The Problem with Cheese

Wait, what?!

What could POSSIBLY be the problem with cheese? I know you’re confused. I mean, it’s simple… I like cheese, so do you! And so do most people. YAY, CHEESE!

(That was random. Please excuse.)

You know what my problem with cheese is?

THE SMELL.

There, I said it. I mean, I loveeee cheese, and rather unconditionally, too. Heck, I just ate an 1/8 of a wheel of Camembert (god, the French and their 325 varieties of cheese, though if they ask, it’s exactly 365 kinds of French cheese, “one for every day of the year!”… This is a lie.)… without bread. And it was pretty good. But then, I BREATHED.

SOUND THE ALARMS, you guys! LISTERINE NEEDED! And tic-tacs! In fact, ANYTHING BREATH-FRESHENING! You have a load of after-dinner mints? I’ll take the lot.

I always wonder… is the quality of cheese measured on the scent (the better the cheese, the worse the scent!), or should it be the other way around? The worse the scent, the worse the cheese…

The point is… cheese.

I’m going to go eat some of that French chocolate (actually, it’s not French, I think it’s Swiss… Lindt!) now. And then accidentally drown myself in toothpaste.

WHOO.

-Aly

P.S. Yeah, this was weird. You're welcome.

Nothing that Important, No, Not Really at all

Hello!

It's MAY fourth! Which means tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, which I've NEVER celebrated!
Oh, wait, tomorrow's the fifth of May.

WHICH IS MOLLY'S BIRTHDAY!

And, dangit, I'm in freaking France.

Molly, I have lots of things planned to make up for this. You'll see them all tomorrow, or at later dates. I wish you a deeeeelicious breakfast, a cookie cake, good wake-up music (oh, hello there, 80s!), many pictures with friends, and one of those kinda lame but kinda cute plastic princess crowns to wear at school all day. Because you're awesome, and it's you FREAKING BIRTHDAY tomorrow!

To anybody else reading this... MAKE SURE TO WISH MOLLY HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN OBNOXIOUS WAYS! WITH EXCLAMATION POINTS AND MUSIC AND STUFF.

Happy (early) 17th, Molly!
-Aly

P.S. Good luck on any exams you may have on your birthday... that's just an extra excuse to eat more (*tempted to say chicken*. NO, I meant...) CAKE! ;D (of the cookie variety, yummm.)

Growing Up

Hello!

Aly here, for the first time in a while. Missed me? (I hear that a lot these days, y'know.) It felt like a good time to write on this blog, so here I am.

I talked to Molly this morning before going to school (via Skype), and it was just awesome, despite the fact that she really should have been sleeping and I should have been eating breakfast. She already knows I miss her bunches, but conversations like that make me so glad I'm gone, and don't worry, I'll explain that statement (it's not because I'm missing drama).

The thing about being a foreign place for a long period of time, without your "security blanket", is that is forces you to re-define yourself. When you don't know anybody, not really, you have to figure out who you are all over again and show that to new people. I thought I had myself figured out, or as figured out as any teenager can... but yet, this experience has proven me wrong. The great thing about me being gone is that it's the same for Molly at home, just in a different way. Same surroundings, same people, same self, just the definition of self that comes once you're detached from your "twin", somebody that knows you just as well (if not better) than you know yourself.

I'd already done the religion thing, figuring out what I believe more precisely, and I'm very comfortable with what I believe now-- there's no questioning or uncertainty on my part. For Molly, this hasn't been the case. It's not my place to say, but the reason for her recent very religious posts are that she has finally figured it out for herself. Without me influencing, because that's one thing were we're opposite. The thing is, she's figured out so much more than that while I've been gone, and that conversation this morning showed me that. I've changed, too, but we're still twins and best friends, and I am really happy for her, that she's had the same opportunity to grow, even if the religion thing freaked me out at first.

The truth of the matter is that we're growing up, both of us. Separately and at the same time, but we're growing up in such a way that we'd both have to slap you if you said "growing apart". Oceans can separate us in distance, but at the same time, that's impossible.

It's been four months here (as of tomorrow), but I'm already so different from when I left. I'm different in ways that I LIKE. I feel older, in a good way-- more mature, more understanding. I feel less like a kid mentally; this experience has given me insights into myself and other people, and even my mother. I'm still learning and growing, but without coming here, I don't think it would be the same.

I've just come back from vacation. I'm kind of out of it. That vacation was amazing, and I spent a LOT of time thinking and reflecting, writing and contemplating my time here. What have I accomplished? Many things, but not enough of what I wanted. I'm anxious to start traveling again, to learn more and discover. To continue to prove to myself that I AM capable of all the things I doubt I can do. When I go home, I will be able to say this was the experience of a lifetime, because including the bad things, the timing wasn't wrong. No matter what N says, that I'm too young for this... I know-- for myself-- that the timing was perfect.

My time here will nearly be over in 2 months. The end of a dream, I would have said. In a way, it is. Can it be the end of a dream if I realized a dream I didn't know I had and lived another experience? If it exceeded expectations or disappointed, was it the same dream? I'm not the same person, not exactly... but yes, this is my dream; it's my reality, too.

♥
-Aly

P.S. Molly, talk to you soon!

Lent

Lent: n.The 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday until Easter observed by Christians as a season of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter.
simple, right?

"We have 40 days to prepare ourselves, to face ourselves, and to examine ourselves in the presence of God."
"It means dying to an old way of being...However you feel called to observe or participate in or whatever it is you give up during this Lenten season do so with the intentionality of drawing closer to God"

So basically the point is to be like whoa. I screw up more than I thought, and I can't do anything without God. The point is that when it gets difficult to not have whatever you gave up or keep up with whatever you said you'd do, you lean on God to help you stay away from/in...whatever it is.
The season of Lent is taken for granted. I feel like a lot of people today make a game out of it rather than taking it to heart and realizing how much more important it is than they think.
The main idea here is commitment. The object here is not to see who can last the longest without breaking their commitment, or how many other people you can get to break theirs. Lent is a time to be motivated to recommit to God by realizing how much we screw up through our commitment to giving something up or making a habit of something. It's not meant to be a competition. In fact, it's not even meant to be between ourselves and other people, but between us and God because when we tell other people, "Hey I'm giving (insert...something here) for Lent" we sound like we're putting ourselves above everyone else. Not only that, but more importantly, people are going to want to tempt us, not necessarily because they're mean people, but because they're human.
I'm in no position to say any of this because I'm guilty of all of it. It just bothers me. It also bothers me that when people mention Lent, they only talk about themselves and what they're giving up or adding. Nobody goes deeper into the topic anymore, and the reality of it just sits there. The reality is that we mess up a LOT, and we can't fix any of that without God. The reality is that the next 40 days are a window of oppurtunity to be critical of ourselves, recommit, and prepare ourselves for the death and resurrection of Christ. The reality is that we are completely helpless without Him, and it's time we start taking that, along with the Lenten promises we make seriously. (myself included)

Here's to You

Here's to those guys.

Here's to the guys who put up with hours of complaining about what jerks guys are while disproving the whole point by simply listening.
Here's to the guys who hold you close when you're hurting and will call the person who hurt you just about anything, even if that person is his friend.
Here's to the guys who you can tell anything and genuinely trust them to keep it to themselves.
Here's to the guys who offer to kick another guy in the nuts for you.
Here's to the guys who listen to you talk for half an hour about how much you love what's-his-face's eyes.
Here's to the guys who don't retaliate when you throw random little things at them.
Here's to the guys who DO retaliate when you smack them with a pillow.
Here's to the guys who tell you what you want to hear, and not just because they know it's what you want to hear.
Here's to the guys who sing "Don't Worry be Happy" to you when you're freaking out over something.
Here's to the guys who sit in Starbucks with you for an hour laughing about fart stories.
Here's to the guys who know when to try to help and when to just say "that sucks" when you're in a sticky situation.
Here's to the guys who run around for 20 minutes creeping up on you during your cross country race.
Here's to the guys who are willing to risk their masculinity just to make you smile.
Here's to the guys who actually pick up their phones.
Here's to the guys who will talk to you for three hours about nothing.
Here's to the guys who listen to you talk about how awesome they are, and why you absolutely can't date them.
Here's to the guys who pretend like you make sense.
Here's to the guys who put up with the music in your car...and your driving.
Here's to the guys who make you laugh when you call them after a disasterous hookup.
Here's to the guys who will leave the flour they just spilled on their pants so you can take a picture for facebook.
Here's to the guys who sit in a car for 45 minutes with your parents so they can come watch you race.
Here's to the guys who dance around like idiots with you.
Here's to the guys who put up with any and all of your girly complaints.
Here's to the guys who help you decipher two sentences you heard that attractive guy in your class say earlier.
Here's to the guys who go to your concert just because you want them to hear one particular song.
Here's to the guys who show up at that concert in combat boots.
Here's to the guys who convince you to try out for the solo, the role, the team, etc.
Here's to the guys who lift your spirits when you don't make it.
Here's to the nice guys; the ones who love you for who you are.

Disappearing Acts

Hello, Molly.

I was working on writing you a fantastically amazing letter, but, like the amazing postcard to Amdi, it was EATEN (by this room). So, I'll be starting on Draft Two (or rather, Draft 1.2) of that likenow. But I just wanted to pop in and say hello. When're you planning on sending that box? Because I definitely have some things we need to discuss about that ;)

UHMYEAH. I don't really have much to say (as I shall be writing you a letter), but I hope you have been having an awesome snow day... and again tomorrow! xD

Best wishes,
your disappearing twin,
-Aly

Deterioration of Mental Health

That's right. I am slowly but surely losing my mind.
It's quite possible that I am attracted to someone I absolutely can NOT have
and there are SO many reasons why it would be SO wrong on SO many levels.
*moves to Australia*

NEWS!

Sorry for the recent neglect <.< >.>
I just didn't have much to say, and what I could have shared was rather embarrassing. (Aly, I'll tell you later)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
okay.
so.
Dr. G and Mrs. Coates have both asked me to do this poet laureate thing and at first, the idea of being like
O HAI THERE WORLD, WANNA READ MY POEM?
really scared me.
BUT
I think I'm going to go for it.
& that's really all I have to say for now because it's getting late and I'm sleepy. I'll write more later.
~Molleh

Frolic!

HEY!

Well, hi there. Aly here. Y'know, the one in France. :)

Although I'm massively behind on posts for my personal blog, I figure MAlly Chat needs some love, too. I know it's MONDAY, but I for one have had one of those Good Days. The rare days that seem to never occur on a Monday where you have so much time to relax that you almost wish you wouldn't! (Uhm. Uhm. I don't feel guilty at all about not working on my blog because I just posted something. Okay, thanks. Go read it now?)

I'm going to exclude the boring school stuff and the running around in the morning in an attempt not to be late. If I haven't shared my horror stories... well, I haven't, except to a few people. (Molly?) I'll elaborate more on MY blog when I get around to writing about my first week of school (if I say it'll be done by Friday, I guess that's a good goal. I just have to COMMIT!), but basically: I FAIL AT BUSES.

So if we completely ignore my lack of time management skills in the morning (we're ignoring a lot of things and pretending today was perfect; don't burst my bubble), THE VERY FIRST THING IN MY DAY WAS GOOD!

Because I ACTUALLY made it onto the bus, and got to my school! Although it was barely on time... there's a rather unfortunate detour between downtown and my school that makes the bus ride long and had me running into the school. The usually-crowded enterance (think big, box, atrium.) was empty, and the black-clad students were walking casually to their classes. Pardon me, but school had just or was about-to-by-like-one-minute start, and they were just CASUALLY WALKING?! I, of course, scurried as though I were a squirrel with the best freaking acorn in the forest.

The only magical thing about this is that I didn't have to take out my schedule and check what classroom I was supposed to be in. I knew... likely because I hadn't actually gone to the class last week and therefore I was like AHHH I'M GOING TO BE SHOT BY THIS TEACHER BECAUSE I AM AWFUL. Yeah.

I SURVIVED, though! The teacher didn't seem to acknowledge my existence (this is good because then I don't have to introduce myself immediately and I'm not called out for being stupid), and my friends "bravo!"-ed my skill (except that was later). xD
I attempted to write notes in that class but the teacher talks REALLYFAST and was talking about things I don't understand. Unfortunately for me, I sat next to one of those kids that doesn't have "lights on in the attic", so my notes were like (this is practically verbatim):

" FRENCHWORD ... ... ... ... I LIKE TO RUN... ... ... ????????!... .... ... lalalala... ... EEEEEEEP! ... .... *daydreaming daydreaming daydreaming*... ~runnergirl~ erased mess ... ... ... wftisthismadness? SPARTAAAAAAAAAAA! :D ..."

(That suddenly seems a lot more fun. It wasn't, I assure you. An hour of not understanding anything will always be awful and make you feel stupid. I speak from many hours of experience.)

After that, I had two hours of French with my incredibly nice French professor (who speaks English really well, though ironically, this means he is simultaneously helping me improve my French and failing to help me...), during which I had to write dictées and talk to my buddy Touche. This, of course, is a pleasant experience for me.

AMERICAN STUDENTS: don't worry about your grammar. I do believe if you had to do dictées in English, you'd be fine. English isn't that hard, and the grammar is comparably straightforward.

Lunch is an hour long (WHOOHOO!), and after lunch, the other students in my class had a 2-hour-long test (actually, essay. I'd die) as preparation for their scarier-than-the-SAT-combined-with-death test. Since I don't have to take it, I got to go home!

OH I FORGOT. Lunch was awesome because FOR ONCE it was sunny and nice enough, so my group of friends ATE OUTSIDE. I guess they're the french Courtyard Kids, except they aren't considered to be stoners. xD ;)
There was still a bit of snow (uhm, millimeter) on a table in the shade, but I love the sunshine, so some of us moved out onto broken wood-and-concrete benches, which were rather wet. We talked about music (and why most of us hate High School Musical... Touche does, though, which is just bizarre) and random things. We laughed about our Converses, especially since Touche was stroking our shoes (now you get the nickname), and kicked him out of our circle because he was wearing skater shoes. xD

Touche and I ran around a bit after he found out I liked to dance; he and Zealander started dancing something that looked like the Shag, and I was reminded of painful memories. Short, fat boys with sweaty palms? Aghh. I tried to explain to them; Touche and Zealander understood but didn't translate so the others were left clueless about my dancing misfortunes.

The sunshine was so lovely after days of clouds, rain, and that teeeeeny bit of snow yesterday (is that what that is? huh...). Clear blue skies call me to frolic! The word for which (in French) is not nearly as awesome. Frolâtrer, anyone?

When I came back to the apartment, I got to rub it in Cacahu's face that I was home just as he was going back to school. Granted, I didn't actually do so, but he was all huffy about it, apparently. xD

Souhm, I spent my afternoon productively... reading blogs. And I just watched Ghost Rider (which still sucks massively) in French and learned more French words. :D I have to practice my rrrrrr. (like a Pirate!)

ALSO I HAVE A HANK SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD. Nerdfighters!

-Aly

D=

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE AND INSANITY AND AWFULNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND MORE RAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!

we need to talk. asap.

A Note to Molly from Aly

Dear Molleh,

We are apparently incredibly fail at talking via Skype, AIM, FIM, and all the other (way too many) means of communication (like email) that we have available to us. This is unacceptable. The only updates I have about your condition and sanity comes from Kangaroo-Kiddo and I assure you, though I love her, that is not quite the same.

I heard about the drama the other day, but I want your take on it. That really sucks. I wish I could be there to help out, because I hate that one of my best friends is suffering and I can't do anything to help. I have rage from here at the reason; can you deliver some punches/murders for me? I have a great place to hide the body! ;)

Have you gotten my postcard yet? Mom received my package so I *hope* you got your postcard. I hope it doesn't get lost in the mail like some postcards...

I have a lot of things to share with you that I can't exactly say in blogform, but this is me hijacking your blog for a moment to leave you a note.

I'm bringing the Emergency Chocolate to school with me tomorrow, because I have a feeling that I will need chocolate in my life. They don't have Hershey's here; all the chocolate is rich and too expensive for me. I promise I'll make you a video when I have time by myself, hopefully in my new room. I will find a way to make it superawesome, because I miss your face.

You need to creep Astronaut sometime, especially around 1 or something your time, because I've talked to him more in the past week than I have talked to you.

Is Kangaroo-Kiddo the replacement Aly? Not sure how I feel about this. I don't want to be replaced, but you don't need to spend your year missing me, either. You have to have fun and have adventures and experiences that won't leave you feeling rotten. That's important. Since you drive now, I set it as your task to creep as many people as possible... people you want to get to know better or haven't talked to often; and with these people, you need to go do things. Go to playgrounds or spend the afternoon in a baking marathon. The best days are always the ones spent with more people that make you smile.

I hope you have "resolutions" for the year, but they aren't too unmanageable. I read a blog recently that suggested calling them "gifts" for yourself, because that's more positive and your resolution should be something rewarding for YOU. I want to know about it! Keep me updated on your progress and such.

I think this year, we should both work on our novels. Don't show it to me if you don't want to, but I thought it was brilliant from the beginning, so I'd love to keep updated.

USE YOUR NEW CAMERA. Seriously. Take far too many photos because the amazingness that is to come in this year must be documented well, and your new camera is REALLY good so there's no excuses!

This year, we both need to begin thinking about what fun things we should accomplish before/directly after we graduate. We should definitely go backpacking through Europe, because I don't know if Scotland will work out and seeing Europe with my twin would be the most fun experience ever. Save up money... try to get a job? Don't spend it all on breakfast, because honestly, food is great but there are better things to spend it on! xD

I hope you are looking forward to this year. I have a good feeling about it. Talk to you soon!

Lylatbgaetc (and miss you most),
-Aly