shorter this time around. As we rode, the car whipping along the tracks, the wind in our faces, I could hear Kenny's voice drop several octaves. I laughed, hearing mild-mannered, soft-voiced Kenny sounded like The Kool-Aid Man as he yelled "OH YEAH!".

Eventually, we had to meet everyone at the carousel, so we could do the traditional group carousel ride, like we did last year. I selected the Plains Indian themed horse. I was nervous, last year, I didn't end up in the video of all of us on the carousel, it seemed like everyone else did but me. This year, I hoped to make it in.
Ms. Westbrook filmed me first, as I cried out: "Look I'm an Indian!" (which I am!) and then she went on to film someone else. I haven't seen the video from 2008, only the disappointing video of 2007.
We had the whole carousel to ourselves, as had been arranged. We boisterously sang the school song and had a wonderful time.

After, I grouped up with Hannah, Courtney, Amanda, Aaron and several others. We stopped at a gift shop that sold crystals and jewelry. I didn't buy anything, but several of my friends did. Then we got in line to ride The Comet, a wooden roller coaster identical to a roller coaster of the same name at The Great Escape. The only difference is that this one is said to be haunted. The Carousel at Hershey is said to be haunted too.
The line was long, but not horribly so. We would be riding with Mr. Burke, Codi-Ann and J.J, the kid who had sprayed me with the hose that morning. We made jokes, and engaged in the usual line talk. When we finally got on, we got to sit in the front. I sat in the second car with Hannah; Mr. Burke had the honor of sitting in the first car.

It was a delightful ride. I had my hands high in the air, laughing as I listened to Mr. Burke giggle wickedly in front of me.
When we got off the roller coaster, we decided to ride the Kissing Tower, a fifty foot tower that has a view of the whole park and what looks like all of Hershey, PA. It is best ridden at night, so one can view the dazzling carnival lights.
The view was breath-taking, the ride relaxing. I felt an odd sense of safety, as I stared at the flashing, glittering lights of the amusement park. It was surreal, the feeling that nothing bad could ever happen, that life was uncomplicated and lovely. A sense of unfathomable wonder had taken and enchanted me and yet, underneath that blanket of well-being, I knew that the glittering lights and sense of safety were akin to Faery Glamour. It wasn't real, and I knew it wasn't.
We came down to Earth slowly. It was strange, that descent and I felt some of the glamour melt away. The night was still beautiful however, and there was still one thing I desperately wanted to do. I had wanted to ride The Great Bear, a coaster where the riders' legs dangle in the air as it goes through loops and sharp turns. I enjoyed it last year and wanted to ride it again.

We waited for our turn in the sweet bluish purple dusk, Hannah, Codi-Ann, Courtney and I. Mr. Burke sat this one out because of his neck. I was excited, last year this coaster had helped me get over my fear of upside down coasters and I had enjoyed it immensely.
We got in the second to last row of seats, the same place I had sat last year; my glasses were safely put away. I was nervous and excited, which is my usual state of emotions when I'm on a roller coaster. Finally, the ride started.
This time, it wasn't so great. I found myself wishing the ride was over, as my body was thrown from side to side. My hips were aching; this always happens to me on roller coasters that go upside down, I have no clue why. Finally the ride finished and we reunited with Mr. Burke. We could go on one last ride before heading back to the bus. If I was going to go on The Fahrenheit, it was now or never.

Next, the final installment. Will I live up to my bravado? Stay tuned.

Hershey Part Five

When will the madness end? How many chapters will there be?

Part 5: They Don't Dry Out For a Day or Two.
I stared up in wonder at the impressive behemoth that was Fahrenheit. I wanted to go on it, perhaps to prove a point, or perhaps out of curiosity, but it looked utterly terrifying. My friends wanted to to on the Tidal Force Roller Coaster, which is basically a giant hybrid of a water slide and a roller coaster. From what I've seen, it leaves it's riders throughly soaked, they don't dry out for a day or two. I wasn't interested; I didn't have a bathing suit on, like Brandi and Stephenie and had no desire to be soggy and uncomfortable all day. Anyway, there was one ride that I really wanted to go on. It was The Wildcat Roller Coaster, supposedly the fastest wooden roller coaster in PA. I never got a chance to ride it in 2007 and for the past year it had haunted me in my dreams. Literally. I would frequently dream of getting in line for the ride, only for it to shut down before I could get on. Now I had a chance and wasn't going to waste it! I grabbed my friend Courtney, and we merrily skipped off to get in line for The Wildcat.

The line for the Wildcat was ridiculously long, but I knew it would be worth it. I watched them test the extra set of cars, so they could have more riders, and thus make the line go faster. There seems to be something ridiculous about waiting nearly a half an hour or more for something that will only last three minutes, doesn't there? But what can you do? Courtney and I passed the time by playing with our cameras and chatting.  In a moment of boredom, I whipped out my pen and started writing on the plastic railing. I wrote such gems as "I did it for teh lulz" and "Frodo Lives". Courtney laughed, and people surrounding us in line gave me funny looks.

Soon enough, we were in the coaster's station, where they divide the line into little sections that will determine where you will sit on the ride. We were going to end up sitting somewhere near the middle.

I observed my surroundings. From where we stood I could see the whole park! I saw a really cool looking water ride, where riders sat suspended from cables and got drenched by hoses and water guns. It looked fascinating, but I never got to ride or even get a closer look. It was on a side of the park I never really got familiar with.
Finally, our turn arrived. We buckled in and pulled the lap bar down. I wasn't afraid at all, just so excited to be on this roller coaster, the coaster I had dreamed of!

The cars left the station, moving slowly and then, lurched up the hill, making that familiar grinding noise common with wooden coasters. My belly tickled with anticipation. Then it finally dropped down a steep tilted hill, the wind rushing in my hair. It was nothing like I expected but everything I dreamed! I cried out in utter joy and delight; every drop, every turn on this roller coaster was absolutely amazing! This was without a doubt, the best roller coaster that I have ever been on.

It was over too soon. We got off the ride, my adrenaline was still high. We promptly got in line for the smaller roller coaster right across from The Wildcat, aptly named The Wild Mouse. I found this to be very clever. This coaster was the complete opposite of the one we had just been on. This type of coaster doesn't have very large dips and are noted for their speed. They also have incredibly sharp turns and pivoting wheels; they're generally considered a family coaster because of their size. The line for this one wasn't horribly long. When it was our turn we had to race to get into a car, because they did not stop, they just kept moving.

We buckled in, and pulled the lap bar down. I wasn't expecting too much out of this ride, but I was proven horribly wrong. Whenever we turned a corner, the wheels would pivot, throwing the car out over into thin air, but still remaining on the tracks. It made me feel like I was falling out into space, like the whole damn car would tip over and I'd die in a horrible accident. Frightened, I found myself crouching over and crying "Do not want! DO NOT WANT!" whenever we'd turn a corner. Then the worst was over, and the car went up and down some little hills. I could enjoy this part of the ride.
Who would have though such a little ride would terrify me so greatly? I thought, if the Wild Mouse had me near tears, what would the Fahrenheit do to me? After we got off the coaster, I decided to treat myself.
I bought a cup of chocolate Dippin' Dots. Called "The Ice Cream of the Future" they are little balls of ice cream, which are a lot of fun to eat. These were no different, cold and delicious, rolling around on my tongue and melting. I love Dippin' Dots.

My memory serves hazy at this point. I do know that I ended up meeting with Matt, Scott, Sophie, Barbara and a few others. I don't remember if Courtney stayed with us or if she went off with another group. I do remember that we got in line for The Pirate Ship, which is always a favorite. It's one of those thrill rides, that swings you up high in the air, then brings you down, mimicking the a ship at a stormy sea. As a girl, they terrified me, but now as a young woman, I loved them.

The ride was fantastic, this ride always is! There is a delightful drop in your stomach, you're filled with ecstatic terror as you see how high up you are. Matt and I pretended to be pirates, growling "Arr Matey" whenever we got the chance.
We tried to get in line for The Claw, which is another favorite of mine, but the line was too long. Anyway, we had to meet everyone at the Carousel, because it was almost time for the awards ceremony.
We meandered through the park, meeting up with our fellow band and choir members as we went. I was a little sad to be postponing the merry-making, wishing I could just skip the whole stupid ceremony. It was long and boring, not to mention that the loud cheers of winning bands and choirs were offensive my ears. I was also hoping we would win this year, but our choir was not was good as last year's had been. But I prayed for a win anyway, despite my objections to the long winded ceremony ahead.

We all gathered at the Carousel, then migrated out of the park to the Hershey Stadium, where we would be stuck outside for nearly a half an hour in blistering, muggy heat! I desperately sought shade, a comfortable place to rest, anything to bring me ease. I was running low on water, and feeling grouchy. I wanted to be in the park, riding rides, not waiting to see if I was a failure in the eyes of some snotty judges! What a waste of time all this was!
Finally, we were ushered into the stadium, the crowd pressing against us. Feeling anxious, I popped a Seroquel and swallowed it with last of my water. Then we were seated in the hard wooden stadium chairs. This giant hockey stadium gave me the creeps, and I felt so small in such a large space. Ms. Westbrook approached Lindsey and myself and told us we were to stand before the judges, to accept any trophies we might win. Lindsey and I were chosen because we were seniors, it was our privilege. I felt so honored that she had picked us. We carefully traversed the steep stairs down to the cement hockey rink. We were representing the choir and the two eldest band members were representing the band.
We stood in a line with other school representatives, Lindsey and were I absolutely still, like Navy officers at attention. There was a hush, the ceremony was beginning.

Part six, will be coming soon. I warn you, my details may get a little foggier, because at some point my memory gets little hazy! Things may not be in chronological order, and events may end up in the wrong order. Bear with me, I just want to get my memories out, doesn't matter how.

Hershey Part 4

Part 4: The Hope That No One Will Vomit On You
So here we were, with a large thunderstorm hanging over our heads. We were supposed to spend a day in an amusement park! The situation seemed bleak and it felt like everyone was in a dark mood. As we waited to leave the hotel parking lot, I chewed bubblegum and took pictures of the bubbles I made. The sky was a dark miserable gray, and rain slapped the windows of the bus ominously. I heard Miss Westbrook suggest that we just go to the mall. I hoped she was joking; I really wanted to go to the park!

As we drove to Hershey Park, the rain began to lighten up and the sky started to clear a little. The sun shone softly through the clouds. We approached the park and I became so anxious, so excited, that I asked one of the chaperones if I could hold her hand. I explained to her that grasping someone's hand would help keep me calm. So Mrs. Guild kindly took my hand in hers, and held it as the bus searched for a parking space.
Once we were parked, our tickets were passed out and so were our enameled blue Music in the Parks pins; I put mine on my dark blue hoodie. It matched perfectly. Then we all rushed towards the entrance to Hershey's Chocolate World. We passed through security, and let them search our bags. I showed them my prescription anxiety pills (I had my Seroquel handy in case of a panic attack) and the guards passed me on through. Then I went to the admission booth to turn in my ticket and have my hand stamped with a special ink that would glow under a blacklight.

Inside the park it was still very wet and most of the rides were temporarily closed because of this. The lines of the rides that were open were ridiculously long. Eventually my group and I decided to go on the Tilt O' Whirl. Last year, I had wanted to ride it, and had never gotten a chance. We waited in the seemingly endless line, quietly chatting. It was humid and my sneakers were soaked; I tried very hard to control my discomfort and anxiety. Then finally, we got on the ride, I sat with Stephenie and Brandi. The car's shape reminded me of an alcove or a half-shell; we pulled the bar over our laps and waited for the ride to start. It started off slowly, picking up speed. It spun faster and faster, making the car we were sitting in spin of it's own accord. So now the whole ride was spinning and tilting, twirling erratically. We squealed and laughed in delight, clutching the lap bar. The ride went faster and faster, and soon it was over. We walked off, our legs wobbling, laughing at each other and the faces we had made, the things we had shouted in the heat of the moment. Then we got in line for The Sooper Dooper Looper roller coaster. A little spoiler- it only has one loop. I consider its title to be a misnomer. If it had more than two loops, it would deserve the name. But nevertheless, it was a ride I had enjoyed last year; I had ridden it about five or six times.

The line was long. We had waited a half an hour to ride it. Then, just before were to get on, a handicapped person showed up and took our place on the roller coaster. Not only did the girl in her wheelchair get on ahead of us, but so did her ENTIRE party; it was aggravating and frustrating. At the moment it seemed kind of unfair. I know, that because of her wheelchair, she can't use the regular line with its stairs, but when you've been waiting for half an hour or even more, logic means nothing.

When it was finally our turn, Shaylyn and I got on together. The rest of the group still had to wait in line.
Even though the coaster is the upside down type, we only had a lap bar for a restraint. We buckled in, and pulled the bar down. My glasses sat in my bag, in the little storage cubbie provided. I felt the usual pang of anxiety I feel whenever I ride a roller coaster. My stomach was dancing, my heart thumping. The ride started; it began slowly, rolling out of the station and then up a hill. Going up the hill is the worst part of the coaster. The sound of grinding chains, the dizzy anticipation, the mixture of fear and giddiness. The hope that no one will vomit on you.

The cars dropped down the hill, my stomach dropping to my knees delightfully. We went through the single loop, with an incredible rush. The whipping wind and the sound of screams filled my ears. After the loop, the ride was a little more tame, going through some twists and turns, even going through a tunnel at one point (I love tunnels on roller coasters). It was fantastic; I used to hate roller coasters, especially upside down ones, but now I enjoyed the thrill of weightlessness, the joy of being suspended upside down for a brief moment.  When the ride was over, Shaylyn and I waited outside the coaster's exit for the rest of our party.

We didn't have much time to go on another ride, because we had to meet the rest of the group at Tidal Force catering for lunch. The previous year, I'd managed to go on more than two rides before lunchtime. So we made our way over there, handed in our lunch tickets and went to have some real food. I ate a couple of hot dogs and some pasta salad, drank some soda. I felt too wound up to eat very much, I spent most of my time jiggling my legs and engaging in conversation with my teacher. I found out, to my anger, that Ms. Westbrook had been mugged by some kids at the security checkpoint and the guards there had done NOTHING! Why wouldn't they do anything? Aren't they supposed to protect park guests, isn't that their job?
While I was talking and observing my surroundings, I saw it. The newest roller coaster at Hershey. Its name was Fahrenheit. A bright orange steel coaster, with a 97 degree drop! I wasn't the only one marveling at it either, some of the other kids in band and choir were commenting on its might and ferocity. I vowed I would go on that ride, simply because it frightened me so. I declared to anyone that would listen that I was going to ride that coaster by the end of the day. But was I going to stay true to my word?

Stay tuned to find out if I break my promise, and to read about the other thrills and spills I get into!

Hershey Part 3

And now...the third of many installments.

Part 3: Voice Exercises
We had just left the pool, and gone to our rooms to change out of our soggy bathing suits and have some dinner. After dinner, we would get ready for our performance that evening.
In our room, Stephenie, Brandi and I brushed our hair, and changed back into our clothes. I put my blue Native American t-shirt back on, along with the pair of periwinkle blue gym shorts I had worn to walk to the pool. Then we headed down to Mr. Burke's hotel room, where pizza and soda were being served. We paid Mr. Burke our share of the pizza (about 2 to 3 dollars) and had a picnic right in the hall of the hotel, enjoying pizza with everything on it (except anchovies) and lukewarm Coca Cola. This was the second time I had pizza that day, for lunch and dinner, and let me tell you, it was damn delicious!

After we ate, the members of the choir went to Ms. Westbrook's room to collect our matching periwinkle polo shirts. The shirts had "BFHUS Chamber Singers" embroidered in dainty lettering, over the heart. Under the words, musical notes danced about. Back at my room, I changed into my classy black dress pants, polo shirt, black dress socks and patent leather ankle-strap wedges. I did my make-up, and put in my porcupine quill and amethyst earrings, the stones carved into the shape of a bear totem. Then Stephenie clipped my blue and white beaded barrette in my hair, the one I normally wear for pow-wows. The design was a symbol for the Mohawk tribe, which works, because I'm Mohawk and Abenaki. We were not allowed to wear any perfume, since we didn't want anyone's allergies to act up while singing.

When we were ready, we left our rooms and waited in the hotel lobby for the rest of the band and choir. But none of them showed up. It turns out that we had been waiting in the wrong place the entire time! We had no idea where the group or the bus was supposed to be! The hotel became a maze, and soon I found myself and some other girls from both the band and the choir running around frantically, trying to find an exit where the bus would be. I remember running down plenty of stairs in pinching dress shoes. Eventually we found the bus.

On the bus, I checked myself in the bathroom mirror. Something about my hair seemed odd, it didn't look like it was supposed to. Then, with horror I realized my special barrette had broken, leaving the clip tangled in my hair and the intricately beaded barrette missing! For one horrible moment, I thought it was in the toilet, or that I had lost it while running for the bus. I made my way back to my seat, choking on my anxiety. I was starting to panic. Ms. Westbrook, remembering my big, tearful panic attack from last year (caused by my roommate deciding she didn't want to share a room with me, but rather with a chain-smoking choir skank, who I was not particularly fond of.), tried to keep me calm. Thankfully, before my panic level could rise, either Olivia or Courtney found my barrette under their seat. I took the two broken pieces, and seeing that they could not be fixed, put them in my bag. I wasn't sure how my clip had broken, but silently concluded that it had something to do with the way my hair had been pulled back. Then Stephenie French-braided my hair for me, since I did not want it in my face during the performance. She pulled very tightly on my hair, making me cry out in pain. But in the end, Miss Westbrook told me I looked lovely, so it was worth it all the suffering.
The choir was supposed to perform first. We held a warm-up on the bus, I was hoping that we'd win like we did last year. I even prayed silently. We sang through our repertoire, which consisted of our warm up song and our two songs for judging.

Like I mentioned earlier, the competition was held at a local high school. To our chagrin, we found we were not to be given a private room to warm up in like we did last year, nor did we have the time to get some water.
So we were ushered out onto the stage. Thankfully, the judges decided to give us some time to do another warm-up. First, we did some voice exercises and then we did some stretches, wiggling our bodies and rotating our necks. We did the physical exercise, trying to loosen up in the belief that if bodies were relaxed then we would perform better. We also gave each other quick neck and shoulder rubs, as was our tradition. The gentle massage adds to the relaxation and helps us bond as a choir.

Then it was time for our performance. First we sang our warm up song and then we did our two performance songs. It was the latter we would be judged by. I remember that we sang a choral arrangement of a Robert Frost poem, a madrigal and a third song, whose name I can not recall. We weren't as good as we could have been. We could have been much better. When we were finished, we took our bows and exited. The band congratulated us and we congratulated Kenny for accompanying us on the piano during one of our songs. Then we got back on the bus, because the band would be playing at another school nearby.
The choir waited outside, while the band got ready to perform. It was a beautiful early evening, the fields of Pennsylvania Dutch Country a vibrant emerald green. The sky was slightly cloudy and I could smell a storm coming. Miss Westbrook and I admired the scenery together, as the sun began to set. It was a very soothing sight, that made me feel very serene. I decided that Pennsylvania was almost as pretty as Vermont.

We were allowed inside the building to watch the band. As we waited in the lobby, a school from New Jersey passed us. So many people! It seemed that not only had the students come on the trip, but their parents too! There had to be well over 100 people! BF had only brought the band and choir, along with a couple of parents acting as chaperons. I felt so small watching this big school pass us, I was so aware of how small of a group we were compared to them. Also, it seemed like all the New Jersey moms were wearing high heels, full make-up and lots of gold jewellery. Compared to them, we must have looked like a bunch of country bumpkins, a group of rag-tag kids from a small town in Vermont. We might as well have been wearing shit-kickers and John Deere caps.

The choir filed into the auditorium to watch the band play. We thought they did wonderfully. But after the band left the stage, and we went to greet them, we heard anguished sobbing coming from the girl's bathroom. One of the girls had made a small mistake while playing her flute. No one heard it, no one could even tell it had occurred, but it still upset her. All the girls and the two chaperons (both of whom were ladies) hugged her and washed her face, giving her reassurance. The Jazz Band was due to play soon, and she needed to calm down so she could play.

She had calmed down enough to go back on stage, and we listened to the jazz band play. They were very good, and I noticed that they all looked surreal and different from my place in the audience. They just didn't seem real from where I was sitting. After they finished, we got back on the bus and got ready to return to the hotel. It was dark by now, and everyone was still riled up, so we sang the school song with wild abandon and joy. At some point we passed the park we would be cavorting in the next day,  I regarded it with fondness, and hoped that this year would be as good as or better than last year. I wondered what the first-timers thought about it. Were they impressed? Were they filled with awe?

When we got back to the hotel, the pool hadn't closed yet, so my companions and I pulled our cold, damp bathing suits back on and headed down to the pool. We stayed in the indoor side of the pool, for some rather rowdy guests had commandeered the outside half. Plus, it was pretty much pitch black out there and there didn't seem to be any lamps outside to penetrate that darkness. After paddling around in the pool for a little while, my friend Kenny and I sat in the hot tub with another couple. If they were miffed about us being there (perhaps they wanted to be alone?) they didn't really show it, but they weren't exactly friendly either. Kenny and I talked about our performance, and how nice it was to soak in such lovely water after a long day. We also talked about the rides we'd go on tomorrow; it was very pleasant.

When I got back to the hotel room, I took a shower and prepared for bed. I washed all the chlorine out of my hair and off my body, concentrating on getting clean. It was just like any other hotel shower, rushed and unexciting. After my shower I put on my blue and black Mutts pajamas. The blue t-shirt had some cats and dog in a group hug, with the phrase "Recycle Hugs" The black cropped pj pants repeated the theme with a pattern of hugging animals, hearts and the Recycle Hugs phrase. I was so tired, I didn't even need to take my Seroquel. So I just settled into bed with a book and my teddy bear. Brandi settled in the bed next to mine, and Stephenie made her little kip on the floor.
I fell asleep quickly and had strange dreams. I always have weird dreams when I sleep in an unfamiliar place. Sometime in the night, I woke up to see a shadow standing over me, feel a hand shaking me. Startled, I cried out.
"It's me" Stephenie whispered, soothing my fear. She had gotten cold while sleeping on the floor and wanted to get in bed. She asked me to move over, and I obliged. Then the two of us curled up under the covers and slept.

I woke up around six in the morning, six thirty perhaps. I crawled out of bed, my roomies telling me that I could sleep in, we had some time. But I was awake already and too excited to go back to sleep. I brushed my teeth, washed my face and got dressed. I put on the new Capri pants that I had recently purchased from Torrid, with the blue and gold embroidery on the butt pockets. Then I pulled on my teal Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends t-shirt, also purchased from Torrid. It had the character Cheese on it, and it said "I like chocolate milk". I pulled my turquoise and yellow hand woven belt through my belt loops and put my checkered sneakers on. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and put my silver earrings with the green stones through my ears. I wore my new button on my shirt.

I went downstairs to have the breakfast the hotel was providing for us, knowing Brandi and Stephenie would join me soon enough. I sidled up to the buffet and served myself scrambled eggs and home fries, apple juice, and milk. I sat with some of the girls, and enjoyed my breakfast, though I had to pick the bell peppers out of my home fries. My room mates eventually joined us at the table, and had their breakfasts. After I finished eating, I had a cup of tea to calm my nerves.

After breakfast, I went back to my room and packed my things, obsessively making sure to leave nothing behind. Some of my friends had gone to swim in the pool for awhile, but I wasn't in the mood to swim, I was anxious to leave the hotel. Not wanting to be alone however, I joined them and preferred to sit on a pool chair and watch them swim. I chatted with a couple of the girls. We stole flowers from the large pots decorating the deck, and put them in our hair. It was starting to drizzle, so everyone in the pool swam back inside. At some point, while I remained outside, I flashed my friends a glimpse of my bra, in a moment of giddiness. I don't think anyone noticed, though.

I went inside, and waded in the hot tub up to my shins, enjoying that warm pleasant water one last time. One of the boys, a tall redhead named J.J. , was messing around with a hose. A hotel employee had left the hose running, presumably to refill the pool. Naturally, a bunch of teenage boys HAD to start playing with it. Needless to say, I got sprayed. Not a lot, a little sprinkle, but I was annoyed none the less. It was the start of a rough morning.
Soon, we checked out of the hotel and went to board the bus and load it with luggage. When we went outside though, we were horrified to find ourselves in a heavy thunderstorm. Like I said, It was a rough morning.

Stay tuned for Part Four!

Hershey 2008- Part 2

Here's the second installment of my recollection of the Music In The Parks trip to Hershey:

Part 2: The Road Went Ever On And On
We had just left the mall where we had taken our lunch break and were now continuing on our journey. The day had warmed up considerably and my friend Stephenie moved to the seat ahead of me so she could take a nap. Soon enough, I found myself stretching out on my seat, resting my head against the window and dozing in the warm May sunshine.

After my nap, which may have been as long as an hour, the ride seemed to last forever. We passed some familiar landmarks, things we had seen last year. A tower built entirely of cars, as well as a prison which I had once thought to be a college. Then there were things I had never noticed before. I saw a large billboard for "Adult World". I asked Stephenie if it was what I thought it was. It was indeed, an advertisement for a large sex store. I briefly entertained the thought of demanding that we take a detour to this place, whose name sounded like an erotic amusement park. It was a good thing that I did not, because such a naughty request would have been ill-received by Ms. Westbrook and Mr. Burke, even if it were made in jest.

We entered the State of New York. It was the fourth state I'd been in one day! I knew that the next state would be Pennsylvania, where our destination lay. I began to feel antsy; when would we get there? How much longer would be on the road? I found myself constantly asking Mr. Burke where we were, and how much farther we had to go. I constantly checked the clock at the front of the bus. In an effort to pass the time, I counted cemeteries, took pictures and chatted with Ms. Westbrook.

The road went ever on and on, to quote Bilbo Baggins. Eventually, we passed the border into PA, but we still had a long way to go. Then, we got stuck in traffic; it was agony. The bus was still, enveloped in a cloud of exhaust, its engine rumbling like a great beast. I looked out the window and noticed that the soil of Pennsylvania was a glittering black. Stephenie explained that the glitter was coal dust, leftover from the mines. The land was utterly stripped and depressing in this part of the state. I also noticed at least eight deer carcasses lying by the side of the road, adding to the pitiful landscape. This was the worst part of the trip. The misery of the traffic jam only increased, because the traffic would start to progress and the bus would start to move, only for traffic to freeze again, making the bus stop suddenly. These abrupt, jerky movements would thrust my CD player out of my hands and onto the floor, where it would land with a clatter. This abuse would prove to be the end of my CD player. After the trip, it would never work again. Being dropped so many times and sliding around on the floor of a moving bus was the Cause of Death.

Next to our bus, was a large blue bus that belonged to a juvenile detention facility. We could see the youths aboard. They stared at us and we stared at them. The boys talked of starting a bus war, much to my amusement.
Eventually, we got out of the traffic jam and barreled on down the interstate. The sun was shining and I was looking forward to the hotel and the comforts it had to offer. I was still bored, so every once in awhile I would get out of my seat and talk to some of the guys sitting in the back, or use the bathroom. Whenever I'm on a bus or a train with a bathroom, I take full advantage of this and use it as frequently as possible. This usually tends to annoy someone, because during both Hershey 2007 and 2008, I had two separate people complain about my multiple bathroom trips. In 2007, I actually lied to the girl haranguing me, and told her that I'd been puking. Personally, I don't see why it's their problem in the first place. It's nobody's business how many times I go to the bathroom. Anyway, no one else on the bus seemed annoyed by my bathroom visits, and if they were they were polite enough to be quiet about it.

We left Coal Country and soon found our surroundings to be lush, green and lovely. We were getting closer to our destination. When we stopped at a rest area, we all rushed off the bus, eager to stretch our legs and use a bathroom that didn't shake and rattle. Some of the girls pored over brochures and pamphlets, while the boys tried to climb a tree. I ignored the pamphlets and decided to watch the boys climb the tree, which was covered in strange little bugs. One of the climbing boys, Brent, had purchased a green kilt in Hot Topic and was now wearing it with panache.
We returned to the bus, but were not allowed to get back on it, why I do not know. So we waited a few feet away from it, waiting for the permission to board. Some of us were running around, but I was pacing back and forth, trying not to step in the various dried dog turds littering the lawn of the rest stop. I was eager to get back on the road, tired of standing in the sun and goose-stepping over shit jerky. Soon enough, my wish was granted and we piled back onto the bus. I longed to get there soon, anticipating a dip in the hotel's pool, a soak in their hot tub. The confines of the bus was beginning to drive me mad. When would we get there?

As much as I had enjoyed the scenery of the drive, and conversing with my beloved choir teacher, we eventually arrived at our hotel, which was in Harrisburg this year, much to my surprise. Last year we had stayed right in Hershey. I can't remember the name of the hotel we stayed at, I think it was the Hampton Suites or something like that. I was terribly excited, ready to get off the bus and tired of the bus driver telling us every time he made an announcement, that he drove buses. I suppose it was some sort of routine of his.
We pulled up in front of the hotel, waited as Mr. Burke checked us in. Then we all exited the bus, gathered our luggage and entered the hotel.
I would be rooming with my friends Stephenie and Brandi. The three of us joined the other girls, all of us filled with glee as we boarded the elevator and made our way to our rooms. The girls would be on one floor and the boys and adults would on the floor below us. I did not mind this.

Our room had two beds, a plushy chair, a little bathroom and a TV. Just outside the bathroom was a closet, and a counter with a large mirror, a place for us to do our hair and makeup. It looked like a generic hotel room, with stiff coverlets and bland interior decoration. We quickly chose the beds we wanted. I took the one closest to the door, Brandi took the one near the window and Stephenie decided she wanted to sleep on the floor. Then, as soon as humanly possible, we all grabbed our swimsuits and changed into them. My swimsuit was a black one-piece with black and white decoration on the bodice. Unfortunately, my suit no longer fit me in the chest (I had gone up quite few cup sizes since I had purchased it the previous year.), so my bosoms spilled forth rather abundantly and my straps were tight. I worried about the possibility of a wardrobe malfunction, but did not have a t-shirt to put over it. At least not one I could spare.  I pulled blue shorts over my suit and put on my black flip-flops, then we meandered on down to the pool.

The pool was an indoor/outdoor set-up. One half of the pool was inside, along with a small hot tub, while the other half was outside, separated by large windows. The two halves were connected by a narrow passageway, you could duck beneath the window and swim underwater to get to the other side.
I stepped into the water, thankful that the pool wasn't very crowded, only the BF band and choir were swimming there. I thought of Hershey 2007, when I had nearly drowned in the crowded hotel pool. But we were not at that hotel, this pool was bigger, and not filled with rough, screaming middle schoolers. I was being extra careful and not going over five feet.

After such a long hot ride, the water was refreshingly cool and pleasant. Some of the girls and I splashed each other merrily, while Stephenie and the boys swam around in the deep end. Hannah and I pretended to be water benders from Avatar the Last Airbender for a little while. Then a few of my companion swam through the underwater pass. I did not, because I was too afraid, the water in the pass was at least six feet deep and I was terrified of drowning. Everyone tried to reassure me, telling me it would be fine, but I refused and preferred to get out of the pool and simply use the door leading to the outdoor pool deck.

The pool was even better outside; the sun was shining and we were all enjoying the cool water. Hannah, Scott and a few others played chicken, the lightest girls riding the shoulders of the boys. Personally, I don't like playing chicken, for several reasons. One, I don't like the idea of falling into water unexpectedly. Secondly, I'm really uncomfortable with the prospect of sitting on someone's shoulders, because I don't like the idea of my crotch being pressed up against someone's neck. Finally, I can't lift anyone on my shoulders, because I'm not very strong. So I was content to be a spectator, cheering on my friends and laughing. Every so often I would anxiously check to see if my pentacle, a tiny fingernail sized sterling silver pendant, still hung around my neck on it's leather cord. There were a few close calls when I thought it was gone, only to find it had slid around to the back of my neck.

Eventually I took a quick dip in the hot tub. No one joined me, so I had the thing to myself. I relished the warm water and the delightful bubbles. After eight hours on the road, it was a beautiful thing to experience. What great fun it was to submerge myself neck deep into the water, feel the bubbles wrap themselves around me, and let the heat soothe me.
Eventually, Lindsay came down to the pool to collect us, it was time to get ready for our performance.

Stay tuned for part three!

Personal Memoirs- Hershey 2008 Part 1

Every so often, I'll be in the mood to write a small memoir of sorts, regarding an event in my life. The first of these will be about the trip I took to Hershey, PA with my high school choir and the high school band. We were attending a nationwide music competition called Music in The Parks, in which school bands and choirs would compete against each other, then spend a day in an amusement park. Our band and choir would perform at a local Hershey school on Friday, then spend the day in Hershey's Chocolate World on Saturday. It was my senior year of high school, so knowing it was my last year, I was determined to make this trip the best I could. I wanted to make it an improvement from Hershey 2007, which had it's fun moments, but also had it's dark ones.
After several grueling months filled with practice, fund-raising and stress, we were ready to go on the last weekend of May. Here's how it all went down, at least from my point of view. I don't remember things in a very chronological fashion, but I'm going to try my best.

Part 1: I Didn't Miss the Bus
I woke up on that Friday, May 30th at 5:48 PM, filled with anxiety and excitement. I dressed in clean underwear, socks and a bra, my Old Navy jeans, my pale blue t-shirt with the old Native American woman on it (one of those fantasy art sort of shirts), my checkered sneakers with the Corpse Bride laces and my favorite dark blue hoodie. I brushed my hair and put in my lavender shell earrings (my favorite pair, they're hand made by a Mic Mac friend of mine). I finished packing my my luggage; in my dark gray roller suitcase, I packed my clothes for the performance, my pajamas, my clothes for the park, a bathing suit, toiletries (make-up, soap, shampoo, lotion, Noxema, dental supplies, my jewelry) and Wendell. Wendell is the teddy bear I've owned since infancy, who I happened to be very attached to. In my Happy Bunny tote, I had packed books, music and snacks to keep me occupied on the journey, which would be eight hours long. Then in my small leather backpack, I packed my medication, my money, and anything else that was highly valuable.

I was all packed, dressed and had eaten breakfast, but I still had at least an hour to go. So I painted my nails, and no, I don't remember what color I had painted them. I woke my mom up, waited for her to get dressed and drink her coffee, then we got in the car to drop me off at the school.
At the school, the large coach bus was already sitting out front and boarding. I panicked, dreading the thought of being left behind. I jumped out of the car, even though it may still have been moving, shouting to my mother to open the trunk. I admit that I get anxious before big trips.

But I didn't miss the bus. I loaded my suitcase into the luggage compartment, hugged and kissed my mother goodbye and told her I loved her and that I'd be good. My friend Hannah, who was not going on the trip (not in choir or band) accosted me right before I left, making me sign some paper work for Project Grad, and then giving me a hug. I still have no idea what she was doing there, she probably had just arrived at school and was walking to the front door when she saw me.

We loaded ourselves into the spacious, air conditioned bus, complete with an entertainment system and a bathroom. I sat with my friend Stephenie, who I would later be rooming with in the hotel. Our principal (who's eldest daughter was in band, and thus going on the trip) gave us a speech, reminding us that we were representing Bellows Falls Union High School and the State of Vermont. In other words, we had better fucking behave or when we got back, he'd open up a can of whoop ass on us. Then he left the bus, and the band teacher, Mr. Burke took role call. All of us except Amber were there, having been in a car accident the night before.

The bus left the school, the air seemed to be crackling with excitement and anticipation. I opened my first can of Amp energy drink. I took a sip of the fizzy lukewarm liquid, hoping it would wake me up, then I put on my headphones and listened to Bloody Jack on Audio Book. To tide me over on the long journey, I had brought a good variety of snacks, dried apricots, Goldfish crackers, Scooby Doo Graham Crackers (shaped like dog treats) , and Lifesavers Pep O' Mints, to combat any carsickness.

We rolled down the road, watching the bucolic spring countryside. Since it was early morning, the sky was a sweet pale gray, and it was slightly chilly outside. No one talked much or too loudly. Gray spring mornings tend have a rather subduing effect.
We drove past Brattleboro and I counted the first of many cemeteries I would see on the journey.

The bathroom on the bus was small and cramped. You weren't allowed to put toilet paper in the actual toilet because it would fuck up the septic system, you had to put it in the trash receptacle. Have you ever used a bathroom on a moving bus? You have to grip the walls, because the whole thing shakes so much. You're sitting there, perched on the little plastic seat, praying to every god you can think of that the door will stay locked, so the boys sitting in the back of the bus won't see you with your pants down. Then you get to your feet, and try to pull your pants up without falling over or dropping anything into the toilet. You push the button that flushes the toilet. Luckily, there's a little hand sanitizer pump for your convenience. A lot of the boys will complain about not being able to pee standing up in one of these bus latrines, because if they do pee standing, the bus' shaking and jolting could make them fall, or spray piss all over. Probably a combination of the two will occur.

We were out of Vermont, and into the fine state of Massachusetts. Mr. Burke put Enchanted into the DVD player. I turned up my CD player, not very interested in watching a ditzy, naive princess from another dimension mince around New York City.

The ride doesn't get very interesting for awhile, until we get to Connecticut. At some point we drove through Hartford, going through some of the city itself, or at least I think we were in Hartford. Nonetheless, I'm such a country girl, (The biggest city in Vermont is Burlington), so when we were driving past large office buildings, like skyscrapers, their glass windows gleaming in the noon sun, I found myself gaping open-mouthed. I'm used to little Northern New England churches and Victorian houses, so urban settings, very urban settings fill me with sense of wonder and a little bit of fear.I can be a little bit of a country bumpkin, sometimes.

While we were in CT, we stopped for lunch at a large mall. It had a two story carousel, something that's not usually found in malls in the Green Mountain State and a large variety of shops. We all got off the bus, our wallets screaming to be emptied. I was hungry for some good protein and something cold to drink, having had nothing to eat and drink but warm Amp and Goldfish crackers for several hours. The first thing my friends and I did however, was run into the Hot Topic. We looked at various and sundry items, and I bought a small pin that said "I need adult supervision". We chatted with clerk for a little bit, then moved on to Spencer's. In Spencer's we looked at the sex toys and giggled. I didn't buy anything like that of course, being on a school trip for one thing, and not wanting to waste my money, for another. Can you imagine my choir director's face if she had seen me get on the bus with a g-spot vibrator? How about the entire band and choir for that matter? So we browsed around Spencer's without buying anything, then went to the food court.

To my frustration and disappointment, McDonald's was still serving breakfast, so I wandered the food court looking for something good and cheap.
I decided to stop at the Sbarro, and got a slice of New York Style Cheese Pizza. Oh my God. It was delicious, greasy, cheesy and hot. I ate it with gusto, then bought a bottle of water to drink on the bus, knowing that drinking nothing but energy drinks all weekend could not be good for me or my singing voice.
Then, after everyone had boarded the bus, their stomachs filled with food and their arms filled with mall purchases, we set off to continue our journey.


That's all for tonight. I'll continue part two later today.