Just when you thought she couldn't get any weirder...

Yay, I was tagged for another meme!

Which, brings to question. What is a 'meme', exactly? Is it some big thing that I've been left out on? Maybe it's just a nickname for quiz, or survey? Or maybe it's just a little joke about quizzes/surveys, because you're filling out a form about "ME,ME!"? Oh well, no matter. Curiosity's knocking at the door again, but I can keep it at bay with my own (more or less accurate) assumptions and theories.

Anyway.

My good friend Madeline has tagged me for this 'meme'. I think I've done it already (twice), so if you've already gotten enough weirdness from 'meme' and don't need any more, you have my permission to read somewhere else. Of course, if you would like to read more habits, I demand you do so.

That's right. I'm forcing you to read against with your will. Just dandy how that works out, eh?

Once again, here comes that final encouraging - and most likely overused - word that pushes me along with my post: 'anyway!' Here are the rules, with my commentary added, free of charge!

1. Link to the person’s blog who tagged you. -Check. Madeline!
2. Post these rules on your blog. -I find this rule rather funny. I can understand if the first rule in the listing of the rules is to post the rules along with your post, but no. They made it the second rule in the rules, to post the rules with your post. Human logic amazes me every day.
3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself. -Getting to that.
4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. -Personally, I think this is a questionable rule... I feel weird tagging people if they don't want to do this blog, and I don't think they should be pressured. (So many people have already been tagged, too, so I don't know who has already had their turn to sharing weird facts).
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog. -See above.

Another personal comment: I think that it would have been more appropriate to have seven rules to accommodate the seven facts that will surely follow... ohh well, I suppose.

Without any further ado, just when you thought she couldn't get any weirder... she came out and admitted seven more facts.

1. I don't know how 'weird' this is, but rather, it's a peeve. For some reason, I cannot stand open drawers/cabinet doors. I swear, I do not know why, but I'm always tempted to close them... weird, yes. Abbi-ish, of course.

2. I can hear one thing, and then link it from that, to another thing, to another and another and another. Before I know it, I'm thinking completely off subject and in my own little world, while others are keeping perfectly focused on the topic at hand. Example: Today I was drinking an Ice Tea, and it was really good. I drank that ice tea while eating kernels. I was eating the kernels 'cause I ate all the popcorn. I was eating the popcorn 'cause I was watching Pirates of the Caribbean. I was watching Pirates of the Caribbean while talking to Dev. When talking to Dev, we were practicing DnD. While practicing DnD, I was thinking of new characters that have yet to be created. While thinking of those, I was also talking to a friend about downloading movies off of iTunes. Which reminded me how we had to upload all of our music to our laptop because it was all screwy with the graphics, and the music files got erased. Which reminded me that we might not be able to hook up iTunes to the laptop anymore, so we would have to change where we hooked the iPod up to. Which reminded me that we got a new iPod car-connector thing, called 'iLuv.' I really like that name for a brand... 'iLuv.' Not love, but Luv. Isn't that just great? And Apple came up with that, too.

While doing all of this, I was drinking ice tea.

3. I have an old spirit. Older than my body, anyway. I have found through the preferences of male actors, that I like the older men a lot more. Sure, Corbin Bleu is cute, but he has a few years ahead of him to age. Same goes for Orlando Bloom. As odd as this sounds to compare, I can relate my opinion like some do to wine. Sure, when they're new they're sweet, cute and the like, but they're always better after they've had time to age. So, as I was saying, Zac Efron? Pass. Gimmie my Richard Armitage and Gerard Butler and I'm one happy chickie (who are in fact, 36 and 38. And honestly? I'm all for the accents; Richard = British, Gerard = Scottish. Yummy!)

4. I have an awkward acting thing. I'm really good at memorizing lines, moving and acting along with the words, and presenting it in front of a mirror. Of course, give me an audience expecting a good performance and I freak. I can't keep eye contact with someone while I'm speaking, lest I stare at them during the entire thing. Instead, I get shifty eyes and look everywhere, often at my hands or my feet. Y'see, I think I've gotten it figured out: I'm great at acting, memorizing and becoming one with a character. ...I just can't do it while you're watching.

5. I have a slight twitching habit, as I think you might call it. When I'm watching a movie or reading a book, my leg always ends up tapping or twitching. Most often, I'm bouncing it to nothing in particular... while it annoys others that are sitting next to me, it's calming to me. Goddess knows why, but it is! I also notice that I do it most often if I'm in suspense, which explains why I do it while watching movies/reading books.

6. I think I mentioned this in another "Weird Facts" post, but I'll elaborate a bit more now. I love coffee! In fact, put quite blatantly, I'm a huge coffee snob. My mom dealt with bad coffee for a while, and will inevitably drink coffee that isn't the best if need be... well, then she found her awesome coffee that she can make right at home. That's what I was introduced to. I never had to drink awful coffee, and was given this good stuff, straight out of the belly! In other words, I'm spoiled right to the bone. I've heard it's odd for a 'child' to like coffee, and to that, I've created a few theories; maybe the reason most kids don't like coffee is because a lot of adults aren't too picky about what they drink. They see it as coffee, right? To drink coffee because it's coffee, and everyone drinks coffee. Then kids don't drink it because it doesn't taste good. Why drink something that isn't good? Then when they get older, they don't see it as something that tastes bad, they see it as coffee! Not how it tastes, but what it purely is. I'm also not 'addicted' to coffee. I don't need it. If it doesn't taste good to me, I don't drink it. Maybe that's why I'm so picky about it! I allow myself to be, and I don't suffer if I don't have it. Again, I don't see it as coffee, I see it as a drink that I enjoy having on my tongue in the morning... and if I can't have that taste, then why stoop so low for something that isn't good, just for what it is? Of course, don't get me wrong. If someone does feel they need their coffee fix in the morning, it's all the better that they aren't picky about it. Can you imagine if you were as snobby as me and NEED to have the coffee? Yikes, talk about a raging Godzilla every morning that the coffee wasn't warm for me. Rambling much? Of course, it's Abbi's Blog!

Oh, I also like to think I like my coffee 'bittersweet.' Very dark roast, very little cream, lots of raw sugar. Mmm...

7. As my last weird fact, I'll chose the most random one that I can come up with off the top of my head: I, Abbi, am picky about... eyebrows. Ruffled eyebrows bother me. I swear I don't know why, but they just... do. Whether they're ruffled or poking out of place, I'm so tempted to straighten them. I'm really big about in-place and orderly eyebrows. Out of all the things... eyebrows. I know, weird, right? But what better place to talk about those weird things than this... weird blog? No better place, that's what.

Ack, once again I am faced with the opportunity - or better put, dilemma - of tagging people. I'm sorry to say I'm going to pass, only because so many people have been tagged so often, and I don't know who has already been tagged. I hope too many people don't get angry, even as I doubt they will... (*grabs a book to hide under, just in case*)

I hope you guys enjoyed reading! :) Seasonal wishes to you all!

Picture Survey!

Now really, I'm more of a leader than a follower... but when it comes to following cool-chickies like my mom, Diana, Mary (and Scotty of course, but he's more of a cool-male than chickie :D Loved all the same!), I'll share my limelight to follow them into the new trend of picture-surveys. ;)

1. My age next year: 14

This guy wanted to announce it.


Or, for a cuter look into 14,



I'll admit. I'm a Little Bear groupie girl; he is my hero. Y'know why? 'Cause he's a hewo, he's a guyy... he's a hewooo, he's a guyyy... he's hewo-guy!! (If you haven't seen Sesame Street, sorry that you don't get that. I would give you a link to the song, but YouTube doesn't have it! :( )

2. Place I'd like to travel: Claude Monet's House/Garden in Giverny France

Gorgeous house,



Spectacular Garden (and artist, but I think we all knew that. ;) )

3. Favorite place: All sorts...

I love it at the ocean with the sunset,



The snow and the trees,



My friends,



and the moon.



I'm sure I'll find the perfect place eventually. :)

4. Favorite Object(s): That's easy

Keyboard,



Pencil,



Nail file,



Piano



Give me my basic everyday items, and I'm as happy as this kitty. ;)

5. Favorite food: Chicken Pot Pie; homemade style!



Ahh, this is the homey delicacy that I have had as my birthday dinner for about five years, now. :)

6. Favorite Animal: Like my mama... horses!



7. Favorite Color: Purple!


Ooh... now this is a gorgeous picture. Probably photoshopped, but beeeauutiful all the same. :)

8. My nickname: Abs

Wooweee. I knew what I should expect when openly googling "Abs," but I am swept away by the manliness... *fans self*


And even though there are many, many more pictures after this, I'll leave it to one. For some reason, I rather not having a face to my muscle man... if he has perfect muscles, I tend to expect perfect heads, as well. Unfortunately, either their hair is weird, their eyes are closed, the nose is too big, the mouth is too small, or other ittybityt details are off... but the headless man in black and white? That one serves my fantasy just fine, thankyouverymuch!

(That doesn't mean I want to find a real man walking around with no head... fantasies can stay fantasies and reality can stay reality. I like heads too much to give them up for something that would grow old way too quickly. :D)

9. Town I was born in: Bemidji MN

Do I hear Jingle Bells?


10. Bad habit I have: Correcting people.


...okay, hopefully I'm not that bad. ;)


Consider yourself tagged!

Featuring: To Zanarkand, Starring: The Picture Shirt

Well, it was promised, and here it is! Me playing To Zanarkand on our beautiful Baby Grand piano (which resides smack-dab in the middle of our living room, thank-you-very-much). And, as you may also be able to see, I am wearing The Picture Shirt!



It's a very big file, so if it takes a little bit to load, I'm sorry. Though, it probably won't... hopefully won't.

Anyway. Please enjoy!!

Not for the weak of mind...

Well, because I love testing myself often, I decided I wanted to know what my WPM (Word Per Minute) was, because all-in-all, that's what I judge my typing skills by. The site that I went to to test myself had this quote, which I found absolutely hilarious...

"A programmer is a person who passes as an exacting expert on the basis of being able to turn out, after innumerable punching, an infinite series of incomprehensive answers calculated with micrometric precisions from vague assumptions based on debatable figures taken from inconclusive documents and carried out on instruments of problematical accuracy by persons of dubious reliability and questionable mentality for the avowed purpose of annoying and confounding a hopelessly defenseless department that was unfortunate enough to ask for the information in the first place."

A lot of my friends didn't really get what it meant from that, and it seemed I was the only one who really found it amusing. I just thought I'd share, and perhaps a few of you here would also like it. Oh, and if anyone was wondering, my WPM is roughly 150 (I took several different tests, each of which came up between 135 and 170).

(P.S. The video of me playing To Zanarkand will come either tomorrow, or the next day... as long as we can get this ding-dang camcorder to work on our side)

Oohh, the whole song!

Thaat's right! After about a month's worth of work and a year's worth of patience, I got it all down! The song To Zanarkand is composed by Nobuo Uematsu, and is now being played on a regular basis, by moi! I don't have it perfect, but it's only a matter of days, now. Be expecting a video of me playing it, too!

A little bio about me and my music...
When I was little (AKA younger than I am now), I would think of any song I wanted to hear (which, for example, would be "Mary Had a Little Lamb," "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," or other simple songs), and I could play out the entire thing by ear. I never read notes, and I HATED playing those little songs they have in the beginners book... why would I want to play a song that goes A, B, C, B, C, B, A, B, C, B, G at a slow pace, with one hand? Sure, it teaches me how to read the notes at a slow but steady pace, but... ugh, again, who wants to play songs like that? Though I admit, sometimes you have to make sacrifices.

One of the sacrifices I made was sucking up my pride and going to a teacher. I decided it would be fine to see what she could offer, and if she could help improve my playing skills. It turned out to be a double-taught class, so me and Kyra were in there together, learning together. That much was pretty cool, and because Kyra was there, I got some backup when I was explaining how horrible the experience was. I went there to learn how to play music, not how to play the 'Wiggle game'. Do you know what the 'Wiggle game' consists of? Playing music? No. Learning notes? No. Wiggling your fingers as you count to five, so you know which ones to use as you played so you didn't have to move your eyes from the sheet music.

Now, if that works for some people then good for them and they should continue working at it, but it didn't for me. So all in all, I knew I wasn't going to waste my time playing a game that involved anything that had to do with wiggling, when I could be teaching myself how to play an actual piano.

So I did.

A few months ago from now (and a few months after the teacher incident) I decided I wanted to learn Mad World. We had the sheet music, so my mom played it and I watched her fingers. A few days later, I had memorized the entire thing, and could play it (those who went to Live and Learn saw me playing it at the talent show with Kyra and my dad at vocals). I really liked that, but from there, there really weren't that many other songs I wanted to play. Soon enough, my mom came up with a song that SHE wanted to learn, so she printed out the sheet music and started playing. This song was called To Zanarkand, a song from the popular game Final Fantasy X (so I had heard the song before, but never in my living room). I was entranced by the music as I listened, and by watching her fingers, it didn't seem that hard... I decided to give it a shot.

I figured out the beginning and the right-hand-part of the song completely by ear, and was shown the left hand by my mom. From there, my mom played each part over and over for me to see and hear, then I would practice and she would critique me (or, show me what I'm doing wrong, an easier way to put my fingers to help while I play, et cetera). Eventually, I had it all down, until the very end with the left hand.

My mom began showing me some of it, but I was running out of patience, and got snappish with her. I was straining to continue playing it correctly, and then I'm told that I've been playing it wrong? Everything began falling apart, and I needed to take a break from the piano and that song.

A few days later, I showed up at the piano once again, determined to keep calm and keep at it until I had it down. I decided I didn't want to snap at my mom any more, so I tried to figure it out by ear... uhh, no. That doesn't work, not with the left hand. The melody is too hard for me to pick out, especially when I have no one playing it by my side to listen to. After groaning and grumbling, I decided to look at the sheet music... I recognized a C, I saw an F sharp, I knew what was a D. From there, I figured out the entire ending of the song! Some of it sounded weird, and I would tell my mom, but eventually I would figure it out (in most cases, I had my hand playing B, D, G, instead of C, E, A, or something like that).

Anyway. After lots of practicing (and lots of grumbling from Alec, who I kept waking up at 2PM every time I wanted to play), I have finally gotten it down! This is very exciting for me, because I've always loved the song, and now I can play it at my own leisure.

Once again, be expecting a video of me playing soon.

Melodic Addiction

Thaat's right, another poem by yours truly. Lately I've been hearing a lot of music, and I've felt really attached to it. I need to listen to it over and over and over... which, has inspired me to write this new poem. It's a bit shorter than the ones from the past, but I think it gets the point across with the few paragraphs that make it.

also, it's not about death... yay!

Melodic Addiction

The melody courses through my veins
Like the blood that keeps me alive
Music is like my addiction,
I go insane if I am deprived

With every note I hear,
I want another one to follow
It's the only thing keeping me going,
Without it, I wallow

The chorus tells of my feelings,
And I become the song
I lose myself in the lyrics,
As I dreamily sing along

My tears fall down in sync,
And I laugh along with the flute
I dance to the rhythm that leads me on,
And my heart beats till its mute

I close my eyes tightly
And imagine the elaborate tune
I'm always disappointed,
When it ends, far too soon...

And with that, I'm going to go watch Phantom of the Opera! More great music!

To Dream, or to Live

To start this post off, I'd like to point out that I'm sorry for being neglectant! I've been in Oregon, and was having trouble finding the time to type about something. I hope I'll be able to make another post when I get home, which will be this Tuesday.

Anyway, this post is... *drum roll*

Another Poem! Yayy! This one was inspired by the ocean, when we visited the coast with all of our friends. It also reflects my feelings on this place, in Oregon, and by the ocean.


To Dream, or to Live

The wind is my rhythm,
The waves are my song
The sand is my home land,
A place that knows no wrong

As I sink my hand beneath
The surface of the grain,
I lift my palm up slowly,
Grounded rocks who show no pain

The wind picks up just as I feared
And blow at my captured sand
They floated away just as they came,
Even I could not restrain it with my hand

The sand glides slowly above the ground,
Carried by the air
Colored so my eye can see,
The beauty that lay there

The ocean waves break to my left,
A bird calls to my right
It is my love, this area of peace
So vast, and full of light

A stirring voice calls out to me
I ignored it without much thought
I shall not leave my paradise,
And if need be, it will be fought

And fought it was, as I clung to the ground
Hoping the voice would fade
But it was not it, that disappeared
For my love shall now be paid

I lift my head from a satin pillow
And stare at the wall before me
A dream, not real, something I just made,
Not the life I live I see

Secretly, I must confess,
I want the life of that:
Of winds and sands and ocean bands,
Not the plain one of a rat

To have that one that I so crave,
I must take the chance
I must move forward toward the dream,
In life, I must advance

I Who Cannot, Do - Interpretations

Hello, hello! I've decided to run a little test of sorts. I've been induced with the curiosity of individual interpretations of all sorts. Recently, I wrote a poem, and showed it to a couple friends... both of them thought and saw it as different things, which I found were both really cool! So, I would like to you guys to help me with this little test/game. :)

I'm going to post the poem that is almost painfully vague, and I would like you guys to email me (which is abbidt@gmail.com) your thoughts and interpretations on it. Now, if you're looking to simply rate or review it, you can leave a comment on this post. Reviews are always welcome. :)

I'd just like for you to tell me what images and conclusions you drew while and after reading. Did you think of love? Or maybe science? Those are just examples, I'd like your own personal conclusions. :) The more detailed the better!! Did the person happen to look a specific way to you? Did they have an expression, or were they faceless? I'd also prefer you send it back to me in an email, and not a comment on this post... if you were to leave your thoughts as comments, another person could stumble along and read that, and it would somewhat ruin their original interpretation, and make it yours.

After maybe a month or so (depending on how many replies I get) I'll post many (if not all) of the different interpretations I was given. I won't put names, if you would prefer. This is not for science homework or anything for school (I don't go to it :p) but a little project I've set for myself, which I think will draw very interesting results.

Anyway, without any further explanation, here's my poem:



I Who Cannot, Do


I have not been favored,
It is something I for one lack
But I see more than all else,
So don't cut me your slack

It is not relevent, for I make up quick
It is something I use, and it's not just a trick
I have mastered my loss,
And I realize, life is not something to toss

I sometimes wish upon the falling stars,
Though I cannot see the redness of Mars
Some of you call me an illogical fool,
Though I do not roll over; I am not the tool

I need not the capability to see the light
I need not the ability to perceive the fight
I understand all around me and perhaps even more,
Listening to old stories, languages, and a bit of lore

I am getting more out of what others throw away,
For only I realize what I must do and say
The ruthlessness of the fellow friend,
The life that cannot 'simply' mend

One should and shall savor,
The not-so-long lasting flavor,
For it will not be forever,
Something we only now can treasure

Helpless victims,
We must act now,
It's not a question of why,
It's a question of how

A limited supply,
I need not an eye,
To see what flies by,
What goes on in the sky

But it's not out there that we must discover,
It's right down here which we have to recover
But no, you're all lost, in your little fantasy lands,
Drinking your beer and singing with the bands

Ironic, how I'm the only one who sees
The darkness around us, while you allow its seize
No, you're too convinced of my lack of sense and eyes,
But you'll soon realize, these words I spew are not simple lies...



Now go, go, go, and email me your thoughts! :) Please and thank you! And as I said before, there are no wrong answers.

Happy birthday to mee!

All riight!! I'm thirteen, I am I am! And I have pictures, too!

Okay, I need to tell a little story before I can show you the pictures. There was this huuge, beaauuutiful red pine right beside our driveway. My uncle and the builders of the house all wanted to chop it down, because they thought it was "annoying", and it would be easy to drive into. My mom fought to keep it in place... it really was gorgeous. After a bit of negotiating, and plain facts such as "it's my house, it's staying," the guys gave up, and we kept the tree.

So, we go on trips, we stay home, we walk in the park, we live our lives. Slowly, we're seeing all of these... these holes in the tree. A stupid woodpecker is trying to eat away our beloved tree!! So, our lovely tree began dying away at the beak of the woodpecker. Eventually, it's looking done-with, and pretty dead. We decide to saw it down...

After it was down and my dad sawed it into several different pieces (actually, I was recently informed that it wasn't my dad, but The-Picture-Shirt-Giver's (Karin's) husband, John!), we all decided they would be great to have as stools, and to paint! I have a bunch of pictures of us painting them. Yesterday was when I was painting, and I put the finishing on today.

My dad's:

Kyra's:

I don't have a direct picture of mine or my mom's yet, but we will soon. Alec kindly declined the offer of making one himself, but he said he's fine with us making one for him. I think we're going to do that tomorrow.

Okay, more birthday pictures!!

The fairy drawing Kyra made for me!

A bit closer

And of course, I didn't forget The Picture Shirt!!

I also got to watch Blades of Glory tonight, with everyone. And after that, the Star Wars Family Guy episode!! I hope everyone else had as good a day as mee.

Thirteen, Flirteen', and Thriveen'!

(To all those who haven't seen it/can't remember, that quote above is a joke on 13 Going on 30's "Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving"... and specifically to anyone who hasn't seen it, go watch it!)


Happy birthday to me (Cha-cha-cha) happy birthday to me, (Cha-cha-cha)

Happy birthday dear Abbiiii...

Happy birthday to me!

That's right, I'm officially a teen now! Who knows how old that makes my mind, now?? Maybe if we count in dog years, or cat years, or... parakeet years? (Let's not go with the parakeet thing... I don't think that would improve my own self-image by a whole lot...)

Well, anyway. I'll probably be making another birthday post today or tomorrow, with pictures!! Well, love you all! See ya!

La Picture Shirt

I have found that in all of my pictures, in all of the posts, that are visible on the first page right now, I am wearing the same shirt. All of them. Even the profile picture! And, coincidentally, I am also wearing it right now.

As it happens, this spectacular shirt was given to me by Karen Buxcel! Thanks to her, I can now strut around in my newly dubbed Picture Shirt. When I wear it, people just can't not take pictures of me. Ain't that just dandy? Thanks, Karen!!



And there it is! (You can even see the Blogger page where I'm typing this post out in the background!)

I could say I have no friends. I could say everyone shuns me and talks about me behind my back. But it would be a lie. It's an illusion! And it's Minnesota's fault. But it's truth, I'm lost here. Where we live, I have no friends. Where I am now, no one understands Unschooling.

I have friends, and I love them all. But they're somewhere else. "Small world," everyone always says. It isn't when you're all the way up here. Maybe if I was more willing to drive six to forty hours every time I have the urge to see a friend, then it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe if everyone lived a little closer, the world would seem smaller. Maybe if we didn't feel so rooted to Minnesota, to this house, everything would be better.

Maybe it's time for that change. I'm sick and tired of no one understanding. Of clique-y school girls not returning my sister's phone calls. Of School mothers who don't let their children spend more than 49 minutes at that weird home-schooler's place.

I think this is all we need. One decision. One final reason to put our foot down. We'll pick our stuff up and move. Buy an RV. Do something! Something other than hanging out here, in the smack-dab middle of No Where.

The Future As We Made It

This poem is mainly about the creation of the planet, and how we're slowing killing off what we were given.

The Future As We Made It

There's purple, there's green
There's faint, there's sheen
There's darkness, there's light
But in the end, it's all just black and white

The earth was created
The public all paraded
The ego was pronounced
The disagreements were announced

The evil was invented
True nature was prevented
So much for a peaceful park
The light became the dark

They can't just get along
In a place they all belong
They trash the world they love
It's a painful thread they wove

The trees died away
People started to pray
It was time for them to pay
When it stops, no one could say

Pity for them, this is how it came,
Pity for them, it's all going to shame
Pity for us, this is what they made
Pity for us, in one blatant shade

There's purple, there's green
There's faint, there's sheen
There's darkness, there's light
But in the end,
There has to be more than just black and white

Wowowow!

The title says it all! Okay, so last night I fell asleep watching Chocolat with mom, dad and Kyra (at least, until they booted me out sayin' they need sleep, haha), and when I woke up I finished it with Kyra (I was up early enough to say g'night to Alec, too!). So most of the day so far Sir Johnny Depp has been in my mind.




And when it's that hunk, whose mind isn't he on?

So, after drooling over him for half the day, I take my shower, and my mom reminds we have another movie that we need to watch... one that we got yesterday, by my awesome dad.







Thaat's right! We got it! So instead of Johnny Depp, I got to fantasize over another hunk (or both, y'know, I'm a girl... I can multi-ogle)







My dreamy-eyed Sir Guy of Gisborne!! Oh, and after watching the first episodes of Robin Hood, I'm reminded how terrible he is... after only three episodes, I've lost count of how many people he's murdered.

But when he's got eyes like that, that cute smile and pretty hair, and the tolerance to wear black leather in Hungary at 80 degrees... I forgive him.

All right, so...

♥ Johnny Depp ♥

♥ ♥ Richard Armitage ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ Robin Hood season one ♥ ♥ ♥


Life, my friends, is GOOD!

A Different Life - Poem

Well, here's another poem about another depressing subject about another person not satisfied with their life. I'm actually kind of embarrassed that I find inspiration in this sort of thing, I mean-- the life I lead is amazing! Filled with happiness and joy! Maybe, just maybe, I find inspiration in this unknown. I write about things I have never experienced, and thus I am curious to write about it?

Curiosity, fear, and inspiration of the unknown!

And without further ado...

A Different Life

Trapped, I'm trapped
Within the confinements of this maze
Solitude, no escape,
Sanity is becoming a haze

Overturning every rock
Every glance, I find a lock,
I'll search until I am long gone,
So no longer, I will be a pawn

I'm running through this endless tunnel,
It's getting smaller - harder - like a funnel
The darkness is slowly pressing in,
The silence is overwhelming; I hear the dropping of a pin

Passageways are left and right,
I doubt I will survive this night
I'm losing my whim, my will,
But I'm still sane enough not to kill

Madness is threatening,
Giving me a taste of freedom;
To leave this life,
To be redone.

The stars above should lead the way,
But they shift in place, secrets they will not relay
Should I beg? Worthy to plead?
I'm desperate enough to bleed

Take me out of this cold, brutal night,
Just take me away, I won't even fight
I want to be relieved, I want a new heart
A new cast and crew; given a different part

This Goddess is so unforgiving,
This is a life not worth living!
My haze of sanity is no more...
...I'm left with me, a soul that has tore

More cooking!

Uh-oh, what's Abbi up to now...? Judging from the mess she's left behind this time...




COOKIEESS!!


Yeah, unfortunately, when I was done putting these perfect scoops on the pan, I realized I forgot to put Crisco across it!! So, I had to pick 'em all up, and lay 'em across the counter...


...while I Crisco'd the darn pan.


And there it is!!


It's the damned Crisco!! Oh, how I loathe you so. It's almost as scary as those creepy eggplants!


And voila! Le finished project!


Beautiful. I have many more, but this is all that I had finished at the time. I have so many, I fill up almost two jars to the brim!


Enjoying the creation.



I made these cookies for those certain guests that're plannin' to show their faces here, around 6! Can't wait to see you guys, and Happy Birthday Hayden!!

My French Camp Experience (Part 3)

Wow, I'm on a writing spree, no?

French meals... amazing. Truly and utterly spectacular. A friend of mine (Sophie, the girl I have a picture with in Part 2) had been talking about what it was like at Italian camp. Apparently she didn't like the food very much... she kept mentioning how the more and more meals she ate there, the more she was missing ramen, chicken noodle soup, macaroni & cheese, and subway.

Quite the opposite for me, when I was there at French camp. The more French food I ate, the more difficult it would be for me to grasp the idea of returning to chicken noodle soup again, or store-bought baguettes.

I would miss all of the food I had there! La mousse des chocolat (chocolate mousse), le poulet (chicken), le porc (beef), la pommes de Français (French apples, pshyeah), la mousse des fraise (strawberry mousse), la fraise bonbon (strawberry bonbon; French candy)... I'll miss all of it, EXCEPT........

...le poisson. Le poisson est du poison!

Ah yes, the evil poisson. Le poisson est "fish" en Anglais. Yes, French fish is awful!! One of the most frequently used phrases at French camp (excluding "Merci," "salut," et cetera) would be "Je deteste le poisson!" I know I shouldn't laugh, but what was always funny for the bit more experienced French-a-iers, was hearing people say "J'ai suis deteste le poisson!" That would mean, instead of "I hate fish," "I have am hate fish." Heehee...

Meals were so long, too! I mean, that should only be expected at French camp, but really. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, because I'm fine with it, but they're sometimes so long, I would have to go to the bathroom two times, while everyone's still eating! I guess it elongates the dinners when there are announcements afterwards, and such.

Oh! Speaking of announcements, I said I was going to explain the pin-thing on one of the parts. I might as well here.

Well, as one of the games that all of Lac du Bois plays, it's called "Mono mystérieux". About three Counselors (or 'monos') are chosen every day to be the "mystère" Counselor, in secret. (Mystère means "mystery," and mystérieux means "mysterious") Those "mystère" counselors would secretly watch around, and see who spoke a lot of French. At the end of the day, after dinner and during the evening announcements, we would all play a really cheesy game with a detective, trying reveal who the mystère monos were that day.

Once the detective found the mono, they would give hints about one person they thought spoke a lot of French, and eventually they would scream their name, and they would run up between the tables to get a little pin, that said that they spoke a lot of French! It was a real honor to get one of those pins; only a handful of the camp got them throughout two weeks.

I was one of them!! It's kind of funny, it happened to me on the very last day, and the exact way I had always imagined.

To be fancy at the last day, all of the tables had little pretty candles on them. One of our wilder and crazier friends was even more of a pyromaniac than I! (And that's sayin' somethin'!) The difference between she and I, is I have common sense and reasoning. She would light a napkin on fire to see what would happen, and all of the Counselors would have to run over here and put it out, then they'd scold her in French, and she'd say it was worth it.

Anyway. All of the candles were blown out, because we didn't trust her (Katia is her name) with the fires being lit. So to entertain ourselves, she and I were both digging candle wax out of the candle-holder, and rolling it into stuff! Snakes, little balls, squares, flat-things... I gotta say, it was pretty darn fun. She and I were giggling, and then trying to pick the wax that got stuck in our fingernails out, and working the dents out of our wax-creations, when suddenly I heard...

"Giséle!!"

I looked up, and had a really stupid "huh?" expression on my face, as the detective was scanning the rows of kids for where this Giséle-person was. I looked over at Jackie (a good friend of mine from my cabin) and asked her if they were talking about me... she replied "No, the other Giséle that has blonde hair, brown glasses, loves chocolate mousse, and is a first-year at the Language Villages. Now get up there!!"

Next think I knew I was walkin' up between the tables to get a little pin that said I spoke a lot of French, from my Lac du Bois dinner mama', Amiko! (I'll explain families later, too) And now I have a pin! Here's a picture of it:



It's the blue pin attached to the top; it's a bit blurry, but it says "Agent Secret {{star picture}} Spécialiste en français". Hee. :)


Well, let's see... what more do I have to say before I conclude this part 3? ...eehhh... nothin' is coming to mind. I hope this doesn't end up being a 10-part story. Oh well, doesn't matter that much if it does, anyway. It could be!

That's all for now. Bye-bye!

My French Camp Experience (Part 2)

I learned so many dances while at French camp! I don't know why, but I did. But if you're looking for something mind-boggling... why in the world did they teach an Indian song? Or Romanian?? We learned (and this is my favorite) the "Tanuk Tanuk Tun" dance! Otherwise known as the Male-Draenei dance, for those who play World of Warcraft. It is in fact, originated from India. Here's the video:



We also learned "Dragostea Din Tei", also known as "The Numa Numa" song, which is Romanian!! Oh well, I'm glad that we got a variety of different songs and dances. Obviously the majority of the dances were French. My favorite (and the most popular in general) French song/dance was "La Baloncé". I'm not sure if that's how it's spelt, but it's how it's pronounced.




Here's a picture of me doing it at the Closing Ceremony:




Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of any other dances. Kyra's planning on doing the Tanuk Tanuk Tun song at the Unschooling Conference Talent Show though, so if any Unschoolers (that are goin' to L&L) are wanting to see how it's done, check 'er out!

Moi et Morgane!

Left to right: Odessa, Giséle (moi), Fatou!

Segoléne (REALLY cool gal), me!

And last but not least, Sophie (a girl from my cabin) and me!

This is Paris, where we ate our meals, and I took French Poetry (not quite as cool as it sounds...) It's also the only place with fans and some-what-working air conditioners.



As far as the first and second Activités go, you're sorted into them two ways. Y'know how I said you have two Activités in a day? Well, the first one you choose at the beginning of each week. You're given a sheet of paper with eight different Activités, and you are given the choice of which one you want. The way you do this, is you write three preferences. The first you want to do you write "1," second "2," third "3". Pretty simple, so if you don't get the first one you want, you get the second or third. Whichever you are put into, that is Activité 1, which you go to after cleaning and singing (those two are after breakfast).

After the first week, you get to change your first Activité. You get a new sheet, with new and different Activités, and you're given three more preferences choices to spend.

Well as my first preference in my first week, I chose 1: Poetry, 2: Cooking, and 3: Filming. I got Poetry... which... wasn't fun. My advice to anyone who ends up going to Lac du Bois, make sure that your experience in French is more than .1, if you want to sign up for Poetry... it's not a great way to start your French-learning experience.

Oh, and I'll also point out. I explained Activité 1, but not 2. The second Activité of the day is completely random; one of the other seven that you didn't land on, that were originally on the list. So overall, you get to do everything! The first Activité is plainly so you get to do more of what you want.

Anyway. The second week was much better! I got a taste of Poetry, and I knew I didn't want it. I got new preferences! 1: Cooking (it looked so fun... unfortunately, EVERYONE wanted to do it, so it was a slim chance for everyone else) 2: Fencing (yes, fencing, with swords. How cool is that?) 3: Graffiti.

I figured, this would be cool. I wasn't desperate for cooking, or fencing, or Graffiti. So whatever I landed with would be good.

I got graffiti! The graffiti instructor's name is Anthony (pronounced "Ant'ony"). He was really nice to us all. I seemed to have a natural talent for graffiti-ing! I had already picked up my own style of disfigured-letters! The first how-many-classes, you're just drawing whatever word or name you want (a name can be anything obviously, but the word must be in French). This way, you are practicing your letter-disfigurements. It felt like downtime for me, because I was just drawing. It was great... an Activité without the normal pressure of... everything.

At the end of the second week, everyone submitted one of the artistries that they drew, and that would be made into a banner, which would be hung in Paris! Once all the drawings were chosen, everyone voted. Mine got chosen, hee!

And here is the finishing project:

I'm really proud of it.

Once again, I find that I have written away another hour, of another day! I'll close this off as the end of Part 2, and I'll write more later.

Au revoir!

My French Camp Experience (Part 1)

Okay, I know, I've been neglecting my blog. Well if you're expecting my first (or second, I guess, if you're including my Armitage one) post to be in French, you had better forget it! Geez, camp was... well, I would like to say it was hard, but only in a perspective.

It's hard if you're expecting to understand EVERYTHING that's going on around you. It's pretty easy if you smile and nod every time someone speaks to you in French. I hate it when people expect me to do that... I would see one of my friends listening to a mono (counselor) speaking to them in French, presumably explaining something to them. They were nodding and saying stuff like, "Okay," "yeah," "I get it," "thanks," "I'll try to do that," et cetera. Then she would walk back to us (me and other friends) and I ask her what that was all about? What was the counselor explaining? Her reply: "No clue. What's for lunch?"

I've always been one to non-stop attempt to understand what someone is sayin' to me. I'll keep guessing and guessing and guessing, until I get it! Sometimes I got the feeling that I was bugging some of the counselors when I didn't get it... I have the tendency to expect people to keep trying until I got it. A lot of people were nice that way, and they would continually help me as far as understanding goes, but some other people... "c'est bon, c'est bon," waving their hands dismissively if I didn't get it. "Decour? Decour. Salut!" Ugh.

Well, I'll explain my schedule (which everyone has taped on the back of their name tags): Oh but before I elaborate, let me point out, that this isn't an exact translation, only what I know it to be. Sometimes I'll know the literal translation (which I'll point out) but if I don't, you'll have to look it up in a French dictionary (I always had one on me at camp!):

8h00 Réveil - Wake up
8h30 Petit déjeuner - Literal translation: small lunch, AKA Breakfast
9h15 Nettoyage/Réunion de staff - Cleaning up/Meeting for the counselors
9h45 Chansons (à l'amphi) - Singing songs
10h15 Activité de loisir 1 - First activity!
11h15 Goûter - Snack
11h30 Grande Odyssée/Odyssée/Cours - You heard it! "Grande" Odyssée for t'weekers (two-weekers)
12h45 Présentation du repas - A little play that the counselors put on.
13h00 Déjeuner - Literal translation: Lunch!
13h50 Annonces du temps libre - Announcing what areas/activities will be available during free time
14h00 Sieste/courrier - Quiet-time for the t'weekers (where we take naps or write letters) and "courrier" for the monthers (for further explanation on "courrier," ask Scotty!)
15h00 Course magnifique/Cours électif - Leaning about the course magnifique for t'weekers, "cours électif" for monthers.
15h30 Pause pour les 2 semaines - Fifteen minute break!
15h45 Activité de loisir 2/Portfolio - Activity 2 for t'weekers, portfolio for monthers.
16h30 Temps libre - FREE TIME!! The ONLY time you can buy anything, too
17h30 Odyssée/Cours - Odyssée for t'weekers, and Cours for monthers.
18h20 Plaisirs d'amour - ...no clue. Sorry, I'm racking my brain and I cannot think of what I did at that time. The translation is "Pleasure of love" or "love pleasure"... and I know I didn't do anything sexual while at camp.
18h45 Présentation du repas - Another skit!
19h00 Dîner - Literal translation: Dinner!
20h00 Pause - A few announcements, and a handing out of awards to those who speak a lot of French (I'll go into deeper detail about that soon)
20h15 Veillée - An after-dinner activity with the whole camp
21h15 Feu de camp - Goin' back to le pavillon (cabin) to sleep

Wow, now that I look at it, my schedule is a lot longer than it is on my name tag.

Well I would like to point something out before I elaborate on anything else. It says that people wake up at 8:00AM? Well, I always woke up at 7:30AM to take a shower. Just gettin' that out of the way.

I have to ask. What in the world is wrong with the USA? WHY do we have "AM" and "PM"? Why do we go up to 12 twice, instead of 24 once? The rest of the world is doin' it! Yeah, the rest of the world also goes to school and listens to their elders and everything, I know... but changing from a more reasonable, sensible, and simple way of telling time to AM and PM just complicated everything, and made it harder for other people to understand the time if they were to go to another country. Thanks a lot, whoever thought that up.


I really didn't like the Activités, unfortunately. They were all really boring, and unlike Odyssée, they (the counselors) would babble in French, and expect everyone to understand. And when we didn't, they might get a little irritated, but just blow it off... then we'd play a really easy and boring game. Sometimes we'd even play it in English, for the Counselor's benefit (a few of the counselors don't speak English very well, as it turns out).

It's sad how, even here at Lac du Bois, where people are paying to get in, almost half of the kids still don't want to be here. They'd constantly be complaining about being there, and being away from their computer, and MySpace, and their iPod, and their dog, and their friends, and--... geez. I ask them "Why are you here?!" They reply, "My dad thought it would be cool if I could speak French," or "my aunt teaches French, and my mom wants me to speak it with her," et cetera. All of the sad "they wanted me to" stories.

Anyway. My favorite counselors were Odessa, Morgane, and Anaiis!! They're great, I love 'em so much. Morgane and Anaiis were my first Odyssée teachers. Unfortunately, as I mentioned before, some of those people who don't want to be here or learn French, or put any effort into learning it at all... a handful of those people were in my Odyssée class. (Odyssée classes were sorted by language experience and level.) A lot of the kids (if not all) didn't know French. Including me, of course, but my willingness to learn and endless effort came to my advantage. Sometimes, while everyone would be practicing how to say "salad" (with is "salade" by the way, big yippie there) one of the teachers would step away to explain grammar and speech with me! About separate stuff, not salads.

Most of the time we would be speaking of negations, and "which word is masculine, which is feminine?" It may sound kind of boring or simple, but I learned a lot from them, especially with the masculine and feminine. The nouns are always masculine or feminine, but some adjectives change, depending on which noun they're describing. Sometimes they're neutral! I found that really interesting, how nouns are the superior and reigning word, while the adjectives will change their spelling and pronunciation depending on which noun it is! Then my Odyssée class switched, and... well, I was used to the amazing classes, and the new ones were just as bad as the le Activité.


Okay, I've typed a lot so far today, so I think I'll cut it off as the End of Part 1. I'll tell more about it later! See ya!

The Armitage and I

My most recent obsession (Richard Armitage)



Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!

Richard Armitage plays Sir Guy of Gisborne, the "Sadistic Lieutenant", right-hand-man to the Sheriff of Nottingham in the popular BBC TV show Robin Hood. There's a better picture of him here:



Him and his sexy perma-scowl...

Oh, to everyone and anyone! I highly recommend the BBC Robin Hood; it's very, veery good... you can find it on Netflix here, and on IMDb here. The only warning is this: HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. Currently only the first season is available, and the second season is in the making. It'll be aired in Europe this October, but who knows when it'll come to the U.S., or even on video to rent...we (my family and I) will have to wait practically a YEAR until we're capable of seeing the second season. Oh, the horror!

And if you're a fan of romantic/drama period films, I very highly recommend another Richard Armitage movie: North and South. (Nextflix, and IMDb) And, you can watch it for FREE at Netflix Instant Watch! (No, I'm not advising or suggesting that you give away your email, your last name, your zip code, your address, your bank code, or your social security number. This is free.) You can find that link here. You can watch the WHOLE series (which is a little about three and a half hours) right here. Veeery good watch. I loved it. Richard is a bit more gentleman like in that movie, but tough and... well, kind've mean. But misunderstood, and sweet, and lovable, and sexy, and-- *swoons*

Okay, that's all I have to say for now.

Oh, and as you all may have guessed...

I'M BACK FROM FRENCH CAMP!!

I'll write more later. Bye!

Camp! French! French Camp!

Ooh-la-la! I am leaving to go to French Camp tomorrow!! Excited. Nervous. All new people, all new experiences, all new foods, all new games, all new words... for two weeks!! Eeeek. Scary... I've been pondering my "two week" decision for the last few days. Wouldn't one week be a bit better for a beginner, like moi? Ehh... It'll be okay. It'll be fun. I'll be okay. I'll have fun.

If I just keep telling myself that, everything'll be fiine...

*Twitchtwitch*

Some of my drawings

Here are a few pieces of my anime-type drawings (I've chosen my favorites). Nina is my most recent one.

Nina

Nameless Woman

Mimi