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Okay...so some people may be wondering why I'm so late on comments and stuff...
Well, I left school Thursday afternoon. For 4 days (Thursdy,Friday,Saturday,Sunday), I attended a Rotary Youth Leadership convention. (Yes, I missed the MegaCon.) I wasn't the only one from my town. Go W! Also, there were kids from so many different schools.

~Anyway, we were separated into groups with one of the junior staff members as our group leader. We were group 11. Our leader was awesome. And our call was birdman's dove hoot. (*bird call* What happened to that boy?)
My teammates were neat too. I only really had a problem with one of them. A total B.

~We stayed at a Hilton Hotel. Ugh! Did I tell you how much I hate the Hilton sisters? But luxury is luxury I guess. I had three roommates, and none of us had to sleep on the floor.

~ The food got better with each passing day.

~ We learned the Banana Dance (RYLA theme dance), The Robot/Robot Master game (leadership teaching game), and the Don't Pet my Puppy, The Puppet, The Robin Hood (All stress-reliever techniques).

~ We had to do a public speech. Either extemporaneous or pre-planned. I did the first choice, and hated my topic: What is your favorite subject and why? So boring!

~We also had to do skits. Our was a spin-off of American Idol. I sang Alicia Keyes "If I ain't got you" and won the contest.

[Addition From This Point Down]
~The dance was awesome! I wasn't a VIP, but I was one of the first of the regular ppl in! Another girl wore the same shirt as mine, except her's had a hole in it. Instead of getting upset (why do that?!), I complimented her on her good taste. We have the same name, so later on we danced together! Also, I just couldn't keep still! I danced everything from the Cha Cha and Electric Slide to My Milkshake to the Swing. Yamina, a foreign exchange student from Finland, pulled me aside to say, "you're a good dancer!" Everyone said that. Strange, how I come alive at a dance...

~I had a political discussion with two hot guys: one who's on the junior staff. We were discussing Condelezza Rice, who rocks! We also discussed the war and all that good stuff. Junior staff guy said that he's hoping to be Head Boy of the Junior Staff next yr; he wants me on his junior staff!

~ The speakers were awesome! We never sat still for long! If we weren't playing games, then we were being called up for demonstations. My favorite was Bobby Lylons. He called me up for a simple question, but I ended performing a "whole act" with him because he so loved my answer! (It was a riddle, by the way)

~ Oh, after the ending ceremonies, my group leader pulled me aside and asked me if I would be interested in coming back next year as part of the junior staff team. OMG! Junior Staff Guy wasn't joking!

~ Oh, and I learned a lot of information about Student Exchange via Rotary International. Because I live in Florida, I can visit almost any country in the world! I can go for 10 days, be exchanged for one month of the summer, or go the entire school year! I am sooo dying to go! I want to go to either Japan, South America, England, or Australia.
The only downfall is that my grades may not transfer so my 2nd place in my class ranking may drop.
********************************
~ When I returned home, I discovered that my room was painted while I was gone. Kinda like "While you were out"! So I spent time well into the night moving things back into my room.

I can't believe how refreshed I felt after getting off his mini motorbike yesterday afternoon.
I guess I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's backtrack.
I didn't have to go to the Medical Langhly Center yesterday for community service hours. We were gonna wrap gifts as a BETA and KEY club joint project. One word - Cancelled. Which was fine by me. I didn't want to leave the ladies at the library shorthanded.

Anyway, I decided to walk home after work. It was 6 pm and dusky, but I had a light load, so I declined my workmates' offers and began to cheerfully walk.
I didn't get far. This kid was zipping around on a motor bike that had a high-pitch squeal. He zipped down the street and turned around. He stopped where I was and asked if I wanted a ride.
"Hey, you live on Pleasantdale, right? It's near where I live. Besides, I can get u there faster."
Okay..so I know the rule: don't ride w/strangers. But I knew him. Or at least I recognized his features as a person, and realized that I knew him from somewhere. But where?
So I said,"U sure? U sure your bike can carry us both?"
"Yeah. Here." And he scooted forward and showed me where to put my feet. I climbed on and he pushed off.
And I was scared stiff. A million worries went through my mind: What if we fall? What if we get in trouble? Will it hurt to bust open my head?
We came to the first turn, and my hold around his middle tightened.
He seemed to read that I didn't want him to speed up, so he slowed down. I held my breath as he rounded the corner. I was soo afraid of us tipping over and cracking open our heads!
But we didn't!
And I began to relax. I began to ask him questions. Which is how come I found out that he graduated from my High School. And that his last name is Webb.And that he lives in the two-story house behind my street. And that he has a younger brother. And that I indeed knew him from someone. I think we had a class together!
I asked him if this bike could be ridden on the road, for we were turning onto a major road. 466A, to be exact.
"Yeah. I've had this thing for about a year now."
So, no trouble there.
I began to enjoy myself. Not just because I was getting a treat - being taken home by a motorbike when I could've been walking.
But because I was putting my trust in someone. And that someone didn't fail. It felt so good. I didn't have to carry the burden. I was passing the torch or responsibility to someone else. He was now responsible for looking both ways, for staying at a steady pace, for rounding the corners, for keeping me safe.
And for the first time in weeks, I felt secure. Funny. With my arms around an "oh, I'm sure I've seen your face before somewhere" guy's middle, and with my cheek against his shoulder, I felt SAFE! SECURE! CARELESS! FREE!
When I got off his bike, my grin was tickling my ears, it was so big. The next time I see him, I'll give him a candy cane. It's the least I can do for giving me such a treat - in more ways than one!

Don'tcha just think this ish adorable! Chi! Chi!
Using this pic's Chi, I've created 2 adorable piccies! I'll post em soon. I promise! 3nodding

Not too long ago, a stranger happened by,
From a glance, he saw tears sliding down my cheeks,
From my eyes, tears like swollen rivers leaked,
Then he paused, cleared his throat, and asked me why I cry,
With a glistening face and a heavy voice,
I looked him in the eye,
I said, "sir, sometimes I feel I have no choice,
but I will tell you why I cry."

I cry because I hate my nose.
I cry because I want new clothes.
I cry because I hate American places,
like bustling towns with false faces,
I cry because I am not so strong.
I cry for weeks, months, all year long,
For however long until I realize,
just how many truths were lies.

I cry because I'm not that girl,
Not popular, the center of teenage world,
I cry because I hate the stares,
the taunts, teases, and the glares.
I'm not shallow; I'm not dumb.
At school, I'm not worth a crumb.

I cry because my house isn't a shack,
that is located across the tracks,
where personal is just a word,
where closeness is never yearned.

I cry because I hate my skin.
With my own, I don't fit in.
I hate the label of white black girl,
Of one who is queen of everyone's world.
I cry because no one can see,
that I'm weak, the inner me.

I cry because I am young.
"You're too young to do anything fun"
No driving, no parties, no drinking too,
I probably won't get married until I'm 52.
They say I'm young, still a child,
Yet I'm too old to just go wild.
I cry in memory of by-gone days,
of slumber parties and cakes of clay.

I cry because I had no field,
No wide meadow with flowers to yield.
I cry because I could no shout,
to the trees, the stars, to let it all out.
There's just lines of slumbering houses,
who expect a child as quiet as mouses.
I cry as a way to flood my soul,
to lessen my heart of its heavy toll.

I cry for a future yet to come,
when all my friends are gone and done.
One hand waved, all deleted.
When's the next time they'll be greeted?
Without my friends who love me so,
who understand me and let me grow,
How will I live from day to day,
without their presence along the way?
I cry because I love the ones,
who's made my life so much fun.

I cry because I'm not in London,
enjoying tea-time with much more than,
tea and biscuits, cup on saucer,
not having to deal with an American locker.
I cry because I'm not in France,
where romantic men pass me a glance,
as I walk down a busy boulevarde,
sporting brands, bags, and many shopping cards.
Or maybe my tears are due to lackof
Africa's wonderous animal club.
I cry because I cannot see the crocodile
make of passing antelopes a bloody pile.
I cry because I am in The United States,
where lies are common and the taxes are great.

But most of all, I think I cry,
because there's no escaping this lie.
There's one way out, that is what I've found.
One exit; a plethora of people who give no ground.
But even more of the kind who sit back,
the kind who good, the kind who slack.

I cry because I am still waiting.
My Prince will come, but my hope is fading.
There is a castle in the sky,
and he will take me by-and-by.
But how much longer can I wait?
Soon the hour will grow late.
I cry because I fear the dark,
in which his figure haunts, white and stark.
I cry out loud every night.
I cry for him to overcome this fight.

I cry because my very life is hanging in the balance.
I cry because my heart may be overcome by malice.
May he be swift; may danger he miss.
Or stone cold will be the lips he will kiss.

Hewwo.
I'm Yum-Yum aka Para-Para aka Kawaii_Kunoichi.
Nice to meet you.