To Whom I Owe Who I Am Now

There are certain people that have affected me in ways that have dramatically altered who I am as a person. It is in this blog that I shall take the time to give each of them the recognition I may not give them otherwise.


Mom-
My mom always pushed me to be my best and to not stop writing my stories. Although, I think the road to get there was a bit trying and embarrassing. When I was in forth grade, I was writing in my journal, a story, and it was rather- adult. My mother had gotten into those books on tape recently and there's quite a lot of smut. So being the forth grader that I was, I copied that down, and basically wrote (a detailed description) about two people having sex. My mom was called in with me to the therapist. We all laughed about it a few years later and she always supported my gift of writing. Not to mention, carry me for nine months, slice open her stomach for me, and uh, raise me for sixteen years.


Dad-
My dad may not always know how to raise a sixteen year old daughter or how to be the best father he can be. I know that growing up he didn't have a great childhood and has been trying his hardest to be everything opposite of his dad. I have always loved my dad, in fact found myself jealous of my brother for getting to spend all the time with him growing up. But as I grew up, I realized that I spent the moments that meant most with my father. And now, being sixteen while my mother is off working a 9-5 and I'm at school, staying home with my father isn't always what it's cracked up to be. However, he's my papa as I call him. I'll never have another one, and I'll never love him any less than I do now and I'll always be comforted by the smell of his t-shirts.


Shell-
Shell has been the closest thing to a sister that I've ever had. She's always been there for me as her sister, Stephy, has been there for her. We grew up together, and yeah, we had our fights but who would we be without them? I remember running away from my house one time because we didn't want to separate and we ran to the park near my house. There was a large embankment that we climbed and found a small space where we could lay down and watch the stars. We lay there, holding hands in the dark as our moms were outside screaming our names and our dads drove around looking for us. We finally went home, not wanting to separate. But now, with her being at college, and me still in high school, we've changed maturities, or changed keys as I like to think of it. She's got her boyfriend and her school and her college friends and she has a sister, so what use am I? I have my longings for a girlfriend and my guard and my high school friends and a brother who annoys the crap out of me. And what use is she to me? The sweet relief of someone to listen and help and just be there for me. She always used to be...


Grandma and Grandpa-
My grandparents were always anxious to get me to their house for a weekend or a few weeks during summer. Now, I was always a mommy's girl, and being away from my mom- it was practically death. I remember how I learned my own phone number. My grandmother told me that I could call my mom after dinner one day when I had been crying for a really long time. So after dinner, I grabbed the phone and asked her to call my mom. She looked at me and said, "You mean, you don't know her phone number?" So until I learned my mom's phone number I couldn't call her. It may have seemed like the plague to me but in the long run, it helped a lot. My grandpa was always one for games. He enjoys making sound effects at you, poking your side when he thinks you're not looking and just being happy. If there's anything that makes him happy, its grandkids filling the house, and them asking about his many adventures as a boy and the photo albums he proudly displays. My grandparents have shaped a lot of who I am and I am thankful for that. They also love to read my stories and never judge them. They give me many challenges too, like when grandma asked me to write about her growing up.


Ethan-
He is my best friend and practically soulmate. We would most likely already have married each other in Las Vegas and had a baby named Shaniqua by now if we were straight. Ethan always supports me, no matter the choice. He speaks his mind on things he thinks that I'm doing that are wrong. We fight like an old married couple with nothing left to talk about and love each other deeply. There's not much to say about Ethan because you would just have to see us together to understand what I mean. And underneath our sarcastic shells, we both understand each other one hundred percent. Now if only we were both sane.


Julia-
When I first met Julia, I thought she was weird. But I soon came to realize that we were both weird and I couldn't find a better friend anywhere else. Julia always lends an ear or eye and we  enjoy just venting on each other. And what could be more than ranting about how much boys are idiots? Julia has become the sister I always wished I had. I hope that in the years to come our friendship lasts and that we continue to have our lunches out, after all, she is the pregnant one. (not really, it's an inside joke)


Sam-
Sam may enjoy pushing all my buttons and pissing me off but she's always been one to help with a problem. If she feels like it that is. She was my captain and someone I looked up to greatly. Sam and I shared a love for sarcasm and had similar tastes in viewing the world- it's annoying. We've both had our fair share of stupid people picking on us, me for my mental disabilities and her for being blind. Sam always pushed me to continue writing something that she enjoyed because it entertained her and helped me to become a great captain (or so she says I am).  If I didn't enjoy pushing Sam's buttons back, maybe one day I'll finally stop asking what her favorite color is.


Nathan-
He came here fresh from Las Vegas. Not knowing anybody he ventured into the great unknown called the La Costa Canyon band room and met us freaks. He soon came to love us all because we accepted him without really asking many questions. Nathan is like the brother I always wanted. He's kind and considerate, not to mention extremely funny and easy to get along with. He has helped me through some really hard times and allowed me to vent and cry on his shoulder when no one else would. I can only hope that my friendship with Nathan will get stronger because I basically chained myself to him and he's stuck with me whether he likes it or not. Same with Julia.


Guard Buddies-
I only have five words for you: you guys are freaking crazy! They are crazy but supportive and without their ability to understand that I have no idea what the hell I'm doing, we wouldn't fight as much. But I love them and I like to think they're not planning my overthrow.


Lori-
I would like to give a shout out to my Aunt Lori, who inspired me to keep writing this blog.


So these people have changed me. And they all changed me for the better. 


And they're all crazy, yes, but I love them all in their own ways.


Thanks guys :)