Oh.... Hi Guys

I think it's this time every year that I get this weird urge to blog, which is kind of funny because it means I could blog for months afterwards, or you won't hear from me again for another year... or three. Who knows. I had 10 comments waiting for moderation, they were all spam. Cool beans. I guess it's been awhile guys.

I think I've changed a lot since the last time I've posted on this blog. A lot of stuff has happened, good and bad.

I miss these kids like you wouldn't believe.

The biggest would have to be my trip Uganda. I think I might have mentioned that I was planning it before I stopped posting, or at least hoping to visit. Well, it happened. How was it? It changed my life, but not in the way that I thought it might.

For some reason before I left I had this big idea that I would go and meet a bunch of new people (which I did) and instantly become an awesome person, and know exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Haha, big surprise, that didn't happen. Aside from the fact that no one is perfect, even the road towards being so is long, not a quick 3 week whirlwind. Uganda did change me though. I went to step (or drastically leap) out of my comfort zone, and it gave me the courage to continually step outside of that comfort zone since I've been back. Job interviews stopped making me nervous. If I can fly half way across the world and live in a completely different culture for 3 weeks all by myself, then I can chat with the owner of a cafe and convince them that they want to hire me.

Apparently I did a pretty good job of it too. I'm working two jobs now. I'm bussing tables at a bakery and cafe. It can be fun. It can make me want to hit someone, but I'm happy there. The customers make me lose hope in humanity by their stupidity, then remind me to keep believing in them when they slip me a five-spot and tell me I gave them outstanding service.

I'm also a Sales Associate at Gymboree. A kids clothing store. I love this job even more. The kids crack me up, my co-workers are awesome, and I've realized it is possible to go clothes shopping without completely ripping a store apart looking for what you want. Really people, it may be my job to refold the stack of shirts, but I can assure you, I have other things to do.

I've lost some people, and I've made new friends. 

My brother is no longer living at home, and I've taken this change harder then I ever thought I would. I haven't exactly "lost" him, but he's not exactly there for me anymore. We haven't always been the best of friends, but I don't feel right not having him around the house when I get home. He made me maddest I've ever been in my life, but he could also make me laugh when nothing else could. His leaving was unexpected, and caused a lot of drama within the family. I'm still trying to forgive him for that, but I miss him more than anything.

I have Uganda to thank for the new friends. I learned to simply relax around people I didn't know, and to be myself. That strangers weren't going to kill me, and that I might actually enjoy hanging out with some of them. It made me realize life is better if you smile and wave to the people who pass you by every day. Your world is brightened, and you just might meet someone who makes a big difference in your life. (I actually haven't made a new friend by just waving at a random person, but it could still happen, right?)

So anyways, I guess I'm done rambling now. I may be back later, maybe not. Either way, glad I stopped in to say hey. Hope ya'll are learning as much as I have been.

Life

Every once in a while, I go through these phases where I'm thinking about life. I'm guessing that's pretty normal of anyone out there, so it's not like that in itself is anything special. Actually, the thoughts that go through my head aren't really anything special either. I'm sure they've gone through many a head before.

When I say life, I mean my life. My future life, the life that's whirling around me at this moment, and the life I've already gone through. Life. 

Once again, it's nothing special that I often wonder where I'll end up in the next five years, or even the next year. I guess every kid my age probably wonders the same thing from  time to time. Some of us have plans, a lot of us don't. Some of us are filled with confidence. Some of us aren't. It's the way God made us. It's the way He wanted us to be.

I can't believe what has happened in my life as it is. Where I am at the moment, I never saw coming. Where I'll be in the next year? I can't really see that coming either, but God can. He's got it all planned out. I've just got to follow His voice.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure. -Philippians 2:13

Okay, I'll push post now before I delete these rambling thoughts.

Weakness

I just finished making the cover for The Way We Love. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out, despite the complications I had while making it. You all probably want to see it, but you'll have to wait. It'll be on my updated Current Writing Projects page, after NaNo starts.

I'm sitting on Fins bed at the moment, listening to Celtic Thunder. It's hard to believe that it's been almost a year since we went and saw them in concert. It was the kickstart to NaNo last year for me. This year I'll be taking a trip to the best bookstore on the face of this earth. Powell's. Books on my list to look for? Oh, you know, the usual. Charles Dickens, Ted Dekker, John Keats, C.S. Lewis... the list goes on. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to find one, or two books to lug home with me.

Someone shared a verse with me lately. I love it when that happens.

And he said unto me, "my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I think the world overrates the wrong kind of strong. Who cares if you've got abs. Until you are weak in Him, you will never be truly strong. I think I need to work on that more. Much more.

Attempt is Write

Day 3 - Your first attempt at writing.

I love how Lerowen words this one. "attempt at writing." That was certainly true for me. In fact, even now I feel like it's all just an attempt. One big attempt to get it write... or... er, right.

Anyway, I don't really remember when I first started to write. I've been asked the question many a time before, but all I can really do is guess. It was probably sometime when I was 7, or 8. I don't remember why I thought I might enjoy it, I don't remember what it was about. The first thing I do remember is writing a "novel" (as I called it in my own little head) about a girl who actually liked to wash dishes. In fact, she went to tournaments and won awards for her speed at washing dishes.

I dedicated it to my sister. Why? I have no idea, she hated washing dishes.

After that things became a little more serious. I actually had a lot of great ideas that I still run into and tell myself I really had something there. One of these I am actually still working on. Ash Valley.

In my early writing days I spent hours working on the first book in the trilogy Ash Valley is apart of. Somewhere along the line I got so excited about the second book (you guessed it, Ash Valley) I quite the first one and started it. I've been working on it ever since. At the moment I'm working on outlining it so I can do a complete re-write and I'm even contemplating using it as my 2011 NaNoWriMo novel. I love the story. I love the characters. I love the setting. I just can't seem to get it written. That's what NaNo is for, right?

Want to join the 15 day challenge? Check it out at Eat... Sleep... Write!

Life Has a Pattern

I've noticed events in my life tend to take on a pattern. Luckily it's an easy one. Everything seems to happen at once, and then nothing happens at all for a day, or three, and then everything happens at once again. As exhausting as it sounds, I like it.

The play is finished now. The cast party was a mixture of sad and happy. Saying goodbye to some people I knew I wouldn't see for a while, but enjoying getting together to just hang out for once, instead of having to worry about rehearsals. Epic water fights ensued. Future plays were discussed. Awesomeness abounded.

The next day I executed a plan I had been working on for exactly one week. A surprise birthday party for my dear Fin. She turned 18. Aside from showing up ten minutes late, the plan worked flawlessly. You can read about it HERE.

I've finally reached my few days of rest, which means I had time to read Owl City's latest blog post. Strange, I hadn't realized just how much of an introvert I really am. If you ever have trouble understanding me and my ways, please use this post as a guide line. It fits me perfectly.

For those wondering how my writing is going, the amazing, wonderful, unbelievable Sky finished editing The Way We Think the other day. I have not sent it in for my free proof copy from CreateSpace. Just didn't have the time. As for other writings I haven't been doing anything serious. I keep telling myself as soon as things settle down I need to work on the outline for Ash Valley, but maybe I just need to get myself to do it now.

Even now I can see more of life's events piling up in my future. Some are new, some are exciting, I'm praying all of them will be approached with my heart in Christ Jesus.

I leave you with this video. It has absolutely nothing to do with this post, but it does have Dick Van Dyke.

In Which Georgie Discovers The Day of the Week

I used to wonder how on earth someone could not know what day of the week it was.

"Is this Tuesday, or Wednesday?"

I would look at them skeptically and wonder why you would even need to ask that question. Did you completely skip Tuesday? Did you just return from time travel, unsure how much time you spent away? Yesterday was Tuesday. Tomorrow's Thursday. Duh, it's Wednesday.

Then, of course, I always heard people saying the only way they could remember what day it was, was by thinking of the things that were happening that week. Grandma's denture fitting on Monday. Ferdinand's didgeridoo recital on Tuesday. Clementine's initiation into Knit's of the Round Table on Wednesday. On and on.

Things have changed since then though. All week I've been confused as to what day it was. Actually, I even got May and July mixed up. I'm pretty sure the only reason I know what month it is, is due to the fact that I've been writing a screenplay. That's got to mean ScriptFrenzy, and SF takes place in April.

Speaking of ScriptFrenzy, Sam and I have reached 84 pages. Since we've run out of plot, things have kind of been rambling along. Interesting tid-bits we weren't expecting popping up here and there. We have no idea where this whole thing is going, but we do know we only have 16 pages left of the challenge. We also know The Romantic Plot Trasher will not be winning any Academy awards.

Anyway, here I am. Only knowing what day tomorrow is because I get to go in and find out about that wonderful thing where dentists rip the big kid teeth that are supposed to give you wisdom from your head. Duh, tomorrow's Thursday. Oh... wait.

God Given Style

Everyone has different ways of developing and writing their novels. That's just the way we are as humans. God installed something in writers that makes their heart sing when they were supposed to be asleep four hours ago, but stayed up to finish a scene they just couldn't wait to get down. He thought it best not to add that feature to others... goes to prove God truly does know best.

So, we've established that God made writers, and a whole bunch of other people. He didn't stop there though. Within the group of writers He decided to give them each their own style and method. He gave them character. Set one apart from the other.

The fun thing here is that He didn't tell them from the beginning what that style was. He let them grow, learn, and discover for themselves, and, well, the fact of the matter is... I'm still in the discovery stage. I think a lot of people still are and don't even realize it.

If you're unsure what stage you're at, read the following quotes that are rather popular among the "believing they've discovered" stage. If you've ever said, or thought any of them, read on.

"I've only ever written one genre. I don't have to try others, I already know this one is my style."

"I write all my novels the same way. I don't have to try anything different. My method works perfectly."

"I always have a female/male main character. It's just what I know best."

Oh dear. Oh my. I know these sayings so well because I've heard them in so many places, including coming from my own mouth. In the last year, I've learned differently. It started back when I began to realize writing was more then just a small hobby for me. It was something bigger.

I read books on writing. I read blogs on writing, and I continued to write myself. As I found myself writing more and more, I was inspired to try new concepts, new characters, and even new genre's.

Where as before I had remained with fantasy and only fantasy, I discovered historical fiction and sci-fi. My main characters were all girls. Now the role of MC varies so much, it's hard to say which gender I use more often. I once told myself a novel required no planning, or outlining. I'd heard so often that the characters will write the story for you, if you just give them the chance (which I do believe is true, to an extent). What I now consider to be my best novel was around nine months in the planning before I began to write.

I would still return to fantasy as my main genre, but now I've tried something different. I know that out of the genre's I've tried, fantasy will always be home. For now.

I encourage you to branch out and discover. God knows your style, but He can't prove to you what it is if you refuse to try it. I once thought writing couldn't become any more fun. I was wrong. I once thought I couldn't do anything else with my writing. I was wrong. I'm willing to bet you may be wrong as well.

When do you stop searching though? This could go on forever, and I believe it should. You can always learn new things, but only if you're willing to step out from your comfort zone of fantasy and try something new. I doubt I'll ever be done with this hunt. That would leave no room for development, and no matter how good my writing may get, it can always be better.

Then again, God made me just a little different then all the other writers out there. Maybe I'm the only one on this road of discovery. God gave me a style... He gave you a style. Do you know what it is?

The Heart Press

You know that feeling you get when you sit down to write in your diary for the first time in weeks and you feel like you have millions of things to update about? So much has changed in just those few days. So much of what's happened has shaped your life. Is shaping your life.

You sit down to finally write about it, because you've been to busy to do it before, and it's then you realize it's all already in the past. Already happened. Already gone. You realize there's no way you could write about it in this book. This little book of memories and thoughts.

After you realize all this you simply write what's on your heart. Then once that's all down on paper, you instantly feel like you've unloaded something. You just feel better. You feel like your heart is pressed within the pages of the book. Like a flower, delicately preserved.

I had that feeling today.

I had that feeling and then I prayed. Because my God is good. My God is good and I will praise Him.

I'm the Girl...

"Great. Well done. Now we wait." -Mahoney

"No. We breath. We pulse. We regenerate. Our hearts beat. Our minds create. Our souls ingest. 37 seconds well used is a lifetime." -Mr. Magorium

I'm the girl...

• who finishes the dreams she woke up in the middle of, on paper.
• who eats Doritos and cheese for breakfast.
• who watched the end of one movie and the beginning of another.
• who started a new story when she's already swamped in a million others. (All for the love of inspiration)
• who wanted a glue stick where no glue sticks were to be found.
• who called "dude" and "Cheeto" American slang.
• who sang Long Black Train at the top of her lungs with Josh Turner.
• who was craving pork.
• who had a good day.
• who will have a great day tomorrow.

Favorites of 2010 - Movies

Following up my post from yesterday, being the movie person I am, I thought I might do the same with my favorite movies from this year. There aren't as many good movies as there are books, so the list was rather shorter, but here goes.

In order from favorite to least favorite.

1. Alice in Wonderland Director: Tim Burton.

If you're anything like me, the director of this film

threw you off. He's weird, he makes weird movies, he makes movies I never want to see. This however, is not one of those movies. True, it is weird, and it's slightly dark, but a good kind of dark. I mean, it's Alice in Wonderland, falling down a huge hole just gets that way.

This movie was made amazingly well. The acting was well done (I mean, its got Johnny Depp!), the story was told in a new and interesting way. It's all around an amazing movie.

2. Tangled Directors: Nathan Greno & Byron Howard

I wrote a review on this movie after watching the first time. I watched it a second time time since then and I would have to say, I like it even more. I really would not mind owning it. It's just that good.

3. Secretariat Director: Randall Wallace

I was trying not to get to excited about this movie. It was a horse movie, and there are a lot of people who don't know how to make a horse movie. Randall Wallace does. You know you're a horse lover if you remained dry eyed when people die, but every time that horse starts to get ahead in a race, your eyes water.

4. How to Train Your Dragon Directors: Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders

Dreamworks... uh... All I can say is I'm not a fan. In fact, I would even go so far as to say, I seriously dislike Dreamworks. I had never seen a Dreamworks movie I liked. At all. Shrek is terrible. Over the Hedge was terrible. The Bee Movie was terrible. I didn't even bother with Kung Fu Panda. Then I watched How to Train Your Dragon. Dreamworks went up a notch in my opinion. This movie was amazing.

There are several movies I'm looking forward to that come out this year. The Eagle, The Dark Knight Rises, The Adventures of Tintin, and Rango to name a few.

Favorites of 2010 - Books

My dear blogging friend, Tarissa, from In The Bookcase, listed her favorite books she read last year and invited others to do the same. It sounded fun to me, so here goes.

I've read a total of 34 books in 2010. Rather sad, even more so compared to the 62 I read in 2009. Anyway, my favorites...

1. Blood Red Horse by K. M. Grant. Ever since I read this book it's been a favorite of mine. The crusades, horses, the slightest touch of romance. I love it.

2. The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff. Set in Roman Britain, packed with history and suspense. Written by one of my seester's favorite authors, I've been meaning to read more of her novels.

3. Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. I've heard this book was confusing, I've heard it made perfect sense. I've heard people put it down, I've heard it praised to the skies. So, I read it. It was amazing. I would recommend it to anyone. Honestly.

4. Tuck by Steven Lawhead. The third book in the King Raven trilogy was most certainly the best. If you haven't read the King Raven series, and you're into Robin Hood as much as I am, you need to.

5. White by Ted Dekker. Another third book. Second only to Black in my opinion, however I read Black in '09. Ted Dekker made it to my list of awesome people after I finished this series.

6. In Defense of the Faith by Dave Hunt. I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing this book was. Defending the faith is something all Christians should know how to do, and (next to the Bible of course) this is the handbook.

7. Start Here by Alex and Brett Harris. Not as good as Do Hard Things, but it still makes you think. A powerful books written for teens, by teens.

8. The Martyr's Song by Ted Dekker. Ted Dekker again, I know. The first book I read of his that wasn't in the Circle Trilogy. It had me hooked from the very beginning. If I remember correctly I even cried at one point. Not something I do to often.

So, one of my goals for 2011, read more books.

NaNoWriMo Has Come to an End

NaNoWriMo. It all comes to an end on December 1st. All those who succeeded, go to bed three hours early because they don't have 1,000 words to write before they can. Eat carrot sticks like they're candy because they're tired of living off chocolate and cheez-it's, and watch a movie. Just because they have the time.

Those who didn't happen to reach that coveted number of words fall into fits of tragic disappointment, wish they had never been born, then do everything the winner did. Just not with as much joy.

Thankfully, I happened to be in the first group. My final word count for this month was 54,455 words. I expect I'll make it to 60k before the end of the novel.

Some things I knew would happen and did?

• A massive word war with my friend. A fight to the finish. A duel to the death. An epic battle that would go down in history.
• My characters took things into their own hands and informed me they knew best. I listened.
• I fell behind in my Spanish lessons. I'm still working on catching up.
• I wrote about 49,000 words of trash. First drafts are always so much fun to read back over. Not.
• I listened to more Celtic Thunder then I ever thought possible and now have every song memorized. Even the ones in Gaelic.

The things I didn't see coming?

• I came to know my characters more then I had ever known any of my characters before. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I had been waiting to write their story for almost nine months, but I felt like they were living breathing people at times. Crazy.
• I lost before mentioned word war by over 9,000 words. Oh well.
• One of the sweetest characters alive... er... written, died. Rather tragically, but very touching.
• I only fell behind the suggested word count for two days. They weren't even in a row.
• A sequel slowly started developing in my brain, and if I can wait a whole year, will probably be my novel for NaNo next year.
• This first draft turned out far better then last years.
• I reached the 50,000 words before Thanksgiving. Eight days early to be exact.

All in all. It was blast. I'm relieved I don't have 1,667 words to write before going to bed, but I can't wait for next November when the whole thing starts again.

Time With Family

For the last three days we have been living in our motor home at our Grandparents house. It has been so nice to spend time with all my Grandparents before we leave, but it has also been really sad. One moment I’m really excited about going, and the next I don’t want to.

I guess I’ll just be thankful for the time God gives me with the people I care about, and then take His hand and let Him lead me where He needs me…. and try to trust Him while it happens.

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

~ 2 Samuel 22:31

Friends I've Lost, Friends I Still Have. A Prayer for All

I have so much trouble with the problems of the world. Understanding why they are even there, and how can anyone be so stupid to do any of it?

I remember several good friends that I spent a lot of time with, goofing off, playing games, and having heart to heart talks. These are sweet memories for me, but over the last few years they have turned sad as well.

Many of those friends have "grown up" in the world’s eyes. They now go to public school, and they act like it. Boys is all they have to talk about, and words I would rather not hear comes out of their mouths every other sentence.

To see this hurts so bad, to know that these girls, who I always thought would be just like me have changed so much. The world and it’s people dragged them down into something terrible. They are no longer pleasant to be around, and any contact with them becomes depressing. I want to stay in touch, I want to be that life line when they realize what they’ve gotten into, but I’m also afraid. What influence can they have on me?

Now is when I look to my other friends, as well as my God, and my family. Here is where they hold me up, stand behind me, hit me over the head if I start going down the wrong path.

I pray for the "friends" I have lost, and I pray for the ones I still have. Keep their hearts pure Lord.

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. ~ Proverbs 31:10