Playing Happy Birfday on the Piano While Running

So like none of my posts have a general theme to them. I just say a bunch of random things that have happened so I can never think of a title to sum it all up, so that's why I'm doing these weird ones. I got the idea from Hannah.

This last Tuesday I went to my second track meet. I was really dreading this because I was running the 400 meter dash again and last time I did it I felt like I was going to pass out. So while I waited for my event to start, I sat on the bleachers and tried to get tan while I read my book. I ended up getting sunburned because I didn't have any sunscreen. I know I'm stupid, don't remind me. It's been hurting pretty bad today, but at least it's fade into a tan eventually. So when it was my turn to go and run, I was really nervous. I saved a bag of cut up apples in lemon juice for a reward after the race was over, so I just focused on that while I got ready to run. So I ran. I was surprised at how it seemed a bit easier that time, I didn't want to stop and die the last 100 meters like last time, though I can't say I was feeling great. When it was over, I was extremely out of breath, but there was no head ache and I was only slightly dizzy. I was so happy! My coach told me I ran it in 1 minute and 13 seconds which was 3 seconds better than last time, and I got 4th place again. Yay. I went up to get my apples and saw to my delight that Sariah and Heather's moms were there so I sat by them and shared my food. It was great.

I got home at around 5:45 PM, and I had a piano recital at 6:30 up in Layton. My hair was in a messy pony tail and really frizzy, my mascara was coming off, and I was sweaty. I was supposed to wear "Sunday best" to the recital. I must say, it took a bit of work to make me look okay in time. I was actually proud of myself for how improved I made myself in ten minutes, it was amazing. So Dad came with to watch me play. Amanda and Chelsie were playing in the recital too. I find that I love piano recitals. It's so fun to hear everyone's pieces, and it's amazing to watch little 6 and 7 year olds play songs that sound great. I hadn't been in a recital in like a year so it was nice to perform again. I wasn't as nervous as I usually get which was nice so I wasn't fumbling all over the keys. I had the song barely memorized but I didn't exactly mess up. I added a couple extra notes on accident but they sounded like they belonged there so it was fine. I was so proud of myself. Amanda's piece sounded really good and I'm amazed at how good Chelsie is. They're really good pianists.

After the recital, I headed home to celebrate Emma Jo's 6th birfday. It seems weird that she's 6 now, she's getting so old. She's supposed to stay my 4-year old sister forever. I got to wrap her awesome presents for her while Grandma Carol and the Conrads came. Emma opened presents and then we had ice cream cake (and I had McDonalds :P). She got some sweet stuff, for a 6 year old I mean. One of her presents was a mini soccer ball and net which I played with her yesterday and she beat me by one point ;)

I'm drawing a picture of Emma for art class and it's going to be so cool! So far I've just done the head shape and figured out where I'm going to put her eyes and I started drawing the general shape of her hair today. That was really hard since she has curly hair like me (but mine is curlier :D). It took me forever but now it's starting to really look like her and I can't wait to add more details to her face. My art teacher said I did a good job with her hair. I'll post it on here when I finish.

Running with Grandma at Lagoon

I'm posting again because knowing me, my next post won't be until May. It's funny how I spend a long time on the computer but don't get around to posting on my blog. I feel like an old lady doing this. What kind of teenager likes blogging?? I guess I'm just unique :D

Oh, I didn't really run with grandma at Lagoon. That would be....weird.....

So I mentioned before how I'm doing track I think...I'm pretty sure I did. Well I had my first meet on Thursday. I got to miss science which was awesome. I was in my track clothes ready to go in the locker room, when the bell rang to end 6th period and then I realized I forgot my backpack. So I quickly ran through the halls in my short shorts and tank top to my locker which was a bit weird. And this guy who's in three of my classes and I think might like me saw me which I didn't want. Whenever he sees me, he says "Hey Celeste!" and gives me a high five. He also likes to pass me notes in class and suggested me and him go on a hike sometime.... I told him I'm not sure and I'll have to see. Ok, way of topic. Anyway, so after running through the halls I finally arrived outside and got on the bus and went to a high school whose name escapes my mind. So at the meet I sat and tried unsuccessfully so get tan since I was cursed with the Stevens family white skin. Everyone there was really white, it was funny. My school did really well with the sprints and hurdles and this girl named Abby Rasmussen ran the mile in 5 minutes and 52 seconds. I got to run the 400 m. AKA the "Death Race". It's the longest sprint that they have. You have to run as fast as you can for a whole lap. The 800 m. would be easier since you can at least run slower for two laps. I was so nervous about it, especially since everyone kept on telling me I was going to die. That plus I couldn't find my inhaler... Oh dear. So I started running the 400 and at half way through I felt so drained. And the last 100 meters were horrible, I seriously just wanted to stop, fall down, and pass out. I only kept going because I heard a bunch of people yelling my name so I didn't want them to think I was weak. I came in 4th place out of 6. At least I wasn't last. But right when I was done, my head hurt super bad and I started walking and tripped and almost fell. I was really dizzy and I saw black spots. So as I was walking back to sit with my team, they were screaming for the other racing people which did wonders to my throbbing head. Man I was so dead and I felt horrible. Thankfully I went home soon after that with Sariah. I'm not sure I'll do that next time....

I was so exhausted when I got home. That night when I went to sleep, I kept on dreaming about something to do with track and I woke up in the middle of the night a couple of times to find that my feet were where my head is supposed to go. That was a fun night.

The next day was the school dance. I wasn't going to go because I hate them and they make me feel bad. I went to one in January because my friends forced me to, and I hated it except for the last five minutes because a boy actually asked me to dance. The next one in February I only went to because I know Anthony would be there. And the one in March I went to because I knew Kevin would be there. I wanted to dance with Kevin at the one yesterday, but I seriously hate dances so I was debating whether to go or not. I was finally talked into it, but at the end I was sad because no one asked me to dance. And then Mom informed me when it was over that Grandma Carol was taking me and my sisters to see a movie and to dinner. I so wasn't in the mood, and neither was Ashley.

We couldn't find any movies at the theater that we all wanted to see, or two different ones that were at the same time. So we just went to the redbox with Grandma Carol and got food at Wal-mart. Grandma went off with Hannah and Emma while me and Ashley got Mom a milk shake at McDonald's and waited. I couldn't resist buying some french fries too. They're soooo good. Grandma came back loaded with food and popcorn chicken, which I couldn't resist either. She sent me and Ashley on a "mission" to find band-aids and other stuff. We couldn't find the band-aids anywhere, and when we asked someone where they were, he pointed to a place right behind us. It was an isle filled with band-aids in plain sight. We felt so stupid. Emma then lost her jacket so me and Ashley had to find her jacket too. We played the letter game in the car and Hannah totally cheated which made me so mad! We got Papa Murphy's and then went home. I had to have some pizza, it was too good. I felt terrible from eating so much.

While Grandma and my little sisters watched a movie, I read a book but fell asleep at ten. I was so shocked, I haven't gone to bed at 10 in years. Usually I don't sleep until midnight, and that's on school nights. I woke up at 9 AM. On a Saturday!! I didn't know what was up with me.

So I went to work today at 10:45. I didn't eat breakfast because I felt bad about the night before. I saw Anthony there and we talked for like 2 minutes. I did "Day at the Races" which was so fun I can't even describe it. I had to hold a huge toy dog and yell at people to come play my game for hours at a time. My managers came over to help a couple of times and one of them is always commenting about how much he loves my eyes and hair. It's a bit weird, but flattering. He's like 52. I was so cold the whole time, I had huge goose bumps. I was really hungry too, I only had a small soda during break. When I finally went home at 4 PM, I ran to my room and put on my mickey mouse sweats and my jacket and fuzzy socks. I was so cold. I was really hungry because I hadn't eaten anything all day so I ran to my fridge and got left over pizza. I was jumping all around when it was done. I was literally shaking from eagerness to eat it lol. But then the plate fell on the ground and I felt like crying. Thankfully, the pizza stayed on the plate and it didn't flip over. That first bite was like heaven.

Now I have some friends who won't leave me alone about hanging out tonight. I don't really want to, I'd rather just sleep....

I'm Posting Again =O

I'm tired don't have much else to do other than cook dinner so I figured I shall update my neglected blog. I have been planning to post something all month, but I was too lazy. I would much rather be on facebook talking to a certain someone than letting the probably two people who read my blog know how fantabulous my life is right now. But alas, he isn't on :( So here goes me rambling on about really random stuff, enjoy.

I was going to write about how dad celebrates his birfday on the 7th and I went to the temple with Marjorie, John, and Amanda that day. We did baptisms and then did some other secretive stuff. After, we adjourned to some store that I can't remember (was it Albertson's....?) and got my daddy balloons and ice cream. I came home and quickly cleaned up the house my little sisters so kindly messed up, and then kicked out Hannah and sent her to Marjorie's house while I got Amanda in return. Amanda and I then proceeded to attempt to make cupcakes from scratch from a recipe we found on the Internet. We did all of the instructions and popped it in the oven and when they came out, I said "Amanda, I think we did something wrong." They looked like chocolate mini volcanoes. I felt terrible because I wanted to make something nice for Dad but we totally screwed up, and I think I probably did something wrong because Amanda never messes up and gets straight A's. But when my father looked at them, he burst out laughing. So I guess he liked them, even though we didn't eat them. I took a picture but this stupid computer doesn't have a slot for memory cards and I didn't feel like stealing Mom's computer to put them on. Sorry.

We're singing Bohemian Rhapsody in choir, the boys and girls chorus which is pretty cool. If you've never heard the song before, then click on this section of the sentence to be sent through a magical portal to youtube to view it. We have to skip the first verse in the song because, in case you didn't notice, it's about a guy saying he killed a man and that's not school appropriate. I love this song. It's pretty sweet. I'll have to make my parents record the performance.

I tried out for madrigals at my school and I didn't make it. But I talked to my choir teacher and she said I almost did, that I was very close. That's marvelous.

I tried out for musical theater and made it. That's grand.

I'm doing track and I'm horrible at it. That's not good. I have a meet tomorrow and I don't want to go because I can't do anything well. The only thing I'm actually good at is musical stuff. The only sport I was ever pretty good at was gymnastics. But I needed a lot of extra training to catch up with the other girls and to get good at it. Sadly, I'm no longer in gymnastics and it makes me very sad. I don't have a sport anymore that I can say I love to play and am great at. Volleyball I'm okay at, but I wasn't good enough to make the team two years in a row, and chances are that I won't make it this year either. I want to do tumbling really bad, but I can't find the time or money. I would be good at that. Maybe. It's just like gymnastics, minus the vault, beam, bars, leotard, rips, and straddling the beam.

I had my first day of work at Lagoon on the 11th. I was nervous but I had someone helping me for most of the time. They had me do "Guess It" which really irritated me at first. I have to guess a person's weight, age, or birth month, and if I get it wrong then they win. And I'm not very good at guessing. A ton of people wanted to play my game, more than the other ones. A ton of them won. I guess this one guy was 280 pounds and he was over 300. I guess a little kid was six, and he was actually nine. Oops. And I had a microphone so everyone could hear me which I didn't like. I prefer a small game where people just have to throw a basketball or something where I don't have to make people feel bad or guess their stupid weight and I don't have to talk in a microphone. And next week I'm doing "Day at the Races" where I'll have another microphone. Joy. Soon, I'll be working almost every day of the summer. That will be great, and I'll get a farmer's tan because of my stupid Lagoon shirt. But don't get me wrong, I'm glad I'm working there, it's going to be great.

Grandma and Grandpa are at the MTC now, and it makes me sad to know that I won't see them until I'm 16, unless they can escape for my mom's graduation. I'll be weird even though I don't see them too often, I'll be sad knowing they're gone. But it's for a good cause. Mongolia is going to be so cool and I can't wait to hear their stories when they get back.

I think Stephanie is coming home tomorrow or something from Jerusalem. That's terrific.

I shall go serve my family dinner now, sloppy joes. Yum yum.

Happy April Fool's Day!

Today is April Fool's Day. I've never done much on this day, I never really cared. But some people at school have been having fun with it. A couple of things that I saw today are as follows:

• Coach Pierce told the other coach, Coach Hewlett, and Mr. Hogge (the principle) wanted to see her in his office and that he had an angry parent with him. Coah Hewlett was freaking out and wondering what she did wrong on her way to Mr. Hogge's office, while Coach Pierce was in his office laughing like crazy. After she realized that Mr. Hogge wan't even there and that she was pranked, she was mad.
• Coach Hewlett got an empty bottle of ketchup that, when squeezed, had red yarn shoot out of it. She squeezed it on Coach Pierce, who of course freaked out.
  
• Coach Hewlett then got a farting machine thing. There's a speaker, and when a certain button is pushed, produces a nice farting noise. She hid this in the gym and kept on pressing the button when Coach Pierce was around it.
• My friend, Dylan Rossi, did the ketchup thing to my other friend Morgan Robinson during lunch.
• A girl who goes to my school, Kate McFarland, got the counselors to write a letter to her mom saying that she had been caught in the gym during lunch making out with another boy and that she was suspended. I would kill to see her mom's reaction.
• Sariah continually told me false stuff to freak me out during the whole day. Thanks Sariah.

So those were some funny local ones. I came upon some other ones that were quite bigger that have happened in various places of the world over the years which I thought were really funny. Here are some of them. Happy April Fool's Day!

The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest 1957: The respected BBC news show Panorama announced that thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees. Huge numbers of viewers were taken in. Many called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti tree. To this the BBC diplomatically replied, "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best."

1962: In 1962 there was only one tv channel in Sweden, and it broadcast in black and white. The station's technical expert, Kjell Stensson, appeared on the news to announce that, thanks to a new technology, viewers could convert their existing sets to display color reception. All they had to do was pull a nylon stocking over their tv screen. Stensson proceeded to demonstrate the process. Thousands of people were taken in. Regular color broadcasts only commenced in Sweden on April 1, 1970.

The Left-Handed Whopper 1998: Burger King published a full page advertisement in USA Today announcing the introduction of a new item to their menu: a "Left-Handed Whopper" specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the advertisement, the new whopper included the same ingredients as the original Whopper (lettuce, tomato, hamburger patty, etc.), but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers. The following day Burger King issued a follow-up release revealing that although the Left-Handed Whopper was a hoax, thousands of customers had gone into restaurants to request the new sandwich. Simultaneously, according to the press release, "many others requested their own 'right handed' version."

Planetary Alignment Decreases Gravity 1976: The British astronomer Patrick Moore announced on BBC Radio 2 that at 9:47 AM a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event was going to occur that listeners could experience in their very own homes. The planet Pluto would pass behind Jupiter, temporarily causing a gravitational alignment that would counteract and lessen the Earth's own gravity. Moore told his listeners that if they jumped in the air at the exact moment that this planetary alignment occurred, they would experience a strange floating sensation. When 9:47 AM arrived, BBC2 began to receive hundreds of phone calls from listeners claiming to have felt the sensation. One woman even reported that she and her eleven friends had risen from their chairs and floated around the room.

The Taco Liberty Bell 1996: The Taco Bell Corporation announced it had bought the Liberty Bell and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Hundreds of outraged citizens called the National Historic Park in Philadelphia where the bell was housed to express their anger. Their nerves were only calmed when Taco Bell revealed, a few hours later, that it was all a practical joke. The best line of the day came when White House press secretary Mike McCurry was asked about the sale. Thinking on his feet, he responded that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold. It would now be known, he said, as the Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial.

Metric Time 1975: Australia's This Day Tonight news program revealed that the country would soon be converting to "metric time." Under the new system there would be 100 seconds to the minute, 100 minutes to the hour, and 20-hour days. Furthermore, seconds would become millidays, minutes become centidays, and hours become decidays. The report included an interview with Deputy Premier Des Corcoran who praised the new time system. The Adelaide townhall was even shown sporting a new 10-hour metric clock face. The thumbnail (found at TelevisionAU.com) shows TDT Adelaide reporter Nigel Starck posing with a smaller metric clock. TDT received numerous calls from viewers who fell for the hoax. One frustrated viewer wanted to know how he could convert his newly purchased digital clock to metric time.

The Eruption of Mount Edgecumbe 1974: Residents of Sitka, Alaska were alarmed when the long-dormant volcano neighboring them, Mount Edgecumbe, suddenly began to belch out billows of black smoke. People spilled out of their homes onto the streets to gaze up at the volcano, terrified that it was active again and might soon erupt. Luckily it turned out that man, not nature, was responsible for the smoke. A local practical joker named Porky Bickar had flown hundreds of old tires into the volcano's crater and then lit them on fire, all in a (successful) attempt to fool the city dwellers into believing that the volcano was stirring to life. According to local legend, when Mount St. Helens erupted six years later, a Sitka resident wrote to Bickar to tell him, "This time you've gone too far!"

Bombs Away! 1915: On April 1, 1915, in the midst of World War I, a French aviator flew over a German camp and dropped what appeared to be a huge bomb. The German soldiers immediately scattered in all directions, but no explosion followed. After some time, the soldiers crept back and gingerly approached the bomb. They discovered it was actually a large football with a note tied to it that read, "April Fool!"

Big Ben Goes Digital 1980: The BBC reported that Big Ben, in order to keep up with the times, was going to be given a digital readout. The announcement received a huge response from listeners shocked and angered by the proposed change. The BBC Japanese service also announced that the clock hands would be sold to the first four listeners to contact them. One Japanese seaman in the mid-Atlantic immediately radioed in a bid.