Open the Lyd

Although it’s no excuse, the past couple of weeks have been jam-packed! I am officially done with high-school and will enter Liberty University in the fall with 18 credit hours under my belt. On the last day of school, I turned 18. Yikes! My family and I seem to be handling it well. No outrageous parties, “but I’m an adult!” tantrums, or drunken fits. I hide my liquor too well.

Back to the last week of school…my Senior Prom was the following Friday. I took two dates (yes, two, as in me + date + substitute date. Totally kidding). I’ve grown up with both guys and they are great young men. They were such gentlemen! They paid for dinner and asked me to dance, even on the slow songs! We took a limo to the prom, which was completely awesome! The idea of marrying rich is continually reinforced. Thank you Spell family for the limo! Thank you Ryan and Caleb for being the handsomest, sweetest, most charming guys at the prom. Girls were jealous! I could go on and on about the prom, but this is only a recap.

The next week, my mom, brother, and I headed down to Georgia to visit my grandparents. We had a great time! I got to go shopping and pick out some fabulous summer/college clothes. I love my grandparents! Thank you for the gift!

Then came the graduation. The entertaining and emotionally-draining monthly meetings left me a little anxious about the rehearsal, but it went on with most of the yelling directed at the truly innocent Junior Marshals. The graduation was very nice! I wore awesome, purple/red Jessica Simpson shoes and I did not fall once! Needless to say, I switched to flip flops after the graduation was over. The ceremony was nice. The Senior Band performed well and the student speakers were poised and well-spoken. The main speaker wasn’t very good. All I remember is something about a war and cannonballs and then he said, “in summary.” My dad was verbally attacked by a vicious homeschool mom (long story). She’ll be taking over graduation next year. Sorry again, Junior Marshals. Everything else went smoothly. I received my padded, empty diploma cover and am officially free from High-School!

My graduation party was fantastic! So many people from church came to celebrate with me! My family and I were overwhelmed with love from our church family. Everyone was so supportive and loving! I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to celebrate with! Thank you a million times over! Now…time to finish writing “Thank You” cards.

Its that time of year again…PROM! I’m a little late compared to last year. The excitement is finally bubbling. I found the perfect prom dress…again. I wanted a purple, flowing, vintage-inspired dress at a fabulous price. And that’s exactly what I got. Just think jewel-tone purple, blonde-bombshell, and Marilyn Monroe. My dad called the dress Slutty McSlut dress, but it’s not immodest. We ordered the first dress about a week ago, but it was a little big and, sadly, my red shoes didn’t “go.” Then we took a leap and ordered the smaller size. Well, it came today and it fits PERFECTLY! The color is actually different from the first dress. Go figure! This one is much more of an amethyst purple, rather than a darker purple. According to Christopher, the first color looked like grape juice mixed with pineapple juice. The second is much better. I can tell the little girl I babysit that my dress is “purple like Barney.” The best part….it goes with my fire-hot red satin pumps! I’m so excited! It looks so pretty! I don’t know whether to sing “I Feel Pretty” or “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.”

First of all, it seems weird to have this picture on my blog. Now to the meaning behind the picture! Anyone who knows me or has read this blog realizes that I detest the homeschool dress code. I followed the rules last year and ended up loving my dress even more with straps than without! Well, a few weeks ago I FINALLY saw an e-mail about prom. It said that the dress code had changed. I didn’t know whether to be terrified or hopeful. Then I saw the magic words, “strapless and spaghetti strap dresses WILL be allowed.” I could hear the Hallelujah Chorus! I can pick any dress I want! It can’t have cleavage, a high slit, or a low back, but I wouldn’t pick a dress like that anyway. I don’t have to look at dresses and wonder if straps are possible. These feelings of freedom and victory are amazing! I know that rejoicing over this is ridiculous, but a step like this is huge for the homeschool community (when I say “community” it sounds Amish, doesn’t it?). The prom evening went from a dinner with no dancing, to dancing, to gowns with bare shoulders! This gives me hope that there are other non-legalistic homeschoolers. I am glad to know that the group is not moving in the Bob Jones University direction, but rather in the direction of modest, yet contemporary. Let the shopping/hunting begin!

As most of you know, I am planning on going away to college next fall. Naturally, my family is anxious and excited. To ease my family’s anxiety and to give me something fun to do, I signed up for a Women-Only Self Defense class. Thankfully, I know the instructor from church. Anyone that knows me knows without a doubt that I am not athletic. Some of you are probably laughing that I even unnecessarily stated that fact. It is obvious that I do not like sports and am not talented in sports. The only athletic awards that I got were “Most Improved” and “Best Attitude.” Point proved! I was a little apprehensive and a lot excited about the class. The first class went very well. Our goal: Get home safely! Our words: “No! Stay back!” I learned some kicks and punches. I also learned that I am a wus baby and need to be…agressive…B E Agressive! I hope I get stronger and more confident by the end of the class. Everyone is really friendly, even when choking each other, and the instructors are nice and helpful. These classes will be a challenge, but it will be good for me. I will be a fighting machine! I can’t wait for tonight’s class! One last word: Beware!

My family and I have started watching 24. I didn’t start watching the show at first, but then decided I’d join in the family fun. Even after missing 8 episodes, I have a good idea of what is going on in the show. The main character is Federal Agent Jack Bauer. During the show, I thought of how many main characters in popular shows are named “Jack.” There’s Jack from Law and Order, Without a Trace, and even Lost. All of these characters are mysterious and seem to have hidden motives and “holier-than-thou” attitudes, but they do the right thing for the most part. What is it about this name? Does it say, “I’m average and ordinary on the outside, but smart and cunning on the inside” or “I’m unimportant, but you will do what I say”? Perhaps it says, “My motives may seem wrong, but you don’t understand my background and views.” Maybe it gives people the impression that Plain Jane or Jack can do almost anything and succeed.. Maybe it gives hope to the average part of all of us….or maybe it’s just a name.

On Sunday night, my family and I watched the Golden Globes. I could do without the long speeches thanking everyone on the planet. I just want the camera to pan up and down so I can see all of the beautiful gowns! The only reason to wait to see the winner is desire to see the entire ensemble. You can hardly see anything when the person is sitting down. The bottom of a gown is sometimes the best or worst part of a dress. Call me crazy, but I don’t pay much attention to what the guys are wearing. They are just a sea of tuxedos with the occasional appearance of drugged-up accessories (Mickey Rourke). So, my styling senses were tingling on Sunday night. There is a superfluous amount of pictures that I could post and comment on, but I will limit myself. Here are a few of my favorite stunning and shocking gowns.

This first gown is probably my favorite. The first time I saw Rumer Willis escort the presenters and award-winners, I exclaimed, “I love that dress!” I continued to repeat the same phrase over and over throughout the night, much to the dismay of my family. This Reem Acra dress has a beautiful color and movement, which is important when you have to walk across the stage all night long. I also love the intricate pleating and details that make this dress gorgeous, but not tacky. The bit of “bling” on the belt is appropriate. Another of my favorites is a gorgeous light purple Reem Acra gown (yes, a trend is already emerging). Olivia Wilde worked this angelic gown on the red carpet. I am not a big fan of pastel purple, but Wilde looks stunning! I am a huge fan of Reem Acra. The Reem Acra dresses I like are full of intricate details that convey an elegance superior to what rhinestones could accomplish.

Now on to the worst dressed stars, who usually end up looking the most interesting. Both of these stars are beautiful women, but completely missed the mark. I don’t even think they hit the dartboard. First, we have Drew Barrymore, who is no amateur red carpet walker. This girl has been in movies since she was a child. Maybe she wanted to stand out. If so, she succeeded, but not in a good way. The most obvious blunder is Drew’s hair. It looks too blond, stiff, and teased. This is not the 80s. Stars should look contemporary, even if it’s with a vintage twist. The Christian Dior dress is not very impressive, but the hair is the most distracting. My mom said somebody should give the girl a comb; the whole family agreed! Drew Barrymore is a beautiful actress, but she did not do herself justice last Sunday.The next woman is the worst dressed in many opinions, including mine. Rene Zellweger is a beautiful woman, who also has experience at award shows. She was even presenting at this year’s Golden Globes! This Carolina Herrera dress leaves me speechless, but not for long. The top and bottom do not go and the whole look is old. Her hair is messy and the dress ages this gorgeous actress. The whole dress/look was off. It did not match, go, work, etc. Hopefully, these actresses will learn what to wear in time for the next award show. 

There are many other stars that deserve acknowledgement for their glamourous looks. I loved Anne Hathaway’s sparkling midnight blue gown; Eva Longoria Parker’s red dress was hot; Eva Mendes looked fierce. Debra Messing’s Vera Wang dress was very pretty. I adored Amy Adams’ intricate black Oscar de la Renta gown. Hayden Panetierre’s purple gown was really lovely, and Miley Cyrus looked age-appropriate in a white Marchesa gown with a gold/white insert. A few stars that get away with anything and always look fabulous are Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Angelina Jolie, and Heidi Klum. The Golden Globes was no exception. I can’t wait for the upcoming award shows. I love observing all of the hits and misses and learning about fashion along the way. Sometimes when I watch a show about Rachael Zoe or other stylists and see all of the work that goes into putting together the right look for an award show, I think that I do not have the necessary fashion skills. Then, I look at what some stars either choose to wear or are made to wear and I realize that I could put together fierce outfits that would not receive a citation from the Fashion Police.

Senior events and decisions have been quickly coming and going. The yearbook pictures and composition are done; pictures are taken; the gown color is picked; the location is booked. I thought I wanted red gowns for graduation, partly because the gowns were red in High School Musical 3: Senior Year, but also because red would be really different and would POP on stage! Sadly, black barely won out over red. The optimist in me looks at the fact that I can now wear whatever shoes with my gown, whether they be red or leopard print! Another exciting moment happened today: my senior pictures arrived in the mail!!! I got a few copies of both a casual and formal pose (not the formal pose that is accepted by the yearbook, but the formal pose I like).

A little over a week ago, I went to the second meeting of the Senior Band. On Graduation Day, the band will play/sing “Lifesong” by Casting Crowns and “Legacy” by Nicole Nordeman (suggested by me). Some of the band members are also doing a very pretty instrumental. If truth be told, I was a little apprehensive about the meeting. At the last meeting, the ancient, “classic” Christian song, “Friends are Friends Forever,” by Michael W. Smith was suggested as a possible song. Some people like the song, while others (cough cough me!) did not really care for the song. Most of you know that I LOVE the famous blog, “Stuff Christians Like.” Well, this blog makes fun of typical Christian people, feelings, songs, etc., which obviously includes the camp-favorite “Friends are Friends Forever.” Naturally, I did not want to sing that song, even though it would make for a great story! Although I didn’t want to sing the song at graduation, I did want to completely bash it at the meeting if it came up. I was ready! Sadly, the song was not seriously brought up and I could not let out the burning passion within me. Thank goodness I have a blog! So, here is how I pictured the song scenario many times.

Homeschooler who doesn’t know better: “So, how about the song that gives me just as many chills as “Awesome God?” How about the song that true Christian friends sing? For those of you heathen homeschoolers that don’t know what I’m talking about, I mean “Friends are Friends Forever!”

Group of homeschoolers who are suffering from conformity despite missing out on public school: “Sure!”

 Me, after sitting quietly and practicing my compelling speech: “I REALLY don’t want to sing that song. Its so old and we should be able to find something better. That song was oversung when my mom was in college! I don’t want our graduation to look like a typical homeschool graduation. We’ll look like semi-Amish children who don’t know any good music outside of old Christian songs. I guess we would be a little bit scandalous considering Michael W. Smith is banned at Bob Jones University. You are all nice people and I would hate to mock you for the rest of Senior year, but I will do what I have to do. How about “We’re All In This Together” from “High School Musical 3? It has basically the same message.”

Senior band: “You are so right, Lydia! We will not be a stereotype! Bring on the new, cool songs! We’re all in this together!”

So, that is how the night would have gone in my head. Sadly, I probably wouldn’t say outloud all of the things I constantly think to myself. Its times like these when the whole “may feel superior to others” part of the career aptitude test is yelled over a megaphone in my head! The “may withhold true opinions” part is also speaking volumes. Maybe those two are really meant to be together! I am really excited about the songs the Senior band is performing! I think they are very relevant and and I can’t wait to perform them. The band members are very talented, nice people. They’re good friends. Even though our performances won’t be nearly as spectacular as the High School Musical Wildcats’ graduation performance, I can console myself with the fact that “Friends are Friends Forever” has been defeated…this time.

My brother found this epic picture for my blog. We’ve been watching this SNL video of Beyonce’s song, “Single Ladies.” It’s hysterical! I have watched it way too many times. The dancers are surprisingly really good. They dance exactly like the dancers in the real music video. It’s scary good. Anyway, prepare to be amazed and disturbed! Here it is!

I’ve had a twitter for a while. It’s basically a blog in 140 characters or less. You can twitter from your phone or computer. It’s awesome! I twitter a lot more than I blog. My brother helped me put my twitter on my site. It’s on the sidebar. Check it out!

If ya’ll do not know what my title means, it’s from the Gilmore Girls theme song. This weekend my mom and I have watched thirteen episodes in three days. My dad and brother have shamefully watched a few of those episodes. The show has some witty moments and some disappointing parts, but it’s a cute show and something I haven’t seen. I religiously watch Gilmore Girls and usually eat Sun Chips while I watch my show. I’m a complete creature of habit. Sadly, for the past three weeks, I haven’t been able to eat my show snack because of the Daniel Fast my family and church have been participating in. We can basically eat fruits, veggies, and whole grains. No preservatives, no meat, no dairy. Today was the last day!!! We ate pizza and loved it! I can’t wait to have my snack back. I really want, I mean, NEED a Chick-fil-a ice-cream cone! My mom and I went shopping yesterday and our bodies were screaming, “I NEED CHICK-FIL-A!” We finally went home and ate Daniel Fast approved spaghetti and chips with salsa. It’s too bad Chick-Fil-A isn’t opened today. They would have gotten some serious business from our church.

My mom and I enjoyed shopping yesterday, despite our lack of indescribable chicken and ice-cream. We did not buy anything because we had shopped a couple of weeks ago and gotten what we wanted. It was still fun to look. I found a High School Musical blanket with a musical chip. Needless to say, I know what gag gift to get this Christmas party season. Also, my mom and I went in Victoria’s Secret and saw the most ironic thing. Right below a butt mannequin with a skimpy lace thong was a sign that read, “Full Coverage.” Obviously the sign was meant for the bras below it, but it was directly under the fake butt. It was so funny! I wish I had taken a picture. (please do not get disturbed)

Other than that, life has been really good and really busy. This is the first weekend in a couple of weeks that I haven’t had a ton of homework. Trident classes are almost done. My team is giving our speech on Feral Children next week for speech class. Just for the record, I did not suggest the topic. Tests are almost over, and then I take the final exams in three weeks. My homeschool English class finished last week, along with this semester’s English honor’s project. Sadly, I still have English break homework to “keep me busy.” Oh well, it’s not too bad…I guess.

The college search is continuing. I’m pursuing Liberty University and my parents and I are praying that God will lead me wherever I need to go and provide the money for college. I took a CLEP test on Friday. Hopefully, I pass and I’ll get to take other tests. That way, I’ll get a few credits out of the way and save money.

The graduation meetings and senior “stuff” are all going well. There are a lot of decisions to make and most of them do not matter, so I won’t be upset. I wanted red gowns, partly because of High School Musical, but black won out. The decisions will continue to get more detailed. Then it’s time to pick out more pictures. I already sent pictures to the yearbook committee and wrote my senior composition for the yearbook.

Well, that’s about enough of an update for now. My head is constantly swimming with things I need to do and want to do. I am so thankful for all that I get to do. I can’t wait for Thanksgiving! By the way, Christmas is four weeks from Thursday! The Christmas music has been playing in my house, and I can’t wait to watch all of the Christmas classics! Of course, I also can’t wait to shop before and after Christmas (that’s when the good sales start). I hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving!! I want to make a cheesecake, and I wish we could have fried chicken. What are ya’ll looking forward to eating?