How I Became a Registered Voter

This will all make sense, I swear.

So, I've trick-or-treated every year since I was a tiny tot. That includes this year. No Halloween parties for me, just trick-or-treating with two of my friends. For me, it's less about the candy and more about how much fun it is to wander the neighborhood in a costume. (I dressed up as Elwood Blues, for the record.)

I knocked on the door of a house down the street and it was answered by my neighbor - but not the neighbor that lived in the house. It was answered by one Mr. Tom McFadden, Esq., who also lives on my
street. Mr. McFadden is a very nice man, a lawyer, and an Upper Providence Township councilman.

Needless to say, I was confused.

Mr. McFadden squinted and said, "You're a McAlee, aren't you?"

I nodded.

"Are you 18 yet?" he asked.

"No, sir. I will be in December," I replied.

He told me to hold on for a moment and walked out to his car. After fishing around for a minute or so, he returned with three voter registration forms - one for me, and one for each of my friends.

"There you go!" he said, proudly. "When you turn 18, fill this out and mail it to the courthouse."

I thanked him, and we moved onto the next house.

Back to the present: Today, my parents dragged took my brother and me to the courthouse to renew our passports, and my mom remembered that I could finally file that voter registration form, at, well, the Office of Voter Registration. Which I did.

And that's how I became a registered voter.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

So what have I been up to for the last few weeks? My last post wasn't much of an update, really.

Well, I've come to a few notable milestones recently - the senior Snowball dance (shout-out to my kind friend and date, Ryan M., who's an excellent dancer), my 18th (and golden!) birthday, my last O'Hara Family Christmas as an O'Hara student, and my final Christmas before college (which is kind of terrifying). In short, I dressed up nicely, I can go to jail for real now, I caroled, and I heard a lot of "you should definitely be a lawyer/speechwriter/professional clown."

Yours truly - pre-Snowball

Also, I was accepted to Boston College and Saint Joseph's University! Hooray! Those letters were some pretty good Christmas gifts.

Speaking of Christmas, my Christmas vacation has been, by all accounts, pretty good so far. I got some nice toys for Christmas - including an iPhone! Well, kind of. It's on its way. But you know what that means - blog updates from all over the place! And Santa brought my brother and me a keyboard, so I can finally start taking those piano lessons I've been hoping for. (Tangent alert: I must be the first person on the planet who actually asked for piano lessons.)

Look for an update quite soon, and for my up-to-the-minute musings, don't forget to follow me on Twitter!

"Be Awesome."

A lot of what I've posted so far this year has been joyful, happy, wonderful news. Like I've said before, I'm a pretty lucky person. Today, not so much.

Today wasn't such a great day for me. A few weeks ago, I learned that Mr. Cook, one of the single most influential people in my life and one of the best teachers I have, is leaving O'Hara to pursue a new opportunity. Today was his last day, and it was a hard one.

Mr. Cook - commonly known by students as just "Cook" - and I have been pals since about Thanksgiving of my freshman year. He moderated the TV studio, and I had just been accepted as a crew member. The studio was my first home at O'Hara, and it continues to be the place where I feel most comfortable and confident, due in no small part to Cook. Being in his Media Production class made me think about a lot of things in a different way. Leading a Kairos retreat with him (Hot Magneta for life!) changed me profoundly for the better.

Cook has almost a cult following among O'Hara students - especially his devoted Frisbee players, TV crew members, and Kairos charges - for good reason. He's just the kind of teacher - no, the kind of guy - who makes people want to be the absolute best people they can be. He doesn't just teach, direct, and coach. He inspires. We get along like a house on fire, so it's hard for me to face the idea that I'm not going to see him each morning, in the studio and in class, and each afternoon, when I'd hang out in his classroom during my free period.

This morning, Cook left us with some parting words, a passage from 1 Thessalonians: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ." Right now, it's hard to give thanks about this - one of the most important people in my life, moving on. But Cook also told us to "be awesome." So I'm going to try to be awesome and carry on, never forgetting everything he taught me.

"Dancing is not a crime!"

This is a friendly reminder that you really should see Footloose tonight and tomorrow night at O'Hara! This is closing weekend and your last chance to check it out - I promise you won't regret it! It's fantastically full of signing and dancing and laughing and crying, so you don't want to miss this one!

Also, don't forget to follow me on Twitter @nicolemcalee for updates and observations by yours truly!

(Phew. That was a LOT of exclamation points. Here's one more for good measure!)

All Atwitter

I am now an official inhabitant of the Twitterverse!

In case you just can't get enough of me via these sporadic-but-increasingly-frequent blog updates, you can now get up-to-the-moment information about how I'm feeling and what I'm doing via my Twitter! Which you can find here! Be kind and follow me! Check up on my comings and goings frequently!You want to know what I ate for breakfast or what music I'm listening to? Well, you'll probably be out of luck in that department. But all the good stuff will be Tweeted for sure.

I must admit that Twitter is, at the moment, still a bit of a mystery to me, so stop by and drop me some advice!

Everybody Cut Footloose!

After months of preparation and anticipation, it has finally arrived: The opening night of Cardinal O'Hara's production of Footloose. If you like the 80s, dancing, fun, music, laughing, or me, you should probably be there. Come on out and support the cast, band, and crew and I guarantee you'll be dancing in the aisles (hopefully during intermission or after the show...it's a bit distracting otherwise).

Based on the classic 1980s movie starring Kevin Bacon, Footloose is the story of one, well, footloose Ren McCormack, a Chicago transplant in the small (and small-minded) town of Bomont. Dancing is illegal in Bomont thanks to Reverend Shaw Moore, the ironfisted preacher who can't control his own rebellious daughter. Ren aims to shake things up by challenging Reverend Moore's rule, with surprising results. 

I can personally vouch that our production of Footloose is fantastic. It's not just the catchy music or the incredible dancing that makes this show a joy to watch: A lot of heart and soul went into this, and it's very evident. As a cast member of Footloose, I have had a great time, made a lot of new friends, and even learned a few steps (though I'm still a pretty terrible dancer). And the real fun is just beginning!

The show opens at 8:00 PM in O'Hara's auditorium. Tickets are $12 for tonight, tomorrow night, and next Friday and Saturday (December 2 and 3). They are $10 for Sunday's matinee at 2:00 PM. How can you beat that? Professional-grade high school theater at a fantastic price.

You can get some more info about O'Hara's production of Footloose here, and you can buy tickets online here! (Tickets are also available at the door, don't worry!)

"I went down to buy a turkey tree, and all they have are things for Christmas." - Sally Brown

Another Thanksgiving, come and (almost) gone. It was a good one this year.

Finally, after weeks - months, really - of going, going, going nonstop, I finally had the chance to sit down, chill out, and think about how lucky I really am.

Truthfully, I have a lot to be thankful for.

I'm thankful for my mom and dad, who bend over backwards with a smile to make sure my brother and I are happy and healthy. Speaking of the devil, I'm thankful for my brother, who is wise beyond his years, hilarious, and way cooler than me. I'm thankful for my extended family, my ever-present cheer squad and support network. (A special shout-out to my cousin Sam, who, well, wanted a shout-out. Hey, Sam!)

I'm thankful for my friends, my second family. They teach me something new every day, and they make me strive to be a better person. Whether we've been buds since Little Church School or since last month, my friends are more often than not my light, joy, and tether to sanity, and for that I'm eternally grateful.

I'm thankful for my school and what I've learned there. Truly, O'Hara has given me lessons, challenges, relationships, ideas, and opportunities that have changed me for the better. Whether it's Kairos leadership, being in the shows (more on that tomorrow), or just learning to always walk on the right side of the hallway, I've gained indispensable knowledge and experience at COHS.

I'm thankful for a little time off. Having some time when I don't have to do anything - when there's no agenda or schedule - is a much-needed break. Today, I sat down and actually read a book that wasn't school-required for more than five minutes. It was amazing.

Well, with the mushy stuff out of the way, a few odds and ends: I have been accepted to Temple Honors! Wahoo! Now I have about a month of jittery waiting for more acceptances (well, hopefully they're acceptances). 

Footloose opens tomorrow night at O'Hara. If you want a good time, you'd do well to show up.

Back to Thanksgiving, kind of. It's officially the start of the Christmas season, hooray! I can't wait to listen to/sing Christmas music, decorate, watch Christmas Vacation, light candles, et cetera. After all, it is officially The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Welp, this has been a doozy of a post. I hope you've all had a fantastic Thanksgiving.


"But Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck. You heard what Linus was saying out there. Those early Pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them, and we should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that's what they mean by 'Thanksgiving,' Charlie Brown." 
- Marcie, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Lunch with Mom and an Important Letter

It was a very exciting weekend.

On Saturday, I got to spend some quality time with my mom at O'Hara's annual Mother-Daughter Luncheon at the Drexelbrook. Funny story about the Mother-Daughter Luncheon: my grandmother is a member of the Springfield Lioness Club, which always hosts its annual fashion show on the same date and at the same time as the Mother-Daughter Luncheon. I have attended the fashion show each year, always noting that in three years, then two years, then just one year, I'd be skipping it to attend the Mother-Daughter Luncheon. It was pretty weird (but pretty great) to actually go to the Luncheon this year after seeing it for so long.

My mom and I

Needless to say, it was a lovely occasion for all and a nice memory to share with my mom!

In other exciting news, I received my first official college acceptance! Yes, I have been accepted to Temple University as a journalism major, with a scholarship! Yay! After writing essays and filling out applications and requesting transcripts, it's a bit surreal to hold the piece of paper that says, "Congratulations! You're in!" As more letters (hopefully letters of acceptance) arrive in the next month or so, I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Last but certainly not least, I finished off my weekend with show rehearsal. My excitement for O'Hara's production of Footloose increases exponentially with each day! It's going to be a really fun (and funny) show so come on out and enjoy it! Prepare for major plugging in the next two weeks, because Footloose opens on the St. John Vianney Hall stage next Friday, November 25!

Let the Games Begin

It began today.

The season of incredibly specific details, constant Shakespeare reading, buzzers, art history textbooks the size of paving stones, 15-second timers, Southeast Asian geography, and the Quizmaster.

A veritable Delco tradition, the 64th season of Delco Hi-Q began today with practice rounds at Springfield High School. It paved the way for the many matches in the months to come. (O'Hara will participate in three, so look for updates!)

This year is my second as a member of O'Hara's Hi-Q team. I finally found an outlet for my collection of random knowledge. (Also, I never complain about a get out of class free card.) It's what I like to do for kicks: study art history and geography on top of my already comprehensive workload.

Really, though, Hi-Q is a great organization and a great tradition. I really appreciate the celebration of academic achievement, hospitality, and sportsmanship.

Stay tuned for updates on the Lions' Hi-Q season - for sure, it will be quite exciting.

Happy Halloween!

 I have to get back to my super-secret Halloween stuff (coughcoughhomeworkcough) but I just wanted to wish YOU an extra-happy and safe Halloween. I'll be posting pictures of this All Hallow's Eve very soon!

Also, all my love to the KLXVII crew...I know some of you are reading this. You guys are the best.

Now stop reading this and go get lots of candy.

Home of the Red and Blue

Senior year is, naturally, a year of lasts.

This past week was my last, and favorite, Homecoming Week.

I've always felt that Homecoming is one of the prime weeks of the school year. It's almost like Christmas. Everyone is just very jolly. I have to give a huge thumbs-up to O'Hara for an awesome Homecoming Week. Everything from a pep rally to a contest to be the mascot to Clash Day (look for pictures tomorrow) to Spirit Day was a blast.

I tried to take in as many of the Homecoming festivities as I could, this being
(sadly) my last chance to do so. After a lovely Homecoming Mass last night, a jovial student section crowded into the bleachers for a bonfire and then migrated into the cafeteria for the annual Homecoming Dance. I shuffle up a storm with my friends before retiring home for the night.

Unfortunately, I had to skip the football game this afternoon. (Way to go, Lions! a 60-24 win over Carroll does a student body good.) I'm leading a Kairos retreat this week and I have a lot (a lot, I mean a lot) to do. Speaking of which, I'd better get back to that. Until the future!

I Shipped Up to Boston

Well, it's been a crazy two weeks.

I'll start at the beginning: My Kairos retreat was an awesome experience, and I really can't say much more than that except that I can't wait to go back as a leader in a few weeks!

When I got off the bus from Kairos, a few people gave me hearty congratulations. I was a bit confused until someone pointed out the sign in front of O'Hara - my name is on it! I was so thrilled to find out that I've been named a National Merit Commended Student! I'd like to thank the College Board, the O'Hara faculty, Mr. Jim Arnold for putting up the sign....ahem. Sorry. Back to business.

So yeah, enough of the self-serving stuff. I've been swamped with make-up work pretty much all week, but I've had quite a pleasant weekend so far.

My dad and I had a marathon 30-hour trip up to Boston for a college visit! We hopped on 3:15 flight to Boston Logan and haven't stopped since. Last night we ate some delicious clam chowder at Legal Sea Foods and then poked around Faneuil Hall and Long Wharf for a few hours. My favorite store was definitely Newbury Comics: we spent at least 20 minutes admiring The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 Facts About the World's  Greatest Human and an Awkward Family Photos calendar (and if you don't know what Awkward Family Photos are, you're welcome). After that, we stopped for ice cream at Emack & Bolio's before retiring to the hotel room to watch the Phillies blow it. (Too soon?)

After visiting the college which shall remain anonymous at this time, we headed back to Long Wharf for a final lunch, hopped on the T, and headed home.

Well, that does it for Boston (and my college visits). As application deadlines draw ever nearer, stay tuned for updates!

Back In Uniform

So I'm finally back to school! I'm five days in and it seems like I'm getting back into the swing of things (finally). Already, I have a rather large whirlwind of projects, homework, activities, and assorted other responsibilities to tend to (not to mention finishing my college applications). That said, it's absolutely wonderful to be back! It's nice not to be bored to death anymore, even if it means I have nightly studying again.

Just as I'm re-fitting myself into the routine, I go breaking it. Typical. Tomorrow afternoon, I'll be leaving for a top-secret four-day Kairos retreat. I'm excited! I'm nervous! I'm curious! I'm sure it will all turn out fine! I won't be able to divulge any details when I get back, but stop over again soon and see how the New Me is faring.

First Day, Take 2

Never in my entire life have I been happier to get back to school.

My family and I did a little victory dance when we learned today that the teachers' strike was officially and finally over. It wasn't just a jig of relief (no more days to make up!) or a tango to celebrate the end of a fortnight of utter boredom (I tell you, I went through my entire DVD library and Netflix instant queue in about a week). I'm really glad the teachers and the Archdiocese reached an agreement.

Though I'll probably want to kick myself for saying this when I wake up at 6:00 AM tomorrow, I'm genuinely excited to get back to school. I want to see my friends and teachers, go to club meetings, get my college stuff ready to go, and even wear my uniform. Strangely, I find myself yearning for the routine of school after three full months of unstructured time.

Though I know senior year is going to be a different animal entirely, I can't wait to meet it head-on. And it seems like I'm finally on track.

"Besides, the ones that love us never really leave us."

My recall of the day is foggy at best. Little did I know that on that sunny day, the trajectory of the life I might have known was changed forever. I was in my first week of second grade when the teacher sat everyone down and told us that there was a plane crash and that we shouldn't worry about it. Next thing I knew, my mom had rushed into the school, whisked my brother and me home, and held on to us for dear life. My dad was on a business trip in Eugene, Oregon, desperate to get home but stranded despite his best efforts.

September 11, 2001 radically altered everything about American life: Government, national security, journalism, pop culture, domestic, foreign, and ethnic relations, and perhaps most dramatically, national morale. It's strange to realize that my generation has been defined by the changes that 9/11 brought upon us. I don't remember a time when there weren't lockdown drills at school. I don't remember going to the airport without full-body scans. I don't remember a time when terrorism wasn't a credible threat to our nation's safety. Indeed, September 11th is a day marked by sacrifice - sacrificed lives, and sacrificed freedoms. We don't forget.

And yet - life marches on. Through pain, we cope. We worry, but we carry on. We don't forget those who gave everything; we carry them in our hearts each day.

Many people gathered at O'Hara this morning to celebrate a memorial Mass for those who died in the 9/11 terrorist attack. As a member of the O'Hara choir, I was one of those people. Though I wasn't personally affected by 9/11 and can hardly even imagine the pain of those who were, I found something just and fitting about gathering and paying tribute to the heroes of September 11th. Today, we revived their memories - their lives, their choices, their families, and their sacrifices - in a special way.

We might not see them today, but they are still with us. We haven't forgotten them, and we won't.

The last day of summer...kind of

Today was the first day of my senior year.

Strangely, though, I wasn't at school, and you probably know why.

While I'm reserving comment on the teachers' strike, I'll say this: I squeezed one last lazy day out of summer vacation. Instead of hitting the books, I spent another day sleeping in, watching the raindrops, and reading The Hobbit (which I'm loving).  

Tomorrow is when the real work begins: I'll wake up early again, I'll pack lunch again, and I'll study hard again. For the first time, I'll fill out college applications. (That wonderful process has already begun - you'll hear all about it soon enough, I'm sure.) But that's tomorrow, and as they say, why put off today what you can do tomorrow?

This is the last bit of shameless self-promotion, I swear.

In today (Monday's) Daily Times, you can find a profile of yours truly! It talks a little about my blog and my plans for the future. Make sure you buy the Daily Times and check it out! And I promise this is the last self-promotional post for a while. Stay tuned, because I'll be back to school and back to blogging very soon!

Did you miss me last night on Live From the Newsroom?

Don't worry - you can watch the replay right here!

Specifically, this is the link for part 1 and this is the link for part 2.

Enjoy!

Ready, set, go!

And so it begins: the nervous flutters, the stress, the excitement. No, no, I'm not talking about wedding jitters.

I'm talking about senior year.

In two weeks, I'll "officially" be a senior in high school. Where has the time gone? This is hardly the moment to get sentimental, though, because there is lots to do!

My last fortnight of summer won't be a lazy one - there are already college applications to write, assignments to complete, and live internet broadcasts to attend.

Wait, what?

Oh, right - that brings me to my next point. You can catch me tonight, live and in person, at DelcoTimes.com's Live From the Newsroom from 7 to 7:30 PM. How's that for an introduction?

Senior year is bound to be an adventure. Join me on my wild ride through my last hurrah of high school - I can't promise that it will be the Disney World of senior years, but it will certainly be exciting. Maybe you're a high school senior too - if so, hey! Maybe we know each other! Maybe you're a parent reliving the experience - in all its harrowing and thrilling glory - through your children. Maybe you're a senior citizen, wondering what high school could possibly be like today. And maybe you're a toddler - well, you've still got a ways to go. Remember, kiddo, youth is wasted on the young.

Whoever you are, welcome! As I share my experiences, I hope you'll share yours too.

And don't forget! Tonight! 7 PM! DelcoTimes.com!