Summer is screetching to a halt.Aside from the annoying tasks such as practice and farmwork, things have been pretty good. Our first scrimmage was Thursday. We lost 5-2 or something, but we played well. Scores didn't count, the purpose was to get a feel of how we're going to operate as a team, and try out new positions. Things were switched up and such, so mistakes were obviously made. I think we did all right though :), lots of communication, and we're finally not just kicking the ball, which is definitely an improvement. The biggest difference for me anyways, is not feeling intimidated. I used to be so terrified of messing up, and getting people angry with me, that I'd just screw up worse than I anticipated :P. Reaaaalllll smooth. Now though, I know it's not a big deal, it's just a game. Try your best, and well, if that doesn't work, who cares?

I almost forgot, a couple days ago I went to this working picnic at school. It was pretty interesting. Our principal, who is a pretty cool guy, puts a list of students together who he thinks would be into helping to change our school, and tells them to bring a guest if they want, and we have snacks and come up with new ideas. He split us off into groups to come up with things we liked and disliked about school, and how we could change the things in our "bad" list, haha. It was a pretty productive evening, I thought. It seems like I can really change things this year, it's a nice feeling. Ms. Way, who teaches french class talked to me about starting a school newspaper. It's like she read my mind, hahah. I've been wanting to start one pretty badly. A newspaper would be like my only way of journalism in the school system. Having one would be pretty beneficial to everyone though, too. Our town seems so boring, because noone knows about things that happen, except through word of mouth, which usually gets all confusing and misheard anyways, and the stories turn out completely different from the original. In writing, it's alot more difficult to confuse the story, unless the reporter is dishonest in the first place, which would be pretty lame if you ask me. Having something like this would make it so students could actually express their opinions about things, instead of just complaining amonst eachother. Plus it would lead to more involvement within the school, I believe, because the awareness would be raised as to what is going on. I just think it's a good idea, but that's just me.

So Shayla is off to college now :(. I miss her already, but atleast she's going to make something of herself, and get awesome new experiences. I can't wait til I go to college. It seems like alot more fun than highschool. Atleast I got to see her on her last day in our little farm town. Our friend, Derek, brought us out on the lake on his jet ski. Pretty awesome :). I rode the tube/raft/whatever thing pulled behind it. That was wicked cool, to start off with anyway. I loved hitting the waves and bouncing along the water, it was so fun. That was for the first like 30 minutes. Once that time is up, it loses its appeal, hahah. I went from feeling like I was riding the back of a magnificent sea turtle, to being a fat manatee being violently dragged behind an oil tanker. I was getting so sore, and the water splashing my face got pretty old, hahah. I kept feeling like my contacts were coming out, which would have sucked since I didn't have extras, or my glasses. At the same time, my knees were getting sore and burnt from constantly slamming against the raft, ugh, haha. Not to mention the soreness of my neck/arms. It's my own fault though, Derek and Shayla checked on me many times, but I kept thinking I could handle it :P, but it just got worse. I didn't want to get on the jetski though, and get them soaked because they kept themselves nice and dry. Those two are great :), aside from the pain I let myself endure, it was a wonderful time. Derek has a spot on this island place, so we checked it out, got some snackage, a duck bit me, and we talked about alot of things. Once it was near time to leave, he brought us for one last quick ride, and I did not get on the sea turtle again, I rode on the jet ski :P. Now, that felt like a horse, haha. Galloping across the sea, fast and elegantly. Derek brought us both home, and I helped with more hay. Later that night, Amanda and I went over to see Shayla one last time, and hung out with her and Tanner, her brother. It was a nice time :). It was so weird saying goodbye, and knowing it really meant goodbye :(, for a month atleast. If we get tickets to the CAKE concert, then we'll see her in late September, but if not, it could be months upon months.. Hopefully I pass my road test next month so I can visit her.

I went home with Amanda to stay the night when we left Shayla's, staying up to have another one of our "right before we doze off" meaningful conversations. They tend to happen frequently :P. The next day, which would be today, we went to Walmart,PriceChopper, and Aldi's. I was exhausted for some reason, and on the verge of sleeping. Amanda and I managed to find these sick Chuck Norris back to school folders, hahahaha. Oh my god, they're great. I got two with his picture that say "Chuck Norris won a staring contest with the sun" and "Chuck Norris does not sleep, only waits", hahah. I absolutely love Chuck humor. After that little adventure Amanda gave me German gnome gummies and I went home to take pictures and relax. Our last photography class was tonight :(. I'm really going to miss that place. Today we brought in a couple of our favorite pictures we've taken, enlarged, to look at. Rite Aid was super lame though, and their machine was broken when I ran in there last minute before my class, so I had to suffice with one photograph, that my instructor has already seen. Ugh, it made me mad. Atleast it was a decent one. I hope my photography skills improve alot from that class, it's nothing I think I could make a living out of, like Amanda could, but it sure would be a nice hobby :).

So Tom and Julie are off to their cousin's house, a couple hours away, until school starts. I'm going to miss them too, ugh :(. Everyone keeps taking turns at leaving, haha. When is someone going to be able to take me along?!?!? Hahah, kidding, but it has been forever since I've left this sad little town for more than an evening or afternoon. My family hasn't taken one trip all summer, it's disappointing. Usually, we go down to Syracuse for a few days, but nothing was appealing there this year, so we spent the summer here, the whole time. I can't wait until I have a car and license, so I can take myself all over the place :D!! I'm really too excited for my own good.