Graduation(s) and Ensuing Conversations...

Yes, Whiteout Fans, your friendly neighborhood Senior is Graduating this week. Today was Seminary Graduation, and Thursday is IDVA Graduation, both of which I shall talk about here. :)

Seminary Graduation was pretty good. Short, but good. I always enjoy sitting next to people I know, listening to people I know, and then walking through aisles of chairs and hitting my shins on each hymnbook as I pass by each chair. (Sarcasm only applied to the last part.) I saw a lot of the people I knew from actual high school, and others that I know from around this area. It was really nice to talk to a few of those people from a few years back. After I recieved my diploma though, it said I'd done 3 years of Seminary instead of the 4 that I actually attended. So I don't actually have it, but I will when they fix the mistake. When I got home, we somehow got into the discussion of girls and how many my brother and I know. Dad and Mom have made it common knowledge that my brother knows many a girl. When I have a stunning total of, *drum roll*, three that I fulfill the same requirements with, all of which live far away... Anywho, yeah. Don't know how it happened, but it was plenty awkward, and all of the family (and now you who read this) know what a strange little duck I am. :)

Now, GRADUATION Graduation, is a different story. Entirely. That's on Thursday. I look forward to it, because I'll not only be done with High School, but I perform at it as well. (Singing. Josh Groban's, "You Raise Me Up". Should be most interesting.) So I'm practicing for that, and getting everything in order. Gonna have to get all my textbooks ready to return at Grad, make sure everything is nice and taken care of, etc. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, really. My family is going to put me to the multiplicity of work that we have on the farm, and I'm just like, "Gah. Make Braeden do it. I'll do his school for him." But, anywho, so yeah.

Have a good time, and steer clear of avalanches.
ZW

Prom!!! Prom, Prom, Prom!

I could sing it out loud... Loudly. I could write a book on it. Might not be a best-seller, but it's good enough. (I may or may not include a chapter in my "novel" which may or may not tell you my experience in code. But I'm writing it here for you anyway.) Prom. Was. Awesome! Or, as my lovely date would say, "Emosewa!" Oh, yes, Whiteout fans, you are reading the words of a thoroughly, THOROUGHLY satisfied young man. (Kudos to the person who orcestrated the entire Prom. You know who you are. You did a more than fantastic job!) My day started out fairly well, and then just got better and better. We left at about 9:30 am and we drove for 4 hours to get to Boise. I met my lovely date just outside a Pier 1 Imports store on the edge of the mall. It was quite interesting to meet her in person. She told me to wait outside, but I decided that I wouldn't, so I went and basically met her at the entrance right before she walked out. Met her small but lovely family, and we all chatted nicely together when we got out to their car. (Ours was parked a mere two spaces away, so Dad and Braeden got to meet them too.) We talked, and talked, and talked some more, and then we finally "blew that popsicle stand", and we went inside the Mall. Boise Towne Square Mall is huge. Really huge. So I had my fun walking and talking, (One of my favorite things.) to one of my absolute favorite people. She's just so... awesome. She put up with my talking, and we had a great time. Then, we went to the Cheesecake Factory right outside the Mall. More walking (a short walk) and talking, but then we sat down to a lovely meal. And more talking. (Are you sensing a theme yet?) I don't mind telling you, THAT was a meal worth the time. The food was good, but the company... the company was the best. She's just a lovely girl, and I wish so much that I had more time with her than I did that day. Words can't really describe it, but she's just so... so awesome. I'm so so glad that she said yes and that we had an emosewa day date. But it didn't stop there, no it continued further. We went back to her "house", and got ready. I almost saw her dress and she kinda shooed me rather quickly out of the trailer so I didn't see it. I got dressed, and then I watched as she exited the trailer, looking, (She might not appreciate this, but I'll say it anyway) drop dead gorgeous. I picked a winner, folks. We then took pictures, courtesy of her parents. In the heels she was wearing, she couldn't walk all that well in gravel, or pretty much most places. So she leaned on me a lot all night, along with indulging all my chivalrous eccentricities, because that's just how I am. But I had to tell her, "Stay right there.", otherwise she'd open her own door. Yes, horrors, I know. Heaven forbid someone open their own door, but you gotta realize how that works with me. I prefer to be chivalrous, and that involves opening doors for the ladies. (Except those who purposely close the door, and then open it themselves because they know it irritates me.) So, while we had a tiny problem finding the place, we eventually did, and then the 5 hour Prom commenced. 5 hours in the presence of a most wonderful girl, who, like me, wanted nothing else than to spend time with the other. We danced, we talked, and we enjoyed each other's company. She even won one of the Court awards. She was a Princess, both in my eyes, and in the eyes of the people at Prom. I knew it was gonna happen, but even when she had to dance with the prince she was assigned, she still didn't want to do it. Apparently, even though I poked her in the stomach like she despises oh so much, she was still entirely focused on me and she wasn't happy about having to dance with another guy. (Unfortunately, when you date a Senior who is only elligible for Prom King and you look THAT gorgeous, it's hard to not be Princess.) So she was forced to dance while I was accosted by the date of the Prom King who... gave me an interesting conversation. Then another one of my friends who carried one of the many cameras talked to me about my date, etc. It was an interesting night, to be sure. But, one that I won't soon forget, not for my entire life. I especially won't forget my date... I don't think I can, even if I tried. When we said goodbye, well, I didn't want to. I wanted it to last longer than it did. Or, maybe I'd get a "Groundhog Day" moment, and relive those 9 hours over and over. Because they were the best nine hours of my life so far, hands down. I have two people to thank for that. One of them who orchestrated the entire Prom, so I owe her a LOT. And the other is my wonderful, beautiful date, who made those nine hours oh so great. They both hold very special places in my heart, and each had their part to play.

Prom. People. Life.

Three thoughts that run through my head every day. Some more than once. Some more than others. I'll explain them for you. Those of you reading this already knowing what I'm talking about, you're getting it again. :)

Prom. Oh boy... I could write a book on this subject alone, and it isn't even until the 11th of May. 9 days... 9 days that couldn't pass fast enough. 9 days that will be horribly boring. 9 days until I get to date a most wonderful girl and meet yet another one, both in person. I'm a darn lucky guy, and I wouldn't be going without my parents, mostly my Dad, who has graciously allowed me to go to Prom. With him as my chauffeur. Lucky me. :) My date is just as excited as I am, maybe even more so. She's one of the only people I could imagine going to ANY Prom with, and I wasn't sure if she'd say yes to me when I asked her. But, to my great hope and joyfulness, she said yes. Thus gracing me with her presence with not one, two, three, or even four hours. Five hours. FIVE hours I get to spend in her company, and she's also just as stoked. She's not letting me out of her sight, she said. (Within reason, hopefully. I mean, I gotta go to the restroom sometime.) I am totally at her mercy and disposal the entire night, though I think instead of using me for something, she'd rather just keep me close by. We get along so well together. :) The other highlight of Prom is the other person I was referring to. I've known her for a while, and I look forward, somewhat anxiously, to meeting her in person. It'll be a party, believe me. I truly believe, without a doubt, that Prom is going to be the best night of my life in my short 17 years on this earth. I truly do.

Now, on to People, which is closely related to Prom. Like I mentioned, I'm going with a most wonderful girl, who had the decency to give me the opportunity, nay, the privilege, to take her to Prom. An honor which I am all too willing to accept. My only worry is that I won't be able to keep up. She's just a real joy to hang out with. Always willing to say something nice, or do something for someone, or spend some time talking even at the cost of her own time. She and I share an uncanny number of interests, and she's a bit of a tomboy, which to me, kind of compliments my "Mama's Boy" nature. The other person, also at Prom, is different, but we all three kinda know each other. I've been given the opportunity, over the year, to talk with her a lot. We are quite similar in some aspects, and I've basically described her before, so I won't describe her again. (See earlier posts.) But, I look forward immensely to meeting her, because it's most likely the only chance I'll have to do so. A meeting which is... double edged, unfortunately.

So, with that said, the last part is life. Life... I can't tell if I hate it or love it sometimes. Right now, I'm too happy to do anything but love it. I mean, I get to go to Prom in Boise! Not in my wildest dreams had I ever thought I'd be able to do that. And yet, I shall in 9 days. As to other news, my finger is jammed, and I'm working on a pile of school that never seems to end. Other than that, totally great. :)

So, I think I've rambled on enough. Until next time, Whiteout fans, and steer clear of avalanches.
ZW