Life lessons from "Matlock".

Aaargh, my dad and I are going at it again.
Well, that's not true, because we haven't fought yet, but he's sort of pressuring me about worship team and music in general.
For instance, he thinks I'm not serious about bass (guilty: I'd love to be good at it, but I don't want to put in the effort to play more than roots of chords) and says if I ever want to play in church, I'm going to have to join the youth worship team.
So basically, he wants me to join a cult.
That's PRACTICALLY what it is!!
Okay, and he did point out that compared to the youth band at our last church, this one seems quite tame and is probably more structured, but from what I've heard, the people in it are rather clique-y and, what's more, the music they play SUCKS.
Only I am tempted to join because John is in it now and I'd get to hang with him, and there's this whole jealousy factor with William because he plays bass a whole BUNCH with them and I feel that I'm just as good as he is.
But I don't know why my dad is so ADAMANT about me joining them.
I'm sort of getting mixed messages from him music-wise, because a few months ago he was trying to dissuade me from ever playing bass in the worship team.
Then, in the car on the way back home from Pullman, I asked about music scholarships in general terms and my dad basically told me I'd never, ever get one unless I pulled an Amby and joined a million freaking symphonies and majored in music.
WHICH I'M NOT INTERESTED IN DOING! It's just that I love music and we can't pay for college, and Mr. Villiers told me in 7th grade that I could PROBABLY get a trombone scolarship if I kept playing.
WHICH I INTEND TO DO!!
So who's right here??
And now there's some nonsense about lessons (for trombone or bass...or both), and I was always one of those big-headed losers who thought I was too good for lessons.
Maybe so for trombone (or maybe I'm just stuck-up), but I'm thinking I could definitely use a little help on bass.
Good news, though: Dean is finally letting me play in the horn section.
I'm sort of offended, though, because the only reason he's letting me play is "the new music isn't too difficult".
If you really think that badly of my playing, I'd rather you left me out of the worship team for good.
-_-
I'm sort of addicted to Sims 2 now, thanks to my "Rent" Sims.
Maureen and Joanne were my first gay couple.
Although Collins and Angel got married before they did (Maureen and Joanne are still engaged).
Alison (Benny's wife) just had a baby, but her dad (the baby's grandpa) is going to die soon if I don't fill up his aspiration meter, which I've purposefully neglected because all he wants to do is buy expensive things.
Haha, they named the kid Evita.
Now Mark is dating some random girl (though he and Maureen are still in love - oops), Mimi has ye tto move in and meet Roger, and Benny is going to take over the business world.

We can sleep as late as we want to

Aaaah, I'd almost forgotten "High School Musical 2", but it's one of the best summer soundtracks EVER. I'm getting a little tired of the movie after watching it so many times, though.
Okay, even though I didn't like "Camp Rock" so much, I sort of want to buy the soundtrack, but so does my dad, sooooo.... $10, maybe he'll want to buy it.
The song "Viva la Vida" has been stuck in my head a lot.
MUST BUY IT.
And I still have 15 bucks!!
Cleaning out itunes...again.
Daaang, where is The Classic Crime's new album already? Holy crap.
Awww, doesn't come out till July.
"Gravedigging"? "Abracadavers"? Lol. "God and Drugs"?
Wth???? Is Matt McDonald clinically depressed?
And they used to be classified as Indie Rock and Alternative Rock, but now their NEWER material is Emo and Post Hardcore...whatever that means.
They're having youth band tryouts on Tuesday, and my brother REALLY wants to try out on guitar, and my parents want me to try out on bass, but why bother?
They SAY they need a bunch of people because their seniors are leaving, but I'm thinking it's just to please the youth pastor.
Ooh, Pastor Mike said if I ever want to play on worship team, I should start with youth band.
Harsh.

Time for you to be replaced

The more I listen to "No More Sorrow", the more I think it's about President Bush. I swear, half the songs on "Minutes to Midnight" are about President Bush.
We get it. You hate him. Enough with the F-words.
Nathan's home. That makes things interesting.
Weirdly enough, he'll be home till AUGUST.
He did NOT come bearing gifts.
Argh. Why am I always KEY LIME??
Romeo and Juliet really is the most amazing play. I still don't understand why Mercutio breaks down during the Queen Mab speech. Act II is so sappy, though. She's 13, he's 17, they're horny, IT'S NOT LOVE.
And way to be melodramatic and kill yourselves, guys. XP
Dad will let me play in the worship team!!! We're going to talk to Mike...sometime...
I'm just hoping he doesn't want...I don't know, Pete Wentz?
Pete Wentz I am not.
Aw, we went to Farmland and played with the puppies. Piebald doxie = $800.
Dang.

I have 15 boys traits and 9 girl traits.

Ooooooooooh. Do you know how angry that makes me? Well, not too angry. Just a little depressed. It's not like I had much of choice. I was raised with and by boys, for crying out loud.
Except the girl statements on that quiz were WAAAAY stereotyped, and while that was true for the boys, their statements were FAR more accurate.
Except for the whole "Dogs are better than cats". Who came up with that? That's not boyish. That's a personality issue.
Could it be? Could it be? A cry for bass players??
Aargh, God, you gotta let me know.
Should I stay or should I go?
Heheheheheh.
Um.
Oh, HOW I want to answer that e-mail.
But I might have to talk to Dad. I don't want him to tell me I'm not "ready" or whatever.
Anyone can play bass.
Ooooooooooooooh.
Track was fun. Drew doesn't think I'm on drugs!!
Budget meetings are cool.
Squirrels don't eat pumpkin bread.
Hills are really awesome. I'm going to buy a billion hurdles and do "Over-Unders" till my legs fall off.
Day by day, day by day, oh dear Lord, three things I pray, 1 2 3, to...I'm not sure what he's saying there.
Dude, the project for Health is SO EASY. Sarah and I are almost done. Whoo, tranquilizers!

Gross? Yes. Refreshing? You have no idea.

Aww, I missed my chance to post on Leap Day!!! I was sort of busy with basketball, dancing, and spaghetti.
I kind of love pep assemblies, and I actually got to play with the pep band this time (which is so much better than helping the ASB do whatever they're doing), but afterwards I always feel really, REALLY tired. Like screaming at the top of my lungs and playing "Another One Bites the Dust" is so exhausting.
But the freshmen won (AGAIN), basketball was pretty cool (losing team had to sing to the wrestlers), and the dance was funner than usual.
Who knew dancing was that intense? And sweaty? And fun?
Not like I can dance. And I'll never get "Souljah Boy" down.
Oh well. I love my school.
I'm good to go, and I'm going nowhere fast, it could be worse, I could be taking you there with me.
I'm good to go...and it looks like I'm still on my own.
Heheh, just reread "Princess Mia". I love JP. Kitchen scene = amazing.
"Omg. JP is in love with me. And we blew up the school."
Yay, it's March 1st!!! I love March. Pretty much the best month!
Hey, today was solo ensemble. I attempted to dress nice and ended up looking like a ninja. We'd been pretty worried because Kevin said he wouldn't come, but he came and CONNOR DIDN'T. Argh, not happy with him. Not like we needed him, because he's not a brass instrument and was just doubling on my part, but way to not tell us. Well, he told Micah and Robert YESTERDAY, THE DAY BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE, but not me or Kevin. WE DIDN'T SUCK! It was amazing. Micah got a little off, but he managed to get back on track.
Rodeo cheeseburgers, Burger King milkshakes, Snickers and soda, and lame picture retakes, orange grease that flies off those good chicken wings,
THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS!!!
At this rate, I'll grow another inch and cup size.
Like Princess Mia.
OMG, SIMS UNIVERSITY...I HAS IT.

Why is the game of Romance reflecting my past?

I dug out that game and played it for about 2 hours because I was so bored. It was pretty intense. Argh, I couldn't find "Herd Your Horses", so I had to use the dice from the American Girl game. I'm still using my horse markers. There were several games where everyone dumped me, and a particularly memorable one where I ended up with a bisexual smoker who read his horoscope everyday. For some reason, I have some of Jeannie's cards.
I love my bass. I need a new guitar strap. Chris has that amazing leopard one, and I really want it. IT'S FUZZY.
Mostly, I just wanted to show you some adorable lol* pictures.

I'm supposed to love you

I'm supposed to looove yoooou, WHOA-OA!!!
Sort of obsessed.
I mean, after all, I named my bass Patrick.
My dad was home, so William and I had a pretty long jam session with him. I hate that I'm calling it a jam session. Oh well. That's what it was. Mostly we just attempted to play the music he has for church.
Then we made some banana bread for my mom, using Jessica Seinfeld's recipe.
It's sort of messed up, because we had to use buckwheat pancake mix instead of whole wheat flour and olive oil instead of vegetable oil, and I added too much cinnamon, but it's the thought that counts, right?
I think it smells nasty, but my mom is practically salivating.
Our hearts beat for the diehards.
Long live the car-crash hearts.
NO PRACTICE TOMORROW!!!! I'm pretty excited. Usually my weekend goes by faster if there's practice, but NOT THIS WEEKEND! HALLELUJAH!
It was pretty cool, we had freshman pictures AND team pictures today. In the freshman picture, I'm sitting with practically all my friends. Well, we're all in the same area. Good enough.
Coach shaved his head again. Only an hour of practice. Sweet.

Agony enjoys tormenting the nonathletic.

But there's an Ipod on the cover! It must be good!
My little brother's watching "Flight of the Navigator". :P That movie blew my four-year-old mind. IAnd not in a good way.
For the first time this year, I'm really hoping I don't make the basketball team. I'm really doubting that I will anyway (seeing as my legs are still sore from a 2 hour practice; so much for running every day), but that will free up my Tuesdays and Thursdays so I can possibly play with the worship team. Dad said they sometimes have a horn section. Noyce. And they really like bass players? I can sort of only play "The Bitter Uprising" (and barely), but hey.
Do do do do do.
Hm. I was trying to decide which Harry Potter I liked best. So I made a list.
1. The Goblet of Fire
2. The Prisoner of Azkaban
3. The Chamber of Secrets
4. The Sorceror's Stone
5. The Deathly Hallows
6. The Order of the Phoenix
7. The Half-Blood Prince (for some reason I really hated this one)
The Classic Crime's "Albatross" is like my favorite CD right now.

Red velvet...it's like eating an ugly but delicious-tasting kitten.

I just started "White Fang" and am more than halfway through already. White Fang is sort of messed up. I know he's quite wolfish (at least a quarter wolf blood), but all he does is kill things and hate people. He ate a kitten once. It sounded kind of gross and sad, because I love kittens and I could hear it purring, but kind of good at the same time, seeing as I am attracted to all things meat.
Connor stepped on my shoes and I was like, "Rawr!"
Connor, Kevin, and I are going to play "Winnie the Pooh" together. Yeah.
I made hot dogs for aliens and New Yorkers yesterday.
Online, of course.
I hate Mondays.
"Animal Farm" is great. Too bad I've already read it.

That's not all we shared.

"Temple of Doom" was definitely the worst Indiana Jones, but "The Last Crusade" ruined the entire trilogy for me. And he and his father screwed the same girl?? Whaat?? And it's justified, because "they're only human". I'm sorry, but that's disgusting.
Do do do do. I watched the last half of "Pride and Prejudice" (the good one with Colin Firth, not that joke with Keira Knightley) and it was all right, but I hate Jane, Lydia is a slut, Miss Bingley looks like that unibrow girl from "Dodgeball", and Mr. Bingley is way too jocular to live.
"The Wish List" by Eoin Colfer is a really good book. The theology is messed up, but it's really clever and so much better than the lame "Artemis Fowl" series. One of the best books I've read in a long time.
I've read 4 good books in a row. Huh. Then I decided to finish the Christmas themed Madison Finn and plowed through Pony Pal #31. Neither was very satisfying. Actually, the Madison Finn book was good because there was so much drama and the creepy stalker Drew kid was in it a lot.
"I'm going to Switzerland. Does anyone else want to go to Switzerland??"
I'm still addicted to White Rabbits. I ate 4/5 of a package today. That's not right.
Church was cool today. There was a potluck after church for new families, and they decorated everything to look like a 50's diner, and we got free burgers while "Happy Days" played in the background. Pretty sweet. The worship pastor was really nice and came over and talked to us. He told my favorite drummer joke and seemed to know a lot about music. Good man. He said I could probably play with the worship team because they need a bass or a trombone. Sweeet. Although basketball is starting soon and that will eat up most of my Tuesdays (band practice) and Thursdays (youth group). Oh well. I'm going to youth group on Thursday. Not as apprehensive as before. YEssss.

Rewind

I feel like being reflective today. I mean, it's New Year's Eve, and I always have the feeling that I'm supposed to be doing something important. Such as finishing "Pride and Prejudice" and doing the homework I sort of put off. Or writing a letter to the president. Or at least making some cheesy New Year's resolutions that I never keep anyway.
So I thought about 2007 (for like 8 minutes...in the shower) and the reasons that I thought it was such a crappy year. Such as:

1. My dog died. 7 years is a long time to have a dog, especially when he was older than dirt to begin with. But he was my first dog, and so putting him down was really sad.

2. I'm crap with boys. Yeah. This is mostly what made the year so unbearable. Mostly because of tension. Or something. Looking back, I would much rather have minded my own business and kept reading my Pony Pals.

3. One word: Church. My family was planning to leave a church we'd been going to even before we got Oggy, but we didn't know when and we couldn't tell anybody. I wanted to leave so badly, but I didn't want to leave behind friends and stuff. But we finally did, so it's not like I couldn't leave it all completely behind me.

4. I didn't make the basketball team. This really sucked at the time, because I had to hold it in all day while people apologized, and I'd kind of been having trouble with some girls at the time, so that entire day kind of bombed, but it ended up being okay because I made the team, so I probably shouldn't even consider this a reason.

But the year didn't turn out completely wasted.

1. Um, I got elected president!! That's pretty cool. REALLY cool. And it upped my social status somewhat. My fellow freshmen still think I'm a nerd, but who cares?

2. I made the basketball team and discovered sports. Basketball and track rule. Hopefully I REALLY make the basketball team this year and 5 people don't die in order for me to get a spot. And track should be fun. I've gotten faster, only I haven't run in a while, so I'm pretty out of shape.

3. We found an awesome new church. I'm finally enjoying church for the first time in 15 years. And they have a good worship team.

4. I GOT A BASS!!! And I don't suck completely!

So yeah. Lol, 4 reasons each, that's pretty balanced. I'm pretty psyched for 2008, because, hello? Freshmen! In 5 months, but who cares!!? People are already talking about it! Including myself!! How shallow!! And we might go to Creation, and maybe Nancy will give us plane tickets. Georgia, anyone?? Oh yeah, and I have to do ASB stuff. Hopefully no more summer school, though I secretly enjoy it.

Actually, if you want to be SUPER accurate, "Drama Queen" is the only song I should have on there

Which is true...
So I'm done with my 2007 playlist. And the worst thing is when I was reviewing my year trying to think up appropriate songs to symbolize the major events that happened this year, I realized this isn't the worst year I've had. In fact, it wasn't that bad. I'm just a major drama queen. I guess that could be both a good and bad thing.
Spending much time in prayer, lol.
I love my bass.
So here you have it.
I'll be happy to explain my reasoning for most of the songs if you're curious, but there are some that I'm way too embarassed to explain.

1. "Pumpin' Up the Party", Hannah Montana
2. "If We Were A Movie", Hannah Montana
3. "Broken Heart", Falling Up
4. "Get'cha Head In the Game", B5
5. "Replace Me", Family Force 5
6. "I Feel So Good", KJ-52
7. "My Last Breath", Evanescence (because no other song fit really...I guess)
8. "I Miss You", Blink-182
9. "Holier Than Thou", Metallica
10. "Drama Queen", Family Force 5
11. "The God That Failed", Metallica
12. "Always Waiting", Stellar Kart
13. "Surrender", BarlowGirl
14. "You Can't Stop the Beat", Hairspray Cast
15. "What Time Is It", High School Musical Cast
16. "Punk Rawk Show", MXPX
17. "Harder Than the First Time", BarlowGirl
18. "Start of Something New", Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens
19. "Homesick At Spacecamp", Fall Out Boy
20. "We're All In This Together", High School Musical Cast
21. "Mama, I'm A Big Girl Now", Nikki Blonksy, Marissa Janet Winokur, and Rikki Lake
22. "Dance With Me", Debelah Morgan
23. "What's My Age Again?", Blink-182
24. "Thankful", Caedmon's Call (wow, this one actually has a double meaning. Cool.)
25. "Scars Remain", Disciple
26. "What's This?", Fall Out Boy

It's not "Shining Star", but it's a start.

Happy Christmas, Harry! Happy Christmas, Ron!
Speaking of Harry Potter, I watched the 5th movie recently and it sucked, but I really liked Luna Lovegood and Ron was a hottie.
Still working on my 2007 playlist. There's this one Barlowgirl song I need to add. Also, I'm definitely replacing the Tobymac opening track with a Hannah Montana one. Unfortunately, I did not receive a Hannah CD for Christmas. Darn.
I DID get High School Musical 2: Extended Edition, though. Yeaaaah. We watched it last night and it's pretty much the best movie I've ever seen. That one part with Sharpay STILL makes me cry. Sooo sad. I hate Vanessa Hudgens.
Soooo I'm LOVING my bass. It's all black and beautiful and shiny and there's a small dent in it, but it works GREAT. My amp is bigger than William's, though. He's better at guitar than I am at bass, though. :P I managed to somewhat master sixteenth notes. Its been fun. Maybe by next year I can play in pep band!!
Uh oh, scandalous pajamas!! Comfy, though. I already ate all my Christmas candy.
SWEET, thanks to my dad's diligent help with my quarter collecting over the years and the $10 my grandma gave me for Christmas, I might just go out and BUY that Hannah Montana CD.
So Christmas was good and William is having a semi-fabulous birthday. Actually, Chuck E. Cheese was kind of lame because his friend was being stupid.
But he always has Mario.
Heh, yesterday we were being dumb and singing along to Metallica with our best James Hetfield impressions. Ironically, today is Lars Ulrich's birthday. Hm.

Santa is depressed...and he's a pig?

Yeah, I just went to my church's Christmas Eve service, which was pretty cool, because the whole theme was Jesus' birthday, so there were balloons everywhere and pictures of cake on the bulletins and we gave him "gifts" and sang songs. The only bad part was the puppet show. I will forever have nightmares of not-funny puppets with stage fright.
Yeah, I've sort of been online a lot today. It's all good. After all, it's Christmas Eve.
Kind of feel bad that I just had a sermon on not focusing on gifts and on God, but now I'm bugging my mom to let me open presents. I don't even know if we'll do it because William has the flu and wanted to sleep in my mom's room, so she didn't get to wrap them. Like I want wrapped presents. Okay, yeah, I do want wrapped presents.
Aaargh, I just read "Falcondance", sequel to "Snakecharm", and it, too, was a letdown. I thought it started off good, though, and had me pretty hooked, but then it fizzled and got really confusing. Nicias is a cool kid.
Hopefully "Wolfcry" will be better, as it has Oliza, Zane and Danica's kid, as the narrator, but the last book is sure to suck.
Foom foom foom. Mmm, rodeo cheeseburgers.
Merry Christmas. No happy holidays for you.

I'm thinking a black bra under a white shirt isn't such a good idea.

That should be a film. "Black Bra Under a White Shirt: Based on a true story".
Aaaaagh, concert last night = not so swell. It made me miss the better days. And Mr. Villiers. I got home last night and was really bummed because I only had him for a year and he was such a good teacher but then he abandoned us to go to China. Which probably makes me selfish, but I was way sad. Not like Mr. Faxon isn't cool and everything. But a lot of the old band people who were REALLY GOOD quit because he left, so numbers are down, and so is talent.
Whoa, old school Evanescence is making me sad, too. So good. Especially "Bring Me To Life" and I have no clue why. I think it had something to do with falling off a building.
But on a happier note....
BAM! FRESHMAN WON "MAKE A CHANGE" AND THE PEP ASSEMBLY! Pwned. I had to be MC, though, which was fun, but the band sounded hot, and I was like, "Curses, I should be playing that trombone part, not Mr. Faxon!" 7th graders won the snowman contest, though.
Aaah, Mr. Campbell is so awful!
"Mr. Campbell, I'm skipping your class today."
"That's good, because I hate it when you're here."
":O"
"I'M JUST KIDDING!"
Man, he's going to be gone after winter break. :P All the people who hated him at the beginning of the year are now begging him to stay and are talking about offing the real teacher.
BAND!!! Love it, pretty much. I want my bass. It's in the garage but I'm too "busy" to look for it", lol.
WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE MATT UNDERWOOD??