ways to know that summer has begun

#1. Get your first sunburn. All over your face and in an awkward line on your neck because chef coats are not conducive to properly tanning. What makes this even better? Of course I had to burn the day before a trip to Seven Peaks with Alexis Bosco--a venture on which I could get a perfectly normal swimsuit line...dang it. I wish my skin would tan normally.

#2. Watch the Scripp's National Spelling Bee on ESPN. Then start wondering why your parents didn't force you to be such an intelligent geek--then thank your parents. Like poor Victoria, whose mom moved her across town so that she could continue to participate in the national spelling bee. Awesome. I'm jealous. Good news, I've decided on a future profession. I want to be the guy who reads the words for the contestants to spell. I just hope I can keep a straight face.

#3. Helping with a barbecue and salsa contest. (see sunburn...)

#4. Hike the Y. Wondering the whole way up why you're hiking the Y, especially since you hate hiking. Oh well, still worth it, and very fun.

First week in a nutshell. Seven Peaks today. Here's hoping for a normal tan--oh, and I leave for Europe so soon! Be jealous.

Also, you should probably be jealous that you don't burn like this...

Memorial Day

Why do I love Memorial Day?
I love America.
I love war movies, dramas, and stories.
I love war heroes weekend on AMC.
I love my family.
I love BBQ's. (first hamburgers of the season)
I love Charlotte buying a new car after she murdered my van (if anyone has a spare engine, let me know)
But mostly, I just love summer, and Memorial Day is the start of summer (even when it's pouring rain and freezing cold)

I found my video from our fifth grade Patriotic Pageant. I'm not posting it though--don't even ask.

God Bless America and whatnot.

i learn!

So I love this song. So much. It is beautiful. The only thing that makes it better is that it also makes me feel intellectual. As a child, I was required to watch educational videos every summer. I went through stages, the longest stage was definitely King Arthur. Honestly, I probably know more about Arthurian legend than any other teenage girl in the country. Because how could I not be? The story is beautiful, as is the language, the heartbreak--the works. My personal favorite is the Lady of Shalott. A somewhat insignificant part which also happens to be the most beautifully heartbreaking story of all time.
Imagine how thrilled I was to learn that a beautiful song like this one, shares this beautiful story for a video... For complete appreciation, here is the Tennyson poem...

And the J. Williams Waterhouse painting...

Go, appreciate.

Also, since we're sharing beauty, I went to the A.D. and Friends concert at Muse last night. Admittedly, I left before A.D. played, but I thought all the bands did a really great job. A very appropriate beginning of summer concert. Camel in the Headlights was especially good, although I am partial since I'm their manager of sorts... anyways, like them on facebook, they're preetty talented and they write their own stuff (gotta love that)

promenade

As promised, a partial at the very least Prom Blog. I had so. much. fun. Our group was super, I had the best time with my bestie J oh, and my date was pretty sharp also. Picnic in the canyon/ time spent making fun of Caroline's lack of foot-eye coordination is always time well spent.
Then the Provo Beach Resort which I'd never visited but now hope to frequent. It's such a cute little idea, oh and Kyle and I are pretty much profesh at Wheel of Fortune.
Then rushing through the rain to get my hair done. I loved sitting next to Tressa at the salon, she thought I was crazy, and I was--but I had a vision! And the saint who fixed my hair matched it, in fact, my hair was the greatest in the world...
Then Pizza Factory for dinner, what a smart choice boys, gotta love Pizza for Prom. And, you gotta love the charming little girls that thought we were princesses. Loved this girl who told J she looked like Tiana. Jess: "Is it because she's the only one who isn't white?"
And the dance. Who could forget the dance? Everyone looked pretty stellar, and it was definitely fun!
Good night...

classic struggling boutonniere shot

Happy Summer Harry

It's finally setting in... finally. I don't have to go to school until August 22. (well, i do have summer school but that doesn't really count). What matters is the incandescent happiness I get from summertime. I never wish for winter. Never. If it was always June I couldn't be happier. AND I have lots to look forward to this summer.

1. Atonement. Reading the book, watching the film, becoming cultured. It's a big project and I am very excited.
2. Going to the Carolina Coast (hopefully!). Even though London is my favorite place in the world and Provo is home, N.C. is heaven. Possibly literally. At any rate, I have big plans for this year; I will run to the lighthouse (hopefully), eat my weight in Calabash seafood, read beautiful summery literature, write poetry like a true romantic, take photographs I will later convince myself are lovely, and soak up the hot wet heat. I'm even holding a Nicholas Sparks marathon event (Since I'm sure you're reading this Les, you are guest number one).
3. I'm going to organize my life so that I will be the world's greatest student come fall.
4. The movie list shall be resurrected.
5. Heavenly literature will be read whenever possible.
6. All possible Twilight Concert Series concerts will be attended.
7. The Pass of All Passes will be good and used.
8. Delectable food will be both prepared and eaten.
9. Pasty white skin will get a tan-like glow.
10. Dancing in the rain will happen.
11. Popsicles will be eaten.
12. Childhood will be revisited.
13. Oh, and Europa will be conquered. By me obv. London, Paris, Madrid, Seville, Granada, Costa del Sol, Morocco, Lisbon. Towns, prepare to be painted. What could possibly make this trip even better? Going on an Art History trip, clearly I will explore the great museums--National Gallery, Louvre, Orsay, Prado whilst feeling glamorous. Think Roman Holiday. Minus the Gregory Peck business. Still, nothing could be finer.

Essentially, I have BIG plans this summer. The biggest. Like celestial sized, and it WILL be the greatest summer of my life. How could it not be? For heaven's sakes, I AM ALIVE and I feel so full of life, almost like I can't be fenced in...

So far this summer has already been celebrated and that thought makes me really happy. I have failed to get much sleep, but honestly sleep feels super overrated. Next years Student Government has thoroughly bonded at our retreat and at our own All-Night Party. Paige and I visited J. Dawgs. And I realized that I am marrying Hugo from Bye Bye Birdie. Scratch that, I am moving to Bye Bye Birdie. How fabulous would that be?


Before I get too nostalgic allow me to share some stock photos which will get anyone in the mood...






Also... PROM blog FINALLY on the way

layering our flavors...

I.O.U. a real post. But, in the meantime, enjoy the eyebrow dynamics of Miss Caroline Macfarlane...

Arnie

I've been wondering lately why I don't post more often. Then I realized that in the spirit of flipping everything to make myself a better person I should ask why I post as frequently as I do. I certainly don't have to. In fact, my thoughts to the world are a gift. Therefore, I am an extremely generous person for writing this post. If only the world really worked that way. I probably should have posted already because I have BIG news.

WE WON STATE!

Probably the most exciting thing I've ever done. The sad thing is that that's not actually an exaggeration.

I didn't realize that ProStart is actually a pretty big deal, and being able to say that I am going to compete in a national cooking competition is dang sweet. So I'll say it, I'm going to compete in a national cooking competition. It's very frustrating to spend hours a day to make it perfect, but I know it will pay off, and I'm very excited for that to happen. So, in the spirit of the PHS Culinary Competition team

FIREWORKS!