Calista's Diary Entry - New Year Wishes

Dear Diary,

My family normally goes to Watch Meeting on New Year's Eve, but this year we relaxed at home and watched the celebration going in Times Square on TV.

We did the countdown together, and then wished each other Happy New Year.  There were hugs and kisses involved.

I stayed up later than my parents.  I reflected on this past year, and I thought about all of the possibilities that the New Year brings.  I don't really have any resolutions, but I do have lots of wishes.  I'm just excited to see what the year will bring.

 Happy New Year!

Calista's Diary Entry - Ice Ice Baby

Dear Diary,

This winter has started off with a bang!  We have had another winter storm that has covered us in a sheet of ice.

The trees are covered with ice and the branches are bowing and breaking under the weight.  The power lines are covered with hundreds of icicles.  Thousands of homes and businesses in our community are without power, and many are dealing with property losses due to trees falling on roofs and vehicles.

Road conditions have been hazardous, so we have not gone anywhere since Friday.  On Saturday, we lost power to our home.  We put our perishable food items into an ice chest and placed that outside.  The fireplace was our main source of heat and light.  We had candles and flashlights and cell phones for light (which we tried not to use much so that we would not run down the batteries).   My grandmother is here, and she cooked breakfast in a cast iron skillet on coals from the fireplace, and taught my mother how to make fireside stew.  We played bored games - I mean board games, and we talked a lot.  

Today I was ready to get out of the house.  I was beginning to feel trapped.  When I asked if I could go out, my grandmother jumped in and said "Don't go out there!  You could fall and bust your head wide open!"  My mother asked her not to say such things.  My mother let me go, telling me to be very careful and not to go far.

We have some impressive icicles on the house.

I don't recall ever seeing a cactus covered in ice before.

Bob saw me outside and asked if I wanted some company.  Of course I said yes.

I would be in SO MUCH TROUBLE if my parents saw me climbing this tree!

At least I wouldn't be in trouble alone.  Bob and Calista sitting in a tree... 

That's all, just s-i-t-t-i-n-g.  :)

Calista's Diary Entry - Awkward Moments

Dear Diary,

Today we had a substitute teacher. We were supposed to review Chapter 7 but Mikey told the substitute that Mr. Smith always lets us read on our own and talk about the chapter amongst ourselves on review day (which is not true). The substitute believed Mikey, so we basically talked and played around all during class. Mikey misbehaved a little.

Kana and Briana Joy have been telling me that I need to ask Bob to the dance. They say maybe he's too shy to ask me. I don't know, he wasn't too shy to write me that note a while back. They say I need to go ahead and ask because the dance is a week from Friday! I didn't want to ask him; I felt that he should be the one to ask me. Kana kept leaning back and whispering "Ask him! Ask him!" So I decided to just drop a few hints to Bob. I said "Sooooooo, the big Homecoming Dance is next week..." and he said "Yep." I said "You know, girls have a lot to do to prepare for a dance like this, so they really need to make plans in advance..." and he said "I imagine so." And he turned around and started reading his book. I don't understand him!

I saw Mikey coming my way and I had this feeling of dread because I just knew that he was coming to crack jokes about me. I was surprised when he stopped at Layla's desk and ignored me completely. He said "What's up Looooooooong Legged Layla!" Layla giggled and said "Mikey why do you always have to comment on my legs every time you see me?" Mikey said "I don't know. I guess because your legs are the first thing that I notice about you. And I notice because I like your legs." Then Layla let out this high pitched giggle and I felt my stomach turn. I was so ready for class to be over.

I saw Skipper in the hallway and I tried to go the other way but she started calling my name. She told me that we need to talk and asked me why I have been avoiding her. I told her that I wasn't doing it on purpose and she said "Come on! You don't even reply to the text messages that I send to you!" I tried to think of what to say. She said "Calista I thought that we were friends!" I said "I thought so too!" and she said "Well this isn't a very nice way to treat a friend!" So I told her "Okay, let's talk, but not now. We can talk for as long as we need to. I promise!" She said "Okay." As she was walking away, I told her "By the way, I've been meaning to tell you congratulations on being nominated as Homecoming Queen." She said "Thanks." and kept walking.

Calista’s Diary Entry – New 'Do

Dear Diary,

Layla has the cutest little twists in her hair and I started wondering what my hair would look like in twists. I asked her where she gets her hair done and she told me about her beautician. She said that she would do a great job on my hair. I was a little hesitant at first. I like my ponytail (more accurately - my ponypuff). But I decided to try something new. I can always go back to my old style later.

It took a while to do my hair so we had a lot of time to talk. The topic of the Homecoming Dance came up. Layla asked me if I already had my dress and I told her no. She told me that she already had her dress, shoes, purse, hairstyle, and accessories already picked out. I asked her who she was going with and my chin nearly hit the floor when she said Mikey! Apparently, he asked her to go just a few days after he asked me, but I don't think that she knows. I told her that I couldn't believe that she was going with him and I asked if she liked him. She said yes, she thinks that he's hilarious. I told her that she wouldn't think so if he was constantly teasing HER. She said "Calista, Mikey teases everyone! That's just how he is. He calls me Long Legged Layla every single time he sees me, but you don't see me crying about it. You're just too sensitive."

I told her that I didn't want to talk about it anymore. She asked me who I was going to the dance with and I told her "I don't want to talk about it." She let out a big sigh and changed the subject.

I like my new hairstyle! I will have to get used to it, but I do like it.

Layla gave me her hair clip. She said "This is to keep your thick pretty hair back so that everyone can see your pretty face."

Calista's Diary Entry - Beauty Interrupted

Dear Diary,

Fall is my favorite season. I love looking at the multi-colored scenery. The beauty of the land just takes my breath away.

Today me, Kana, Briana, and Big Janet went on a nature walk. Oh yeah, I'm over what happened last weekend with them leaving me out of their plans. Last Monday they acted like nothing had ever happened, and I just went along. I haven't spoken to Skipper much. I just don't know what to say.

I had so much fun with my friends today. I'm just glad that things seem to be back to normal between all of us. My mom says that whenever there's conflict, that people need to talk things out. She says that communication is key. Maybe that's not always true. Maybe if people just hang out and look at the beauty of nature, they will realize that their problems are not so important after all.

I got separated from the rest of the girls for a while and I was just enjoying myself, looking at my surroundings when I heard "Calista! Calista!" I looked up and it was Mikey. I braced myself for his teasing. He said "You know the homecoming dance is less than 3 weeks away right?" I said "Yes I know." He said "I was wondering if we could go to the dance...together." I said "Ha ha Mikey, very funny." He said "I'm serious." And I looked at him and I saw that he really was serious! I was stunned! I tried to talk and my words came out in a jumble. "I...welll it's, you see..I just, I can't go with you." He said "Why not?" and I said "I'm already going...with someone else." I couldn't believe it when I heard that lie come out of my mouth. Well it's not really a lie, I do WANT to go with someone else, he just hasn't asked me yet. And in spite of everything, I just really didn't want to hurt Mikey's feelings.

Mikey said "Ok, that's cool. I didn't really want to go with you ANYWAY!"

Calista's Diary Entry - Cliques

Dear Diary,

The girls here tend to hang out in cliques. For the most part, the older girls hang out together and they act like the younger girls do not exist. Sometimes, some of the girls are really mean to other girls that are not in their particular group of friends. I'm okay with most of the girls, except for the twins Hadley and Isla. I don't like them. They walk around like they think that they're royalty or something. Plus I heard that one of them made fun of Briana Joy and made her cry, and I still get very angry inside when I think about that.

The boys don't really seem to have the same problems that we girls do. I mean, sure some of them get into it sometimes, but they seem to get over it quickly. You'll see two of them scuffling one day, and then the next day they're on the basketball courts playing together.

Me and Skipper have been hanging out a lot more lately. I gave her my new cell number and she texts me all the time. She's only a little bit older than me and we get along really well. But she seems to get along with everyone. The only problem is that she only wants to hang out with me, and not my other friends. She says that I'm the mature one. I don't want to hang around her friend either (at least not Hadley and Isla). But I like hanging out with Skipper. She's pretty cool.