Lovely fashion plate icons, made for the Regency_Stills Challenge 23, mainly with quotes from Jane Austen and her books.  I kind of like them... 

     

Yaaay customized journal.

Even though it took me forever and still doesn't look that fantastic, but I do rather like the Becoming Jane header I made.

Though I'm kind of cross eyed now...

Updated College List:

1. Holy Cross. beautiful campus, not too far, clean, 3 newspapers, good programs. But Abercrombie catalog.
2. Clark. I'm not sure what I liked about it, but I did. Scary neighborhood.
3. Brandeis. Really good courses, nice area, close. Very lenient though.
4. Brown. Ha ha. But nice and I really liked Providence.
5. Endicott. Ocean! Near Salem area. Not that great of academics.
6. Salve Regina. OCEAN! But far.
7. Assumption. Nice, but safety school.
8. Saint Anselm's. Nice if I decide to commute.
9. Northeastern. Cool kids going there, but ick Boston.

9 schools.
70+ potential scholarships.
1 tired Hillary.

Too much craziness all at once.  And I still have to memorize my band music, gah.

On the bright side, I at least have my college choices somewhat figured out.
1. Holy Cross
2. Clark
3. Brandeis
4. Northeastern
5. Endicott
6. Assumption

And at some point I will grace this journal with a lovely pro and con list.  But in the mean time, another set of vintage-y icons.

     

( Some world far from ours, where music and moonlight and feeling are one. )

I read absurdly fast.

Ragtime
by E. L. Doctorow

SWEET ACHORDS (sic)
-A book that’s reminiscent of both a band ditty and a musical? Sold!
-The complete absence of quotation punctuation begins as a 6/8 death march (cough-zorro-cough) but throughout the course of the novel demonstrates the author’s amazing aptitude in writing dialogue, smoothly transitioning between one voice and another without messing with my head.
-Doctorow charmingly intertwines fiction with history leaving his most central characters (“Father,” “Mother,” “Boy,” and “Younger Brother”) relatively nameless, while intermingling their lives with the faces of our history books- Goldman, Ford, Houdini, Peary, and Morgan, to name a few. These individuals become the true leads of the novel, coming to life beyond the facts, living and breathing in a harmonious dance with fiction.
-The author further sews the societies of the time period (white, black, rich, poor, foreign) in such a way that reveals a true glimpse into the issues of the early 1900s. The story concentrates on the major problems of a changing society, in particular poverty, discrimination, rebellion, and women’s rights. Yet Doctorow simultaneously maintains a distance from the tumult, speaking in a third person restraint that lets the story tell itself. Ragtime allows the reader to form her own impression from the melodic arrangement of words on the page.
-The ice cream truck’s version of Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” adds a nice background soundtrack.

SOUR NOTES (pun!)
-“Ragtime” playing over and over in my head got a little dreary.
-At times, especially in the first and fourth portion of the book, the author uses a bland tone not unlike that of a history book, ticking off an assortment of rather useless names and facts that do very little to further the story. Of course these portions do offer an interesting backdrop and timeline connection to the story’s characters, but in my opinion came off bland.
-Far too many descriptions of the male and female anatomy. And enough eyebrow raising mentions of sex to make the reader vaguely wonder at Doctorow’s private life…
-At times, the distance the author maintains with his characters becomes a maddening vice. In a way, you can’t help feeling like something is being held back, and wishing that the true emotions sang out to a greater extent.
-I really didn’t need to know Eskimo mating rituals.

BELOVED MEASURE
I much liked the love story between Sarah and Coalhouse, and the portions with Evelyn, her struggle for love and wealth and her sweet devotion to the girl and her father. Though Emma Goldman quite frightened me with the corset thing. *blink*

A CLOSING STOCCATO
Ragtime is an interesting, enlightening piece but not for the reader easily bored silly by history. I liked it so much as to finish the little bar tune in 27 hours, but then again I’m weird.

For some odd reason or another I could not get myself to fall asleep last night. As a result, I found myself devouring (heh heh pun) Life of Pi at three in the morning in the bleak hope of getting it over and done with. And now, inspired by olde_fashioned, here are some senseless ramblings and musings otherwise known as a book review.

Life of Pi
by Yann Martel

THE CULINARY DELIGHTS
-Vivid description and superb mastery of words that really makes you feel as if you're on the endless boat ride from hell alongside Pi and his kitty.
-Encouraged both a craving for spinach and a longing for a meerkat friend… one who would snuggle up in your arm and make dramatic-chipmunk-like faces.
-Gives very useful advice. For example, I now know how to tame a rabid wildebeest next time I find one as my shipmate on a boat ride from hell.
-Brilliantly accurate portrayal of the French. Also taught me the valuable lesson: never hug a cannibalistic Frenchman.
-Offers ingenious new Lost conspiracy theory! Carnivorous algae? "Others" nothing more than an oversexed population of friendly meerkats? Hmm!
-Tigers make very talented hoop jumpers.
-Inspires the reader to drink his daily 64 ounces of water (or turtle blood, if applicable) for a happy and healthy digestive tract.
-Bananas really do float!

THE REFRIGERATOR MYSTERY MEAT
-Vivid description and superb mastery of words that really makes you feel as if you're on the endless boat ride from hell alongside Pi and his kitty.
-Unnecessary detailing of bodily functions
-Unnecessary detailing of heartless animal brutality. In my opinion, starvation (or cannibalism) should always prevail over carnivorism. Maybe it would have ended the story faster. Or better yet, killed it altogether.
-Orange Juice :(
-Zebra :(
-Meerkat :(
-Turtle :(
-I am now well versed in religions of which I care very little and moved the plot not at all. Though, I suppose in the grand scheme of things it played an important role in the overall message of the story but still.
-Japanese men, sadly, do not have a limitless supply of cookies, and are furthermore rather stingy about sharing.
-I never could figure out what that stupid boat looked like.
-The author, though clearly talented, intelligent, creative, etc., lapses into moments of literary vanity with 1-liners of wit and wisdom clearly accompanied by the smirked thought, "NY Times Best Seller, here I come."

BEST DISH FOR MY LITERARY PALLETE
It's tough to beat out the snuggly meerkats that like to burrow in awkward places, not to mention the Japanese officials who clearly deserve a hug. But I must say the conversation with the Frenchman is just the right cup of crazy for my tastes.

"If you're not happy with this figment of your fancy, pick another one. There are plenty of fancies to pick from."
Hmmm. Figment. Fig-ment. Wouldn't a fig be good?

"I don't have just one fig. I have a whole figment."

"Once upon a time there was a banana and it grew. It grew until it was large, firm, yellow, and fragrant. Then it fell to the ground and someone came upon it and ate it."
"What a beautiful story!"
"Thank you."
"I have tears in my eyes."
"I have another element," I said.
"What is it?"
"The banana fell to the ground and someone came upon it and ate it- and afterwards that person felt better."
"It takes my breath away!"
(We're talking Pulitzer Prize right there)

"Describe this boot to me, then! What kind of pitiful salesman are you? No wonder you're starved for customers."
PUN!!!

THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES
All in all, this book was actually an enjoyable read. Aside from the fact that India, survival tales, boats, shipwrecks, heartless animal killing, etc. interest me not at all, the book did have all the elements that make up a good read. Do I want to beat the thing to death in 12th Grade English (British Literature, not Spanish-Canadian, I might add)? No. But I must give the writer props and say that, in the end, it was a fine read.

"The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no? Doesn't that make life a story?"

I haven't made icons in ages!  And now that I have photoshop, I'd say they're considerably better (though not great) than my past attempts.  So here are some beauteous icons I made from some beauteous vintage photographs.  Angels, small children, and elegant ladies abound.


     

Hmm so nothing really to say.

Just showing off my snazzy Pride and Prejudice mood theme.

That is all.

Hmm.

I wish I had something new and exciting to report. But things are rather mundane at the moment. Of course there are those one or two minor annoyances here and there who like to buzz in my ear. But you get used to it after a while. One of them might think I'm a lesbian. That's rather amusing. :)

I hate school. With a burning passion. I kind of miss homeschooling. Sleeping until 8. Breakfast. Shopping trips. Not actually doing any of my work. Waking up with the sun actually peaking in through the window. :) If I didn't have my friends and newspaper and band, I honestly don't think I would bother going.

I don't know what to do with my life. At times I kind of want to bypass everything and go back to writing. And travel. That'd be fun. I don't want to take SATs, that's for certain. Or go on that writer's conference thing. Ugggh and a half.

I officially loved Wizard of Oz. And Singing in the Rain! They make me happy. :)

Ok, time to end this completely pointless entry and go to bed.

Life is messy.

That's all I have to say.

I think I'll hobble through tomorrow with that as my motto.



Ok, I have one more thing to say.

*Highschool romance is just make believe.

That's my second motto.

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?

So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend your cool...just type it in man!

Opening Credits: Vindicated, Dashboard Confessional (a coming of age piece, perhaps?)

Waking Up: Warmth of the Sand, Dashboard Confessional (yaay beach)

First Day At School: Please Don't Do This To Me, Plain White Ts (hahahaha)

Falling In Love: Time of Your Life, Green Day

Fight Song: Everybody Hurts, Dashboard Confessional

Breaking Up: Places You Have Come to Fear the Most, Dashboard Confessional

Prom: Just For Tonight, Rookie of the Year (sounds sketchy... but not really)

Life: Sympathetic, Seether (yup, pretty much)

Mental Breakdown: Drowning, Dashboard Confessional

Driving: This Ruined Puzzle, Dashboard Confesional

Flashback: Only Ashes, Something Corporate

Getting Back Together: Decipher Reflections From Reality, PlayRadioPlay

Wedding: Not So Easy, Dashboard Confessional (um... ok...)

Birth of Child: Knock Em Dead, Dashboard Confessional (o.O)

Final Battle: Heaven, DJ Sammy

Death Scene: Brown Eyed Girl, Van Morrison. (oh gee thanks so very much)

Funeral Song: The Best Deceptions, Dashboard Confessional

End Credits: Stolen, Dashboard Confessional



So pretty much I have way too much DBC in my life. And most of this made no sense at all.

I walk a path. Rambling, meandering, winding, broken, yet perfect in its compulsion. Some places swept with tear-ripened growth, others purged of bitterness and padded only with sweet memory. Look close enough, and see my footprints on the cobblestone. There, a stumble, a tear in the tapestry; here, the leaping bounds of certitude, running full force to a destination yet unknown. See how it wanders there, swept aside by the temptation of uncharted land. And there, beaconed still another route, a scattering of footprints alongside mine, step for step. Photographs and film reels churn, replaying each moment again, again. Bitter retrospection. Each laugh or embrace or meeting of the eye, some still burning, others dimming, all throbbing with accidental fruition. Each step growing firmer, stronger, then gradually fading, disintegrating with the dust as paths once again divide. Never forever. Somewhere, some moment along this road, it lives. Breathing, throbbing, lying in wait for one brief glance backwards as you walk on. And there they belong. A moment that has passed, locked away in time. Only empty wonderment remains. Destination limitless.
I walk a path. Compulsive, rambling, meandering, winding, broken.
Perfect in its imperfection.

Sorry, Sara. I had to throw my two cents in too. One more post before the summer ends (ok, not the technical summer, but really. It's over). Plus, I can't leave this journal on a downer.

I am going to be contemplative for a moment as I have realized something.

A few hours ago, I said I wished everything would change. But so much already did, just in this one summer. I can't think of a single friend who hasn't altered so much in the past few months. In the end, for the better. And in all my life, I've never had such an awesome time. Looking back on it, I wish I could have appreciated it as much as I do now.

Maybe it wasn't the happiest summer of my life. But it was the most meaningful, in ways I can't really explain. I don't really feel closer to anything I want, but it's not a bad thing I guess. It just... is.

Hmm... everything and nothing changed all at once. How does that work?

Road trips. Laughter. Swinging. Bus rides. RENT. Water. Pirates. Movies. Hugs. Clarinet. Fire. Truth or dare. Wicked. Seashells. Postcards. Playgrounds. Band camp. Ice cream. Fireworks. IMs. Stars. Photographs. Friendship. Love.

Yeah, I just got this song in my head. So here you go.

Another turning point;
a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist;
directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test
and don't ask why.
It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.
Tattoos of memories
and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

Really, thanks. I love you all.

1. Post a list of up to 20 books/movies/anime/TV shows/video games/etc. that you've had an obsessive fannish love of at some time in your life.
2. Have your friends-list guess your favorite character/person from each item.

1) RENT
2) Phantom of the Opera
3) Full House
4) Saved by the Bell (hahahahahaha)
5) Pride & Prejudice
6) Romeo and Juliet
7) Alice in Wonderland
8) Beauty and the Beast
9) Cinderella
10) Lion King (see a pattern at all here?)
11) Wicked
12) Billboard Dad (Mary Kate and Ashley, kill me!)
13) Hercules (can't forget that one)
14) The Last Unicorn
15) The Cosby Show
16) Baby Sitters Club!
17) The Baby Unicorn (I read it a frillion times. I was such a loser)
18) Dodgeball
19) The Price is Right!
20) Sweet Valley Twins series (hahahahahahaha)

Have fun!!!


I think I've had some of the weirdest obsessions ever. Also, there is no really wrong answer for any of these. And some of them are just rather random. :)

I really have no idea why I made all of these. o.O 

     

I had fun with this post though.  And it helped me forget some things... for a while anyway.

RENT icons! :)

I'll repost/update it when I get around to making more. Click the link below for the rest.

      

I hate these kind of days.

When you wake up and the day is wonderful, and then by sundown it's committed suicide.

People. Suck.

And the ones who really matter aren't here...

So it's been a while since I've posted anything. And it's amazing... so much has happened, and so much of it is for the better.

Let's see, in the past two months I've:

1. joined band
2. went from ear-piercing squeeks to actual song playing on the clarinet
3. questioned my sanity numerous times
4. remembered how much I love water (it's good stuff)
5. French. fun.
6. took a frillion photographs
7. lost my school bus virginity (hahahahaha... and cleaned up beer-can-hickville)
8. ROAD TRIPS!
9. found confidence I never thought I had
10. rediscovered old friends, grew apart from others, and realized how incredibly lucky I am to have five of the best. "Because I knew you, I have been changed for good."

:)

Beach tomorrow! And hopefully campfire cookout on Friday!

*shimmies*
*frugs*
*bunny hops*

=D

Your Birth Month is June

Peaceful and harmonious, you seek the gentle side of life. Your warmth and consideration touches many. Your soul reflects: Friendship, love, and beauty Your gemstone: Pearl Your flower: Rose Your colors: Light blue, white, and cream

You Are Midnight

You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits. Whether you're a nightowl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle. Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it. You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.

You Should Be a Poet

You have a way with words... and a talent for drawing the pure emotions out of experiences. Your poetry has the potential to make people laugh and cry at the same time. You just need to write it!

You Should Be A Poet

You craft words well, in creative and unexpected ways. And you have a great talent for evoking beautiful imagery... Or describing the most intense heartbreak ever. You're already naturally a poet, even if you've never written a poem.

You Are a Natural Flirt

Believe it or not, you're a really effective flirt. And you're so good, you hardly notice that you're flirting. Your attitude and confidence make you a natural flirt. And the fact that you don't know it is just that more attractive!

"Effective"? I think not. But it's all good.

You know what's really starting to bug me? People saying nasty things about other people. I don't care if you disagree with them, or have different beliefs, or they annoy you or whatever. Keep it to yourself, or keep it in your journal, but don't badmouth other people I happen to care about behind their backs. It hurts me very deeply, especially when I love both you and the person you dislike. I understand if you don't get along or disagree with them. But leave it at that. Do not go on and on with cruel adjectives. Give me verbs. Tell me what that person did, and let me be the judge of their actions. Better yet, don't talk about them to me at all, because I judge on my own. I don't listen to petty gossip or middle school drama. You don't like them? Fine, they're not your favorite person anymore. But stop pretending, leaving them completely oblivious, and me stuck in the middle, knowing you're saying one thing but thinking something completely different. It hurts not them, since they'll never hear your words, but me. And yourself, for unknowingly pushing me away.


Am I loud and clear or am I breaking up?
Am I still your charm or am I just bad luck?
Are we getting closer or we just getting more lost?


How Did We Get Here?
How The Hell...
Christmas. Christmas Eve last year
How Could A Night So Frozen
Be So Scalding Hot?
How Can A Morning This Mild
Be So Raw?
Why Are Entire Years Strewn
On The Cutting Room Floor Of Memory
When Single Frames From One Magic Night
Forever Flicker In Close-Up
On The 3D Imax Of My mind

That's Poetic
That's Pathetic

Why Am I The Witness
And When I Capture It On Film
Will It Mean That It's The End
And I'm Alone?