Polychromic

Back Again

2011-05-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

Hello! It has been a long time since I have written here, it would appear.

I have been so busy with school, that I have been slacking off on other websites besides blogger! Now that summer is approaching, though, I have kind of decided that I will make this my blog for summer... Since I rarely seem to have time to post here the rest of the year!

Speaking of summer, I get out of school on June 9th. This year has been really crazy, to put it simply. I had a lot of homework and projects and I have met a lot of new people. It is easy for me to say that I am looking forward to summer, so that I can just be quiet in my room, drink tea, and be alone.

I'll gradually try to post more here! Also, I changed the layout (it kind of matches the one I have on Tumblr). Out with the old, in with the new.

Busy with Summer Homework

2010-08-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

So, sorry I haven't posted in over two weeks. I've been working like crazy on my summer assignment for art (and reading that book for English)... I really hope I'll be able to get them finished in time!

Anyway, since I haven't had time to post on this blog (because, you know me, I post long, gramattically correct, properly formatted posts on here) I finally gave in and got a Tumblr.

I'm not abandonning this blog, of course, but Tumblr is just a little easier to post on when I'm super-busy and pressed for time (like I am right now). It's just my little place to post photos, songs, and videos... Nothing too long or drawn out, like I do on here. I'll be posting here more frequently when things settle down a little bit... But until then, here's the link to my new Tumblr.

http://wakeupmary.tumblr.com/

The Past Week

2010-08-11T20:14:00.000-07:00

So, I know I haven't posted in an entire week. Sorry about that. Allow me to give you a quick recap of my past week:

On Saturday, I saw my friend Shara for the first time in a while, and we caught up and went to the Star Trek Convention at the Hilton together. I also spent the night at her house that night, and we watched Star Trek IV (which is hilarious). Also, a few days ago, my dad finally finished work on my laptop! So, I've mostly just been surfing the web lately. (Oh, and today I had a close call with a virus. Ugh.)

That's about it, I guess...

Oh! Shae got home today, so very soon, Shae, Shara and I are going to have a fantastic night of awesome. We're going to go see Inception together (Shara and I have seen it, but want to see it again; Shae hasn't seen it yet but really wants to), possibly rent and watch Pulp Fiction (none of us have ever seen it), and engage in other sorts of tomfoolery.

Well, there's really nothing much else interesting to talk about... So, until later, farewell!

Wordless Wednesday #13: Dance Class

2010-08-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

Photo #1 (Left to Right): Natasha W., Meghan O., Me
Photo #2 (Left to Right): Meghan O., Me

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

Camping

2010-08-01T23:53:00.000-07:00

So, I went camping at Morro Bay, and now I'm back.

It was pretty fun. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos yet, because my mom forgot the digital camera at home, so we bought and used a couple disposable ones.

I think the best part was when I went with my Uncle Jim and my cousin Kenny down by the water. We were climbing over rocks, and we were catching tiny little crabs from cracks in the rocks. We also saw some hermit crabs and a lot of snails... Anyway, while this was the best part, I will say right now: the worst part was last night, when I went to go brush my teeth. I was keeping my toothbrush in one of those little plastic travel tubes, and when I opened up the tube, a pincher bug fell out. (I. Hate. Bugs.) It was about three quarters of an inch long... Ugh. Disgusting.

We also went into town at one point. It was nice... We walked along the docks near all the shops. At one point we stopped to pet this fat little kitty, Morris (it was wearing a collar and name tag), that was just relaxing by the water. I also got to eat some fish and chips.

I have so much to do now that I'm back... I have to read that book for English, do my entire summer assignment for art class, and also, the Star Trek convention is coming up!

I'm getting pretty exhausted, so I'm going to go. I'll try to post photos from my trip later... Until then, see ya!

Wordless Wednesday #12: They see me rollin'.

2010-07-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

Aloha Friday #10: Time Travel

2010-07-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

The blog An Island Life chronicles a mother's life in Hawaii. On it, she started a blog phenomenon called "Aloha Friday." She writes:

"In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response."

I'll join in the fun, along with the 100+ people posting their questions. Well, I love music... Who doesn't? I have listened to the same radio station every morning on my way to school since the 1st grade (I'm going into 10th grade this year). I also adore classical music. So, my question today is simple:

If you had to choose any past era to go back and live in, what era/time period yould you choose?

Well, that's my Aloha Friday question! Feel free to write as long or as short of a response as you want in the comments of this post, and be sure to click the picture above to read An Island Life's latest installment of Aloha Friday!

Features, Reading, and To-do Lists

2010-07-22T01:30:00.000-07:00

Hello! Sorry it's been a few days... Seeing as how it's summer and all, nothing terribly noteworth has happened since Sunday, anyway.

So, I have updated a few things here on my blog... For example, at the bottom of this post and every other one, you will now find five little buttons in a row: one to e-mail the post, one to blog about it on your Blogger, one to tweet it on Twitter, one to share it on Facebook, and one to share it on Google Buzz. Another little update is that I have added an About Me page that you can now access in in the sidebar.

Moving on. Seeing as how the first part of the final Harry Potter movie comes out in November, I started reading the 6th book a night or two ago... You see, I only read up until the 5th book. I finished it around the time I was starting middle school. I didn't continue on for two reasons: 1. They were starting to get rather long, drawn out, and grim. 2. Entering middle school, I was soon going to be much more busy.

Well, the point is here that I intend to finish the 6th and 7th books before November. Unfortunately, I also have to read The Lord of the Flies for English class this summer, which, from what I understand, is terribly boring... Oh well. I'd rather not fail the quiz.

I have so much to do before we leave for the family camping trip on the 30th... I would really appreciate a haircut, because I am starting to look like some sort of lion with an unkempt mane. I also need to clear out the disorderly corner of my bedroom where my new desk will soon go, so that I will have a proper place for my laptop. I should probably also buy a swim suit, because I might possibly be spending a day at the Mandalay Bay pool with my friends. I agreed to an art trade on deviantART I'd like to complete... My friend Monica and I have discussed possible plans for hanging out at the mall, and to top it all off, there's a very good chance that I'll be getting my braces off on the 26th.

Ugh... So much to do in eight days. Oh well, I suppose I'll just have to give it my best effort. I should probably be well rested so that I can get some stuff done tomorrow, so good night.

Photo #1: A beautiful sunflower... They remind me of summer. Photo #2: The book cover of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling. Photo #3: The enormous pool at the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino.

Laptop

2010-07-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, you heard me right!

After almost five years of waiting, I am finally getting a laptop! My dad ordered it for me today! It's going to be so great. It will be dark purple, with a built-in webcam and a backlit keyboard... I'm even going to get a wireless mouse, just like I've always wanted! I am so excited!

The best part, though? I will finally get to play Sims 3. I'm going to buy the game A.S.A.P. I can barely contain my excitement. Seriously.

So, ahem, moving on. As I have mentioned before, there is a family camping trip coming up on the 30th, at Morro Bay (in California). My mother has now told me that we're probably going, so I'm very happy right now! We will be having to buy a new tent, however... But I think it will be fun going tent-shopping.

Well, this is a short post... Oh well. I might post again later tonight. Until then, see ya!

An Interesting Dream

2010-07-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

I had a rather strange dream last night...

For some reason, a bunch of kids from my school and I were all at this weird gathering. There were a few adults there that I didn't recognize... We were all in this kind of big cafeteria/gym with a bunch of tables and chairs. Then, for some reason, one of the adults (a man in a suit that looked kind of like some sort of television host) had us put together tables and sit in groups separated by religious beliefs. (I know, weird.) There was one group of a religion I had not heard of (for some reason, their emblem was the @ sign), and just for curiosity's sake I suppose, I sat with them. I did not recognize any of the people in this group, but I sat and listened to what they had to say nonetheless. One boy explained what the group believed in, and I don't remember the specifics, but I remember thinking that the group was not at all what I thought it was.

When the boy was finished speaking, a few people at the table stood up, including me, and we took our chairs and walked over to the table where all the Atheists sat. I saw a few of my friends there... About six or seven. To make room for myself and the others moving to this table, I pushed another table against the Atheists' table, then took a seat. I began to smile and make cheerful conversation with those at the table (that was not at all related to Atheism)...

And that's when I woke up.

Yes, I am an Atheist, just for the record. I have been for a good year or two. I had never really thought much about religion, but when the people around me began discussing it, it wasn't exactly what I believed in, so I decided that I was an Atheist. Then, I realized that I wasn't alone, that being an atheist wasn't necessarily a bad thing, and I began to meet more and more people who felt the same way...

To those of you reading this who are thinking about commenting, please remember this: If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Being an Atheist does not mean I hate people of religion or that I think they're fools. I have many religious friends, and I believe that Atheism and religion can coexist without trying to destroy each other.

Anyway. Moving on.

I love the 1920's... Just the style back then. It was great. I might be a flapper for Halloween this year... (No, I am not too old to dress up. Be quiet.) I really want to have a big, fun Halloween party, but the thing is, Halloween is a week before my birthday (which is November 8th)... So would I be having two parties that close to each other? I don't know... But I've always wanted a Halloween party. I mean, I suppose I could always combine the two, but... I don't know. I would rather celebrate my Sweet 16th and Halloween separately.

Erm, well... There isn't really much else to talk about right now, so I suppose I'll be going. See ya!

Photo #1: The @ sign, the symbol of one of the religions in my dream. Photo #2: One of many symbols for Atheism. Photo #3: The word "coexist" created using symbols for (in order) Islam, Wicca, science, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Christianity. Photo #4: A beautiful 20's style dress. (source)

Passing Strange Book Trailer (For a Contest!)

2010-07-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

Hey! If you read my blog, you probably heard me mention that I've been filming a book trailer for a contest. Well, it's all finished!

I love the Generation Dead series (Generation Dead, Kiss of Life, and Passing Strange), and when I heard about the contest on the author's blog, I got really excited... My friend Nat, who is also a fan of the series, agreed to star in my trailer. So, here's my entry! Wish me luck! (Here's a link to the official contest page.)

Wordless Wednesday #11: My Finished Work

2010-07-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

Welcome Home

2010-07-14T18:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I got home from California on Monday night. it was pretty fun.

We spent Thursday driving up there (about an 8 to 10 hour drive). On Friday, we visited with family, and we also went to the JC Penny at the mall so that I could get something to wear to the party. On Saturday, we went to the party for my grandparents' 50th anniversary, which was really a lot of fun. Everybody liked my painting, and at one point, they clapped for me. On Sunday, we visited with family some more, and we (my brother, my mom, my grandparents, my aunt, my cousin, and I) all went out to dinner at Applebee's. Overall, it was a pretty fun little vacation, even if it was kind of short.

The annual family camping trip is the end of this month, but my family isn't sure if we can go yet... After all, we would have to buy a new tent, supplies, etc. I really hope we can go, because it's at Morro Bay, which is a beautiful place. I love it there, but I've only been camping there a few times.

Well, let's see... It's summer, so there's really not that much else to talk about here. I guess I'll Just be going now... Oh, and by the way, for today's Wordless Wednesday post, I will be posting a photograph of the finished portrait that I have been talking about for weeks.

Anyway, goodbye!

Picture #1: Happy Golden Anniversary, Grandma and Grandpa! Picture #2: The beautiful Morro Bay State Park campgrounds. (source)

Road Trip!!!

2010-07-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

This is going to be an extremely short post, as I am kind of in a bit of a rush.

In about a half-hour or so, I will be leaving for Modesto, California on a 10-hour-long drive. I can't wait to see the sights and have all that time to relax... It's going to be great. I hope that we (my mom, my brother, and I) get to eat at adiner, even a chain one like Denny's. (I don't know why, but when I'm on a road trip, I love to eat at diners like that.)

Well, I might post while I'm there if I have time... We'll have to see. I'll definitely post when I get back, though... So, goodbye!

Plans, Wizards, and Long Drives

2010-07-06T02:34:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I told you all about my master plan to squeeze in everything I want to get done in before Thursday (when I'm leaving for California). I am happy to say that everything is going along smoothly so far. I don't feel nearly as stressed out now...

So, last night, I watched my favorite movie from the Harry Potter series: The Prisoner of Azkaban (the 3rd one). I like the storyline in that one... Maybe I also like it because Gary Oldman is in it, or because my two favorite characters (Remus Lupin and Sirius Black) are in it. I don't know. But it was fun watching it after not having seen it in a while. I might even post a movie review of it sometime...

Well, on Thursday morning (around 9 or 10 AM), I'll be leaving for Modesto, California. It's about a 10 hour drive... I don't know why, but I love really long road trips. I guess I just like seeing the sights, maybe? Not entirely sure. It's going to be my mother, my older brother, and I. We bought this cool cord for the car so I can play my iPod, so this time I don't even have to bring a huge CD case!

To those of you reading this (if any), what do you do on long roadtrips? Also, do you have any suggestions for stuff I should do? Because on long road trips, I mostly listen to music and stare out the window.

Well, I'm going to be getting to bed... Good night!

Photo 1: The official movie poster for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). Photo 2: The Modesto, California arch.

Working Hard or Hardly Working

2010-07-04T01:52:00.000-07:00

At the moment, I am focusing on the latter, and I am enjoying it.

Today was a fun (yet exhausting) day... I went to Old Navy and bought some nice new clothes (including a pair of pajama pants with a pattern of little to-go coffee cups!), and then to Borders for books and a birthday present for my friend Lanae. After Borders, I went straight to Lanae's party and had a grand old time... We played Duck, Duck, Goose and Red Rover out in the street for a while. We also just sat around talking, and I met two nice girls who just graduated this year who are into art, and we're now friends on deviantART.

However, now it's time to really crack down and get to work. I have it all planned out now... Tomorrow (or, since it's past midnight, I suppose it's today) I'll be going out to Aliante Station for fireworks, dinner, and a movie with my parents and my brother. I will also work on the portrait I am doing (mostly the sections of my grandfather's sut and my grandmother's blouse and necklace). On the 5th, I will spend the day painting, focusing on the section of my grandmother's face and head... The 6th will be the same, only I will be painting my grandfather's face and head, at which point the entire portrait will be completed with sufficient time to dry (about 36 hours, I'd say; oil paint dries very slowly).

Now, if by some miracle I do finish the portrait by then, I will invite my friend Natalie to come over to my house on the 7th to hang out and do me a favor by starring in a book trailer I am filming and editting for a contest... We just might even bake a cake, and probably make it look like Pac-Man.

Now, let's just hope that my master plan goes along smoothly, rather than accidentally swerving and running off a cliff...

In other hopes, I have been looking lately for a new game to play for the PS3... The problem is, it seems about 75% of the games out for the PS3 are fighting games (which I'm not very good at) or shooting games (which I also suck at, but I don't really like them anyway). Right now, all I have for the PS3 are Batman: Arkham Asylum, Eternal Sonata, LittleBigPlanet, and Trivial Pursuit (which is only fun with two or more people).

The Toy Story 3 game has gotten good reviews, but I doubt that mmy parents would buy it for me... I never really ask for them to buy me video games, though. Mainly books, clothes, and art supplies (lots and lots of art supplies). I have a couple things to look forward to, though: the release of LittleBigPlanet 2 in November 2010, and the release of Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 in 2011.

(By the way, in case you were not aware: the reason I am focusing on the PS3 system is not because I don't have any other systems, but because for my 15th birthday I got a PS3 for my room... My family is usually using the TV in the living room with all the other systems.)

Well, I should probably be getting to bed soon. Good night, and

Happy Independence Day!

Photo 1: Lanae's birthday party was awesome! (Her actual birthday is the 4th of July, though.) Photo 2: Happy Independence Day, everybody. Photo 3: Pac-Man certainly does look like a cake, doesn't he? Photo 4: The PS3 Slim; the same kind I have in my room. Photo 5: Toy Story 3: The Video Game.

Richard Cory (a poem)

2010-07-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

by Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869–1935)

WHENEVER Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
“Good-morning,” and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich,—yes, richer than a king,—
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.

(source)

A poem my friend posted a link to (she said she had read it in English class)... I just thought it was interesting and had a strong message.

My Busy Schedule, Gluttony, and Dreams

2010-07-01T02:56:00.000-07:00

So, I have a lot on my plate right now, it seems.

I (still) have to paint that portrait of my grandparents, I have to film and edit a book trailer for a contest, I really should work on my 7-part summer assignment for art, Independence Day is coming up, and I just got invited to my friend's 16th birthday party on the night of the 3rd. To put the metaphorical cherry on top, my mom just moved the day we're leaving for California from the 9th to the 8th, which means that I have to finish the portrait sometime around the night of the 6th. (Oil paint takes quite a while to dry.)

I wish that there were more hours in the day, but I'm afraid that won't be happening any time soon.

Since summer started, I've been eating like crazy... Candy, cake, hot pockets, granola bars, burgers, ice cream; you name it. I'm not sure if it's because I'm (for some unknown reason) more hungry or just that I have more free time to eat... I don't know, but it's a good thing I haven't seemed to gain any weight.

Anyway, now that I'm really starting on this portrait, I've been thinking of possible places to work. Just about every artist can agree on a few requirements for the workplace: it has to be a low-traffic area, that's quiet (unless you like music playing while you work), with places to set down supplies (such as a table or something, and obviously, it has to be comfortable (so the floor is out). I've previously painted in the large entryway, which I didn't like because of all the people passing by and all the noise. (Plus, it was an easy-access area for my two nosey little cats.) This time, I'm going to try to talk my parents into letting me use the guest room. I can set up my French easel by the vanity (which I can put supplies on), plus it has a bench almost exactly like the ones we use in art class.

Someday, I'll have a dream studio... Lots of tables, chairs, shelves and drawers, a good-quality stereo with a remote for playing my music, an air purifier (so I won't get headaches around the paint and chemical fumes anymore). I might even hire that assistant I always talk about... Somebody to hand me things, and when I'm done, clean my brushes and other supplies. Yes, if I had this kind of studio, I think that I'd hardly ever leave.

Well, enough of my rambling. I should be getting to bed soon, I suppose... Good night.

Photo 1: Independence Day (A.K.A. the 4th of July) is right around the corner... (picture source) Photo 2: Gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins, so I'm probably in trouble. (picture source) Photo 3: One of the unique things about a French easel is that it has a pull-out drawer for supplies. (picture source) Photo 4: A beautiful art studio. (picture source)

Movie Review- The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

2010-07-01T01:43:00.000-07:00

I went to see this movie today, so here's my review.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (6.30.10) ***

Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner

Now, I know that The Twilight Saga has been getting a lot of people worked up lately... Either out of hate or out of joyful obsession. However, I'm not going to review this movie as either of those parties, but rather review it as an ordinary moviegoer. (I have, however, read all four books.) This was an alright movie. The action sequences were really cool. However, the cheesy teen romance might have been a tiny bit excessive, but all those parts were in the book, so what can ya do? I think they did a pretty good job going from book to movie... They didn't seem to leave out too much. Now, if you liked the other movies (but haven't read the books), you'll probably like this one the best. If you have read the books, I imagine you'll be pleased with the film. I liked it, and I certainly better than the previous two movies (Twilight and New Moon).

Wordless Wednesday #10: Copying Paintings II

2010-06-30T22:49:00.000-07:00

CLICK THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE.

1st Photograph courtesy of Frisbeedogz. (I'm towards the far left, in the white dress, next to the girl in yellow.)

Painting: "The School of Athens" (detail) by Raphael

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

My Train (Wreck) of Thought

2010-06-27T03:19:00.000-07:00

It's really quite amazing how I can get so happy thinking about the future... About being able to drive, about going to college and being on my own... I've been talking with a couple close friends lately about all the cool things we'll do together in just a few years, and it makes me feel so excited and hopeful. I can't wait to graduate high school.

But then, I come back down to Earth and start thinking about things that will be going on in just a few months... Like school. In just a couple months, I will once again be losing sleep, stressing out, waking up in the morning with a sob, wanting to pull my hair out, and teetering on the edge of failure. I hate school so much now. I wish there was a "get out of school free" card in life, but alas, there is not. (Not without dropping out and feeling like a failure, anyhow. I would enjoy a somewhat promising future, if you don't mind terribly.)

Look at me, complaining. There may very well be people reading this who want to say "Oh yeah? Well I _______________, so stop complaining, you have it easy!" Then again, I seem to be getting that a lot nowadays, so what else is new? Although I know that there are people out there with terrible lives that would make me look like Paris Hilton, I hate it when I'm seeking comfort or motivation, even just a hug, and instead all I get is "suck it up, we should focus on me."

Alright, alright... I'll be quiet and try to find something less depressing to talk about.

So, I have a lot going on in the next couple of weeks... I'm going to be filming and editing a book trailer for a contest, I'm going to be working like a dog to complete that portrait of my grandparents for their 50th anniversary, I'll be going to the party for their anniversary (which is in California, 10 hours from here), and... Oh God. I feel like I'm forgetting something. This can't possibly be good at all. Oh well, I'll remember it eventually. (Maybe.) I probably won't be able to actually take a deep breath and relax until the 11th, when I will be getting home from my granparents' party.

Well, I think that's enbough rambling for one night... Good night.

Photo #1: The future is bright. Photo #2: Hmmm... Sounds like a pretty decent plan. Photo #3: Yes sir, Mr. T, sir... Photo #4: The 50th anniversary is the golden anniversary.

Aloha Friday #9: Music

2010-06-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

The blog An Island Life chronicles a mother's life in Hawaii. On it, she started a blog phenomenon called "Aloha Friday." She writes:

What is/are your favorite song(s) or artist(s)? Do you like classical music (if so, who)?

My Answer: I like Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith, Alone by Heart, Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen, Don't Stop Me Now by Queen, and Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler. And I love classical music, especially Chopin and Beethoven.

Well, that's my Aloha Friday question! Feel free to write as long or as short of a response as you want in the comments of this post, and be sure to click the picture above to read An Island Life's latest installment of Aloha Friday!

Wordless Wednesday #9: Copying Paintings

2010-06-23T00:06:00.000-07:00

People in Photo: Sierra (in background), Justin (painter), Hayley (green skirt), Mary (me, white dress), Jenaveve (gray skirt), Diana (brown coat)

Painting: Las Meninas (detail) by Diego Velazquez

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

MyType Personality Type (Test Results)

2010-06-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

I took the MyType personality test, and these were my results... Sounds accurate for the most part, I suppose.

You are: The Executive (ENTJ)
ENTJs take charge quickly and deal directly with problems, especially in situations that involve confusion and inefficiency. They provide structure to the organizations to which they belong and design strategies to accomplish their personal and organizational goals. They develop broad, action-oriented plans, and supply the necessary energy and momentum to see that these plans are accomplished. ENTJs are "take charge" people who organize their own, and others', external environments. They do not take "no" for an answer; instead, they use their resources to find a way to meet the challenge. They are at their best in using their analytical and strategic thinking.

You are clearly an Extrovert

You scored 96% in the direction of Extraversion, which means you are clearly an Extrovert. People who are clearly Extroverts are naturally active and social people. They spend lots of time outwardly expressing themselves through conversation, collaboration, or recreation. They draw energy from this sort of interaction and quickly grow restless if they have to spend too much time alone or not engaged in some sort of activity.

You are clearly an iNtuitive

You scored 93% in the direction of iNtuition, which means you are clearly an iNtuitive. People who are clearly iNtuitives are so focused on the "big picture" that they often overlook the details. Because of this, some people may see them as absent-minded. But don't be fooled: these iNtuitives quickly notice underlying patterns, hidden relationships and ironies that others miss. They enjoy considering the ways people or ideas are connected and are constantly thinking about the future, particularly how to change it.

You are clearly a Thinker

You scored 78% in the direction of Thinking, which means you are clearly a Thinker. People who are clearly Thinkers are tough, objective, and calculating. They do not let emotions get in the way of reason or cloud their judgment. They seek and express the truth, however ugly it may be. Their words are precise, direct, and sometimes critical.

You are a Judger

You scored 39% in the direction of Judging, which means you are a Judger. Judgers like to keep track of things so that they're not caught off-guard or unprepared, and for the same reason tend not to leave a decision up in the air or an issue unresolved. While they appreciate flexibility, even a little spontaneity, they're most comfortable when they're in control.

Movie Review- Toy Story 3 (3D)

2010-06-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

I went to see this with Kimberly on Saturday...

Toy Story 3 (3D) (6.18.10) *****

Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Michael Keaton

I really liked this movie! It was fun and entertaining, and it definitely isn't just for kids. The 3D was pretty cool, the comedy was clever, and the plot was really exciting. They did interesting things with the characters, and there weren't any characters that were just kind of there. It was also really touching and kind of sad; it really does remind you of being a kid. (I find it funny how people of all ages are talking about really wanting to see this movie, especially people my age. It's probably because teenagers now are likely to have watched the other two movies when they were kids.) Anyway, if you haven't seen it yet... Go see it. Seriously. (It's the 31st highest rated movie of all time on Metacritic!)

Commercials Have Good Taste

2010-06-20T21:17:00.000-07:00

So, guess what I did? Yup, that's right. I went to Gatorade's official website and downloaded the song from their latest commercial... I don't know why, but I really love the song. (It's called Gatorade Has Evolved and it's performed by Kermit Quinn.) It's just really uplifting.

I love songs from commercials. Some of the best music on my iPod came from commercials I saw... Such as Stole My Heart by Little and Ashley (from an Amazon Kindle commercial) and Major Tom by Shiny Toy Guns (from a 2010 Lincoln MKZ commercial).

But enough about commercials. (This isn't a TV commercial blog, after all.) I've actually (kinda) started on the portrait I'm doing for my grandparents. (I just drew the grid on the canvas, actually...) I need to have it done by around July 7th or 8th, I think. I need new paintbrushes, though... The ones I bought got all smashed, and they shed all over my paintings. I know a better kind to buy now, though, so let's hope these next ones work.

I've decided to enter a couple contests, to give myself something to do... One is an art contest, the other is a film-making contest. It should keep me occupied for a couple days. Then again, I also have to work on that portrait, as well as reading that book for English class and doing that summer assignment for art class... This kind of sucks. It's summer, yet I am still plagued with work.

So, I'm going to be needing a new swimsuit, I suppose. My old swimsuit doesn't fit anymore... Fortunately, though, I saw a swimsuit I really liked in a magazine. It's really inexpensive, and it's sold at Wet Seal. There are only a couple of problems though... 1) The only Wet Seal stores I know of are kind of far away. 2) I'm broke as joke, and I don't know if my mom would agree to buy it for me.

Oh well. It's not as if I have a pool, or anything... (My mom and I really wanted to find a house with a pool when we were looking at houses last summer, but my dad said it would be too expensive to maintain.)

Well, I promised my mom and my brother that I wouldn't be on the computer all night, and I don't want to be a hypocrite. (When I ask them to get off the computer, they usually take a couple of hours, in which case I usually yell at them, and they usually use some lame excuse that has nothing to do with my complaint. Of course, they deny doing this when I bring it up later and insist that it's somehow my fault.)

See you later, and enjoy summer!

P.S. I'm going to the orthodontist tomorrow... I'm getting my braces off soon. Yay! And yet, at the same time... Not yay. (I've heard getting them off is the most painful part of the whole process.)

Movie Review- Karate Kid, Iron Man 2, How to Train Your Dragon, Avatar

2010-06-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

A few movies I've seen recently.

The Karate Kid (6.11.10) *****

Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan

I really loved this movie, and not just because Jaden Smith is adorable (honey, I shrunk the Will Smith). It actually surprised me in many ways. The story was really compelling, and the actors' performances were all amazing. The fight scenes were exciting, and people in the theater were actually clapping as if they were watching it in person. Jackie Chan did an excellent job playing the teacher; I think his character was my favorite in this movie. I kind of want to go see this movie again before it leaves theaters...

Iron Man 2 (5.7.10) ***

Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson

It's hard to say whether or not this one was better than the first one... I loved the first one, and I still do, but this movie was very different plot-wise, so it's almost like comparing apples to oranges, in a way. However, I do know that it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. If there's one thing that bugs me about a movie, it's when it's anticlimactic. I'm one for big, dramatic, flashy endings... But the final battle in this was short and forgettable. However, I did truly enjoy the rest of the movie, and I'm glad I got the chance to see it in theaters.

How to Train Your Dragon (3.26.10) *****

Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill

This movie was a lot different than I thought it would be. I expected it to be just another heartwarming, family-fun type of movie (that I was mostly drawn to because of my childhood love of dragons). When I went to see it, however, it was so much more than that. It had a really strong message that most family movies don't really put out there. It was dramatic and uplifting, and I really enjoyed it... Plus, the 3D was so amazing in some of the scenes where Hiccup (the main character) is flying on the back of Toothless (the dragon he trains), it feels like one of those "4D" rides at an amusement park. In the end of the movie, though, something happens that these kind of movies almost never do, so I've got to hand it to them. This is definitely a movie you should go see, regardless of your age.

Avatar (12.18.09) ****

Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana

This has become an extremely historic movie, for so many reasons... But most memorably, it has become the highest grossing film of all time. I know a lot of people make fun of the fact that it just slightly altered the plots of Dances with Wolves or Disney's Pocahontas, but I really like what they did with it. The whole movie (in theaters at least) kind of felt like a roller-coaster ride. It was exciting and suspenseful, and I knew that there were people in the theater in tears at certain parts. The special effects were so amazing... I remember seeing a preview and thinking that it would look like some cheesy video game, with unsynchronized lips and such, but when I saw it, I was blown away. I saw it a few times in theaters, but I have yet to watch the DVD. I thought it was a good movie, and it's definitely worth watching.

Get Inspired

2010-06-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome video! It's 40 inspirational speeches (from movies) compiled into two minutes. You should watch it. Seriously.

TRANSCRIPT:
Shame on you. This could be the greatest night of our lives, but you're going to let it be the worst. And I guarantee a week won't go by in your life you won't regret walking out, letting them get the best of you. Well, I'm not going home. We've come too far! And I'm going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause. A day may come when the courage of men fails... but it is not THIS day. The line must be drawn HERE. This far, no further! I'm not saying it's going to be easy. You're going to work harder than you ever worked before. But that's fine, we'll just get tougher with it! If a person grits his teeth and shows real determination, failure is not an option. That's how winning is done! Believe me when I say we can break this army here, and win just one for the Gipper. But I say to you what every warrior has known since the beginning of time: you've got to get mad. I mean plum mad dog mean. If you would be free men, then you must fight to fulfill that promise! Let us cut out their living guts one inch at a time, and they will know what we can do! Let no man forget how menacing we are. We are lions! You're like a big bear, man! This is YOUR time! Seize the day, never surrender, victory or death... that's the Chicago Way! Who's with me? Clap! Clap! Don't let Tink die! Clap! Alright! Let's fly! And gentlemen in England now abed shall know my name is the Lord when I tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our Independence Day!

Thinking Ahead

2010-06-15T02:18:00.000-07:00

So, last night, I cleaned out my backpack and began putting new school supplies in it, for when I start my sophomore year in a couple months. I know it's pretty early, but I've been thinking so much about starting school again. There are a million new worries that I'll have...

First of all, I'll be starting normal P.E. (I took a dance class for my P.E. credit last year... Which I hated.) I'll also be starting Algebra II/Trigonometry, which even my Geometry teacher described as being a ridiculously difficult class that is likely to devour every ounce of my free time. There are probably more reasons to fear being a sophomore, but it is likely that I have successfully blocked them mentally. (However, I will probably remember them later tonight, flinch, and then worry some more.)

I've also been thinking about my friends... Nearly everybody I eat lunch with are in the grade above mine, so what am I going to do when I'm a senior? I wonder if I'll get to go to their graduation and say goodbye to all of them... I don't know. It just seems like it's really gonna suck, you know? There I go again, worrying about something that won't be a problem for a few more years.

So, anyway, although it's summer, it appears that I still have things to stress over... I have to finish this 18" by 14" portrait of my grandparents for their 50th anniversary by the beginning of July, and I haven't even started it. Plus, my parents have been telling me that I need to help clean/organize the house... To top it all off, I have recently been informed by my family that we have been having a problem with scorpions finding their way into the house, so I'm extremely paranoid. I also have to clear out all the old junk from my closet... This is proving to be a very busy vacation thus far.

Well, I should probably go finish reorganizing my bedroom and get to bed. I woke up at 4:30 P.M. today... And even I think that that's a little late. Even though I have been getting plenty of sleep lately, I just can't seem to bring myself to get out of bed. Maybe I'm about to go into a thousand-year sleep or something... I don't know.

Anyhow, good night.

Photo 1: This is my backpack... I've used it for the past year, and I think I'll probably be using for another year. Photo 2: Graduating can be both a happy and sad time... Photo 3: I really need to start on that portrait.

Movie Review- Immortal Beloved

2010-06-13T21:40:00.000-07:00

I rented this movie a few weeks ago, and I just bought it recently. I love it, so, here's a review of it.

Immortal Beloved (1.6.95) *****

Gary Oldman

I absolutely adored this; it may be my new favorite movie. Gary Oldman, who was Dracula in Bram Stoker's Dracula (also a movie I love), plays Beethoven, and he does an amazing job.
Basically, the plot of the film is that Beethoven has just died, and in his will, he leaves everything he owns to his "Immortal Beloved." However, everybody thought he was just some lonely madman, so nobody knows who this is... So, Beethoven's secretary and friend, Schindler, takes it upon himself to find this woman. He goes around talking to people and learning all about Beethoven's past and his love life, and there are many flashbacks.
This movie was funny, sad, dramatic, and exciting, as well as romantic. The actors were all excellent, and the music was so beautiful, I want to get the soundtrack. It's rated R, though, because there is a very small amount of nudity, but there aren't really any sex scenes. I love this movie... So much so, that I'll give the trailer right here, just to try to convince you that it is worth watching.

My Favorite Names

2010-06-13T17:56:00.000-07:00

Boy Names:

Vincent, Eric/Erik, Victor, Armand, Otis, Leonard, Laurence, Vladimir, Owen, Baret, Draven, Richard, James, Elliot, Oliver, Anthony, Kristoff, Solomon

Girl Names:

Emilia, Harmony, Iris, Erin, Eira, Ivory, Ebony, Erian, Millie, Anne, Harper, Nora, Alice, Brandy, Piper, Pearl, Sawyer

Sleeping in

2010-06-12T17:23:00.000-07:00

So, last night I went to bed around 4:30 or 5 A.M. (about the time the sun started to rise), and today I woke up at 3:30 P.M. Don't you just love summer? 'Cause I sure do.

Well, today, I might be going to a graduation party, but I haven't decided yet. On one hand, our internet has been having problems lately, and today, they just got fixed. On the other, I should probably stop laying around like a bowl of soup and get out of the house. I'm not sure.

Lately, my mom has been waking me up by bringing our cat, Zorro, into my room to walk around my bed (and on me) and plop down on it. He's still on my bed right now... I opened the blinds for him to let some sunlight in, and he's just sprawled out across my quilt and blankets, acting like he owns the place. It's quite cute, although I do feel the need to check on him every once in a while and make sure he hasn't eaten my houseplants (as he has been known to do before).

Well, I should probably go eat something, seeing as how I haven't eaten since about midnight. Just thought I would type up a short little post because I haven't posted in a while. See ya!

Photo: A Las Vegas sunrise, right by The Strip.

Aloha Friday #8: Gifts

2010-06-10T22:31:00.000-07:00

The blog An Island Life chronicles a mother's life in Hawaii. On it, she started a blog phenomenon called "Aloha Friday." She writes:

I'll join in the fun, along with the 100+ people posting their questions. For my grandparents' 50th anniversary this summer, I am painting them a portrait of the two of them. I will work hard, and I hope they like it. So, out of curiousity, I am asking you this:

What is one of the best presents you have ever gotten? Who was it from, and what was it for?

It Doesn't Grow on Trees

2010-06-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

As with most events in my life, I cannot properly discuss this without mentioning art.

The art department at my school does a yearly trip, apparently... To Europe, to see some of the great art of the world. They have been to many different locations throughout Europe, and this time, they chose a trip package that the travel company calls "A Tale of Two Cities." It goes to London and Paris, each for four days. You go to all the famous art museums there, including Paris' famous Louvre and the National Gallery in London. (There are also a few extra stops at famous landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower, London's Buckingham Palace, and Paris' Pere la Chaise cemetery: final resting place of many famous artists and such, including the amazing Polish composer Frédéric Chopin.) The trip is during spring break of 2011.

Now, as I'm sure you can imagine, I really want to go. I would give an arm and a leg. Unfortunately, I don't think an arm and a leg would cover the whole $4,000 cost of the trip.

For this reason, I know I probably won't be able to go on the trip. It is terribly expensive, and you know what they say: money doesn't grow on trees. The thing is, though, next year will most likely be Ms Treat's (my art teacher and the trip organizer) last year teaching, so this will probably also be the art department's last trip to Europe... So it's not as if I can just save up the money and go in my senior year.

Well, I'm going to be (hopefully) getting a job when I turn 16, and I'm trying to think of other ways to produce funds until then... But, we'll just have to see how everything goes. If it turns out that I can't get a decent amount of money by the deadline, I don't want to bankrupt my family just so that I can have a week of amazement. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see. Que será será, and whatnot.

In other not-so-exciting news, it's starting to get pretty hot here in Vegas, I'm bored out of my mind, and my hair seems to be getting wavier every day. I went to Party City today just for fun, and I bought a bunch of silly little things, including Batman and Iron man masks. I love Party City; it's just full of fun, random little things.

I don't really have anything else that interesting to tell. I'm going to be posting more movie reviews soon, just for the record.

Well, that's it. Later.

Photo 1: The Louvre, a famous art museum in Paris. Photo 2: Taking off. Photo 3: "It's so hot, you could fry an egg on the sidewalk!"

Wordless Wednesday #8: Kim and I at the Adventuredome

2010-06-09T00:05:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

Exhaustion

2010-06-07T02:33:00.000-07:00

I am very exhausted, but I don't want to go to bed, so I suppose I'll type up a blog post.

Well, June 6th, 2010 was my parents' 23rd anniversary. To celebrate, we went to Fry's Electronics, a giant store clear on the other side of town, full of DVD's, music, video games, computers... Basically, everything under the sun (that runs on electricity). The store is right next to Town Square mall, a large outdoor mall that is a popular hangout for locals of all ages. The mall houses a restaurant called Texas de Brazil, which is the amazing Brazilian steakhouse where we ate lunch... Basically, it's just a really fancy buffet. You start by eating food from the salad bar, and when you're ready, the waiters come around with these long skewers of meats, and you get to try whatever you want. They have sausage, lamb, sirloin, flank steak, chicken, pork... It was delicious!

Afterwards, we went home, but Mom and I later went back out to Wal-Mart for cat food and various snacks and lunches to keep around the house for summer. (I bought a huge bag of pretzel M'n'M's... So I think that my sugar fixation will be satisfied for a while!)

Now, though, I'm just sitting around, doing nothing... It's a little past 2 A.M., my parents are in bed, my brother's all the way in Dallas, Texas, and I'm just sitting here, bored out of my mind. You may be wondering why I don't just go to bed, like every normal person would do... Well, my room is currently a mess, and I don't want to have to clean it up right now. There are clothes all over my bed, my sheets are in a tangled ball, and my floor is covered in pencils, paints, and papers. To top it all off, I'm starving, considering that all I've had to eat (since I went to the steakhouse at one in the afternoon) is half a tube of potato chips and a bowlful of M'n'M's.

I'm really bad when it comes to feeding myself... I'm just too lazy. You see, if somebody burst in through that office door to my left right now and said "Mary, get off the computer and eat something," I would probably do so. However, at the moment, I feel as though I would much rather just sit here.

I can hear my bed calling to me. It's cursing me out for being too lazy to clean it. I suppose I should do the responsible thing, then... Eat, change into my pajamas, brush my teeth, and clean. My back hurts just thinking about it, but I know that when my head hits the pillow, it will all be worth it.

Good night, then.

Photo 1: The Las Vegas location of Texas de Brazil. Photo 2: This looks so nice right about now... Photo 3: Oh, don't you worry. I already plan to; I don't need a sign to order me around.

Movie Review- The Princess and the Frog, The Men Who Stare at Goats, Interview with the Vampire, Fantastic Mr. Fox

2010-06-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

So, I've been doing quite a few trips to Blockbuster. Here are some reviews for a few movies I've seen lately.

The Princess and the Frog (12.11.09) *****

Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Oprah Winfrey

This was a pretty cute movie. As many have pointed out before, Disney hasn't been coming out with many films lately that follow its musical, animated tradition. This is a new twist on the classic fairytale, and I liked it! It was fun and entertaining, and the music was certainly good. The protagonists were likable, and the voice actors did a very good job. Overall, I loved it, and I certainly wouldn't mind buying the DVD to watch it again!

The Men Who Stare at Goats (11.06.09) ***

George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey, Goat

This movie was... Interesting. I liked the idea of its plot about psychic warriors in the military. However, the plot wasn't exactly what I thought it was from watching the trailers, it wasn't terribly action-packed or exciting, and it was a bit anticlimactic. All this aside, it was also very funny, and it's unique; it isn't quite like other movies lately. I liked it, but it's not one of those movies that I'll consider a classic in five or ten years.

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (11.11.94) ****

Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunst, Antonio Baderas, Christian Slater, Stephen Rea

This movie was pretty good. During the first 30 or 45 minutes or so, I thought it was really strange... But then, as things progressed, it started to make sense, and then I liked it. It's interesting; it's sad, scary, and touching, all at the same time. I think all the actors did a good job, especially Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst (she was so little). The ending was a bit strange, though, but I won't go into detail for those of you who passionately hate spoilers. Overall, I liked it.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (11.25.09) *****

George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman

I loved this movie! It wasn't just another stupid, "lets entertain the little kids" kind of movie. In fact, I think teenagers and adults would like this movie more than the little kids would. It's an interesting concept, and the puppets were so amazing and animated! If you have a Blu-Ray player, you should definitely watch this movie on it, because the art and puppets areso well-made and detailed that they're even more breath-taking in HD. The voice actors all did really good jobs. Another thing I loved about this movie was the soundtrack, which had really unique music.

Sweets, Trends, and Something Exciting

2010-06-05T22:31:00.000-07:00

Summer isn't quite as exciting as I had thought it would be. I mean, don't get me wrong, the lack of school is nice and all, but... I really don't know what I want anymore. First I thought that I wanted to hang out with my friends and go out and do stuff, but that sounds kind of exhausting. However, at the same time, I don't like just laying around here like a lump of guacamole either. (Do not mock my similes.) I'm not completely miserable or anything, though. Just... Bored, that's all.

I need an art project to do to take up my time... I have recently discovered the joy of watercolors, so perhaps I'll find a bunch of old drawings I never colored and watercolor them. For about six months or so, I've had these Talens brand watercolors that I bought at Michaels... They're pretty nice, but I never really used them much. I feel as though I have been neglecting them, so I suppose I'll start putting them to good use. The best part about them is that, because they're just water and pigment, they're super easy to clean up!

And now for a completely unrelated subject... Lately, a lot of my friends have been getting a Tumblr. It's basically the new Blogger, from what I understand. Now, most people in my position would probably switch to Tumblr... But I've had this blog for so long, and I like it, you know? Plus, Tumblr just kind of seems like a combination of Blogger and Twitter. I've never really quite understood the point of twitter... It's basically the same as updating your status on a site like Facebook or something, right? So why not just get a Facebook, and do that? I don't know, maybe I'm missing something. Oh well... I'm happy with what I've got now.

Moving on. Lately, I've been eating a lot of candy and sweets. I mean, a lot. Then again, I normally eat a lot anyway, I suppose... But I've been particularly obsessed with pretzel M'n'M's, Kit-Kat bars, and cake. Unfortunately, I seem to have run out of all three at the moment... I must buy more; my sanity depends on it! (By the way, if you haven't tried pretzel M'n'M's yet... Do it. You won't be disappointed. From what I understand, however, they can be a bit tricky to find... I buy mine from my local Walgreens, but I've seen them a couple other places too.)

I've been renting quite a few movies lately, so I'll probably be putting up a movie review post sometime soon. Until then, farewell!

Photo 1: Summertime is full of brightly colored flowers... (source) Photo 2: Watercolor paints. Photo 3: Typing away. Photo 4: Pretzel M'n'M's... Just the sight of them makes my mouth water! (source)

Aloha Friday #7: Keeping Cool

2010-06-03T23:01:00.000-07:00

The blog An Island Life chronicles a mother's life in Hawaii. On it, she started a blog phenomenon called "Aloha Friday." She writes:

I'll join in the fun, along with the 100+ people posting their questions. Here in Las Vegas, things get pretty hot in the summer. To keep cool, I love to drink iced tea! So, here's my question for you:

What snack and/or drink is your favorite when dealing with the summer heat? If you don't have one, then what is a different method you use to keep cool?

100 Strong, and Ready for Summer!

2010-06-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

This officially my 100th post here on Polychromic. It's taken me a little over a year, but I've finally gotten there... And there's much more to come!

So, yesterday was the last day of school... After school, I went to the Adventuredome with my friends Shae, Shara, Anne, and Kimberly! I had so much fun... It was definitely amazing. (We bought all-day passes, which at the Adventuredome, are little plastic bracelets that are impossible to remove without scissors. We're having a contest to see who can keep their bracelet on the longest, and the winner gets... Something. We said maybe the losers have to make something for them.)

Now, it's officially summer. For some reason, I'm having a strange time accepting that fact... Maybe summer just seems like a bigger deal when you're younger? I don't know. I just still have the feeling like I have homework to do that's due in a couple of days, or something... I just need to relax, I suppose. Perhaps it will truly sink in when I go to California this summer.

So, we have a summer assignment for art. We have to keep a sketchbook and draw in it, paint in it, tape or paste things down, etc. I also have to read The Lord of the Flies for English.

Hmmm... I feel like doing something wild. Like... Staying up until 4 A.M. drinking sun-tea and watching DVD's. Unfortunately, however, my older brother Chris (he's 21) is leaving for Dallas, Texas tonight for A-Kon, and he probably won't be back until the 7th. This means that I'll be the only one awake, which may or may not be fun... I guess we'll just have to see, now won't we?

Well, I'm gonna go to Buffalo Wild Wings soon with my parents. I'm not entirely sure why because I haven't asked, but there's a 95% chance that it's to watch a Lakers game. Anyway, see ya!

Photo 1: 100 posts, and still goin'! Photo 2: "Oh my God, it's summer! YES!!" Photo 3: Mmm, sun tea...

Howdy, Neighbor!

2010-05-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

So, one of my best friends, Kimberly (who I have known since elementary school), just started a blog! Hooray! Why don't you pay her a visit at

Awesomeriffic Coolcakes

Anxiety and Chocolate Cake

2010-05-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

So, end-of-year finals are coming up. (The "finals" I mentioned before were actually just for the first semester.) I'm kind of freaking out... There's no school on Monday (for Memorial Day), but on Tuesday I have art and Ceramics finals, and on Wednesday I have Biology and English finals. Guess which day I'm not looking forward to? Yeah... I'm sure you can imagine.

For Biology, we have a huge review packet that's due the day of the test. I was going to get together with some classmates this Monday at a Starbucks or a library or something to work on it together, but I know that probably isn't going to happen, because every event in which I'm involved in the planning is usually a disappointment.

My parents are out right now, because they got tickets to some Star Wars orchestra thing... I don't really remember the details... But, here I am, sitting here, alone in the office. I think I'll have the chocolate cake my parents brought home from Buffalo Wild Wings a couple nights ago. (Because actual dinner is for suckers... Not really, though. It's just that my parents are picking up dinner for me at 9 P.M. when they come home.) Maybe I'll play Eternal Sonata, too...

Have you ever had that feeling where there's just so many possibilities of stuff you could do, that you really just don't want to do anything at all?

Speaking of doing nothing, as I have stated previously, I refuse to just waste the summer away this year. I want to do stuff, go places, meet people. So, to prevent my usual lack of summer shenanigans, I am creating an official summer to-do list; a list of activities that I wish to do before the summer is over and done with. (I am placing it in the sidebar to the right!)

Well, that's about it, for now. This is my 98th blog post; only a couple more to go until I reach 100. See ya.

Photo 1: The "scantron" sheets used in our school for testing. Photo 2: Buffalo Wild Wings chocolate fudge cake... Yum! Photo 3: Summertime is almost here...

Top 10 Favorite Books/Series

2010-05-29T14:47:00.000-07:00

I highly recommend these books... So you should read them. (Because I said so, that's why.)

Go Ask Alice
A novel by James Jennings
The Wave
A novel by Todd Strasser
Star Trek (Movie Tie-In)
A novel by Alan Dean Foster
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod
(Eighth Grade Bites, Ninth Grade Slays, Tenth Grade Bleeds, Eleventh Grade Burns, Twelfth Grade Kills)
A series by Heather Brewer
Killing Mr. Griffin
A novel by Lois Duncan
Generation Dead
(Generation Dead, Kiss of Life, Passing Strange)
A series by Daniel Waters
Of Mice and Men
A novel by John Steinbeck
Dracula
A novel by Bram Stoker
The Twelfth Night
A play by William Shakespeare
Hatchet
A novel by Gary Paulsen

Back in Business

2010-05-28T15:59:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry, blog, for neglecting you. Not to make excuses, but you know... High school and all.

I've wanted to make a new post on here for a while. I've been longing for the magenta-and-lime color scheme that I've come to know and love. As the heat of summer 2010 approached, it made me long for my blog even more, because I began to remember all the good times that I had archived on here...

Do you remember, blog? Remember the 6 A.M. bedtimes, and the 3 P.M. mornings? Watching Star Trek T.O.S. on YouTube, listening to Her Diamonds by Rob Thomas, drinking black cherry Koolaid...

I miss those days, so bad. Whenever I hear Her Diamonds, it makes me sad, because I miss summer so much... But now, here I am; in my new house, with my new, comfy bed, and with so many new friends.

Well, summer is right around the corner. After this Memorial Day weekend, I have final exams Tuesday and Wednesday- then I'm home free.

Summer 2010... Here we go.

Art and Valentines

2010-01-31T16:18:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

Yesterday, I went to the awards ceremony for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, southern Nevada region. I won first place (the "gold key") for the 9th grade drawing category. The ceremony was at the Springs Preserve. I had bought a really pretty new dress and was freezing to death in the shady outdoors of a January day. In the end, though, it was fun getting to see all the artwork and all the people. There were a lot of people from LVA there- all the winners, the art teachers, students just supporting their friends- and even our school principal, Andre Long! I was really suprised that he was there, but I was really happy.

Friday night, I went to the mall. I bought my dress, some jewelry, and a pair of shoes... And my mom got me my Valentine's day present from the Disney store. It's an absolutely adorable, soft little White Rabbit doll. It's so cute.

Looking all around the Disney store, a really random thought popped into my head... You know what would be a fun job for me? Playing Snow White at Disneyland. She has short hair, after all... And I just think it would be really fun, wouldn't it? Just a thought.

Oh, one last thing- I used my unspent birthday money to get that Professor Layton doll... It is officially amazing.

MJ, Finals, and Frivolous Want

2010-01-12T14:13:00.000-08:00

Hello there, my pretty little blog and its pretty little readers.

This past Friday was the Dance P.E. recital at my school. It was a Michael Jackson tribute. I had a blast! Although I never really enjoy the class, the night of the show almost entirely made up for it all. My class danced to "PYT" in the first act, and "Rock With You" in the second. For "PYT," we wore our normal black dance clothes, plus a red tank top that we had the option of decorating. I put rhinestones on my, spelling out "PYT" on the front and "MARY" on the back. For "Rock With You," we wore these funny black, white, and pink spotted halter tops and shiny reddish-pink pants. My family sent me a cute little teddy bear backstage, and I think I did pretty well- considering I'm, you know, an art major. Most of the girls in my class are performing majors and know the stage and theater super well. (Dance, drama, choir, etc.)

Moving on. Finals are this week! Hooray! Could you detect the sarcasm there? Didn't think so. My schedule for the week is like this...

Monday: Visual Design I (Art) and Ceramics I exams
Tuesday (Half Day): Visual Design I (Art) and Freshman Studies exams
Wednesday (Half Day): Biology I Honors and English I Honors exams
Thursday (Half Day): Dance P.E. I and Geometry Honors exams
Friday: No School! Staff development day! Woohoo!!

Well, things kind of suck now. I'm really kind of nervous for the next two days, because now that all my easy exams are over, I have all the difficult ones. Oh God, just typing about them is giving me a stomach ache. Whenever I'm nervous or upset, the only part of me that seems to respond is my stomach. Owowowowwww. Change of subject time.

Hey, you know what's a good anime/manga series? Hidamari Sketch. It's about a group of four young girls living on their own in Hidamari (Japanese for "sunshine") Apartments. The building is right across from their high school, an art academy! But not like LVA, it's just visual arts. But mostly, the series is about the funny things that happen to them at the apartments. It has an adorable drawing style. Plus, the format of the books is cool, too- it's seperated into four or five panel vertical comic strips, two to a page.

I was just thinking of the series today in art class, that's all. I actually learned a couple things from reading that manga. Did you know that you can erase charcoal with bread? Yeah, neither did I.

Oh, one last thing- if you read this post, you know that I absolutely adore the Professor Layton DS game series. Well, I happened upon something amazing on ebay... Shown in this here picture. It's 14" tall, $20.00... And I kind of really want it. "What are you, Mary, five?" Shut up, okay. Think whatever you want of me. But this is one of the most adorable things since puppies were invented. Yeah. I said it.

I should probably go. Study. Things... (And by "study," I of course mean play Professor Layton until my face turns blue.) (But don't worry. I'll study later. Probably...) Bye!

Photo 1: Michael Jackson getting down with his bad self. Photo 2: Ugh. Exams are horrible, aren't they? Photo 3: The adorable characters of the anime/manga series, Hidamari Sketch. Photo 4: Professor Layton plushie. Want...

Farewell, 2009.

2009-12-31T23:44:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is... My last post of 2009. I'm not usually one to get sentimental like this (the last day of 8th grade, I was one of the very few not crying)- but I'm going to miss you, 2009.

It's been a great year. I have had many new experiences and learned a great many things. There's been some bumps in the road, but so many wonderful things happened.

Graduating from middle school made me realize how much I'm really cared for. I felt shocked at how many people could list off a dozen reasons why they would miss me- even people I didn't know all that well. It really is true when they say "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."

Summer was another thing entirely. This was probably the roughest summer I've ever had. The move made my life difficult. I do not think I was ever more stressed out. I felt like a useless, good-for-nothing moron. Just because somebody says something about you, that doesn't mean it's true.

I also read so many wonderful books, after a couple years of a "who cares about reading" attitude. I will try to read even more this coming year.

And, last, but certainly not least: I started high school. I have entered an entirely different world. However, so far, it's not as I expected- I expected it to be much worse than middle school. Instead, everything seems wonderful- I'm making so many new friends. Sure, I'm still kind of struggling with the school work, but I'm gradually adjusting. It's a drastic difference than school last year: instead of waking up not wanting to go to school, afraid of something bad happening, I wake up and can't wait to see what happens that day.

2009 is a year I will not soon forget. I am happy, and I am ready to face 2010 straight on. I hope that this past year has been just as wonderful and fulfilling for all of you.

Goodbye, 2009. We'll miss you. Cheers!

Resolutions for 2010

2009-12-30T19:59:00.000-08:00

Here are my New Year's resolutions... In no particular order.

Try to eat breakfast at home more often
Whip my grades into shape
Try to go to more school dances, join school clubs, etc.
Blog more often, like I did over the summer
Actually DO all the drawings I say I will
Finish mission of drawing all the Maximum Ride characters
Do well in the oil painting unit in art class
Keep my room more organized/clean
Read more graphic novels
Read more books in general
Finish that darn "summer" reading list
Read more Shakespeare

I might come back and add to this later. You never know.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T23:33:00.000-08:00

Hello. Merry Christmas, everybody! I wish you all good health, cheer, and fantastic presents.

How was my Christmas? Well, I am quite glad you asked. (Oh, give it a rest, I know you didn't- but let me have my moment.)

Well, shall we start with Christmas eve? I could barely sleep. I tossed, I turned, I pounded my pillow in sheer frustration. And eventually, I fell asleep at about 12:30 A.M.... Only to wake up just about every hour, on the hour until 6:50. Hooray for being nocturnal- because it brings tremendous benefits to my overall health. (Not.) Hey, I can't help it, okay?

We began to open presents this morning at about 7:45. I got a lot of nice things. (However, I knew about just about all the presents from my parents- right down to the candy in my stocking. My mother buys the things while I'm with her, then tells me to forget. And it worked- when I was six.) Yet, I refuse to keep up with my usual manner of complete sentences and proper grammer to list them off so I will simply use a list.

Harley Quinn Barbie doll
Mulan and Whatshisface (Her husband) Dolls (My fav Disney "princess")
The last three Death Note figurines/DVD's I needed
Four Batman graphic novels
A mini-keyboard that attatches to my PS3 controller (for online games)
The sequel to Dracula (written by a direct descendent of the original author)
A stuffed sock monkey (I've always wanted one)
A boatload of chocolate in many varieties
Some pens and a graphite sketching set (both shoved into my stocking)
A couple little toys (also jam-packed into my stocking)
A ridiculously soft stuffed Siamese kitten doll
A $50 Old Navy gift card
A Michael's gift card for some unknown amount
A teeny-tiny Snoopy ornament for the teeny-tiny (3 ft.) tree in my bedroom
Some of those tiny Japanese erasers shaped like food

And there ya go. Let's see, after we opened presents, we had brunch at my cousins Joe and Jennys' house with my dad's family. Then while my dad had to go to work for an hour or two, I played video games.

When my dad got back, we all left for our 4:30 reservations at Bob Taylor's Ranch House. (It's a really nice, old ranch turned into a cute, fancy little steakhouse.) Long story short, everybody told my mom "You should have prime rib on Christmas!" After looking at the prices of the uncooked meat alone, she decided it woul cost the same to get it professionally cooked at a steakhouse, sides and all, for less. (I'm glad, too, because my mother has wasted perfectly good meat in the past due to her lack of knowledge cooking it.) I had a delicious, red prime rib.

After dinner we went and saw Sherlock Holmes. It was amazing. I am still in shock of the awesome my eyes have recently witnessed.

And after the movie, I came home, ate some cookies, turned on my heater, and then got on my blog to... Oh, wait...

Well, that's basically my Christmas in a nutshell.

Oh, before I go find something better to do, I just thought I would comment on a little something Brooke posted in her blog. She said that her mother asked if she was sick because she's usually so hyper, and today, she wasn't. I just want to say: I know the feeling. I get that a lot, hahaha! Whenever I am in class spacing out, working, or contemplating, people always ask me if I'm alright in a concerned tone. It's as if, if Mary's not smiling, her dog just died. It's exhausting smiling all the time- then again, I find everything exhausting. Probably even life.

Well, I'm gonna go do... Things... It's not you- it's me. I think we need some time apart.

So until next time, bye-bye, and happy new year!

'Tis the Season

2009-12-18T18:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Winter Break!

Hey there, everybody! How goes it? I hope you're enjoying your winter.

Today was my last day of school before winter break! Woohoo! I passed out little tins of fudge to friends, toting them around in a little paper holiday-print Starbucks bag. (I'm such a stereo-typical artist. Art school? Check. Atheism? Check. Obsession with art supplies? Check. Starbucks junkie? CHECKCHECKCHECK...) The bag was small, because I didn't take into account the fact that people would actually give me presents. I almost never get presents at school- only cards! But Camden got me an insanely awesome comic book, Shara got me a tiny little sketchbook and a Batman PEZ dispenser, Meghan got me Batman and Joker PEZ dispensers and a candle, and I got some cards from people. (TWO Batmans versus ONE Joker! Can you imagine!?) I'm so happy! This day was great. I'm glad I have such sweet friends.

After winter break, we're starting our oil painting unit in art. It's ridiculous how utterly excited I am! I've only ever used acrylic paints, never oil. I've already bought all my painting supplies, brushes and all, and I am ready for action!

We have so much to do for Christmas. We need to finish decorating the tree, send Christmas cards, and go Christmas present shopping. (You know what they say. The family that procrastinates together...) I'm realy excited for Christmas, though, so I don't really mind.

On a non-Christmas-related note- I got $50 in Amazon money for my birthday, and I don't have a clue what to buy still. I've decided to wait until after Christmas to spend it, so that I don't accidentally buy one of my presents. But one thing's for sure- the blu-ray of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (my favorite movie) is only $9.99 on Amazon. $9.99! While other blu-rays are $40 or something! I'm not sure whether to be offended or overjoyed. Perhaps a little of both...?

Well, I'm going to go... Do... Things. Bye, enjoy your holiday!

Birthdays, Greek Myths, and English Gentlemen

2009-11-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

My birthday was November 8th. A little over a week ago.

It was fun. My Aunt Susie and Uncle Dennis came to town from San Jose, and Shae spent the night. We all went out to my favorite restaurant, and I got some cool stuff. (Like a PS3 for my room!) I had a lot of fun.

So, right now, in English, we're working on this project. The class was divided into groups of 6 or so, and we were each given 2-3 Greek Myths. We had to create a performance based around them, like a play or a puppet show. My group was given the stories of Bellerophon and Pegasus, Hades' capturing Demeter's daughter, Persephone, and Hephaestus, who was throw off Mount Olympus by his own mother for being born ugly and lame. Anyway, our group decided to do a sock-puppet show. More specifically, it's called "Greek Myth Therapy." It shows all the main characters of each story going to therapy to work out their "issues." If somebody comments on this post saying they want to read the script I wrote, which is supposedly hilarious from what I hear, then I'll post it. (But why post it if nobody cares!? Comment if you're a freak and you do.)

The sock-puppets look adorable. I'll post photos of them. (The therapist puppet kind of looks like Dr. Phil.)

So, for my birthday, I got a $100 bill, $50 Best-Buy card, $30 Michael's card, and a $25 Barnes'n'Noble card (love you, Shae!). It's all almost completely gone. (Insert mischievous giggle here.) A good portion of that money was spent on the two DS games in the Professor Layton series out in the US currently- "Professor Layton and the Curious Village," and its sequel, "Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box." I am halfway through the latter. These games are amazing!

Basically, in the games, you play as world-renowned scholar, archaeologist, university professor, and English gentlemen Hershel Layton, along with his spunky young apprentice/side-kick/self-proclaimed "#1 fan," Luke Triton. In the games, they go on adventures, solving mysteries, kicking butt, and taking names. The basic game play is a series of puzzles (trick questions, brain-teasers, and the occasional math problem). I know what you're thinking. "Ewwww, Mary- you're one of those people." Actually, I really enjoy these puzzles, and I only have trouble with a puzzle about 50% of the time. Anyway, these games are amazing- intriguing plot, beautiful graphics, and great music! If you want, YouTube the games. Now, what the bloody hexagon are you waiting for? Saunter over to your nearest game supplier and demand that this fine pair of gentlemen be placed into your possession immediately. What's that? Do I sense... Doubt? Fine. Here's the trailer for the first game.

The third game in this magnificent series is called "Professor Layton and the Last Time Travel," but it is only out in Japan. (It's expected to be released in the US, though.) Now, while YouTube surfing this evening, I happened upon a cut scene (perhaps the final cut scene) of this third installment. It is... Well. I only have a vague idea of what's going on in this short clip. However, even with my lack of background info, this scene is... Painful to watch. It makes my eyes tear up just thinking about it. Here. Just see for yourself...

Ugh. Perhaps you'd have a better understanding of why this is so dramatic if you have played the game(s). You see, it's both a running joke and an understood fact that Layton never, ever, takes his signature silk top hat off. Ever. His car, the "Laytonmobile," even has an extra-high roof so that he can wear it in the car. In one game, he builds a sort of hang-glider of materials on-hand to escape from a mile-high collapsing tower, flies all the way down, is fired at by an evil flying machine, nearly crash-lands, only to save the other passenger in a tumble roll off the thing- and his hat stays neatly in place all the while. The man is a magician or something.

All I know about this scene is that his old flame just kissed him in an "I-will-always-love-you" sort of way and then left. I think. Still a little fuzzy on the details. All I know is that this is extremely sad to me.

Well, anyway, enough of that. I have to go hot-glue a golden clay crown to a Hades sock-puppet. Bye!

Photo #1: Hades abducting Persephone. Photo #2: The cover of the first DS game in the "Professor Layton" series, "Professor Layton and the Curious Village."

Top 10 Hopes for the Holiday Season

2009-11-17T17:41:00.000-08:00

Well, folks, it getting to be that time of the year again. Yup. Oh, stop your groaning. I personally love the holiday season, and I always try to squeeze every last drop of joy out of it before it's *poof!* gone.

This year, since this is my first holiday season blogging, I've decided to make a list of my top 10 hopes for this holiday season, so in January, I can see how things turned out.

Well, here goes nothing.

That I can manage to return all the love and appreciation I get (and often don't deserve) from my friends.
It would be nice to have our relatives over here for Thanksgiving.
That Christmas isn't as dull as it usually is for my family.
Maybe we (my family and I) can go out to a party or something this New Years.
That it snows, just like it did last year, on that one day!
My mom says every year that we might go on vacation during winter break. Perhaps this year is the year. (She often says either Disneyland or my grandparents' in northern California.)
That I find great Christmas presents for all my loved ones!
That my mom doesn't spend the entire holiday season complaining about how stressful it is.
Perhaps my teachers will be in brighter spirits and not assign too much homework in December. Hey, stop laughing. A girl can dream.
That I can manage to stay cozy-warm and be the victor in my yearly love-hate battle with Jack Frost.

Hands, Harlequins, Poodles, and Steampunk

2009-10-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

Hello there people! Just a little update on what's been going on.

I ended up buying that costume I talked about last post. I love it, and I got so many complements! I wore it with black tights, Mary Janes, a headband, and a Mardi Gras mask.

Wednesday was my school's "Harvest Festival"- basically, our version of a homecoming carnival. We (the art department) used this opportunity to promote our art show, "Sticks, Stones, Roots and Bones," by doing a parade in-costume at the festival, passing out candy and promoting the show. The art show itself featured work by the art majors. It was voodoo/New Orleans/vampire/death themed. In the parade, there were gypsies, vampires, mourners, dead people, and me- the only Mardi Gras person, a black and white harlequin

The art show was yesterday. It was great- there were a lot of great pieces. (Mine got in!) There was a giant swamp display in the middle of the gallery (complete with an alligator with a fish in its mouth), a fortune telling booth, and lots of free food. We repeated the parade at the show, only this time, we got a hearse to lead us! (Even the guy driving the hearse wore a skeleton mask.)

There was a sculpture at the art show that was a taxidermy shape of a skunk, complete with a fluffy tail. In its side was a working clock, and it had tiny cuffs, a small Victorian hat, and cameo jewelry. I thought it was good, but when I read the title, "Steam Skunk," I thought it was even better! Steampunk is a style based off of what was fashionable in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. It gets its title from the fact that, back then, everything was run by steam. I love that style- I've always loved Victorian clothing.

At the Harvest Festival, they also had fortune tellers, so I got my palm read. The girl said (based on my palm) that I was a sweet person, I loved the feeling of being in love (but that I am far from it at the time), that I have highs and lows of luck, that I'm strong, and that my life and love lines meet at a perfect angle, so I'll have a good life in that department.

Next Thursday is a 50's Diner themed art show featuring the entire art department! (The show yesterday didn't have the electives, such as photography and ceramics, but this next one will.) I'm so excited- the bigger of the two galleries will be transformed into a diner and we'll have In-and-Out burger come. Girls will be dressing up in poodle skirts and everything! I'll be sure to post about it.

Well, I feel like playing Eternal Sonata. Bye!

Photo #1: A Mardi Gras parade. Photo #2: A great example of the Steampunk style. A major thing in Steampunk is goggles, mostly brass goggles. Photo #3: A colorful 50's diner.

Sickly, Sicker, Sickest

2009-10-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hello again! It's me, just as sick as ever. I missed three days of school last week, but went on Friday... I felt worse today, so I stayed home and slept until 1:15 P.M. Feeling a bit better, but I'm still coughing, and I still feel like the world is one giant icebox.

Anyway, I was just thinking about some things. First of all, I think I finally found a Halloween costume... It's called a Moulin Rouge mime. (The one in the picture, click to enlarge.) I like it. I'll probably get a tiny hat or something, a little black face paint... It's going to be fun.

Also, my birthday's coming up. November 8th is right around the corner, and I still don't know how to celebrate. I love my birthday- going out to dinner, having a birthday cake, getting presents... It's so fun. If I could find a good way to celebrate at home, that would make things even better. I've been thinking about it and looking around, but I just don't know. Well, I'm sure I'll come up with something. The only thing is, my birthday's on a Sunday- which is horrible. It's not like I go to school and celebrate with my friends, but I don't get to stay up late either...

I was also just thinking about changing my blog's layout... Maybe something more old and ornate. I'm not quite sure.

I should probably get going. Words will probably fail to express to my readers how much make-up work I have to do. Later.

Sickly

2009-10-14T19:21:00.000-07:00

I've stayed home the past two days. I feel so horrible, I think my organs are turning inside-out.

In case anybody is wondering about my last post, it's me and Shae. She came over this past weekend and helped make my science project video, "The Wonderful World of Proteins." I'll post it up on YouTube one of these days.

I'm listening to "Alone" by Heart. I really love this song, it's one of my favorites. It almost makes your heart ache. I really like it when Kristen Chenoweth and Matthew Morrison sang it on the show "Glee." You can listen to their version here.

Well, I should probably go. I'm too exhausted to type anymore. Bye.

Wordless Wednesday #7: Let's Talk about Proteins

2009-10-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

Something to Look Forward To

2009-10-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend was fun. Ushering was pretty cool. I spent the night at Shae's on Friday, and she spent the night here last night. Today, Shae and I went to Ethel M's chocolate factory and the Galleria mall. (I saw two hilariously great t-shirts: One had Spock on it and said "live long and prosper," the other had the original Enterprise crew in the transporter and said "beam me the hell up!")

My mom played the song "Fame" on the drive home. As much as I love its music and story, the comparison to my school, LVA, is just a little bit flawed. People say LVA is just like Fame; there was even an entire local newspaper article comparing them. However, is there an art department in Fame? What about international studies? In the newspaper article, they didn't even mention that our school had an art department. Its only reference was a quarter-sized photo of a couple students drawing mannequins. Sure, students look over my shoulder when I draw, saying "You're amazing! I wish I could draw." But other than that, you feel pretty left out, because the majority of the students are performers.

People don't realize that art is a really difficult major. The visual arts students don't follow choreography, sheet music, or scripts; they have to create things from their head, make sure they look good, and improve them. They're expected to create great things.

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm being dramatic. I really want to see Fame, though- I think it looks really cool! I really do respect the performers of my school. Besides, there's not really much I can do. Any-who, if you want to read the article, click here. (It's pretty interesting.)

Well, leaving that all behind, tomorrow should be a good day. I have all my best classes (ceramics, biology, and English), and I have no geometry homework! Oh, and tomorrow, I'm picking up an order I placed at Blick Art supplies- new ink pens and two new sketchbooks. It's so nice to be able to look forward to the day. When you know a day is going to be great, it usually turns out to be!

I'm going to go- House MD will be on soon. Bye!

Ushering

2009-10-03T15:02:00.000-07:00

I had fun ushering last night at the Fall Dance Concert.

My friend Maggie and I were selling roses and little dancing pink dolls. (We personally thought the dolls were funny-looking, but a lot of people thought they were cute...) We would write the name, location, and class of the performer it was for on a little envelope, the person buying them would write them a message, and the runners would take them backstage to the performer.

The concert itself was amazing. I really loved it. I got to see my cousin and my friends perform. I'll be ushering again tonight.

I'll be spending the night at Shae's tonight, and we're going to see Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in 3-D tomorrow.

Well, I should go eat lunch/dinner... Linner? Well, bye.

Usher

2009-10-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

And no, I don't mean this guy.

Tonight and tomorrow night, I'll be ushering at my school's fall dance concert. I'll be doing things like selling gifts for the performers, handing out programs, helping with the bake sale, or possibly just being a generic extra pair of hands. I think it sounds fun, and that's what people who have done it beofre told me, too.

Shae will be coming over this weekend to make silly videos. It's gonna be fun. Maybe I'll even post them here.

Well, I should go get ready to usher it up. Later.

The Suspense

2009-10-01T18:35:00.000-07:00

Oh gosh! The winners of that art contest that I entered are supposed to be announced today...

But nothing. At all. It's not like I will go into a spiraling depression if I lose... The suspense is just killing me!!

Welcoming October

2009-09-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

Ah, October... One of my personal favorite months. Halloween, Autumn, the cool weather... It's all so great.

You know that stuff you can buy at craft stores to make candy? They're like little disks of chocolate, and you melt them and pour them into molds? Well, I bought some of those, and I found some Halloween molds. I plan on kicking off October by making them to bring to school!

By the way, I was thinking this morning about the name of "October." It has an "Oct," right? As in "eight?" Well, October's the tenth month... But then I thought, if winter is December, January, and February, I suppose that if you waited until winter is over to start the new year, then the year would begin with March, making October the eighth month... Oh, I don't know. I suppose I'm weird for questioning such a blatantly routine part of our lives.

Oh, and another thing to look forward to on October 1st- the winners of the art contest I entered are announced! One of my favorite authors, Heather Brewer, held an art contest these past couple months for her successful book series, "The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod." The book is great, it's about a teenage vampire, Vlad, going through school life. Each book follows him through a grade, from eighth to twelfth. Anyway, the contest was to draw your favorite character besides Vlad. So, I drew Vlad's awesome vampire uncle, Otis Otis! (Yes, his first and his last name are Otis.) I actually entered two drawings- a cute chibi one that I spent a couple weeks on, and a much, much better realistic one I did in a hour last night

Anyway, the winners will be contacted on October 1st. The first prize is an 8GB black iPod Nano engraved with the book's logo, the "Vlad smiley" that Vladimir wears on his shirt. The second prize is an autographed copy of Mrs. Brewer's latest book, "Tenth Grade Bleeds." I don't really think I have much of a shot of winning- the contest was nationwide. Still, I'm a little nervous.

Well, wish me luck! Thanks for reading.

1st Photo: These are what the candies look like when finished. My mold has cats, jack'o'lanterns, and frankenstein. 2nd Photo: Heather Brewer's latest book, Tenth Grade Bleeds. The smiley on his shirt is the one to be engraved onto the iPod.

Waiting on Sunday

2009-09-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

Hello! I just thought I would say a few things while waiting for my mother to be ready to go. (We're going to Wal-Mart, Spirit Halloween, and Ashley Furniture.)

Last night was fun. My mom's birthday was this past Wednesday, but since my dad was out of town, we waited until last night to go out for her family birthday dinner. Now, for those Vegas locals who have been to the Cannery hotel/casino, you might have passed by Waverly's Steak House. Well, we ate there after going to see Inglorious Basterds (I'll review it later when I have more time, but I will say that it was pretty cool). We had a great dinner; I got medium-rare prime rib, and it was the best meal I have ever eaten. Ever. I also had a slice of Mississippi mud pie, which is coffee-chocolate-ice-cream pie, and that was good, too.

Tomorrow, I have my good school day! At LVA, we have even and odd days, with our major every day. On odd days, I have art, ceramics, biology honors, and English honors- all my favorite classes. However, on even days, I have art, freshman studies, dance P.E., and geometry honors- ewwwww.

I'm working on a couple Top 10 lists to post on here soon, maybe even tonight. I should go, my mom's finally ready. Bye-bye! (Hmmm, I have a french-fry-and-ketchup craving...)

Pumpkins, Anime, Pastels, and High School

2009-09-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's been almost a month since I've posted a real blog post. Well, don't worry, I'm not about to talk you to death with a play-by-play. Just a few quick things...

First off, the weekend before last was the Harvest Festival. It's a festival that travels all autumn long between Nevada and California. There, you can buy food, clothing, jewelry, and many other handmade an crafty things. A lot of the place smells like pumpkin pie. I've been going the past three years with Shae, and it's really great! We bought some nice things.

This past weekend was Anime Vegas 2009. It was alright. Don't get me wrong, my brother, mom, Shae and I had a great time buying things in the dealer's room... Well, you see, it was in the Cashman Convention Center again this year (unlike last year at a cramped hotel), and we were all excited, thinking it would be the best one yet. I started going to AV in 2007. Then, it was big, showy, exciting, great, amazing, and fantastic. This year, it was pretty fun, but there were hardly any good panels, they didn't have an AMV contest, they got the smaller of the two convention rooms, and there definitely didn't seem to be as many attendees. Even so, it was still fun and interesting.

Pastels? Oh, right. Well, as probably only a couple of you know, these past two years, I have been a Madonnari (chalk artist) at the Summerlin district's annual La Strada dell'Arte (Italian for "the street of art") festival. At the festival, student and amateur artists from all over town sign up for their own chunk of sidewalk to turn into a masterpiece using pastels. They work hard on hands and knees for three days in the desert heat. And yet, it is so fun! (Every year, they hire a professional artist to do a special work of art right by the main entrance. Last year's is shown in the picture- can you believe that was done on the sidewalk!?) I actually won for best original art in my age group last year. Got $100 gift card to the mall! Well, I wanted to participate this year, but... Because of the recession, the whole festival is going on a one year hiatus and won't return until 2010. Sigh.

So, by the by, I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. You know, high school and what not. But my spinning head is finally starting to slow, so I've got a grip on things, and I will gradually begin my regular posts again. (Well, another thing that slowed me down was playing Batman: Arkham Asylum for the PS3 for a week straight until I beat it. Best. Game. Ever.)

Anyway, thanks for sticking with me, and goodbye!

Photo 1: The official logo of the Harvest Festival. Photo 2: The official logo of Anime Vegas. Photo 3: La Strada dell'Arte 2008's hired professional artist working with pastels on her piece of the pavement. Photo 4: The cover of Batman: Arkham Asylum's PS3 game box.

Wordless Wednesday #6: Get a Job, Zorro.

2009-08-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

Last Day of Summer (Via Cell Phone)

2009-08-23T21:52:00.001-07:00

Good night everybody, and happy last day of summer. I'll post about school tomorrow.

Wordless Wednesday #5: Best Friends

2009-08-19T22:42:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

School Supplies and Clothes

2009-08-18T16:33:00.001-07:00

I went to my high school's orientation today. It was interesting; we got to play a couple "ice-breaker" games, talk to some class of 2010 seniors from the student council, and we got our schedules. My classes are as follows:

Visual Design I with Treat, C.
Ceramics I with Welch, H.
Freshman Studies with Townsend, M.
Biology I Honors with Williams, E.
Dance I with Keppel, K.
English I Honors with Medcalf, C.
Geometry Honors with Groce, Y.

...But not necessarily in that order. I haven't quite begun to understand the whole block schedule yet. Anyway, I got a pretty good feel of the campus, so I think I won't have to ask for directions too much. Plus, I'm one of those people who only has to look at the room numbers for classes the first couple weeks of school before I get the hang of things.

So, I went to the mall afterwards to go school clothes shopping. I prefer to look at the women's clothing, because it's usually more elegant and pretty, but I did get a few things from the juniors' section. I found a very pretty, purple shirt in the women's department with little rosettes that I will probably wear the first day of school, depending on the temperature outside. I also got a black scarf from Agaci that had metallic rainbow string sewn in in stripes. (The colors...)

And yes, as for my last post, I did indeed get that Mickey Mouse in a Dracula outfit. They had a couple of things with him in that costume, like statues and decorations. He is most adorable, with his sparkly little cape and whatnot. Just see for yourself from the photo.

Lastly, as far as school supplies goes, I have just about everything I need... Well, you know. Except for a backpack. And a Binder.

Heh, I'm going to go look at backpacks on Jansport's website now. See ya.

Mickey Mouse-ula (Via Cell Phone)

2009-08-18T12:44:00.001-07:00

Oh my. At the mall's Disney Store; they have their Halloween stuff. They have a stuffed Mickey Mouse-Dracula. How silly! How degrading! How totally mine now! :)

On the Road (Via Cell Phone)

2009-08-17T12:34:00.001-07:00

204 miles from home. Ugh. Zorro has been curled up next to me the whole drive. Listening to Thriller. We bought a blueberry pie from a fruit stand... C:

Warm Desert Air

2009-08-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

So, I'll be starting my trek home from California in an hour, probably less. It was fun while it lasted... Video games, fast food, sea lions...

Oh, yesterday was a big old August birthday party. My uncle Jim turned 47, my grandpa turned 80, my cousin Natalie turned 18, and Natalie's relative turned 70. I got to see just about my entire mother's side of the family. It was great- Travis, my cousin Kenny, Chris and I all played Diddy Kong Racing on the DS. (Whenever I beat them, they accused me of cheats. Pfft.) Natalie got The Sims 3! Ooh, I'm so jealous! I wish I could get it, but one, my birthday isn't until November (the 8th), and two, it's is increasingly difficult to get my dad to install anything on our desktop, so I would have to wait for a laptop. Oh well.

Anyway, we took lots of films and photos of the party, so I'll make a movie and post it when I get home.

I almost lost my copy of Dracula. We searched high and low for it, both at Travis' and my grandparents' houses, for a day or two. I finally found it a minute ago... In the door pocket of my Aunt Theresa's car. Ugh. Well, at least I found it, right?

My family has some more money now, so we will probably be able to afford a new bedroom set for me soon! Yay! I've always dreamed of having a bed.

Okay, enough with the sarcasm. I have to go, we're leaving soon. I might post a bit from the road using my cell phone. We'll drive to Bakersfield, have some Chick-fil-A (which I haven't had in about 10 years), stay overnight at a hotel, then drive the rest of the way in the morning. And by "we," I mean Chris, my mother, our two cats, and I. I'm a little eager to get home to my own stone tablet of a mattress and the warm desert air.

See ya.

Aloha Friday #6: Vacations

2009-08-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

What was the best vacation you ever went on?

Hotel Dracul

2009-08-12T21:34:00.000-07:00

Hey there! Another short post from Modesto, California.

Since I got here, I started playing Sims 2 for the DS again. It isn't exactly like most other Sims games, where you direct multiple people and their lives. Basically, in this game, you run around "Strangetown" as one single character as the manager of a dying hotel. You have to raise the hotel score to 100%, battling Aliens, tipping cows, and interacting with other Sims along the way.

I tried to start a new file, but when I tried to make myself, I couldn't seem to make a Sim that looked right (there isn't a very big selection of looks). So, I decided instead to make somebody else- and who would be the first to pop into my head but Dracula? Yes, that's right- I made a Dracula Sim.

I am trying to keep Sim Dracula as close to Classic Dracula as possible. This basically means all male Sims are my enemy/rival, and all female Sims are my best friends/lovers/soul mates. It's actually quite hilarious of a task, since there are about 10-15 guy Sims and only 4 girls.

Anyway, since Dracula's castle is called "Castle Dracul," his hotel should be called "Hotel Dracul," right? Right.

Other games I've been hooked on lately (mostly thanks to my cousin Travis) include Diddy Kong Racing for the DS, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World for the Wii, Wario Ware: Party Games for the Gamecube, and Kirby Air Ride for the Gamecube.

Just wanted to share that.

I went to Kohl's today with my grandmother and my Aunt Susie. (Today is my Grandpa's 80th birthday. Happy birthday!) I have been to Kohl's once, maybe twice, and my mind's eye was for some reason deceiving me into believing that it was like a Target, not a department store. It's a shame- I wanted to get a little orange notebook to write Halloween party and costume things in. (Yup- I am PSYCHED.)

Halloween will be great- I want to throw a big, insane, monster bash on Halloween night. I'm talking going all-out, the whole nine yards. It will be fantastic.

I'm going to get going. I have to play Sims 2 and finish waiting for the vault I had built for a mob boss staying at Hotel Dracul to be finished. Later!

The Fabulous Fog City

2009-08-12T00:28:00.000-07:00

Yup, that's right- on Sunday, I went to the fabulous "Fog City-" San Francisco, California. It was a little chilly, bu got colder throughout the day. Mark Twain once said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." Brrrr. Anyway, I will try to describe my adventure there.

Well, just to start off, the Oakland Bay Bridge was fun. It was very large, and would probably be quite intimidating if the ocean view was not so beautiful. Aunt Susie and I ate at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Co. I had some very delicious coconut shrimp. The restaurant is themed after the movie "Forrest Gump," which I know of, but have yet to see. Travis had pizza next door at North Beach Pizza.

We walked along Pier 39 a bit, and then stopped for a long while to look at the sea lions. It wasn't terribly windy, so we didn't smell them all too much. It was funny, because there were so many out there- covering about half of the several floating platforms. One platform was half-covered by piles of sunbathing sea lions, and the other half was being fought over between about three or four specific sea lions. They kept on biting each other and shoving each other off, as if they were playing "King of the Hill." At one point, when one knocked the other off, the other stuck its head out of the water and pulled it down with it.

We browsed Pier 39's many shops for a bit. At "Chocolate Heaven," the ultimate chocolate store, we got very delicious chocolate truffles. We stopped to look at the "San Francisco Music Box Company" store. I got my picture taken with the Wicked Witch statue inside. There, I bought an adorable souvenir- a stuffed sea lion that barks when you squeeze it and has "San Francisco" underneath the Golden Gate Bridge embroidered on.

After our Pier 39 exploring, we headed over to Golden Gate Park and went to the Japanese Tea Gardens. The cherry blossoms are only blooming in April, but the gardens were still beautiful. There were stone bridges, the famous half-circle "Half Moon Bridge," and many ponds and streams with ducks, koi fish, and at one point, statues of cranes. Before we left, we stopped for some hot jasmine tea and cookies at the teahouse. The food and drink was very good. I also enjoyed watching a frantic, twitchy squirrel combat-crawl down the stairs searching for scraps.

After the tea gardens, we crossed the great Golden Gate Bridge and went to the small town of Sausalito to look for somewhere to have dinner and to walk along the beach. The beaches were overcrowded and inaccessible, and we only found a single place to eat which was too fancy and pricey, but it was fun to drive along the island.

We started to drive back to San Francisco, but stopped along the way at a beach area. (I think it was called "Vista Point?" I'm not sure, I'll check with Aunt Susie later.) It was breathtaking. The hill was between two mountains and lead down to a beach, and the sun was just setting, casting a warm orange glow and a long reflection across the ocean. There were decades-old abandoned stone brick bathhouses that were crumbling where they stood. What was once the swimming pool was now home to dozens of ducks. A long, winding, steep staircase lead down the hill and past grassy plains, ending at an entrance to a cave-tunnel. The cave was a dead end, at a spectacular view of the other side of the mountain. We found what must have been, long ago, paths across the hill, but no safe or convenient way down to the beach, even though others were down there. With all the ruins everywhere, Travis said "I just had a 'Legend of Zelda' moment." The walk back up the stairway was torture on our legs, and we were beaten and I was cold by the time we climbed back up to the parking lot.

Just before we went back over the Golden Gate Bridge, we stopped at a nearby viewpoint. I put a quarter in one of those standing binoculars and looked at the bridge, Alcatraz, and the coastline.

Once we were back in San Francisco, we had some Burger King. Finally, we got to the culinary highlight of our day in the Fog City- Ghirardelli's Ice Cream Parlor. I had mint chocolate chip ice cream in a chocolate-dipped waffle bowl with dark chocolate hot fudge. (I apologize to those who I am making hungry.) It was delicious.

Now, I would be glad to post the many photos I took, believe me, I would- but they're all either being developed currently, or they are on my phone. I will transfer the photos from my phone, if I can ever find the USB port for this darned computer.

I'm exhausted right now. All I want to do is crawl into bed and read about the silly, human adventures of the eccentric, Dutch, Dr. Abraham von Helsing. Good night.

1st Photo: The logo of Bubba Gump's Shrimp Co. 2nd Photo: Sea lions lounging on their floating platforms on Pier 39. 3rd Photo: The Chocolate Heaven store on Pier 39. 4th Photo: The famous "Half Moon Bridge" in the Japanese Tea Gardens at Golden Gate Park. 5th Photo: Ghirardelli Square, home to the old Ghirardelli factory, now a chocolate shop and ice cream parlor.

Airports and Arcade Games

2009-08-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

Hello, this will be another short post. I am at my grandparents' computer in California. The flight was good, just a plain, boring little flight. I read up on San Francisco on the way there.

I got to see my cousin Travis' new chihuahua, Pipsqueak. Travis and I played some arcade games and had pizza at the mall. We played Mario Kart, which was cool because it took your picture and put a Mario hat, etc. on you. It was hard, though, because I'm not used to playing on automatic, and you couldn't power-slide. They had Pacman, Ms. Pacman, and one of the Pacman game ghosts, which was weird because Pacman is a Namco thing, not a Nintendo thing... We also played House of the Dead 4. I love zombie games, ever since I was little and used to watch my brother play House of the Dead and Resident Evil. It was hilarious, because our characters passed a huge horde of zombies below us, and the whiny girl said "This is not normal." Ya think!? We got some tickets playing ski-ball, and Travis played the Deal or No Deal machine. We got 100 tickets and got one of those clear balls with water and glitter inside. It's blue and swirly.

Tomorrow, we go to San Francisco. We'll leave at 10 A.M., and we'll go to Pier 39, eat at Bubba Gump's (best shrimp ever), and maybe even ride a cable car. I brought along plenty of spending money. Travis is coming with Aunt Susie and I, so I know I won't get bored in the car ride over there.

I'll be sure to update tomorrow night. Until then, I woke up at 8 A.M. and barely got any sleep, so I'll probably be hittin' the hay pretty early here. Good night.

Airport Message (Via Cell Phone)

2009-08-08T12:04:00.001-07:00

Sending this from my cell phone. Waiting at the gate for my flight. I still love airports. Reading EW's 20 greatest vampires. Dracula's in there 4 times. :)

Goodbye, Vegas.

2009-08-07T23:04:00.000-07:00

This will be a very short post, on account of the fact that I have to wake up at 8:00 tomorrow to catch my flight. Sigh. (Yeah, you may be laughing, but you wouldn't be if you were like me and had the natural sleep schedule of a bat, or an owl.)

Just wanted to say here that I will be flying to San Diego tomorrow. My Aunt Susie will pick me up from the airport, and we will drive to my grandparents' in Modesto. On Sunday, my aunt will drive my cousin Travis and I to San Francisco for a day to have some fun. I won't be coming back to Vegas until next weekend.

I'm trying to set up my cell phone so that I can take a picture and post it on Blogger, but my mom feels the need to look at it, and she's too lazy to pause her movie and come upstairs for two minutes.

I'll figure something out. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures, and I will post when I get there. Well, good night!

Wordless Wednesday #4: My Summer '08 California Vacation

2009-08-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

Come and Gone...

2009-08-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

Summer's just flown by.

I've missed both Anime Expo and Comic Con. I was mostly looking forward to Anime Expo, but still... I just watched a webcast from one of my YouTube subscriptions describing Comic Con, and apparently, they had a whole Alice in Wonderland touring expedition from the 2010 movie directed by Tim Burton! They had life-size set replicas, concept art... Sigh.

I couldn't do much because we were moving. I suppose it isn't that big of a deal... There's always next year... I also suppose that they aren't what's really bothering me.

I guess summer has just come and gone. It seems like a week ago that I was looking through my middle school yearbook on the ride home, almost tearing up at all the kind, sweet things people told me. And now, it is August, summer's final month, and what have I done? I've moved.

Next year, I'm not going to waste my summer. I will fill my hot, desert days hanging out with friends, going on vacations, and enjoying myself. I will drag out each and every day, and at night, I shall go about my usual prowling.

Ah, prowling. Such a nice word. Moving altered my sleep schedule, but I am slowly drifting back to my nocturnal ways. I slept until 1:15 P.M. today! How great is that? I know some people who tell me that they wake up at about 11:00 A.M. and feel lazy, and all I can do is laugh. I was talking, watching anime, and hanging out with my brother last night. Nighttime is so amazing- the darkness, the quiet. I seem to have more energy and emotion at night. It's just great.

Well, anyway, I hope everybody has had a good summer so far. Sweet dreams.

Honey, I'm home!

2009-07-31T21:35:00.000-07:00

Did you miss me?

...No?

Well, too bad, because I'm back and I have more to blog about than ever...

Well, let's get started then. First thing- the move. My mom turned in the keys to the old house today... At first, I thought that there would be no trouble at all for me saying goodbye. Then towards my final days in that house, sitting on the carpet and looking around at all the furniture marks, places where I had hung things, and little pieces of garbage on the floor, I started to feel a little sentimental. However, now that I'm at the new house, and after having seen the maids clean up the old house, I don't feel anything. That's right- Captain Heartless is the victor once again! (Just kidding. Har-har.)

My new room already feels like home. I have my new TV stand, my TV, my DVD and CD racks, my hopelessly abused bookcase, and my mattress on the floor. I bought a deep red sheet at Target to temporarily use over my foam mattress cover. Deep red is such a nice color... Oh, look at me and my ever-changing favorite color. I think it's because I'm an artist... Like a mother secretly playing favorites with her children, but she still says that she loves them all. I'm so cruel, teehee.

Moving on. The past four days- Monday to Thursday- I have been going to a daily "Freshman Orientation Camp" at LVA. It was from 8 to 11 A.M. The first day, I got there and was extremely nervous. I found my friend Sydney there, and I sat with her during the principle's introduction. (The principal, Andre Long, seems really nice.) I learned that LVA was originally built in the 1930's as Las Vegas High School, and the first day of school is August 24th. Halfway through each day, we had a "nutrition break," where we got Lunchables, granola bars, and water. I sat with my friend Audrey and our new friend who is also an art major. Eventually, our group started growing and growing, and before I knew it, I was sitting at a crowded, loud table full of old and new friends, laughing and talking and joking around. (Audrey kept on grabbing ice from the water cooler and sticking it down Brooke and I's shirts.)

During these four days, we learned about the academics, played games to get to know each other, and had a blast. We played this one game, "Two Truths and a Lie," where you said three things about yourself, one of them being a lie, and people had to guess which was false. Well, it got to this one really tall, nice boy, and he said "I'm a theatre major, my family owns an ice cream truck, and I have 14 dogs." We all tried to guess, until he eventually told us "Well, I'm actually a dance major, not a theatre major." Several jaws dropped. We later found out that, in addition to his 14 dogs, he has 9 cats, making a total of 23 pets. Wow.

On the first day, we got a tour of the school. I walked around with Audrey, and chatted with her and her mother. (Parents were invited the first day, but my mom was held up with moving.) We learned that we had to share a locker with a "locker buddy." When we heard that, Audrey and I quickly joined arms as I said "I call her! Sorry, everybody." On the last day, on my request, our table played and filmed a hilarious game of "Truth or Dare" while we enjoyed the end-of-camp barbecue. (The meat was great. Grin.) Audrey and a couple other people were vegetarians and had garden burgers. There's a Vegan Club at LVA, apparently. (I respect their ideas and discipline, but don't understand it. Animals eat each other in the wild all the time- lions eat zebras and antelopes and whatnot, we eat cows and other farm animals.) But anyway, camp was really fun. I'm anxious to get back to school now.

Well, that pretty much sums up the events that took place during my absence from the internet. Oh, wait! I almost forgot! I will be flying to California on August the 8th- almost exactly one week from now. My Aunt Susie will pick me up from the airport in San Diego, where we will go to my grandparents' in Modesto. On either Sunday or Tuesday, we'll visit San Francisco with my cousin Travis. I'll stay with them in Modesto until the following weekend of my grandpa's birthday party, when my family will drive up, attend the party, then drive me back home.

Well, I have much to make up for due to my internet-absence. See ya!

1st Photo: Keys. Love using them, hate losing them. 2nd Photo: LVA Academics building. (The school was formerly Las Vegas High School. They just didn't change the sign.) 3rd Photo: Map of California.

Aloha Friday #5: Flying

2009-07-31T13:42:00.000-07:00

The blog An Island Life chronicles a mother's life in Hawaii. On it, she started a blog phenomenon called "Aloha Friday." She writes:

"In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response."

I'll join in the fun, along with the 100+ people posting their questions. Well, I just recently found out that on August 8th, I will be flying to California to visit family. I love flying, and I especially love airports- you get to see all the tourists (especially here in Vegas), there's so many people, and there's coffee. However, I know that some are afraid of flying, so, out of curiosity, this week I ask you this:

How do you feel about flying, and what was the best or worst flight you've ever been on?

Don't Know when I'll be Back Again...

2009-07-24T00:45:00.000-07:00

I just got home from picking my father up from the airport, followed by a buffet and "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince." I will post a review for this and a few other movies in time.

I know I haven't been posting too often lately, and the little that does get posted is of very unimportant subjects. That's just my life right now, I suppose- I'm packing and cleaning, being yelled at, scolded, whined to, and having to witness several fits of hysteria. I am but 14, but I do not see any reason for such fits of emotionalism because of moving. I know it's expensive, difficult, and tiring, but humans have suffered through much, much worse, right? This is probably the reason for me posting such silly little things lately; you have to learn to appreciate the little things in life. A lot of people forget that, I think.

Ah, the little things- the taste of a tall glass of iced tea, light seeping through the blinds, fuzzy, soft carpet, a hot bagel in the morning, air conditioning in the desert heat...

Wow. It's sad when you're so tired that you begin to ramble like this. Anyway, the point of this here post is to tell everybody- I might not post much the next week or two. My computer will be moved, and I am not entirely sure how long it takes to set back up. Please- bear with me.

Until then, have a nice day.

P.S. I wonder if you noticed the title of this post about picking up my father in accordance with the post describing dropping him off. How many of you know that song? Oh I'm leaving on a jet plane- don't know when I'll be back again...

Aloha Friday #4: Based on Books

2009-07-24T00:30:00.000-07:00

The blog An Island Life chronicles a mother's life in Hawaii. On it, she started a blog phenomenon called "Aloha Friday." She writes:

"In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response."

I'll join in the fun, along with the 100+ people posting their questions. I just got home from seeing Half Blood Prince, and I was excited to see the trailer for the new Sherlock Holmes movie coming out this Christmas. My parents both told me that it didn't exactly have that Sherlock Holmes style, so to speak. This prompts my question:

What book(s) have you read that were later made into a movie? Was it a thrill, or a dissapointment? (If you can't think of any book such as this, what book do you wish be made into a movie?)

Informalities and Vampires breaking things

2009-07-22T00:21:00.000-07:00

Hello there. Yes, as usual, I am about to begin typing yet another silly, wandering-thought post extremely early in the morning.

I just watched another Star Trek T.O.S. episode- "The Menagerie, Pt. I." At the end, Spock was pleading with Kirk, and he called him Jim. I don't quite know why, but I find I get a tiny bit flustered on the rare occasions Spock addresses the captain as Jim- not like upset, just surprised. I've always addressed adults by formal titles. Then again, Spock is both older than Kirk, and his best friend. Perhaps my doing that has something to do with me growing up an air force brat. I always address my friends' parents as Mr. or Mrs., followed by their surname. When they tell me to call them by their first name, I feel embarrassed. I need to get over that.

We donated some things to Catholic Charities this morning- my bunk bed, my brother's old captain's bed, our old washer and dryer, and our old, huge, slightly fuzzy TV. I'm sure somebody will make good use out of them.

Last night I spent frantically working with my brother and my mother to clean my room so that they could remove the bunk bed. I took off a huge pile of pillows and blankets and made a mountain in the loft. My brother and I enjoyed tossing the kitten, Zorro, onto said mountain. (It was also quite fun to throw myself on top of.)

Today, I spent most of the day in the garage with my mother and brother, Chris. We were looking through old boxes and rearranging to get more organized. My mom found a dozen old dresses my dear Aunt Glenda made for me when I was younger. I have never seen much of her, but she e-mails me all the time. From what I understand and can remember, she is very kind. After the first five or so dresses shown to me, I asked why she made so many, and my mother said that I reminded Aunt Glenda of herself. It's nice to know that. Many people on both sides of the family think of me as "Mary, the artistic one in the family."

I've been able to catch up in Dracula. Jonathan is now captive in the count's castle. There is a scene I found particularly funny... Jonathan is shaving in his chambers using the shaving glass he hung up on the wall (there wasn't a mirror in the castle- why would Dracula need one, he couldn't see himself anyway). He feels a hand on his shoulder and the count's voice say "Good morning," and Jonathan is so startled that he cuts himself with his razor. While Jonathan is looking from the count to the glass and back again, wondering why he did not see the count behind him in the reflection, Dracula says: "Take care how you cut yourself. It is more dangerous than you think in this country. And this is the wretched thing that has done the mischief. It is a foul bauble of man's vanity. Away with it!" He then snatches the mirror, opens a giant window, and thrusts the glass out, and Jonathan watches it shatter and thinks to himself how annoying it is that he cannot shave now.

Why is it funny? I don't know, perhaps it's just me. I just get a hilarious mental image of an elderly Dracula tossing a tiny little mirror out a huge castle window abruptly.

I should probably go clear room in my bedroom to put my mattress on the floor. I'm sure with the right amount of blankets, I can lessen the impact. Farewell, and may you have a pleasant day.

1st Photo: Captain Christopher Pike from Star Trek T.O.S.'s "The Menagerie" two-part episode. 2nd Photo: Dracula by Bram Stoker.

Wordless Wednesday #3: Goodbye, Old Home- It's been fun.

2009-07-22T00:18:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

Top 10 Reasons to Love/Hate Back-to-School

2009-07-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

I love going back to school, but sometimes it feels like a pain. As you may know. I post "top 10" lists on whim, but since it's Tuesday, I'm doing it to celebrate It's a Beauty Filled Life's Top 10 Tuesday! (Click the picture above to read today's installment!)

So, without further ado, here are 10 reasons to love going back to school, and 10 reasons to hate it.

Top 10 Reasons to Love Going Back to School

You get to be able to see all your friends again, more often, every day.
You have the chance to make new friends and meet new people, especially if you're starting at a new school.
You can once again fill your days with time-killing school activities, like clubs, shows, and projects.
It's fun to go shopping for back-to-school clothes and supplies. (It helps you look forward to it even more.)
You can actually get out of the house for hours a day.
You get to start off fresh and new, with new teachers and new subjects to study.
Your brain won't melt into a pile of oatmeal from lack of use.
You get to go to school dances and parties- like proms, Halloween dances, etc.
Depending on when your birthday is, you might get to celebrate with friends during lunch on your birthday- or even help others celebrate!
You get to go back to your favorite classes and subjects.

Top 10 Reasons to Hate Going Back to School

Homework, homework, homework.

Your alarm clock will once again wake you up every morning with it's shrill cries. (I had to wake up at 4:30 A.M. each morning this past school year.)
Your meals will again consist of unidentifiable cafeteria food or bland packed lunches.You might get one of those evil, nasty teachers, whose purpose in life is to torture children.

Curfews will probably be worse, and you'll have to get to bed early. (This is torture for me, being a natural night person to the core.)

If you're going to a new school, whether because you're moving up to a new grade or you transferred, you can get lost on-campus or not know anybody.

You will be sucked back into the school social system, along with the good, the bad, and the downright snobby.

You probably won't get to go on vacations as much, like you did in the summer.

It's easier to get in trouble. You have to watch what you say and do wherever you go, and follow rules 24/7 unless you want detention, grounding, and a parental lecture.

Depending on the school, you'll probably have to follow their dress codes once more, or worse- uniforms.

You can miss out on tons of things during the day or late at night. (Some parents won't allow their kids to miss school for anything short of an illness or funeral.)

The Best or Worst years of your Life.

2009-07-19T23:42:00.000-07:00

I'll be a freshman next year. A freshman. At a high school. With other humans.

Woahboy...

My friend Dang reminded me of a saying shortly after we graduated from middle school... "High school can be either the best or the worst four years of your life." As if there's no medium. You'll either absolutely hate it, or passionately love it. I think we all know which side of that we want to be on.

I'm not one of those people who thinks, I'm going to a new school! I should reinvent myself. Then, next year, the happy, smiley, cute little redhead has a nose-ring, jet black hair and a leather miniskirt. It's a tad scary to see that happen to people.

However, I do want to make some changes before I go to high school. For one, I got a haircut... (Yeah, I know- "your hair is short enough.") Instead of my typical straightened bangs messily tucked behind my ear, with the left side longer than the right, my bangs are now short enough to just cover my forehead, with both sides even. I also don't straighten it. My hair is naturally quite wavy... Kind of in the way you see women in the 20's, with the hair not straight, but not curly... I've decided to try to straighten my hair less- one goal to make for high school.

I am reminded of a chapter in the Ouran High School Host Club manga, where a girl has insecurities about her curly hair, so she straightens it all the time. When she meets Tamaki, he tells her that he bets her heart is as beautiful and as "pure" as her hair, so she takes that to mean she's phony... But then the hosts help, or something (I can't remember), and she goes to school with curly hair. All the girls say 'Oh, it's so beautiful!' I don't think any of my friends have ever seen my hair wavy. (Well, except for Shae, after swimming!) I wonder what they'll think. I'm not as insecure as the girl in the story, I straighten my hair to keep it out of the way.

Another thing... My jeans. (And my clothing in general.) I recently had to buy a smaller size, and now these ones feel too big. I think they might just be getting worn out. Also, I only have a couple pairs of jeans that fit me well. One pair has faded green paint splattered all down the right leg. (Painting a gigantic plywood box with green house paint that stains + "We forgot smocks... Oh well." = Disaster.) The other pair has a small streak of gold metallic paint on the right leg, along with several loose strings from kitten claws. I am going to try to be more careful, so that my clothes don't look like garbage as often...

Another vow- I will try my best to succeed. I've been slacking off, and thinking about it, my decisions in high school academically will affect me for the rest of my life- what college I get into, what job I get... I'm going to strive for all A's. Even with all honors classes. (Oh boy...)

I also have to work on eating breakfast more often... Or rather, a better breakfast. I need to switch from fast food breakfast or crackers to cereal or eggs. I think I'll also get a thermos to take coffee or tea in for the ride to school.

So, let's recap...

Mary's Goals before High School

Let my hair grow out a little (well, maybe)
Don't straighten my hair as much
Take better care of my clothes
Be more careful in art (or wear a smock)
Strive for all A's
Make good academic decisions
Eat a decent breakfast more often
Drink coffee or tea in the morning

Hmm. Well, that doesn't seem too difficult. Oh, wait. I want to make new friends, too... Yeah. So, number nine... Make new friends. Kind of an odd thing to put as an afterthought, huh?

1st Photo: High school lockers. LVA has lockers... Right? 2nd Photo: My hair is kind of wavy like this. 3rd Photo: Yeah... I buy my jeans at Old Navy.

The smell of Dust on a Saturday Morning

2009-07-18T00:40:00.000-07:00

Ugh. This move shall surely be the end of me.

I am such a wreck. I'm exhausted. Why, you may ask? Well, because of moving. I'm trying to clean and pack- believe me, I am. However, all I feel I can do is sit in the middle of the floor (or what you can see of it), look around, and let out a whimper of exhaustion as I rearrange a few small items, then lay down and dose off. Every day, my eyes appear more sunken in, and sometimes my face looks a tad paler. I am slowly losing my ability to stay awake each night, and I find I have to sleep more and more.

Well, my mom has to get into my room to disassemble my metal bunk bed before Tuesday, when Catholic Charities is coming to pick it up. She says she can't do that in my room's current state. It also does not help that on the rare occasions I happen to mention how weak or unmotivated I feel, she tells me "I told you so" and reminds me that I should have been cleaning months ago. Another car on this negative train of thought- once the charity comes and whisks my bed away, I will have nothing but my age-old, rock-hard mattress and the floor for sleep. I'll be getting a nicer mattress one of these days...

To the few of you reading this who may feel concern, please don't. I am very exhausted, it is almost one in the morning. I tend to become melodramatically pensive when I am tired. I am probably making a mountain out of a molehill. I tend to do that quite often... So I have heard. You know what people say about overemotional artists doing things like this.

Oh, yes. So, about the title of this post. Well, you see, I did manage to clean somewhat this evening. I looked through some of the papers and boxes stashed underneath my bed. I have never really noticed how horrible dust smells. The smell was so utterly and completely revolting that it gave me a headache. (Well, it was either the smell of the dust or my blaring lamp.) Most everything in my room smells of dust, now- including me, I fear.

I suppose tomorrow, I will wake up earlier (if I can) and make some coffee or tea... Anything with caffeine. That would do quite nicely for a day of packing. The "estimator" from the moving company is coming Wednesday, I believe to see the work cut out for them. You know, I was thinking- I've been watching a lot of Star Trek T.O.S. episodes on YouTube lately. I wish that I could just "beam" everything from my old house to the new one- like they did with the tribbles.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Aloha Friday #3: Movie Genres

2009-07-17T00:54:00.000-07:00

The blog An Island Life chronicles a mother's life in Hawaii. On it, she started a blog phenomenon called "Aloha Friday." She writes:

"In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response."

I'll join in the fun, along with the 100+ people posting their questions. I have been watching a lot of movies lately, especially Dracula films. I love monster movies, along with many other genres. This prompts my question for the week...

What's your favorite favorite genre (or genres) of movies?

Sweeter than an Apple Pie

2009-07-16T21:53:00.000-07:00

Call my baby "lollipop," tell you why-
His kiss is sweeter than an apple pie.

These are a couple lines from the 60's song "Lollipop," by the Chordettes. (Yes, the song from the new Dell "Mini" commercial.) I had heard this song a year or two ago, but since the Dell commercial started coming on TV so much, it's been stuck in my head. In my playlist on the sidebar, you will find towards the bottom two versions of the song- the original by the Chordettes, and a 2007 version by Ben Kweller.

Anyway, getting to the point... These particular lines of the song have been stuck in my head all day, and guess what? Yup. They made me crave apple pie. So, earlier tonight, I got a frozen Claim Jumper Dutch apple pie from Albertson's. It's in the oven baking as I type this.

Another song I've been listening to a lot lately is "Hallelujah." I like the Leonard Cohen version best, but the Jeff Buckley version and the American Idol Jason Castro versions are also toward the bottom of my playlist. I think there might have been a mix-up, though, because even though it says the artist is Leonard Cohen, it doesn't sound like it- it has a faster tempo... Well, whatever. (Random thought: I really like the name Leonard. It sounds old fashioned. The nickname Leo is nice also... You see, some names sound nice, but have unpleasant nicknames. Example- I like the name Vincent, but hate the nickname Vinny.)

Oh man, I'm getting off-topic again. Anyway, most of the song, the lyrics I don't get. For example...

Your faith was strong but you needed proof

You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah...

Now I'm just sitting here thinking, This is a pretty song, but... What the heck? You see, I have this mental image of some man staring at a woman on a roof, thinking she's beautiful, asking her on a date... Then she goes psycho. I don't know. Are these lines supposed to be symbolic? Because I'm not good with symbolism.

Ah, such a beautiful song...

P.S. I got my hair cut today, so I'll probably be posting a new profile photo sometime within the next week or so.

Some thanks he got, hmm?

2009-07-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my mother and I went to Borders, and we had a coupon for 40% off two DVD's. And guess what? They had the two-disc collector's edition of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and the DVD of the 1979 "Dracula" with Frank Langella. Can you say "score?"

Well, I watched the '79 movie last night. My mom had told me how huge a deal it was when it came out, and how all the reviews said how sexy Frank Langella was as Dracula. It was a good movie, and Frank Langella was pretty cool. I still like "Bram Stoker's Dracula," because it actually tells you why he became what he became. That movie made me quite emotional.

But I mean, you can't blame Dracula for being a monster. He had a right to be angry at humans. Basically, Vladimir "Dracula" Tepes was a Romanian knight fighting in the name of the church. He went off to war against the Turks, leaving behind his worried bride, Elizabeta. He is victorious. When he returns, he discovers that, while he was gone, the Turks told Elizabeta he had died in war, so she took her own life and jumped into a river, drowning. The priest tells Vladimir that her soul cannot be saved, because, according to God's law, those who commit suicide are eternally damned. Here's the video of this little story, for it was the introduction to "Bram Stoker's Dracula":

So let's get this straight.

Vladimir goes to war, risking both his life and his happy future with his beloved bride, in the name of the church. When he returns to deliver the good news, he finds that said bride took her own life because of deceit from the enemies of the church. If that wasn't enough, the priest informs him that his bride's soul cannot be saved.

"Oh, and by the way- thanks for winning our war." Not.

Now, don't you think Vladimir had a right to place a dark, bloody curse upon the church, renounce God, say that if she went to Hell, so would he, and become the vicious, dark, blood-sucking demon, "Dracula," that centuries of readers have come to know and love and/or fear? I'm just saying.

Anyway, I also got two manga off of my summer reading list while at Borders- Fruits Basket Vol. 23, the final volume, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. 3. I'll be sure to say when I finish them.

I went to Joe's Crab Shack today and had some crab cakes. I love seafood. The waiter wrote his name on a paper towel and stuck it on our table... Patrick. He seemed really peppy. I think he might have been bored, my mother and I were one of only two tables in the whole restaurant. At one point, as I read Fruits Basket, he zipped around a corner and sat down next to me, saying "Whatcha reading?" I told him, and he said "Ahhh, Japanimation. An ex-girlfriend of mine drew that stuff. I just went to Comic Con, actually. Just to watch people dress up." As I said. Very peppy. He told us how when the "Star Trek" movie came out, he and his friends rented Star Wars costumes and went to see it, and vise versa with the "Star Wars" movies. He also said they did it with the Batman movie and went as Superman, and Transformers and went as He-Man.

I really should be packing, shouldn't I? I'm the worst kind of packer. Sigh. I need somebody to walk around behind me and smack me with a tuna every time I slack off. I suppose I'll get going. Peace.

1st Photo: Frank Langella as Dracula. 2nd Photo: Winona Ryder as Mina Harker and Gary Oldman as Dracula.

Wordless Wednesday #2: Our New Home

2009-07-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

Thoughts of the Night

2009-07-14T00:49:00.000-07:00

Hello. I'm about to say some really random things. Why? Because it's one in the morning, and I'm feeling good.

I am listening to "Lady Marmalade." Yeah, yeah- to all of you who have problems with it, bite me. The thing is, I'm not sure people my age actually realise what this song is about in its entirety... They played this song as one of their many random scene transition songs on my school's news show, "In the Know," this past year. It didn't seem like a huge deal at the time, but looking back on it, it's one of those "Really? Seriously?" kind of moments. I mean, don't get me wrong- Christina Aguilera, Pink, Maya, and Lil' Kim are all amazing... But I just can't believe the song was played on a middle school TV program.

For those of you reading this going "What? What about it?", which I'm not sure how many of you are, the song is basically four prostitutes describing their job at the Moulin Rouge, their expensive tastes, and talking dirty. In fact, in the song, they repeatedly say "voulez vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?", which translates from French into "do you want to sleep with me, tonight?" And yet, the song is so darn catchy.

I'm getting pretty worried about moving right now. My room is still a mess. Why? I can clean as much as I want, but when you get right down to it, I don't really know what to do. I am what people sometimes refer to as "domestically challenged." Or maybe "domestically lazy." I'm not terribly good at cleaning because I'm never thorough. In addition, I can't cook much, I'm too wimpy for any form of yard work, laundry is incredibly tedious to me, and I don't have the patience for anything like knitting, sewing, or crocheting.

However, over the next year or so, I'll get better. I might be taking Costume Design as an elective, and from what I have heard, the majority of your first year consists of learning to sew. For cooking, since the new house has such a big, spacious kitchen, I'll be able to use it more often. As for yard work... Well, I have a desert landscaped backyard. I suppose that doesn't matter much at all, does it?

I rented "Bram Stoker's Way of the Vampire," "Underworld," and "She's the Man." (I finished reading The Twelfth Night by Shakespeare, so I wanted to see "She's the Man" again to compare. The movie was based off of the play.) I saw a movie at Blockbuster called "Dracula 3000," which is apparently robot Dracula in space. What is this world coming to? Honestly? Maybe I'll watch it someday. But is it even worth watching...? Well, it was out, so somebody must have thought so.

Due to packing and cleaning, I haven't made much more of a dent in my summer reading list than I described a couple of posts ago. I don't think I'll ever finish all those books...

Well, I have to go. The light is giving me a migraine, and right now, I cannot imagine anything more pleasant than my soft bed and my cold, dark bedroom. Oh, how I despise this light. That's why I bought a dimming floor lamp for my bedroom. I wish this loft light had a dimmer.

Good night

1st-2nd Photo: Scenes from the "Lady Marmalade" music video. Left to right- Lil' Kim, Pink, Mya, Christina Aguilera. 3rd Photo: Packing up and moving. 4th Photo: The "Dracula 3000" DVD cover.

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

2009-07-13T00:37:00.000-07:00

I'm so exhausted. This morning, I woke up at 5:00 A.M. to see my father off on his plane to Colorado Springs on business, only to find out that my mother neglected to mention that we wouldn't be actually going inside- her and I were just dropping him off in front.

I enjoyed being able to say goodbye to my father nonetheless, so the trip was worth it. It is a shame, though, that I did not get to go inside. Silly as it may sound, I absolutely love the airport. Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport is truly an amazing place. It's as if all of Las Vegas has been rolled up into one single building. That's right- not only are there large and flashy signs and screen ads, but there are also snack areas, gift shops, and even slot machines. It is almost as if the purpose of throwing this all into the building was a hello to incoming tourists, as a preview of the town- and a goodbye to leaving visitors, encouraging them to return soon.

I also have some great memories in this airport. I remember when my dad came home from almost a year in Kuwait a few years ago. Though McCarran airport is always jam-packed, he was easy to spot- the really tall guy, in the desert BDU's. I don't remember much, but I remember running and hugging him, and him lifting me up.

When he came back, he brought something for my brother and I- two of his extra pairs of desert BDU's, pants and coat. My brother's is still in his closet, but today, I just moved all the clothing from my closet into my closet in the new house, along with some art supplies, old sketchbooks, and unnecessary items. The BDU's were too big for me then, and I've barely grown into them now. They have "HERRERA" sewn on, along with my father's air force patch that shows his rank at the time. I won't wear them outside ever, for fear of damaging them, and I want them perfect forever- besides, it would be illegal for me to wear the BDU's in public, I think. Something to do with it being illegal to wear the patch.

Anyway, my room in the new house is looking good... I have enough in it now to make it homey, but not to the point of being messy. However, I wish I could say the same about my current bedroom... It is still a hideous mess. I planned on cleaning it today, I swear (no, really)- but I got about six hours of sleep last night, which is about six hours less than I prefer. My neck still hurts from its awkward sleeping position on the drive over to the airport, and my back is killing me. All day, my legs lacked the energy to move about the room. However, tomorrow, I will do nothing but clean and pack.

I should probably go to bed. Hunching over the keyboard with a flushed face, sunken eyes, and an aching neck can't be good for my health. I miss the good summer days a couple weeks ago- I stayed up until four in the morning, so full of life... Now look at me- a nocturnal being to the core, about to collapse at one in the morning.

Good night. Or... Morning, I suppose.

July Anime Vegas

2009-07-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I went to Anime Vegas today. Nothing particularly eventful happened, but it wasn't as insanely boring as last month, so I can't complain.

When I arrived, there was almost nobody there. A couple girls stopped me before I went inside the library and asked me about my nonexistent little brother. After I told them my only sibling was my 20 year old brother who would be too lazy to leave his room and come there anyway, a girl led me inside. I asked where everybody was, and she told me they were all in the Ichigo Maid Cafe, then led me there.

The Ichigo Maids are a group of young women who come to our yearly convention every year to set up their Ichigo Maid Cafe, with themselves as the maids/waitresses. Here, you can buy cookies, tea, soda, and some cute little things like a strawberry fan or strawberry maid headpiece.

When I entered the small conference room, I could see that the girl was right- it was packed, full of at least 20 people, including maids. I didn't stick around- partially from my lack of seeing anybody I knew well there, partially because I felt like a sardine. So, when I went outside to the wandering two or three people there for Anime Vegas, I began talking to a nice girl named Casandra. We found out that some of our friends were at McDonald's, so we went there. After that, we both walked over to 7/11 for popsicles. We walked down the sidewalk back to the library and talked about horror films. When we got there, she used her library card to get us a computer, and we surfed the web for an hour or two.

After this, we all just hung around the library's bike racks, shaded by the trees. One guy was splashing people with water from a bottle. I decided at one point to venture over to the group by the grassy CSN area, but I came back quickly enough, discontent with watching teen boys have duels with giant foam Q-tips.

Towards the end of the day, I started to hang around the manga section inside the library, and I had a good time. I talked art and art supplies with a nice girl, discussed old cartoons and old books, and I watched a funny Yu-Gi-Oh "duel."

Do you know what Casandra said today, which is very true? The best thing about these monthly Anime Vegas conventions is getting to hang out with complete strangers and immediately become friends.

1st Photo: The official Anime Vegas convention logo. 2nd Photo: Peace... Yo.

The Library's Infested with Vampires?

2009-07-11T00:13:00.000-07:00

Yup, it's that time again... Anime Vegas is tomorrow. As always, I will try to get there A.S.A.P. tomorrow.

Now, something annoying every Anime Vegas is trying to figure out what to wear. I don't want to go in my normal clothes, but I don't want to look like some crazy homeless lady either, you know? This month, I know what I want to wear. Not everybody at Anime Vegas cosplays, some just dress goth. Quite a few people have told me that my appearence is quite vampiric- I'm really pale, always look exhausted, and you can see my veins all over my neck, and without makeup, my face. So, I'm going to wear a long black dress, my bat amulet that my best friend Shae got me for my birthday, and red lipstick... But I won't dress as extreme as in this photo. I'm pale, but not that pale. (In other words, just pale enough to pass myself off as a human.)

I usually text some friends a couple days before Anime Vegas to see who's going, but with moving and all, I didn't think of it. Well, I hope some of my friends will be there... Ambrosia and Rachel, who I met a couple months ago... Matt and Dougy usually come, and one has ever been there without the other that I can recall. Emily always comes, but we never see much of each other due to bad timing. Ressa will probably come also... Well, if none of my friends are there, I guess I'll just hang in the theater or with the AV president, now won't I?

I'll be sure to post all about it tomorrow evening. I hope you have a great Saturday!

Aloha Friday #2: Old Books

2009-07-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

The blog An Island Life chronicles a mother's life in Hawaii. On it, she started a blog phenomenon called "Aloha Friday." She writes:

"In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response."

I'll join in the fun, along with the 100+ people posting their questions. As readers of my blog may know, I have been reading Dracula by Bram Stoker. As you probably know, it is a very old book- published in 1897, to be exact. So, this got me thinking...

What do you think of older books? What is the oldest book you have read? Is there any particular period in literarture you miss?

All About Meme

2009-07-10T00:54:00.000-07:00

Hello! I have decided to do a blog meme... Again. I got it from It's a Beauty Filled Life. It is a series of questions, and these are the only rules:

Respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, and also add one more question of your own.
Tag other people - I’m passing this on to whoever out there can’t think of anything to blog about tomorrow. *innocent batting of eyelashes*

So, if you want to do this, consider yourself tagged... By me. Here I go!

What is your current obsession?
Renting movies from Blockbuster, mostly old vampire flicks- versions of Dracula and their spin-offs.

What are you wearing today?
Dark blue denim jeans that are probably a size too big, a black leather belt, a red Old Navy tee with a white seahorse stenciled on, and a pewter vest.

What's for dinner?
I-HOP stuffed french toast with blueberries.

What would you eat for your last meal?
Chicken cordon blue, stuffed fish, or lobster, with my mother's yams, and some fresh tea or hot coffee. Perhaps some brandy or wine, also. I've always wondered what those taste like.
Wow, I suppose that's pretty expensive tastes for a convict. Wait- why am I being executed!?

What are you listening to right now?
"Little Wonders" by Rob Thomas. This song is a little sad, but Rob Thomas rocks, sooooo...

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Gosh, I don't know... Romania, maybe? I mean, according to Dracula, it's gorgeous. Or maybe Paris, to see the Louvre.

Which language do you want to learn?
Any language- but I guess Japanese, Spanish, or French. Ohohohoh- Romanian would be cool! Yeah! I pick that!

What do you love most about where you currently live?
The fancy malls, stores, theaters, theme parks, shows- all the fun stuff I can go to/do/see only because I live in Vegas (baby).

What style is your current home decorated in?
Pfft. Decorating? Nobody around here cares about decorating, other than me. But I am going to decorate the new house in "old-world meets modern."

If you were a time traveler, what era would you live in?
1800's, definitely. Those were the good days, when things like art and invention were really starting to blossom.

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
Umm, I don't know. I have this brown striped tee I really like, I suppose... Oh, and the seahorse shirt I'm wearing right now.

What were you doing ten years ago?
When I was four? I don't remember.

If you had $300 now, what would you spend it on?
Either furniture for my new room or a PS3.

What are you going to do after this?
Post my Aloha Friday post, extremely late I might add.

What are your favorite films?
The new Star Trek, the latest versions of Sweeney Todd and Hairspray, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and... Well, I'm bad at remembering movies I like.

Your favorite books?
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, the Generation Dead series, the Twilight saga (Bite me. Get it?), and Go Ask Alice.

Do you collect anything?
I don't have any one big collection, just a bunch of tiny ones- pins, pressed coins, seashells, and rocks.

What makes you follow a blog?
If I can relate, like an art blog, or something to do with Las Vegas. Also, I follow friend's blogs just to see what they've been up to.

What was the most enjoyable thing you did today?
I went through a big box of silly little belongings in my new bedroom, while my dad sat in the closet on his Blackberry and my mom set up my new TV stand.

If you were a superhero, what would your name be and what power(s) would you have? (BONUS: What would your costume be?)
I would want to be like Raven from Teen Titans, probably. (Yeah, I know I'm a dork!) Just have magic powers, like a witch, only in... Hero form. I would call myself... Rossignol, or Nightingale? It's a nice bird. Both of those names mean the same thing. I guess I would wear a white suit, with a white cloak.

What makes you comment on a blog?
If I have a response, question, or advice for/to the author. I'm not the type to just comment "cool post."

What is your favorite thing to do when you have some free time?
Browse blogs on the internet, draw, and read. Sometimes I "watch" TV, by which I mean I lay down on my bed and just think. I turn the TV on so, if anybody comes in, I don't look like some freak staring at the ceiling.

If you could homeschool your children, would you? Do you agree with homeschooling?
I don't passionately disagree, but I don't really think it's a very good idea. Children need to be around others there own age, and if they're kept safe at home their whole life, they're in for a surprise when they're on their own.

What is a talent you wish you had?
Singing and acting. I'm okay, but I'm not super-fantastic like some of my classmates. I haven't really taken the classes and lessons they have.

If you could be any animal other than human, what would you be?
A bat, or a cat.

Would you want your blog to be as popular as Dooce?
(What in blazes is Dooce?) Well, having a popular blog would be nice. I mean, it would be nice to have people comment and tell me what they think, so I could make more blogging friends and make conversation.

What fad do you wish was popular again?
Pretty, flowing dresses in light colors, like in the late 1800's to early 1900's. But comfortable dresses, not suffocating.

How many kids did you want when you were younger? If you have kids now, how many did you end up having?
I switch between wanting no kids to wanting a bunch of kids. I always think a big family would be so nice, but I don't really know yet if I like the idea of even having children... But I don't have any right now, and thank God. I'm 14, for crying out loud.

Mary's Question: Do you think you would survive against the monster or killer in a scary movie?
Yeah, I think so. I'm pretty resourceful, and I always watch slasher movies and try to tell the characters what they're doing wrong.

Playing "Haves"

2009-07-10T00:53:00.000-07:00

Sue from Sue's Krafty Kards is having a two year Blogaversary giveaway! All you have to do is participate in her game of "Haves," comment on her post linking to it, and you will be entered into a drawing on July 17th for the following fun prizes:

So, here's my entry. All the things I have done are in pink.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world/Disneyland Paris
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (In Musical Theater class, yeah.)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (They were gross.)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Made a Snow Angle (A loooooooooong time ago.)
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (Shocked? Me too.)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Stood in the rim of the Grand Canyon
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an erupting volcano in person
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theatre
55. Been in a movie (A YouTube movie, yes.)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (Do cheesy things when I was little count?)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Cookies for charity
62. Gone whale watching
63. Been given flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favourite childhood toy
70. Visited Buckinham Palace
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt or blanket
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Been to the top of the Empier State Building
80. Published a book (In the first grade, sure. I still have the hardcover.)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (The newspaper or a newspaper?)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox (Don't get me started.)
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Wow... I haven't done much, have I? Well, I am only 14. There's a lot of time left.

Wordless Wednesday #1: Lazy Zorro

2009-07-08T15:05:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday, or WW, is when bloggers post a single photograph that requires no description or caption. A picture says 1,000 words. Click here to visit the official Wordless Wednesday website.

Books and Cleaning

2009-07-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hello, ladies and gentlemen viewing this fine web page. I'm probably not going to have much worth posting about these next couple of weeks, but I just thought I would post a little update for those who want to know how I'm doing.

I went to the new house again yesterday and the day before. We were just putting some stuff in there to make it slightly hospitable for the moment- toilet paper, soap, tissues, water bottles... Oh, and my idea, popsicles- strawberry, tangerine, and coconut.

I decided to name that huge, winding closet under my staircase the "Narnia closet." It's so huge, somebody could live in there. (I told my mom we should buy a troll named Richard to live there, and if you ever wanted to enter, you would have to answer his three riddles.) I already "mentally arranged all my furniture." I sat on the floor in the middle of my room and perfectly arranged every imaginary thing. I'll have a TV on a stand, a bed, a desk, a small bookcase, a vanity dresser, a nightstand, and a table for my fish tank. Possibly some shelves on the wall, also.

Catholic Charities is coming on the 21st to pick up my bunk bed and our old washer and dryer. Goodwill just fixes up the furniture and appliances and sells them cheap, whereas Catholic Charities gives them to families in need, so that's nice. My dad will be gone on a business trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado from the 13th to the 21st, leaving my mother, brother, and I to do most of the packing. However, it was unavoidable, so I'm not mad at him, just annoyed at the timing.

So, my summer reading list is coming along nicely. I've read Tenth Grade Burns, Generation Dead, Kiss of Life, Twelfth Night, Go Ask Alice, and the Star Trek (T.O.S.): Ultimate Edition manga. Right now, I'm in the process of reading Dracula, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Case, and Little (grrl) Lost. I still have to buy a few of the books on my list, though.

I'm not very far in Dracula, but so far, it is rather amusing. Jonathan Harker is writing in his journal about his trip to Transylvania, and he just describes his transportation and the strange locals. However, what makes it funny is that every other page or so, he describes some Transylvanian dish he ate at a meal in full detail, then writes a reminder to himself to "get recipe for Mina," his fiance. (The cover of my copy is shown to the right. Now, I've been wondering, is that blood on his fingers, or is his makeup rubbing off...?)

Oh, and just so you readers know, thank you, I have started to seriously consider an art blog and will start working on it eventually. Hope your summer is fun so far. Later.

1st Photo: You can never go wrong with fruit flavored popsicles. 2nd Photo: The downstairs hallway of the new house. If you look close enough at the wall to the right, you can see the entrance to the Narnia room. 3rd Photo: I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan. 4th Photo: Dracula by Bram Stoker.