Standardized Testing

Here in Massachusetts we have this thing called MCAS (em-kass). Other states have it too, but it's called something different. It has a subject (math, ELA, physical science...) and they ask you a bunch of questions, you fill in the bubble, they tell you if you suck or not. In high school, it's a big deal. My darling older sister did very well on her MCAS tests throughout high school so she got the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship which means she can go to state college for free. My stepdad (my father's husband) has been telling me to do really well so I can get the same scholarship. I get it, I really do, but it's pressure. Last night I went to youth group at my church and my stepdad said he would drive me to my mom's after. I told him it had to be right after because I had ELA MCAS today. He said that was fine and he would drive me when I got back to his house. I got home at 8:45. He wasn't there. I called... I called... I called... no answer. I called my dad... no answer. I called my stepdad again... "I'm at Staples. I'll be back soon." "I have MCAS so I need to get home and Julia (my sister) needs to be back at the program (where she lives) at 9." "Okay.". He got home at 9:45. Julia and I told him we needed to go. "Julia needs to cut this big pile of boxes." "We need to go!" "After Julia cuts the boxes!". Julia cut the boxes. She got back to the program at 10:20 (an hour and 20 minutes after she was supposed to) and I got to my mom's at 10:50. I'm usually fine with six hours of sleep or sometimes less, but not on MCAS day. I got up this morning feeling exhausted and didn't do as well on the test as I could have if I had gotten more sleep. In conclusion, it is not my fault if my parents have to pay for college.

Gaga for Gaga

I have been in love with Lady Gaga from the start. She's the most rad person on the globe. Scratch that! She is the globe. The world revolves around her. I'm posting about Gaga because I recently spent nine minutes and thirty-two seconds (nueve minutos y treinta y dos segundos {Ahh! I can't even spell out a number without thinking of Spanish class!}) watching the coolest video on the planet called Gaga. Gaga (She does, in fact, prefer to be called "Gaga".) has the coolest style. She's one hundred (ciento) percent herself. I don't just mean her fashion sense. The way she speaks, sings, carries herself, and lives in totally unique. Her lyrics are rad as well.

"Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun"
"I'm bluffin' with my muffin; I'm not lyin', I'm just stunnin' with my love glue-gunnin'"
Who thinks of this shit, you ask? Gaga does.

Anyway, back to the music video. I'm not a big Beyonce fan. I recognize her talent, but I hadn't seen anything special until she and Gaga got together. It makes me want to use my telephone. That sounded dirty, but I don't think a "That's what she said!" joke is applicable.

Also, let's get something straight. As you find out at the beginning of Gaga's "Telephone" video, she does not, in fact, have a dick.

So, check out Beyonce, Gaga, and dick-less body parts in the music video for "Telephone". A link to it is below.

I am...

Here's a poem inspired by one of my great friends. It's called an "I am..." poem. I remember writing one last year in English class but here's one that's actually true.

I am...

I am a comedy junkie.
I am a lover of teenage dramas.
I am the husband of all the Desperate Housewives.

I am the ear of country music.
I am the voice of musicals.
I am the stalker of Lady Gaga.

I am the death of prejudice.
I am a hater of hatred.
I am a promoter of love.

I am that kid in the corner.
I am the one in strange clothing.
I am the subject of your lame jokes.

I am the child of the insane.
I am the granddaughter of the southern Baptists.
I am the sister of the crazies.

I am one four-thousandth (or something) Native American.
I am from somewhere in Europe.
I am a southern mutt.

I am a liar.
I am a cheater.
I am DOING YOUR MOM.

Labels are for filing, not for people.

Let me start by saying that this is an informational post that will have lots of information.



DEFINITIONS

Ally - Typically any non-LGBT person who supports and stands up for the rights of LGBT people, though LGBT people can be allies, such as a lesbian who is an ally to a transgender person.

Bisexual - A person who is attracted to both men and women.

Closeted/"In the Closet" - Describes a person who keeps their sexual orientation or gender identity a secret from some or all people.

Coming Out - The process of acknowledging one's sexual orientation and/or gender identity to other people. For most LGBT people this is a life-long process.

Gay - A person who is attracted only to members of the same sex. Although it can be used for any sex (e.g. gay man, gay woman, gay person), "lesbian" is usually the preferred term for women who are attracted to women.

Gender Expression - The manner in which a person outwardly expresses their gender.

Gender Identity - A person's inner sense of self as male, female or somewhere in between. Most people develop a gender identity that corresponds to their biological sex but many do not.

Heterosexual/Straight - A person who is only attracted to members of the opposite sex.

Heterosexism - The attitude that heterosexuality is the only valid or acceptable sexual orientation.

Homosexual - A clinical term for people who are attracted to members of the same sex. Some gay men and lesbians find this term offensive.

Homophobia - Fear of lesbians and gay men.

Lesbian - A woman who is only attracted to other women.

LGBT - Acronyms for "lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender."

Openly Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender - A person who publicly acknowledges their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Outing - The act of revealing an LGBT person's sexual orientation and/or gender identity without that person's consent.

Queer - An umbrella term used by some LGBT people to refer to themselves. In the past, this term has been considered offensive and some LGBT people still consider it so.

Questioning - A person who is unsure about their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Sexual Orientation - A person's attraction to members of the same and/or opposite sex. Includes gay, lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual.

Transgender - A person whose gender identity does not correspond to their biological sex.



Although it's so easy to define these, it can be very hard for someone who is questioning to figure out which one defines them the best. It may seem easy or just unimportant, but imagine how much it must hurt someone to contemplate and then eventually share with people. Keep that on your mind.

Honestly?

My mother always claims that she doesn't care what happens as long as we're honest about it. That's a load of bull.

Last night my mother got in from a match.com date after midnight. I hear her high heels slapping the floor. She walks over near my room and stops. I try to figure out what she's doing because she's not entering my room or my sister's which is right across the hall. Then it comes to me. She's going through our cellulars. Our phones sit outside our rooms every night because my mother doesn't want us to be texting when we should be sleeping. It's understandable. Five minutes later and she's still there. I decide to go and catch her in the act. I turn on my light and open my bedroom door. She drops a phone becomes a deer in headlights. A few moments pass and I ask her "Are you going through our phones?" She spends the next minute or two making excuses. She claims that she's worried about my sister. I go to the bathroom and return to my bedroom pissed off. She walks in a few moments later and tries to explain further. She says that some person from the D.A. thinks that teens' cellphones and Facebook pages shouldn't be private and she has a right to look at it. I get that. However, I think that parents should only invade privacy if there's a valid reason. My mom says that she thinks my fourteen year old is smoking pot. Right. She tells me that it might be the reason that my sister is so unmotivated. If she has to move down to a normal level class, she must be on drugs! This morning my sister noticed that her phone was turned on and unplugged (she had turned it off and plugged it in last night). She asked my mom if she had unplugged it and my mom said that she hadn't. She straight up lied to her face. This was the second time my mom has lied about going through our phones. I decided that my little sister should know the truth so I told her what my mother had told me on the way into school this morning. When my mom picked me up after school my sister was already in the car and they were talking about it. It seems to be the only thing that we're talking about at all.

Peace bitches!