And So It Begins--Or Rather, Continues

This is a little update because I know you all have been missing me terribly and are so lost without any insight into what is new with me.

• At my first Speech tournament (which was Saturday), I broke to finals in Drama. I have never broken to finals before in my previous three years of competition (semi-finals, yes; finals, no). I was so excited that I started to shake and couldn't really breathe. I totally had not anticipated going to finals, considering I had not truly had enough time to prepare. Plus, we were having a difficult time deciding if my piece was a Dramatic or a Humorous piece. Well, I guess it is Drama because I placed 5th overall in Drama! This was such a great tournament for us--we sent three to finals in Drama, two teams to finals in Duo, two to finals in Poetry, and our CX team took 3rd place. And on top of all that, I was able to convince P to do a Duo with me, which is SO exciting because the best Duos in my opinion are male/female. I am so excited for this year...it is going to be the best!
• I am really enjoying reading Crime and Punishment.
• Work is going well, and I like all the people I work with.
• College applications are on their way to being done. I have an interview with CC on Thursday, so we'll see how that goes. I am so excited!

Well, I actually am ahead with my homework at this point, and I may actually get to bed at a really reasonable hour. So, that's all for now, folks. Check back later for pictures from my trip to Mexico from a couple of weeks back. Have a great life until then!

Isn't it Ironic?

Check out my horoscope for the day. Easier said than done. But eerily accurate for how my life has been going.

Catching a cloud and pinning it down is never easy, dear Cancer, and unfortunately, that may be what you feel you need to do in order to keep on track with the energy of the day. Your mind is wandering in many different places, making it difficult for you to maintain focus. Meanwhile the cloud floating overhead is filled with information that you feel you need to grab hold of. In reality, what you need to do is learn how to relax.

On a brighter note, I have found my Drama piece for this year. Gold, I say. Gold.

Happy Randomness!

So, Speech Nat Quals are this Friday and Saturday. I am so nervous. I hadn't looked at my piece since State Quals, and I worked on it for the first time since then today. Luckily, I think that working with Mrs. G today made it about 10 times more powerful that it was before. I am pretty excited...it would be so amazing to go to Nationals without going to State. And I have a decent chance...41 entries in Drama, and the majority of those are probably fillers, and sending three to Nationals. I'll let you guys know how I do as soon as I know myself.

Don't you just love how everything hits you in the face right when you least expect it? Such as actually getting an A on an AP Chem test. But then there are those things you know you have to do in the back of your mind that seem to linger there until it is almost too late. Like my HOBY Junior Staff application, which is due Sunday. Or AP tests, which are just a little over a month away. Ahh, how I long to sit back with a good book.

Speaking of good books, I finished The Picture of Dorian Gray the other day. I absolutely LOVE the ending. All of you MUST read it, just so you can see how amazing it truly is. I think Wilde is one of my new favorite authors...now I just have to read some of his plays.

Well, the procrastinating has been fun, but I really must go clean out my backpack now...you would not believe the junk I have accumulated in it. Ta-ta!

A Moment to Catch my Breath

Oh my goodness. It has been so long since I last posted. So much has happened! It feels nice to be able to sit down and just write for a few minutes. So, now on to my updates:

1. I am 6th alternate for the state Speech tournament in Drama.
2. I am probably attending State. (Not to compete, but rather to support my other teammates)
3. I am going to the Fall Out Boy concert in May. This has made my year.

I honestly can't think of anything else. I have been so insanely busy, yet I can't seem to think of anything that you don't know.

However, I have new music.

• Lily Allen, Alright, Still
• Fall Out Boy, Infinity on High
• Barenaked Ladies, Are Me, and Are Men
• James Blunt, Back to Bedlam
• The Academy Is..., Almost Here
• and more that I can't seem to recall at the moment.

I highly recommend all of these CDs. Superb. So go find them, buy them, and enjoy!

And the Panic Begins to Set In

So, Saturday is the final novice speech competition. I've worked with all my "mentees," so I think they are all ready. And I get to go judge. Only thing I am starting to worry about is my piece. I have seven characters, and each has a different voice. Most are variations on a British accent, but then there is the one that is giving me the most grief. A male Italian accent. I've been working so hard on it, but I just can't seem to get it. And then there is the issue of memorization. I keep reading over it again and again, but somehow I just haven't been able to memorize it. And that poses the biggest problem of all. Until I memorize it, I can't work on pops, I can't work on pantomime, I can't work on timing. And it has to be good enough for competition by the 4th. Yes, next Saturday. This is the first year I've had doubts about being ready. I think it has to do with having so many novices that I am helping. Once again I am putting others before myself. And right now, I have a lot of work to do...

Who Would Have Thought!?!

So Friday and Saturday was the National Qualifying Speech Tournament. I wasn't really as nervous for this one because I didn't think I'd stand a chance, I thought I was going to be eliminated after the first two rounds, like last year. Boy, was I wrong. I made it to Semi-Finals! I was so surprised that I couldn't even talk when I saw that I had one down and one up, that meant I was still in it! These two girls who were incredible were in all three of my rounds, one was from Kent, the other from Creek. They really weren't supposed to do that, but they matched us all up. It turns out I was ranked down and out in the Semi-Finals round, but that was okay to me, I mean, I MADE IT TO SEMI-FINALS!! Oh, and by the way, those two girls I was always up against? Yeah, they are representing our district at Nationals in Dallas in June. They were amazingly funny, but I know that in my second round, I BEAT one of them.

Next, year will be my big year, I can feel it...

So Nervous I Can't Even Think Straight!

So, I am leaving for States Quals in a few minutes, and I am going crazy. My voice is barely here, so I don't know how I am going to do. Of all the times to get sick with a sore throat...

Anyhoo, I'll keep you posted...

Speech Update

I just checked NFL's (National Forensic League) website and looked up my record. I made my Honor Degree! Yipee! 77 points total, 30 earned this year. I just have to go to two more tournaments, and the letter is mine! Muhaha!

One Small Step for Speech, A Giant Leap for Ashley

Saturday was the Continental League Speech and Debate Tournament at Douglas County High School. I had been working on my Humor piece over winter beak, and I'd also been spending a lot of time with Ms. Graham trying to perfect it. We made a BUNCH of changes, from one of my voices to where I put my intro. At the other tournaments I had gone to I never ranked higher than 3rd in my rounds. Well, I placed 6th overall in Humor. My first round I was ranked 1st. My second round, 4th(I knew my round wasn't as good as it could have been, I stumbled in the beginning and it threw me off). And my third round, I ranked 2nd. It was incredible! My friend Shamita was doing Humor for the first time, so she was freaking out. Not to mention in her first round there was a girl performing her exact same piece. Well, Shamita tied for 1st place! She was stunned. She deserved it, she worked really hard. Ok, I'll admit, I was a tad jealous. I mean, I wanted to place in the top three--not to mention get the medal--, but at least Shamita got 1st. I got another ribbon for my lovely collection. But, hey, there are always other tournaments...

My journey to lettering is getting closer to an end...