Moondance – Nightwish

Ok, so I went more with a blue/grey theme. Blue beats red in my eyes anyway. ;)

It’s been raining for the past four days and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. This song seemed to fit with the nature of rain, wouldn’t you say? Starts out slow, just a few drops at a time, and then before you know it, it’s coming down in torrents.
There are times when the rain comes down steadily, but softly. Those times I simply enjoy standing in the rain with my head turned to the sky. The soft pattering sound calms everything and it is as though anything riotous and polluted is washed away, leaving an open clean world in its wake.
Then there are other times that the rain comes with thunder and lightning (and if you’re in TN, tornadoes >_> ). A magnificent display of light and sound so powerful, you’re far safer watching it from a sheltered place. You can’t help but to be excited by it, either in terror or enthrallment: your choice.
I’m reminded of a verse in Matthew.
Matthew 5:45 “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (KJV)
I love the rain.

On a random side note: my favorite part of November Rain is from about 7:00 to the very end ^_^



I’ve passed the 100-hour mark on my field lab, putting me at 102 hours now.

Thursday last week, I went to a cancer children’s hospital with my sister. We were helping out a lady with her art lesson. We crafted little beads out of clay and made necklaces with the girls. The boys made little ornament things from the clay.
I enjoyed my time there, despite staying silent for the most part.
It’s not much, just to be there to make little clay figurines and such with the children. It’s not a cure. I can’t promise them a healthy life. I certainly can’t promise them tomorrow. But it’s a way of giving them hope. Hope that, through this momentary happiness, they can find the strength to keep fighting.

A few verses from Proverbs come to mind.
Proverbs 15:13 “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”
17:22 “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
18:14 “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?”

That’s the way I see it. My sister and I are scheduled to go back on Tuesday. I’m looking forward to it.


I’ve gotten some major writing done over the weeks. I’m getting closer and closer to the bridge that spans the first major gap in my writing. Note I said first, as in the first of many. :P
Kudos to SA for the many much needed word wars.
On that note, I thank EDJ for his *ahem* “moral support.” Just don’t be expecting any non-explosive cookies anytime soon.
Misty! Where be ye, lass? If I didn’t’ know any better, I’d say EDJ burned yer house down again. Ye needs to stop poofing so we can get some work into ISC before the summer is over.



Green Thunder for the win ^_^

Diary of Jane – Breaking Benjamin

Bah, I really couldn’t decide between using several different songs. Everything ranging from Don’t Fear the Reaper to Europa crossed my mind. I eventually settled on writing three semi-scattered sections with three songs.
Ah well, for those of you who can actually listen to the music on here, you can stay and listen to it all you like, I will warn you though I have a song for every shade of color on the spectrum. Consider this blue/grey to red. It won’t be for long though. Who knows, the next one might be pink… *wrinkles nose* A very dignified shade of pink, mind you. None of that candy coated stuff.

*ahem*



Anyway…

There’s always a melancholic sort of peace listening to soviet funeral music. It’s as if this last glorious musical piece is to somehow annul the physical loss. Everyone in the neighborhood can hear the brass playing at the funeral, especially since the funerals are conducted right outside the apartment entrance. I woke up this morning to the melodic sound. It’s somewhat ironic, being awoken from the dead of sleep by the music being played at someone else’s funeral.

*pokes EDJ* I somehow blame you for the irony >_>

I’ve always found the phrase in this song “die for anyone” intriguing.
Probably because of my... habit… of wanting to help people with their problems. If someone’s sick, hurting, angry, sad, I want to be there for him or her. Regardless of the cost or damage I may or may not receive, I want to help them and I will do everything in my power to help them.

I’m still trying to find my place in this world. At least, that’s what I find myself thinking. Then I have to stop and admit there is no place for me here. I don’t belong here. WE don’t’ belong here. It’s that simple. This is not our home. At least, not permanently.
I grew up with a very different way of life. One in which I am ever so grateful for. I cannot express how deeply thankful I am for my parents and the way they reared me.
Back to my point though, this is the only life I know. It’s the only life I’m fully capable of living and it’s only natural that I would want to follow it.

But sometimes, the sneaking little suspicion that maybe this isn’t that path I’m supposed to follow shows itself. Maybe I’m supposed to be doing something else. Though this doubt is usually eradicated swiftly with the knowledge that I’m already doing what I should be doing. But then I’m reminded that no living person knows what the future holds. Which just brings me full circle. In the meantime, I do what I do best. Whether that is helping with plumbing, sawing through drywall, signing up to clean, or just being a listening ear or attentive eyes, that’s what I’ll do.


Moving on…
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

I’ve been reading through the book “The Ugly American” lately for my field lab.
I’m impressed so far. It is nothing like I expected, yet everything I would expect. Now let me explain that. I didn’t know what to expect upon opening the book. Some rant about Americans by a foreign author maybe? I don’t know. But as I read it, it was painfully obvious how ignorant of particular situations people can be. Not just some random war that they have nothing to do with, but occurrences in which they SHOULD know better. They have no excuse not to know the situation they are involved in.

From what I’ve read so far, each chapter in the book focuses on a different individual and shows the events unfold through their eyes. The setting is roughly the same for them, as they all are connected in some way to a particular country and the politics thereof. However, through each of these eyes the reader sees just how blind some of the individuals really are. Particularly the ones from America. Not all Americans are that way, but admittedly, Americans have a reputation of either not knowing or not wanting to know. About the people, the culture, the hardships, all very real life situations for millions of people around the world. Yet this attitude of trying to “Americanize” the “uncultured” people of another land reflects very badly on every American when the only representatives out there are the ones pushing this system.
Maybe some people can’t help it. Some Americans, probably subconsciously, feel they have to be someone else when they’re in foreign land. They play the tourist. That’s fine and all that if you actually ARE a tourist, but otherwise, be yourself.

Here’s a quote from one of the people in the book to kind of help you get my point:

"The simple fact is, Mr. Ambassador, that the average Americans, in their natural state, if you will excuse the phrase, are the best ambassadors a country can have,” Magsaysay said. “They are not suspicious, they are eager to share their skills, they are generous. But something happens to most Americans when they go abroad. Man of them are not average… they are second-raters. Many of them, against their own judgment, feel that they must live up to their commissaries and big cars and cocktail parties. But get an unaffected American, sir, and you have an asset. And if you get one, treasure him – keep him out of the cocktail circuit, away from bureaucrats, and let him work in his own way." (Lederer)

At least put in an effort to understand the people you are around.
All the little mistakes the Americans made along with all the little victories the Communists gained really made it seem like the Americans were inadvertently handing the country over the Communists on a silver platter. Ignorance is not bliss. Neither is it excusable or acceptable.

*Exhales* Ok, I think I’m done harping on my own people. But please… just use a little common sense sometimes, please?



*sigh* Alright, I’m done.

Now then, for a little more pleasantness. I at least want to end on a happier note. New worlds are always a sign of hope, right?
Back on track then.

I’m 80 hours into my field lab. This week that has mostly included helping my father cut out and fold 40 directories for our congregation. I already told you how much I’m enjoying my book for required reading. I’ve been writing various notes as I go through the chapters to make the book report easier to write later.

Our bathroom still has a hole in the wall. New problems keep us from really using the toilet on that side of the apartment. As far as the running water in the basement, we haven’t heard anything. They must have taken care of it for now because we haven’t heard any complaints either.

I’ve finally had the inspiration to practice playing the piano again.
*pokes EDJ again* Thank yer original for me for that one.
Anyway, I printed out notes to a song I really like and have been practicing that. Asides from my family, who shall have to endure it until I am sent overseas again, I’m keeping the song I’m playing a secret. I’m pretty sure I got the easiest version of the song. It’s 6 pages long, but I’m already on the second page. Which is pretty much zooming through it, considering my normal note-reading pace. The left hand is a little tricky, but I’m happy with my progress. ^_^

Writing.
Ah yes that thing where people put words together to make tales worth reading. I’m working on it. Hanna’s prequel is moving along nicely, but I still haven’t bridged the gap between what I have on the separate blog and what I’ve written for JuNoWriMo. Writing everything from Shard/Hanna’s perspective can be a little draining at times. I’m looking forward to the lighter parts. Parts filled with the interesting and surviving characters.

Now then, I do believe I shall take my leave.

As Hanna so aptly put it, “If you need me... do without."






Lederer, William, and Eugene Burdick. The Ugly American. New York: Norton & Company, 1999. Print.

Waving Flag - K'naan

I probably should have updated this a while ago, but it’s been crazy since I’ve been home.

Potluck, Ladies’ Day, guests, jetlag, plumbing, cleaning day, dish days, cherries, hot water, cold water, word wars… yeah. Busy.

I’ve already gotten more than 55 hours in for my field lab. I haven’t even started reading my book for the book report yet.

My siblings have certainly made me feel at home



Notice how many sheets of paper they used? That thing is HUGE! :P

Getting back on track has been like trying to follow a sleep-deprived writer's train of thought.
Try it sometime.

But even now, I am soooo glad to be back home.
It's like time traveling back to my own time-period.
...not that anyone other than Marty McFly would really know how that feels, but you get the point.

Oh how I've missed the simple things of home, such as properly built swings. I have no earthly idea why Americans can't make a decent swing set. Sure, half the time our swings are broken and missing, but when they're there, they're awesome! I can swing, crochet, and listen to music without losing my balance for almost an hour. And when I stand up, my legs don't feel like they're going to fall off.

Ok, I've finished my swing rant.



Anyway,
The Ladies' Day we had went exceptionally well. my sister, mother, and I led a few songs and each presented a lesson.


Over the past few days, we've only had hot water on one side of the apartment because a pipe somewhere or other broke. So I've been told. The only way they could get to it was through our bathroom, so we had to have our toilet moved and part of the wall taken down so they could get to it. They fixed it in one day, so that's commendable, but that left us to move our toilet from out of the bathtub and back where it belonged. Though we're going to need help reinstalling it. As soon as we got cold water on the other end of the apartment, they shut off the hot water for the building. A normal procedure around this time of year, but the timing was exceptional, don't you think?

********** UPDATE **********

So around 11pm someone comes to our door telling us that there’s water running in the basement. At 1am, my mother and I go with a neighbor lady to try and get someone to turn the water off. We’re on the first floor, so we can hear the water running outside our door. The stairway to the basement is locked, with a heavy-duty soviet padlock, no less. We go to the entrance next door and call all the people on the neighbor lady’s list of people to call in such cases. No one picks up their home phone, no one answers their cell phone, no one answers the door. We’re at this for a good 30-45 minutes. The lady decides that there is one other person she can call, but she left the number in her apartment. Now, we have yet to hear if anyone can come over and shut the water off. In the meantime, my mother’s doing laundry before we run out of water. I love how every day is an adventure. ^_^

********************


On a side note, I've been writing more. One of my goals this summer, and for this month in particular, is to get my ISC prequel done. I have notes all over the place that I've been meaning to fit in to an actual story format. It's coming along nicely, but I'm still writing in scenes instead of chronologically. Though the last four or five scenes have been written chronologically, so I'm making progress. ^_^

Oddly enough, I've been thinking more about world history. (( Random Prussia mention )) Wars and battles, mostly. Though that may be because the latest scenes I've been writing have been more battle oriented...


Another random note, I need to get back on a regular sleeping schedule...



Strength and Honor!

I’ll Make a Man Out of You – Disney

Hah, you who are Freedies should have known I’d use this song.

You who are not, Freedies have a tendency to sporadically burst into song, usually Disney or Journey. This is one of the more popular songs and one in which is fun to sing when you have a decent sized group of people to sing it with. ^_^
Besides that, when I stop to think about it, this song fits pretty well with the topic.

Now, to the heart of the matter.
This is the second post today. Yayness. I was going to add this to the last post, but I realized that Freedies deserve their own space. Freedies are naturally a distinct group of people.

I think what I’ve come to realize is, most Freedies are students at Freed, but not all students at Freed are Freedies.

There is something special about this group of individuals. Something that sets them apart.
Certainly, Freedies know how to have fun. They’ll be the ones making the late night trips to Waffle House, having epic battles in the Wal-Mart toy sections, and asking for curfew extensions to make a last minute run to Wal-Mart for a fishbowl. Carnivals, Slip-n-Slides, Disney movie nights, Boog Busting, Makin’ Music, retreats, banquets, club cheers, intramurals, not to mention the million and one times the lion has been painted, just married pranks, and the suchlike are not uncommon on and around campus.

Even so, Freedies have a serious side too. They are devoted to helping people grow spiritually, academically, physically, and socially. They are dedicated to helping those around them as well as improving themselves in these areas. Freedies strive for a purpose greater than themselves. In dire times, they rise to the challenge, even without being asked. They go on mission trips (stateside and abroad), raise money, raise awareness, and donate both resources and time to disaster relief projects. They give of themselves freely in order to serve God and their fellow man.

I got the chance to work with a group of Freedies yesterday. We helped clean out trees from out and around a destroyed house. Two severely bent trees were the only things supporting what was left of it. The chaos was incredible.




Driving down the road, one could see a few perfectly untouched houses, but then come across what can only be assumed was a house because of all the debris. One part of town, perfectly fine, the other part of town, demolished. It wasn’t just a straight line of destruction either. The town we were working in had hills and valleys, which apparently created multiple vortexes (at least, I think that’s what the biochem major of the group said… something along those lines anyway). There was one place where a whole hillside where the trees were stripped, broken, or missing, yet in the midst of it stood an entirely whole house. With the house we were working on, one would move a log, a piece of roof, some branches, and decapitated doll to find a box of unbroken china. One tree that was moved had a shingle embedded in it. Of course, this is all coming from someone whose only experience with tornadoes came from watching Wizard of Oz for most of her life… but still, that’s got to be impressive by anyone’s standards. When they’re talking winds beyond 250 MPH, you know it’s bad. Even so, there are places that have had it far worse. The death toll increases and there are still many people unaccounted for. Jobs, homes, and lives have been lost.

We rise to the challenge. Ready, willing, and able to serve.

I was only there one day, but that message rang loud and clear. Now that I think back, there were many times that this message was presented directly to me and around me. I regret being too caught up in my own life to see the message sooner. I was so caught up with what I was supposed to be doing, that I failed to just relax, leave it in God’s hands, and do what I do best: do my best and serve others.

Freedies made me proud yesterday. I didn’t know all of them that well (the ones I did know were only familiar through Makin’ Music), but it didn’t matter. We were all there with the same goal: to help people in need.



Yesterday morning, I was waiting for a call. It was a call from a mother telling me she was on her way to pick me up and take me to the work site. I was impatient. I was excited. I was ready. I wanted more than anything to get over there as soon as possible so I could do as much good as I possibly could. All that was running through my mind was Isaiah’s response to God’s call, “Here am I; send me” (Isa. 5:8). Why aren’t we all that excited about God’s call? He has called every one of us: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Why aren’t we all as eager and willing as we should be?
In the end, I don’t think we did as much as we would have liked, despite doing a lot. We all came back looking nasty, feeling worn, and smelling like smoke, but we did all we could do for that area. It will take time for a broken place to heal.

~ Strength and Honor ~

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye

It never fails, I always think of “Remember the Titans” when I hear this song. Which of course reminds me of my family.
I’m going home. It feels good to just to say it, even if it is only to myself every now and then.

It seems that it’s only when things slow down that they start to sink in. I was at a friend’s high school shindig on Friday night (I left Freed that morning) and I realized that I was subconsciously expecting to see Freedies. I guess in order to make up for that, my mind started playing FHU club cheers on repeat. I’m still adjusting to being away from Freed, apparently. It’s hard to believe I’ve been here a whole school year. My freshman year has passed fairly well. I made new friends, made some mistakes, learned life lessons, won a few victories, and lost a few battles along the way. And this was all compacted into one school year. Inconceivable!

Same issues, altered perspectives and updates: It’s still rock and roll to me.

What’s the matter with the clothes I’m wearing?
I’m fairly certain my style has changed a little since being in the states. I still pretty much wear jeans and t-shirt weekdays and a dress or skirt on Sundays, but now that’s not all my wardrobe consists of. Even I’m shocked.

What’s the matter with the car I’m driving?
I got to go driving twice in the past week. It hasn’t been too hard getting rides to places, it has been a little inconvenient when you can’t find a ride and you have to ask someone new. That’s probably just me though. *shrugs* I still miss my family’s van. Nothing can compare to that two ton mass of metal and power. I may yet figure out a way to get to my baby without too much hassle, assuming the gas prices ever take a nosedive over the next couple years.

Don’t waste your money on a new set of speakers. You get more mileage from a cheap pair of sneakers.
Last point confirmed.

What’s the matter with the crowd I’m seeing?
I have friends. I have a lot of friends. I have friends all over the world. It’s both astounding and encouraging to think about when you’re in a new place. Somewhere between last semester and this semester, I’ve become more social. I don’t know what the deal is, but apparently it’s a good thing… dependent on the crowd, of course.

Should I try to be a straight A student? If you are then you think too much.
There are certain areas that I want to be perfect. Grades are one of them. Whereas last semester I had good grades and almost no social life… I got the social life part this semester. You can guess what that led to, academically speaking. Ah well, let’s assume I’m going to be working harder next semester, because I plan on it. Along that line, I’m hoping for an actual job as well, so we’ll see how that goes.

Until the Lord comes, the world keeps spinning. People are still people. Situations don’t change. People don’t change. How you deal with them changes.

~ Always Hope ~

Kryptonite – Three Doors Down

Welcome, wondering wayfarer and weary wanderer.

Salutations and joyous greetings, for to read this note is to mean that you still follow my ever shifting, yet repetitive, train of thought. If you don’t always follow the train, at least you are attempting to follow the tracks thereof. If even the tracks are too hidden, follow the footprints, for I often lose my train and have to go find it again myself.

As much as I enjoy my time here, I find myself feeling more and more worn and spent as the days go on. My usually high patience and tolerance levels are getting nearer to the brink of breaking. Sometimes I think my concern for others and/or compassion is not as prominent as it once was. I shall refrain from saying I feel like “butter scraped over too much bread.” However, I will attest to needing a long holiday. Not permanent (as much as I would or would not wish it so), just long enough to rejuvenate my being. After being enveloped in this foreign society for such an extended period of time, I need time to refocus.

It’s hard to believe that it has already been nearly an entire school year.
Crazy! Impossible! Yet true.
So much has happened in what feels has been a short time.
I’ve made more friends that I ever thought was humanly possible. I have faced challenges I refused to believe would ever exist.

In some instances, I took a leap of faith. In others, I firmly held my ground. Still others, (more than I would care to admit) I hovered over a choice, too afraid to fly and too stubborn to stay down.

In the end, I want to be able to say that I helped the many people I came in contact with, I went beyond what was asked of me, and I put forth my best effort in everything I put my hand to.
When I look back though, all I can really say is that I only did what was asked of me. There were a few times when I went the extra half a mile, perhaps even the full mile, to help a friend or even someone I knew would most likely not repay me (though I hoped they would, thus kept track of it anyway). I will be the first to admit fault, though the last to vocalize it. Perhaps I am too hard on myself.

Ah well, come, come, tis time for more lively talk.

Finals are just around the corner, but the last few weeks have been packed with more than school requirements. Some of you may yet know that I have had an ear infection in both ears for the past three weeks. The first week I pretty much ignored the irritation and assumed it to be due to the cold I had. Soon enough, the cold disappeared in importance as the pain in my ears was robbing me of music, peace, and sleep. Apparently I can be surpassingly stubborn. Finally being persuaded to see the doctor, I was given medication (not before nearly passing out and accidentally breaking a vase, but tis a story for another time) and a doctor’s note for the two classes I missed. I do believe one of the more prominent thoughts during that time was, “So this is what lightheadedness feels like. I don’t like it.” The next week, I went back and found that the infection was still there, thus was prescribed stronger antibiotics. Thankfully, the last time I went back, he said that the infection had cleared up significantly and unless the symptoms returned, I did not have to see him again. Oddly enough, I’ve been twice as quiet as I normally am in this period of time. Ah well, silence is my strong suit anyway.

Hmm, that paragraph did not sound as lighthearted as I had hoped. Let’s try again.

Last weekend, I watched the Shakespearean play “The Taming of the Shrew” and its successor, “The Woman’s Prize.” I heartily agreed to write an article for the newspaper on the play. A few of my friends were in the play, thus making the information gathering process that much easier and the play that much more enjoyable to watch. In fact, I watched the play twice. The second time I went was the last time it was to be performed. After the performance, the actors were to stay and take down the set. Once I heard whoever was in charge mention that they needed people to grab drills, I promptly asked him if I could help. His hesitance was obvious (he asked me if I was incompetent, for crying out loud :P ), though I still managed to get my hands on a drill and start unscrewing what must have been a thousand screws holding the set together. Others had drills as well, of course. I cannot tell you enough how much I had missed working with wood and power tools. The last time I had done any significantly big project with wood was when I helped my father make a waterbed frame quite a few years ago. After the set was completely dismantled, the group was off to waffle house for a cast party. I got to go with them. ^_^

Then earlier this week, I met with a Bible teacher to discuss creating a field lab for when I go home. I can now get credit hours by helping the church back home. Of course, tis more technical than that. Some requirements include a daily journal, a 2-3-page book review, and a 5-7-page paper on the history of the church in Ukraine. This will help me gain credit hours for future reference, but more importantly, I’m hoping it will help me grow spiritually. By forcing myself to step outside my comfort zone, I will now grab hold of opportunities that I would normally let pass by.

People ask why I would do such a thing. Of course, they also ask what I’m going to do with my Computer Science degree. Sometimes I wish people could see the world the way I see it. Nay, there have been many times I wished such. For one thing, it would make my having to explain the “odd” things I do less tedious. Here is where the lack of patience part comes in. Where once before I would joyfully explain things, now tis to the point that I have to keep myself from becoming frustrated with the onslaught of questions. I enjoy questions, I truly do. Even the repetitive ones, they give me a chance to say the same thing several different ways and watch people’s reactions. But with some people, I find myself mentally screaming at them to stop. Tis a very nerve wrecking experience. In one instance, I want people to be more inquisitive, yet at the same time, I wish they would leave me alone. I am obviously not an extrovert.

Ack, I stumbled upon yet another stress relieving rant. My apologies. Let us continue on the positive path.

This weekend was eventful. Last night, I attended a formal banquet at the Hard Rock café with GTO, the insane Makin’ Music club I did the show with (by the by, I included a video of our performance below). After dinner, they gave out awards to various members of the club. Then today, I attended a Ladies’ Day one of the congregations in the area was hosting. The theme was “A worry free life,” a much-needed lesson by the looks of this post. The speaker had been working in Haiti for the past 15 years. Her example and lesson on how we should give our troubles and worries to God are a good reminder of what I’m really here for. Later today, GTO hosted FHU’s first ever Quidditch tournament. Yes, you read that right. The purpose in having a Quidditch tournament was to raise money for one of the local elementary schools.

Next weekend, I am participating in a walk to raise money to help Japan. I’ve been part of the planning committee for this walk for the past month. The goal is to raise $15,000 and the walk takes place May 7th. We’ve handed out fliers, made posters, written newspaper articles, and made chapel announcements for the event. This event is in collaboration with Soles4Souls, so people can donate shoes if they want, though this effort is really a push to send financial help.
And just because I’m a team player, feel free to check out the site. Donate if you wish, I promise not to hunt you down and give you poisoned cookies if you don’t (that’s EDJ’s job).

So, as you can very well see, there have been plenty of ups and downs in the last few weeks.
I’m sure there is much more to come, especially with finals and finally going home for some. To those who have helped my through this stressful time, I only hope I have not been too intolerable in return. If I have, you only have to put up with me for a couple more weeks. I shall return to my cheerfully optimistic self when I get home.

Until then…
Always Hope.

All The Right Moves - OneRepublic

Incredible! Just, wow. You would not believe half the stuff I did over the past two weeks.

Ok, so Feed has this thing called Makin’ Music. Apparently it’s a big deal. Every social club forms a cast and comes up with a 7 ½ minute long musical thing with pieces of rewritten songs and choreography. (Hey, best explanation I can come up with right now). A few months ago, my roomie asked me to be in her club’s cast because they were short on members. I promptly refused her request due to the busy schedule I already had (and to be honest, the idea of loud club activities kind of scares me). She left the subject alone for a time while she tried recruiting others. Eventually, she came back and begged me to help, giving me this whole sob story about how they only needed 5 more members otherwise they would not be able to compete. Having no proper idea of what I was getting myself into, I gave in. A few hours a week we would go to the auditorium and practice vocals, blocking, and staging. Then insane retreat weekend came. We were up and ready to practice choreography at 6:30. Every day that weekend we stayed until curfew (1:00 AM). Then almost every day after that, we practiced for a few hours. We performed Thursday for the children’s show, Friday’s evening show, and twice on Saturday. It was amazing every time. There were 6 clubs performing and each one of them worked their hardest. Unfortunately, our club did not place in any of the categories or get any awards, but we still had tons of fun preparing for and finally performing the show.

We had epic music, dressed up in awesome costumes, put on make up and face paint. I got to know the club members better and, dare I say it, I even started cheering with them. At the beginning, when they did their loud and obnoxious cheering, I stayed on the sidelines covering my ears. By the end of it, I was close to the middle jumping and cheering like mad. In the beginning, I didn’t really care for Makin’ Music, I was only there because I had to be. I cried when it was over. I had a giant heart plastered to my face. I wore a black wig. People actually could not recognize me! (OO) Insane right? (I actually like the wig, maybe I can get a longer one and put it up in pigtails or something... ;) )

I got very little sleep and my grades didn’t do so well, but I’m glad I did it.