Summer

I'm in love with your crooked little smile.
I wish I could see it again.

I brush the scent off of my side
and watch the lightening threaten us from way up high
and the lake breathed a clear gust of air
three hundred miles from home
and I don't care


Adjust my eyes and just watch the sky
I'm waiting for some luck to arrive
and pray that God will do His job
and save me from becoming what I'm not


An empty bank account at last
the numbers burned from our exhaust 
in the form of gas
and all the highways buckled like an earthquake passed
I worry that your brakes just might not last


Adjust my eyes and just watch the sky
I'm waiting for some luck to arrive
and pray that God will do His job
and save me from becoming what I'm not


I watched a few weeks of your life
bad string of luck and then you left me
but hope remains beneath you all this time
it wakes you up and keeps you sleeping through the night


So adjust your eyes
and expanse your time
you're waiting for some luck to arrive
but you're scared to tell 
and you're scared of how
I've never seen you lean on someone else


And now you're left with all you've kept inside
adjust your eyes

I drive you home under the streetlights
because all the stars have gone to sleep
I don't know why I'm so exhausted
you've got me running far too thin


I shouldn't have to work so hard
for something that will never last
you drink the poison that I despise
just filling me up with all your lies


Never thought I'd want to see you go
now I just shove you out the door
don't think of me
you won't be on my mind


I listen to the tapes you made me
songs you sing running through my head
baby just tell me you love me one more time
I thought I was over it long ago


Now I'm not making any sense
thoughts of you make it hard
to separate what I should say
from what I want to say


I think of that Sunday
lying next to you
as we wait for the race
but now I'm the one running
away from the memories of you

Waiting Takes Patience

About three years ago I had the opportunity to take on a second Australian Exchange Student for two weeks just after the winter holidays. I was Junior and I was going to meet a girl of my same age and she was going to stay with me for a couple of weeks along with several other students from her school in Mackay, Queensland in Australia. I hadn't ever had the chance to really talk to her before she got to Portland, just a simple letter that was sent with the information telling me the basics about herself, Kadence New, loves the Beatles, good books, music and so many other things that we had in common. Well, the day came when I finally got to go with my parents and pick her up from the bus that dropped everyone off. My dad and I made a sign that said: Welcome Kadence, with lots of fun things on it and bright colors. She ran off the bus and was practically freezing when she gave me a hug. I knew that we'd be pretty much inseparable! Kadence and I did so many fun things during the two weeks she was here, she met my boyfriend, we watched movies, went shopping, went to church, ate pizza, showed her Wal-Mart, Forever 21 and even went to Winter Formal together! I had an insane amount of fun while she was here in Oregon and when it was time for her to go back to Australia I didn't realize how much I'd miss her. We became fast Facebook friends and soon we were chatting over FB chat and exchanging wall posts and messages and became even closer than we were while she was here.
I finally got a skype and I told Kadence that she had to get one too and that we would be able to video chat, mind you this was a year after we first met, and soon we were skyping all the time! I got to learn even more about Australia, talk to Kadence about what universities she was looking at and what she wanted to study. I met Kadence's mum over skype, toured her house, her dorm room, met her friends and laughed constantly about words and customs that Americans differentiate from Australians. To this day, almost three years from when we first met, we still talk all the time. I am so sad that I cannot simply text her everyday, especially when it's one of those moments that only Kadence would understand and make me feel better. I have so much love for one of my best friends who lives on the other side of the world. Kadence plans on studying abroad here at the University of Oregon and I plan on studying abroad at James Cook University (where she goes to school.) Kadence is going to be an AMAZING radio broadcaster one day and I know she'll excel in whatever she does. I only hope that we can spend more time together in the near future and that I can come wade in the water of the beautiful beaches of Australia.

                                                                    
                                                                   ^That was then^

              
                                                                        ^This is now^ 

Tire Swing

I took the Polaroid down in my room
I'm pretty sure you have a new girlfriend
It's not as if I don't like you
It just makes me sad whenever I see it
'cause I like to be gone most of the time
And you like to be home most of the time
If I stay in one place I lose my mind
I'm a pretty impossible lady to be with

Joey never met a bike that he didn't wanna ride
And I never met a Toby that I didn't like
Scotty liked all of the books that I recommended
Even if he didn't I wouldn't be offended
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/k/kimya_dawson/tire_swing.html ]
I had a dream that I had to drive to Madison
To deliver a painting for some silly reason
I took a wrong turn and ended up in Michigan
Paul Baribeau took me to the giant tire swing
Gave me a push and he started singing
I sang along while I was swinging
The sound of our voices made us forget everything
That had ever hurt our feelings

Joey never met a bike that he didn't wanna ride
And I never met a Toby that I didn't like
Scotty liked all of the books that I recommended
Even if he didn't I wouldn't be offended
'€¦wouldn't be offended


Now I'm home for less than twenty-four hours
That's hardly time to take a shower
Hug my family and take your picture off the wall
Check my email write a song and make a few phone calls
Before it's time to leave again
I've got one hand on the steering wheel
One waving out the window
If I'm a spinster for the rest of my life
My arms will keep me warm on cold and lonely nights

Joey never met a bike that he didn't wanna ride
And I never met a Toby that I didn't like
Scotty liked all of the books that I recommended
Even if he didn't I wouldn't be offended.

-Kimya Dawson

Monopoly

I've had this incredible craving to play Monopoly ever since my best friend suggested it about 4 days ago. Amelia and I decided that we needed to play and that we needed at least three people to play. We must have called at least 7 people, none who responded and texted about 5 more. Then, because no one was answering our desperate pleas for a third player, we posted on Facebook. Amelia made her own post and I made mine, we figured that if we both made posts we'd be more likely to get people to come play. Well, no one commented. But we did get a few likes. What is it with people and board games? No, we'd rather be bored doing something else less exciting than buying fake property with fake money.
I'm sick of this. I wanna go back to kids camp. My babies would play Monopoly with me.

Managing Money

I keep telling myself that I'm going to save money, I'm going to put it away into my savings and not spend any. Obviously that hasn't been happening, and now I'm pretty much broke with no rain coat to start the school year at University of Oregon. I thought that I would have learned a lesson from the last time I had no money and could barely afford gas to drive myself to work, you know, to earn more money. But, alas, I get broken down once again at Target when I compulsively buy things like sheets, packs of diet coke, movies, books, a robe? New sweat pants? A sleep shirt to match the sweats and robe? I either need to stop spending my money IMMEDIATELY or a sugar daddy. Takers?

morning sun
has entered through
the windows of your bedroom
and all the light
that warms your skin
is ignored while you sleep in
and you sleep well

so I lay next to you
thinking of a bad excuse
to wake you from recovery
last night was a mystery
that you'll repeat

and I can't help but think
that this person next to me
is not the same as when we both had gone to sleep
the drinks that filled your blood
absorbed with pleasure as they flooded
your remaining consciousness with memories

you seek to learn the truth
or at least just something new
from everyone that's standing in the room

you cut your hair and learned a language
got some culture, made some changes
I was left to try and keep up with

this change of scenery
surprised you with hope and strength
to purposely forget your problems as you need
ask yourself why am I alone
and you'll find out
that the faults your own
I was waiting here so patient all along

you're all dressed up without a place to go
but that's ok because I know
that you'll find a way to be 
anywhere but home

ask yourself why am I alone
and you'll find out
that the faults your own

you're so cold
now that you've left home
it reminds me of
someone we both know
a person that you swore you'd not become 

What do you have a taste for?

All I want is to go back to the very last week of June and stay there for a very long time.

Troutdale vs. Coeur D'Alene

Who would win? That's pretty simple. Coeur D'Alene wins, and here's why:
1. The lake.
I promise, if Troutdale had a lake it would be that much better. There's a really nice path along the way that is great for dates and long walks with friends.
2. The people.
Honestly, the people are pretty much the same. I'm sure if Troutdale had a lake girls would dress even more scantily.
3. Sherman Dr.
The downtown area of CDA is magnificent, I love all of the cute little shops, walking by Java and Wiggetts Antiques (best vintage shop ever!) And Jamm's Frozen Yogurt is just as good, if not better than YoCream.
4. Pretty Scenery
I think that Troutdale and Coeur D'Alene sort of tie on this one, in CDA you can drive out to Black Rock, or look at the lake and it's beautiful. But, here in Troutdale you can drive to Multnomah Falls or hike around some cool places. But, then again, CDA has Tubbs Hill, so... Yeah. Coeur D'Alene wins again.
5. Kid's Camp
The Black Rock kid's camp will always hold very fond memories for me. The people that I've met through work and the kids that I've gotten to work with are some that I hope I'll always be able to keep in my life. I met one of my very best friends through working at Black Rock and I can't wait to visit her this winter!

wake me up with your glow
grab my wrists, then we'll go
return to winter so severe
where I belong and you are near


the cold air fights its way into
our open hearts and every room
the sun is leaving darker skies
they cover earth but we dont mind


I found myself with you
alone with the truth
I woke myself from sleep
a full recovery


the summer sun hangs above casting spells on everyone
but we stand close in the grass unaffected by the glow

unaffected by the glow


I wake you up in the cold
to look at you, then I know
with morning sun's first peaceful glow;
an answered prayer, as I had hoped


through your town we take a walk
on the square and then the park
I was clumsy; slipped on pavement
beneath the stars and shining lights

I found myself with you
alone with the truth
I woke myself from sleep
a full recovery

the summer sun hangs above casting spells on everyone
but we stand close in the grass unaffected by the glow

Last Days at Kootenai Camp

I've been here in CDA, Idaho since June 17th to work at Kootenai Kid's Camp at the Club at Black Rock. I've worked at the kids camp for the past two years and it is always so much fun! My last two days at camp were definitely the most memorable. Friday I worked from 8-5 and it was Lake Day! So, at some point when camp opened we would take the kids to the lake and they could jump on the floating trampoline. Well, camp opens at 9am and there were no kids until 11, so we almost had to close camp until Kids Night Out that night. Thankfully, the Senske's and their friend showed up, along with the Mylettes. So, we had 5 kids and that was enough to go to the beach after lunch! Dimitri and I took the kids in the Black Rock van and blasted some tunes on the way. We arrived at the beach around 1:00 and immediately jumped in the water and swam out to the trampoline. As everyone climbed up the ladders kids were already being thrown off by each other and Dimitri. Thankfully, I lasted about 10 minutes before I got thrown off as well. Basically, the next 4 hours were filled with being picked up, thrown off, head shoved under water and pulling kids back up onto the trampoline. It was a pretty fantastic day!

The Summer Set

I've been in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho for the entire summer and it's been awesome. I can't wait to write all about it when I have decent Internet service!