I remembered what else I was going to post! Tomorrow we're going to my grandma's for her annual (what else?) New Year's Day party. She's been having this party since.... well, at least since 1986, but it was established by then... not sure exactly when it started. But anyway, my favorite tradition in connection with the party is signing the New Year's tablecloth with Sharpie markers!! (Grandma demands this.) You see, that's how I know about 1986 - I remember a particular signature of hers from that year. Basically, the tablecloth serves both as a guestbook and a memento. Grandma will have to get a new tablecloth soon though.... the current one is getting pretty full!

I may actually make it to midnight this year.... interesting. Well, I had a whole nice little post about the CD I was listening to... but the computer decided to lock up as I was polishing it off, so I lost the whole of it. 'Twas about Michael Card's "Starkindler" album.... very, very good, especially if you like Celtic styles and old hymns (even older than A Mighty Fortress!). Speaking of Mighty Fortress, we sang that today in church. But, the third verse was omitted, unfortunately. To tell the whole story, you absolutely must have all four verses! Consider a rather shortened version: A mighty fortress is our God...For still our ancient foe... on Earth is not His equal.... our striving would be losing, were not the right Man on our side... and He must win the battle!... And though this world... should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us. The Prince of Darkness... we tremble not for him... for lo, his doom i

It seems so odd, that in a season of holy celebration, we become the most material of men. But enough of the philosophizing. This is a summary of my Christmas gifts, for which I am very thankful: --a pair of silver & green earrings --a battery charger & batteries --Phantom of the Opera soundtrack (with Butler & Rossum) --a pink journal --a pair of blue earrings --a notepad --a pair of cross earrings and a matching cross necklace --Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits CD --a Best Buy $20 gift card --a $100 bill --and a sewing machine . The sewing machine is an old one (my aunt, just shy of fifty, had an identical one in high school), and the cabinet used to be my great-aunt's before she died. The cabinet will have to be altered slightly for the machine to fit in (the machine has an automatic buttonholer which adds a bit of width to it), but that's nothing. I now have my very own sewing machine, which I rather think I will take to college with me.

Alrighty: Christmas break started December 18th for me. I measured, cut, sewed, ripped out seams, re-sewed, and adjusted for four days; then I sketched, wrote, colored and framed for the next day. The weekend was spent finishing up shopping, wrapping presents, and attending the Christmas Eve service. In betweentimes, like one evening when Mom was working, I read a romance I found on her bedside table. (Hey Mom, if you read this, are there any other Georgette Heyer books that I don't know about?) Christmas morning we opened our presents. I GOT PHANTOM OF THE OPERA!!!!! Now Mom and I each have our own set, but hers is the old one (with Crawford and Brightman) while mine is the new one; so we don't duplicate ourselves too much. Christmas afternoon was spent reading, pretty much. I started "How to Read a Book", by Adler/Van Doren. It's actually rather interesting! It sounds silly, as if it's intended for a young child perplexed by all the marks on his pict

You must understand, I have been filling out applications and writing essays for awhile... it's about time that I get some reward, don't you think? :-P So I got a huge packet from a college in Ohio yesterday, containing a letter of acceptance and a bunch of paperwork in case I should actually decide to attend there (which looks more than possible at this point). Now, what would be my reason for attending college? Did "my parents urge me"? Some, I guess.. but it was pretty much my decision. Is it because of "dating"? Now, where in the world would someone pay thousands of dollars a year just for a random-match dating service?? Or, was it because "I want to get out of the house"? Heh, not really. And those were real answers to that question, presented on the room/roommate preferences questionnaire.

At one point, I was requested to list the Alfred Hitchcock movies I have seen in my life. Now, I thought it would be pretty easy, but since I could only remember about five (The Birds and Psycho among them...) I looked him up in the movie book so I could get the other names. Here's what I came up with: Hitchcock... lemme think, I saw The Birds, and Saboteur and Sabotage (easily confused sometimes...), Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, Dial M for Murder, Foreign Correspondent, I Confess, The Man Who Knew Too Much (I think that's the one where Doris Day sings "Que Sera"), Mr. and Mrs. Smith (although that one wasn't a horror film), North by Northwest (I like Cary Grant in almost everything), Rebecca, and Suspicion. I'm sure I've seen Notorious and Strangers on a Train, but I can't remember them really well... and there was one that had something to do with pi... it was some sort of secret society... but maybe it wasn't a Hitchcock after all. My goodne

was last weekend! We got to see lots and lots of cousins! And we played lots of pool (two different games, in fact). Oh, and we exchanged gifts - but that is beside the point. :-) I suppose I owe my poor readers a list of things that I received: a battery charger and a pair of earrings!! And $100 for the college account! Ain't it niiiice? As a sidenote, some TV shows (past and present) are absolutely worthless.

I don't know.... almost every time I get on here, my mind immediately goes blank and I have nothing to say - even though I could come up with five things before breakfast that I wanted to post here. Oh well.... I owe my cousin a letter. In fact, it is completely written, but I am also sending her a fingering chart and an essay of mine. One of which was supposed to be copied yesterday, and one of which needs to be printed out. My fingers are freezing. And we've had snow on the ground for the past 2 days. Amazing! My bro and my dad finally put up the tree yesterday!

Yup. Received one acceptance letter in the mail today!

As I said, I sent in two applications last Monday. I'm working on a third now; nearly done with it. If you care to read a 500-word essay on me-my-interests-and-my-goals-in-life, just visit my College Letters blog post that contains it. I based it on my bedroom door, of all things! My fingers are freezing. And I adore alliteration. You might find a few sets in that college application essay.

...though it may be good for the soul, occasionally. I apologize for any inadvertently odd comments I may make today. You see, I had sinus troubles at five o'clock this morning which did not abate till about eight-thirty. Therefore I lost sleep, and am not quite in my right mind. Although, how I could be enough in my right mind to think of this, I will never know...

Have you ever heard that song by Abba called "Dancing Queen"? Anyway, there's something about being 17 years old in there.... which is the reason I'm posting. I am officially 17, as of the month of November. (Cannot let the actual date slip out!) I got some really nice black boots for my birthday! Well, actually I stood in line for over an hour to get them, but I didn't pay for them with my money. These boots were on sale on Black Friday - as I had been hoping they would be - so I convinced Mom to get them as a birthday present. As I said, they're really nice boots: probably a three-inch heel, and the top is just below my knee. Dad calls them "go-go" boots. I really like them. :-) Grandma and Grandpa (set one) gave me some hairthings (purple, of course) and some bath things; set two gave me money with which I renewed my AAA membership. Very nice! Oh yes, I finally finished The Farm . Had some good description, but it was very sloooooooowww.

That's what I ask every time someone brings the mail in. Half the time I get some letter from some college. Occasionally I get a letter from one of my pen-pals. (Now I owe one a letter...) About one week a year I get a birthday card. But about every Monday, the WORLD Magazine comes, which I invariably devour before the week is out. And, of course, there is the weekly local paper... and the weekend newspapers... *smile*