Hey, everyone. I know that it's been a long time since I've blogged about...well, anything. But truthfully, this is the first time that I've had a little down time to be able to do anything other than homework for my classes. I can say that I can not cross off some books that I've read from my "Books to Read Before I Die" list. I can personally say, that I like Jane Eyre better than some of Jane Austen's books. Which is a great surprise to me since I thought (before I even started reading Jane Eyre) that I wouldn't be able to get through the whole thing without wanting to goudge my eyes out.
Unfortunately, in my Philosophical literature class, I'm currently reading Anna Karenina and that book makes me want to goudge my eyes out. My professor thinks that assigning us 150some pages to read for homework every class period is a good thing. He knows that I'm taking other 300-400 level classes (since he's my professor for two more of them) so I don't know why he can't just make us read 100some pages instead. What really jerks my chain is that the last day that we're reading this book, we onyl have to read 50-70 pages. Why couldn't he have spread it out equally each day? I have no idea.
In one of my other classes, I read Sense & Sensibility and I can honestly say that (after watching the movie for plenty of years) I still hate Willoughby!! It could be that I hate him more since I know guys who were like him, or that his character is just unappealing to me. Either way, it doesn't justify his leading Marianne on, with the intension to seduce her, before dropping her faster than a hot potatoe to marry the girl with 50 thousand pounds who is a jealous bitch. Excuse my language, but it's the honest to God's truth.
Other than school, I can say that I have no complete social life. Today and tomorrow are the only days that I have actual plans to do anything with friends. I'm going shopping with one friend for a dress for another friend's wedding in a few weeks (bad, Katie, bad bad bad!) and tomorrow I'm hosting a good-bye breakfast for another friend who's leaving for bootcamp on Monday. [Man that was a long sentence.] Thankfully, I got some of my homework done so I don't have much to worry about over the weekend.
On a whole and completely different topic, I've had a couple of different story ideas running through my head. I can already hear my cousin saying that I'm already working on another story that she loves and I need to focus my work on that, but I've hit a pretty efficient wall between me and creativity for that story so it's on the back burners. Anyways, the main story that I've been thinking about is from a guys POV (first one that I'm attempting) who ends up in the hospital after a drunk driving accident which causes nerve damage in his legs (meaning he has to relearn how to use his legs). While there, he meets a young woman who's helping out in the children's wing by reading Beauty & the Beast. They bump heads because he's a stuck-up rich guy who doesn't think about anyone but himself while she's the embodiment of everything good (not literally, but I'm going to make her look like a saint). As you can probably imagine, they eventually come to like each other but when he confesses that he loves her, she doesn't say the words back because...yeah, like I'm about to spoil the ending for people (if my wish comes true and I suddenly become a famous writer overnight) if it doesn't become published. I guess you can call this book a mix between a Disney fairytale remake and a Nicholas Sparks novel.
Well, I'm off to the races (aka class) and wish everybody a great weekend!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Future Travels
Lately I've been thinking about traveling. Mostly I'm thinking about going to Italy, Croatia, England, France, St. Petersburg. These are just the few in the long list that I have going. I know that almost every country, and city, on that list is practically clique. Except for Croatia. That one I know probably surprised a few of you. Well, I've been reading up on some of the sights there and a lot has really caught my attention.
Here in the States, I've gone to A LOT of National Parks, so when I see that other countries have them, I would gladly jump at the chance to be able to go there and explore areas that I've never been too. Croatia has eight NPs and I'm interested in going to, Plitvice Lakes, and Mljet. Wanna know why? Below are two pictures of the falls at Plitvice:
Now do you know why I want to go there? It looks absolutely beautiful there. From what I was looking at prices, 1 US dollar equals almost 5.50 kunas (croatian currency). So it's less expensive to go there than it is London. I've compiled a list of the places in Croatia that I would like to go, other than the parks. There are actually art museums that I'm really interested in going too. Surprising really, since I'm not really into museums here, especially art museums.
But then again, I REALLY want to go to the British Museum, even if I'm only there for a day or two, that would be where I would spend most of my time. I guess I'm interested in history, as long as it isn't American History.
If I won the lottery, a few million dollars maybe, I would travel to all the places that I've been wanting to go to for a while. I would make it as inexpensive as possible so I can save what's left to go again later. Would I travel alone? Most likely. That way, I won't have to worry about what other people want to do while I just take in the scenery for a little while. That, and I can take my time while in the museums and such. My family will tell you, I can stand to be on my own more than others.
Here in the States, I've gone to A LOT of National Parks, so when I see that other countries have them, I would gladly jump at the chance to be able to go there and explore areas that I've never been too. Croatia has eight NPs and I'm interested in going to, Plitvice Lakes, and Mljet. Wanna know why? Below are two pictures of the falls at Plitvice:
Now do you know why I want to go there? It looks absolutely beautiful there. From what I was looking at prices, 1 US dollar equals almost 5.50 kunas (croatian currency). So it's less expensive to go there than it is London. I've compiled a list of the places in Croatia that I would like to go, other than the parks. There are actually art museums that I'm really interested in going too. Surprising really, since I'm not really into museums here, especially art museums.
But then again, I REALLY want to go to the British Museum, even if I'm only there for a day or two, that would be where I would spend most of my time. I guess I'm interested in history, as long as it isn't American History.
If I won the lottery, a few million dollars maybe, I would travel to all the places that I've been wanting to go to for a while. I would make it as inexpensive as possible so I can save what's left to go again later. Would I travel alone? Most likely. That way, I won't have to worry about what other people want to do while I just take in the scenery for a little while. That, and I can take my time while in the museums and such. My family will tell you, I can stand to be on my own more than others.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Vacation Log: 5 - The End.
I know that it's been a while since I last updated, but it's been busy the last few days.
August 9th:
We drove to Yellowstone and did some hiking around Old Faithful. There were a lot more people there than I have seen in a while. It probably didn't help that author C.J. Box was there to autograph books and such. It was a poopy day. The weather was shifting between rain and sunshine. We visited the new visitor center. It was very nice and more hands on than others in the park. We hiked along the geyser basin for what felt like forever. I have to say, though the geysers and thermal pools are beautiful, they smell like rotten eggs and sulfur. I absolutely hate that smell with a passion. For my suffering, we ate dinner at the Hamilton Store which is right next to the Old Faithful Inn. It's a gift shop and a diner. I love their burgers and their fries. Then we went back to Aunt Barb's and Uncle Ted's house.
[Pictures will be added ASAP]
August 10th:
We didn't spend the whole day at Yellowstone because we needed to get back to Livingston to pack since we were leaving in the morning. We went to the South Rim Ridge Hike of the Lower Falls and walked the whole 1.5 miles of it. I have to say, though it gave us great views of the canyon and the falls, the hike was mostly uphill the whole way there. It was pretty steep in places and the altitude made it difficult to breath. We started that hike at around 9:30am and didn't get back to the car until 12:30pm. Thankfully, I had my knee brace so it didn't bother me as much as it would've.
We went to have lunch at a picnic area with one of the worst smelling outhouses that I've ever been in. It smelled like someone tried to cover the smell with a freshener that only seemed to blend with the odor and make it a hundred times worse. On the way back to Livingston, we got stuck in a couple of traffic jams caused by people stopping to take pictures of buffalo and elk. Seriously, there are a TON of animals in the park, and they stop to take pictures of just six of them. People were leaving their cars in the middle of the road while they got out to take pictures of them and getting too close in the meantime. Now, I can understand that maybe this was their first time seeing them, but if you're going to take pictures, pull over to the side of the road and then get out.
August 11th & 12th:
On the two days that we drove home, we were either following or being followed by rain clouds. When we drive through South Dakota, on the horizon in front of us, there was a gigantic thunder cloud. We could see the lightning and knew that it was a bad one. We were between Rapid City and Presho when we sat a total of 7 trucks rolled onto their sides in the median. There was one that laid across the highway so they had to divert traffic off of the highway. I was driving at this point and thoroughly freaked out. But, there wasn't any wind causing me to have difficulty driving, so we suspected that we were going with the wind, not against it.
We stopped in Presho to get gas and switch drivers. But as it turns out, the gas station was out of power. There was a group of bikers that told dad that they heard of 80-85 mile an hour winds coming from the storm that was just ahead of us. So I happily handed over the wheel. We hadn't hit the storm yet, when we were shown the most spectacular display of lightning that I've ever seen in my life. I'm serious. I've never seen lightning like that. It would start off zipping across the sky and stay visible in one spot for a few seconds. There was this one where it started on my side of the car and zipped to Jake's side--all the while it would crash down to earth while it went. It lit up the whole sky with colors of blue and yellow. It was absolutely amazing. It wasn't so amazing when we hit the storm. The wind was absolutely terrible and the rain made visibility next to impossible. Though the speed limit is 75, we were going, at the most, 65. By the time we made it to Sioux City in Iowa, we beat the storm there but it was close to midnight. I didn't get to sleep until almost one thirty in the morning.
We left around eight the next morning and the storm had hit us again, though not as hard; it was more windy than rainy. When we drove over the Missouri River, they had sandbags up on either side of the road because the water was SOOO high! It was ridiculious! There was a farm that was under water and the water was just on the other side of the bags of sand! When we left Iowa, it was still cloudy the while way back to Michigan, but it wasn't horrible. The storm that was chasing us, hit Michigan this morning while Jake was mowing the lawn.
You know how when you get home from a long vacation, you just want to relax? Well, that didn't happen with us. We had a power outage while Dad and Jake were out west that caused something in dad's computer to fry and now he has to order a new part for it because it won't start. We had a few leaky pipes that we found out about while I was in the shower-I didn't have any hot water to speak of. The roof is leaking in my grandpa's living room and we now know isn't caused by my air conditioner that is right above where the crack in the ceiling is. And lastly, when we figured out that the pipes were leaking, they were leaking in the dining room (because the ceiling was wet) and in the basement (because there was water down there were there shouldn't be). My, today has just been a mess one right after the other.
My, it's good to be home.
[Pictures will be added at a later date.]
August 9th:
We drove to Yellowstone and did some hiking around Old Faithful. There were a lot more people there than I have seen in a while. It probably didn't help that author C.J. Box was there to autograph books and such. It was a poopy day. The weather was shifting between rain and sunshine. We visited the new visitor center. It was very nice and more hands on than others in the park. We hiked along the geyser basin for what felt like forever. I have to say, though the geysers and thermal pools are beautiful, they smell like rotten eggs and sulfur. I absolutely hate that smell with a passion. For my suffering, we ate dinner at the Hamilton Store which is right next to the Old Faithful Inn. It's a gift shop and a diner. I love their burgers and their fries. Then we went back to Aunt Barb's and Uncle Ted's house.
[Pictures will be added ASAP]
August 10th:
We didn't spend the whole day at Yellowstone because we needed to get back to Livingston to pack since we were leaving in the morning. We went to the South Rim Ridge Hike of the Lower Falls and walked the whole 1.5 miles of it. I have to say, though it gave us great views of the canyon and the falls, the hike was mostly uphill the whole way there. It was pretty steep in places and the altitude made it difficult to breath. We started that hike at around 9:30am and didn't get back to the car until 12:30pm. Thankfully, I had my knee brace so it didn't bother me as much as it would've.
We went to have lunch at a picnic area with one of the worst smelling outhouses that I've ever been in. It smelled like someone tried to cover the smell with a freshener that only seemed to blend with the odor and make it a hundred times worse. On the way back to Livingston, we got stuck in a couple of traffic jams caused by people stopping to take pictures of buffalo and elk. Seriously, there are a TON of animals in the park, and they stop to take pictures of just six of them. People were leaving their cars in the middle of the road while they got out to take pictures of them and getting too close in the meantime. Now, I can understand that maybe this was their first time seeing them, but if you're going to take pictures, pull over to the side of the road and then get out.
August 11th & 12th:
On the two days that we drove home, we were either following or being followed by rain clouds. When we drive through South Dakota, on the horizon in front of us, there was a gigantic thunder cloud. We could see the lightning and knew that it was a bad one. We were between Rapid City and Presho when we sat a total of 7 trucks rolled onto their sides in the median. There was one that laid across the highway so they had to divert traffic off of the highway. I was driving at this point and thoroughly freaked out. But, there wasn't any wind causing me to have difficulty driving, so we suspected that we were going with the wind, not against it.
We stopped in Presho to get gas and switch drivers. But as it turns out, the gas station was out of power. There was a group of bikers that told dad that they heard of 80-85 mile an hour winds coming from the storm that was just ahead of us. So I happily handed over the wheel. We hadn't hit the storm yet, when we were shown the most spectacular display of lightning that I've ever seen in my life. I'm serious. I've never seen lightning like that. It would start off zipping across the sky and stay visible in one spot for a few seconds. There was this one where it started on my side of the car and zipped to Jake's side--all the while it would crash down to earth while it went. It lit up the whole sky with colors of blue and yellow. It was absolutely amazing. It wasn't so amazing when we hit the storm. The wind was absolutely terrible and the rain made visibility next to impossible. Though the speed limit is 75, we were going, at the most, 65. By the time we made it to Sioux City in Iowa, we beat the storm there but it was close to midnight. I didn't get to sleep until almost one thirty in the morning.
We left around eight the next morning and the storm had hit us again, though not as hard; it was more windy than rainy. When we drove over the Missouri River, they had sandbags up on either side of the road because the water was SOOO high! It was ridiculious! There was a farm that was under water and the water was just on the other side of the bags of sand! When we left Iowa, it was still cloudy the while way back to Michigan, but it wasn't horrible. The storm that was chasing us, hit Michigan this morning while Jake was mowing the lawn.
You know how when you get home from a long vacation, you just want to relax? Well, that didn't happen with us. We had a power outage while Dad and Jake were out west that caused something in dad's computer to fry and now he has to order a new part for it because it won't start. We had a few leaky pipes that we found out about while I was in the shower-I didn't have any hot water to speak of. The roof is leaking in my grandpa's living room and we now know isn't caused by my air conditioner that is right above where the crack in the ceiling is. And lastly, when we figured out that the pipes were leaking, they were leaking in the dining room (because the ceiling was wet) and in the basement (because there was water down there were there shouldn't be). My, today has just been a mess one right after the other.
My, it's good to be home.
[Pictures will be added at a later date.]
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Vacation Log: 4
Yesterday, we did a lot of driving. We visited two ghost towns, even though one of them still has people living there. The first one was still occupied, and there were only a few buildings that could be considered ghost town material. The second place was in Bannack. In the photos below, I only have photos of the buildings that really interested me. In them, they looked like great scenes for horror movies. With it being a ghost town, I think the whole thing is appropriate.
Then at the end of the day, on our way back to Aunt Barbe's, we saw the greatest rainbow I've ever seen. You don't get rainbows this vibrant in Michigan. To make it even better, it was a double rainbow and one of them was almost a full rainbow because you could see the end of one on the other side of the street.
Because we did a lot of driving, we didn't get to see as much, but we did get a lot of great pictures. Which are below. Today is going to be a day of relaxing so I don't suspect a lot of exciting things happening today. I may just skip tomorrows blog and add it to tomorrows. That way it will be longer and more interesting.
Anyway, have a good day everybody!
Then at the end of the day, on our way back to Aunt Barbe's, we saw the greatest rainbow I've ever seen. You don't get rainbows this vibrant in Michigan. To make it even better, it was a double rainbow and one of them was almost a full rainbow because you could see the end of one on the other side of the street.
Because we did a lot of driving, we didn't get to see as much, but we did get a lot of great pictures. Which are below. Today is going to be a day of relaxing so I don't suspect a lot of exciting things happening today. I may just skip tomorrows blog and add it to tomorrows. That way it will be longer and more interesting.
Anyway, have a good day everybody!
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| This was taken in Marysville. Ghost Town #1 |
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| Taken inside a hotel in Bannack. The stains remind me of the scene in The Messengers [featuring Kristen Stewart] when her mom/stepmom tried to get the stain out of the wall in her bedroom. |
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| Picture of the upstairs hallway. |
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| The sweet staircase in the hotel. |
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| Those were the chains that the townspeople used for their mining. Believe me, they're heavier than what they look. |
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| A shot of the town. |
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| This house reminds me of Boo Radley's house in To Kill A Mockingbird. |
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| On the way home. |
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| Picture 1 of the rainbow. You can just see the second rainbow on the right. |
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| I love this picture. I did it myself. |
Vacation Log: 3
I know that I was supposed to blog about yesterday, August 5th, but we were staying at Uncle Ted's cabin and there was no electricity, let alone internet access. Anyway, here's what happened yesterday.
We left the house at around 9am mountain time, so we could go to Gem Mountain just outside Philipsburg, MT. This place has to be the coolest place in all of Montana. It's a place where you can hunt for your own sapphires! Real, genuine, sapphires that you can find on your own. You don't go to the mine or anything, they've already done that part for you, and all you have to do is buy however many buckets you want and pick a spot around the large sluice. They provide you with a wash screen to put your 'dirt' in and you go to the sluice to wash the rocks. The way you do this, is to try to get the sapphires--which are heavier than regular rocks--in the dead center of the bottom of the screen; so when you flip the screen, your sapphires should be right there.
I've been to this place once before and though I don't call myself an expert, I am rather good at it. But being good doesn't make you find the best stones. Anyway, mom and dad shared three buckets while I had three all to myself. Aunt Barb, Uncle Ted, Kenzie, and grandpa came with us and tried it as well. Jake came too, but he just helped us find our rocks, so that was okay with me. Let me tell you, we found bigger gems than we had in the previous year. Dad found one--even though it was really from one of my buckets--that was nearly 3.54 carats with only the slightest of flaws. The people next to us found a 4.?? carat stone that was flawless (really rare). I forget what the biggest one I had was, but I did find a yellow one that was big enough and cut-able. All together, I had 3 flawless cut-able, and two flawed cut-able. I sent two of my sapphires in. During the summer, I had also had sent for some sapphire gravel as well as amethysts. I sent in a 18.?? carat flawless amethyst to be cut as well.
So the total of what I had found was:
Sapphires: 75.55 carats (not including the ones I had sent in)
Amethysts: 194.95 carats (uncutable stones) + 16.99 carats (cutable) [not including the one I sent in]
All in all, it was a VERY good beginning to the day. :)
Next we went to Philipsburg where they have a very nice and sophisticated candy store. For a pound of candy, it was $7.99 for anything that was on the walls, and nearly $10 for the chocolates in the middle of the store. They also had fudge there--I had some of the Mint Chocolate Swirl which was very good. But I would have to say that I like the candy store in Red Lodge better because they have more trinkets as well as candies. I got a full pound and a half where dad got nearly two pounds of almost every kind of cinnamon candies that they had there.
Next we went to Uncle Ted's cabin which was located deep in the forest of somewhere outside Helena. I have to say, it was pretty decent for what it was, but the sleeping arrangements needed to improve drastically. In the photos [that I'll add tomorrow morning] you'll see what the dining room/kitchen looks like as well as the upstairs where we slept. Thankfully we had sleeping bags and pads, but there was much to be desired. We had a wonderful fire that night where we did hot dogs and brats and beans for dinner. Then we sat around the fire for a while, listening to the thunderstorm heading our way and having a good time. Oh, there's also one other thing that I forgot to mention...As you'll tell by the pictures, the toilet is an outhouse and the shower is just decent enough if you're the right height. Thankfully, I didn't have to use the shower, but I did have to get up in the middle of the night and use the toilet. That was kind of creepy because you have to walk nearly twenty feet before you get there and scenerios from horror movies pop into your head while you're walking. Like, creepy guys watching you, predators-both animal and human-waiting for the right moment- or even zombies showing up right when I'm about to go back inside the cabin. You know, the normal things.
I have to say, I'm rather glad that I am able to sleep in a hard mattress tonight with actual plumbing and running water.
We left the house at around 9am mountain time, so we could go to Gem Mountain just outside Philipsburg, MT. This place has to be the coolest place in all of Montana. It's a place where you can hunt for your own sapphires! Real, genuine, sapphires that you can find on your own. You don't go to the mine or anything, they've already done that part for you, and all you have to do is buy however many buckets you want and pick a spot around the large sluice. They provide you with a wash screen to put your 'dirt' in and you go to the sluice to wash the rocks. The way you do this, is to try to get the sapphires--which are heavier than regular rocks--in the dead center of the bottom of the screen; so when you flip the screen, your sapphires should be right there.
I've been to this place once before and though I don't call myself an expert, I am rather good at it. But being good doesn't make you find the best stones. Anyway, mom and dad shared three buckets while I had three all to myself. Aunt Barb, Uncle Ted, Kenzie, and grandpa came with us and tried it as well. Jake came too, but he just helped us find our rocks, so that was okay with me. Let me tell you, we found bigger gems than we had in the previous year. Dad found one--even though it was really from one of my buckets--that was nearly 3.54 carats with only the slightest of flaws. The people next to us found a 4.?? carat stone that was flawless (really rare). I forget what the biggest one I had was, but I did find a yellow one that was big enough and cut-able. All together, I had 3 flawless cut-able, and two flawed cut-able. I sent two of my sapphires in. During the summer, I had also had sent for some sapphire gravel as well as amethysts. I sent in a 18.?? carat flawless amethyst to be cut as well.
So the total of what I had found was:
Sapphires: 75.55 carats (not including the ones I had sent in)
Amethysts: 194.95 carats (uncutable stones) + 16.99 carats (cutable) [not including the one I sent in]
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| This is the yellow sapphire that I found.It's cut-able and flawless. The person that examined it said that she wasn't sure that it would keep it's color if it were to be fired and suggested that it be cut the way that it was. Well, I decided to keep it and decide later. |
All in all, it was a VERY good beginning to the day. :)
Next we went to Philipsburg where they have a very nice and sophisticated candy store. For a pound of candy, it was $7.99 for anything that was on the walls, and nearly $10 for the chocolates in the middle of the store. They also had fudge there--I had some of the Mint Chocolate Swirl which was very good. But I would have to say that I like the candy store in Red Lodge better because they have more trinkets as well as candies. I got a full pound and a half where dad got nearly two pounds of almost every kind of cinnamon candies that they had there.
Next we went to Uncle Ted's cabin which was located deep in the forest of somewhere outside Helena. I have to say, it was pretty decent for what it was, but the sleeping arrangements needed to improve drastically. In the photos [that I'll add tomorrow morning] you'll see what the dining room/kitchen looks like as well as the upstairs where we slept. Thankfully we had sleeping bags and pads, but there was much to be desired. We had a wonderful fire that night where we did hot dogs and brats and beans for dinner. Then we sat around the fire for a while, listening to the thunderstorm heading our way and having a good time. Oh, there's also one other thing that I forgot to mention...As you'll tell by the pictures, the toilet is an outhouse and the shower is just decent enough if you're the right height. Thankfully, I didn't have to use the shower, but I did have to get up in the middle of the night and use the toilet. That was kind of creepy because you have to walk nearly twenty feet before you get there and scenerios from horror movies pop into your head while you're walking. Like, creepy guys watching you, predators-both animal and human-waiting for the right moment- or even zombies showing up right when I'm about to go back inside the cabin. You know, the normal things.
I have to say, I'm rather glad that I am able to sleep in a hard mattress tonight with actual plumbing and running water.
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| This is the candy store in Philipsburg that I was talking about. |
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| Another view of the candy store. |
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| This is Uncle Ted's cabin. The side portion isn't finished so it doesn't have a roof or floor. |
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| This is the closest thing to plumbing you will get up here. |
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| This is the shower. |
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| This is the dining/kitchen area. |
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| These are the bunks that I was talking about. Thank God for our sleeping pads. |
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| Grandpa and Kenzie cooking dinner. |
Friday, August 5, 2011
Vacation Log: 2
Yesterday was a pretty laid back day. After taking a three hour nap to adjust to the time change, mom, dad, my brother, and I went to the gallery that hosts some of my dad's pictures. I have to say that the place looks nicer than I had thought it would be. It was very sophisticated. There is only one other person that takes pictures for the gallery, the other 58 artists are either painters or sculptures. When we walked inside, the lady at the reception desk handed dad a check because he had sold another picture. It was perfect, we walk in somewhere and we get paid for it. Dad was happy. Anyways, most of dad's pictures were located on the bottom level of the place--he has 6 or 7 pictures featured there and they're asking him to let them show another one. It was an extremely nice place, and we're honored that they chose dad's pictures to feature.
After that, I went to Big Timber, Montana for lunch with the family and Aunt Barb and grandpa. The first place we went too was at the stage in between lunch and dinner. The second place was a Chinese restaurant and we left before they could get us our drinks. The third place was a bar where they had burgers and stuff--more our style--and Cheeseburger soup! It was pretty good actually, which surprised dad and I.
After that, my brother, Jake, and I went with my aunt back to her house and we stopped at one of her friends place to see all the new baby horses they had. Four all together. Three of them were considered buckskins and one of them was a really pale palomino. The owner let us go up and (attempt) to pet them, but the babies were too shy and ran away from Aunt Barb when she got too close. I was able to pet one of their noses for a millisecond before it ducked behind his momma. They were so cute! I don't have up close pictures, but I do have some from farther away.
When we arrived back 'home,' Jake and I brushed Micasa--Aunt Barb's dog. Well, we attempted to brush her. She's a hyper little devil with long hair and thinks she can fit in your lap. I can't tell you what kind of dog she is, but she looks like a slightly smaller, hairier, wolf. She is extremely pretty and loves to have attention. It's because she's so hyper that they have to keep her penned up all the time--which makes me sad because she's almost on the other side of their property (nearly fifty feet from the house). So whenever I see her, I feel guilty when I have to leave her there. It must be because I'm a animal lover. Because of that, I'm going to go down to see her every day we're here.
After brushing Micasa, Jake convinced me to go on the Gator--a large, heavy duty, golf cart. It only goes 35mph, but there's no windshield and no doors. Thankfully there were seat belts and handlebars to keep you in. Jake drove us and we went across the road to see the country side for a little bit. That was more fun than I had thought it would be. Especially with Jake driving. After that, we had dinner and played ping-pong for a few hours. I have to say, I've gotten extremely better than what I was earlier that day, usually Jake was nearly 10-15 points ahead when he won, but now it's closer to 4-5. What fun, lol.
Well, that's all for yesterday. I'll post what's happening today tomorrow morning.
After that, I went to Big Timber, Montana for lunch with the family and Aunt Barb and grandpa. The first place we went too was at the stage in between lunch and dinner. The second place was a Chinese restaurant and we left before they could get us our drinks. The third place was a bar where they had burgers and stuff--more our style--and Cheeseburger soup! It was pretty good actually, which surprised dad and I.
After that, my brother, Jake, and I went with my aunt back to her house and we stopped at one of her friends place to see all the new baby horses they had. Four all together. Three of them were considered buckskins and one of them was a really pale palomino. The owner let us go up and (attempt) to pet them, but the babies were too shy and ran away from Aunt Barb when she got too close. I was able to pet one of their noses for a millisecond before it ducked behind his momma. They were so cute! I don't have up close pictures, but I do have some from farther away.
When we arrived back 'home,' Jake and I brushed Micasa--Aunt Barb's dog. Well, we attempted to brush her. She's a hyper little devil with long hair and thinks she can fit in your lap. I can't tell you what kind of dog she is, but she looks like a slightly smaller, hairier, wolf. She is extremely pretty and loves to have attention. It's because she's so hyper that they have to keep her penned up all the time--which makes me sad because she's almost on the other side of their property (nearly fifty feet from the house). So whenever I see her, I feel guilty when I have to leave her there. It must be because I'm a animal lover. Because of that, I'm going to go down to see her every day we're here.
After brushing Micasa, Jake convinced me to go on the Gator--a large, heavy duty, golf cart. It only goes 35mph, but there's no windshield and no doors. Thankfully there were seat belts and handlebars to keep you in. Jake drove us and we went across the road to see the country side for a little bit. That was more fun than I had thought it would be. Especially with Jake driving. After that, we had dinner and played ping-pong for a few hours. I have to say, I've gotten extremely better than what I was earlier that day, usually Jake was nearly 10-15 points ahead when he won, but now it's closer to 4-5. What fun, lol.
Well, that's all for yesterday. I'll post what's happening today tomorrow morning.
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| You can see two of the baby horses. |
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| You can see three of the baby horses. Two of them are laying down the other is the blond one looking at the photo. |
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| MICASA!!! |
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| From my aunt and uncle's house. |
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| Picture of the mountains. |
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| A cool painting from the gallery. It was almost $800! |
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| This and the next picture are wood burnings. The artist burnt the image onto a piece of wood. The darker the color, the more it needed to be burned. |
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Vacation Log: 1
Well, I arrived in Bozeman last night and thankfully it wasn't completely awful. The flight from Minneapolis to Grand Rapids was late, so we didn't leave until around 8:35 and didn't arrive until 9 (because of the time difference that's). Unfortunately, our flight from Minneapolis to Bozeman was boarding at 9:25. We landed at gate A3 and we had to hike it over to F13. Let me tell you, we couldn't have gotten there faster even if we had run. We made it there in time, thankfully, and we arrived at our destination on time.
I have to say, when we were descending into Montana, the stars were out and extremely bright. I was able to see the Big Dipper perfectly through my window. It was pretty cool. And seeing all the city lights at night was awesome. You know those sets where you can build your own miniature town with cars on the streets and everything? Well while we were descending, it was like I was looking over one of those things and seeing headlight trails as they were on the road.
Since we arrived so late into Bozeman, we didn't do a lot of sight seeing. We just went to Wendy's and got a little something to eat before we went to my aunt and uncle's place in Livingston. It was sixty-seven degrees when we landed and it was a climate shocker from the high eighties it was in Michigan.
Below, I put in some pictures that my dad has taken so far. I hope you like them!
I have to say, when we were descending into Montana, the stars were out and extremely bright. I was able to see the Big Dipper perfectly through my window. It was pretty cool. And seeing all the city lights at night was awesome. You know those sets where you can build your own miniature town with cars on the streets and everything? Well while we were descending, it was like I was looking over one of those things and seeing headlight trails as they were on the road.
Since we arrived so late into Bozeman, we didn't do a lot of sight seeing. We just went to Wendy's and got a little something to eat before we went to my aunt and uncle's place in Livingston. It was sixty-seven degrees when we landed and it was a climate shocker from the high eighties it was in Michigan.
Below, I put in some pictures that my dad has taken so far. I hope you like them!
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| If anyone doesn't know...this is a Moose. |
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| This is my aunt and uncle's farm. They just redid the barn so it's nicely painted and everything. |
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| This is the Diamondback Rattle Snake that my dad almost STEPPED ON!! He says that it didn't even rattle or coil up. He says that it might have been too cold or it had eaten recently and was digesting it. Either way, he was REALLY lucky. |
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Old Classics
For next fall semester, I am taking this English class called "blah blah blah...19th Century Thought." For this class, I have to read the following books: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Silas Marner and Two Short Stories by George Eliot, and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. So when I started reading Mary Shelley, I got to thinking that I haven't read a lot of the old classic novels. How can I call myself an English major if I haven't even read Bram Stoker's Dracula?
So I'm going to compile a list of all those classic books that I need to read, and read them all in the next year. Now, I know you're probably thinking that this is an impossible feat, but I will make myself do it. I'm going on vacation in a few weeks and I'm going to be on a plane, and driving home, to/from Yellowstone National Park (FYI I'm going to be doing a 'series' of my time there with pictures and [hopefully] a day-by-day update on what I'm up to there). That means that I'll have a lot of time on my hands that is better used reading classics than playing games on Facebook and waiting for someone to comment on my status.
So below is a list of all the books I'm hoping to have read by August 30th of next year (I want to be finished before next fall semester):
Mary Shelley:
Frankenstein
Jane Austen:
Pride & Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility
Maybe Persuasion and Northanger Abbey
Charlotte Bronte:
Jane Eyre
Emily Bronte:
Wuthering Heights (Wish me luck on this one)
Homer:
The Illiad (I've already read The Odyssey)
Bram Stoker:
Dracula
Leo Tolstoy:
Anna Karenina
Alexandre Dumas:
The Three Musketeers
The Man in the Iron Mask
Robert Louis Stevenson:
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
So I'm going to compile a list of all those classic books that I need to read, and read them all in the next year. Now, I know you're probably thinking that this is an impossible feat, but I will make myself do it. I'm going on vacation in a few weeks and I'm going to be on a plane, and driving home, to/from Yellowstone National Park (FYI I'm going to be doing a 'series' of my time there with pictures and [hopefully] a day-by-day update on what I'm up to there). That means that I'll have a lot of time on my hands that is better used reading classics than playing games on Facebook and waiting for someone to comment on my status.
So below is a list of all the books I'm hoping to have read by August 30th of next year (I want to be finished before next fall semester):
Mary Shelley:
Frankenstein
Jane Austen:
Pride & Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility
Maybe Persuasion and Northanger Abbey
Charlotte Bronte:
Jane Eyre
Emily Bronte:
Wuthering Heights (Wish me luck on this one)
Homer:
The Illiad (I've already read The Odyssey)
Bram Stoker:
Dracula
Leo Tolstoy:
Anna Karenina
Alexandre Dumas:
The Three Musketeers
The Man in the Iron Mask
Robert Louis Stevenson:
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Frederick Schiller:
Joan of Arc
I think that's a good enough list for the following year. If there are any that you would like to recommend, please put that in a comment. I would love to see what people like so I don't get bored out of my mind.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Wedding Shows are Addictive
If you've ever watched "Say Yes To The Dress" (or any variations of it) and "Four Weddinngs" and shows like that, don't you find yourself thinking what the dress they're trying on would look on you? Or what you would do differently to the reception, or what you might use for your own wedding? Or if you have a friend that's getting married, you get the "Wedding Bug" that makes you start thinking about all this stuff. Well, that happens to me all the time. And for some reason, I keep getting wedding magazines in the mail (I never signed up for them and I'm not paying for them) and I feel the urge to look through. I can't seem to help myself.
It gets scary when I start planning my wedding and I'm not even dating anyone. I already know what colors I want, who my Maid of Honor is, what dress I'm getting (shown below), what designer my bridesmaids dresses are coming from, and what Bridal store I'm going to to get my dress, and in what months I might want my wedding to be in. How sad is that? Pretty sad, from what I've been told.
Part of me thinks that it's good to think ahead so everything isn't crammed together and I get stressed out when the time comes (if it comes at all). But by the time that happens, all my friend would have already gone through it and I would have people to help me. The only thing I'm dreading is having to talk to a pastor for our "marriage counseling" before hand. Oh well. I'll worry about that later. Much, much later.
It gets scary when I start planning my wedding and I'm not even dating anyone. I already know what colors I want, who my Maid of Honor is, what dress I'm getting (shown below), what designer my bridesmaids dresses are coming from, and what Bridal store I'm going to to get my dress, and in what months I might want my wedding to be in. How sad is that? Pretty sad, from what I've been told.
Part of me thinks that it's good to think ahead so everything isn't crammed together and I get stressed out when the time comes (if it comes at all). But by the time that happens, all my friend would have already gone through it and I would have people to help me. The only thing I'm dreading is having to talk to a pastor for our "marriage counseling" before hand. Oh well. I'll worry about that later. Much, much later.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Christopher Titus - Love is Evol
So last night, I was staying with my family at a hotel and I was channel surfing when I stopped on Comedy Central. There was this guy doing his thing, and I instantly loved him--his work I mean, not him himself. It even got my family to enjoy it even with the swearing and political statements. So I wrote down his name to be able to YouTube him when I got home. I couldn't find the one from last night which was called "Neverlution" but I did find the one titles "Love is Evol."
If you ever want to laugh your hardest, and I'm talking having trouble breathing kind of laughing, then you need to watch the video below and hold on tight. There are nine parts, each at ten minutes, and there's no way that I feel like I wasted my time. There was a point at around video 7/9 to 8/9 that I had to stop watching because I was having trouble breathing. I was getting light headed and my stomach felt like it was caught in my throat. I've never gotten to the point where I couldn't laugh any more; but Christopher Titus went above and beyond.
Cripes, I think I'm losing my voice from how much I was laughing. But it's when I was wheezing that I knew, as well as anyone around me, that I couldn't be laughing harder.
Below is the first part of the "Love is Evol" show, and if you don't find it appealing, I'm sorry but there must be something wrong.
If you ever want to laugh your hardest, and I'm talking having trouble breathing kind of laughing, then you need to watch the video below and hold on tight. There are nine parts, each at ten minutes, and there's no way that I feel like I wasted my time. There was a point at around video 7/9 to 8/9 that I had to stop watching because I was having trouble breathing. I was getting light headed and my stomach felt like it was caught in my throat. I've never gotten to the point where I couldn't laugh any more; but Christopher Titus went above and beyond.
Cripes, I think I'm losing my voice from how much I was laughing. But it's when I was wheezing that I knew, as well as anyone around me, that I couldn't be laughing harder.
Below is the first part of the "Love is Evol" show, and if you don't find it appealing, I'm sorry but there must be something wrong.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Janet Evanovich
Out of all the books that I have, Janet Evanovich is the only one that writes humor like Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel (if you follow my meaning). I have read all of her published works, but it's her Stephanie Plum series that are the funniest books that I've ever read in my life so far. I love them enough to buy all seventeen of them and will continue to buy the ones that have yet to be released. I don't consider them a waste of money, time, and paper or ebook space. Now that I have a Nook, I pre-order her books before they even come out and start reading them on the day they're released instead of waiting for them to be shipped on the release day.
I was first introduced to the series by a co-worker who's in her sixties. She told me that the humor was mainly light dirty humor, but I would find it an excellent read. I work at a library and there isn't a librarian there that hasn't read the series. This tells you that the books appeal to women of different ages and they keep readers coming back for more. Believe me, after seventeen books there has to be something about them that keeps people interested.
If you aren't even interested in reading them yet, here's the synopsis of the first book in the series One for the Money (fyi, you'll never be confused about which book is next because the number is in the title.):
I was first introduced to the series by a co-worker who's in her sixties. She told me that the humor was mainly light dirty humor, but I would find it an excellent read. I work at a library and there isn't a librarian there that hasn't read the series. This tells you that the books appeal to women of different ages and they keep readers coming back for more. Believe me, after seventeen books there has to be something about them that keeps people interested.
If you aren't even interested in reading them yet, here's the synopsis of the first book in the series One for the Money (fyi, you'll never be confused about which book is next because the number is in the title.):
Watch out, world. Here comes Stephanie Plum, a bounty hunter with attitude. In Stephanie's opinion, toxic waste, rabid drivers, armed schizophrenics, and August heat, humidity, and hydrocarbons are all part of the great adventure of living in Jersey.
She's a product of the "burg," a blue-collar pocket of Trenton where houses are attached and narrow, cars are American, windows are clean, and (God forbid you should be late) dinner is served at six.
Now Stephanie's all grown up and out on her own, living five miles from Mom and Dad's, doing her best to sever the world's longest umbilical cord. Her mother is a meddler, and her grandmother is a few cans short of a case.
Out of work and out of money, with her Miata repossessed and her refrigerator empty, Stephanie blackmails her bail bondsman cousin, Vinnie, into giving her a try as an apprehension agent. Stephanie knows zilch about the job requirements, but she figures her new pal, fearless bounty hunter Ranger, can teach her what it takes to catch a crook.
Her first assignment: nail Joe Morelli, a former vice cop on the run from a charge of murder one. Morelli is also the irresistible macho pig who took Stephanie's virginity at age sixteen and then wrote the details on the bathroom wall of Mario's Sub Shop. There's still powerful chemistry between these two, so the chase should be interesting.
It could also be extremely dangerous, especially when Stephanie encounters a heavyweight title contender who likes to play rough. Benito Ramirez is known for his brutality to women. At the very least, his obsession with Stephanie complicates her manhunt and brings terror and uncertainty into her life. At the worst, it could lead to murder.
Witty, fresh, and full of surprises, One for the Money was among the most eagerly awaited crime novels of the season.
I implore you to try out this book. If you're interested, go to Janet's website and you'll see the order of the books so you can either get them from your local library, or, if you're as impatient as I get, go to Barnes&Noble (or wherever you get your books) and order it. If you're not pulled in by this, or if you don't like the dirty humor that's in it, I'm sorry.
Well, there's my advertising for the afternoon. Have a great day everybody! And if you're living in Michigan right now, grab a book instead of going outside--you'll melt the minute you're outside.
Historical Fiction
So I've read two historical fiction books recently and I have mixed feelings about them. I read The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory and The King's Mistress by Emma Campion. I believe it's safe to say what king and time period Gregory's book is from--if you know nothing of King Henry VIII that's pretty sad. The other one is in the mid 1350s through 1370s and King Edward II.
Both were great stories, in their own way, but I very disliked the way the main characters were treated. I know that it was the way things were back then, but still. Henry VIII throws mistresses away faster than a hotcake and washes his hands of them immediately. Edward II loves his mistress until the end of his days, but when he dies everyone believes that it was because of her that all their money was gone and she had something to do with his death. And I absolutely hated the ending of that book. Don't ask me why. She ends up with the man she loves with all her surviving children by her side and she doesn't die at the end. But there were a lot of deaths in that book, most of them were either related to her or to King Edward II.
Even though I haven't been completely moved by those books, I've found a few more that I'm interested in reading. Secrets of the Tudor court : Pleasure Palace by Kate Emerson and To Serve a King by Donna Russo Morin. If you are wondering, yes, I like reading about the Tudor family--which both of those books are mainly about or affiliated with.
If there is a book like the ones that I've mentioned and you know of one that you enjoyed, please comment it. I would love to give it a try.
Both were great stories, in their own way, but I very disliked the way the main characters were treated. I know that it was the way things were back then, but still. Henry VIII throws mistresses away faster than a hotcake and washes his hands of them immediately. Edward II loves his mistress until the end of his days, but when he dies everyone believes that it was because of her that all their money was gone and she had something to do with his death. And I absolutely hated the ending of that book. Don't ask me why. She ends up with the man she loves with all her surviving children by her side and she doesn't die at the end. But there were a lot of deaths in that book, most of them were either related to her or to King Edward II.
Even though I haven't been completely moved by those books, I've found a few more that I'm interested in reading. Secrets of the Tudor court : Pleasure Palace by Kate Emerson and To Serve a King by Donna Russo Morin. If you are wondering, yes, I like reading about the Tudor family--which both of those books are mainly about or affiliated with.
If there is a book like the ones that I've mentioned and you know of one that you enjoyed, please comment it. I would love to give it a try.
Here are the covers of the books that I was talking about:
Sunday, June 5, 2011
An Update
Since I haven't written a new blog in a while, I thought I'd update you--the readers, if there are any--about what has happened. I can't say that it's been really exciting, since I don't exactly lead the most exciting life. My life is boring as hell at the moment. Make no mistake about that. All I've been doing since I finished my 3 week class is take another summer class that won't end until July 12th.
But I do have rather interesting summer plans. My family and I are taking a 2-3 week vacation in Yellowstone. We'll be staying in the Beartooth Pass for a few days for my dad to take pictures of the 'pretty' wild flowers. Then we're staying at my aunt's and uncle's house for a while. We'll be there for a five days or so before we go to Phillipsburg, MT for some gem hunting at Gem Mountain. We might actually be staying there overnight and go gem hunting for a two days. That's what I'm really looking forward too. What I'm NOT looking forward too is backpacking in Yellowstone for a few nights. That's a few nights without running water, plumbing, or real food. What is fake food, you ask? It's dehydrated food where you add boiling water, shake the bag, and eat. That doesn't sound too bad, you say. Well I say that the worst prison food in the world is better than that crap. The meat is turned into extremely small chunks, like powder, and rice or any kind of pasta is hard like stones. The only saving grace is that the dry ice cream sandwiches. That's actually pretty good.
We'll be leaving at the end of July and when we get back, we have a wedding to go too. I also have a bachelorette party the week after then school starts. August will be filled with stuff that I wouldn't actually have time to myself. As my parents say, I'm like a cat. I only come out when I want something, otherwise I love being by myself.
So since not a lot of people have been to Yellowstone, I thought I'd post a few pictures. The one with the yellow flowers are from Beartooth Pass--the place where my dad wants to go again.
But I do have rather interesting summer plans. My family and I are taking a 2-3 week vacation in Yellowstone. We'll be staying in the Beartooth Pass for a few days for my dad to take pictures of the 'pretty' wild flowers. Then we're staying at my aunt's and uncle's house for a while. We'll be there for a five days or so before we go to Phillipsburg, MT for some gem hunting at Gem Mountain. We might actually be staying there overnight and go gem hunting for a two days. That's what I'm really looking forward too. What I'm NOT looking forward too is backpacking in Yellowstone for a few nights. That's a few nights without running water, plumbing, or real food. What is fake food, you ask? It's dehydrated food where you add boiling water, shake the bag, and eat. That doesn't sound too bad, you say. Well I say that the worst prison food in the world is better than that crap. The meat is turned into extremely small chunks, like powder, and rice or any kind of pasta is hard like stones. The only saving grace is that the dry ice cream sandwiches. That's actually pretty good.
We'll be leaving at the end of July and when we get back, we have a wedding to go too. I also have a bachelorette party the week after then school starts. August will be filled with stuff that I wouldn't actually have time to myself. As my parents say, I'm like a cat. I only come out when I want something, otherwise I love being by myself.
So since not a lot of people have been to Yellowstone, I thought I'd post a few pictures. The one with the yellow flowers are from Beartooth Pass--the place where my dad wants to go again.
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| Beartooth Pass at the end of July |
Friday, April 15, 2011
Not Guilty!!
So today, I got papers back from one of my classes and on one of them, she said that I plagiarized! I didn't. The only reason I can think of that she would think that I did was either that I used a description that didn't fit right, or that I didn't sight the Bible or the footnotes in the book that the class was ordered to have for the beginning of the class. I mean, WHAT THE HELL?! Then she gave me an "F" on the second paper she gave me and the only explanation she gave me was "Sparknotes"... what the fuck are sparknotes when she barely wrote anything on my paper!
All day, while I was at work, I remembered what she said about what she did to people she accuses of plagiarizing. That they failed her course or she reported them to the school board or whatever they call it at OC. I worried myself sick because I need that class and I would have to take it over with her again. If I do have to, well, I plan on taking it from another school online so I don't have to deal with her.
I mean GODDAMMIT!!! I don't need this today!
Then I had my employee evaluation with my boss and her boss. Apparently, I did a great job this year, but there's no way that I could be promoted because all the positions are already full. I understand that. Then they said that the job that I have was originally meant for high school girls 15-16 years old. (My thoughts: am I being fired?) They told me that it was their way to give kids the opportunity to get a positive job experience. The boss boss kept telling me that he's happy to write me a letter of recommendation. (Inner monologue: Is this a hint hint?) Then they said that it would be seen as a good thing on my resume if I had other experiences that would help with my Library Science background. (Inner monologue: AM I BEING FIRED/LAID OFF?!?!?!)
"We aren't firing you, Katie. We don't want you to feel like we're trying to get rid of you..."
Well, I've come to the conclusion that I probably will have another job by the summer. I'm thinking either Bed, Bath & Beyond or CVS. We'll see.
All day, while I was at work, I remembered what she said about what she did to people she accuses of plagiarizing. That they failed her course or she reported them to the school board or whatever they call it at OC. I worried myself sick because I need that class and I would have to take it over with her again. If I do have to, well, I plan on taking it from another school online so I don't have to deal with her.
I mean GODDAMMIT!!! I don't need this today!
Then I had my employee evaluation with my boss and her boss. Apparently, I did a great job this year, but there's no way that I could be promoted because all the positions are already full. I understand that. Then they said that the job that I have was originally meant for high school girls 15-16 years old. (My thoughts: am I being fired?) They told me that it was their way to give kids the opportunity to get a positive job experience. The boss boss kept telling me that he's happy to write me a letter of recommendation. (Inner monologue: Is this a hint hint?) Then they said that it would be seen as a good thing on my resume if I had other experiences that would help with my Library Science background. (Inner monologue: AM I BEING FIRED/LAID OFF?!?!?!)
"We aren't firing you, Katie. We don't want you to feel like we're trying to get rid of you..."
Well, I've come to the conclusion that I probably will have another job by the summer. I'm thinking either Bed, Bath & Beyond or CVS. We'll see.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Nearing the end...
So there is only a few more weeks till my birthday, then after that are finals. I believe I have a week off before I had my ILT [Intensive Learning Term] which is just 3 weeks long. Then a break before I have a summer class that starts at the beginning of June and ends just after the fourth of July. Sigh. I can't wait for classes to end so I can take all the time I want just doing what I want.
I'm tired of doing all this writing for other people that I don't really have time to write for me. I miss it. I have plenty of ideas in my head that I want to write down and hope to elaborate on later, but once i sit in front of my computer, I'm consumed by all the writing homework that I have to do that I either forget about what I was going to do, or I just don't have the energy to do it. It makes me feel bad for those who I send my writing too. They have been great, the best, but I haven't sent them anything in a very long time.
But there's one good thing that comes out of all this homework, I don't have time to do some online shopping. lol. Since my cousin, Elise, got me hooked on Half.com, I seem to be shopping there all the time, especially around the holidays. Now I know where I'm going to get my families gifts if it's something that is available there. Out of all the stuff that I own, movie wise, I've bought 80%-90% from Half.com. Pathetic, don't you think?
The other sight that I'm addicted on for online shopping is Barnes & Noble. Not that I own the Nook, I've been looking up books to buy and pre-order (pre-ordering in SOOOO much easier now). Since I've first had the Nook in December until now, I've bought 30 some books. When I was buying them in paperbacks/hardcovers, I'd be lucky to get one or two every two months. Yeah, that's a huge increase. But surprising enough, I have stayed as a comfortable steady money level since I don't spend money on gas every other week or so, it's rather every 3 weeks now since I don't have classes on Mondays of Fridays.
That's going to change next semester when I have classes every day. Yippy.
Why can't it be July yet?
I'm tired of doing all this writing for other people that I don't really have time to write for me. I miss it. I have plenty of ideas in my head that I want to write down and hope to elaborate on later, but once i sit in front of my computer, I'm consumed by all the writing homework that I have to do that I either forget about what I was going to do, or I just don't have the energy to do it. It makes me feel bad for those who I send my writing too. They have been great, the best, but I haven't sent them anything in a very long time.
But there's one good thing that comes out of all this homework, I don't have time to do some online shopping. lol. Since my cousin, Elise, got me hooked on Half.com, I seem to be shopping there all the time, especially around the holidays. Now I know where I'm going to get my families gifts if it's something that is available there. Out of all the stuff that I own, movie wise, I've bought 80%-90% from Half.com. Pathetic, don't you think?
The other sight that I'm addicted on for online shopping is Barnes & Noble. Not that I own the Nook, I've been looking up books to buy and pre-order (pre-ordering in SOOOO much easier now). Since I've first had the Nook in December until now, I've bought 30 some books. When I was buying them in paperbacks/hardcovers, I'd be lucky to get one or two every two months. Yeah, that's a huge increase. But surprising enough, I have stayed as a comfortable steady money level since I don't spend money on gas every other week or so, it's rather every 3 weeks now since I don't have classes on Mondays of Fridays.
That's going to change next semester when I have classes every day. Yippy.
Why can't it be July yet?
First Crack At Poetry
So I was sitting in class today, and suddenly I was hit with the first two lines of my poem. I've never written a poem before, so this is a whole knew thing. If you hate it, tell me why. If you like it, tell me why. I want to know because I'm going to be taking a poetry writing class this summer so I need to know what to work on.
There are two poems that I am posting. The second one was just from an image I had in my mind while I as sitting in that same class as when I wrote the other one. I don't have a name for the second one yet, so I'll but a divide between the two so you'll know.
There are two poems that I am posting. The second one was just from an image I had in my mind while I as sitting in that same class as when I wrote the other one. I don't have a name for the second one yet, so I'll but a divide between the two so you'll know.
My Friends
I am surrounded by a sea of faces,
Yet none of them know me.
I know them, was once friends with them,
Yet none of them recognize me.
I remember laughing, crying, spending time with them,
Yet they don't seem to remember.
I watch us break apart, them pulling away,
Yet I try to swim out to them.
Why must we part? Was it something I did?
Only I know the answer.
--------------------------------------
[Unnamed]
Green eyes,
Emerald eyes,
Sparkling in the sun.
Olive skin,
Soft skin,
Caressed by her dress.
Fiery hair,
Long hair,
Blowing in the wind.
Small feet,
Dainty feet,
Hugged the building's edge.
Small smile,
Sinister smile,
Spreading over her face as she leaned forward.
Rose colored,
Slowly spreading,
The last pedal fell.
So? Thoughts?
Sunday, March 6, 2011
I Wish I Were An Artist
People may think that an author's job is easy. All they have to do is write down some stuff and then get it publish. Well, being a writer, it isn't easy. Being an painter would be so much easier. They just have to pick an image out of their head, find the right paints, and go at it. While a writer has to describe one single scene, an artist can do so without words and get a greater picture. An observer can look at the painting and figure out a story to go along with it and let their imagination run wild. A reader has to try to get the image that the author wants them to see and try to put themselves in the world the author has created.
Though I love writing, reading is so much easier and doesn't take as much time.
Since I'm in 4 English classes this semester, all the writing I seem to be doing has sucked out my willingness to write for fun. Though I do it once in a while, it's not on the story that I should be working on. I'm tired all the time and find it difficult to will myself to sit down and write a world that I see in my head in a way that my readers (my favorite cousin Elise) can understand and like.
Maybe I need a vacation from all the writing I have to do. I'm currently on Spring Break and yet I have two papers to write that are due the week I get back, or the week after and I have to have multiple pages done. I already finished one on Thursday, but that was only a page or two. Though I like all of my classes, I'm getting tired of all the writing I have to do.
*Laughs* Here I thought that I was sick of taking math classes for the last two and a half years when it took me barely a full semester to get sick of writing. How twisted is that? Pretty twisted, I'm guessing.
Well, I'm going to get back to my fun story that is just for me [sorry Elise! :) ] before I start up on my other project.
Crips. I wish summer would come already then stay for a whole year.
Though I love writing, reading is so much easier and doesn't take as much time.
Since I'm in 4 English classes this semester, all the writing I seem to be doing has sucked out my willingness to write for fun. Though I do it once in a while, it's not on the story that I should be working on. I'm tired all the time and find it difficult to will myself to sit down and write a world that I see in my head in a way that my readers (my favorite cousin Elise) can understand and like.
Maybe I need a vacation from all the writing I have to do. I'm currently on Spring Break and yet I have two papers to write that are due the week I get back, or the week after and I have to have multiple pages done. I already finished one on Thursday, but that was only a page or two. Though I like all of my classes, I'm getting tired of all the writing I have to do.
*Laughs* Here I thought that I was sick of taking math classes for the last two and a half years when it took me barely a full semester to get sick of writing. How twisted is that? Pretty twisted, I'm guessing.
Well, I'm going to get back to my fun story that is just for me [sorry Elise! :) ] before I start up on my other project.
Crips. I wish summer would come already then stay for a whole year.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Sometimes, Parents are a Pain in the ASS!!
Today was not the first example of all the shit that goes on between me and my parents. I'm the oldest, the first born so I get hit harder with all the rules and expectations. I've almost ever missed a day of High School while I was there; mainly because my dad says that if I'm not puking, then I'm fine to go to school. Even when it comes to my grades. If I get anything under a B- then I wouldn't have any computer time.
Now, my little brother, who complains with all the rules that he has, has everything easier. He's been able to stay home more if he 'isn't feeling good' i.e. if his throat is sore, he gets to stay home. One time, when he didn't get good sleep, he was able to skip his first two classes before going back. Now, I haven't been feeling good and decided to stay home today rather than going to my classes. This is the first time in a long time that I haven't felt good enough to go to school, so I thought I should get a day off. I tell my mom that I stayed home and got 6 more extra hours of sleep, and when she tells my dad, he gets all up in my face about it.
He says how it wasn't acceptable, how I should be more responsible, and all that other shit parents usually say. I was just too tired to listen to him, and I told him such, but he just kept talking in my ear (not literally) and even when I tried to tell him that he let Jake do what I did once, he wouldn't even let me finish speaking.
Well guess what dad SCREW YOU!!!
If I want to skip one day because I'm not feeling good, I will do it. I'm still doing my homework, even though I'm not there. I'm still keeping up with everything in my classes, so why are you bugging me? And why are you caring less about my brother when he's getting E's in classes? To my parents (Dad): "Get that stick out of your ass!"
Now, my little brother, who complains with all the rules that he has, has everything easier. He's been able to stay home more if he 'isn't feeling good' i.e. if his throat is sore, he gets to stay home. One time, when he didn't get good sleep, he was able to skip his first two classes before going back. Now, I haven't been feeling good and decided to stay home today rather than going to my classes. This is the first time in a long time that I haven't felt good enough to go to school, so I thought I should get a day off. I tell my mom that I stayed home and got 6 more extra hours of sleep, and when she tells my dad, he gets all up in my face about it.
He says how it wasn't acceptable, how I should be more responsible, and all that other shit parents usually say. I was just too tired to listen to him, and I told him such, but he just kept talking in my ear (not literally) and even when I tried to tell him that he let Jake do what I did once, he wouldn't even let me finish speaking.
Well guess what dad SCREW YOU!!!
If I want to skip one day because I'm not feeling good, I will do it. I'm still doing my homework, even though I'm not there. I'm still keeping up with everything in my classes, so why are you bugging me? And why are you caring less about my brother when he's getting E's in classes? To my parents (Dad): "Get that stick out of your ass!"
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
At Long Last
If the title of this blog decieved you, I'm sorry and would like to correct that. I have not gotten an acceptance letter from an agent...yet...but yet another rejection. I was merely commenting on how I haven't posted a blog in a long time. I know, how could I keep my audience waiting? One word: School. I started school last week and already I have a lot of reading to do.
I'm surprised by how much I like the reading in my Fiction Writing class. We have a large book dedicated to short stories and I actually read more than what was assigned. Crazy, I know. But it was fun anyways. We have to write, I think, three short stories and I have yet to know what I'm going to do for it. My Professor said that we can't write about anything that we haven't written in class because that's how she knows that it isn't plagiarized. Dammit. I had a great one that I wanted to write about...now all I have to do is figure out how to write it out in an assignment so it won't be considered false. But I've been waiting to take this class since FRESHMAN year and I'm now a JUNIOR. That seems unfair, doesn't it?
Well, that's one class. I also have Creative Nonfiction writing. I have to 40 hours of community service by the end of the semester and the prof (same one as in my fiction writing) said that I can work at the library--since I work there anyways--as long as I don't get pay. I thought that was rather convenient since I am not all that skilled at any other thing besides books and organization.
I also have two other classes, though those aren't really worth mentioning. SOOOO I'll skip those.
For all those that have the privileged of reading my book and giving back feedback, I would like to inform you that I have just finished chapter one and it's seven pages long. HAHAHA!!! and it's over 3 thousand words already. Not a lot, I know. but I'm working when I can. hopefully, I can get about half done by summer then finish it before school starts in August. Since we're not planning on going anywhere for summer, I'll have more time to write. Hopefully.
I'm surprised by how much I like the reading in my Fiction Writing class. We have a large book dedicated to short stories and I actually read more than what was assigned. Crazy, I know. But it was fun anyways. We have to write, I think, three short stories and I have yet to know what I'm going to do for it. My Professor said that we can't write about anything that we haven't written in class because that's how she knows that it isn't plagiarized. Dammit. I had a great one that I wanted to write about...now all I have to do is figure out how to write it out in an assignment so it won't be considered false. But I've been waiting to take this class since FRESHMAN year and I'm now a JUNIOR. That seems unfair, doesn't it?
Well, that's one class. I also have Creative Nonfiction writing. I have to 40 hours of community service by the end of the semester and the prof (same one as in my fiction writing) said that I can work at the library--since I work there anyways--as long as I don't get pay. I thought that was rather convenient since I am not all that skilled at any other thing besides books and organization.
I also have two other classes, though those aren't really worth mentioning. SOOOO I'll skip those.
For all those that have the privileged of reading my book and giving back feedback, I would like to inform you that I have just finished chapter one and it's seven pages long. HAHAHA!!! and it's over 3 thousand words already. Not a lot, I know. but I'm working when I can. hopefully, I can get about half done by summer then finish it before school starts in August. Since we're not planning on going anywhere for summer, I'll have more time to write. Hopefully.
*Cross Fingers*
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