Cramming for 2011

So the world’s going to end. Booyah. Apparently I have until December, though, which should give me enough time to complete my goals/resolutions.

Before I give away the new, exciting developments for 2012, I have to mention the tail end of 2011.

Thursday, I had a brilliant, hare-brained idea.

(Do you know why it’s called a hare-brained idea? I do. Let me tell you about it. Picture a small, sniveling hare. His nose is so twitchy, and his eyes are big and bright and stupid. He’s so fluffy. He’s so fluffy and cute he can’t even think straight. What thoughts do you think are going through his head? That’s right. NO THOUGHTS. Bunnies don’t know the first thing about event coordination or finances or networking. They just chew and go “meeeeeeeeehhhhI’m happy,” in their minds. That’s what my brain does.)

Obviously, my sister and I should drive up to Wisconsin to see some people. Duh. What else would we do? And you know what, we have to leave tomorrow. And we’re going to go to a BALL. So get some dresses, rearrange your music major audition for the THIRD TIME, and get in the car.

That’s right. On Friday, I had my audition for getting into the music program at AlmaMater, damaged my hopes, packed up and left for Wisconsin.

(I shake like a leaf when performing. It’s so bad that often I can’t stand because my knees are shaking so violently. Also, my bow skeeters across the strings, defying steady strokes. “…Were you fighting your bow?” the man asked after I had finished. …No, sir. I was fighting Fear itself. And losing quite sorely. WHAT OF IT.I will write of my apprehensions in a later post.)

Wisconsin is lovely. I’ve always enjoyed people from Wisconsin and Minnesota (something in the water?), and this trip only solidified my love for the cheesy areas of the U.S.Sister Squishy and I left behind the dust and grime of the city, and set our sights through the sleeting rain to the wondrous land up north. Oh, and did I mention it was a Regency Ball? Think Jane Austen. Think happy. Think beauteous. Think dance cards.It was a thoroughly enjoyable ball.

We seesters had a grand ol’ time of it all. We’ve begun compiling a list of eligible young bachelors to bring to the next Regency Ball.

I suppose I should add a note regarding the usual New Year’s Resolutions.

I also suppose the first will be: Resolved: To spend more time with wonderful people.

2. To journal steadily, and in one notebook! I can’t tell you how many cute, practical and fantastic journals I get from people. I fill the first third with halfway amusing thoughts, and then lose steam, casting them off to lay in piles, sad and lonely. And totally unusable! You can’t use the rest of them for school, for what if someone asks to see your notes?

“Hey, Hattie, sorry, I was sick yesterday. Do you mind if I peek at your notes?” says handsome classmate.

Hattie slowly pulls her notebook up to her chest. “No. You can’t.” Her wide eyes watch him accusingly.

“…Um… are you ok?”

“Why? What did you see? You saw something, didn’t you!”

It would just go downhill.

3. To practice the spiritual discipline of intentional solitude. And no, Mother, I don’t mean that at 10pm I will brush and floss my teeth, put on my pajamas, and lie down for a bit of solitude with the Lord and the lights off, with quiet music playing in the background. I mean I will remember and spend time with my Best Friend. :) Yayyyy. I did quite a bit of that for the first month of England, albeit it was often instigated by an onset of insecurity whenever I tried to eat in the dining hall. I also had such beautiful places to run away to at Capernwray: ruins, woodlands, castle towers, and sheep herds. In Chicago it will be… a bit different. But God will still be Himself, thank goodness for that.

I wouldn’t mind all dying this year. Then we can go party forever, and I won’t have to experience homesickness or nostalgia. Darn emotions.