How doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail.

11/4

My deepest apologies on my neglect to post anything for a long while! It's been fairly busy on my end!

Fall has finally come to Georgia! I'm very happy for it is supposed to be beautiful ALL week long! *YAY* This is my kind of fall weather.

So what has transpired since I last said anything? Nothing TOO exciting. I visited a Pure Fashion session the other day. I had to meet with a coach for monologue training and thought I'd kill two birds with one stone! I miss Pure Fashion SO MUCH! I saw several girls who I modeled with in the past, and met some knew girls. They are all beautiful in each stage of the program, each girl is at a certain point. I can't wait to see the growth at the end of the year!
ABC's Night Line was there to do some filming of Pure Fashion. They are doing a before and after segment on one of the girls. Brenda Sharman gave a side show about herself and gave her testimony, along with the runway training presentation. AND believe it or not, Mrs. Sharman asked if i could do my body language segment in front of the girls and Night Line! 20 minute warning! So, I myself got to speak to the girls as a peer, with all the lights, cameras, and microphones in my face. =) It was just slightly nerve wracking, but I had a lot of fun. Giving the message about first impressions and how we are called not to be teenagers, but young adults, and to act with the dignity and responsibility that title demands.

I have been doing a lot of SAT prep for the past month. It's been very demanding and tiring work, but I hope and pray it pays off! After this Saturday everything school wise should settle down and I can focus my attention on my Pre-Calculus which has been neglected. It'll all be behind me! I'm excited. It's been really hard to keep a good attitude about it all, I've been really resentful towards a lot of things. I feel like I'm being looked at as a number and not as anything else. But if I just work hard, keep an OPEN mind, and just get my priorities straight everything seems to go a WHOLE lot smoother! Attitude is altitude, and I'm wanting to fly high. No more stressing please!! This week of test's will be soon be over, and I plan to accomplish it with a smile! =}

I've been trying to try my hand at being adventurous, and spontaneous - within reason. ;) I have found that I LOVE hay bales, and what is better than some fall portraits on some hay bales! I know, I couldn't think of anything better either. My sister took the trip out there before Halloween by ourselves. IT WAS CRAZY! I couldn't believe what I was doing. I was just going to walk up to some random strangers house and ask if i could take pictures...on their HAY BALES?! Wha-what?! xD Well we did, not exaclty the house part, we just asked the tractor guy who conviently rumbled over who said we can do whatever we wanted! I was rather happy.
So after an hour of taking picture we went on home, feeling very satisfied with our work with free tomatoes and a five dollar pumpkin in tow. ^.^




I'm going back today with my 'bro' Nick to take some pictures with him! Epic.



More coming soon! Over and out.

11/16

Okay so I had to do this in a two-part segment because I got tied up.

The SAT: It went by REALLY fast. But I felt much calmer this time. I got a LOT of sleep the night before and drank lots of water. I pray it went well. I really can't be certain because it just felt really rushed. Which is odd, because when I took the (many) practice tests at home it seemed to take forever. So, we'll see!

Brenau Audition: As I said in my September update, I returned to Brenau University in November for an audition and to see one of their performances. It went really well! I got to sit in on a Directing class where the Juniors and Seniors evaluated the Freshmen who each performed a monologue. I was able to see a very wide range of talent and experience. Next I went to lunch and then did my audition and interview with the head of the GTA (Gainsville Theater Alliance) Jim Hammond and the head of the Brenau theater Dr. Anne Demmling. I think it went well. We'll see what the results are.
I caught a cold (I swear it was from being in the room with the SAT kid. To my right and left they were sniffling and coughing. Ew. And being so stressed and such, I'm surprised I didn't get sick earlier. HA) the night before my audition. So I was sniffly and a little hoarse but I pushed through it and did my best...ANNND promptly lost my voice about 2 hours later. God's LOVE!!! I got to hang with the Freshmen which was VERY fun, they made me feel very welcome. And then I saw The Wedding Singer opening night with was spectacular. I went home and then crashed...sick the rest of the week. haha :)

I landed the lead (or second main role) in the co-op play I'm in. I'm the hag. xD I'm actually REALLY excited because the part is more than it seems. We start rehearsals today, we'll see how that goes because of my just regaining my voice back.

Everything will have two sides to it now. One part I will be able to breath easier, the other part I'll be stressing for finals. But other than that I'm really excited for the future and am just trying to stay true to my commitments and myself. ONWARD for the college search!

Much love,

Alli

"Read the directions and directly you will be directed in the right direction"

SOOOO...my last post...that was seriously depressing. haha And I will now update you on my life in a lighter tone! I shall *try* to refrain from saying anything negative. ^_^

ALRIGHTY THEN! Where am I in my life of crazyness!? I had that less than good week, which actually ended marvelously with a trip to Brenau University. I was able to meet up with my friend Campbell and tour the whole campus and more. It was really good even though it rained the whole day! haha We persevered and had fun...and now I really feel like I need a pair of really cute rain boots. ;) I will be returning to see them again in November.

This marks the day when I finally figured out which direction I would like to take my major. I really believe that I am supposed to be someone IN theater or film. Whether it be acting or tech design. I just FIT there. I feel so perfectly at home in the hands on projects of set design, and costuming, make-up, prop organizing, etc. I just love it. And while I love to write, I think I would get board pretty quickly. And while I seem like a girl who likes things to be predictable (which I do) I also like *some* change! I like to be kept busy doing things I enjoy. And with film or theater you are always thinking of new creative ideas and coming up with ways to do what other think is impossible! So, I will probably be going for a BA in Theater. I really just have to relax, do my best, and pray. Trusting that God always has a plan for me and will put me where I need to be.


Good News: I'm not quitting piano! *yay* I am laying back on it though. Less pressure to get songs learned, memorized, and performed. Phew! I got some nice romantic/relaxing pieces that are complicated enough to challenge and have the quality to be enjoying and used as get away time. Very happy about that! My key board DOES have three keys out, which means it's a beast to play at the moment, but it will get fixed soon hopefully!

I had my first science test today and I'm feeling confident that I got a decent grade on it!! I HAVE to remember to put what the unit is though. That's going to kill me if I don't remember to put '1.29 x 10 to the third GRAMS' instead of just '1.29 x10 to the third'. >.O I'll get it, I will.
I get to look forward to memorizing the WHOLE of the periodic table this year! yayyy me. My dad is kind of enjoying that fact since he memorized it (Yet I can't get him to say it to me. ;)). Maybe we'll turn it into a game. bahaha

Papers are coming up and I'm guessing what you call Midterms. My goal is just trying to stay relaxed and calm. I'm pacing myself and trying to keep focused. So if my post's are a bit far spaced, well, blame school. ;) I doing my best to 'care' and stay motivated!

Pray for the people of Atlanta. They have been hit very hard by the ton of rain we have gotten over the past few weeks. A lot of flooding has happen. I thank God nothing serious happen further south.

Hmm, what else... I guess that's it! Other than: My world will either keep it's pace where it is, or will do a little jump in a new and interesting direction in a few weeks to a month. :)

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And that which I can do, by the grace of God, I will do."

P.S - I LOVE Jason Mraz still. He's amazing, a *little* quirky, but I like his music a lot. Imogen Heap is another artist I enjoy greatly. She has a new Album: Ellipse that is awesome! Nickel Creek as well of course and lovely country music...I listen to these artist's all the time. So, there's some random Alli music trivia for you! =) Peace.

And this is the point where Alice sits down and crys...

"But that's just the trouble with me. I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it".

SO, this where I bow my head in humility and admit to you that I am faulty. xP Yes, I have flaws, I'm not perfect and dear gosh I don't think I want to be.

This week up till now has been filled with a lot of frustration, doubt, some hyperventilation, and lots of tears. =( And let me say this, I hate to cry. I get shaky and my face starts to blotch, and my eyes hurt afterwards...I just don't like it. And because of that I don't do it very often, though it does alleviate oneself sometimes. My stress level is on the high scale. ugh.

This is the first really tough 'let's think more about REAL life and reality shall we?' bump in my senior year journey. The realization of everything I have to accomplish between now and spring just crashed down on me on Monday. Rudely. I want SO BADLY to get to that goal, it almost hurts. But I'm not doing to well in the motivation and taking one step at a time area. And so I'm not doing so hot on much needed results.

The 'light at the end of the tunnel' seems really far and almost impossible to reach...

But nothing should be impossible! And I hate giving up because I hate feeling defeated because I KNOW that I have more potential than this. I've been dragging my feet - Imagine I'm standing with a rope tied around my waist with a 100,000 pound weight on the other end. Then imagine me trying to move that weight forward. Or you could say I'm trying to dig this big hole and someone keeps filling it in behind me.

I feel like I'm getting no where. That a dent isn't even being made. This is the idea in my head, however; I'm fully aware that this is not true. CONFUSED MUCH?!

The hard truth of the fact is: I can't do everything. And that's what I've had to realize. The sad thing is I had to realize it all at once in a lovely meltdown of crapola. I have been overwhelmed by everything I have to do and want to do. I had to look at everything and decide what I did not NEED to do. What could be tossed off the caravan of classes into the unnecessary pile.

Speech - I've already taken 2 years of it. I had the joy of experiencing competition at a Regional tournament in my first year and have enjoyed participating in NCFCA. I have the skills learned from it and I will use them in my life forever. I don't need to be pressuring myself to do more of that right now. And participating in a even more competitive club was not helping. So, speech is out. Hopefully I can visit sometime.

Piano - I have played piano for...7 almost 8 years. Maybe more, I've lost track. I love playing. I love music! It's a joy to me. Sure, performing for people is fun if you don't put me on the spot and I know a song well, but I'm never going to make a career out of it (at least that's not my plan). I'm not going to become a famous pianist like some of my friends will, and I don't think I'll teach it. So striving to learn complicated pieces for a festival or a solo recital wasn't needed on my workload. So after talking to my teacher (who I LOVE and have enjoyed taking from for a long while), and crying in front of her because I so didn't want to do this, we decided that I wouldn't quit, but would ease off on the complicated pieces and work on ones that were more relaxing. It will be more of an escape from my heavy studies rather than one itself.

I will joining this youth group I which I visited last week. It seems like a great group, but there are no kids MY age and who I might enjoy being with, learning more about my faith. I'm leading a girls group though! On every other Saturday which is going to be fun and a nice point in my week. I'm grateful to have that.

I do plan on biking still, I just had to take this week off to get a grip on things. My mind will be focused on getting through the several miles rather than Pre-Calc. =P And I need the exercise.

So now things are looking a bit clearer. I can't say I'm exactly happy at the moment, and I haven't regained that excitement I had in the beginning, but I'm *relieved*. I'm ready to...to crack that Pre-Calc book and try to beat some sense out of Chemistry, and put the grind on more SAT studying on top of dual enrollment classes! yaaay. I just have to DO IT. I can...I will...I am...

So in the words of a dear friend of mine "Pick up your skirts LADIES!!!" and let's get to work.

(OH! BTW...I'm really excited for Friday. =D The one highlight!!)

"No, impassible. Nothing's impossible."

"Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings...!"

Calloo, Callay, come run away, with the cabbages and kings!

SO...Dual Enrollment. Fun stuff. This will be my third week taking college classes and I'm still not sure what to make of it. A part of me likes how it is going, and then another part of me wants more.
For instance English. Now I love English. It is one of my passions. I could write about nearly anything, although creative writing is my favorite. So taking this class wasn't that hard for me, I looked forward to it. I have a young professor who is in the process of getting her second degree I believe. She's an okay teacher. I just wish she would put more passion into the class, more, I don't know...OOOMPH! More personality. We go through a lot of power points each class. I want her to share more of her experience with us I guess.
We have one assignment so far, an Autobiography due on the 14th.
We've done two in class 'papers'. I guess you could say they were like quizzes. I did fine. I just always race the clock because I go into so much detail. :P
Thursday we did one of the most fun activities so far. We split up into groups of three and four and assessed an essay. I liked it because I could interact with the other students, even though I sit next to them every Tuesday and Thursday I don't get to talk with them a lot. This I like! I like activity. I want to see us do something! (and since it's a 7:55AM class anything to get us invigorated helps.) I'm ready for the peer review. Even though it's going to be a little hard to be critiqued. I love and hate being critiqued all at the same time. Because since this is an autobiography, it is probably still close to your heart - since it's about you or an event or a person that impacted you.

My Social Science teacher is a riot. He makes me laugh probably because how he say's things are just so quirky. He's rather easy going and even though he said he wouldn't be doing his lectures from the book....all the power points and conversation are directly from the book. So, on that point again I'm a little frustrated. AND he got REALLY mad at a student in class on Thursday. It was a shocker. The kid got his computer out and had a show down. He almost had to leave the class room. But that's a long story and if you want it all you just have to ask me in person. ;) Over all I wish the classes were more unique. BUT I'm loving duel enrollment so I'll live. :o)

This weekend has been FABULOUS! I'm in VA Beach, VA! I surprised one of my girl friends for her birthday AND knocked out two college visits in the meantime. I'm really happy! (what's better than friends and the beach?!) I don't know what's going to happen, I don't know which college I'll choose. I'll be looking at a lot. But I'm having fun and looking forward to college already. haha

Happy day.

Going down the Rabbit Hole...

HEYYYY!

It's been a long while since I've had a blog, or have done online journals at all. But since this is my LAST year of High School, I thought it would be a good way to express my thoughts and the experiences I go through this year! That way I can always look back in years to come and see how much I've changed.

I haven't had much luck with keeping up with these things. But I am very determined to try my hardest!

Recap:

This summer has been one of the best I've had! I finished school in time to have a couple good solid months of summer hang out time.

It all started with the end of my final year in Pure Fashion (www.purefashion.com) and the hectic week of the 2009 NCFCA Regionals (www.ncfca.org). We're joining a new club this year that's very competitive and 45 mins away. Whoo. Go us!
The Premiere of 'The Sword' was held as well. A very awesome night!! We all got dressed up and rolled out the red carpet. Later that night we had an after party with lots of dancing, cake, and really good chicken fingers. :D
April was one of the toughest months of the year. We probably spent a week at home the entire month! Talk about busy. But it was fun and I am TOTALLY ready for year 2009-10!





My little sister left in June for a 6 week mission trip in Washington D.C and I suddenly found myself an only child. :P We had a surprise going away party for her which was way fun, and then we sent her off the next day. It was a little odd/sad in the beginning, and I missed her, but it wasn't as bad as I thought. I had a lot of free and quiet time! She came back at the end of July and all was back to before.



As Laura was gone I saw more and more of my Pointy Stick Productions family. We went to Alabama where we had a booth for 'The Sword' and sold our DVD's and my dear friends account of our Film Group's journey in the novel 'Dancing Like David'. It was a fun three days! I rode up with my friend Zach, his mom, his brother Nick, Aaron, and Lauren. We had the party car. ;) We spent our time at the convention center, staying up late playing random games and running through the streets of Birmingham at ten o'clock at night singing 'over the rainbow' very loudly. (Okay, so that was only Lauren and I doing that...) And It was here where I really learned how to use my camera! I love it to death now, more than I already did because I actually know how to USE it!






My friend Alva from CO came for a week in July. We went to the GA aquarium which was amazing. We got to see everything there and the Titanic exhibit. (which was one of my favorite parts except for the Jelly Fish. They were 1st in my book. ;P) We also spent July 4th with friends eating a good meal and playing around with sparklers!









We ended the summer with a BIG BOYLE BASH! With a bunch of friends, loud music, good food, and a small fire at the end. :) It was very fun and exactly how I thought it would be and we hope to do it again!

This year I've seen a lot of graduations and birthdays, I've met people and I've said goodbyes. I've given up things to experience new ones. I'm sad it's over, but the memories will be with me for AGES! And I am so excited for this year!

This year I'm dual enrolling at Clayton State's satellite campus. So I'm getting some college courses out of the way at the same time with my high school classes. It's really fun!

I'm also still working at Charming Charlie which I love! It's my first job and I've been at it for about three + months.

My schedule is PACKED with two college classes and 5 at 'home' classes! Plus work, and biking three times a week (my goal), and any recreation I get squeeze in. ;) PUMPED! WHOO!