Points of Departure

One small section of my life,
A span of 2 years...
Entropy, paper and music,
Combined with love, friendship and laughter.
A perfect antidote for boredom.
"Living on the edge"
The Edge of Sadness
The Edge of Greatness
Trashbags, sweatshirts...
Boyfriends, Girlfriends...
Parties! KISSES! TP and Bacardi!
Tokens of memories.
A point of Departure.

Ally W
August 3, 1990

20 Questions

Getting to know someone for the first time?

Here are 20 Crazy Questions you can ask for kicks....

1. Do you floss?
2. When was the last time you flew a kite?
3. What was your favorite grade in school?
4. If you could get younger instead of older...what would you do when you are young?
5. How old were you when you knew you liked boys/girls for more than just a friend?
6. If you were about to go blind -- what is the last thing you would want to see?
7. What is your favorite brand of toothpaste?
8. Picnic in the park or cozy fireside romance?
9. Favorite book?
10. Worst job ever?
11. First car?
12. Something no one knows you like?
13. Your wierdest body part?
14. Favorite gemstone?
15. Would you pose nude for a magazine?
16. Do you have any regrets?
17. How old were you when you first kissed someone?
18. Name 3 adjectives that someone who doesn't like you would say about you.....
19. Would you risk everything for love?
20. Name one question you would like to ask someone famous/heroic...past present future....

Remember: There is no such thing as a stupid question

Bob Check!

It was April 1996...I was about to graduate from college with my degree in Mathematics. I was stressed and over school. But I had one thing to do before I finished...one final performance. The nerves were there the moment I woke up. We had an early rehearsal, just going through the show one more time. Everyone was cohesive and yet really quiet in their thoughts. We tried to eat some sort of lunch but it was just too hard to swallow. We saw friends and competitors the entire afternoon...everyone wearing the same plastic look of fear, excitment and anxiety. This was World Championships. This was our moment -- our final moment as a unit and as a team! Would we medal? We could, we were in place to do so after preliminaries. We all began to get dressed in our yellow bell bottoms and crazy hairdos. "Does this look ok?" "Is my makeup dark enough?" We had been doing this for 5 months-- of course it was perfect. My mom and sister came up to me and said, "this is it...are you ready?" I remember thinking, How can I be so ready and so NOT ready for this at the same time? I knew what it was though -- I was already fearing the end -- the finality of it all. Pushing those thoughts out of my head, we went through our warmups...warm ups had become so ritualistic -- and even moreso this night. We could do it in our sleep. Every performance we did our little sayings - and oh how I wish I could recap them all here. It was special. We walked down the tunnel. I will never forget Chad's face at that moment. He looked like he couldn't be more proud of 16 people. He was excited and he shared our anxiety of what the next 4 minutes and 11 seconds would bring. It was our time to go. We set up our stage. The crowd was loud and excited. I looked up and saw my Mom and my sister. I was so glad they were there. The lights were beating down on us and it was time for us to let it all out. I barely heard the words, "BOB CHECK" where we all pretended to check our hair to see if we were ready. And it began...the music flowing through our arms and legs creating a melodic symphony of color and movement. I looked up the crowd was silent all of the sudden...everyone was just clicking with us, with the audience. What is missing? And then I realized -- the nerves had left. It was me and this music and our peformance. It was a performance to last a lifetime -- it was my final performance.

We medaled that night...a bronze medal at World Championships.

Remember: Be confident in what you are doing and the nerves will just disappear.

Knife? Fork? Spoon?

It was fall, and the leaves were spilling off of the trees. The sky, was a crisp blue and the breeze gently brushed everything with a cool touch. The path was long and unexplored. She would have never chosen such an adventure, it was simply handed to her. Unexpected and suprising, she had been unable to resist the attraction to say, "No, I cannot go". Suddenly, a sense of panic begins running through her body. The wind picks up and begins moving her further into the forest. Her valiant resistence was no match for this force. Is there no turning back? What should she do? What could she do? She begins to weep not understanding who or what it was that brought her to this place. This is the fork in the road...

Remember: We all have choices. We either make the right choice or the wrong choice...which will you make?

Happy Monday Everyone!

This is a wonderful place....

I sit among the darkness. The only sound I hear is the water rushing to the shore with its rythmic and constant motion. I look up to the sky and there must be a million stars. The stillness of the night is comforting. I see a distant light...I wonder if there is someone across the water appreciating this beauty. Can they FEEL this silence? Are they seeing these same stars? I think of someone I love far away and focus on one star. Its not the brightest star, its not the most noticable star, but it is the one I have chosen for this night. This is beauty....This is a wonderful place.

Remember: You are chosen this night -- make it count.

Shrimp is so EXPENSIVE

This is a little silly, I know. But one thing I remember from when I was little was how expensive shrimp was. Let me explain. Every sunday after church my parents, my sister and I would go to Piccadilly Cafeteria to eat lunch. I loved it because they put Jello in squares. How cool was that!?@#!@#? I still love that place...everyone thinks I'm crazy, but when I go to the town where I grew up, I always want to go there. Anyway, I could BARELY see over the rails you slide your tray down...and i just remember seeing the shrimp and seeing that it had 3 numbers beside it instead of the two that all the things I got had. It was over $100!!!! Or so I thought at the time. NO WONDER no one ate it -- it was the most expensive item in the place. Looking back, I'm thinking the shrimp at a cafeteria, just doesn't seem appealing. It has nothing to do with the price.

Happy Friday everyone.

Remember: Seafood is gross!

Some Enchanted Evening

Some Enchanted Evening
Perry Como

This is from "South Pacific"

Some enchanted evening
You may see a stranger
You may see a stranger
Across a crowded room
And somehow you know,
You know even then
That somewhere
You'll see her again and again

Some enchanted evening,
Someone may be laughing
You may hear her laughing
Across a crowded room
And night after night,
As strange as it seems
The sound of her laughter
Will sing in your dreams

Who can explain it,
Who can tell you why
Fools give you reasons,
Wise men never try

Some enchanted evening,
When you find your true love
When you feel her call you
Across a crowded room
Then fly to her side
And make her your own
Or all through your life
You may dream all alone

Once you have found her,
Never let her go

*******************************************

I love this song....I don't know why I thought of it today. It reminds me of "Love at First Sight". Have you ever fallen in love at first sight? Most people think this happens at an early age. They honestly believe they have fallen in love with someone just at an instant. They're a hottie or wearing the latest clothing and oh wow -- ya wow. That is not what I'm referring to. I believe the probability of actually falling in love at first sight heightens as we grow older. Just like being more in tune with who you are and what you want. Can you imagine anything more romantic than looking into someone's eyes and seeing past those eyes to the depths of that person. You just know. You know that you are there inside them and rather than turn back, you just surrender yourself to that person. You know, you feel a connection. Chemistry. Its incredible.

If it has happened to you, press 1.

1

Remember: "Once you have found her, Never let her go"

PS. I just downloaded this song again. My favorite version is from Jane Oliver.

A Kiss

I looked over at him. He smiled the sweetest smile. I knew he was the one I would love forever. I looked into his eyes and smiled back. He stepped closer to me where I could feel his warm breath on my cheek. My heart stopped at that moment, when he leaned in closer. Gently, he traced a finger down the features of my face. I shut my eyes and tried to savor this moment...our first moment of many more to come. His lips gently pressed against mine in the sweetest motion. I never want to forget that kiss, those sweet smiling eyes, or the love I feel for this person.

Remember: Hold tightly to the one you love and never take it for granted.

One June Morning

Beep! Beep! Beep! WHAM! Ouch. It hurts. My heart is racing...I feel something warm. But I can't see what it is. Help me! Help me! Hide me! Panic ensues. I can't get out. What is happening? There is a bright light...but I can't see anything. Oh God no! I'm scared. What is wrong with me? How did I get here? My sister was in an accident? Noooo....

Beep! Beep! Beep! Wham! Ouch.

Honey, you just knocked your clock off of your nightstand. Wake up, its time for you to go to work.

What a dream.....

Remember: sometimes what you think is real is just a dream of something real in your head.

Its GREAT to be US!

I mean this in the most humble way.

Today, I woke up (thank God) and although not a morning person, I knew today was going to be awesome. You know that little thing inside yourself -- you can feel. Like glowing? I feel it! That is what being happy feels like. Why don't we appreciate every day we wake up feeling this way. We can't expect to feel happy every day of every moment of our lives -- but to strive for that, what a goal. Looking at the clock, I see time ticking away...what am I doing here? Its time for me to get out and DO something. Remember this day as the best day of your life.

Remember: It is great to be you.

Ally

The Virgin Blog

I am sitting here...in my office thinking bad words. My printer isn't working. Could I please get in good favour with the printer gods?

I'm a happy girl. Life is GREAT....How unsual is that? A perfect life and yet I am a seeker. Seeking new things and new adventures. This deep section of my soul haunts me sometimes won't relent on its grasp of my thoughts.

I think my problem is I have this underlying question.....
What should I be when I grow up?

Remember: Something had to start somewhere.
_________________

first try -- but a try none the less.

Hello world. see you tomorrow 'cause its almost 4:30 :)
Remember, Its great to be us.

Ally