If I have ever said my entries were too infrequent before, that was nothing.  I haven't updated in almost 6 months.  All those day by day memories, lost in the vast abyss of space and time.  The truth is I have been way to busy to update.  I have had so much going on recently, and when I did have a break, I felt like doing anything besides writing. 

To poorly sum up my measly two months of summer vacation in about a paragraph...  I went to a few camps.  I think this might have been our last year at Cal Camp/Lair of the Bear.  I have a great time with all of the activities and games, but there are very few people there my age that I bond with.  I also went to Mountain Camp, which was pretty fun.  I kayaked a lot (I won the Kayak Master award, now that is something to put on my college application ), and I did all sorts of different activities.  I also did a tennis camp, and I improved dramatically.  It's too bad I haven't played since summer; I probably lost all the improvements to my game.  These camps, although fun, didn't give me a lot to look forward to going into high school.  At Nueva, there were no assholes, no bullies, minimal talking behind peoples backs... And then I go to these camps, and I am in shock at how mean people can be to each other.  At Cal Camp, everyone talked behind everyone's back.  At Mountain Camp, I met the biggest insecure asshole I have ever met.  People shot each other down for any little thing.  It made me really thankful for my friends at Nueva who supported each other, and would laugh at your jokes even if they didn't think it was very funny.  By the end of my summer, I went into high school with little excitement or anticipation for the school year to start.

 <---Picture I took at Mountain Camp.

Now that I have been through high school for almost a full semester now, I am so happy to say that my experiences from summer camp didn't transfer into high school.  I was pleasantly surprised at how welcoming the rest of the school was to the freshmen.  I expected our class to be disrespected and tossed around, but there was none of that.  Our first day of school, we walk into the gym to the sounds of the band playing, and all the Junior and Senior buddies lined up on either side of us cheering and applauding us as we walked in.  I think that kind of environment where even the Seniors respect us is great, because how we are treated now is likely how we will treat future classes.  Also within our class, everyone I have met is warm and friendly.

Elections for freshman class cabinet took place only 1 week and 1 day after the first day of school.  I decided to go for the glory and run for Freshman Class President, even though John was the only other person that came from Nueva with me, out of a class of 350 kids.  I ran against a girl that was 7th and 8th grade president at BIS, the main feeder school for BHS (about 60-60% of the people at BHS went to BIS), and a guy that I had seen around and knew was pretty popular.  I didn't think I had a chance to win, but I still wanted to get my name out there.  The day of the vote I got to make a speech to the whole class in the gym, which helped a lot.  The one guy didn't even prepare a speech.  Here was my speech:

My name is Adam Klein, and I am running for freshman class President.  There are a number of distinct qualifications that make me great for this job, for example my 4^th place ribbon in the Burlingame marathon dog walking contest, voted best 4-square player in the 1^st grade, and champion of the endurance hula-hoop competition.  Now you are probably wondering why I would be running for class President after all this.  Well, the truth is, I’m in it for the money.  Besides, I dig free coffee.  But in all seriousness, I really do have the experience and commitment to be class president.  I feel students should have a strong voice in the daily life of their school experience.  At my last school, I oversaw the creation of the first ever student council, and then was elected student body president.  I hope to carry my enthusiasm on to Burlingame High.  I believe that commitment demonstrates the drive and passion I have for Student Leadership.  If elected as class president, I promise to bring fun to the table, and always dedicate my energy to getting the best for the class of 09.  I believe that elections should focus on the opportunity to make a difference.  With my experience in leadership, I know how to get things done, and put ideas to action.  As a freshman, I know about as much about the BHS Student Council as you do, which is not too much, but I am eager and willing to take the time and give the effort to make this year's freshman class the loudest voice in the school.  If you want the most energized person bringing the best to the class of 09, I urge you, vote Adam Klein.  Stay classy, Burlingame.

After the speech was the vote which was during lunch, and that's the few minutes when I think I won most of my votes.  I just went around talking and introducing myself to people, and reminding them to go and vote.  It worked, because the next day they announced over the loudspeaker that I had won.  I honestly couldn't believe it.  Since then, we (the freshman cabinet) held interviews and chose two class coordinators, won a lot of class competitions, and we have been working on T-shirts for the class.  I just got sample shirts the other day with the design on them, and so hopefully we'll start taking preorders very soon.  We have regular T-shirts and also a more fitted option for the girls.  I think we'll be able to sell a lot.  I'm not sure if I want to run for Sophomore Class President next year or ASB Vice-President.

I also was in BHS's fall play, "All In the Timing".  It was a collection of 8 completely unrelated comedy sketches put together sort of like Saturday Night Live.  It was a great show to do freshman year for me, because it was an ensemble cast, with each person having roles in two of the sketches.  My roles were great; one was I was a monkey in the scene "Words, Words, Words" which was about three monkeys locked up with typewriters trying to produce Hamlet.  My other scene was the last one of the show, and I was the Maypole (play off of Maytag) Repairman that falls in love with a seductive washing machine.  The play was a ton of fun and I became pretty good friends with just about everyone in the cast.

This brings me to my next point.  I feel like a have a ton of acquaintances, but I don't really have my 'group of friends' yet.  I really like the drama people, but I should also find another group of friends my age.  I guess it's only a matter of time, because I am continually getting to know people better.  I feel accepted in most of the groups I hang out with, but I still feel like an outsider.  Most people have found their group, whereas I tend to roam from group to group.  I guess that's kind of a trait I've always had, even at Nueva.  I always like to meet new people and get to know everyone, but then I find myself not being able to settle with one group of people.  Maybe that's the politician in me...  In addition, I never have any time for a social life anyway.  I'm always busy with homework, or some student council thing, or earlier, the play.

To expand on that... homework.  The homework load is the one thing that has shocked me most about high school.  Every night I have 10 times more homework than I ever did at Nueva.  I never knew going into BHS how much homework there would be.  I have 7 classes, and I get homework in usually at least 4 classes a day.  What some of these teachers don't realize, is all of my teachers are like them, giving 1 1/2 hour assignments, and I have homework in five classes for one night... it adds up.  Homework absolutely leaves no time for anything else during the school week.  I am always exhausted during the week, because I'm up past midnight every day doing homework.  It doesn't help that I am a perfectionist and a slow worker.  And next semester I want to do tennis and the musical, which will leave even less time.

I have only gone to the movies once since probably the beginning of summer.  I just recently saw Harry Potter 4, and I really want to see Rent.  My parents got me the Rent soundtrack on the opening night of the play, and so now I'm really stoked to see it.  But all the drama people have already seen it, so I have to convince them to go again.

Speaking of movies, my movie Why Bother (http://www.studentfilms.com/film/get.do?id=891) got accepted into the Poppy Jasper Film Festival, and it was screened four times throughout the weekend-long festival.  It also currently is ranked #12 in best reviewed out of the about 1000 films on the Student Films website.  I also just figured how to directly burn a DVD or CD to another.  So now new DVD's of my movie will have a menu on it, instead of just automatically playing.

<---At one of the screening sites for my movie before the showing.

I am the alumni coordinator for our Nueva class, so we had our first reunion at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Burlingame.  I thought it would be a great place to have it because: one, a number of us had done it the year before and it was a great event, and two, it was an already planned 24 hour event with that was the perfect place to talk and hang out, and still have something to do, and have free food and drinks already supplied.  Team Nueva had a good turnout, and it was great to see my gifted and talented friends again.  We also had another reunion planned by Nueva at the school right before Thanksgiving, but all we did was go there and talk.  The relay was better.

I think that's all I want to comment on right now.  Hopefully I'll find the time and energy to update again soon.  I have finals starting on Friday, and then Winter break starts the next Wednesday.  Not looking forward to taking seven tests that could ruin my grade for the whole semester.  I am so looking forward to break though.  I need it.  Until next time, stay classy.

~Adam