Summer is Fresh

Well now, where to start...

I have had a great beginning of the summer. The Christian Leadership camp was great. I made many new friends and learned even more leadership skills.

I went to a multi-cultural festival here in town this weekend with one of my friends. We had a great time. :)

I am also looking forward to the mission trip this summer! It's coming up fast. Our team tie-dyed t-shirts to wear up in Seattle.

So far, I'm getting a fresh start to my summer. Speaking of fresh... I've put a fresh new design on my blog! I thought it was time for a change. Leave a comment with what you think.

Surprisingly, that's about it. Now that summer's here, I really don't have much to report. It's a nice break from my usually hectic life. I've been keeping busy talking to friends, playing and writing music, and doing spontaneous things... plus more!

And I failed... again

I created this blog because I didn't keep up my old one.

My goal was: Update this blog once a month

I have failed.

I didn't post even once during the month of April.
I feel I have let down my readers, but I've probably only let down myself. I have no idea how many people actually read this blog. Maybe I'm just posting on here for my own personal benefit. If I'm able to keep it up, it gives me the feeling that I can accomplish things. I also like to practice my writing skills.
So, if you read my blog, I hope you enjoy it at the very least. I also hope I haven't let you down in any way by missing my April post.
As it is, I am barely scraping the May post. It is after all Memorial day in just 2 days: the end of May. Oh my!
Where is this year going?

Anyway, I feel the need to update you (whoever you are) on my life.

I am still taking Japanese. I am nearing the end of this term and I'm nervous for my final. I shouldn't be nervous. I always do well. But I forget that.

I took an archery class for a few weeks. It was interesting. I say "interesting" because I'm not exactly sure how good I am. One day I get 6 bulls eyes in a row. The next, every shot I have is a foot away from my target. What happened there?
Nevertheless, I am going to try and continue archery in the fall.

Summer is getting closer. I feel like I'm looking forward to it even more than previous years. Though I have no idea why that is. Maybe because it's going to be full of all kinds of enjoyable activities.
In June, I'm going to a Christian leadership camp. Very cool. I enjoy leadership, so I can't wait for this chance to grow in those skills. I also get to see a very good friend of mine: a seminarian I met on a mission trip last summer.
Speaking of mission trips, I have another one in July! This year, we're going to Seattle. Yes, you can find poverty even there. I'm looking forward to helping the community up there. I'm also designing our team's t-shirt with another friend of mine.
In August, I get to go to a horse camp. I am very excited about that because I haven't been horseback riding in a *very* long time.
Between all these activities, I have also landed myself a summer job. I'll be working an office job, transferring patient files at a physical therapy place. Woo, exciting. But hey! It pays!
And when I'm not being a leader, a missionary, a horseback rider, or an office worker, I'll be hanging out with friends. I have great aspirations for coffee and jamba juice trips.

So there it is. My summer is chock full of randomness. And as a good friend of mine says, "randomness is the spice of life."

Looks like a spicy summer this year!

Hopefully, I won't be too busy to update my lonely blog. Even if I'm only writing to myself. Hmmm... hey. If you read my blog, leave a comment on this post.

Hope your summer is great! Have fun with swimming, jamba juice, beach trips, and popsicles... plus more!

This and that and this and that...

As it's been over a month since my last post, I have quite a bit of updating to do.

All during February and March, I was becoming overwhelmed with... well... everything. Although I was doing well in my Japanese and math classes, it seemed to be too much. Homework piled up along with various other things in my schedule. Yet, my faithful friends and family stuck by me like bugs on fly paper (even though I was not very pleasant). After much encouragement (and a little chocolate), I made it through Winter term and I still managed to scrape an A in both classes. What a relief. :)

I also just finished another great year of Shakespeare's Greatest Hits. It's a Christian homeschooling group of students grades 6-12 who put on two Shakespeare plays every year. This was my 3rd year in the program. We performed Henry V and Taming of the Shrew. As always, this has been a great experience. I've learned more about myself and my fellow actors as I do every year.

And speaking of acting, I am trying out for a play at the end of this month. Chemeketa is performing Alice's Adventures Underground this Spring. I am to try out for the main part of Alice. I don't need to memorize a monologue, but it might come in handy. I was going to memorize something from Our Town, but I seem to have lost my copy of that play. That could be a problem...

Anyway, moving on.

St. Patrick's Day was a few days ago... I completely forgot about it. I didn't wear green. I feel rather sad that I missed the chance to wear all the same color without people giving me funny looks. The shirt that I wore (luckily) did have a little bit of green on it. Though I wore my blue sweatshirt over it which resulted in a pinch from my Grandmother.

I've been busy with my music. I've written another song on the piano which gives me a total of six for that instrument. I still haven't written any of them down... they are all in my head. One of these days I'm going to forget one and it will be lost forever. I will grieve for it as if it died. So I should write them down (although I probably won't... darn procrastination...). I've been working on my guitar playing too. I learned how to play Blackbird, by The Beatles. I enjoy that one. I also wrote my own song on the guitar last night. I don't know what chords I'm playing. It's really just a bunch of random finger picking. I don't know how to write it down so there is no hope for me there. I'll just have to play it endlessly so I won't forget it (which will result in my family getting tired of it). If you'd like to know the name of the song and the lyrics, leave a comment on this post and I'll drop you an email.

Anyway, I think that just about sums up what I've been doing since my last post.
Tell me if my life is too dreary and I'll see what I can do to spice it up. ;)

What ever goes on in your life; enjoy all that goes on... plus more!

*Heart*

I had a sudden urge today to make Valentine's cards.

I remember when I was little, I would make them a lot. Red paper, white paper, pink paper, and those little lace hearts would get glued together by my little hands. I remember the joy I found in writing a tender message inside for my mom or dad. "I love you!," "Happy Valentine's Day!," "You are great!"

Each card I made would be different. Some of them had layers of different sized hearts, some were a heart folded in half, and some had pink and red designs all over them.
When the card was finally finished, I would sit back and admire it. I could hardly wait to give it to its recipient.

Then I handed a beautiful, colorful, lacy, little card over to my mom or dad. With childish innocence and a smile on my face, I watched as the card was read and I waited for appreciation in the form of a hug.

This Valentine's Day, I challenge you to take the time to let people know you appreciate them. Try and find the same joy in pleasing someone you love that a child would.

Maybe you'll even make a Valentine's Day card for them. Maybe add some ribbons, lace, or colored paper... plus more.

A toast... to the New Year

While we raise a glass (of sparkling cider for us minors), let's remember 2009.

What are the mistakes you made? How can you learn from them?
What is something you wish hadn't happened? What is something wonderful that happened?
What is something you wish you'd done? What is something you accomplished?
Have you lost anyone special to you? Have you made new friends?
What was the highlight of your year?
Reflect on how you think you've changed in the last year. For better or for worse? Or do you feel that you've changed at all?
Finally, remember 2009 as a whole. Think of how it will stand out from past years.

Now to look at the year ahead. A whole new year. A year to start things over... to begin afresh.
What is something you are looking forward to?
What is something you want to accomplish that you didn't last year?
Do you have a New Year's resolution?
Who are the people you want to spend more time with?

So now, as we raise a glass, we toast to the New Year. May 2010 be filled with peace, joy, and love. May its events help to form you as a person. May you help those around you and may those around you help you.

Have a Happy New Year, plus more!

Have yourself a merry little everything

Well! Christmas is almost upon us! The season feelings are here.

But amidst all the rush of Christmas... lights, presents, business...

Try to remember the real reason why we celebrate. And keep in your heart the feeling that comes around. This year -- give more, receive less.

Peace, joy, love, plus more to you all!

Merry Christmas!

Caught up in... life

Well it's been over a month since my last post. I feel out of touch.
Let's see... I'll update you all on things that have happened.

At the beginning of November, I turned 15. I went and tested for my driver's permit and passed! Now I'm learning to drive. I haven't gotten in to any car crashes yet so that is a good sign. It must mean my mom is doing a good job of teaching me.

To further celebrate my birthday, I went to the beach for a few days with my mom. We stayed in a hotel, relaxed, watched movies, and went geocaching. If you don't know what geocaching is, look it up. It's great fun.

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Here is a random recipe for anyone who is interested:
Tomato-cheese pasta.
I'm not sure about the exact amount of pasta needed... however much you'd like I suppose. Mixed with this sauce recipe, you should have about enough pasta to feed five. Here is the recipe for the sauce.
~ 3 T. of butter
~ 3 T. of flour
~ a pinch of minced garlic
~ milk (no specific amount)
~ 1 can of condensed tomato soup
~ about 1 1/2 cups of any variety of cheeses you'd like. (Grated)
~ any spices you'd like. I used pepper, oregano, and basil.
After placing your cooked pasta in a colander, melt the butter in a saucepan on low heat. Add flour slowly (you might not have to use all of the flour). Stir. Add garlic and a little bit of milk. Pour in the tomato soup. Mix. Gradually add cheese and however much milk you'd like to get the desired consistency. Reduce heat to simmer. Continue stirring until the sauce is smooth. Stir in spices. Add pasta, stir, turn off your stove, and enjoy! :)

Speaking of food... Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Whether visiting family or celebrating this holiday in town, I hope you all have a wonderful feast. I know I can't wait to dig in to turkey, stuffing, and pie. It's the one day of the year that I don't have to be ashamed for taking a fourth helping because everyone is stuffing themselves like... well... a Thanksgiving turkey!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your turkey and pie... plus more!