There are several things I just absolutely adore right now, and I want to share them. Ten totally amazing things that have blown me away and I hope will blow you away too.
1. Julia Rothman’s Typewriter iPad Sleeve.
This is the cutest iPad sleeve I think I’ve seen in my life. It so makes me want to get a typewriter, which I’ve wanted for so long but am now looking to find one more than ever. Even though I don’t have an iPad to myself, it is adorable and sitting on my desk. It is super-cute, and the illustrations on it of the typewriters themselves are detailed and beautiful. I loved it so much that I bought the matching notebook within two days. Good job, Julia Rothman, and good job Chronicle Books for making and selling it!
2. All of my teachers. For every single one of my teachers out there, this year, last year, wherever and whenever you taught me, thank you. As our school year winds to a close, I hope all of my teachers realize just how much I appreciate them and all they do for me. Today, within about ten minutes of each other, I received two hugs from teachers. One said, “teachers aren’t supposed to do this” and made my English teacher turn around, but the other was just as grateful and happy as that other one may seem (or not seem, since it sounds slightly ominous, but it makes sense knowing the teacher and knowing me). I love school, and I put all effort forth for it. My teachers see that, and they appreciate it, and what I can do for them as well as what they can do for me. It’s settling inside to know that even if I’m not smart or pretty or a good writer, or if I’m stupid or dumb, that at least a couple people out there can see that I try, and they can see the kindness in me. Now, they are reflecting that kindness onto me, and I appreciate it wholeheartedly.
3. Algebra. I know, math geek. But we have our Regents tomorrow for it, and for whatever reason, I’m not nervous. Sure, I’m one of those “crazy” people that love tests and think they’re fun. But Algebra is awesome. Algebra is amazing. Plus, Algebra is relatively easy. So unless I make several stupid mistakes tomorrow during the test, I am going to aim to get 100 on that Regents (which has been my goal the whole school year anyways).
4. Matilda. After seeing Matilda on Broadway a little more than a week ago, I have revived my love for this Roald Dahl book and now for the Broadway counterpart. Sure, it helps than my family friend is one of the four girls playing Matilda, and we got to see her after the show. As tired as she was, she’s still an adorable little pipsqueak and kid, despite now being a part of show business. And the story is a classic! A special, brilliant little girl who goes and finds her revenge and lives happily ever after! The musical version, which I expected to be kind of cheesy, is really fun and sweet. Go watch it, if you haven’t already, and reread the novel if you haven’t in five or ten or twenty years. Sometimes, just like Matilda says up there, sometimes you have to just change your own story, and I know this more than anyone.
5. Bright colors on rainy days. This makes everything completely infectious. It was raining all day yesterday, but my dad and I managed to get these balloons into the car for our Romeo and Juliet performance today, and let me take a picture in the rain. There’s nothing like a bunch of brightly colored balloons to cheer you up on a gray and cloudy day!
6. Fydor Dostoevsky. Now you’re probably thinking I’m insane. But lately I’ve been recommending Dosoevsky all the time, because as much as I “suffered” while reading Notes from the Underground, it’s an important book in terms of literary style and development of philosophical ideas. So Dostoevsky it is!
7. Crepe paper flowers. 
This happens to be a very dramatic picture of one, but that’s just the lighting. I made six of these on Sunday also as Romeo and Juliet props, and now they’re just striking me with how simple and easy and gorgeous they are. I’m thinking of making a lot of them in pink and orange as party decorations, but the light blue-green ones look delicate and calm. Almost a cross between a lotus flower or a chrysanthemum and a shower loofah. That sounds like a weird analogy, but it’s true, and in a much prettier sense than it seems. Anyways, easy and awesome DIY project.
8. My best friends. Everyone in their own way, at one time or another, experiences this. But today, of all days, I’m feeling this, about my two closest friends who are both VERY different from me. And, especially, very different from each other. One loves “Doctor Who” and “Sherlock” and quantum physics and fat birds. The other is the best dancer I know and has a personal style and fashion sense and makeup sensibility and popularity that I can never match. They’re very different people, and they don’t know each other at all, but that’s okay, because they both know me, and I know both of them, and Div and Ellie are both fantastic people and friends.
9. Spanish 4. I am going to be in a Spanish 4 class next year, and right now I’m in Spanish 1. I mean, I’ve taken Spanish since kindergarten, and I got silver on the National Spanish Exam level one (1% away from gold- SO MAD!!!). But I didn’t necessarily expect to be in Spanish 4. So yeah, nine years of Spanish and I make it into Spanish 4 on a system leveled in a different way than my current one. I’m quite excited, and when I told my Spanish teacher she was excited too. Go Spanish 4!
10. Sudoku puzzles. I was first taught to do these by a family friend at about age 10. I go in and out of periods where I do lots and lots of them, and sometimes I do none. But they are back in style with me now! They are so varying in how they make me feel- relaxed and at ease, having lots of fun, pensive and concentrating just to get one number down. But I feel really good finishing them, so one final hooray for sudoku puzzles!
I know this seems especially long, but it’s what I’m feeling now about several different, really cool things. I am grateful to have all of them in my life, especially my teachers. I hope that you walk away from this, like my blog, with a smile!
Nicole
A Book and A Button 