January 18: Tired

I'm not writing a long, detailed blog tonight. I stayed up for longer than I am proud to admit. Though I accomplished most of what I set out to accomplish, I am absolutely exhausted. Every part of my body hurts. I'm so tired, I didn't even make the bed before I took this picture.

January 17: Technicalities

Technically speaking, it's January 18th. And, technically speaking, I still haven't finished that darn English project. I have, honestly, worked on it every day. And today I have been working since 9am (or yesterday, technically speaking). The combination of the scholarship notebook (due tomorrow, no matter what) and my English project means that I have been working at my laptop all day long. I am now finished with my scholarship notebook and over halfway finished with my English paper, but still...technically speaking, I am no where near finished. Thus, no picture for today because I need to get back to work.

January 16: Dresses!

Ok, so for me, wearing/buying a dress isn't that big of a deal. I would do it on a daily basis if I had the funds/if Washington had the weather to do so. However, Hayzle wearing a dress, well, I think maybe once we got her to do that...and it wasn't willingly. We went to the mall today and words cannot describe how excited I am that not only did Hayzle try on a dress (or actually more like 20...I can't believe she puts up with me), but she bought one. And not only did she buy one, but she's going to actually wear it! To the dance! I'm pretty sure I am a master convincer and I am super duper glad that she is gonna go.

January 15: Bon Anniversaire, Papa!

Today is my daddy's birthday. He's 66 today. That feels kind of weird to say. My dad is 66, born in 1945. Wow.

His present hasn't come in the mail yet (darn Costco), but it will be amazing (and will probably make all of us very, very fat). His cake, on the other hand, was amazing. Vanilla cake with very little icing and lots of strawberry. To make the day complete, the family (minus Peter and Lexie) watched Toy Story 3 (and I cried...again). Now my dad and Elle are watching Salt.

It's been a very good day and I can now officially call my daddy old.

January 14: Clowning Around (Or...My Whitesell-Style Pun of the Week

Today was definitely a fun day. French and water sports both contained quite fun activities, choir was a blast as always, and pit orchestra...well, that was musical (which is always good in my book). As we did last week, Scotty, Bailey, Elle, (Richard), and I went out do dinner in celebration of existence. This time, to Taco Del Mar. Followed by adoring kittens, puppies, birds, hamsters, pythons, and fish at the pet store. Then, it was off to ice cream. I definitely enjoyed the clown cone. =)

Afterwards, we returned to school, where I watched the last three heats of the boys' swim meet (which Tides won, of course), then watched almost the entire girls' basketball game (another game the Tides won). Hanging out with Max, Will, and Nate during and after the game definitely was a great way to spend my time...they are not only cool guys, but they provide some excellent advice, which, let's be honest, I've been in need of lately. So, hurray!

January 13: Luck

Luck is a strange thing. The moment you're able to recognize its form, it changes. For example, today my day began absolutely lucky. Despite leaving home late, we were able to arrive at school before Sherri's bus had even arrived, giving me ample time to visit with Hayzle. Most importantly, the due date for my English paper, which remains unfinished, was pushed back until Tuesday. In water sports, my water polo team was able to tie in our game, despite the goalie leaving the goal and several close shots. Not to mention, I was able to see several more glimpses of the cutest boy in the whole school than I usually would...which I definitely consider to be luck.

However, the moment I realized my luck for the day, everything seemed to switch. Apparently, I may have turned in my Common App form to my counselor too late (even though I swear the website says to allow your counselor 3 days to complete any forms). My financial aid application is again on the side burner because we had to formally change my father's address (from our old address for Peter's application to our current address for mine)...but the database has yet to update the change. Then, my phone's battery died, so I decided to plug it in to the charger next to my bed, which is when I realized the cat threw up on my freshly cleaned sheets (merci Monsieur Cuddles).

Today has been a day revolving around luck: both the good and the bad. I just hope not to find myself stuck with ugly luck as well. And, who knows, maybe now that I've recognized my bad luck, it'll change to good again?

(btw, the picture is of a Greek bracelet from my grandparents. In Greece, the eye (like on the beads) represents luck. Thus, this is my lucky bracelet...which I apparently should have been wearing all day today.)

January 12: Slush (Or...The Reason School Was Canceled)

At 5:30 this morning, my father turned on the light (unusual since Wednesdays I don't get up until at least 6:30 or 7:00). Apparently, I missed the phone ringing, informing us that school would be canceled. At the time, there was a good inch or so of snow. By 9:00, there was none.

Mother Nature, it seems, played a trick on us. She gave us snow and even canceled school for the day, then began to rain and melt all of the fun away. By lunch/dinner (whatever meal 4:00 is when you don't eat breakfast until 11), absolutely no snow could be found. There was more slush in my slushy than on the roads.

Apparently, I should have used this time wisely by finishing my book and ten page paper for English class. Instead, I took down the Christmas tree, practiced hair and makeup for tolo, and went grocery shopping. I know, lots of fun. So now it is Wednesday night (apx 10:00 pm) and I have two (maybe two and a half) paragraphs finished of my essay and an entire chapter left to read, all due Friday. I am officially a procrastinator. Yippee!!!

January 11: Snow!

I'm not gonna lie. I'm kind of excited for the snow. I need a snow day really bad: there is so much I need to catch up on!

Supposedly the snow is gonna melt away before tomorrow, but I refuse to believe that. I am praying to the snow gods right now. It better stay around for a least tomorrow morning.

Btw, did you know that today (1-11-11) it snowed in 49 of 50 states in the US. The only exception was Florida. Even Hawaii had snow!

January 10: A Blank Post

My battery died so no picture for today. :(

And, I suppose I have very little to report on today as well. Today I have managed to pick up my transcripts for scholarship applications, received an amazing letter of recommendation for Oberlin College (except my name was misspelled), wrote all of my pedal charts for pit orchestra, read about a page and a half of my outside reading assignment (I have 100 pages left to read, 10 pages left to write, and 4 days left to do it! Eek!), and forgot to turn in my stat homework packet. All before I even left the school.

I did manage to get in some practicing...I'm thinking I may just bring my harp to school this week or next (depending on how icy it is and whatnot). I'm kinda really excited to be ready to bring it in so early but also really nervous at how Pierre will hold up in the terrible climate of the school (apparently the heat turns off at night when nobody's in the school...which explains why the school pianos are so consistently out of tune).

January 9: Shop, Shop, Shop!

If I was dumb, I'd be posting a picture of the dress I bought today, but I'm not. The dance is in another two weeks so those who are curious must wait until then to see it. But, let me be honest, it is amazing!

I also bought a shirt for my interview with Oberlin (the morning of the Tolo dance!) and new shoes for school (made of recycled material and totally cute).

I definitely enjoyed today's trip to the mall beyond the things I got. Trying on dozens of dresses is always fun. Plus, I spent the day with great company: Kali, Josh, Tiffany, Elyanna, Nate, and Elle.

January 8: Googly Eyes

So, basically, this is what I did with my day. I put googly eyes on the Roomba. Now, I can look into the eyes of the one who cleans my floor for me.

I love how it's got a smiley face too. And a nose. It's perfect. Hopefully the eyes stay on when it's actually in use...otherwise it was pointless to do...and an entire Saturday wasted.

January 7: Pit, Basketball, and the Parking Lot

I suppose this isn't really about pit, or basketball, or even the parking lot. Really, I guess, this is about today's laughter. Maybe I was perpetually in the state of being so tired that everything was funny today. I don't know. But life definitely seemed entertaining to me today.

For example, during lunch, Jonathon looked over at me with a straight face. For some reason, this makes me smile every time (wow, that kind of sounds sappy...but it's true, I do). This time, though, the smile turned into a laugh and I honestly have no idea why. But before I knew it, I was unable to control my laughter.

After school, my day consisted of pit orchestra rehearsal (listening to "Hell, Little Girl" and realizing the hidden connotations with the song). Then, it was off with Scotty, Bailey, and Elle to Panera for diner, Jamba Juice for desert, and Borders (the kingdom of anything and everything that could ever be funny). Afterwards, we went to the basketball game (which we barely lost in overtime due to a score with like 30 seconds left on the clock). I hung out with the band, which is always fun.

But most of the fun of today could be found hanging out with Elle and Scotty in our car talking about everything from Eric Whitacre to creepy stalkers for probably an hour. And of course, getting into his car, Scotty pressed the alarm button, making my life absolutely complete an full of laughter. Today was a great day, consisting of tired laughter and wonderful acts of friendship. And of course, Tide Pride.

January 6: CATS!!! (Or...The Necessarily Random All Caps Title With Too Many Exclamation Points At The End)

The photo today is of my cat, Elmo Cuddles (his full name has more than 17 words in it). It was taken with inspiration from the Caboodle Ranch, the source of my laughter for the day. Pretty much, it's this guy. His son moved away and left him his cat, who soon had kittens. This guy, who never liked cats before, suddenly found himself obsessed with cats, picking up strays and keeping them for his own. Eventually he had 50 cats before his landlord kicked him out.

He then moved to a 30 acre property on the outskirts of town. There, he raised his cats and collected even more. He now has 660.

What does one do with 660 cats? Well, the answer is obvious. One must create a cat city, of course. So he did. With a city hall, chapel, elementary school, Wallmart, and homes for the cats. All downsized for the cats. There are environmental concerns such as lowered bird population and increased fecal mater in local streams, but who can care about such things when there are cats to be seen. Cats! In a city! Full of cats!

Anyone who reads this must, I beg of you, check out the yahoo article about it (google: man with cat city) or look at the many videos on youtube of all 660 cats being fed at the same time. Only then will you fully understand why my day was spent laughing intensely.

January 5: Sleep, Please?

It's 8:30 in the evening and I'm already in my pjs. This can mean one of two things (either I'm sick or I'm exhausted). I suppose I should be thankful that it is the latter, but I'm too tired to be.

Yesterday was so mentally frustrating, so emotionally draining, so physically demanding, getting to bed at nearly midnight (with homework not yet entirely finished) was probably a bad idea. This morning, I had to leave the house at six thirty so we could take my mother to physical therapy and my sister to her band meeting (my sister has no idea how much I love her that I am willing to sacrifice my sleep so she can fulfill her responsibilities). Pretty much, I got to school a full hour and a half before class started (thank goodness, then, that I had homework left to finish). I don't mean to complain; I know that there are plenty of people (students and teachers alike) who arrive even earlier than I. However, in combination with yesterday's tiring annoyance, last night's lack of sleep, and today's moderate level of business, I could not help but long for sleep.

By the way, the today's picture is of my bed, complete with pillows, comfy blankets, and stuffed animals. Pictured from left to right are Pinky the teddy bear, Squirt the Hawaiian sea turtle, and Robespierre the murderous poodle.

January 4: If You Can't Say Anythin Nice, Don't Say Nothin At All

I wish people would remember that phrase. Thumper's father was infinitely wise. Yet people seem to forget that words hurt.

Unable to come up with a picture fitting with my current mood, I decided to capture something nice. My chandelier. Saved from a landfill, I cleaned it, painted it, and gave it a new home in my bedroom. All it cost me was a couple bucks for some spray paint. And I have gained a pretty light to wake up to every morning. I'd say the trade off is rather in my favor.

January 3: Pit Orchestra (Let the Fun Begin!)

Voila! C'est mon harpe!

Today was the first day back at school after winter break and therefore a day of celebration. It is, officially, the beginning of pit orchestra season. Today was only a meeting (the music still hasn't arrived *gasp*), but it marks an important step in what last year quickly became my favorite time of the year. I know I won't be saying this a couple months ago when rehearsals last until 11:00 at night or even later, but the business of these next couple months is ideal. I actually quite enjoy the pressure and, most importantly, the music. It's a sweet life, I know.

Anyway, I feel it appropriate to take the time now to introduce you to my baby. This (pictured to the left) is Pierre. He is French. My favorite song to play on him is also French (the first of Les Six Noëls by Marcel Tournier). Even the copyright is written en français. Today, I received the great duty of tightening his strings because it's been icy outside and Pierre hates when the temperature reaches the extremes. You may be able to see that the front door to the house is nearby as well. Pierre hates this too. I know because the 5th octave A slips out of tune every time someone leaves the door open (poor baby). This view, by the way, is what I see as I stumble through music. This is what I hope to see tomorrow as I practice my part for this year's musical, Into the Woods ... assuming the music actually arrives before school's out tomorrow.

January 2: Waffle Crisp (Or...Slowly Killing My Liver With Cereal So Sugary I Thought It Had Been Banned)

I woke up this morning and ate the most amazing cereal ever. The taste is basically that of syrup and sugar. Somehow, the inside manages to be soggy while the outside remains crunchy. It's perfect. The only thing bad about it is the nutritional facts...but who reads those anyway?

I wish my day had kept as amazing as it began. However, really the day consisted of cleaning the house, watching TV, and searching for my misplaced glasses. School starts tomorrow and while I'm not eager to get back to homework and tests, I can't wait to see my friends again and to finally have something to do.

January 1: Reading (Or...That Thing I Only Do For School Assignments)

The first day of 2011 and I spend it like a nerd, reading a book for English class (as well as cleaning my room and playing the Sims). Part of me hopes the new year isn't spent being a nerd, but the other part sees the responsibility in doing all of my homework (ok, maybe not).

Anyhow, as part of my Independent Reading Assignment for AP Lit, I've been reading A Map Of The World by Jane Hamilton. Before I started reading it, several people told me to return it and get a new book. I was told the book was depressing. My mom's friend said she lost her faith in humanity (that the book discourages doing good deeds unto others). I kept it mostly because I had already written my name on the inside cover of the book. I'm kind of glad I'm reading it. The book is nearly 400 pages and I'm only on page 260 so I can't give a full analysis of it yet. However, thus far I have not lost my faith in humanity. The book is basically about a dairy farmer and his wife. His wife is accused of sexually assaulting a student while working as a nurse at the local school. She is then arrested and the family (which had few friends to begin with) lost all community support. The husband couldn't find a babysitter or even grocery clerks who would serve them. It's a story of the husband's strength despite the circumstances. Unless the town forms a mob to kill the family (and the family is unable to convince them to spare their lives), I severely doubt my faith in humanity will be lost so I (so far) most definitely recommended it.

I hope my new year is full of good books, wonderful stories, and entertaining narratives. I also hope I can find a way to be a little more social in the new year than this first day has proven to be.