Thank You, My Dear Readers

So I looked at my stats recently and saw that my little bloggie has over 1,000 views!!!! 

This is very exciting.  I know it's not much compared to a lot of other big blogs out there that get like 500 views a day, but 1,000 is a big number for moi. 


Also, something that amuses me very much.  Apparently the second largest percent of my readers are from France. 


.............................


I really don't know what to think of that, seeing as how half of what I talk about is how awesome France is.  Is it weird to you guys that I really love your country?  Cause you know, I like screaming about France.  And Les Miserables.  And the book I'm writing about France....

Does that not weird y'all out at all??


I know I would be very much weirded out if someone from another country was screaming about how awesome America was.  Like "M'kay why is this happening...I'm gonna back away slowly" kind of weirded out.  I haven't noticed any other countries enjoy shrieking about " 'MURICA WOOHOO" and "LONG LIVE THE USA" and stuff, yet America's favorite pastime seems to be obsessing over Britain and France.  It's very strange.  We're all very strange.

I don't know, are y'all used to it by now?


Anyway, you guys are amazing.  France is great.

And so are you, my other dear readers from Russia, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, Spain, Poland, Germany, China, England, Ireland, and good ol' United States of America, so don't feel left out.  And everyone else I forgot.  My humble apologies.  I have a very short memory span. 


So yas, a huge big thank you to all of my lovely readers!  I love you guys!!!


As a present for your awesomeness and for sticking around, here is a collage of pictures I took last summer on vacation that I shall share with you.  My family rented a beach house and so I took my coffee mug on an adventure one morning.  Or to be exact, what really happened was that my coffee tried to escape and go on an adventure and I followed it around with a camera.


So without further ado, I present to ye, The Fantabulous Adventures of Coffee.

"I don't think the human is watching...TIME TO MAKE A RUN FOR IT"

"So far so good"

"Wrong way.  Oh look water!"

"If I move fast they'll never know I was gone"

"Oh stairs big stairs big big stairs yaaaay"

"Hop....hop....hop...they see me hoppin', they hatin'"

"I wonder if I'll see a whale"

"I like whales."

"Why is the human following me this is very vexing GO AWAY SILLY HUMAN"

"I just wanna see a whale, leave me alone"

"Almost there..."

"LOOK, WATER"

"Hello whaaaallllleesssss"

"Free!  Freeee!  I'm freeeeeee!"

And here is where I stepped in and picked it up and made it turn around.  I didn't want the coffee to drown. 

"No I don't want to go back I WANT TO SEE A WHALE"

"You mean human.  Let me follow my dreams.  I belong in the ocean."

"Someday...someday I'll see that whale"

"Carry me up the stairs." 

The End.

So humans, if your coffee ever tries to walk away, don't get mad at it.  It probably just wanted to see a whale, that's all.

What country/state are you from?  Does your coffee ever try to run away?

Music to make your day a little better

I'd like to share some of my favorite Broadway musical songs that I'm listening to right now.  I love Broadway.  I love musicals.  I've enjoyed discovering new musicals that I've never heard of in the past year, so here are a few of my current favorites.


The Scarlet Pimpernel


A friend recently told me to listen to this, so I did and now I'm in love.  This is such a fantastic book, movie, and musical.  If you haven't read or seen it, then go do it.  Now.  Shoo.  The music is similar to Les Miserables, which I like.  But it's more baroque, which I like. 

Finding Neverland


I actually saw the movie first, and it was beautiful and amazing and I sobbed.  I personally think it was one of Johnny Depp's best performances.  And then I discovered, "oh, there's a musical, too!"  SO GOOD THOUGH.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame


Yeah....I didn't know this was a musical.  It's so much better than the movie though....it actually follows the BOOK somewhat!!  (CLAUDE'S BROTHER JEHAN IS IN IT WOOHOO.  I love Jehan.  So mad that they left him out of the movie.)  Also, the music just seems so much more powerful and deeper.  I love the Latin in it. 

Next to Normal


No, I don't like this just because Aaron Tveit is in it. *blinks innocently*  Why would you say that?  Because of this song I walk around singing "I'M ALIVE I'M ALIVE I AM SO ALIVE and I feed on the fear that's behind your eyes" and end up disturbing many people. 

Hamilton


"OH NO" you all scream "SHE LIKES HAMILTON TOO."  Yep.  Muahaha.  It's pretty awesome.  I don't like rap, but this is so different...like rap and musical all wrapped up into one.  It's really cool and the music is soooooo good.  Also King George is Kristoff so.  That amuses me so much.  I don't obsess of Hamilton as much as most Hamilton fans do, but I still will shriek "HAMILTON" randomly when any references pop up. 

Nevermore - The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe


I accidently stumbled across this song on Pandora once and I was instantly hooked.  It's so haunting and amazing and while most of the other songs are just too disturbing for my taste, I really love this one. 

Les Miserables


DON'T RUN AWAY YET IT'S OKAY!  I shan't bombard you with Les Mis songs.  But there is one in particular that makes me tear up so much.  This is my favorite Marius and Michael Ball's voice is just so powerful and raw in this song I can't.....*cries*

RENT


*GASP* "SHE LIKES RENT??"  NO.  I DO NOT.  Ick.  But this song....it's so beautiful.  And I think every single theatre kid out there knows it....it's like the song of our people. 

Now, this isn't a song to listen to, but here is one of my new favorite musicals that is on YouTube.  The whole thing.  All 2 hours of it with extra interview stuff on the side.  It's really bad quality, but hey, I'm not complaining.  It isn't on Broadway anymore, and Aaron Tveit is the main character.  Nuff said.  Watch it! 

Enjoy!  Have a lovely day and when in doubt, listen to musicals. 

Doth thou love musicals, too? 

*confetti and cake*

"was"....it was

 SO.  So.   Soooo.  I turned 18, guys!!!!!!


I am an ADULT now.  Gawsh.  How did that happen? 

Now I am a grownup and have to be mature in mature situations....like job interviews and funerals and serious conversations. 


I was really scared about adulthood.....but with the help of my already-adult friends, and Pinterest, I have come to the resolution. 


I'm gonna be a FUN adult. 

Being 18 feels so weird.  I feel the same....but different.  It's like I can both ways in a mirror.  I have 17 years behind me to look back on, and a lifetime ahead to look forward to. 


I used to be so scared of growing up....I had such a bad case of Peter Pan Syndrome, you have no idea.  But I'm not scared of growing up anymore. 

Because there is really no strict guideline to how adults should act.  Just because I'm an adult doesn't mean I can't have fun. 


Being an adult means I have more responsibility and freedom.  I can vote, get married, enter the lottery, join a convent, legally drink in France.....It means that other adults will expect more from me.  It means other adults will look at me as more of an equal.  It means more younger people will look up to me. 


But it doesn't mean I can't still be ME. 


I plan on being just as insane as I have always been.....but also mature when the situation calls for maturity. 


People get the word "mature" so wrong.  They think of it as being boring and stodgy and just wanting to sit around day making sure everyone's following the rules.  THAT'S NOT WHAT MATURE MEANS. 


Being mature means knowing how to behave appropriately.  Being mature is not doing stupid, reckless things that make people uncomfortable.  Being mature means knowing when to stop and knowing when to act your age.  It's self-control, self-pride, and patience, backed by experience and wisdom. 


Knowing how to be mature is a GOOD thing!  Honestly, I can't stand immature people.  No one can.  They are so annoying and it's hard to talk to them or do anything with them because they can't act their age or behave appropriately.  However, I have a lot of friends who are very mature for their age and I can talk to them like we're the same age and always forget that they're actually 5 years younger than me....


So my birthday.  It was AWESOME.


I think this was the best birthday I've had in years.....my family had decorated the house with a French theme because of my slight obsession with certain French musicals.  The Street Gamin (dear siblings they are) built a Barricade on the table populated by army men and reenacted Enjolras getting blown up multiple times.  Dear, sweet siblings...

Usually we have an evening family party thing, but this time we had relatives over for breakfast and it was awesome.  I LOVE BIRTHDAY BREAKFASTS NOW. 


Then we had a friend's wedding so we went to that, and it was awesome and sweet.  I liked being with my friends on my birthday....usually we only have family birthdays. 


We got home when it was getting dark, and had a Fend-For-Yourself Night in which we ate breakfast leftovers.  (Breakfast leftovers make the best dinner EVER.  I love having breakfast for dinner.  S'awesome.) 


Then we had pumpkin pie. 

I love love love love pumpkin pie so much.  It's been my favorite desert since I was a youngling and it always bothered me that everyone only ate it at Christmas and Thanksgiving.  (Like, who ever came up with THAT stupid tradition?  Pumpkin pie is good anytime of the year.)  When was like 9 I had pumpkin pie for my birthday, so I followed up that rebellious tradition and accidently made 6 pies.  Which for my family, is just enough.  We're big believers in having pie for breakfast, you know.


So we ended the day by eating pumpkin pie and watching "The Finest Hours". 


That was a really really good movie...but I couldn't STAND the girl What's-her-face.  She kind of ruined the whole movie....I'm sorry but I hated her.  I love the 50's, but the "progressive, ultra-feminist" characters like her completely ruin it. 


List of things I've done as an adult:

• Received a blessing from the priest (YES!!)
• Went to Mass and received the sacraments of Confession and the Holy Eucharist
• Went to H.E.B. at midnight with friends and skipped up and down the aisles singing
• Did something I've wanted to do my whole life and sat down on the floor of H.E.B.
• Argued over lunchmeat on the floor of H.E.B.
• Stayed up till 2am singing karaoke
• Almost got hit by a car while riding a bike
• Watched Civil War for the 3rd time
• Had a long conversation with the barista at Starbucks
• Had another conversation with the librarian who works the bookstore
• Prayed a Chaplet of Divine Mercy in Starbucks with friends and sister
• Tried the new Waffle Cone Caramel Frappuccino (it tastes like spicy caramel)
• Took selfies in the Sherlock Holmes' theme pub...something I've always wanted to do
• Stole friend's popcorn
• Became not broke

So yeah, it's been fun. 


I still have no idea what I want to do with my life.  I still have to finish school.  But I look forward to a fantastic year as an 18 year old and hope that God will shower me with lots of blessings. 


Peace out, minions!

*apparently I was incorrect....I HAVE sat on the floor of H.E.B. before.  So this was my second time.  Doing it alone.  And not hiding in an aisle like the last time hehe.  So.  Yep.





Are you an adult?  Do you plan on being a fun adult?  Do you think pumpkin pie should be for all year round?

Life Update // Piano and Splintered

Hello humans.  Did you miss me?  Did you miss me did you miss me did you miss me?

So my life has been a stressful, crazy mess.  *shakes fist at life*


Naturally, I assumed you lovely potatoes would like to hear allllllll about it. 


Exciting thing that happened #1:


Okay, so as many of y'all know, I love piano.  Love being a massive understatement.  Playing the piano is my biggest passion, even bigger than drawing or writing or even reading.  I could happily spend all day on my little piano or in a music store on THEIR piano or just at ANY PIANO I STUMBLE ACROSS just doing this:

All day.  Very happily.

One of my big, unrealistic dreams is to someday become a concert pianist or something.  Probably not gonna happen, but then my piano teacher told me some very exciting and surprising news.


ARE YOU READY FOR THE BIG NEWS???


I'm going to be 18 in a few days, and I'm at the right level, so I can become a certified Suzuki piano teacher!!!!! 

GUYS.  I'M GOING TO BE A CERTIFIED PIANO TEACHER.  OHMAGOSH I CAN'T EVEN. 


First of all, I had no idea I was even that good enough to teach.  Second of all, ME??  A TEACHER??  Never woulda crossed my mind.  I hate teaching.  I cannot teach people.  I end up just trying to not to strangle them because they aren't doing what I want them to do.


So during this summer, I am going to be crazy stressfully busy working on learning and recording the first movement of Beethoven's Sonata in G Major and Bach's Minuets I and II in B-flat Major before August.  GAHHHH. 


And then......I can enter the program!  Or whatever it is.  I'm not really sure of any details right now.  I'm kind of just freaking out over this massive change in my life.


This will be my first paying job.  I will be part of a teacher's association.  I feel so grown up and it SCARES ME.  Part of me wants to scream to the world and the other part wants to crawl into a hole somewhere and continue living on books and chocolate. 

Just hide me..please

So in the fall, I shall be certified.  This is a God-send, because it the Book 1 program only comes around every 7 years and it just HAPPENS to be this year.  It's as if God is handing me this on a platter.  But at first I wasn't excited.  It was the opposite; when I first heard about this, I just thought, no, I don't feel like this is for me. 


My dad took me to Vespers to pray and discern about it.  Nothing changed.  God didn't move my heart to feel any different about it.  I spent the entire Vespers begging for God to tell me if this was what He wanted me to do with my life and didn't receive an answer. 


So I came to the conclusion that God wanted me to choose this on my own.  I imagine He was probably exasperated with me.  He had sent me so many signs, so many perfectly aligned situations, and here I was, asking for MORE signs. 


Lesson learned: God doesn't always do things with a flash and a bang.  Sometimes you don't get a clear, divine answer.  God works in many, many different ways and some of them require more logical thinking and decisions. 


Exciting thing that happened #2:


I'M GOING TO BE AN ADULT IN A FEW DAYS IF THAT WASN'T CLEAR. 

AN ADULT.  I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ADULT.  HOW DOES ONE EVEN ADULT??


But while I'm extremely nervous about being an adult, I'm mostly excited. 


It's gonna be fun.  I'm gonna rock this adulthood thing.  I'll be the funnest and most insane adult you've ever seen. 


#LifeGoals





Exciting thing that happened #3:


I started got addicted to a new series!!!!  The "Splintered" series by A. G. Howard.

I've seen reviews and ravings about these books all over the internets for a while now....so I finally just thought, hey why not.  They looked interesting.  Also I had just found out that the author was writing a spin-off series of PotO sooo......


I was seriously not prepared in any way for how mindboggling amazing these books are. 


OH MY WORD.  I literally could not put them down!!!!!!!!!  I stayed up late last night, despite my eyes and brain screaming at me for sleep, to finish "Unhinged". 


Okay let me back up.  I love Lewis Carrol's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass".  The Disney movie however.....it terrified me.  The cartoon.  That thing is something from my nightmares.  I just never liked it at all.


Well, these books make the cartoon look like a field of flowers.  I am now traumatized of anything Alice in Wonderland, because NOW I have everything ruined for me in a more worse way. 


I almost couldn't get into "Splintered" because of how ghastly morbid it was, but once I got deeper into it, I couldn't stop reading it.  The writing is so good, the setting is the most terrifying and magical place (also Texas!!  Whoop whoop!), and the characters. 


I LOVE the family relationship in these books.  Alyssa Gardner's family is the sweetest and most amazing family I've ever read in a book.  I love her family so much.  So.  Much.  I have never read about a more perfect family.  Even besides all the messed up netherling insanity stuff, their family bonds are so strong and fierce that it makes my heart glad.  Despite her messed up life, Alyssa loves her parents and is a good daughter. 

Morpheus.  He's like Howl Pendragon on steroids.  Jeepers.  Talk about an anti-hero....He's basically the Caterpillar, the Mad Hatter, the Red King, and many other characters all rolled into one, blue-haired, black-winged, sensual, broody netherling.  I hate him, yet I love him. 


Then there's Jeb.  D'awwwwww.  He's an adorable chipmunk.  But I honestly don't like him thaaaat much.  I ship Alyssa and Morpheus all the way.  Except that one part in "Splintered" when he took Ivory's place in the box.....okay, I'll admit, I loved him a lot then.  Jeb is my brave pseudo-elf knight and I do like the fellow quite a lot.  Not as much as Morpheus though.  Somehow I feel like Morpheus is playing with  my mind by my feelings, so I can't really tell who I like more.

Alyssa.  She's the most unique protagonist I've read about in a long time.  I love her!!  She's the perfect mix of independent and relying, tough and soft, brave and cowardly.  The best female main character I've ever read, I think.  


I'm not very fond of the love triangle though.  I just don't do love triangles.  Like.  Why. 


These books were such a dark, mad, delicious read, to quote one of the reviews on the back of the book.  They really felt insane and wonderfully mad; the perfect spin-off of Alice in Wonderland.  Taking Wonderland to another level.  A darker, more sinister level. 


So good.  I recommend them very much.  Go read them.  Shoo.


Well, that's what's been happening in my life recently.


I won't be posting much because of catching up on school and piano stuff.  Stay amazing, you lovely people!
 Have you read the "Splintered" series?  Can you explain to me the secrets of adulting?