I cannot think how to write this post. I should like to put what I have to say in a way fitting to its importance and general wonderfulness, but I'm at a loss as to how to do that, so I'll just say it out.
I'm going to the convent.
Yes, at long last, it seems to be happening for real. I obtained permission from the Voice Of Reason and Prudence (my spiritual director, as you may remember from my last post on the subject) to enter the Sisters of St. Thomas Aquinas on January 6th, Feast of Epiphany and also my parents' wedding anniversary. This past week has been full of sorting through the accumulation of things in my room, agonizing over who should get which of my beloved books, buying many white oxford blouses, among other things, and trying to process the fact that I am almost certainly going. One stipulation which the aforementioned Voice made when granting me permission (he is so very brilliant, that Voice) was that I visit these two Sisters who do charity work in Boston first, so on Monday I will be making yet another plane flight to yet another part of the country to visit yet another group of Sisters. I am very lucky. I always loved traveling, and I have been able to do quite a lot of it in this past year! It's a nice gesture from Our Lord, I think, to let me get in so much traveling before I am consecrated to Him and bound to stay, perhaps, in the same place for the rest of my life. (Of course, I may do more traveling as a Sister than I ever have in the world -- God likes to have His little jokes like that, making me think I'm stationary for good and then moving me all over the place. We shall see.)
This is the church, Our Lady of the Sun, seen from the side.
As I said, I am having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that I'm going. I'm so excited, but at the same time I'm a bit bewildered. I have gotten quite giddy over the whole thing multiple times since permission was given, but I fully realize how serious a thing it is that I am doing. I have a shadowy idea that really I ought not to attempt to think through it too much. I have thought and thought and thought for over a year now, and any more thinking is sure to be unhelpful. There comes a point, you know, when the time for thinking is over, and all that's left is to do. I ought simply to relinquish myself to God and just accept whatever He drops on me.
It's rather unbelievable that I shall be "Sr. Victoria" in a little less than a month. My mind does a double take when I see that spelled out, it seems so unreal. But I cannot wait. I'm looking forward to everything -- even wearing multiple layers under the Arizonian sun. I can't wait to be anxious that my veil's on straight, that I'm following protocol correctly, that I'm doing well in my classes. I can't wait for Arizona's strange and foreign appearance waiting for me each morning at 6:30, for Daily Mass, the entire Rosary, obligatory silence, and the Divine Office.
This is one of the gates to the convent building, seen from the inside. I love the gates and the ironwork because they make is seem so much more cloister-y.
I'm going to really regret this post if something happens out of the blue and I can't make it, let me tell you -- or if I end up being sent home! Goodness me. Please pray for me that everything goes according to God's plan and that I'm not too severe of a trial to my superiors!
Oh yes -- and I have heard from others that sometimes one must delete her social media accounts before entering a convent, so... I may end up having to delete Sunlight and Shadow. I don't know yet, nobody's said anything, but just so you know. It may happen.
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.
Last month my family and I went on a roadtrip to Kentucky to visit old friends and see if my parents would like to retire there. (Results: one doesn't, the other seems undecided.) Anyway, I took the opportunity of a hike around the campground wherein we stayed to practice a bit of photography - I've been really neglecting this hobby lately, and it was a gorgeous place. I think the photos came out rather nice, all things considered, so I decided to share them. Also I haven't posted anything in a while and I'm drawing a blank, so this is to fill it.
I know that these first two are a bit over-edited, but I can't help it. I like things to look "atmospheric," for lack of a better term, and because I'm not artistic enough, this is the way I get the atmosphere right. Deal with it.
I'm pretty sure this is a cornflower. It's hard to tell from the photo, but they are just the loveliest blue...
These are my boots. I'm quite fond of them. Awkward angle, I know, but I couldn't stop long enough to set up a good picture.
About the above picture: there were various water pumps stationed throughout our walk, so of course they must be tested. As my siblings' wet clothes testified, the pumps worked. My baby sister shown is obsessed with water, and was gleefully squealing "wa-wa!" the whole time. (She also thinks that fire is wa-wa, but I've explained that it is something very different. I'm not sure she listened.)
Truth be told, I'm obsessed with water too.
Isn't it beautiful? It's like a watercolor painting, the lake is so still. Yet there was a lovely little breeze blowing as we walked.
I am in love with the light in this picture.
Yes, that is my hair. Don't ask. (Okay, I was proud of the focus. It's not easy to focus correctly while holding a camera behind your head with no mirror.)
Though I don't fancy living there, Kentucky is a gorgeous state and I'm glad I got to visit it. Seeing new places is always exciting.
Well, a lot has happened in this past month, especially the last two weeks. Thank you all for putting up with my extended absence, and thank you for the prayers! I did finish my school in the allotted time - I took my last French test on July 31, right on schedule, and my GPA is 3.3 - which is all right, I suppose. (It may go up when they finally add in my independent studies.) It feels odd to be done. Every morning I still wake up and think that I have to go down and write an English essay or an American Government research paper.
The third week in July I had a break because my dear friend Victoria came down for a week-long visit, which was lovely. We watched low-budget syfy miniseries, ate much ice cream, had deep conversations, and even went to Busch Gardens!
Now the biggest news. The day after I finished school, I had a talk with our priest (who is amazing) and my parents, and we decided that I should wait for maybe a year before entering religious life. I'm investigating other convents to visit right now, and in September I plan to visit one in Arizona - the Sisters of St. Thomas Aquinas. I'm very excited, both because - well, nuns - and because I've never been so far west and south in the United States before. It will be quite an adventure, God willing that it works out. I was sad to put off entering a convent, but I think ultimately it was the right decision, and hopefully it won't be for too long!
So yes, that's been my life lately. Very exciting. I shall be blogging more regularly now, since I have more time, so expect new posts again!
Hullo, my dears. I'm just popping in to say that, much as I dislike having to do it, I'm not going to be on Blogger for the rest of the month. You see, there's this little thing called twelfth grade that has to be finished before this other little thing called MY DIPLOMA can be sent to the Sisters as part of my application. Until that nasty little piece of paper is sent, I won't know if I'm accepted or not. So I'm devoting this month to finishing the three subjects I have left - two quarters of English, one of American Government, and three-ish of French. You see how impossible that is?!
So, naturally, I'm asking you to spare a prayer or two for me that I may finish this Herculean task. And I won't be posting till August, to take away some of the temptation. If I were a nice, organized blogger, I would have queued posts, but I don't. So, goodbye for a bit.
I was going to post more poetry, but I do feel the need to vary my posts a bit more. However, I have enough intellectual stuff to do in school (yes I am still doing it, but am trying to get done by the end of this month) without coming up with extra work for myself by writing worthwhile deep posts here.
So...what shall we talk about? Shoes and ships and sealing wax, cabbages and kings? You know, even though I use that line all the time, I can never remember what poem it's from. It's just like when a line of song gets stuck in your head, but with poetry.
OOOH. LITTLE DORRIT. Yes, that was extremely random, but my eye fell upon a list of films I have tacked up on my magnet board, and saw it written there, and then I remembered that I kinda really liked it and wanted to talk about it. (I promise to be as spoiler-free as possible.) I actually - shame on me - read Little Dorrit mostly because I wanted to see the film version. Of course, I was happy to read it, it being Charles Dickens. You know, at this point I really enjoy Dickens much more than Austen. *collective gasp* Yes. I know. Anyway, first of all the book was lovely. I just discovered that you can post Goodreads reviews on your blog, so here you go:
Four-and-a-half stars. The last half is deducted simply because it was really long and I felt that it could have been cut down a bit. However, I've been feeling that way about a lot of books lately, perhaps because I have a lot less time than I used to, so maybe you should just ignore that.
I completely fell in love with Arthur Clennam. He is just the quiet kind of character that most appeals to me. Amy's forbearance was amazing, and though of course fictional, she really did inspire me to greater patience in my own life. I am very fond also of many of the secondary characters, which doesn't always happen with Dickens...Rigaud is one of the creepiest villains I've ever come across, and I'm not even quite sure why.
Note: I recommend the BBC film adaptation of this, with Matthew Macfayden. While of course very far from perfect, I thought it captured the story quite well, besides being a great film in its own right.
View all my reviews
My last little comment there is a good segway into talking about the film, no? Well, it is visually lovely, has a gorgeous soundtrack, and was fairly faithful. I did not like what they did with Tattycoram's story, however. Ick. It was certainly interesting to see Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) from Doctor Who in period costume, however! Let's see, what else can I pick at... some say that Matthew MacFayden was too young and good-looking to play Arthur Clennam, but I dunno, I think it works. He is not dashing, and I felt like he understood the character. Also, he has very mild eyes. He always looks like a sad puppy and I want to reach through the screen and hug him.
Moving on....
Amy I suppose was pretty good as well. Naturally they had to make her show a little more spice than in the book, to appease the feminists, but it wasn't too bad. They showed her sweetness and cheerfulness enough to make me ashamed of my...er...opposite traits.
I like that they didn't make her stunningly beautiful.
Like I said in the review, this story has some of my favorite secondary characters ever. High on the list are Mr. F's Aunt, a senile old lady who takes a very deep dislike to poor Arthur, and Maggie, a girl cared for by Amy who was mentally retarded by a fever and now is perpetually ten, though in years she is twenty-five. She's funny and sweet and devoted to Amy. Also there's Mr. Meagles, Mr Doyce (who looked Indian, which was a bit odd for 19th century England, methinks), poor silly Flora with whom Arthur was once in love, and who is still in love with him, Mr. Pancks (who is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE BALD) and, of course....
Rigaud.
*cue creepy music*
Played by Andy Serkis of LOTR fame, I found him truly creepifying. (No, that is not a real word. Deal with it.) In both book and film he makes the blood run cold whenever one hears the phrase "death of my life!" or a French children's song that runs "Qu'est-ce qui passe ici si tard ? Compagnons de la Marjolaine..." (It will get stuck in your head.)
Ack, I forgot one of my FAVORITE favorite characters! Frederick Dorrit, Amy's uncle. Perhaps it is from him that Amy inherits her temperament, for he is as mild as she, and only one one occasion cannot take it any more and stands up for her to her ungrateful family. I don't know, I just feel really sorry for him, he's so gentle and seems so confused most of the time. Especially in the latter half of the book, I felt bad for him.
One more character: Edmund Sparkler. In the book I found him more annoying than anything, though I did recognize how good-natured he was under his silliness, but in the movie he's really rather adorable, poor boy.
Be quiet, Sparkler.
Oh, one more thing. Amy's brother Tip is played by Arthur Darvill, also from Doctor Who. I found this irrationally hilarious.
Well, as you see my method of movie-reviewing is more gushing over characters than anything else. I crave your pardon, but remind you that I said in the beginning of this post that I am not up to anything complicated.
I'd say ages 10 & up would be fine with the film, but there is murder and creepy French villains and whatnot, so it depends on the person. I give both movie and book 4/5 stars. In other words, watch and read. The book is on Project Gutenberg and probably free for Kindle as well, and I watched the movie on Youtube.
I leave you with a little bit of the soundtrack - which the BBC, as is its irritating practice, never released.
Here, also, is a link to a piano cover of the main theme, performed by the gentleman from whom I got the piano music to Thornton's Walk.
Have you seen or read Little Dorrit? What did you think?
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.
I haven't posted in over a week, and yet I'm still getting lots of views every day. Wow. That makes me feel a bit guilty.
So, this is just your regular I've-been-super-busy-blah-blah kind of post, I'm afraid. I've been finding schoolwork rather overwhelming and so haven't had the mental energy or creativity to write up any posts. Also, IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? It feels like Advent should still have like three weeks left. Despite the nearness of Christmas, let us not forget that it's still Advent, and thus still a penitential season. It's not time for cookies and carols quite yet, but don't worry - we Catholics have over a month in which to sing and eat sweets, because Christmas technically doesn't end until February 2nd. (And yes, I do use that as an excuse to eat extra dessert during that time.) Also, just want to remind y'all that the O Antiphons started today. Last year I made little graphics for each day and posted them here. I'm reminding you because I've gained many more followers since then, and I was rather proud of my O Antiphons and thus want everyone to see them. :) (Speaking of followers, a warm welcome to my new ones! I'm amazed that so many people will follow such an inconstant blogger.)
In other news, I might be getting to see The Hobbit this week, so I'll hopefully write a review-ish thing of that. Hopefully. I can't wait.
Well, happy Gaudete Sunday to you all! I'll be remembering you all at Mass next week as a peace offering for being a bad blogger.
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.)
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.
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.
Well my dears, as you may or may not have noticed, I have not set pen to paper fingers to keyboard for nearly two long weeks. The cause of this dreadful neglect, though, is - for once - quite legitimate. The cause I speak of has ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes, a good deal of hair and a cute little nose. And no, I did not mean to go rhyming there. I would never make such silly rhymes. NOT AT ALL.
In short, ladies and gentlemen, my mother gave birth to a beautiful baby girl last Sunday, which of course made an end to whatever vestiges of order ever existed in this family, thus making it near impossible for any blogging to be done. Also, my slow noggin has finally accepted the fact that normal beings will be finished school in two weeks, while I....won't. So I really must get down to business and defeat the Huns make some progress in my work. I have no desire to graduate a year late, thank you.
I may attempt to post sometime this coming week, but I really don't know if I shall be able to, so no promises, no precious. The source of happiness and light which is my beloved blog (KIDDING, PEOPLE) shall probably remain silent for some time yet. So yeah. Be back in a bit. *waves awkwardly*
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.
So...eleven people voted on the poll I set up to help me decide what to change about my blog's design. That's more than I expected, but considering that I have forty-three followers, not much. ANYWAY, one person said new header, six said new background, two said completely different layout, three said that they loved it and I shouldn't change anything, and five said to change the tan post background.
Well, so far I've done a new background and taken away the tan. I think I shall change the header, as well, simply because it doesn't match all that well. I'm sorry, whoever said don't change anything. (Emily?) But this is fun. I hope you all like the (still in-progress) new design. Comment and tell me. :)
I'm starting to feel like my blog's looking just a bit fusty and tired nowadays. It needs to be springified. I'm itching to redo it, but I'd like to have your input. I'm putting up a poll, and I'd love you if you'd vote on it and/or comment telling me what, in your opinion, should be changed, and what should stay. It is of course my blog and I shall do what I please, but I'm rather an indecisive person, and I'm curious as to what y'all think of it.
I just wanted to wish my readers a very happy and blessed Easter season and to apologize for not posting during Holy Week. I had fully intended to have appropriate posts for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, but once they came around I was too tired and busy to do it. The Triduum was beautiful, though, and I experienced my first-ever Holy Hour.
I'm keeping everyone in my prayers, as always, and hoping y'all are enjoying the Easter season.
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.)
...I'm in the process of moving, so I shall not be doing much blogging. I'll try to post every now and then, but, well, don't expect much. (Especially much of good quality.) Hopefully I shall be back to regular posting sometime in March.
