Day 10 (if you count the day we left)

I can finally start blogging again, at least for now. The Internet company says we have to wait at least another 20-some days. ARGH. But here's a few things I wrote for the past few days: (it was originally written in a journal)

July 10, 2008
I've been wanting to write a book. I still do. But it's a lot, a LOT of work. But it's just so fun to have your thoughts, ideas and opinions (or lack thereof) translated into language and then read and understood by possibly millions. It's fun to make up your own cool characters, have them have/do special/funny things. But at the same time, my arm is tired and racking your brains to find a decent plot is not easy or fun. But I've been interested in bicycles. Maybe I can incorporate those into a story. And I'd like to have an unusual plot (don't we all?) that's unexpected; not necessarily bad vs. good. I don't want the story to be predictable, yet I want readers to relate to the characters and/or what they do and what happens. And maybe the "good guy" won't win in the end. That's hard. But I've set goals, I have ideas and my writing skills are worth more than your pocket change probably. I can try. I could just start writing down random stuff. I mean, it's not like I'm under a deadliine. IU'm not even doing this for a job. I'm 13. I don't have a fancy-schmancy degree or nothing'. This is merely a long-term idea, wish or fantasy. Just my creativity (as little as there may be) the interest, some slight motivation, a pen and some paper. Oh, and there's chocolate on the 3rd shelf of the 2nd cabinet. I can try. See, it's 'cause I want this. I want to connect with readers and people in general. Make them "feel something", I guess. Motivate them to rethink their lives and do something great. There are countless other books out there by authors you actually know the names of. So why read this one? Oh, right. You're not. I'll probably be the only one to have read this...this...failure. But whatever. I think I'm setting my goals too high or something. Shrug. I just started writing randomly. Like, sometimes I'll just think of a cool, rhyming line or lines in my head and immediatley get inspired. Run to my desk, grab a pen and a notebook and start scribbling about who knows what. Take now, for instance. Mostly that'd be poetry. I'm not much of a poet, but I'm not much of a failure either. I guess the two meet up on a sheet of paper and make up "Amelia Diehl". I've been thinking about an auto-biography, but unless something interesting happens in my life, that idea would be stuck in a closet in my old college dorm, or at best, at the back of a second-hand bookstore shelf. I AM in France, but there are several hundred-thousand others with the same description . But my family might go without a car for a year. That would be my dream anyway. But we're planning on getting a car. Sheesh. As if the world didn't have any warming-up problems that could be fixed, or at least helped, if we just all forgot about "normal" and set our lives at "common-sense" and "the right thing to do". No, lets just not care about the fact that life as we know it now is being destroyed NOW and we could choose to help. Besides, I did mention I like bicycles. Biking is fun. But no, we have to act like the rest of the US population and not change our lifestyles for the better. It'd only be for one year, geez. But then I'd try to continue it back home. I could be like that one guy that we read about in science class who walked everywhere and took a vow of silence. Never rode in a car. I'd bike or walk places. I mean, sure, if we were going to like Arizona or something, I'd probably hop in a car. But still, man. It's good excercise and WAY cheaper. A few months back, I had this random impulse to bike and possible move short-term to Montreal. I'm a rabid hockey fan and I like the Habs. Plus, I've heard it's a cool city. It's like 500 miles away, but it'd be interesting to write a book or something about. Yup. Ugh. It's just kinda hard, writing like this. Your hand kinda hurts, and you can't write down all of your thoughts easily. Plus my hand-writing is all messy. I should be going to bed. It's like 10pm. And then. when I wake up, I'll have to greet yet another boring day. But we may get a bike for me! Yay. So, yeah.

July 11, 2008
We did not get a bike for me. We went to one store but all they had were like mountain bikes, very expensive racing ones and other assorted bike-related products, including a bike with pedals and a motor, and several jerseys. We walked there, which was about 2 miles. Not too bad. After jumping over a creek barely 3 feet across, crossing several round-a-bout exits and walking single-file next to a busy road that seemed to share some DNA with what I'd call a highway, we found ourselves inside a cycle shop. They had this small, retro TV broadcasting an old Tour de France race, with French commentary. The picture was terrible. Then we walked across some gravel/grass to a used/new car store. We found this 2,500 Euro 2-door car that inconveniently didn't have headrests for the passengers in the back. But it still seemed like an OK car. Dad complained about the clutch, though. He dropped me and Zach off near the apartment and mom would drive the car back to the store with my dad to look at other cars. We're probably not going to buy that car. And then something interesting happened. Somewhat interesting, anyway- let's just say that Zach had a little trouble with the lock. Both of us did. Somehow the key got stuck, and no matter how many times Zach bumped his shoulders on the door, jiggled the keys or turned the handle. that door just loved staying closed. I tried twice, without succeeding either times. One time I pushed the key and the whole key socket thing got shoved about a centimeter into the door. Ouch. I thought I had like killed/ruined it. But then I got it back. The damn thing was just stuck. Broken. Then after about 10 minutes, Zach finally got the key to come out. Then he tried the upper lock, which wasn't even locked. That didn't work. Then, we went back to the right lock, tried to find the right key and eventually opened the door. It was so frustrating. So now I have a "mini story". Oh, and you know what is so D-WORD ridiculous, stupid and a bunch of S-WORD?? Pardon my French, but this is like...so dumb it should be illegal. Zach went to the local pool by himself, waiting for me and my mom to do some errands. He changed, got into the water, and then supposedly the lifeguard stopped him swimming. And said he needed a shorter swimsuit, like the Speedo kind. The kind that makes me almost want to barf when looking at someone in them. I mean, that's just like...not...freedom. No one minded those long, NORMAL suits my dad and Zach were wearing at Lake Geneva. I mean, What the F? No. That's just wrong, man. Telling someone to wear something just...because. What was the reason? Zach is happy with his swimsuit (I would assume, at least). I mean, WHY? WHAT?? HOW?? Geez.
So anyway, like I mentioned before, I like biking. I want to be a bike dude. I'm partially inspired by Frazz comics, Queen's "Bicycle Race" song and my awesome bike back home named Darry, after the guy that died in that book "The Outsiders". I'd like to live off/with a bike, just biking everywhere, with all my stuff. Bring that hockey bag as a trailer or something. It's cheaper, an awesome experience/idea and is good excersise. Win-win-win situation, pretty much. Maybe I can start a bike company. Tour around, inspire people to ditch the 4 wheels. Bike-Dude-Company/corp, etc. It'd be fun. But I need a bike for France still. We might ship over our bikes, but it'd be a while probably. But still, man. Bikes. Rule.