April 17, 2013

  • Good And Evil

    I've read about what happened in Boston. I just know from what I've read on here as I don't really watch or read the news online all that much. But when things like this happen, it's always sad. How can someone hurt another human? How is that even possible? I will never be able to understand it because I could never hurt a human, or any living being, for that matter. 

    But I always try to be positive, even when bad things happen. It can be hard sometimes and I will admit, I've definitely been disappointed in humanity. There is good and evil in this world, but I like to believe there is more good than evil. I also don't think that anyone is born evil, or bad. 
    Everyone has things happen to them in their life as a child, teenager and adult that shape who they are. Especially as a child. What happens to you as a child can shape who you are as a person. I just think these people who harm others, themselves have been harmed in some way at some point in their life. It doesn't excuse their actions though. People know right from wrong, but who knows what has happened to those people? Whatever event happened to their life to shape them into something not very good.
    I think it is sad all around, for the victims and those who do the harming. It is something they will have to live with here and in the afterlife. 
    But even with all the tragedies, evil and bad people in the world, I just can't believe that people or the world is mostly evil. It sometimes may seem that way, but I don't think it is the case. I think in times like this it is important to look for good and be grateful for the good in your life and the people who love you.
    So I  am going to list some good in my life.
    I am thankful for my friends on Xanga. Although I have had some bad experiences and there are some not very nice people on here, I know the majority of the users are good.
    My boyfriend, who I've been with for 7 wonderful years.
    And my silly little hamsters.
    Feel free to list some good stuff in your life as well.

April 16, 2013

  • Most Wanted Books This Year

    I usually do a post about my most wanted book of the year, but this year, it is books. The list contains books that are not yet released, but are ones that I am eagerly awaiting. All book covers were found on Google image search.

    The Last Apprentice: I Am Alice by Joseph Delaney. It is book number 12 in the series and it releases in September. I'm actually thinking of pre-ordering this when it gets closer to be released. I don't know if I want to wait for the library to get it after it is released and plus, I just love the series. I am so excited to read this one and continue the story. I don't know what I'm going to do once this series is finished.
    Dork Diaries 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy-Heartbreaker by Rachel Renee Russell. This book releases in June. I just love these books. They are so funny.
    Diary of a Wimpy Kid #8 by Jeff Kinney. The cover hasn't been revealed yet and it releases in November. The series is funny and I really like it.
    Debutante Hill by Lois Duncan. It releases in September and it is one of older, out of print books being republished. I just love Lois Duncan so I can't wait for this.
    What are some of your most wanted books of this year?

April 15, 2013

  • Blogging And Writing

    For a year now, I've been having trouble thinking of what to blog about on here. It's not even that I don't have things I want to write about. I do, but as some of you know, last year in April I shared something personal and had some negative reactions on here. Someone even went as far as writing a blog post to make fun of me. 

    I still love to blog on Xanga. I've been blogging on here for quite awhile and have made some wonderful friends on here. I can't ever see myself leaving here. I have years of blogging on here, years of pictures and memories. 
    But that experience kind of made me shut down. That's the best way I can explain it. I still love writing on here, but I don't get as personal as I used, I don't share my thoughts and opinions like I used to. I miss doing that, but I don't feel ready to go back to writing like that again on here. I don't feel ready to share myself publicly like that again quite yet. I hope that makes sense.
    I know there are others on Xanga that feel as I do. They've had some bad experiences on here as well and tend to not post anything very personal anymore either.
    So I know I don't blog as I used to. I don't even know if my posts are even any good anymore. But one day, I think I will be able to write like I used to on here. When I'm ready.
    One thing I have learned from my experience is that I'm not going to put up with anything like that on here again. I am not a mean person. I don't like being mean to people, but I don't think there is anything wrong with standing up for myself.
    And as for sharing my writing on here again, I know a lot of you have asked about that. I don't share my poems or stories on here anymore for a reason. They are all saved for submitting to places. If I were to post them on here, they would be considered published. Most magazines and publishing companies wouldn't accept my writing because they would consider it already published. It sucks, I know, but that is why I don't share my writing anymore. I want to keep it and submit to places. Whenever any of my writing is accepted, I will make sure to post about it on though.
    I just wanted to share this with all of you. So now you will understand why I don't blog like I used to. And why I don't share my writing. I've always enjoyed sharing my poems and stories, but I want to be able to have writing credits and make writing my career so I have to keep what I write for submitting.

April 14, 2013

  • Cute Picture of Bulma

    I'm not sure if I've shared this picture before, but it's one of my favorites I've taken of Bulma. She's eating a carrot. I entered this picture into a cute pet picture contest yesterday. I hope it wins.
    Bulma is definitely cute, so she has a good chance of winning, I think :)

April 13, 2013

  • Maria Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina

    Maria Tallchief was born Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief on January 24th, 1925 in Fairfax, Oklahoma. She is Osage and Scots-Irish. 

    Maria Tallchief was a Ballerina. At age 17 she went to New York to audition. She joined Ballet Russe. She was also married to George Balachine, a choreographer, and he had even wrote some of his most famous works for her. Maria was the first Native American Ballerina and America's first Prima Ballerina. She retired from dancing ballet in 1965, but still continued to work in the world of ballet, for a while as a director and later an advisor.
    I first learned of Maria Tallchief last year. It's not a surprise I hadn't heard of her before since I've never been in ballet. But I decided to read her biography. I love reading biographies and hers was very good.
    Yesterday Maria Tallchief passed away at the age of 88. I think she was an amazing and inspiring woman. She accomplished much during her career and she won't be forgotten. 

April 12, 2013

  • Books-A-Million

    I went to a Books-A-Million on Wednesday. I had been in one before, a very small one that was located in a mall. They didn't have a very good selection of books, but since the store was small, it wasn't surprising that the selection wasn't that great.

    But the Books-A-Million I went to on Wednesday is a much larger location and before Books-A-Million was there, it was a Borders. I remember the last time I went into the Borders. It was after the announcement of Borders closing and so they were discounting everything. So many people were there. The store was crowded, very noisy and hot because they had shut the air conditioners off. They even closed the bathrooms off to customers. It was honestly kind of chaotic. People were shouting, running around and items laying on the floor. It was definitely different to a Borders store like that. However, I went to the Borders in Lancaster before they closed and it was peaceful there. The store was clean and there were a lot of people there, but they weren't loud or running around. I still miss Borders. It was where I discovered the two books that gave me my love of reading.
    Books-A-Million is nice though. It kind of has a Borders feel to it, if that makes any sense. I like Barnes and Noble too, but Borders was always my favorite. I think Books-A-Million will probably become my next favorite, but it will never completely replace Borders.
    I bought a book while I was there though. I was looking through the bargain section and found The Last Apprentice: Clash of the Demons by Joseph Delaney. As most of you know, this is one of my favorite book series. I've read all the books up to the newest one. Clash of the Demons is book number 6, so I have read it. But I did not have my own copy of it. The only book in the series I own is the first one and slowly, I want to buy all the books so I own them. So I found book 6 and it was a hardcover, for $3.97. I bought it. I just had to. The price was very good and I just love the series.
    I enjoyed my visit to Books-A-Million and was very happy to come home with a book from one of my favorite series.
    Have you ever been to a Books-A-Million? What is your favorite book store?

April 11, 2013

  • I Thought It Was Spring. . .

    But where I live, we've been having summer type weather. For the past two days, it's been in the high 80's here. Close to to 90. It's been very, very hot. We might have to put the air conditioners soon because of it being so hot.

    It's nice to see things coming to life again though. The grass, the plants and trees are all coming back to life. The flowers that are up so far, are pretty. The birds are out too. They seem happy with the warm though. It is nice to hear them in the mornings again.
    The doves have been outside at the bird feeders. I see them when I go out to get the mail. 
    And with it being warm, I am also really missing Gettysburg. When it's warm, that is normally when me, my boyfriend and parents go to Gettysburg. I'm not sure when we will be going, or if we will go. Money problems are part of the reason we haven't been going, but there is another reason that I'm not going to discuss it on here. I will just say that it is frustrating me very much!
    Anyway, the summer-like weather has been surprising, but nice. I'll be letting my hamsters run around in their plastic balls soon. I don't let the hamsters in them when it's cold because of the floors being cold. So they look forward to the summer warm.
    And the first day it got really warm I braided my hair and put my leather hair wraps in. 
    It was nice on Tuesday night when I was delivering papers too. It would have been a nice night for a walk.
    How has the weather been for everyone else?

April 10, 2013

  • What I Got In The Mail

    Last week I ordered the book Lost in Foreign Passions by @Ampbreia. I ordered it from Amazon.

    It came in the mail yesterday :)
    I really can't wait to read it. I've been wanting it read it since I first started reading Ampbreia's blog, which was sometime in 2009. I think she is a great writer and I know I won't be disappointed by the book.

April 9, 2013

  • Book Recommendations: Earwig And The Witch

    Book: Earwig and the Witch

    Author: Diana Wynne Jones

    Original Publication Date: January 31st, 2012

    Pages: 128

    Earwig is an orphan. When she was a baby she was left at the orphanage and has been there ever since. But she doesn't want it any other way. She likes the orphanage, the people there, her friend Custard and most of all, they do what she wants. 
    She's avoided being chosen all this time, but there is one couple that seems to have their eye on her. 
    They pick her and she is taken to her new home. Earwig doesn't like her new home and now has to figure how out to make it so they do what she wants like at the orphanage.
    I remember when this book was announced in December 2010. I was so excited! A new Diana Wynne Jones book! I didn't care that it was for younger readers; I've read Wild Robert, which is also for younger readers and I just loved it. 
    Then only three months later Diana passed away and this became her last book. I pre-ordered this book when it was finally to be released in America in 2012 and I've waited all this time, nearly a year later, to read it. 
    I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to read it, but I think it is because I know it's her final book and I just wanted to wait a while before I finally sat down and read this story for the first time. What motivated me to read the book is because a blog has been doing a Diana Wynne Jones month in March since 2012. This is the second year for it and I decided this would be the book I read.
    The book isn't very long and is a quick read, but it sure is fun! I quite like Earwig and Thomas, the cat. The things Earwig does to the witch is funny, getting back at the witch for using her.
    The story is exciting, fun and fast-paced. The book hooks you and it's very easy to get right into the story. Earwig is definitely an interesting character.
    After I finished reading it, the book left me wanting more. I think this would have made a wonderful series. Perhaps that's what Diana Wynne Jones was planning? If that's the case, it won't happen now. However, this is still a wonderful book. A very enjoyable read. I certainly loved it.

April 8, 2013

  • A Favorite Quote

    Thought I'd share one of my favorite quotes with you all today. 

    "Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." - Aristotle
    What is one of your favorite quotes?