'Tis the Season

I hate cold. I just hate it.


It's days like this, when I wake up, stumble out of bed to the window-and OH SNAP WHERE'D THE DRIVEWAY GO TO!?-when I remember summer with a fond gleam in my eye. Summer, where you wear short sleeves (my favorite) and no shoes...summer, where it's warmer outside than it is inside...Summer, where I go outside on the tree swing, plug in my iPod and lose myself in music and daydreams...summer, that feels made of dreams. I've always been able to put up with heat a lot more than my family.


But UGH. You go outside, and you freeze your ears off. Wind slashes through you, trying to make you quit breathing. Slippery slush, icky ice, days of no shoes are swept away by the wind. I think I'll pull a lazy and stay inside watching Titanic, Letters to Juliet, and Cats all day. 


Admittedly, now I sound like a grump. Unfortunately, that's who I am sometimes. Oh yeah, Rachel's a grump. Either that, or she's spazzing out and cracking rude jokes. Yep, that's my girl. Sigh.


There are some things I like about the season, this crazy winter. I went to the store a few days ago to buy presents for our version of Christmas (don't judge, my dad will explain every bit of it to you-he's the one who has us say "no" to Santa Claus.). We get presents and goof around and have a very good time, thank you very much. 


So. Anyway. Shopping. I hadn't had a lot of money in a while, since I hadn't done my job to receive the moolah. I had CASH, baby. Ooh, buy presents. You mean for me? Good on ya, mate. Tally-ho! And it's off to the junior department I sail. Cute clothes, big sales, and while I'm standing there, I hear a woman crooning over the loudspeaker "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...". Something about that song is just so cozy. *Grin*


Off to buy twin presents. While shopping, I hear again "Baby, it's cold outside..." I love seasonal music. I also hear the to-be-expected Sugar Plum Fairy theme twinkling down through the speakers. I adore a good instrumental.


I get the backseat all to myself and I see a snowflake land on the window. I am sitting right next to one of those giant lights they have in store parking lots, and I center myself so I can see the snowflake right in front of the light. It's an intricate pattern. It's hard to believe something that perfect could just fall from the sky. I smile. God is good.


So, okay. Maybe I hate cold. Maybe I wish for summer. But winter has its good points too. 


I refuse to wear winter clothes, though. Deal with THAT.

This was back in August...*sigh*

The Epic Music Series-Love Songs (General)

I am purely addicted to love songs. Like, seriously. I find them all over and add them to my iPod like crazy. Pop, country, soft pop, rock, show tunes, instrumentals, etc. I can never get enough. So here are some love songs you may have never listened to, or given a second thought to. (Excuse my grammar.) Tally-ho, off we go.


1-Far Longer Than Forever (The Swan Princess)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQTFm2WmAus

Not a Disney movie, not as famous as Tangled, but this song is still beautiful, for those who judge. I love the lyrics. This song has nearly brought me to tears.


Music or Lyrics-Lyrics, but the music comes close.


iTunes availability-Avaliable, fo sho!


2-Because You Loved Me (Up Close and Personal)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CkKuA86Mis

This is another one of those songs that I have a not-so-secret wish to sing onstage someday. I love Celine Dion, I love the music, I love the lyrics, I love the whole thing. (And pleased that I can reach every note she hits in this arrangement. ( :D )


Music or Lyrics-Lyrics, but with the music, they make an absolutely magical combo.


iTunes availability-Available :)


3-My Heart Will Go On (Titanic)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZehdyawD9A&feature=related

You knew it was coming :) Titanic is my favorite movie, and this song is absolutely enchanting. I also want to sing this onstage for an audience someday. 


Music or Lyrics-Music. But I am quite partial to the second chorus more than the first.


iTunes availability-Available. NOTE-There are several different versions of this song on iTunes. The soundtrack version is longer and has a beautiful instrumental near the ending, but isn't as powerful as the version Celine Dion recorded for a different album. On top of it all, there's a new dialogue mix from the album Back to Titanic, which incorporates lines from the movie during the instrumental breaks. Make a careful choice, or if you're a big Titanic fan, buy all , like I did :)


4-Somewhere Out There (An American Tail)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkI-B2JWSZI&feature=related

This song is so sweet. With its poetic lyrics and soft pop piano, it's enough to make anyone wonder why people don't write this kind of song anymore.


Music or Lyrics-Um. Both. Please don't make me have to pick.


iTunes availability-Available. I have the version by Knightsbridge.


5-You Raise Me Up (Contemporary Christian?)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhYz4_-wp0I

My friend Sarah and I performed this at a talent show and had the judges on their feet :) It's such a beautiful song.


Music or Lyrics-Both. Don't make me pick.


iTunes availability-Available. I have the version by Celtic Woman, which is the link I posted.


6-The Rose (The Rose)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogU40xk5Prk

This is an unusual song that doesn't reach very far on the scale, with poetic lyrics and a simple tune. 


Music or Lyrics-Lyrics.


iTunes avaliability-Available. The link I posted is by Bianca Ryan (winner of America's Got Talent 2006) and is the one I have.


That's all for now, folks...this might be edited later, should I have more songs I want to include. I said "General" at the top because there are so many categories of love songs-Disney, Pop, etc. Come on back now...


~Actresschick <3

The Epic Music Series-Songs of my Childhood.

During my childhood, and even now, my family has let me watch movies like an addict. Cartoons, action, chick flicks, documentaries, romance, drama, musicals, etc. In the past year or so, I've been rediscovering songs from my childhood that are SO worth listening to. There's something about the music or lyrics that is just so wonderful and worthwhile. After listening to them, you may wonder why people waste their time listening to pop music ALL THE TIME and why they don't take these. So take a listen. 


1-The Last Unicorn (The Last Unicorn) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TWkYYkmp9c


Dad rented this movie for us, and this song was quickly one I was singing afterwards. I recently rediscovered it on Youtube. It's interesting.


Music or lyrics-The lyrics are poetic, but I enjoy the music more.


iTunes-Available, though not the version I posted the link to. Sadness. :'(


2-Reach For The Light (Balto) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MgznKabRrA

I've been watching this movie for years. It was, like, my favorite at 6 years old or so. It may also be why I loved the name Jenna for years...


Music or lyrics-Um, BOTH. I love the music, the flutes and drum beats, and the lyrics are like a theme song of life.


iTunes avaliability-Available, but be careful not to get the karaoke or short version by mistake.


3-Once Upon A Time In New York City (Oliver and Company)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lTffuKP0j0&feature=related

Every time I listen to this, it reminds me of my friend Adam, who loves the city. This is one of those "inspirational" songs, but totally worth listening to. 


Music or Lyrics-Music. Some of the lyrics are amazing, though.


iTunes availability-Available, but not the Huey Lewis version. Still good. :)


4-Wherever You Are (Winnie-the-Pooh's Grand Adventure-The Search For Christopher Robin)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jgTrEcYt6g&feature=related

This song is so beautiful. I love it to death. Who cares if it's from Winnie-The-Pooh.


Music or Lyrics-Both. You can't separate them, they belong together.


iTunes avaliability-Not available. I was not happy.


5-Love Will Find a Way (The Lion King 2-Simba's Pride)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6q-lB_jRns

Just the opening flute notes get me in this song. It's purely beautiful. I also loved this movie as a child, maybe a little too much. :)


Music or Lyrics-Probably lyrics. They're beautiful.


iTunes avaliability-Available, but only the pop version by Kenny Lattimore.


6-Beauty and the Beast, End Credits (Beauty and the Beast)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_Y9PftoAG0


I realized not long ago-well, I am still a child, kinda, it counts-just how much I adore this version. Just the arrangement of instruments is enough to give one chills. And yes, I know it has Celine Dion in it....I love her, I loved this song before I saw Titanic, don't judge ;)


Music or Lyrics-Music, definitely.


iTunes availability-Available.


You bettah be waiting for the next installment of my Epic Music Series. I'm bored a lot. Here is an outlet, talking about something I love. Come on back soon for my love songs, yo...

~Actresschick <3                                                     I love music.

HELP and all our craziness.

So I take drama classes at a homeschool co-op that offers science, Spanish, writing, music, history, and, my personal favorite-musical theatre. Every year, we audition, get roles, and rehearse a musical classic to perform in the spring. I've been Marian in The Music Man Jr. , a soloist in School House Rock LIVE! Jr. , Vlad Vladikoff in Seussical the Musical Jr. , Ida in HONK! Jr. , Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof Jr. , and most recently, I got the role of Grace Farell in Annie Jr. However, I missed the last rehearsal and they made last minute choreography changes, so I couldn't perform in the winter teaser, where we perform one song from the musical, to make a "teaser trailer'' for next year. However, I still had way too much fun hanging with my pals.


We got there WAY too early. We were the only HELP kids in the church building where it was to be held, So Abby was busying herself putting on makeup and I was wandering around. All of a sudden, I asked Abby, "Beez, should I go up onstage while no-one's there and sing my heart out?" 


"Do it."


After a bit of pushing, I got up and belted "Over the Rainbow" to a room full of empty benches and my big sister. Hey, that's fun. I proceeded and was singing "My Heart Will Go On" to my eager little sister. As I reached the end of the song, the Youngs walked in. Britney and Gabriella walked toward the stage, hearing my last notes. As I finished, Britney, enthralled, said, "Let me guess-you're going to be a professional singer, right?" "An actress, actually, in musical theatre," I said, quite pleased at this critique. Britney hurriedly walked to her mom. "MOM! Mom! Did you hear Rachel sing?! I mean, it's amazing!" Ah, this is a good start to the evening. I gave Mrs. Young a hand and plugged in the light-up wreaths and trees. 


The evening got a lot livelier when the Roesner-mobile pulled in and Aaron and Adam hopped out, Adam boasting, "I have a burrito." Singing and talking, they walked in. I smiled. And now the crazy stuff comes.


Admittedly, they are easy to lose. Always on the move, those two. Usually jumping, running, or fighting in slow motion. I saw Aaron walk into the sanctuary, and I went through a different door. "Aaron? Adam? I know you're here." I walked past the benches warily, but not warily enough. "HEY!" Adam shouted, appearing suddenly from behind a wall. Naturally, it scared the living daylights out of me. "YOU GUYS!" I shrieked, punching their arms playfully while they laughed, gleeful at their success. "Hey Rachel!" my friend Olivia said, walking in. Naturally, she was hyper. Way too hyper. But with Liv, it's cool. She pulled out her phone and we jammed to ringtones. 


Soon, more people started arriving. They were excited to see me, and even more excited that I wasn't contagious. I found Bekah, who was standing in for me as Grace, and told her she would do amazingly. She still seemed jittery and shy. She wasn't assured I wouldn't be mad. I was totally cool with everything, though.


Since I didn't have to rehearse, I got to help with other jobs. Mrs. Roesner and I were soon enlisted and found ourselves cutting and making the signs for the reserved benches so no-one would sit there except the cast. I looked at all the Tom Sawyer kids having fun, and I sighed, "I wish I could be up there." Mrs. Roesner looked up and cheerfully said, "Here, more signs!"

I looked at her kinda funny. "Way to make me feel better, Mrs. R."

She found it quite funny. Okay...

Soon, the cast was sitting down and talking excitedly and not getting in anyone's way. We were laughing hard and having a good time. Soon, however, I wandered outside to see the people who were milling about, waiting for the show to start. I quickly found Jake and Cora, whom I hadn't seen for quite a while. I hugged them and we jabbered about things. Soon, though, the show had to start. As I sat there, talking, I didn't notice the tall figure that came up behind me. "HELLO,'' a deep, gravelly voice in my ear. Being how I am, I screamed. Adam, Cory, Aaron, Valerie, and Caleb started to laugh, while I tried to calm my heart and laughed shakily along with them. "JAKE!"

First up were the dance classes, the music classes, and the younger kid's drama class. Adam and I sat next to each other and discussed the different performers. At one point, we had to guess an animal sound, as a following poem would be performed about that animal. Mrs. M, our drama teacher, played the tape and Adam perked up at the chirping noise. "Right! A cricket!" Mrs. M. said cheerfully, and Adam immediately started making a chirping sound that was unmistakably a cricket. Those who could hear started to laugh.

Soon, it was time for the Annie cast to get up and perform. Naturally, it was amazing. I wished I could be in it, but hey, I could be in it next year. For now, enjoy the wonderful job.

We went to the refreshment room, but didn't end up getting any food. Adam, Aaron, Emily, and I drifted off to a quieter place where we could hear ourselves think. There, we discussed Harry Potter and other wonders. We decided I was Neville Longbottom, in the scheme of things. And yes, I picked that.

All too soon, Adam and Aaron had to leave. They went off, and I went to hang with my girlfriends. Soon, Katie, Bekah, Allye, Cora, Cassidy, Natalie, and I were outside. Somehow, Isaac, Justin, and Cory were in the mix as well. We took pictures, laughed, and randomly acted weird. Epic win.

When we left, oddly enough, I wasn't sad. I was bubbling over with memories of the evening.

Now I just have to wait until January 12th for HELP to start up again.

Stage, here I come.

Cass and I outside in the freezing cold :D

Random Adventures of R. H. J. K.: Sweet Hour of Prayer

Random Adventures of R. H. J. K.: Sweet Hour of Prayer: " I really think we take things for granted. This morning in church, we prayed for a young man who came forward and asked for help. I rem..."

Sweet Hour of Prayer

  I really think we take things for granted.


 This morning in church, we prayed for a young man who came forward and asked for help. I remembered an incident a matter of months ago, where a different man came forward and asked for support. As we bowed our heads to pray for him, I excitedly thought, "We're going to talk to God now!" 


And that's when it really hit me.


We always have the opportunity to talk to God. That's what praying is. To think that I was excited, just because we were praying out of our normal church schedule. We pray to start the service, once before the sermon, and to end the service. We pray to bless the food in the Communion. All those times are talking to God, but I don't really realize that. We have an amazing privilege to talk to the greatest being in the universe, and we let our minds wander. We think about how we have to finish a homework assignment, how we have to make dinner, how we have to call someone when we get home. I'm not pointing fingers. But I really start to think we take things for granted.


 I feel inadequate. I know I don't pray enough. And even in church, I need to concentrate more. I take all control of a lot of privileges. Maybe I should take more control of this one.

Insomnia

Sometimes, you get to that point where you just can't sleep. You lie there and think, "Why am I up at this unearthly hour? Oh yeah. I can't sleep." It's not cool. You roll over, you count sheep, you think hard about something, but it doesn't work. So stupid.

My mom is the biggest insomniac I have ever known. Yesterday(Or was it Wednesday, too tired to think :P ), I got up and went downstairs to check my Facebook. I found a status update from my mom dating from......well, way too early. She wakes up at the drop of a hat. It's not fun for any of us. I seem to have inherited a bit of it.

My problem is, when I wake up, I go downstairs and get online. Then my mom comes downstairs and asks me what I'm doing online. "I couldn't sleep, so I came down here." At this very moment, I am immensely tired. I went to bed at midnight, what am I doing up at 8, writing a completely useless blog post?!

Oh, that's right.

Couldn't sleep.

(Stupid brain, it's tired.)

Thanksgiving Traditions

  Every Thanksgiving, the Krull/Young family have traditions we follow. It brings about happy memories of wounds  fights  good times we've had. 


(Well, sometimes we do get hurt. And there are sib fights. But it's all good.)


1-The Krulls will come down to TN, or the Youngs will come up to OH. We spend every Thanksgiving with each other, and switch houses. This year, it's our turn. That is why I'm sitting here writing this while Cousin Autumn is talking to her boyfriend. 


2-We will make monkey bread for breakfast. For those of you who don't know, monkey bread is sticky, sweet, and easy to pull apart and eat a lot of. It's one of my favorite traditions.


3-We will play Apples to Apples. 'Nuff said. Totally funny.


4-The older kids, except Sarah, who's sensible, will try to pull an all-nighter. I remember the one time it worked and then we had to walk all around the Creation Museum the next day........WHJDXIAJHBGKUFHUD.


5-Aunt Amber and Mom will laugh so hard we'll wonder if they are okay. Sanity is useless. Laughter is good for all.


6-We will make a good private joke. e.g. The Polly Pocket Quotes and Grandma and the Model T.


7-We will have an amazing time. It's true. I love Thanksgiving.

Me and my second oldest cousin, Cassidy.

Making dinner.

 So I never realized how thankful I should be that Mom makes good food and doesn't whine about it.


All the years I have been alive-and there's been several-she's made excellent food. I didn't even KNOW it was excellent until I ate other people's cooking. Vindaloo, dahl, spaghetti, steak, jambalaya, creole, scampi, soup, stroganoff, fish, etc. Its been amazing really. And then this year, there came a change.


My parents decided that the responsibility of making dinner should be shared by the three oldest girls, that being Sarah, Abby, and me. Sarah cooks Monday nights, me Tuesday, and Abby Thursday. Hup boy.


So this afternoon, I was chilling and Mom said, "Oh, by the way, you're making potato soup with broccoli tonight." "Alright, sounds good." I said cheerfully through my Lady GaGa haze. 


No, it wasn't.


Dad came downstairs tonight shortly after he got home and interrupted my Facebook creeping to make me go prepare dinner. I came upstairs and he gave me the directions.


Ok, this is a little more complicated than I thought. I plugged in Mom's iPod and washed the potatoes while singing "Starstruck" and "Monster". Then, it was time to peel them.


I don't know if you've ever peeled potatoes, but let me tell you. These are slippery, bumpy little widgets. It's not cool. Potato peelings all over the floor, Sarah helping me (she didn't do much last night, so she pitched in tonight) and singing "May it Be" and me battling back with "Speechless". Then I was not sure of the correct way to put the broccoli in the pot. Cut it all up? Shred it? And how do you wash it, anyhow?!


So Dad told me what to do and I stood at the stove, putting broccoli into the Big Red Pot and singing "Firework" and chattering with Sarah, who was cutting up the potatoes. My back was history.


When it looked like Sarah had the stuff under control, I went downstairs, leaving the potatoes on boil.


I sure hope Sarah took them off, because I'm obviously still down here.


Mom, I appreciate you.

Giving thanks.

 Getting in the spirit of Thanksgiving, it seems appropriate for me to write about what I'm thankful for. That's what's on people's minds right now, and it's what's now on mine, so tally-ho, off we go.


I am thankful for God. If he hadn't sent Jesus to die for each and every person on earth, we would be in deep trouble, to make an understatement. There would be no hope. With Him, we have a choice. 


I'm thankful for my family, Doug, Lori, Sarah, Abby, Keziah, and David Krull. They make life interesting and have been fantastic to me for as long as I've been alive.


I'm thankful for my congregation as well. They're pretty much like my family, and technically ARE, being brothers and sisters in Christ.


I'm thankful for ALL my friends. They make life a total blast. I love them all.


I'm thankful for my cats, Aragorn, Mithrandir, and Cassandra. They're cuddly beasts. 


I'm thankful for music. I couldn't live without it. Just right here, let me give a mental high-five to Lady GaGa, Big Time Rush, Ke$ha, Colbie Caillat, Taylor Swift, 78violet, Michael Buble, James Horner, Justin Bieber, Ashley Tisdale, and Broadway casts and brilliant musical writers for making an escape from life.


I'm thankful for food. Ah, food. I eat all day. 


This also makes me thankful for long walks to work off calories. -_-


I'm thankful for musical theatre. Watch for me on Broadway, theatre is my life.


I'm thankful for a certain friend of mine, and probably he'll know it's him if he reads this. I've confided my deep, dark secrets to him, acted like myself around him, and he knows what an idiot I am. And he still remains my faithful friend. He's one in a million.


I'm thankful for good weather.


I'm thankful for my awesome relatives.


I'm thankful for education, even if it doesn't look like it. :)


I'm thankful that my family has a good income, so we live a pretty good life.


I'm thankful for open fields.


I'm thankful for giggles.


I'm thankful for snowy evenings.


I'm thankful for the color yellow.


I'm thankful for candles.


I'm thankful for dancing for no reason.


I'm thankful for steamy summer afternoons.


I'm thankful for private jokes.


I'm thankful for clean notebooks and sharp pencils, just waiting to be put together.


I'm thankful for the piano.


I'm thankful for the way toddlers talk.


I'm thankful for sleep.


I'm thankful for memories.


I'm thankful for the senses.


I'm thankful for the sound and feel of falling snow.


I'm thankful for spring flowers.


And hey, guess what?


I'm thankful for Thanksgiving.


Weird, huh? :)


Happy Thanksgiving all!

The most random post ever.

This will most likely be a very random post. Sometimes, my feelings get mixed up, or I'm happy one minute and sad the next. Sometimes, I write songs. But seeing as I am currently online, you will be treated to what is going on in my life, unspecified. The one unrelated person I can spill all my feelings to is currently not online. Thus, I cannot talk to him. This results in your getting an extremely random post. No, it has no point. Let me just vent, here. If you're bored, or you don't care, or you're thinking, "This girl is EMO," just go away. This could make you laugh, I don't know. If it does, I'm happy I could brighten your day. But anyway. Tally-ho, off we go. Prepare to be weirded out.

I really like Leonardo DiCaprio. I mean, seriously. He is HOT. I cannot get enough of Titanic. Best movie ever.

Today, I dreamed I lost the game.

I'm hoping these feelings I'm feeling are love, or at least the beginnings of such. This guy, there's something different about him. It's just......different. He means so much to me. I don't usually cry over guys. Or like them for this long. But hey. Maybe this is love.

I like eating olives, right out of the jar. I could get sick on olives, and still eat them. It's true love, I know it.

Sometimes, I get really high on laughter. I love those times.

My little sister and I are, like, the best of friends. Like seriously. We can do anything, there's no stopping us! Unfortunately, sometimes "everything" involves laughing our heads off at midnight, taking weird pictures with Mom's camera, or dissing Barbie. Eh. We rock.

I am going to be an actress someday. Not a movie actress, a STAGE actress. A great actress of the musical theatre. Watch for me at Carnegie Hall.

Neon orange just annoys me. It's a disgusting color.

So, there's this boy.........

Mithrandir, our second-oldest cat, is my special baby. Abby has Cassie, and Mom has a special relationship with Aragorn. So I decided Mithry needed someone. So he's my baby. :)

I canNOT stop myself from saying the word "like". I have probably said it, like, 5 times already without knowing it. Oh shoot. Like just now. -_-

I think I'm in love.

"Because He Loved Me" is like one of the best hymns ever. Like, fersher.

I don't eat meat a lot. It does not appeal to me. Yuck. >:P

La-de-da, la-de-da........

The musical "Cats" is dah bomb. Like, seriously. THE BEST.

I have such amazing friends. I can't even list them all. They rock my socks so hard my shoes come off.

Ra-ra-ra-ra-ra roma-ra-ma-ma gaga-ooh-la-la..........

I am paranoid. If I don't know you, and you're not in the church, I will be terrified of you.

One last thing.........

I love the word "scintillating". It's just cool.

Alright, randomness ended. Go back to your lives, citizens.

On hair.

 No, not the musical. My actual tresses. Rapunzel-like, to some. For years-

"Holy cow, your hair's LONG!"
"Why don't you cut it?"
"I could never have hair that long!"
"It's so pretty!"

 And so on. I, in fact, have never cut my hair. Shockers. Yep, it's been growing for 15 1/2 years so far, and I never intend to cut it. It really makes me upset when people tease me about cutting it. I love my hair. I would be devastated if you cut it all off. It's kind of a part of me, and you would not believe the things I can do with it. It's a scarf, a whip, a shawl, a decoration. I love it. 

There are a few disadvantages, though. The tangles I wake up with aren't pretty, to say the least. Yowtch. We're talking pain. And it gets really bushy after a shower. (Every time I say that, I think of Hermione. I guess I should be flattered. But bushy hair can get annoying.) Another thing is how LONG it takes me to wash it. I talk to Friend Adam, who describes 20 minutes as a long time to take a shower.

Me-I wish I could take a shower in 20 minutes.
Adam-How long does it take you?
Me-A good half hour, for a relatively quick one.
Adam-*Dumbstruck* Really? YIKES!
Me-Yeppers.


But it's a religious principle of ours not to cut our hair. E-Mail me, I can give you passages and points. It's been something I grow up with. Luckily for me, my friends have their own religious principles that I don't question, so they totally understand. I'm not ridiculed for my skirts and long hair or for the way I speak. Which I enjoy.


But seriously, I love having long hair. It looks princess-y, I think. Right now, it's hanging in 7 different braids, getting wavy for tomorrow. Keep an eye out, HELP kids, it took me a while to braid my hair to make it look good. But it is worth it.


You just need a heavy-duty hairbrush, that's all.
Me

The contents of my iPod. I have a feeling a lot of bored people will read this.

 So, yeah. I have a passion for music. Seriously. I need it. My day half consists of going outside just to snatch precious moments of sibling-less bliss on the tree swing with my iPod up so high Dad has to call me thrice. But hey. You can be in your own world that way. EMBARRASSING CONFESSION:I choreograph songs in my head while I listen to them. Sometimes. A lot of the time. It's just me. From pop to showtunes to country......."Wow. There is a stage performance I could do with this song." I mean come on. Just listen to the Jellicle Ball from Cats the Musical. 9 minutes of spine-tingling rock music.The possibilities are ENDLESS.

But. Anyway. The main point of this is, I haven't written in a while. And I've told a few people that they will keep away from my iPod if they knew what was on it. Grownups and teens and kids alike. So here we go. Don't judge me.

Carrie Underwood-All-American Girl
Carrie Underwood-Just a Dream
Colbie Caillat-Falling For You
Colbie Caillat-Begin Again
Colbie Caillat-Bubbly
Cats-The overture
Cats-Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats
Cats-The Naming of Cats
Cats-The Old Gumbie Cat
Cats-The Rum Tum Tugger
Cats-Grizabella the Glamour Cat/Memory
Cats-The Jellicle Ball
Cats-Macavity the Mystery Cat
Annie-Maybe
Annie-It's a Hard Knock Life 
Annie-I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here
Annie-N.Y.C.
Annie-Tomorrow
Annie-I Don't Need Anything But You
Hello, Dolly!-Put on Your Sunday Clothes
Hello, Dolly!-Dancing
Hello, Dolly!-So Long Dearie
The Little Mermaid-Part of Your World
TLM-Poor Unfortunate Souls
TLM-Kiss the Girl
Hercules-Long Ago(Spoken Word)
Hercules-The Gospel Truth Part 1
Hercules-Zero to Hero
Pocahontas-Colors of the Wind (End Title)
The Lion King-The Circle of Life
TLK-I Just Can't Wait to be King
TLK-He Lives in You
The Phantom of the Opera-The Phantom of the Opera
Balto-Reach For The Light
Oliver and Company-Once Upon a Time in New York City
Titanic-Rose (Instrumental)
Titanic-Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave(Instrumental)
Titanic-My Heart Will Go On
Babe-If I Had Words 
1776-He Plays the Violin
TLK-Can You Feel the Love Tonight
Aladdin-A Whole New World (Peabo Bryson)
Beauty and the Beast-Beauty and The Beast (Celine Dion)
Seussical the Musical-Overture
STM-Oh, The Thinks You Can Think!
STM-The Jungle of Nool/Biggest Blame Fool
STM-How to Raise a Child
STM-It's Possible
STM-Alone in the Universe
STM-The One Feather Tail of Miss Gertrude McFuzz/Amayzing Mayzie
STM-Amayzing Gertrude
STM-Monkey Around/Chasing the Whos
STM-Notice Me, Horton
STM-How Lucky You Are
STM-Egg, Nest and Tree
STM-Mayzie at the Circus/Solla Sollew
STM-All for You
STM-Green Eggs and Ham
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron-Rain
High School Musical-We're All in This Together
Celtic Woman-Someday
Kyle Massey-Underdog Raps
Whitney Houston-I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Rick Astley-Never Gonna Give You Up
Miley Cyrus-The Climb
Erica Rivera-Let Your Baby Go
Heather Small-Proud
Fiddler on the Roof-Tradition
FOTR-Matchmaker
FOTR-If I Were A Rich Man
FOTR-Sabbath Prayer
FOTR-To Life
FOTR-Miracle of Miracles
FOTR-The Dream
FOTR-Sunrise, Sunset
FOTR-Wedding Dance
FOTR-Now I Have Everything
FOTR-Do You Love Me?
FOTR-The Rumor
FOTR-Far From the Home I Love
FOTR-Chava Ballet Sequence
FOTR-Anatevka
Bianca Ryan-I Believe I Can Fly
Bianca Ryan-I Wish That
Bianca Ryan-I Will
Bianca Ryan-Superstar
Bianca Ryan-Awake
Justin Bieber-Love me
JB-Baby
JB-Eenie Meenie
JB-Overboard
JB-Up
JB-Runaway Love
JB-Never Say Never
JB-That Should Be Me
JB-Somebody to Love
Beyonce-Halo
Lucas Grabeel-Go the Distance
Nicole Nordeman-Brave
Michael Buble-Everything
Vanessa Hudgens-Sneakernight
Vanessa Hudgens-Say Ok
Jordan Pruitt-Ever Ever After
Lady Gaga-Just Dance
Lady Gaga-Paparazzi
Big Time Rush-Any Kind of Guy
Anberlin-Paperthin Hymn
Hayden Panetierre-Cruella DeVil
Keke Palmer-True To Your Heart
Mitchel Musso-Stand Out
Miley Cyrus-Let's Dance
Miley Cyrus-7 Things
Miley Cyrus-Fly on The Wall
Miley Cyrus-Can't Be Tamed
David Archuleta-Crush
Ashley Tisdale-Crank it Up
Ashley Tisdale-Suddenly
Ashley Tisdale-He Said She Said
Owl City-The Saltwater Room
Owl City-Vanilla Twilight
Barry Manilow-Mandy
Barry Manilow-The Best of Me
Barry Manilow-Looks Like We Made It








I may have forgotten some. This may be edited later. So be shocked. I apologize for my miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber and congratulate myself for my showtunes, Lady Gaga, and Carrie Underwood.

On the scent of men.

 Don't laugh. I'm sure you've noticed it too. A guy walks into the room, and all the girls turn around. HEL-lo! And it's not because he's hot. It's not because they need a date for the dance. It's because guys smell so stinkin' GOOD.

My friend Cassidy and I were just discussing today how guys smell. There are 3 guys in our Musical Theatre class that we anaylzed. Let's call them Guys 1,2, and 3. Now, guy 1 has a scent that makes you feel safe. Guy 2 has a scent that makes you feel ok to be yourself. And Guy 3? He just has this really intense scent that DRIVES ME CRAZY. Yow. :)

 What is it about guys that makes us go crazy?! And how much time do they put into smelling like a men's cologne sample, only better? Hands up....how many girls have just stood next to a guy and smelled him. It made you happy, right? Oh, ladies......I don't think they know how much the scent of a guy makes us feel.


Bet if they knew, they'd be happy...........

On Titanic

 Of all the movies you can think of, I dare you to find one more epic than Titanic. The ship sinking into the ocean and thousands of people sinking. The betrayal. The romance. The danger. The laughter. The ultimate happy ending. It just tugs at my heartstrings.

 First, there's the sinking. It absolutely kills me. I've seen LOTR, I've seen Star Wars, I've seen Star Trek, I've seen Ben-Hur, and still, the sinking absolutely makes me horrified. Movies don't usually make me cry, but this gave me an open mouth and a broken heart. I didn't need tears. All this, on top of the heart-breaking shots of people preparing to die and my ultimate fear of the ocean, just is a horrible spectacle. The people were unprepared. They were scared. And the ultimate straw is the scene where the sailor dude shoots Tommy and Fabrizio starts screaming in anger, but still takes the bloody life jacket off his dead friend.He didn't have time to mourn. He didn't have the resources. He didn't want to die. He had to do it, throwing honor and respect for the dead aside. And when the sailor saw what he had done.....he shot himself. 

 On a happier note....let's have a big hand for Leonardo DiCaprio. SO DELICIOUS. I mean, the guy was 21 or so, and he pulled off this amazing performance. You HAVE to like Jack Dawson, or else, how can you like the story? It's a complete fairy tale....instead of money, Rose goes for the guy she really wants, even if he is penniless, following in the tradition of Fiddler on the Roof, Little Women, and Aladdin. Let's face it, Jack is an ever-lovin' hunk. And he has a sense of humor. Go, Rose!

 Possibly the most important note of all......the MUSIC. I buy instrumentals and actually listen to them. James Horner has done amazing, tear-jerking work. It's such a joy to listen to. I actually have a secret wish to vocalize Rose or Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave onstage, or sing My Heart Will Go On in front of an audience, who I hope to have in tears. Ah, you just can't say enough about the music. And the grand spectacle, the utter romance, the undisputable most unusual love story ever, the amazing adventure that is Titanic.

Sorry Avatar....
You'll never match up.

Piano ♫ ♪

 Yep, I wish I could play saxophone. And drums. And the guitar. But hey.....the piano is right there, and I'm actually rather good at it.

 I've been playing the piano for years, my first teachers being Mr. Song(wow, was that really his name?!) and Dan Egan, a.k.a Dan the Man, whose catchphrase was "SWEET!" and who taught me an 8-page song by my ear and his remembering it. I wasn't even a preteen yet, but away I went.
 That song is forgotten now, and I have a new piano teacher, Barb Krueger, who is quite agreeable and nice. So on I go learning the classics as well as showtunes (WIN) and old songs such as Night and Day, Embraceable You, and Summertime. I love those old songs, they're so simple and beautiful. Fun to play, too, and I get to swing some of them-and I'm a sucker for swinging things. It's just natural for me to learn something in a swing rhythm and then get told, "Rachel, this isn't actually supposed to be played in a swing rhythm."
Oops.
And all the learning of this jolly music brings me to one thing I absolutely LOATHE about piano-recitals. The bane of my existence. They're so formal-it just screams "DORKY!" right in my ear. I mean, dude! A few parents are dressing their kids up so they can play a modified version of the Sonata in C before a bunch of smiling grandparents?! CRINGE. 


But all in all, I adore the piano. I can pull off some pretty neat stuff and I have been known to sing while playing background, with songs like Razzle Dazzle, On the Street Where You Live, If I Had Words, Beauty and the Beast, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Memory, and My Heart Will Go On. Ah, lovely. Music is food to teenagers and grownups alike, and the piano is just plain fun. I laugh out loud sometimes just because I'm so happy I'm learning such a cool song so well. 


And come on........


Everyone likes a good showtune.

On the Loch Ness Monster.

 Currently, I believe in the Loch Ness Monster. You're going to laugh, you really are. "Whoa Rachel! I knew you were a little bit crazy, but you may as well just believe in the Yeti or Santa Claus!" But really, I keep up this crazy belief. I mean, logically, it's provable. 

Here's a theory.

So God made dinosaurs. Plesiosaurs came into being. They swim in water, right? They're big and monstrous, right? So they go extinct. Years later, Some explorer/archeologist/awesome dude finds the bones. "Oh! Sweet! Here's a big creature! It looks like it lived in the water!" So they start a theory. Fast-forward to the 1600's. People have made it into legend. Fast-forward to this century. The Scots have long since made it a fairy tale, and that's how people think of it. 
Silly museum curators....
They don't realize that those bones are the Loch Ness Monster.

Someday, I should make a Loch Ness Monster Awareness Society.

Because it did exist, even if it might not now.

LNMAS........hmmmm.

Telephoning.

  Ah, the telephone. Another staple of modern-day communication. People can't live without their cell phones, and have you noticed that in an emergency-the first thing people do is pick up that phone and call I-X-I-I?! Personally, I wish I had a cell phone. I wouldn't mind having one, calling my friends and texting people-connecting to the Internet, possibly? 

But here's a secret-phones used to make me nervous.

 Don't ask me why, I'm just weird like that. Dad wants me to call the vet's office-"Please, Dad, can't Mom do it?"I want to call a friend, so I start getting upset. I dial the number and hang up on their answering machine. Crisis over.

 But lately, phones haven't been that bad. I've had people call just to talk to me, and I have actually called other people. Usually I have a reason, but sometimes I just need to spill my guts. I go alert when I'm expecting a call and the phone rings, then get disappointed when it's not my call. I talk to people for hours on end.I have the weirdest conversations, and overall, have an amazing time. The shy, preteen me has been shrinking into a more mature teenager-one who can talk to her friends, who has chased her brother to give her the phone when HE picks it up, one who has actually called the vet's office-GASP!-to make an appointment for sweet Ary.

 Don't think my nervousness has left, it's still a little awkward. But hey.....I'd rather talk to my pals than freak at the sound of a ringtone.

  

"Hasn't the weather been just de-light-ful?"

   Weather. One of the most used words in trite conversation. "Hasn't the weather been FRIGHTFUL lately, darling?". It's always been used as a conversation starter. But that's just the word. This Random Adventure is on the actual THING. 

Weather.

 Ah, weather....many a time have you given me joy and many a time have I hated your guts. (Don't ask me how that works...) 

 I have a habit of waking up early in the morning and going outside. Occasionally there's a fog, which is sweet,  but during the school year...it's also really cold. I can dress up in my pajamas, pull a skirt over that, slide on a hat and put on my Amazing Astounding Warm Sweater of Doom-and still, it's 6:30 in the morning, people. My nose is history.

 Snow. I used to go crazy when there was a foot of snow on the ground. Dude, that was PLAYTIME! Running around outside, building snowpeople, having snowball fights with Dad, pulling Abby and the twins in the sled. But now that I'm 15, I've noticed something about snow--it's cold. You may say, "Duh, YEAH!" but dude, I'm talking about the below freezing sensation when the snow cakes all over your legs and boots, when you have ice in your hair and your Dad SOMEHOW manages to get a snowball down your shirt. It's COLD. Oh yeah, I still play in the snow. I still run around and scream like an idiot. I still fall in the snow for no reason at all. But I'd better have some cocoa waiting for me when I go inside.

 Rain. Noun-THE DEATH OF FUN. Sure, the flowers get their water. Sure, all the little forest animals get their showers. Sure, my mom doesn't have to water the garden. But from my point of view, rain is a big fat nuisance. It makes the ground muddy, makes the sky dreary, makes the tree swing all damp-UGH-and mists depression into the air. One of its only good points is making water droplets on flowers for good photos. But of all the different kinds of weather we can have.......RAIN IS THE WORST. 

 Heat. Actually, I handle heat better than all of my family. I'm the one sitting shotgun in the van cranking up the heat while my family is begging for the a.c. I'm the one who turns up the hot water in the bathtub. I'm the one who has a history of sitting on the vents until my legs turned red. So, naturally, summer is my favorite season. And the heat is REALLY NICE. I love going outside after the icy air of the house and feeling the warm summer air envelop me. But too much is too much. There have been so many times I desperately need a fan. But not all the time.....

 Ah, weather. The wide spread of choices means everyone has favorite weather options. I know people who love thunderstorms while I'm griping about them. And there have been times, mind you, when snow has made HELP be postponed for 2 weeks straight and when our basement has leaked. There are surprise showers and heat waves (YAY!) and clouds so thick you can't see the blue of the sky. All I can say to you is....


 You'd better carry an umbrella.

On Lady Gaga

 There are a lot of singers that have done crazy stuff, and wear crazy clothes, and have crazy songs. But of them all, Lady Gaga is probably the most insane. She uses blood in her shows, loads on so much makeup you wonder what it would look like if she was caught in a rainstorm.....and come on, people, she wears dresses made of MUPPETS. And yet, she's popular and people love her. And at first, she kind've looked freaky to me. It was scary, really. I decided to try and figure out this pop culture phenomenon, even though I was already not sure about her tastefulness.

SO I went on Youtube and looked up Paparazzi.At first, I was looking at it like, "What is this crap?" and watched it over and over-slowly becoming fascinated with it, and starting to learn the lyrics.

BIG MISTAKE.

 Soon I was walking around the house singing the chorus and thinking maybe it wasn't so bad. Bring on Poker Face. Randomly singing the chorus. Am I hooked on this singer I once deemed distasteful?


*Sigh*


Well, at least I don't listen to Ke$ha.

 

In celebration of random quotes.

 My family loves quotes. Books, movies, things we've made up ourselves. When Dad says something clever, our reaction is, "And where was that one from?" Sarah says, "Am I right? What do you think?" and I follow in with my awesome and totally lame accent, "I think YOU look like Captain Crunch." (High-five to the person who remembers what this is from.) I admit it, it's really fun. I don't even know how many times we do it during a day. Sarah and I have Quote Wars. I can look at Abby, start singing "Copacabana" by Barry Manilow-and she'll follow in on an arrangement I made meself. We're just awesome like that. And, in this family, there have been things we wrote ourselves. So, in celebration of random quotes...

Dad-"This girl hits."

Mom-"Kill me now!"

"Oh, help me."

"Oh, PLEASE!"

Sarah-"I don't care." (Usually said to me after I criticize her....sigh.)

Me-"This is WAY more fun than it should be."

"I know I know!"

Abby-"You idiot boy!"

So there you are. My family does have quotes they say over and over.....but mostly, we use quotes from movies, musicals, books, and the like. Ever wondered why I can learn all my lines in a week?

I practice daily with remembering quotes.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow......."

I blame the family.

Technically, I can't really blame them, because I cinsider myself the odd bird out. But my family has had some nerdy influence on me.
Daddy(The Psychologist) teaches Social Psych at NKU. Sure, he has a Phd. Sure, people love to hear him pray because he's so good at it. 
But underneath that, you have a guy who enjoys Star Trek-The Original Series and a box of mint-chocolate cookies. He finds psychological aspects in Calvin and Hobbes, and can't get enough of my ludicrous "model turns".  This is the man who has us sit in a sleeping bag and sail across the kitchen floor. Love you Daddy... :)
Sarah (The Writer) is basically a copy of The Psychologist in female form. She reads his textbooks, takes school test and excels, and is an avid Trekkie. She and I disagree on almost everything.  But when we agree, it's beautiful.
I'd say I'm actually closest to Abby(The Artist) of all my siblings. She and I agree that jean skirts rock, vintage Barbie commercials are entertaining, and Michael Buble has quite the cute countenance. We have an extensive list of private and stupid jokes. Sure, she's a Twihard. But let's overlook that.
Ah, Double Trouble. What can I say!? They annoy me so much, and then they love me to death. They can be really cute, or really frustrating. But it's so heart-warming when they show me they love me.
I've saved Mom(Beloved Mother) for last, because I'm pretty much straight from her side of the family. We both laugh at gross jokes, love the musical 1776, and agree that cilantro is a good thing. I have Gram's eyes, Great-Grandma's lips, and my mom's sarcasm. Love you Mumsy!
So then there's me. Ambitious, dreamer, talented, giggly, book lover, crazy person, actress, singer, pianist.

I'm not really sure why I got stuck with this family.....

But I'm glad God gave me that gift.

Summer

Ah, summer! My favorite season for so many reasons-
1:I deal with heat better than cold.
2:I love having school schedules cut in half.
3:I love being able to stay up all night every night.
4:I love the breezy, ambitious feeling about summer. After all, I'm quite the breezy, ambitious person myself :)
5:My Daddy(The Psychologist) Gets to stay home :)
Oh, the list could go on. But there are some things I hate about summer.


1:I'm separated from my HELP friends for ages.
2:We travel too much.
3:Too many bugs....
4:I hate chlorine in my hair.
5:I go out of my ever-lovin' MIND with boredom.
6:And how in blue blazes shall I get my drama fix, anyway?!


I'll admit. I have a schedule in summer. Not a strict one mind you, but summer, for me, goes something like this-
I wake up. I go outside, swing, listen to my iPod.
I come back inside.
I get on the computer.
I get off the computer. I go back outside to swing and listen to my iPod.
I go back inside and eat something I pulled out of the fridge and watch T. V.
I go into my room and lie in my bed all comfy and tired from going to bed late.
I get up.
I go online. I get offline. 
I go outside to swing and listen to my iPod. I come back inside. I eat something.
I watch T. V. I go back outside to (you guessed it)swing and listen to my iPod.
I come back inside. 
I get online. I stay online till I go to bed.

This is why I'm waiting for the first day of school.

iPod, anyone?

No really, it's SCARY weird.

I'm pretty sure I scare people.
Nope, I'm SURE I scare people.
I'm weird. That's all there is to it. And yet, somehow, people still want to hang out with me. Ah well. Maybe they haven't realized just how weird I am.
For example:
Just tonight, I walked upstairs and the smell engulfed me.
Broccoli. ROASTED broccoli.
Yum.
"I SMELL BROCCOLI!"
The Writer(Sarah) looked up. "Yeah, there's broccoli in the kitchen."
"Can I have it!?"
"You'd better ask Mom, she might want it."
I charged down the hall like a rabid wolf.
"MOM! Is there broccoli?"
Beloved Mother(Mom) looked up. "Yes.."
"Can I HAVE IT?"
"I suppose."
OFF TO THE KITCHEN. I took so much of that broccoli-to be honest, why would someone put that few spears of broccoli in a container and save it, when they could just eat it?! I went into the living room and walked up to The Writer.
"I has broccoli. See?"
"M-hmm!"
I ate it. All of it. I love broccoli. SO MUCH. And THAT, darling reader, is part of the reason I scare people. It started at an early age-I make no joke, my parents used to have to feed me cookies-THEN I could have more broccoli.
Vegetables are a beautiful thing.
I'm pretty sure I scare people.