Moving

I actually just moved into a new house. My Mom and I lived in a townhouse for a four years and we just moved out into orange county. It's beautiful and so much better than a townhouse or any house I've had before. I really love it & my mom is excited so i'm excited.

celebrities

Celebrities honestly kind of weird me out. The idea of being totally infatuated with someone who you know nothing about, and who knows nothing about you, is really strange to me.

Kiana

This weekend I was with my friends at a party and a girl was belligerently drunk. She was shouting something about her shoe and I felt compelled as a fellow woman to help the girl out. However, when I got her her shoe, she thanked me once and then quickly turned angry, asking to fight me.

Natural Disasters

I was here during a few hurricanes and ice storms but I was very young. I remember the ice storm because all of the kids in the neighborhood came over to sleep over because my family had a generator so we had heat and power when no one else did.

5/13/16

The best concert I've ever been to was probably this band PHOX at the cats cradle last summer. It was a super small crowd and we got to meet with the lead singer.

5/16/16

My friends and I broke my friend's Mom's vase that was really fancy and from Malaysia. We were playing soccer.

Responsible

I think I am responsible. I maintain my grades, keep my room clean, got my own job, make my own money (with a  lot of help from my parents), and got into college pretty much on my own. My Mom isn't really a 'helicopter' parent, so I pretty much do everything on my own.

vacation

My favorite vacation was an RV trip across alaska with my family. We bonded a lot because it was in such a small space, and it was just really spontaneous. We saw a lot of beautiful things.

edwards

The moment I stepped into the Edwards' mansion, I think I learned that money cannot buy happiness. A family with all the material possessions one could need and more but without love. The huge house felt empty and lonely and I couldn't wait to get back to my crammed townhome.

10th grade

When I was in the 10th grade I got in a huge fight with my best friend. I honestly don't even remember what we fought about, but we were both super non-confrontational and passive aggressive. I remember not speaking for a week. We resolved our fight by meeting up in the school library after school and talking about all of our problems and laying it all down on the table

school year

I think there should be more breaks in the school year. It is just too much with how long the year is and only having summer winter and spring break. Especially when it snows and time is cut off from our breaks.

aliens

I feel like it's almost ignorant, to believe that there is no life except on earth, when there is so much of the universe that is undiscovered. The universes' size cannot be understated and you never know! We, humanity, are so small.

teaching

I would teach the school to prison pipeline if I could teach a class. My students would be all different races and ethnicities and religions. I would pretty much just try to teach disadvantaged kids that they are worthy and can succeed in a world thats against them.

OG-- original gangsta

I'm orginial because I am who I am and I like what I like and I don't try to be anything different. It's important to create original characters because stock characters are boring.

stress

I worry about other people and I worry about life. There are so many things to be stressed about-college, friends, family, money, school, work, etc. At the end of the day you just have to make time for yourself, that is so so important. I like to unwind by drawing/coloring, going on tumblr, doing yoga, listening to music, etc.

Values

My Mom probably teaches me most of my values. If she finds a teachable moment then she will just straight up tell me what her values are. The rest of my values I get from observing her and others. I also just learn what makes me feel good and what doesn't.

wishes

1.  More wishes; for obvious reasons
2. World peace; Unrest and violence makes my soul unrestful
3. Happiness for whoever I wish it upon!

Act 1

My life has just started. I'm young, and about to go off to take on the world!!

Soulmates

I don't really believe in soulmates but I'm not completely opposed to the idea of the existence of this concept.

Hollywood

The movie would be a satirical comedy about Donald Trump & what would happen if he became president.

fox news

Fox news broadcasting probably grinds my gears more than anything. It makes me mad that people listen to the bs that they preach about and that people are so uneducated. Also it is simply so hateful.

trust

I think trust is probably the most important facet of a relationship. If you cannot trust your partner, then you can't really share any part of yourself with them.

favorite bday

My favorite birthday was probably my 17th. My friends were really sweet and especially caring. They brought me coffee and a dozen donuts from rise. They also filled my room with balloons that said happy birthday and surprised me.

job

I will hopefully have a job this summer. I have an interview this Tuesday at the new restaurant 'Tandem' in Carrboro.

Unpredictibility

Being vulnerable strengthens the conflict because it is more ambiguous. When a character is vulnerable, they are susceptible to more things-- outside forces-- whatever they may be. It is harder for the reader to predict how the character will fare in their time of vulnerability, because it's likely that not even the character knows.

favorite picture

My favorite picture is probably the one of my infant sister with out old dog, Zeke, while she eats his dog biscuit as he looks on confused. The picture could inspire a story about the actual scene in which the moment was captured, or you could expand on it in some way-- for example maybe the dog and the child are having a dialogue, etc.

I would one hundred percent rather have complete freedom. in writing, in life, in every way. freedom to live how you want to is so essential. without it there would be no point to living!

4Q2

dialogue is important because it completely changes the tone or mood of a play. dialogue also says something about the players which can't be interpreted by any other means

plays

I have seen a few plays. My experience varies based on the setting of the play. For example, I enjoy plays that take place in intimate settings, but large broadway-style plays also have their advantages and disadvantages. I always find the concept of a play interesting and fascinating. People portray other people, objects, or animals-- each actor steps into an unknown persona for a set amount of time. It's pretty cool to me.

3Q35

she walks to the mirror and
touches her face
out of the door
into the sun where I can be seen
and she knows she can be seen but
i have been watching

introvert vs. extrovert

im the one
sitting in the corner at a party
sipping on my drink and
watching
but you get to know me
and ill run my mouth for
miles

Home

shepherds pie
yellow wood lined in white
carpet under my feet
the grass matted down

highway daydream

the music carries me off the road
into another demension where the sun shines
and we dance together
living out the lyrics of this melody
I speed into this dream at
70 miles per hour
and my body goes on autopilot

daylights savings

daylights savings
and I'm 15 degrees down on the southern lateral
one hour behind you
and a thousand miles away
the clocks change
distancing us from each other
2 hours
rather than one
in the southern-hemisphere

Dobby

a dog's life is a sweet life

striped like a little tiger

or a little doblin

buildings

who is in them
what planning is being done
behind the reflective silver windows?
what important people
are laughing
or crying
or typing
or presenting.
what is at stake behind these iron skeletons?

sports

sports
i dont do them
they hurt.

my trail

my trail is undefined
i look back to see it well trimmed and even paved in some spots
then winding and abysmal and cluttered.
before me i cant see
off into the air it climbs
where every step i take
sets a new path

elements

earth crumbles under her feet
air enters through her lips
fire burns in her heart
water falls from her eyes

March 1st

Beautiful and sunny
I can almost taste the spring
in every warm gust of wind
and every bird's chirp
and every blossom budding
but who knows when it will turn dark
and rainy
and cold
in this bipolar state

MJ Pickus

MJ Pickus
for prom
a capella family

fears

tornados and darkness
grizzly bears and planes
nothing more than being left alone

Where to invade next- 2/29/16

'where to invade next'
the united states of conformity
a good movie

A few rotting sticks
come together to form a point--
the intricate roof of our woodland castle.
Maybe if you saw us yourself
fine black and blonde hair
on petite shoulders
you too would believe we were fairies.

last on an airplane
video cameras searched
but you were gone

Interesting

aggressive but sweet

incredibly smart but absent minded

unpredictable

irrational

everything I ever wanted in a friend

Ornaments

inside my safe-haven
a sun smiles on a dark blue tapestry
christmas lights dance above my head
Johnny cash looks at me on a black glossy paper
thick carpet
and lots of candles

Habits

nail biting
finger tapping
music

silliness
my friend making a bad joke
my mom being a mom
my dad being a dad
laughter makes me laugh

sunshine on a cloudy day

just past a few fluffy clouds of snow
a warmer climate grows
the birds and bees
the flowers and trees
wait for April showers
to come out and overpower

10 lines heard in past days

it's still pretty to look at;
she's hoping for snow on Monday.
I can't deal with this cold.
I couldn't say
I just want to see you.
you don't come across that way
beaten and tired.
I promise I won't fall asleep,
I got you flowers.
I'm sorry I have to go
I love you

Anything
But
Cats
Do
Everything
For
Goldfish

cosmos

she doesn't live here

she lives in the

cosmos.

spaced      out.

crepes

1 cup of flour sifts into the bowl slowly and gracefully, like snowflakes falling to the ground.
The delicate shell of the egg cracks violently along the side of the white bowl, spilling out runny yolk.

A half cup of milk followed by a half cup of water sloshes down over the flour and yolk like a waterfall, covering them with a creamy film.
Grains of salt trickle down over the mess, daintily covering the ingredients in crystals.

The ingredients are whisked together ferociously, and then it is heaved out and placed on a firey griddle.

A crepe is born!

Smartphone

Tap Tap Tap.
All I hear all day.
Fingers constantly coming at me, poking and swiping and pressing.
I can never stay clean because the human just can't seem to leave me alone!
I know everything about them,
I have every minute detail of their life stored away inside of me.
Every text, email sent, every picture and video taken.
The apps that track their weight and mood, or filter their photos, or connect them with all their friends.
I am essential to them as they are essential to me.
The backbone of the technological revolution.

love poem 2 an old flame

You suck
I can't believe I wasted any time on you
Goodbye

Superhero

I don't know why a superhero would be confronting me. Maybe to give me the animals they have saved. My super power would be  either to stop time or be invisible.

spring day in Febuary

Today we were given a true blessing.
A fleeting dalliance with the warm air,
which brings us memories of the springtime and envisioning the primrose that have yet to bloom.
Gone is all that vulgar acrimonious tension that rides in on the back of winter,
releasing the youthful spirit inside us that hatches in late march.
oh, please don't let the night come and take from us this beautiful day!

Poets

To be honest I don't know many poets. I know that I like the works of Langston Hughes & Edgar Allan Poe. I think Poe's poems are really creepy but they are entertaining for sure. There aren't many poets that I actively dislike.

I think a good poem really requires a combination of various elements. It may even include a mix of styles. For example, a spoken word poem could include a haiku or a limerick to make it seem more poetic. I think my absolute favorite style would definitely be free verse, however, because it is the most similar to the structure of a song and I like to write songs and listen to songs. I think rhyming is definitely a good element as well, perhaps for the same musical reasons. I like allusions when reading  and/or analyzing poems, but I don't know how easy it would be for me to create one.

Poetry

Through my experiences with poetry my favorite has been spoken word poetry. I like it because it is a form of performance art. All writing and poetry is art, but performance art speaks to me. There is an astounding amount of emotion that is poured into spoken word, and it takes a lot of bravery to present a piece of poetry in front of an audience. My least favorite thing about poetry is probably the rules that are associated with it-- like how many lines it has to be, the structure of the lines, etc.

Dr. King

We do not all have an equal shot. I think that is pretty obvious. Opportunity is hindered by things like race and income.

1st semester

My first semester has really been pretty 'eh'. I have a free first period which is nice. I was randomly placed in Biomed in the first quarter and couldn't switch. It's not that bad but I really hate science and it's a lot more work than I wanted from an elective. It's manageable though. The rest of my classes are pretty okay. I don't have any super "fun" classes, like a music or art elective. If I could go back I would definitely re-do my schedule and take more fun classes. I'm in 3 AP's which isn't as bad as it sounds but it gets pretty boring.

Cheating

For me I guess it kind of depends on what kind of cheating you're talking about. I think cheating in a relationship is really bad. Cheating with school is bad too, but I don't view it with the same disgust that I view cheating in a relationship with. Both are selfish. I definitely agree with the quote at hand, "Cheaters never prosper", because if you don't know how to produce something with originality then how are you cannot truly prosper.

Lateness (oops)

This definitely does not apply to me, assuming that the statement means you should always be on time. I am not a punctual person at all. I am pretty punctual when it comes to deadlines, and I'm not the worlds worst procrastinator. However, when it comes to being "on time" i'm pretty horrible. I have what my friends and family call "chronic lateness" (my mom is afflicted by the same ailment). I guess i'm pretty absent minded sometimes, so I remember a lot of things that I have to do right before I leave to go somewhere. I also just have bad perception of how long it takes to get from one place to another-- I can't time my departure time and arrival accurately.

Indecisiveness

I have a habit of being very indecisive with everything. I hope to break this habit and trust myself and gain confidence in my decisions. I don't really have any "habits" that I would like to keep other than doing my homework and going to school and listening to music. They don't really seem like habits to me however.

Favorite story

My favorite story is the Rocking Horse Winner. We read it this year in AP lit, and it was beautiful. It is a story of greed and how it manifests itself in our daily lives. The ending was tragic but also did a lovely job of concluding the point that the author was trying to make.

2016

I hope to gain confidence in my future with college and such coming up. I hope to live through all the change that is to come in my life over the next few months with grace. I also want to choose a college that is right for me.

Holidays

I spent the holidays mostly hanging out at home and shopping for gifts. I spent a lot of time with family and friends and helped my mom out around the house (she was freaking out because she was having people over and hosted a christmas party).