Ahhh…

I stayed home sick today. I've had this cold for over a week, and it is time for it to be over. And the (really really superfluously long) orchestra concert did not help me get the sleep I needed.

Anyway, I've intended to post this for a while: Eternal Sunset. This site connects to west-facing webcams around the world and displays whichever one(s) show the sunset at the moment. Though sometimes some of the webcams look as if they have been disconnected or turned toward a wall, most of them are stunningly beautiful or at least interesting. It's very relaxing. And if more than one sunset is available for viewing, it rotates between them (or you can click on them if you don't want to wait that long). Ahhhh. So pretty.

18!

I am 18 today!  Thank you to all who have emailed me; I appreciate it!  

I don't feel very different being a legal adult, but that's probably a good thing.  The only real difference I have noticed is that I am now allowed to drive as many people as the car I am driving can hold, not just two people who aren't related to me.  It almost makes me want to drag four of my friends off to dinner, but I'm too busy.  Oh well, I'm sure I'll get my chance to peruse my latest legal privilege soon.  

Ooh!  And a lady came to my Government class yesterday to register people to vote.  I should be getting my voter card soon, which is cool.  Although I guess that means I should actually research the candidates sometime between now and next November.  Teacher work days, anyone?

Anyway, on my last day of being 17, one of my favorite school Christmas—er, Holiday Season— traditions was carried out again.  Every year a few days before break, my school's Madigrals walk around during the lunch period in full Medieval/Rennaissance/Old Timey regalia singing classic Christmas carols.  I'm not exactly the biggest fan of my school's chorus (Orchestra, Guitar, Chorus, and Band all seem to have a bit of an ongoing rivalry), but these guys are the cream of the crop and sound amazing.  Entire classes will stop as the Mads drift from one hallway to another, singing.  People crowd the doors to watch and listen.  It's awesome.  

One of my friends and I left a few minutes early from lunch yesterday, but neither of us knew the Mads would be caroling.  The hallways were nearly empty.  We both walked upstairs to go to our respective classrooms when we heard the singing.  Other than the chorus and the chorus teacher, we were the only people in that particular hallway.  Since the Mads were blocking the way to my classroom (I still had several minutes anyway), my friend and I stopped to listen. We were unsure at first whether we should run off to class or stay and listen—it's really weird to have over twenty people singing really well to you and one other person—but we stayed for a little while and even followed them until it was time to go to class.  That made my day.  

Happy Day of the Ninja, etc

I guess it's time to make my blog not look as if it is stuck on Thanksgiving. Anyway, December 5th was the Day of the Ninja! It's usually considered a competitor to Talk Like a Pirate Day, but I support the Ninja-Pirate alliance, mainly because I'm indecisive. Unfortunately, I missed it this year—I remembered a couple hours after school ended.  

Anyway:  Here is how to make a ninja mask from a t-shirt without messing up the shirt. Pretty cool, and I like his shirt-folding method as well.

In other news, I'm nearly done with the rest of my college applications. I'm applying to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Case Western Reserve University, but since I love (and am already accepted to) Virginia Tech, they would have to offer me serious money. Who knows; they might. And they're good schools; if they make the cost lower, I might change my mind.

By the way, I'm adding a link to my boss's blog to my links. She is a terriffic interior designer in the Washington DC Metro Area, and she's always willing to consider new clients. If you or someone you know wants a high-end redesigned house, please comment on her blog or email the address there. Here's a link.

And thank you to Hol&J for the awards! They're on my sidebar now. Unfortunately, I think Hol&J and I read mostly the same blogs, so anyone I would want to give the awards to probably already has them and has had them up for weeks. But if I've forgotten you, please comment!

EDIT:  And the spell checker still won't work.  Ah, consistency.  (Is that spelled right?)

EDIT AGAIN:  Okay, I hopefully will get the lovely awards up soon!  Blogger's just being cranky today…