Look at my new picture!

Cashweet. I love that picture. It makes me look like the prodigal tree person. Patrick Rothfuss isn't the only one with an impressive black and white picture! Who says nothing productive comes of wasting time climbing a tree? Actually.... I don't think anyone ever said that. Good, cuz they would have been wrong. TREES ARE THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD!!

You know, I meant to take a nap....that didn't pan out. I'll try and catc one before dinner, I guess.

Well, I'll post the picture here for your viewing pleasure... Alrighty, that's done. It'll be at the top. So, if you're reading this, it's already there! Like magic!

blarg, i should probably go to band...

later

Hello all

This week has been odd. It was a mixture of bad and good. My car became a parking lot statue for a while before my dad could come to replace the battery, I burned my finger pretty egregiously causing a lot of sub par flute and piano playing, I wrote a not so splendid paper, and I got two B's on my piano repertoire pieces. Still, I'd have to say the good stuff pulled this week into the "pretty decent" category. Perhaps that's my four hour nap talking. Still, I got caught up on my favorite author's blog, I learned an awesome insult from said blog (insipid, feckless, witfucked pog), I'm going to get to sleep in late on Friday because two of my classes were canceled, and I got a nice compliment today. I was waiting for a recital practice I didn't know had been canceled when one of my fellow music majors told me that I was her favorite performance at the last recital. Awesome. We talked for a while and I was telling her how I had only had one practice with the accompanist for the next recital and she said something to the effect of "Don't worry. You'll be really awesome and everyone (the other music majors) will hate you for it." Oddly enough, that warmed the cockles of my heart.

So, Aural Skills and Band might obliterate my good mood tomorrow, but for now I'm happy. At least, I was until I started thinking about the "talking to" my Aural skills and band teacher always gives us. I work really hard, and he makes me feel crummy. Blarg. I don't think he's really talking to me. Mostly I think this because the other day he said teaching me was one of the best things about him having taken the job at YHC. That's an awesome compliment. He also usually bothers me while I'm practicing to compliment my playing. It's a good bother, though slightly embarrassing. Okay, terribly embarrassing. I really have no idea how to take compliments well. I never feel like I especially deserve them.

Oh, anyway, I actually had a reason for this post. I was taking a "What's your inner animal?" quiz and found it oddly accurate. So here is my result.

Owl

Animal: Owl. Name: Kaira Personality: you’re not the prettiest person around but when people look at you they still go ‘wow.’ You look out for people from the outside. People some times don’t like being around for you can have a bit of ‘know-it-all’ attitude. You don’t really mind that they don’t hang around with you. You like to watch from the background and if something happen your there to help. Wish: Your wish is to one-day write your own book. You want people to see how smart you really are and for them to recognize your full potential as a person. Friends: You have a few good friends, and maybe one or two enemies. You don’t really meet people, so you don’t have much of a relationship with anyone. But that doesn’t stop you from caring for them and wanting to help if they get hurt. Color: You like forest colors, like green, brown and blue. Stone: Peridot. Hobbies: You should read, write or paint. Things that have to do with improving yourself. Maybe you should try training your strength, you focus a lot of energy on your mind, which is good, but you also need to work your physical strength. Quote: “Believe in the wonderful power that is the human mind.” –Quote that I read somewhere. “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who kept on trying even when there seemed to be no hope at all.” –Another quote I read somewhere. “I’d rather be a nerd then someone intellectually challenged.” –Quote by me.

Well, I should probably attempt to go to sleep. I have an Aural Skills test tomorrow and a computer quiz. I hate Aural skills tests, but oddly enough, I really love the computer quizzes. It's just vocabulary, and I have to type in the correct words for the definition. Still, it makes me feel all accomplished because I can study perfectly for this kind of quiz. Because of this, I get through the quiz at lightning speed, and I always make a 100%. It gives me a little lift for the rest of the day.

Before I go, if anyone wants to come see me perform, I have recital this Friday at 4 pm in the recital hall, a concert Saturday at 8 pm in the auditorium (I have a solo), and a full band concert November 18th at 8 pm.

Later.

P.S. You should all go read Patrick Rothfuss's blog "The Good Life." It is so awesome and true.

I'll leave you with my comment from Rothfuss's last blog. FYI, his book was just released in German.

"Along with winning over Germany, impressive, I wanted to let you know you're also slowly but surely winning over the small town of Blairsville, Georgia, admittedly slightly less impressive.

Still, you should know I am helping you to take over the world. To prove it, here is a copy of the email I just received from the librarian at my high school. (I volunteered there all through high school).

"Angela,

I hear you are an AP Scholar! Hooray for you. Also, I got a call from ____ at the Book Nook, and he told me about a new fantasy (The Name of the Wind) that was highly recommended by such people as Ursula Leguin, Terry Brooks, and Angela Harkins. I rushed right down and bought a copy and plan to read it over the break.

Hope you and Stephanie are doing great at YHC (my college)."

...I could have edited out the part about me being an AP scholar. But hey! I'm an AP scholar, and the only perk I get is being able to say that.

So, I shall shout it to the world as we conquer them!!!!!!!!

muahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha


(awkward pause)


Well, alright then. Bye!"

Fall Break

So, though fall break is but two days and the weekend, I believe I will take a foray into the wild as I've been tempted to do since I began toddling about. There was always the appeal of it being some sort of Spartan rite of passage. Honestly though, it feels like we've all fallen into an invisible cage. Blarg, it's hard to describe. Sometimes, though, it feels as if all of the mythical races were really just humans once upon a time, and we've smooshed it all out of ourselves. Every fall, it seems as if I'm an elf or whatever again. I just want to take off into the woods and cause random mischief, never really allowing anyone to see me again... Who knows, maybe I could even write that epic quest novel I've been meaning to get to. Seriously though, I was unbearably close to leaving society this weekend. *Sigh* It's not like I don't have all of the supplies necessary.
1. Sword
2. Bow
3. Extreme whimsy and curiosity
4. Nagging since of a higher purpose/quest for a quest

If one day I'm not around anymore, don't panick; it just means I've finally found my way into tir na nog/Narnia/Alagaesia/Hogwarts/Arran/the-rest-of-the-extensive-list-of-imaginary-places-of-legend.

And so the quest of Angela began.

I can never do anything normal or easy, can I? I've already started breaking it to my family that I'm going to be a bard. For some reason, everyone's reaction is to offer another word for minstrel. My brother said bard and Stephanie said troubadour. Nope. Neither of those will do. A bard is more of a writer (shakespeare) and a troubadour is an actor. They are all similar, but minstrel suits me better... though tinker would also work, even if it doesn't have a definitive musical association.

Mayhap I'll go on grand adventures and be poor all the while, saving memory and money so that I may live richly when my youth fades. Whatever I do, I've known all along I couldn't live as others are wont to. I'm only truly happy when I do something amazingly abnormal.

Whatever I do, everything will be fine. Now I must go and plan the first of many adventures.

London's calling.

My YHC Computer Class

Woops! Turns out I have to create a new blog......... Anyway, here's the message anyway. If you want to go to my class blog, i have a link to it in my "Blogs i actually take the time to peruse" section.

Hey guys,

I know it's been a bit since I've written, but hey! Guess what! For extra credit in my computer class, I'm going to be posting on the blog every week. Pretty sweet when I get credit for a blog.

Anyway, not much else happening right now. My life is rife with homework, books, and movies. The library here has some really good movies that we can check out. Needless to say, Effie and I have already befriended the library ladies. We also integrated ourselves as the editors of the literary magazine... I wonder how that will go. We're still waiting to see if anyone else wants to join before we put up flyers for submissions. I should probably suggest flyers FOR getting people to join. Seriously...who is going to know about the literary magazine besides crazies like us?

Well, it's lunch time right now. I'm gonna go grab some food before I have to go practice my flute and piano and junk...

later

YHC Class Registration

Well, it was a stressful ordeal, but I have completed registration for the fall semester classes. I came out of it with a hefty 20 semester hour load, but I plan on dropping at least one three hour class. I'm just waiting to see which one it will be. It will probably be Honors Music Appreciation because I don't need an appreciation class as I am a music major. I will have to do some sort of project or whatever to keep my honors status (and money). If I'm not able to drop music ap (though I don't foresee this happening) I don't have to take any comp class, but I'm going to anyway right now because I think they will be fun. You know, Young Harris might make me have to have ridiculous AP scores to get credit, but as I did get the scores, I can exempt comp. I, comp II, and calculus. I'm planning on taking the comp classes anyway though. I'm weird like that. I'm still teetering on taking classes I don't have to take, though. I like English, but I have to have a world literature anyway. So, if I don't need to take any comp's, should I? I don't know, I'll work it out later. If I do keep both of my honors classes, though, I'll just take my computer class some other semester.

So, besides the ridiculously stresful event of registering, I had a pretty good time. We played some games, watched Mean girls (which was weird because more guys showed up to watch it than girls), and had a rave in my residence hall. Even registering was kind of fun. I think impressed/frightened the teachers with my extreme organization and forethought. I had my schedule that I had planned out for weeks all typed up and it had all four semesters on it to make sure I could get all of the classes I needed. It looked pretty professional too, so the one teacher finally asked me if I had made it myself. haha! I even heard the teachers helping with registration congregate and talk about how organized I was and how I "looked towards the future." It's weird having someone talk about you when you can hear them. I also impressed mr. defoor with my speed in scheduling because it took me about two seconds to put in most of my classes because I had worked out what time of day they all were in so that there wouldn't be any conflicts. I did take a little while to iron out some kinks because 2 classes I wanted weren't available. So, I'm not taking a PE this semester, but defoor was helping me, and he called and had another time slot opened for music theory so I could get my speech class that was at the same time as the other music theory class.

Anyway, it was all very exciting and I think I've reached a whole new group of people who can be just as frightened and impressed by my odd scheduling insanity and O.C.D. *shakes fist* Now I just wish they would tell me what the sophomore honors classes are so I can know what to not take right now! I hope they're 2 sciences and another English!!! I've already bothered my mentor again, asking her what they are and what I have to do if I drop my honors music appreciation to keep my honors scholarship and status.

On another note, my brother is moving to Valdosta :( My nieces are staying up here with their mom, and we're planning on letting them visit my dorm when I move in. You know, inspire them to greatness and whatnot. Also, (If it's alright with you, Effie) we were thinking they might spend the night with me one weekend. I can't wait to move in!!! We're already bidding on some furniture at the project curbside the school does. It's where kids who graduate donate the furniture they don't want anymore and we bid in a silent auction fashion. All the proceeds go to charity and the stuff is really cheap. It's good all around. So far, we're bidding a not so pretty but very comfortable corner chair and a glass and bamboo coffee table. If we win, it will cost us a whopping eleven bucks. I still need to get the fridge and the air purifier though. blarg, expenses. OOOH!!! Effie and I have a chance to go to Greece during the spring semester with the honors program!!! That will be cool. I'm still saving first and foremost for the Ireland trip, though. I have my passport now, too.

Well, I've bored even myself at this point. So I'll just go now.
Later.

So what's going on this summer?

Well, I went school shopping today. Goody's in blue ridge is having a super sale (tons of stuff is 70-80% off) and I'm pretty sure I've gotten all of the clothes I'll ever need. All under $300 too!!! Wooh! go cheap or go home!!! I took Steph with me, but she didn't find much. Ah! but earlier this summer, June 23rd to be exact, I went whitewater rafting down middle and lower Ocoee!! It was completely fantasmagorical!! The best part was when our guide was swept out on our very first rapid, which happened to have been a class 4, the highest class on that part of the river!! I ended up having to shout directions to get our group to paddle through the rapids. Sadly, my friend was swept out along with the guide, which freaked her out. Coincidentally, she didn't finish out the rafting with us. We tried to pull her back in our raft, but she was swept out too far away from us, and another raft got her instead. BUT IT WAS BLOODY WELL NOT FROM A LACK OF TRYING ON OUR PART!!! We paddled full force to her and almost had her in reach for one of the paddles. I also had to jump to the back of the raft to get the rescue rope, which is quite a thing to do, without getting thrown out, when going through a class 4 stretch.

So, we got out of the rapids and all of the other rafts were stopped. Each of the guides in the other rafts started shouting different directions at us trying to get us to the side of the river too. Eventually, I told them to stop shouting different directions and just told our group to paddle forward. So, when we finally made it to a stop with the other rafts, the guides were freaking out saying how awesome we were for making it down guideless when it was our first trip. yep *brushes off the shoulder* we were awesome. The other guides ragged on ours for getting thrown out. He was a little cut up too. Anyway, I pulled him in with my paddle after he floated down to where we were and then we got Liz back in our raft, but she only hit one more rapid with us before she decided to call it a day and head back to the sign in area.

I had a blast, though, and I hope to hit upper Ocoee next time. After all, if it's good enough for the Olympics, it's good enough to keep me entertained for at least a day!

Other than that, I put a lot of money in the bank for Ireland and college, etc. after spending a bunch on books. Needless to say, I also spent a considerable amount of time with my books. Oh yeah, and my niece Jenna turned 4 the day after my rafting adventure! I got her a beautiful puzzle of a castle and a flying unicorn... she's very into puzzles these days... scary.

On my AP exams, I got a 4 in Lit, a 4 in Lang, and a 5 in Calculus! It's pretty cool (Especially the 5!!!) but my mentor recommended I take the honors english anyway... *sigh* that sucks, but at least I don't have to take the stupid math placement exam or the actual math class!! Thank god, I would never get in my semester hours if i had to take another class. I already have 18 a semester just to get down the basics... blarg! A lot of them are music related though (duh, music major) which is cool, though it promises to be extremely difficult. Taking an aural theory class intimidates me, but I'm willing to give it a go. I do love music, after all, and I've tried to learn on my own. I get to take a piano class too!!! I love the piano!! I play a little already, but it's just what I've taught myself from sheet music. Speaking of college, I should go to bed so I can finish my preparations for the yhc START program...and also so I can wake up at an ungodly 7am in summer on Friday for the actual START itself.

later

Full moon, Full moon, Iiiit's a full moon!!!

The Scottish Festival was very eventful. I am officially a member of clan Douglas, Woooooh! So, this is how it went down. We (Stephanie, Liz, and I) went back to the Douglas Clan tent because that's the clan I'm a sept of. Anyway, we were there earlier that day, but when we went back there was a lady there partaking of the good stuff that the clans keep "hidden" in the back. That's right, it was alcohol. Seeing as our clan is awesome, it was even whiskey. So, the man running the tent asked if I was ready to pay my dues yet to become part of the clan. Truthfully, all the money I have is going to the Ireland trip fund except for what I need for books and then piffle stuff like food and souveneirs. I tell him as much. So, the lady asks what I would get for joining and he explains all about the games that go on around the world and how I could run a tent, wear tartans, hang out at the clan tents and get free food and shade and such, thus the lady offers to pay the fee for me!!!! Woo! go Liquor and sheer luck!!!

We also were unofficially adopted by clan cameron for no official reason and were pulled into the professional Scottish dancing. So Fun!!! the night before, however, we started some very wild, tiring, and fun dancing at the Hunting MacLeod concert. I still hurt all over from it, but It. Was. Totally. Worth. It.

Ooh, I also climbed the little waterfall at helton creek falls. Yeah, after all of that without getting hurt, I slip trying to wash my flip flops off in the water. *shakes fist* stupid flip flops.

I'm looking forward to college. At first it seemed overwhelming in the context of graduation and all the other crap that was going on. Now, though, it seems like a great oppurtunity to strike out on my own. Speaking of, Steph, looks like we need to request to room together now that it looks like Liz is either going to Reinhardt or we're going to have her as a guest on weekdays. We need to email Sharon Huffman who I believe is the one that takes care of housing. So, I'm gonna go send her my email. Let me know when you send yours.

Later, all.

Fireflies

Why does a firefly burn so brightly in the deepest gloom? Out of Love? Hunger? Fear? No, these are effects and not causes. Only Loneliness and Hope could lead the firefly on a fool mission to light the world. So, the firefly shines in the night when Loneliness leads to Love, secretly sending out a message for the world to see: I am alone, but I am here. For a speck of time, he is not Solitary as he winks in a field of shining eyes, all weeping the same song. But what of Hunger, as it lights a cold fire in the shadows? Both speak the same words, though one savors more bitter on the tongue. Yet, the lock inside cannot be opened as each key tried scrapes long gouges on steel it was not meant to fit. Fear leads to Hunger, Hunger to Fear. Thus, the glow worm goes a glowing, warning of the toxicity inside. The blind jester Hope leads on, twirling, spinning, screaming, never looking at the ground or sky, alight with fireflies.

So burn, burn, unto the night,
As scared souls go searching.
Cold fire lighting up our eyes
as they stick in the sky: a warning.

So, this is 18, eh?

So, I'm 18.......yeah. It's not terribly different. I mean, I could go buy cigarettes (digusting), register to vote (ridiculously small amount of time to go do so considering the elections aren't even until nov.), or get a tattoo ($13 as Dakota points out but, sadly, forbidden by my mom). I went to go get a passport yesterday, but I had to have my certified birth certificate which my family was supposed to get forever ago. I thought my dad had gotten it recently, but I don't know. It's not really that hard to get, though. I can just go to the probate court which is just up the stairs from where I have to get my passport. It will cost me another $10, however, those sheisters. They're really sticking it to me with all this nickel and dime stuff. I JUST WANT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY!!!! YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY!!!!! I think everyone should focus less on the illegal immigration issue and look into this. Seriously, I think people would be less pissed about people coming into the country if it were easier to leave.

*sigh* I'm not looking forward to airport security. I think I might enter a drawing for a free flight. It covers one $1,000 roundtrip ticket or 2 $500 roundtrip tickets. It's cutting it close, though, because i have to have completed the trip by 6/30/09. I'll probably end up using all my points on the $100 drawing. I have a better chance at it.

I miss Liz. She hasn't texted back yet.

I put in an application at the dollar store. It seems like it would be an okay job. It definitely has to be better than my last "official" job at McDonald's. I hate looking for jobs sometimes because, after you take all of the time to fill out an application, that's when you know they're not going to hire you. Oh, it's not because they tell me that or anything, no, that would be preferable. It's kind of like being blown off very badly on a date. For example, I went to apply at Grinds and Glazes last year.
Cashier: "We're out forms, but you can write everything down on this order ticket."
Me: yeah, I'm sure that's the first place the manager will look for new employees especially since enough people have applied to make you run out of forms. "Thank you." *fills out ridiculous form without hopes of job*

Sadly, that is not the worst one. I applied at Muffy's Mountain burgers once. There was no application, some lady just asked questions and wrote it down.
Waitress: "Name?"
me: "Angela Harkins"
Waitress: "Age?"
me: "Whatever age I was at the time."
Waitress: "What are you applying to be?"
me: "A waitress."
Waitress: "OKay, that's all I need."
Me: "O.o ?!?!?!?! You don't need my phone number?"
Waitress: "OH. Yeah."

Looking back, I'm pretty sure I just got the shaft from someone who didn't want me to work there for some reason (didn't want to lose her job because she was clearly an ass? saving a job for someone else, also an ass?) or maybe she just didn't have the testicular fortitude to tell me I was too young. Nope, she just wasted a colossal amount of my time.

Anyway, the rendezvous in a dark alley with my memories wasn't really so I could get that punch in the face that I've been missing. I was just kind of pointing out that when I turned in my application it did not seem favorable. I really just gave it to the cashier to turn into the manager. It always goes better if you see the manager yourself. Oh well.

As much as I don't want to work my ass off for the summer, I need a job. If things go as I want them to, I'll have to pay for the remainder of a friend's college tuition. Not to mention that I'm still saving for Ireland because I've learned I can't really count on anyone else over an extended period of time. Yeah, that sucks, but I haven't let it jade me. I understand what they're using the money for. They're in complete denial to the fact that they won't be able to help me out, though. Whatever, the less I have to count on someone else who is unlikely to help, the better.

On the bright side, I just made some of the best (and spiciest) eggs ever. Mmmmmmmmm..........jalapeno eggs! Well, I'm off to eat said delicious concoction.

Later.

Tales from Bookland

So, I just read a book called The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and It. Was. Awesome. Because of AP I can't enjoy bad writing like I used to. Thankfully, Rothfuss has made a wonderfully written book that happens to be a great fantasy as well. Krieger, you need to start teaching this in class. There hasn't been a single person I know of that has read this and disliked it. It has topped every book list out this year. These are the reasons I took a chance on it with my limited book funds when Jeff told me about it. I hope both Jeff and Rothfuss enjoy the free advertising I'm giving out to my less than sane crowd. Oh and if you have doubts as to whether or not you are a part of this crowd, if you are reading this then you are a part of the crazy.

Anyway, not so happily, my friend was kicked out of her mom's house without warning and whisked away to live with her dad. It looks as if she won't be coming to college with us at YHC, but we're fighting that desperately. I'm trying to convince her to get off the high horse and let us help her out. I guess like Rothfuss says though, "Pride is a funny thing especially when you have nothing else." Okay, so that's not a direct qoute, but it would have been had I not foisted the kickassery of NOTW upon Stephanie.

Sadly, the next book doesn't come out until next year T_T. It's not so bad, though, as it gives me time to replenish my book fund. That's right, I've spent all of my book money... again. I blame Andrea for this. I was supposed to meet her in town to give her the rest of the money she was to get from playing at the Blairsville Mountain arts thing and she couldn't get a hold of me to tell me when she was in town. Okay, you get better cell reception in Hell than you do at my house, that's why I asked her to give me a rough estimate so I could be in town when she called. So, she left town even though I got there early, and consequently, I had to wait at the booknook for three and a half hours. This isn't strictly Andrea's fault, but that doesn't change the weight of my wallet. I bought Drowned Wednesday, Peter and the Starcatchers, a Michelin map of Ireland, and ordered a 100th anniversary illustrated edition of Peter Pan. Not to mention the copy of Breaking Dawn that I've been on the list for forever. Them's the breaks.

Speaking of slang. Stephanie has never heard "foot the bill." I thought that was weird. Another of my friends has heard it but has no idea what it means. So, I'm going to make a poll to see how many people actually knows what it means. In other words, don't spoil it by blabbing the meaning in a comment to me. Thank you.

Well, I'm off to make my little quiz...


Okay, after making the quiz I realized how different people's thinking patterns can be. My brother could just not comprehend how to help me make a wrong answer for that question which was still plausible. Thanks again AP teachers. I think I'm just now realizing the value of actually teaching us how to think as opposed to shoving meaningless work at us. For example, I may not remember the first fundamental theorem of calculus, but I'm never going to forget how to slog through something as horrible and long as an AP calculus exam. Blargh, on second though, maybe you guys should thank us for not barfing all over you after those beastly exams. Just kidding. Well, I'm really off now.

I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!!!!!!!!........urgh, graduate

So, tomorrow's the day of the party for 2,000 of our closest friends and family (aka graduation) and I'm tripping harder than a granny meeting a snow cone at the top of the stairs. Graduation is one of those things that everyone likes to look back on, but the trick is surviving it in the first place. Anyway, I don't have to play for the procession anymore, but I still have to give my saludatorian speech. Shh, though, it's "top secret." I'm not supposed to let anyone near it except for batchelor. I wouldn't be surprised if they set up a self destruct button while I wasn't looking so it will explode if someone other than me or batchelor touches it.

Well, I've been doing random crap to distract myself. First, I looked up celtic tattoos to see what I want to get when we go to Ireland. So far, I like the double dragon tattoo on Krieger's celtic tattoo site, but not really anything else.



I have a year to decide. Guess what else I have a year to do. Learn Gaelic! I'm just learning a few phrases and it's very hard trying to get the right pronunciation. I finally learned how to say Caed Mile Failte, though.

AHH!!! I CAN'T TAKE THIS!!!!!!! I'm gonna go find some other way to distract myself. Maybe a book or my plants or random violence, something of that nature. Plus, I have to practice my speech at some point. Now would be a great time for a chasm to open up and swallow me for a day or so.

Slan.

Let's get ready to ruuuummmmmmmbbbbbbblllllllleeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I'm watching the condemned. We rented movies and I randomly saw Billy again at movie gallery. It's weird because I want to talk to him and be all buddy buddy again, but it's been a long time since we were best friends. Anyway, sometimes I wish the world were more like the condemned so I could just go ape shit on people every now and then. No particular reason, but it sounds good so I think I'll put that in my saludatory address...yeah, right......anyway, I've been thinking about the speech I have to right, and I've thought of a quote I want to use. It's not from a well known series or anything, but it's fitting. I have no idea what the guidelines for this are or when I need to write it. I know Jasmine was at school last year to write hers so I haven't really started anything.

Well, I'm gonna go finish my movie.

Oh yeah, P.S., I finished my window box. I put in jalapenos, moss rose, thyme, parsley (i think), cucumber, and sweet pea. It looks freaking awesome with my flying aloe vera. My poor aloe. It's still suffering from frostbite from when SOMEONE in my family left it OUTSIDE when it got extremely cold. I got so pissed. I found it outside when I was leaving for one of my AP tests and I had to take it inside and pour some warm-ish water on it. I got to the test a little later than I wanted. I thought about leaving it outside as it had already been damaged, but it made me feel horrible trying to walk by it. Plus, I would have thought about it all through my test neway. In conclusion, my flower box is awesome.

Y soy rebelde cuando no sigo a los demas...

I'm confident that song will haunt me for the rest of my days. I was with Stephanie in Spanish yesterday for buy a Beta day and they watched the spanish teen soap opera Rebelde. That's where the song comes from. So, I have made it my personal mission to annoy the crap out of Effie for the rest of eternity for subjecting me to that mind controlling song. So now I'm just going to randomly burst into song right in the middle of senten......

Y soy rebelde
cuando no sigo a los demas
y soy rebelde
cuando te quiero hasta rabiar
y soy rebelde
cuando no pienso igual que ayer
y soy rebelde
cuando me juego hasta la piel
si soy rebelde
es que quizas nadie me conoce bien.

...ces.

The rest of my week was also mind bottlingly insane. (Mind bottling? Yeah, when you're so confused it's like your mind is in a bottle.- Blades o' Glory). The Wednesday Calculus test was the most mentally exhausting thing I have ever done. It felt like I was drunk after we finished so I went home but still had to come back to practice with the seventh grade band. Thursday, though, was jam packed with it's only delicious jelly center of "let's try and kill angela with exhaustion."

What's the recipe for this delicious confection you ask?
1. add AP English Literature test to Angela batter and beat thoroughly
2. pour Angela into STAR student lunch
3. put Angela back into oven (AKA school) for 2 hours to teach seventh grade music to other high school flutes
4. Surprise! serve up Angela cake with jelly filling for her Mom's birthday.
5. Wrap left overs in band dress and add a flute and piccolo and it's perfect for a band concert!!! no mess!!

Yeah, I saw that day coming a month off as my little calendar ran out of room for that day. Ah well, I saw my best friend from fifth grade again at the concert! I haven't seen Billy since he moved away in Middle School and I barely saw him then because our schedules were so different. Apparently hardly anybody else recognized him. I so IMMEDIATELY knew who it was. He's changed but not enough to make him unrecognizable. So after the concert a big group of us circled up in the parking lot and almost turned into band pancakes because of all the cars going in and out. It was soooooooo funny though when Billy went to leave. He whipped his car around, squealing tires, to get out and a cop car was right there. So, the cop turns on his lights and Billy gets out of the car with his hands in a gesture that says totally not my fault and tells the cop "Total accident." It was definitely not an accident but the cop let him go and thus the story is funny. Even funnier because my friends and I had JUST gotten out of the car.

I woke up at seven this morning. That sucked. I had planned to sleep in for aforementioned reasons. It's funny, everybody at school keeps asking "Angela, are you alright?" Not really. I'm dead tired from all the crap I had to do but I will be fine so don't worry about it because you can't do anything anyway. That's what I want to say but I'm too tired so it's either "yeah" or I flutter my hand at them to make them leave me alone.
I think if my family doesn't want to go this weekend I'm going to go to Gainesville on my own to check out my sexy beast of a flute that I want to buy.
It kind of stings that the only award I got at the concert was a senior plaque. Hopefully, I got some sort of band scholarship thing that they give out at honor's night. So, I'll be completely and utterly happy if I get one of those. I got my financial aid summary from YHC the other day and I only have a couple hundred over what I need to go to school there and $3,500 of that is the Stafford Loan that I will have to pay back. I would really rather not take out student loans so hopefully some of these scholarships I applied to will come through (unlikely) or I'll get some money at honors night (fingers crossed). If not, I still have all summer to get money and apply for more scholarships.
Speaking of getting money, I'm playing the Blairsville Arts Festival on the square May 31st and June 1st. Come check it out....and feel free to leave tips cuz i have to pay the other flutes playing with me out of the tips! Also, look out for a little article or ad or whatever in the paper about yours truly and her availability for events as a flautist. Jan is so awesome. She's doing the ad for free because I'm helping her out with the Festival for cheap. KARMA FREAKING ROCKS!!!!

Blargh. I have to come up with some money for my 18th birthday trip to Savannah. Whatever. Life calls me so I must go do stuff for my Mom's birthday party.

Y soy rebelde
cuando no sigo a los demas
y soy rebelde
cuando te quiero hasta rabiar
y soy rebelde
cuando no pienso igual que ayer
y soy rebelde
cuando me juego hasta la piel
si soy rebelde
es que quizas nadie me conoce bien.

hasta luego.

Books, Books, Glorious Books!

Yay! This STAR student thing is paying off in unexpected ways. So far I have gotten two books, a check for fifty dollars, and a booknook gift certificate for fifty dollars (which I spent the day after I found out about it and would have done so sooner if the booknook had been open when I found out about it). What's weird about the check and booknook certificate is that I got them from relatives who have never in my entire life bought me a birthday present or acknowledged my birthday in any way. I was randomly talking to Robert about it at the math competition, and I think he summed it up best (with heavy sarcasm of course). "They're really celebrating the important stuff, huh? Who cares about the day you were born?" or something to that effect. Anyway, like I told Stephanie, if I had actually known I'd get all these goodies I may have used those SAT study tapes I checked out from the library...I need to return those...I've had them since around November. That's sad, really, seeing as I work in the library and all. I really don't want to try and haul anything else around.
Math competition you say?! Why yes, I did just go to one. We got second place (woohoo!) in a spring break safety competition they held during lunch (not so woohoo! :( ). We got nothing in the actual math competition. Consolation prizes=single red tshirt won by second place in lunchtime quiz and random baggies of spring break goodies (which included chapstick, sunscreen, pamphlets, and condoms). We all thought the condoms were the prizes for the quiz thing so that's why we played the game at all. Oh, but let me tell you about the team that won the math competition, as in complete decimation of all other teams. Yep, they were entirely asian. Not just asian-american, I mean citizens of Korea and Vietnam. They didn't understand why our team was giggling and clapping when they went up to get their medals.
Another random fact, I scored highest in union county on the quiz we all had to take, though still nowhere near the asian scores...ah well, I must comfort myself with the fact that I'm racially inclined to trounce them all in drinking.
I bought two new books with my giftcertificate and I ordered four more (still have $4 left too!). I read Speak again today. I think I shall go read some more, I've exhausted my prom fantasyland adventure. Seriously, I don't think I get into it as much as some people. All I've done is find an outfit and look at some masks and accesories. Other people constantly fill AP Calculus with chatter about renting cabins and splitting limo costs and junk...really, ole B-ville's just not cool enough for that. Don't get me wrong, I love Blairsvegas, but there's just something about trying to over do it in a small town that sits with me like month old cottage cheese.
I guess this is why I'm social leper numero uno...ah well, it's not so bad, maybe I'll get a vacation to Hawaii just like in that Simpsons episode. Plus, when people don't expect you to have social skills you can just drift off in the middle of a...

College Woes

So, I have applied to Emory Early Decision and YHC regular decision. Anyway, I went to YHC yesterday and got my acceptance letter that contained the details of a very nice looking financial aid package that doesn't even include other scholarships and stuff I will get. More surprisingly, I really loved the campus and the class I got to sit in on. PLUS, my friends are going to YHC and we would be able to stay in the same suite together with some other random people. But no. It's too late to defer my Early Decision Application to Regular Decision. I will know whether or not I'm accepted by February 1st. So, pray, or do whatever it is your religion does, that I get a defferal the good ol' fashion way, by not meeting their standards. I know, that's weird, but hey, I want to have FUN in college too. Even if I did end up deciding to go to Emory, I want to have that choice, not be locked into it. I claim that I was under duress to make a decision about the rest of my life; locking myself into a college plan seemed like a good way to get rid of that. BAH! Indecision, but not really. I think I know what I want to do now, even if I don't know the career I want to have FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. This is an awful lot to expect someone to decide. I mean, they want me to choose the path of my life for a portion of time greater than I've seen until this point. I could actually see myself living at Young Harris, though, and there they don't force you into something. Instead, they make sure you have a smattering of everything so you can decide from experience what you want to major in.
Well, that's the end of that rant for today, kids.
On a lighter note, I'm writing a fanfiction and it's getting tons of awesome reviews. Plus, that financial aid deal with YHC was pretty awesome and unbelievable when I first saw the numbers on the paper. I'm gonna go see about the music scholarship for YHC. Later.

P.S. Oh, and I updated just for you Kriegie. I demand you tell me what to do with the rest of my life. JK. Some advice would be great in this instance, though.

Political Controversy

I received an email from someone who will remain anonymous. Anyway, here is the email along with my response.

(PLEASE READ UNLESS YOU WANT A MUSLIM FOR PR
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:40:36 -0500

Who is Barack Obama?

Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and
Ann Dunham, a white ATHEIST from Wichita, Kansas. Obama’s parents met at the University of Hawaii.

When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya. His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia.

When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia. Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta. He also spent two years in a Catholic school. Obama
takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, 'He was once a Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school.'

Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it appear that he is not a radical. Obama's introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was
temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returnedto Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son's education. Lolo Soetoro,
the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta. Wahabism is the RADICAL
teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad> against the western world.

Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking major public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in
an attempt to downplay his Muslim background. ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office he DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran.

Barack Hussein Obama will NOT recite the Pledge Allegiance of the Flag. Nor will he show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands over their hearts,
Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches.

Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential candidacy. The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside out - what better
way to start than at the highest level - through the President of the United States, one of their own!!!!

Please forward to everyone you know. Would you want this man leading our country?......

Here's my response...

Did you bother to check this? I did. Barack Obama's parent's separated when he was two. He saw his father only one time after that. When he moved to Indonesia with his mom and step dad he went to the Basuki school that was originally created for dutch noblemen. A person from the Clinton candidacy leaked this, calling it a 'radical muslim school.' Obama moved back to Hawaii to live with his grandparents in the fifth grade. Are you trying to tell me that a master plan was conceived before then (when he was betaween the ages of 6 and 10) in which Obama was to become the president of the United States and take over the world in the name of radical Islam? Also, even if he continued to be muslim, instead of having converted to Christianity as he did, I would refuse to be a part of such hatemongering. It is closed minded typecasting like that which creates the arbitrary hatred on both sides, leading to truly disturbing displays of hatred. Are we to become a nation against Muslims instead of for equality?

Also, here is a video of Barack Obama leading the Pledge of Allegiance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC9veEouqqQ

I'm neither for nor against Mr. Obama. I am simply against being an uninformed follower. To try and get both sides of the story, I attempted to also find a film of Obama refusing to recite the pledge. I found no such thing. The closest I got was titled "Obama objects to pledge for religious reasons." However, this was misleading as it was a video of him standing attentively, without his hand over his heart, during the national anthem, not the pledge of allegiance.