Updates!

**6 More Days of School!!** School gets out on June tenth this year. I can't wait 'til all the fun end-of-the-year activities! 8th graders get their yearbooks two days early, we have a Cat Cash auction, we're watching a movie in the auditorium, and we have our formal banquet/dance!! I really am going to miss all my friends who are going off to Nease. I'll also miss all my awesome teachers. But if I don't move on, I'll never gain my future, right?
**New Story** Sorry I haven't mentioned this before (I'm already on page, like, sixty), but it's a really good story. The main charcter's name is Carrie. I can't explain the plot right now. More later.
**House Imporvements** Finally! We're about to have hardwood floors out in (any day now). After that, we're taking the boxwood bushes and moving them out behind the screen enclosure so you can see the front of our house better. We've also bought some new barstools, but we're still in need of some new family room furniture. We're re-doing our kid's retreat this summer, too. It's a lot to do, but we're finally starting to make good progress on it.
**Princess Protection Program** New Disney Channel Movie staring Selena Gomez (wizards of waverly place) and Demi Lovato (singer, Sonny with a chance). It airs at 8:00 eastern time on June 26. Thats 23 days! I hope we can watch it and that its good!
**Next Food Network Star** New summer season starts this Sunday, June 7th. I looove that show! Our family watches it like some people watch American Idol. I can't wait 'til it airs!
That's all for now. Again, I'll have more on that new story later. Bye!

No more Swimteam!!!!!

Maybe you remember that "structured exercise program" we were doing called swimteam...well, we've talked our parents into letting us not do it this year! Me and my sis are sooooo happy. We'll have such a better summer. We will still have an exercise program, but it should be more fun because some of it will be with family and there will be a lot more variety. I just hope that I will be able to develop a healthy habit and liking for exercise. It's not that I don't like to do it, it's just that swimteam is like cruel and unusual punishment for us. I'm so happy that I was able to convince mom and dad that swimteam is not in our best interest...even though they think it is!

Pacetti Bay Middle School Talent Show

It was held on Thursday, April 23 (a week from tomorrow) from 6 to 8:30 pm. It was a really great experience, especially for those who participated in the show. There was no judging; it was just a night to see your fellow students and teachers show off their talent. It was number 4 in act one, and I sang "Danny Boy," my favorite Irish tune. There were a lot of great acts, and a couple not-so-great ones. There were 3 dance groups from each grade, the cheerleading squad, 3 singers (including me), 2 piano players, one guitarist, two bands, one concert band trio, one unicyclist, and one comedy act (a funny impersonation of George Bush). There was also a dance group made up solely of teachers (four of which are, or have been, mine), back by popular demand from last year. They call themselves the Aquanets (after a type of popular hairspray back in the 70s), and I think it was everyone's favorite act. Someone taped it and put it on youtube, and I'd love it if you would watch! Here it is: Mrs. McLaughlin, Ms. DeMaio, Mrs. Norris, Ms. Burke :), Mrs. Ryan, and Mrs. Ishee performing their 2008/2009 Aquanets dance Routine! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjhseDVXf0k
Also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEPKyQk75tk&feature=channel_page Here is the impersonation of George Bush from earlier(turn up your volume 4 this one!!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpYWgV8XPPc&feature=channel Another comedy act performed by band teacher Mr. Rankin that was a spoof off of a Saturday Night Live Episode.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edUat0K3U04&feature=related One of the dance acts

Awesome Youtube Links

It's that time! Get ready for a large list of youtube videos you NEED TO SEE! I really wish I knew how to post a youtube video myself- if you know, please tell me in the comments section of this blog or tell me a site that gives instructions!

Anyway, here's my current list:

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmjO1p9Oxrk This is one of my favorite music videos ever! Demi Lovato's "La la land" this song is totally me!!!

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGlxLeSl1D8 This is actually a taped concert of-yes-wonderful Meav! Turning Stone, NY

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TN5umzSnFU Paula Abdul's "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow"

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCL2Qyt8vvY Cute video celebrating Star Wars' Princess Leia- set to a cover of Queen's classic- Killer Queen.

5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8 I love leprechauns, but these folks are just plain stupid (notice the crackhead lady and the arfican-american who thinks he's part Irish!).

6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWS5kGP2pSQ&feature=PlayList&p=E96D01936362FF4E&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=28
Pixar Short Film, "Lifted."

7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Y_d0_N4rI Celtic Woman interview on CNN

8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-B2dK4kr7o California Cheese Cow commerical (I love how they make the sheep Scottish!).

9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaTXRaSvq-M "Jesus Muzik" music video by Christian rapper Lecrae (featuring Trip Lee).

10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Yb2bkuh9I And finally a beautiful tribute to Meav Ni Mhaolchatha.
I hope you enjoyed these vids. Check back in soon!

Great News!!!!!!

Great news! I got a call monday night saying that I was accepted into Douglas Anderson! I was extremely overjoyed! I was so happy, I couldn't believe it. I was accepted in both of my areas-voice and creative writing. You can only chose one, though, so I'm going with voice. It's definately my passion, and voice is something that's hard to be self-taught, unlike writing. I just hope that all my other friends who tried out have gotten their calls, and have been just as happy. When I told my teachers that I got in, they were all so happy for me, and I was grateful for their support. I've support from so many people thorughout the journey, and I want to thank them. And I'd like to thank my parents too, who helped me a TON. Without them, I couldn't have done it. And finally, I want to thank God for the talents he's given me, and letting me be accepted into my heaven on earth.

Secret Sea

Do you remember me telling you about a story I was writing about a ghost and a girl who discovers her? The one that's set in Ireland? I called it, "Secret Sea," after Meav Ni Mhaolchatha's third solo album, which gave me the inspirtation for that story. Now, the title is "Secret Sea," and I've spent a lot of time editing it with my family. Recently, we had it bound at the office store, and I've given it out to several people to read! These people include: Ms. Lindsay Burke, Mrs. Stacy Giangaspro, Mrs. Candy Watson, Mrs. Cheryl O'Conner, Mrs. Amanda Williams, my Virginia family, my Aunt Nancy in Southern California, and my great-grandmother and her caretaker, Mr. Jesse Merrell. I was so excited to get it "pre-published", and so happy that I was really done with my first ever "novella" ( term meaning 'little novel'; thank to Mrs. Candy for letting me know what that is!). I love it and I think it's a wonderful story.

Ireland

Yes, the country, but no, not the country. I'm reading a book called "Ireland" by Frank Delaney. It's a really good book about a storyteller who comes to visit the house of O'Mara. Little Ronan O'Mara knows for sure that the storyteller was sent to him as his own personal wizard, and is enchanted everytime a story is told unto him, and all the neighbors who come in the house to hear as well. They are wonderful stories, because the book tells the stories as the man is telling them, as well as what happens after and in between stories. So far, I've heard four stories from the storyteller; one about the architect of Newgrange (if you're even a small fan of Ireland, you know what this is), King Conner of Ulster (the northern province), Saint Patrick and how he banished snakes and the devil out of his country, and about Saint Brendan and his travels on the sea. It's an amazing book so far, and a very mysterious one too. I'd never heard of it before, and it's not a book you see most eighth graders reading. Double thanks to Mrs. O'Conner for letting me borrow it!!!
Erin go bragh!