Lying in a field of daisies...

Spring Break was amazing.

I don't think I've ever needed a break from school -- or reality in general -- as much as I did this year. My AP US History class is by far the most rigorous course I've taken during my high school career although I must say, the people in it and the teacher are simply incredible :). My AP English class isn't too bad because, thankfully, I'm a decent writer. Then there's Honors Trig. I love Mrs. Howard. And I love the entertainment in my corner of the room -- Lee Glenn just being himself and Josh Hodges leaning over and asking the most random questions I've ever heard in my entire life (ex: So Alex, if you could take over any country, what country would it be and how would you do it? -- for the record, I replied with the first thing that popped into my mind: "Denmark and marsh mellow guns.") However, math has never been my thing. I prefer abstract ideas; not concrete ones. I also prefer questions that can be answered with real sentences aka a 1,000 word essay. I have a great deal of respect for people who are good at math. My final class is Newspaper, which is the love of my life, but it was nice to have a break from deadlines and picas.

I went to the beach over Spring Break -- and not Ocean Lakes where every other teenager in Cleveland County goes for SB. I went to Oak Island. It's this tiny little island off the NC coast where everything closes at 9:00 (by 'everything' I mean the miniature golf course and Dairy Queen) and the average age of the population is 67. My extended family on my mom's side has spent SB there ever since I was born and I wouldn't have it any other way -- waking up to the sound of the ocean, reading Maureen Dowd all day in the sun, playing cards and board games with my family, dying Easter eggs, getting coffee at the Flying Pig coffeehouse, and not having a care in the world.

Over Spring Break, I wrote every day; poems, random creative writing pieces, op/eds, etc... I wrote a poem about myself one day:

Write me a melody -- a melody with nice, lovely notes.
Notes that remind me of that boy…the one I met last summer.
Or to remind me of rocking chairs-green ones-looking out into the rising fog of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
And a few notes that remind me of creativity; I’ve always preferred ideas to facts and abstracts to concretes.
Notes that remind me of sitting on the beach with sand between my toes.
Notes that remind me of dreams.
I dream in black and white sometimes -- that I'm lying in a field of daisies.
And then other times, I dream in vibrant, luminous colors.
I normally associate black and white with the status quo -- boring and mediocre.
But I enjoy dreams in black and white; they remind me of an old, romantic Judy Garland film. However, life has taught me that not everything is black or white -- sometimes things are grey, magenta, and have polka dots.
Use simple notes in my melody as well.
Simplicity is the hallow ground in which all great ideas are manifested.
These notes will remind me of dandelions.
Some people call them weeds…those people are silly and unappreciative of nature’s delicate beauty.
They will also remind me of kitchen tables.
Ferris wheels.
Star gazing.
Popsicles; the cherry-flavored ones that taste best on a hot summer day.
Write me a melody—a melody with a few notes that are not so lovely—that will bring tears to my eyes.
Most people say it’s not good to cry—especially young boys.
But I don’t mind crying.
It’s when my deepest emotions and every sorrow of my being rains from the soul; and then…peace.
These notes will remind me of a tall, old man who’s smile could out-do a million sunsets; and the day that man went home.
That day, I remember well.
The world stopped.
These notes will also remind me of failure.
I hate failure, but I hear that it’s a part of life.
These notes will probably remind me of math—numbers, logic, pi—which is only useful when made with chocolate.
Write me a melody of life.
My life.
And someday, you may add more notes to my melody--notes of fulfilled dreams.
Traveling the world.
Empowering young women.
Making a difference.
Writing a book or two; probably about politics.
Most people think I'm too young to hold such strong opinions -- I think the world would be a dull place if we all agreed.
I'd also like to speak to large groups of people.
About what? you ask.
Anything -- religion, social issues, Barack Obama.
So for now, write me a melody--a melody with nice, lovely notes...