Dear Diary, 

Today is Thursday, June 10th, 2009.

Sorry in advance that this isn't a post about my life today. This post is sincerely and solely dedicated to my journey via Relay for Life. Here is a little information about what the American Cancer Society does and what Relay for Life is and does. 

In the 2 minutes it takes to make a donation to my American Cancer Society Relay For Life® team, you can help me save lives – and improve the quality of life for people who have cancer.

The American Cancer Society invests much-needed funds raised through Relay For Life®  to save lives from cancer. They’ll use your donation to:

• Help people stay well by educating them on ways prevent cancer or detect it early, when it’s most treatable.
• Help people get well with FREE hands-on support through every step of their cancer experience.
• Find cures by funding groundbreaking research that helps us understand cancer’s causes, determine how best to prevent it, and discover new ways to cure it.
• Fight back by working with lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and rally communities worldwide to join the fight.

Every donation really does make a difference. Please visit my personal web page via the link at the bottom of this message to make a secure, tax-deductible online donation. 

If it’s easier to spread your donation over several months, you can do that by choosing a “sustaining gift” option.  

To learn more about Relay For Life® and the American Cancer Society, please visit RelayForLife.org.

If you would like to support me in my efforts by making a donation, please visit this page:

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY10IL?px=11157990&pg=personal&fr_id=22081

Every donation counts, and no donation is too small! Please feel free to visit the website above and check out my page, as well as make a donation if the spirit moves you. I would appreciate any last minute donations because today is the last day to donate!

Another message: some of my friends and I have started a summer project where we document our summers through photographs and creative writing! I've included a link to my Relay for Life page as well as a link to the summer project in the "Surf My Web" category on the left of this page. Please support me in my efforts and feel free to check out the website!

~Meg/GilmoreGirl1188 

Dear Diary,

Dear Diary,

Hello readers,

Dear Diary,

Dear Diary,

Things haven't been great lately in my world. Stress, school, drama, life... it's all proving to be a little bit much for me. I'm thrilled that it's the weekend. But already I feel like it's half over! And I have a ton of school work to get done. I have two tests on Monday!

My friends are also stressing me out too. My friend Emily's been panicking over a boy that she likes, who has already asked someone to homecoming. She's focused on either boys, sailing, or both 24/7. And sometimes, I wish there was something else to talk about with her. And sometimes we do talk about other subjects, and that's when it's the most fun. She's an awesome person, I just wish we could have some variety in some of the topics we talk about.

Speaking of boys, they're still on my mind. But I'm trying to put most of my energy into school for now. I want to do well, and I need to do well. So there's no room for boys in my life right now. Plus, being single isn't all that bad. I mean, I'd rather have a boyfriend but whatever, right? I'm a kayak, hear me roar! (As said by Emily Gilmore)

I've decided to put some of my attention into the books I've been trying to read for a year now. I've had a books to read list for a while, but I feel like school's been taking up all of my free time. But I think I'm going to center most of my posts around books. Did you know that OfficiallyMRS (my friend Mary) got an author interview? I can't believe it! You can read it on her blog at http://www.officiallymrs.blogspot.com. It was very interesting to read, and I can't wait to read this author's book!

By the way, just to clarify, the Mary I'm talking about at the moment is not the one I normally go to Panera with, she goes to my current school. Speaking of Panera-Mary, I miss her! I haven't seen her in a while. I hope we can hang out soon!

Anyway, I thought I would post my "To Be Read" List. I thought maybe you might be interested in knowing my "novels on the way". I'm still working on Extras as part of the Uglies series at the moment, but hopefully I'll finish it soon and move on to the next book on my list. And here is my list:

 Books to Read

1.     Extras

2.     Z for Zachariah

3.     Bloody Jack

4.     Elsewhere

5.     Life as we Knew it

6.     The Yearling

7.     Alcatraz

8.     Flora Thompson Series (Lark Rise to Candleford, Still Glides the Stream)

9.     Anne of Green Gables

10. Veil of Snows

11. The Ultimate Gift

12.  Gift from the Sea

13. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

14. The Hunger Games

15. Catching Fire

16. The Kite Runner

17. A Thousand Splendid Suns

18. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

19. Just Listen

20. Water for Elephants

It's a long list! But hopefully it will get shorter once I start to hanker down on those books... but then again having so many friends who are crazy for reading will force me to add more and more books to my list! Just kidding guys, you know who you are and I love you!

Anyway, let me know if you've read any of the books on my list and what you think about them!

I've also decided to make the titles of my posts solely Gilmore related! I thought it was a cute idea. I've been watching Gilmore Girls on the weekends whenever I have time!

As for current TV shows, I'm into Greek on ABC Family. But my newest interest is in the TV show Glee! I have decided that I really like it. I know, BB, that is hasn't come out in the UK yet, but just as a pre-cursor, I love it!

Any thoughts on my books? Gilmore related? Or really, anything under the sun? You can either comment on this post or send me an @ message on Twitter! Go to my "Surf My Web" links on the left hand side and you'll see "Follow Me on Twitter" and you should be able to see my profile.

Oh, and here's another YouTube video, one of my other contests. Enjoy!



Love always,

~Meg/GilmoreGirl1188
P.S. I've decided on a smiley (on my own may I add). But that's ok, I think I needed to do it myself anyways. Here it is:

Dear Diary,

Wow, the first two weeks have come and gone and already I feel as if I am buried in work! But then again, that's how it's supposed to feel, right? And there's pretty much nothing you can do about it. Oh well!

So, let's see... how have things been going? I've had my ups and downs. I've had bad days for the past two days. I think I'm probably just getting back into the swing of school and activities and such. But I feel as if I'm stressed all the time. And I should be getting to bed earlier but I either can't sleep or stay up too late.

I've realized also that I've become a bit of a procrastinator. And I hate it! I used to like getting stuff done early and being able to relax and not have the work hanging over your head like a rain cloud. So, I hope this year I can go back to what it was like in 7th and 8th grade, 7th especially. That was a great year for me.

Anyways, besides school, I've been thinking about some other things... yeah, you guessed it. Guys. They're always on the radar at some point and of course at times I want to have a boyfriend. And I guess I just have to let it come, let it happen. Or maybe it's the reverse? I'm really not sure. I guess I'm still trying to figure myself out, this included. Anyways, we'll see what happens this year. I'm not into anyone in particular. I'm just kind of on the lookout. And I find myself kind of reverting back to Nate all this time. And that was two years ago! Is that even normal?! I mean, I've had interest in a few guys at my school, but it's slim pickings over there.

As for family, things are going ok, I guess. So to speak. My brother hasn't been sleeping well recently, probably over not having my dad at the house all the time. I know I should feel bad for him, but sometimes I wish he would get over it. I mean, I used to have sleeping problems but I never complained about it to people, except for at night. He complains about it during the day and acts like it's no big deal. And he gets discouraged too. I hope it passes soon. Those was some of the worst nights of my life (so far).

Well, I need to get hankering on some of this reading for school so I can read my own books! Did I mention that I'm starting a book club at school? My friends and I are not going to start it until after fall sports, but I hope it takes off!

That's all for today! Feel free to follow me on Twitter, there's a link under "Surf My Web".

I'll write again soon!

Here are two YouTube videos because I forgot to include one in my last post!





-Meg/GilmoreGirl1188
P.S. I know I've asked this many times, but does anyone have any emoticon/smiley suggestions for my username? I can't use the horse anymore, so... any thoughts?

Dear Diary,

Today is Sunday, September 6th, 2009.

I've just been thinking about all the different websites where you can social network and create blogs and such. Technology has come so far  in the past decade, even century!

Anyway, my main focus of this blog entry is to tell you about my friend Mary, who also had the fight with Emily last week and is also known as OfficiallyMRS, started a blog on Blogger all about her reading habits and also has the inside scoop (including excerpts from books that haven't been released yet!) on books that include reviews, excerpts, and also contests! I've actually entered one of her contests recently which might make me be eligible to win a book called Girl Goddess #9, which looks like an interesting read!

And while it may sound like I'm selling her blog, I really just wanted to give her an honorable mention. I admire her blog so much! It's the kind of blog I've always wished to have, with many followers, viewers and readers. She's also got me interested in Twitter, which I just recently joined. I've never known how to use it! But hopefully I will learn.

Anyway, her contest is worth entering and it's for a great prize! I can't wait to find out the winner. But enter soon because it ends September 21st. She's an avid reader and writer and you'll love reading her blog, honestly! I'm not just saying that.

Please check out her blog, and the contest! The link to the contest is http://officiallymrs.blogspot.com/2009/08/contest-win-copy-of-girl-goddess-9.html. Feel free to check it out, she loves readers! And she's also popular with young adult writers like Ally Carter, Maureen Johnson, and many others on Twitter. If you have a Twitter, you should definitely follow her.

Thanks for reading!

-Meg/GilmoreGirl1188

Dear Diary,

Today is Sunday, August 30th, 2009.

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while! I always tell myself I should write but I feel like I don't have time as often as I used to when I wasn't in high school. But I like keeping myself busy with activities and schoolwork because in a way I feel like it keeps me sane and from getting distracted with Facebook and other sites like that.

This weekend was different from most weekends that I have had recently because it included the presence of my friend Mary whose parents were in Wisconsin for the weekend. She wanted to go to my friend Kelly's party, and it's been fun spending time with her. It's like having a long sleepover!

This Friday was also Kelly's Sweet Sixteenth Birthday Party! It was awesome. We were able to go to downtown Chicago to her favorite restaurant, Geja's, which had the most unusual but delicious food I've ever tasted. If you're in the area I definitely recommend it. You get to cook your own food! It was expensive though, and I think it was nice of her parents to pay for it as well as letting us stay in her family condo for the night. We watched movies, and stayed up the whole night gabbing about boys, make-up, or whatever crossed our minds! I love my friends.

The only problem I had this weekend was the issue with my friends Emily and Mary (the one who was staying at my house for the weekend). Emily was mad at Mary, and quite frankly, being ridiculous about the reasons for her anger. It got ugly and at one point Mary didn't want to be friends with her anymore. I tried to be the mediator but it didn't appear to make the situation any better. But luckily, at the party, Emily apologized to Mary and was a decent friend to her. But Mary's still not sure about being friends with her, which I understand. My mom's a little fed up with her too because she was kept abreast of the situation. Whatever... I've dealt with people like her before and I'm not about to start causing drama.

Remember my friend Ashley from 8th grade? She contacted me recently and was telling me about how she felt like a horrible person for not talking to me recently. And I really appreciated that. Because I felt like I had tried to talk to her but she had given up when she found out I was going to a different school. I feel like my high school has been a better fit for me but it did feel like it jeopardized my relationships with my friends at the local public high school. I haven't talked to them in a long time. And I've tried to get together with them but my schedule often doesn't allow it. It's been hard, but then again I love my friends at my new school. They're amazing and easy to talk to and be around. And they give great advice with everything.

School starts on Tuesday. And I'm not sure that I'm completely ready for summer to be over. Every summer is always busy for me and I always feel this way... not ready for summer to be over. I miss Spain, I miss camp. It's always so hard to leave the summer behind and move on to school and activities and business and sports. And I'm going to have so much work this year because I don't have a study hall and I'm taking two sciences. If I feel like the workload is too much, I'm going to drop Chorus and take a free block so that I have time to study. My mom and I talked about it a lot last weekend when we were in the Wisconsin Dells. It was a good bonding time when we were running around the hotel getting lost!

But anyways, I guess it's time to get in that school mode. So long, summer.

Here's another one of my YouTube videos that I made on my YouTube channel, Horselvr1188. This video was the results of my Animal Contest that I posted earlier. Enjoy!



'Til next time... which I promise will be soon!

~Meg/GilmoreGirl1188

Hello fellow Bravenet users and blog readers,

Again it feels like forever since I last posted. And it has been a few months. Freshman year has come to an end, and now I'm a sophomore! Weird to think about that. I'm excited for sophomore year! It'll bring many new challenges, but I think I'm up to them! I'm a little worried about my workload next year. I'm taking 7 classes (eek!) instead of having a study hall. But it's so I can take the sciences I want to junior and senior year.  We'll see how it goes!

I just finished my Driver's Ed course! I've already started driving. I need to drive 50 hours, including 10 at night. And so far I think I have about 7 hours down, only 43 to go!

I'm also counting down the days until Spain; only 5 days! I might not have mentioned this already, but for new readers or in case you forgot, I'm going to Spain for 3 weeks with some classmates. We're staying with families, taking classes, and seeing the sights. Our families have been instructed not to speak English to us! I'm a little worried, but my Spanish will certainly improve. I remember my Spanish improving just from hearing it at Culver all the time. Speaking of which, my friend Alex and I were thinking of visiting Culver. I don't know if it's going to happen, but it might! It's been a while since I've seen Sara, Katie and Meritxell. I miss them! I miss all my camp friends, including the ones from SMA. But I'll be seeing them in August when I go back to SMA!

As for finals, I did really well on all of mine! My grades mainly stayed the same, one improved. I'm pretty proud of my report card. I hope to do the same or maybe better this year!

I've also been trying to clean out and organize my room a bit. I think it looks great now, although there's not a huge difference. But my head can relax. I think I have a bit of OCD with neatness and cleanliness. But I kind of like that about myself.

I know I haven't talked about this subject in a while, but I guess it's because there's not much to tell. But I guess it's time to talk boys. I don't like anyone in particular. I'm just enjoying my singleness. And I don't need a man to be happy. I'm perfectly happy just the way I am. And frankly, when you are taken, you can't flirt with anyone else! I don't want a boyfriend right now. I'm enjoying being young still, while I have the chance. Because it doesn't last forever, which brings me to my next topic.

I had a bit of a scare last night. I got a strange call from California last night. A strange man was on the phone, a cab driver, who had just picked up my grandmother and she had no idea where she was or where she was going. It was a little scary, and I got worried. My dad luckily was on the phone with my brother Evan and we told the cab driver that she should just be escorted back inside. My mom had a long talk with my dad about seeing if my grandmother, Nana, could come live over here close to us. It's complicated, and I personally want her to be safe, and it would be nice if she lived close to us. And I'm pretty close to Nana. Apparently, she's wanted to live with me before. She's very special to me and I care a lot about her. I just hope she's ok.

It happens to all of us, even the best of us. And we know it does. But does it have to come so quickly? People say life is short. And perhaps it is. But there's no knowing when it's going to happen. When it will strike us, and take the souls from our bodies. When we'll know what the truth is about who's up there and what's in store for us. But the worst part of it is that we leave friends and family who care about us behind. If only we could take them with us. If only we could know. But I guess then there's no mystery, no intrigue.

Ok, well enough of this talk. I think that's enough for today. I hope you enjoyed my little rant!

Here's another one of my YouTube videos. In honor of Michael Jackson.

R.I.P. Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays. Death sure seems to follow us around, doesn't it?

-Meg/GilmoreGirl1188
I decided on Ms. Pacman for my smiley icon, you like? Lol. I didn't get any suggestions so I decided to just pick one!