Dog Days & Berries

Mood:chill


Hey guys! Just a few photos. I deleted my photography blog, because I just couldn't keep up with it. So I'm just going to try to update here from now on, and on tumblr and flickr. 

I never get tired of photographing my little sister...

...and here's me! 

I can't believe I'm a Junior now. This school year was full of ups and downs, stressful schoolwork, and a lot of learning for me as a person. 

I have good news! I made section leader in band! I am so excited! I also get to play the piccolo, which I am very excited for. I've never played the piccolo before, but I can't wait to practice. I know being put in this leadership role will help me a lot as a person. 

I'm also learning how to drive. I have my level 1 license, but I haven't had a lot of time to practise... hopefully I will practise more this summer. I need a LOT of practise...

One thing that I really missed was photography. During the school year, it was really hard for me to do photography, and my creativity was really blocked. I hope to catch up on photography this summer! I keep saying that I will practice portrait photography, but I'm introverted and I'm always nervous about asking to photography people, but hopefully this summer I will actually DO IT! 

I took these photos in my backyard. It was so nice to have that "creative release". 

I also hope to start writing more prose and poetry soon. School just leaves me with little time! :c

But this summer, I will practice more flue & piano too hopefully, study for the ACTs (so time consuming!!!), read (a lot books are on my to-read list!) and photography. I will hopefully also go record shopping and downtown A2. 

As for my personal life, it's great. I'm really happy.

I hope to update more! I miss you guys a lot! 

With love,

I'm still alive!

I'm still alive, I swear! See? Proof. But I haven't forgotten about you guys. It's just that between school, homework, band, reading books, watching movies, driver's ed, studying, tumblr... Blogger  just seems at the bottom of my priority list, you know? But I'll try to start posting here more, okay? 

I can't wait for it to be summer already because 1) I'm going to Vans Warped Tour this year and 2) my boyfriend may possibly be visiting. We just need to figure out where he's going to stay and hopefully our parent can talk and figure it out soon and 3) School drains all my time and creativity from me so when summer comes, I can't wait to start doing photography again, for the inspiration to come back to me. I also haven't had a lot of time to write lately... I have an idea for a short story though, inspired by the earlier works of J.D. Salinger, so when I have time,  I'm going to start working on that...

Two weeks ago, we had a benefit concert at our school for Ozone house, and I was able to get a few pictures... (I feel so bad leaving my darling camera on my shelf and not using it at all during the school year. I can't wait for summer. Hopefully, I'll work up the courage to asking a few people at school to model for me so I can practise portrait photography more.)

On Friday, I went on my first drive for driver's ed. Mostly, we just practised turns in the parking lot, and drove to the high school. I started out kinda rocky... >_< Who knew driver took so much thinking and coordination?! But with practise, I'll get better. 

So yeah, I haven't forgotten about you guys! Talk to you soon!

Christmas

Mood:happy

I hope you  guys all had a fabulous Christmas! I had lovely Christmas with my family, and I got: a tremendous amount of Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra records, shoes, and another Rise Against poster.

Oh record player, how I love thee!

How was your Christmas? What was your favourite gift to give and to receive? c:

Sorry I haven't exactly been around in the blogosphere (besides Tumblr) lately. School and babysitting is really sucking the energy out of me. 

I took a few self-portraits today...

The Sweetest Sixteenth Ever

Mood:happy


My weekend was so perfect. Friday I went to a Holiday party with my parents and Sophia at U of M. It was for the athletic department and it really was a lot of fun! There was great food, dancing, prizes ~ lots of cool people and just a lot of fun overall! That day was my birthday and on that day, me and my friend Alison (who's birthday is after mine) got matching candle headbands and birthday sashes and it was great. In the morning, a random choir kid sang happy birthday to me, as did my entire Bio Class, my lunch table, and my friend Olivia. At lunch, Tory made us all individual cupcakes (each different flavours customed to our likings) and me and Alison both got HUMONGOUS cupcakes. Afterwards, she gave me part 1 of 2 of my birthday presents. A Black Flag shirt! :D 

Then Saturday, Alison's 16th b-day party. It was so much fun! We arrived at the hotel at 4pm and then waited for the limo to arrive. It was a white limo, and of course me and Tory had  to listen to Foo Fighter's White Limo while we were in the white limo because hey, it's a once in a lifetime thing you know? c: We went to the mall for a fun scavenger hunt and even though we didn't win, it was a lot of fun. Afterwards we went back to the hotel for food and played Just Dance. :D

TODAY. Oh my word. So today was MY birthday party. We went to this great 80s arcade named Pinball Pete's and had a blast. My cake (a Rise Against cake by Tick Tock Cakery) was PERFECTION and I almost didn't want to eat it because it was just so perfect. It was great just being able to spend time with all of my friends. 

Presents: I got from my parents a Rise Against sweatshirt, a RA poster and a Moleskine notebook! :D From my friends I got iTunes gift cards, a necklace and guitar picks, a book called In the Woods, a headband, soap (lol), and the big mystery present that Tory got me - that she got ALL my friends to pitch in for - that she got everyone in on it except for me - A RECORD PLAYER! Oh my god I am still bursting with happiness. Along with that, she got me the limited edition Endgame vinyl. 

I am going to spend all my cash on records and vinyls and I am never going to leave my room and I AM PERFECTLY OKAY WITH THAT.

I am so incredibly grateful for all of my friends and family and everything I have, as well as everyone in my life. I am so fortunate.

I haven't uploaded any pictures from the party yet but when I do I'll post them.

Sweet Sixteen

Mood:happy


I have been less inclined about posting personal posts / posts about my life lately, but just know that I've been extremely happy lately, and it's all because of one person. Someone that I'm incredibly grateful for. And though I'm young, and this may sound rather cheesy and silly of me, but  he's my best friend and I can honestly see a future with him. And I'm not going to say anything more because I could just drone on and on about him. Just know that he makes me so happy, like nothing I've ever felt before.


My birthday is in 10 days. Turning 16 on December 16th and I absolutely can't wait! It's not going to be a huge party full of people who I don't know. Just my closest friends. We're going to an arcade in downtown Ann Arbor, and it's going to be a lot of fun. Memorable. I'd rather have a small, intimate party with a few close friends than a huge, forgettable party with people I don't care about. 


Tory my best friend sister apparently got me something super awesome. And he got all my other friends in on it too, including my boyfriend (whom I mentioned above) and I'm basically the only person who doesn't know what it is. Supposedly I'm going to "freak out" when I find out what it is, and that "I'd never think of it." God, I love my friends so much. I have the greatest friends and boyfriend in the whole wide world. 


Also, I'm getting a custom Rise Against cake! :D 


I'm so excited!


Uh yeah, that's pretty much all I wanted to say :3


I'm sorry for not keeping up with this blog lately. I still haven't forgotten you guys! You all should follow my tumblr if you wish to keep more in contact with me. 


Love yous,

Mood:excited


Hello boys and girls. I feel like I'm writing to no one, since no one ever comments anymore. I have a feeling everyone is on Tumblr. I'm sorry I haven't written in over 2 weeks. It's simply horrid. And even if no one reads my blog anymore, I will still do posts for my own documentation.


A lot of things happened in the two weeks. First was I went to my first concert last Monday (9/19). 'twas a Foo Fighters concert that Rise Against was opening. As many of you know, Rise Against is my favourite band. It was great seeing them live. They played Audience of One, Savior, Prayer of the Refugee, Help Is On the Way, Satellite, Give It All, Ready to Fall, and Make It Stop (September's Children.) I wish they would've had their own show instead of opening, but Foo Fighters is a great band and though me and Tory didn't have floor seats, it was still amazing amazing amazing. I love it. Foo Fighters played a lot of songs. These Days, The Pretenders, Monkey Wrench, Arlandria... a lot of songs. We had to leave before they played Everlong though so we could get home at at least 1am. :P Live music is beautiful. It's a wonderful moment when people come together for music.


Bright Eyes came here during the summertime, but I didn't have money. D: adslasdfasd it would have been so great to see them live. I hope Rise comes to Michigan to do their own show soon. It was like 3 years since they'd come back, so of course there were a bunch of Rise fans at that concert.


Last week was homecoming week and oh man, was it busy. We had to do float building and the theme was Disney. Being the President of 2014 I of course had to help our. We did Finding Nemo, and though I wanted to do Lion King - it came out pretty well and I think we should have won at least 2nd instead of 3rd. :p The homecoming game was SO INTENSE man. We kept winning and then during the last few minutes, the other team scored by one point and then when it was down to a few seconds, we won points back. SO GREAT. Best homecoming ever. I didn't go to the dance this year, but I stayed in and tumbled all day and had a jam session to myself. Homecoming is for people who have lives. Sorry but I just don't find grinding up on people to horrible music appealing.


Our last marching season show is coming up and it's the senior show. We're playing Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, You Give Love a Bad Name by Bon Jovi and Holiday by Green Day. It's going to be great.


Also, my new iPod - a 7th generation 160 gig classic aldskjfalsdfas so excited - should be here soon. I'm going to name it Donnie Darko, after my favourite movie of the same name. lol get it? Because the ipod is black?




School has been boring and I need to make up a quiz in Accelerated American Lit because I wasn't there to take it because of band and now I have a B- in that class, and I'm really mad that I forgot to turn in a fucking TWO point assignment and it brought my grade down in Honours Bio to a B. So pissed. aldkjfasdf So currently a 3.567gpa when it should be higher. alkjdfaldsasfd But I'm not going to freak out about my grade like last year, every time that it slips a little because what can I do about it? It is what it is. Plus, my teachers don't really offer any extra credit this year. I can just hope to get 1/2 for turning the 2 point assignment in late, and for everything to balance out once we get more assignments.


Babysitting is great. The kids are great. 


School sucks.
People suck.
Homework sucks.


We're doing the acid lab in Chemistry this week. I don't want to die omg and I don't understand how to write the procedures. 


Okay bye.

Mood:stressed


Sorry I haven't been blogging. School (and my new job) leaves me with barely any time for anything, and I found out that my mom found me another job (for the weekends, since I only babysit weekdays) and I can make about $400 / month, and add the $200 from the babysitting, and that's $600. But on top of homework and band, I don't know if I can do it, but I'll try and if it gets in the way of my academics then I'll have to drop the weekend job. (My mom's friend at the weekend market she works at - she sells jewelry, accessories and art - is pregnant and needs someone to kind of help her now that she can't do a lot of things.)


First week of school - over with. I like all my teachers. They're all nice and I think that if I really really focus, then I should be able to get all A's again this year. 


Classes I'm taking this year:
Chemistry
Honours Bio
Accelerated American Lit.
Symphonic Band
French I
Algebra II


I have friends in all my classes except for Alg. II but I think I'll be fine.


I'm so tired. We had a game today and it was raining the whole time so all of our music and instruments got wet.


I really want my next post to be a prose or poetry piece.


I feel like no one reads my blog anymore. No one comments ever. D: Not like before.


Anyway, good night.

Exhausted.

Mood:content


Last weekend was incredibly busy and exhausting and I'm so relieved it's over. Let me tell you about it. Well Friday morning at 9am I had to go to sophomore orientation. I really should have gone later that day because when me and my friends got there, the place was brimming with phonies and people who I dislike. Our whole school district is being renovated so we had to have it at the middle school, which sucks because I really wanted to find where my classes and locker is. Doesn't matter that this is my second year at the high school, the place is huge and most of my classes last year were on the other side of the building. So I feel really bad for the Freshmen who don't even get to see where their classes are.


After that, I had to go to the high school at 4:30pm because our varsity football team had their first game that day. We - the marching band (and the very best part of the game ;D) - performed our show (which was relatively short) and it was great. The best part, actually, was that WE ACTUALLY WON. 27 - 0. Which everyone was siked over because in actuality, our football team SUUUUUUCKS. Like, last year we didn't win a single game. So of course it's great that we won the first game of the season! We have a tradition where if we win, then the marching band gets to wear our hats on backwards. I just know it's going to be a great season now. And after that, we went home and some of us went to a bonfire at a fellow bandmate's house. I wish more people came - most probably went home and slept after all that exhaustion - but those who did go were super cool (we have some great Freshmen this year) - and it was a lot of fun.


Yesterday, I went to a carwash to raise money for my band student account (we're going to Disneyworld this year for our band trip). It was really fun. We made $720 total that day.


So yes, it was a very exhausting weekend. 


This weekend will be a little bit better but it will still be busy. September 1st the band leadership has to play something for the staff meeting, then I have to help at the U of M concessions. 
Then the week after that, school starts. 


Marching band just brings a whole lot of craziness and busyness to your life. It's a wonder how I survive with me being as lazy as I am.


Oh oh oh! I also forgot to tell you guys something! I got a job! Just a babysitting job, but still... it's fort the whole school year and I'll be able to make around $200 per month. alsdjaflsdfd I'm so excited! Maybe I'll be able to buy myself a new iPod before my birthday. Brb making a list of things I want to buy when I start earning money. xD Mostly band merch and books and camera stuff.


So yeah, that's it for now.


Toodleloo!

Angst, angst, angst!

Mood:angsty


School starts in less than two weeks and I have mixed feelings about it. Though I'm not too excited about all the work and having to see all the typical high schoolers that I would rather not see, I guess I kind of want school to start just so I can take my mind off things. Just so I can do my homework and go on robot-girl mode and just not have to think about anything. 


I don't know. This summer holiday went by so quickly I don't even remember anything, although looking back, I wish I'd done more than just loiter around the house on tumblr, etc. That's why I want to go back to school. Just so I feel like I'm doing something productive. This summer has been... rather angsty for me. It has been a summer of a lot of ups and downs and mood swings and I have no idea why. My parents have been pissing me off more than usual this summer. It's really odd. There are some moments where I feel like I could cry forever if I could, but I haven't had a good cry in ages. I feel like that is what I need. A good cry, and then I wouldn't feel like shit all the time. And nothing even happened. I can't tell if I'm just going through a rebelling, angsty teenage phase or if I'm actually depressed.


I also need to be a better daughter and help out around the house a lot more often.


Anyway, I'm sorry for blabbing but I just had to vent. Me and my first world problems. There are kids starving around the world and here I am whining and such. I'm such a horrible person.


Tomorrow is going to be busy day. From 9:00am-11:30 I have to go to sophomore orientation and then I have to be at the school at 4:30pm for band rehearsal and then to prepare for the football game, which will most likely end at 10pm.


And alas! Marching season begins.