#so we will see in a few hours if this post will survive lmaooo

[bonestrouslingbones]

ok so as college progresses i am sorta realizing im into girls a bit more than i thought and now im wondering what is it about skeletons that seems to make lesbians attach to them like a fly trap

[moonjxsung]

NOO ITS OKAY ITS OKAY‼️‼️‼️ uni has been beating the shit out of me so trust me ik how it is

I've been pretty good 💞 starting school again hit me like an absolute truck I was NOT prepared for the senior year workload 😭 but I'm starting to get back into it and I'm doing okay with all my classes this semester (so far...) I'm debating waiting a year to start veterinary school but I also feel like I should just get it over with 😭 the sooner I start the sooner I finish. Gap years are always hard but idk yet. I'm just excited to graduate from here man 😭 get me outttt

my birthday was fun 🙌 I usually don't do much but a couple of my friends wanted to take me out for the big 20. We went to a Keane concert down in Berkeley and it was really fun, they sound amazing still. And then we stayed there one night and went to a baseball game in Oakland while we were there. That's what I love about having a summer birthday; I can actually do trips and stuff without worrying about deadlines and things 😭

AND YES OMGGG I saw this one girl posting about ticketing for the Seoul concerts and there was like half a million people in the queue like just before her 😭 I am not going to survive ticketmaster

Also the time thing like hello??? what do you mean case 143 was not one but TWO years ago... that's not real. Honestly sometimes it feels like ATE and Rock Star didn't even happen 💀 like I forget about them and my mind just goes back to five star and oddinary sometimes on accident when I think of the last cb

and thank you so much for the advice I know it'll get better 🙏 now that it's getting closer it feels more real, but I do really think it'll be good in the long run, and that helps. I am also so excited for fall like it's literally my favorite thing ever 🤭 when I'm stuck in bed post op I will ABSOLUTELY be binge watching scary movies and my favorite fall shows and eating my weight in Halloween candy (probably not the best plan of action bc I'm going to be stuck there for a while but ykyk..)

I hope your meeting went well, the procrastinating sleep when I know damn well I'm going to need it is so me 😓 I know I'll regret it in the morning but like... staying up late and watching skz edits and content is so much more fun than sleeping, yk???

ANYWAYS I wish you the world's longest naptime filled with cool pillows and soft blankets and warm kitties like momo and miley and many many hours of good quality sleep ❤️🤞 I love you so so much and I send you a virtual kiss along with your daily kitties and a sungie

💋💋 MWAH MWAH I love you star 💕💕💕

UGHHH that sounds so stressful I am so sorry bby ☹️ sending u allllllll the love and good vibes in the WORLDDDDD u got this I believe in u so hard !!!!!

Also no way you were in OAKLAND????? LIKE OAKLAND CA???????? STOPPPPPP YOU WERE LIKE 40 MINUTES AWAY FROM ME EJFKCKDKDMDFJJDKSJE THATS INSANE ????? I hope you had the best time ahhhh that sounds like so much fun!!!! I haven’t been back to Berkeley in a little while but I was there for a concert a few years back and we stopped at this waffle dessert place that was sooooo fucking good I still think about their Nutella waffles every single day of my life 💔 I’m taking you out for Nutella waffles next time you’re in Oakland

MDJFKSKFKFJFK ISNT IT CRAZYYYY HOW FAST TIME IS GOING like wym case 143 was 2 years ago????? Somehow I feel like I’m still stuck in 5-star era I swear we got the s-class teasers just last week 😭 the tour looks like sooo much fun and I’m so excited to see what else skz have in store for us AAAAAA I can’t wait for them to come back to Cali for tour 🤞☀️🫶

I can’t believe September is just breezing past too like we’re almost a month away from your surgery!! How are you feeling about it? Are you nervous at all? I tend to feel really excited when I have surgeries bc I just get to lie in bed all day and everyone takes care of me LMAOOO I hope it’s the same thing for you bby!!! Pls watch all the fun Halloween movies and eat so much candy for me 🫶 I’ll eat my weight in Halloween candy so we can twin

Anyways I LOVE YOU SOOOO MUCH MY ANGEL I am sending you sm love I can’t wait to hear all about how the rest of your September goes and I’m rooting for you until surgery 🫶 also I can’t remember if I have you on discord but if you need anything until then or you need to chat while you’re in recovery, feel free to hit me up there !! (Moonjxsung) I LOVE UUUUUUU 💞🫶💓💓💓💓❣️🧚‍♀️ here’s momo she loves u so much ‼️‼️

[bella-donna418]

Gift

Cross-post: Wattpad

A/N: This is actually an experiment to see what you guys will think before I start taking requests! (My writing sucks actually ;-;)

Chapter 126 and 132 spoilers! This was also based on a doujinshi I saw here which made me tear up right after I just woke up lmaooo.

(If you don't like getting spoiled, and I oof. But if you do, then I guess proceed LMAOOO. Sorry for those who don't like getting spoiled which will make you unable to read this, since "spoilers".)

Also in this, Eren is uh r.i.p-

Also, for the link of the doujinshi, see end notes!

~~~

"Devote your heart. I'll see you later, Hanji."

~~~

It's been a few years ever since the rumbling has been stopped, years Eren died, mourning that have been stopped long ago.

~~~

"Say, Levi. What if we just run away? Two of us alone, eh?"

Her voice, the way she said it. It still lingered in his head, making him long for her more. She wasn't by his side anymore. It was just him to take care of the grown-up 'brats' and be like a parental figure he and Hanji tried fulfilling years ago.

It was difficult, but gladly, they managed to keep themselves busy instead of whining, to Levi's relief.

Everything was back to normal, surprisingly, almost no buildings were damaged, only a few to none. The Survey Corps Headquarters was still standing on its ground, undamaged.

~~~

The sky was weeping, bad weather today. The atmosphere lingering around was so cold that it can send anyone shivers once the air hits their skin.

As for the headquarters, the halls and rooms were pretty much empty. It feels so... peculiar. Usually, it would be filled with people chatting, having some bickering, but many sacrifices were made, and with it, lots of losses.

Levi was walking to his room in his cleaning outfit, a somber look on his face while carrying his usual cleaning supplies. It's been a while, and it will definitely need some cleaning business since it was unattended for a long time, and obviously, dust will be cluttered in places to his dismay.

~~~

Opening the door, and just as expected. Dust was all over the place making him cough a bit. He groaned and began cleaning, stumbling upon items that were there before, yet blur in memory.

But what caught his attention was a box wrapped as a gift covered in a medium amount of dust on his desk, a paper on top of it.

He slowly walked towards his desk, head trying to recall if he has seen this box before. He took the paper that seemed to be a bit worn out, yet the contents were still legible. He began reading the contents.

~~~

          By the time you're probably reading this, I may not be with you, or if luck has it, still with you ahahaha!

           But anyway, sorry to go inside your room without permission, Levi. I hope you won't kill me for doing so, but it was urgent, forgive me?

           Anyway, Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday! Congrats on another year of living. No... not living ahahaha, but for surviving. It's also been years since we've met, I'm surprised we've been friends for that long, or what you perceive it to be... but friends do sound nice for me.

           We'd often have arguments, you scolding me, but being honest, I'm surprised we make up afterward, for hmm... maybe about 3-7 hours after it? You making the first move though.

           But hey, these years we've gotten closer and worked well together! Shocking, isn't it? But I'm alright with it. You know, I miss everyone. After all, it's just you and I... after all the losses we endured, even our dearest friend.

           But we weren't alone, we still had those kids to take care of, hahahaha!

           Say, Levi. If one day I finally rested in peace, after this fight, would you always remember me?

           I'm sorry for such a dark and emotional question ahaha! I know, you might pull my hair or even do something worse than that for asking such a thing, but life's too short, eh?

          But if that day does come, I'm pretty sure you'll be living your life after everything's over. I doubt that 'Humanity's Strongest Soldier' will die. Right, Levi?

          Oh! I hope you like my gift, even though you'd definitely see this after everything IS over.

          Who knows? Maybe I can watch you open it physically. But I'm sorry, I do have doubts that I'd survive, so maybe I can watch you open it... without seeing me probably.

           P.s I bought it with my own money, so please be careful with it! I'll have you know, it's fragile and I might find you and kill you myself if you do break it! Also, don't get too attached to it too!

           Oh, and if you're reading this after I left it in your room, I'll be needing the paperwork in a day or so!

Sincerely yours, 

Hanji Zoë

~~~

Levi clutched the paper tighter than necessary, hands trembling as they form a fist holding on to the paper as if it was the writer themself, water forming in his eyes bit by bit.

His grip loosened and his eyes locked at the box. He began unwrapping it carefully, just like she said.

There, the box contained a tea set. No wonder why she said it was fragile. He felt a small smile form on his lips, as the water that accumulated in his eyes flowed as tears, taking a deep sigh. He then softly muttered out;

"Thank you, Four Eyes."

~~~

A/N: You can look at the doujinshi here and also this (I actually used the part 2 for inspiration so it’s not the same as it, but I’d like you guys to have the completed deal!)

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #401

“my love is just waiting to turn your tears to roses”

Do you typically do your makeup the same each time? Or do you like to change it up often? IF I wear makeup, it's essentially always the same. Who is the last person you were in a room with just the two of you? What were you doing? Yesterday with Mom. We were trying to find the best deal on Eco Earth, a substrate we're getting for Venus. What was the last really good book you read, and what was it about? If we're talking REALLY good book, then The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. In short summary, it's a dystopian future novel where women are now basically just objects used only for repopulation, even having their names stripped from them. They follow very strict rules as society has returned to horrible misogyny. As a woman, the "oh my god, this is possible" aspect of it is terrifying, and it causes such a sense of disgust and urge to ensure women rights always continue to be fought for. Do you feel safe in your country? For the most part, I'd say. I guess. There are places I'd feel safer, though. How many meals do you eat a day? Three. Have you ever performed a solo dance in front of a crowd? No, but I was supposed to my senior year in high school; the seniors at my dance studio were always welcome to do a solo in celebration. Mine was a modern dance to "Coma White" by Marilyn Manson, wanting to tell a story about depression and how being medicated could feel, but I eventually decided like halfway through learning the choreography that I was just too nervous to do a solo. Have you ever sung a solo? No. When you go to McDonalds, what drink do you usually get? Coke. Have you ever had to call and complain about a product you bought? No. Do you own a designer purse? Definitely not. I'm not wasting that much money on something like that. What’s the weirdest rumor you’ve ever heard about yourself? Apparently, Jason and I had a baby in high school even though I was obviously never pregnant. To my knowledge, it was started by his ex. Who is now a good friend of mine lmaooo. Life is funny. What was your favorite Saturday morning cartoon growing up? Pokemon, of course. Would you ever have an affair? Nope. Would you ever have a one night stand? Nope. Where you present at any major historical events (e.g. 9/11)? No. What are your opinions on marijuana legalization? Legalize it, but treat it similarly to alcohol in that driving under the influence is illegal and punishable, and I believe you should be of a certain age. How about abortion? I am pro-choice. I was pro-life most of my own life, but now I am very firm about a mother being able to choose if she wants to endure a pregnancy or not. Like, that is a MASSIVE life event that almost inevitably changes - and sometimes traumatizes - people. I do believe a fetus is its own body and not part of the mother's, but rather in the mother's, but the belief that a woman decides what she wants in her body is her choice, too. I'm not very fond of people treating abortion as a simple, regular form of birth control, like it's nothing but an "lol whoops," but I still believe it is ultimately her decision, and she should always be free of judgment for doing what is best for her. Do you wear skirts or dresses more often? Neither. I wouldn't dare wear a skirt more so, though. What do you think about tipping at restaurants? There should always be an expected minimum, imo, unless the person was truly, sincerely, genuinely fucking awful. Waiters do not have an easy job, fight me about it, and they're just trying to survive while putting on a happy, jovial face, all the while dealing with hungry people who can be such assholes. I believe the actual tip should relate to actual service, but again, give them something. Would you ever get back together with any of your exes? One, absolutely. The other would take a shitload of consideration and proper communication on his part. Do you have a preferred coffee brand? No, because I don't like coffee. Do you usually befriend your coworkers, or do you prefer to keep work separate from your personal life? IF I had a job, I'd like to build a friendship with those I have to engage with almost every day. What is something you frequently forget? Dates, ages, names, what I was about to do five seconds before I forgot... Pretty much everything. My memory is frightfully poor. Is there any drama currently going on with your family? No. When you take a nap, do you nap in bed or on the couch? In my bed. Were you raised by both of your parents? If not, then who raised you? Both; my parents split when I was somewhere around 17, though, but I'd say there wasn't much more "raising" to do at that age. Have you ever stolen anything? If so, why? No. Have you ever plagiarized someone else's work? Hell no. What's your most-used mode of transportation? My mom's car. Have you ever taught someone else a useful skill? Not to my recollection. Does seeing everyone else's 'perfect lives' posted on social media ever bring you down or affect how you feel about yourself? It actually does, honestly. Not ALWAYS, but if I'm being honest, it does most of the time. I've contemplated deleting Facebook for that reason, but with is also comes things that make me happy, and I think I'd feel even more isolated without it. What is your favorite Hostess/Little Debbie snack? This is SO impossible for me to answer. I loooove Hostess and Little Debbie treats. I want to say honeybuns, but I also love those chocolate cupcakes with the white swirls on top, as well as Twinkies. Very few exist that I don't like. Do you/your family buy loafs from the bakery or bagged on the shelf? We just buy bagged bread. What’s the best news you’ve gotten lately? My APAP mask is definitively WORKING!!!!! :') Mom got an app that connects to the machine via Bluetooth that monitors the effectiveness of the mask, evaluating many factors of your sleep, and it's detecting a definite decrease in disruptive behaviors or something like that. It is so, SO encouraging to know that. ^And, the worst? Hm. Oh, probably some news on something serious a good friend is going through, but I don't feel it's my right to disclose what. It's just a very worrying and potentially dangerous issue that I wish I could help her with. Would you rather receive (or give) flowers, chocolates or jewelry? I'd appreciate any, but my fat ass is drawn to the chocolate, ha ha. What *I* would give would vary depending on what the person liked. How do you feel about coconut? Smells lovely, but is otherwise gross. ^ Ever cracked one open? No, but omg I've always wanted to, haha. What’s the best thing about being your gender? I guess the fact it's more "normal" and "accepted" to show our emotions. Fuck that generalization, though. I don't give a shit what your gender is, you experiencing emotions is NORMAL and welcomed to be expressed. ^ And the worst thing? The ability to be raped and impregnated by it. Do you do your part to save the earth? I don't do nearly enough. :/ We recycle, but that's about it. Well, none of us DARE to litter either, but I still don't feel like it's as much as the earth deserves from its denizens. Who do you think should have their portrait on a bill? I don't know or care. Why did you last feel exhausted? Yesterday was my niece's birthday, and I spent essentially ALL day playing with her and her brother. I have a very limited battery when it comes to kids, and I was running on empty for hours. My anxiety was SO high and I really needed a break from them, but they're too young to really understand that Aunt Britt can only socially run for so long before I'm completely burnt out, and TRUST ME, I was there for sure. I didn't want them to think they did something wrong, you know? I just had to keep going. I slept like a baby last night though for sure, haha. Have you ever used emotional blackmail to get your own way? Wow, no. Has anybody ever used emotional blackmail on you? No. Who did you last worry about and why? Sara for health reasons. Are you currently looking for a new place to live? Not actively, but Mom and I definitely want to move. We feel very out-of-place here in the suburbs. Which would you prefer as a view; mountains or the sea? Mountains. Do you have a mouse for your laptop? (Assuming you have a laptop) Yes. I canNOT play games with a trackpad. Do you apologize a lot? Extremely excessively. When you get married what do you think you’ll put most of your focus and money into? Do you mean like, for the wedding? In that case, probably the venue. Being a photography buff, I want a place I think is really pretty to have pictures taken. What’s something you complain about frequently? My legs hurting, my weight, and being hot. Do you have anything planned for the summer? Nope, and that's fine with me. I'd rather stay inside away from the heat. Who usually makes dinner in your household? My ma. Do you have a blog? Just on Tumblr. Does anyone in your family snore loudly? My mother does because of gerd, and at least when my father still lived with us, he snored super loud, too. Do you want to fix anything with anyone? Yeah, a few people. What shows do you watch? Right now, only Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty. Whenever The Edge of Sleep comes out, I will 110% be watching that, too, because Mark is a key actor in it. :') Plus the concept seems super cool. Have you ever broken someone’s heart? I don't know. Who was the last person you had a conversation with on the phone? Me mum. Does the song you’re currently listening to remind you of anyone specific? No, given it has like... one lyric, haha. Do you own any TV show soundtracks? No. Last thing you did that made you feel like an adult? I mean I guess sign myself in at the doctor's. What’s your favorite picture of your mom? Dad? Oh my god, there's a candid one I got of Mom laughing when she was posing as my subject for a photography assignment, and I cherish it with ALL my heart. I want to share it with essentially the whole world, but yeah, I'm not gonna put my mom's picture here. As for my dad, I like this one I took of us at Red Lobster for his birthday a year or two back. Last TV show series you finished? Fullmetal Alchemist with Sara. Favorite flavor of cream cheese? Regular. What US state would you like to visit? Alaska. Last meal you made yourself? I put a chicken pesto thing in the microwave earlier for dinner.

[literaryfaeriecorner]

02/21/2021: Promotions, Old Friends, and Yellow School Buses

link to original post

February 21st, 2021

somehow i received a promotion at work last Friday even though i am literally probably one of the LEAST motivated people teaching at that school... fuck. so... now, instead of just being a regular-schmegular teacher, i am now the '6th grade head social studies teacher' which means that i have to run planning meetings for the social studies team, attend morning meetings discussing whole-grade growth and failings, and solutions for how we're going to get the kids to... not suck. uuuuuuggggghhhhhh!!! and this is for the rest of the year and the next!!!!

apparently, i am the 'perfect person' for this position because all of my classes have consistently performed better than the rest... but between you, me, and the entire internet, that speaks more to the abilities of my students than my own personal abilities as a teacher. i don't believe i'm a sucky teacher or anything but the fact remains that between work, grad school, delusional lovesick-related episodes, mental illness, and other varying distractions, i am not Doing The Best I Can. in fact, i'm literally in survival mode 95% of the time. the other 5% of the time, i'm in manic-as-fuck mode. so... do i really DESERVE this promotion? who even fucking knows? i like to believe, however, that i'll eventually figure out how to bullshit this new responsibility as well and no one will be the wiser. i mean, if this promotion came with a financial boost as well, i'd be more inclined to not fuck it up but, like... i'm doing more work for the same weak ass pay... i'm not as motivated with kind words and encouragement than i would be with a solid boost to my pay grade. anyway... whatever.

i was on tumblr the other day (i am fasting from all social media sites during the day for Lent but tumblr doesn't count because i literally just reblog five or six posts into the void, look at sad literature quotes, and log out just to do it all over again the next day... i am not addicted to tumblr as i am to twitter, instagram, pinterest, and linkedin... yes, linkedin. my quest to escape my job has led me down a very weird and addictive path) and i came across this post by user beetlejuices:

"isn't it all about old friends? like everything? all of it?"

and it is. i think so. i really do.

one of the things i've been conscious of in my early adulthood is that i am still chasing after the friendships i had in middle school. i wrote about this two Lents ago too. there is a memory that i remember so vividly in middle school and it reminds me constantly about how i felt so loved and appreciated and like the world couldn't go on without me if i somehow left or disappeared or went away. i think about it all the time. that is how freeing and loving and whole it is. just a simple memory of being three hours late to school (after a huge, blown out argument between parents who should've divorced years ago) and being startled by a flood of texts that starting pouring in at 7 that morning.

ashley: YOOOO where r u? they snagged all the donuts from the corner store!

alysha: you missed the bus this morning?

ashley: i bought donuts off eman 4 u... say im the best :D

kiera: U MISSED CRYSTAL'S FAT HEAD ASS SLIP DOWN THE STEPS LMAOOO

kiera: u're always here early u good?

alysha: are you coming 2 school today?

ashley: are u ok?

Christyl: don't forget we have a test in math!! where are you?

kiera: babe?

ashley: are you ok? why is ur phone off?

alysha: i just talked to ashley are u ok?

Christyl: where r u?

kiera: i just talked to ashley r u ok?

kiera: none of ur sisters r here either... u ok?

ashley: i'll call again @ lunch

alysha: pls be safe

Christyl: i'll tell the teacher you're sick and maybe you can take it tomorrow

Christyl: are you ok?

and even more messages that were sent during and inbetween classes... i thought it was a bit too late (and too time consuming) to respond to them all individually so after being signed into school three hours late, i decided to wait for all my friends at our table in the cafeteria to surprise them before explaining my mess of a morning. i was nervous because i thought they would be mad at me for some reason. but as soon as they saw me, ashley, alysha, kiera, and christyl, they came barreling towards me screaming my name. it was an entire scene. people looking at them crazy and then raising their eyebrows at me, not seeing what the big deal was. i probably looked the same exact way that i did the day before. unspectacular, bookish, awkward. they couldn't see what the big deal was. it embarrassed me but it thrilled me at the same time.

they nearly knocked me to the floor pushing each other to get to me first trying to steal the first hug. in the end, i stretched my arms out as far as i could and they all fell into them. we probably looked a mess. a tangle of brown legs, arms, frizzy hair, loose braids, and scuffed dress shoes. i remember feeling so loved and wanted. i felt bigger and grander than i was. i had stopped the world for five entire minutes and i didn't do anything. i was just existing.

i don't really talk to any of the girls anymore. i follow them on social media and i wish them happy birthday every year and we're all on each other's close friends list on insta... so i still know a few, if not all, of their secrets... but we'll probably never be as close as we were in middle school. and that's ok. i still love them as much as i did when they tackled me in the lunch room that day. i still root and cheer for them like we still spend every night after school on the phone for hours talking shit and planning presidential campaigns and gossiping about boys. i will never forget that day in the lunchroom. ever. and, like i said, it has only occurred to me now, as a young adult, that i've been chasing that kind of friendship and sisterhood since it happened.

i like to treat all my friendships as mini-romances. i remember a tweet that said, "friendships ARE romance," and i agree. i think i'm in love with all of my close friends, if not all of my friends. it's embarrassing (just a bit) but i have probably fallen in love with all of my friends at least once or twice. this is especially true for my group of college friends (at this point, they are really family). i have been in love, at least once, with all eight of them throughout our four years. i don't actually find this embarrassing like i said earlier. what's embarrassing is that this information might embarrass other people which, in turn, would thoroughly embarrass me. but the fact itself doesn't embarrass me. that is how i am. i fall in love and out of love at breakneck speeds. i think it's important to be a little bit in love with your friends.

i really enjoyed being in undergrad and planning literal dates between all eight or nine of us. and we would call it that. "what are we doing for our date next weekend?" "so who's going on the date tomorrow?" "are we cancelling the date or does the weather not matter?" (the weather always mattered.) my favorite college date was valentine's day senior year. we all went to korean-style karaoke and ordered so much food and drink we could barely stand to sing. we were all sat around the tv singing horribly to mariah carey or beyonce or rapping to nicki minaj verses. we took so many bad pictures and tone deaf videos and we kept leaning or hugging or holding each other's hands. that's another thing i love about my college family. most of us are touchy-feely people. i am a touchy-feely person. i'm southern and my mom is ridiculously gooey so one of my love languages, inevitably, is touch. i, usually, reign it in A LOT unless i have a partner but in college, i somehow discovered a whole group of people who loved to kiss each other on the cheek and hold hands and lean on other people, and lock arms. i felt at home. really.

maybe it's not only about old friends, though. maybe it's about feeling at home.

there was another post on tumblr and i think about it a lot. it's a screenshot of a tweet from twitter user @HumbleCore.

"HUGE NEWS: finally found my best friend from middle school on FB. We've both been looking for each other for over a decade. I told her I think about her whenever I play any boardgame or drive by a church. She told me she uses my name as her password at work. A perfect reunion."

when i read that the other night, i cried. i don't know why. it was heavy and ridiculous and i was worried my roommates would hear me. i don't know why i cried. at all. and even typing it out like that made me want to cry again. the feeling is not as strong or as overwhelming as it was the first time but it's still there.

i think about a best friend i had in first grade. even before i thought of ashley as my best friend (i have known Middle School Ashley since the first grade. i thought we were destined to be best friends forever and ever and ever, which is what i wrote in her middle school yearbook). his name was Malik. or Malique. my memory fails me. but anyway, i loved him like crazy. we didn't do anything without the other. we shared lunch together, we HAD to be partners on every field trip, i cried when Ms. Sanchez moved my seat from his in an effort to stop us from disrupting her lessons and i hated her for an entire week. (a very long time from a first-grade perspective.) even now, i think about him whenever i go to petting zoos or farms and when i ride on yellow school buses with my students.

Malik/Malique was my first kiss. we were hiding from Ms. Sanchez and the other chaperones so we could pet the goats one last time. while we were hiding behind a barn, he kissed me. "for good luck," he said. and then we sprinted across the farm to get back to the goats. and we pet them again before Ms. Sanchez found us and ordered us back on the big yellow school bus where we held hands for the entire hour-long ride back to school.

it's very silly to think now but in high school when i was trying to determine whether i loved my first boyfriend or not i remember thinking, "well, does he make me feel like Malik/Malique?" it's silly but sweet. at fourteen, still comparing the way he made me feel behind a barn at 5 years old to how another boy, years and years later, made me feel. it is silly but i think it's sweet.

i don't actually have any interest in finding Malik/Malique or knowing for certain what he does or how he's doing because i seriously doubt i had such an impact on his life, but i hope he's well and alive and happy because that's what i always naturally hope for when i pass petting zoos or farms or see bright yellow school buses.

so, yes. i think everything, us, our relationships, the entire world, is about old friends. all of it. every last bit of it.

i have a whole-grade data analysis, 300 pages of reading, and two mini-papers for classes to finish before tonight so i'm going to get going... i just wanted to write about old friends first.