I Visit Oxygen Bars Daily

It's Been Fun LJ! But This Blog Has Blogged Out

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 04:40:56 GMT

Dear I Visit Oxygen Bars Daily, a lovely livejournal with lovely memories,
Heyyy you. Guess what? It's my birthday. I'm 17! I've been writing here for over two years. There have been some fun times indeed! But now, I'm moving on.
To where, you ask? To Tumblr, a new blog with new features. It's my birthday present to myself. I think two years is a good length of time for a blog. It covers the middle years in high school. Probably the ones forgotten but the most important ones. Of course I plan on making senior year really really fun, but sophomore and junior years were the developing and working years. Definitely two years I would never want to forget.
What have I not told you about? There must be a good number of things...

Jonas Concert - Lots of fun! Mel surprised me with 7th row seats! We were really close to the stage and had a lot of fun dancing. I love the rush of concerts especially when I'm not taking pictures. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE photography, but I also really love to get lost in the moment of loud live music with the energy of the performers and the crowd singing along and the flashing neon lasers and DANCE.
New Haircut - It's a bob. It suits me and makes me look older. Plus it's easy to control which is great because I have had very very few good hair days in high school.
Walt Disney World - Magical. I did remember some stuff that I did and went when I was seven, but I love it more now. We went on a backstage tour and learned how everything worked! It was awesome! I took almost 1600 pictures. Granted, most of them were bad but that is a LOT of photographing. I'm putting them in a photo album. I can't wait to go back to that happy place for senior trip!
My 17th Birthday - failed my driver's test. Long story that still kinda hurts me like a bruise, but I'll get stronger as soon as it heals. I went shopping at Target and played a bad video game so that helped me get less blue. I know I'll be better tomorrow.

Well, what's left to say? I'll leave this journal online at least for awhile. I'm going to print out all the entries and put them into a binder or something so I can keep them forever. It'll be super fun to look back years from now and see how much I changed in two years, because I know I've changed A LOT. This is not goodbye, this is just an "I'm-no-longer-writing-on-here" entry. Hey, it is what it is, right?
Then how would you end an "I'm-no-longer-writing-on-here"entry? Hmmm...well, let's try this.
T~~HNx 4 TEH MEMZ LJ~~ Thanks for the memories, LJ! (Props to future me if I can remember that previous entry reference)
- Grace <3

DISNEY WORLDDDD

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:15:26 GMT

So I'm home from SADI!
And now I am going to Disney World tomorrow with Melanie, my mom and my two sisters.
It will be so awesome since I haven't been in nearly ten years. And it's DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!
And I can't write any more because I am just too excited!!!!!!!
I'll write later!

Little Thoughts Pt. 2

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:00:35 GMT

50 LITTLE SECRETS
Be honest no matter what!

[ZERO] Who was your last text from?
Jamesss

[ONE] Where was your default pic taken?
My Facebook one? In my bathroom, embarrassingly enough.

[TWO] Your relationship status?
Single. Nothing's changed.

[THREE] Where did you meet your crush?
Haven't met him yet.

[FOUR] Have you ever lost a close friend?
Yeah, but it was a gradual thing.

[FIVE] What is your current mood?
Kind of on the procrastinating side.

[SIX] What's your brother(s) names?
Luke and Stephen

[SEVEN] Sister's name?
Carola and Marian

[EIGHT] Where do you wish you were right now?
Here is good. I need to be here to do my work.

[NINE] Have a crazy side?
DO I? DO YOU THINK I DO? FISHPASTE

[TEN] Ever had a near death experience?
I almost drowned when I was two.

[ELEVEN] Something you do a lot?
Laugh

[TWELVE] Angry at anyone?
Nope

[THIRTEEN] What's stopping you from going for the person you like?
The fact that I don't like anyone?

[FOURTEEN] When was the last time you cried really hard?
A week or so ago watching the Lion King in the Penthouse with a bunch of friends. Jordan and I were bawling.

[FIFTEEN] Is there anyone you would do anything for?
Mhm

[SIXTEEN] What do you dream about most of the time while sleeping?
Something I experienced earlier that day or people I want to be with. In great detail.

[SEVENTEEN] Who was the last person you talked to for more than 10 mins on the phone?
Olivia?

[EIGHTEEN] What is your favorite song?
Umm right now it's 'Love is On It's Way' by Jonas Brothers

[NINETEEN] What are you doing right now?
Working on my animation.

[TWENTY] Do you trust anyone right now?
Yeah.

[TWENTY-ONE] Where did you get the shirt you are wearing?
TJ Maxx

[TWENTY-TWO] Have you hugged someone in the past week?
Yup!

[TWENTY-FOUR] Describe your life in one word?
Blessed

[TWENTY-FIVE] Who/What are you thinking of right now?
My animation/China Town/SADI girls/Jonas Concert tomorrow

[TWENTY SIX] What should you be doing right now?
My animation

[TWENTY-SEVEN] What are you listening to?
'Plenty' by Sarah McLachlan

[TWENTY-EIGHT] Who was the last person who gave you a hug?
Jordan

[TWENTY-NINE] What are you waiting for?
Tomorrow.

[THIRTY] Do you act differently around the person you like?
I WOULD NOT KNOW

[THIRTY-ONE] What is your natural hair color?
brown-ish blonde-ish

[THIRTY-TWO] Who was the last person to make you laugh?
Jordan

[THIRTY-THREE] Who was the last person to make you mad?
"Lafawnduh"

[THIRTY-FOUR] What pets do you have?
Cat and lizards

[THIRTY-FIVE] Is your hair naturally curly or straight?
Boringly straight but annoyingly flippy at the ends >:(

[THIRTY-SIX] Has anyone ever called you "scrumptious" before?
HAHA no.

[THIRTY-SEVEN] NOW what are you listening to? '
The same song.

[THIRTY-EIGHT] Hugged the opposite sex in the past 3 days?
Nope

[THIRTY-NINE] Do you use smiley faces on the computer?
YES =D

[FORTY] Plans for the weekend and who with ?
Well the student exhibition in which I showcase the work I've been cranking out for the past MONTH and also going home and leaving my SADI chickies so yeah. I have plans.

[FORTY-ONE] Are you happy with life right now?
OHHH yes.

[FORTY-THREE] What jewelry are you currently wearing?
My horseshoe Mickey Mouse necklace, class ring, family ring, white watch

[FORTY-FOUR] What are you doing Friday night ?
Having the goodbye dinner with everyone :(

[FORTY-FIVE] Have you ever had your heart broken?
Nope

[FORTY-SIX] Have you ever broken someone's heart?
I hope not!

[FORTY-SEVEN] Is there anybody you're really disappointed in?
Ehh yeah

[FORTY-EIGHT] Last person you saw?
I'm seeing the two Alexis', Jordan, Sa-de and Rich right now.

[FORTY-NINE] What date are you looking forward to that's coming up?
July 23rd

[FIFTY] How is your heart lately?
Awesome =)

Little Thoughts

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:31:31 GMT

I think I forgot to mention I'm going to a Jonas Brothers concert next Thursday. We're gonna be in the (17th?) row but it's still going to be awesome. The excitement is building.
I really REALLY want to photograph. I want models. SERIOUSLY. After my class I'm going to upload and edit photos. I'm in my major photography mood right now. I need to update my 52 Weeks.
I miss peoples.
I'm doing well in my classes. I'll be able to handle college.
I have to get back to work now.

Moore Fun!

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:45:03 GMT

Hey guys! So I'm in college! Summer college to be exact, at Moore College of Art & Design. Right now I'm in studio and we're telling stories about epic wins and fails. You may ask, why are you talking about epic wins and fails in the studio? As a matter of fact, why are you on the computer in the studio? When you're supposed to be working? The answer, my friend, is that my studio assistant is awesome. Her name is Sa-De and she just graduated from Moore. She majored in Illustration and she's currently working on designing her own video game, and thankfully she loves us. Don't get me wrong, I've finished all my work. I've done my cycle, my storyboard and my very tedious dot and leaf project.
So I really like this program. They keep saying that this curriculum is very true to the actual college program, and if that's the case I actually think I could handle it, though there would be almost no time to party or whatever. My roommate's name is Alexis and she's a pretty nice recent graduate of high school. She's one of the four girls in the animation class, including me. There are seven in fine arts and fourteen in fashion design. So yeah, it's a pretty small summer institute. But I've befriended a bunch of girls so it's awesome.
The food here is actually pretty good. Of course it will never be as good as my dad's cooking, but a lot of the girls are living large on the cafeteria food. My dorm is kinda cozy actually even though the floor is lineolium. We share a bathroom witgh our suitemates, so that's four girls in all. Bathroom time is not a tricky as I thought it would be, but it's not super easy.
Tommorrow we sketch naked people. It's gonna be awesome,
More on this later! Byes for now!

Lines, Vines And Trying Times Review!

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:13:24 GMT

Heyyy guys! Ok, so the new Jonas Brothers' album, Lines Vines And Trying Times (which will be now known as LV&TT since the whole name is too long to keep writing) came out on...Tuesday(?) and I got it yesterday. And it is quite...different. In a good way, I think. I suppose depending on who you ask it could be either their best or worst album. They're really trying out new stuff and I commend them for it because it's working for them. With A Little But Longer they just got their feet wet, they changed their music a little and threw in the especially different 'Lovebug.' Luckily for them, the fans enjoyed 'Lovebug' a lot, so I think they felt more sure of themselves making LV&TT. So here I go to review each track.

1. World War III - Besides the horns (please tell me that sound is horns and not a guitar. Maybe it is a guitar) in the beginning, what really stuck out to me was the first line, 'I walked into the bedroom/You were visibly upset.' If this song were by any other band, I'd be like "Ok, what else is new?" but since it's the Jonas Brothers, talking about being in a bedroom at night with your girlfriend is a new thing. It's not necessarily a bad thing, it's kind of edgy and just something I wouldn't think they'd put into a song. Besides that, the song is a good mix of their old and new style. They've added in new instruments while still keeping a familiar feel. Nick yells the verses a little, which kind of sounds like it's straining his voice and makes me think they should have given those lines to Joe. I like the song overall, it's a good intro to the CD.
2. Paranoid - When I first heard this song I didn't like it. It sounded forgettable. However, the more I listen to it, the more I like. I'm actually amazed that Radio Disney felt the need to censor the line, "I'm taking all the doctor's meds." Edgier still. As the band continually reminds us that most of these songs are like diary entries, I can appreciate this song more, though I still dislike that it sounds like there's a lot of reiterating that they feel...well...paranoid. For some reason, this song reminds me of "Superstitious" by (Stevie Wonder?)
3. Fly With Me - Kind of like 'Paranoid', when I first heard this song I found it forgettable. Only now I really really like it. It sounds like their old style, though I do like their new style. When I found out they referenced Peter Pan, it made me love the song even more (If we chase the stars to lose our shadow/Peter Pan and Wendy turned out fine). I love the piano banging in this song; it makes me think of Tinkerbell. Do they have a music video for this? If not, they should definitely make one.
4. Poison Ivy - I like the beat of this song, but the lyrics don't do it for me. The whole song is a metaphor, but I don't like the repeating lines of the chorus. It just sounds kind of...lame. I feel like they could have made this song better if they just wrote a different kind of chorus. Joe does the "YEEOOW!" thing that he did in 'BB Good,' which is strangely ok with me. Ech, still. Right now I have a love/hate relationship with this song. Love the beat and hate the words.
5. Hey Baby - I didn't think I would, but I really like this song. It's fun to sing along to and I like the beat. The guitar is especially nice. And that's all I have to say about that.
6. Before the Storm - Miley sounds good in this song which makes me wonder what she really sounded like. I'm not sure what the two had in mind when they wrote this song and I don't know if they're dating again or whatever now, but this song makes me think of two friends who thought they saw each other romantically but then there was a rather terrible breakup and they realized they weren't meant for each other. It'd be really sweet if Miley and Nick ended up being best friends. Not boyfriend and girlfriend, but just friends. That would be a happy ending.
7. What Did I Do To Your Heart - This is a cute song. It sounds like the singer is teasing his girlfriend when he sings "What did I do to your heart? Did I break it apart?" I also enjoy the clapping. Makes me happy.
8. Much Better - This is a great song! It sounds like 70's disco and makes me think of a roller rink. They said this song was for their fans, and I can see that, but I think in a way it can be for Kevin's fiance. Joe sings about how he'd done dating superstars and he's not bitter that Taylor Swift wrote a song about him. The future Mrs. Jonas is not a super star (at least not yet) and she's a grounded Jersey girl which makes her much better. Whoo hoo for grounded Jersey girls!
9. Black Keys - I really like this song. It's LV&TT's 'A Little Bit Longer'. I love that the message reminds me of sticking with traditional morals though they seem black and white compared to the craziness of modern hype. It makes me feel good knowing that there are other people out there who appreciate stuff I believe in.
10. Don't Charge Me For The Crime - I understand that the Jonas Brothers wanted to try out new styles, but please, rap is not for you. This song is just too weird and even though it has the message of doing the right thing, I don't like it at all. Please never again,
11. Turn Right - I think of this song as a lullaby. It's sweet and I love the line "Hope to see you at the finish line." It's like saying goodbye to someone who you've grown apart from and wishing them luck in life. I will probably end up singing this to my future kids at bedtime :)
12. Don't Speak - This is an interesting song. I hate how it begins however, with the "I thought I was cool" line. That seems pretty lame to me. But I really encourage you to listen to it. It's supposed to be a tribute to U2 and some other band. I hope they end up hearing it!
13. Keep It Real - This is a fun song to dance to! It's the only song from JONAS I like, besides their themesong. I think this song sounds the most like their old style. 'Tis fun and pop-y!

Finally!!

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:05:08 GMT

SUMMER!!

Writer's Block: Conversion Rate

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:31:48 GMT

Have you ever considered converting to another religion?

View 504 Answers

Yes. And then I did. Nondenominational Christianity for the win WHOOT!

Melanie Kay is Coming Soon!

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 02:55:49 GMT

youtube.com/melaniekayofficial
myspace.com/melaniekayofficial

Melanie Kay is Coming Soon!
Melanie Kay is a 16 year old singer, actress, and future film maker. She has a fiery passion for all things entertainment and can never wait to dive into the excitement. "I know I can get there if I just set my mind to it," she says. "I know it's a long, difficult road but I believe anything is possible with positive thinking and the set goal of living your dreams."
Melanie hopes one day to be on the Disney Channel and perhaps get to open for some of her favorite stars like Demi Lovato and The Clique Girlz. "I just love being able to see these positive and talented people go out there and get things done and I want to be able to do it too."
Melanie currently trains with Sal Dupree, a renowned vocal coach who has trained Bianca Ryan (America's Got Talent winner), the Clique Girlz, PINK, and many other successful artists.

Follow Melanie on Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/melpuff
Stay tuned to her MySpace and YouTube! They're almost here!

One Week Left!!

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:59:37 GMT

I just took the SATs today. They were...ehhh...long and boring. I think I did okay on the grammar/writing/reading but I probably flunked the math. I'm so glad I'm going to art school.
Speaking of art school...did I mention that I got into the Summer Art & Design Institute at Moore?? WELL I DID. It's gonna be pretty sweet. I'm in the process of filling out the housing and health forms now. In a couple of weeks I'll be going to summer college! And in one week I'll be done SCHOOL! Let's do some end of the year schedule review!

Homeroom: Well, it was a pretty normal year in homeroom. Took the HSPAs (junior testing) in there. That was a drag, but at least they're over now.

1st: English 3: Our longterm sub, Miss Spicer, actually got out class to talk! She was young enough to relate to us, and we lovingly teased her about her Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears love. Even though she couldn't teach worth a darn, and I do miss those "nice and relaxing Fridays" when we'd do nothing at all, she was all right, and I do think if she keeps working, she'll make it in the teaching world. Now Mrs. Rubin's back and is still as happy as ever (her baby is pretty cute, too), but our class has gone back to being the silent class. We're reading Macbeth now. Oh, and as for the 'You-Are-Beautiful' and David never looking me in the face - well, we switched seats and now I sit next to Joel, who will actually make eye contact with me and sometimes even says hello before the beautiful thing.

2nd: Algebra 2: Math got harder this year. I'll be lucky to get a 'B' on my report card. But it's all good because I became really good friends with Jess (aka Jelly) and we have some pretty sweet times before and after (and sometimes even during) class.

3rd: CAD: I actually did end up liking this class. While it can be hard and confusing sometimes with the measuring and dimensions, I do enjoy making the floor plans for a house. Especially when the layers are in different colors! Oh, but I have no idea what my grade is in that class. Hmm...

4th: Study Hall: Aside from Mr. Lloyd's bipolar-ness, it was a successful study hall year.

5th: Lunch: Lunchey. In the middle of the year, Debra and Allison decided they would go to the gym bathroom instead of to the cafeteria. They only come now to get food and then go back.

6th/9th: Chemistry/PE: Oh, Mr. Wil. How you fascinate me. Sometimes you can be funny even though you are insanely nerdy and other times I just want to leave the classroom because you can be so boring (and rarely you yell, which is kind of scary). Although recently with all the research packets and 100 pt. tests? Not cool, Mr. Wil. Not cool.

10th: Introduction to Behavioral Science: Mr. McDermott is my new old man lub. I lub him (although he can be a bit too much of a flaming Democrat sometimes). But we get to watch movies (Mean Girls and Finding Nemo, anyone?) and he gets to tell us about behavior and psychology. It's a win-win. Although I do have four essays for him due Wednesday.

11th: You & the Law: Good teacher, good subject, bad people in class (minus Olivia). How I want to punch Steve Frost in the face! And Jon Lopresti, he can just go die in a hole. But first he has to get a major tongue lashing from someone who's much smarter than him. I'll ask my four-year old sister to do it for me.

...Guess I better get started on those essays!

Prom 2009!

Mon, 18 May 2009 20:12:33 GMT

HI EVERYONE!
Prom was this Friday and it was a lot of fun! Let me give you a run down of what happened, and then I have a Smilebox to show you!
Okay, so the juniors and seniors got out of school at twelve noon. Paige gave me a ride home and Mel was waiting for me at my house. We had some lunch and then went to get our hair done. It took some time, but we looked like princesses!! After hair, we went home and got ready. We put on our dresses, jewelry, and makeup and then my friend Jess and her boyfriend Tim came over! The four of us took a couple pictures and then we walked over to Paige's house for the official picture-taking. We met up with Paige, her date Alex, Olivia, and Jim. Many of our parents came over to fuss over us and take our picture. I thought it was fun, and I took some photos myself.
After the parental festivities, the limo showed up much to everyone's surprise! Everyone thought we wouldn't be able to get a limo and that my dad would have to drive us, but at the last minute my dad was able to get one for us! Everyone was very surprised and excited. Limo fun commenced and we arrived at the Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia all too soon.
There were a lot of tables set up in the Crystal Tea Room! It was a junior/senior prom so there were A LOT of kids. We got our professional photos taken and then we soon began dancing. Dancing was fun even though the dance floor was crowded. We ate dinner, dessert, and then danced some more. It almost seemed to go by too fast!
We came home in the limo, and after we dropped Jess and Tim off, we went to Paige's house for some...fun times. NO, we didn't drink or do drugs or anything. We don't need those things to have fun times. :) And after Jim's dad picked him up, the four girls went to my house for a sleep over.
Okay, that just about sums it up! Now you get to see the Smilebox presentation! YAYS!

Make a Smilebox photobook

It Made Something of Itself

Thu, 07 May 2009 22:39:18 GMT

That last LJ entry I wrote got me into trouble (and a couple other kids as well). If you can't see it, it's because it's locked. I'll probably unlock it within a couple weeks. I kind of always thought my LJ might get me into trouble. And it did. But, in a way, it was a good thing, because it's cleared up the confusion going on with my friends and now everything is settled. Granted, some people got hurt, but with His help they will all recover.
I love when the little things change the big things.
Oh, also I got a Teen Study Bible yesterday. I'm excited to read it :)

Punk's Not Dead! (And Neither is Grace!)

Sat, 02 May 2009 02:39:43 GMT

Wowzers. I haven't posted in like...a month. Well, a lot has happened this month and I kind of let time get away from me. I went on my spring break, I hadn't posted to my 52 Weeks project in 3 weeks, I'm falling behind on my leadership-ness of the Cooking Club, I need to order my senior pictures though the deadline has already passed, I need to get prom tickets, I need to get prom forms signed, I need to post to LJ, and on top of all that, two of my very close friends are now going out in the first 'dramatic' event I've experienced in high school. I will admit, the last thing I mentioned on the list got priority over everything else. That has been the most interesting thing in my life.
So...I'm sure you want to hear about it, right? Okay, well for the sake of my friend's privacy, I'll give you the basics on what went downnnn.
oob#1: Olivia and Jim met in the beginning of the school year because I was in Jim's class tenth period and then all three of us had 11th period in the same class. We would all walk to 11th period together everyday. Jim and Olivia have gotten pretty close over the last couple of months, and two weeks ago, Liv decided to tell Jim how she really felt about him - Ohhh, wait. I'm getting ahead of myself here. Before I go any further I want to tell you that Jim has a girlfriend. Her name is Anna. She lives three hours away and they have only met twice. I think he met her because she's his dad's girlfriend's third cousin or something? So they have been going out since the beginning of the school year. Okay, now back to Liv telling Jim about HER FEELINGS. Well, one night she tells him. And guess what??? He feels the same way! However, Jim is scheduled to go to Anna's prom that weekend! How is Jim going to break it to Anna?? Solution: He goes to prom with her, breaks up with her a few days later. Camera focus on Jim & Liv riding horses into the sunset. Fade out.
oob#2: So for our family spring vacation we went to Lancaster, PA to see the Amish! It was quite fascinating. I really did enjoy it! The weather was nice and the farmland was just beautiful. Not to mention the food was yummtastic. Oh and our hotel was awesome! We stayed for about three days. If you are ever in the area, I suggest visiting some Amish peeps. Their culture is tres tres interesting.
oob#3: PROM! Well due to the loverly situation in oob#1, I am no longer going to the junior prom with Olivia. I was going to just go alone, but then I got an idea...I could bring Mel! So now Melanie is my date to prom! I am going to go dress shopping tomorrow! Yay! Prom is in exactly two weeks so I have to get appointments set up! O.O
oob#UGH: Luke just got braces today. He is being SO ANNOYING about them. He keeps saying,"I'm going to rip them off! You think I'm kidding but I'm not! There is no way I'm keeping these on for two years!" For someone who is so into fearlessly physical sporting, he's being a total wimp about them. I had braces twice. Once for a year in third grade, and then from sixth grade to the begging of freshman year, I only complained when I got the rubber bands. They hurt. But other than that I put up with them. He's better get used to them or else he'll soon be wearing head gear as well...*cracks knuckles*

UArts!!

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 01:51:20 GMT

My mom and I went to the University of the Arts Open House Today! Melanie didn't feel well so she didn't go :( That was too bad. But I really liked the university! It's the first university I've looked at and even though it's in Philly, I wouldn't mind going there!
We went to Hamilton Hall to register at noon and it was packed with people. They had all these booths set up with all the majors and you could go over and ask the people all about the majors and get paperwork and stuff. I got the most paperwork I have gotten so far from an Open House, including a big fancy book. I bought a pink UArts t-shirt that I will wear on Monday to school. After about a half hour of moving around and getting more and more papers, a speaker came up to the stand and gave a really short but sweet speech. Then she introduced five freshman dancers who performed a song from "A Chorus Line" on the stairs. They were pretty good, but what impressed me was their student organization thingy called "Rumble." It's like "STOMP" in which they bang around trash cans and drumsticks and stuff to make music. It was cool!
After the welcoming thing we looked at our map and then took a tour of the graphic design and communications departments. In the graphic design lab we talked to some students who said that the program was very challenging but very rewarding and time management is key. One girl stated, "It can be tough because if you get into UArts you're probably the best at your school. When you get here you're no longer that because everyone is the best so you need to keep an open mind." I thought that sounded challenging, but good. I realized I don't want to just get in easily and have easy assignments and pass with flying colors because the "real world" isn't like that. I want college to hone my skills and help me get to be the best I can be. That being said, I don't want to get myself in over my head. Overworking isn't going to make me better, it's just going to make me crash and burn. But enough with that - looking around the graphic design studio I realized something else. I don't want to major in graphic design. I mean, during the other college visits I guess that thought was kind of in my head somewhere, but it didn't really reach me until today. Graphic design is just too precise for me, it's too much of just arranging work around. I want something more along the lines of illustration (maybe animation?), so now when people ask me what I'm thinking of majoring in, I'm probably going to say illustration. I thought I could make more of a living as a graphic designer, but if I'm not going to like it, why should I do it?
Next we went back to Hamilton Hall for lunch. Lunch = a Philly soft pretzel with mustard and water. For that, I'll have to say Columbia College Chicago and DCAD had one up on UArts. Their lunch was actual lunch. UArts had hotdogs too, but there was no way I was eating one of those. When we finished our lovely lunch we went to the illustration department to hear and view a presentation for UArts's illustration major program. They are ranked #2 in the nation! That really impressed me. They didn't say who was number one but one of the students said it was some school you wouldn't expect. The illustration department is cool, and it's the fastest growing program of study.
The last thing my mom and I did was go to one of the dormitories. They were pretty much what we had seen at DCAD and Columbia College Chicago: apartment style, with a kitchen and stuff. The dorms we saw were kind of messy, but they were nice.

I think I should compare Columbia College Chicago and University of the Arts, to line out what I think of each of them.

Columbia College Chicago The University of the Arts
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pros: Nice city Pros: Close enough to home
   Friendly people Nice dorms
   Cheap tuition Good curriculum
   Very nice dorms Science & math not required!
   Offer courses for Mel & me Nice dorms Manifest! Offer courses for Mel & Me

Cons: Cold city Cons: Kinda dangerous city
   Pretty easy to get into Expensive Tuition
   I spent too much time looking at the dorms! Maybe too close to home...

Do the Oob!

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:23:50 GMT

Hello good friends! It's April and it's rainy and warm! I am feeling so very joyous! Okay, so I have a bunch of things to tell you all, so let's do a little oobing! Oob = Order of business. I learned it from reading "The Notebook Girls", a somewhat disturbing autobiography of four high school girls. Anyway!

oob#1: I am no longer a Catholic. I don't know if I've ever mentioned that I was, but I'm not anymore for personal reasons (actually they are reasons that I just don't feel like explaining right now). So I told my mom and she wasn't exactly thrilled, but she didn't get mad or anything. I wrote her an essay on my thoughts and feelings and why I am now a nondenominational Christian. I'm going to a Christian church in my town now and I like it :) I am also going to my old Catholic parish with my family - my mom wants me to go with them at least until Easter.

oob#2: My friend Jimmy went to the ER last Tuesday due to a collapsed lung and he was in the hospital for about a week. Olivia and I went to see him and cheer him up the day before his surgery. We had fun - as much fun as you can have in the pediatric ward of a hospital. After we got home he kept us updated on his status via Facebook notes. Apparently he was in a lot of pain after his surgery =/ But he's doing better. He actually came back to school today! He missed almost two weeks of school. Poor Jimmy...

oob#3: I'm applying to the Summer Art & Design Institute at Moore College of Art & Design! This is a pre-college residency program for teen girls who have just completed their sophomore, junior, or senior year in high school and is from June 28 - July 26. That's a good chunk of the summer! You can pick from three different studio concentrations: animation, fashion design, or fine arts. I'm going to go for animation! All participants in the program will have portfolio preparation classes two days a week and classes in their area of study three days a week. Upon completion of the program, you will earn 3.0 college credits. When I first got this brochure I wrote it off as "not takable" because I'd be staying in Philly for four weeks. FOUR WEEKS. But then again, when I think about it, I'm only about 20 minutes away from Philadelphia; I could come home on the weekends if I wanted to. Heck, I could come home every night if I wanted to. But I won't do that; I think it'd be a cool experience to stay on campus. Also, I need a letter of recommendation from an art teacher to apply, so I went to my Photo teacher today and he agreed to recommend me!! Yay! More on this subject later - this will be a big part of my summer.

oob#4: The University of the Arts Open House is tomorrow! Mel and I are going to go with our mommies :) I hope we will have a good experience!! You can expect photos and an entry on it soon.

oob#5: Prom. It's May 15th. I'm going to go. I just need a dress and a date...

Columbia College Chicago Trip!

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:33:18 GMT

Okay so now I can fully explain my trip to Columbia College Chicago's Open House on March 14. Well, we got there on the 13th and left on the 15th, so I guess I'll explain the whole trip. Ready for a lot of words??
My mom woke me up at eight because though she had thought our flight was at 2:30, it was actually at 12:30. We packed and ate and such, then my dad came home to pick us up to drive us to the airport. We arrived, checked our one bag, passed security with our only drawback being I had to go back through the metal detector twice because my belt apparently contains metal. We had about an hour and a half to kill then, so we spent a good fifteen minutes trying to find a resturaunt that didn't serve meat (darn Friday in Lent). After lunch, we read for a little while and then boarded our plane! The ride was not lengthy; only about two hours. I listened to music most of the time. As we got off the plane, we paid for a shuttle service to our hotel (the Chicago Hilton), which took FOREVER to leave the airport because of some ladies who had trouble with their tickets.
Our hotel was GORGEOUS! It was the hotel used for Terminus, so I found that pretty cool. There were decorations up in anticipation for the St. Patrick's Day festivites (decorations = beer posters and shamrocks) and I saw people in kilts with bagpipes! After we unpacked our things we decided to take a walk down Michigan Ave. I saw a couple buildings that were marked 'Columbia College Chicago' and I got pretty excited! My anticipation for the next day was building up (!!). My mom and I ate dinner in the Italian Village (we had to ask the concierge for resturaunts that had nonmeat options), which was very yummy, and then we...WENT TO BED! I have to say that it was a very comfortable bed. I had like four pillows but I felt bad because I only used one. I mean, I tried to use all four, but it didn't work out so well.
The next day we woke up and ate a loverly breakfast so we could get to the Open House at 10:00. As we walked over to the auditorium (the formal name escapes me now), we saw a HUGE LINE to go in. It moved quickly, so I was glad for that. All the moderator people who made sure we got in line were so happy. This one guy I saw had a bunch of Columbia flyers in his hand and a big smile of his face. He was like, "ARE YOU HERE FOR OPEN HOUSE? :D" I wanted to exclaim, "YES! YES I AM, ISN'T IT GREAT????" Instead, I said, "Yeah, cool!" When we got in the ginormous auditorium (it doesn't even belong to Columbia, I think it belongs to DePaul University), we were welcomed by a video of music and live dancing! And live singing! It was way cool! Then the head of admissions came to speak to us, and then the president. They showed videos of the dorms and of Manifest, their yearly urban arts festival. It was a really impressive presentation. After all was said, we began doing things. We went over to three housing buildings to find really awesome dorms. They, like DCAD, came with a full kitchen. However, unlike DCAD, these kids kept their rooms clean. And they actually decorated! It was tres tres nice.
My mom and I went to ShopColumbia, where my mother bought a shirt designed by a student. I saw some cute scissor earrings, but I didn't have the money to buy them. Then we went to the official bookstore and I bought a pink Columbia sweatshirt! After shopping and some free food, we went to a fine arts classroom, where a teacher with a British accent gave me his card. We then went to the portfolio where we asked a couple of presentors some questions about the portfolio-building portion of a college career. We also visited the design lab, full of Macs, and the hall of fashion design. At this point, Open House had actually closed, so there were no more presentations or tours going on. We walked over to the Museum of Contemporary Photography, and then headed to the church along Michigan Ave. Finally after all that walking, we went back to the Hilton for dinner. That day was the St. Patrick's Day Parade (and the dying of the Chicago River, which I didn't get to see) and the festivites were going on at the hotel. There was a party going on next to where we ate, and a ball in the ballroom. To take part in the Chicago St. Patty's Day celebration, I had corned beef and cabbage for dinner <3 IT WAS YUMMEH.
After dinner we were so tired, so we went up to our room, watched Bride Wars (lawls. Why Anne Hathaway, why??), and SLEPT.
Then the next day we got up and went on a plane and went home!
All in all - a good experience. I'm glad we went. After visiting DCAD, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted in a college, and this was pretty satisfying. I have nothing bad to say about it. Except the weather. It was cold. But I can't be too greedy, can I?

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Came Back From Chicago This Afternoon.

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:56:25 GMT

I did not tell you that I was going away to Chicago for Columbia College Chicago's Open House. I was going to post an entry the day of our departure because I thought our flight was at 2:30, but it turns out it was at 12:30. We had to get up and leave in a rush so I didn't get to write anything.
Anyway! In short - a good experience. I'm going to post the full response later because I'm going to upload the photos and video I took while we were there. So stay tuned!!
I have school tomorrow. I really don't want to go. Oh! I made my senior schedule. I will be taking Honors Photo II, English IV, Graphic Design, Fashion Design 1 & 2, Algebra 3, AP Art History, Computer Essentials, Gym/Heath, and Honors Web Development. With these courses, I will be able to have senior privilege (preferably PM) once a week. At first my counselor said, "Well, I'm concerned about your lack of academics..."
I was like, "NOOOOO." I am not taking a science and using up two periods. My counselor did not stand a chance. Then she said, "Well, there is a very small chance that your schedule will turn out the way you want it." What does she know? This schedule will totally happen the way I want it. I'm praying for it.

100 Truths

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:36:46 GMT

100 Truths!

1. Last beverage→ Milk
2. Last phone call→ I actually have to check my phone for this...Dad.
3. Last text message→Melanie. Who else do I actually ever text?
4. Last song you listened to→ "The In Crowd" by Mitchel Musso. I woke up to it via alarm clock radio.
5. Last time you cried→ Umm I cried in my dream last night. I can't remember the last time I cried IRL.

HAVE YOU EVER:

6. Dated someone twice → HA. No.
7. Been cheated on? → ...
8. Kissed someone & regretted it? Yeah one time I kissed my mom goodnight and then I was like, "OHH SNAPP!"
9. Lost someone special?→ No.
10. Been depressed?→ No, not for real.
11. Been drunk? HAHA no.

LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
12. Really bright red (scarlet?)
13. Chocolate brown
14. Baby blue

THIS YEAR HAVE YOU:
15. Made new friends →Well, not in 2009, but in the school year, yes.
16. Fallen out of love ---> No.
17. Laughed until you cried → Probably.
18. Met someone who changed you→ I don't think so...
19. Found out who your true friends were→ I already knew that?
20. Found out someone was talking about you→ Nopers.
21. Kissed anyone on your friend's list→ No.
22. How many people on your friends list do you know in real life → Um, all of them?
23. How many kids do you want to have→ 3 or 4
24. Do you have any pets → One cat named Maggie, two lizards named Mario and Luigi.
25. Do you want to change your name→ Meh.
26. What did you do for your last birthday→ Had a surprise party!
27. What time did you wake up today → 9:30 was when my alarm went off and Mitchel started singing to me.
28. What were you doing at midnight last night→ Starting to sleep lol.
29. Name something you CANNOT wait for → The UArts Open House. Yes, I was going to say Disney World, but I want to anticipate it :)
30. Last time you saw your father→ Yesterday.
31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life → I wish I were a better public speaker.
32. What are you listening to right now→The radio!
33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom → I'm sure I have.
34. What's getting on your nerves right now? → The computer is kind of slow at having letters show up on screen.
36. Whats your real name → Grace.

38. Zodiac sign: Leo.
39. Male or female→ Female
40. Elementary→ I'm not telling youuu! The internet is not safe.
41. Middle School → See above answer.
42. High school → See above above answer.
43. Hair color → I DON'T KNOW! Caramelish.
44. Long or short → A little past my shoulders.
45. Height →5'7 ish
46. Do you have a crush on someone? → Nuuuuuuuuuuuu.
47. What do you like about yourself? →I have a very active imagination.
48. Piercings → One in each ear.
49. Tattoos → None
50. Righty or lefty → Righty is mighty

FIRSTS :
51. First surgery → Never!
52. First piercing → My ear lobe. That is a funny word! Lobelobelobelobe
53. First tattoo→ Um none.
54. First best friend→Venessa (I called her Noga). She was my first friend in New York.
55. First sport you joined → Gymnastics.
56. First pet → I had a goldfish named Goldie. She had a big black spot on her side.
57. First vacation remembered → Disney World?
58. First concert → Um my first real stadium money paying concert was the Jonas Brothers. Sigh...good times in the front row :)
59. First crush--> A kid named Ryan Minster in the second grade.
60. First alcohol drink→ Uh I tasted wine once when I was little just to see how it tasted. It was awful.

RIGHT NOW:
61. Eating → Nothing.
62. Drinking → Nothing
63. I'm about to → Read the next question.
64. Listening to → My sister singing to herself.
65. Waiting for → Something.

YOUR FUTURE :
66. Want kids? → Yes.
67. Want to get married? → Yes.
68. Careers in mind? → Art. Maybe with DISNEY??? :D

WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX?
69. Lips or eyes → Eyes.
70. Hugs or kisses → I like hugs.
71. Shorter or taller → Taller.
72. Older or Younger → Um not too much older and not too young.
73. Romantic or spontaneous → Both!
74. Nice stomach or nice arms → Um I don't want the guy to be ridiculously out of shape.
75. Tattoos or piercings→ None would be nice. One small tattoo wouldn't bother me. As long as it wasn't on his face.
76. Sensitive or loud → Sensitive.
77. Hook-up or relationship→ Relationship.
78. Trouble maker or hesitant→ Eh, neither.

HAVE YOU EVER :
79. Kissed a stranger → No
80. Drank hard liquor --> No
81. Lost glasses/contacts → Yeah one time I lost my glasses and they ended up in my coat pocket.
82. Sex on first date → Hm. Um. No.
83. Broken someone's heart → I I don't really know.
84. Had your own heart broken → No.
85. Been arrested?→ No
86. Turned someone down → Yes and I was totally glad I did.
87. Cried when someone died → No.
88. Liked a friend that is a girl? → You mean like or LIKE LIKE?

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
89. Yourself → Yes
90. Miracles → Yes.
91. Love at first sight → Eh........not really.
92. Heaven →Yes.
93. Santa Claus → I wish :'(
94. Kissing on the first date? → Yeah if he doesn't give you the heebie jeebies.
95. Angels → Yes.

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
96. Is there one person you want to be with right now? → Yeah.
97. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? → No lol.
98. Do you believe its possible to remain faithful forever? → Yeah, totally.
99. What's the one thing you cannot live without?→ FOOD.
100. Posting this as 100 Truths? → Sure thing.

DCAD - My First College Visit!

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:35:54 GMT

So today was the Delaware College of Art and Design's Open House. Despite the fact that it is a Friday and I had school, my mom and dad and I all took about a one-hour trip to Wilmington to take my first ever College Tour! OMG LET'S BEGIN REMINISCING!!!

   First off, as we were driving along in Wilmington, I noticed a similarity between Philadelphia and this small city - some of the buildings are deserted. And old. With peeling paint and broken windows. That kind of scared me, but I thought if I really liked the college I wouldn't mind the... interesting surroundings. As for the actual college, it was small. That is to say, a single building. I've only been to one other college before (Moore College of Art & Design) and that was also a single-building college, so right now I'm kind of wondering if there is any other art college out there that has an actual campus. Anyway, we first went to the Delaware Historical Building where we signed in and were given a speech by the president. We got there a few minutes late so the president was already in the middle of his speech. To be honest I didn't pay much attention to it; I was more interested in the folder they gave me with papers about the schedule and such.
   Then we began our actual tour by going over the actual college. We were given tours of four floors and all six majors: Fine Arts, Illustration, Graphic Design, Photography, Interior Design, and Animation. Now, my dad and I both noticed something about these tours given by all six teachers - most of them really couldn't speak well. I mean, it's not like they had a speech impediment or anything, I think they just couldn't really fully express what their classes were all about. So that kind of turned me off a little.
   Then we learned about the curriculum. Apparently for the first three semesters you do a little bit of everything. Since there's no English or Math or Science, they make you take things like sculpture, 3D design, Intro to Photo, and a little from every course. I guess that works for some people, but in my case, if I were majoring in Photography for example, I wouldn't want to have to take a course in sculpture because I'm not going to be doing any sculpting in my major! I believe all the extra things should be taken in high school and college should be focused on just what you want to do. Maybe other people feel differently, but that's what I think. However, I must tell you about their darkroom. Their darkroom is HUGE! Compared to the converted bathroom I worked in over the summer, this thing was massive! And it smelled so good (Ok, so it smelled like chemicals, but it reminded me of summer). I hope the college I end up going to has a darkroom as nice as DCAD's.
   Another good thing that happened on our tour of the classes was my discovery of how cool animation is. At first the students draw pictures and make flip book projects and then they use computers to make cartoons! It's so cool! I think I may have to consider studying animation.
Okay, so after the class tours we moved onto the Saville building aka the dorms. Their dorms are really cool because they're like apartments; with a full stove, refrigerator, oven, bathroom, living room, sink, and either one or two bedrooms. To compensate for the huge full kitchen, there isn't an on campus dining service. However, both ShopRite and ACME will deliver food to Saville if you order online. I think that's pretty cool, I wouldn't mind cooking for my roommate *cough*Melanie*cough* and me. So aside from the joys of home cooking, the dorms they showed us in the tour were so CLUTTERED! The walls were all bare except for a few small drawings taped up and the floors had tons of things scattered everywhere. There were even crumbs! Gross! They showed us two dorms: a single bedroom with two boys, and a double bedroom housing four girls. The boys' dorm was relatively neat compared to the girls'. The girls' kitchen had TONS of snack boxes EVERYWHERE and their bedrooms had bunches of shoes/random crap in totally unorganized places. My dorm will be so freakin' organized. I'll make sure my roommate *more coughing* complies with my orders.
   So after all that we went to the main room of the college to look at all the galleries. Some of the stuff really impressed me, but I paid attention to the bare parts of the building. The ceiling had all the pipes and stuff exposed. And all the walls were white with this corkboard thing so that all the students' work can be pinned on it. I guess that's cool, but the exposed ceiling bothers me. It just feels like they didn't put enough effort into the renovation of the building. Did I mention that this college is relatively new? Not the building, but the actually college. It was only established in 1996. Pratt Institute and The Corcoran College of Art + Design partnered up to make it, so after you finish your two years at DCAD, you can transfer to Pratt or The Corcoran as a junior. That may be good for a lot of people, but it's not for me. Once I get into a college, I want to stay there.

Okay. I think it was a good college visit! I got a feel of the school and life there, and though it was not for me, I think I have an idea of what to expect for my other college visits. Plus they talked about this week-long workshop thing that high school students can take over the summer working with one of the certain majors. I will definitely consider this...maybe in animation....?

Mooooosic Survey!

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:36:51 GMT

Put your iPod on shuffle and answer!

Song you like to wake up to in the morning?
My Moon My Man - Feist (This would be a nice scene if it were in a movie.)

Song you sing in the shower?
That's What You Get - Paramore (I think this would sound really cool in the shower. I shall try it tonight!)

Best song to headbang to?
Not Yours Truly - Cassie Steele (Actually yes. This song is perfect to headbang to.Especially if it's live!)

Best beach song?
Angels - Clique Girlz (Yes, I can see this played at sunset or after a bonfire has died out.)

Best song to break dance to?
Undiscovered - Ashlee Simpson (Nuuuu. Not a breakdancing song.)

Song you listen to when you're sad?
Right Now - Atomic Kitten (Nope! In fact, the Ashlee Simpson song and this should be switched.)

Song you want played at your funeral?
Not Coming Home - Maroon 5 (OMG! This is sad but fitting.)

What is your theme song?
You Make Me Feel Like a Star - Beu Sisters (Haha. Well...)

What is your favorite thing to yell?
Believe in Me - Demi Lovato (=])

Your average day?
2 Stars - Meghan Martin (When I'm with Mel! Haha.)

Song you hear when you die?
For Good - Wicked (Omg this is fitting and really sad! But it's also really sweet.)

Most played song on your playlist?
Tonight - Jonas Brothers (Haha, it's definitely getting there!)

Your love life?
Don't Forget - Demi Lovato (Don't forget what? Nothing ever happened...)

Favorite children's song?
Immigrant - Sade (In a way, this is right. It's not a kid's song, but it was played a lot when I was a child.)

Wedding song?
This is Me - Demi Lovato & Joe Jonas (Haha this works! With Joe's lines and all.)

Song that gets stuck in your head?
If I Can't Love Her - Beauty & the Beast (Umm...not really. Lol.)

Least favorite song?
Now Or Never - HSM3 (Nah, not true. I do like this song.)

Song that puts you to sleep?
Come Clean - Hilary Duff (Meh. I don't think I could actually fall asleep to this.)

Song that makes you cry?
Get Gotten - Ben Lee (Omg so true. This is my favorite love song ever.)

Song that makes you laugh?
No Other Way - Tarzan (LOL. NOT SO MUCH.)

Song to strip to?
Lovebug - Jonas Brothers (NO NO NO. Worse choice ever!)

Favorite elevator song?
Underneath This Smile - Hilary Duff (Not really seeing this as an elevator song...)

Favorite church song?
Two Worlds - Tarzan (Well, this could kind of work. One family and all that.)

Meditation song?
St. Patrick's Day - John Mayer (Good song, but I don't know if I could meditate to it.)

Song to fight to?
Crocodile Rock - Elton John (Haha!)

Your financial situation?
No Such Thing - John Mayer (This is kind of true LOL! I have no financial situation. It's my parents'.)

Song to hear at someone else's funeral?
Quiet - John Mayer (That would be a good song to hear. It's all peaceful & stuff.)

Song you'd want Michael Jackson to remake?
Big, Blonde & Beautiful - Hairspray (HAHAHA! YES, PLEASE REMAKE IT!!)

Song you pick to sing karaoke to?
Nice Work If You Can Get It - Crazy For You (If you're good at harmony, haha =])

Your enemy's theme song?
True Friend - Hannah Montana (HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I love it.)

Song that would be good in an action film?
Now My Feet Won't Touch The Ground - Coldplay (Well, not durng an actiony part, but it could work. Especially if it were a war movie.)

Song that makes you snap your fingers?
A Night To Remember - HSM3 (Haha yes it works!)

Song to get drunk to?
Dreaming With A Broken Heart - John Mayer (Yeah, if you're drowning out your sorrows. That would be perfect.)

Song with the best guitar riffs?
Secret - Maroon 5 (Um, there are no guitar riffs in this song...)

Song you love to hear when you're having a bad day?
Tangled - Maroon 5 (Yup, this works!)

Cheesiest song ever?
Broken - Cassie Steele (Um, nope. I like this song. I think the melody is original and such,)

Sexiest song ever?
Who Wouldn't Wanna - Clique Girlz (That kind of depends on what the guy in the song is like, haha.)

Song to reminisce to?
Back Door Man - Sarah McLachlan (Ehh not really.)

Best song ever written?
Teddi's Song (When Christmas Comes) - John Mellencamp (I do love this song. It's kind of simple, but it's so cute.)

Writer's Block: Spoilers Below the Cut

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:04:00 GMT

Have you ever ruined the ending or given away plot developments in a book, movie, or tv show by telling someone who hasn't seen or read it what happens? Has anyone ever done this to you?

View 501 Answers

When I was reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, my brother told me that Dumbledore died. I was SO angry with him. GRIDUYUIKDH<DJGB<HG<SGHSKUTRAYRSUYHCCFS!
At least he didn't tell me how he died...

The Ideal Way to Spend a Snow Day...College Research!

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:49:34 GMT

Today would have been the first day of midterms, but by the grace of God, it snowed. Yup, it is a snow day! Now I am actually very happy because there are three exam days, but I only have to go in one day. This means that I have to go in only until noon on Thursday and I'll get Friday and Monday off! If I think about it a certain way, it's kind of like I have a six day break (including today). I just have to go in and take two exams for a few hours tomorrow. I am grateful.
So what have I been doing today? Well, I am researching COLLEGES!!! I have an account on collegeboard.com and I took the College Matchmaker survey-thing and I have come up with a bunch of lists of possible colleges! Do you recall when I went to the college fair in Philly and got a lot of fancy brochures? I'm looking into all those colleges now and then some. I've actually figured out that location is more important to me than I thought it would be. Right now my preferance is a city or suburb in the south. At least more south than New Jersey. I want to go someplace warm. But like I've told myself before, my preferances may very well change. Hey, at first I thought I wanted to go to George Washington University! That idea changed quickly. It's in DC and it's frickin' EXPENSIVEEE. A little later on I thought that I would want to go someplace rural or suburban. Also something that has changed. Now I can't even imagine wanting to go to some rural place for college. I would need stores and entertainment and stuff around me.
As for my lists, I have three as of now.
- One list is called "Poss. Colleges" and it includes colleges from all over the US with majors in both graphic design and photography. There are 14 colleges in that list.
- Another list is "Poss. Colleges MINUS Photo" with the major of graphic design but not photography I also made sure that this list did not include colleges from NJ, PA, DA, DC, and NY. I don't really want to be close to home. That list has 16 colleges.
- My last list is titled "Mel & Me" and I made sure that all the colleges on the list offered Graphic Design, Photography, and Film Production/Cinematography, since Mel told me that 's what she might like to major in. I also excluded the above five locations from this list. Oh, and I set the cost to appropriate levels for all the lists as well. The list "Mel & Me" has 31 colleges.

I'm pretty proud of my lists. I feel awfully organized (in a good way). I printed out the lists "Poss. Colleges MINUS Photo" and "Mel & Me" last night and I went through my Insider's Guide to the Colleges 2008 to look them all up. Most of the colleges weren't listed in there, but I was able to find University of North Dakota, Bowling Green State University, Evergreen State College, North Carolina State University, Ohio University, Texas Tech University, University of Minnesota, and University of Oklahoma. I immediately ruled out a couple schools because of the amount of drinking that goes on, and I'm kind of iffy about a couple more because of either the price or location/weather. I remember thinking UO was okay, but now I can't remember why.
On collegeboard.com I have three schools favorited: Savannah College of Art & Design, Columbia College Chicago, and Meredith College. Here's what I think of them all!

- Savannah College of Art & Design: *Cries* This school seems so great! It's located in the BEAUTIFUL city of Savannah, Georgia; it's in the south (south = warm!) All the brochures show great art, and their webiste is so lovely and entertaining (www.scad.edu) ! I really can't wait to visit it!! The only thing is, it doesn't offer - OHHH SNAP! I JUST DOUBLE-CHECKED! IT DOES OFFER FILM PRODUCTION/CINEMATOGRAPHY!!!! YESSSSS!!! That would make my LIFE if it turned out to be the prefect school and Mel could enroll too! The only downside I can see is, it's a tad pricey. And they accept 54% of their applicants.

- Columbia College Chicago: It's one of the cheapest art schools out there, but it looks really awesome! Apparently the classroom size is really small so you can get a good amount of attention. The dorms are freakin' awesome and - hello! It's CHICAGO! The only thing I am worried about is the weather. It is, after all, The Windy City. But aside from that, according to their neat website (www.colum.edu) there is this awesome city-wide annual arts festival called Manifest! Music, acting, sculpture... all kinds of cool things! I really want to visit this place too. Oh, they accept 85% of their applicants.

- Meredith College: Meredith College is actually an all-women's college located in the city of Raleigh in North Carolina. It's a liberal arts college, not just art-art like SCAD and CCC. They do not, sadly, offer Film Production/Cinematography or Photography as a major. They do, however, offer Graphic Design. I don't really know why I seem so interested in it. I got a brochure from the college fair, but I didn't pay much attention to it, even though it was really pretty and colorful. According to their equally pretty website (www.meredith.edu) it's a really small school. Oooh, pets are allowed in the dorms! I dunno. I'll see if I can check it out when we go to the Outer Banks this summer. It may be cool! They accept 88% of their applicants

Wow, that was detailed!

DONE

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:58:07 GMT

I THINK YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW THAT I AM NOW
OFFICIALLY DONE WITH MY JUNIOR
TERM PAPER
MUAHAHA!!!!!!

Back from the Break!

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:41:17 GMT

DID YOU GUYS HAVE THE MERRIEST CHRISTMAS EVER?? I DID.

So I got my tablet! It's a Wacom Intuos3, the exact kind I wanted! I have been drawing a lot, and I even got a deviantArt account! My username: Lilaka-Love. Luke's main gift was a paintball gun, Stephen got a NY Rangers jersey, Carola got a Nintendo DS Lite, and Marian got...well...little girl stuff.
Basically throughout the holidays family came over, we went over to family's, and I ate. A LOT. Miraculously I haven't gained a single pound! Oooooh, do you want to read my New Year's story? This is directly from a photo on my Flickr (which you should TOTALLY check out!)
"I get over to Mel's at about six, all dressed up like I'm going to a Hollywood party (because Mel told me too). So we watch a movie (13 Going on 30) and then wait a little bit until we can watch another one. It's probably about 8:30 by this time. So we're just chillin' when all of a sudden, the power goes out! In about ten minutes it comes back on, but then it continues to flicker on and off a bunch of times, staying off for only about thirty seconds. While the flickering is going on, I bring out my new WACOM INTUOS3 TABLET and we all start playing with it on our laptops creating bootiful art. Then...it gets to be about 10:30. And the power goes out. For a loooooooooooong time. We wait and wait and wait, and it passes midnight and the power still isn't on. So we just throw some confetti around as seen in the photo above! The power comes back on about five minutes after midnight. Then Mel surprises me with a dance party in her garage ;)"
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/gracebb/3163510495/in/photostream/

So yeah, pretty awesome break! No wonder I was soooooo not thrilled to go back to school on Monday...
I met with my guidance counselor today for the first time this year for one of my three required college planning meetings. I tell her I want to go to art college and she says, "So you've started your portfolio already right?"
Yeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaah....
It's not like I've purposefully put it off, I originally meant for my 52 Weeks to be my portfolio, but not all the photos are to my absolute liking. I want to get some real nice photos in there. I also want my drawings in there I just have to learn how to make a proper portfolio...

Well, I want to think up some more ideas for drawings now! Buh-bye! :)

VOTE FOR THE CLIQUE GIRLZ ON DECEMBER 28th!!!

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:20:55 GMT