This photo is from our Chicago trip, when we ate at the Rainforest Cafe, which is this super-cool restaurant decorated to look like a jungle or a rainforest. There are even "thunderstorms" every few minutes! I decided to pose outside with the gorilla for a quick picture.








The Brain Bee is tomorrow!!! It is in the format of a spelling bee, but the questions are all about neuroscience and the brain. For example: This is the disease in which acetylcholine receptors on muscle cells are destroyed so that muscle cells can no longer respond to the acetylcholine signal to contract.

The answer: Myasthenia gravis.

Ten Random Things About Me
1. I am a country-music junkie.
2. My favorite type of pizza is mushroom with bacon.
3. I hate dressing up.
4. I was a scarecrow for Halloween five years in a row when I was little.
5. I was born at Rex Hospital in Raleigh.
6. My favorite ice cream flavor is a toss-up between Chocolate Lover's Trash and Cake Batter.
7. I like realistic-fiction books or history books.
8. My favorite color is yellow.
9. Iced tea is the best invention ever and anyone who believes that tea should be served hot is just plain wrong.
10. I like watching the news (local and CNN), Law and Order: SVU, Friends, Medium and House.

Nine Places I've Visited
1. Chicago
2. New York City
3. Santiago, Chile
4. Toronto, Canada
5. San Diego, California
6. Washington, D.C.
7. Williamsburg
8. Greensboro
9. Atlanta

Eight Things I Want To Do Before I Die
1. Own and operate a dance studio
2. Marry the man of my dreams
3. Raise my kids to love themselves for who they are
4. Write and publish a novel
5. Run for president
6. Adopt at least one child from every continent
7. Teach school
8. Appear on the Oprah show

Seven Ways To Win My Heart
1. Write me love letters
2. Hold my hand
3. Laugh with me
4. Play the guitar and write/sing a song for me
5. Wipe my tears when I cry
6. Love me for who I am
7. Send me flowers just because

Six Things I Believe In
1. Y'all is a word and should be used often
2. Toilet paper goes over the roll, not under
3. Miracles
4. God
5. True love
6. The beauty in all people

Five Things I Am Afraid Of
1. Dying while my kids are young
2. Spiders
3. Heights
4. Making the wrong decision about college
5. Snakes

Four Of My Favorite Things In My Bedroom
1. Dance, Dance Revolution
2. Brownie (bear I've had since I was born)
3. Photographs and letters (the ones on my bulletin boards)
4. Books

Three Things I Do Everyday
1. Check my email.
2. Pray
3. Complete at least one Sudoku puzzle

Two People I Want To See Right Now
1. Lauren
2. Cameron

One Thing I Am Trying Not To Do Right Now
1. Go to bed.

• My sister has strept throat. (Guess who is likely next in line? I really hope I'm not, but that's what happens when you live with other people-- I use hand sanitizer like it's my job, so hopefully, I'll stay well).
• Track season has begun! And from the soreness in my legs and back, I know that circuit training has already taken its toll. (lol.)
• I have been accepted at the three universities that have replied thus far: Meredith, Purdue and Elon. All three offered me money, but I'm just not sure that any of those places are the places for me-- I know that sounds silly since I took the time to apply to each of them, but I think the way I view myself and where I'd be happy spending four years has changed, or at least I've changed it. I am still waiting to hear from UNC-CH and American, my top two choices. I will likely also apply to UNC-G before all is said and done.
• I entered Oprah's National High School Essay Contest, for which the prompt was:
  How is Elie Wiesel's book Night relevant today?
  I'm still waiting to hear back as to whether I'm a finalist.
• The trip to Costa Rica is in just a little more than a month! I am sooo excited. It is going to be an awesome week-- though, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed because Mr. Slattery said that we'd be there during Semana Santa (Holy Week, the week of Easter), but it turns out we'll be there two weeks prior-- it's really a bummer because in many Latin American countries, Semana Santa is a national holiday, and everyone is festive and out celebrating. I thought it would be a really cool experience, and I was thrilled at the idea of going to a Catholic mass that was in spanish, but I guess I can still technically go to a church service in spanish, it just won't be the Easter service.
• Our school administration is going on a tyraid about facebook. Apparently students are using facebook to harass others, which isn't cool. But the way the administration is handling it isn't particularly good either. I mean, I understand their concerns, but on facebook, it is very easy to see who says/does what. So, making all these announcements and lecturing us is just a waste of time. The only students who are actually listening are the ones who aren't going to use facebook to harass others anyway, and the students who are are the same students who aren't listening to the lecturing. Plus, I think there's an awful lot of harassment that goes on at school that doesn't get reprimanded, but as soon as it's online, everyone has a hissy fit. (It's not that I think it's okay to insult other people onlne, but I don't think it's okay to do it at all. So the tyraid also needs to include the harassment and bullying that goes on every single day at school.) Just my opinion. Take it or leave it.
• Riley, my sweet, sweet puppy, is wild as ever, but learning new stuff everyday. He can give high-fives, shake with both paws, beg, lie down, sit, and understands "go get your bone/toy and lie down." We're working on stay and speak right now, but it's slow going. I started clicker-training him, and at first he ran away from me whenever I clicked it, but now, he knows that a click is a reward of sorts, and he responds really well.
• I was sure all this year and all last year that I wanted to teach highschool history for a living. But I was talking to an elementary school teacher today, and she seemed confident that highschool wasn't the place for me-- elementary school was. And she also said that fourth grade was where I belonged. Which was interesting because she teaches second grade...anyway...I have no idea what I'll be studying in college or what I'll do after college. My plans change about every day or so.
• I'm going on the mission trip this year to Pasadena, California. We're working with Harambe Missions, and we'll be running a VBS program for inner-city children. I am sooo excited.

I guess that's about all. I will hopefully get better about being a regular-blogger, so I can write about more interesting things than just brief updates of my life.

"I believe there are angels among us,
Sent down to us, from somewhere up above,
To show us how to live,
To teach us how to give,
To guide us with the light of love."