{Not} Learning Patience & Arizonian Adventures

Honestly, I'm writing this post because I can't think of anything more interesting to write about and it's been two weeks since my last post.  I'm nearly certain that being at a loss for something to write about is a direct result of actually having time to write.  Murphy's law and all that.

So, two months ago (has it really been that long???) I visited the Sisters of St. Thomas Aquinas near Phoenix, AZ, liked it, and talked with the Sister in charge about becoming a postulant.  I was ready to enter as soon as possible, but then my long-suffering priest (a.k.a The Voice of Reason And Prudence Who Is Always Making Victoria Do Hard Things) recommended that I wait and try one more convent before making a final decision.  So from thence I embarked on another stage in the ongoing saga of Victoria Learns Patience (except not really cause I'm still impatient) - this time, through waiting for letters from the second convent I contacted.  This process took about a month altogether, just to find out in the end that they don't have visitors' accommodations and they don't accept postulants until the end of August.  Bummer.  So now I'm waiting for the aforementioned priest-a.k.a-voice-of-reason to, in his words, "figure something out" and then inform me what the something is and how I'm going to do it.  I'm telling you, when I write my autobiography (because of course my life will be worth one) I shall call it The Waiting Game.

The convent of the Sisters of St. Thomas Aquinas - El Mirage, AZ.  (photo mine)

Incidentally, Arizona has captured something in me - I wouldn't say my heart, but definitely something in me is attracted to something about it.  Despite its extreme lack of grass and trees and clouds, I still liked it.  Perhaps it was simply because that's where the Sisters are, or even just because it's so new and completely different from anything I am used to.  I don't know.  But the two-and-a-half uncannily bright, hot days I spent there are pretty deeply seared into my imagination - pun intended.  Especially the first morning (I arrived at night), when I opened the door at fifteen minutes past six to singing birds, cactus flowers, and a strange landscape soaked in dazzlingly golden light.  (It was even better because it was early enough that it hadn't gotten hot yet.)

(also mine)

On the way back I had more plane adventures involving switched flights, a thing that was actually not a boarding pass, Victoria-caused security breaches, and sitting in Washington-Reagan airport eating Cinnabon at 10:00 P.M.  My dear readers, heed my warning: DO NOT eat Cinnabon, especially that late at night.  It will make you very sick.  I have since sworn never to eat anything from that place again.

Oh yeah, and if you're ever in the Dallas-Ft. Worth airport, do yourself a favor and get a burrito from the burrito place, the name of which, if I ever knew at all, I don't remember.  You'll know it by the fact that said burrito costs ten dollars.  But it is large and extremely delicious and will haunt your dreams for a long time afterwards.

 I cannot think of anything else to say and I have an unconquerable desire to end this post by saying "THE END" in big letters.  I am not fighting this temptation.

 THE END.

Of Expectations

*Taken from a diary entry written on August 29th.  Yes, I am incredibly premature.  I have been since I was born - literally.*

I've been thinking about winter.  I've always had a long "preparation season" for the cold months, though I certainly don't long for them like I long for summer in January.  But the thing is, my visions of summer are usually not quite fulfilled, while my expectations for autumn and winter, being more realistic, often are.  I envision summer as a sunlight-soaked time interspersed with storms, with most of one's time spent outdoors.  Books, iced tea, flowers, companionship, and pretty dresses are almost always involved in these imaginings.  But, in my experience, one get a few days like that in spring or early summer, and then it's just moping around the house trying desperately to employ oneself (or trying desperately to finish school), surrounded by equally bored and very quarrelsome siblings, with the cold, stale air conditioning poisoning the air.  Don't get me wrong, there are lovely moments in every summer - it's just not like I imagine it during the winter.  When I look forward to the cold months, though, I know I'm going to spend at least part of it freezing and exhausted (being cold makes me painfully tired sometimes), hungry (that too), and desperate for fresh air but not willing to freeze my nose off for the sake of an all-too familiar prison-walk round the neighborhood.  But I also know that there will be fires and autumn walks (before the nose-freezing time) and, later, Advent candles and eggnog and beautiful Christmas ceremonies - not to mention cozy sweaters and tea and boots and berets and many batches of fresh cookies.

Bring it on, Autumn. 

(No, seriously, bring it on.  Stop with the green leaves and almost-ninety high temperatures already.)


All images mine.

10,000 Pageviews!

GUYS!  I just checked my stats and I just made 10,000 pageviews!  AHHH THAT'S AMAZING!  Thank you all so much for reading and for putting up with my slow postings.  *gives internet hugs*

I shall put up another post just as soon as I can think of a topic.  It'll probably be a poem, methinks.

O For a Muse of Fire

I've spent most of today so far in fire-related activities.  Chopping wood, coaxing flames, piling on sticks, groaning about how my back and hands hurt... fireplaces are a lot of work, as some of you may know. 

This morning we woke up freezing cold and rather miserable (Virginia having finally realized that it's January, not October), so my mom and I decided to make a fire ourselves.  Usually it's my dad's job, but since he was at work it was up to us.  We had it nicely built up, but then we ran out of wood.  At first we sent out the little 'uns to gather sticks, but then they brought in a huge log....and I had a bright idea.  I would chop it.  My dad has a little hatchet which I've always wanted to try out, and now I got my chance.  (I'm certain there''s a bigger one somewhere in the garage, but I'm scared of the garage - too many spiders - so I didn't hunt too far.  So I grabbed my brother Joe and went out chopping. 

Chopping wood is glorious fun.  You get to whack an inanimate object with a sharp tool.  What's not to love?  I think I shall keep a supply of sticks to chop when I get angry from now on.  Really.  I think it would be quite beneficial.

So, to give this post a reason for existing, I shall explain some basics of stick-gathering and fire-making to you poor city slickers.  (You have no idea how hypocritical it is for me to say that.  I am by no means a country girl.) 

So, stick-gathering.  The sticks should be dry, but not rotted.  If they're rotten, they'll burn up like twigs, which is okay for a quick blaze, but isn't really worth it.  The lighter they are, the drier they are.  The drier they are, the better (and quicker) they'll burn.  Obviously the bigger they are, the longer they'll burn.  I don't know much about types of wood...I know some burn better than others, but I have no idea which.

Once you've got the sticks, you can make the fire. (By-the-by, unless you have a strong man, a saw, and big tree limbs, I recommend that you buy logs from a grocery store or something to supplement your sticks.)  If you have a huge fireplace or are making a bonfire, the best method is to lay your logs in a square shape with sticks and kindling (pinecones work well) in between.  If you've only got a regular fireplace, you can lay the logs in a triangle or x-shape.  I've been laying my sticks vertically against a log in the back and stuffing the middle with twigs, but it's not working terribly well.

So yeah, that's what I've learned about fires.  They're great fun, even though it's a ridiculous amount of work.

If you've got anything to add to my fire-making-knowledge, tell me in the comments.  And if I've got anything wrong, pleasepleaseplease tell me.  And if you made it to the end of my chattering...congratulations.

via google images

What's in a Name?

Sorry, this is not going to be a deep philosophical post on names.  At least, not entirely.

I've just oh-so-casually changed my blog's name.  Usually it takes me days to decide on a name for anything - names are just so very important, you see.  I find it hard it to believe that I would be the same person if I were named Elizabeth (a name my mom was considering for me), or Agatha or Renee or any other name at all.  I wouldn't be me.

My blog has a history of hasty decisions, though - when I chose Raindrops and Moonlight, I was just fooling around, not realizing that I was actually making a blog, so I just came up with a title out of the blue and stuck it in.  I thought I could play around with the settings and then there would be some option that let me choose whether I actually wanted this to be a thing or not.  But it just kind of...happened.  And lately it's been bugging me...I'm not so much of a moonlight-ish person anymore, if you follow me.  I mean, I'm still quite affectionate towards the moon and I think moonlight is lovely, but it doesn't really "fit" me anymore.  Also, certain individuals have said that the title was "Rainbows and Unicorns, or something really girly like that."  Well I am girly, but I didn't quite like that, and it made me think about the title more.  And I decided I'd outgrown it.

 Sunlight and Shadow, while similar to Raindrops and Moonlight, really, seems a bit more "me" now.  It was a title I thought of quite a while ago, and I rather like it because it indicates that I shan't always be depressed and sad (shadow), but I won't be all sunlight, because there's definitely such a thing as too much sun.  And I'm not entirely a sunshine-y person...I remember a time when I'd walk into a room and my dad would start making thunder noises at me and crack jokes about stormclouds.  So yeah, definitely not all sunshine here.  Anyway, shadows add depth to things.

So yeah.  Long complex explanation of a simple change.

I'm hoping that in some weird subconscious manner the change of title will inspire me to write more.  I really haven't been able to think of anything to talk about, I'm afraid.  Plus I've been quite busy with awful slow schoolwork and planning life stuff and....yeah.  (By the way, if you have ANY SUGGESTION AT ALL for a topic I could write about, I will hug you.  Virtually.)

Tell me what you think of the new title.  If you miss the old one, console yourself with the fact that it's still my URL, and that is not likely to ever change.

Stuff.

I'm so creative with titles, am I not?

I know, I know, I haven't posted for nearly a month.  I've got reasons, though.  See, a couple weeks ago it hit me that I have just six months of my life left in which to do school.  No, I'm not going to die in six months (hopefully), but I am going to graduate (again, hopefully).  There are some other life-y things that are taking - and will continue to take - a great deal of mental and emotional energy as well.  So yeah.  There's that.  Also (and this one is more interesting), a week ago I got home from my first ever spiritual retreat! It was lovely.  I strongly encourage anyone who's never gone on one to check it out.  Mine was a silent retreat: no talking at all for two-and-a-half days, excepting hymns, rosary, and the like.  It was actually wonderful to not have to say anything.  I quite liked it.  When you don't have to worry about talking to people, your mind is free to listen to God.  The difference is pretty amazing.  Also, nuns are awesome. The end.

Here we have Sr. Mary Veronica playing basketball after retreat. Many of the sisters are scarily good at sports.

So...what else was I going to say?  Oh, yes.  I must ask a question.  What is your opinion on personal posts?  I hate writing them because it seems so very self-centered, plus I'm not sure I really want my life splattered across the internet, but sometimes I can't think of anything to talk about, and I don't know if it's better to complain run on about my petty little doings or to just stay silent until I think of something worth posting about.  Let me know what you think in the comments.

Speaking of personal posts, I have been tagged by multiple people since I last posted, and I just wanted to let y'all know that I'm not ignoring you - I shall get to the tags soon-ish-ish.  (For the uninitiated, two "ishes" means it will probably take double the time of one "ish."  You're welcome.)

Well, that's about it.  God bless, and if you're in the path of the hurricane, don't die.  Kay? Good then.
(please don't be offended - the weathermen's hype drives me crazy and that's my retaliation right there.)

GUEST POST!

My guest post for Shaylynn's Tolkien Month got published on her blog this morning!  Eeeee!  I'm super excited - this was my first guest post ever, and on Shealynn's Fairy Shop, which is a long-time favorite of mine.  It was one of the very first blogs I ever discovered!  I am honored.

Check it out here, and be sure to read the rest of the Tolkien Month posts as well.

*blows dust from keyboard* (alternate title: complaints about schoolwork)

That title is metaphorical, actually.  My keyboard is used everyday and is never dusty.  But my *new post* button would definitely be dusty if was actually real and not just a combination of pixels.   I'm not gonna apologize about not posting for ten days, so if you wanted to hear that you can just skedaddle.  It's not happening.

September is a really busy month, apparently.  I figured it would be no different from August, but I was wrong.  You know the saying - "good grades, social life, blogging, and enough sleep: pick two."  (Well, maybe it doesn't go quite like that....)  September seems like it's going the month of good grades and social life.  BUT, I am working on my first guest post ever, which is awesome and scary.  It's a proof of my lack of time, though, that I only get about two sentences written at a time before I remember that I really need to answer the study question for English 11 because I have to do that and English 12 before the end of May, or I haven't done American Government for three days and I need to catch up, or...well, you get the idea.  Whoever said twelfth grade was the easiest is a LIAR.  DON'T LISTEN TO THEM.  It's really, really stressful.  You're welcome. 

Well, I'm off to clean stuff and write some of my guest post and watch babies.  Happy feast of the Nativity of Mary, by the way.

Someday Lists

Lately I've been saying a lot of things like "before I die I'm going to ---" or "someday I'll ---".  So I decided to just make bucket lists.

Why plural, you ask?  Well, because being the pessimistic practical person that I am, I have two lists.  The first is stuff I could conceivably do, if I set my mind to it, and the second consists of things that are improbable or  practically impossible - and, also, things that I forgot to add to the first list.  Oh, and by the way - I hate the name "bucket list".  I prefer to call them "someday lists".  And I don't care if you think that's cheesy, either, so there.

This is the "attainable" list.  (made with Pixlr)

I was going to write out the "impractical" list with Pixlr as well, but I got lazy and busy and stuff, so it's just gonna be in regular text:

 - direct a movie based on an undervalued, movie-less book. 

 - Be an epic, dedicated, real librarian.

 - Be an awesome Catholic, modest singer who single-handedly starts trends of nice skirts and reading Chesterton and being a lady.

 - Become a bestselling, awe-inducing poet or novelist or essayist.  I'm not particular which it is, though novelists are more universally enjoyed than poets or especially essayists.

 -  Go skydiving or some other extremely scary foolhardy activity.  (In real life I've too much sense for this, plus I don't crave such thrills.)

 - Meet somebody and become friends with them, speaking in a British accent the whole time.  They will always think I'm British, and then one day when we've known each other for years I'll casually tell them I'm American.

 - Perform in the kind of play that one pays to see.  (Preferably Shakespeare.)

 - Memorize an entire book.

 -  Give an interview.

 - Travel the world over and see every amazing thing I've ever wanted to.

~~~

Do you have a bucket list?  What's on it?

Excuses and Whatnot

I just wanted to publicly bewail the fact that summer has not brought the blogging time, motivation, and inspiration that I thought it would.  I had all sorts of wonderful half-formed ideas, but, well....they're not happening.  Fact is, I'm still doing schoolwork, and by the time I'm done this year I'll be starting next year.  Which is my senior year, which is scary.  I can't imagine a life without tests and textbooks looming over me every hour and poking at my conscience when I ignore them.  Sounds too good to be true.  I guess once school's over one has other difficulties looming over oneself...like work and money (or lack thereof) and goodness knows what else.  I just want to go on trips, read books all day, and get good at piano.  Is that too much to ask? 
*inner common sense answers "yes, you idiot."*

So, I just now realized that I never wrote the promised review of North and South.  I think that's partly because I cannot form anything more articulate on the subject than asdkfn;sdlfn;s*squee*.   But I shall do that....eventually.  Also, just so you know there's going to be some random (possibly annoying) polls popping up in the near future, because polls are fun and I am too indecisive to figure things out without the aid of the internet (a.k.a. the intelligence-sucking monster of procrastination).  The polls (I made a typo and it said "pools".  Ha.  Hahaha.  That's funny.) will mostly have to do with blog-setup stuff until I get those nagging questions resolved.

Okay...I'm rambling.  I just kinda wanted to write a post but didn't feel like, y'know, thinking.   So...yeah.  Hi.

Of Poodles, Pasta, And Tags

Once again I have been deluged in lovely awards by lovely people!

First:

The Versatile Blogger Award by the wonderful Clare of  Come Further Up!  I've already gotten this award, actually, but I don't mind doing it again.  I shan't pass it on, though, because I'm too lazy and I have seized on an excuse-- because it seems like overkill, since I've done it already.

The rules are to list seven random things about myself.

1.  I can go from long-faced and acting as if I'm under a vow of silence to hyper, talk-till-I'm-out-of-breath in about twenty minutes.  I can compare myself to a rollercoaster with much accuracy.

2.  I rather enjoy writing a lot of my English assignments - interpretive essays, some book analyses, a lot of the essay questions on the tests, etc.  I guess that's weird, isn't it?  One is not supposed to like such things. *grins*

3.  I have a thing for butterflies.  And peacocks, which is kinda awkward considering they symbolize vanity and pride.

4.  I have fuzzy brown hair which has been described by three people as looking like a poodle.  One of these people was my best friend. I now keep my poodle firmly braided or bunned. 
(Yes, I know "bunned" isn't a word -- that is, it wasn't till I made it up just now.)

5.  I can never fall asleep until 11:45 PM, and sometimes not until even later.  I blame it on the Puerto Rican party girl blood in me.  (Note: I am not to be described as a party girl.  Just half of my blood is.)

6.  The Italian half of me likes pasta.  A lot.  As a matter of fact, the Puerto Rican half of me likes pasta too.  All of me likes it.  Pasta is bliss.  I don't think you really cared to know that, did you?...

7.  My dream job is to be a librarian.  I even have the cliche spectacles and top-knot.

I was also given two awards by the Mad Elvish Poet, whom I mentally designate "Mep."  It's the initials of her pseudonym, don't'cha know.

 

You're supposed to tag five people with these.  Let's see...

Meggy at Magic, Ink, and Dreams (poor Meggy,..I'm always tagging her.)
Emily at Let Beauty Awake
Rosamund at Shoes of Paper ♥ Stockings of Buttermilk (Because I really REALLY love her blog)
The Kindred Spirit at A Trail of Flowers
I can't find a fifth.  Sorry.  Too late at night.  Must get post posted.

All righty then.  I'm done.  Thanks for tagging me, ladies. :)

A Ramble-y Post on *The Scarlet Letter*

 People.  This book.  I thought I was going to hate it, but I don't.  It's full of interestingness and ideas and STUFF, which I will now proceed to ramble about.  Oh, and I must put out a major spoiler alert.  Don't say I didn't warn you.  You won't understand what I'm talking about, if you haven't read the book, by the way, because I'm not going to explain who or what I'm discussing.  I have to do that all the time in real life, and I very much dislike it.

First of all, The Scarlet Letter made me very grateful to be a Catholic.  Catholic confession would have been the saving of Dimmesdale!  He wouldn't have had to struggle with all that guilt and hypocrisy, because his sin would have been cleansed by the sacrament of Penance.  But no, he was a Puritan, and so he had to struggle with his guilt and try to avenge it on his own.  I do feel very, very sorry for him, even if he was a spineless jerk most of the time.  But shame is a horrible thing to bear.  It's not even explainable, it's so ghastly.  So I feel for Dimmesdale, and I wish I could hop in a TARDIS or something and bring him a Catholic priest.  (Do TARDISes go to fiction?  I'm not very well-versed in Who-ology.)  I did like that the author had confession (in a general way) be essential to Dimmesdale's redemption.  Hawthorne didn't just have him say "oh, in my heart I'm sorry for this, and that's all it takes so everything's fine now.  Glory hallelujah."  Also, the author didn't make excuses for the sin.  I mean, the whole book is about the consequences of a couple's adultery.

Random point #2: Pearl scares me.  I know she's supposed to be the living incarnation of her parents' sin and their punishment, but the girl is freaky.  You have no idea how relieved I was to find out that she was "humanized by sorrow" and eventually married and had a child.  I would have liked to see what she was like after her "transformation."  Too bad Nathaniel Hawthorne is dead.  A Pearl-centered sequel would have been interesting.

Speaking of weirdness, I was a bit confused by all the mentions of witchcraft.  Did Hawthorne mean to imply that all the flying about in the sky and whatnot actually happened, or was he just giving  the local opinions?  Very strange.

I found the characterization to be very good.  All the characters were three-dimensional: no one was  all good or all bad, yet the division between good and evil was very visible.  Even revengeful old Roger Chillingworth had his sympathetic moment in the beginning of the story, when he admits that he was wrong to marry Hester.   One almost feels sorry for him at that point.

Well, I'd better wrap this up.  It's nearly dinnertime and I'm too hungry to think anymore.  But I shall make this into a proper review by giving The Scarlet Letter 7 stars out of 10, a PG-13 movie-style rating (for mature themes), and recommending the book for readers age fifteen & up.

Note: I did not give the "mature readers"/"ordinary readers" distinction because once a reader is old enough for the mature themes, he/she is already old enough to be comfortable with the style.  Hope that makes sense. 

If you've read The Scarlet Letter, what did you think of it?  (Seton students, my eye is upon you.  I know you've read it because it's required for 11th-grade English, so I am expecting your comments.  Muahaha.)

*le post of randomness and pictures*

I can't help it.  I'm writing a semi-intellectual, very involved review of The Hunger Games for y'all, and the effort of thought has made my brain melt.  You have no idea how hard it is for my poor little mind to concentrate on one topic for so long.  So I am indulging myself.  Cause I like saying things that have nothing to do with anything.

There are two coffee cups in my room at the moment.  Do you think that means anything?

But coffee makes me sick as a dog sometimes.  Just sometimes.  Because my body is as random as I am.

Who came with the saying "sick as dog"?  Why not "sick as a parrot"?  Or even "sick as a cat", if you don't want to get all exotic?  People are discriminating against dogs here!

Tea is better than coffee.  Sometimes.

I got a shirt today.  And it's pink.  I, Victoria Annette, bought a pink shirt.  Shame on me.  But it's nice.

See?  This is it.

It's raining right now.  My room has a skylight window, and the rain drums on it and makes such a lovely cozy sound!  I do enjoy rain.

If there were such things as fairies, and they really were itty-bitty things, wouldn't a raindrop drown them?  I suppose they'd have to be very itty-bitty indeed.  You'd think it would at least make them uncomfortably wet.

I don't think I'd want to be a fairy.

They are pretty, though....

 I seem to have progressed from the hyper ADHD-ish state produced by coffee into the sluggish frame of mind which is the fate of those who consume stimulants.  Woe is me.

I like high-falutin', flowery sentences.  Which is why I like Shakespeare.

*fangirl squee*

I am totally going to buy The Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado about Nothing.  Those are my favorites, and nasty old Seton didn't include them in its Shakespeare course.  (I got a 91 on that course.  I was shooting for 100, but I guess it's not bad.)

I was in seventh heaven with that Shakespeare course.  I got to sit around and read during school hours, and the tests were mostly rather interesting.  I'd love to post some of the essay answers I wrote, but I wouldn't want people to cheat off me.  Do you think people would cheat off me?  I mean, it's not like I got a perfect score...

Does liking Shakespeare courses make me a total nerd?  I think, if taken in conjunction with my other characteristics. it doth.  Methinks I am a nerd.  It is awesome.  I've got reading glasses, too, you know.  And I love them and end up wearing them most of the time, because I'm always reading or using the computer or doing something else that requires glasses.

I like being a nerd.

*cough* I read in the dark...still do.

It's almost dinnertime.  I must flee to yonder shady grove dining-room table.

Well that was fun.  I'm sorry if it just annoyed you.  Think of pleasure I had in creating it and you'll feel better.  (By the way, I do cringe when I think of my dad reading this.  He always compliments my "thoughtful posts".  This is anything but.  Oh. and all the pictures are from the One and Only Pinterest and I don't own any of them and blah-de-blah.  I think I'm still hyper from the coffee after all.  And Shakespeare.  Cause Shakespeare makes me happy.

COFFFEEEEEEEEE.


The end.

Questions

We all live in separate worlds, you know, all in one.

- Magdalen Aithne Arkwright

 

Just a short little "random information" post because I feel like blogging and I told Meggy that I'd answer the questions she asked of her followers on her blog.  Plus I'm "celebrating" Laetare Sunday by doing a non-Lenten post. 

What are you reading?  Well, nothing at the moment.  I seem to have misplaced North and South, which is worrying me.  I'm supposed to be re-reading that so I can give you a more balanced review (i.e. more than just gushing).  I read The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer on Project Gutenberg a while ago, and I'd like to give you all a mini-review/rambling about that someday.  (NOT PROMISING.)

What are you watching on TV? Don't have TV, darling.  (Now that I live in the South I can call everybody 'darling' and 'dear' without looking stupid. :D)

What is your favorite music or movie lately? Uhm...hm.  In music, I was on an Anuna kick a while ago, and now it's been a lot of Ingrid Michaelson.  (Old Ingrid Michaelson, that is.)  As for movies, I haven't seen any recently....sorry.  I'm boring.

What are you excited about, anxious about, upset about?  I'm excited that my room is almost done being set up - and that spring seems to be here already.  I'm anxious about starting school up again tomorrow, and I'm upset that I probably won't be able to see my dear friend Megan again for a while, since apparently we won't be going to the same church at all.  I'd also like to see the other families we used to be close to... ergh, NOT GOING TO WHINE.  I promised myself that I would never whine on my blog.  I see people do that a lot, and it's so off-putting.  Nobody wants to visit a blog that depresses them with someone else's depression.  I want you to leave my blog with a smile on your face - unless I posted something serious, of course, like a Lenten meditation.

Do you have a job?  NO, BUT I WISH I DID.  I WANNA WORK IN THE LIBRARY.   (Not whining, just stating facts.  Really.)

Are you working hard on something?  Well....I've slipped up a bit, but I'm really trying to work on humility and intimacy with God.  I was doing really well all right when I was sitting in the guesthouse in New Jersey with nothing to do, but I've sort of gotten off-track.  This week I intend to work much harder.  Also, starting tomorrow I'll be (hopefully) working hard on schoolwork, particularly geometry (oh kill me now) and my book analysis on The Robe which was *cough* from tenth grade - as is the geometry, actually.  Yes, my middle name is Fail.  No, not really.

What are your greatest hopes for spring?  That we get a garden of some sort planted and that I get some exercise, preferably on a bike, though I don't know if my weakling legs can stand it after their winter's break.

Well, that was a very long "little" post.  Hopefully you didn't mind.  Happy Laetare Sunday!

This will be me tomorrow, studyin' in style.  (Er...not really.  But we can pretend.)

A Post for the Sake of Posting

...because nobody likes it when bloggers disappear without letting anyone know.  Also, it's rather rude of me to say thank-you to my followers and then leave them hanging for over a week.  I know everyone has just been devastated by my short silence.  After all, I am the most important thing on the internet.  (Yes, sarcasm is a bad habit of mine... I don't do it to be snarky, it's just my natural mode of expression.  I promise I shan't do it more than I can help.)


So, I just wanted to tell you all that when I disappear for a bit, it's not purely laziness.  Sometimes I just can't think of anything to post that would be remotely interesting to the general public.  Then, if I can't resist the urge to post even though I have nothing to say, posts like this are the result.   Therefore, I'd like to remind my dear readers that I am ALWAYS open to suggestions.  If there's something you'd be interested in seeing a post about, let me know!  If it's within my knowledge I'll see what I can do.  (That means that if you ask me to post a summary of the Summa Theologica, I'm not gonna do it.  Sorry darling.  I haven't even read it.) 

And now, to end on a hopeful note, I must tell you that there are some things that I want to post about at some point soon, but for whatever  reason I can't do it now.  For instance, I want to write about North & South, which I finished reading a couple days ago, but I must reread it at least once before I go spouting my opinions into the depths (a.k.a. cyberspace).  I also want to do some kind of post involving my love of Picnik.

Ooh, I just remembered that today was is Saturday, so I could have posted some music instead of writing four paragraphs of nothing... oh well.  I shall do that tomorrow.

Goodnight, my dears!

Where Random Meets Beautiful

You must check out this post of Emily's.   She decided to write whatever random train of thoughts came into her head, and look how lovely the result is!  Emily, I really enjoyed reading that.  Thanks!

Fading Bookstores

Tea at Trianon has a post (linked from a Times post, but I like Mrs. Vidal way better than Times, so that's the link you get) on the disappearance of the bookstore from modern America.  I was thinking about posting on this subject myself, but it's a good article, and better-written than my attempt would be.

Oh, and if unlike me you can drive and you actually have some money, please visit the bookstores!  I know that even if my twelve followers militantly supported bookstores it wouldn't do much, but at least you get to enjoy them before they disappear.

*sniff* 

That is one of the saddest sights I've ever seen.

September

I cannot believe that it's September.  I'm so happy it's finally here!  I've been waiting all summer for this...

Picture taken by me, edited with Picnik.

In my mind, once it's September, summer is over.  Fin.  Autumn's coming.  Soon there will be pumpkins and colored leaves and cool days... not to mention that those lovely autumn winds give me the perfect opportunity to wear boots and wool berets!   :)

Even school cannot ruin my happiness - especially since I had to start in the beginning of August.  I'm sorta used to it at this point.

Have a lovely September!

The Wondrous St. Anthony

Why am I posting about St. Anthony? Because yesterday he found stuff for me, so I'm thanking him this way.

St. Anthony is widely known as the patron saint of lost articles.  Ever seen the acronym S.A.G written on envelopes and such?  That stands for St. Anthony Guide.  And he does.  The things we've found after praying to him!
So.  Yesterday I lost my American Literature notebook.  About a week before that I lost the USB cord for my beloved iPod.  (It's a shuffle - nothin' fancy, but it's still my preciousss.)  I was all mad about losing them, so I finally remembered to pray to St. Anthony.  So I'm sitting there rummaging through my bookbag, and I say, "St. Anthony?  Could you please find my American Literature notebook?  And...if you don't mind...my iPod USB cord is missing too.  I know it's not important, but still.."  The second I'm done praying, guess what?
I pull the American Lit. notebook out of the bag!
I'm positive it wasn't in there before.  So I say a quick thanks to St. Anthony.  I realize that the bag is all slumped over (I like things to be just so), and I straighten it up.
And there's my USB cord!
At that point I totally lost it.  I sqealed "THANK YOU, ST. ANTHONY!" and hugged my precious USB cord.  Then - and I blush to admit it -  I started babbling to heaven about how awesome St. Anthony is.  They don't use slang like "awesome" in heaven, I'm afraid.   I could probably have expressed my admiration in more elegant terms...
See, the thing is, that's not the only thing that St. Anthony has found for me and my family.  Drivers' licenses, keys, ID cards, blouses, books, spill-proof attachments for sippy cups...the list goes on and on.  But you know what?  I think St. Anthony has a sense of humor.  Meaning no disrespect, but sometimes I think he's almost mischievous.  If you don't specify when you need something, you're liable to get it back as soon as you don't need it anymore.  Or maybe a year later.  He always finds things, but sometimes he makes sure you exercise the virtue of patience first.  Also he likes to make you feel silly, because he puts things right in front of your face, and when you've been complaining that the thing is lost for a week and then you see it right in front of you, your family tells you to go get your eyes checked.
He's a wonderful saint.  His life was very interesting, too.  You can read it here.  Be forewarned: the article's pretty long.  New Advent articles generally are...
Next time you lose something - anything - ask St. Anthony to find it for you, and I bet it'll pop up in no time.

St. Anthony of Padua,
Pray for us!

Oh, and sorry for the slight jumpiness and randomosity of this post. :p

Wherein Bilbo Baggins gets arrested, Elizabeth Bennet gets captured by Orcs, and Elizabeth Swann challenges Ashely Wilkes to a duel.

Long title. :p

I got this thing (I have NO idea what it would be called) from the lovely blog Elenatintil.  Click the link.  Her version is screamingly funny. 

I've mentioned where a character is from for the lesser-known ones.

List twelve characters from any fandom, then answer the questions below.

1.  Eowyn
2.  Flynn Ryder (or Eugene Fitzherbert, if you prefer. )
3.  Elizabeth Swann
4.  Mr. Darcy
5.  Bilbo Baggins
6. Elionwy (The Chronicles of Prydain)
7.  Orlando (As You Like It)
8.  Prince Caspian
9.  Rose Brier
10.  Ashley Wilkes
11.  Emily Winslow (The Hollow Kingdom)
12.  Aslan

1.  Who would make a better  college professor, 6 or 11?
Hmm.  Elionwy and Emily Winslow are rather similar, actually... I think I'll go with Emily.  Elionwy's too flighty.  She's be teaching her class swordfighting or taking them for dangerous adventures.

2.  Do you think 2 is cute?
YES.  I love Flynn Ryder, and yeah, he's definitely cute. ;)  *finds pictures to make sure*  Yep.  Definitely.

3.  12 sends 8 out on a mission.  What is it? Does it succeed?
That's weird.  My two Narnia characters: Aslan sending Caspian on a mission.  Talk about chance!
Anyway.  The mission would be...hmm, maybe a mission to save Narnia.  Whatever it is, I'm sure it would succeed.

4.  What is or would be 9's favorite book?
Rose Brier's favorite book would be something by G. K. Chesterton, I'm guessing.  I wonder if Regina Doman mentions that in the other books? (I've only read The Shadow of the Bear).

5.  Would it make more sense for 2 to swear fealty to 6, or the other way around? 
Wow, that's a hard one.  Would Flynn Ryder swear fealty to Elionwy, or would Elionwy swear fealty to Flynn?  I think Flynn would have to swear fealty to Elionwy.  But they're both so fiesty, I bet it wouldn't be a nice dignified event.  Probably Elionwy would poke a sword in Flynn's face and talk at him until he was so tired of hearing her that he'd do whatever she wanted.

6.  For some reason, 5 is looking for a roommate.  Should (s)he room with 9 or 10?
As Rose is a girl, Bilbo would have to room with Ashely Wilkes.  Y'know, I bet that would work out pretty well, actually - Ashley would enjoy reading Bilbo's poetry.

7.  2, 7, and 12 are going out for dinner.  Where do they go and what do they discuss?
Flynn Ryder, Orlando, and Aslan.  Wow.  Flynn and Orlando would be okay with a tavern, but I dunno what Aslan would think about it.  Now that I think about it... Aslan doesn't really.... eat.  So maybe he wouldn't care where they went.  Now, I wonder what they could possibly talk about - they all have very little in common.  Maybe Alsan would lead them in a discussion on something deep, with Flynn making sarcastic remarks every few minutes.

8. 3 challenges 10 to a duel.  Who wins?
HAAAAHAAAHAAAA OHMGOSH I CAN JUST SEE THAT HAPPENING.  Elizabeth Swann challenges Ashley Wilkes to a duel. Yikes.  Well, though probably Ashley could win if he wanted to, he would decline to duel a lady (even though Lizzie Swann hardly qualifies as a lady).  So nobody wins.

9.  If 1 stole 8's most precious possession, would (s)he get it back?
Eowyn steals Prince Caspian's most precious possession.  What's Caspian's most precious possession? Susan's horn? (He did give it back to her in the book.) Hmm.  Maybe if Caspian asked her nicely she'd give it back.  Puppydog eyes might help, too.

10.  Suggest a story title in which 7 and 12 both attain what they desire.
Well....all Orlando wants is Rosalind.  Aslan being a figure of Our Lord, he'd want the world to be virtuous and at peace with one another.  (Okay, that could have been stated better. *sigh*)  I'm sure Orlando would be happy with that as well, so the title would be something like The Perfect World.
Hm.  That sounds like a book on Communistic ideals.  Titles were never my strong point. :p

11.  What kind of plot device would you use if you wanted 1 and 4 to work together?
Eowyn and Mr. Darcy???  Haha!  That would sure be an unusual story.  They're both so proud and distant, I don't see what they could do together.  Ooh - maybe I'd have Elizabeth Bennet and Faramir imprisioned by Orcs, and Eowyn and Mr. Darcy would have to save them.  That would be fun to write...

12.  If 7 visited you for the weekend, how would it go?
'Twould be fun.  Orlando and I could write poetry together. :)  And I could ask him how it feels being a Shakespeare character, being able to come up with all theses pretty speeches in Elizabethan English.  Ooh, and he could teach me how to speak it, as well.

13.  If you could command 3 to perform any service or task for you, what would it be? 
I would tell Elizabeth Swann to act like a lady and to not let Will onto Davy Jones' ship.

14.  Do any of your friends write or draw 11?
*cough* The only person who draws Emily Winslow is yours truly. :p

15.  If 2 had to choose sides between 4 and 5, what side would (s)he choose?
Flynn Ryder has to choose sides between Mr. Darcy and Bilbo Baggins.  For some reason I feel like Flynn would have more sympathy with Bilbo's side of the argument, whatever it is.  

16.  What might 10 shout out while charging into battle?
Ashley Wilkes would never shout anything.

17.  If you had to choose a song to best describe 8, what would it be?
This is lame, but whenever I think of Prince Caspian I think of the closing song in the movie - The Call.

18.  1, 6, and 12 are having a dim sum at a Chinese Restaurant.  There is only one scallion pancake left, and they all reach for it at the same time.  Who gets it?
Eowyn, Elionwy, and Aslan.  Elionwy gets the pancake.  She's quick, plus she's the youngest.  The youngest usually gets that sort of thing.
Tangent: anybody ever had a scallion pancake? I haven't. I wonder what it tastes like.

19.  What would be a good pickup line for 2 to say to 10?
Erm, Flynn Ryder does not need a pickup line for Ashley Wilkes.

20.  What would 5 most likely get arrested for?
Unauthorized possession of dragon-treasure.

21.  What is 6's secret?
She has magical powers of some sort.  (I'm sorry, I haven't read the book in a looooong time, and I just remember some fight with Achren about magical powers and being the princess of Lyr.)
OR you could say that her secret is that she loves Taran.

22.  If 11 and 9 were racing to a destination, who would get there first?
Probably Rose would get there before Emily.

23.  If you had to walk through a bad neighborhood late at night, who would you feel more comfortable walking with, 7 or 8?
Prince Caspian, I think.  Probably I should pick Orlando, but I dunno, even though Peter makes fun of his fencing, I still prefer him.

24.  1 and 9 reluctantly team up to save the world from the threat posed by 4's sinister secret organization.  11 offers to help them, but it is later discovered that s/he is actually a spy for 4.  Meanwhile, 4 has kidnapped 12 in an attempt to force her/his surrender.  Following the wise advice of 5, they seek out 3, who gives them what they need to complete their quest.  What title would you give this fic? 
 Oookay.... Eowyn and  Rose Brier reluctantly team up to save the world from *giggle* Mr. Darcy's secret organization.  Emily Winslow offers to help them, but it is later discovered that she is a spy for Darcy.  Meanwhile, Darcy has kidnapped Aslan in an attempt to force his surrender.  Following the wise advice of Bilbo, they seek out Elizabeth Swann, who gives them what they need to complete their quest.
Ahem...didn't I already say that I'm not good at finding titles?  Hm, let's call it...
Unlikely Companions
:)