Moving!

I have now officially moved from Blogger to Wordpress. Wordpress is amazing. Blogger is good for my Optimism Initiative, but... well... sorry Blogger. You don't get veloquence anymore.

VISIT ME!

Katie

a collection of verses

I have not been posting lately because I am in the process of transitioning this blog to another platform.

In the meantime, I thought I would share the verses that came up in my devotions the other day. This is KJV.

When you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, "We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do." Luke 17:10

    Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Romans 3:27. What do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as though you had not received it? 1 Corinthians 4:7. By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10.

    By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10. For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things. Romans 11:36. All things come from You, and of Your own we have given You. 1 Chronicles 29:14.

    Do not enter into judgement with your servant, for in your sight no one living is righteous. Psalm 143:2.

Katie

Yesterday

Extended
Invitation
Which do I choose?
Stirring
My desires
Will I listen?

The bells rang soft
I did not come.

Pulling
Towards the pity
This gripping sting.
The fear
Of then; of time
When turns to chaos.

The bells rang peace
I did not come.

Inborn
And all will see
Such as this?
Identity
And self, composed
In twisted matrix.

The bells rang deep
I did not come.

Tugging
Tenacity
My back to winds.
And soft
Is gone; no more;
I can't resist the flow.

The bells rang strong
I did not come.

Calling
One small child's voice
Through all the noisy space.
But she holds
And drags me in
Tempestuous time.

The bells rang future
I will come.

And the wrinkled hand of Yesterday
Lies limp, and silent; still.

A Day in the Life of a Guinea Pig

I should like to introduce you all to my school-life. So I should like to post for you an article I have written.

***

Call us test subjects, guinea pigs, or—my personal favorite—lab rats; the first graduating class of a school is no joke. At least, we try not to be. So please don’t laugh at us. We’re not that weird.

My school is a small, SMALL, classical school. Seriously, it is tiny. There are 63 students in the 7th-11th grades. That’s the Logic and Rhetoric stages… we don’t do “middle” and “high” school. They add on a new grade every year (starting with K-1st grades in 1999), and I am at the top!

There are 4.5 people in my class. There is me, the curly-haired eccentric; my other telepathic triplets, a.k.a. Amazingness and Princess; Sir Apathy, who is… apathetic; and the Televenth-Grader, who is in 11th grade but takes all 10th grade classes. Now that you are acquainted with my class, I shall acquaint you with my day.

7:30 a.m. Wake up. Stick hypothetical tongue out at public school students who are already in class. Silently thank Headmaster-who-realized-teenagers-need-more-sleep-than-kids. Hit the snooze button until…

7:48 a.m. Why is the “sleep” on the alarm in increments of nine minutes? That’s so random. The box advertises it as “convenient.” Hah. After thinking about this for several minutes, I jump out of bed and dress in my khakis (skirt or pants) and logo-ed polo. I then attempt to tame the bush on my head. I threaten it with weed clippers. I give up.

8:15 a.m. Do devotions. Eat breakfast. Check Facebook. Brush teeth. Pack backpack.

8:30 a.m. Realize I should leave. Kinda wish I could drive. Remember I still need 55 hours before I can get my license.

8:35 a.m. Stroll into homeroom and catch up with Princess. Both of her parents are teachers, so she is always there early.

8:40 a.m. Homeroom! We have homeroom divided by grade and gender. I have homeroom with the 9th-11th grade girls. We never do anything. Sometimes they take attendance.

8:48 a.m. AP Calculus. We’ll pretend it’s Friday. I have different classes every day, so it takes me about 3 weeks to memorize my schedule every semester.

I take Calc by myself… it’s just the teacher and me. He’s awesome. He is Princess’ dad. We usually spend 25% of the time talking about life and/or throwing sarcastic remarks back and forth with Amazingness, who teaches herself “Advanced Mathematics” in the same room. We spend the rest of the time on previous homework and new material. I love that class, for the most part. I’ve taken one test all year, but I’ve learned a lot.
This is a definite PRO of being a guinea pig.

10:10 a.m. Break. During break, I usually talk with my triplets or we all head downstairs to the dilapidated piano-thing. There I attempt to scratch out songs; Amazingness and I sing somethingorother; and Princess (who is also a ballerina) dances. Then I eat food. I have a doctor’s note.

10:20 a.m. Latin. RUN upstairs, because the teacher is not soft on tardiness. Did I mention that the Latin teacher is also the Calculus teacher is also the World History teacher is also the Greek teacher is also the guys’ Gym teacher? Yeah. Small school.

This is one of my favorite classes. Amazingness, Apathy, and I have already had 3-7 years of Latin, each. The teacher gives us some translation work then pretty much sets us loose, as long as we get it done.

After we’re finished, sometimes we play with our class pet, Oscar the Hamster (who has a Facebook fan page). More often, we all go slap-happy and have rambling conversations that go from a bird flying into the classroom window to Cookie Monster, within 7 steps. Documented.
We couldn’t be this free with a larger class. So, it is a PRO.

11:45 a.m. Lunch. Lunch is awesome. I sit with my triplets and our favorite tenth grader. We discuss things like theology, philosophy, and the love-that-is-Regina-Spektor. We are not normal teenage girls.

12:15 p.m. Junior Thesis. This is the class period in which we are supposed to work on our big 16-20 page paper. We choose the topics, we write the papers, we do the presentations, and some poor people have to grade them. I wrote mine about truth, goodness, and beauty in Russian literature. Our Senior Thesis will be something like 25-35 pages. Yay?

At least, that’s what we’re supposed to do. In reality, we organize our binders and do other homework. It’s really hard to work on a paper like that in school.
This paper is probably a CON, but for the school in general, not for being a guinea pig.

12:58 p.m. Bible (Doctrine). I love this class. The teacher is pretty strict, but he does a mean impression of Vizzini from The Princess Bride. We get awesome discussions, and he doesn’t really expect us to agree with him in everything.
This class is totally a PRO. You don’t get discussions like that with huge classes.

1:45 p.m. Break. Second break! What we do varies. Whatever we do we do together, because we go together like Switzerland, Mongols, and the Black Death. Thank you, AP World.

1:55 p.m. Teacher’s Aide. Princess and I grade papers for her mother or the Headmaster while Amazingness and Apathy take Spanish. Sometimes we laugh at silly spelling mistakes (who knew that “morph” is spelled “murf”?), but we’re not supposed to do that.
Teacher’s Aide is totally a PRO. It gets us out of Gym.

3:18 p.m. Dismissal. I catch a ride with somebody to the Grammar School campus. Grammar School = 2nd-6th grade. The PreK-1st graders also find their abode here.

3:45 p.m. Chorus. There are five of us, including two Grammar School-ers. I play the (very un-dilapidated) piano, and everybody sings some song. We usually have fun.
This is a CON. It is the sum total of all music programs for Upper School-ers, as we call ourselves.

4:30 p.m. Home! This is the best part of Fridays. I return to my house, change out of my uniform, put a hat on over the bush, and relax. Until I get to my homework… yeah. I actually DO homework on Fridays. Dork.

Recap. My day is full of edification and entertainment, writing and rambling, awesomeness and alliteration. I love being part of a small class. I suppose I would like more electives or choice in my class load, but what does that matter, really? I love the community. I love that my teachers are like family. It’s very writing-intensive and we get a lot of homework, but it is worth every bit. My school is 30% discussion, 40% independent work, 23.782% random, 6.218% lecture, and every bit of a family.

***

Katie

"Song Theology"

So I've overheard the TNMT attendees talking about their "film theology" ...things.

And I wanted to open the floor to all, mimes or not, to discuss a song I found.

It's by (who else) Regina Spektor, who says,

"Sometimes I'm really positive about religion, but, you know, sometimes I'm really sarcastic about it, too. Hey, that's God, that's life!"

Listen to it a few times. Tell me what you think.

Lyrics:

You know that statue
That statue of baby Jesus
In the window
In the window of the 99 cent store
Last night I saw the owner kiss it
And whisper in its ear
I was walking home from Walgreen's
and he did not hear me see him
And on the
Very very next morning
All the subway cars were hallelu-leluing
Welcome back the baby king, the baby king
All the believers they were smiling
and winking at each other
I could honestly say I was scared for my life

They said, all the non-believers they get to eat dirt
And the believers get to spit on their graves...

You know that statue
That statue of baby Jesus
In the window
In the window of the 99 cent store
They've been showing it on the news
It was thirty times its size
With a megaphone and a heart-shaped bruise
It was hovering in the skies
And all the
subway cars were hallelu-lelu-leluing, hallejuah
Welcome back the baby king, the baby king
All the believers they were smiling
and winking at each other
I could honestly say I was scared for my life

They said, all the non-believers they get to eat dirt
And the believers get to spit on their graves...
believe!...

You know that statue
That statue of baby Jesus
In the window
In the window of the 99 cent store
When I woke up I ran and bought it
and locked it in my closet
with a little bread and water
and a flashlight and a first aid kit til he grows

By the way, if this song doesn't make you a little bit angry at first, I applaud you.

What think you?

Katie

I give up.

I've been kinda-sorta sick all weekend. But then...

I woke up today with zero voice. Zip. By the time I got to school, I could talk a little, but there was no way I could sing... unfortunately, I am in a group of 6 girls that was supposed to sing tonight at a school event. We were going to sing Come Thou Fount in 4 parts, and then Revelation Song.

Problem: I had considered myself pretty much indispensable in that group.

Solution: I'm not. And it took a case of laryngitis to prove it to me.

I got the flu/laryngitis at the Awards Ceremony last year (in which I was supposed to sing, again, with my other chorus). I got my mini-lesson then. I wasn't indispensable in that chorus either.

Both of these times, I ended up playing piano. Both times, I only was playing piano for the groups in the first place because I was the only one who could sing and play.

Problem #1: I didn't end up singing.

Problem #2: I don't play piano in the first place!!!

Solution: none in sight.

Both times, I missed chords, was not all that interesting, etc. Nobody looked at me. My name was in the program, but all the lights were off and the spotlight was not on me... literally and figuratively.

I've never been one to pretend that I was humble. I struggle with pride, yes. So... I guess God sees it fit to take away what I do think I do well, and put me in a position to do something I know I do badly.

He gives and takes away, but blessed be His name.

Silver Lining: my parents didn't feel it necessary to come!

Just look at the verse that was in my devotional today (irony? yes)~

2 Corinthians 3:5

Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.

I concede. fold. surrender. whatever. YOU WIN.

Katie

liveblogging the junior thesis!

I am about to begin reading through my junior thesis. I have edited it and edited it. Now, after stepping back and creating the works cited/bibliography, I am actually going to read it all the way through. I want you to understand that I have NEVER done that. Not for any paper, ever. This is a milestone for me, guys... I'm getting choked up! (just kidding)

10:12- I am about to embark on a perilous, ne'er attempted journey. Wish me luck.
I am so lucky to have found that quote last summer. It was so random; I wasn't even thinking about the junior thesis.
10:13- David was right. Value=/=Beauty. Sigh. but it's so nicely alliterative. I couldn't think of that word. I had to google it. Alliterative, I mean. I'm tired.
10:15- I used "beauty" in every single sentence of the 2nd paragraph. sometimes twice.
10:16- taking out "however" in a sentence opener really makes the sentence seem more bold.
10:19- AAH!! I forgot to cite any of my internet sources! AAH!
10:30- I don't want to do this. My dad just offered to do it for me. I'm tempted.
I forgot to cite that poem. I don't feel like doing it now. I'm going to delete that sentence. *BWOOP!* done.
10:33- I ought to take my contacts out.
10:36- the way I look right now does not even deserve "death warmed over." It's a whole lot closer to "death defrosted."
I broke into my secret chocolate stash. David said this paper took him 3 hours to read, and I'll bet he was awake.
10:37- the sentence sounds like the action and motivation had lovely features. I meant to say the women who DROVE the action and motivation had lovely features.
10:39- what's the plural of "behalf"? Is it "behalves"? "behalfs"? "behaves"? lol
10:40- MSWord says that "in every regard" does not agree in number. I disagree.
10:44- that section lacks a concluding paragraph. Oh well. I don't want to write one.
10:48- so THERE, Megan! I only use "in a sense" TWICE in the paper. I don't know what you were talking about...
10:50- I am lying for the sake of understand-ability. Nastasya only goes to marry Rogozhin; she doesn't actually marry him. but it's close enough. she lives in his house, for Pete's sake. who is Pete, anyways?
10:54- wow, that part about Myshkin & Nastasya really is confusing, and unnecessary to boot. *delete*
10:55- I hope Mrs B doesn't remember that I copied and pasted like 4 pages of this from an essay I did for her last year.
10:57- I just realized how creepy the Aglaya situation is. Myshkin almost marries his second cousin once removed. Ew. That's like me marrying my dad's cousin. EW. What's weird is that my dad's cousin's girlfriend does look like me... lol
11:04- :) alliteration! "Karenin values simplicity, straightforwardness, and sensibility ... He is duty-driven and direct ..."
11:07- is the word "clearly" too subjective?
11:09- subheadings are a pain in the butt, but I couldn't live without them... too bad MLA websites do not clearly and unanimously specify how to do them.
11:13- after all these years, I cannot spell "exercising" right the first time.
11:23- Facebook break!
11:27- I am a bad girl. I'm not supposed to be on there today. I'm off now.
11:32- I do not like the beginning of my paper. I am liking the paper the further along I get. That isn't good.
11:38- I do not understand what that sentence means. is it bad, or am I just tired? who knows.
11:43- DONE!!! almost exactly 90 minutes after I began... half the time David took. Guess all those edits really did help :P

THANK YOU (in chronological order) to:

Colin, David, Mrs. Bond, Megan, & Rachel! You guys are amazing!!

I will upload the thing as soon as Google Docs returns to functioning.

Katie

Help?

I am reciting the Hamlet Act 3 soliloquy on Monday. Should I add in my modern interpretation (also in iambic pentameter)? And, if so, please help me edit it.

Especially lines 9, 16, 20.

To be, or not to be: there’s the issue:
Is it more courageous to simply stand,
And deal with all the problems fate will bring,
Or is it better to actively defy
The troubles, ‘til we fight them to their end?
Oh, to die-- or to sleep, it’s all the same--
Just a sleep that ends every sorrow
And all distress that people each receive.
That would be something to wish and hope for.
Dying, sleeping… but with sleeping always
There comes dreaming. That’s the one catch,
For when we’ve shed our human blames and duties,
The dreams that come would be an awful worry.
That’s what makes us prolong the agony of life.
Think about it- who would choose to bear
The shame and hardship that comes with living here,
The leaders’ abuse of power, proud men’s insults,
The pain of love unreturned, useless governments,
The disrespect of superiors, and every snub
That saints must tolerate from evil people,
If it were so easy to find rest
As sleeping? Who would carry such horrible burdens,
Groaning and tiring under the weight of life,
If not for the fear of whatever is after death--
It’s unexplored terrain, and no one returns
From its place, and it makes us wonder.
That’s what compels us to deal with problems we know
Instead of changing to unfamiliar ones.
And so our minds will turn us all into cowards,
And so our natural resolve to act
Is overcast with clouds of thought and reason.
And urgent ventures are long delayed
Until they’re no longer actions at all.

Katie

Megan-quote

This merits a post in itself.

I love myself. But then I have issues with myself. We get in fights sometime. I always win.

(we are all a little crazy)

Katie

Scream.

I need to scream.

Can I scream?

k. thanks.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

*frustration*

my life is awesome.

why do these little things have to get under my skin so much? just little stupid things. I am SO thankful for everything I have, I am. But that doesn't mean that I am not irritated/frustrated/complicated. blah.

If you are looking for an intelligent blog post, wait a little while. I may write a celebration poem when I finish my thesis.

Katie

Addendum:

It is especially frustrating when you want this sort of complication and you can't tell anyone. You are human and get irritated with people. To express this irritation to other people would be gossip and pulling yourself into the same drama you so loathe. To express this irritation to the people in question... well, if that was plausible/possible you've already done it.

So you bottle up the scream and try to find someone who will buy it off of eBay... after all, who doesn't want a bottle of Scream?

Horrible, Terrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day

(Okay, so it wasn't THAT bad, but neither was it anywhere near good. And yes I feel like being a pessimist today... OKAY?!)

My day was really awful.

There is no worse way to begin a morning than the cold way. Yes, it was cold. And it is MAY, for crying out loud! It was cold, gloomy, and the clouds looked like they were so sad about it all that they might start crying any minute.

I hit the snooze button several times. Too many times.

Then I rushed to get ready, but apparently didn't rush enough, because I didn't begin my breakfast until 8:15.

Then there was Lit class, which was actually okay.

THEN. Chemistry.

I got to the class feeling somewhat decent. Megan and I had our little chat-about-everything that we do. And then... "okay, clear your desks!"

WHAT?!?!?

Okay. No. It's alright. I never study for tests anyways. It's acids and bases... hah!

Open the test.

Mmmmm, okay, I know those. Molarity, ah, that's fine. Blah, Blah.

Woah.

Hold. The. Phone.

Those do NOT look like the equations we did in class. Not that I understood those either. And the book is stupid. Stupid book.

I'll ask her about them. Maybe there's a typo. In order to have one molecule gain an electron and the other lose one, you have to have two on each side, right? Otherwise it's just combination...

WOAH.

Okay. Yeah, I didn't study. But I never study. I have a photographic memory. I. Do. Not. Get. This. Never did. Explain please?!

Oh, she makes me upset.

This test makes me upset.

This class makes me upset.

I want to go home.

Oh, okay. Retest later. But that doesn't mean I get this!!!

Fine. I'll guess. Um.... Brønsted-Lowry. And... Arrhenius. And... how do you draw the Lewis structure for NH4?? That's kind of impossible.

I give up.

***

AHA! I get it now. Why didn't you say that earlier? erbuhaerpitryvaefuy!!!!!

Okay. Then there was Chapel. But, being tired from the earlyish, unpleasant morning, I couldn't focus at all.

Lunch... meh. I do not want to go on my senior trip combined with some other school. No thank you.

Bible! Double period! time to work on the questions! AND he postponed the quiz!! ...oh, wait, we just have 90 minutes of lecture. yayyyy?

*happy insert*

okay, 90 minutes of lecture is worth getting the homework waived :)

*happy ends*

Surrealism in Art Class.

Art is not easy. In fact, it requires almost as much thought as Math.

I have this wonderful idea that I've worked on for several cumulative hours, but it isn't all that surreal, and I haven't begun the final project yet. I don't even know for sure what I would do with it. I sit and stare at Megan's laptop screen for most of the class.

Mrs. C comes over and talks to us for a long time. I finally get it. My idea is dumb. I need to come up with something better. I have 90 minutes of class time to work on it... total... before it's due. OH, GOODIE. homework.

I joke with Megan and Rachel. Rachel attempts to growl. It's too cute. hehe.

"Rachel, your growl is too cute. You need to make it ugly, like Megan." Wait. That wasn't supposed to come out like that. I meant that Megan's growl is ugly, like growls are supposed to be. But it sounded like I said Megan is ugly. stupidstupidstupidstupid. Uhhh, we'll clarify this one. Maybe. Oh, nope, they've changed the subject. DRAT.

Home!!! yayyy!!!

Homework!!! yayyy?!

Okay.

So, question number 7 uses the lines "y=x^2" and "y=3x-2" ...very nice.

Question number 9 uses the lines "y=|x|" and "y=4xe^(-x^2)" ...how do you skip that much?! that's, like, 5 levels higher. UGH! This is not a math sort of day.

Kristen is going to start Mrs Bond's birthday bread! and I am going to read out loud to her! Fair trade, yes?

...What?!?! There are DEAD BUGS in the.... ohhh, Kristen. And you used it anyways. Yeah, yeah, there were only 3, and it is the only flour we have, but... ewwwww.

I guess we're keeping this loaf.

Hey, Mom? What's for dinner?

Barbecue ribs?!?! ACK! the world is against me! I don't like mega-messy-finger-food, and I don't like ribs, and I don't like barbecue.

Last night it was tuna and shrimp. I'm allergic to tuna and I hate shrimp.

Junior thesis now. ugh.

Kristen is making disgusted sounds at me because she doesn't like Regina Spektor. I'M SORRY. I happen to like her. You have a laptop; go somewhere else!!!!

Oh dear. The bread didn't rise. Well... it was a flop anyways.

Katie

AUGHH!! "Cannot complete your request."

Well, sorry Blogger for trying to POST!!!

Seasons

So, today Mr Brian talked about seasons in the sermon.

My life has seasons. See video at the bottom.

My day had seasons. See following list.

• Oversleep- bad.
• Go to church- good.
• Realize forgot food- scary.
• See Christine- AMAZING.
• Get Philly Cheesesteak- yummm.
• Do History homework- ew.
• Argue with Dad because I don't want to drive- stressful.
• Go to Praise Service practice- intimidating?
• Realize have not eaten since lunch- shaking.
• Practice- fun.
• Still have not eaten since lunch- crying.
• Eat semi-freezer-burnt hotdog bun- yum?!
• Praise Service- awesome.
• Want dinner- hungry.
• Talk about books with David- diverting.
• Still want FOOD- impatient.
• Finally leave- hopeful.
• EAT- ecstatic!
• History homework- endless.
• Stressed- itchy.
• Finished- yayyy!
• Hungry again- lazy.

Well, that about sums it up.

Katie

schizophrenia?

So, how would schizophrenia impact you?

Could you possibly be an introvert, assuming you have the whole "split personality" thing where you are 2+ different people?

Could you possibly be an extrovert, assuming you could entertain yourself with... yourself... for quite some time, all the while believing it was somebody else.

I have had moments like that.

I tell myself secrets.

I give myself presents.

I entertain myself quite frequently.

Is that all an introvert is? Semi-schizophrenia?

Other symptoms include social withdrawal and child-like behavior/regression... lol.

Katie

FRUSTRATION!!

This is a rant.

Prepare yourselves.

1) Why, may I ask, do people use Facebook? To connect with friends, or maybe acquaintances. To learn more about (*coughfacebookstalkcough*) people they see but don't know so well. To keep in touch with people who ARE friends. Real friends.

2) Why, may I ask, do people add others as 'friends'? Well, see #1. Usually out of cordiality, curiosity, or camaraderie.

3) Why, may I ask, do people unadd others from their 'friends'? When I've done it in the past, it's been because of something offensive (i.e. language) or just as a cleanup of sorts. People I never see anymore and will probably never see again.

...so then, why have I been serially unfriended by a certain clique? I see them semi-regularly, I have never posted anything offensive on my Facebook or anyone else's, and I never did anything to offend them personally... I don't think.

What is protocol, then? It puts me in an awfully awkward situation. Knowing that I have been defriended, that is. We aren't "tight" by any standards, but I didn't know there were bad feelings. Do I just walk up to them and ask why we're no longer 'friends'? Do I re-request them? Or do I sit on it and try to avoid them, knowing that something must have sparked this?

I repeat: we are not "tight." This is not impacting my life. I could move on. But I still see these people. I know I'm taking it all too personally... there might be other reasons for this... but I don't know what they are and I don't know how to react.

Katie

Perceptions

It's interesting. I was doing some spring cleaning of my Facebook "Boxes" tab. I came to the "Honesty Box" app (people can anonymously answer questions like 'what do you really think of me?') and I found this:

...from a little over a year ago.

Isn't that funny?

I would never see myself as quiet. Not in a million years. In fact, I think I talk altogether too much.

According to some weird theory involving the fact that I am an INTJ adopting characteristics of ESFPs (don't ask), this is because I am nervous, uncomfortable, or stressed.

I do not deny that I do talk even MORE when I am nervous. Reason #1 I should not speak in public: if I'm nervous I tell dumb stories and repeat myself (ESFP... okay, done now).

However, the theory breaks down here: back when I was "quiet" I was uncomfortable. I was diffident and uncomfortable and insecure with myself. Now I feel like I've never been more aware and accepting of who I am and all of my ideas. So I share them. Quite often; too often.

Of course, I didn't see myself as very quiet then either. Of course, the person who sent this (and I know who you are!!! mwahaha*) probably didn't know me very well. Even still... am I quiet?

Katie

*Dear Anonymous,

Grammar quirks will get you into deep, HOT water when you're trying to do things anonymously. So unless you're being really smart here and adopting someone else's (very distinct) style... brush up a little, 'kay?

Next post: how to successfully masquerade on the internet

Things You Can Learn From Cleaning Your Room

Today I have dedicated myself entirely to cleaning. Maybe some homework, but mostly cleaning.

I spent the better part of the day on my bedroom. Some parts of it have not been cleaned for years, like my desk.

Things you learn cleaning your room:

1. You really are an introvert. 2 hours straight shut up in your room and you hardly notice :P
2. Textured paper towels work much better for dusting than tissues.
3. Always dust the top shelves before the bottom ones. Always.
4. You got really cute birthday cards from your friends when you were in elementary school.
5. Never post videos of yourself singing on your blog, or else your cleaning will be interrupted by your mother (who wants to send said video to your relatives).
6. You need a better way to organize... everything.
7. And all this time... that's where 95% of your single socks and pencils went!
8. Velcro rollers stick to everything.
9. That sparkly eyeshadow? Well, maybe there's a reason you haven't worn it since middle school. The stuff gets in your eyes and ITCHES!
10. If you run out of time and/or motivation and you haven't finished, your room will look significantly worse than when you started.

...yeah, so, it's still a mess, but at least my desk is dust-free!

Katie

Rantish. Young Adult Fiction.

I cannot read young adult fiction.
It is bad for me. You know why?

1. It has awful writing in general that is wayyy below my standard/what I should be reading.
2. The content is just not helpful. Seriously?
3. All of the books have the same plot.
4. They are either about teens who have magical powers and/or enemies with magical powers, or they are about teens with "average" lives but absolutely ridiculous circumstances.
5. An AP Lit student reading the majority of YA Fiction is like a vegetarian eating this.
6. Every time I try to read YA Fiction, I end up wondering why my life is not like the protagonist's.
7. Why I don't have my Cinderella moment.
8. Why I don't have a boyfriend.
9. Why I don't show up to a social event, looking way too pretty for my own good despite not spending any time at all on my hair.
10. Why; halfway through the night when I am depressed, alone, and not expecting it; that one guy who is way out of my league doesn't come up to me and confess his love to me.

Honestly? My life is not like that.

Honestly? I don't think I want my life to be like that. Can you imagine the pressure?

Especially if you are busy having your Cinderella moment whilst trying to deal with wings growing out of your knees and an evil arch-nemesis with super-X-ray-laser-4D vision. That is serious stuff!

Also, Cinderella has to clean a lot, and I don't like to clean.

Katie

Drama

Being a hypocrite by nature, I had to write a poem/guide to avoiding drama. Because, honestly, there's too much of it.

What's the point of drama, please?

I can't figure it out.

I don't know why you love it so,

Or what it's all about.

The time that's lost in catty fights

Could be much better spent.

The lives that were so clear and free

Have entered their descent.

And all through your manipulation!

Tell me, why is that?

If I can say it plainly, ma'am,

You're asking for combat.

Truly, drama's root does lie

In simple insecurity.

What's worse is drama, as a whole,

Mistaken for maturity.

But fighting over boys does not

Necessitate this trait.

Just because you want a guy

Doesn't mean that you should date.

Honestly? If you are bick'ring

Over these poor guys...

You probably aren't ready

For your sky so full of pies.

Anyways, back to the start:

The issue that's at hand.

What's the thing that makes drama

So hard to understand?

Actually, it isn't bad,

It's quite the simple quip:

If the business isn't yours,

Then please, just zip your lips!

Do not meddle in a problem

Not involving you.

Do not confer with your friends,

Even if they knew.

It doesn't matter who you are--

You are not beyond

The pitfalls that come when you fish

In this piranha pond.

So... the point... don't meddle, don't gossip, know what is your business and what isn't. THE END.

Katie

Overachiever!

Well. Today, we (the whole school) were chastised for being inconsiderate. As a result, we all have to write a 250-word, 3-paragraph essay explaining how we are inconsiderate and how we can fix it.

Personally? I am bored of writing essays. THEREFORE, I wrote a 350-word poem, instead.

Inconsiderate
(A Poem)

Once upon another time,
On land quite close to here,
An attitude was rampant;
‘Twas like poison in the ear.
Not a person truly cared
For others and their needs.
This gave way to rudeness
And most inconsid’rate deeds.
Not to be a hypocrite,
I must confess that I
Am not the least of these, oh no-
Now, let me tell you why.
Sometimes I am not so prompt,
And on purpose that.
I figure that the mark is mine,
Thus acting like a brat.
You see: the strain is not my own--
I am disrupting class.
The teacher must feel slighted
When we come in late en masse.
Also, here in school, I find
That I can talk too much,
Espec’lly when it’s not allowed…
All things we discuss.
That’s not to mention what I say
When we do converse.
I do say quite thoughtless things--
And that part is worse.
I have a tendency to be
Quite direct and snide.
However, this gets really bad
When influenced by pride.
At home I do the same, ‘tis true;
Unfortunately so.
Also, I don’t tell my parents
All they need to know.
They like to be aware when I
Come home from being out.
However, often I do have
Better things to think about.
And so, I simply just forget
To alert my fam’ly then
And go right on to Facebook--
Inconsiderate again!
All in all, my problem lies
In my communication.
I need to be more diligent
In interpers’nal relation.
Added to that one concern
Of a timely arrival,
With it all I am assured
A considerate survival.
I know not the issues
That my fellow students face.
I know not the sins
That make them all red in the face.
However, I do understand
The root cause of it all:
A thoughtless, selfish attitude
Where others seem so small.
When we accept that people are
Worth just as much as we,
Our actions and our thoughts
Will much better be.

TADA!

Katie

PS- props if you catch the Hamlet reference :P

Tulips are pretty. Tuips are not.

I just spent 3.5 hours reading and writing about Limited Atonement.

My perspective:

I am not a Calvinist.

If you are going to be something, be it all the way. If you want to call yourself a Calvinist, I think you have to be a 5-point Calvinist... a TULIP.

For you uneducated, that's-

• Total Depravity
• Unconditional Election
• Limited Atonement
• Irresistible Grace
• Perseverance of the Saints.

Some "Calvinists," or "4-point Calvinists" do not believe in Limited Atonement. It scares a lot of people away. It scares me, although I can't say it's scared me away, since I'm still here.

Problem: 4-point Calvinism = TUIP. Pronounced "twip." And that's just not attractive.

Here's the problem... a lot of Calvinist theology is built on Limited Atonement. I can't tell you how many arguments in my Manual for Christian Doctrine book are built off of the assumption of Limited Atonement. How can you, then, call yourself Calvinist when you don't believe the middle of the 5 main points? It's still okay... just find yourself a different name. I do not call myself a Calvinist because I cannot adhere with certainty to their doctrine.

Now, for you who are wondering, "Uhhhh, what is this limited atonement thing?"

Copied and pasted from a wonderful website Google found me...

Jesus died only for the elect. Though Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient for all, it was not efficacious for all. Jesus only bore the sins of the elect. Support for this position is drawn from such scriptures as Matt. 26:28 where Jesus died for ‘many'; John 10:11, 15 which say that Jesus died for the sheep (not the goats, per Matt. 25:32-33); John 17:9 where Jesus in prayer interceded for the ones given Him, not those of the entire world; Acts 20:28 and Eph. 5:25-27 which state that the Church was purchased by Christ, not all people; and Isaiah 53:12 which is a prophecy of Jesus’ crucifixion where he would bore the sins of many (not all).

...I kind of think they might be starting to convert me. Scary thought, right? We'll save that talk for later.

Katie

Apologies

Okay. So. Apologies.

Actually, I would like to start with a tangent.

The internet is a wonderful thing. It has made information--facts and opinions--easily and cheaply accessible for almost anyone living in a developed country.

However, the internet, like any tool, has its definite downside.

For example, those facts and particularly opinions... are easily accessible, by pretty much everyone. Even when those 'facts' and opinions were recorded in the heat of frustration and/or indignant-ness. (no, "indignance" is not a word)

AHEM.

So. Now. Apologies. For real.

I am sorry that I posted something sorta mean and definitely awkward and unnecessary. I am sorry that I didn't think to delete the thing until this evening. And I am sorry that y'all had to sit through this apology.

Katie

laaaa, laaaa, laaa, DONE!

(to the tune of "La Cucaracha")

I am finished!

My Junior Thesis!

And now, I'll finally get some sleep!

All except for that

Most annoying fact:

My normal homework load's still steep!

Katie

Tips for the Conversationally Impaired

So, last night (*ahem* this morning) when I was really really awake and couldn't think of sleeping except for the fact that it was almost 2 AM... I decided to write a song.

Because I feel very strongly about this, and when you feel strong emotions you must sing them.

At least in your head... 1:45 AM is not a good time to awaken my mother!

(For a more enjoyable experience, imagine to a country-western-ish tune with twangy guitars and shakers for percussion. Also, the performer has a sardonic expression on her face. And she is wearing pink sequins, because she likes pink sequins.)

"Better Unsaid"

I get that I'm a skinny sprout-

That doesn't mean we must talk about

Minutia of my physical appearance.

And sure, I might be kind of smart,

But we don't need to pull apart

This groundwork of my pitiful existence.

And now I say, I cannot take this!

There's something that's awfully amiss.

And so I hope you understand

My ranting, raving, crazed demands--

Please, oh, please.

There's lots of stuff out there that's true

That you don't need to say!

Remember decency, oh, do--

'Cause you're driving me crazy...

And before I shoot myself in the head

Remember:

Some things are better left unsaid.

I think there is one golden rule

To keeping conversations cool:

Think before you even start to talk.

Just because a thing is true,

It doesn't mean it will help you

Or me-- please don't persist or I shall squawk!

And now I say, I cannot take this!

There's something that's awfully amiss.

And so I hope you understand

The message of an imaginary band--

Please, oh, please.

There's lots of stuff out there that's true

That you don't need to say!

Remember decency, oh, do--

'Cause you're driving me crazy...

And before I shoot myself in the head

Remember:

Some things are better left unsaid.

And this is my song.

Because so many things go wrong

When you say weird things for way too long

And my feelings on this topic are very very strong...

So please, oh, please.

There's lots of stuff out there that's true

That you don't need to say!

Remember decency, oh, do--

'Cause you're driving me crazy...

And before I shoot myself in the head

Remember:

Some things are better left unsaid.

*thank you, thank you*

and that will be all for tonight.

Katie

Join us next time for an extensive disquisition on delusional high school boys... just kidding. sort of.

Procrastination

Isn't it a wonderful thing?

I really ought to be working on my History homework or Junior Thesis... but I don't want to.

I really ought to be finishing up my daddy's Christmas present (yes, from 2009)... but I don't want to.

I really ought to respond to all of the emails from well-meaning friends telling me to stop procrastinating... but I really don't want to.

Don't think I'm lazy or anything... actually, I quite overwork myself. I wrote 3 more pages in my junior thesis today, and I accomplished other things like downloading G-Chat.

...But there comes a point where you really can't focus any more, no matter how much you will yourself. I'd actually like to focus right now, but I have too many more important things to do... like play with these styrofoam rings that came in the case with blank CDs!

Katie

smartie pants.

that's me!

(no, really, I'm not kidding)

...maybe.

So, I gave up the internet for Lent, yes? Toady I got back on full-fledged and, after church, spent about 3 hours "putzing," as my mother says.

Come 2:30, aforesaid mother decides that I need to get to work on that paper of mine. I say, eh, only 6 pages left-- I'll do it tomorrow. No luck. When she catches me on Facebook again, you can bet that I am grounded from Facebook until Thursday when I turn the *lovely* thing in.

And it's my own. stupid. fault.

Oh well, I'm sure it's for the best... you can see how good I am at focusing. In my defense, I did get a paragraph finished before I jumped on here to whine.

Katie

Welcome!

So maybe I'm addicted to blogging (how many am I writing for now? like 4?), but I like this one.

So welcome to

Awesome Possum

aka Veloquence on Toast.

Here you will find rambling streams of consciousness.

And semi-interesting insights.

And random thoughts.

And awesomeness.

And veloquence.

(And possibly a possum relocation program,* but we're still working on that one.)

Katie

*idea and phrase "awesome possum" copyright Megan Elizabeth. Used with assumed permission.