It's been real, Lands' End

No more khaki.
No more pleated skirts.
13 years of polos.
Soooo what do I wear now?

So guys, we're about to graduate. I CAN'T WAIT.
I will not miss many things, but what I will miss the most? My class.

Since I'm graduating people have decided that they should tell me about their graduation and alllll about their high school experience. I keep getting a lot of "I've only seen like 4 people from my class." That got me thinking, so will I not be friends with these people? Are we going to keep in touch? I guess not.

However, they are not us. I've known you guys pretty much my whole life, not just the four years of high school. Not being friends with you would mean cutting out a piece of me I've had essentially my whole life. I'm tired of people telling me that we will not be friends after this. Yeah sure we'll make friends in college and be super tight with them, but they won't be you. I swear if someone reads this and thinks wow doesn't she know how pathetic she sounds then you can get out. That was a bit harsh, but I'm just very over people judging me for what I love.

Also, remember when I made y'all walk forever in Central Park so we could find this? Thanks mom.

I love you guys.

We are so close.

Students what does Psalm 115:1 say?

Not unto us O Lord, not unto us but to your name give glory. 

Keep Smiling

-Maddie

Pretty Sure I'm the Only American That Could Care Less

Welcome to Super Bowl Sunday.

This is so much food. This is ridiculous. 

I have a personal belief that I am the only American who doesn't care about the Super Bowl at all. I don't really care that much about it nor do I want to. I like college football but even then I only care if I'm at the game watching it. But professional football is too much hype for nothing. 

So if you need me during the Super Bowl, I will be outside because its February 2nd and its 64 degrees outside. Thank you. 

Except for the halftime show.

I will watch that because Bruno is my favorite. 

Keep Smiling!

Maddie

P.S. Don't hate me for not liking football. I promise I'm American. I love baseball and March Madness is my favorite month. But I just don't get football. 

18 Forever? How About No

I feel like right now I'm being forced to make some serious decisions in my life. Things like should I really get the venti when the grande will suffice? Or which college should I go to? These are pressing matters.

As a 19 year old, I feel like someone is jerking me back and forth. One minute they need me to be an adult and make some big, life altering decision and then at the same time they expect me to ask permission to use the restroom. I'm tired of this. I know I'm not an adult. I don't pay my own bills. I couldn't last a week without my mom or dad telling me what to do. 

But do you guys remember Twilight? Don't lie. I know you do. Bella was 18 when she made all these decisions and look where she ended up. Her 18 year old mind was convinced that what she wanted in that moment was what she was going to want forever. I don't know how someone can be so complacent about their self destruction. Haha listen to me. If you can remember 7th grade me, you'll know that I ate, slept, and breathed Twilight. And I thought I was going to love it forever. I wasn't going to be satisfied until I had married a vampire of my own. It's sad I know. It was a dark time. 

With one college acceptance under my belt, the wold is a more beautiful place. But don't get me wrong. My stress level is at approximately 573953. So yay. I don't know. This post didn't really have a purpose. I just needed to say that. If graduation could be now that would be great.

Speaking of graduation, I used to think that I wouldn't be able to get through the ceremony without sobbing like a baby because I love  my class so much. Yeah thats not going to happen. I love my class but its not as if I'll never see them again. I can guarantee you that within a week of graduation, we'll all see each other at least 6 times because thats how we roll. Anyway, at graduation its going to be really hard to contain myself when they call my name to get that really nice piece of card-stock with my name on it. I always picture myself sprinting headlong down the stage, grabbing the diploma, and running out the door so they can't take it back.

And thats all I have to say about that.

Here is some encouragement if you're feeling down: if you're feeling bad about yourself, just know that I toured Buckingham Palace in flip flops and cut off jorts, and you didn't. #America

Keep Smiling!

-Maddie

Words, Words, Words

I'm not good at a lot of things. Some people can run fast. I can't. Some people can add 2 + 2 and I can't do that without a calculator. But there's ones thing I can do and thats read the heck out of a book.

I've always loved to read. It's easy, as effortless as breathing....without that sounding too cocky. I love delving into a world that I'll never be apart of. I love losing myself in another time, slowly falling in (or out of) love with characters. Gah that sounds cheesy. But guys. Come on. I go to Veritas. I have to love books or face shunning.

Like I said, I've always loved to read. But I always hated when a teacher would ruin a book with "What did the author really mean by this?" or "What is the symbolism of this super minor detail that seems insignificant but really your whole grade depends on it?" HAHA no. I'm about 104% sure that most authors thought it sounded nice when they wrote it. Thats it. The character walking down the stairs does not represent the declining economy. The man sitting on the bench waiting for the bus is not an analogy of America's laziness. Its not that complicated.The guy going down the stairs? He just wants to go to the kitchen. The man waiting for the bus? His car broke down this morning, hence the bus.

But recently, I've fallen in love with books even more. It's not just the story anymore. Its the words. About a year ago I read Atonement by Ian McEwan. I hated it with a burning passion. The story was so stupid. Like really? I hated it. When I finished it, I thought well this going on my shelf for all of eternity where it can be unloved and alone forever so it can feel my hate. But then it started to nag me. I kept thinking of the vocabulary and the seamless weaving of the words. Now, I'm really bad with grammar and all that stuff, so if you see me commit an error of some grammatical type, mea culpa. Anyway, the words in a book can tell a story of their own. That sounds dumb because duh a story is words. “The cost of oblivious daydreaming was always this moment of return, the realignment with what had been before and now seemed a little worse. ”  See? How does that not strike you as beautiful? Yall have a problem. 

Or how about this.

“There did not have to be a moral. She need only show separate minds, as alive as her own, struggling with the idea that other minds were equally alive. It wasn't only wickedness and scheming that made people unhappy, it was confusion and misunderstanding, above all, it was the failure to grasp the simple truth that other people are as real as you. And only in a story could you enter these different minds and show how they had an equal value. That was the only moral a story need have.” 

And this?

“And though you think the world is at your feet, it can rise up and tread on you.”

Ok I'm done. But how can you not love words? They ebb and flow, they howl and whisper, they hate and they love. 

I still hate poetry though. But theres this and its kinda beautiful so theres that.

Wow I literally wrote a novel. Props to you if you made it this far. 

Cancer Sucks

I meant to write this last month but oh well. Better late than never.

Five years ago, I was in 7th grade. I really don't remember much about 7th grade because it was just rough all around. Thank you Jesus that I don't look like I did then. But one thing I do remember is the day when I found out my mom had cancer. I remember my mom and dad sitting in the living room and calling my brothers and me in. That was serious because we never use that room for anything ever. I don't remember what they said because that was a blur. All I knew was my mom had cancer. 

It was weird. I had always thought that when someone got cancer, they would just look different. Like you could see the cancer. But no she was still mom. She never had to do chemo but she did have to do radiation. But that still sucked. She would come home from the treatments and go straight to bed. 

I never heard her complain once. 

And here we are, 5 years later and no cancer. God is good.

My mom is a beautiful woman. And no, I'm not writing this because I'm trying to suck up to her or get her to let me have a later curfew. I'm writing this because she is the best. I don't think you guys understand. I love that she asks me if her outfit matches. I love that we swap shoes. I love that when Free Bird comes on the radio, she turns it up as loud as it'll go. Happy belated birthday mom. I love you.

I Just Want To Go To College

(Ummm I just reread this and its kinda ranty so you should listen to this while you read. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2muto1kBPFg )


So being a senior is pretty great. So far its been the best and worst year of high school. Something great about it is Senioritis. Whats great about Senioritis? You don't do any work. Know what sucks about Senioritis? You don't do the work. So there's that.

For about the past 2 months I've been heading down the college app road. And it sucks. Like it is literally the worst. They keep asking me to give them my grades. Can I just skip that part? Yeah that'd be great. Why can't this be like Legally Blonde where all I have to do is send in a head shot? I'm actually not kidding. And if someone else tells me that really this isn't a big deal, I'm sorry but prepared to be slapped.

And then there's the whole part of dealing with not getting accepted somewhere. How do people deal with that? Since public rejection is not really my favorite thing, I have no idea what to do. So if by the time all the acceptances are rolling around and you don't hear from me, you can safely assume that I'm in a dark corner somewhere sobbing and eating a Chick-fil-A mocha milkshake. Have you guys had that? Stop what you are doing right now and go get one. It's life changing.

If you see me in a t-shirt that has some sort of college thing on it, please don't assume that that is where I'm going. ASK ME. Trust me, I'll talk your ear off about how I have no idea where in the heck I'm going to end up. Mehhh that sounds a tad bit harsh. Deal.

Annnnnnnnd lastly, I'm going to tell you what brought on this tirade.

I was walking out of school today and about to drink some coke zero, when a very nice lady came up to me. See, heres where it gets awkward. I had no idea what her name was. Anyway, we exchanged pleasantries and I was trying to walk away so I could drink my coke in peace, and then she asked the question that I hate to answer because it always ends up with some sort of college question or them telling me to go to the school they went to. "Hows your senior year going?"
Ugh how about no. I told her it was actually great and then I waited for the inevitable pep talk for college. To say that she blindsided me is an understatement. She proceeded to tell me that after your senior year, its all downhill. "Senior years pretty much it. Live it up. But its also the most important year of your life." And then she walked away. Someone should write a book on what not to say to seniors applying to schools, with rule number 1 being DONT SAY WHAT THAT LADY SAID.


I'm just stressed. I love you all. But please. Just get me a milkshake.



I need to put a picture here. I did Lizzie Trumbo's seior pics and I really hope they turned out ok.

Keep Smiling!

-Maddie 

Crocs and Wrecking Balls

So I got a computer last year, and almost from day one its been a little difficult. And by that, I mean it hates me. Essentially every piece of technology I touch turns to dust. I've gone through 2 phones, 6 iPods, 2 cameras and 3 computers in 5 years. I also destroyed the screen on my dads phone by dropping a bottle of ground cinnamon on it. Its one of my many talents. E pluribus unum, people.

So today I went to Best Buy to have a chat with the Geek Squad guys about my dead computer. They really are lovely people.  They deserve a medal. And a bottle of Head & Shoulders because they all had wicked dandruff. Anyway, so while I was waiting in line, this guy got in line behind me. His phone rang (the ringtone was My Humps, so that was strike one) and he picked up. I started listening to the convo because duh what else am I supposed to do in Best Buy? Pretty much the best decision I've made possibly ever. I assumed he was talking to his girlfriend because he called her baby. Anyway, as I was hardcore creeping on the guy, he just starts talking really fast and soon I was under the impression that hes breaking up with his girlfriend. On the phone. In Best Buy. Who does that?

I was dying to know what this guys problem was, then he said it. The most cliche phrase on this planet.

"Its not you. Its me."

He said it. I thought people only did that in really bad sitcoms. So then I had to see who this guy was. I turned my head in the super stealthy, I'm-people-watching-please-don't-notice way and was visually assaulted. He was wearing yellow crocs. YELLOW CROCS. And cargo shorts. I was feeling bad for the girl getting dumped, but not so much anymore. She's probably relieved that she doesn't have to deal with this guys holey footwear anymore.

By this time, pretty much everybody in line and behind the counter knew what was going on. I walked up to beg for some help with my computer and while the girl was looking over it, she started to make small talk about Crocs and Cargo Shorts behind me. We bonded over our mutual hate for him. It was great.


And that was it.


Completely unrelated, has anybody seen Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus? If not, I'd say don't because thats not where sledge hammers were ever meant to be. But just a random thought. Ok so isn't filming a video like that awk? I mean when shes swinging on that wrecking ball, didn't everyone on set cringe? I'd just be all uhh I don't know how to respond to this situation. I think she has a great voice in the song, but swinging half-clad on construction equipment is kinda where I draw the line.

Lastly, from now on I'm going to have to post a picture in every post because if I don't then when I link it to Facebook, a picture from a previous post will be the picture for the link. The pics will most likely have nothing to do with the post. I'm just going to post them. If anybody knows how to fix this, let me know because clearly I have no idea what I'm doing with computers.

Keep Smiling!
-Maddie