i forgot

about blogger. it wasn't for a very long time. but i honestly forgot that it existed until i was researching something and the answer was on someone's blog.

I've had the perfect past 5 days and I'm loving it. PERFECT.

hey bitches

you're insightful.

my (not so) shocking discovery!

So, I read this (http://i43.tinypic.com/1o95x2.jpg) a monthish ago, but either A. didn't really read it or B. assumed that I have magical powers that make it possible to do anything. It was a combination of the two option, which is not cool.

In case you didn't click my link, how dare you? that is what this entire post is based on, girl!, it says that all credits from Tacoma Community College transfer to 4-year universities in Washington state.

That means, I'm going to be a Washington girl until I graduate from college. Not so bad, since I like it here. Yet sad since I wanted to get away. I was only sad for about 3 seconds though. Then, I asked myself, "Taylor, what university will you attend?" and then I became worried.

Here are my options (not all of them but, yeah)/how I'm feeling right now about them.

Washington State University
Ew. Ew. No. Gross. Not happening. I think/know wsu is trashy, I do plan to be a party girl, it gets way too hot there after all the crazy snow clears, driving over the pass is not happening, shame to my dad's side, happiness for jim. That is a definite no.

University of Washington
I wouldn't fit in there, I'm not very academically motivated anymore which you would know you if you read that tweet from today about how I don't even want to go to college, so many people from RHS are going there, it's just really not for me. I can't see myself walking around UW.

Western Washington University
It's funny because all three of my uncles went to TCC, then Western. I don't know enough about it to know if I'd like it.

Central Washington University
This seems like a swirly school, I can see myself there. Plus, by the time I attend (fall 2011) Taylor Herrick will have died graduated.

Pacific Lutheran University
I used to want to go there. It's in Tacoma. I love Tacoma. Who knows. They have awesome study abroad options. Oh, so I just spent 10 minutes on the website. Love it.


I know there are more colleges, but my brain is going. I guess I will just study up until it's time to transfer and know what I want to major in so I can make the best choice. Speaking of majors - HAHAHA. I'm going where the wind blows me right now.

"Oh, my life is good, and the past is in the past"

My brain is all over the place tonight. I'm apologizing in advance.

• I've been waking up (when I don't have ish to do) somewhere between 10 and 2 everyday.
• Although I was worried at first (paranoid is gross!) I really love the new Jonas album. My favorite songs are: fly with me, don't speak, turn right and before the storm.
  
  
  
• I'm ridiculously excited for the concert on Sunday with Lizzie. :] Hopefully I see Camille and/or Paul there too.
• Megan and I have been hanging out so much lately. It's weird, we are both so bitchy/get on people's nerves but for some reason we don't bother each other. Yeah, probably because we're so similar. (Bob! Pinned bangs! Heels! Pinkberrys!) Normally with friends if we're together for like 3 days, they start to annoy me, too much togetherness. With Meggy, we're totally fine and it magically gets better. I still can't believe we used to hate each other. :]
• I'm getting my license shortly. I'm obviously excited. It's just so inconvenient not having it. Now that I have a job, my mom is letting me. HeR pRiOrItIeS aRe In OrDeR.
• I'm really looking forward to Megan's 4th of July party and my Luau. :D

As a result (ya wasl!) of all of these things plus more that i'm forgetting, I'm loving life. I'm going to leave you with some insightful Ashlee Simpson lyrics.
"And I'm always always always running late, and my hair's a mess, even when it's straight, but so what, I'm better off everyday"
Thanks, Ash.

You're going to Hogwarts!!!!!!!!!!!!

Megan and I were driving to Puyallup from Lacey (after watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, getting into a huge conversation about Hogwarts houses) and to pass the time we became the Sorting Hat.

I'm providing house information for you as well. :] If you are curious why you're in a certain house, contact me on Facebook.

By Gryffindor, the bravest were,
Prized far beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;
For Hufflepuff, hard wokers were
Most worthy of admission;
And power-hungry Slytherin,
Loved those of great ambition.

Head: Minerva McGonagall

Founder: Godric Gryffindor

Colors: Scarlet and gold

Ghost: Nearly Headless Nick

Characteristics: "Daring, nerve and chivalry", and thus its members are generally regarded as brave, though sometimes to the point of recklessness. "You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve and chivalry, Set Gryffindors apart" - The Sorting Hat

Famous Gryffindors: Harry Potter, All of the Weasleys, Albus Dumbledore

More Gryffindors: Hayley Edmonston, Colin Gorenstein, Heather Perry, Robin Hornslien, Mary Yoest, Ty Hill, Becca Bisson, Nolan Burger, Hannah Fikar, Justin Piger, Ryan McIntosh, RJ Lopez, Bethany Gebhart, Caleb Allison

Head: Pomona Sprout

Founder: Helga Hufflepuff

Colors: Yellow and black

Ghost: The Fat Friar

Characteristics: They value hard work, patience, friendship and fair play. Very hard-working, friendly, loyal, accepting and for equality. "You might belong to Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid to toil" - The Sorting Hat

Famous Hufflepuffs: Nympadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory, Susan Bones, Ernie MacMillan

More Hufflepuffs: Taylor Russell, Chelsea Nemec, Laurel Barrett, Ingrid Bergland, Chelsea Brooks, Jenna Pedersen, Jarred Velliquette, Emily Harm, Emily Nelson, Drew Britton, Ashley Schleigh, Bella Lohrman-Hake, Hannah Caprara, Haley Hamilton, Kay Locey, Rachel Sherman

Head: Filius Flitwick
Founder: Rowena Ravenclaw

Colors: Blue and silver

Ghost: The Grey Lady

Characteristics: Clever, intelligent, witty, academically motivated and talented students. "Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, If you've a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind" - The Sorting Hat

Famous Ravenclaws: Luna Lovegood, Cho Chang, Moaning Myrtle

More Ravenclaws: Megan Thompson, Kortney Scroger, Josh Velliquette, Josh Aten, Zach Grah, Emily Gogerty-Northrip, Camille Wylie, Garrison Burger, Eric Gintz, Hannah Wise-Maas, Jin Stedge, Kristen Steenbeeke, Molly Pat

Head: Severus Snape, later Horace Slughorn

Founder: Salazar Slytherin

Colors: Green and Grey

Ghost: The Bloody Baron

Characteristics: Cleverness, resourcefulness, determination and a certain disregard for the rules. The house has a negative reputation, with many claiming that it is the source of most dark wizards in Britain. "Or perhaps in Slytherin, You'll make your real friends, Those cunning folk use any means, To achieve their ends." - The Sorting Hat

Famous Slytherins: All of the Malfoys, Tom Riddle (Voldemort), Bellatrix Lestrange

More Slytherins: Danny Serna, Brian Shoaf, Zach May

you know what...?

I'm loving summer already.

I made a to do list on Sunday and I'm in the process of doing all of those things.

Also, I feel like I need to figure out what I should buy with the $1,500 I've received as of today. New laptop? Save up for fall when I know I will want things? Wait until Christmas when I will most likely be in Europe?

Oh and I've got a lot of secrets up my sleeve for the future too. Heh. :D

Focused Writing

So, I've been downloading a lot of (nerdy) applications for my laptop. Kind of giving it a new life. The app that I'm currently using is called focused. All I can see right now is a black screen with white text. It blocks out all distractions. No music, no pop ups, no frozen computer screens, no flashing Facebook windows with "New message from _____!" glaring at you. It's purpose is for writers and students - which I consider myself both. I love technology more and more every day.

*I just added a character count and it makes the sound of a typewriter now. I'm about to remove the sound of the typewriter because I will go insane in 3...2...1.

I feel much better now that the sound is gone. I also changed my font color (light yellow), font (mighty to save, it keeps me typing) and my window size (narrower, like a word document with margins). I'm such a nerd. Can I marry someone who works for Adobe so I can get freebies/info? :] Hey look I'm at 956 characters. lolz

graduation!

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Erm

I tried, it fizzled out, it's dead and I'm done.



Also, high school is done. We aren't going to school tomorrow and that is very very bizarre.

I wish I could sleep in. But, no, I will have to wait until Sunday for that.

Typing from da pinkberry is obnox - night.

Lyndsie and graduation junk.

Lyndsie was over an hour ago. She wanted to read the last Commoner. It's crazy how much Commoner has an impact on people. Lyndsie was only on staff for one year, but she has intense Commie Pride. Here are all the things she said/did.

She always reads the entire Jagwire and then tells her classes/friends that "it is definitely not as good as Commoner and she knows it". Lyndsie always complains to me about how she wishes they had something like ours at ER. Her boyfriend often hears her talk about how amazing newspaper is and he suggests joining Jagwire. Lyndsie laughs and explains how it is just not the same and it would feel degrading/gross. I love Lyndsie. She's so ridiculous.

She read through this issue and started crying when she got to the Commoner goodbye part. She read all of them and especially liked Hayley's, Colin's and mine. She was cute and kept being like, "awww i remember this from sophomore year" and she was thrilled when she saw the photo with her in it on one page.

Lyndsie was telling me how ridiculous she felt for crying because she's not even on staff anymore. She said Commoner was one of her favorite HS things and even though she's at ER, she's a commie at heart. It was really cute and we both cried a lot. <3 We also reminisced a bit about school over the years and how it was our last day of school ever tomorrow. She's coming to the RHS graduation (depending on whether or not they will give me another ticket lolz) and I would have gone to the ER one if it wasn't during my grad party. But she's going to stop by, take photos and we will generally freak out over how old we are now. Gosh. :]


Okay, so I literally have no clue who I'm sitting with at graduation. I don't really care either about the specific seats, I just want to be near friends. haha It sucks because the logical friends I would sit next to are: Hayley - but she's academic top 10 and i think they sit somewhere else, Megan - she's not graduating, Laurel - she's avoiding me/I don't really want to bring it up/feel stupid talking about it anyway but don't want to end on a bad note if it's even possible because I have no clue what she thinks about me anyway (which by the way, if you're reading/care, can all be better if you just talk to me). So, I'm a bit screwed, possibly? I don't know. Locey is stressing me out about the seating/telling me like horror stories. Doesn't help.

Gov: I got an "award" from my 5th grade teacher (aka Adriana Cranston's dad?), it was cute. I also realized that there are less than 15 people I went to elementary school, junior high and high school with. I'm going to try and count.

Julie Smith, Lyndsie Horn (she counts!), Julia Nix, Janelle Kapsh, Alexis
Pederson, Chelsea Olivas, Breana Yardis, Breanna Moore, James Johnson, Nick
Krebs.

Omg, 10 people. That's crazy, considering I went to all the schools that my boundaries told me to.

I need to make cards/etc for people for all the grad parties I'm going to. I've limited myself to what's reasonable/people I actually really want to go their party/that aren't during my own party. They are: Natalie's, Josh and Jarred's, Colin's, Heather (Perry)'s, Josh's, Hannah's, and maybe Colin 2's. I had (or wanted) to say no to a lot haha: BL, Anna, Emmy, Nichole, Hayley and as of right now Laurel. I would die if I tried to go to all of those. 13!

Okay, i'm so tired.

I found this in my desk in commoner and...

apparently I was procrastinating hardcore and typed up my saved texts folder after Anaheim.

http://tinypic.com/r/2duw8bl/5 & http://tinypic.com/r/2n85468/5

i fell asleep (seriously) trying to title this entry.

Recently, the bad has been outweighing the good. I've been fighting with my mom and Jim more than ever, Laurel's note really hurt my feelings and I had been having an "overwhelming sense of icky-ness" i guess.

But that all is dramatically improving now! :]

Yesterday (it's midnight right now, so i guess on Monday) I had my Starbucks interview right after school. It was the best interview I've ever had (which makes sense). i was really relaxed and for the first time pleasantly pleased with how funny i was being? It was a nice change. She hired me at the end of the interview. I really like her and the new people I met and am absolutely thrilled to be doing something new. On Monday, i also bought a really cute green dress for graduation, two pairs of heels, assorted clothes for work. The term "work" sounds so foreign. I'm a total dork, I know. haha It's fun to pass a Starbucks and be like "I work there!" It's great. Oh and on Monday night, Meggy and I resumed our late night chats and loled at everything.

Today was interesting because I wore heels to school for the first time in forever. Note to self: don't ever take your shoes off during 5th period then put them on because they will be really different and make you hurt. In gov, Iverson addressed our picks for 2012 President (Palin, Miley Cyrus + other candidates that Emily knew about). Later when I was in 5th period (in gov) I asked Iverson if he loved my drawings of Sarah Palin and Miley Cyrus on our assignment and he said they were great and made his day because grading papers is very dull. He's so cute. ~sweet pea~ In English, we finished watching Into the Wild. I've already seen it and it was the ending (which is traumatic) so instead I googled Alpha Dog which is a movie that I want to watch again. I don't care if Colin used to make fun of me for it. haha Also, Mrs. Anderson gave us hugs, the chocolate kind and the gesture kind. In Spanish, we are still watching Eres tu, Maria? so Hannah/Steffi/Molly (we got to pick our seating chart, btw) and I (but mostly Hannah and I) make sarcastic/sexual/ridiculous comments about Lola, Julio and Pedro. Whitley and I talked about my link situation which she thought was the funniest thing ever and I was almost late to 4th because she was so curious at how this all happened. Social studies was the death class, surprised? I got my cba back and passed, so yay. In 5th period I wrote in jenna's yearbook, megan's yearbook, stalked gov and then was in gov again. I wrote in sean's yearbook and am coming again tomorrow with my own yearbook. heh. Commoner was spent writing in yearbooks and Locey being really odd. Which we should be used to already, but it's a transition.

After school, I just floated around in Commoner waiting for Megan to finish in Chemistry. OH! I also collected all of my random crap from the back room/old issues/things i've been meaning to bring home for a long time. I put it in a giant garbage bag. I dragged that down the C hallway, down the stairs, down the lower floor (Lisa saw me and was cracking up because it's a very weird site to see a girl in a dress, in heels, dragging a giant, awkwardly-shaped bag across the school.) and into Niemela's room. Megan, Caty and I talked for a bit, I explained all the stuff in the "bag of dead bodies" according to Lisa. Then, Meggy and I left. I dragged the bag across her classroom and outside. I decided that I would drag it forever, unless it broke and then I would sit and wait for Megan/car. It was really loud schlepping that across campus to the junior lot. I got some very odd looks, and found it all really funny myself. I almost made it across the street thing (between the tennis courts and choir) when my bag died and everything came out. I waited for Megan and she brought her car around. So much stuff. After we got gas, we went to Cold Stone (i went back to my regular banana ice cream with gummy bears). A little girl loved Meggy's pretty prom shoes. We always have the best "fun families" that we meet. I swear, it's so funny. We talked about it after ice cream and we've met like 10 fun families together where we bond with them. Anyway, we got out ice cream and headed to Bradley Lake Park. It's really fun going there after school and we did it last Friday too. It wasn't the best decision to walk through grass/hills in short dresses and 3 and 4 inch heels. Around 6, I got home.

I learned that we had a fire while I was gone. A plastic container was being stored in the oven (tanks Maria) and Jim turned it on to pre-heat the oven. He was outside, it caught on fire after 40 minutes and he extinguished it. The house only just stopped smelling like burnt plastic. I've been begging my mom to make asparagus (my favorite ever) with dinner and she finally did after three weeks of asking.

After dinner, I took a little nap and watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I've known about this movie a long time and when it was in theatres my mom didn't allow me to have money so i never saw it. BUT - OMGOMGOMG it's seriously my new favorite movie. I'm not exactly sure what my old favorite movie was but this one wins times a million. If you haven't seen it, wow, you need to.

The movie was like 2+ hours and then I went outside to take Lily to the bathroom. She was on the leash and I heard a crying sound. It was a baby bird that had fallen out of tree in my neighbors yard. I went over and put it back gently. It was amazing.

So, there is my confusing day (I need to stop using side notes) and I'm going to pass out.

2 days of school left. I'm very ready. I don't even really want to do commencement, but will anyway. haha My grandma wants me to go to a dinner/party for my dad's birthday tomorrow. But my dad doesn't even want to go. Gahhh.

1. I can't stop listening to Kelly Clarkson's new(ish) cd. OMG.
2. Typing/texting with a band-aid is hard.
3. I have nail polish on my toes that changes color in the sun. Do you? No. Suck it.

why am i so excited?

like, it's just a job. but i'm really excited! i'm a total dork. :]

also, i love natalie, she cracks me up.

baccayeahright.

i don't want to go to baccalaureate. my mom is forcing me. so last night i told her that this is pointless, i don't want to go, i'm the one graduating. she didn't say anything other than that i was a selfish brat like veruca salt in willy wonka.

this morning i presented my argument again. "you're still going." and i was like NO. I called my grandparents (my mom invited them) to give them a 4 hours heads up that we're not going.

now my mom is freaking out about how i'm so selfish, this isn't for me to decide, i won't amount to anything because i'm a selfish bitch and that i need to clean my room.

i really would be fine if someone decided to dispose of her for the rest of eternity.

oh and fyi, i won, we're not going.

honors and awards

was really really hot.

thank you circle was really really emotional. especially after school.

i love you guys so much. <3

my new and improved commoner goodbye, the uncut 600 word version of it.

When you think of high school, what comes to mind? What is that thing you always are going to remember? My answer, undoubtedly, is being apart of the Commoner.

As soon as I joined newspaper my sophomore year, I knew that this class was unlike any that I had ever taken before. It was loud, people were dancing, everyone was talking at light speed and animatedly using their hands. It was a completely unique situation, one that I had never encountered before. All the sophomores looked around, enchanted at what was going on around us. This was something special - and we were apart of it now.

Immediately Commoner was my favorite class. I counted down, “only two more classes to go”. I knew that once it was 6th period, there were an extraordinary amount of things to involve myself in.

Being apart of journalism has taught me a lot. I now carry in my tool belt an insane amount of AP style rules, an extensive knowledge of Adobe InDesign, the ability to talk to complete strangers about the most obscure topics for articles thanks to newspaper.

I’ve almost become a pro at stapling. Wait, what? Yes, stapling. The part of our room that is most often stared and gawked at is the Wall of Shame. It’s an enormous bulletin board where items deemed worthy enough are placed upon it. It’s a Commoner tradition that has been going on for years and hopefully many more years to come. No Scotland allowed, sophomores!

My favorite pieces on the Wall include: a yamaclaus invitation from the 2007 Chrismukkah that Colin and I memorably burned our fingers making, photos of Ratar, Batar, Kyrie and core four, the letter we each contributed to that won Locey her well-deserved WJEA adviser of the year award last year, the translation of “You can’t sit with us!” from Mean Girls in Korean which I‘m sure will come in handy some day, a “vignette” written by one very unconfident teen and an article cut out from The Apple Leaf about a woman named BJ Kuntz (don’t think I’m kidding).

These things may seem trivial, but they represent all those hours after school that we slaved away on the paper. “Slaved” because I often feel like an over-worked, under-paid slave after we finish each issue.

If I told you how often I’m in the Commoner room, you would think I was a total freak. But, I guess we’re all just a bunch of freaks. Who else sings musicals loud enough that visitors stop by our room after hearing us from the other end of the second floor, organizes frequent meal/drink orders with a cute, font-friendly list, points obnoxiously to strangers in the hallway saying “You’re going to Western!” and has a mini fridge with spray butter. (In case anyone is curious, the spray butter is actually kind of awesome and I suggest you all buy it.)

So, instead of leaving with you thinking about spray butter, I’ll leave you with this. Being on the Commoner has been the most magical experience.

If you aren’t on staff - I hope you walk past the room, peer in, see how incredible it is and walk away with utter jealousy. If you are on staff - thank you for everything you do. You’re all my favorite swirly babes. Ed. Board - you guys have made my life more colorful. Colin, Laurel, Hayley and Megan - you all are the kindest, most insightfully true people I know. I love you more than the Jonas Brothers and you know that’s saying something.

I'm copying Emily.


buy graduation tickets (the office said i can still do it because i've been so fucking sick), get photos from benj, send to costco, print them there, put together announcements, mail announcements, finish commoner goodbye!, bella's photo, bella's page, CBAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, figure out all my blue slips/notes/early release forms and get it handled, turn in gov book, turn in algebra II book, turn in two library books I still have, give eric beauty and the beast back which i borrowed like in january, give jenna her shoes back, give jenna her twilight book back, get deathly hallows back from jenna's mom, buy my dad a birthday present, get application from ~~~~~~~~~~~~~, job interview on wednesday, job interview on monday, make food for late night or get money, give them their baby photos back, send laurel baby photos/disk of assorted photos?, keep taking/not forgetting to take my medications, suffer from cramps (i hate you period, but thanks for not happening during graduation), buy graduation dress, buy yearbook!!!!!, pay fines, get all my shit from the back room out (...:[), bring my commoner portfolio back to locey? haha, do spanish worksheets/tests that i've missed, give lily a bath, write in everyone's yearbooks, buy giftcards/gifts for locey, leonardy and michel, take placement test for school, pay muniez, figure out who i'm living with?

stresssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.