Merry Christmas (and a happy new year)!

Before I start, here is a little Goose House song to get you in the spirit!

I will admit, I'm not that in the spirit this year, or any year since like... 2007. But, after completing my Christmas shopping yesterday (spent less than $68 on four people-- is that NOT a win? AND every person got at least two gifts from me, so yeah, it's a win), I got a little happier. Aside from the fact that I think I'm starting to get sick after having a migraine for two days in a row.

I thought I would reflect on what 2014 has been like for me. This has been a year of major ups and downs. I started driving... BUT I didn't get an A in geometry. I did good in this one thing... BUT I didn't get this other thing. I have always been one to focus on the negative, even if wasn't a big deal. So, I'm going to share the good AND bad that happened to me this year, instead of focusing on one or the other.

WHATEVER THE HECK HAPPENED TO ME IN 2014

1. I turned sixteen, and started learning how to drive. I haven't practiced much in the few months I've had my permit, but I learned that I am actually pretty good at parking. 
2. I got into my school's chapter of the National Honor Society, which has been my dream since middle school. I was inducted last week!
3. I started hoarding mail from Northwestern. I guess they got my contact information by using a cookie to see how many times I've been on their website? It's a mystery. ONE YEAR MORE!
4. I performed in my first concert, Les Miserables, in front of more than 2,000 people. I was only a chorus member, but this brought me a step closer to getting the roles I've always wanted.
5. I got rejected at an audition. I mean, this has happened in the past in one way or another, but this really hurt me. I auditioned to play one of my absolute dream roles, Natalie, in Next to Normal, a character I have always felt a strong connection with for all of the things that make us similar-- our personalities, our similar family issues, etc. It all made sense why I had to play her. And someday, I hope I will. But, I auditioned for the role, and in my opinion, it went pretty well. As cliche as it is, I auditioned with "On My Own" from Les Miserables ("...and I know it's only in my mind" through to the end of the song). Because it was a community theater, I don't think they cared how popular the song was. The mistakes I made all had to do with pitch and volume. I noticed I tended to "back off" of the higher notes ("That I'm talking to myself," "he is blind," "when the night is over," "every day I'm learning all my life, I've only been pretending," "happiness that I have never known"). That might have hurt me a little, especially since I'm a belter and didn't belt the whole time. Also, Natalie plays piano. I have it on my resume that I know chords, but... that probably wasn't a very big deal, because playing wasn't necessary. The point is, I auditioned for a role that I spent six months preparing for, and wasn't even called back. When a girl who didn't even have sheet music with her was called back. When a boy who stopped the pianist in the middle of his audition was called back. Like, what the heck? The point is, I learned that you will not always get the part. You might not even be called back. But you have to keep trying anyway. At least I can say I tried to get in.
6. I got third place in my first Junior Council on World Affairs quiz bowl. My team of girls who didn't study at all until the week before. My team of girls who, even then, barely studied. My team of girls who were only guided by common sense. Third place out of more than sixty teams.
7. I started my own business! Come on, if Northwestern doesn't want me after the work I've been putting into getting in, then somethin' weird's going on (actually, it's probably just my freshman grades coming back to haunt me). But yeah, I started a cake business. I've gotten really good reviews on the free work I've been doing so far. I might even get to be a decorator for a wedding! Now, to be employed...
8. I read Fullmetal Alchemist. And yes, that needed to be mentioned. All twenty-seven volumes of it. And I have absolutely no regrets-- best manga I've ever read.
9. I cut my hair into a pixie cut. Which I kind of hated. And still do, but it won't grow out. And yeah. It still fits into a ponytail, though, which confuses me. Like, is it a bob? Is it a pixie? Is my hair just magical?
10. I got back into gymnastics! By gymnastics I mean an acrobatics class I took at my local dance studio for a month. But, nevertheless, it was gymnastics. And I plan on doing it again next summer.
11. I ran for my school's student government. And didn't get in. Their loss, not mine. Actually, it is my loss because that would make me look good for Northwestern, but... oh well. I'm running again to be the senior class rep next year, and guess what my slogan is? I'm not even kidding. My slogan is, "First things first, I'm the realest." Because I am.
12. I made peace with my inevitable fate of being forever single. I have embraced it. In fact, I don't even really want a husband until my late twenties. Which isn't the smartest decision, being someone who wants to have a lot of kids. But, like Kate Monster from Avenue Q says,"You gotta go after the things you want while you're still in your prime." 
13. I went crazy with community service. Nearly 300 hours, I believe. I am an usher for national tour performances at my local regional theater, I volunteer for my local library, I babysit in my church nursery, I help with elementary school kids at my church, I volunteered for a Kiwanis club Christmas tree lot, I am in Key Club at my school, and I'm doing other things as well. I might start tutoring middle school kids. Take note, Northwestern. Although, I will admit that I honestly just enjoy volunteering. I don't just do it to get into college.
14. I read 200 books! And stay tuned for a MASSIVE book review over them soon.

WHATEVER THE HECK MIGHT HAPPEN IN 2015

1. I will start my senior year of high school. This is scary, especially since my recent Principles of Macroeconomics grade isn't exactly going to raise my GPA (I got a B... one that I am actually pleased with, as it was a poorly planned online college course). I hope my transcript is pretty enough. I'm mostly just afraid that my freshman grades are going to make colleges say no to me. It's frustrating, really, because I feel like my cumulative GPA says nothing about me as a student. I'm usually a 3.8-4.0 student, not a 3.5. I feel like my freshman mistakes are going to end up determining where I can go, even though I have grown so much since then.
2. I will turn seventeen. I'm still sad about not being fifteen. I really don't want to turn seventeen. Luckily, I have eleven months until that happens.
3. I will apply for BFA programs. I feel like I just started my freshman year, and now it's time to audition for programs to get a freaking Bachelor of Fine Arts. Like, where did the time go?
4. Northwestern will make a decision about me. This really, really scares me. The one school I've had my eyes on since ninth grade will tell me a yes, no, or maybe this time next year. The only school I really can see myself at will only see me as just another applicant. One that probably isn't as impressive as those with higher GPAs and ACT scores.
5. I will get my actual driver's license. In my grade, about 50% already have one. But, considering I'm a lot younger than most of them, getting it this summer isn't that late.
6. I will perform in another concert, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. I'm already in this one, and rehearsals will start in March. I'm so excited-- I might even get a solo (?).
7. I will audition for more productions. I will audition to play the wicked witch in Shrek, Rizzo in Grease, Christmas Eve or Kate Monster in Avenue Q, and some character in Mary Poppins. It'll be a busy year!
8. I will compete in another JCOWA quiz bowl. This time, me and my girls are aiming for first place. And we've already started studying.
9. I'm growing my hair out. How long? Who knows. I wanna see how long it can grow. Generally, I maintain it at chin length or slightly longer. But, I wonder how long it can go. When I was about eight, my hair was pretty long, but it didn't look good on me, so I finally caved and cut it when my mom asked me to. I wasn't even aware that my hair was even long until someone said, "short hair looks so much better on you than long hair." And so I have kept it short all these years. Aside from the fact that my hair began moving past shoulder-length in ninth grade, I have always had it cropped short. In the long run, I think it'll probably be short. But in the short run (ugh... I sound like I'm talking right out of my econ textbook), I think I'll let it grow long.
10. I'll go back to gymnastics again. Or, I might even take some ballet or jazz classes, because why not?
11. I want to attend my first casting or go-see. I should be an official signed model after taking a long hiatus this upcoming year. I'd love to book a bridal show!
12. I'm running for Student Government again. First things first, I'm the realest. 
13. I might get asked out to prom, or force a guy to go with me. Probably the latter.
14. I will complete an internship. It will probably be a journalism internship, but I don't know yet. All I know is my school is forcing me to do one whether I like it or not.
15. I will pick up a new musical talent. I own too many instruments to only be playing two of them (and they're both guitars). I think I'm going to work on autoharp and keys, while learning the basics of violin and string bass. 

Those are my goals for 2015! Thank you for being apart of my 2014, and have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!