A Few of my Favorite Things

Books- these are propably the best (material) things in the whole wide world. I already have multiple posts about my book-love, but it couldn't hurt to put it all down again. The whole book creation process intrigues me. Really. Ideas --> paper --> agent --> publisher --> print --> my bookshelf. And then I read the books, and get ideas of my own. May sound boring (if not a little insane) to some of you out there, but I can't get enough of this. So many stories to be told, so many things to read. My current project is Dracula. Not my normal read, but it was reccommended to me by a stranger, and who knows?

Sour Patch Kids (or other forms of mildy sour/sweet gummies)- My favorites are the red ones. Enough said.

Taylor Swift's music- she is by far my favorite artist. It's still good satisfying country, but with an appreciated pop edge. She seems very down to earth, and is very likeable. Currently listening to one of her (newer) songs, Hey Stephen. Its so giddy and upbeat, it's almost addicting. Here's some of the lyrics:

"Hey, Stephen, I know looks can be decieving

but I know I saw a light in you.

And as we walked, we were talking

I didn't say half the things I wanted to.

Of all the girls tossing rocks at your window

I'll be the one waiting there even when it's cold.

Cause I can't help it if you look like an angel

Can't help it if I wanna kiss you in the rain, so

Come feel this magic I've been feeling since I met you

Can't hekp it if there's no one else

Mmmm, I can't help myself."

And plenty more where that came from with Taylor. There's pretty much a song for everything you'll ever need: crush songs, love ballads, friendship, one for your parents, and of course, the breakup songs (both angry and sad). Yeah, so there it is.

Guys- yes, they've made it onto my list of favorite things. At least... a select few have made it. Because I certainly know more than one guy out there who whould NOT make it onto this list. So, I shall revise this and say Nice Guys have made it to my list. The kind who open doors and the whole lot.

Classic Movies- I mean the good movies. The ones from the late 20s, the 30s, 40s, 50s, and yes, some from the later years, like Dirty Dancing. Black and whites. Westerns (High Noon) , romances (An Affair to Remember), mystery (The Thin Man series), comedys (The Mouse that Roared), holiday (A Wonder Life), action (Indiana Jones), odd stuff (Harvey), and so much more. Much, much more. If you don't know who Audry Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, Gene Kelley, or Betty Davis are, you are seriously lacking in life.

Hrmph

School starts tomorrow for us here. Its a bittersweet thing. Bitter: summer freedom ends, stress, homework begins, last first day of grade school. Sweet: seeing friends everyday again, new clothes, always something to occupy you, and the season FALL.

Fall is my number one season. I love everything about it. The weather here in the northeast is fantastic. Cool days, vivid colors, and the beginning of the best holiday season. The clothes you get to wear are perfect: not too bundled up, but just enough to sport a favorite jacket with jeans. And even school gets to add to the fashions with backpacks (I am disregarding the new school policy against backpacks and purses inside. It makes no sense.) And the LEAVES! Oh, lordy be. You might think they change slowly, but you're wrong. One day you look at the trees in your yard and say 'hey, I think this is starting to turn!' Next time you glance up, BOOM, they're all different colors. Deep reds, purples, yellows, orange. Ah, my heart's already breaking for the thought of it. Then they fall, and the raking begins. I even love that chore. Good memories about jumping in the piles and covering each other in them. Halloween brings the pumpkins and squash, the scarecrows and sometimes up here, the frosts. Fall foods are really scrumptious, too. Pumkin spice granola bars, apple pies, dried and salted seeds, homemade soups for the colder days, mashed sweet potatos- what else could anyone want?

Did God just call me an idiot?

To start with, The Shack is truley one of the best books I have ever read. It's changed my whole perspective on religion. And I'm not even kidding. I also confess to having thought of God as this old white man, the "bad cop" of all bible situations, while Jesus was the "good cop" (you know- saving people, doing whatever he's told, healing the sick). And the Holy Spirit- that's always confused me, not gonna lie. But this book seriously changed how I look at things.

Even if your skeptical about the God thing (as I was), read this book. If you don't change your mind about things once you finish, no harm done. But that wasn't the case for me. I had my mom buy the book for her to read on a plane ride, but as soon as we got home, I stole it and read myself. I was curious- its such an author success story, as I read in Writer's Digest one issue. It held incredible ratings, and has been on the topseller list for quite a stretch. I wanted to see what all the hubbub was about. What I found was understanding.

The book explained many of the hard ball questions that people throw at God- why is there so much hurt in the world? Why aren't the innocent and children protected from evil? How could God send his son down to die for humanity while he sat up on his cloud? How do we know God is with us? Why no direct contact with people? And for me, what the heck is the "holy spirit"? And it answers all these in cleverly written dialogue between a man well past his last straw (Mack), God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. God is firstly portrayed as a heavy black African woman who loves to cook. Jesus is a middle eastern worker with a workshop. And the Holy Spirit, called Sarayu, is a tiny Asian woman who constantly works out back in the gardens.

And my favorite part of the book is when Mack is talking to Papa (God- and yes, he calls her Papa when she is in the form of a woman) about his emotions. She elaboratly explains that he is afraid of raw emotions and touches on some other topics. Mack listens carefully, nods, and sums it up in a simple sentence "So I'm afraid of emotions and (something else I can't remember). Anything else?" God sighs and mumbles that men are idiots sometimes and bustles into the kitchen. Laughing, Mack shouts back "Did I just hear God call me an idiot?" God's reply: "if the shoe fits, honey... If the shoe fits..."

I cried about eight times while reading this, and I can't express enough how glad I am that this book was published. Please, please read it. It's wonderful, and it really makes you believe that this 'holy trinity' does care about you and me.

A Very Scary Thunder Storm

I would now like to write about thunder storms. I love them dearly, don't get me wrong, but when one quite rudely wakes me up in the middle of the night, I can't help but feel like scolding them. It sounded like a massive lightning strike took place in my front yard. KA-BOOM-boom-(boom)-!!! My two doggies, Tommy and Ellie, came running for the stairs. Ellie is the one who is most frightened by storms, and she started to claw at the toddler fence we put up so they don't scratch at our doors all night. I heard my mom get up and let them into her room, but not before I opened my door and my baby Tommy came in for a pat down. And now here I am, at 2:33 in the morning, typing away. The storm has died down a lot now, but the rumbles keep coming.

My thing is, I love storms. Especially if the rain is starting just as I'm going to bed. It's so calming, even more so if I'm somewhere with a tin roof (like my grandparent's home). That's the best, really. But sometimes, I can't help but be annoyed with the thunder. This storm, though, isn't such a 'very scary' one that's in the title. So I must now put my computer away and get back to sleep, if the storm will let me.

Jason Glover is my Lover

Haha! So yeah, Mister Glover was a contestant on this season's So You Think You Can Dance (which I absolutely love to death). He is probably the most amazing guy I have ever seen in my life. Yup. And (AND) his birthday is the same day as mine, just a different year. It's pretty much a sign from the dance gods that this is meant to be. Check out this dance of his- Top 10 If It Kills Me - on YouTube, and watch it all the way to the end, and try to tell me he isn't perfect. I bet you won't be able to do it. But just be warned- he is MINE.

So hello, new celeb crush. It's been a while since I've had one of these, and I'm enjoying it.

Harry, my love

I saw the movie, but I will spare you the recap (and spoilers for the insane people who have not read the book). I will just say that I've again realized that Harry Potter is done with. The movies, I'm afraid, don't count. I don't care one single whit that the last book has yet to be released (due to come out in two parts next year).

The books are done.

And it saddens me. I grew up with those fated books, beginning the first in third grade, and finishing the last the in high school. I ran around my backyard with my two best friends as we pretended to be Ron, Hermione, and Harry. I remember that I was always Harry, just because I had glasses. Alaina was Ron (her red hair), and Kelsey was Hermione (her heroine). We struggled to memorize the spells from the books and waved around sticks that we'd brake off of the apple tree. In fourth grade I was Ginny for Halloween, proudly wearing my red wig and black robe that my mother had made out of dad's old raincoat. I waited for my own owl delivered letter with spindly green writing that would invite me to Hogwarts, as I know many of my friends did, and cried when it didn't come year after year. In middle school my group of friends and I would sit around the lunch table and discuss the plots and fight over our favorite characters. Freshman year Jemma and I matched up all our friends with Harry Potter characters, giggling over our selection (I was paired with Fred). I went to two midnight release parties with my friends in high school, and we sat up all night reading until we fell asleep on our open books.

Gone.

I miss them. The characters, the waiting for another book, the guessing, the wondering, the reading. Another series like that will not come again. It's not an opinion- it's plain fact. Another series will never excite me as much as the world spun by J.K. Rowling, the creator of worlds, the breaker of dreams. I laugh to think of how long I waited for my letter. I wanted so badly for magic to be real. I checked the mailbox everyday each year a week before and a week after my birthday (just in case they didn't use the owls in America). I really did cry while reading the books. After I read Dumbledore's death, I had to put the book down for a few minutes to collect myself. I reread the final fight scene, and cried again when my Fred fell, dead. My heartbeat would speed up during fight scenes, my concentration would increase tenfold when I expected something, and I'd bite my fist when Harry had a close call. I laughed too. Inside jokes would link Potter fans, and I'd smile when I read a particularly witty comment. Some call it crazy, that they're all just characters. But when you read these books year after year, they (characters, even the story) start to become more tangible.

That's all I can say.

There is hope, though. I'll always have the books to re-read. I don't personally read them over again as often as some, and I can't repeat scenes word-for-word, or tell you what the first word of the third chapter in the Chamber of Secrets was. I'm not that bad. I space out my re-reads so that I forget little things. It makes it better when I'm still surprised by things even the third time around. And I'll give the books to my kids, someday (in the distant, distant future), and watch them read it. Though it won't be the same. Future generations won't have to wait another year or two between books. I think the waiting made the books more fantastic with the anticipation that was, for me, never let down. But that's how it has to be, I guess.

So goodbye, Harry Potter.

Bathrobes, pictures, and WIZARDS, oh my!

Have you ever noticed how amazing bathrobes are? I bet you haven't. I myself have two. A fluffy long one that is blue with clouds and stars, and a shorter thinner one (also blue). These are curious clothing items, but they deserve respect. It's like a long coat made out of fluffy towels held together by a belt. Some might think this as odd, but I say bring the comfort on. And hey- they're better than Snuggies. Much better. Just don't go to any sporting events with the robes on, and you'll be dandy!

SENIOR pictures have to be taken this summer/ early fall. I can't believe it. I don't feel like a senior, you know? I feel no different than I did last summer, or the one before that, or before that. I always thought I'd be more... not me. That sounds crazy, but when I was a kid, I always thought 'my future self will do this, or that', as if it were some doll I'd be controlling. But I somehow never connected that it would still be me. And its... not as easy now. Choosing colleges, collecting credits, thinking about where I'd like to do semesters abroad in a couple years. It's freaky.

Harry Potter 6 came out yesterday (this morning?) at midnight. Yay. I just bought a black T-shirt that says 'MUGGLE' across the front. Oh. My. I love it so much! I'm thinking of altering the sleeves, though, to make it more feminine and also maybe turning it into a V-neck. Frankly, I'm not at all sure how that'll turn out. But needless to say (which means that I am going to say it anyways) I am now ready to see the movie. The shirt proves that I'm a potter follower, but not so out there as to wear an actuall costume or carry around a wand.

It was funny, actually, becuase I had to go into this store called Hot Topic- which is a frightening store, to get the shirt. And then as I was checking out, the register lady (who had multiple face piercings and oddly neon-colored hair) asked me "So if you weren't human- I mean to say a muggle- and your were a witch, what house would you belong to?" I jumped into the conversation, explaining that I'd like Hufflepuff becuase it really is the nicest house and is quite underappreciated. She agreed with me, informed me that one of her friends would also be in Hufflepuff, and said she's personally be in Slytherin (of course).
It was the strangest thing, but I felt so accomplished that I just had the geekiest conversation ever right there. "Well, if I were a witch..." I'm laughing just remembering it. And both of us were dead serious about the conversation. I am SO COOL. Yay for me!

I get to go see the movie Saturday at this big mall that Shannon, Joey, their mothers, and I will be near on our trip this weekend. It's a HUGE theater, with amazingly comfy seats that are tiered so every seat gets a good unblocked view of the ginormous screen. I'm going to get popcorn and a slushie. Oh, I can't wait....