Music for Back-to-School

School starts this week on Thursday (sigh). As much as this summer bored me, I'm gonna miss it and Louisville.

Sorry about my last post by the way. I was using a computer in the Exhibit Hall and my youth group wanted to go somewhere. And as I mentioned, I didn't get a callback (but come on. Was I really even expecting one?). There are hundreds of Pentecostal female vocalists in the United States. I'm so proud of myself and my group for making it up to this level--- going against the best AG talents in the entire USA. Representing Ohio was pretty amazing, and I can't wait to go back to Louisville in three years for a college visit! And I can't wait to go to Orlando next year for Fine Arts again if I make it for my drama, vocal solo, possible string solo based on progress, and human video (but only if I'm forced to do it--- I don't really want to and I want someone else to take my place, but Drew keeps saying "It's ministry, Hope" and it makes me all like, "GAAAAH! What should I do?") and other things.

So, I updated my iPoid for Fine Arts and here's that, plus more of my FAF and school faves!

1. "Home" by Phillip Phillips was played during the Olympics this year. Perfect end of summer song, I know. I wish I had it when I left for Nationals, but Faith bought it while I was gone. It's time to "make this place your home" and enjoy your last few years in elementary/middle/high school/college!
2. "Keep Your Eyes Open" by NEEDTOBREATHE. I love that southern voice this band has. Keep your eyes open, guys. Anything can happen here.
3. "With Everything (Live)" by Hillsong UNITED is great to get you really worshipping on the weekends or to listen to on the way to school for you guys who want to be campus missionaries this year. God can do amazing things in our schools, believe me!
4. "Moving Mountains." Jeff Deyo is a music teacher at North Central University, a school at which I know a few people that are currently attending and one that graduated from NCU's music program and is now a creative arts pastor. This guy is epic, and you can download this song free for only a limited time here.
5. "Steady My Heart" by Kari Jobe is a great... I don't know. It answers a lot of things for me.
6. "We Are" by Kari Jobe can really help if you feel discouraged in this whole campus missionary thing.
7. "Find You On My Knees" by Kari Jobe. Just take a rest from homework and just worship. It will change your attitude on everything. Try it.
8. "Love Came Down" by Kari Jobe--- sorry. I'm just really enjoying this free Kari Jobe album I got from the editor-in-chief of ONCOURSE magazine (Amber Weigand-Buckley) at a workshop in Louisville. It felt like a real college experience. The classroom feel, being in a conference theatre, taking notes, everything.
9. "Begin Again" by Measure. This song has some amazing quotes in it--- no kidding. If you feel bullied or like you just need a second chance, this song will uplift you by a lot. "Begin again. Don't waste your time waiting for someone to tell you when... Morning still comes... Move around your furniture or put it all out on the curb and drive away to something new and watch the skyline sink behind you...  Walking out doors only works if you shut them... Quit looking backwards and know where you have been... Begin again. Don't waste your time, 'cause no one's gonna tell you when."
10. "I am the Doctor" by Murray Gold. It will mkae you feel epic the second you walk in dat building.
11. "Superhuman Touch" by Athlete because, well, you can stop the world with "just a wave of your hand" because you're amazing.
12. School's not back in without "Over My Head" by The Fray. It's just not.
13. "Wide Awake" by Katy Perry. "I wish I knew then what I know now." Totally describes how I feel about last school year.
14. "I'll Make a Man Out of You" by Donny Osmond is perfect if you're tkaing gym class this year. You might also need the Gym Class Heroes to save you.
15. "Anywhere Place" by Katie Costello. It can be hard finding your place in high school... but just know that you will.
16. "Lay Your Head" by Athlete. Maybe this is a sign that you need to go to bed early?
17. "Happily Ever After" by He Is We. This is what I think of seventh-grade couples. "We all wanna know how it ends."
18. "Go to the River" by Yael Naim. Just "go, go, go, go."
19. "Safe" by Britt Nicole. "You keep trying to get inside my head while I keep trying to lose the words you said. Can't you see I'm hanging by thread...?"
20. Who is my vision? "You Are My Vision!" Who doesn't love Rend Collective Experiment's version of this hymn?
21. "World News" by the Local Natives. Perfect for anger management.
22. "Skyscraper" by Demi Lovato. Don't let people tear you down, because that's fear of man. We're living for fear of God!
23. "Don't Let it Break Your Heart," guys! However, my heart is breaking about Coldplay not playing in the London closing ceremony.
24. "Birds" by Deas Vail. "We are all birds stuck inside our cage, covered up with praise, and behind our saints we hide our face."
25. "Behind the Scenes" by Francesca Battistelli. "Things aren't always what they seem."
26. "Sixteen" by Deas Vail. Makes me feel so young even though I'm not even sixteen yet!
27. "Summer Forgets Me" by Deas Vail. Face it. Summer's over.
28. Jesus, "let my life be the proof, the proof of Your love!" Gotta love For KING & COUNTRY. This song is totally my prayer.
29. "Cubism Dream' by the Local Natives. Story of my non-existent love life, LoL!
30. Show everyone that you're "Born Again" this year! "Born Again" by The Newsboys is pretty nice.
31. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Relient K. Nuff said.
32. "Build Your Kingdom Here" by Rend Collective Experiment. "Come set our hearts ablaze with hope."
33. "Christ Has Set Me Free," (Rend Collective) so I want everyone to know, you know?
34. "Don't You Know You're Beautiful" by Seabird. I have a friend who will only play this song when she has my iPod in her possession. Not Hans Zimmer, not Paramore, not Deas Vail, not Jason Walker, not Athlete. Just this song.
35. "Echo" by Jason Walker. Hey, you. You ain't alone.

Yeah, this is what I do with my life, guys...

Hello from LOUISVILLE 2012!!!!!!

I love you like my own edible babies:) (Inside joke.)

So, I am sorry that I haven't been posting this week. I have like, tow minutes, so let me be brief *(sorry about typos).

I performed my vocal solo and got 33.67 points, which means no callback or Top Ten, but hey, who caresa.

BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, guys. I gotta go.

What You'll Need For National Fine Arts

Hey y'all! I've missed blogging on here, and I want to say I was too busy to blog, but if you've seen my Tumblr, you know that's not true. Now you know why I used to be so against Tumblr? It's addictive, and it's ruining everything--- my novel-writing, my songwriting, my blogging, my piano, my violin, my summer reading, my arts and crafts, my math (I'm kinda homeschooling myself right now to prepare myself for freshman year), my science, my SAT prep, my Olympic watching, my vocal solo--- everything. Why? Because I'm on freaking Tumblr all day!

I've had all kinds of post ideas, but... Tumblr is ruining everything. There's also an entire playlist of DIY things on my YouTube, so while I'm gone, I might schedule them to publish. But as of now...

National Fine Arts Festival is like, the Comic Con of the Assemblies of God (which, I've never been to Comic Con... and this year I really wanted to go)--- everybody goes. It's more than just competing for scholarships, bragging rights, callbacks, and eternal spots on the Top Ten board on the website. It brings us, the youth of the AG churches all over the nation, together as one big happy family. If you could just see us in the hallways.

Only at Fine Arts can you start to play Ninja with four kids from your church and end up playing with forty other kids that you don't even know. Only at Fine Arts can the entire city be full of Christian teenagers and pastors. Only at Fine Arts can you sing about God and no one look at you weirdly. It's just Fine Arts, and what makes it awesome.

Well, this year, we're hitting Louisville, Kentucky. In less than a week. Be prepared for a lot of T-shirts, nights on the town, and callbacks (if you've been practicing hard enough). And... it's taking forever to type this. Yes, I'm on Tumblr.

So, here's what you'll need to have on you:

A suitcase (not included in the picture, due to not being able to get a suitcase out of the closet without making a mess), a bag to carry to and from the convention center (the gym bag), an over-the-shoulder purse for the ladies, and a folder.

In your suitcase:

You might want to take your hairbrush to the convention center in your convention bag, but start out with putting this stuff in a suitcase. A lot of this you may want in your beach bag for when you swim. The olive oil is great for getting out chlorine, so in case you can't take a shower right away, it softens the chemical's effect on your hair. And make sure you comb when your hair is wet, using the wide teeth first, blow drying a little, small teeth, blow drying a little, Perfect Results oil-stuff, blow drying, paddle brush, air dry, bristle brush. And the sheen hairspray is great for heat styling protection once your hair has dried.

You gots to keep dat mouth CLEAN! This is especially important for you singers out there--- I've found that mint and a clean mouth helps my voice be more articulate and have better tone quality. Plus, who doesn't like fresh breath? You're gonna be sitting in a car or plane (maybe trian) with people all up on you, and you don't want to smell like last night's omelet. Trust me--- After Phoenix 2011, on my plane a kid had garlic breath, and it was miserable (we had to get up at three, so I didn't brush my teeth either). If time allows, throw in that extra step to eliminate odor.

Guys, you're bound to swim, and unless you're there for General Council, Kids Council, or National Youth Convention, you're bound to compete. And when I say guys, that means BOTH GENDERS. So, don't you wanna look cute, ladies? And guys, don't you wanna look put together for the band performance? What I love about straightening irons is you can curl, crimp, or straighten whereas with curling irons you can only curl. And they help you look like you never even wet your hair. And this iron specifically is great because it gets hot quick (like, two minutes kind of quick) and it doesn't get too hot. So all hair types can use it--- really. Remember, as white as I sound I am a black girl, and my hair is coarse and thick. And this works great on me. So: Get a cool-temperatured straightening iron.

Earrings are glamourous. If you're like me, your ear holes are beginning to close up because you never wear them! So, NFAF is a great opportunity to get back into it! With a lot of nights in the city, don't ya wanna look like you belong there and not like a fanny-pack tourist? That's what I thought.

These are shirts that show the city I'm from specifically. These are community service shirts, my home school (Wayne High) shirt, my gymnastics shirt, and my actual school shirt. The gym shirt isn't really relevant, considering I'm not doing a worship dance or human video. But it brings back memories (if only a few things happened differently and I'd weighed a little less and had been a little shorter, I would have a chance of representing the U.S. in Rio in four years. But whatever).

I gotta admit, some of these shirts are inappropriate--- I wear wife beaters, crop tops, shirts that are cut in crazy ways, shirts that reveal skin below the belly button, and shirts that would otherwise be see through without a tank top. So bring a few.

Maxi skirts and aztec-styles have totally been in this summer. So bring that bohemian vibe with you. These skirts are as comfortable as pajamas, but way cuter. And if you're gonna be living in T-shirts this week, why not wear something cute?

No kidding, it's gonna be hot. But those days inside the convention center or your hotel room are bound to be cold. So do yourself a favor. Get yourself some skinnys, boot cuts, and colored jeans.

HATS! They're so cute, and every hat has a story here. I need a green hat--- as you see, where normally the green Olympic ring would be, I have a light blue hat (come on... it was the closest shade to blue I had... I deserve some credit) and where the yellow ring should be, I have orange and yellow. So, the dark blue I got from my Aunt Rose (she was on the 1996 United States Olympic Commitee) and it is two years old, which I got it in Atlanta. The black one I bought myself, and it is my favorite so far. My pink one was my first and it is three years old. My light blue one was my second, I bought it at a thrift store in North Carolina, and it is two years old. The orange one I bought at Phoenix 2011 and it is almost one year old. This year I plan to buy another one. These come handy because I never wear sunblock (I don't want cancer, but I do want a tan, so I usually just cover up the skin that is most likely to burn), and they're like a tree that follows you.

I couldn't find my rainbow pajama pants, so here's an old sixteen-year-old polo from Atlanta 1996 that I wear to bed. My Aunt Rose gave me this. You know, she was on the Olympic Commitee so I kinda have an entire box of this kind of stuff.

I love doing my nails. If I want to spontaneously change up my colors or just have fun with the girls, it's nice to have my nail bag with me. Remember nail polish remover!

A nice outfit for when you just want to sit by the pool but not get in. Also nice for a laid back day around the city.

Everybody needs a pair of Converse, boy or girl. You're gonna be walking all day, every day for a week--- you need something comfortable that protects your feet. Graphic tees add that edgy feel, along with shorts and neon leggings. This outfit was inspired by this.

MORE SHOES! Heels, wedges, gladiators, flip-flops, Converse.

Socks are so important if you're gonna be wearing Converse or tennis shoes.

Most churches will want you wearing a one-piece bathing suit, but I could only find this tankini. And guys, I'm really not that fat--- it's supposed to flow like that.

It is so important to feel clean and smell fresh. It's summertime, and you're gonna sweat. Plus, I always feel shy and awkward when I feel less than fresh. "Are they cringing inside because of me?" "Do my armpits fill the room with sweat?" So it keeps me from doing what I want. So, deodorant is a must. That goes for you, seventh grade boys. And lotion is a great aftershave. A shimmer spray makes you look glamourous for your performance, and a normal perfume is great for the whole week.

This Neutrogena Acne Wash works so well! My skin is really clear because of it. And no, my skin isn't clear because I'm prepubescent---because I hit puberty a LONG time ago (I was nine when I started my period)---but probably because my mom didn't have acne growing up. My dad did, s I'm still rather acne prone. If you have time, use a peeling mask to help get rid of callback stress. A toner removes excess mask or face wash.

Don't forget your razors, guys and gals! Don't forget shaving cream or body wash, either!

In your convention bag:

Gotta accesorize your hair!

Make sure you have a Bible and notebook. You're gonna want to remember the sermons you've heard. And when you're sitting around your hotel room, why not read your Bible a little?

Make sure you have some books with you. I included "Sixteenth Summer" because I'm almost done with it and "Just Listen" by Sarah Dessen because it is a huge book to keep me occupied on the road. And every youth group has that one kid that is either crazy or annoying. You need something to keep you occupied.

Music feeds the soul. Some songs I downloaded for Louisville are: "Begin Again" by Measure, "Wide Awake" by Katy Perry (don't laugh), "Wonderwall" covered by Landon Austin and Chad Sugg, "I'll Make a Man Out of You" covered by Donny Osmond, "Echo" by Jason Walker, "I Am the Doctor" by Murray Gold, "Follow Your Heart" by The Good Mad, "Anywhere Place" by Katie Costello, "Lay Your Head" by Athlete, "Superhuman Touch" by Athlete, "Over My Head (Cable Car)" by The Fray, "Happily Ever After" by He Is We, and "With You I Never Lose" by Athlete.

If you forget to bring this, you are DOOMED. If you're a dancer, BRING YOUR LEOTARD (yes, it's a gymnastics leotard, but hey, I was a gymnast, not a dancer). If you're a solo musician, BRING YOUR DRESS OR SUIT. If you're doing a sermon, BRING A BUSINESS CASUAL OUTFIT. If you're in a band, wear something epic (it really depends on the genre you choose). If you're in a human video, WEAR YOUR UNIFORM WITH A UNITARD UNDERNEATH.

And if you have room, put your purse in this bag so you don't lose it.

In your purse:

Keep the colors natural. Put on just enough to feel decent, moisturized, and glowing. You don't need to attract any hot guys at a Christian convention.

You might need to blot your lips every once in a while, so make sure you have a pack of tissues with you. Plus, what if your nose starts running?

The fun thing about AG youth activities is that, even if you never go back to camp, you will always run into your friends from camps, conventions, retreats, and DFAF. Therefore, you want your hands to be germ-free! No one wants to come down with a fever in the summertime.

Keep dem eyes protected! Seriously. You don't want to hurt your retinas.

You should see yourself in the mirror. You'll have one in your room, but it's nice to have one on-the-go.

In your folder:

Everything I could have possibly missed is on this list. make one for yourself, according to what church you go to, what events you do, and how long you're staying.

Yes, those are the chords to "Excuses" by Deas Vail. Remember to bring your lyrics if you are a songwriter, in a Christian Band, or on the Worship Team. It's not worth losing two points over a sheet of paper.

If you're in a drama, you might want to study your script a few hundred more times to make sure it's flawless!

The previous year's schedule gives you an idea of how many people might be up against you and what workshops might be offered.

ONCOURSE is always conected to the schedule, but bring an old one just for the memories (:.

BRING YOUR SCORESHEETS and make sure to bring a paper from a self-evaluation! The best critique you can get is from yourself (because YOU are the most critical judge), so a self-evaluation paper is necessary. And your official score sheets are reminders fo what you should have worked on, and good tips for when you're about to get going.

Bring a list of the things you want to do to prepare for next year and little words of encouragement for yourself (don't ask why I wrote "Jesus, I love you").

So! This is what we'll need! Are YOU going to Fine Arts? Let me know so I can see your performance!

Summer Faith: Relentless to Blog

I am sorry I can't provide Thursday's Summer Faith post today. As I've said, I am still in school and will be until Wednesday, so I am busy with end-of-the-year stress, and faith posts take up a lot of time.

I'm sorry, and I was REALLY looking forward to making another faith post. But today I'll just go over what this summer will reveal.

This year's Speed the Light and Fine Arts Festival theme is "Relentless," so I'll be talking about ways to be relentless. I will be fasting, giving ideas, listing verses, and more. I hope it helps you grow in your faith.... else, what's the use of the faith posts?

-H

Ten Days and Guess Who's a Freshman?

Yup. This girl, who started this blog as an elementary school home-schooled student, is entering high school. No more being treated like I'm little anymore.

In clubs today, this came across my mind. We separated our club by high and middle school, which I honestly wasn't a fan of because I'm friends/acquainted with many of the high schoolers, and I was the oldest of the middle school students, which many of their maturity levels weren't... well, you get it.

We were practicing a skit and our teacher said, "Why don't you stand in the doorway so I can see you." That doesn't happen when you're in high school because she is a high school teacher and lets them do their own thing. But no. We're younger so we get treated like babies. And I'm sick of it.

I'm sick of being blamed for the stupid acts of one group of kids. The whole middle school half of our school gets a bad reputation because ONE group of kids decides to be bad. All the high schoolers hate us (even my sister), though not personally, especially since they know me.

And another thing about being a freshman? In the middle of the year I almost wanted to be homeschooled again. But then I heard how many kids are leaving for high school, and now I'm psyched for freshman year. Pretty much all of the rude, ignorant kids are leaving and making the school a better environment. Just wait until the sixth graders come in...

Hopefully the maturity levels will grow. And when new kids come---because I know they will---I will find some friends that have the same beliefs as me. Why? Because lately it seems that I've been practically preaching at my friends... like because they don't believe what I believe I've been trying to form them into what I want them to be. And that's not who they want to be. A lot of us are Christians, but a lot of them stand for not-so-conservative stuff... same-sex marriage, homosexuality in general, the idea that there's "seven layers of heaven" and no hell, Jesus not being God's only son... yeah. Lately it seems that I can't get along with my school friends on anything spiritual and it's sad, because I should be able to look to them for encouragement. But if we don't believe similar things, it'll just end in another argument. I do have one school friend that I agree with, though, aside from baby baptism, which I don't really have a side on.

I guess that's where my church family comes in. I love them to death. Literally. I would do ANYTHING for my church family. ANYTHING. Some of my absolute best friends I met at church and I'll be going to the same college as some of them in... oh my gosh, four years. I feel like I could tell them anything. And every time I do a performance for Fine Arts, I always feel amazingly supported (not always extremely confident, though), so I try to return the favor. My church is awesome. And we all believe similar things, LoL.

Along with freshman year comes... dun dun dun... the worship team. You thought I was done talking about that, didn't you? Well honey, I'm not. I'm joining for real this time, in July. So excited. I finally get to give MY feedback, people get to hear MY voice, it'll prepare me for NFAF, and more importantly it's MINISTRY, MUSIC, PRAYER, POETRY and PASSION. Any better combination? Didn't think so.

Your school year is only as good as the summer that comes after it. To fulfill my dream since fourth grade, I'm working extra hard on my vocal solo---because I never knew I could sing until sixth grade and it was just a dream to make Nationals---so that I can make it into the Top Ten. It's gonna be hard--- this is my first year alone at Nationals, this is my second year period, and there are hundreds of singers at Nationals. Hundreds. But I'm gonna try to hit those high notes and be one of the best. Top Ten out of hundreds? And that's the Top Twenty out of like, five hundred girls? Top Fifty out of EVERY SINGER THERE? Impressive.

^^^I'm SICK of this song.^^^

And I get a netbook! However, yesterday ruined my desire for that. I used Faith's netbook to record a song for a History project and... I hate talking about it... I was using Audacity and BAM! deletes an hour of recording, guitar, piano, harpsichord and all. I was excited to get a netbook BECAUSE of Audacity, but now I don't want a netbook at all...

And I get to be in the high school hallway. Maybe.

And I can boss around sixth graders... okay, maybe not.

And I can dye my hair red.

And my boyfriend and I were just talking... JUST KIDDING, no boyfriend here. Yet.

And the bets part---

I get to take ART CLASS! YAY!!!!

Who doesn't love Art? Then again, who doesn't love leaving middle school?

"I Love You, LORD and I Lift My Voice..."

"...to worship You. Oh my soul rejoice. Take joy my King in what You hear. Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear."

You know what it is. The District Fine Arts Festival. Always epic. April 27-28th, 2012. If you get 36 points or higher, you move on to Nationals.

So, as you'd imagine, the Celebration Service was pretty friggin' epic. A Fun Arts kid named Kara that I remember watching in the nursery got to perform in front of hundreds (maybe about a thousand?) there doing her lovely gospel illusion, our childrens' pastor's relative Hannah got to do her unconventional percussion group in front of everybody since they received merit... theirs was so amazing-- it was called "Beat of the Nations," so for America our beat was the norm, Africa had this really African Lion King-ish sound, Latin America made everyone want to be Latino/Latina, and Europe is... well, Europe. And then Drew "Pooley" Poole merited in TWO EVENTS!!!! Gah, it was great. If you're wondering why I called him Pooley, it's because when he got called up for his drama solo, they were like:

"And now we have Drew Pool-ey from Dayton Bethel!" Apparently they didn't get that it's pronounced like the pool in "swimming pool." And then when my friend Baileigh did her dance, they got her first and last name mixed up, so apparently her first name is Howard. And then the usual happened to me--- yes, I got called Hope Ezz-el, AGAIN. Get it right, people--- Ezell like Maybelle. And Nathan and Josh called me Faith who knows how many times on purpose...

But yeah. So I performed in Large Human Video Ensemble. Well you see, I always have to pee right before it's time to perform, so I had to rush out of the bathroom barefooted to get into the ballroom on time. We did great, I think. However, I did mess up a bit... a big bit, actually. I went to the wrong spot by like, two inches, and me and "Goliath" had to switch positions. Pretty sure the judges noticed... haven't seen the score sheet yet.

Then we were still at the convention center until like, ten at night yesterday. I fell asleep in the hall on one of those seats that are long and soft enough to be your bed. Well, I ALMOST fell asleep at least. Up until I felt someone lay down on my head. I was thinking it was Josh, so I was about to say, "GET OFF OF ME, JOSH!! YOU'RE ANNOYING THE CRAP OUT OF ME!!" Then I realized, as I awoke, all these KIDS (who were probably older than me...) are laying on top, to the side--- all around me and my friends. "What the... WHAT???" I wondered. Then the kids moved on to their next victim. That's Fine Arts for ya, plus some "We love Jesus better than ice cream"s, a chorus of "Ayyyyyy! Ohhhhh!"s, and "O-H-I-O"s. I know what you're thinking... sounds more like a summer camp, less like a competition. And that's why I LOVE Fine Arts.

As of now, I performed my vocal solo nearly twelve hours ago. Yes, at 8:24 a.m., I had to get up the nerve and sing after just eating a banana. Hard to do, hard to sound good. But it was fine... after, the hotel was still serving breakfast so I got to eat some more. THAT'S how early it was. I woke up at 6:45 a.m. for it, and as soon as I was woke up, I ran to the bathroom to get ready. And guys... I am supposed to get up at 6:15 on school days because my BUS comes at around that time and I still don't get up much earlier than that.

Surely you can think of a better way to spend your Saturday, right? Um, wrong. I wouldn't wanna spend it anywhere else (because I got to miss one day of the OAAs), I wouldn't wanna spend it with anybody else, I wouldn't wanna spend it doing any other thing, I wouldn't wanna feel any other way. This weekend was great.

And sorry to those that don't agree but, this is probably the best Fine/Fun Arts Festival I've been to in awhile. Even if you didn't make Nationals, those that were there, there's gotta be something that can cheer you up--- hopefully, you did your best. Hopefully, it was all for God. And if both of those statements are true, what are you so sad about? SMILE!

I didn't make it into the Christian Band this year. They didn't make it to Nationals, but I didn't even make the cut to join. At first I was fine with it, since I only didn't make it for "Confidence" reasons. Then my mom asked our pastor why I REALLY didn't make it. Apparently I didn't sound very good either... but you can't just have everyone audition with the same song--- you can do that with the instrumentalists, but "I Am Free" doesn't work with my range. I don't care how easy you think that song is because for me it's not. I can't take it down an octave, I can't take it up an octave (which was what I had to do), and I am just now beginning to master half-keys. So I didn't make it in. At the showcase on Wednesday you could tell I was really sad about it--- I don't even think I looked at the stage until they were done performing. But yesterday, I was super excited for them--- toward the end of the song I was moshing for them and got rather dizzy. But I had to support them for many reasons.

1. For not making the cut, I wanted to show them that I still was gonna support them all the way and cheer them on. Moshing was a way to show that they were doing a great job and I was proud of them-- super proud.
2. And then also for not making the cut, I wanted to prove to them that I should have.

Well, I succeeded at both *smiles*.

Come the celebration service, I had picked up habits in the shortest amount of time possible--- bring out the Guiness book of world records. I was bitning my nails, shaking my knee, pulling on my hair--- I KNEW I wasn't gonna go to Nationals. And when I saw that my human video didn't make it, I was positive I wasn't going. Goodbye, Louisville, the city I may never see.

When they announce who's going to Nationals, they slowly show the names like ending credits of a movie--- it's quite annoying.

Female vocal solo, Jr.

I was freaking out. I knew I didn't make it--- I just knew it. After about three names the list stopped. "Hope, it's alright---" Faith started, and then... and then...

HOPE EZELL
BETHEL CHRISTIAN
DAYTON, OHIO

My entire church's section jumped screaming. Me? I made Nationals? Who am I kidding, I am only in the eighth grade. I am only thirteen. But no, I really made it. Two years in a row I've made it to Nationals. Which really it had to be this year because it's gonna be really hard on me next year when I compete against high school seniors and beautiful sopranos and booming altos. Yeah. Scary thought. Next year I'm in high school. But now, I think I'm ready to go against them.

And now, I think I know my calling. I have been putitng this off FOREVER--- I was supposed to join the youth worship team last May, you see, but that didn't work. But I need to. They need another guitarist because even though Chris and Sarah can play, they both have other instruments they wanna stick to. They don't really need another vocalist, but if they want one, alright. They would probably find it cool if they had a violinist--- my inspiration to get better at it. They need another drummer, but sorry, I can't--- you don't want me on the drums. You don't.

And then I want to join a folk band. But most of all, I wanna be that college girl sitting on the curb downtown, playing her guitar, rocking the violin, and singing requested songs. It's a win-win, get some money to pay for eating and fun stuff while using the money from a real job to pay for tuition and housing and books. But I'd love to live like that. Just me and my music... until one day some agent comes from Capitol Records or Mono Vs Stereo and is like,

"Oh look at you, you lucky girl! We want you to be signed to us!"

Yes, I love Capitol Records--- Relient K used to be signed to them, Coldplay currently is signed to them. But Mono Vs Stereo--- my, Deas Vail is signed to them! You really kinda can't say no.

So what is Fine Arts? A mission to discover, develop, and deploy your talents. Nationals should not be the only time you "Deploy" your talents. Go out to all the Nations, show them what you're made of. Sing in church, give sermons when allowed, do a dance to a worship song (Baileigh used "Beautiful Things" by Gungor) at a recital, write a poem about being relentless after the one. Write a worship song. Write a drama for the youth group. You can do anything. ANYTHING.

"I'll go, I'll show the power of Your love! The world will know the power of Your love!..."
-"Power of Your Love" by WORTH DYING FOR, our church's small human video ensemble used the song following "Faithful" and "Such Beauty" by Ian McIntosh.

I'll show the power of Your love... 

OMIGAH it's HOPE!

Thanksgiving time means....

More stuff.
More blogging.
More writing (and finishing up the last chapter and epilogue of "Unspoken"--- yay!).
More food.
More music.
More time with me and my dog (I am petting her with my left hand and typing with my right at this moment).
MY FAMILY IS COMING TO MY HOUSE!!!! FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!!

About the stuff...
So, for my birthday, I got the entire "Dark Kiss" collection from B&BW, plus a shimmer mist that I'm wearing right now. I also got a beginner's guitar book, and I'm not a beginner so I know most of the stuff in the book, but it shows how to read music and I don't wanna learn that but it will be handy when I start playing cello. I got some guitar picks... not as thin as my lucky guitar pick so I can't holepunch them (bummer), but they'll be handy, too. I got some body sprays that smell REALLY GOOD and I'm putting them in my cubby at school--- one for when I first get off the bus, one for after lunch, one for after P.E. My favorite gift was a pair of headphones--- I NEEDED THEM! They're Sony headphones, and it took awhile to get used to the different kind of sound, but they're worth it alright. Earbuds never worked for me... one bud always popped out or something crazy like that, and even though they're more convenient, I'm a music geek that cares about the sound more than anything, so headphones are the thing for me. (note: listen to "Time" by Hans Zimmer with headphones instead of earbuds and it's magical!)

About Unspoken...
I'm working on the last two chapters in the rough draft. The book is moving by quarters. It's supposed to move by school quarters, but I'm really behind because my school's first quarter ended waaay at the beginning of this month, so I need to pick up the pace. Then, for quarter 2, I am taking out a few chapters and typing it up. For Quarter 3 I will have some friends and maybe some teachers proofread it and then I will revise it. For Quarter 4, I will start getting ready to publish and getting in touch with Morris Self-Publishing. And in the summertime, the book will be set to release. Then I will begin work on "The Interstate," and start the process all over for freshman year. My sophomore project will be "On Death's Edge." Then, I'll probably take a break to focus on my junior and senior years of high school and work on my music career. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

FOOD!
I love food soooo much! In fact, I will be posting a recipe on here really soon! Possibly today! And I just noticed today is Thanksgiving, so have a happy one. I'm thankful for Church's Chicken. And no, I didn't get to eat it Tuesday. And I was really looking forward to it.

More music!
I've been looking everywhere possible for tracks for all my Fine Arts Festival stuff. Right now, I'm working on my Spanish vocal solo, "How Great Thou Art", Carrie Underwood's version. It's actually really easy--- It is the first song I've ever done in high key, but despite that the Spanish lyrics are quite simple to memorize. I am also looking for songs for my ASL solo, and am currently torn between "Desire" by Deas Vail and "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" by Relient K.

For my normal vocal solo, I am trying something else new. It's not in Spanish, and it's not in high key. BUT! For the first time ever, I am doing the music--- myself! I'm playing guitar along with my vocals! The song is "Something Beautiful" by NEEDTOBREATHE. This is gonna be interesting. It's pushing my range a lot, like on one part I have to go really low, and I'm not gonna take the easy way out and sing it the normal way--- I want people to hear how low my vocal range really is! I don't want people to hear the same baby that sang at Fun Arts in sixth grade. I don't want people to hear the same little kid that sang a song in low key and had to stop and catch her breath in the middle of a verse in seventh grade at the Fine Arts District Festival. I don't want people to hear the girl who had to sing soprano notes in "Excuses" every time the lead vocalist wasn't there before Nationals. I want them to hear the message the song has.

Also, if you want, go check out "Take My Hand" by The Cab. I had it on replay for around three hours last night and am still not tired of it! And check out "Go to the River" by Yael Naim. She's an indie folk artist, but trust me, you've heard a song or two by her (like this one that was on a lot of Apple commercials: "I'm a new soul...").

And, I'm working on a cover of "Lovers in Japan" by Coldplay. I've got the guitar chords down, all except for G. I don't think I'll post it on YouTube, but maybe. Besides, I don't wanna be one of those annoying commenters that say "I don't think anyone will see this but someone will see this..."

Good news!
My family is coming to my house this Thanksgiving! Yay! I can't wait for them to see my guitar and ferret calendar (don't ask...) and string bass/cello and autographed Deas Vail poster and random church pew... yeah. Excited.

So... see ya later.

*~~~ImagineThat~~~*
Hope!

These Are the Words That I HATE!

The words I hate:

1. Critique
2. Specify (ew! Specify!)
3. Graphs
4. Linear (like linear relationships)
5. Annotation
6. Evidence

Yeah. There are a few words that I really, really hate. And they are ALL school related. Yes, I said all. Give me a minute to explain.

Critique.
That word just scares me! My art teacher says that word all the time and she uses these hats for what part of the brain you should be using or something like that. Those hats scare me because I always forget what hat stands for what and it's juse one big mess. But anyway, that word "Critique". It sends shivers down my spine. I'm quite a critic, myself, though. Here's something that happened over the summer:

*In Phoenix, Nathan E. does a 'flip' into the deep end of the hotel's swimming pool--- the hotel that Relient K checked into the day after we left! Aw, the sad memory is coming back...*

HOPE: That was a really ugly front tuck, Nathan.
NATHAN: What was wrong with it?
HOPE: You didn't point your toes. AND, your body form was just plain sloppy. PLUS, you can't just flop your arms around, they have to hug your knees. (Is it obvious that I competed in gymnastics?)
*Nathan tries again.*
HOPE: That was great!
*He kinda smiled.*
HOPE: However, you forgot to point your toes.
*He frowned, but kinda laughed, too.*
NATHAN: YOU'RE A CRITIC!!! I'm not a gymnast, Hope! If it's so easy, you do it!
HOPE: No.
NATHAN: CRITIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I guess I'm a critic??? But anyways, the word critique just scares me. If you went to my school and were in my grade, you would know... you would just know.

Specify.
That word scares me because if I try to explain something my hardest, and you say I need to specify, that just stresses me out and it makes me so mad, because I'M TRYING MY HARDEST, PEOPLE! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!! THAT GOES FOR YOU, TOO, VICE-PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS AND MATH MAGICIANS AND SID THE SCIENCE KID (ever heard of him?)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Graphs.
Graphs can make a grown man cry. This I believe because it can make this young woman cry. And women endure more pain than men ever will for quite obvious reasons. Math kills me. I have noticed a pattern. I have a lot of friends who write novels and poems that hate math. You've seen some of my poems like "Yellow Sun" and "From the 105th Floor" on here. And now you know that I hate math and want nothing to do with it for the rest of my life. In college, I am taking the smallest amount of math possible to get my Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Communication and Creative Writing Master (and maybe I'll take some music courses at North Central University, since Drew's brother went there and had a good experience, I think I might go).

Back to that word. Graphs just make me pull my hair out. Ever wanted to cry, but couldn't because you knew you shouldn't and your eyes were too dry anyway? That's what graphs do to me!

Linear relationships, go on and kill me now.
I don't like linear relationships, because for the most part, they are graphs.

Annotation.
I don't believe in annotating. I just don't. It's stating the obvious when the thing is written right there. WASTE OF TIME, I TELL YA! WASTE OF TIME!

Evidence.
My U.S. History teacher is big on this one. "If you have claim, back it up with evidence," He says. And his wife is my Science teacher, so they both say that a lot. I can't, I just can't, back it up with evidence! I stutter, I can't think up a good word to say (not that I cuss or anything bad), and so evidence scares me. I once wanted to be a lawyer and now I know why that will never work for me.

Phoenix Days Are Held in a Photograph.

Over 300 pictures were taken in Phoenix, Arizona. I myself hardly took any, except for taking a load of pictures of the baby (at my first school orientation today, a girl said you can never take too many pictures of a baby) and I kinda regretted not taking a lot of pictures. Luckily, other people evidently took a lot of photos, and you know what that means? Blog time!

This is Baja Fresh. Lovely restaurant. Has gotten good reviews. Here's my honest review of the place: my burrito was a little dry, but that was partially my fault for not putting sauce on it. But, it was fresh! They also have 99 cent cups and you can get free refills FOREVER AND ALWAYS. Good place. Instead of saying something is fresh, I'm just gonna be like, "That's baja!"

This is the U.S. Airways Center. Basketball games are held there... yeah. When we were walking in the first day, we didn't know that bags had to be checked (it may have "airways" in its title, but it's not an airport), so Drew was walking in and this security guard pulled him back by the collar (creepy, I know. I may be exaggerating, but I don't think I am) and was like "Yo, all bags gotta be checked." Security guards? Still scary.

Okay, I don't what this was. From the left, Mark is holding a Baja Fresh cup (oh yeah!). Lauren is smiling. Now, Brian, Nathan, and Josh: WHAT WERE YOU LOOKING AT???? I'm confused. Drew's just being Drew. I look like I'm choking myself. Chris isn't even smiling. Mrs. Janette, the baby, and Pastor Corey look pretty normal. But this brings me to ask: Was this supposed to be a silly photo??? I'm lost.

What's reaching out without prayer???

This is me reading "The Harvest of Grace". Good book--- no lie! A little confusing, but good!

"I'm taking the chicken out your car!"

The view from Sky Harbor. I believe we were flying over Denver by this time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, that's all the Phoenix pictures--- at least for now. Special thanks to the people that took these photos--- none of these are my own originals. I have an idea of who might have taken them, though. So yeah, thanks to you guys because without your pictures, this post would not exist, and I'm serious. Thanks a lot.

Excuses!

Six months of the same old song means it's about time I've written the lyrics out--- online.

Excuses

Bring yourself and no one else,
You come alone or don't come at all.
This is your chance to believe in... something more than walls and ceilings.
Your saving face to be on Your way in!

Come on, come on!
Don't wait until the damage is done.
It's gone when it's gone!
Don't you wanna know what we could become?

On and on we run from life!

It's time we chase the smoke of our guns and we make this right.

Save yourself, now don't be scared,

I'll do my part and be right there.

I will probably come out running...

WITH EXPLODING BUILDINGS RIGHT BEHIND ME.

Come on, come on!

Don't wait until the damage is done.

It's gone when it's gone!

Don't you wanna know what we could become?

On and on we run and we run from life!

It's time we chase the smoke of our guns and we make this

RIGHT......!

Come on, come on!

Don't wait until the damage is done.

It's gone when it's gone,

Don't you wanna know what we could become?

Come on, COME ON!

Don't wait until the damage is done.

It's gone when it's gone,

Don't you wanna know what we could become?

On and on we run and we run from life.

It's time we chase the smoke of our guns

And we make

This

Right.

Phoenix 2011; My Diary: Long Live Our Band!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011. The most important day of the year--- well, close to it, sort of.

Normally, I would have been crazily nervous, but in my mind, I was like, "It's just another practice... with a catch". Not to mention, that "catch" was forty plus people as an audience. But that's nothing... I'm sure Relient K performs in front of thousands every week, so how hard could this be? I'm still mad that I didn't get to see Relient K... they checked into my hotel the day after I left! They betrayed me even though I'm sure they don't know I exist!

Anyway, back to the subject. We put a lot of practice into this.

We also put our blood, sweat, tears, and prayers (as you see above) into this. Not many people bled and/or cried, but we put that into it too.

BLOOD: ("If I was out for blood..." Ah, I love Farewell Flight) Chris and Brian had blisters that they covered with green medical tape. Were they bleeding? I have yet to find out. 

SWEAT: If there was anything put into this, it was definitely sweat. You may think, "All you guys did was play guitar, drum, and sing. Why were you sweating???" Well, let me answer that for you. Sometimes, it was a little hot in the room we practiced in. We started practicing in March, while heating was still on. Then, there was a lot of movement involved... sort of. The drummer (Brian) sweated the most, I think he'd even agree. Plus, this is Arizona we're talking about. Sweat is one thing to expect from there--- I moved to Ohio from the state, Utah, above it (I was four, but whatever), so I'm guessing I should know.

TEARS: Um, I think there were some tears put into it. Mainly tears from laughter, though. See, if the funniest kids on Earth are in a band with you (Josh and Mark), you're doomed to tears from laughter. I cry pretty much every time I laugh. I cried last night from laughter, actually.

PRAYER: We didn't always remember to pray before practices. BUT! When we did, it usually ended up being a great day (or night, depending on whether or not it was a Sunday practice).

See! I wasn't kidding when I said we put blood, sweat, tears, and prayer into it! One thing we didn't exactly put into it was stage presence, but next year, we'll remember that.

Phoenix 2011: Lessons From the District

Do's and Don't-s in the Fine Arts world.

1. When singing for the first time, do not pick a song with an extremely long instrumental. It will be awkward for you, even with good stage presence. I'm not saying you should pick an easy song, but I am saying that you need to pick one you're comfortable with.
2. From that note, here's another tip for singing, dancing, and/or playing an instrument (or anything that requires music): Do not pick a song that twenty other girls/guys will do, especially when it comes to singing--- actually, specifically referring to singing. "How Great Thou Art" is classic, yes, but not classy. I'll bet seventy other kids (and that's only at District!) will do it, but only a few will be remembered. If you want to pick a song that everyone else will do, you should have massive skills and a lot of experience so that you will stand out. Same with instruments. If you're gonna do a commonly played song, add some extra stuff to it so that people are like, "Is that... Oh my gosh, it is!" when they discover that you're playing one of their favorite songs. I think you would agree: "Amazing Grace" is a little overplayed and could use some switching up.
3. Do not eat ice cream before singing if you have articulation problems.
4. Do not name a drama after the Fine Arts/Speed The Light theme. Big no-no.
5. Do make time to tell kids from your church that they did great!
6. Do remember to pray before practices--- it can make all the difference. That was something our band struggled with, but whenever we did remember to pray over our practices, it always ended up being a great practice. If we had only remembered to pray at every practice...
7. Do talk to someone if you have certain insecurities that are keeping you from joining a group and/or trying a new category. If you tell someone what's holding you back, you'll feel a burden lift off your shoulders and it just might reassure you that it couldn't be all that bad to give it a try.
8. Do be a leader. If something's wrong, let the actual leader know so that the group doesn't have to all suffer. In band, the day we performed at Nationals, the kids all forgot to print lyrics which are essential for the competition and can take off three points from your score if you don't have them. So, here's what I say: If you want something done, you have to do it yourself. I knew that that would probably happen, and even before then, no one was acting like they were gonna print out the lyrics, so I did it myself. That can make the difference between Nationals and "better luck next year".
9. Do have fun! Enjoy the ride! If you're ever in a situation when you get to ride on a plane with some of your friends, be sure to bring stuff that will make the trip fun, even if that means a game of cards. And also, have fun while you're there! One of your top goals is to get to know these people you're traveling with--- you just might have the time of your life.
10. Do not use NFAF week to land your crush! Now, if you're falling in love with your human video stunt partner, don't act on your crush until you've returned home! You only have a week to spend all this time with them, which is like heaven if you think about it... practically living in the same building as your crush for an entire week. But, use the week to get to know your crush, not to propose. You'll never know... you might discover that they make a better friend than boyfriend/girlfriend or you just might love them more.
11. Do not doubt yourself! Anything is possible with God! Our band's first practice was terrible, and I thought Nationals was nowhere in reach. But then I realized, guitars are not easy to tune. Drums are not easy to keep a steady beat with--- it's a lot of multitasking, as I am currently trying to figure out the drums. Bass guitar is a lot more than just strumming four strings... it's just like a guitar with frets and everything (my daddy's bass is fretless because he's very talented in that area--- Beat that!), only it's strummed very differently and the strings don't break as easily. Piano is an instrument that you're lucky if you can correctly place your fingers on the keys. Harmonies take a lot of thought to create--- I should know! But then, within four practices we had kicked it in high gear! And then came my favorite part--- the callback that lead to Nationals.
12. Do not get upset because you got one too many negative comments from the judges on your performance. Think about it like this: If you listen to what they're saying, you have an even better chance at going to Nationals next year because you'll have experience and you'll know what the judges want from you!
13. Do let yourself be inspired by other performances! Start by watching random performances with your spare time. It might get you interested in trying that. I've done that, and it's inspired me to try an ASL category (okay, maybe "Switched at Birth" inspired that one), a possible Spanish vocal solo although I can't speak Spanish, and storytelling.
14. Do remember what Fine Arts is all about! It's not about the college scholarship. It's not about being the best Christian Band in Fine Arts history (we're looking at YOU, Sherman Mountain Boys). Not about a killer human video that looks like a cheerleading routine. It's about finding your gift. It's about developing your talents. It's about reaching out. It's about God. Remember that.

You Missed Me???

I'm BAAAAAACCCCKKK! Oh, so many good memories from Phoenix 2011. The Big Monkey Man (I'll explain that later), Tracey the Tree (that one will need some serious explaining later), performing, and swimming... good memories that just can't fit in one blog post. They just can't.

It's crazy. I woke up this morning in Phoenix, Arizona. I ate lunch in Denver, Colorado. Right now I am blogging from Dayton, Ohio. Some crazy stuff.

I didn't blog all week because:

1. I desperately needed a break
2. I was too busy having fun with the acquaintances whom I now call my friends
3. Wi-Fi wasn't working the first day
4. Time change was really messing me up...
5. Performing and attending service.

See! Those are all legitimate reasons! Here's some sad stuff, though.

Relient K. My hotel. The day after I leave.

Who loves Relient K? This girl! Well, this fan of the band found out that they walked the same halls that their favorite musicians are about to walk. Josh was wearing a Relient K shirt and well, Nathan saw some hotel lady and she was like, "Were you wearing a Relient K shirt?" and he was like, "No, that was my brother" and she was like, "Well, those guys are coming [to San Carlos hotel] after the Warped Tour for a little after-party on Sunday." 

So, Nathan told me about this. "You know, the Relient K guys are staying in OUR hotel---" (I gasped...) "On Sunday." (...I sighed.) Problem with that? We left the hotel today. No Matt Thiessen for this girl *whimpers*.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

Some airport guy called me "sir" today. I may have really short hair, but I'm pretty sure I look like a girl.

Waiting for a train....

You know I love my "Inception"! Well, downtown Phoenix has a lot of urban trains (kinda like subways, but above the ground) that are always going. Every time one passed, I was like, "You're waiting for a train. You know where you hope it will take you. But you can never be for sure..." Trains passed so often, the last time I said it, it was, "You're waiting for a train. You know---"

"HOPE!" People cut me off before I could finish. Told ya, I get annoying after a while.

"The History kids are coming, they're coming down the street..."

The History kids song. Brings back amazing memories. Well, it's always been an inside-the-History-club thing, but when I took my seat on the plane next to Nathan (who was not in the club), I heard him start singing:

"The History kids are coming. They're coming down the street. There's Robbie, Mark, and Jonathan and Hope and Hannah and Maria and Caitlin and Faith".

I was just like, how does he know that song??? Turns out, Mark was singing it on the escalator and that's how Nathan knew it.

The National Fine Arts Festival Diaries.

Want more? Can't get enough of Phoenix 2011? I'll spill two things:

1. Fine Arts (Nationals) will be held in Louisville, Kentucky next year. Come on... why not Honolulu???
2. Next year's STL/FAF theme will be "Relentless".

Still need more? Don't worry, more is coming--- more is coming, and you will hear everything from a day-to-day basis--- exactly what happened on each particular day (including a Matthew West performance). You'll just have to wait and see.

I already miss Phoenix. I spilled lemonade on my pants back in Ohio today and was thinking, "If only I were still in Phoenix, my pants would have already been dry within three minutes". I was at a county fair and passed something that smelled just like San Carlos, the hotel I was in. Then, me and Drew were watching the Disney Channel on the plane today and some kid was standing in front of the U.S. Airways Center--- where our Fine Arts ceremonies and services were held! Then I unpacked my bag today. Looked at some photographs. I couldn't help thinking about the festival and couldn't deny the feeling: I miss Phoenix already, and I haven't even been home for twelve hours. Arizona, I will come back for you!

Last but not least...

Never forget "Excuses".

This song makes me sad now. Not because our band didn't get called back (oops, wasn't supposed to tell you until I posted the diaries), but because it's over. No more Sunday band practices. It makes me sad because of how it united six teenagers plus one twelve-year-old (me) to become a band and maybe even great friends.

It makes me sad because all those memories are no longer being lived.

They're now locked away in a suitcase, ready to be unveiled when the time comes to hopefully ignite a spark, bring back a laugh.

I greatly enjoyed going to band practice every week (no matter how bad practice was). Even if I had the most terrible week, something about band practice lifted my spirits and I never missed a practice, never left one without a smile on my face or joy in my eyes (or tiredness). I could just go to band practice and all the emotions that were holding me back from being my happiest were gone.

Music unites people in a special way. That's why it's wonderful how we can worship God with music. How we can use something we've all grown to love for Him. The FAF band practices are over. But we can continue to use our gifts way past Fine Arts. There's a worship team and so much more.

Everyone has a gift.

Everyone has to ability to DISCOVER, and the determination to DEVELOP. But do you have the courage to DEPLOY?

We're Ready to Respond!

This week is Fine Arts week.

There was a showcase in Sunday Morning service, and my stage presence? Getting better! Now, all that is required is a smile.

The band had to do a worship song, "Sing to the King", in service. At first I was like, "Oh, not that song" because it happened to be my absolute least favorite worship song. And I mean least. At the bottom. I could sing a dozen hymns instead of that song. You see, it's one of those stand-there-and-clap songs. But now, it's actually one of my favorites! It's no longer at the bottom of the food chain!

I want to say that I am proud of every Fine Arts student, even the ones not going to Phoenix. And to "my boys" (there's another girl in the band, but you know what I mean): Can you believe we made it this far? We started practicing in March and I remember our first practice at the back of my mind, which I'll admit was horrible. But after the second practice, we all caught on and kicked into high gear! And now we're going to Nationals! I remember talking to one of you back in May about Nationals, but it just seemed like a distant city and a far-off holiday (er, competition). But it's really happening. This is a huge once-in-a-lifetime (or if you're lucky, six times in a lifetime) chance. Music ministry is a calling I've always been fascinated with. I'm ready to respond, but are YOU?

This. Is. War.

Fine Arts Festival. This Monday.

Before I start, I have to tell you about yesterday's (unexpected) showcase.

In Youth, the worship team starts the service. That's just the way it is. Well, last night, I sat in the foyer thingy on the couch, and Josh (you know who I'm talking about) said that we were performing tonight. First he said I was leading, but luckily that wasn't true.

I freaked out mentally when I heard that, because I thought he was talking about the worship team, and well, you know why I'm not on the worship team. So I was like, "what? No, you have got to be kidding". But he wasn't kidding, and luckily, he was talking about the FAF band, not the worship team. Huge sigh of relief.

But once again, the week is almost over and the only day I practiced on was Sunday, which doesn't even count because EVERYONE practiced on Sunday. So I was not expecting a showcase, let alone prepared for one. Let me tell you one thing:

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS.

First of all, my facial expression onstage was awful... I'd describe my facial expression as no smile, no eye contact, and stoic. Marvin (some kid I know) said I was too quiet, and I'm working on that. Then, back to the whole "pay attention" thing.

You see, I was standing right by a guitar when I sang and you're supposed to move around when you're in a band, you know? Well, I moved around (but only a little bit... disappointing, I know) and kinda, um, brushed against the guitar and tripped over the chord that leads to its microphone. The microphone is this thing that is put on top of the sound hole, and I made it move a little.

I felt SO bad about it throughout the whole service and I was gonna write an "I'm sorry" blog post about it. Why? Well, you see, that guitar had to be used for the worship team. And Nathan (kid that told me about the best band in the world, Deas Vail) spent like, two or five minutes fixing it behind the stage, so I felt really bad. When I finally said something about it, he said it wasn't a big deal, but still. I felt bad about messing up the guitar thing.

So yeah. Here's the REAL business: This is the last you'll be hearing from me for a few days. I'll be in town, yes, and even when I'm in Phoenix I will be sure to post on here, but I really need to practice and that's something I haven't really been doing lately. I have band practice tonight and tomorrow night, but in between I really have to practice.

And I have already started packing because I don't want to forget ANYTHING, plus I've been spending most of my days on the computer and I just need to sit back, finish all my books, get done with "Unspoken" part two so I can use a newer notebook, and sometimes, I just need some time to chow down on a pigload of food. 

So, I should be seeing you on Monday.