I want to talk about May '01. When I first started my personal diary, I talked about my Golden Summer, and how I wished I could go back. Now, when I look back, I don't regret that it's over. I just think about how lucky I am to have had last May. (Warning - I have no concept of time, so this probably won't be in chronological order. I'll do my best.)

First, there was AP English. That was constant. It was really a beautiful thing to be a a part of. In my letter to the following year's APES, I wrote "This class is like a ship. Look around. These people are your shipmates. Trust them - they won't let you go overboard." It's true. We were all parts of a whole, sharing collective work, and collective exhaustion. For all our complaints, I know none of us would have given it up. I really miss it - all-day work sessions by Jhezikah's pool, grueling practice essays, fun words like 'chiaroscuro,' coffee as a sex metaphor, Ryan patting his shoulders - his way of saying "Hey Jackey, give me a backrub." All that work paid off. Exam day came (Ryan and I brought sliced oranges, just like Ms. Sideris recommended) and we realized we were beyond prepared. Especially on the essays. We were given 45 minutes a piece to write those three essays, and we'd been trained to do it in 23 minutes. It was truly amazing. I don't know about everyone else, but I personally aced the exam.

There was Senior Ditch Day. My group, which consisted of 5 of my closest girlfriends, wound up at a totally different lake from the rest of the school. But I think I liked it that way. The six of us spent hours sitting out at Lake Pleasant, eating, drinking, laughing, playing Catchphrase. We even got mooned by a group of guys - I have the pictures to prove it. ;)

The day after we got out of school, I arranged to go to the mall with my close friend Tom. David (who was still engaged to Missy at the time) took me to the mall on his lunch break. We had McDonald's, and then I waited at the New Age bookstore/coffe shop for Tom, who was pretty late, if I recall. We got Italian Sodas, and spent countless hours roving the mall. Tom is a really sweet, really funny guy, one of my favorite people to hang with. He even bought me a chattering Daggett from "The Angry Beavers" on Nickelodeon. I have it on a shelf - it's really cute. It was nice, just hanging out with one of the most awesome guys I know.

Then came graduation. When we were in line waitng to walk in, Heather realized she hadn't gotten a medallion, so Dan gave her his. It was very sweet. Robin had paid the choir teacher, Mr. DeBusk, $1 so that me, Ryan, and her would walk together. Ryan kept my handkerchief in his pocket, which was a good thing, because I sure needed it. First, we sang "Within These Walls", which was a damn good song. When we finished, Mr. Debusk looked so proud of us - I barely made it back to my seat before I started crying. I finally managed to calm down, gave my handkerchief back to Ryan, and Aaron gave his speech. I consider Aaron a god friend, and he's one of the most awesomely brilliant guys on earth. His speech was so incredible - it kept me in tears for a long time. But Ryan patiently gave me my handkerchief every time I asked, even if he'd just put it away.

After graduation, we went for Chinese - my mom, my sister, my Uncle John, me, and David. My sister kept putting on my hat - she looked so cute!

The all-night party was so much fun I don't know if I have the energy to write about it all. There was karaoke. Me and my close girl friends sang "Love Shack" - it's kind of 'our song', I guess. Me and Dan sang "When I Fall in Love". It was just a lot of fun. I suddenly wanted to dance, and the only guy who would dance with me was Troy, who I never really got along with, but who I now think is a sweetie. Tom and I played racquetball - I am really lousy at racquetball at any time, you should have seen me in my little dress and bare feet. But Tom didn't seem to mind my high-pitched screams of terror, or my frantic ducking of the ball. He is a real sweetheart.

Well, that is all I remember about May. If I should die, I will die fulfilled, because that month was really what life is all about, at least to me - fun, friends, accomplishments.