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1. I sometimes wonder whether authors really stuff their stories full of symbolism intentionally, or if they get an idea, write the story, and then find the symbolism for the stuff in it. Or, better yet, the audience overanalyzes the story, which had no intended deep symbolism, and finds some of their own. I know that authors do put symbolism and motifs into their stories, but I highly doubt every author does it every time they write.

2. I also wonder whether people simply believe what I tell them. For instance, my boyfriend says I'm a good writer. He has read the one story I ever wrote and some of my journal entries, but I've also told him that I'm a good writer. So, here's the question: did my saying that predispose him to liking what I wrote, or am I really a good writer? I've never been in TAG or recognized by any school or institution for my writing, but I do get good grades on English and Literature based subjects on a regular basis. And I like my writing. Even if I did get marked down for having too much description in a, by definition and instruction, "descriptive narrative" paper. (I don't think I was too wordy. It's called VOICE, bitches.)

3. I made iris dye. Iris as in the plant, not the part of the eye. Actually, it was something my friend and I did and then I took to a more extreme level. We found some wilted iris flowers and squeezed the s**t out of them, causing a lot of dark purple (they were almost black flowers) liquid to run out from between our fingers and into a bowl. It also dyed our hands a lovely shade of violet. Later, I experimented with lighter blue irises. Purple dries blue. Blue dries green. Purple + acid looks pink, but dries purple. Blue + acid also turns pink and dyes a lighter shade of purple. Blue + baking soda (a base) turns green. After a day, the dye mixed with baking soda turned brown and dried as yellow. It reverted back to green when a little acid was added. Also, the colors, when mixed on the paper, turned unexpected colors. Irises are probably some of the best flowers for getting dye out of, others don't seem to be quite as willing to give up color.

4. It's almost the end of school. Until college. I was going to go for the money and become a shrink, but I think I may have to follow my joy and do either photography or graphic design. I don't think I'd mind being poor if I had a job I liked anyway. That is the lesson.