shawn carter,

dear shawn carter / britton thomas bettridge,
okay, so first of all, when you read that somewhat scandalous poem in class (i think it was the 'letters to people that'll never read them') i laughed so hard that my stomach hurt and i don't think i'll ever forget about it. reading your blog and paying extra attention to you in class (that sounds really weird) has been incredible and i haven't quite been sure how to do you justice. by the way- your blog titles are my absolute favorite. they're so, so, so good. so good. and when you hit the top five, i remember reading your 'funeral' post and i didn't quite understand it the first time i read it, but i thought it was so crazy unique and cool regardless. each time i've reread it, it hits me harder and harder and i love the whole thing.

anyways.
you've taught me a lot. your posts have made me feel, laugh out loud, re-experience heartache and relive old memories. and holy crap. you love so deeply. it amazes me. i'm absolutely blown away. it's kind of funny because we've never really talked in person, but you're a really cool guy and, although that poem you read in class was my favorite, i love it whenever you stand up and share something because it's always good. i decided to go through all of your posts and point out some of my favorite stuff of yours or just really amazing stuff which, admittedly, was really difficult. especially the favorite lines bit. because gosh, so many good lines. so many good lines.

it was a blast with you as my white elephant. thank you so much for writing and being in the class. it definitely wouldn't have been the same without you.

-delilah piper

favorite lines in each post:
i am coming at you like "it was too good to be true."
why is there a different look in her eyes?
it was a pleasure breaking each others hearts together
waiting for the moment of chaos to strike and take flight
people say you can still love someone without truly knowing them
we hit love harder than we hit the ground
i left you a compass and a map but you forgot how to use them just like you forgot how to "swim"
p.s. stop killing yourself
the magazine in the hate filled gun will be empty
happiness has the right to be sad now and then. sadness has a lot to be happy about.
your touch is so real when i try to reach for the stars the glass breaks
he says it all.
stay and we will make each other happy forever.
love and trust are different things.
are your hands okay from touching the pavement
"why do you sound like a 12 year old calling from your basement?"
because in my mind we were hollywood
i hope walt disney was right
am i representing your name well enough?
we both run our worlds not THE world but our worlds
find what you love and roll with it
he will be remembered as a funny loving kid who gave his all at life and never regretted anything he did

things that made me laugh:
"i wish i would've punched you" (sorry if this was a more serious thing but i found it funny)
"to my 2nd grade teacher. mrs. anderson... i hope that you were a mrs. not a ms. cuz you were hot and pregnant."
"i didn't like that kid that went midget mode all the time"
"p.s. whitney you are white trash"
"hey someone has to keep the girls company while i am gone"
"biggest jerks
1. david flake
2. david flake"
"most atheletic people i've ever met
6.
7.
8. lyle mangum in his prime"
"love is bull shit"

things that made me feel:
your entire 'i knocked on wood' post (so many favorite lines. so many)
"no flame burns forever"
"that class was a special class"
"you will always have your names on my heart even though i forgot yours and you forgot mine."
"please don't leave"
the rawness of your 'monster' post. so real. so real. *snap sounds*
"you probably THINK you forgot how to swim. i have seen you do it before without me" (damn. wow. this hit me hard for some reason.)
your entire 'sunday at 4:01' post. woah. the emotion in this was striking.
"i shouldn't be this happy. you shouldn't be this sad."
"stay and we will make each other happy forever"
"high school is like a big hike with no trail map nor trail and when you get to the top of your trail it will be spectacular if you make it that way. if you make it that way."
your 02-11-14 post. this post made me cry.
"i would rather be dead than to have this feeling that i do right now"
"this is a broken record. this is a broken record."
"the way you smiled when you talked about me makes the bad times worth it."
the 'eulogy' post. #stolen

awesome imagery things:
your 'davidson' post. woah, i got the perfect image with this post. fantastic job.
"the lights were off but you lit up the room"
"the way you look i think the doctor would give me permission to go into a coma"
"lips on lips"
"your hair is like black wet paint on a beautiful white canvas"
"i am surrounded by white noise when i dance with you"

favorite song on your playlist:
talking to the moon (i'd never heard this before - now it's one of my favorites)

things i enjoyed reading:
everything on your blog

9(+1) random questions for you:
who is your role model? (is it your grandpa?)
what happened with that couch on wheels that you rode around highland?
what color is your toothbrush?
where do you work?
when is your birthday?
have you ever ran through the sprinklers?
would you eat a bowl full of live crickets for five thousand dollars?
what moment has defined you the most?
if you could give someone one piece of advice, what would it be?

p.s. agreed. love is bull shit.
p.p.s. i was really tempted to ask who the girls you write about are, but then i realized that was probably not a very good question to ask o.o

(if you haven't seen this incredible blog, please check it out here.)