And Then It Was a Case of "No Food, No Anything. . ."

     My house has always been virtually food-less.  It's always missing some important ingredient for a normal food item.  You know, like maybe for once, there's actually ham slices in the fridge, but there's no bread.  Or, there's salsa, but no chips.  Cereal, but no milk.  Creamer, but no coffee.  You feel me?
     Being in college, I've gotten used to big meals twice a day (I don't eat breakfast, and yes I know it's the most important meal of the day, but it makes me feel sick if I eat too early, so get off my back).  Well, I should know that just because I'm away at college doesn't mean that more food will suddenly appear back at home.  You'd think I'd know that, especially since I'd been home a few times during the semester, and food has never been magically stocked in the cupboards.  But, I'm dumb, and I came home for Christmas break thinking my house was going to be stocked full of yummy items to nom.
     Instead, since we have no bread, I find myself making a sandwich out of the last, uber, uber-thin slice of turkey left in the fridge, a slice of cheese (no shortage of that, but I can't even make a grilled cheese 'cause there's no bread!), and a mayo and mustard sauce in between, rolled up like a pinwheel.  And I can't even have another one, because that was the last slice of turkey.  There's tuna, and mayo, but no bread.  There's eggs for an egg sandwich, but no bread.  There's cheese, but no stinking bread!  If you couldn't tell, bread is very important in this house, and my dad always eats it, so we never have any.  Can you see my dilemma?
     Alright, I just had to go on that little rant super fast.  Plus, I'm still trying to catch up to my quota (which doesn't exist) of posts that I've been lacking in.  Now, I will continue to scavenge my kitchen for food.  I will keep opening the refrigerator every ten minutes to see if more food has suddenly appeared inside, or as if I'll find some delicacy in there that I missed the first eight times I opened the door.  Everyone, have a fantastic evening. . . morning. . . whatever.  Toodles.

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

P.S.  My mother is taking me to see The Hobbit tomorrow.  Also, we are going to yell at tech-y people and demand they fix my laptop (because they obviously did not fix it right the first time), as well as ask a musical instrument expert if my mom's violin is fixable, because I want to learn to play it.  (Yeah, we'll see how dedicated I am to that one.  I'll probably just insist on teaching myself, because I have no clue how to read sheet music, nor do I care to learn.  I also have a problem taking "directions" unless the person giving them doesn't try to act like a pompous know-it-all.  Yes, yes, I can see this going very well.)  Goodnight.

Well, That Was Fast...

     Over 1800 views.  And I was at 1771, or something like that.  Wow, thanks, guys.  Good to know I didn't lose you over the last semester!

Thanks again!  Toodles!

-Max

P.S. I didn't get to go see The Hobbit last night; instead, my brother bought me and Tanner tickets to go see Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY!!  I'm so excited!

I Forgot What Sleeping On a Tiny Couch Did to My Dreams. . .

     Okay, so the past two nights, I've had some crazy dreams.  I'll try to describe them as best as I can:

Friday Night:
     Okay, so this dream/strange, not-very-scary-nightmare, flip-flops between two things.  The first was just some random occurrence that had nothing to do with the other dream I was having at the same time.  Somehow, I got addicted to cigarettes, even though in real life, I can't stand to even be around the smoke 'cause I'll pass out.  But somehow, I got addicted, and all-the-while, I was thinking, This stuff makes me sick, I wonder how I'm getting so addicted.  There was even a part where I woke up from a nap (in my dream) and I was smoking a cigarette.  It was weird.  But anyway, the other dream I was having at the same time involved zombie-like things, only they weren't stupid and slow and always going "AAAAARGHH, BRAAAAAAAINS!"  These were more like vampires. . . only they ate faces instead of sucking blood.
     Anyway, they had an affinity for little kids' birthday parties.  My roommate and I were at this little boy's birthday party, taking pictures or something, and this guy that goes to my college, along with some other chick, isolated the boy's mom and ate her face off.  Then, they felt bad because the little boy didn't have a mother.  So, they hauled him off into the corner and ate his face off, too.  Well, Shannon (my roommate) and I saw the whole thing, and the zombie-things saw that we saw, so they kidnapped us, and debated eating our faces off.  In the end, the guy decided to turn us into zombies, too.  So, he bit my arm, then the girl said I wouldn't feel a thing, and proceeded to bash my head into the ground 7 times to kill me.  She was right; I didn't feel a thing.  And it was an immediate transition from the living to the living dead.  No black-outs in between.
     Now, Shannon was still human, and she kept saying she was scared and she didn't want to die.  As the guy and the girl descended upon her, I just kept telling her she wouldn't feel a thing, and I began petting her hair.  Then the scene faded.  Creepy, right?  Well, I'm not done.  Fast forward a few hours (in the dream) and me, Shannon, and the two original zombies were descending upon another little kid's birthday party.  The other two were about to eat the mom's face off, but then I said, "Hey, guys.  Remember what happened last time you ate a mom's face?  You felt bad for the kid, didn't you?"  They nodded and let the mother go, and we departed from the party, everybody's faces still intact.  Then, I woke up.  The smoking-bit was sort drizzled throughout the entire zombie-fiasco, and it made no sense.  Of course, neither did the zombie part, but whatever.

     Next dream.

Saturday Night:
     So, we were at my grandfather's horse barn, during the summer.  I was there with some people, and this guy, who was just a really good friend.  For some reason, he was sort of like a human version of Juandissimo Magnifico in the Fairly Odd Parents.  If you don't remember who he is, here's a picture:

     Now, just ex-nay the crown, wings, and cartoon-y visage, and there's the dude in my dream.  Anywho, he had twenty Spanish friends, who somehow all fit in a little white, two-door pickup, all wearing black shades, who were driving around.  For some reason, when they saw us, we knew we had to run.  So, since I'm a slow and clumsy runner, "Juandissimo" threw me on his back, piggy-back style, and began running towards one of the barns on the property.  Which was full of tractors and large hay bales.  More realistic than over half the things in my dreams, so I guess it's okay.  Anyway, we dove under the tractors and were making our way towards the middle, clinging to the undersides of the mechanical beasts.  Well, it turned out to be some sort of hide-and-seek/catch game, and his friends lost.  So, "Juandissimo" left the barn and followed his friends back to one of the trailer houses on the property.  As soon as they all went inside, I came out, hips swinging cockily, like I was awesome, 'cause I won the game and they couldn't find/catch me.  So, I went inside, and sat down next to "Juandissimo" and was all, "Ha, you guys couldn't find me, we win!" and stuff.  And then, out of nowhere, there's a Jacuzzi/pool thing appeared in the middle of the living room, and it became a pool party.  That's when I woke up.


     So, those are the dreams I have had since I've been home.  Maybe it's something in the air, or maybe it's from sleeping on a short, cramped couch, where my feet hang 12 inches over the edge and my spin bows at very unnatural angles, I don't know.  But these dreams are some of my weirdest dreams.  When I told Tanner and my brother, they asked me several times if I was on anything.  And if so, "Can I have three?"  Ha, silly boys.
     Okay, three posts in the last 24 hours, I think I'm doing pretty good at catching up.  No? Okay, then.  Well, I'm off!  Toodles.

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

Boredom+Randomness=This Post Right Here

     Who else remembers the commercial for the game Croc for the Playstation 1?  Well, my brother and I loved it so much, we used to rewind the Home Alone 3 movie just so we could watch the Croc preview.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about, here's the commercial:

  Well, I have a cat name Spock.

     And my brother and I often call him Spockadilius.  Which prompted me to re-write the Croc commercial, using Spock instead.  So, here it is:

Meet Spockadilius Crusadorous, or Spock, 

found under tables, couches, and chairs;

the Whinius Kittius, or Chloe, 

trapped under the spell of the Biggius Bearicus, or Bear

Spock's sworn enemy.

Run, skid, climb, and fall off of 45 different levels of cushioned furniture.

Sink your claws into Spock, the house cat of the Robertson household.

     There you have it.  Christmas break=time to actually be bored with life, enough to where I can do stuff like this.  Now, I'm heading off to watch The Hobbit.  Toodles.

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

Maiming and/or Seriously Injuring Me Are Acceptable

     Oh, my. . . I just realized that I haven't written since my birthday. . . in September. . .
     Well, I have a lot to catch you up on, then, don't I?  Alright, let's see here. . .

     1.  Stalker: I had a stalker for awhile.  He kept pestering me and telling me things like "you're going to love me" and stuff like that.  So, I told my boyfriend, my very large brother, and several of my military friends, which included my Design class professor.  Then, when the dense little moron tried to talk to me in person and tell me he was joking (he had said that before, then the next day told me I was in love with him, but just didn't know it yet), I told him he pissed of a lot of people, especially my boyfriend, my brother, and my dad.  Yeah, I played that card.  Dirty, I know.  But, needless to say, he hasn't talked to me since.  And if he does, I'm going to haul off and kick him right between the legs.
     2.  Guys: I found that it's very difficult to have friends that are guys without them liking wanting to be more than friends.  I guess I already knew that, but it still sucks 'cause it's no different in college.  I do have a few guy friends who don't like me, though (not like that, they like me, just not like. . .that.  You feel me?).  Joe is one of them.  He's weird and a little scatterbrained, but my roommate and I love him.  Mostly because he does everything we ask (and tell) him to do.  He also serves as our punching bag.  Literally.  My roommate, Shannon, and I get in brutal wrestling (/punching/kicking/biting/all-around beating) matches with Joe when he comes in our room.  Then, about 3/4 of the way through the semester, Joe moved from the floor above us to a dorm all the way on the other side of campus.  And yet, he still comes all the way over to our room, where he is subjected to all kinds of abuse.  Shannon and I don't quite understand how he's still alive, we're so mean to him.  But he is, and he just keeps coming back.  What a great friend. =]
     3.  Finals: Talk about brutal.  Finals are brutal.  Let me see if I can recap everything I had to do for finals: Okay, now for Drawing class, our portfolio had to be in the flesh, not on the computer.  It had to contain 15 drawings overall.  With me so far?  Now, here is where we ran into a few problems.  For one, none of us had 15 drawings that were good enough to be submitted into a portfolio, because whenever we drew, our professor told us "Oh, you don't need to try and make these really good, it's not like you're going to need them for your portfolios."  Well, that would have been all fine and dandy, except we didn't do that many drawings in the first place.  I barely made 15.  Okay, now, here was another issue.  Our drawing professor was very specific: four matted drawings (matted means framed, using what is essentially poster board for the frame).  Now, matte board is about 8-9 bucks per 32x40 sheet.  But, we also have to have a backing, for which we use foam-core, which is basically foam with a smooth coating over it so you don't have foam pieces flying everywhere when you cut it.  That costs about 9-10 bucks a sheet.  These were very inconveniently located in a town about 40 minutes away, where I didn't have time (or money, or gas) to go.  Luckily, my boyfriend lives in that town, so he picked some up for me.  Cost him about 60 bucks.  And yes, I plan on writing him a check for it as soon as I update my check book.  Anywho, the main point of this is that matting is expensive. Now, we had to have one more drawing: our final.  But, our professor didn't say we had to matte our final, too.  So, we all show up the morning of the final with only 4 matted pieces, because that's what he told us to do.  And he was absolutely appalled.  "It says in the syllabus that your final is to be matted.  Didn't you guys read the syllabus??"  Yeah.  The syllabus said that portfolio was due last week, and every other time you've referenced it, it's been wrong.  No, thank you.
     So, long story short, he made us matte our final.  Now, I did not know that the on-campus bookstore sold matte board and foam-core.  Here's the real kicker, though.  The foam-core was only about 5 bucks, as opposed to the 10 dollars it was at Hobby Lobby in the next town over.  I was pissed.  But, I got it done, so. . .whatever.  Except I don't know how I did, 'cause he never told us our grades.
     Now, in my Design class, I had to create a digital portfolio containing 10 photos of 5 projects that were done in Design class, plus 10 photos of 10 drawings that were completed in the Drawing class.  Not so hard, except the stupid camera kept automatically deleting photos every time more were taken.  Not good for other people.  Luckily, it only did that to one of my pictures, so I only had to retake one.
     Now, a lot of classes have tests for a final.  My Design class, aside from the portfolio, had a very different final.  It was a discussion, and we were discussing the installation of a Veteran's Memorial at the college.  Basically, we gave our input of how we wanted it to look, what kind of concrete (stained or not), location on campus, etc.  It was actually really fun.  Not to mention, I got the professor to order pizza for the event.  He only did it for our class.  Let's just say we thought his other class was going to shank us on our way out of the building when they saw that we got pizza and pop, and they didn't.  We got flipped the bird.  Twice.  It was great; you could definitely feel the love.
     Omigoodness, I have a quick side-story!  Okay, you know the song "Chim-Chim-Cheree" from Mary Poppins?  Okay, did you know that if you write out this exact equation: "-2 -2 x =" it will match the words "chim chim-in-ey, chim chim-in-ey, chim chim che-ree!"  Crazy, huh?  Okay, back to finals.
     The only other final I really had was for my fiction writing class.  Basically, we just had to turn in a portfolio that included the second draft of our short story, the professor's comments on our first draft of our short story, plus two peers' comments (classmates) on our first draft, and finally, a writer's statement, describing your process of writing the short story, how the class helped, etc.  Easy-peasy.
     I didn't have to take my final for my Visual Arts Experience class because I had an A at the end of the semester, and if you had an A at the end, you didn't have to take the final.  Score!

     Now, I can't remember if I mentioned that I changed my major or not.  Well, I changed my major from Art Ed to Studio Arts, which is what it'll be for now until I figure out what I really want to do.  It'll be Art-something.  So, when I changed my major, I dropped my education class.  So, I (obviously) didn't have a final in that class, either.

     4.  Money: I don't have a lot.  I maybe have 400 some dollars to live on for the rest of the year.  Scary, huh?
     5.  Laptop: I love my laptop.  But, about a month ago, I was at my sister's, sitting on the couch, playing me some Minecraft (most addicting game ever.  Don't believe me, ask my sister.  She thought it looked so stupid, then she played it, and now she dreams in Minecraft) and I set down my laptop on the little coffee table to go get some food.  I was gone about a minute and a half.  I come back, and my screen is black.  I had it plugged in, but there were no lights on or anything.  It wouldn't turn on.  So, we took it back to Best Buy, and they replaced the motherboard.  My mom told me the guy left it on for 5 hours, to make sure it would stay on.  So, it was fixed.  Only here's the kicker: my mom brings it back to me at school, and I can't get it to turn on.  I plug it in to the charger, nothing lights up.  It was as if they had never touched it, it was just like when it broke the first time.  So, we have to take it back again and see what's wrong with it.  Good thing I'm under a two-year warranty.  But yeah.  I'm so sad, I have no laptop.  It broke right before preparations for finals were starting to make their appearances, so my roommate (God bless her heart) let me steal her laptop to do my assignments instead of making me go all the way to the library to work.  Thanks, Shannon.

     Okay, so I think that's all the important stuff you needed catching up on.  In that case, I'm going to go eat my other toaster strudel, drink some nice cold milk, and continue listening to my Christmas playlist on Spotify.  Happy (early) Christmas, everyone!

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

Birthday

     So, for those of you who don't have Facebook, today is my birthday.  Just thought you ought to know.  Yay for me.  I feel old.  I'm nineteen, now.  Weird.  Okay, sorry, but I'm going to keep this short.  I want food.  College makes you hungry.  Talk to you all soon, when I get more time!  Don't hold a mutiny, please!!

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

Breath of Life

     Yes, it's me.  Yes I'm still alive, although I'm sure it hasn't seemed that way.  The nearer I came to move-in day at college, the less attention span I had to anything.  Now, I'm almost 4 weeks in.  Crazy, huh?

     So, long story short, I love my roommate, starting to love my teeny, tiny room (it has lots of storage space), have made several very good pals, and am seriously loving not having a curfew!!  My classes are going well; I have three art classes, and education class, and a fiction writing class, which is freaking amazing!  I have no class on Fridays, so Fridays are usually my ultimate lazy day!

So, from left to right: My roommate, Shannon, me, and my buddy Joe (A.K.A. Sketchy)

     So, I'm kinda having a brain block right now on stuff to say, so I'm gonna end it right here.  Leave a comment if there's anything particular you'd like to know about anything that may have happened to me during my absence!  Adios, my chicas/chicos!

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

It Was Only a Matter of Time...

     I know, I know, I'm way late in posting.  Yell at me, scold me, have your fit, moving on, great, we're good.
     I've been a little busy, what with working and trying to figure out who my friends are.  Yeah, I said that, because, the truth is, I really don't know who my friends are anymore.  Been wondering that majority of my senior year.  And as I've been trying to sort through this ordeal, God's been dropping me little hints, mostly through Facebook (gotta love Facebook).  For example:
     "God often removes someone from your life for a reason.  Think before you chase after them."
     Okay, I feel like that one was for Zach, mostly.  Hint taken, Lord.  Here's another:
     "Don't confuse the people who are always around with the ones who are always there."
     I kinda felt like that one was a message for others about me, because I don't want to be the person that's always around, I want to be the one that's always there.  How about this one:
     "In life, you will realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you, and some will teach you.  But most important are the ones that bring out the best in you.  Those are the ones worth keeping around."
     Finally, especially after that last one, it clicked.  Most of my senior year, I was chasing after the people that had been my friends for most of my high school experience.  We were drifting apart, and I (ironically enough, especially since I like to think I don't need friends to survive) didn't want to lose them.  Only natural, right?  But it seemed like I was always the person that was just around, and never the one that anybody really needed to be there.  And in the end, that brought out the worst in me.  It seemed like the only time I was spoken to was when somebody wanted something, or wanted to tell a secret..  I guess that last part could be taken as a compliment, since I always told my friends I'd be there if they needed anything, and nobody else would have to know.  But, that's not just what I wanted to be known as.  I also wanted to be "the one you can laugh with," "the one who's fun to hang out with," "the one you always want to chill with, or go shopping with, or take pictures with, or just do silly stuff with," not simply the "one who listens good."  So I guess you could say I felt just a little bit "used and abused."  Don't get me wrong, I like helping people and listening if they have a problem, I really do.  I just don't want that to be all I'm good for, you know?
     So, it comes full circle:  I'm done chasing my friends.  If they're worth keeping around, then they'll stick around.  If not, then they're gone for a reason.  I'm done.  After not being talked to in awhile, not being invited to hang out once, all summer, or anything, a person gets a little sick of being ignored.  So I'm sorry, guys, if this pisses you off, but I've tried talking to you about it before, because this isn't the first time this has happened, but all it has amounted to is the same result as before.  Yes, I know I live fourteen miles from town, but I can drive, now.  You'd think you'd be asking me to come in and hang out more often, since it's more convenient I drive myself, but I haven't heard a word.  I know you all must be busy, working and getting ready for college, as am I, yet you still find time to hang out with each other.  That's cool, but just know that I don't give a darn, anymore.
     The reason I never ask you guys to come out here is because you guys always got bored at my house whenever you did come out, so I don't bother.  And I'd feel kinda stupid saying, "Hey, let's all hang out at Mer's house, or Sarah's!" because it's not my house to invite people to.  That, and I never know if you guys are already hanging out since you guys don't talk to me much, anymore.
     And if any of you say it's because of Tanner, I'm calling BS on you.  You and I both know I'm not one of those girls who has to be around her boyfriend, 24/7.  And he's not like that either.
     So, go ahead and get mad at me for not "trying harder," even though it's all I've ever done.  I don't care anymore.  I love you guys, but if you're walking away, I'm not chasing after you like a lost puppy, like I've done for the past year.

     Okay, now that I've gotten that out of my system, I'll tell the rest of you about the bit of fun I've been dying to have all summer.  (Tanner is in California, by the way, on vacation, which is why he is not included in this bit).
     So, last night, I was going to go into town, see if anybody wanted to hang out.  On the way, I was going to stop by work and drop off some movies for a friend.  He's part of what we call the Resource Team (I work at a Bible camp, fyi) and the Resource Team stays on the camp grounds in the staff cabin for the whole summer.
     So, I had some movies one of them wanted to see, so I dropped them off.  Nobody was texting me back, so I didn't bother going into town.  When the other two members of the RT came back from their shopping trip, we all headed out and had a little s'mores party.  After being frightened away by a very curious coyote, we all headed back to the staff cabin and played a few games of Spoons, and a couple of BS (both of which, I stink at.  Btw, thank you, Hannah, for trying to help me by throwing spoons at me), then we all camped out in the living room and watched the Land Before Time number five.
     Doesn't sound like a big party, but it was a lot of fun, and it was the most I had laughed in a long time:    Nicole, giggling and talking in her sleep, Hannah, telling Nicole she's going to get wrinkles from sucking on a straw too much, and Ben, getting all excited because he thought Hannah spent a crap-ton of money on Reese's, when she actually spent it at Maurice's.  Now, I sorta feel like I may have been something sorta like a third-wheel or something, but at the time, I was just happy to be invited to something by someone other than Tanner (But Tanner, I love you, and I appreciate everything you invite me to.  I love going to stuff with you).
     But anyway, Nicole, Ben, Hannah, I'm sorry if I was intruding at all.  I guess I was just a little starved for friends and fun.  But I had an awesome time, and you guys are awesome people.  I'm glad you're my co-workers.  Thanks, again.

     So, there.  You've been caught up on the major stuff.  Sorry I took so long.  And now, I'm going into my backyard to camp with my sister, my brother, his girlfriend, Amanda, and our friend Clark.  I'm sort of not looking forward to it, because while we were out getting food, a skunk decided to pay the property a visit.  But for some reason, it smells better outside than it does in here.  So, toodle-loo.

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

I Need Your Help...

     See, my friend got her page hacked on Facebook, and the hacker is negotiating to give it back if this status can get 200 likes.  It started out as only 100, but the hacker changed his/her mind, and now it's 200.  So, can you give my friend a little help?  If you're on Facebook, go ahead and give this status a like:

https://www.facebook.com/SheWhoHasNoExpressions/posts/301757909909006

Thanks a lot, guys.  You're the best.

Toodles,
Max

Late Bloomer

     Yes, I'm talking about me.  Why am I calling myself a late bloomer?  Because I am 18 years old, and I finally got my driver's license today.  The lady that I took my test with said I was slow.  But she said it in a much nicer way.  But hey, I'm cool with being slow.  I wasn't used to the gas and brake system on my mom's car.  Her brake is really touchy, and her gas pedal has to be basically stomped on for you to go anywhere.  So yeah, I was slow.  But I passed, and now can legally be on the roads.  I also (finally) got my car licensed and insured, and I picked up some plates for her (yes, it's a her, and her name is Nessie, because she's big and green, like the Loch Ness monster.  Deal with it).  Now, all we need to do is get a new battery, filter out the two-year-old gas from the gas tank, remove the bunk bed my parents decided to shove in her trunk, and remove the cobwebs from the driver's side (Yeah, there's cobwebs.  Sad, right?).  But, soon, she be as good and clean as when I bought her!

     Well, I know this was short and sweet, but I have a humongo headache, so I am going to crash, and sleep until the sun is well beyond the horizon.  Goodnight, my friends.

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

Talk About Fickle. . .

     So, he de-friended me again.  Talk about fickle, eh?  Can't make up his mind, or what?  Oh well.  Whatever trips his fickle trigger, I guess.
     So, I woke up this morning, and my throat kinda hurt.  Well, as the day progressed, I realized that one of the glands in my neck was swelling.  Great, huh?  So, I've been downing Exedrin to keep the swelling down so I can actually swallow.  I have a feeling work is going to suck this weekend if the swelling keeps up, 'cause I can't have more then 8 Exedrin within a span of 24 hours.  Bleh.  Well, I'm going to crash.  Goodnight, everyone.

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

A New Chapter. . .

     And no, I don't mean a new chapter in one of my stories.  This is a new chapter of my life.

     Evening, everyone.  Well, I am officially an high school alumni, now.  Graduation was Sunday (May 6) and I am so glad it's over, just not for the reason you'd think.  I'm glad it's over because the days leading up to it were so stressful and emotion-boggling that I'm still feeling the effects of it.  Ugh.  So.  Much.  Drama.  It's true, I am glad to be out of high school, but only a little.  In truth, most of me didn't want to graduate.  For one, I had just gotten to know some people I hadn't taken the time to get to know before, and now, all of a sudden, I don't have the time I want to get to know them even better.  It's rather sad, and I'm going to miss them.  In the course of my senior year, I made some new friends, and sadly, lost some that I thought I'd be friends with forever.  Graduation really is the ultimate friendship-tester.

     My sister made me a beautiful scrapbook for my graduation gift.  And get this: she made it out of brown paper bags.  It is very, shall we say, interactive; it's got pockets, and little flip-opens inside, with gift cards in little homemade envelopes, CD's, and pictures hidden everywhere.  It's so awesome, and she'd been working on it since January.  Talk about love.  Here are some pictures:

     Those are all the pages, in order.  Isn't that awesome?!  I love it!

     So, the one person I was hoping would come to my reception, didn't come.  I don't think he even came to graduation.  I was disappointed, because I was hoping that him coming would signal the end to this ridiculous silence that has been between us for almost two years.  He did add me back on Facebook, today, though.  Better than where we were, I guess. 


     I know that there was more stuff I wanted to talk about, but I just can't remember at the moment.  So here are some pics from graduation:

My entire class; I'm in the front, fourth from the right.

Me and my older sis

   

Me and my mom

Me and my bro-in-law

Walking down.  From left to right: Me, James, and Meriam

The five of us, from left to right: Kayla, Meriam, Anna, Me, Sarah

     Until I remember what else I was going to tell you:

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

Blue Bloods

     So, I have exciting news:  I made prom royalty!  I didn't make queen, but I don't really care.  I was just happy to be on royalty.  Tanner made it, too, plus a few of our other friends who aren't super popular, so it was a pretty good mix-up.

     Post prom this year was pretty awesome.  All the prizes had to be won by silent auction.  See, they gave you a certain amount of fake money when you came in, plus a number.  This was your bidding number.  Then, you could run around to all of the games and earn more money.  Then, you would go over to the shelves where all the prizes were and bid on the ones you wanted.  You put down your bidding number (mine was 209) and the amount you wanted to bid on the item.  If you had the highest bid when the item was taken off of the shelf, then you it was yours.  They would call out your bidding number and your name, then you would come get your item, go over to the "bank" table, pay with your fake monies, and then give the item back so they could put it with your post prom bag.  Also, they had some prizes for the juniors and seniors.  On the senior table, there was a 20 in flat-screen TV, a DVD player, a GPS, a mini-fridge, a microwave, a vacuum cleaner, and a mini-suitcase (I was going for the mini-fridge, but someone took it right before me, so I got the microwave).  They had all the names in the bucket, and if yours was drawn, you went and picked your prize.  Since there was a limited number of prizes, not everyone got one, so I was happy with my microwave.  At the auction, I got an awesome lamp (that I literally hovered around like a vulture to make sure no one out-bid me) and some amazingly soft sweatpants.  Tanner also got me a really soft and fuzzy blanket that I LOVE.  And post prom only lasted until 3 in the morning, this time, instead of 6, like last year.  That was horrible last year, and I was so grumpy, it wasn't even funny.  But this year, it was all good.  I slept until around 2 this afternoon, and then went and painted a friend's nails around 5.  She wanted Hello Kitty, and it came out looking sorta like some of Hello Kitty's mentally unstable cousins.  But she liked them and that's what matters.  But I forgot to get a picture.  Sorry.  Well, I'm gonna finish eating my steak, and then I gotta go do my chores.  After that, I'm crashin'.  So, goodnight, everyone!

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

Not the Words, Just a Reminder. . .

     First thing's first:  Tyson is eating, now!!!  Thank you guys so much for your turtle prayers, for those of you who did take the time to send a little request Heavenward.  Tyson is now acting like a normal turtle, and is very lively and curious.  He often will stop swimming if you're watching him, and he'll poke his little head out of the water to stare at you until you leave.  Kinda creepy, but whatever!  Thanks a bunch, guys!

     Second, I am finally getting around to ordering my graduation invitations (because I finally found a cheap place to print them)!

     Third, prom is this weekend.  Just thought I'd mention that.

     Fourth, I got a shot today.  For meningitis, whatever that is.  But anyways, yeah.  Totally useless information.

     And, now, the real reason for this post.  It's a rather sad one.  A big reminder of just how close I am to having my life change forever, how close I am to reaching my next milestone.

     So, yesterday, I had to work, and after that, I went to Tanner's house (whereupon his wonderful mother proceeded to save my life by providing me with access to her computer, printer, and label sheets, on which I printed my address so that I could easily stick them on my graduation invites without fear of hand cramps or misspelled names).  After I had my first drumming lesson--oh yes, I'm taking drumming lessons from my boyfriend, now--and ate some supper, my dad came and picked me up.  On the way home, a song came on the Christian radio station, a song neither my dad nor I had heard in a long time:  Cinderella, by Steven Curtis Chapman.  Not thinking much of it, I began to sing along.  I remembered the song had been the one my sister used for the father/daughter dance at her wedding, and all at once, it hit me, right at the first chorus:

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone...

     My throat closed, and I began to tear up.  And then, suddenly, the next verse knocked the wind out of me:

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says, "Dad, the prom is just one week away
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

     Prom.  It really is just one week away.  I tried to keep singing, even if softly, keeping my face turned to the window so he wouldn't know I was starting to cry.  But he had gone so silent, I knew the exact same things were running through his mind.  I was going to be graduating.  His baby.  The last one to leave the nest, and he didn't want me to go.  I didn't. . . no, don't want to go, either.  I want to stay in this nest forever.  Stay cuddled with Mommy and Daddy, even when the peck at me to do my chores or clean up my messes. . .  

Oh, Mommy, Daddy, please? . . . 

All too soon, the clock strikes midnight. . .

. . . And I am gone. . .

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off. . . Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας. . .

The Esteemed

     Today, I was out of town for a luncheon for a scholarship I had received to my soon-to-be college.  Other students, who had received the same scholarship I had, or a scholarship from one of the two sister colleges to mine, were also there.  At my table, I met a girl going to the same college as me, and also majoring in the same thing:  art education (personally, I think we were seated together on purpose, but it was cool).  She and her family were very friendly, and both her mom and my parents were practically pushing us to be roommates.  It was very amusing.  Unfortunately, in order for her to have been my roommate, we would have both had to send in our application thingies at the same time, and requested each other.  Since we had problems getting mine in, I don't think becoming roommates is a happening that is in our favor.  However, it's still a possibility, since we're both requesting the "random roommate" option.  But anyway. . .
     I'm pretty sure I made my sister's weekend by inviting her, because one of the speakers was Danny Woodhead of the New England Patriots, and my sister loves him.  So does her husband, but he swears he would have come to support me whether or not Mr. Woodhead was speaking.

     On the way home, we stopped to do a little shopping and I picked up my dress for graduation!  It was around 12 dollars at Wal Mart!  But hey, it's cute and it's comfy, so I don't really care how cheap it was.  Now, the only thing I have left to buy is my orange Converse. . .
     Now, you're probably thinking "Orange Converse?  For graduation?  Seriously? Why?!"  Well, you see my class wanted our colors to be aqua blue and orange.  Pretty colors.  But one of our sponsors said no, so we got stuck with aqua and silver instead.  Bor-ing!  Not to mention, two years ago, it was that senior class's colors.  Ugh.  Nothing like no originality to put a damper on the excitement.  So, as a class (it's rare that our class ever agrees on anything) we decided to incorporate orange in the ceremony as much as possible.  For flowers, we have orange lilies, and a bunch of us are going to wear orange shoes.  Not everyone has to, but majority are.  And I don't want to wear heels for two hours, so I'm getting orange Converse low-tops.

     So, skipping to a completely different subject, I have a pet turtle.  He's a paint turtle and about the size of a quarter.  No joke.  Well, I'm kinda worried about him.  See, Tanner's brother found him in their driveway a few evenings ago and picked him up so he wouldn't freeze to death.  Well, he hasn't eaten since.  We've tried everything: lettuce, raw hamburger, worms, turtle food, teeny-tiny dried shrimp for turtles, tiny crickets for turtles, and even this weird plant that I cannot, for the life of me, remember the name of.  When we came home this evening, my poor Tyson (the turtle) was sitting in a corner, nearly dehydrated because I think he forgot where his pool was.  So, I stuck the plant in there, and then stuck Tyson in, and thank goodness, he perked up right away.  He was very curious about the plant (it is edible) but he wouldn't eat it.  And he still hasn't touched the shrimp, or the cricket.  My dad said he's probably stressed because he has nowhere to hide, so I stuck a hollow shell over one side of his pool and put the plant in there so he could snuggle up with it and hide (yeah, he likes snuggling with the weed.  It's weird).  So, anyway, Tyson needs your prayers.  Pray that he'll start eating, because I don't want my little buddy to die. -sad face-

     Well, I am exhausted.  Goodnight, everyone.  Send up as many turtle prayers as you can; Tyson needs all the incentive he can get!

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

Goodness, I'm Horrible..

     Wow, guys.  I am such a lazy person.  I apologize for not posting anything for forever.  I blame being a senior.  I had no idea how incredibly busy I would be.  So, I guess it's time to play catch-up, huh?

     Well, first off, I can't remember if I mentioned or not, but I got a full tuition scholarship to the college I was hoping to get into.  Now, I'm just working on getting smaller scholarships to help pay for room, food, etc.
     I have about 19 school days left before I graduate on May 6.  Then I'm going to spend the summer working and chilling, enjoying my last summer before I go off to college.  It's crazy; I feel like I should still be going back for high school instead of college.  But I plan on becoming an art teacher, so that should be interesting.  However, I don't agree with having to take generals; I think that you go to college to be educated in the career you want to pursue, not waste almost a whole year learning stuff that you learned in high school.  It's slightly dumb, but I guess that's how colleges rake in a lot of their income.  However, they wouldn't be losing any money if I didn't take generals, 'cause I have full tuition.  But, I doubt very much that I could get out of doing generals.  Boo.
     I'm still doing nail art.  It's quite fun.  Just the other day, I did The Heroes of Olympus symbol (sister-series to Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan.  Fantastic writer, btw.)  Before that, I did the Hunger Games.  (If you're viewing this post via Facebook, check out my album Nail Art to see all the stuff I've done.)
     So, I know this is horrible, but some of my friends have senioritis, and they are driving me nuts.  It's gotten so bad that I'm half looking forward to graduating.  I know, I'm a horrible person, but I can't help it--it's driving me crazy.  I, personally, don't have senioritis; I have summeritis.  I am so stoked for summer, it's insane.  I'm even looking forward to mowing the lawn just 'cause it'll be nice out.  Granted, I say that at the end of every school year, and about halfway through the summer, I'll be sick of it, but whatever.
     Tanner and I are coming up on a year and 10 months.  How wild is that?  It'll be two years in June, and I'm still as head-over-Converse in-love as I was in the beginning.
     My friend (if you could call him that), Zach, still hasn't spoken to me.  As depressing as it is, I'm hoping he'll come to my graduation and actually acknowledge my existence, unlike last year, when he acted like I was part of the wallpaper.  I'm probably wishing for way too much, but I don't want to leave with this wall still between us.  We were best friends, or so I thought, and I dunno, I just don't want it to end on a bad, silent note.  Like I said, I won't get my hopes up, but I'm inviting him to my reception.  I doubt he'll show up, but then at least I can say I tried.
     I'm so tired of filling out scholarships.  And when it comes to getting letters of recommendation, I feel like the most annoying person in the world:  "Hey, will you write me a letter of rec?  I need by this date, and it has to be in a sealed envelope, and you should probably sign it, and I need about five of them, blah, blah, blah . . ."  I feel like the person I'm asking wants to strangle me at about that time.  It's horrible.
     Prom is coming up.  I went against the flow, again.  Almost everyone is getting puffy dresses, and this year, mine is slim.  It's sapphire blue, and very simple, but very pretty (although it will never top last year's dress...Mm, still in love with that dress).  I know I said prom is totally overrated, and it's probably gonna sound vain of me to say this, but I really wanna at least get on prom royalty.  I very much doubt I'll get queen, but that would be awesome, just to prove that it isn't only the last name people who get it.  But if I could get on royalty, that'd be great, too.
   
     Well, I think that about covers it.  I'm getting tired, and I'm starting to get a headache, so I will talk at you peeps later.   I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!  God bless!

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

I Know, I Know, Don't Say It...

     I haven't been on in awhile.  Yeah, I know, shame on me.  But, gimme a break; school's a killer.  So are scholarships.  I gotta tell you guys, I'm seriously freaking out about college.  I don't think I'm ready for the workload.  I was never studious to begin with.  I just pray to God I get a roommate with good study habits to keep me on track.  I don't study; I cram.  Never a good plan.  But hey, the last test I took, I got a 95, so it hasn't killed me yet.  But it will in college, and I know it.
     Man, I keep finding cuts all over my arms and legs.  I think I'm clawing myself in my sleep.  What this has to do with college, I have no idea.  Now, I'm breaking out in hives on the inside of my arm, and it itches like crazy.
     I'm sorry I keep jumping subjects like I'm ADHD, but I'm kinda hyper right now.  My prom dress came in, and although it's not as awesome as last year's, it's pretty epic, and it only needs to be hemmed and steamed.  i just got a cute dress for summer, and I wore it today at school with my black tights and black boots, and a jacket.  It was comfy.
     Speaking of cute outfits, my next topic is a bit more sobering.  I hadn't realized something about myself until I had to write about embarrassment for a paper in my Advance Comp. class.  But, I'll have to tell you about it later, because I was just told by my father that it's not hives on my arms, but probably a rash, so I have to take some drugs to knock me out and take out the rash with it.
     Talk to you guys later.

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.☼

Ooh, The Inactivity!

     Hello, everyone.  Now, before you get out your torches and pitchforks (or shotguns), let me explain why I have been so inactive lately.  It's pretty much simply because I've been insanely busy with school.  I feel like I'm drowning in school work, right now, plus getting run over with scholarship deadlines and such.  So, I promise, I've been gone for a perfectly good reason.  But, now, to make up for it, I'll post some of my latest artwork for you!  Nail art! (Plus some Disney fan art ^-^)

Beauty and the Beast inspired.  The Beast's design is from the musical.  Belle's design is my own.

So, this is Beauty and the Beast.  Beast is on the thumb, and the other nails are stained-glass roses.

This is the Beast, again.

Penguins, for my friend.

Kingdom Hearts, my friend's little sister Sami as the model.

Thumbs.  K for Kingdom and H for Hearts

Crowns on the pinkies.

     There.  Hopefully that somewhat makes up for my lack of activity.  Hope you guys enjoy.  And hey, don't forget, Valentine's Day is coming up.  Be thinking of something special to do or give to the ones you love.  And it doesn't have to be a boyfriend or girlfriend; it can be anyone you love: Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Dog, whatever.  I will talk at you all later!

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

The Importance of Being Hugged

     Hello, everyone.  Join me on a (gentle) rant about PDA in school...
     For those of you who don't know what PDA is, it's an acronym, and it means "Public Display of Affection."  School rules say that PDA isn't allowed in a school setting, and I agree with this statement...halfway.  You see, when a couple is making out in the hallway against some lockers, that's one thing.  Hugging, on the other hand, is a completely different deal.  Let me tell you a little story:

     One morning, before school had started, Tanner and I were sitting on one of the senior benches.  He was propped up against a locker, and I was leaning on his shoulder.  He had his arms around me, giving me a hug.  A teacher came out and started to scold us, saying, "Hey, guys, let's not do that here."  Do what?  What were we doing that was wrong?

     Now, I'll give you another example:

     My friends and I are weird, and sometimes, we will hug another one of our friends as we walk down the hallway.  Not once have we ever been reprimanded for showing PDA.

     One more example:

     Me, Tanner, and my cousin, Jason, are all very close.  Whenever we see Jason in the hallway, I give him a hug, and then Tanner gives him a hug.  Never has Tanner or Jason been reprimanded for giving hugs to other guys, or been accused of PDA with dudes.

     Now, I ask you: do you see anything wrong with these three pictures?  I do.  If guys can hug members of the same sex, and girls can do the same, then I think members of the opposite sex should be allowed to hug without it being called out as showing PDA.  It's discrimination, otherwise.
     Not to mention, what harm is there in a hug?  None.  In fact, it is scientifically proven that hugs are good for your heart and overall health.

"Well, it appears that human contact through hugs lowers blood pressure and reduces stress, which cuts the risk of heart disease. Hugs have also been shown to improve overall mood, increase nerve activity, and a host of other beneficial effects. Positive physical touch has an immediate anti-stress effect, slowing breathing and heart rate."  This is a direct quote from the website http://www.smart-heart-living.com/hugs-and-heart.html.  It's a very interesting article.  Go have a read.  Also, try this article if you want to know some more about the benefits of hugs: http://ccn.aacnjournals.org/content/24/3/8.full

"We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth."
—Virginia Satir, family therapist

     Now, I know, yes, hugs between couples do happen.  I hug Tanner all the time.  But I also hug my friends, my family, and, heck, even my dog.  Hugging is not a sexual activity.  When we hug someone, we hug them to let them know we love, support, and care about them.  What about when a student hugs a teacher?  By the definition of the school board, that is also considered PDA, and isn't allowed in school.  A hug may be a display of affection, but so is patting someone on the back, or putting a hand on another person's shoulder, and the school hasn't banned that.  Wouldn't that sound just ridiculous if they did?
     So, teachers, I beg you: the next time you see two people hugging, please, don't reprimand them.  Be happy that, in this technological age where two people can become acquainted online, develop into best friends, but never even meet in person, you are still seeing kids physically showing one another that they care.  Besides, everyone needs a hug now and again.

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

Prayer Request

     This is Jamey.  She's a fun-loving, wonderful girl in my senior class.  Jamey was just in a car accident, and she needs your prayers.  Please pray for her recovery, and for her family.  She's an amazing friend to everyone, and her classmates love her to death.  We can't wait until she comes home.

--Max

Let's Play Catch-Up..

     For my one hundred and first post, I thought I'd begin with a little goal for myself:
. . . .
I will read one hundred (or more) books this year.
. . . .
This is an idea I stole from my sister.  At the moment, we are tied 2-2, although I don't know if I should count reading books I've already read, but whatever.

     Second, I should probably mention what mischief I have been up to since our last encounter...yeah, I got nothin'.  Ha, no, but seriously, not much has been going on, unless you count the numerous scraps of watercolor paper I have destroyed while attempting to get my desired effect.  Which just reminded me that I have two sketchbooks due tomorrow.  Crud.
     Anyhow, in my independent study that I'm taking in art class, I thought it would be a good idea (if I want to become an art teacher) to practice a little painting.  I hate painting, just so you know.  But I told myself I was going to try and master at least one type of painting.  I chose watercolor, mostly because it's the most difficult for me.  After numerous sketches and watercolor mistakes, I have finally begun to work on my project.  When I get the chance, I'll post some of my example pieces, or even my final piece, which is due this week, and I just started yesterday.  By the way, the canvas I'm working on is 23 inches by 26 inches, or somewhere around there.  Yeah, big canvas.  But, I should be done by tomorrow, so then I'll take a picture and put it up.

     Jumping to a completely different topic, tomorrow--which is the 19th of January, for those of you who have trouble remembering what day it is (or will be)--is Tanner's birthday.  He'll be 18, and me and a friend will be dragging him into town to get registered to vote.  So, for those of you that know Tanner personally, wish him a happy birthday.  But don't bother doing it on Facebook, because he's never on.  So, just tell him to his face, okay, thanks.

     On a more serious note, I've been extremely restless, lately.  I can't sleep to save my life, and my temper wick is less the half an inch long sometimes.  I've been wanting to write, but I can't put my finger on what it is I want to write about.  Although, I think I might have just found it.  Or maybe I am still feeling the affects of the book I just finished reading.  Speak is the title, in case you were curious.  If you know what that book is about, and have read it, you might have some idea of what I want to write about at this moment, especially if you know me really well; you can glean my reasoning behind picking that topic if you know about my past, if that makes any sense at all.  And that's all I'm going to say on the topic.  If I do what I say I'm going to do, then you'll be reading an excerpt soon enough.  Until then...

This is Maximum Sunshine, signing off.  Αντίο και ο Θεός ταχύτητας.

Glitch...

     Okay, so, for some reason, I am unable to reply to comments.  It's really starting to get on my nerves, and I can't get it figured out.  So, please, anyone who comments, don't think I'm ignoring you, I just can't reply to you. Thank you to those of you still giving me feedback on the new renovations.

P.S. (A reply to JMDH) I would never boot my ghost fish off the page.  If I did that, they'd probably come back to haunt me. =]

Toodle-loo,
Max

FINISHED!

     Okay, renovations are through.  Come see the new Max's Life And Beyond, and leave me your thoughts on it!  Let me know if there's anything that's too lightly colored to read, and I will fix it ASAP.  Enjoy!

Max

ATTENTION!!

     Hey, guys.  I just thought I'd give you all a heads-up: Max's Life And Beyond is getting a makeover!  So, the next time you visit, it will probably look a whole lot different.  Blogger has updated a lot of its design options, such as font type, and, since I have time and feel like a change... Well, thus, the makeover.  If you aren't a fan of the renovations, then, well, my apologies.  Right now, the site is under construction, but this does not mean you cannot visit it.  My construction will have no effect on you being able to read blogs, so don't worry.  The site will remain open for your leisure.  Once renovations have been finished (which should be by the end of this evening), I will post an entry so you can all come check it out.  Until then...

Toodle-loo,
Max