Blogging at 2 a.m.? Yes.

In light of my current state of insomnia, I figured I'd try to sort out my life/give the low down of my day via blogger real quick.

Today was really interesting. And by that I mean COMPLETELY INSANE. I set my alarm for 9:00, and good news! I got up at noon. High five, Katie. The plan was to finish the last 2 Acts of Much Ado About Nothing and the last 6 pages of my Double Entry Journal's (which are due 'today' by the way), and then go shopping around noon.

Oh, no.

I finished the DEJ's around 2 p.m., took a much-needed shower, and went to the mall with Alexa to shop for bathing suit bottoms, paint, a t-shirt, and sunglasses. All was a success in that department today, and I found out that Target may just have the best food in regards to how much I paid for the quality of any place I've ever eaten (except perhaps Cheddar's). So I get home around 6:00. Okay, awesome. I've got plenty of time.

Right.

So I go get my big piece of cardboard, take it out to the yard, and start to spray paint it, when lo and behold, the black paint runs out, and I'm finishing in navy blue. SWEET.

Eh, the least of my worries.

I have to straighten out the back of the cardboard, because it had been the folded part of the box. I thought I had done it with no problem: by taping wooden sticks to the back to make it stand straight. Well what do you know, that becomes one of my BIGGEST problems. Cool. But then, of course, I have to make it stand up by folding the 3rd piece under and getting it to stay that way. This quickly become the LARGEST of all problems I had with this project.

Finally I gave up on it and began to create the curtain for my stage (which is what my project was). I cut up a big dark green t-shirt and planned to sew a loop thing at the top to put in a curtain rod-type thing and hang it up on the top of the cardboard stage. I used two matches (long ones, granted). So I sewed that, and the curtain is uneven. And too long. BUT this was an easy fix for me, because I simply gathered the extra cloth at the top, which evened it out and made it the appropriate length, and sewed it into place. Turns out it actually looked even more like a stage curtain! Woohoo!

But not quite.

Now I had to get the rods in. Okay, fine. But I had to get them to stay on the board. Well guess what! I sewed the matches TO the cardboard. That's right. I am a champ. I also sewed beads to the end to look like real curtain rods (didn't work the way I planned, but not too bad after all).

Then came the fun part (and the important part): figuring out what I was actually going to say about it and what the significance of it was and what I was going to put on the stage/curtain/back stage. So I wrote it out. I made a list, and I think I covered just about everything I needed to to characterize Beatrice.

So then I went to work.

Most of the things I drew, and cut out, and pasted on my project were made out of foam, which was actually really fun for me. Some was of cardboard, and I used some fabric paint too (which I had to blow dry at one point to finish the remainder of the project.

OH YEAH. At this point, I was desperate to make my project stand up, so I tested something; something I thought impossible, but that shockingly (or not so much, because my life possesses a great deal of humor) worked exactly the way I wanted it too: pipe cleaners. That's right. Pipe cleaners are currently holding up my project. WHAT THE HECK? Seriously, my life is a joke.

Anyway, I designed the inside of the curtain and it looked nifty and I was proud of it. But then, of course, I gobbed on the fabric paint so I couldn't put the curtain down to do the outside right away, so I started getting ready for bed, which still is yet to come. I worked on my calculus project after that, which is way more fun, and eventually just improvised and blew the fabric paint dry so I could get on with it, since it's definitely due in like 6 hours. Cool.

Well anyway (since I'm FINALLY getting sleepy) I had a long hard day, but I surprisingly was not very stressed out. I just did what I had to do, and let God do the rest. It was kind of fun, now that I think about it. I like crafts.

Tomorrow's going to suck, though. But don't worry, I have EVERY intention of getting coffee before school.

And all I have to say, is I had better get an A on this silly thing. ;)

Video/song of the evening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBJwA0I8P-4

I'm Falling Out of Style

Relient K may be one of my favorite bands ever. This post is in honor of their song "Falling Out" because I recently fell in love with the song.

For some reason I felt compelled tonight to write down a bunch of random things as soon as they popped into my head. It's not really much, but it gave me a sense of depth, and I decided these little randoms deserved to be blogged (gosh, what an adverb).

My name is Katie.
Sometimes I get angry at the world.
Most people don't see things the way I do.
I feel good when people look up to me
    I hope I'm a good role model.
If I weren't so selfish, maybe I
    would see that everyone shouldn't
    be selfless toward me.
Music is the only language I truly
    understand.
Lyrics are poetry.
Sometimes I appreciate poetry.
Music to MY ears is an accomplishment.
Maybe I could stop being critical long enough
    to let God work in me.
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to
    gain what he cannot lose"
                             -Jim Elliott
Expecting perfection is a lost cause,
but striving toward the One who is
perfect is a cause worth dying for.
"Awkward" doesn't exist if you don't want it to.
Without respect, how do we know what's
    for real?
Conforming is never the answer
           -->unless you're building a bridge.
Random crap keeps our brain juices flowing.
I just uploaded 976 songs to my iPod.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spLdS08faLU
I'm falling out
Of style with the current way things are
The things that make conforming hard
I'm falling out
Of control
And you just can't stop me now
I'll fight as long as time allows
(:

Prom.

Saturday May 14, 2011

1:00 a.m.: went to sleep

7:00 a.m.: woke up; got dressed for MANNAthon

8:00 a.m.: met friends for coffee

9:00 a.m.: ran a 5k race through the TOV

10:00 a.m.: came in 82nd place overall in the race

11:00 a.m.: ate a hamburger at the park

12:00 p.m.: took a shower (hahaha)

1:00 p.m.: did my eyebrows

2:30 p.m.: made brownies for cookout

3:00 p.m.: got hair done

4:00 p.m.: had to be escorted to the car in the rain so my hair wouldn't get messed up

4:15 p.m.: applied a second layer of hairspray

5:00 p.m.: did makeup and put dress on so mom could take pictures

5:30 p.m.: took dress off and left for cookout (well, actually cook-in) at a friend's house

5:45 p.m.: applied a third layer of hairspray

6:00 p.m.: ate another hamburger (and other yummy cookout food)

7:00 p.m.: put dress on again (for real this time) and helped friends get ready

7:15 p.m.: applied a fourth and final layer of hairspray

7:30 p.m.: started taking (many) pictures with the group of 13 as well as with each other separately

8:15 p.m.: ran around frantically to make sure everything was in Kate's car so all 5 of us were prepared

8:30 p.m.: left for prom

8:50 p.m.: arrived and made small talk with teachers and danced for a minute

9:00 p.m.: watched the endless senior walk

9:30 p.m.: danced some more, ate, drank (legal things, promise), took pictures, had lots and lots of fun

10:30 p.m.: left prom, got our little senior goody bags, sad goodbye

11:00 p.m.: watched Scooby Doo at Kate's house, ate popsicles, and told lots of really bad jokes

Sunday May 15, 2011

12:00 a.m.: left Kate's for afterprom

2:00 a.m.: got whiplash from the bungee bouncy thingy

2:30 a.m.: made a craft

3:00 a.m.: stuck to a Velcro wall

4:00 a.m.: left afterprom, got a t-shirt

4:30 a.m.: went to Ihop (never again)

5:50 a.m.: left Ihop to go home and contemplate sleeping or staying up until church

6:15 a.m.: got home, brought stuff inside, straightened up some things

6:30 a.m.: set alarm for 8:00

6:31 a.m.: fell asleep

8:20 a.m.: heard alarm go off, and got out of bed to find mom almost ready to leave...WITHOUT ME!

8:25 a.m.: left for church

8:45 a.m.: declared that this was about to be the longest service ever

(did NOT fall asleep during church)

11:00 a.m.: went home and set alarm for 3:30

11:01 a.m.: fell asleep

3:30 p.m.: woke up with cramps (awesome)

4:00 p.m.: went back to church, laid down on a couch

BASICALLY, I had a ton of fun this weekend, and experienced many teenager-ish things. I stayed out late (like, really late), made the horrible choice of staying out that late, drank lots of caffeine that's bad for my body, pulled onto a road the wrong way (when thankfully no one was on it), and then tried to be a champ and function with an hour and a half of sleep. I'm stupid, but that's what being a 'kid' is all about. Go hard or go home, and I always go hard. (:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm0UnvLZWzI

Matthew 6:34

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

I can't tell you how often that gets to me.

I don't usually "feel" like blogging. But today I do. Right now I need an outlet; a place to vent and air out my struggle with worry.

Someone told me once (if I could only remember who...) that worry is the opposite of hope. Since defining hope is such a strange thing to do. I think I came to the realization that it has not so much to do with wishing or wanting as it does with believing. Having confidence that He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). This isn't the point, though.

I think I'm going to watch the latest episode of Glee when I'm done typing this silly thing.

I've been having some issues lately with a number of things. Namely: (1) I'm stretching myself way too thing and am incapable of saying no, (2) I get too overwhelmed because I can't manage my time or stay focused or discipline myself to do anything, (3) I'm doing so many things that it's distracting me from focusing on what's really important, and that's my relationship with God. That's been suffering lately and I'm stuck on what to do about it. It's not that I don't know what to do about it, but I feel incapable. I know, I know, Philippians 4:13, but Satan's been doing a pretty good job on me lately. I try to justify it by telling myself that putting others first is what I'm called to do, but I'm really supposed to put God first, and I don't think I've been doing that. It's like when I help people I'd rather be helping them than helping them because God told me I should. I try to be in that mindset when I help someone I don't want to be helping, but it's just not enough for my relationship with Christ.

Of course, it doesn't help that I detest reading, because that makes getting into the Word even harder!

Today, I had a semi-meltdown after school. It was only slight (or so it seemed: I was hyperventilating on the inside) but then I just started thinking. And freaking out. And then freaking out some more. Basically, I'm in panic mode right now.

I breezed through the multiple choice portion of my AP Calculus exam today. The Free Response put up a little bit more of a fight, but I think I tackled him pretty hard. I was pumped. I love math, so I was excited to be taking that test! I hope I got a 5.

But tomorrow I have to take English.

I hate English.

I'm bad at English (I'm a math person, duh) and I'm going to do terribly on the exam tomorrow.

I can't stop thinking about how awfully I'm probably going to do on the English exam tomorrow. I want to study, but what the heck do I study? At least you can study for math. It's cut and dry. So if you're naturally good at English (as many other than myself are) then all you have to do is study for math and then get a good grade. I'm at a great disadvantage because studying for English is so impossible! It's like a person can't be taught how to get something specific out of a poem or short story. They get out of it what they get out of it, and that's that--it's no one's fault. :)

I just need some serious prayer because at this point I feel like I might implode. Or explode. It doesn't matter somehow I'm going to plode, and I don't care how!

God, just please help me really know that You are in control of everything and that my worrying is just doubting everything You can do. Your plan is greater than mine, and greater than anything I could ever imagine. I know I can't do everything, so help me to see Your plan for me.

Mandisa, Stronger: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3TPq8ZSvTk

New Reminders of Old, Simple Joys

First, I would like to make known that I have been thoroughly annoyed beyond capacity by stinkbugs.

But that has nothing to do with this post.

Today in the TOV was something I like to refer to as the GREATEST day of the year. I look forward to today more than Christmas; it's so much fun! The Vinton Dogwood Festival has taken place every year (for the last 56 years) and I have gone every year I've lived here.

It's hard to describe it so that another person feels the same amount of joy and excitement and contentment that I do with this day, but I will try to put it in words because after all, it is the greatest day of the year.

This town embodies, to me, everything that is old fashioned and southern and humble and generous and inviting, and at the same time modern and busy and CRAZY. It's essentially my home town. And this one day of every year brings together every town's resident and then some so we can celebrate our history, our town, our lives, each other.
It starts with a 5k race whose proceeds go toward our youth choir's annual summer mission trip. It's so much fun to watch the runners because you have the ones who go hard and really want to win (first place this year got under 18 minutes) and then you have those who just did it to help raise money, and come in second to last with 55 minutes. Nevertheless, you cheer them all on because they are the town. They are you.

Then you've got all the vendors. You have probably close to 100 different vendors selling various homemade items ranging from necklaces and bags to marshmallow guns and baby tu-tus, who fill the church parking lot. The road behind the church is lined with all the different food (I had cotton candy for breakfast, and a philly cheesesteak for lunch). You've also got people setting up shop along the next street leading to the Farmers' Market where the Kidz Zone is located and a bunch of different music groups perform (like our school's jazz band). You get all this before noon!

Next is something that didn't really become important to me until this year: the Dogwood Queen. Each year 10 seniors from our school are nominated by teachers to be a Dogwood Princess (you know, the basic exemplary character and president of every single club? Yeah, those girls). I was very close to several of the girls this year, so I went up to the War Memorial to watch the crowning and to see who won. Alas, my favorite to win did not get the crown, but I'm quite pleased with the recipient and I'm really happy for her!

And then (dramatic pause...suspenseful music...) THE PARADE!

Goodness, I just love watching the parade. You've got it all. There are the Senators, the Town Council, over-sized heads of famous people, Chik-fil-A cow, clowns on stilts, baton twirlers, TWO marching bands, horses, dogs, the Dogwood Court, Manna Ministries, the Pooh Patrol (my personal favorite: they follow the horses in Pooh and Tigger costumes) and it's just great. Not to mention that sitting on the curb makes for some sick tan/burn lines!

Anyway, I would just like to give a shout out to our little slice of heaven in the TOV. It's the perfect little town, and I could not ask to be a part of a greater community!

Song of the day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Du-CWASm20 (:

Safe Travels

Recently I was told, "Don't pray for safe travels; pray for God's will to be done." I mean yeah, maybe it isn't God's will for us to be 'safe' as we travel, but it sure is nice, isn't it?

Well today, I got a taste of what it feels like to be right in the middle of God's ever-working plan.

A group of 4 friends and I went on our first 'grown-up' road trip this weekend to Carowinds in the Carolinas. We left at 5:30 a.m. on Friday and aimed to return Saturday afternoon. We had a great trip up there; we stopped for breakfast at Cracker Barrel, we got to the park only 30 minutes later than we'd planned to, Caleb only got us lost once, the lines in the park were pretty short because the weather wasn't so hot, so we were in good shape. We had a great time in the park. We rode EVERY roller coaster, and some of them we rode twice! We took pictures and played around and ate food and it was a great day.

Later we got to stay in a hotel suite all by ourselves (part of the 'grown-up' trip experience) and that was a blast! (Especially since we watched the 7th Harry Potter).

So everything's great, right?

Well...

Things were great as we stopped about 2 hours into our trip back to eat lunch at Subway/take a bathroom break at the gas station, and we were content, but tired and ready to be home. So we head back out onto I-77 and about 10 minutes in I feel Jasmine's car (which I'm driving at the time) start to shake and change gears all funny and the engine light starts blinking.

Fabulous.

So I put on the emergency blinkers and pull over. Caleb's ahead of us so he sees us stop so he stops too. Well, at first everyone just thought I was worrying too much, and I thought maybe I was too, but I just had to make sure because I'd rather have pulled over than have the car crap out in the middle of the interstate with cars flying past at 80 mph. Well we call a bunch of people, and turns out there's practically no oil in the car. Woo freaking hoo. We end up with just the one car left by ourselves because Caleb had to leave, and we were there for a good hour and a half easy. The parents were called (mine last because she didn't need to know anything until the problem had been resolved) and we had been ordered to get in our car with our seat belts on and the doors locked, just in case (cool mom, cool).

Finally, we were towed back home (about an hour away from where we currently were) and the 3 of us sat in the back of this guy's tow truck all the way back. Though, he did let us off at a rest stop to pee.

So all in all, we had a really fun experience on our first grown-up road trip! And I think we all made the official transition into the fact that we're almost college students. Weird.

Anyway, I'd like to take this opportunity to say that while our trip back may not have gone as planned, God clearly had a better idea for us than getting back home on time. After all, His plan is bigger than ours, so even if we don't understand why in the world we had to be stranded on a crazy interstate, it's comforting to know that God's bigger than all the things in the world that we understand. He's got a plan, and this was a part of it. His will was done, and I'm grateful that we were able to rely on Him to bless us and keep us.

Pray for God's will, not safe travels.

Jeremiah 29:11

Song of the day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WucHt6uno1o

Like Today Never Happened Before

Switchfoot is quite an inspiration.

I've had an awful last couple of weeks. Don't ask me why; it's not quite worth the explanation. When things suck, music fixes them. Only this time, it was a little further than what music could do for me. Today I listened to the song Dare You To Move by Switchfoot for what is probably close to my 200th time. No joke, it's probably in that neighborhood. Just Because.

But today it struck a different chord.

I began to think about what I was going to say to someone when recommending this song to them. I would say, "Listen to the song first by itself a couple of times and then watch the music video. It's very powerful." Well, luckily enough, I ended up speaking to myself instead. Sometimes life doesn't treat us the way we wish it would. But "the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair" (different song, look it up). I told myself yesterday that people will never notice what you're doing until you stop doing it. As I kept that in mind today and then heard this song again, I made a deal with myself: to try and act positively and flaunt the facade when I physically can, and to tell someone (ONE) when I emotionally can't. Fake it 'til you make it, right? Well, I suppose that's going to reign true for a while.

Now, I DARE you to listen to this song and drink in everything its lyrics, music, and video have to offer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOTcr9wKC-o
Remember, song first, video second.