Things I learned and did while 17

As chronologically as possible, starting with my 17th birthday.

• Broken Social Scene's "Anthems For a 17-Year-Old Girl" is highly irrelevant
• Going to the pool with your nieces and nephews is a delicious way to spend a birthday
• I started reading Fahrenheit 451 on my birthday because in the first chapter, the female character introduces herself as "17 and crazy." Thus, my interest was piqued. I have yet to finish the book.
• Listening to swing music while on a stepladder is a very. bad. idea.
• Directing rehearsals for a kids' musical in the dead of summer, outside, is the worst.
• Two of my best friends and I started a movie review blog. It was great. Except that we thought of it at 3 in the morning. That was a year ago, and there are all of two posts.
• Apparently, the death of a hasbeen, pedophile popstar can cause national uproar unlike anything I'd seen.
• The best way to spend a summer is with a sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew.
• It is madness trying to get pictures of 9 siblings, everyone in a different color, making sure that two people standing next to each other don't clash.
• My brother-in-law Dave painted my room. It is gold and sparkly. No kidding. It goes well with my dark purple curtains.
• Having an organ in the house does not necessarily mean that I will ever be motivated enough to learn to play it.
• The people closest to you can easily turn on you out of the blue.
• In one morning, I made 5 dozen orange cake balls, 5 dozen chocolate cake balls, 2 dozen chocolate dipped strawberries and 2 pots of hot tea for a little girls' tea party with their Granny.
• I had 3 WHMC doctors, 4 X-rays and 6 physical therapists tell me that I have a bad back--which I already knew.
• When the power goes out at your house in the middle of summer, your entire family can crash a friend's house and have a wonderful time.
• Holocaust movies are sad, but tolerable. Holocaust movies about children are unbearable.
• I complain too much.
• Texas cake is amazing, but don't ever try to layer it. It was cause of much heartache.
• I made community college much more fun by withholding my age as long as possible, and watching people's faces afterwards.
• My sisters and I went to see Jason Mraz in Austin, and it was life-changing.
• The last musical my sisters and I directed brought out the worst in me. And many other people.
• Never again will I participate another of the aforementioned musical.
• Give grace.
• I look old enough that people don't ask my age before offering me Jello shots.
• I would have done better to refuse the Jello shots.
• One of the best things I did all year was start taking voice lessons.
• L'habite ne fait pas le moine.
• Being claustrophobic and being stuck in an elevator is absolutely no fun.
• Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever take trust for granted.
• See above.
• See above.
• See above.
• Find a healthy way to express yourself.
• It's hard to apologize when you're not ready to be forgiven.
• Be grateful for the people with whom God surrounds you.
• Excessive baking is not the answer.
• I read a Dr. Seuss book in French to some very Texan kids. It was very fun.
• If I find that I've been taking myself too seriously, I go out in public in my green skinny jeans.
• You can never be "prepared enough."
• In January, I tried to quit caffeine until my birthday. I lasted one day.
• Reflect often upon what you are grateful for.
• Journaling in French makes it much more difficult for your sister to read it (as per usual).
• I'd rather listen to truly talented, secular artists than mediocre, watered down Christian artists.
• J'étais française dans une autre vie.
• Frankenstein is an intensely powerful book.
• My lifelong disdain for poetry was rooted in an incomplete poetic education.
• I am now a very big John Keats fan.
• Don't associate with adults who insist on acting like children. In a bad way.
• My metronome has tough love for me.
• Ask yourself what your purpose is.
• My brothers will do literally ANYTHING for sandwiches.
• American Idol is lame.
• This not-being-able-to-drive business is nonsense.
• Taking senior pictures on a windy day is not very fun.
• Breaking ties is hard.
• Don't call yourself secure until you've been called some horrible things and see how you feel.
• La grâce couvre une multitude de péchés.
• Apparently, my heart can break without my even knowing it!
• My expectations for a Christian concert were far too low before seeing Hillsong United.
• Whenever someone begins talking to me by saying my name, it usually means they're being condescending.
• Whenever someone ends a sentence to me with my name, it usually means they're being encouraging or emphatic.
• I made complete strangers think that I only spoke French. It was a good feeling.
• I have been taking my sister CJ for granted for 18 years. Now she's getting married and leaving me. I'm preparing for a hard adjustment.
• I realized that I have a compulsive need to be right. I'm working on it.
• Senioritis is not a myth. It is vicious. It is caused by a mixture of adolescence and 12 consecutive years in school; its symptoms include lethargy, apathy and severe procrastination regarding school, and everything.
• Judging a band by the amount of eyeliner the male lead singer wears (or used to wear) can deafen you to their beautiful music.
• Loving someone out of obligation is not love.
• I graduated high school!
• I spent an entire year preparing for my senior piano recital.
• I played, from memory, seven major piano works at the aforementioned piano recital.
• The people of whom you think well can disappoint you.
• The people of whom you don't think well can surprise you.
• I decided that I don't know what I'm doing with my life, and I was/am okay with that.