Further Explorations, in Verse and Swindling

Hey look, ANOTHER haiku.

floating, so gently
a breath of wind underneath
my wings hold me high

Then you can learn about how to get a free meal at McDonald's.


SeeqPod - Playable Search

I'll admit, I don't like Fall Out Boy's newer sound. They've become a little more punk and a little less rock than I like. But I think I'll keep listening to their original albums - I consistently like the first two.

Images and Poetry

Here are some funny pics that I had saved and then forgotten about. I like them a lot. Here, you can have some. Clicky, clicky!



And now, some haiku. Because I feel like it.

silvery light flows
over my pillow, drowning
me in darkest sleep.

the city awakes
in my mind. I travel down
many avenues.

shall we dance, upon
glassy wooden floors, to a
heated samba beat?

Technological Advancement

I have new laptop! Bweee, go me!

I am now the proud owner of a Gateway M-6309. While apparently not a very popular notebook, it is actually very nice quality. Good resolution, lightweight, thin, a gig of ram, and some great media capability. Wifi, of course. I'm really enjoying having a laptop of my own... now all I have to do is remember that I don't own it, and it's not really mine, and I'll be fine. *sigh*

(Image will go here when I take a picture of it, as there are no images to be found online! Jeez...)

In other news, I had a singing lesson today. Recently, I've felt really frustrated in my singing. There are some places where I know I need to get better, but I don't know how to fix it, or even if I'm really hearing it right in the first place. And it's especially hard to hear some advanced people on all sides of me with wonderful volume and better pitch than I've got, and here I am feeling totally inadequate in an advanced singing class. Not good.

I didn't realize the intensity of emotion I felt about this until I started crying about it in front of the teacher. It really was hard to try and contain the emotion and listen to what he was telling me. Once he saw the source of my frustration he assured me that the advanced skills I have are totally usable, the places where I'm failing completely fixable, and my quieter singing voice utterly understandable.

So apparently, I have some pretty advanced techniques as a singer, especially considering my young age. But because I don't have some of the more basic skills, I am incapable of using the advances ones effectively. Thus all the frustration I've been feeling about my singing. So now I've established with my teacher that I need to work on a) correct breathing (which is a helluva lot harder than it sounds), b) pitch finding on the keyboard, and c) relative pitches (the distance between pitches).

It's a really good thing I've a passion for singing, and that I'm stubborn. Otherwise I'd be dropping out.

Currently reading: The Lair of the White Worm.

Gorgeous Day!

You'd never know it was pouring down rain this morning. It's gorgeous now... I hope it stays this way for longer than twenty minutes or so.

Parlez-vous francais?

Molière was an interesting film about the famous French playwright. You should go check it out.

And you have to admit, Josh Groban is phenomenal for relaxing. It makes me want some classical training for my voice.

Reading: Lady Chatterley's Lover, because it's a classic novel. Haven't gotten far enough to find anything scandalous yet. We'll see.

Google search: (intitle:"index.of" (mp3|mp4|avi) august.rush)

Tastiness is a virtue.

Be My Sixcape

You remember the six-word stories? Well, I've been doing some more of those. I have a notepad beside my pillow, and I've been coming up with them. Go me ^_^

Anyhow, here's some more:

• The ever-present stars - lost, forever.
• If only we'd tested for that.
• Now, thousands will die... except me.
• A darkness falls... arms catch me.
• White shoals are calling - see ya!
• His eyes were two restrained cobras.
• Swords, daggers, pistols... all were useless.
• My watch whispers. It is time.
• Rain's needle feet patter across rooftops.
• We raced, dark and silent shadows.
• Your freedom is in their hands.
• I trip. Hello, ground. That hurt.
• Stretch, apart from time and circumstance.
• A single glare, silencing the class.
• How many more deaths are necessary?
• All wars end up bloody messes.
• Stop bragging or you'll be shot.

And here's the song that's been stuck in my head the past few hours:


Also I've just finished the story Lady Into Fox by David Garnett. It was quite interesting, though I can't help feeling as if it might not have worked better as a shorter piece.

Talents

You know, not only has this guy got musical talent, but the cameraman (-woman?) isn't a bad cinematographer.

More Reminding

John Keats' Ode on Melancholy is a great poem.

Twilight is the first in a series by Stephanie Meyer, which I think I need to read.

Flights is a really good fantasy anthology.

Orphans of Chaos is the first in a trilogy by John C. Wright, which I would also like to read.

Wishes

As to my entry in the Corrupted Wish game:

Someone's wish: "I wish I were back in Boston."

My reply: "Wish granted. Unfortunately, Boston was the first target for the nukes sent by the terrorists, so now you are infected by highly radioactive material and will die slowly and painfully. I wish I had a furry prehensile tail. :P"

Someone's answer: "Wish granted. Now you can't get a date with any normal person, but instead become a furry icon (which also isn't helpful when prospective employers google your name and come up with very very disturbing pornography)."

Crazily enough, I'm totally fine with that.

Six-Word Stories

Again, something from ProjectSidewalk.

• Innocent flower, yet so many deaths.
• "Throw them overboard." "But... your son!"
• Footsteps stopped outside the door. Shit.
• Red hair flowed, flames in wind.
• Heavy coat... something in my pocket...
• Brilliant blue eyes. My heart stops.
• My love, Death, comes for me.
• A button marked "Self-Destruct". Too obvious.
• Across the beadspread, so many photographs.
• Can't tell him... he'll kill me.
• I cough. Meaning I'm still alive.
• My hat walks into the bar.
• The grey rabbit is following me.

ProjectSidewalk

I wish I could manipulate matter.

Wish granted. You now have hands.

- From the Corrupted Wish game, on the website ProjectSidewalk. I have just joined and explored the site. I really like the ideas on here, and some people are really creative. I suggest you go see.

[ books ] [ word ] [ stations ] [ einstein ] [ drawing ] [ lingo ]

Also, I really like this picture. I wish the subjects could have seen the quote that went with it.

Do You Do Haiku?

curled up, quiet, still
computer hums its white noise
while I surf the web

the hot water boils
but I do not get up yet
my chair is too comfy.

green tea of jasmine
is altogether soothing -
crunch, goes the cracker.

[ flowchart ] [ drink ]

Sportscar

I really shouldn't find this funny. BUT I DO.

The Relaxation of Weekends

Saw the movie Secret Kingdom today [trailer]. Stars Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Michael Angarano, whose talent we first appreciated in the movie Sky High.
I'd say the one and only thing I didn't like about Secret Kingdom was the length. While a full two hours, it still wasn't long enough to get you really attached to the characters. So it ended up that if one got wounded somehow, you didn't really find yourself caring that much. They should have found a way to make the characters connect to the viewer a little better, even if that means they needed to cut back on the (awesome!) action sequences. I really would have liked to care.


It's a flying fox. Cool, no?

Ruth Waterhouse is a very skilled silversmith. I absolutely adore her craftsmanship, and really wish I had enough money that a few hundred dollars didn't mean as much to me as it does now.

And on TOP of all that, I stumbled upon a website that reports all the new species being discovered. And here I was under some sort of impression that scientists had the world all figured out... HA!

Surfing Web

http://www.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK//video/screenplay/vi1910571289/

Edit: Okay, I know this link went to a trailer for something awesome, but now the link is broken, and I have no idea which trailer it is. So now you can have something else instead:

Fascinating article. All must read. ;)

Must-See Cinema

This is a great movie. Every Christian should see it.

Iris

This is really, very fascinating and cool: [ l i n k ]

Totally makes me want to go examine my own irises. O_-'

And this is what I think whenever I think of "iris". Not to be a nerd, or anything.

And check this out. ;)

I like the song I Write Sins, Not Tragedies by Panic! At The Disco (who, quite honestly, sound almost identical to Fall Out Boy).

Reduced States

Ferragamo shoes are rather interesting-looking. There was a random man wearing a pair at the bus stop the other day. I didn't realize they were a designer brand. Now I wonder what he was doing there.

More Drawing

Every time I sit next to my sister while she draws, I get inspired. I kind of like this one.

Don't ask me about this one. I don't know. It should be colored, though.

Detective Skills and the Somniloquist

When I got up this morning I saw that the door was open, and I had closed it the night before. I wondered what happened, but thought nothing of it, until I looked at the USB hub on my comp and realized the tablet was missing.

So I asked Rebekah about it, and she told me she had come in last night and asked if she could take it. Apparently, when she asked me, I sat fully up in bed and replied, "Yeah, I'll have to get up and look for it," before turning over and going back to sleep.

Even now I remain blissfully without memory of the incident.

My mom, overhearing the conversation, remarked how she was glad that it didn't happen only to her. Apparently I've made a habit of talking, rather coherently, to people, while sleeping, that I don't recall in the slightest upon later recollection.

Not to, ah, weird myself out, or anything. O_o

Literary Reminders

Susan Cooper wrote The Dark is Rising novels, which I'm sure I read the first of, though I'm not sure about the rest. I need to get ahold of those again.

Also I need to be sure and read The Giver, by Whatsherface. ^_^

No Photos Allowed

Workout

First weight training session yesterday.

Know what that means today?

IT BURNSES!

Unpracticed

I've not often had the urge to cuss, but that means when the urge does seize me, I don't know enough words to make a satisfying cussing.

Wordology

So I was sitting there, eating my lunch, and overheard this guy trying to flatter this girl.

Got a little hint for ya, dude. It's "theologian", not "theologist".

Dimwit.

At the Cirque

The big top is SUCH a GINORMOUS tent! My uncle was a worker there, he helped set it up. Apparently it's a huge undertaking to get it totally set up and all the equipment hooked up and all. I can see why.

They really did have some awesome-looking masks there. This is only one of such.

This is the pic I took of the curtain before the show. I had already sent it here via text message before the monitor lady came hurdling over the seats to tell me to delete any pictures I took. Awww.