this is the part where I ramble

Hi everyone, how are you? So, A, I think the US needs a new political party, and B, Bach's 20th fugue has it in for me.

B first. So, I've already learned a prelude and fugue set, I think the sixth(?), and I love the 20th prelude. The fugue is giving me trouble. First of all, it's just plain HARD. I don't know if having Mom look at it and say, "Whoa, I haven't looked at your music in awhile--this is really complicated!" somehow psyched me out or what. I really didn't try exTREMEly hard to learn it the first couple weeks--I think I was still working on other songs and it looked just a little bit scary. For some time, also, I had no idea that the piece wasn't 2 pages long. It's SIX. I think when I figured that out, the small shreds of valor that I still had were smashed.

Finally I realized I just needed some motivation. Everyone knows that the thing Katie likes best is food. Right? Right. And everyone knows that Katie reeeeallly reeeeeeeeaaalllly likes blizzards. So I thought to myself, when I've learned this whole piece, I'm taking myself out for a medium blizzard. Just remembering that raises my morale. And, so that I won't get discouraged along the way, I decided to buy myself something else nice when I've learned 3 pages--ie, a candy bar, some sourpatch kids, nail polish, earrings, or cool wet-erase markers for my to-do list. :-)

However, this afternoon, when I was trying to get a start on page 2 (I've had this piece for almost 4 weeks now, remember) the end of page three seemed a loooooooonng way off. To further complicate matters, our piano teacher suggested at my last lesson that I learn a page a week. This sounds logical--although it's taking me so long to learn this, I really should be capable of tackling this kind of piece more rapidly. However, in reality, this comes out to a line of music a day. I practice for an hour, and only about 35-40 minutes of that is devoted to this song. I could probably learn a lot more if I put my mind to it, like, a lot, but I'm having difficulties with that at the moment. Somehow it's a lot easier to learn a page a week when you know that by next week, you'll be done with the piece! Come to think of it, my other 2pg fugue took at least 4 weeks to learn. It was one of those pieces that I despised having to learn--then when the hard part (aka, getting it into my fingers) was over, I fell in love with it. I can think of at least two other songs that worked that way. If the pattern continues, I'll like this piece so much I won't be able to tear myself away from the piano.

I know, I'll have to learn it one way or another, it might as well be the easy way. The way where I actually try my best so I have no excuses when I've only learned 1 page in 2 weeks. If that. I probably can't honestly say that I've tried my best this week, at the moment. But I tried my best for at least the first three days...but now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place...I'll work it out.

That was probably completely unintelligible, but it was probably also more for my benefit than yours. *oh brother.* haha.

A. America needs a new political party. Like, one that stands by the Constitution, not their party's agenda. One that doesn't want the government to take control of things and will mandate that the people it elects read the Federalist papers, the Constitution, and a biography of a different framer of the Constitution regularly.

I have no idea if such a party is even feasible, it's just what I was thinking when I was reading my history books today.
_______________________________

Oh yeah, I remember now. This is what happens when I stay up half an hour later than usual too many nights in a row--I get disgusted with life and all self-commiserating. (Hence, the mysterious lack of smileys and exclamation points to which you are accustomed.) I think I better go snap out of it. Hope you all aren't disgusted with life/me now too, talk to you later!

PS--I just read over this and now I'm inwardly laughing at myself. So I guess it really did make me feel better. *crazy kid.*

Oh, and this wouldn't be a truly melancholy post if I failed to mention that my favorite song on the new RK CD has switched from "Faking my own Suicide" to "Deathbed." Just kidding, I like a bunch of the other songs too, don't worry about me! I just had to put that so that I'd be outwardly laughing at myself too. *twisted teen.*

:-D How that made me all better, I don't know. But I'm definitely in a better mood now. Did I mention that this post was going to be a rambler? You get major KT points if you made it through the whole thing--I'll even help you pay for the therapy sessions you'll probably need. :-D luv you guys.

French2

Isn't it ironic how when they're teaching you how to ask someone to repeat something more slowly, you can read the thing they said fast along with them, but not the bit about "I'm sorry, I'm learning French. Could you repeat that more slowly please?"

French

Isn't it ironic that when they're teaching you how to ask someone to repeat something more slowly, they speak so fast that you can't read along?

We have tulips growing out of our compost heap.

:-)

And I got done with school before 5 three days in a row now.

:-)

life is good.

:-D

haha I love this song. It's even better when it's a country song on a rock CD.

So, I've made up my mind
I will pretend to leave this world behind
And in the end, you'll know I've lied
To get your attention
I'm faking my own suicide

I'm faking my own suicide
Because I know you love me
You just haven't realized
I'm faking my own suicide
They'll hold a double funeral
Because a part of you will die
Along with me

I wish you thought that I was dead
So rather than me
you'd be depressed instead
And before arriving at my grave
You'd come to the conclusion
You'd loved me all your days
But it's too late
Too late for you to say

Because I'm faking my own suicide
Because I know you love me
You just haven't realized
Oh, I'm faking my own suicide
They'll hold a double funeral
Because a part of you will die
Along with me

I'll write you a letter that you'll keep
Reminding you your love for me is more than six feet deep
You say aloud that you would have been my wife
Right about that time
Is when I come back to life
And let you know
I'd let you know

All along I was
Faking my own suicide
Because I know you love me
You just never realized
I was faking my own suicide
I'll walk in that room and see your eyes opened so wide
Opened so wide
Because you know
Because you know you will never leave my side
Until the day that I die for the first time
And we'll laugh, yeah we'll laugh
And we will cry
So overjoyed with our love that's so alive
Our love is so alive

hey everyone

Life is so huge! haha.

that pretty much sums things up.

college--I'm going to my first college visit day ever at Akron on Saturday.

youth group--I want to get together with you people more often!

school--has been taking way too long. I haven't finished before 5 at all this week. I know, I know--I start at 9, finish at 5, what's the big deal? Well, yesterday I started at 8:45 and finished at 6:20...and that's all I did. School. With probably a 45-min lunch break. All. Day. I think I DO need more social interaction...ah well...who wants to come over? or call me? or comment me? or myspace me? or e-mail me? lots of options...:-)

SAT--yeah. studying away. I think I need to do a lot of studying if I'm going to score higher. Because I lost some skills...oh well.

Running--I ran Tuesday! hurrah for perfect running weather! I'm still sore from it, but oh well. I'm also sore from pitchfalls at dance yesterday.

Dance--is going well. :-)

LT--fundraisers? Leaders? 92 days? oh yes.

Babysitting...couple days coming up and alll summer long. :-D

driving--I need to do more of it. I just don't go anywhere. :-P

the new RK CD--is really cool.

like I said, life is huge.

and good. most of the time--well, all of the time, I just don't notice some of the time. :-P

I love the thrift store

2 shirts

1 skirt

1 purse (which, by the way, is extremely similar to one featured in Lucky Magazine for $45)

for $8.50.

now that's what I'm talking about.

Ok, so Abby and I ARE splitting the cost and use of one of the shirts.

All the same, that's only $1.

:-D

TIME FOR A POST! QUIOPQWERUIOP QWERUIOP

I'll just use short phrases and then expound on things if I feel like it. :-D

trip to grandparents: mucho fun, mucho food!

home again: gorgeous weather! I'm so ready for summer clothes!

We got Easter outfits and I was reminded of how terribly hot summer clothes are.

lots to do! Not sure what, but there sure is a lot of it!

I got my driver's license! I know you all know that but I just thought I should mention it for posterity because I don't remember putting it on here. I haven't driven more than .5 miles on my own, though.

I have lots of applications: LT and [the college where I'll probably be taking postsecondary's] soon?

SAT again or no SAT again?

LT fundraisers...yup yup.

*SATURDAY*: I drifted away from the post so that's all I did. If you'd like me to expound on one of the topics, comment and I'll (probably) oblige.

press on! :-)

no more miss nice girl :-P

"I guess I'd rather take the risk of disappointing people by not being good enough than disappoint God by not being brave enough." ~Lynne Hybels, Nice Girls Don't Change the World (but dangerous women do).

FEAR

guess what?

I'm going to get my ears double pierced.

:-D

Maybe not today, but I AM going to get a haircut today. :0)

Just thought you'd all like to know.

ACT

This is my 276th post. Just thought you'd all like to know.

My ACT scores came Monday. They were almost exactly parallel to my SAT scores, which is really funny. Also, it was exactly the same as the practice test I took. I probably won't take that one again, but Dad still thinks I should take the SAT again, because he thinks I can do better on the math and essay. I probably can. And like he said, it wouldn't take much studying since I'm still taking the math everyday. We shall see...I don't have to sign up till sometime in April. :-)

I was going to blog about something else but now I can't remember. Oh well...I'll talk to you all later. Maybe it was how I've been finishing school super early this week......that's been nice. They're working on our basement--it's starting to look how it's supposed to (I haven't seen it yet, but that's what they tell me.)

Tonight we're having Pulled Pork sandwiches for dinner and I'm happy about that.

adios amigos!

things that happened today

I went out for breakfast with Kay, which was nice+fun+good.

I finished the SAT math section that I started yesterday (I have no other math at the moment so that's just what we're using) and I got all 20 problems right, which was exciting+encouraging+cool.

I ate a peanut butter cookie with water and a Greta snuggling on the side while I watched HP2 and earned $5000 dollars in word auction on the spanish dictionary for Spanish, which was cozy+happifying+nice.

We found out that the finishing of the basement will commence Monday, which was crazy+good+the reason I have to stop now. Still more cleaning to be done!

ha!

I

Posted

Three

Times

In

February.

you're all in for it

You know why? Because I feel like I just drank a lot of root beer. Yeah, the kind with CAFFEINE!!! I'm a little crazy right now. So you get to hear all about my life recently.

Where to start? How bout last Saturday? I took the ACT in the morning. I really hope I'm done with those. More on that later. While I was taking it, Mom and Dad met with Owens-Corning and bought a finished basement. Pretty much spur-of-the-moment, yeah. So I got home and went, Oh. Ok. Cool. The thing was, we had 3 days to change our minds, so they were kind of trying to decide if we actually wanted to do it or not. Sure enough, by Monday night, not only had they decided that it would be good, but that they wanted to finish more of it than previously planned. That means that we need to clean it out big time. Before and afters on the way? I think so.

Mom, Hannah and I also went dress shopping for the Celtic Ball. Which is in two weeks. For which I have no dress. All I can say is that's all I'm doing this Saturday.

What next? Oh--Tuesday was pretty awesome. You know, the day that it started snowing and never stopped. Why was it so awesome? Not only did we get the night off from DANCE, PIANO, and SMALL GROUP, I got to take off a little bit of school to babysit Ella and Riley (and the two new canine additions to the family, Buck and Trix. :-) So Tuesday was amazing because I woke up thinking, "I'm not sure I can stand too much more of this," and then we pretty much got the whole day off.

Wednesday: Second verse, same as the first, a little bit louder and a whole lot worse. Valentine's Day! More snow! And then--more snow!! And then--more time off school! Mom was making sugar cookies because Dad specially requested them (and how could she say no on Valentine's Day??) and I had to do French and then I would be done with school. But I REALLY wanted to make cookies and I thought that Mom wouldn't mind the help, so I asked if I could skip it and she said yes! So I got to get off school early to make cookies. (I mean the rest of the world got the entire day off! Even homeschoolers can skive off occasionally, right? :-) Then the evening was fun cuz I called Meg and we watched Psych (which is pretty much my new favorite show, the more episodes I see the more I like it) and we got to eat a bunch of awesome food (homemade heart-shaped pizza [death by flavor] and the cookies we made and some ice cream. [death by happiness]) (fyi: I pretty much dressed in all these colors yesterday. :-D)

Then there's today. This is the "More on that later part." Today was--still is--the day when the SAT scores were posted online. I got a really good score--and was disappointed because it was about 50 points shy of what I was hoping for. So now I'm torn between saying goodbye to the stupid thing forever, and taking it again just to satisfy my own high expectations. Do I decide that the time I could spend preparing for it (again) could be better spent on other things, or do I give in to the part of me that's always calling me to do better and reach for the stars? I do not know. I was happy with my Critical reading score, and my writing score wasn't bad, but I really think I could improve my essay and math scores. We shall see. At least I did score high enough to get my ears double pierced, and to have cookie-dough brownies and Subway tonight. I love special things like valentine's day, football, and test results--and about 75% of that enjoyment is because of the food. What can I say--I'm addicted. :-P

Let's see. Anything else? You can now apply for LT. We're making a stupid video to show there. It's Thursday and I LOVE THURSDAYS!!!!! Like, just about as much as Fridays. :-P The numbers 2-9-07 are the same as the color combo red, yellow and green. 1-5-6 or 7 is more pastel purple and blue and white. Don't ask me why, I really just don't know. Similarly, girls seem even and boys seem odd. (*...*) Blue's odd and red's even. Winter is white, summer is yellow, autumn is red, and spring is pink. October is blue. August is copper. I better stop before the psychologists get too excited about my craziness and decide that they need to take me in for questioning. Or before you all decide you don't want to be friends with someone so obviously out of their minds.

you betcha I'm out of my mind.

Love you all, call or e-mail or myspace if you need anything or just want to talk. :-D

Katie*** * * * * * * * *~* * ** * <3

hey everyone

Well, I was going to write a kind of gloomy, pointless post (you never know, this could still turn into one) and then I read Gina's xanga (from like, the past month) and that got me into a decent mood. Decent enough to post something coherent.

Let's see. What has happened since January 18th. Wow, I only posted 2ce in January. I shall add that to my February resolutions list: post THREE times in February. Am I just a little over the top with finding reasons to make resolutions?

I survived the SAT. Now if I can only survive the two weeks until the scores are posted online, and if only I can survive looking at them...yeah. I hope I either did badly or really well so that there won't be any "well, that was pretty good, but it's not as good as I was hoping...but it's still a good score...so should I keep it or not?"

Oh, and don't forget, it would be nice to survive the ACT. Yup pretty much. I have less time to prepare for that. *gulp*

I suppose it would be pretty pointless and gloomy to rant about how I wish I had more time to talk to all my buddies on the weekdays when I have an entire hour of free time before me...so I'll restrain myself. lucky you. :-P

somebody leave a nice comment to cheer me up? :-)

luv you guys.

tee hee hee

So I'm pretty much totally hyper right now. No idea where that came from. :-)

Ok. Life in the past...um...13 days.

Youth group: Rocks. As usual. I love you guys!! :-D We need to a. have tiedown soon and b. have a big random party.

School: Finally has a decent, workable system that makes me very happy and usually has me finishing before 5. :-D EVEN THOUGH I'm doing like, an hour of SAT prep a day. (hermione?) I better score high enough to get my ears double pierced. tee hee hee. If I score within a hundred points of the equivalent of my PSAT score I can get them double pierced. (I a. was going to talk them into letting me pierce them eventually and b. wanted to score that high anyway, so it's all good.)

Excuse me while I consume my evening meal.


(and then go make cookies, and then watch Beethoven lives upstairs, and then go to bed. Perhaps I will post later. If not, love to all, and to all a good night.)

Wrapping up Christmas break (along with the first week back)

I will now proceed to review the list of 10 things I wanted to do on Christmas break.

1. Redecorate my bulletin board. This is still a work in progress. It's about halfway done...haha. When you come over to my house next you need to see it. :-)
2. Talk on the phone for 3 hours (not straight, not with one person, just total. :-) This I did accomplish, even after I changed it to 5 after talking to meghan for 2 hours (straight.) I think some was with Gina and some was with Cayley and the other 45 minutes was my grandma I think...we've been talking every day since we got the new phone. Yay!
3. Get all the rest of my Christmas presents. Cutting it close, aren't I? Definitely check.
4. Read 2 books. At least. And also, finish The Children of Willesden Lane. I don't think I actually did this. But I did finish the CoWL.
5. Load all our crazy pictures onto i. the computer. ii. myspace. Abby helped with this.
6. Not pig out on more than 3 of the days: Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. :-) I'm pretty sure I managed that. Although there was that one day when we played 3 games of clue and ate chocolate covered pretzels and chocolate covered caramel corn and almonds...but I didn't totally pig out on the three exception days, so I'm going to count this one as an accomplishment.
7. Practice piano for 15 mins every day. (At least. :-) Hmm. I think I forgot about this one. But my lesson's not going to bad, so...I'm not sure I really "failed"
8. Watch 2 movies. (Ha. That'll get done without ME trying.) Oh, more specific: Watch the live version of How the Grinch stole Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life. We did watch it's a wonderful life, but not the grinch. Does 5-episodes-of-What-not-to-wear-in-a-row count?
9. Make fudge. *sniff* I meant to do this early in the break, so that we could eat it throughout, but alas...
10. Do something extra-Christmasily-nice for someone. Hmm...I did unload the diswasher for a family I babysat...does that count? haha.

Well, let's see. I think I did 6 of them if you count 1, 4, 6 and 10 as halves. :-) Oh well, it sure was fun anyway.

Now it's back to school. Not too bad. A new year is a new start. I've been doing some things differently so I have more energy (and hence, it takes a ridiculous amount of time for me to fall asleep. However, we had dance till 9:30 last night and didn't get home till 10 so I got to bed a little late. That means I should get to sleep faster tonight. :-) The only thing I still want to do differently is to get in touch with you all more often. So, if I just randomly call you and say, hey, what's up, that means you can either tell me it's a bad time and you'll call me back or tell me all about your day and ask me how mine was. :-D Ok? Ok.

adios

hi again

Un-contrary to my usual blogging tendencies, I am giving you a double whammy. :-D

Today, *fanfare please* *ooh and a drumroll too* I ran my first 5k. :-D I was only planning on running a mile, and then we're getting to the end of the mile and Dad's like, "Settle in so that you can keep going." And I'm like, "water break?" And he's like, "you don't need it." I think I was half thinking, well, if I do need it I can always say I told you so, plus I didn't want to "chicken out," so to speak. I was kind of sick of giving up on things I guess. Not that it wasn't semi-torture. Ha. We did stop for a water break after the second time, cuz I was half-planning on stopping, but I pretty much didn't have enough breath to argue with him so I went again. I liked the last half of the third mile the best I think--I didn't look most of the time. I had my eyes half closed. Oooh and going down this huge hill, the wind blowing so hard, the sun in my eyes...that's the best way to run. I really enjoyed that bit of it. And then the flat stretch after it where I usually end up in pain (mostly all in my head) I just kept my eyes half-closed the way they were when the sun was in my eyes so I wasn't agonizing about how much there was left--plus I got into a good breathing rhythm on the hill when I wasn't thinking about breathing. :-) So I survived. Then my head hurt a lot when I stopped. And my legs are actually sore, so that's nice. Wow, I'm out of breath just thinking about it again. :-D

So, I ran my first 5k, and got in an hour of driving, and then drove around my first accident too. We had to off-road it. :-) It didn't look like a really bad one--or maybe since I was driving I just didn't notice, but the cars didn't look too badly scratched up to me. *shrug* idk.
Ok, while I'm on the subject of driving, WHY is there such a huge disparity between the way you're supposed to drive and the way everyone drives. Issue numero uno: everyone drives at least 5 miles over the speed limit most of the time. It's called the LIMIT--L-I-M-I-T. Issue numero dos: you're supposed to stop twice at stopsigns and, say, stoplights where you're turning right. Once to stop behind the white line/stopsign/sidewalk, and once to pull up to check to see if it's ok to go. If you actually do this, the people around you will freak out because you stopped once, so they think you're just going to pull out when there are cars coming. ??? That seems like a rule that would be pretty easy to change--it's semi-pointless. People don't die from not following that. Speeding, however...

Oh, and if all goes well, J, G, and Z are coming to church tomorrow. In case you didn't know, that's slang for JAson, AnGIE, and baby Zach. I took about ten videos of him when we visited them today--if you can't get through the crowd to get a good look at him tomorrow, I'll show them to you. :-)

Ok. I'm finally going to go use the new Razr. Here I come, Meg! :-} Don't forget, you can call us anytime on the weekend. :-D contact me some other way for the number. :-D

hi everyone!

1. I miss you. The only people I don't miss are a. people I don't know and b. my family because we've spent the last 5 days in nice quality time. :-)
2. We should get together. Oh, wait, christmas break is almost over.
3. Christmas break ROCKED!!
4. We got 2 big presents this year: a little video camera and a RAZR. We were expecting the video camera, like, as far as a big gift goes it's not surprising to get one, but the cell phone--we didn't even scream, we were so shocked. So, we can talk all we want on the weekends and after 9 and maybe if Dad's work schedule ever calms down he'll have some minutes left over for us to use. :-D
5. I slept in until 10:45 on Tuesday and I think I played clue most of the rest of the day (yes, I got clue for Christmas!!! :-D)
6. I can't remember what my Christmas Break goals were. I should check and look at them.
7. Ooh, somebody's calling us! (not on the Razr)
8. Work on my bulletin board is just about complete. *Ahem* I still have to put everything on it, but at least I have it all designed on the computer--like, all the words are formatted nicely. :-D

I don't know what else to say except to urge you with the utmost oomph to call us and schedule a time to get together!!!!!! Or just call and talk about nice deep, meaningful subjects. Please!!!??? also, I'd also encourage you to leave a nice comment or two about how your Christmas was. Ok? Ok. I'll thank you after you comply. :-D

Sincerely,
KATIE!!!!!!

Survivor!

Watch out guys, I'm getting philosophical!! Stay back 10 feet! :-P

Ok, I guess I have to admit now that I really do watch Survivor, since I actually cared about what happened last night. Haha. Yul probably deserved the money more in terms of how he played the game, but Ozzy deserved it so that he could go to school. I think Yul should give him a couple thousand bucks to get started. :-) I thought it was interesting also that they both wanted to use it to make the world a better place--and they actually seemed fairly sincere. Not to mention, none of the final four had outright betrayed anyone. I thought it was very cool that they stuck together through the end.

And someone made the comment--Sundra, perhaps--that the final four didn't stick together because they were all minorities or something like that, they were loyal to each other simply on the basis of who they were. Hey, there's always gonna be prejudice in the world, but at least there will always be people who realize the insides count more than the outsides. I think that splitting them up by race in the beginning pretty much proved that. I also think it's funny that people, even people who aren't prejudiced, made a fuss about splitting them up by race. If you really think that all races will perform equally, why does it matter if they get pitted against each other? No one would care if they put all the redheads, blondes, brunettes and ...um...people-with-black-hair into different groups, because no one thinks that redheads will do better than brunettes. It's just an easy way to split them up. It's just interesting...:-)

And, has anyone else noticed that these kinds of reality tv shows survive (no pun intended) because everyone loves it at the end when they say stuff like, "It made me realize I could do anything" "I never knew how strong I was" "It's made me a lot more confident" ?? Everyone wants that kind of experience, but it's not easy, so most shy away from it. Let me just say I am NOT the next Survivor!!! If I could get through living out in the wilderness and eating things that were alive 2 minutes ago and are raw and get into a good alliance and everything, I could never get through a tribal council without saying something stupid and having everyone hate me! Or, Jeff would put me on the spot and I'd totally mangle whatever I was trying to say. You are not looking at a Survivor. :-D

Ok, I'll stop being philosophical for at least ten minutes. :-)