People in Manassas do not know how to drive. Everyone here goes the speed limit, takes their time, looks both ways...I am of the understanding that if it takes longer than half an hour to get somewhere it's really not that pressing. Actually, believe it or not I am about to praise my little town of Lake Ridge, in Lake Ridge everything (except for D.C.) is within a fifteen minute radius. I have no idea what that amounts to in miles, but I do know that if this family lived in there instead of Manassas I would not have to drive their kids to a pool half an hour away.
When driving down Liberia one gets the impression that everything is right there, but it's not. It's far away, outside of a fifteen minute radius. And when you see the that the speed limit is 35 mph you (being me, that girl that always goes at least ten over the speed limit everywhere else just fine) assume that you can go 45, but that person in front of you is actually going 35 and so is the person next to them, forming a blockade, forcing you to go 35! AGH!
What is wrong with these people!? Don't they understand that this is technically part of Northern Virginia? Don't they know that you're expected to be in a hurry all the time? That it's part of living in this area? Apparently they didn't get the memo.
It's really quite a shame that I don't appreciate Manassas more, the Old Town is quaint, but not nearly as wonderful as Old Town Alexandria, and I can get there in the same amount of time, if not faster via I95. I love 95. It allows me to go places fast, without worrying (too much) about the possibility of getting a ticket because while I'm going 75 (okay, 80) the person next to me is going the same, if not faster, especially if they're on a crotch rocket.
Guys, Manassas isn't dead, its got a good number of people, lots of strip-malls, car dealerships, etc. the usual stuff you find in the suburbs, unfortunately it's the fact that they are not close to 95 that allows them to maintain that more rural feel. It has something to with their being closer to 66, I'm sure of it, and I want it to stop.
Showing posts with label suburbia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label suburbia. Show all posts
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, September 13, 2007
counting down the days
It's the second week of school and all I'm concerned about are what shows I'm going to see and how I'm going to pay for them, when I should be filling out college applications, writing essays, and basically figuring out what the beginning of the rest of my life is going to look like.
My schedule is as follows:
1 - OER (no class, I get to come in at 8:30)
2 - AP Gov't
4 - Oceanography
6 - AP English
3/5/7 - Cosmetology
It's nothing excessive, nothing painful, but then there's this slight problem, oceanography. I thought it would be interesting, I was wrong; the teacher is sweet, but how you would expect an elementry school teacher to be sweet. I'm looking for something that'll keep me awake, and interested, not third grade, so I'm switching out. I'll be in GEMS, it's the senior seminar course where we sit around ant talk about whatever in some sort of depth, depending on the group of students. GEMS is supposed to be intellectually stimulating, and that's what I'm looking for, and hopefully this time next week I'll be in.
This doesn't seem like a huge deal, and it's not, but by not taking the fourth science I'm giving up getting the "Advanced Studies Diploma." Everyone that I've told is less than pleased, and thinks I should stick it out, but I'm Amanda, I've made my decision, and this is how it's going to be. I won't be going to school in-state if I can help it, and out of state schools could care less as long as I fulfill their requirements.
Then there's all my plans. I've wanted to go on a road trip after senior year since I was in second grade, THIS HAS TO HAPPEN.
So my plans at this time in order are: study for the SAT; take SAT...again (hopfully I'll get a decent score this time, that is if studying actually helps, at this point I wouldn't know); get various teachers who love me, but are often dissappointed that I don't live up to my potential, to give me fabulous recommendations; write essays, lots and lots of well thought out and well written essays that demonstrate who I am; and of course fill out applications... All the while I'll be saving money, as much of it as possible (while still seeing as many shows as possible, of course, without shows I wouldn't have anything to look forward to, so i wouldn't have anything to get me through my week). Sometime between now and next June I also need to buy a shitty car, one that can get me across the country and back and then die. I'm also leaning towards being a nanny next summer, they get paid a fair amount, I'm good with kids, why not? And, if it were in the city where I'm going to school that'd be perfect. I'm putting an add up on Craigslist after my birthday (Nov. 3rd guys, I expect monsterous amounts of cards and balloons, of course a simple email would suffice, unless I always get you amazing present and you don't get me amazing presents, in this circumstance YOU OWE ME. BIG. )
This whole "high school experience" has served it's purpose, and that was over three years ago, I've come, I've seen, I need to leave. I'm not a typical high school student in that, a) all my teachers love me, unless of course I didn't like them first, b) it's not just teachers, I can carry on a conversation with anyone, adults more than kids, and c) I haven't had that group that seemingly the majority of the general population has in high school, I'm very much a wanderer, loner, whatever you want to call it, and the majority of my friends are already in college so I'm already use to there long-distance friendships.
You may be wondering why I'm so set on going far, far away. I have lived in this Place, my entire life. The same house. I've seen innumerable amounts of people come and go. For once in my life, even if it's just the four years that I'm in college, I'd like to be the new kid. The one that someone like me would do for someone new here, would see me, recognize me as a new kid, unfamiliar to the territory and show me around. I've always wanted to see it from the other side, and if I stay here for school, I will become like every other person her, and stay here forever not having seen anything, or really been anywhere. DC is a fabulous city, it's definately a huge part of me, and I do see myself coming back one day. But that day is far, far, away, and for now I need some new scenery. Hopefully that'll come in the form of Colorado, Arizona, or Oregon, and a city. I need a city, just not this one, not now, and certainly not for the next four years. Eightteen years is a long time to live anywhere no matter how old you are.
My schedule is as follows:
1 - OER (no class, I get to come in at 8:30)
2 - AP Gov't
4 - Oceanography
6 - AP English
3/5/7 - Cosmetology
It's nothing excessive, nothing painful, but then there's this slight problem, oceanography. I thought it would be interesting, I was wrong; the teacher is sweet, but how you would expect an elementry school teacher to be sweet. I'm looking for something that'll keep me awake, and interested, not third grade, so I'm switching out. I'll be in GEMS, it's the senior seminar course where we sit around ant talk about whatever in some sort of depth, depending on the group of students. GEMS is supposed to be intellectually stimulating, and that's what I'm looking for, and hopefully this time next week I'll be in.
This doesn't seem like a huge deal, and it's not, but by not taking the fourth science I'm giving up getting the "Advanced Studies Diploma." Everyone that I've told is less than pleased, and thinks I should stick it out, but I'm Amanda, I've made my decision, and this is how it's going to be. I won't be going to school in-state if I can help it, and out of state schools could care less as long as I fulfill their requirements.
Then there's all my plans. I've wanted to go on a road trip after senior year since I was in second grade, THIS HAS TO HAPPEN.
So my plans at this time in order are: study for the SAT; take SAT...again (hopfully I'll get a decent score this time, that is if studying actually helps, at this point I wouldn't know); get various teachers who love me, but are often dissappointed that I don't live up to my potential, to give me fabulous recommendations; write essays, lots and lots of well thought out and well written essays that demonstrate who I am; and of course fill out applications... All the while I'll be saving money, as much of it as possible (while still seeing as many shows as possible, of course, without shows I wouldn't have anything to look forward to, so i wouldn't have anything to get me through my week). Sometime between now and next June I also need to buy a shitty car, one that can get me across the country and back and then die. I'm also leaning towards being a nanny next summer, they get paid a fair amount, I'm good with kids, why not? And, if it were in the city where I'm going to school that'd be perfect. I'm putting an add up on Craigslist after my birthday (Nov. 3rd guys, I expect monsterous amounts of cards and balloons, of course a simple email would suffice, unless I always get you amazing present and you don't get me amazing presents, in this circumstance YOU OWE ME. BIG. )
This whole "high school experience" has served it's purpose, and that was over three years ago, I've come, I've seen, I need to leave. I'm not a typical high school student in that, a) all my teachers love me, unless of course I didn't like them first, b) it's not just teachers, I can carry on a conversation with anyone, adults more than kids, and c) I haven't had that group that seemingly the majority of the general population has in high school, I'm very much a wanderer, loner, whatever you want to call it, and the majority of my friends are already in college so I'm already use to there long-distance friendships.
You may be wondering why I'm so set on going far, far away. I have lived in this Place, my entire life. The same house. I've seen innumerable amounts of people come and go. For once in my life, even if it's just the four years that I'm in college, I'd like to be the new kid. The one that someone like me would do for someone new here, would see me, recognize me as a new kid, unfamiliar to the territory and show me around. I've always wanted to see it from the other side, and if I stay here for school, I will become like every other person her, and stay here forever not having seen anything, or really been anywhere. DC is a fabulous city, it's definately a huge part of me, and I do see myself coming back one day. But that day is far, far, away, and for now I need some new scenery. Hopefully that'll come in the form of Colorado, Arizona, or Oregon, and a city. I need a city, just not this one, not now, and certainly not for the next four years. Eightteen years is a long time to live anywhere no matter how old you are.
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