Catholic School Reject

Why do you have to go back to school so soon?

2008-09-17T17:09:00.002-04:00

Here's a little background info on me: I'm emetophobic. I fear vomiting. I am not going to tell you how many times I've vomited or when the last time I vomited was in fear that I will jinx myself. It's an errational fear that usually consumes me during the months that I am in school. This is because I'm around other people. Other people may be sick.

So, this year I am carpooling with a girl a grade below me. Yesterday she was absent from school. Today I find out that she was throwing up. You are contangous with the 'stomach flu' for up to two days after you have it. Her mother made a comment that she didn't feel good this morning. I have no idea what that is supposed to mean, and I'm not sure I want to find out.

So, now I will see my carpool person and her mother as someone who is 'sick' for at least a few weeks. I will not see them as safe, and I will see getting in their car or her getting into my car as a danger to my health. I will not be comfortable for at least another week or so before the feeling eventually dies down and I can start to resume a normal pattern for life.

I will not do the things that I love or eat the things that I like for about a week in fear that I will vomit and have to start my life over again (Literally get new hobbies, watch new TV shows, etc., etc.)

So, please, if you have been sick, don't go near me for at least two days (Or even better yet, don't mention it!). I don't want to have to start a new life again.

I have a shrink. I have told her about it. She's said 'get over it.' Please do not suggest that.

Last Remaining Hours of Freedom

2008-08-10T20:48:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow is my last day of freedom before the new school year starts. On one hand, I kind of want to get back to a more normal life and see my friends every day. On the other, I don't want to give up the freedom to do whatever I want whenever I want and the ability to sleep in late every day.

I still don't have all my books. My list of classes didn't come in until July 26. Whee. I swear, for a school so bent on being the best with technology, you would think that they would get their systems together. If I thought my elementary and middle school was bad, my high school is ten times worse.

Although, it will be nice to have my laptop back. I miss it somewhat. It served me well even after I dropped it on the ground twice. Such a trooper *sniff*

Going to the Doctor's, BRB

2008-08-05T12:35:00.002-04:00

I have an appointment with some sort of doctor today.

I don't remember if I've stated this before, but I have a disease known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS. The way I discribe it to people is that it means that I am a girl with the hormones of a guy. It also causes me to be obease and I don't get my periods regularly.

So, I was on a medicaton called Metformin. It was one of the worst things that I've ever taken. Let's just say that it wasn't pretty for my stomach. I stopped taking it over the summer.

Well, it also controlled my bood sugar level. I had a blood test done about a week ago and now we'll see what the results are today. I don't want to go back on a medication like Metformin again especially with school starting next week.

I am also going to a new doctor. Hopefully I will like her better than my last doctor. I am going in cold and standoff-ish. Self protective measure.

So we'll see what happens.

Days Until Impending Doom: 10

2008-08-02T16:36:00.002-04:00

Where the hell did the summer go?

No, really, where did it go? I want it back.

School is rapidly approaching and I don't know what to do with myself. I'm going into Sophomore year. That means that I'm one year closer to going to college. One year closer to being an adult.

Well, fuck. I don't want to grow up yet, I'm quite contented where I am right now.

Let's see, this year I don't get any electives, have a carpool buddy, and have to take PE. Oh yea, this is going to be fun.

I also haven't finished my summer reading. Meh, screw assigned reading. I'll look on the internet for summaries. Worked for A Tale of Two Cities.

Courses:

Chemistry
Faith and Tradition
English II Honors
Geometry Honors
World History Honors
Health Opportunities Through Physical Education (HOPE)
Spanish III
Prayer and Spirituality

Vacation Bible School

2008-07-01T17:16:00.000-04:00

Why does Vacation Bible School exist, other than to act like a baby sitter for parent’s and as a way to gain service hours for the group ‘leaders.’

I was lucky enough to get the title of the head of music this year. I have no idea if this means that I will be able to man the classes on my own, or if I will have to do the classes with the two blind elderly ladies again (I am not making this up).

Last year it was a fiesta theme (Ironically funny because I am Mexican) and this year it is cowboy themed. Could we move a little bit further northeast from the Mexico/Texas border?

If the songs are not bad enough as they are, they have motions. I have to know these motions and teach them to kids ranging in age from three to twelve. What twelve-year-old actually wants to partake in a VBS program? None that I know of.

I think the worst part is that the songs are actually kind of catchy. A year later I catch myself humming, whistling, or singing the songs from last year’s VBS. I want to smack myself.

This year we get to thing to these rousing tunes:

1. Wild Ride!

2. The Great Adventure

3. This Is The Day (Psalm 118:24)

4. Forever

5. God Is Good (All the Time)

6. Worship You Forever

7. Praise The Lord (Psalm 150:6)

8. You Are My All in All

9. Awesome God

10. Were You There

Yahoo…

Headdesk

2008-06-09T19:44:00.002-04:00

Remind me never to let my father out of the house without supervision.

There's these religious nuns that my family is pretty close with. My dad had to go over to their house to take care of some issues with their car. They nailed him about his health, my mom's health, their smoking, and my weight.

I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. It makes me put on weight, and makes the weight really, really really hard to get off. More or less along the lines of a half a pound a week with dieting and exercising. It's one of those deals that even if I tried harder than anyone on the face of the planet, I would never be able to be smaller than a size 12.

The nuns are from Nigeria, so their boundaries are a little different. They've decided to take matters into their own hands, and now I will be working out with them.

The other option is a small state-of-the-art gym that does not have any personnel at the location (You get in with a card key). This basically means that I will not be bothered by anyone and that I can work at my own pace.

I'm going with option B.

I swear to God that my life is a sitcom and I don't know it.

New People

2008-06-09T13:04:00.002-04:00

Over the last few months, two new families have moved into houses on our street. I live on a dead end with four houses on each side of the street, so two of the eight houses have new people in them.

Now, this may not be a problem for many people, but I dislike new people (and change in general) so I'm too happy about it.

I also have several, for lack of a better word, quirks, that take people a while to get used it.

First of all, I tend to sing. Loudly. I usually don't realize I'm singing loudly, but my parents have told me that I sing so loud that the people can hear me down the block even if we don't have our windows open.

No one has complained about it. Quite the contrary, actually. I've gotten complements on my singing abilities. Florida is quite the strange place, eh?

The newest family has moved across the street from us. They have two children under the age of 10 and no animals. They moved in yesterday. I think they're Hispanic as well. Or at least mixed Hispanic/White (I didn't hear an accent in the wife's voice).

I don't really care, because I'm mixed Hispanic/White myself.

All I really know about the family is that they have two kids, the daughter's name is Sierra, the husband's name is Diego, and that they are renting the house with the option to buy.

Another family moved in about a month ago at the end of the block. I'm not quite sure who lives there. From what I've heard they're a young couple with a little girl. They always seem to have people over, and I've heard them speak Spanish before.

This is going to be an interesting summer.

School Is Out For Summer

2008-05-29T16:14:00.002-04:00

Actually, school was out for summer last week, but I haven't gotten around to blogging about it. I managed to end the school year with a 4.2 average for the first semester and a 4.0 average for the second semester. Don't ask me how I did it, God knows I don't pay attention.

There's not too much I've got to do this summer. I am working for my dad at U-Haul. I'm not on the payroll because I'm too young to work there, but my dad is going to pay me $60 a week if I do my job correctly. This includes filing, ringing up customers, cleaning trucks, cleaning storage units, and cleaning the parking lot. How fun.

I really shouldn't complain, it is money coming to me. The best part is that I can spend the money however I want. And $60 is enough to buy video games. So it's not all bad.

Another thing I have to do this summer is work at a Vacation Bible School. I get to teach songs to kids from 3-12 for three hours a day. I am really thankful that it is only two weeks and that it's indoors and it gets all of my volunteer hours in for school.

The Hidden Agenda of Catholic Schools

2008-04-24T19:04:00.002-04:00

Today, my friend's dad found out he was getting fired after working as an English teacher, stage manager, drama teacher, and stagecraft teacher for years.

They really didn't need to fire him. He's a great teacher and the majority of the student body really likes him.

We got a new principal at the beginning of the year. She has taken it upon herself to review each teacher and decided whether to keep them or fire them. Most of my favorite teachers have no idea if they are going to be rehired next year, and most of the teachers that really can't teach have still have a spot in the school. So far this year she's gotten rid of three teachers and two staff members. We only have about 30 teachers and staff members at the school.

The principal has also made some other unnecessary changes. She has a set number of service projects that the school can undertake (It's a Catholic school!) and it takes forever for a teacher to meet with her (One of my teachers had to make a meeting one month in advance). I've seen her only a handful of times, but she has made such an impact on the school.

A lot of people are upset, and I have no idea if there is

My friends, this is the hidden agenda of Catholic schools.

Bleh.

2008-04-23T18:57:00.002-04:00

I know I've been neglecting my blog. I'm going to put the blame on school, although laziness has gotten in the way as well. I wonder if Blogger is blocked at school (I have the most free time there, oddly enough).

Well, the big news is that the school year is starting to wind down and come to a close. I hate to say, but I am going to miss being a freshman. I know that's a little weird, but becoming a Sophomore means that I am one stop closer to graduation and leaving everything I know behind to go to college and start a real life. I would really like to be a kid forever, but sadly that isn't going to happen.

Blah, enough with the sentimental crap. Onward!

I turned in the paper saying what I want to take next year. I was looking forward to having at least one elective, but I am once again bogged down with courses. At the beginning of the year, the school administration said that if we tested out of a course, then we would get the credit. That didn't happen, so I am stuck taking another three years of science and another year of Spanish. I like both classes well enough, but if I had known what I know now, I wouldn't have tested out of it and I would have just taken the easy courses.

Now, these are the classes I am going to be taking:

Spanish III Honors
English II Honors
Global Studies Honors
Chemistry Honors
Prayer and Spirituality
(Some other religion class I can't remember)
HOPE (PE and health combined)
Geometry Honors

Why the hell am I going for honors courses? I don't have a clue. I hate work.

Hopefully I won't drop off the face of the earth anytime soon.

--Kaitlin

Well that was intresting. . .

2008-01-23T20:38:00.000-05:00

Apparently I pulled an arm muscle picking up my backpack today. I started having chest pains about 9 this morning. I knew it was something funny because it only hurt down the breast bone and under my right breast. Believe me, for a while there it hurt so much I couldn't concentrate. (And this does not give you the right to visualize!)

I went to the office a little after 11. Yea, that was also fun. First I got lectured by the secretary (She doubles as the nurse. Ya know, with all the money they make from tuition, you would think they could hire a nurse and have an actual clinic.) about having GERD (I was diagnosed when I little) and not taking care of myself. She thought it was indigestion. But I knew it was not. Indigestion doesn't last for hours, or at least not for me.

So after about 15 minutes of her going on and me sitting and nodding like I didn't know this information, she finally called my dad. My dad was busy at work so he sent a coworker to come and pick me up.

It took said coworker an hour and a half for a twenty minute drive.

So, in the meantime I sat in a room off of the main office. I finished reading The Pearl for English and scared a delivery person when he spotted me (Come on, the lights were on, for Peat's sake!).

When he finally showed up, the coworker took me to the house that I live in (He's also a family friend) and dropped me off at a little before 2.

How do I know that it is muscle strain? I just went to put a night gown on (Yes, night gown) and when I lifted my one arm over my head it felt like someone punched me in the chest. I'm still trying to catch my breath.

I hate Wednesdays.

First Day Back

2008-01-07T21:12:00.000-05:00

When is spring break again?

I am already sick of school. I am over it. D-O-N-E.

This year my school decided that they were going to do a program that is an elective at public schools around Florida. Only it's not an elective at my school. We have no electives this year. Thankfully I am in Spanish II, so next year I can decide to go into Spanish III, double up on math, or -GASP- take an elective like art.

The title of our textbook (which most of us didn't know about) is Learn to Learn: Part 1.

So you're telling me there are more parts to this?!

The whole idea of the class is to learn different ways to study and such. There are 10 parts to the course. I am supposing that each part goes over a specific way to study. We need to get at least a 70% on each part to be able to pass the course so we won't have to take it over summer or next year.

Best part is that this is the only year my school is doing this. They didn't do it last year, and they are not doing it next year. It also counts as one of our elective credits. I could have been taking art and it would count the same amount: 1/2 of a credit.

I was always the real defiant child growing up. I was one of the most well behaved kids in my class, but I've never like when things I deemed 'redundant' were taught in the lesson plans. One of those things has always been reading out loud in class. I've always been an excellent reader. When it came to reading out loud, though, I was and still am one of the worst.

My mind reads faster than my lips can move. Take this for an example: "Jack took the ball and threw it for his dog." My mind would be on 'threw' when my lips would be on Jack. So while I read, I stutter and mispronounce common words. I have always read the way I read in my mind: fast. That usually doesn't translate well into the spoken language.

Studying is another thing that I think is redundant to study. By high school, everyone usually has their own way of studying and are not likely to change it if it works for them. I would also rather not have grades and be tested on ways to study that may not work for me. It's not that I would have any problem picking the techniques up. It's just that there is the one little part of me that goes "This is really freaking stupid; I'm not going to do it." I know for my own good that I have to pass this course, but I feel like I'm doing something bad because of that little part of me.

Lovely first day back, eh?

Last Day of Winter Break

2008-01-05T22:11:00.000-05:00

It's that time of the year again; the start of the second semester.

Well, I suppose that this would be my first experience with semester changes, since my primary school didn't have a schedule change for the different parts of the year.

Now my Computer Applications course is gone, and is being replaced by a study course (Oh thank you Florida law makers for giving me a subject that will give me some much needed sleep) and I will be switching religion courses from Hebrew Scriptures to New Testament.

So all in all, the class that I liked the most ended and the religion study is switching to a different part of the Bible.

On one hand, I think going back to school might be a good thing. I still have all of my after school clubs to look froward too plus seeing all my friends on a daily basis.

Then again, the other part of me is screaming 'What the hell is wrong with you! Think about what school means! Work! Less sleep! HOMEWORK!"

The other part of me is right too often.

Oh. My God. I broke Jesus!

2008-01-04T18:16:00.000-05:00

Okay, this may a bit of a repost from my deviantART journal, but I thought it would be a good story to share with all of you.

"Sadly enough, I am not kidding either.

If you didn't already know, I am an altar server at my Catholic church. One of the altar server's duties is to carry a movable cross from the side of the altar to the back of the church in preparation to process back up to the altar from the back of the church. If you have never seen anything like this before it consists of a pole about 5 1/2 feet tall with a cross on top. It weighs about 10 pounds and is made of wood. On the cross there is a smaller cross with a figure of Jesus dieing on the cross.

Everything went smoothly and by the book until about three minutes before the mass. Since you aren't supposed to let the cross touch the ground I did what all other altar servers usually do; rest the cross on our shoes (I don't know why this is any better than having the cross rest on the ground, but hey, I'm not complaining). I tend to fidget quite a bit, so I was moving the cross and trying to find a point on my shoe where it wouldn't leave an impression.

The bottom of the pole slipped off of my shoe and fell to the floor. I had a firm grip on it, so it didn't fall, but only tapped.

Jesus flew.

Apparently Jesus has the ability to walk on water, but can not defy gravity.

CRASH

Oh look! There goes Jesus' arms and legs! They're now scattered around the back of the church!

I had done the impossible. I had broken Jesus.

So I'm standing there with a dumb look on my face holding the cross while Eucharistic Ministers are picking up pieces of Jesus.

Thankfully Fr. Mike wasn't upset. I think he realized that the cross was about 30 years old and most likely rotting from the inside out.

His comment was: "It's okay. It's almost Christmas! I don't think we would want to corpse of Jesus to be on the cross anyways."

The best part is when Jesus plummeted to the earth, about five people out of 100 turned around and looked to see what fell. I think everyone else was either too old to hear very well or figured it was just the church beginning to cave in on us.

I really don't think that I will be getting a January serving schedule."

From: http://krazykat5216.deviantart.com/journal/

Manditory First Post

2008-01-04T17:47:00.000-05:00

As much as I hate the introductory posts of anything, I don't feel quite right rambling without a proper introduction.

Hi. My name is Kaitlin. I live in Florida with my mom, dad, two dogs, and cat. And yes, I am a Catholic school girl. I have always been a Catholic school girl.

I have observed that throughout my 10 1/2 years of Catholic education that many of the kids that go to a Catholic school are just regular kids. We're not all the little angels that most people make us out to be. Sure, there are the few that are like that but they are few and far between.

Most of us are decent people. We all have our flaws. Most of us cuss (what seems to be more than public school students) and there are cliques. It's a normal school environment on a smaller scale with a few extra things thrown in.

We have the normal groups; the popular kids, the jocks, the geeks, etc. Then there is the group of friends that I hang out with. While most of the other groups are usually grade specific, my group is a mix of different grades. All of the classes are represented and we are all equal to each other.

Of course, we all may be out of our minds, but hey, I'll take what I can get.

I suppose that's enough about school. In my spare time I create. Art, blogs, web pages, messes, I've done a lot of things at least once and a few things many times. I also enjoy singing, video games, being on the internet, and writing short stories.

I'm not as boring as this post makes me out to be, but that's only my opinion.