Red Balloons

{Untitled...}

2012-01-02T11:27:00.000-08:00

She lost her sense of right and wrong to try and find her soul.
She was just wishing, no one told her it was ok -
She didn’t think about the one that was born to tell her that he loved her,
The one whose purpose was to give her the world.

She saw through the smoke people tried to blow in her face,
She knew that she wasn’t to blame, and told people to tell her their secrets.
Well, it’s only a game, she said, and tried to forget their names.

They’re gonna break your heart, and force you to sing,
And make you wish they had told you lies instead,
Cause you really don’t think you can face the truth anymore.

I guess you could recognize some of these lines. They are all from different songs, that I took out and pasted together to form some semblance of a poem. It's a fun exercise, and teaches you how to glean information from everything around you. Try it!

Be blessed in your endeavors,

tinydancer/Hèlène Astride.

{whoa.}

2011-12-24T07:34:00.000-08:00

Hey, guys. It's Christmas Eve.

You know, I thought of something rather profound today. You know millions of people celebrate Christmas? This isn't just secluded for Americans (like Thanksgiving...). Christ's birth is celebrated around the world.

Anyway, thought I'd share that with you. Pretty much blew my mind, just a couple of minutes ago.

So I actually decided to do this post because I'm putting up the answers to the song names in the post right before this. This one: Eggnog? Here we go!!

~ O, member of the round table with missing areas.
Oh Holy Night.

~ Vehicular homicide was committed on Dad's mom by a precipitous darling.
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.

~ Wanted in December: top forward incisors.
All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.

~ Sir Lancelot with Laryngitis.
Oh Silent Night.

~ Oh small Israeli urban center.
Oh little town of Bethlehem.

~ We are Kong, Leer, and Nat Cole.
We Three Kings.

~ Duodecimal enumeration of the passage of the yuletide season
Twelve Days of Christmas.

~Listen, the winged heavenly messengers are proclaiming tunefully.
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.

~ As guardians of the wooly animals protected their charges in the dark hours.
As Shepherds Watched their Flocks.

~ I beheld a trio of nautical vessels moving in this direction.
I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In.

~ Do you perceive the same vibrations which stimulate my auditory sense organ?
Do You Hear what I hear?

~ Parent was observed osculating a red-coated unshaven teamster
I saw Mommy kissing Santa Clause.

~ May the Deity bestow an absence of fatigue to mild male humans.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

~ An apartment of two psychiatrists.
The Nutcracker Suite.

Hahaha, hope you had fun with those!!

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!!

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer

{eggnog?}

2011-12-21T12:42:00.000-08:00

My two brothers, my father and I were out today shopping for my mom. We passed a Steak & Shake advertising eggnog milkshakes, which began this conversation.

I said, "Well... I've never actually tried eggnog before, but that doesn't sound all that appetizing..." My brother answered, "I've tried it at a friend's house before. I really didn't like it." Through all of this, my dad was listening, amused from the front seat, as I observed, "It's weird that it isn't very good. It's the drink of the holidays, really!" My brother thought for a moment, then said,

"Yeah. It doesn't make me very holly."

We all paused for a minute, thinking that statement over, before dad scrunched up his face and said, "Don't you mean jolly?" I would have said something, as well, but I was too caught up in laughing my tail off to force words out of my mouth.

Aah, the Christmas time. I probably won't be able to post for the rest of the week, so this will be my Christmas post until further notice.

Hope that your holidays have been grand, and that this Christmas is a great one. Hallelujah, Christ is born!!!

I wish to leave you with a few reworded titles from famous Christmas songs. You have to figure out which song it's actually talking about. We went through these one dinner time: they are so fun!!! Let's see how many you can guess!!

~ O, member of the round table with missing areas.

~ Vehicular homicide was committed on Dad's mom by a precipitous darling.

~ Wanted in December: top forward incisors.

~ Sir Lancelot with Laryngitis.

~ Oh small Israeli urban center.

~ We are Kong, Leer, and Nat Cole.

~ Duodecimal enumeration of the passage of the yuletide season.

~ Leave and broadcast from an elevation.

~Listen, the winged heavenly messengers are proclaiming tunefully.

~ As guardians of the wooly animals protected their charges in the dark hours.

~ I beheld a trio of nautical vessels moving in this direction.

~ Do you perceive the same vibrations which stimulate my auditory sense organ?

~ Parent was observed osculating a red-coated unshaven teamster

~ May the Deity bestow an absence of fatigue to mild male humans.

And just for kicks.... (this was the one I couldn't get, for some reason...)

~ An apartment of two psychiatrists.

Bwahahahaha!!!

Well, perhaps not until the New Year, friends!!! Ta!!!

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer

{wanelo}

2011-12-14T11:35:00.000-08:00

This is one of the best sites that I have ever found. Words can't even describe it... So, go check it out for yourself, girlies :P!!

Wanelo.com

be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer

{here's a thought}

2011-12-11T17:21:00.000-08:00

What're your feelings on contractions?

{christmas spirit}

2011-12-08T09:12:00.001-08:00

Busy, busy days....

I am sort of on school holidays now, but considering that I participate in a school, two co ops, and a music school... it's still undecided whether I consider myself on break yet or not. But ANYWAY. I have a number of questions, while I am waiting for my father to get back with baking powder because I started TRYING to make biscotti for presents, and found that we were out of it...

1) What kind of music do you expect from my CHRISTmas music playlist??

2) Do you know how to make it look like there are snowflakes falling on the blog??? I've seen it EVERYWHERE, and I loveeee it :O

3) This isn't a question... I just wanted to let you know that a couple of book reviews will be making their ways on here because, since our winter break is being elongated, I'll have time to finish the two I've been reading since August :P

4)........... there really isn't a fourth...

5) since this is turning into a random facts post... Coke from the fountain is sooo much better than the coke in the cans.

Well, get back to me on all of those!!!! thanks so much!! :D

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer

{wow.}

2011-12-05T08:54:00.001-08:00

So guys... I just realized that it is no longer November...... Yes, ladies and gents, it is in fact the 5th of December.....

So much for NaNoWriMo... :P First year of not completing it... Well, it was worth a shot anyway. Always next year!!!

Time for Christmas!!!..... And midterms. -.-

An extremely good looking psychic, with the SBPD... and his associate, M. C. "hollabackatcha" Buttersnaps.

AND PSYCH.

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer

{beautiful}

2011-11-29T14:15:00.001-08:00

I have discovered a new site, through a very good friend of mine... And you all need to see it. This artist is fresh, new, mind blowing..... beautiful.

Carne Griffiths

Be blessed in your endeavors,

tinydancer

{gobble gobble}

2011-11-24T13:26:00.001-08:00

Can't spend long on here, my lovelies! Spending this year at my grandparents' house for Turkey Day. Well, give thanks around your busting stomachs, and feel bad for every other country in this world. Even though, the Mexican restaurant was taking thanksgiving off around my home... :SHaha!! Anyway. Give thanks!! Think about the Mayflower for a couple of minutes... And people in black and pointy hats and bonnets. Pay your respects!!Be blessed in your endeavors,Tinydancer

{do your research}

2011-11-13T15:29:00.001-08:00

My newest love.....

If anyone has netflix, it is absolutely imperative that you look up this show. It is perfectly obvious, of course, but honestly if I must tell you, then this is one of the most brilliant shows in the history of brilliant shows.

"Really, what is it like in your funny little brains? Must be quite boring..."

"I am NOT a psychopath. I am a highly intelligent sociopath. Do your research."

If those quotes are not enough.......

Then go watch the show :P

That's all, folks!!!

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer

{and one, and two, and STOP!}

2011-11-09T14:58:00.000-08:00

Guys, be wary of girls' feet. Especially bare feet. ESPECIALLY if it's during a dance. For all of our sakes.

I wanted to share a story with all of you, and a few of you girls will probably be able to relate... and a few of you guys will probably cringe.

This past weekend, I went to a contra dance. I thought I would have a great time! Get out of the house for a couple of hours, visit with some great people, let go of some energy... It'd be amazing, and the first two hours were!............. But then, the square dance came.

I will never be able to dance another square dance again.

My partner and I started out pretty well. We danced for the first few minutes, and everything was fine! And then, as we were heading around the square that our group was making, he decided to start dancing on my foot... Not that he meant to or anything! But he went on, so I decided to go ahead around and keep dancing. We went another few rounds, and the adrenaline had masked the slight burning I had felt when he had stomped on me. Then, someone turned and looked at the floor and exclaimed

"WOW! Who died?!"

Can you guess what happened?

Well, the girl next to me says "Yeah, Haley, you're bleeding!"

I looked down, and sure enough... My toe had been gushing more blood than I personally thought could come from my toe, especially without my noticing it! Another boy from my group took me to the back where we found the first aid kit, while the rest of the people (and a few others besides) started wiping up all the blood.

Now, I'm fine. Just to make sure that's clear. I've had to sit out the past two dance classes that I've had, and the stairs have become my new enemy - along with shoes. But all in all, it was good for a laugh.

So in conclusion to this story, guys be careful of girls' feet. Especially bare feet. ESPECIALLY if it's during a dance. For all our sakes - but mine in particular.

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer

{so before i start}

2011-11-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

So before I rant over and over and over again, who all does NaNoWriMo??? I was just thinking, most of my posts will in fact be about it this month, so if no one is interested in the posts, then I'll step away from blogger for that time....

Let me know!!!

Be blessed in your endeavors,
Tinydancer

{50,000 is quite impressive}

2011-10-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

NaNoWriMo-ers, and other writers!!!!

not to boast or anything... this was the only pic of nanowrimo i could find... O.o

National Novel Month begins in two days!!! Isn't it exciting?! Soon, hundreds of people around the globe, including myself, will be embarking on a journey to write themselves a 175 page book! As the site itself says, "30 days and nights of literary abandon!"

Have you chosen your story yet? Made an outline, maybe?

................ I haven't.

And I'm freaking out!! I have three different ideas (at least) right now, and I can't choose which one, and I'm kind of freaking out!!! SO! I'm putting it to a vote. It'll be on the sidebar, read through your choices and then go click one. Or, comment which one you would like me to do, and tell me why! It'll be a toooonnnn of help.

Here we go!

#1. Last year's NaNoWriMo novel, that I never finished. I could write the second part to that one. It's about a girl who discovers not only another world, but eleven more of them, and they are all involved in a war with a group of people who want to sever connections between each worlds, even if that means tearing apart families, and the equilibrium found between them all. Her friend has great powers, she's psychic, she meets angels (fallen and otherwise), and is traveling to the last world, where the people there can answer her questions about her mother, who had mysteriously disappeared 12 years earlier.

#2. A story that has been stirring in my mind for a while, currently titled "Ashes Bloom". About a man who has disappeared at a Renaissance Fair, and his family dealing with the effects of it - the mother insists to go to another one, because it was annual. This time, however, she is poisoned. The children stumble upon unmistakeable murders and soon put together that there's something about this particular ren fair that someone doesn't want people to find out about. Are they next?

a little sneak at Ren Fairs, if you don't know what they are.

#3. A series of short stories, all seemingly unrelated. However, stories merge and soon form an intricate new world.

So, let me know what you guys think, please!! And if you have ideas about your nanowrimo story, then post them on here!! I'd be happy to help!!

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer

{playwrights, in general, are marvelous creatures}

2011-10-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Playwright - [pley-rahyt]
Noun
A writer of plays; dramatist.

So, you want to write a play, do you? Well, you have to consider a few things first. What sort of play is it? A comedy, perhaps? Or a drama. Who is the main character, what do they want, and why can't they get it? Of course, usually when you answer the question, it is with another character - but once you do that, you have to ask the same questions about them. However, once you have that much, you have the makings of a play!

Next step. Make up a plot diagram.

Usually, you should have about one scene, or sentence, for each of the parts.

The Exposition - This usually consists of the setting, and possibly what has happened in your main characters' lives leading up to the point where your story begins.

The Rising Action - What happens when your plot begins to thicken? This is mostly the place where new characters are introduced.

The Climax - The most emotional part of your play. Something terrible happens, or something surprising has been revealed. You should aim to have foreshadowed what happens here in the exposition, or the rising action.

The Falling Action - Your play is winding down. Your main character is trying to recover from the heart attack that was your Climax. Will they make it through? I've read a few plays that have introduced new characters at this point, possibly to help the main character make it through.

The Resolution - Finally, the moment we've been waiting for. Your main character has been slowly spiraling to a close, and we receive the closure that we have been waiting for.... Or maybe not.

So there you have it: the steps to working out what your play is. Now, of course you don't have to follow these suggestions, because that's what they are! (It's a bit like the Pirates' code. "I figured... They were a bit more like guidelines, anyway.") It isn't a play, however Gone With the Wind is a perfect example of a not quite complete resolution. Scarlet has found some resolution within herself, finally discovering what she actually wants, however the story is far from finished. There is a play which was written locally by the name of "Practicing". It was very depressing, and it ended in the middle of the main character being about to make a decision.

Some people hate those kinds of things - but they also draw the readers, the audiences, and the actors back to the plays over and over again because they want a sense of closure, and this story isn't giving them that.

So, the next step after that is to find out what length you want your play to be. You should probably have a good idea after working through your diagram. There aren't necessarily any guidelines for this part of your journey, but so that you can know approximately how long your play could be, here is a way that you can set up your pages so that you can know each page you write is about a minute long:

Character A:

I can't possibly believe it! How selfish could you really be?! How thoughtless were you to do something like that?!?! I really CAN'T believe that you would do something like eat the last of my M&Ms!

Now, your dialogue doesn't have to be as positively riveting as that little snippet right there was. ;) But really, the dialogue should just flow. Don't even think about it. If you need inspiration, head to a coffee shop, or a restaurant, or some other bustling and busy place, and sit back to listen in. This is actually an excersize N.D. Wilson suggested once. Snippets of conversations, and observing the way that people say things can be very helpful in developing a character, what they say, and how they say it.

Let's review.

1. Choose what kind of play you want to write.

2. Fill in a rude sketch of a plot diagram.

3. Decide exactly how long you want it to be.

4. Start writing!

That's not too bad, is it??

Well, here's where the tricky part comes in...

DUH, DUH, DUUUUUHHHNNNNNN.....

Editing. *que shivering*

The single greatest nemesis of every writer. Let me try to make it seem a little better...

First, the only editing that you should do at first is grammatical. Spelling, maybe rewrite a few lines that sound a little wonky. Then, give it to a close friend, or a sibling, or maybe just someone that won't laugh at you... if you're kind of sort of bordering on maybe being self conscious.... Give them the red pen and say, "Go at it!" Maybe give them a list of things that you want them to look for: Good character development, good dialogue, fulfilling resolution, riveting climax... You name it. Then, they'll hand it back to you, and you might want to ask for the good things first, but they tell you what they think. THEN, and ONLY THEN, will you go back and edit it. Work through it, step back and look at it from the actors' perspectives.

Another great piece of advice I was given once was to put your first draft in a drawer or in a box, or some place that you can't see it, and try to write the play over again. You may not like the second draft at all, however by doing that you'll be able to tell which aspects of your play are the most memorable, or the least, and you can work from there.

Maybe you'll have to rewrite it a few times. Maybe it'll go through the ripping up and tearing pages process a few times. But in the end, you WILL have a finished product. Plays are always extremely enjoyable to read, and if you ever get the chance to put it into action, it is a blessing of all blessings.

I hope you found this helpful, and enjoyable, and I expect a play from all of you by next week!!!

(Hhahaha........ juuuust kiiiddddiiiiiiiing...... :P)

Be blessed in your endeavors,

tinydancer

PS: I have instituted a song of the week, down at the bottom of the post. Check it out!

{the will to live}

2011-10-09T18:52:00.000-07:00

I remember posting a little bit about a play I was writing - I've remembered it now, after I forgot for a few weeks or so. I thought maybe now would be a jolly good time to post a little portion of it - so here it is!!

Characters:

GRACE WILSON - main character, a girl who is lost and has lost the will to live..

MIRANDA BRANCH - an older woman, around 30, who is an author.

RUBY CARMICHAEL - a young lady, around 25, who is studying to be a psychiatrist.

FAITH MARCH - an older woman, around 30, who is an English teacher.

MOM - Grace’s mom, doesn’t appear until the very end. Has on a subdued outfit, and looks a bit frazzled. Has a cell phone in her pocket.

Setting:

The stage is separated about in half. The play begins on stage left, and there is one beam of light facing left. There are three doors set up near the back, again on stage left, and the faint beeping of a heart monitor in the background. On stage right, there is some sort of separator (see Notes). Grace enters from far stage left.

Grace

Hello? is anyone there? Anybody? Please, I need help! I... I don’t know where I am, and... and I think something’s wrong. I think I should remember... I think it’s important... I need help - please! (long pause, and she lets out a shaky breath) So... I’m all alone. I... I just wish I knew what was going on... (looks around again) Hello?! (notices doors, and walks towards and around them, examining each in turn) My word, I wish I knew what was happening.... (goes back to the middle of the stage)

(Miranda comes out of the first door)

Miranda

Hello? Oh! Hi! Um... what’s your name?

Grace

OH MY WORD! uhm... My name’s Grace. Where did you come from?

Miranda

That door over there. The first one. It’s nice to meet you.

Grace

Wait! That’s not possible! I walked all around that door, it isn’t even attached to anything!

Miranda

Most things that happen here aren’t actually supposed to happen.

Grace

What’s that supposed to mean??

Miranda

See... it’s like this -

(second door opens. RUBY walks in)

Ruby

Hello?! Oh, finally! someone’s here!

Grace

(screams) Again!! How did this happen?!

Ruby

What - Oh honey, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Ruby Carmichael. Spent 11 years in school and I can now call myself a psychiatrist. I’ve got a family, too, you know. Did this one introduce herself? Bet she didn’t... She’s Miranda. Branch, is it?

(Miranda nods) Yes. Branch! She’s an author - rather accomplished, yeah?? Of course! Now - were you saying something, darling?

Grace

Yes! Yeah, I was! WHAT is going on?! HOW do you people keep showing up?! AND! WH-wait. What’s your name again?

Ruby

Ruby - Carmichael.

Grace

But... that’s my mother’s name.

Ruby

(a little nervous) oh... really??

Grace

Yeah! And... And Miranda, that’s the name I chose as my pen name in English my senior year. What’s going on here, really?! Where am I?! Where do you come from?! And WHY do you keep avoiding my questions?!

Ruby

Grace, honey, calm down. We’ll tell you. See... it’s like this. You -

(third door opens, FAITH comes out)

Faith

Hi guys... Sorry I’m late! Class went over time. What’d I miss?

Grace

(shakes head tiredly) Another one. So. Is your name somehow freakishly connected to my pitiful life history?

Ruby

Oh, honey, it isn’t anything like that!!

Grace

No. It was terrible, because I was terrible - AM terrible. But you couldn’t possibly know! So who are you? (points accusingly at Faith)

Faith

I’m Faith March, hon.

Ruby

She’s an English teacher at a highschool. Very impressive! Large family, as well.

Grace

Yeah. I don’t really care what she does or what her life is like - I don’t care about any of your lives right now because I’m not sure if they’re even REAL. Just... (sighs defeatedly) Please just tell me what’s going on.

(Ruby, Miranda, and Faith look at each other uneasily, silently debating what they should do)

Ruby

Miranda... You’re the best with words. Could you... ??

Miranda

I think I can. Now... Grace... (all move closer together, except for Grace, who stays on the outside, still on stage left) we’re here to help you. You’ve been through some hard times, honey. We all know that. But we think you’re giving up.

(Grace sputters)

Ruby

I know it’s hard to really fathom, honey, but it’s true! We’re here to try and help you.

Grace

(grabs hair) Alright. So, let’s say that that’s actually true. That really doesn’t explain anything. How I got here. What I’m doing here. Even what’s going on, and how all of these things are happening! I need answers!

Faith

And we said that we’re here to help you! We’re here to see you through that! But.. helping doesn’t mean giving everything away - all of those questions, you’ll have to answer on your own.

ANNNDD there you have it! The first little bit of my play! Now, of course, it's still partially in the editing process, however, I rather like it! Perhaps next post I'll share some of my experiences with becoming a playwright, eh?

I'll tell you something... I'm also going to look up why on earth you're supposed to spell it "playwright" instead of "Playwrite", or "playwriter", or "playauthor".

So, more to look forward to, more to come!!! Adios!

Be blessed in your endeavors,

tinydancer

{alive}

2011-10-03T14:31:00.000-07:00

I felt my heart beating today.

Of course I have in the past, but the after effects of this morning have changed something about me. All of a sudden, everything is incredibly real. How? Why? Oddly enough, I have no idea. But I realized that we hold our lives in our hands.

We are alive.

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer

{!!!}

2011-09-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

(or an announcement)

HAY guys!!! If you would be so kind... head over HERE to donate a little bit to my friends for their journey at creating a SUPER nice book trailer for From Darkness Won, by Jill Williamson. This is being made by a really great group of people, please help out!!!

I give you... my love!!!

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer

{did you know?}

2011-09-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

The posting on here has been just as sporadic as Spencer's muscle spasms in that one episode of iCarly (not that I watch that or anything...... >.>)

BUT!!! Just bear with me. I wanted to share this with you. I found this song yesterday while listening to good old Pandora, and I loved it. So here you go!!!

I love it!! Isn't it adorable?!?!?!

..... So yeah ^-^

Just remember: iCarly's Spencer's muscle spasms are my life.

......

Be blessed in your endeavors,
Hèlène Astride, or tinydancer.

{just a quickie}

2011-09-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

As I take a quick break from one of my English essays, I would like to make a quick shout out to my ONE HUNDREDTH FOLLOWER!!! (hehehehe)

I am deeply grateful that all of my now one hundred followers have stuck by me all of this time, since the beginning of my blogger journey - what - two, three years ago? I know that I'm schizophrenic, I don't make much sense most of the time, and I have a long journey to go still before I am the greater writer that I hope to be, but you guys make it worth my tedious tasks here on blogger!

Thanks so much to Bethany (is there I site I could link you to?!?! That's what I usually do :P), and all the other 99 of you, as well as some Wordpress friends, and others that may not be following me, but still read a post or two!!

Love you!!

This is how cool you are. I drew it for you.

And really,
BE BLESSED IN YOUR ENDEAVORS!!
tinydancer.

{eh-hem}

2011-09-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

I would like to make an announcement.

Eh-hem.

I am now a published poet -

and I would post the picture, but I just realized that uploaded on a different computer than this one... so I shall have to put it up later. ANYWAY.

Yes.

I suppose I should tell you all the story of how I became a published poet.

I found a competition on facebook - it popped up in the sidebar, and that was the moment that I heard the angels start singing the hallelujah chorus. It was advertised as the "World Poetry Movement", and proceeded to explain that it was a world wide competition, where all of us that entered were competing for the grand prize of 1,000 dollars, and 160 other prizes.

It is rather needless to say that I wasn't expecting the grand prize. But one of the others... I figured that was doable. So, I immediately chose one of my poetry teacher's favorite poems of mine, and sent it in (With the required information, of course). A few months later, I received a letter telling me that I was a semi-finalist, and that they wanted to publish the poem that I had turned in in their book "Stars in our Hearts".

Of course, I immediately agreed.

Well, months went by. I stumbled across a Yahoo answers page where everyone was talking about the contest I had entered and saying that it was a scam. That... wasn't very motivational.

HOWEVER!!

My book came in the mail just today. I was so excited!! And!! My poem is printed on page 2!

I am ecstatic.

SO! To share the joy a little, I wished to share my poem with you!

It's been a Long Time

It's been a long time

Since that old pipe's been lit.

It sits, cold and idle here in Dad's office,

Still too cold for him yet.

But I remember in late spring,

In a sweater mom bought him

(Which he may not have particularly liked),

Smoking that pipe in the afternoon.

I remember it through hot summer,

Sitting on that now freezing bench,

Clutching the pipe between clenched teeth,

Watching the sun set against tile roofs.

And I remember it in the fall,

Which was blowing into this cold season.

I remember him mowing that now dead lawn

And afterwards, resting from his work.

This pipe here does not only mean his likes,

It does not only mean his patience and his love,

It means him-

And he'll do it again, I rest assured in that.

I'm still so intensely jittery still.... Hope you enjoyed the poem!!!

Be blessed in your endeavors,

Hèlène Astride

(Or tinydancer, or Haley, or Nahla.... Take your pic :P)

{coffee'd be good}

2011-08-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of pics I took at a coffee shop I went to... *ahem*picniked*ahem*...

The place is really neat, and their trademark is the little leaf design in the foam. Very pretty. The place was neat, too, but unfortunately the only camera I had was the one on my phone...

Not only a few pretty pictures came out of this trip, though! I have begun writing a ten minute play. And, would you believe it, it takes place in a coffee shop! It's currently called "Coffee'd be Good". I'll post a little bit in a few days, I think! It's still in the works, but I'm doing it for school, so it'll definitely get done this time!! Haha, well, till next time!!

Be blessed in your endeavors,

Tinydancer

{i'm all for believing}

2011-08-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it. I live off of Pandora radio.

I have an infatuation with strange genres, and I very much so like English pop music. The modern bit. (What ho, Libby!) However, I have discovered a new couple of artists that I would love to share with you.

The first is Missy Higgins, the picture of who you can see above.

She's Australian, and a few songs you might recognize from her are "Where I stood", and "The Special Two", both of which are personal faves.

The second artist I wish to introduce is Xavier Rudd. As you can see, he resembles a cross between Dennis Quade and Jack Black, which really just sold it for me... But I can't even describe him. So I won't. Here is my favorite song by him at the moment.

... Gaaah, I can't even describe it...

Well, I hope you love these as well!! Or that I have awakened a new interest in your lives... Both are good...

AND! Here's a little extra for all of you lovelies who stuck around till the end of the post!!!

Be blessed in your endeavors,

Tinydancer.

{profiles are overrated}

2011-08-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

... And you know it too.

So, I was talking to Max (:P) and he mentioned something about not knowing my name and what not.

I said my name was Haley. Because it is. (I promise.)

I go by the name of tinydancer because my dad has, since I was little, dedicated the song "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John to me. Jtlyk.

Then, it hit me! GUYS, do you know nothing about me?!?!?!?! I mean, Geniuses next door wipe off ketchup bottle labels... But most everyone knows that I'm no genius, so secrecy should be no option! I was like

:O

Well, here's a little bit about me.

I think I shall begin with a confession. If you were not aware of this, you have been following the blog of a...

Hippie,

Take note of the beanie and vest.

Dancer,

and General weirdo.

Yes... this is my face most of the time. If you think it's rather blank... that's because it is. :S

I'm sorry if this worries you... But I'm not quite finished.

My brother and I are the blonde/browns in a family dominated by gingers. Granted, the only red thing about my dad is his beard. Yes.

I charge kisses for my mac and cheese.

I participate in drama at my school, but am otherwise rather baffled by anything outside of books.

Before going any further, I would like you to note that I am only hippie in fashion: not practice.

I drink tea. I'm getting a book from a friend on recipes with scones. I am a regular goer-to at the Renaissance Fair.

Unfortunately, my most popular phrase is "I don't care." I am a rather indecisive person as a whole, except when it comes to frightening and otherwise disturbing movies. You shall find it impossible to convince me to take part in them.

I choose a favorite color each season. I choose a favorite phrase each month. I choose a favorite song each week. I choose a favorite word each day.

This is much about me that you may not know... So there! You know me!!!

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer

{as for man...}

2011-08-19T03:30:00.000-07:00

I was outside yesterday on my porch... (reading To Kill a Mockingbird, if you must know), and whipped out my journal.

Inspiration is sparse now a days for some reason, I must use it quick before it runs out anymore.

Beside me was a bouquet of flowers. Yes, I know, they are usually rather common place objects, but I'd never had a bouquet on my table before that I remember, and my mother had put this one out for a dinner party and surprisingly enough it had kept fairly well. So, using one of my poetry exercises, I started looking for color and things about the bouquet that weren't so noticeable first hand. I soon found that the white flower was truly cream, the spots on one flower looked two different colors but really weren't, and there were all in all eight different shades of green, among other things.

I continued on in my journal to record how I had been a but more emotional as of late and how I hadn't really had time to sit back and really enjoy life (for those of you who are thinking of that post right now, yes I really wrote that for myself...). Then... Do you know what I read in my devotional?

The heading was this:

"Psalm 103:15-16. As for man, his days are like grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more."

Yes. My eyes did a fair bit of bugging and I fish-mouthed for a moment or two*.

The rest of the devotional went like this:

"So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation. Use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away. Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and food works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."**

Thank You, Lord, for showing me that You are a mighty and Inspiring God.

How's that for a good bit of Providence?

I hope you benefited from this as much as I did. Perhaps till next time!

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer.

*"fish-mouthing is a term I myself came up with *smirks* that I've used in many a story, that basically just means someone's mouth is opening and closing, like a fish on land, and... I think you may get the picture now.
**This is a combination of passages from the scripture that is found in a devotional called "Evening readings" by Anne Graham Lotz. It's a fabulous book, I highly recommend it, however my mother found it in 2004, so you may have some trouble...

{oh no, i'll sell them for a dollar}

2011-08-18T11:15:00.000-07:00

I'll try to do this periodically, at best...

What are your thoughts about this blog? What do you want more of? At the moment, all I'm really thinking of posting is music videos, a few quotes and maybe some thoughts and book references... Is that good for you? Are those in the orders that you would put them in, priority wise?

As equally important, what do you think of my playlist?!?! These are some of my favorite songs. :D I'd be happy to take requests for songs to add, as well!

I'll buy your thoughts for a dollar, because I think they're worth more than a penny.

Be blessed in your endeavors,
tinydancer.

{the best way of life}

2011-08-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

I know it's hard sometimes... But really, just enjoy life.

If you're having a bad day, remember that it makes the good days all the brighter.

Be blessed in your endeavors,
Tinydancer

{school..... really?}

2011-08-13T05:47:00.000-07:00

I know... school's the impending doom we're all dreading... Mine starts Tuesday.... Here's a little song that might help.

Be blessed in your endeavors,
Tinydancer

{hello all!!!! long time no see!... or something like that...}

2011-08-12T11:39:00.000-07:00

Yes! I'm back!!! It feels amazing and I can't seem to find it within myself to use capital letters.

hmph.

ANYWAY! Thank you all for being so understanding about my leave-taking from the blogging world. It's been very refreshing, but since my Facebook craze has lessened, I have found that I have time I could be using a little more productively than stalking other peoples' profile pages (that I have seen numerous times already).

And this was my answer!

Now, I have to warn you, my posts will not be the long, full ones that everyone so obviously benefited from (LOL! I crack myself up sometimes...). They'll actually closely resemble facebook posts. Short, sweet, to the point. I might post a quote here and there, or a tip or two, and I might find it within myself to post a few of my short stories. (:D)

So, would you guys read those? Or would I just be wasting my time? Do you expect long, thought out posts when you go to blogger? I may not be able to perform to those standards... I'm sorry :'(...

Well, it's great to be back!! Thank you all again for bearing with me, and not deleting a non-living blog from your lists!! I hope that we have tons of fun together within the next... however long I can keep this up :P

HERE IT IS!!! I haven't used my sign off in aaages.....

Be blessed in your endeavors!!

Nahla of the Eastern Winds (Which I am changing back to tinydancer, for my dad ^-^)

{Goodbye for Now}

2011-05-13T16:15:00.000-07:00

Yes: I'm saying goodbye to the blogger world.

I know, it's sad, but I'm terrible at keeping up at it and I feel like I've constantly come as a disappointment... I think I'll keep it on the internet just in case later on down the road I might come back to it...

For my goodbye speech, I'd like to share with you a few things that I've learned over the past two years:
Don't ask me to reach a deadline that doesn't have dire consequences.
Don't ask me to create a playlist with a particular genre of music on it.
Less is ALWAYS more.
Sugar-Snickies will soon be sweeping the nation (if you haven't been following this blog for a long, long while, this means nothing to you).
I really wish I was better at photography... Or, well, that I had any talent at it at all.
I would love to get better at drawing.
I still have much to improve of in writing.
Maybe when I get back, I'll be better at designing and keeping up with my blog.
And lastly, I fail at cutting meatballs with forks. *sigh*

Well for now, fare thee well: Thank you for being such wonderful followers.

I hope I can look back at this decision and be able to say what Robert Frost said: "But I chose the path less travelled on, and that made all the difference."

And here's my last sign off for a long, long while....

{feels like cinderella}

2011-04-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Prom is two days away!! I'm so excited!!! I had to give you guys a heads up because there will be many pictures and rants...... I can promise you that much... First prom - oh dear, I'm so happy!!! :D

This is my dress, from the picture I took in the store where I bought it. I'm more than content. ^-^

I went shopping with two friends of mine and I tried on a short dress that would have looked adorable on someone else... But short dresses and long torsos don't mix at all. Thank goodness we didn't get a picture of that.

The prom's theme is masquerade, so I'm going to be making my mask tonight. :D

Once again, pictures soon, but I had to get this off of my chest!!! :D

{sunday snores(early)}

2011-04-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Why do we call friends 'peeps'? We eat peeps. Do we eat our friends? I hope not... So don't call friends peeps, it's creepy.

(of course, I don't own the photo... I wish I had that many peeps...)

I'm posting this a day early because I honestly don't think I'll be able to make it on here tomorrow. So....

Happy Easter, a day in advance!!!!!

Enjoy your egg hunts (try not to break any, if they're real eggs. I've never done it, but I'm sure it could get ugly),

Eat as many peeps and other pieces of sugary candy as you can,

Try not to get sick eating all of them, if you could keep that in mind,

No matter how scary it looks, don't be scared of the easter bunny. It's just a fuzzy suit.

Don't get sick of pastel colors: they aren't that bad afterwards.

No matter what you may think, the story of Christ's love never gets old, so try listening to it like you've never heard it before.

(I don't this one either)

Have a glorious day tomorrow, and never forget that Jesus Christ gave up His life for us, but more importantly, was risen from the grave!!!
God Bless you!!!

{nothing but miracles}

2011-04-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

A... fault I suppose that I have is that I look at other peoples' lives and compare them to my own, just so that I can see how much better theirs are. That's a rather harsh way of putting it, because it's subconscious on my part, but I still do it. I read other peoples' blogs, look at their pictures, and watch as good thing after good thing happens to them. But the only time I think about those things in their lives is when I'm going through a harsher time in mine.

Just this morning, I overslept (which always makes it harder to get up), and was woken by my baby sister crying (granted, she was having her diaper changed so it was for a reason, but I didn't think of that). At breakfast, my tea grew cold before I had finished it, and I can't stand cold tea. While I was loading the dishwasher, a spoon fell down the garbage disposal and I had to dig it out before running the disposal itself. Eeeww.... All the while, the baby monitor was on but no one was upstairs so the one sound that I could hear dominating all of the piano and the crashes of toys and violins was the incessant buzzing of that little device. And then, when I sat down here, I noticed a little residue of... something... had dried on my story binder, but before I could take care of it, I had to get back up again because my youngest brother had to go to the bathroom. Nobody else was having a good morning either, it seemed.

I sat down, finally, and was able to brew over the fact that all the things that happened that morning were positively pathetic, but enough to turn me bitter against the world. And then, it hit me, in a way.

Nothing seems like magic until you look at it that way.

There are so many poems that talk about life like this, but in a brilliant way. "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes. "Preludes" by T.S. Eliot and one of my personal favorites, "Perhaps the World Ends Here", by Joy Harjo. Babies teething on the corners of tables, legs of chairs scraping against floors, lives on the streets... To some, that is what signifies that you are truly living, and the only reason we can't see it that way is because we are so blinded by bitterness. Walt Whitman was able to say that his life was nothing but miracles. He wrote that poem near the end of his life, after he had helped in a hospital during the Civil War, after he had mourned Abraham Lincoln's death, after his own brother had shunned him when he had gone to him for help, after he had suffered series after series of strokes that left him paralyzed. His life was so much greater than mine, the pain he felt was so much greater than mine, and yet he was the one who looked back on it and praised it, and said that was what proved he was alive.

I can look at my life and see all of the hardships in it, the strife, the bitterness, and say, look: what kind of life do I lead? Why must it be this way? Or, I can throw over my shoulders Whitman's cloak and respond, Yes, isn't it beautiful? Strife often proves how marvelous the good day can be. The dirtier the life the deeper.

"As for me, I know nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,
Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of the water,
Or stand under the trees in the woods,
Or talk by day with any one I love,
Or sleep in bed at night with any one I love,
Or watch honey bees busy around the hive of a summer forenoon...
Or the wonderfulness of the sundown,
Or of stars shining so quiet and bright,
Or the exquisite delicate thin curve of the new moon in spring...
What stranger miracles are there?"
-Walt Whitman

{just another sunday}

2011-04-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hope you haven't heard me snoring.... nobody's told me but I have a feeling that I got pretty loud.

I was intending on posting a bit more of my NaNoWriMo story here today.... But I started reading through it and realized that it need a lot of editing. So, expect that as soon as possible. But in the meantime, I thought I would share with you another of my favorite songs,

Love Save the Empty by Erin Mccarley.

I love this song. Hope you enjoyed, and look forward to another 'teaser' to my story!!! (At this point, I'm calling it Twelve.)

{mental note}

2011-04-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

.......

Try not to blank when you're making a mental note. Your mind gets all fuzzy.....

{Sunday Snores Number.... Ummm...}

2011-04-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

(True Story)

Gather round, children and friends, as I tell you of a great adventure I encountered this end of the week. It was dangerous and many times, I wondered whether or not I would survive. At times, the only thing I wanted to do was rest my head for a moment, but I knew that if I did such a thing, I would surely be caught. It was an endless race against the times, and some of those times I was overtaken in despair. Let me tell you this story.

Well..... That may have been an exaggeration.

I went to the homeschool conference in Cincinnati, Ohio over the weekend. The place where all of the booths were set up was ginormous (you know this computer actually recognizes that as a word?!?!), and I got lost I don't know how many times trying to meet up with the rest of my family, who had split up to go to different sessions. I almost fell asleep for a few moments on Friday, so I moved closer to the front during all of the talks so that every time I started drifting off, the voices booming from the speakers would wake me up again.

Don't get me wrong, the talks were great and encouraging and I learned a ton, but staying out until 12 and getting up at 6 really takes its toll on you. Let me put it this way: it was a lot of fun, but I'm glad to be home.

But the biggest part of the weekend was the Tim Hawkins 'concert'. I went to that at 6:00 on Friday.... the auditorium that it was held in seated 4500 people. A group of teenagers near the front started trying to do the wave while waiting for him to come out. The sad part.... Only about ten other people in the whole place seemed to know what they were doing.

Yup, it was a homeschool conference alright.

(Disclaimer: The video above is not mine, I found it on Youtube. Neither was it taken at the concert that I went to, there was a nasty yellow wall behind him when I was there)

{Snoring Every Sunday}

2011-03-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

Sunday Snores Number 4!!

So today I want to take this time to tell you guys about a blog I'm starting with a couple of friends of mine from school. It's an extension of a book club that we're starting, where we're going to be posting reviews and annual lists of the books we've been reading.

Maybe you can join along!! Every two weeks, we're going to choose a theme and each of us will choose a book in that theme, be it genre, or author, or whatever. We think it'll be pretty neat!!!

HERE's the link. I'm not sure what it'll be called, it might change quite a bit. But I hope you'll enjoy it as much as we will!!

{season of extravagance}

2011-03-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

I know I'm not one for posting about fashions, but I had a fairly brilliant idea in thinking about what I'm going to be for Character Day and Decades Day in school next week. I still haven't figured it out, but more on that to come!!!

So. Every season makes you want to wear something, correct? And spring is upon us... I'm absolutely dying for the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression era... And I don't know why!

I think it might be something about coming out of winter and all of those sweaters and jeans and wanting to wear something CUTE for once!! Something about it makes me want to go absolutely over the top. With everything.

Drew Barrimore!! Oh, to die for!!

Headbands and flower accessories and dresses, and hats.

And the Great Depression Era!!! some of the cutest fashion. Ever.

Wouldn't be the Great Depression without a few Hobos!!

I want this dress...

Natalie Portman. Of course.

Oh well. A girl can dream, can't she?

(What are your favorite styles for this time of year?!)

{follow me, i know the way}

2011-03-22T16:16:00.000-07:00

Oh dear goodness sakes alive!!!!! (No, I don't really say that. My grandma does though.) Soooo I just looked on my dashboard, and LO AND BEHOLD, I HAVE 90 FOLLOWERS!!!!!!!!!

EEEEEK, I'm so excited!!! Thanks so much to everyone!!! Just as a little side note.....

Followers 89 and 90:

Maximillian R

and The Odd Fish

I don't own this photo

Thank all of you sooo much!!! Followers not only make my day (and week.... and month...), but you're the people who keep me going!!! Keep the blog alive, share the love!!!

{Sunday Snores #3}

2011-03-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

I love this song. ^-^ Have a great Sunday!!

{The ____ Steps to (almost) perfection}

2011-03-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about a new story I wanted to start, and I suppose that I was thinking so hard it showed on my face. My dad commented on it, and asked what I was thinking about. So I told him. Halfway through my explanation, he looked at me funny. A quarter of the way through, he started laughing. I finished up all of my ideas before I turned and demanded what was so funny.

He turned off onto our street and said, "None of that made sense to me."

Of course I insisted that it made perfect sense... But... Did it?

I thought this whole situation was interesting enough. So, I'm going to take you through, step by step, what I was going through (and do go through) while making up the story. (if you're interested, this is the beginning of the story I'm going to be going through)

1. So, I want this story to be about a girl who 'ran' away from home.
2. What do I mean by 'ran'?
3. Well, I guess I don't want her to be all rebellious right from the get go. Obvious answer: mental affliction.
4. What kind of mental affliction?
5. Well, I don't want her to be just crazy. It should be a cool kind of crazy.
6. Cool kind of crazy? Riiiiight.... off subject. Back to story.
7. Right. Mental affliction. She does something. PIANO!!!
8. Perfect!! So she's a pianist. Is that the only thing that caused the affliction?....... Naaaah
9. Abusive childhood? OCD (what does that have to do with running away from home?)? Bipolar, maybe. Nah, already have a bipolar character somewhere else. (I do, really!)
10. So. Maybe it's not exactly a disorder. She's just a strange person. (like you?....... Shutup...)
11. She gets trapped in her mind sometimes (good! good! keep going!), and it plays tricks on her. She doesn't talk either. Only uses voice to sing, and then only alone.
12. Creepy twisted figures made, a few nightmares, music is relief, check, check, double check.
13. And of course... Romance!!
14. She meets this guy. Dorky? Maybe. Psych degree through college (is getting the degree, or is graduated?) Really understands her enough to meet her halfway (writes in notebooks with her instead of talks, etc.)
15. Should I have names? Nah, maybe later.
16. So, guy. Right. Gets her to open up, helps her heal the past, end?
17. Yeah right. She meets the guy later. So, first she meets an older guy who's nice but doesn't understand her.
18. MURDER!!
19. .... right. So she's talking to him in a crappy bar someplace and she sees someone coming behind him, but he's all creepy so she ignores him because she thinks he's only her imagination.
20. DEATH!!
21. ... Uh hu. Well, so the guy dies (obviously) and she sets about leaving again, really detached. (police investigation? No, leaves before they get there)
22. So... It's a short story. No need for super long plan.
23. So she's out on the road again, and comes to some random city.
24. Plays the piano for dinner, people offer her a place to stay for the night.
25. Stays, couple of nights later meets (nameless awesome character) and begins the long road to recovery.

Ta dah!!! ... So maybe I do see whey it didn't make sense to my dad...

So there you have it: my twenty five steps to an (almost) really cool (not completed) story.

What do you do when you're planning stories?

{Sunday Snores}

2011-03-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

The second Sunday Snores!! A momentous occasion!!
... Well, not really.
But anyway... I have decided that I shall share a small snippet of my NaNoWriMo story today. Here we go!!

They soon did pull up to an old red and white diner, where they parked and quickly stepped inside. An older woman with red hair so artificial Honey wondered if the hair itself was real came and seated them. They took up their menus and began looking them over. “Quickly now, or relatively anyway. There’s some cold stuff out in the trunk.” Christian warned, though he wasn’t really paying attention. “Probably should have thought of that: we could have come here first, and then went to the store.” Honey answered absently, reading a description of a meal before quickly moving to the next one. “Well if you’re so smart why didn’t you think of that in the first place?” Christian asked in return. “Because no matter how good I am you know I can’t really read your mind.” Someone cleared their throat loudly above them. They both looked up, as if they were two little children who got caught in the act of doing something they knew they shouldn’t have been doing.

“If you’re quite finished with your bickering,” The waitress said, “I’d like to know if there’s something you two would like to drink.” Christian smiled. “Beatrice,” He said and they reached forward and hugged each other. The woman was older than Christian, a few strands of white streaking through her black hair. She had blue eyes framed by wrinkles from staring into the sun and her tan skin was papery. There was a place in the bend of her right elbow that was almost white: a burn scar. “And who is this lovely young lady here?” The woman asked. Honey smiled. “I’m Honey.” The woman gasped. “Surely not! Honey, the last time I saw you I was holding you in my arms. It’s been far too long, Chris! Where’ve you been?!” Christian threw up his hands. “Absolutely everywhere! But we’ve come back now: and we plan to keep it that way. Even if it does mean moving back in with Mom and Dad.”

Beatrice laughed. “Then you want to stay here really badly, don’t you?” Honey shook her head, picking out a dish and setting her menu down. “Sure do,” Christian answered. “It was a mistake to leave.”

“Oh, don’t think like that now! Anyway, I think it’s about time that we get you some drinks. What’ll it be?” Christian looked up into the air for a moment, struck dumb. “Oh, I have to choose...” He said softly. Honey rolled her eyes.

“Well, I’ll have a lemonade.” She said. “Sure thing, Honey.” Beatrice answered. “And you, Chris, have exactly five seconds to tell me what you want.” She looked up and started counting. “Alright! I want a cream soda.” Christian said quickly.

“Very good. I’ll go get those for you and have your meal out straightaway!” And she was off. Christian turned back to Honey and sighed, then picked up his menu and started looking it over again. “Do you know what you want?” He asked. She nodded, then figured he probably hadn’t noticed. “Yeah, I do. Chicken Pot Pie.” Christian looked up. “You’ll regret it!” He warned. “I know, but tonight’s special. So there.” She shot back. Christian shrugged and nodded, conceding the point, then hid back behind his menu.

“So, does this place hold any specific signifigance?” She asked after a while. “What do you mean?” Christian asked in return. “Well it’s just that every time we celebrate mom’s birthday it’s at a place that means something to you.” Christian set down his menu solemnly.

“You figured that out, did you?” He asked quietly. Honey nodded. “Of course I did. I didn’t even have to ask any questions! But every time, you tell stories and each story you tell revolves around the place we’ve been at. So what about this one?” Christian thought for a minute.

“This is where I first met your mother.”He said finally. “Really? Here?”Honey asked. Christian nodded. “Yup. In that booth, right over there.” He pointed to one in the corner, bordering the window. “Wow.” Honey breathed, smiling widely. Beatrice walked up and slammed their cups down on the table.

Hope you enjoyed!! I know it ends abruptly, but I can never tell when to stop a scene! Tell me what you think though!!

{Reflection of a Tree}

2011-03-11T07:15:00.000-08:00

You know, the one way to tell it's going to rain is by looking to the trees. We can always tell, because the air tastes different. We turn up our leaves so that the pale, protected sides show, and we sway more violently with the wind. You humans never realize until darkness calls and the skies shake. We can smell it coming, we can feel it down to the tips of our roots.
When it's going to rain, the air is thick and wet. Even before all the clouds come, winds come that bring promises, and we can always trust the wind. In the morning, when the sun hasn't yet come to warm our arms, we lap at the air and it's musty and full: That's when we know it'll rain, because we can always trust the air. We trees can always trust, and we can always tell.

{Almost Blue}

2011-03-05T15:07:00.000-08:00

This is the beginning of a story I began a while ago and would really love to continue. I began writing this (if you couldn't tell) at a gas station, waiting for my mom to come back in... Enjoy!!

“It’s almost blue,”
Anna sang, straining her lungs as the temperature in the car floundered between stuffy and cold. No one else in the parking lot would care: none of them seemed completely straight in the head either. She kept glancing behind her at the meter, making sure that she knew when the gas finished pumping.
“It’s almost perfect, it will almost do,”
A short, round Mexican woman got out of the white car in front of her, draping a jacket onto the door and closing it in there, the red hood sticking up from the crack. She sang louder. Drunk? For a moment she almost wished she was, but no. Insane? Absolutely. Every bit of it. She was convinced that she had officially lost her mind - enough to twist everyone she saw into horrific figures of nightmares, and to run away from home, anyway. She had two hundred dollars in a small safe under the back seat, but that was it. She had no idea where she wanted to go but she knew she had to get out of this place. The next time she turned around, the gauge clicked and she got out, pulling at the scarf tied around her neck. When she got back into the car, she started it up and drove off. And she kept driving.

Every once in a while, she thought she saw her mother or little sister on the side of the road. An unfortunate hitchhiker freakishly warped into a mirror image of her father. Sometimes, they just looked at her sorrowfully. Other times, their faces stretched and their mouths looked like great caverns, occasionally with sharp, blinding white teeth, sometimes just great black holes. Their pupils contracted and then consumed their whole eyes, glaring at her as they screamed. She sang louder.

Once, only once, she saw her old boyfriend with his dark curly hair on the top of a building. He was pointing at her with fingers that seemed to stretch all the way to her neck, and laughing with the freakishly large mouth that stretched and then disappeared with every chuckle. She kept her eyes trained on the road and kept driving.

The whole story is loosely based off of the movie Shine, which I had watched recently before I wrote this. She is bordering on insane, but isn't quite there yet. This is honestly my first serious attempt at anything beyond fantasy, accept for a murder/mystery that I've begun. How do you think I did? Would you be interested in reading the rest?

{Through Gates of Splendor}

2011-03-02T17:35:00.000-08:00

This book is absolutely amazing. It's the first book that I've read like this that has really moved me, the first book that I've set down, not even halfway through, and then wanted to DO something. I haven't gotten very far, but I will post a review it when I finish it. Even now, I can tell you this: go find this book, find someplace that you don't have to do anything, and read this book.

{A Poem}

2011-03-01T14:47:00.000-08:00

I found this going through a few of my documents, and thought it was nice enough to share. Enjoy!!

I am confused as the Great Whale
Finding herself surrounded by glass.

I am ashamed as the eagle
Bred in captivity and caged when she should be free.

~~~~

I am not yet so dull as the panther
Edging around his small cage,

I am not as afraid as the Boa
Behind glass that is tapped and banged and rubbed,

I am not as despairing as the little bird
Abandoned in a nest for the scent of human flesh.

~~~~

I wish to be free as the bird
Flitting around where he will.

I wish to be wild as the wolf
Finding cliffs to howl at the moon.

I wish to be grand as lions
Ruling the hot plains.

I wish to be confident as the Maned Wold
Strutting without a care in the world.

I believe that I wrote this after a trip to the zoo.... I don't remember it, but it seems the best explanation.Tell me what you think!!!

PS: My Wish Fulfillment Story will soon be appearing HERE!!! So excited!!! I'll post it up when it's published!!!

{Sunday's Snores}

2011-02-27T13:12:00.000-08:00

I was thinking of naming her Emma...

... I thought this would be nice to start for Sunday afternoons before I go off to take my nap. So, I'm going to start posting up random clips from my stories, or random pictures from either my life or my sketch pad every Sunday. You guys can vote, or just post and tell me what you want from each week, but this week I'll start off (because of a request from Libby) with a few pictures from my sketchbook.

Enjoy!!

I called this one "Contentment"

She doesn't really have a name: I was more studying lines and muscles and what not

You may remember my infatuation with wings....

.... It went on for a while...

And then bled into dragons.... But this is the only one that turned out right...

This probably would have done better around the holidays, but yes. I haven't named him...

Sorry for the bad quality, but I like this one..... Her name is Liz.

This is a particular type of Anime.... But I don't remember what it's called
O.o

Just to show that I CAN do guys..... Though I don't do them very often.....

... Anime eyes. Guy's above, Girl's beneath. ^-^

And to send us off, a cute little ghost girl that is a Chibi version of a character from a published anime story.... That I don't remember the name of. :P

I hope you guys enjoyed!!!! Tell me what you think!!

{Slice of Life}

2011-02-21T09:05:00.000-08:00

A Slice of Life ~
Essentially a journalistic style of a column, or opinion piece, that takes the reader into a portion of the writer's life.

There are feelings within me, pent up energy, that is writhing. I want to jump, I want to dance, I want to laugh as loud as I can and then cry because I've laughed so hard. I want to sing, something beautiful, I want to hug the world, and then I feel like dropping dead. Right now. For how could one person feel so much happiness? I'm going to share it with the world, or I don't want it at all - but then, there would be a hole inside me. You know, I can conquer my world, my life, my everything! There's something good in the air - something fantastic! And I'm going to find it, because I want to be a part of it.

The wind is grabbing at me hair, so I let it down, giving the element more. The sun is drunk up by my skin, and it wants more, so much more. A bird! My ears caught a bird's song! It was singing along with me, I'm certain of it. I want to kiss someone I love. I want to share this with them.

And so I did. I hope you enjoyed!!

{Infatuation..... Of a different sort.}

2011-02-16T15:58:00.001-08:00

Don't you think it's odd when you've hated something since you can remember, and all of a sudden you love it? You honestly can't get enough of it? Like you're trying to make up for all of the times that you refused it before.
Well, that's what has happened to me. With what? This thing right here:

Yup. Orange Juice. I've never been quite sure why, but I have always hated Orange Juice. With a passion. Then, something happened (namely, I got sick and was forced to drink it so that I got better more quickly) and then, I was suddenly hooked!!!

It's so strange: now, every chance I get, I have a cup of orange juice. And I love it. Especially over ice.

So..... Yeah, that just popped into my head: do you have any weird infatuations or obsessions like that? I love learning what people think and just...... the little, insignificant things in their lives. :D

{Happy Valentines Day!}

2011-02-14T15:30:00.000-08:00

{Summer}

2011-02-13T13:37:00.000-08:00

There is a sort of complete,

Ethereal pleasure in swinging

My feet, blackened by the trunk,

Back and forth, interchanging

Right front - left back - left front - right.

It feels as pleasurable as a dance,

But on my own, more childlike,

More innocent. There is

Enjoyment in the wind swooshing

Between my toes as they slowly fly.

I smell baked beans still,

But the plate beside me is covered

With soupy remains of a few desserts

All combined now. I licked my fingers

Of the gooey dessert - chewy, banana -

Was that a bit of chocolate?

I'm not sure right now, all I know

Is that I'm swinging my legs

And I'm happy.

This is what I want..... I wrote this at a bonfire last summer, with my little brother's baseball team.... I'm in the mood for baked beans, and being able to camp out in the back of my dad's truck (even though he got a new one... will this one leave black residue on my feet and hands?), and fires and marshmallows and pools and fourwheelers and...... summer, really.

{That be me}

2011-02-02T15:55:00.000-08:00

See that puddle right in front of you? You know, the one that just grew arms and is typing on the computer?

Well, that just happens to be me.

Well, despite that, something amazing happened to me today.

The awesome Daft Punk soundtrack to a pretty good movie...

And one of my favorite artists.....

That is correct: I bought those two albums. Today. And I'm uploading them. Right now. So, being near the computer, I just thought I'd update...

And say that my current favorite song is Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri. :D

Ps: Confused? GOOD!!!! *insane laugh, then passes out from.... tired...ness.... O.o*

{All I need is a book to read}

2011-01-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

Here's the two books that I read for fun this week, and finished both in two days because I was sick and could do nothing else..... O.o Anyway, these are the two latest stories I have added to the depths of my mind:

This book was incredibly enjoyable. The bard's apprentice, captured by Northmen, is now a thrall and must make his way through this new life while dealing with his unstable magical abilities, never quite sure what exactly will happen when he unleashes the great powers within him.......... I loved it.

This book was an extremely easy read, and though the actual story line was fantastic, what was supposed to be horror wasn't really.... I was able to read it after dark, without having to glance over my shoulder every few minutes to make sure that Mother Malkin wasn't there... But it was pretty enjoyable for a book-starved read-aholic, anyway ^-^

Well, there you have it!!! I'm hoping to go to the library soon to get the next books in both series'. Update soon?

{Infatuation and Other such things}

2011-01-14T09:38:00.000-08:00

Anime, and the Mad Hatter. (No, I don't own these pictures: courtesy of Google...)

Together, they make up one of my current fantasies.

As well as mushroom houses. Seriously.

But I'm also currently feeling the love of water color...

I think I'll give it a try. :D Let's see what happens!!! Update.... soon..... :P

{Fear them...}

2011-01-12T18:02:00.000-08:00

One of the scariest things for me is going through past notebooks. It really scares me, really and truly. I'm constantly horrified at the state of either the content, the grammar, or my handwriting. Or maybe the state the actual pages are in...

But here's a scene that I found while going through it that I thought was kinda hilarious.... Kinda sorta... So I wanted to share it.... completely uncut. O.o

"Hay, it's cold all of a sudden!" Abby exclaimed. Jack walked over, grinning. "That's what jackets are for, Einstein." He answered, sitting down beside her. "Well thanks, but that doesn't help me." She said.

He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to warm her. "I guess you'll have to do as my hot water bottle." She said quietly. He rolled his eyes. Bryce came up and looked at the two of them before noticing Abby's necklace. "Hay, did Jack buy you that?" He asked. She nodded eagerly. "Yeah! What do you think?" She asked in return.

"It's nice. Very... silvery, and heart.... shaped. Heart... like... felt - Heartfelt! It's very heart felt." He finally retired, feeling confident of his observations.

Abby looked sarcastically impressed. "Well, inept thoughts, master jedi. You're rather the jewelry protegé around here, aren't you?" She inquired. "Pshhh, they don't get more protegé-ee-er than me." Jack rolled his eyes. "You don't even know what that word means." He said. Abby raised one eyebrow at him. "And you do?" She prompted. "Well.... psh-ya!" He answered hesitantly, running through what had been said. "It... means... you're good at something!" She shook her head. "You took that out of context, didn't you?" He looked over at her. "Well duh. You think I'd actually know what "proto-ee" whatever actually means?" They all laughed. "Well, there's always time to learn, I guess."

That's right. Be afraid. Very afraid.

{Lovely Song}

2011-01-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

{The last...}

2011-01-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

There are a whole lot of 'lasts', now that I come to think of it, leading up to 12 o'clock last night.

The last place I was in 2010: in my bed, on Facebook.

The last thing I ate in 2010: A chocolate chip cookie.

The last thing I listened to in 2010: myself singing Tik Tok by Ke$ha. O.o

The last thing I read in 2010: The Hunger Games.

The last thing I saw in 2010: my ceiling. Or was it my bed post?

The last thing I thought in 2010: "Darn, it's been a long night."

The last thing I wore in 2010: my penguin pants and a really old, crappy t-shirt. And socks.

The last thing I wrote in 2010: My own addition to the Hunger Games. Awesome.

The last thing I can think of to go with this list: I hope that I have a more exciting New Years this year.

Oh well...... That was fun ^-^

{"Hope it's chocolate FOR me..."}

2010-12-29T17:18:00.000-08:00

I thought I might want to put up a little blurb here.......

About it being my birthday!!!!! I'm 15 now!!! (YAY!!!) and if that's not enough cause to celebrate, then i just have to tell everyone....

THAT I GOT A FACEBOOK!!!!!!!

HERE'S the link!!!!

Ok, now that's done...... I'm going to go try and find my iPod.......... :/

{Oh Frabjuous day, Callou, Callay!}

2010-12-25T09:32:00.000-08:00

Merry CHRISTmas!!! I hope you've gotten as much cheer out of this season as I have!!!!!

Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings!!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

{A little Christmas Eve, Eve contemplation}

2010-12-23T15:30:00.000-08:00

Saying Grace (Responsive Poem)

The food is just as plentiful,

The world revolves the same.

There’s a number of us here still

And father’s held and holding sane.

Sister’s most likely thinking

Of the new boy next door

And mother’s planning bread for baking;

In all that goes on, life’s something more.

There’s much beyond

The roughness of our table,

More than just how we respond,

What we ignore when we are able.

So we all lisp along to the prayer,

In earnest or otherwise,

Thanks for our lives, for care,

Though we are dirty, and wish for demise.

Because even to the onlooker’s eyes,

All of us are a family at this place;

We look to this time, for us, inward-cast, to arise

And bow our heads contritely, saying Grace.

This was my own little response to a picture by Charles Degroux, I think. If not... well, I couldn't find it on the internet: I guess you'll just have to take my word for it. ^-^

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!!!

{Warp 9, engage..... Peppermint Winter!!}

2010-12-21T19:49:00.001-08:00

There's the snow, look out below
And bundle up 'cause here it comes
Run outside, so starry eyed
A snowball fight breaks out
And winter has finally begun

I twirl through the driveway with angelic grace
'Til I slip on the sidewalk and fall on my face
This peppermint winter is so sugar sweet
I don't need to taste to believe
What's December without Christmas Eve

Hop in the sleigh and we'll glide away
Into the night and we'll sip on moonlight
Runny nose, my frosty toes
Are getting cold but I feel alive so I smile wide

The snowflakes start falling and I start to float
'Til my mean older brother stuffs snow down my coat
This peppermint winter is so sugar sweet
I don't need to taste to believe
What's December without Christmas Eve

All this holiday cheer
Heaven knows where it goes
But it returns every year
And though this winter does nothing but storm
The joy in my heart is ablaze and it's keeping me warm
It's keeping me warm, it's keeping me warm

I rip off the wrapping and tear through the box
'Til I end up with 45 new pairs of socks
This peppermint winter is so sugar sweet
I don't need to taste to believe
What's December without Christmas Eve

-Owl City

My family is originally from West Virginia. You must understand that. Not only that, but my mom lived on the top of a mountain. My grandparents still do. My dad (if you want to get all technical) lived in a hollar. That's right. It's a valley, really. Anyway, the point of all that is to say that if you weren't on the highway or in the middle of town, there are no lights on the road. When my dad went riding at night during the winter (it ALWAYS snowed), he would turn on his brights and pretend he was in a ship and head into "light speed"..... Now, that's always what we do at night. It's not exactly as satisfying as when we go back home, but we always join in and say "Warp 9... Engage!"

There's a little winter tradition for you...... ^-^ Do you have some of your own?

Only THREE DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!!! Can you believe it?!?!

{New Beginnings}

2010-12-16T07:57:00.000-08:00

That statement has never made sense to me. "New Beginnings"? Redundant to an extreme.

Well, as redundant as it is, it's true. I've made some drastic changes that I'm hoping I won't regret in the near future. At first, I was considering deleting this blog as a whole and beginning a new one. Just one on my own, for myself. That would have been nice, but my dearest friend ivorydancer talked me out of it.

So, I've just completely reworked this one!!

Yes, you just entered what used to be Alone with Waning Candles and Ink. I liked that blog, there were some good memories, but I never really thought it was going anywhere. Like really going anywhere. I always felt constricted as to what I could write about (does that mean that I stuck to only writing stuff? Noooo...... but the constriction was still there), and I was always afraid that my writings wouldn't match my blog. Should I have been worried? Probably not. But I won't have to worry about that now, because my blog matches me!!!

So buckle up those seat belts and prepare yourself for one crazy ride...

"Because every new beginning
Comes from some other beginning's end...."
(forgotten artist)