ESOAL 2009 really late ESOAL..

At long last I am posting my ESOAL blog.. it's been like 2 months.. But I finally have gotten around to it.. So here you are..

Pure Joy, Excitement, Peace, Accomplishment, Love, Freedom, and Laughter.. These are the things that pass through not only my body but my mind when I hear these words from General Hasz, "...It's going to ring one more time, I can assure you. Because 292 is going to walk over and ring this class out of ESOAL. And you are secured." As soon as I heard those last words my eyes filled with tears of joy for not only being able to make it through four of the hardest days I've ever been through in my entire life, but also when I looked around at my company, Oregon company, I was so proud of what we did together. What we accomplished together.

Some of you might be wondering what I'm talking about. And asking what in the world ESOAL is. So I'll tell you, not everything, because if you really want to truly experience ESOAL, you need to experience for yourself and me telling you will not even begin to tell you how amazing the past week has been for me. Also if I try to explain it will just make the HA sound like a cult, which it totally is NOT. Anyways, where to begin.. We started on Wednesday night at 8:30. Well, actually we really didn't "officially" start ESOAL, That was just the warm-up stage. During the warm up stage we we stayed up all night learning how to march, exercise, and get scared out of our minds trying to figure out what we'd gotten ourselves into, that in itself lasted for 6 hours. We then were congragated to the anvil and that’s where Mr. Hasz said that ESOAL had officially started, after that he told us to go to sleep.

That simple request might sound easy, but imagine this: you have been excercising and marching for the past 6 hours. You are tired AND wet and in need of some clean clothes, but we have to sleep. Where? Let me tell you where, our company goes to the dryest spot we can find and huddle together. Girls with the girls, guys with the guys. And we fall asleep, but not of course, without the ocassional rain fall and the loud rustle of trash bags as you try to get comfortable on the concrete floor. That’s where it all began.

The next 4 days is all a blur. I remember them and what we did I just don’t know in what order we did it all. During ESOAL they don’t want the participants to know what time it is and what day or anything, so when they serve breakfast or lunch they’ll try to mix you up and say their serving dinner or something. It was raining the first 2 days of ESOAL so we couldn’t even see the sun or the sky and it all kind of melted together. This entry might be a little meshed and jumbled because this is the first time that I’ve actually thought back and really thought hard about everything that we did.

Okay, I give up. I’m not even going to try to thing about the order we did things in. I’ll just give you the basic rundown of some of the things we did. Not everything because for some reason everyone is really secretive at the HA. But anyway. We did some obstacle courses, sniper training, sleep/no sleep, marching, rolling down hills.. Oh the things that we did, what a joy it was. The whole while we were being facitlitated and being pushed and stretched. It may sound like I didn’t like it, but I really did. It was just so tiring and I was always exhausted by the end of each day and there was no relief to it becuase you couldn’t go back to your dorm room and sleep and put on pajamas. Nope, you had to go to the cold, wet football field and get into a trash bag and then your sleeping bag that’s gained about 10 pounds because it’s been absorbing all the water that’s on the ground and you’re also in your clothes that you’ve been wearing for the last 4 days.

In ESOAL there is no showers, deoterent, comfort zones, or free time. ESOAL itself is a race against the clock. When you have to go to the bathroom you better be prepared to run to the port-a-potty and be back in line in like minutes or before the next evolution happens. When you sleep don’t even think about that 6 inch bubble called your comfort space, because that doesn’t exsist when you’re trying to stay warm at night when it’s raining and is 60 degrees. And detorent and showers don’t matter because once you put on deoterent it’ll just wash off when they make you jump in the pond or do the old obstacle course or rub mud all over your body, so not o1-inch of skin is showing.

Another note to remember it’s okay to cry and throw up.. If you have to do it, don’t hold it in. Just let it out. After the 2nd meal, which was rice (i won’t even try to describe all the things that was wrong with that rice, I’ll just say that I will never eat rice or look at rice the same way EVER again) I had to roll down the hill and then I had to do it a second time, and that’s when it hit. The smells of myself and the rice and the never ending spinning down the hill, need I say more..? Yah. That meal wasn’t ever going to see my stomach again. But it’s all good.

Let me make myself very clear, you may be reading this and think this sounds easy. IT’S NOT. I’m not even going to try to kid myself into thinking that this was easy. I used to hear my sister and brother tell stories about doing obstacle courses and rolling in the mud and I used to think I want to do that. Honestly, the only reason why I would have wanted to go to the HA is to do ESOAL. But once I got here and actually did it I realize that they left out the whole lot about how hard ESOAL truly is. But that didn’t matter because I finished it and it totally changed my life, I know now that I can do anything! It still is weird to think that ESOAL is over and that I finished it and that it actually happened..

So that’s that.. It took me a really long just to finish this, don’t know why, but it just did. So now that it’s over I will move on, but never forget it EVER..!

A Piece of the Artist.. A look into the mind of Anna.. Hoorah..

A Piece of the Artist..

By Anna Crowley

The world didn’t stop spinning..

I tried to get off this ride called life..

But it just threw me back on the ground..

I think that if I have one more day of this..

I could burst into a million sparklers..

I look up in the sky and I see it going no where..

I wonder if this is how it feels when you hit a wall..

When nothing else matters, but you..

Why did I even try to defeat this feeling..

The only reason I keep on going to because of the heart..

I sat under a tree and watched the fat lady pass by..

I thought that it didn’t end ‘til she finished singing..

I guess I was wrong..

What am I doing here, definitely not here for the scenery..

I think I should just take that journey to the waterfall..

Why did I even have to make sense..

It’s not like anyone really even cares that life is off..

I could drop off the spectrum and it wouldn’t matter..

But then again there is always..

That light at the end of the tunnel..

You want to know something..

I’m going to keep dancing ‘til the last dance..

Doesn’t matter what you say or think..

You can’t stop something that doesn’t want to..

You should just pass on, nothing to see here..

(This poem really doesn't mean anything in particular.. I just wanted to write a poem and I put the first random things that popped into my mind.. So don't insinuate anything from it.. Okay..)

My Day is SO Epic..

You know how there are just those certain songs that you just have to listen to over and over and over and over again.. Well I've found mine for the day.. And I can't help but smile when I listen to it.. I can't tell you what the song is because I'm just a pooper like that.. But I just would love to say that the firefly that's in the car is totally lighting up the whole place.. Yeah.. So getting on with the day that I have..

So I had a late night at the office.. I had my first all nighter at CCM.. Let me tell you something.. I feel awesome.. I should try this no sleeping thing more often.. I got off at 8 a.m. today and I didn't have to come in until 3 p.m.. I couldn't just go back to my dorm.. What kind of person would I be if as soon as I got off work or let's say a party, I went to bed.. I'll tell you what kind of person I would be, I'd be a square.. a.k.a a complete bore of a person that has no life.. So what do I do you may ask.......

Well, first I went and got myself some food.. All I'd eaten that night was a bag of peach O's and a cookie.. and some sweet tea.. Oh and some cracker thing mix.. Anyway.. So after I get some food in me I decide to go back to this cemetery that I had gone to a couple days ago but I couldn't take any decent pictures because I lost all my light.. So I went to the cemetery and some good pictures.. But then these creepy garbage men came to the parking lot of the church that has the cemetery and they were smoking up a storm.. So I called my mom and started talking to her and left..

I then went to Walmart and got some headphones and then I went to Rockwells.. I caught up on some of my tv shows.. Glee and Grey's Anatomy.. I was trying to hold back the tears as I watched Grey's Anatomy.. But I did it.. It's was good.. I was there all day, so when 1:30 rolled around I thought I should go back to campus and take a nap..

I didn't want to go sleep in my dorm because then I would get all comfortable and then never want to wake up.. So I decided to park kind of in the back, far away, from CCM and sleepthere til 3.. So I did.. I put on the soundtrack from Sabrina (the newer version) and I went to sleep.. I set my alarm for 3.. Yeah.. When 3 finally rolled around and my alarm went off, I was having a dream that my sister was in and when the alarm went off I was like, "Hold on." and then I woke up and turned off my alarm.. But I realized that I had said, hold on, out loud.. Yup..

Speaking of dreams.. Random fact.. Since I've been here I don't really have dreams anymore, my nights are just full of blackness.. But when I was sleeping in my car I had a dream..! I must feel more at home in my car or something.. I don't know.. It's crazy.. Maybe once I put up my little cave around my I'll have dreams.. I'll let you know.. I'm going to try getting those up this weekend..

Speaking of hallucinations.. I learned how to create hallucinations without taking drugs.. I might try it out.. But I really can't tell you how to do it, because you people might kill yourself in the process.. Oh yeah.. It's that dangerous.. Don't touch this..

Speaking of being sick.. I'm kind of sick.. It's such a drag.. I've got that nasty throat stuff in my throat and I keep on coughing.. And it is just no fun.. Why do we have to get sick..?! Hmmm.. Please do tell.. My roommate just told me not to push myself when I'm sick and that I should rest.. It looks like I can't go anywhere today.. Hmmm.. If I was a normal person that would sound really tempting just laying in bed all day.. But I'm not normal so when I hear, "You should rest." I just don't want to..! Now that I'm here in Texas, it seems like I always want to be by myself.. I never realized it at home, but I'm a very.. Be by myself kind of person.. I never thought I was but I am.. I would rather be with a small gathering of friends or totally by myself instead of be with a huge bunch of people.. Yup..

So today was good.. And after work we went to the subhouse and watched, The Brothers Bloom.. with a lot of CCMer friends.. and let me tell you something, that movie is amazing.. Probably one of the best movies I've seen in a while.. it had everything.. action, comedy, drama, suspense, mystery.. ha ha.. It was a wonderful movie.. Yup.. So this is where I depart and get on with my life.. Hopefully you all have a wonderful day.. And don't get to carried away with you're craziness..

"Insane people are always sure that they are fine. It is only the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy."

-Nora Ephron

So.. I'm sitting at my desk right now.. And I'm just sitting here.. Wondering what my future or life has in store for me.. I don't even know what I'm going to do once I get out of this bubble of Teen Mania.. I was stuck in the bubble of high school and now I've just moved up a little to the new bubble of internships.. But what about after..? Will I actually fulfill my life long dream of being a pastry chef or a a stunt car driver.. Or will I ever do the things that I want to do..? Like live in England and open a coffee shop, take a road trip across the U.S., or maybe do something as crazy as sing at a jazz club.. But then I stopped those thoughts right where they were and thought.. If I only dream about what I want to do than how are these things ever going to happen..?

So right now.. I have decided that I will do all these things that I listed off.. No matter how hard they are for me.. And no matter if I fail at it all.. At least I'm going to try.. I want to look back on my life and say.. That was a good life..

Man, I'm always going off on these schpeels about my hopes and dreams.. But where else am I supposed to do it.. It's not like everyone will understand that I want to do so much with my life and I know that the only way that I'm actually going to happen is by me taking my words into actions.. Yah yah.. I must depart for now.. But life is moving and for right now I'm standing still..

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."

-Walter Winchell

Anna

Don't You Love It..?

Oh my goodness.. This post has nothing to do about Texas or anything.. Just my thoughts..

Don't you love it when you listen to a song and you get so into it that when the singer hits that high note, the climax of the song, you just get the chills..

Don't you love the smell of the world when it just stops raining and the air is so clear and you just look around you and are like, "man it smells good."

Don't you love it when you are walking in the woods and you're just by yourself and you feel like you could be anywhere.. Or in anytime..?

Don't you love watching old movies? You know that in the end the guy will ALWAYS end up with the girl, but until that happens every step to her is like a cliff hanger.

Don't you love being able to lay in the grass, with your headphones in and listen to music.. But not just any music, you have to listen to instrumental.. Classical is probably the best.

Don't you love being in a crowd and being the only one that feels sure of themselves..? And not even caring if you do something stupid, because in the end it doesn't matter what they think.

Don't you love when you are with your family and you can act as crazy as you can and they don't care, because they can just say, "Wow, that's so Anna."

Don't you love being so in awe of something that words can't even describe how you feel..

Don't you love it when it's freezing outside, but you know that if you wear a million layers and have a cup of tea you'll be perfectly content going outside..

Don't you love pulling the comfy chair right in front of the fire and curl up with a really good book and some hot drink and just be happy to be there, in that moment.

Don't you love having a marathon, movie marathon that is. You can't even feel bad for watching like hours of movies because you're having a marathon.. And Duh! Everyone knows that's a good excuse..

Don't you love when you have that one person that you can just vent to.. Even when you're totally fed up with someone or something, you know that one person will always be there to listen..

Don't you love it when you're talking to someone and you don't even have to think of the next thing you guys are going to talk about, because conversation just goes so smoothly you don't need to think about..

Don't you love it when you don't have to care what you look like or dress like because no one that you're with cares about what you look like, they just like you as you are..

Don't you love music? When I listen to Ella Fitzgerald or Tony Bennett, sometimes I can just imagine what it was like to be there when they were singing it live.

Man.. I love.. Loving things.. I'll think up of some more things that I love and post some more.. But right now I just want to enjoy my bliss with life..

"Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back."

Signing off,

Anna

-Arthur Rubinstein

Saturday and Sunday.. August 22 and 23, 2009

Saturday,

It was a good day today. I got up, later than usual because we had no corporate! and ate breakfast, had a quiet time and did worship (I think it’s all a blur to me now). At CCM we had our 3rd workshop, I was in the Camera workshop, we learned how to set up a like interview set and then we learned where to set the lights and where to set the camera. Then we did interviews, I was the first one to get interviewed, just talked about what led up to me being here at CCM and all that. Then we rotated and someone else was being interviewed and I was manning the camera and the audio headsets, then I held the boom mic too.

After we did the interview excercise we did a group project where we had a basic story, girl and guy. Guy proposes, girl rejects him. And then we thought up what should go in between. We filmed at the “Ward” house, which is graduate interns housing. It was really fun. ha ha.

I went to lunch sometime between the interviews and the story scene, I had a burrito and chips. After we did the filming we had free time until lights out. (We didn’t have to go to Honor Academy session.) So I went to my room to get my lap top and Danielle, Senia, and I went down to dinner. Once dinner was over Senia and I went to Mercy Ships to meet up with Jessica (My core advisor) and we stayed there talking and drinking coffee until closing time. Got back to the dorm and no one was there except Senia and me so I cleaned up the room, moved the table over to the corner and Senia swept and now it looks awesome and full of room. Then I went to bed. Going to church with Aspen and Shannon tomorrow, gonna go try out a church. Don’t have to wake up until 9! wow!! Also having core day tomorrow!

Sunday,

Well, I didn’t know it was so hard to wake up at nine! I kept on waking up earlier. Impossible, right? The first time I woke up I was like oh it for sure has to be almost 9, it was only 6:30! I had to go to the bathroom really bad to I had to get all the way down from my bunk bed and use the facilities. After that I woke up at like 7:30 and then 8:30. But once I woke up at 8, I took a shower and got dressed. It was only like 8:47 but then so now I am just on my laptop typing ot what I did for this glorious blog. I’ll tell you what i did for core day and I’ll post pictures of our core. Becuase we’re taking core pictures today. Yeah!

This week has been the longest week of MY LIFE!! I’m serious I can’t even believe that I’ve only been here for a week. It seems like I’ve been here for like a month! Insane.

Sunday Later,

Well I went to Harvest Church International. It was okay. I don’t think that’s the church that wants me to be at, but it was a good first church to go to. After church we went to Taco Bell and it was yummy.. Ha ha. Now i’m outside on the caf porch on my computer. In which I have named: Lena. I’m wearing my sun dress/prom dress because toady for our core day we have to wear dresses and also bring a change of clothes that can get ruined. Aspen and I think that we’re going to be painting or something like that because Jessica likes to paint. Not to sure, I’ll tell you later... If I’m allowed to. ohh ahh..

I’ll just leave you with this:

“Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint you can on it.”

-Danny Kaye

Tuesday and the way to Friday. Oh yah.

Tuesday..

Well today was the first set of workshops at CCM. And let me tell you, it’s went quite well. My workshop was Direct/Produce/Wrtie with Doug Rittenhouse. It was really good. I was a little nervous going in there and maybe being asked question that I had no idea what the answer was. If you know me, then you’ll know that I really don’t know that much about the technical things of film. Thankfully, he told us all about like what the director, producer, and writer do. We learned like all the other postions to and all that jazz. And we even got to watch some of, “Behind the Music” Journey edition, in which Doug, uhh, produced it (?). I wanted to watch the whole thing becuase wasn’t it Journey the band that Lincoln Brewster had played for, for a little bit? I don’t know. Anyway, after lunch we did a excercise thing. You see when you are writing a film or television show or whatever for it to actually sound real you have to research your subject and the background of the history and all that. So Doug assigned us two research assignments. First, he assigned us a musician (I got Steve Taylor) and then a real life story in which Jesus changed the persons life, for that I got the subjet of self-injury, cutters. We had an hour to get as much information as we could and like to write a paragraph about it. I was really nervous that I was doing it wrong, but I guess I did good. Doug gave me pointers to make it better, for some reason I was thinking that if I didn’t do a good job that Doug would like fail me, but when he just gave me pointers I remembered what he said, “it’s okay to fail, I give you permission to fail.” And even though I didn’t fail this research assignment it made me feel better knowing that if I do try my best and I do fail that it’s okay, and I just need to get right back on that horse.

After the workshop we had a session with Mr. Hasz where he talked to us about like cleanliness and manners, it was good and funny. After the session was dinner but as I told you before this entry is that I did like a run through of lines with these guys at CCM and they wanted me to come in and do a audition in front of a camera, so before dinner I walked over to CCM (and let me get this straight CCM isn’t just an easy walk to the next building it’s like a mile away! and I walked like 5 times to it today!) So when I got to CCM they had me go into the studio and I sat on a stool and I looked into the camera and read my lines, I tried to like memorize them a little bit so I didn’t have to like look down a lot. I think it went well for the most part. But hey what do I know. As long as I got just a slight shot at something that’s good for me. yup.. So that was my day. Well then after dinner we had a session with Mrs. Luce. She’s the new women’s director at Teen Mania so there is a class for like girls and it was like intro for that. It was really good.

We also found out that we will be having core mom’s, these are women from the ages of 20-60 who will be out moms and have us over at their houses and just love us. I’m excited about that. I didn’t know any of the names except one, Mary Beth Hasz, Mr. Hasz’s mother, ha ha.. I just thought you would like to know. So that was my day. I can’t really rememeber anything else, so for now I will say good bye.

Wednesday,

Today was definetely not as good as yesterrday, well it was like knowledge wise, but excercise wise. (wha?) No good. I set my alarm as always since I’ve been here at 5:30 a.m. But since my phone’s battery is like dying, not like if I charge it, it’ll be fine dying. But like serious DYING. It refuses to keep a charge and that little hourglass keeps on flipping over and over. Ummm hello, Mr. Hourglass man, you are not the energizer bunny! So stop doing that! Yup.. So I woke up with a jolt when I heard my roommate moving around and getting ready, I was like Oh my. Once we got down to the anvil for corporate I was like doing okay, but then the jogging of the loop came, all 1.2 miles of it, which includes inclines and declines. I just was not feeling it today, my calves were on FIRE! I thought that maybe the devil was holding an open flame to them, it was bad. But the day before Mr. Hasz had said not to give into what our body wants and even when it would say to give up and start walking that we should keep on jogging. So when it came time to jog today, our core was determined to keep jogging, we had done it the day before but today I was like UGH. But you want to know something, I jogged the whole time, I pushed past that pain and I finished it with a sprint. Amen, sister.

Uh.. Oh yes, then after that we had more workshops at CCM. I was in the editing workshop and let me tell you something it was so much fun. I am so excited to get in there and started. But at the same time I’m nervous becauase if I was an edit assist I would have to be doing certain stuff that sounded kind of hard and I don’t think I would want to mess up! Trusting in God though to help me out. But what also made the workshop fun was the people in it. There are so many different characters! Seriously, one of the guys there just breaks out in song, it’s really funny, and there are just so many funny people. I could probably just sit around and listen to them discuss the Lord of the Ring movies or imagine if Christian Bales was in a musical and them singing songs with the voice of batman. Hilarious. Anyway, the workshop was really fun and hopefully I will be able to become an edit assist and help out.

I just hope that I won’t get intimidated or get nervous or shy or whatever. After all that we had a session and it was really good. It was about, Blood Covenant. Yup.. So then we had core discussion and then I went to bed. Fun stuff man.

Thursday,

Well today was a little bit easier at corporate, on the run I ran with Jessica and I told her to push me and if I was going slow to tell me to speed up. I jogged the whole way. I’m getting better at it, but I’m sure I could be better. But like the inside of my foot is like killing me! I don’t know if it’s like because I have a sore muscle or if there’s something the matter. But whatever it is I don’t like it. I think I’ll look into it and see if I need to wear like a foot bind when I run.

After corporate, there was showers and then breakfast. We had grits and a bagel. And let me tell you, I love grits! They are so good! I wasn’t able to finish my bowl because I had to go to session but it was still good. After worship we had quiet time and then we had a session about school credits and ran through the test we have to take tomorrow. Then the rest of the day is sort of all a blur. But I do remember at the night session we went down to the pool and people that wanted to be rebaptized were able to. So that was really awesome to see. Then we went to bed. There was lightning in the distant and it was really cool looking.

Friday,

Well guess what, woke up at 5:30 and we didn’t have corporate! So I was able to sleep in until like 7:30. It was amzing. I didn’t know that waking up at 7:30 was considered sleeping in. Sheesh this is what the Honor Academy does to you. After breakfast, worship, quiet time, and a session on churches in the area, we took the, Honor Academy Manuel Test, it was 201 questions about the manuel. The night before I had just read through the manuel and then we had that review session so I was pretty sure that I did well. Once I got finished with it, people were allowed to leave and do whatever until 12. So I was finished by 11 and I went and got my laptop and then went to the Caf and listened to Christmas music (it’s the only thing that I wanted to listen to, today!) and did random stuff on my computer. I took a personality quiz that Bob gave us and do you want to know what I got for my results? I got

Your Type is ENTJ

Extraverted	Intuitive	Thinking	Judging
Strength of the preferences %
1	25	25	1

I am, slightly expressed extravert, moderately expressed intuitive personality, moderately expressed thinking personality, and slightly expressed judging personality

I got an extraverted pointage of 1.. ONE!!!! I am so mad that I got that. Seriously, I’m not some crazy person that hides under a rock all day! Just cause I like to be by myself sometimes and not go to parties doesn’t mean I’m not outgoing!! Ugh. Darn this quiz! On the famous personalities that are like mine at the top of the list is, Napoleon. Napoleon the crazy short man that killed himself. This is not good. But you know what I am NOT going let some stinky test control my life I’m going to push through and well honestly I probably won’t even remember this by tomorrow. Shows them right. Yup.

Exhale. I’m over that. If you would like to know I did pass the Manuel test. Yeah! I got like a 94% on it. And you needed an 80% or higher to I’m satisfied. I ate lunch. Which was delicious it was like flat bread, lettuce, tomato, olive, beef, and onions. Yumm. But saying that I’ll eat anything It may not of been that good but I enjoyed it. Now I am at the CCM session and waiting for it to start up again. We’re taking a break, it’ll start in like 4 minutes. So. Getting commited tonight. ha ha. That sounds funny, but we’re just doing the banquet we’re we commit ourselves to two years at CCM. Get a our H.A. badge, get to wear our uniform and get to pledge to Teen Mania. Hoorah. I’ll tell you how it was later. Who know’s maybe I’ll take pictures. Of course I will. I will. Unti then I will leave you with this:

"A revolution can be neither made nor stopped. The only thing that can be done is for one of several of its children to give it a direction by dint of victories."

-Napoleon Bonaparte

-Anna

The First of Many.. My Tales of CCM..

August 16, 2008

Oh my goodness, Oh my goodness. The infamous words of Orphan Annie, Wow. I am now officially a Texan, I guess after 24 hours of being in the state one can call themselves a Texan. Whoda thunk? Not me for sure, but I’ve decided I would like to stay a Californian. Not as much pressure you know, if I was a Texan I would feel obligated to wear a firearms on my hip 24/7, although that would be pretty awesome, I’m okay with my 20 tubes of lip gloss in my purse.

Anywho, Today was eventful, for me. I woke up at 5:30 and in darkness got ready for my rigourous training called Corporate. (I’m using such big words, man, this is insane what the humidity has done to my brain) Once we, my core, got down to the “Anvil” we lined up with whole rest of the Honor Academy and started our work out. In charge of this daily occurence, (Is that the right word? Oh well) is none other than, the very manly, Mr. David Hasz. Seriously he said today that he went on a nice jog of eight miles. Eight?!! We did excercised varying from, toe-ups to the nice jog around the campus they like to call the loop. All in all I got my fair share of stiff limbs and aching back for today.

The rest of day is all a blur but I do remember some amazing sessions and running the obstacle course in the sweltering heat, that might have been the lowest and highest point of the day. Highest, because I finished the obstacle course; Low, because I almost died of heat. Man, Oh man. So after the session, done by Randy Olsson, in which he mentioned his new girlfriend a.k.a. My sister. Once we got finished with the session we went back to the dorm and had a core meeting. It was really good and I totally love my core.

Although I’m still having a rough time being away from home, I had a little bit of a melt down when I called my sister today. I am still really excited about the next year. I met some CCM 2nd year girls that were totally cool and make me so excited to start.

August 17, 2008

I just had to tell you that today during a break in sessions at CCM I was asked to do an audition for a video for ATF. The casting director, Sam, was like, “Can you read these lines for this ATF video we’re making.” And I was like okay. And it was so weird cause just seconds before Aspen and I were talking about me doing some acting, Aspen is in the Acting Track at CCM, and I had told her that I would. Yah. So I read the lines. I don’t know if I did good or not. Don’t know if I’ll even get that part. But if I do, awesome. If I don’t, there’s always tomorrow. All in all this day has gone pretty good. Got to hang out with a really cool editor, Brie, and have her talk about editing. So now I’m at dinner, well, finished with dinner. I’m in the cafeteria updating blogs and all that jazz. Amen to that brotheren. I’ll write later. To close this newest addition to my life I will leave you with this:

“Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it"

-Anna

Hear, hear to a New Beginning..

Well.. Let's see. I haven't written in like a month. And I really don't think that matters much since no one probably reads this blog. But I don't really care, I just do it for the enjoyment of myself and family and friends that may be interested in what my life is currently like.

Today, has been uneventful, I woke up and I realized that it was like 10:30. Darn those curtains in hotel rooms that block out the sun so well. Yup, so after getting ready and finally leaving by 11:30 my family drove to the car place, where my new car had gotten all fixed up for my arrival. No longer was the handle to the driver side broken, or the rear headlight out, and hey, even the side panel of the driver side seat was fixed. So all in all the trip was good my new car..

If you know me then you will know that I love to name my cars, my car at home is named Gilbert, and so I decided to name my new car here in Texas, Sparky. It's an exciting name for the new exciting leg in my life. Yah, I have no idea what I'm saying or if I'm using these stinking commas right, anywhoo, I'm in Texas. Yes, in wonderful "Lone State". I'm being dropped off tomorrow at the Honor Academy where I will be going to "school" at their film school thing. So that is very exciting, but before I get to ahead of myself let me tell you more about my day.

After we left the auto car fixer place we drove down the street to the place where they detailed my car. We left Sparky there to be cleaned and picked Bethany up, because she had just had lunch with some of her friends, once Bethany was in the car we went and ate at Brookshire grocery store (they have a deli section that makes really good sandwiches and has tables to sit at) and ate there. Before we left I decided to try my luck on the "Claw Game" and guess what I got two stuffed animals, well I got one teddy bear and a plushie of Capt. James T. Kirk.. I really wanted Spock too, but he was kind of stuck under some other toys, but my dad said he would go back and try for it.. ha ha.. So hopefully he'll be as lucky as I was.

After lunch we went over to the sno-cone shop, where they have the most delicious sno -cones. Seriously, if you are ever in Van you HAVE to go to the Sno-Cone shop on Main street.. Awesome. Yah, blah blah blah about my day. Let me just tell you the rest of it in the next few sentences.

Went back to the hotel, Bethany and I sat in the car for like an hour and I told her all about what happened in the 4 Twilight books (she read the first, but was to lazy to read the last 3) and then we left and had dinner at Randy's. Well we went over and made dinner at Randy's house. We had tacos, and the tacos aren't just ground beef with lettuce. No, these are real Mexican Tacos, well our famiy's interpretation of tacos. They are deliocous, I'm still full from eating them.

Now, we're back at the hotel and I'm in the laudry room washing a load of clothes and telling all of you about my day, exciting as it was. As I told you before I'm getting dropped off tomorrow at the Honor Academy where I will be learning about God and film (ha ha) at Center for Creative Media (I always get the name wrong, but I'm pretty sure that I got it right..)

I really haven't gotten that nervous yet, but I'm sure that when I register and get my dorm room set all up, the butterflies will attack my stomach. People ask if I'm excited about it. And I'll tell them that I am, but in reality I really have no emotions about this. I just don't know what to expect and until I do know and I'm on that campus being told about what the next two years have in store for me, I truly won't know how I feel about it. You may say that I must be feeling something, and sure I'm feeling a little bit of nerves but other than that, Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Do you have a problem with that? Hmmm? So, That's all I have to say about that.

If I didn't say this already, I started this blog so I could update people with my life at the Honor

Academy, I probably will forget a lot of the time to right and I'll that, but it's my hope that I'll be able to

write on this thing at least once a week or maybe even more than once. Yup. So I will leave at that. Wait not before I leave with a quote,

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create."

-Albert Einstein

-Anna

Whooo.. Summer time.. with Anna

Well I just saw Wicked for the 3rd time.. And it still is amazing.. It's amazing how those people can hit every single note right on key and not have their voices crack.. (Like when I try to sing that awesome..!) And I totally want to be one of those ensemble dancer people.. How amazing would it be to be able to actually be apart of one of those shows?!! That would be so AWESOME!! Hmm.. Well.. I'm in San Francisco.. I like this city.. It's so urban feeling and just it's cool to hang out here and walk down the street and see everyone and their different styles.. Yah.. I think it would be so cool.. Also.. To just come down here and photograh all the different people and cultures.. Yah.. But that's just me.. And I don't really think that many people are even reading my blog.. So why should I care if people think of my hopes and dreams..? Yah go ahead and try to bash them.. Cause you can't.. Because I don't care what anyone thinks about me.. And they can try to break my spirit.. But if you try.. YOU WILL FAIL.. Ha ha.. Wow can you say Drama..? Ha ha.. Yah any-who.. I just want to do so much in my life.. And want to be able to do it all.. I should make a list (like the Bucket List movie.. Even though I totally disliked that movie..) And just check it off as I go.. Hmm..

1. Go to stunt school..
2. Sky dive..
3. Uh..

I'll think of some more.. It takes time to make a Bucket list!!

4. Make a Bucket list..

Well that's good for now.. I think I'm going to go to bed now.. Yah..

This is a little late.. But who cares..? Not me..

Isn't it amazing how much things have changed.. I mean like only 50 years ago things were really different.. Ha ha. So I don't know the specifics.. So sue me... Right now I'm kind of annoyed cause I had written this whole blog entry and I was going to put a quote on it.. So I accidently opened the new window on the blog site.. So I lost everything.. What a drag...
So I'm was in Texas since.. Umm... Friday I think.. And now I'm on my to LA.. But I had this vibe that I would see someone famous.. (Ok.. Maybe it wasn't exactly a vibe..) And I haven't seen any yet.. I'm on the plane to LA.. And there's like an half an hour left on the flight.. (Give or take a few..) And there are no famous people in site.. But I guess I am landing LA which is like the capital for famous people.. So maybe I have a chance.. Now the vibe is back.. Ha ha.. Hey maybe the vibe god didn't just mean my Texas vacation.. But also my whole Spring Break.. So in that case I've still got like a week left.. I'm good now.. Well.. I'll tell you if I've seen anyone.. In a later post..

"A friend is someone who sings your heart's song back to you when you have forgotten the words."
-unsure..

Wow.. Can This Be Real..?

Well.. This is insane.. So much is happening in my life.. Not only am I starting my own blog.. (Which that's pretty big in my book) Butt I'm also moving on from my life as a High Schooler into the life in the "Real World".. But As the little bubble called, "My High School Career" is about to burst.. What should I do..? You know how people say they want to stay in High School forever.. And that High School was the best part of life.. Well, for me.. I always thought that these people were completely insane for saying these things and that there are so more bigger and better things that I could do than think about stupid High School.. But then I never expected that I would find friends like the one's I have now.. Or have such awesome experiences that I've had.. And so now that I think back to the people that say that they don't want to ever leave High School. Although I would probably hate to stay there forever.. I can't help but wish I had a little more time..
I mean.. I feel like I'm being thrown into the mix of everything.. School doesn't prepare you for what actually happens in the "Real World".. Sure they teach you about how to write a good paper or how to fill out a application correctly but they don't show you how to interact with complete strangers or how to get over home sickness when your in a whole new place.. I sometimes think of what would happen if I go to some place new and everyone there is totally mean and doesn't want to be my friend.. Now I know that this probably wouldn't happen.. But I still think about it.. Who doesn't..?!!
As I look at my very first blog I see that it's pretty serious and deep.. And though at times I can be a deep person.. Most of the time I try to be a goof ball and not stress about what's coming up.. Most of my post will be random and full of my wonderful personality.. (Did I tell you that I'm a little vain..?) I'll try my best to let all of you guys know what's going on in my life.. And that's all I can guarentee for now.. A blog is definitely not like a journal or diary.. It's totally public.. So I won't be as super open.. Cause I don't want a creeper coming and stalking me or something.. But I may vent a little if I have to.. So enjoy this as much as I will.. Cause I love to write.. As you can see from my like 2 page long entry..! Enjoy life and don't take yourself to seriously..

"People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
-Soren Aabye Kierkegaard

(I'm going to put a random quote at the end of my blogs.. Even if I don't fully understand them.. I'm going to do it..)