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.