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  • Gettysburg

    On Saturday, I went to Gettysburg for the first time in 8 or 9 months. I didn't go until later, but it was still nice to finally go to Gettysburg. We didn't really get to spend any time on the battlefield since it closes at 10pm, but we drove around and I took some pictures. 

    For whatever reason, fireworks were being set off in Gettysburg and I got some pictures of those as well. We went to a few shops in town. The Haunted Gettysburg shop, which is my favorite shop, we went there first. I bought the first book in the Haunted Gettysburg series. We also went to Ghostly Images which has a lot of neat looking items and they do a lot of different ghost tours.
    We went out to Sachs Bridge for awhile. We got out our chairs and sat on the bridge. It was just nice being out in Gettysburg. I enjoyed going very much.
    And here are some pictures for everyone to see :)
    From on the battlefield.
    Sachs Bridge
    A picture of a moth I took while in Gettysburg.

  • Always An Xangan

    I joined Xanga on April 19th, 2005. A friend introduced me to Xanga and wanted me to join so I did. I didn't blog on here very much the first few years I was on here. I didn't come on every day, but I did come on every so often and change my theme and such. 

    By the time I had really started blogging on here, my friend had gone and moved onto Myspace. I started logging in on a more regular basis late 2008. I wasn't blogging every day then, but instead just changing my theme and getting it the way I wanted. I began blogging almost every day in January of 2009. I started exploring Xanga around that time, read the Top Blogs every day and checked out the Featured Blogs (Remember those?). I joined a number of Blogrings (as they were called at the time, they are groups now) and started to make some friends on here. Some of the first people I became friends with on here, I still talk to them. 
    Over the years on here I've made some great friends. I even met an Xangan last year for the first time and it was just great. 
    I've shared so much on here. I have read my entries from the past and seen how my writing has improved, how I have changed and how Xanga has been here through everything. And although last year I did have a bad experience and started being more careful on what I post, I just can't imagine not having Xanga. It's hard to think of not logging in here every day. I have made such great friends on here, read many great posts on here, shared my writing on here, my happy and sad moments. How can it all just go away in a month and half? I have been here 8 years and I wanted to be here for many more.
    For years I've seen people say Xanga is dying and I didn't believe it. Sure, Xanga isn't exactly popular and we have a small community, but lots of websites aren't popular and have a small userbase and they are still around. I don't know if Xanga will shut down, or make the money it needs to continue. If it does, I won't be here. I don't have the money to pay to blog. But it seems so sudden, so short notice and it honestly reminds of what Duotrope did.
    Dutrope is a website for writers to find markets to submit their work. For years, it was free. But in December last year, they announced that January 1st, 2013, the site would go to paid subscription. Meaning that if you wanted to continue to find markets to submit writing, you needed to pay to use the website. People only had a month to back up their information on where they submitted and such. I was upset about that, as I used Duotrope, but I am much more upset about Xanga. I have been here so long and found great people who I call my friends. I just keep hoping that the Team Xanga will tell us they were just messing with us, that it was all a joke. But it seems that this time, Xanga may really be dying. And if it does make the money needed to save Xanga, I know I won't be here anyway. I don't think Xanga will be the same though, if they get the money to keep Xanga going.
    This is just a sad, sad day for me. I don't want Xanga to be gone. I know I will miss it so much. But I'm going to give the links to other websites I'm on. I will start blogging on Open Diary once I can't blog on here anymore. I will post the link to my Open Diary blog below. 
    Here are the places you can find me on:
    If anyone wants my e-mail address, let me know and I'll message it to you.
    I will continue to blog on here until I can't anymore. I hope to be able to get the archives to my posts soon because I don't want to lose everything I have written. I have written over 1,000 posts on here. I am just really sad about all of this and I hope to be able to keep in touch with all of my friends on here. But whether Xanga shuts down or goes to paid blogging, I will always consider myself an Xangan. It was my first blogging website, one of my most favorite websites that I visit every day. Xanga will always be my blogging home, even if it shuts down. I just wish things were able to stay the same. 

  • Groundhogs And Other Stuff

    We have a groundhog living in our backyard again. We haven't had one for a year or two and that's because one of our neighbors shoots them whenever he sees them. I know they dig holes in the yard and all, but I could never kill one. 

    But anyway, there is one living in our backyard and she had babies. At first we thought she had only three, but it turns out there are six of them. The babies like to hang out in our front yard as well.
    My mom went out to mow one day last week and when she opened the door, she saw one of the baby groundhogs in our front yard. It saw her and you'd think it would run, right? Groundhogs normally do. Not this one. It ran towards the door like it wanted to come into the house with us!
    The baby groundhogs don't seem to have any fear of people. Which I haven't seen before. All the groundhogs we've ever had in our yard run when they see us. But the babies are so cute. I just hope the neighbor doesn't get any of them.
    On the 19th, I went to Hershey library. They were celebrating 100 years and having a family fun festival. I'm sure most of you know that I sign up for their summer reading program every year. It officially starts June 1, but if you went to their family fun festival, you can sign up early. Which is what I did and I borrowed some books from there already. 
    I added a new pair of earrings to my online store. Here's a picture:
    Blue Feather Earrings With Black Stripes
    I'm going to add some more items soon.
    I read The Hunger Games trilogy. I'm ready for the second movie now, which I believe comes out in November.
    The Seventh Son movie comes out in October, which is based on the first book in The Last Apprentice series. I'm sort of looking forward to it, but my excitement kind of died down after seeing they got Ben Barnes, who is 31, to play the character of Tom Ward, who is a 13 year old boy. But Jeff Bridges as John Gregory, the Spook, looks great. He most definitely looks the part.
    I don't have any plans for this weekend. Most likely I will be reading the books from the library and thinking of stuff to write.
    What has everyone else been up to?

  • Middletown Library Book Sale

    I've been meaning to post the pictures of what I got at the Middletown library book sale for a while. I went to the sale on May 6 and it was the first day of the sale. But with going through everything and getting for the yard sale, I was very busy and kept forgetting to post what I got. Well, here is the post now.
    Bone, Vol. 5: Rock Jaw Master of the Eastern Border by Jeff Smith - This is one of my favorite graphic novel series. I'm trying to get all books to add to my own collection.
    The Magicians of Caprona by Diana Wynne Jones - Yep, I found a book by Diana Wynne Jones I didn't have yet. Finding it made me happy.
    The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane by Joseph Delaney - I was so happy to find this! I want to own all the books in this series as well.
    Tales of Terror, Case of the On-line Alien and Muttketeer are all Wishbone books - I loved the show as a kid and want to collect all the books.
    Spongebob Squarepants: Deep-Sea Tales - I got this because I love Spongebob.
    Bone, Vol. 3: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith - Found another volume in the series there.
    Cryptid Hunters by Roland Smith - This just sounded interesting. It definitely sounds like something that I will like.
    The Secret of Sarah Revere by Ann Rinaldi - Another book that sounded good.
    The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke - It's a book I didn't have by this author yet.
    The Great Ghost Rescue by Eva Ibbotson - I've read some books by this author and really liked them so I decided to get this one.
    I also got a few other things that aren't pictured. I got two DVDs, The Jeff Foxworthy Show Season One and Alice in Wonderland, the Disney cartoon. It made me really happy to get Alice in Wonderland. I had all the Disney DVDs on VHS, but got rid of them so we don't have a VHS player anymore. I want to collect all the cartoons again on DVD and getting Alice in Wonderland was a start. I also found a copy of Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. I already got my own copy, bought it a few months after I first read it. But I got this copy to eventually give to someone. I love the book so much and want to be able to share it with others. So, eventually someone will get the extra copy of it I bought.
    Well, that's all I bought. I really enjoyed going to Middletown library's book sale this year.

  • Goats

    I finally uploaded the pictures of the Goats from the yard sale last Saturday. A woman stopped at our yard sale who had two goats in the back of her car. She was nice enough to let us see them, pat them and take a few pictures. Hope you all enjoy the pictures.

  • Book Recommendations: Once On This Island

    Once on This Island
    Book: Once on This Island

    Author: Gloria Whelan

    Pages: 192

    Original Publication Date: 1995
    It's the summer of 1812 and Mary lives on an island with her father, brother and sister. Things are nice enough. Mary loves the island where she has lived all her life, but news comes that war has broken out between America and England.
    Feeling a duty to his country and to island which the British have now taken over, Mary's father decides to join the war and fight for America. Mary, her brother and sister are left behind to care for the farm until the war is over.
    I think the book was a little slow to start, but it's a very good story of family, love and even learning to accept those who are supposedly enemies. 
    I liked Mary, who I thought was a strong character. She is the youngest of her siblings, but it often doesn't seem that way. She seems to be really mature and responsible. Although the war and her father being away does get to her after a while, which is expected. 
    I really enjoyed this book. I like the story, the characters and the lessons it taught. I'd really like to read the next book in this trilogy.  

  • Hamtaro On His Wheel

    For some reason, I can't get the video to show up on a post, but I'll link to it. I uploaded the video to Xanga. The video is of my one hamster, Hamtaro. He is running on his wheel, which is a normal hamster thing to do, but it is how he is running on his wheel that is different. I hope you all enjoy the video.

  • Yard Sale Update

    I thought I'd give everyone an update on how the yard sale went.

    We did have more people come to the yard and definitely sold more items than last time. But even so, we were still disappointed. Not as much sold as we would have liked and while we did make more money than last time, it still wasn't a lot. Especially when you consider how much work we've been doing and the fact we were outside for 8 hours. 
    I made a total of $9. I sold four books, three CDs and a Holiday Barbie doll set. My mom made around $25, I believe. 
    So, we are disappointed. My mom was hoping to sell quite a bit to make some money to pay some bills. I was hoping to make quite a bit of money to put more money back for my laptop and to also buy some things I need.
    Well, some of the stuff I'm going to put up for sale on my store, Tsalagi Dreams. I'm going to add the Jewelry and Dreamcatchers I made for yard sale to the site as well. When I do, I'll let you all know so you can see the new items.
    There are a few positives though. One: a woman came by with two goats! They were so cute. I took some pictures, but haven't uploaded them yet. When I do, I'll post them for everyone to see. Two: I bought a Mario shirt from the neighbors for 50 cents! :)
    Is everyone having a nice weekend so far? Did you do anything fun on Saturday?

  • What I've Been Up To

    Well, what I wanted to post today I couldn't. I used my camera to take a video of something I really wanted to share with you all, but since I'm using dial up, I can't upload the video as it takes too long. I will still try to get it uploaded though because I really want everyone to see it. I'm disappointed I couldn't post it today for you all.

    So, I guess I will just post about what I've been doing. I honestly haven't been doing much besides still going through things and getting ready for the yard sale, which is tomorrow. It's tiring going through everything, but it is worth it. It's nice to go through my stuff and get rid of what isn't needed anymore.
    I'm making some Dreamcatcher necklaces. I hope to finish them today.
    And I'm reading Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I finished Catching Fire a few days ago. The next movie comes out in November and I wanted to read the second book ahead of time, especially before it got to the point where I wouldn't be able to borrow it from the library. The closer it gets to the movie's release date, it will be nearly impossible to be able to borrow the second book to read. So many people will want to read it before the movie is out. So I decided I would borrow it now and read it. I actually liked Catching Fire better than the first book. I'm liking the third book so far, too.
    And that's really all I've been doing. Preparing for the yard sale, reading and making crafts. Also, writing when I have the time. 
    I won't be writing a post tomorrow. I'm going to bed early. The yard sale starts at 7am and I have to be up before that, to set up the tables and bring everything outside. 
    Well, I hope you all will have a nice weekend. I should have a new post up on Sunday.

  • Hot Pink Dropped Web Dreamcatcher

    This is a new Dreamcatcher I made recently. 
    The hoop is a 5 inch one wrapped in hot pink leather lace, black webbing done in the dropped web style, purple feathers with black stripes and silver beads. 
    It's not on the website yet. I'm going to hang it up at the yard sale this Saturday and see if it sells. If not, then it'll be put up on the website.