apologies

I am sorry to God for taking His name in vain so much.
I am sorry to my mom for staying in my room all the time.
I am sorry to all the hungry people in the world for throwing away perfectly good food.
I am sorry to my piano teacher for never practicing.
I am sorry to my bat mitzvah tutor for never practicing.

And finally...

I am sorry to all you peeps out there for not posting more, and when I do post, not posting about anything much worthwhile to read.

Article: Boy Dies at Hockey Game Picking Up His Raffle Prize

Boy Dies at Hockey Game Picking Up His Raffle Prize

A 14-year-old boy from Scituate, Mass. died at a minor league hockey game between the Portland Pirates and the Providence Bruins at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence on Friday night. It was "Revival Night," an annual promotion by the team that attracts more than a thousand church congregants to the arena. The Providence Journal reports that that boy, a member of the Word of Life Fellowship Christian outreach program, stayed for the night's postgame festivities -- and that's when an unbelievable tragedy occurred:

The boy - who did not participate in the after-game competitions - won the raffle's grand prize, a Nintendo Wii game console, according to Lepore. "He came down from the stands to get his prize and he either tripped or fell or collapsed," Lepore said yesterday. The boy was taken by New England Ambulance to Hasbro Children's Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The Journal doesn't offer a clear geography of where this fall took place, and none of the sources offer insight as to how his injuries could have ended up being fatal. The paper reports that the Providence Police Department is investigating the death pending results of an autopsy. The P-Bruins have released a statement, which indicates that the Wii was being awarded by The Word of Life and not the team, and the P-Bruins planned a moment of silence before Sunday's game.

The Dunkin' Donuts Center had just reopened earlier this month after being closed for six months during "phase two" of a three-phase, $80 million renovation. Lepore told The Journal in a Nov. 14 story that his arena was "the safest public building in the country" because of the advanced life-safety measures added during that renovation.

Princeton

I just spent my weekend in Princeton, New Jersey--two nights staying in a city no more than an hour and a half from my home. Sounds odd, I know, and that's not just you; that's because it is.

We arrived at our destination on Friday afternoon, but our room wasn't ready yet because they were still cleaning, so we hung out in the lobby for a while before we were admitted. That night, we ventured into the city for a bite at Tom Yum Goong, a local Thai restaurant. I ordered coconut soup and Thai salad, but don't think for a minute that that means I didn't help myself to chicken satay, vegetable rolls, my sister's "Crazy Noodles," and my dad's...whatever it is that he got. Near the end of the meal, my siblings got bored and walked to a health food store across the street, where my mom allowed them to be alone for no longer than 30 seconds before freaking out that there might be "health food perverts" at the store who wanted to kidnap my brother and sister.

Yes, they are crazy, good observation.

Afterwards, we used the pool and gym, neither of which one under the age of 18 is allowed to enter without adult accompaniment.

Then yesterday, my mom took my brother and sister to the gym and subsequently the pool at 5:15 a.m. Of course, the pool didn't open until 6, so they were in the exercise room for 45 minutes before that. I tell you, crazy people, I live with CRAZY PEOPLE. Do I need any more evidence?

At a more natural time of the morning, we ate breakfast in the hotel -- I only had 2 cups of coffee because I'd had miniature rice cakes and some freaky sort of preserves from the accursed health food store of last night in the room and was not hungry. Then we walked around the freezing streets of Princeton, where I was eventually forced by the temperatures to buy fuzzy socks, which yes, I am wearing now.

We stopped at Hoagie Haven for sustenance. I got a hot pastrami sub. Yay. (Needless to say, I also extensively sampled my mother's cheese fries. Come on, they were so nice and hot! [Hot was my first word--double yay. Sorry, you probably don't want to know that much.])

La la la...boring boring...pool, gym, tennis, Mexican food, TV, whatever...

We left this morning at nine. When I felt how relieved I was to get away from "family time" and go back to my 3rd-floor closet-sized room, I realized just how much I like to be alone. Ahhh.

the meaning of Thanksgiving

Props to Mom, who gave me this idea, and without whom I would probably be stuck with eternal blogger's block.

Some of my younger friends might say that the meaning of Thanksgiving is to turn Thanksgiving Weekend into a "Thanxgiveaway Wiikend," as Comedy Central says. My siblings, bless their little hearts, may say the point of the holiday is to skim the marshmallows off the sweet potatoes when nobody seems to be looking. Different people might think the turkey's the thing and that the only real issue worth thinking about is where to find the little chef's hats that go on the ends of the turkey's legs. And still others may spew some crap about Christopher Columbus and his "discovery" of the New World (my least favorite legend).

Well, what do I think? Good question, even if you didn't ask it. I say the London Food Company has got it right--along with Crane's Deli and Food Shoppe, manufacturer of the fabulous Plymouth Turkey Sub. The meaning of Thanksgiving is to be thankful for all the different mediums this particular bird's meat can be translated into--pie, sandwich, stew, cold cuts--the possibilities are endless.

fluffy white stuff

OH MY GOD PEOPLE IT IS SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean it was snowing yesterday too, all day, but that was just a flurry -- although playing soccer in it (and winning the championship, I might add, 3-0, go me!) was, to say the least, not the coziest experience.

But now it's snowing for real! Like, it's genuinely collecting! In a way the suggests actual depth!

WOOHOO!
(By the way, I love snow to almost a bizarre extent, not minding the ever-present and looming possibility of party-crashing snow on my birthday. It's still my favorite.)

Piano

There is really not that much I can do with the piano anymore. I have been playing for going on eight years. Seriously. For the first few years--I mean, come on, I was five years old, what was I supposed to do?--I was completely furious that I was being forced to play. But then last year I got really into it for some absurd reason that I can't even begin to know what it might have been. So now I am probably the most exhausted person on the planet, so I don't practice so much...about 3 or 4 times a week, basically. My mom is totally attacking me about it, and my dad keeps saying that I have to make sure I don't "squander" the talent I have for piano.

Personally, I think I'm doing fine. Not necessarily well, but decently at least.

Oh who am I kidding--I am not ready for this concert in 2 weeks!! I've memorized it but it's all so sloppy!

love, z-bop

my drawings

Hey guys!

Actually no boys have commented on here yet so I guess I should say girls. And Dad. Thank you for commenting, Dad.

Ahem.

So whoever you are, here are some pictures I drew. Enjoy and respond!

siblings

Annoying things they do:

-act like crippled ferrets with ADD when eating in restaurants
-invade your room, which is supposed to be your only refuge
-IM your friends and tell them things about your life
-chew your gum

Slightly more forgivable things they do:

-do you stuff when bribes are offered
-compliment you on your hair
-tell you that the B you are all freaked out about is actually a good quiz grade
-bring you home candy

Do YOU have younger siblings? For example, a 5th-grade sister or a 2nd-grade brother (those are what I have)? Spill it!

NYC

Good things about New York City:

1. It is New York City.
2. It is New York City.
3. HELLO!

So, has anyone ever been on a water taxi? I was on one twice before last night. And what was I up to last night, you may ask? Why, partying with my aunt, who makes a living off of her paintings, at her silent art auction in a fabulous water taxi on the Hudson River, of course. I mean, duh.

I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT ANYTHING HAS EVER ROCKED SO HARD BEFORE.

(Excepting me, of course, but that is a given. But anyway.)

And the presence of [pretty minor] celebrities was also...present, I guess. Have you ever heard of Jim Thirlwell, or his musician alter ego, Foetus? He used to be a big thing in music. However, unlike Cher or other unfortunate washouts like her, he remains cool to this day. Well, being of the worldly status that I am, I was
about 6 inches away from him and his interesting blond mullet. I mean, hello, as my little sister would say, coolness overload. Are there any other seventh graders out there who can say that last night, they were zooming through Manhattan on a privately booked boat with a celebrity who is only famous in the very artsy circles, eating chocolate truffles and other tastylicious food from the Blue Ribbon, run by their aunt's ex??? I think not.

So...I guess that's it, basically. My dad and I got home at about midnight and had Cheerios while my aunt and her art clan went out for celebratory drinks at Noodle Pudding, a New York hotspot.

Love and caramel, li'l texi

soccer!

Bonjour mes amies--

Just wanted to let you know that my soccer team KICKED SOME SERIOUS BUTT yesterday! Especially me, the total rocker chick.

I am probably the best defense girl the world has ever seen. I blocked so many goals...we won 2-1. My sister and I are on the same team -- and we defend together -- so they call us the Li'l Fergies. Because our last name is similar to Fergie.

Anyway...how is everyone else's sport doing? And if you just sit on your fat lazy hind parts all day long, how are the sports teams you (hopefully) follow doing? Football? What'd you think of the outcome of the baseball playoffs/championship? Personally, I think the Red Sox are sucky losers anyway but bad winners too. Of course, I may be biased because of my Yankee worship.

Anyone who plays on a school team?...Anyone?

Does anybody just want to tell me how great I am for doing those serious saves?

Then please comment!

Love, Li'l Fergie #1

being the -est

Wassup my loving fan-peeps?! I just wanted to point out how awesomely funnishly great it is to be the -est. The best, the prettiest, the smartest, the funniest...all that good stuff. Not that I am, but it must be nice for everyone else who is. :) Just a celebration of the nice things today, nothing about the loneliness or unrequited love or problems you see on my moodget.

<3 your faithful tex author