Tu me manques

Bonjour mes amis,

It seems it's been a long while since I've done any posts truly French related or using the language, and seeing as I need to prepare for the AP test come May, I figured I should start up again. First I must apologize because I only have twenty minutes to finish this post (I'm at school) and because I don't have my dictionary with me and it's been a while since I've reviewed my grammar. I'm planning on increasing my study time after the first trimester ends so I won't have anything to get caught up on or the like.

Aujourd'hui... c'est comme ci comme ca. Pas mal. Mais j'ai un examen pour les maths, et ce n'etait pas bon. Le choeur, aussi, n'etait pas bon. Apres l'ecole aujourd'hui, j'irai a Cub pour robotiques. Nous sommes sacherie nourriture pour l'argent. Je suis desolee, mais je n'ai pas l'accents et je n'ai pas les temps! Mon francais, ce n'est pas bon mais je practiquerai plus souvent. Je n'y manquerai pas.

A demain,
Mlle Delphine

Guardian Angel, God, Karma, Luck, whatever it was: Thank You

Bonjour mes amis,

I've been having quite a time. This summer I discovered that the guy I've secretly adored for years but always dismissed it due to complications, thinking there was no way he'd ever feel the same, actually had feelings for me. Since then we've gotten pretty serious, though we have to keep things quiet due to said-complications. But Lord am I lucky to have someone who cares about me like he does. He's one of those guys that everyone dreams about but no one really believes exists. Let me tell you, ladies, he does, and he's all mine. He keeps me smiling even on the hard days. But I don't know what I've done to deserve a man like him.

I've also had a very busy school year. My grades are starting slip a little but no C's yet. I need to start working harder, in fact, I should be working right now. I have an English paper due tomorrow. But I need to get some thoughts out, and I feel that they're important enough that I'll find a way around it. I am very grateful that MEA (three days off of school) is this week because I need a little break from the world. School 8:05-3:00 plus theatre every day from 3:15 to 5ish, Spirit Players is Thursday mornings 7:20 to 7:50, plus random Robotics every week or so, especially with the planning for the Halloween Dance which is coming up on the 30th, so I have to skip my dad's weekend. I'm not happy about that. I miss him.

This weekend I was at his house for the last time until four weeks from now and I've been feeling exceptionally homesick so I cried a little before I left but managed to stop so I could leave without him knowing that I was upset. As soon as I started driving, the tears came back, but I told my wonderful angel that I'd drive safely, so I knew I needed to calm down. I stopped crying but was upset. Then it started to rain. I love the rain, it has so many different emotions tied into it. It's a very powerful thing, I think. It felt like the world was crying for me, because it knew I couldn't. I rolled down my window despite it being freezing, so I could smell the rain in the air. It relaxed me, in that refreshing way that crying does. Yet I wasn't getting cold. Confused, I checked and saw that I did indeed turn off the heat in the car.... but it was still going, keeping me warm, even when I knew I shouldn't waste the energy with my windows down. My car was looking out for me. I guess it's happy to have a full tank of gas for the first time in three months.

I'm not really sure how I made it home without an accident. I was in a terrible state, crying for a good ten minutes and even after I stopped, I really only had my eyes glued to the car in front of me on the interstate. I know I was swerving a little here and there. I shouldn't have been on the roads. I shouldn't have made it home without so much as a scratch- no, without so much as getting cold. But I did.

And now, for those of you who are left reading this really long, seemingly rambling post, I will explain why this all has so much significance. I am agnostic. To most I explain it as, "I understand that there is a possibility of God existing, but you can't prove it." In reality, it's more of a "I want to believe in God, but I don't know that I can trust Him if He doesn't do something significant to announce his presence." I have pretty bad trust issues, and I'm rather rebellious and question authority a lot. I was also raised to be Atheist and during debates I tend to claim it just because I get so frustrated with the way many religious people are so condescending from their high horses. For a while I searched for answers but gave up. I knew I wanted to believe, but I couldn't. I haven't given it much thought in a couple years, until the other week when I had one of these notorious condescending Christians being very rude towards Atheists when she clearly didn't understand the concepts. (Mind you, this is the same girl that tried to say that Christianity was the first religion.) Even though she angered me, she awoke my curiosity again. Of course, first I was mad and wanted to hear about the other side, why God couldn't possibly exist. But I never actually read into it, knowing how many flaws in logic are on that side, and instead it's just ever so quietly been on my mind.

And then I have nights like tonight, reflecting on the past few months and on life in general. How is it I met someone who truly adores me for me, who's willing to do anything to make me smile, who thinks exactly like me on big-picture ideas, and who I am completely, totally, and irrevocably in love with? He is religious but only lightly and doesn't talk about it unless people come to him. But when I was asking him about it the other week, he told me he prays every night before bed, thanking God for me. I started tearing up in the middle of school thinking that someone would do that for me. And tonight? I was a complete mess. I shouldn't have made it home in one piece. Why did I?

Truth be told, I'm not entirely sure. But I have this feeing... Call me crazy, but I feel like I was being looked after.

À demain,

Mlle Delphine

Edit: Shortly after posting this, I got the last text from a friend saying goodbye because he was deployed to Aghanistan last night (the early morning hours after posting this). While I knew it was coming for months, I just broke down crying at the thought of not seeing him for a year and him being so far away and in danger and, yeah. It was bad. I went online and checked for someone to talk to, and I told him, "I need a hug." As soon as I hit enter, I heard my step dad get up off the couch downstairs, walk upstairs, and he came and hugged me tight until I stopped crying.

Then I finally got to talk to my wonderful angel an hour or so later and he got me feeling 100% again as usual. I set my alarm, he talked to me until I fell asleep (which was pretty late so I would only get a few hours of sleep), and then I woke up at 7:20. My alarm was supposed to go off at 6 but never did so I got to sleep in. But that meant I was late and thus truent and thus had detention for the first time in my life. While I *could* have made it to school on time for first hour, I felt like a mess and I needed a shower and I wouldn't have time for breakfast and just everything was wrong. I texted my mother and she called in saying I had a dentist appointment to excuse me from hours one and two. This gave me enough time to write my English paper that was due today.

Lucky? I'm not sure that's what I want to call it. But now I really have to go to school!

À bientot.

Rambling Because Life is Good

Bonjour mes amis,

As the title states, this post is me rambling. I don't have any specific topic, I just feel like writing, and I haven't in a few days since this was my first week back in school. But really? Life IS good. I'm managing my classes (Yes, even Physics! ... Thus far) pretty well and on Monday during my open period I get to go chat with my counselor to get the information I need regarding independent study for AP French Language and AP Psychology. I've also been submitting some more applications trying to find a job. Hopefully something will turn up!

Extracurriculars are going well. I'm going to be throwing together a French club as best I can this year, at the wish of Mme Hanson, the district's French teacher. Then the other four days of the week will be teching after school for the school musical. I might audition for the winter one acts or just tech again, I have plenty of time to decide though. In late winter, Speech will be starting and it's my first year doing it even though I thought it sounded like fun last year. Oh, and the information for Spirit Players should be given out at some point next week! I'll have to make a post dedicated to that activity to give you an idea of what the hell I'm talking about.

My social life is ~*amazing*~ thus far this year. I caught the attention of my dream guy over the summer and while I can't give too many details, I can tell you, he is wonderful. Also, I noticed this week during school I'm much more outgoing than I have been in the past and it's nice to see that my hard work is paying off and I'm finally breaking free from my shell. In all of my classes I have people I can chat with (well, except APUSH but all focus is on the teacher in that one) and I always run into random people in the halls I talk to, even if I don't have classes with them. Plus, while I haven't made many plans with people, I am going to go shopping with my friend after school this Friday for new clothes and to get her a dress for Homecoming. We're kinda short on money so I'm just using my dress from last year, all I need are new shoes.

Oh, and did I mention my braces are FINALLY getting fixed tomorrow at 4pm? YEAH!!!! For the past month, the wires have been out of the back two brackets and as a result have been slicing and re-slicing open my cheeks. Pain comes most when I am forced to say "Quebec" instead of "Québec" (although mental pain always accompanies that no matter what) and while doing vocal warm ups in choir.

Yeah, life is good. :)

À demain,

Mlle Delphine

Junior Year: Day One

Bonjour mes amis!

Today was my first day back in school since early June. It was mostly what I expected, to be honest, but still worth mentioning here. I got my license over the summer so it was my first time driving to school. I'm thankful my step dad warned me to go in the side way without the stop lights. He was right: there was already an accident there by time I arrived around 7:40am. School starts at 8:05. After standing in line for a half hour to get my schedule because they decided to make EVERYONE print them out individually after changing ALL of the passwords instead of just having them in the gym like previously, I went to AP U.S. History (Furthermore known as APUSH) about ten minutes late, feeling ready for the test I stayed up until midnight studying for. When I walked in, however, I was told I had open today. The class is a hybrid (Class every other day, opens when we don't have class) because there are so many students, but they never explained to us how this would work until we stumbled into class frantic about a test on the first day of the school year.

Second hour was AP Language and Composition (Furthermore known as AP Lang). We spent the whole hour listening to him give us directions explaining the summer homework.. that was due that day. Or so we thought! He extended the due date. I was kinda mad, but I just turned it in anyways instead of correcting a few mistakes- chances are he won't notice them anyways. Then he went over the syllabus we'd already signed and turned in at the end of last year. It sounds like this class won't really be covering any new material that Pre AP didn't cover. I'm a little disappointed, but we'll see how it goes.

Third hour is Team Sports, for my required gym credits. I hate gym with a bloody passion, but the teacher seems pretty nice, and to my surprise I knew one Sophomore in the class: Syd. She's a theatre buddy! I'm still trying to find a shirt to let sit in my gym locker for the next 3 months minus the occasional washing.

Fourth hour is Pre-Calculus Honors (furthermore known as Precalc). Simple stuff on the first day, but it's still a bit of a struggle because of how long it's been since we've worked on any of this slope crap. Worm is funny though, he picks on people and it's hilarious. I will probably end up spending time getting extra help before/after school. My goal for math this tri is a B+.

Fifth hour is choir. I love choir. 'Nuff said.

Sixth was open period. Not much today, I did my math homework and read a little bit. Tomorrow starts the French review.

Lastly, I had Physics Honors. Oh dear. I think I'm going to fail that class. I really hope I can get a study group together. It's not a normal college-level AP class, it's TWO YEARS of class shoved into one, and there is a high expectation for good math skills. Have I mentioned that math is my worst subject? We're starting math stuff tomorrow, and then on Monday we have our first test. Homework doesn't go towards our grades, period. I'm f'ed, that's usually what keeps me at a C or B in math class. Please, please, oh friends of Facebook, respond to my bribes of lots of home-baked goods at a study group!!

As for theatre, I've decided to just tech. While I do want to audition, Mme Hanson wants me to basically lead the French club, which I am totally enthused about, but I couldn't miss a day of practice for it every week without getting kicked out of the production. So I'll stick to being a costume/makeup/hair techie! Also, I wanted to ask Mave about Spirit Players (Acting for little kids to educate them about living a healthy life style. Think "Live Above the Influence" and that sort of thing), but I didn't see her after school. I think she leaves early or something, I'll try to find her again tomorrow.

So yeah, that's pretty much my first day. It was long... but I think this school year will be interesting. Challenging if nothing else.

Bring it on, Junior Year! (Just kidding. Please be nice.)

À demain,

Mlle Delphine

Dear Summer 2010

Bonjour l'été 2010,

School starts in eight days. I didn't get much of anything accomplished that I had set out to accomplish this summer. I spent time with friends but not enough. I got a piano but no stand (still!) and thus never finished learning a song. I didn't practice sight reading for choir. I never finished reading Wuthering Heights (I got bored after Cathy died...) or bought a second pair of jeans. Although to be fair, the jeans one will be cured in a few weeks. I don't have an awesome tan, and will yet again stand out like a sore thumb next to all the rich students at my school who spent their summers abroad or just vacationing in the states. I never got in shape, although I am going to work out today. I didn't find my job, but I am still filling out applications and turning them in. I didn't stick to my idea of being a choir director, but I'm not sure I want to risk not finding a job if I become a French teacher.

Thinking about all of this a few weeks ago, I was mildly disappointed in myself, but then I stopped to think of everything I did do this summer. I came to terms with quitting Synchronized Swimming. I improved my relationship with my parents. I discovered that Eminem actually has a song I like. I got to know my awesome friend, Kayla, better. I finally saw (and cried while watching) The Notebook, and P.S. I Love You. I got my license. I helped make my Renaissance Festival costume. I got in touch with an old friend of mine that I hadn't spent time with in years. I stayed in touch with a friend I've known since my early years in elementary school. I found a man who makes me feel beautiful, and as amazing as I think he is! I never gave up on getting a job, even though nothing has turned up yet. I learned how to cook French Toast and mini cinnamon rolls. I rediscovered my inner artist and discovered that I LOVE to paint. I managed to keep brushing up on my French, even though I've had no one all summer telling me to do so; I did it because I love the language. I've decided that I want to study in Québec, for sure ,100%. And, perhaps most important of all, I've worked to pursue my dream of studying in Québec. I've researched tons and I know I want to be in the Montréal area, and I have my first choice for a university already picked out. I know all of the legal processes I'm going to have to deal with when I do study abroad (Passport, Letter of Acceptance from a University, CAQ, Study Permit, but I don't need a temp resident visa). I've set goals for the coming school year (4.0 GPA, baby!) and you can be damn sure I'm going to do my best to accomplish them, even at the cost of my social life. I'm going to audition for every theatre performance this year because I'm *going* to get some sort of role this year. When I don' make it, I'll tech like last spring. I'm finally going to join Speech like I've always wanted. And, I'm going to join Spirit Players!

Yeah, I'd say summer 2010 has been a productive one. Much more than summer 2009, that was filled with endless partying and unfinished summer assignments. Now to go finish my summer assignments for *this* summer...

À l'année prochaine,

Mlle Delphine

Balance

Bonjour mes amis,

Purpose. That was the word a woman once gave me to focus on. I don't know how she knew I needed a purpose, as I only saw her for a few hours out of my whole life and I never really spoke with her, but she was soooo right. That was probably one of (if not the) hardest year(s) of my life, and I still think about it pretty often today.

Success. This is my motivation, the concept of being successful. It is my reason for living and pressing on, no matter the circumstance. More for me than for other people I know, because my family is quite unsuccessful. My mother, father, and step-father are high school drop outs, my half-brother and brother are high school drop outs. My sister graduated high school, but failed out of college and has lived in her fiancé's parents' basement ever since. She has no job. I WILL make it farther than them. Let them laugh after I've gone and made myself who I want to be.

Balance. This is a new word I found today. I'm a hopeless romantic, when someone catches my eye, I get tunnel vision. Which kind of takes away from the concept of "success" and "purpose" especially with the guy I've had feelings for for a long while now, because he's one of those people you can just totally be yourself around and they always make you happy. However, no one can be happy with just one area of their life, you have to work on your work/schooling, your family life, that sort of thing. Oddly I have to thank Yahoo's horoscope for this word (and even Weird Al, since he prompted me to go check what my horoscope was).

So here's my effort to balance:

School starts on September 7th, and I have put a lot of thought into AP French and the things I need to do and work on, etc. But I need an actual plan. I'm an organized person, but I'm a lazy person, and without a plan I know things will fall apart by the second or third month of school. So you, my lucky readers, get a post filled with fluff you probably don't care about whatsoever. But if you do, feel free to comment or add suggestions!

[Week One]

9/7/10 (Tues) - Nothing. Use today to chat with people you haven't seen in ages since you're not going to after today. HW: After school, visit Mme Hanson, ask for the textbooks she mentioned.

9/8/10 (Wed) - Scan through textbooks for ideas on weekly vocab lists, begin HW. HW:Create 30 lists. Due Mon.

9/9/10 (Thurs) - Review tenses! Passé Composé (participes passés irréguliers), imparfait, conditionnel, subjuctif, futur, imperative, reflexive verbs HW:Create 30 lists. Due Mon.

9/10/10 (Fri) - Review lui/leur/en/y, conjugations of avoir, aller, etre, faire. HW:Create 30 lists. Due Mon.

[Week Two]

9/13/10 (Mon) - Go over conjugations of List 1 (present, p.c., imparfait, futur, conditionnel) & make some flash cards using them. Review other areas again based on need/time. HW: Print out 1 news article en francais (France/Quebec/Other).

9/14/10 (Tues) - Review List 1 flash cards. Spend hr in labs chatting onSharedTalk/LiveMocha. HW: LiveMocha complete lesson.

9/15/10 (Wed) - Review List 1 flash cards. Read article 1... a) WITHOUT resources b) looking up main words essential for understanding c) any other words you do not recognize. Summarize en Francais. HW:LiveMocha complete lesson

9/16/10 (Thurs) - Review List 1 flash cards. Search French About (Quebec!). HW: None.

9/17/10 (Fri) - Review List 1 flash cards. Journal 1 about your week en francais. HW: Watch a film in French you have already seen, without subtitles.

Basically each week during my open period I'm going to learn another list of vocabulary, read a news article switching off where it's from (France/Quebec/Other) each week, mix in other activities like chatting online with native French speakers in the computer lab, and end each week writing a journal using every vocab word I used. I'll be exposing myself to French music and movies as often as possible, and once I get a webcam I'll be able to practice speaking French more than just reading the paragraphs at LiveMocha to work on pronunciation.. What I do work on for actual speaking French will be at home. I'm too self conscious to do that at school.

Also, by the third week I should have my book, The Story of French, which I'll give myself a couple days each week to read it. It's in English but it should still be interesting, and hopefully I can get some French or bilingual books for Christmas since it's really only a few months into the school year. :)

Now that I'm sure you've either left my blog or fallen asleep...

À demain,

Mlle Delphine

Painting My Face

Bonjour mes amis!

Non, before you flip, I'm not literally painting my face. Or caking on makeup.

The first part of my day consisted of anxiously awaiting my friend's phone call to say he got the gift. I was so nervous that, no joke, my palms were sweating. I mean, what if the painting wasn't as good as I thought it was? Or it was damaged during shipping? Or it gets there whole and he just plain and simple doesn't like it?

Boy was I wrong. He LOVES it!! I was SO relieved. He was talking about how it's the "nicest gift anyone's ever given me" and how it'll be the only thing he has hanging on his walls and how talented I am. But I think the best thing he said, was later when I told him I had just one more question that was important.

"Did it make you smile?"

"More than smile, it's nearly brought a tear to my eye. You made my birthday."

I think I did good. :) And as promised, here's the painting from a low-quality phone camera:

As for the second part of my day, my aunt came over to give us some free samples of Mary Kay products and talk about them, etc. It was actually really fun! The lip .. gloss, I guess? It's not super shiny though, that she had me try on looked really nice, and it's still on two hours later after I've drank and eaten a little bit. Same with the hand moisturizer stuff, and she said it also works wonders on feet. I really liked the foundation, but wish she had cover-up/concealer to try since mine doesn't work as well as I'd like. She had a lot more stuff she left at home, so my mother and I will have to visit her to try eye shadow colors and the like.

I don't know, typing about it here it seems silly, but this stuff just makes you feel good! And that's what make up is for, right? I'm crossing my fingers we can order the lip gloss, once we try one of the cover-ups, concealer, and moisturizer for my face. I have just normal Neutrogena cleanser that works really well but I can tell it dries out my skin. I know we probably won't, but maybe at least the lip gloss. Realistically you could probably get a cheap moisturizer at a department store, and my mother doesn't understand the importance of cover-up and foundation.

Oh, as a side note, I've noticed she's not only bad with technology, she's not the best with reading things in general. A few days ago on Facebook I posted about a few books I wanted to buy from Barnes & Noble and one of them was Princeton's ACT Review (2010 edition) and today she asked me why I'm thinking about applying to schools on the east coast because it's "so far!" Yeah, so far.. *cough* .. and then my mother told her I was thinking Québec. That was fun.

All in all, I've discovered that despite her bluntness, I really do like my aunt. What I don't like is my aunt and mother together. My mom gets much more, how do you say, aggressive? Attacking me for not doing chores well enough, making fun of the hair on my arm, saying I only want to go to Canada because it's cheaper, so on and so forth. Sigh.

Still, the reaction from my friend about the painting totally made my day. Maybe my week!

À demain,

Mlle Delphine

Khol's Contest to Help Schools Like Mine!

Bonjour mes amis,

Today I have to do something I usually wouldn't ever ask of the followers of my blog and the random friends who stop in on occasion. If you haven't heard about it, Khol's (the giant clothing store company) is giving away $500,000 USD to FOUR schools in the U.S. I'm asking you, my lovely, wonderful readers who so kindly comment and leave messages to let me know you enjoy reading my ramblings, to vote for my high school. The ad is posted to the right!

While it's true all schools are always in need of more funding, my public high school is taking a very hard hit. We're losing 8% of our budget next year even though we have a severe overcrowding problem that needs a solution. As a result of this, additional classes, extracurriculars, and our renowned arts programs are taking a hard hit on top of the normal cuts schools deal with. For example, if a class doesn't have at least thirty students register for it, it doesn't happen that year. For this reason I had to skip French 3, and there is no French 5. Our pianist for the choirs was cut, and now the choir director has to attempt to play the piano while conducting, listening for errors, and coming up with new ideas! The stage manager who creates masterpieces for our school plays, musicals, and one acts, who manages lights and sound systems for all of the community events our auditorium is used for, and much, much, more, also was only given the next year to be at the high school before he, too, gets cut.

This is only a small taste of the newest issues are school is facing, beyond the normal running out of paper and that sort of thing. Please, it's a really simple action to click on the ad to your right to vote for Prior Lake High School, and potentially help us win $500,000.

Merci beaucoup et À demain,

Mlle Delphine

No "If"s, "And"s, or "But"s

Bonjour mes amis,

Be it reading poems (Wild Geese by Mary Oliver), listening to music (Taking Chances - Glee, Cave In - Owl City), glancing at the school website ("The real meaning of travel, like that of a conversation by the fireside, is the discovery of oneself through contact with other people." -Paul Tournier), or even reading Facebook statuses ("Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain), I am constantly reminded of my dream to go to school in Québec.

So I'm going to do it. No "if"s, "and"s, or "but"s about it. Where there is a will, there is a way, and boy do I have the will. If it means I don't get a nice pair of shoes or new clothes for the school year, if it means I have to continue playing my piano by sitting on my bed, if it means I have to hang out at home and save some gas money, if it means I have to skip lunch here and there... I'm going to find the money. I'm going to go to Québec for school. I filled out a few more job applications tonight and I'm going to pick some others up tomorrow.

I'm going to make my dreams into reality.

À demain,

Mlle Delphine

Taylor Mali: What teachers make

This is why I respect my teachers.

'Nuff said.

AP French Language

Bonjour mes amis!

Next year will be my first year since sixth grade that I haven't studied French in school. If I leave it be, the colleges I apply to will see "French II" and "French IV." Two years of French. Most colleges look for at least two, if not three or four. I wish I could take four years of French! I'm thinking to solve this dilemma, I may independant study AP French Language. A friend of mine who graduated this year said that on his applications, they didn't even ask for scores, just how many and which AP tests he'd taken. Granted, he took like 20 something because he's a genius, but still. Even if I don't get college credit, it could still help me get into a better college!

From the looks of it, the test is challenging, but I think if I really studied and took up the offer to practice avec mon ami en français, I could probably pass it. I'm still waiting to get the letter in the mail regarding my score on the AP World History exam I took this May. It should be coming soon! A few of my friends were thinking about studying AP European History but I don't think that is going to happen, and I don't think I could handle the course load of two AP history courses on top of the challenging math and science courses I'll be in next year.

But I could keep my open period that I signed up for and just do independant study so it shows up on the transcript, and then take the AP test in May. Unfortunately, the school isn't going to pay for it since the AP French Language exam isn't offered here, so it would be the full price, around $80 or $90. Comparing those prices to the prices of a college course, however, makes them seem much nicer. Not to mention it'll be coming out of my parents' pockets, not mine!

What do you guys think? Should I add a third year of French to my transcript? I do want to go to Québec for college, and I'm going to France after I graduate. I adore the language. The passion is there.

À demain et merçi beaucoup,
Mlle Delphine

Would -You- Eat a Mango Pickle?

Bonjour, mes amis!

My family and I were visiting les parents de mon beau-père (my stepfather's parents) for dinner when his mother pulled out a jar from the fridge saying she wanted to give it a try. I happened to be sitting at the table, not facing the kitchen as the following events occurred. She quickly moaned at its scent and put the mango pickle in the trash, the rest of the family ran to inquire and also quickly backed off. My mother came to the table saying, "Oh that's disgusting!" while making some silly faces. I, already irritated by the fact they smoked two cigarettes on the way there, told her not to be so rude because there are people who eat and like them. She then announced loudly, "Delphine wants to try one!"

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

But alas, it had been done, and I had just been talking about being open-minded. I took the jar that was brought to me. This is sort of what I saw.

But a little less appetizing when it comes from a jar, and covered in a green oil-herb mix instead of red. The scent was just like brown-sugar, but I felt a little nauseous. Daunted by all of the strangeness, I asked for a fork. Mon beau-père snatched the jar, picked the small one I had been eying, and took a bite. He kept eating, so I made my move before I had a chance to think twice. It wasn't very appealing but it wasn't awful. A moment later it tasted comme cornichons à l'aneth (like dill pickles), and a moment after that it tasted little but was spicy. Well, to the extent pepperoni is, but I'm not a fan of spicy food. I ate the whole thing in one bite.

This is coming from the girl who doesn't like any sauces on her food beyond ketchup on fries and soy sauce on rice, the girl who didn't try sour cream on her baked potato until she was at least twelve. Oh how I've grown! I think Mom nearly had a heart attack but I don't think she ever tried it. Wiser of us two? Perhaps. More knowledgeable? Not when it comes to mango pickles.

À demain,

Mlle Delphine

Qui-êtes vous?

Bonjour, mes amis!

I broke up with my boyfriend this morning for many reasons but the most important, I think, was that I need to rethink where I stand. Two years ago I knew exactly who I was and where I stood, but my Sophomore year of high school seemed to steal some of those morals away. My dear friend Kayla, over at That's Legit, inspired me to create a post about me. Who am I?

I like people knowing where I stand.

I hate hiding who I am. It's very important to let others know what you believe in, what your dreams and goals are, or even just what your favorite color is.

Tolerance and open-mindedness are very important.

That said, I realize that not everyone is going to be on the same page as me or agree with everything I agree with, nor will I always agree with them. Therefore, it's important to always be mindful of others. For example, I am not religious, but I like learning about different religions because it gives me an insight on the life of others. I cannot stand close-mindedness on either side of the argument, even if they agree with me. We must understand others in order to get along with them, and while we may not always agree on the same points, we can agree to disagree.

I'm a dreamer.

I like reaching for the highest of goals and dreaming up crazy insane perfect futures for myself. It's easiest said, "Where there's a will, there's a way."

I love chanter (to sing).

Ohhh my goodness! A year ago I didn't really understand this one, that's for sure. I mean, I sang when I was home alone, but that's about it. I couldn't drive yet and my siblings certainly gave me hell when I was younger for singing in the shower, so I avoided that as well. On Halloween this year I was at a party and my then-boyfriend heard me singing along to Cascada's Everytime We Touch (don't laugh, it's catchy..) and he suggested I join choir. I was placed into Women's Chorale which is mostly composed of Juniors (versus Choralaires, the choir where most Sophomores are put) and I was instantly in love. Everything from the amazing director, Mr. Hassig, to the girls in the choir that made me feel welcome, to the songs we sang, to the difficult struggles I had trying to get up to their level... I love it.

My worst subject is les mathématiques.

I've always been ahead of the general students but behind the honor students when it comes to math. So, as I've always been in honors math, I've always struggled very much in math. It frustrates me to no end when I can't understand something because I feel very awkward asking my math teachers for help. It's the only class I need actual help from the teachers in, but next year I will be in Pre-Calculus Honors and I can't put it off anymore. Luckily, I'll also have two handy tutors available to help me out. I'm actually a little excited for the challenge next year. I know I can handle it if I work hard.

I'm a geek.

I like school. Yep. Pretty much. ...No, I'm not mentally ill! Or at least, not to my knowledge. I like getting to see my friends every day and I like learning. My teachers were all so awesome this year, too! But yeah, not gonna lie, it's mostly the learning. If I could learn for a living, I so would! I challenge myself in as many areas as possible every school year, even the ones I know I'd never really want to go into *coughmathcough*.

I can't stand seeing people upset.

Seeing other people upset makes me upset. I care. It's a strength and a weakness, but I'd say it's definitely worth it. I love helping people get what they need; it makes me feel good. Shouting matches make me cringe, though. I hate it when anyone yells in anger, be it friends or parents or random people on the street. It just gives me a negative feeling, you know?

I'm addicted to Facebook.

'Nuff said.

I love making nouvelle amis (new friends).

Listening to other people's lives is very interesting to me. I enjoy talking with old friends and new friends and people I've never met before. I'm pretty open about things too, so if you can think of anything else you'd like to know, never be afraid to ask! (:

À demain,

Mlle Delphine