AHHHHHHH

I'M A YES ABROAD SEMI-FINALIST!!!!!

Oh my goodness, words can't even describe how excited I am.  I saw the letter in a dead-silent computer lab full of people at school.  I then had to drive home (15 minutes) and wait for the page to load.  I started sobbing when I read it.  Here's the video of me opening it.  Please excuse my awful crying face...

Wow...I'm so grateful.  And so blissfully happy.  There are 90 semi-finalists.  55 spots.  The odds aren't too bad now.  The IPSE is in Denver (no travel needed) on March 24-26.  I have 24 days.  Then the finalist emails go out in mid to late April.  In two months, I will know what I am doing next year. The outbound wait is a very long one.  I will post more later, but at the moment I am too excited to type.  Sorry for any typos :D

Olivia

GUESS WHAT?!

YES hasn't sent out notifications yet!  They sent us all an email that nearly gave us all heart attacks, but it was just a reminder.  So now we are at negative two days.  It's actually a bit less nerve wracking now that I'm not anticipating when they will come out.  Waiting is my new game, and I have become an expert.  A twitchy expert, but one nonetheless.

Xanadu is over.  I will admit that I teared up a bit while striking the set (well, putting away all the costumes and organizing the costume room).  This may be the last big theatre production that I work with.  No more musicals.  No more plays.  No more mayhem and wonderment.  Our theatre teacher, Ms. O, gave us all little disco ball necklaces to remember the show by.  The seniors nearly sent me over the edge too...it was their last show.  One of my best friends had the lead (also a senior) so she was a bit emotional, which is understandable.  No matter if I stay or go, high school ends next year.  I can't even comprehend this.  The fact that we all have to grow up sometime.  For the past 16 years, I have lived in a bubble of childhood.  Or teenage years.  I've lived with my parents, eaten their food, gone on vacations.  Soon, it's all me.  What will I do?  Something big I hope.  In my mind, I'll either be a rockstar or living in a cardboard box.  Ms. Olivia Hobo at your service.  Cardboard box house contractor extraordinaire.  Not really.  But the way my personality and ambitions are, I'm set up to either succeed or take a digger.

Trey getting kisses on his chest.  He was cupid.  And then there's Sam making out with his stomach.

Now that I've rambled on about my life, it's time to get back to the featured portion of my blog.  MUSIC TIME!!!

Upbeat and catchy.  I'm dancing.

This is beyond wonderful.  I love Imogen.

This is my Dad's band, Boldtype. He plays the drums.  They just left to go on tour with Guttermouth today.  :)

Well my friends, that is all from your favorite DJ Olivia on 93.3 LIV.  Don't be afraid to leave a comment, so I know I'm not writing to empty air!  Over and out.

Olivia

P.S. I'm not normally this corny.  I just like pretending I'm a radio talk person...whatever they are I called.  

THREE. DAYS.

Hello lovely people!

You might be wondering what is going on.  Why is Olivia posting on a Tuesday?  Why is this post not spaced out by a week like the others are?  Well, that's because I find out about YES in (hopefully) 2 days.  I'm a bit spastic and need to vent.

This is so close it is almost unbelievable.  Did I really submit my application a month and a half ago?  Are there really only three days left?  Do I really have reason to hope that I am a semi-finalist.  I hope so.  So many hopes.  So many dreams.

So, it may seem like my AFS Turkey dream sort of dropped off the face of the Earth.  Kind of, not really.  I didn't end up applying for the Global Leaders Scholarship because we didn't have the $900 for the application deposit.  I have the entire application done (I just need to scan a few things in), I just can't submit it.  Oh the woes of attempting to go on a several thousand dollar exchange.  I'm still trying my hardest, if I can come up with the money by the time my application is due, I will submit it.  If not...YES is my only exchange hope.

Well, in all honesty, there't not much more to write about.  I've spent more time than I care to mention in the HHS costume room working on the Xanadu costumes (primarily the centaur).  It pretty much consumed my four day weekend.  I went to Ikea with one of my best friends Sunday, which was fantastic.

So, how about we have music time! :D

Olivia's Tuesday Playlist:

This is the band I am seeing at the end of March :)  (VIP tickets baby)

Despite all of the chill songs that I have been posting, I am a metal and hardcore girl at heart :)

My friend and I in the children's section of Ikea

Now that's all from 93.3 LIV, always rocking the Rockies.  Good night everyone.

Olivia

6 DAYS!!!

Hello lovely people!

Well, once again the title says everything.  If my tentative date is correct, there are 6 more days until the semi-finalist notifications.

Uh, whut?

It feels like just yesterday that I submitted my application.  At the same time though, it feels like it was about 10 years ago.  Now that we are getting so close, I am getting more and more nervous.  And the days are passing by much slower.  This upcoming week is going to go tortuously slow.  It's only four days long though, and it's show week for Xanadu.  I guess it might go by a quickly...AHHHH.  I just realized I will most likely be at one of the shows when the notifications come in.  I will be that spastic techie that accidentally stabs someone with a safety pin so their toga doesn't fall off... Please excuse my harebrained mind.  There's a lot to contemplate.

Speaking of notifications, I mentioned to my fellow YES hopefuls that we should all record the moment when we open up our emails and compile it together as a form of inspirational video.  For YES of course.  However, I hope mine doesn't turn into me sobbing in a corner like the sad little child I am.  

Next up, my good luck dance for all of us hopefuls!  Yeah...I'm crazy.

There's really not much to say after this.  However, if we get into the semifinalist stage, we are doing this dance for the IPSE talent show.  Minus the irons.  We would replace them with flags for the YES countries.  

It is currently a four day weekend, and I am reveling in that fact.  It means sleep for me.  Kind of.  I can never sleep past 8 am.  My body has a weird internal clock. 

Well, in all honesty, there's not much more to say.  Life is hectic as usual.  I've recently been trying to figure out what I want to do with life.  Not a heavy topic at all.  I certainly know that within the next few years I will get a band going.  I've been writing more songs lately...although I can't exactly tell how good they are.  My writing style is a bit odd, in case you haven't already picked that up from this blog.  I'm a bit all over the place.  Welcome to my mind.

For now my dear friends, I will leave you with this.  More music!  I like to end posts with pictures or music.

I know I posted a Gotye video last week, but this cover is absolutely beautiful.  Watch, listen, and enjoy :)

Olivia

13 days... DUN DUN DUN

Hello all!

Well, the title says it all.  If my assumption that we will receive our YES notifications on February 24th is correct, there are 13 days left.  Also, I submitted my application a month ago today.  I suppose the weeks have flown by, but not without a small pit of worry nestled in my stomach 99% of the day.  However, I've been so busy that I haven't had a lot of time to dwell on it.  To be blunt, I feel like simultaneously banging my head against this keyboard, and using it as a pillow.  This week has been insane.  We have a 4 day weekend next week though, so hopefully I will have some time to relax.

As for my AFS Turkey application and Global Leaders Merit Scholarship...they are coming along as well as possible.  My scholarship essay is written in sections, I just have to meld it together.  I am also waiting for people to sign papers for my application.  I recently found out that the entire thing is due on the 15th.  Along with 900 some odd dollars.  Once everything is turned in, I can breathe again.  Well, after the 24th if I find out about YES.  If I become a semi-finalist there's more holding of my breath until finalist announcements...then if I get in...it's one big waiting game isn't it?  Deep breath.  AAAAHHHHHH. O_O

On to things that aren't exchange related.

I recently took my first drum lesson with my Dad.  I think I did fairly well, aside from some general confusion in the beginning.  Who knew counting to four could be so damn difficult?  I've never been good with numbers.... (don't take that too seriously, I'm not that awful at math...)  But really, trying to move both hands and your feet at the same time on different counts makes my brain want to cry.

Yay for the sparkly green drums! And for my awkward face.

Today I was holed up in the costume room at school for the Xanadu tech day.  Working on a centaur costume.  I was there from 10 am to 3 pm, and I am not even near being done.  I've gotten quite a few odd looks from people who have no idea what I'm working on.  I can imagine it is odd looking, seeing as it is a chicken wire tube covered in foam for the torso, with wood sticks for legs.  Everything is getting multiple layers of foam added on to it, along with some fur.  I was working with a hot glue gun that oozed molten glue.  I have nubs for fingers now.  Nubs.  

This is what happens when we spend far too much time in the costume room.  Yes, that is an iron in her hand.

Last but not least I will leave you with a song that I have had on repeat for about 3 days.  I have fallen in love with Gotye, and wish dearly that the show wasn't sold out.  Oh well, I will just have to content myself with listening to their music 24/7.

That's all for today!  Have a wonderful week, and I will keep you all updated.

Olivia

Studying Abroad- AFS Turkey

Hello lovely people!  As I'm sure you know by now, I am hoping to study abroad for my Senior year of high school in the wonderful country called Turkey with AFS.  That is, if I don't get into YES Abroad.  The past few years I have looked around at my mile high and mountainous home, and tried to imagine myself in the land beyond it.  At first it was Japan, then it moved to France and Brazil.  Then I began to truly think about what I wanted to do.  For years I have heard snipes and genuine fury at the Islamic religion.  Being a fairly non-judgmental person, I tried to see past the acts that lead to this extreme anger.  I decided what better way to quell people's fears about the unknown, than to jump in headfirst and learn all I could.  So here I am today.  Applying for a year abroad to a predominantly Muslim country.  My excitement can't even be put down in words.

However, an obstacle stands in my way.  The AFS year program to Turkey cost $12,500.  Even if I were to receive the $3,000 Global Leaders scholarship, it's a considerable sum.  I plan to work all summer, hosting at a restaurant, doing hair, running fundraisers for my cause, and possibly making things and selling them.  Even through doing this, I will need a bit of help.  If I were to receive the YES scholarship, everything would be paid for.  I have to work a lot harder to make AFS Turkey happen.

If you would be kind enough to donate through my ChipIn button, I would be eternally grateful.  Also note that if I am accepted into YES, any donations would be refunded to you.  This also ONLY goes towards AFS, I cannot use it to go on some wild shopping spree :)

Thank you so much!

-Olivia


*To sponsor my AFS program now, please click the ChipIn button

It's February!!

*To the tune of Friday*

It's February, February, gonna get down in February. Lookin' forward to an email, email....


That's right my jolly good friends.  We all (as in the YES hopefuls) receive our semi-finalist emails at the end of February.  The results being good or bad.  Preferably wonderful.  The countdown has officially started for us.  I don't know the exact date of the notifications, but my rough date is February 24.  It's a Friday, and at the end of the month. 


Next week is our Winter Spirit Week in the land of HHS.  The theme is Harry Potter, which makes me indescribably joyful.  The Junior class is Slytherin, which makes me all kinds of happy.  However, I'm fine with this possibly being the last Winter Spirit Week I go through.  I don't mean that in a "Ugh, I'm so tired of this school," way, but more of a I'd-much-rather-be-studying-abroad-than-rubbing-up-on-each-other-at-the-dance attitude.  Not my thing...


Not much else is going on in the Land of Olivia, aside from the fact that I am tentatively applying for the AFS Turkey year program in case I don't get into YES...but there is a very small chance I will be able to scrounge up $12,500, even if I do win something from Global Leaders.  I shall try my hardest though!  If I can't do it...I suppose I will apply to YES again, NSLI-Y, and talk to Rotary about a gap year to Turkey.  I will study abroad.  I'm determined!  I need to see the world, and I want to know what else is out there.


For now, I leave you with this.

I'm not normally a fan of Taylor Swift, but something about this song really gets to me.... I suppose it's because of all that has happened recently with my Great-Grandma... I'm still struggling with that.


This is another side note, music can be more powerful than just about anything.  It lets me breath, and brings a mass amount of joy, motivation, and inspiration to my life.




Olivia