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Monday, November 29, 2010

Entertaining Sam...

Oh me, oh my. Life has been crazy lately. With my birthday, Thanksgiving, and all that's been going on!

I went to see Michael Buble in concert! The best birthday present I got this year. :D From my bestie, Joe. It was AWESOME to say the least. I had a fantastical time. And he sang my favorite song!! *sigh* I'm sure I had the stupidest sappy grin on my face during it. *sheepish*



My brother took me to see "Tangled" last night as a birthday present. I thought it was adorably cute. :D Definitely one I'd love to see again sometime...I do think I can wait to see it on DVD before I watch it
again though. ;) I thought the characters were great...Eugene was cute (haha), and Rapunzel...whoo! Girl power. :D I loved the fact that in spite of her fears, she could look out for herself...rise to the occasion and take on the bad guys when she needed to. She wasn't the helpless princess who needed the "hero" to save her all the time. But they didn't make him the bumbling fool, who need her to rescue him either! They helped each other equally and were equally capable of fighting for themselves...AND for each other. Very cute.
I was surprised to find out that there was singing! I wasn't expecting that, and while yes, the songs were cheesy, I found them fun as well. It was refreshing, too, to find that the "bad guy" wasn't a witch! In fact, she was just an old woman who was controlled by her own selfishness and greed. A nice change from the witch in Snow White or the evil, witch doctor-like dude in "The Princess & the Frog"!

I've been slacking off in NaNoWriMo in favor of working on my best friend's birthday present (squee!) and *sheepish* reading. And what is it that I've been reading?
The autobiography of the actress who played Nellie Olsen in the tv series "Little House on the Prairie". It's quite funny how Melissa Sue Anderson, Melissa Gilbert, AND Alision Arngrim all came out with their autobiographies around the same time. I've already read the two Melissa's books (well, skim-read them...) and just about finished this one by Alison Arngrim. While I cannot recommend them (they all had really rough childhoods...Alison's the worst, I think...it was so horrible all that she had to go through!) because of reasons I shall not mention...I have found them to be interesting. At least the "Little House" part of their lives. I always love hearing the "behind-the-scenes" stories, so it's been interesting to read about all that went on behind the scenes on the sets of "Little House".




And what have I been listening to lately? Because, we all know I'm always listening to SOMETHING...you will never find me without my beloved ipod, "Hoodie". :D
"Singin' in the Rain/Under My Umbrella"...a mash-up by Glee that I absolutely loved to pieces the first time I heard it! I'm a huge "Singin' in the Rain" fan and was wary at first when I heard they did a mash up of the song with another song...but as soon as I heard it, I fell in love. So much fun! And actually the scene from the episode is so much fun as well! With the choreography...it's just fun to watch! And it certainly must have been fun to actually film! And interesting fact: that's Gwyneth Paltrow actually singing the song! Wowee! Who knew she could sing! I mean, she's not exactly my favorite singer, but she has an alright voice! :D

I've also been listening to Cascada's "What Hurts the Most" (Yanou's Candlelight Mix)...now, I'm not saying I"m a Cascada fan...I merely listened to the song at a friend's recommendation, and I ended up really liking it! Sad, slightly depressing song...but such a pretty sound...soft and soothing. In that slightly depressing way. ;) But as for the rest of Cascada's songs...no idea what they're like, as I haven't listened to any others, other than "Every Time We Touch", which wasn't a favorite of mine. :P


And besides "Tangled", what have I been watching? Two series, actually! Whenever my bestie, Amy, and I just need a relaxful evening (need to unwind, etc.) we will watch an episod of "Lark Rise to Candleford" together...we're making our way through all three seasons, and are on the last episode of the first season. I am a "Lark Rise" fan, I'll admit it! I love Laura Timmons and her family...and yes, I LOVE Fisher! I love Daniel too! Yup. Strange, I know. My favorite season is season 2...uh, can anyone say: Fisher!!! But the third season was also great...the first season, while great too, is just not my fav. of all three. ;) It's dramatic, romantic, funny, sweet, touching, and a period film by BBC! What more could a gal wish for? ;) Let's just say, Ame and I really enjoy our movie nights together!

I've also been watching "The Pacific" series by HBO...ya know, the whole Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg series..."Band of Brothers", "Saving Private Ryan", etc. Anywho, I just watched the first episode and am already hooked. I am a WWII movie enthusiast. I love WWII movies. I do. *nod* However, as much as I am enjoying the series so far, I cannot recommend the series fully...due to the extreme violence (disturbing images!!) and the language. Language is always high on the list in these series...and the violence...well, it's only a taste of what the war was really like, but it isn't for the weak-hearted to watch. I just know I'm going to cry over this series. I just know it. Well, hey, it's pretty obvious...I did cry over "Saving Private Ryan" AND "Band of Brothers"!! :P

So yup...just an update in the "entertainment" part of my life...I shall have to do a post soon, updating my work/photography/writing life. :) For now...ciao!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Just for fun...

How well do you know me? Perhaps there is something you don't know about me...I'm a very open person, so practically everyone who knows me, REALLY knows me...but perhaps there is just one or two things here that you don't know! Or perhaps you don't know me at all and are just starting to know me! If that is the case, hello! *waves*

I love coffee
I love accents (especially British ones)
I love photography
I love writing
I love children's books
I work at a library
I love daffodils
I love bright colors
I love talking
I love laughing
I love jokes
I love music
I wear black nail polish
I am not a goth
I wear several hair elastics, a purple wristwatch, a silly bandz, and a charm bracelet on my left wrist but nothing on my right wrist.
I have crazy, curly hair
I am sarcastic
I am a Sabbath-day keeper, who is not Jewish nor 7th Day Adventist
I am completely head-over-heels in love with my Savior and King!
I want a pony
I want a puppy
I hate peas
I hate rainy days
I am a sunshine and puppies, and butterflies and bubbles kind of gal.
I love making up words.
I love crazy quotes
I write mysteries
I am nicknamed Rabbit after Rabbit from the Winnie-the-Pooh books
My favorite singer is Michael Buble
I am a planner
I like lists
I laugh way too easily
I cry over WWII movies
I have a thing for Medics in WWII movies
I am half extrovert, half introvert
If I were to be a character from the "Anne" series by L. M. Montgomery, I'd be Phillippa Gordan.
I have an Anne/Diana friendship with the most awesome girl on the planet
I have about eight best friends. It is possible.
I am a fan of the music from Glee.
I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of gal.
I am a fan of bare feet!
I am a bit of a feminist...don't worry, I only hate guys every blue moon. *wink*
I have started the FFFFFF (Fellow Fearless Feminists Fighting For Freedom) Club. (Yes, this is a joke...)
I am crazy in love with the books: James, I & II Corinthians in the Bible right now.
I am a children's writer.
I am an aspiring photographer.
I have a best friend who is a guy. Yup.
I hate the color pink, except on a rose.
I love purple and blue eye shadow.
I feel naked without nail polish.
I am crazy on caffeine.
I am in love with mocha iced lattes.

Bub or The Very Best Thing by Natalie Babbitt

As a part-time employee in the children's room at my local library, I am always running across all these great children's books. I cannot begin to say how much I LOVE children's pictures books. They are pure awesomeness.

And "Bub" by Natalie Babbitt is one of my favorites. It's not my most favorite children's book, but it is an adorable story with adorable illustrations.

The King and Queen disagree about the best way to raise their darling Prince son. The King thinks that toys will make the Prince turn out soft and silly, while the Queen thinks that too many lessons will make him dry and dusty. What they do agree on is that they want the very best for him. But what IS the very best thing for him? They set out to discover, each in their own way, the answer to the puzzling question. The King goes to look for the answer in his books, while the Queen walks around the castle asking each person she bumps into what they think. Is it really vegetables and plenty of sleep like the nurses say? Or songs like the Court Musician recommends? When the kitchen maid suggests they simply ask the Prince what the best thing they can give him is...His answer is "Bub". But what exactly does "Bub" mean?

As I said, "Bub" is an adorable story...the illustrations are colorful and bright and beautiful. It is one that I have since added to my own, personal library.

Day #30 of a Meme.

Day 30 → Whatever tickles your fancy

Writing for NaNoWriMo is a challenge for me. I know, sometimes, I may say that it's easy and I rave about how much I love it. But it is a challenge for me, and there are days where I hate it...there are days when I simply do not want to write. And that is where it becomes a challenge for me. The challenge isn't when I get stuck in writing or have writer's block...when I come to those, I just throw in an extra murder and get past it. It's when I do not feel like writing that I get challenged. Because, then at that point, the only way I continue is by disclipline.
I am very lazy and do not like being discliplined. It's hard for me to simply get up at the same time every morning! Or to even eat breakfast every day! Disclipline is hard.
But every year, during NaNoWriMo, I have the pressure on me...I am so competitive, that I feel if I do not reach the end, then I'm a failure. And so, the dread of being a failure overcomes the desire to give in and not be discliplined.
Shouldn't it be that way about everything I do in life? That I push myself in that way for everything...that I do not give up in my walk with God. My walk with God is like a competition...it is even likened to a race in His Word. It is something to be discliplined in, and if I give up, it's failing in the race.
Here I am, competing in a competition where the prize is merely the honor of saying that I wrote 50,000 words in one month...maybe I get a free, published copy of my book...maybe I get a banner declaring me a winner. But all in all, what is that all worth? Nothing!
Compare that to the prize I will win at the end of the spiritual race! Eternal life! In the presence of God!
And now, compare which of the two competitions I show more disclipline in! Ouch. Wake up call!!
And just how often am I like that in all the competitions in my life? Am I more discliplined in the competition of pursuing my dreams than in pursuing God?
Am I more discliplined in pursuing the things of this world than in pursuing in God?
OUCH. Wake up call again!
I'm discovering more and more, that I am most discliplined in pursuing things for myself, for my comfort, than I am in pursuing God.
I can't merely say that I can't be that discliplined...because I prove that I can be discliplined when I don't even want to be! When I don't want to write, I still move on with my writing...all for the sake of avoiding being a failure. If I can do that, surely, I can be discliplined enough in my race for a life with God! Which is more important? Failure in a writing race? Or failure in the most important race of my life?
The choice is up to me...I know it's IN me to choose to become discliplined. I may not have the strength to keep it up, but that's where I get a benefit! God is there to give me the strength I need! See, I even get help when I need it! But it's me who has to make the decision to actually choose to even compete. And it's up to me to bide by that decision.

Anywho, sorry for the ramble...just some thoughts that have been running loose in my head! :) And, the meme DID say I could write whatever I fancied. :D

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Day #29 of a Meme.

Day 29 → Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days

Okay. Find a job.

Either go to school OR take private photography classes OR both.

Get contacts.

Drive more. Get my first car.

Draw closer to God.

Um...survive the weddingness.

NOT make a fool of myself at my sis's wedding, especially as the maid of honor.

And finally: get myself a rich, handsome, British boyfriend. lol. Sorry, I just had to throw it in. :P
OR! Better yet! A tall, smucho, mucho, macho cutey with a shot of beast and a dash of danger! Yeeeeeeeeeeeees. :D

Day #28 of a Meme.

Day 28 → This year, in great detail

What? You gotta be kidding, right?

Ugh. Okay, let's see...my bro went off to the air force. Miss him.

My best friend came down for several days and I got to hang with her. Love that gal.

Still working at the library.

Had another best friend over for a weekend. Love that gal.

Got my ear pierced. Hung out with friends. Worked. Did photo shoots. Started a photography course. Re-did my room. Had a blastastical birthday party. Stayed with some bestest friends for a couple days. Am turning 21. My sis got engaged. My bro got engaged. Thus, wedding plans! A couple BBQs...

Yeah, my year. Not much in it...but it was a pretty good year. :)

Day #27 of a Meme.

Day 27 → This month, in great detail

Sheesh, another one?

Um...well, there's not much details to give. Lots of writing. Some wedding plans! My sis is getting married, so that means going wedding dress shopping and bridesmaid dress shopping!

Two day vacation with friends = total awesomeness.

And...lots of writing so far. Yup. Later this month there'll be birthdayness! Yay! I turn twenty-one, and my future bro-in-law is taking me into Boston for an evening out. Um, my bestie is giving me what is supposedly the "best bday present" I'll ever get. Um...I'm giving myself a bday gift. I get to go dress shopping (wah). And I want to go ice skating! :D

Then there's Thanksgiving! W00t! :D

And that's my month.