Freewrite: April 25, 2011

So, today I got an envelope in band. I wasn't sure what it was, but I was kind of hoping it was my invitation to scholarship night next week because it is supposed to have something in it about a local scholarship I may have gotten. Which would be fantastic. But... it wasn't. I opened it to find that I had been nominated for prom court!! I'm so excited! I loved being on homecoming court (and becoming Queen wasn't bad either :P ), but prom court is something completely different because both a Queen AND King will be crowned! And Cameron got nominated for King!! I was hoping it would happen like this :) But I'm also excited because the people I know that are on it are great people! Myranda Lea, Garrett Holle, and Lucas Peterson are the others I know about so far, so I know that we should have a great prom court this year! Also, they are doing a Prince/Princess thing for the juniors... and my brother was nominated for that as well! It could be a family affair :) but I will be proud to have been nominated to the court no matter what because it is really an honor and I have so many memories from homecoming and courtwarming, so prom will just be another great thing! :) :) :) On another note, tonight is our last concert band concert... I'm not too sad about that, but at the same time, it's kind of depressing knowing that this is the last one I will play in :/ Only 16 days of school left!!!

Oh- 47 months we have been together (that's 3 years and 11 months) :)

WORD COUNT: 283

Freewrite: April 22, 2011

To be or not to be a teacher. That is the question. Am I still considering not becoming an education major? Of course. But would I be crazy to not do something I'm great and truly enjoy because of some things I read recently? Of course! I read this article yesterday that my teacher at Willard North posted on Facebook. It was on some newspaper's website and I'm not sure if he worked there or if it was just an opinion, but it was really well written and thought- provoking. When I started reading it, I was kind of bored with it, but I decided to keep reading because it was about teaching in Missouri. The author was talking about how unfair and illogical this new bill (that has passed) is. The bill allows and changes many things, but I can only remember two or three that really stuck out to me as being wrong. First, the ability to tenure a teacher is now gone. That means that if you are tenured right now, when the bill becomes a law, you won't be anymore. Also, even if you are a year away, you won't be tenured. In some cases, this is good because teachers who should not be teaching anymore can be let go and new teachers can come in, but I don't think it is right to do that to teachers that have been teaching for a while. The next part I can remember is that teachers will be paid by performance starting in 2013 I think. That means that all teachers will be paid based on standardized test scores (and in a 4-tier system). Meaning teachers who, even though they may be fantastic and just have a group of kids that aren't good test takers, will earn up to 60% less than teachers who have students who can take tests! The four tier thing will mean that teachers will be split up into 4 levels of pay. The top tier can make up to 60% more than the lowest tier. It's so unfair. And ridiculous. I HATE STANDARDIZED TESTS. It's going to make all teachers teach to the test. UGH. Kids are not going to be learning anything that will actually be helpful for life! AHHHHHHHHH.

WORD COUNT: 378

Freewrite: April 20, 2011

I'm really excited for these next few months :) So many exciting things are going to happen that I can't wait for. For instance, today I'm going to talk to my meal-time buddy, Leeajiah, about becoming her Big Sister soon! If her parents agree to it, we should be good to go! I love getting to hang out with her each week, and getting to take her places would be a lot of fun! Tomorrow I have my CPR/AED class so that I can get recertified... it should be interesting. Last year's was a lot of fun, but I don't remember the order you do everything in so I will have to be reminded. On April 30, I have my first drumline camp at MSU. All the rookies and veterans will come in and we'll practice in subs and get to know each other a little bit. I'm so excited for that. Not only is it my first "college" activity, but I get to play drums and hang out with people who I will probably become really close to in the next year. May 5 is the Big Brothers Big Sisters Banquet where I will be honored as "Buddy of the Year" with a plaque. I don't know how I was awarded this, but I'm really happy I did. I just go because I love it. I'm altruistic :) Prom is May 7- I can't wait! I love my dress and accessories, and I'm getting my hair and nails done and going tanning! I'm putting a lot more work (and, consequently, money) into this year than I did last year, but I think it will be worth it for the memories I will have. Scholarship Night is May 10 and I will finally find out if I get any local scholarships that will help me pay for college! We graduate May 20!!!! Me and Cameron's FOURTH anniversary is May 25 :) <3 The WAC opens May 28! So many things happening just in a month... and there's so much more happening in the months after that :) My life is about to get super busy!

WORD COUNT: 355

Freewrite: April 15, 2011

I was kind of hoping today would be a writing marathon day since I didn't get to go when everyone else went in the fall, but now I can't think of anything to write. Soooooooooo..... this week has been pretty exciting. Or at least these last two days have been. I had my audition to get into the MSU Drumline on Wednesday and I was super nervous. However, once I was there I realized that I would be auditioning for John Sullivan- our color guard instructor! That made me less nervous, but I still stopped a few times. That was disappointing, but he said they would send me an offer in the coming weeks!! I have a camp on April 30 which is really exciting because both the rookies and the vets will be there so it will be our first time meeting and getting to know who next year's potential drumline is! I already got the music for that day, and it is fantastic! I have parts memorized from listening to it yesterday, but I'm not sure that's a good thing considering I don't know what drum I'll be on! Oh well :) Yesterday I had my "interview" with Brandon at the Willard Aquatic Center where I've worked for two years. We talked about a lot of things but we especially talked about the responsibilities I will have this summer. I really like getting to be a shift leader and taking more responsibility, and when I told him that, he told me what he wants me to do this summer. I will get to be front desk/concessions "manager" and swim lesson "coordinator/manager." I don't know my official title, but with the front desk stuff, I will get to take inventory, purchase items for the pool if necessary, keep everything organized, possibly make schedules for people, and just run it in general. I don't have to be there every day, but I will probably be there a lot. With the swim lesson stuff, I will get to teach and run all of the lessons. I will schedule private lessons (and hopefully still teach some) and I will assist other teachers in teaching their classes or individuals when necessary. I'm really excited to get that much more responsibility this summer :) WORD COUNT: 380

Freewrite: April 13, 2011

I am so tired. It's way too early to be in a class where I have to think. If I could create my dream job, I would teach, but it wouldn't start early. We would start at 9 AM and be done by 2 or 3 PM. That would be great. I really want to come back to and teach at Willard, however, so that won't happen. I also want to live in Willard. Thankfully Cameron does, too, so there won't have to be any fighting about that. When I'm in college, I want to live in Springfield, but not downtown, and not on a super busy street. My dream house would be in Willard. It would be 3000 or 4000 square feet- big, I know, but I want at least 4 kids. I want my house to be on some acreage, but I don't want to own a farm. I don't want chickens, cows, or pigs. Ducks would be okay, however :) The kitchen would be huge, and the house would be open concept. There would be a library for all my books, and a big playroom and tons of bedrooms for the kids. The backyard would have a treehouse and a hammock and a porch swing on my wrap-around porch. There would be a play yard for the kids, a pool, and a jacuzzi. I want to take care of foster kids, so the house would always be loud. I want to always have family and friends over, so that the house is never empty. I would love for it to look modern, but cozy. Simple, clean lines with bright colors and beautiful woodwork. My house would look like a 1930s home. Gorgeous, but big. Not small. :) WORD COUNT: 290

Freewrite: April 11, 2011

Inspiration... inspiration... inspiration... english paper. Band audition. So, our english papers have to be stamped by Friday... eek. Scary. I really REALLY need to work on mine tonight so that I can at least get a probation stamp by then. I also have my band audition at MSU on Wednesday and I have barely played it on a drum. AHHHHH. That's really scary. I would love to make it into the Pride's drumline- not just for the band grant that I could get, but for the fact that I love being on a drumline and the camraderie that it brings. I really hope I don't mess up like I did last year on my solo at Districts. I played really well, except for the 6 times or so that I stopped and started again. If I do that, they hopefully won't take off too much because I am showing my playing ability- I just get nervous in front of crowds and hate playing by myself. And besides, playing on a bass is nothing like playing on a concert snare. Give me a bass line (a good one preferably) and I'll show you how well I can play. I just hope they give me a chance and allow me to show them how good I am beyond what I can play on a snare. I'm really excited, but at the same time, I'm really nervous because if I don't get in, that would kind of make me feel like a failure. Which sucks. Meeting people from other schools that we have competed against in the past who would then be in the same drumline as me would be one of coolest and strangest things I have ever experienced. I feel like Willard's band is special, but I know that once I get out there and talk to other people, Willard's kids are just like the rest. Yes, we are good, but I'm talking about the friendships and family atmosphere that we have. I'm glad that everyone else has gotten to experience it, because I don't know who I would have been without being in band. I can't wait to meet others who can tell me about their experiences and see how good they are and all that stuff. I really hope I make the drumline because it could be one of the best experiences of my life. :) WORD COUNT: 397

Freewrite: April 4, 2011

My favorite thing to wear is my necklace Cameron gave me. He gave it to me for Christmas in 2007 and I wore it everyday (until I lost it during Courtwarming :( :( ). It had a silver heart on it at first, but I also added a piece of another necklace onto it that he gave me when we went to Hawaii in 2008. It was a white flower, and I had purchased the ring that matched it earlier, but I didn't have enough money to buy both. He surprised me, though, when he got it for me. It was really, really special to me, and somehow it got lost in all the commotion of Courtwarming. I'm still hoping to find it somewhere... but thinking about that got me thinking about Hawaii and all the memories from there. I remember getting everything ready in the gym of the high school and trying to say goodbye without crying too much and trying to fit my little pillow in my backpack. I remember wishing I could ride with Cameron's group, but still having to split up. I remember watching some comedy video before falling asleep for the drive to KC. I remember waiting for the plane for hours and sleeping on the floor of the airport. I remember getting breakfast at 3 AM because we were starving. I remember flying over the ocean and thinking we were getting close, and then looking up at the TV to see we were only halfway there. I remember getting to Hawaii and getting leis, but having awful, puffy eyes and a stuffy nose because I was allergic to the flowers. I remember getting on the bus to go to the hotel, and sitting in the lobby while they introduced us. That's only the beginning, but I remember so many things from that trip that I didn't think I remembered. I can't wait to go back :) WORD COUNT: 322