"Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." -G. K. Chesterton

I have always loved fairy tales.  I grew up watching Cinderella and Snow White, and when my friend brought a book of Grimm's original fairy tales in sixth grade, I read it during every break I could get in class.  I didn't really appreciate them until I was older, though.  Fairy tales have a magical quality that draws people to them.  They can captivate the reader and take you to a new world.  Recently, there's been a new show that I watch called "Once Upon a Time."  At first, I thought it looked weird and corny, but two people told me I should watch it within five minutes of each other.  So I did.  Here's the trailer:

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I got to go home.  It was a well-needed visit.  I was behind on laundry, eating, and family time.  I ended up getting all of those, some in excess.  This year, I made four pies, cranberry sauce, and green bean casserole.  It was so nice to have all the ingredients you need right there, unlike college cooking.  I also loved talking to my mom and meeting my sister's friends.  I love Thanksgiving.  Probably more than Christmas.  There's something so special about spending days prepping for a big meal, gathering the family together, and recognizing all the things there are to be grateful for.  Plus, it's the start of the winter and Christmas season, which is the best part of the year.  Other than finals.  So with that, I better go study for those finals.  I'll leave you with one of my favorite Christmas songs, "White Christmas" by none other than Bing Crosby.  Enjoy! :)

"Joy is prayer - Joy is strength - Joy is love - Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls." -Mother Teresa

This week has been one of the busiest this semester.  Somehow, though, it was the best week I've had in a while.  And I'd be lying if I didn't mention that the Hunger Games trailer had a huge part in that.  I'll admit it right now:  I'm a Hunger Games super-fan.  It's an amazing story, and I can't wait to see it on the big screen.  Everything in the trailer was exactly how I imagined it in the book, which has never happened to me before.  So before I blabber on for a page about it, I'll just post the trailer:

Ahh, so excited.  Okay, but I also have more to say.

I've been thinking a lot lately, which is kind of normal.  I feel like I'm finally starting to figure some stuff out in my head.  Sometimes it feels like a jumbled mess up there, with all these different ideas and opinions that I'm trying to figure out for myself.  Lots of these opinions or thoughts really came together this week.  Despite the lack of sleep this week, my brain has never felt so organized.  It's a great feeling.

I wish I could explain more, but I'm still figuring things out.  All I have to say today is this:  this is a great world, and there's so much good in it.  Sometimes it doesn't seem that way with all of the politicians fighting for votes and the economy going downhill, but it really is good.  It's amazing that despite all the bad, so much good can shine through.  We just have to remember that.

So I'm sorry if this blog has been confusing, but I'll just leave you with a great song by Muse called "Starlight" that was playing in my apartment all night last night.  It's beginning to look like the holiday season, and there's always that special feeling in the air.  I love it.  So here's the song:

So enjoy, be happy, and check back soon!  And renovations are underway... :)

"All that is gold does not glitter / Not all those who wander are lost." -J.R.R. Tolkien

Today's quote came from J.R.R. Tolkien's poem in The Lord of the Rings about Aragorn.  I'll put the full poem here:

I love this poem.  Unfortunately, I have never read The Lord of the Rings books before, but I have seen the movies.  It's been a while, so I don't remember much.  I need to pick up these books and read, because form the excerpts that I remember, it sounds like an amazing trilogy.  It's the next thing on my "To Read List," right after The Three Musketeers and Anna Karenina.  Maybe it should go before.... :)

This poem is an integral part of the plot, apparently, but I also love it outside of the book.  Originally, Tolkien took the first line from a proverb that says, "All that glisters is gold."  I just love everything about the poem.  I especially like the last two lines.  My roommate and I have been talking about power lately.  I've realized that all powerful rulers or people of the world fascinate me, including dictators.  There were people who did terrible things as rulers, of course, but it still fascinates me with how they capture the attention of their people and gain power through all their different strategies.  I don't know what has drawn me to the idea of power lately, but this poem reminded me.  The line that says, "The crownless again shall be king" really makes me wonder.  Sometimes I do that.  I just sit back and wonder.  I wonder what it would be like to become a great ruler, or I wonder what it would be like to have power.  Just fascinating.

I don't really know why I went off on a tangent about power.  Maybe that's just what a perfectly plain, college-aged girl has to do once in a while--wonder about what it'd be like to have power.  That's probably why I love The Count of Monte Cristo so much.  And maybe I really should read The Lord of the Rings to get past my power-hungry ways. :)  So with that, enjoy the weekend!  Later. :)

"What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expected generally happens." -Benjamin Disraeli

This quote is so true.  I consider myself a very organized person.  I like to plan out my life, and if I don't have a clear view of where I am going to be in a year, I feel a little out of control.  Sometimes I have a clear view of what I want to do and where I want to be.  Other times, I'm not so sure.  Right now, I am still up in the air about my major.  English is calling to me, because I love to write and I love to read.  That's what English is all about.  But then at other times, I feel like English is the absolutely worst choice.  The reason I'm thinking about this right now is because registration for the new semester is coming up soon.  And I still don't feel certain about my major.

I know that I will figure out my future as it comes, because there is no way to make solid plans for such a formative part of my life.  All I can do is ride the waves as they come and try my hardest to do the best that I can.  So with that inspirational message, I have a song that just came on Pandora that I think fits.  So here's "Show Me What I'm Looking For" by Carolina Liar:

So enjoy!  Later. :)

"I never saw an ugly thing in my life: for let the form of an object be what it may--light, shade, and perspective will always make it beautiful." -John Constable

I really shouldn't be posting today, because I have so much homework and studying to do.  I obviously don't learn from my mistakes, so tomorrow night I'm going to be pulling my hair out.  Ah well, best to move on. :)  So I feel disconnected from this blog.  I haven't been posting very regularly, and it makes me sad.  I love quotes, and I find ones that are so special they just have to be shared.  Like this one.  I loved this quote from the moment I first heard it.  John Constable was a painter, way back when, and he's famous for paintings like these:

Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop's Garden

The Hay Wain

I especially love this quote, because it has been proven true to me so many times.  There have been so many times when I make a quick judgement about something or someone.  Later on, I see a new perspective or a different shade, and it changes everything.  I think this quote is so beautiful, and it is best to be remembered.

I've been having a wonderful week.  I had Thursday and Friday off school (Well, I actually just skipped class on Thursday.) and I got to go home.  It was so nice to be home and see my family again.  I'm kind of a cat lady, because I just squeezed my cat Sammie for a full two hours when I got there.  I think my family was glad to have me home too, which is always nice.  My roommates sometimes don't understand me, but my family knows my quirks and oddities.  Home is complete relaxation. :)

So the new Coldplay album came out on Monday!  I was super excited, and I went straight to YouTube to hear it.  Unfortunately, it's too early to hear the new songs on Facebook, and I don't have money to buy the CD, so I'll just have to listen to the samples and Coldplay's old songs until I can somehow get the CD.  Today I've been listening to Coldplay's "Fix You," partly because it almost made me cry on Glee, but mostly because it's a great song.  It says so much, and it is so beautiful.  So here it is:

And it's not as good, of course, but it still has a wonderfulness to it.  I think this is my favorite song Glee has done yet this season, at least.

So I hope you enjoy!  I'll get back on here soon, I hope.  Later. :)

"Do the thing we fear, and death of fear is certain." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are a million things I should be doing right now.  I have a resume and cover letter to finish for a class and potential job.  I have a German test tomorrow.  I have calculus homework to figure out.  I have dinner to make.  And yet, I just sit here on my computer, trying to find anything to delay my inevitable workload.  Why do I do this to myself?  It sure can't be healthy.  :)

On a lighter note, I just finished making my first batch of biscuits!  I know, I am a college sophomore and I've never made biscuits before, it's true.  But they turned out deliciously!  They're the cheesy biscuits that have oregano and garlic and cheese.  Yum.  Yeah, so I'm pretty proud of myself. :)

So today's quote is pretty relevant to me.  I'm pretty much scared of everything.  I'm scared of people, scared of confrontation, scared of my future, and scared of diseases (I'm a hypochondriac).  And seriously, that's no way to live!  So I'm going to try and get over my irrational fears and anxiety.  I'm still keeping this blog anonymous though, for now.  :)

Recently, Adele released a music video for her song "Someone Like You."  I loved this song before the video, and with the video it's even better.  I love how simple it is, but it still says so much.  I just love it.  I don't care if it's going to be overplayed just like "Rolling in the Deep."  So here's the video:

So enjoy!  I know I did. :)

"You are not forgotten." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I couldn't fit the whole quote in the title, because I didn't want it to be too long, so here's the full quote:

Wherever you are, whatever the circumstances may be, you are not forgotten. No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you with an infinite love.

President Uchtdorf gave this talk in the LDS General Relief Society meeting a couple weeks ago, and since it's Sunday I thought it'd be a good quote.  Here's the link to his whole talk:  Forget Me Not

So there's my quote this beautiful Sunday.  Later! :)

"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -Sir Winston Churchill

It's the weekend!!!  I can't even explain in words how happy I feel that this long week is over!  This weekend is General Conference and my roommates and I are going off for the weekend....to a magical place with no internet.  This should be interesting... :)  I love the internet.  It is one of my main de-stressers.  But this weekend won't be stressful at all, so hopefully I won't need it. :)  I have my books, I have my friends, and I still have a fragment of my sanity, so I'm good for the weekend!

So, with that upbeat optimism, I'm going to enjoy this weekend and choose to be happy even though I probably failed my latest math assignment.  It's only one assignment, though, so I'll just try harder next time.

Here is a song called "Paradise" from Coldplay's newest album.  I love it.  It makes me feel so happy, and it's just a really great song.  Words can't describe it, so just listen for yourself:

I absolutely can't wait for October 24th.  So enjoy the weekend!  Later. :)

"Blessed are they who heal you of self-despisings. Of all services which can be done to man, I know of none more precious." -William Hale White

I loved this quote when I read it, just because it's so true.  Up here at college I really have gone through times where I just despise myself.  Sometimes after an exam that went badly or just looking in the mirror after a long, hard day, I just feel disgusted with myself.  No matter what, though, my roommates never let me say bad things about myself.  They counter every bad thing with something good.  And even though it doesn't make a bad day good, or a mean thought about myself nice, it does help.  It just makes me realize that I shouldn't judge myself based on my hardest and worst days.  So that must mean that my roommates are really blessed.

This week has been crazy busy.  It's Homecoming week, which means there are all sorts of activities ALL THE TIME.  Plus I've had papers, quizzes, vast amounts of homework, and I was getting low on groceries and clean laundry.  In other words, I was swamped.  Usually when I get swamped one of two things happen.  I either handle everything efficiently and organized, or I freak out and have a mental breakdown that usually includes crying and all that fun stuff.  This week was a little of both, but it's been a good week all the same. :)

So when I get stressed, it helps to have some fun music.  Right now, I am really liking the new Pandora layout.  It's so much faster and lots prettier!  My favorite station right now is Ellie Goulding Radio.  It's really fun.  I just heard a song that I really liked, so I'll post it here.  It's called My Love by The Bird and the Bee:

So enjoy!  Later. :)

"I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than oneself." -Marlene Dietrich

This sums up my blog perfectly.  With a quote, you have authority.  You get the satisfaction of realizing, "Yes, that makes sense!" or "That's just what I was thinking about!"  Someone important can say something that you can't quite put into words, and their quotes can shed light on your emotions.  I'm convinced that you can tell a lot about what people are going through by what quotes they like.  It's fascinating, actually. :)

Here in my new apartment, I brought a dry-erase board.  It came with five dry-erase markers.  This has come in handy.  I love quotes (as you can probably see...I have a blog about quotes) so whenever I find a quote I like, I can just write it down and see it for a week.  Like I mentioned before, this week's quote is Shakespeare (dedicated to Novak Djokovic).  It might be cheesy, but I like it.  :)

I think it's kind of funny.  I have a blog about quotes.  And now I have a post about quotes.  So if I include a quote in this post, then it's a quote in a blog post about quotes in a blog about quotes.  Hey, it makes sense in my head.  Keep up. :)  So I'm going to post a quote that I just found and really like by Barbra Streisand:  

"You have got to discover you, what you do, and trust it."

I really liked this quote at the moment.  I've been struggling a bit trying to figure out if I really should go into English.  I just haven't had the "moment" that everyone talks about where they just really knew it was for them.  But then I realized, through working for it, I'm finding out so much about myself.  That sounds super cheesy and really self-centered, but it's kind of true.  I really do feel like if I end up with my major as English, it really will be right for me.  And I can always go to grad school! :)

So to lighten up the mood a little, I'm going to post a song.  Most people have heard it, but I just love it.  It always makes me happy.  And when I hear it I want to travel. :)  It's called Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros:

So enjoy!  Later. :)

"Be not afraid of greatness: some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them" -William Shakespeare

So I've kind of abandoned this poor blog...but not completely!  I have just found that with homework and having a life, I can't post every day.  In summer it was easy...I had hours each day to think of a quote or find a cool song, but now every spare moment is used to study German vocabulary or make a snack with the roomies.

But this quote is now on my dry-erase board over my head in my room.  I dedicated it to Novak Djokovic, who just won the US Open (tennis).  I knew he could do it, and he didn't let me down!  When I was younger, I remember watching figure skating, and rooting with my whole heart and soul for Sasha Cohen.  But time after time, she'd fall at her most pivotal moment.  She never got gold in the whole time I watched her.  Finally I have an athlete that I can actually say, "I was rooting for him from the time he was ranked 132 in the world until he made it all the way to #1."  That's right.  :)  He was obviously born great.  And achieved great. :)

So with that, I'll just post a song that doesn't really relate.  My new roommate loves Maroon 5, and if you haven't noticed, stuff tends to sink in after a while.  I didn't love or hate Maroon 5 before, but with constant repetition, it starts to sound a bit funner and I start listening to it in my spare time.  I actually really like Adam Levine's voice.  It's just different and so interesting.  So here's his new song called "Stereo Hearts":

I don't like rap, but for some reason it doesn't bother me in this song.  So enjoy!  Later.

"There's gold ahead, there's golden dreams in life's hills and valleys." -The Rocket Summer

So I know I've pretty much abandoned this poor blog all week, but hey.  I'm a college student again.  :)  So classes have been going great, but yesterday in my World Religions class, my professor showed us a video of recorded lecture from Yale.  It was a course called Faiths and Globalization.  And all it took was one minute of that video, and I was captivated.  I wish I could go to a university that other universities use as class material.  And Tony Blair was even going to come to one of the classes lectures.  I mean, how great would it be to have those kinds of opportunities and professors?!  So I'm just going to put it out there...one of my golden dreams is to go to an Ivy League.  It'd be so expensive and so hard to get in, and I know it's probably never going to happen...but I have to admit, it's a dream... :)

So this song by The Rocket Summer called "Hills and Valleys" is probably going to be ringing in my ears by late tonight.  I'm going to my first concert...The Rocket Summer.  It's going to be interesting.  But I really do like this song!  So here it is:

So enjoy!  Later. :)

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." -Pablo Picasso

I'm already beat, I have homework, and I just finished writing to my family.  I have zero energy to post on this blog.  I like this quote by Mr. Picasso.  And I don't know how frequently I'll write on this blog from now on.  At least weekly, I swear.  :)  So here's a song for you.  It helped me move in and be happy. :)  It's called "Just Say Yes" by Snow Patrol...and I love it!  So here it is:

So enjoy!  Later. :)

"I know every book of mine by its smell, and I have but to put my nose between the pages to be reminded of all sorts of things." -George Robert Gissing

I love this quote.  It's so true, every book has a special smell, and just opening it up and taking a whiff can bring back the memories of the last time you read it.  I love smelling books. :)

So last night was my first night in this apartment.  It's always different to live somewhere unfamiliar at first.  But I know that eventually, I'll be able to sleep right through the machine noise right outside my window and the fear of rolling off the top bunk.

So yesterday, I tried to watch Gilmore Girls, but it made me so homesick I had to stop.  So I went to a bunch of time-wasting websites that always cheer me up somehow.  I'll put the links:  http://dearblankpleaseblank.com/ and http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/ are my favorite.  They are great, but terrible at the same time.  If you are a college student, they can be harmful to homework productivity.  But with Pandora playing, these websites can also be the perfect way to distract yourself from everything.  So enjoy!  Later. :)

"People . . . people who need people . . . ." -Barbara Streisand

I moved into my apartment today.  My room roommate isn't coming until tomorrow, and I knew that.  But my old room roommate who's now just a roommate decided to come tomorrow too.  So here I am, sitting in my six-girl apartment, all alone.  I briefly met one roommate, but I already forgot her name.  And the other two have yet to show up.  I'm sorry, but is it considered early to move in on the Friday before classes start?  Just wondering.

So with this empty apartment, and all of my stuff organized and put away, I have finally found out I'm a people person.  I need people around me.  All I've been craving all afternoon has been to go out to the kitchen and talk to my mom as she makes dinner, or go to my friends room and help unpack.  I want someone here to talk to, and I don't know anyone yet.

In times like this, I turn to a beloved show like Gilmore Girls to have a familiar friend around, like Paris or Lorelai or Emily that I know and love.  I can't talk to them, but I can forget for a little while how much I miss home, and instead get wrapped up in their story.  So with that I'll post the song I quoted...it was the only thing I could think of today.  It's "People" by Barbara Streisand in Funny Girl:

So enjoy!  Later. :)

"But all endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time." -Mitch Albom,

So today is my last day home.  Tomorrow I move back to college.  I'm so excited but there is still sooo much I have to do.  There are, like, 50 lists I still have to write!!  But I'll get it done.

Today I'm spending the day packing and watching Gilmore Girls with my mom.  So it'll just be a kind of family day minus my two siblings.  This summer I have really felt the reality of being an only child, or as I like to call them, a lonely child.  I pity them, because they don't even know what they're missing out on.  I mean, they get plenty of attention....PLENTY....but they don't have anyone close to their age that they can fight with, and rely on in social situations, and talk to about the things you don't want to talk to your parents about.  I can't imagine life without siblings.

So something funny happened last night.  Yesterday, I quoted Lily Tomlin, someone that I had to look up before I posted her quote because I didn't know who she was.  I had never seen or heard about her before.  But then, last night, before my mom and I started watching Gilmore Girls, the Cooking Channel was playing.  It was this show called Extra Virgin or something, and I'd never seen it before.  But who showed up at the dinner as the lady's best friend?  Lily Tomlin.  I mean, is that coincidence?  Because that's just weird! :)

So I've got some playlists ready for moving into my apartment, so I'll just share a song I like called "Hey Mama" by Mat Kearney:

So enjoy!  I'm off to pack. :)

"Why isn't there a special name for the tops of your feet?" -Lily Tomlin

Wow.  This is a deep question.  I mean, think about it.  There's the sole, the heel, the ball, the toes, but no name for the top of your foot.  You can't say, "Oh, I think I got a mosquito bite on my top."  The top of what?  Your head?  Your shirt?  I mean, the last place you'd guess is your foot, because it's at the bottom of the pyramid.  Or body, I guess you'd say.  But whatever.  Irrelevant.

So today was a great day so far.  I went to Target with my mom and grandma as a final shopping trip to get the things I forgot in the last four trips.  It bothers me to be disorganized.  But I finally have everything I need from socks to toilet cleaner.  It's a great feeling. :)  Plus my mom had a coupon for a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.  So I got to choose a flavor.  A word to the wise:  stay away from Late Night Snack.  It's gross.  And it really is potato crisps rolled into a ball and covered with chocolate.  In ice cream.  I thought it'd be kind of like a pretzel covered in chocolate, but no.  So. Very. Different.  I can still taste it in my mouth.  So much for trying new things.  :)  So here's a song I like called "Gone in the Morning" by Newton Faulker.  It's got a nice sound to it, in my opinion, so watch it:

So enjoy!  Later. :)

"One needs to be slow to form convictions, but once formed they must be defended against the heaviest odds." -Mahatma Gandhi

I love this quote.  It is the second Ghandi quote that I've posted, which I think is fitting.  I've done thirty-one posts, so this is pretty much like the second month.  So maybe each month will start with a quote by Ghandi. :)

I agree with this quote a lot.  Sometimes I think I make quick convictions about people or situations, and they turn out to be proven completely wrong.  I've realized that the more you study something out, or the more time I take to form a conviction, the stronger it is naturally.  If that makes sense.  There's a reason that the quotes aren't my own. :)

So this morning I packed up most of my stuff.  I'm excited to go back, but I hate the inbetween stages.  I either want to live here with all my stuff here or live there.  I like traveling out of a suitcase, but living out of one at home just feels weird.  I have enjoyed watching Gilmore Girls constantly, though.  It's just one of those things that brings complete relaxation to me.  And I definitely need relaxation right now.  I'm stressing about money stuff and textbooks and future roommates and everything there is to stress about.  But I've decided to not worry, just be happy. :)  Later.

"If all the world's a stage, I want to operate the trap door." -Paul Beatty

So this post is going to be a little random and disjointed, but here it goes anyway!  So I liked the quote, it just doesn't fit into anything I did today.  It started out as a very productive day!  But it turned into a movie day. My mom and I, as I have mentioned before, have been frantically trying to finish our list of movies before I go back to college on Friday.  It's come to watching all afternoon and into the night.  Right now is one of our breaks!  :)  So today we watched Something Borrowed and even though everyone I've watched it with (except my mom) says it has messed up morals and say it's hard to root for the main characters, I just like the movie.  I love the characters.  I think as we watch movies, we want the characters to be perfect, like the perfect guy, the perfect friend, the perfect hair, but in all reality, these people don't exist.  I still liked this movie, even though the characters are flawed.  Here's the trailer:

And then, we watched Sixteen Candles, which felt like a right of passage.  I've never seen a John Hughes film before, so it was an experience.  I mean, that guy (his name is Jake, I think) is so attractive.  He's timelessly attractive.  Even though it was made in the '80s, he looks like he could be Superman in the modern movies.  Sometimes the characters are good-looking for their time, but he is just as attractive then as he is for today!  Here's a picture:

I mean, seriously.  He looks like Superman.  :)  Anyway, I've got to go!  So enjoy . . . . I know I did. Later. :)

"To repeat what others have said, requires education; to challenge it, requires brains." -Mary Pettibone Poole

I'd like to challenge this quote . . . . No, just kidding. :)  Just remember, I put the quotes that I agree with and like on here.  Maybe one day I'll put one I disagree with just to see if I have brains.  Then again, maybe I don't want to know the true answer . . . .  :)

So today my dad and I went to visit my grandparents and my sister.  We also stopped at Ikea.  I've never been there before, but it was really fun to see all the set up rooms.  It was a great day, and it even looks like we could be in for a thunderstorm!  That would just make it the perfect day.  So with the mental image of lightning in the sky, I have a song!  It's called "Light Up the Sky" by The Afters (and it's not really about lightning, by the way):

So enjoy!  Later. :)

"Breathe this beautiful world, together moving in the same direction . . . every one connecting." -Joy Williams

So in the past two days, I have gone to two movies in the theaters.  Last night, my two friends and I went to see The Help as a last hangout before we all go our separate ways back to college.  It was a great movie, with lots of heart and a meaningful message.  Each character is relatable to in some way, even the "bad guy" Hilly Holbrook.  There is just something in each of the characters that is completely human and personable.  I loved everything about it.  Here's the trailer:

And then today, my mom and I went to One Day to use the rain check tickets we got for our Harry Potter experience.  It was such a different experience.  I hated the movie.  I don't know why, but the whole movie felt slimy and cheap.  It seemed like there was no happiness in the world.  I was disappointed by it, because it looked so promising with the attractive Jim Sturgess and all.  But it was one of the only movies I've gone to the theaters to and actually wanted to walk out.  And I should've.

But there was one bright spot in the dark gloom of the movie:  the previews.  The Vow preview didn't look like a movie I want to see that bad, but I heard a new song in it that I really liked!  So my day was not in vain. :)  So here is "We Are" by Joy Williams:

I thought it was a great song, and it just makes me happy.  So enjoy!  And if you're going to a movie anytime soon, I'd recommend The Help for sure.  Well, I'm off to go watch Gilmore Girls with my mom!  Later. :)

"My life is a perfect graveyard of buried hopes. That's a sentence I read once and I say it over to comfort myself in these times that try the soul." -Anne of Green Gables

Okay, so this quote doesn't exactly fit my day.  I don't feel like my life is a "perfect graveyard of buried hopes," but I just love this quote in the movie Anne of Green Gables.  My mom and I just finished watching the two movies and I love Anne's dramatic lines and Marilla's sensible wit.  So I was looking for the trailer to post on here, but then I saw this video that pays tribute to heroines in some of my favorite films ever:

I mean, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Gone With the Wind, Anne of Green Gables, Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Little Women are all movies and books that I love and watch repeatedly!  All of these stories have dramatic leading ladies that have such spunk and gumption!  Which reminds me of another movie with Kate Winslet, The Holiday.  Great movies. :)  Plus the song in the background fits (not with the video, in my opinion), but with this summer.  The dog days do really seem to be over!  Bring on the fall.  But I'll also post the trailer that I found for Anne of Green Gables:

And yes, Diana.  I do think Gilbert is quite handsome.  :)  So enjoy!  Later. :)

"Well I ask, does anything ever stay the same? No . . . just same changes." -The Weepies

So I go back to college in a week.  Next Friday.  It's scary to go back, but completely necessary.  I can't stay here at home forever.  I've found that things never do stay the same, and the harder you hold on to something, the faster it will slip away.  As much as I have loved this summer at home, I am ready for a new school year and new roommates.  I'm ready for change.  Here's the song "Same Changes" by The Weepies that I heard in the movie Morning Glory and really liked:

And I need to remember that as hard as it is to change, I need to to move on and accept the changes that are heading full speed my way.  So enjoy!  Later. :)

"This could be the start of a new day / We could be the change." -Abandon

Today turned out to be an average day . . . . I went shopping with my mom and grandma at this cute little gift store boutique place that we go to every year.  It was weird to go without my sister, though, because it was a tradition that we all went together.  I did get a bracelet that is super cute!  It's made of jade and it has this hand-carved elephant on it (and the elephant's trunk is up, which I think means good luck!) and it came with this card that explained what each component means.  Call me cheesy, but I love stuff like that!  Firstly, I'm sold on anything with elephants or handcrafted details from India or somewhere cool like that.  And secondly, I love when things have meaning behind them.  To me, it's more special to wear a bracelet that signifies long life and strength than to just wear a pretty bracelet made in China . . . but that just might be my spoiled and snobbish ways . . . . :)

So I haven't really been spending time on YouTube lately.  My mom and I are having a crazy movie marathon before I go back to college next week.  We're watching Anne of Green Gables tonight, and Gilmore Girls the rest of the time!  We still have list of movies we want to watch, though, like My Big Fat Greek Wedding,  Parent Trap, and Gone With the Wind.  Who knows how far we'll get, but we're trying our best!  :)

So here's a song that I heard on a Food Network commercial a month or two ago and I really liked.  It's called "Live it Out" by Abandon:

So enjoy!  Later. :)

"It's a sign of mediocrity when you demonstrate gratitude with moderation." -Roberto Benigni

Lately, it seems like gratitude has been a constant theme in my life.  Every lesson in church, every person I talk to, every movie or clip that I watch has somehow been about gratitude and saying thank you.  I've realized that I don't say thank you as much as I should . . . and as the quote suggests, that would mean that I'm mediocre . . . which is not something I want to be.  :)

See, I'm grateful that my sister came home this past weekend and hung out with me for the last time until Thanksgiving (most likely).  It was a fun weekend, and today I've found myself missing her.  Last year at this time, we were both about to be freshman in college and we were both excited to go our different ways.  We missed each other a little bit, but we were so caught up in the newness of everything and the fun of school that we didn't have time to start missing each other.  But somehow, I've finally started to miss her.  I am glad, though, that she came home and hung out for a while.

Another thing that happened that I'm grateful for is the big storm last night.  I love rain and lightning, and last night it lit up the sky.  It was really a great show!  Speaking of showing, I don't have any YouTube clips, but tomorrow maybe I'll find a really good one!  Later. :)

"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." -Plato

Today was a good day.  My sister is visiting from college, so we rode a tram up to a ski lodge and hiked.  It was more of a nature walk though, because we didn't do a big hike.  It was lots of fun though!  And I don't have a video today, but I have a link to a picture of my favorite tennis player (who's now #1 in the world's eyes instead of just mine . . . .) right here:  Novak Djokovic is #1 :).  So enjoy that beautiful picture right there.  It's late, so I'll post more later!  :)

"This night is sparkling, don't you let it go." -Taylor Swift

So last night, my sister brought her college friends home to camp out in the backyard.  The camping part failed since it got pretty cold and there were a ton of mosquitoes, but we all sat in our backyard and talked around a campfire.  Campfires are magical.  Everyone looks great around fire, because it's flattering lighting.  Somehow everyone relaxes even if you are strangers.  There are things to keep you occupied, like staring at the fire or staring at the crazy people playing with the fire.  And there's always great conversation that shifts from philosophical questions to random rants in a second.  It really was a sparkling night around the campfire.  Here's the song I quoted, called "Enchanted" by Taylor Swift:

Enjoy!  :)

"A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in." -Robert Orben

I've decided that now that I only have a few free weeks left before I go to school, I really want a vacation.  I want to go somewhere cool and see things.  But I guess I'll have to settle with seeing my sister's friends from college that are coming to camp out in our backyard today.  I've just decided that since I have to seriously scrimp in college, I'll save up some money for after college to go somewhere truly spectacular.  But until then, here's a perfect summer vacation song.  Plus there are cute animals:

Enjoy! :)

"Heels are a male invention designed to make women's butts look smaller . . . and to make it harder for them to run away." -Viola, She's the Man

First, I'd just like to say that She's the Man is a great movie.  No matter how many times I watch it, it can still make me laugh.  Secondly, I chose this quote because today is a monumental day.  Today I bought my first pair of high heels!  Okay, I know that this is just reinforcing my granny-like ways, but I have always stuck to the ground.  Gravity has never been on my side.  Flip-flops, ballet flats, and tennis shoes all have a spot in my closet, but never before have I owned (or even worn) a pair of high heels.  So today's purchase was monumental.  I should get my own statue. :)

Upon arriving home, I slipped my poor unsuspecting feet into the high heels and practiced walking around the house in them.  I must admit, it was much easier to walk in them imitating Elle Woods (hands up by the shoulders with a bag dangling from one elbow and a chihuahua in the other) than to try to walk normally, so the practice was fairly ineffective.  I guess the only way to find out if I can truly walk in the is to wear them in public and pray that I don't break my ankle . . . or worse:  fall. :)

"Here's a riddle for you...find the answer." -Five For Fighting

Today I got quite a bit done.  I made brownies, sewed really cute pillowcases, and finished a drawing of my grandma's brother.  Not to brag or anything. :)  But I also started to put together a few playlists for college.  It's kind of a hard thing to do, because when I like songs, I listen to them repeatedly until I can't stand them anymore.  So these playlists get old fast and I'll have to make new ones before college anyways.  I really want these songs to last though, because I like them a lot!  Here's one that I especially like called "The Riddle":

So enjoy!  And I'll keep searching for the perfect playlist that combines great melodies with thoughtful lyrics to make a song that makes me happy!  Later. :)

"Olympism is the marriage of sport and culture." -Juan Antonio Samaranch

Just to start off, I had no idea that "olympism" was a word, but I'll just go with this one.  I don't really know any good sports quotes, because I am definitely not an athletic person, but there are a select few sporting events I love to watch:

1.  Tennis:  Wimbledon and the U.S. Open are my special favorites.  Go Djokovic! :)
2.  Men's Soccer:  It's the universal sport!  The World Cup is just so much fun to watch and so are the players.... :)  Here's the official song from last year's, because I think it's fun:

And the book Outcasts United by Warren St. John is a great book about a refugee soccer team that I read last year.  It really captured something about the spirit of soccer and how it can unify people and cultures.  Here's the link:  Outcasts United Site.  So check it out. :)
3.  The Olympics:  Of course.  I mean, who doesn't love the world coming together for a competitive yet unifying sporting event that has everything you'd ever want to watch plus more!  (I mean, no offense to ribbon twirling, but really?  There's a reason they show you in the wee hours of the morning!)  I can't wait until next year's London's summer Olympics.  I'm looking forward to see if they can do something crazy awesome like Beijing's drummers:

I mean, that was just awesome!  How on earth did they coordinate that all?  I remember watching that live and I was covered in goosebumps.  It was truly epic.  And I'm going to be completely honest, I don't think London will even come close to beating this.  In all of the Olympics I've lived to see, this one is far above the rest.  There was just something different, and I don't think they'll be beaten for a while.  But it just feels like it's about time for a big event like the World Cup or the Olympics soon.  And I am looking forward to the U.S. Open that's coming up soon.  Djokovic's going to win the whole thing! :)  So that's my sporting rave.  Enjoy the videos! :)

"And it'll take a flight to figure out where I'm going to finally land." -Greg Laswell

Hey, so it probably shows that I've posted twice for Friday, but really I'm not that interesting!  I just wait too late in the day to finally sit down and blog.  So I have another Greg Laswell song for this blog called "The One I Love."  I think I've mentioned it before, but I'll post it because I really like it.  His style of singing is just great, and everything I've heard from him I've really liked.  So here's the song:

So today I had to mow the lawn....which I would say is pointless to mention, except I have a story that goes along with it.  I was just minding my own business, going back and forth across the lawn when my dad pointed out something or other.  So I stopped the lawn mower and looked (I think it was a plane.  In the sky.  But in our defense, it was flying really low and therefore cool.) only to realize that I was standing right by an ant hill.  I don't think I've ever actually been bitten by an ant before, but it actually hurts.  It's kind of embarrassing that something that small can make me run around the back yard like a lunatic, swatting at my legs....almost as embarrassing as mowing the lawn on a Friday night! :)

"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self." -Cyril Connolly

I know this quote might seem like a contradiction, because this blog is on the internet, where anyone can find it.  I started this blog, not to be read, but to write for the joy of writing.  I also want it to be a place where I can go back and see what I was thinking or what music I was listening to on a certain day.  So I liked this quote for today.  Well, yesterday I guess.  It's past midnight so this will be seen as Friday's post.  Oh well!

Today was a normal Thursday.  I didn't do anything great, grand, or wonderful, but I did start the book The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  It's one of those books that keeps you thinking.  As I read it, I wonder to myself what in our society today will be seen as intolerant and backwards?  When Skeeter writes to Harper & Row Publishers, she gets a reply that asks, "Don't waste your time on the obvious things.  Write about what disturbs you, particularly if it bothers no one else" (Pg. 83).  That's a great point for every writer to think about, in my opinion. :)

"Sense will always have attractions for me." -Jane Austen

Okay, I know I said that I watched Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility yesterday, but I finished watching it today.  I love that movie.  I had never given it much of a chance before.  I was younger, and it was a bit more boring to me than Mr. Darcy's very unsubtle prejudices and Lizzy's obvious pride.  But now that I've gotten older, I watched it with new eyes.  I loved every moment of it, from Colonel Brandon's every glance (played by the same actor that plays Snape in Harry Potter) and the oh-so-subtle romantic gestures of Elinor Dashwood and Edward Ferrars.  I realized how romantic the little things can be, like a glance across a room or a brush of a hand.  In modern movies, I think that's lost when the directors decide to go big to get the point across.  Here's the trailer for the movie:

I mean, it's hard not to fall in love with this movie and its all-star cast (even Hugh Laurie is in it!), and it's the perfect movie for a day at home.  I definitely think this ranks up with Pride and Prejudice!  So enjoy! :)

"Oh this is how it starts, lightning strikes the heart." -Colbie Caillat

I've never really been a huge fan of Colbie Caillat, but when I heard this song on the trailer for the new movie The Help, I had to look it up.  Internet's amazing that way....just type in a commercial and ask what song's in it and you can find it out just like that.  My friends tell me I sound like a grandma when I say stuff like that, but hey.  It's true. :)  So here's the song:

I just thought this song was a perfect summertime song.  And the evening thunder/rainstorm was just a cherry on the top of this ice cream sundae day!  I got stuff for my college room, watched some Food Network, and watched Sense and Sensibility with my mom.  Great day overall!  :)

"Short is the joy that guilty pleasure brings." -Euripides

Today is Monday.  Monday, for the past couple months, has meant one thing for me:  The Bachelorette.  I am ashamed to even admit it, because I'd rather keep myself in denial and say that I only tuned in each week to make fun of it.  But somewhere in the middle of Ashley getting dumped by Bentley (I mean, how awful was he?!) and finding her prince charming(s), I started to look forward to Monday nights.  Not just because it was a perfect time to criticize all of the shallow people that were on the show and all of those dumb enough to watch it seriously (which, of course, I was definitely NOT....), I got swept up into the plotted drama and actually started to care.  I started to root for Ashley instead of making fun of her annoying habit of constantly fixing her hair during the most tense moments.  It became the guiltiest of guilty pleasures.  I am definitely not going to watch another season, but every time I see a headline about Ashley and J.P., I'm sure I'll be drawn into it and just have to read it.  And I've learned to never say to myself, "Oh, I'll just watch the premiere episode, just to see if there are any cute guys."  :)

Another guilty pleasure is a music video I found.  I couldn't put the lyrics in the title of my post, because this song is made up of basically four lines that are repeated over and over.  And over.  And they aren't exactly quotable.  It's one of the most annoying songs, and I've found that randomly quoting even one line from it will create a chain of groans around a room.  So with that lovely introduction, I give you a famous song that everyone has heard, but no one has liked (except me, somehow):

I guess I shouldn't post a video that I have no idea what's in it past the first couple of minutes (I think you get the picture from the first round of the chorus), but I just had to post it since it's turned out to be guilty pleasure night anyway!  This song was in a random commercial that I only half listened to, and yet it got stuck in my head for a full three days.  I've already annoyed my mom and the cat with it, so I've made myself proud. :)  So enjoy! 

"Sometimes all it takes is one voice." -Natasha Bedingfield

I know that lots of people make fun of Natasha Bedingfield, but I would just like to say that I love her songs.  A lot of great memories have links to her music, and I think she has an interesting voice.  This song that I'm going to post was in a great movie I saw recently called Morning Glory and I think it's just a fun song!  So here's the link:

So enjoy!  I just think it's a fun song, and like her other songs that I've heard, it just puts a smile on my face.  Perfect for a Saturday! :)

"Kites rise highest against the wind--not with it." -Winston Churchill

Hi again!  So I don't really have a quote to match my day or anything, but I found this one and decided it was good for sharing.  It reminded me of the book The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini that I read about a year ago.  It's a really good book, and I'd recommend it to anyone.  This quote fits perfectly with the themes of the book, and it's an interesting point.  Kites use the wind that's opposing them to lift higher in the sky.  It reminds me of a frequently quoted scripture from The Book of Mormon that's in 2 Nephi 2:11.  It says:  "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things."  Wow, two quotes in one post!  Lucky day.... :)

"And I think I like how the day sounds / Like how the day sounds through this new song." -Greg Laswell

So I found a new song on YouTube that I like for a few reasons:
     1.  I like Frodo. :)
     2.  I like the dance moves.
     3.  It's a nice song to listen to, and it made my day sound better.
Yeah, so pretty simple.  I'll post it here:

Haha, I just found it randomly and saw that Elijah Wood was in it, so I had to watch it.  I also like Greg Laswell's song "The One I Love," because it's just the perfect blend of interesting lyrics and captivating music.  I'm not going to lie, though, when he looks strait at the camera and just sings, it kind of creeps me out.  

I have decided to branch out and find different artists to listen to.  Usually I listen to what my friends tell me to listen to or what I hear on the radio, but from now on, I want to discover my own music.  It's fun to find something and be able to recommend it to other people!  Of course I'll stick with some of the popular artists because usually they're popular for a reason.  Except for Lady Gaga.  And Kesha.  And Katy Perry.  I just can't stand those ones, so I'm going to stay far, far away from them.  :)  So enjoy this music video, and there'll be more to come!

"Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow." -Anthony J. D'Angelo

I am getting so excited to go back to school!  It's only a month now until I go back, but it's going to fly.  I just want to get back to classes and homework and sitting in the library every afternoon to get things done.  I love school, and I love learning.  I know that sounds cheesy when someone says they love to learn, but it shouldn't. Learning is something so valuable to me.  That's why I liked this quote by Anthony J. D'Angelo.  When we are learning, we are growing.

I looked up Anthony J. D'Angelo and found out that he empowers college students to get an education, not just a degree.  And from my first year at college, I know it'd be very possible to do just that:  get a degree, but no real education.  In the classes I didn't like, I could do the bare minimum and still get out with a great grade.  I would go to class each day and listen half-heartedly and doodle in my notebook or watch the guy in front of me nod off to sleep while never doing the out of class readings.  But those classes became a waste of good money for me.  Why would I pay the huge chunk of tuition money to sit back and daydream for an hour instead of learning?  So this semester, I'm going to make the most of the college costs by taking all of my classes seriously, because I really do love learning! :)

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -Robert Frost

I've found that this quote is quite true.  No matter what's going on, whether it's something as small as finals week and I can't find an extra minute for myself or there is a tragedy like the shooting and bombing in Norway, life doesn't slow down.  It just goes on.  And dealing with the situations as they come is how life works.  But my heart goes out to the people of Norway.

"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." -Victor Hugo

I just started a million different posts, only to find out I have no words today.  So instead of blabbering on incessantly about unimportant things like baking cupcakes or mowing the lawn, I'm just going to post a song.  Nothing can explain today better than a beautiful piece of music that says so much to me.  Enjoy! 

"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" -Albus Dumbledore

I got to go see the last Harry Potter movie today.  It came out last Friday, and I am so glad I got to see the end of the Harry Potter series.  I feel like I've grown up with Harry Potter.  It seems like I've always been looking forward to standing in line for the next book, or anticipating the trailers to the next movie throughout my whole teen years.  And as the Harry Potter world finishes up with the last movie in the theaters, I feel like a part of my childhood is drawing to its close.  I felt the same way with Toy Story 3 last summer.  It's a weird feeling to be so a part of something that is finishing up.  It's sad in a way, but I felt like the movie could not have been made any more perfect!

I had an interesting experience in the theater though.  Right during the climax of the movie, the screen went black, leaving the entire theater to only hear the most intense moment instead of see it.  Wow.  People freaked out.  As the mob formed with pitchforks and torches to storm the film booth, I just laughed as the rows ahead of me frantically pressed their hands over their ears and swung around to glare in the general direction of the sound booth.  I guess it was kind of mean to laugh at their pain, but I can't be held responsible for my reaction in an intense situation. :)  But it turned out better than great when they skipped the movie back a scene so we could re-watch the leading up scene to the climax.  And as we were leaving the theater, we were handed gift cards for one free movie and a sincere apology.  Apology accepted!  :)

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear." -Ambrose Redmoon

I have always loved this quote, because it gives me hope.  I feel like I live in fear.  My family has proclaimed me a hypochondriac, I'm terribly shy, and I am the furthest thing from spontaneous you'll ever meet.  In other words, fear rules my life.  I fear the unknown and the unplanned of life.  And it's crazy, because some of the best times I've had were the times where my I had no plans.  One time I was on this bike trip with a group from my church.  We were just riding along when a sudden storm hit.  We had to veer off the path and take refuge under a freeway underpass.  It turned out being funner than any other activity we had planned to do!

I also liked this quote because when I looked up the author I found out that Ambrose Redmoon was a pseudonym.  The author's real name was James Neil Hollingworth, which is kind of what I'm doing.  Again with the fear thing, I didn't want anyone that I knew to read my blog, so I didn't use my real name.  But I'm glad I just have a spot to write what I feel without worrying about judgement.  Someday, though, I will be able to say that I know living life is more important than living in fear.  :)

"I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain; What a wonderful feeling, I'm happy again." -Don Lockwood, Singing in the Rain

Is there anything better than a rainy day?  For me, nothing beats curling up next to the window and watching the rain pour down.  Everything about a rainy day makes me happy.  Like when you first wake up, not to the bright sunny day as usual, but to a dark, cloudy sky and the feel of the wind pulling in a storm.  I'm convinced that the only way to make the grass greener is the lighting of a rainy day.  I don't know when I started my obsession with rainy days, but they seem to have the opposite effect on me than all of the cliches about rain.  But the movie Singing in the Rain has always been a favorite of mine.  When Gene Kelly starts his doodly-doodles, it makes me want to go sing in the rain for myself...and I don't sing! :)  Here's the video:

Now, I have to admit, it isn't actually raining yet, but today has the afternoon thunderstorm feeling!  Which would be the perfect start to the week, in my opinion. :)  And one day, I will go to Ireland and live in a place that sounds like it'd be perfect weather for my taste!

"It doesn't cost a penny to be polite" -Unknown

Since it's Sunday, the day of rest, I thought I'd just post a video that I thought was pretty interesting.  It just helps me to remember not to make a quick first judgement based on appearance and shallow perceptions of people.

"Dreams feel real while we're in them. It's only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange." -Cobb, Inception

Lately, I've been plagued with strange dreams.  They aren't nightmares, but they leave me feeling out of sync for days.  Sometimes I wonder if dreams have more to them than we think, like our brain or subconscious is trying to tell us something, or if they are just fragments of reality that piece together to sort out our muddled minds each night.  I think it's a mixture of both.  For example, the emotions in my dreams could be reactions to what's going on with my life right now.  My sister being mad at me in my dream could just be my feelings of distance from her lately.  And the neighbor down the road that randomly showed up in my dream could just be a random piece of my day that was being sorted.  The truth is, I don't really know why I dream what I dream, but I'd be lying to say that they don't matter.

This quote from the movie Inception came to mind today of all days.  I didn't particularly like the movie, but this line about dreams makes sense to me. And it seemed to go along with what's been going through my mind today.  Dreams are weird.  And they've left me feeling weird all day.  But just to end on a more normal note, here's a song called Dream by Priscilla Ahn that I think is nice and relaxing (plus it's in one of my favorite movies).

"A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes." -Ghandi

I know, it's so typical to start off with a Ghandi quote.  But this quote seemed to capture the perfect starting point for my blog.  Since I'm going to be sharing my thoughts, I might as well start with a quote about thinking.  I have always loved quotes by Mahatma Ghandi.  His quotes are some of the most often quoted quotes that we hear, and this specific one is a very basic idea.  What we think we become, so I should really get thinking!

Just to explain a little bit about me and why I would even want to start a blog, I'm a college student that's off for the summer.  Being at home and not having classes has been more than relaxing....sometimes I feel like I'm doing so little, my brain is melting and shrinking to half its size.  I try to find ways to keep myself busy, but nothing keeps my mind going like reading good books and writing just to write.  Sometimes I forget how fun it is to write with no expectations of being read by peers or professors!  Along with a great soundtrack, I've decided that this blog will help me to stay sane and never forget the joy of writing, even when I have to write a twenty page paper about air pollution! :)