So, What Does a Geek Do Over the Summer?

Well, this summer, I will be spending a lot of time up at the U. Why, you ask? There are times I wish I knew. I seriously question whether I have this insane need to see how far I can push my brain before it explodes. I'll be taking Chem 1060 up at the U, from this coming Monday until July 18. Ya, that's right, I'm taking college chemistry over the summer while I'm still in High School. Add to that my practicing, chores, and online classes (because just the one isn't enough apparently), and I'll have essentially no life all summer.
I exaggerate! Greatly! More than likely, I'll have pretty much the same schedule I do during the school year, which leaves me plenty of time for finding other things to do. Which is good, cuz I got some big plans. Seriously, I spent all of this week coming up with a list of projects for me to do sometime this summer, and I gotta say, it's LONG. But we'll play with this. Part of this is I need to take more pictures of everything I do, especially when I have a project I want to share with you guys.
And here's my problem. I seriously suck at taking pictures. Really. I went and got myself all excited today because I got all crafty and made something, and took pictures of the entire thing. Guess what? I loaded them to my computer, and it looked like I was taking pictures of those fuzzy pieces of candy you find when you clean under the couch cushions. Nast, I know. But, I'll keep trying, so you'll just have to put up with my terrible pictures until I get a bit more practice. For today though, be grateful, you've been spared.
Oh, and I have this really BIG secret project that I'm working on- we'll see if anything comes of it. I'm actually really excited. If all goes as planned, I'll get a huge chunk of it done this summer, but we'll have to wait and see!

12 years down, one to go!

Sorry, life just gets busy. However, I can now proudly announce that I've got 12 years of public education down, and 1 more to go! That's right, I've now survived my Junior Year! Goodbye to AP American (Sorry Peterson, loved the class, but the homework kinda stole my life) and AB Calc!
That's not to say that I didn't love my Junior Year, quite honestly, it was one of my favorite years, if not my most favorite year of school yet! I'm so grateful to the friends and family who helped me through my breakdowns, put up with my bad days (and they're not infrequent), laughed with me, helped me through, and loved me for who I am. This year wouldn't have been as memorable with a single one of you missing, and I love all of your (collectively) stinkin' guts! Here's just a few of my favorite memories:





All of the dances were so much fun, and I loved every group that I got to go with! By the way, for anyone wondering, yes, I am a complete sucker for getting asked or answered with flowers. Ask my family if you need proof of how ridiculously excited they make me. It's pretty ridiculous. Seriously.








Hanging out and getting to support my musically amazing friends! I got to hear so much amazing music this year, and I'm so lucky that I'm surrounded by so many amazing people who happen to share my odd sense of humor.







And then there were the little things, like building with play dough in seminary and that one night (namely last week) that my friends decided it would be fun to draw on my feet. By the way guys, I still have the drawings ALL OVER MY FEET. Ya, four days and as many showers later, and I can still see an elephant and happy faces all over my feet, so laugh in your success that you definetly have left your mark.

So that essentially is the past year in a nutshell. I loved loved loved it, and I can't wait for next year when I'm a senior!

Sorry guys, I promise I didn't forget about you! I never actually meant to take a break from bloggging, but in hindsight, that was probably wise. I've had 2 AP tests, 2 concerts, and now this week I have 2 more tests and an AP level essay due.
I really should take a picture of my last AP American packet so you can get an idea of what total and complete torture these last few chapters AFTER the AP test have been. The packet took 2 staples to hold together! And it may still fall apart! I seriously believe that my left hand is now permanently black. I haven't seen it this covered in graphite in years now. So, nobody be surprised if when I go insane, the test on friday just magically disappears. As much as I love the class (where else do you watch the Thriller music video as part of class?), my mind is DONE for the year! If I get many more assignments, I may have to start lugging around salmons (to slap with) and rusty spoons (to cut with).
But luckily, I've found distractions to help me through. They've become obsessions really. And I loved these long before now, it's just taken me until now to post about them.
Avengers:

Do I really need to say more? But I will anyways. After several hours of homework, I'm always ready for a Superhero movie, particularly Thor or Captain America. One of these days, I will drive myself broke and go buy ALL of the Avengers movies (which yes, I've seen.). This will be a long list- Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Hulk, and The Avengers. Yes, I will wait in lines the day it comes out to buy it!

Obsession 2: Doctor Who

This is an old obsession from Junior High reborn. I really love David Tennant as the Doctor. That, and I have a penchant for all things British it seems. But seriously, I LOVE this show. And (un)fortunately for me, ALL of the David Tennant episodes are on Netflix! I think it's fate I dicsovered this three weeks before summer vacation....

Obsession 3: Agatha Christie

Again, this is an old obsession. Maybe it's because it combines my love of British stuff, the 1920's, and Cop shows/ mysteries. Whatever the reason, I'm always ready to read a Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot book, and even reread them. I read 3 in the past week (instead of doing homework. oops) and would have read more if I'd had time.

Obsession 4 (I promise this is the last one!): The 2005 Pride and Prejudice

It seriously may have made my weekend to get to see this again. If there is one thing I KNOW is going to college with me, it's this movie. Really, I have serious problems with remaining calm while watching this movie. Blankets start on the couch, end up on the floor, popcorn goes flying, people go deaf, and in the end, i'm seen as really weird. But this is pretty much favorite movie ever, so I'm okay with it. I won't go into why I love this movie now, otherwise you'd be here a LONG time, but you can be pretty certain to hear about it again in the near future.

Do you have an obsession?

Just Two More Weeks of This...

All right, I'll be fast today because I've really got to get back to studying.
Unfortunately, that's my life right now. A week from today, I've got my first AP test, and the second two days later. I'm studying all day, and it never seems to stop. But I've only got one more week of hard studying, and then the tests!
I've also got to make it through this weekend. I've got several hours of rehearsal Friday, then all day Saturday. But, if anyone's in Salt Lake this Saturday, come to Abravanel Hall at 7:00 to see Utah Youth perform Shostokovich No. 5. It's free, and it will be absolutely AMAZING. That, and I'd love to see your happy face. And now I seriously have to go. Toodles!

It's been one whole year, guys

A year ago, I never thought I'd make it to today. A year ago, I started out all over again as an odd sort of new-born. That's seriously how the doctors described it to me and my parents: learning to take care of diabetes is like learning to take care of a new-born baby.
I was thrown a curveball; I'd never imagined that I would spend most of my life attatched to needles and tubes and blood, but that's what I've been given. Don't mistake me, I'm not bitter over it, but it's a huge change, and while it's not always comfortable, it's necessary. It's opened up whole new trains of thought for me, and it's given me more opportunities. It's helped me develop my faith and to come to understand with how I deal with stress. It's also helped me in that now I know that at least healthwise, I can take care of myself fairly well now.
I'd like to thank everyone that has helped me so much over the last year. I'll admit sophomore year was hard, with a new school, trying to find new friends, and getting sick so much. It was such a blessing to have found such amazing friends just as I was diagnosed; you all made that hard transition period just a little easier as you leaped to do everything you could to help me.

So what's happened in that year? A lot. I dumped a boy. I learned that needles are not fun to stab yourself with while camping. Actually, they're kind of terrifying when you haven't been dirt-free for a few days. I've discovered I really want to go to Scotland some day and visit Caerlaverock Castle. I managed to get on an insulin pump- which was fast for a new diabetic. I've survived high school and homework. I've developed a new vocabulary full of words like "dose" and "stab", and "I'm high" (it's awesome to watch people's faces when they don't know- they totally think I'm an emo druggee). I have found some of the most amazing friends every, and I've grown closer to my family. And finally (for this list), and ironically, I've learned to love cooking every kind of food under the sun.

Thanks so much for the love and support, I'd never have made it a year without you all! Toodles!

Drip, Drip, Drop Little April Shower

It has rained ALL WEEK. Although I live in the Desert, when it really wants to rain, it pours. So I haven't seen the sun in a few days. Technically, this is best for me. I never seem to tan, I only burn, and when I burn, the burn stays a few days before fading.
And besides, I'm starting to get the pre-A.P. test homework load. And I must say, it's A LOT. I've still got about 9 chapters of AP American, and I'm getting frickin' (pardon the language but it's true!) big Calc packets every day. And with State Solo and Ensemble and several Orchestra perfomances coming up, it seems like whenever I sit around doing nothing, I can think of ten things I SHOULD be doing.
But, instead, I'm still pursuing my photography binge I seem to have picked up in the Redwood Forest a few weeks ago. It's not fair, my backyard is so gorgeous, and I think it's undervalued. No, that doesn't mean I'll weed it, but I will enjoy it.

I always feel a little guilty stealing pictures from online; it's my life I blog about, and it's my life you should be seeing. So don't be surprised if there's suddenly a flood of my pictures, because I'm really starting to enjoy this! Toodles!

I'm Back!

Sorry I missed you guys last week; I'd meant to post before I left, but things got busier than I'd anticipated on Wednesday, so I'm posting now. And sorry if I seem scrambled, I got off the bus after 17 hours on board last night, and I'm still just a bit fuzzy at times.

So, San Francisco was amazing! The Music Trip was so much fun, and I'm glad I got to go with such awesome friends! Truthfully, I'm glad it's over (motion-sickness and sleeping on an armchair aren't so great), but I'm also super glad that I went. So, what does the music trip involve?
First and foremost, it involved a LOT of time on the bus. Really, I think I spent almost 48 hours on a bus in the past week. Blech.

It also involves going to Pier 39 for a few hours of shopping, eating, and watching sea lions.

Then you get to go to a music festival for a few hours for two days (not necessarily as fun, although the show choirs are always entertaining)

And then you get to spend several hours on the bus (not fun- most of us got really motion sick on the winding roads past cabins) and then exploring the Redwood Forest. This was honestly the highlight of the trip for me. The redwoods were so gorgeous, and it's absolutely unbelievable how huge these things are!

The next day was Golden Gate, and I loved getting to eat my churro finally!

And it was closed with an amazing dinner cruise. The only downside was that I got motion sick again, but I've still got to say that it was a blast! And quite conveniently, the cruise went right past Alcatraz at sunset. It was a great end to the trip, and again, I'm soooooo glad I went!

Well, there's the last week. Toodles, and I love ya!