Alaska Song

One of life's deep questions; well, deep for me, anyway.

2011-12-06T23:56:00.000-08:00

The randomest questions come to me sometimes. And sometimes, out of the randomness comes a legitimate question. Such was the case a few minutes ago.

The question: Why do we fans take such a personal interest in what musicians/actors/athetes/fill-in-the-blank do?

I was thinking about this because of a post by Chemdiah at im-enchanted.blogspot.com that facinated me. The post is titled, "Young + Swift?" and for the record I agree with her arguments on why the two shouldn't date. But why do I even think about this? What makes a teen from Alaska interested in the life of a guy she's never met who lives halfway across the country?

I can only come up with two reasons, so don't worry about this post being too long. The first reason is that when we become a fan of someone, we are supporting their work and in a way their values as well. When we applaud their actions, we are saying, "I agree with this," and when we make our frustrations known, that is our way of "disowning" a value or belief that we do not support, even though we support the person with that belief.

The second reason is because we care. It is impossible to become a fan of someone you don't care about to at least a small degree. The more interest we take, the more we care. Chemdiah's post was written because she cares about Adam and Taylor, and doesn't want to see them in a situation that she feels would hurt them.

So yeah, to everyone I've ever been fangirlish over, it's because I care. That care is what makes me seem creepy at times, and it's also the reason I pray for you while listening to your music/watching you act/whatever.

And to all the fans like me out there, keep caring...and put some of that care into the people around you, too. Just think: with how many of us there are, we could change the world!

Hello, I apologize for the delayed-ness of this post...

2011-11-17T00:47:00.000-08:00

It's November, aka, National Novel Writing Month. Click the link to see what I'm talking about. Anyway, between plotting my novel and now writing it, I have not been on much, so I wanted to apologize by letting you guys read my prologue! (It ain't much, I haven't even edited it yet, so please be kind...)

Prologue

Brielle

I love the solitude of our garden. The flowers are in full bloom this spring, and our rose bushes are doing beautifully, but my favorites are still the daisies. They are so simple, so unassuming, and yet they are so beautiful. I think they are the most underestimated flower in the world. I think I feel much empathy for them.
Papa and Uncle Josiah are working on an invention, but Papa will not tell me what it is. I wish he would tell me. What kind of thing are they working on that they couldn’t let me know?
The sun is getting higher in the sky. It is time to go inside now, until the hottest part of the day is over. I believe I shall go on a ride this evening; riding is so peaceful.
Brielle Arron closed her journal and looked around her family’s garden. The light sand pathways wove in and out through the numerous flowers. There were roses and daisies, daffodils and sunflowers, pansies and chrysanthemums. Her father had always told her, “Flowers are like people; they come in all colors and sizes, but they all have equal opportunity to bring joy to others.”
Her father had always worked on instilling in her a belief that all people were equal. Brielle wasn’t blind to why; many people looked at her as less than par because of the gimp leg she had been born with. But Brielle refused to let her shorter right leg define her. Everything that someone with two sound legs could do, Brielle did as well or better. She allowed herself no less.
Of course, with her leg covered by her dress, no one who didn’t know about it would never think her anything but perfect, until they saw her limp. Her still-forming figure was perfectly balanced, her waist no bigger than healthy, her curves pronounced but not overwhelming. Her skin was not as fair as many considered desirable, due to her frequent outside activities, but that only highlighted her blue eyes and contrasted her soft lips. Her hair, long and “dirty blonde,” hang halfway down her back, and despite its thickness, was light enough to ruffle in the light breeze that was blowing through the garden.
She sat there a few more minutes, enjoying the quiet of the birds and the breeze, then she picked up her journal and pen and carried them into Brookmoor.
Brookmoor was the only home she had ever known, the garden was in the back, and from the back there was nothing much to show it as anything other than a large brick country house. But from the front it was another story. The long, sloping drive that led up to Brookmoor gave the illusion of the house being even bigger than it was, not that that illusion was necessary to make it impressive. The house was a massive brick dwelling, covered with ivy and moss. The front door was taller than a normal door by ten feet, with a smaller servants’ door next to it. The house and grounds had once belonged to a duke, who had left the estate to Jamison Arron, his best friend and Brielle’s great-grandfather, because he had no sons. The mansion had become the family home, and it was the only home Brielle and her current family had ever known.
Her current family, all of her family who was still alive, was her father and uncle. Her mother had passed away when she was young; Brielle hardly remembered her. She used to ask her father how her mother had died, but he refused to tell her. He told her as much as she wished to know about her mother, except for how she had died. When she had failed at learning her mother’s fate from her mother, she tried to coax it out of her uncle. But Josiah had simply smiled his soft smile at her and said, “Oh, little one, who am I to tell you about your mother? She was your father’s only joy, until you were born. If anyone need be the one to tell you about her, it is he.” And so she never knew what had happened.
Once inside, Brielle cut through the kitchen and the dining room, and came out into the front hall. She was about to climb up the stairs to put her journel in her room, but just then, her father and uncle came out of their laboratory. She ran to them as fast as she could, threw her arms around her father, and gave him a huge hug.
Marcus Arron smiled down at his only child and kissed her on top of her head. He was almost 6’4”, not quite a foot taller than her, and his build dwarfed her beyond height. His chest was broad from manual labor, his muscles well-defined, although not visible through his shirt like his brother’s were. Josiah Arron did not make his brother look small, but he was the larger of the two by not quite two inches of hight. He was more muscular only by default of being the older of the two, so he had worked many more days of labor than his brother had. Both brothers had brunette hair and hazel eyes. It did not take someone who had known Marcus when he was first married to know that Brielle looked exactly like her mother, because she did not resemble her father at all.
Brielle looked up at her father and gave him her sweetest smile. “What were you and Uncle Josiah working on today?”
He smiled right back. “Just another project, nothing much.”
“If it is nothing much, then you should be able to tell me.”
“Not yet, BriLi. You need to go finish school, okay sweetheart?” He used his pet name for her, a combination of her first and middle name, Brielle Lillie. She knew she would not get him to tell her anything more, so she hugged her Uncle Josiah and ran upstairs to her room to do her daily required school reading. If she hurried with her school, she might have time for a ride.
Marcus smiled as he watched his daughter disappear into her room. “She’s really something, isn’t she, Brother?”
Josiah smiled too, as he thought of his neice. “She reminds me of another fifteen – year – old I once knew. He had unstatisfiable curiosity, too, and it often got him into trouble.”
They shared a warm look, the look of brothers who have been through life with eachother. Both well remembered how often Marcus’s curiosity had gotten him into trouble as a boy, and how often he had dragged Josiah into his mischiff. Josiah had always felt that, as the older brother, it was his job to keep Marcus out of trouble, but no one could stop Marcus once he had set his mind to something. More often than not, Josiah had followed along with Marcus’s schemes in an attempt to keep them under control, but no one could control Marcus once he got going. Brielle took after him when it came to curiosity, although she also had more sense than he did at that age, a fact Marcus attributed to her mother. Jennifer had always had a healthy sense of caution. They had been good for each other in that aspect; she had taught him caution, he had taught her to explore life. It was many of the things she had taught him that had given him the ability to invent. He was cautious in his experimentation, not only because he didn’t want to leave Brielle without a parent, but because Jennifer had taught him its value.
A thought suddenly struck him. “Josiah, are we messing with something that should be left alone? Is what we are experimenting with too risky?”
Josiah looked at him, sober. “No, we are exploring something that could help numerous people and prevent many tragic accidents. The danger would only come if it were put in the hands of someone who wished to use it for evil.”
“Then,” Marcus replied, no humor in his expression, “we must make it our goal to make sure such a person never gets ahold of it.”

Leland

Leland Caulder rode homeward, galloping his horse along the old woodland path. His hair whipped back from the breeze his horse was creating around him. He smiled, thinking of how his mother would fuss when he arrived home. Though he never told her, the very reason he kept his hair, as she said, “longer than any prudent young man would consider wearing it!” was because she fussed over him so. The more she fussed over someone, the more she loved that person, and Leland loved knowing how much she loved him. He was careful, though, to always keep his hair short enough it never touched his shoulders. When he was younger, it had gotten that long, and someone had questioned why he wore his hair like a girl’s; he had determined that day that though his hair were longer, and he liked it that way, no one would ever think it looked like a woman’s hair again.
At eighteen, however, no one looking at him would think anything about him to be less than masculine. He was lithe, and though he could not look brawny, no matter how long he worked his job as a blacksmith’s apprentice, his muscles were firm and strong. His hair, although slightly long, gave him a rogueish appearance, and its almost reddish hue caught the eyes of many young women. His eyes also attracted unnoticed attention, for they were grey with a touch of green and brown in them, an unusual eye color, and marvelously matched with his hair.
As a blacksmith’s apprentence, Leland lived with the blacksmith of the villiage nearest his home, but the man had a soft spot for him, and allowed him to go back to his parents after work on Saturday and return on Sunday evening. This was precisely what Leland was doing galloping down the road right before dark. He was trying very hard to get home before darkness fell and shrouded the way completely.
The lights of his parents’ small country cottage appeared in the distance. Leland spurred his horse on faster, and soon they reached the small homestead. He stabled his horse and rushed inside to warm up.
His mother looked up just as he came in. “Leland!” Mrs. Caulder rushed over to hug her son, just as her husband came in the back door with another load of wood.
“I thought I heard you riding up, Son,” Mr. Caulder said, coming over to his son and clapping him on the shoulder.
The Caulders settled in for dinner, and after a wonderful time of catching up with eachother and what had happened during their weeks, they went to bed, tired but happy to be together again.
Early the next morning, right after breakfast (complete with his mother fussing over his hair, of course), Leland went out for his regular ride. He didn’t always have time to excersize his horse when he was at the blacksmith’s, so he made up for it every time he was at his parent’s house. This was an exceptionally beautiful morning for a ride; the sun was just peaking over the mountains, and the air was cool, but not cold. Leland took his time. He had all day with his parents, his father had said, and his horse needed the excersize. It was almost two hours later before he was back within sight of his parents’ house.
Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. An armored prison wagon was pulling away from his house. Leland spurred his horse faster. He had to make sure his parents were okay.
No one was there to greet him when he arrived. He pulled his horse up sharply and dismounted as quickly as he could. The house was empy, and on the door was an official notice. It read:

“To whom it may concern, by order of the royal prince, Henderson Erix, Jonah Caulder, and his wife Mariah Caulder, have been arrested for high treason, rebellion, and harboring a threat to the crown.”

Leland read it twice. His parents, insurgents? Impossible!
He mounted his horse, prepared to ride into town and protest, but before he could start off, he heard someone coming. Quickly, he heeled his mount into the woods, then snuck back on foot to eavesdrop.
Two guards were standing on either side of his parent’s door, talking with eachother.
“How long do we have to wait here?”
“Only ‘til the kid comes back; then we can go home.”
“Where'd he go, again?”
“I think he goes on a ride every morning. At least, that's what I was told.”
“How long has he been gone?”
“How am I supposed to know? That old man and woman wouldn't say anything about him. Pretty stupid of them, if you ask me. The prince doesn't care about them, just the kid. If they had cooperated, they could've stayed at home.”
“Just trying to protect their son, I guess.”
“Ha, he's not even their son. I can't see how that would make him worth their freedom.”
I’m the one they were harboring? I’m the reason they were arrested? Leland could not think of anything he had ever done against the law, no matter how hard he thought. How could he be considered a threat to the crown?
Leland determined that he would find his parents and free them, wherever they were held. Sneaking back to his horse, he thought about were he could go. He certainly could not stay there, nor could he go back to the blacksmith’s; that was the first place that would be searched when he never returned home, if it had not been searched already.
In his saddlebags, which he snuck out of the barn, were one change of clothing and the money he had earned in his last week at the forge. He had not had the chance to give it to his parents before they were taken away; now, he was grateful for that fact. There was no telling when he would find work again, and he needed to buy some food for his journey, where ever that would take him. Now, to decide where to go and to find someone who could tell him where his parents had been taken.
He dared not take the path. Riding silently through the woods, Leland plotted his revenge, hatred for the prince welling up in his heart.

BAAAAACK!!!!

2011-09-02T17:48:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize how long it's been since I last posted. Sorry. :/

Anyway, thought I'd share a little thing I blogged elsewhere titled, "Ramble 1." I'll probably be posting my rambles rather regularly.

" The hillside out my windows is green. Quite a lovely color, but the yellow is starting to creep in. Perhaps it would remain green for longer if it rained more. But then the salmonberries would all rot on the bushes, and that would be such a waste. Maybe it's okay for it to not rain till after salmonberry season. Just so long as it rains quite a bit afterwords so the blueberries will ripen.
My there are a lot of berries here. Salmonberries, blueberries (high and low bush), crowberries, low-bush cranberries, and probably others I don't know about. Hmmm.
I sit here swaying and listening to very relaxing music. I might just fall asleep on my keyboard and slip into another dream. I hope it's not one that gives me another idea for NaNo, I already have too many ideas for that.
My, this song is relaxing. And peaceful. And... *yawn*
I should go to bed."

Anthem Song by Aaron Gillespie

2011-04-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

Shortly before Aaron Gillespie released his first solo album, a worship project titled "Anthem Song," I read a professional review of it. I was disappointed that the review focused solely on the music; there was no mention of the lyrics, or most importantly, the heart.
The first time I listened to anything by Aaron, it was the album "Southern Weather" by his project The Almost. My heart was sucked into his voice and the emotion he put so deeply into every part of his songs. Seldom have I heard an artist who can put that much heart into his music.
That is what I was looking for in "Anthem Song." A worship album is nothing if the artist doesn't desire to worship God and throw all his heart into doing so. And I wasn't disappointed.
"Anthem Song" doesn't just have heart, it is heart. Aaron Gillespie poured an intense desire for and love of worship into every song. The result is eleven (twelve, if you pre-ordered on iTunes like I did) songs of pure, powerful worship.
So I was definitely not disappointed. Anyone agree with me?

Life on the bubble

2011-02-24T18:05:00.000-08:00

One of my friends is experiencing one of the toughest situations that a kid can face: choosing which of his divorced parents he will live with. He is choosing to move and live with his dad, but he will have six months to reverse his decision and move back here to live with his mom.
I asked him why he wants to leave his friends and everything he knows, and his answer was something like this: "This island is like a bubble. I'm so sheltered here that I have no idea what's out there. I'm going to be spending most of my life out there, so I want to adjust to that before I have to live on my own."
Which got me to thinking, is this island really a bubble? By living here, am I really sheltered enough that I won't be able to cope with the "real world" when I get there?
Then I started wondering exactly what he wanted to get used to. Gang violence? Locked doors? Not being able to walk home after dark?
See, my life here is somewhat sheltered. I can walk home when it's still dark out and my parents don't worry about me. We only lock our doors at night, and most people don't even lock them then. There are no gangs, no shootings; cultural diversity is normal and even taken for granted. In that way, I am sheltered and blessed, and I don't know why anyone would want to leave that.
Another friend said, "You can only grow so much spiritually here, because there's nothing to challenge your faith." With that, I totally disagree.
See, there are some things you can't be sheltered from no matter where you live. Did living here keep my dad from having a snowmobile accident? Did it prevent any of the surgeries I've had? Does life in this "bubble" keep those here from losing loved ones? From growing old? From rejection? No.
And with those challenges that exist even in what some call a bubble, comes the opportunity for spiritual growth. It doesn't take a school shooting to help a community or an individual grow closer to God, and I don't see why anyone would think that.

BAND SOCKS!!!

2011-02-08T13:16:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all my friends who are reading this :)

Okay, anyone who knows me knows that I like drawing on my socks. I make lots of "band socks" by decorating my socks with sharpies.

So here's my latest collection. I would have made some Owl City and Relient K socks, but I already have some that aren't worn out yet. I hope you enjoy looking at these "creations" of mine.

Runaway City

Philmont

Hillsong United

Rush of Fools

Skillet

Cinema

Seventh Day Slumber

Tenth Avenue North

High Flight Society

The Almost

33Miles

The Rocket Summer

Thanks for reading, and I hope you liked them! :)

Owl City love

2011-01-24T17:08:00.000-08:00

I can't stop dancing once his music starts playing. Hearing one of his songs can make my day. I read every blog post, even the ones I don't understand. I go crazy at the mention of him.
His music is awesome, amazing, and inspiring. I'm listening to it right now, not that that should surprise anyone. He makes me cry, makes me happy, makes me alive. Even just writing this is making me happy.

I'm in love with Owl City. Thank you, Adam, for making my life that much sweeter.

Random life moments, pleasant and otherwise...

2011-01-18T16:31:00.000-08:00

Let's see...

There was the moment when Dad came home from a duck hunt and said, "We ran out of ammo for one gun and out of gun for one ammo," and told of how his shotgun ended up on the bottom of the bay.

There was the moment where I listened to my first Owl City song and discovered what heavan sounds like.

There was the moment when I woke up Sunday morning and knew I was sick... and I was playing for worship that morning.

There was the moment Mom and Dad told me that my 16th birthday present was late and they wouldn't tell me what it was until I got it, and the moment one month later when it finally arrived.

There was the moment when my online friend first decided to call me Cupcake. And I was eating a cupcake at the time. And he didn't know that.

There was the moment when I opened up my first and only $50 iTunes gift card.

And then there was the moment I decided to stop typing this and do something productive.

Inspired by an Owl City blog post...

2011-01-10T14:17:00.000-08:00

Inspirational post. Check near the end :P

I live in Alaska. I am a close neighbor to Canada, but I figured that out without a map because maps confuse me. I walk to school. Snowmachines are ridden every day that there's enough snow, and a few days when there isn't (and a machine that makes snow is just stupid up here, so we don't have those). Carhart beanies, X-tra Tuffs, and Helly Hanson boat gear are everyday sights. Hockey is a way of life; the next most important sport is high school basketball. (Football isn't a sport, it's stupidity.) I think my neighbor might be bald, but he always wears a hat (to keep his head from freezing?), so I'm not sure. Sport cars aren't cool, because even paved roads have rocks that can take out something important. Heat and AC are used simultaniously, so that we don't freeze and can see out the winshield. A traffic jam is when there are more than four cars at one intersection. The Red Green Show is the show of choice for evening entertainment, followed by Hogan's Heros, followed by Red Skelton, followed by M*A*S*H, followed by...well, you get the picture. Wind generators are an annoyance, because the wind is so strong they sound like train whistles. (Speaking of wind, my house has survived a 170 mph blow, and it's "just a little breeze" unless there's whitecaps in the toilet.) If a car had only half an engine but could still run, it would be good for another five years, at least. Bears are dangerous, but not feared, and are never, ever, kept as pets. (Caterpillars named Grizzly, however, provide endless entertainment, i.e., the looks on lower-48er's faces when I say, "My sister had a pet Grizzly. We fed it leaves.") We know what lower-48ers are, and use the title quite often. Fruit isn't hard to find; good fruit is rare. A graduating class of 45 is huge. The internet is my link to the outside world, but it only works half of the time.

Am I going anywhere with this? No. But if anyone likes it, I could easily to another.

Getting in the Christmas spirit... it isn't working yet.

2010-12-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling kind of like the latest song I've posted. Which is why I posted it.
My last gerbil died. Blackie died a few months ago, and now Joe is dead too. My room is way too quiet.
And I have school to finish. Once I finish it, I'm either going to play some happy music or my new Christmas CD. Probably the CD. While wrapping presents. That might help me get into the Christmas spirit, the way it's supposed to be.

I think I'll just try to post once a week...

2010-12-07T23:41:00.001-08:00

I am so busy. I have dance, planning for next year's dance team (a different team that will take even more time :S), and school, just for starters.

And it's late. I need to go to bed.

Does anyone even read this anymore?

And should I find this weird that Blogger thinks today is Sunday when it's Tuesday? When did it get off?

December is apon us

2010-12-01T16:28:00.000-08:00

I did not finish NaNo for the same reason that I have not posted since deciding to not finish NaNo: my wrist tendonitis is flaring up. It is starting to recover a bit, but I'm not allowed to play guitar for awhile. :(
I have a second blog called "Alaska's Songs" in which I post the lyrics for songs I have written. Today I posted a new song after a few weeks of not posting: here it is.
I'm going to be uploading some dance vids to my youtube account, relientkatefromtrk, so if anyone is interested, you can take a look. I'll probably get the videos up sometime after Sunday.

A blog post

2010-11-07T00:42:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know, creative title, right?
Daylight savings time ends... I think. Is it ending or starting? Anyway, clocks should be changed.
I have a dance performance on Monday. I will try to upload videos of me dancing (sad as they will be) on my YouTube. I'll post the links when I do.
NaNo is driving me insane. I am behind, because I'm not a fast typist and my tendonitis is acting up. I will catch up if it kills me! Which it probably will...
Anyway, I want to get some sleep tonight so I don't fall asleep in the middle of church tomorrow. Any other day, I would be staying up late for NaNo, but not tonight. Later!

I just missed posting on Tuesday.

2010-11-03T01:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've missed a couple of days (one by one minute, according to my clock). But it's November!
Ah, November, the month when crazy people deliberately create more stress for themselves by attempting to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. You gotta love it!
I, for one, am one of the crazy people. Day two, and my MC (main character) is already tapping me on the shoulder and telling me to re-write parts, that she wouldn't do what I just wrote, and that I type too slow. How can a figment of my imagination talk to me? It's a writer thing. I'm told that a main character who does that is more believable, and I hope that's the case.
If you'r curious about NaNoWriMo (short for National Novel Writing Month, but often called NaNo), check out their website! I, for one, usually only go on there for updating my word count and reading the occational pep talk. After all, I need the pep talks, and who has time for anything else? I have a novel to write!
On the dance side of things, we have our first performance on Monday the 8th. I'll see if I can have my mom take some pictures for me to upload her and on dailybooth. I'm kinda nervous, but oh, well. I'm still going to have to perform, and this will probably be our most relaxed performance.
Well, I have about five hours left for sleeping (gotta get up early and finish school so I can write!), so I'm gonna sign off. I don't know how often I'll post this month, but I'll try to keep you updated. Bye!

Frantic speed

2010-10-29T15:18:00.001-07:00

I'm posting today right before my mad rush to clean my room. As soon as my room is clean, I can go finish my solo.
I have a sleepover for the dance team tonight, so I may or may not be awake enough to remember to post tomorrow.

Eyes are closing slowly...

2010-10-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm really tired. I was up late the past couple of nights. Now I'm scared because my health teacher said that lack of sleep can cause brain damage. I will be going to bed shortly...
I just got back from worship practice. My wrists are doing much better right now (since I've never explained it before, I will do so now: I have tendonitis), but they were bothering me a little bit while I was playing, so I put a brace on my left wrist. NOTE: Anyone looking for an extreme challenge should try playing guitar while wearing wrist braces.
I have to be ready to perform my dance solo the day after tomorrow, so I'm freaking. I haven't finished choreographing it yet. I'll probably go down to dance practice about four hours early, and choreograph to a good stopping spot, and memorize that. Then after I perform it, I'll add more.
I'm listing. I guess that means I should go to bed now. Bye!

insert happy dance

2010-10-26T23:31:00.000-07:00

My solo costume came in today!

(No, I will not put it on at 10:30 just to get a picture of me in it. If you want that, check my dailybooth. I'm winterlife.)

I already have my costume for the main routine (well, most of it, anyway. I'm still missing the shirt for my over-costume), but I am still waiting for my costume for the officer's trio to come in. I'm going to have a tutu. Hmmm... Nope, can't picture me in it.

The spoiler-free bliss continues as I wait for the long-anticipated movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, to come out on DVD. Sadly, there is no way I will see it in theaters. My poor town doesn't have a cinema.

(now that I figured out the smilies, I love them!)

Anyway, bedtime.

And now, right before I crash...

2010-10-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

My internet seems to be working best during the times I want to sleep, so I will do a quick post before I go to bed.
Yes, it isn't that late here. But I'm strangely tired, even though I slept almost all afternoon.
See, during my last class, I laid down on my bed (I'm homeschooled, and I watch my class DVDs in my room). I have vague rememberings of my speech teacher helping students with their 'declarations, but I was probably asleep before the class was over. I slept until an hour before dance practice.
Dance went well. We 'marked' the entire routine (as opposed to doing it full out), so that's learned. Maybe that's why I'm tired...
Any way, goodnight.

My internet is being awful

2010-10-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

... and it has been for weeks, and it will be for awhile, probably. Every time I try to post, it disappears.

I have joined the Order of the Spoiler-Free Monastary on NarniaWeb. (link goes to the monastary's topic) To all of my friends who have joined the League of Extraordinarily Spoiled Rotten Masterminds, I have this to say: "Thy schemes do nothing towards weakening my resolve! The spoilers thee set thy lives around shall bring you to ruin and destroy any enjoyment left in thy veiwing of the Blessed Event. And, as thee seem bent on starting war betwixt our people, know this: we will not initiate a conflict, but if need be, we shall fight!"

That will make no sense to a non-NarniaWebber. Don't try; you'll just give yourself a headache.

Almost time for beddy-bye!

2010-10-12T23:44:00.000-07:00

I'm about to go to bed to rest up for my PSAT. I have to get going a little faster in the morning.
Oh, and I did really well on my PSAT practice test. I got "way above average," as my mom put it. Apparently, the average for a junior is less than 50 points out of 80. Should I be excited about being above average, or appalled that average is that low?
Any way, got to get to bed. Till tomorrow!

Yeah, yeah, I missed a couple of days.

2010-10-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

But I'm back now! (Yeah, really exciting, please hold your boredom.)
Today I have yet another dance fundraiser. I have to dance a rather large routine in a rather small spot. *sigh* Dance is never boring, or easy. Well, I guess it's both when you're choreographing a routine for a six-year-old who has never danced before.
I have to take the PSAT this year. My mom is freaking out that I won't have studied enough. Never mind that I have hours of study time in, I have to study solidly for a week or it might not be enough. It's nice to know she cares, but I do wish she'd trust me.
Well, time to study for the test again. (Choreographing the routine is more fun.) Till tomorrow!

Kate, out.

Specially created: formed with His hands

2010-10-07T22:39:00.000-07:00

You've most likely heard that God made man is His image. But have you really thought about how God made you? God spoke most of creation into existence (Genesis 1:3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.). But...
Genesis 2:7 the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living thing.
All other creation was spoken into. You were formed. God shaped you with His own hands. The curve of your shoulder; the shape of your jaw; and, don't forget, those beautiful hands; He made them. Not one part of you is any way other than His plan. You are important enough to Him for Him to form you.
Are you taking care of His creation? You don't have to be thin, just in good shape. There is nothing wrong with relaxing on the couch with a bowl of ice cream as you watch a movie, but if that's all you do, is that taking care of His creation? Likewise, only working out never give your body the important rest it needs.
There is a fine line between healthy self image and the extremes on both sides. That line can be hard to find, but if you ask God to help you find it, He will. It delights Him to have you praise Him by taking care of what He has given you.

Sorry I forgot to post yesterday

2010-10-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, now that the apology is out of the way (read the title, if you didn't catch it), let's move on to... I have no idea. Let me think for a moment...
I'm not playing on the youth group worship team this year. I find it much less stressful this way, but the group sounds kinda empty. No, I'm not that good, but they need a rythm guitarist. I'll probably join again in December.
I'm also told that every practice, a problem arises that makes someone say, "We need Katie!" Considering how invisible I always felt at practice, it's nice to know I'm missed.
Dance is going okay. We still have a ton to choreograph, but once that and our set is finished, it should cut down on my stress level considerably. That's why I'll probably join the worship team in December.
Well, I have a lot to do today, so I'd better go. Till tomorrow!

Kate, out.

Confessions of a Teenage Musicaholic (no, that's not a real word)

2010-10-05T21:56:00.000-07:00

I concentrate better with music playing; I sleep better with music playing; I even do my chores faster while listening to music.
I decided to compose a complete list of the artists I listen to regularly. Don't be too intimidated, but it is a really long list.

Above The Golden State
Acceptance
Agnes (Dave Douglas's solo project)
Attack Cat
Big Daddy Weave
Deas Vail
Gypsy Parade (now Attack Cat)
JJ Heller
Kutless
Matthew Thiessen And The Earthquakes
The Museum
Nena
Owl City
Philmont
Relient K
Revive
The Rocket Summer
Runaway City
Rush of Fools
Shania Twain
Skillet
Sky Sailing
Switchfoot
Tenth Avenue North
Third Day
Unhindered
12 Stones
33Miles

So there you have it. And that's not counting the artists I only have one or two songs from and want to get more of. So feel free to check out the almost ridiculous variety of music I've listed. Till tomorrow!

Kate, out.

I will post today!

2010-10-05T00:53:00.000-07:00

And I have five minutes to do it, by my dresser clock. But I think that's fast.
I went driving tonight. It was pitch black, on an unfamilier road, with pouring rain. The road kinda reminded me of our Safeway parking lot, with more rocks than the Great Wall of China, and more potholes than a golf course has golf balls. And that was just the first hundred feet.
Anyway, it's late, so I should go. (Yeah, I know, I need to start posting earlier.) Till tomorrow!

Kate, out.

Off to camp.

2010-10-02T16:49:00.001-07:00

I'm going to head out the door any minute to go camping, but I didn't want to forget to post before I go. Bye till Monday!

I'm posting earlier than 11 today!

2010-10-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

Aren't you proud of me?
So now for something to talk about...
Hmmm....
Okay, I guess I'm doing another random post today.
What I should be doing right now: Mock-million quizes and tests.
What I want to be doing right now: Sleeping.
What I'm listening to: Light the World by Unhindered from the album Be.
One song that sums up how I'm feeling about my school at the moment: Apathetic Way to Be by Relient K from the Apathetic EP.
The last site I joined: Owl City University
The last site I was on (other than this blog): tradema-RK.net forum
One thing I bought on my last vacation: Fit-over sunglasses (sunglasses that fit over regular glasses).
What I'm listening to now: We Need Your Love by Unhindered from the album Be.
What I'm going to go do now: See first answer *sigh*

Kate, out.

And after totally spacing out on posting yesterday...

2010-09-30T23:49:00.000-07:00

(WARNING: THE FOLLOWING POST SHOULD NOT BE READ BEFORE READING RELIENT K'S BOOK, THE COMPLEX IFRASTRUCTURE KNOWN AS THE FEMALE MIND.)

When I classify myself, I come off as at least 1/3 Airhead. There's no way around it; I have a hard time following supposedly simple conversations, I 'zone out' for unknown periods of time, and I can get lost in public restrooms. (Yes, that actually happened. It was two years ago, in one of the ladies rooms in the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.) To top it off, half of the time I can't remember to post until around 11 o'clock, or I forget totally.
As for the rest of my classification, I'm about 1/2 Homecoming Queen and 1/6 a smattering of other random girl types. I'm not sure what all I have in me (I'd have to read the book for the third time and make notes so I could remember; the Airhead in me forgets), but I think the only girl type I have nothing in common with is the Diva. There might have been another one I have nothing in common with, but I can't remember...
Anyway, it was a lot of fun to read through and classify myself and those I know. (Found a few typos, too; had to make myself not correct them. Bradley's rubbing off on me.) I recommend Complex Infrastructure to anyone who likes to laugh and wants to understand girls better. (Hey, we can be very confusing! I gave myself a headache yesterday trying to figure out something I had just said.) The guys in Relient K were right on! To quote whatever-his-name, whom I saw in a movie trailer, "Two thumbs way, way up!"
So buy it!
Buy The Complex Infrastructure Known as the Female Mind on Amazon

I'm back and I missed yesterday

2010-09-28T23:59:00.001-07:00

I almost missed today too, if my clock can be trusted. I'm about to turn in, but thought I'd drop in to let my few readers know I'm back safely, if they haven't figured it out on tradema-rk yet. :P

My goodbye

2010-09-21T02:37:00.000-07:00

It is almost 2 in the morning here, and I need sleep. But I figured I'd just do a quick post for a goodbye.
My sis and I spent all day doing school and packing. We managed to fit everything in our carry-ons, so it will be my first experience traveling without checked baggage. Why couldn't I have this experience some time when my luggage isn't free?
Anyway, I've got to go, so bye till Monday!

Kate, out.

PS Song to listen to: Farewell Lullaby by Revive

Autumn in Alaska

2010-09-19T00:05:00.000-07:00

Ah, autumn in Alaska! Who doesn't love heavy the heavy fog, windstorms, pouring rain, and power outages? And of course, everyone's favorite, downed Internet... for almost a week.
Yeah, I had a few moments of respite from the devastating loss of Internet, but it took most of this time just to check my emails. Yeah, not a lot of Internet time.
So, now that you know my Internet can be knocked out by weather, that should often explain my reasons for not posting. But I will be in a place with no Internet access (sob) from the 21st to the 26th, so I won't post then.
Choreography is continuing slowly. Not too much has been gotten done; our team captain came back (yay! but why was the Internet down when the planes could fly?) and we have been teaching her the choreography she missed. But I fundraised enough at our last fundraiser that I can get two extra costumes (for my solo and an officers trio; my duet with my BFF is going to be in last year's costumes) and only pay $5 out of pocket. Since the costumes are $60 and $65 dollars each... yeah, it's really nice. I wouldn't be able to afford the extra $125 on top of the $200 dance fee (used to buy my regular costume) if we hadn't fundraised.
We are doing a bit more fundraising, though. We are going to hold a garage sale to raise money for our set and props, and we are looking for businesses to sponsor us through donations. That money would go toward buying warm-ups and a portable PA/music system, so we wouldn't have to worry about our music. And if we raise even more, we might get practice outfits (*squee* leotards, shorts, and legwarmers).
Well, it's getting late, and I've probably talked enough about dance details for now. Till Monday! (unless the weather is nasty again and my Internet is out)

Kate, out.

Yeah, sorry I missed a couple of days

2010-09-11T22:41:00.000-07:00

Life is hectic. I will be a little less busy after all dance choreography is finished and our team captain is back. There are still about a dozen routines to choreograph, and most haven't been started yet. And that's not counting our group routines and my solo.
Our dance team art and dessert auction is tomorrow. I'm supposed to set up our sound system; considering my technical abilities, prayers that I won't wreck my friend's boom box would be appreciated.
I have been practicing guitar a little more regularly after my wrist injuries now, so I'm regaining strength (how I got hurt is a story for a different time). I don't know if I will do the youth worship team or not this year, but I'm hoping to be in a trio with two of my youth group friends. That way, I will have more of a chance to play my two acoustic guitars instead of just my strat.
Life goes one, and time goes on. It's getting late, so I'll sign off now. Till Monday!

Kate, out.

Philmont needs help!

2010-09-08T22:50:00.000-07:00

I was leisurely going about my business, checking all my favorite sites, when I came upon this Philmont blog post. I clicked the link and was taken to this page.
Philmont needs help! I for one am going to donate. They are the second most awesome band in the world (sorry, Relient K takes first), and their message is amazing! Help spread the message. Donate.

Seven random facts

2010-09-08T00:04:00.000-07:00

1. I am on tradema-RK right now.
2. It is after eleven here.
3. I am hyper-excited about Philmont's new EP.
4. I have a painting meeting tomorrow.
5. I dread telling my band leader I want to quit the team.
6. My friend Ali is really cool.
7. This is the seventh fact.

A really, really short Lord of the Rings review.

2010-09-06T23:39:00.000-07:00

I had a sleepover with one of my friends last night. We watched the Lord of the Rings movies, and I came to a few conclusions about them.

1. Sam is really cute.
2. Legolas is awesome.
3. They are really long.

Yeah, not that much. Parts were creepy, and I closed my eyes. Other parts made me cry. But no matter what was happening, I enjoyed them. Good movies, thumbs up.

But I don't recommend eating while watching them.

The long day is over

2010-09-04T21:09:00.000-07:00

My dance meeting this morning felt like it took forever, but we got alot done. After that, I just spend the rest of the day making graphics. So, because I got nothing really interesting today, I shall have another totally random post.

Favorite brand of gum: Stride. It lasts a minimum of two hours, and if you get the right flavor, it can last for five.
What I'm listening to right now: Down in Flames by Relient K
If I had to stare at a picture of a person for one hour I would want the person on the picture to be: Either Matthew Thiessen from Relient K, or Justin Sams from Philmont. Yeah, I know, I'm a total fangirl.
If I had to stare at a picture of a person for one hour I would not want the person on the picture to be: Justin Bieber.
My water bottle's color is: Blue.
What is sitting beside me: My lamp.
What I am going to go do now: Watch M*A*S*H with my family. Till tomorrow!

Katie, out.

Dancer's week

2010-09-03T23:16:00.000-07:00

I've had a dancer's week. On Tuesday, I had a meeting for choreographing the routine for the senior team (of which I am a member and officer); on Thursday, I had a meeting to choreograph the junior team's routine; tonight I had dance practice; and tomorrow, I will have a meeting for more choreographing. And this is not counting the choreographing I will need to do for my solo, my duet with my best friend, and any other solos and/or duets I have to choreograph for others. This is going to be a long season.
I got to have a break from my normal dancing for learning the foxtrot today. I learned four steps and got Owl City's "Fireflies" stuck in my head ("... as they try to teach me how to dance. A foxtrot above my head...").
All in all, though, it has been a good week. Alot has been done, and there's alot more to do, but I think I'll survive.

Kate, out.

And today's post shall be short.

2010-09-02T22:29:00.000-07:00

I have just a few minutes, because it's late, but I wanted to post.
I haven't done too much today. I played guitar for a little while, but not for too long, because I'm having slight problems with the tendons in my wrists. I went to a dance coach meeting, and we got a bit done for our choreographing a routine.
Right now I'm listening to my Owl City playlist because it cheers me up. And it's time to go to bed, so that's it for this short post. Till tomorrow!

An earlier post because today is full

2010-09-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

It's a new month! That means the internet cycle is starting over again, and this post isn't costing more.
I'm going to my dance teacher's house to help her with her kids while her husband is at work. He is taking mornings off, but she needs help in the afternoon. My sister has been helping too, but she has a dental appointment today. *gets Dental Care by Owl City stuck in her head*
I need to drive today. I don't know what the laws are about getting your driver's licence where you are, but here 40 hours of drive time are required. I'm at about 30 (in almost 2 years; yeah, I don't drive much), and I need to get my licence before my parents leave on the 16th. So, yeah, I'd better get cracking.
German class starts in just over an hour. I just went through all of my German notes, handouts, and homework to give to a student in my German II class this year. She is skipping German I, so she's a little lost. That's why I'm giving her my notes from last year; if she studies them, she'll know most of the words the rest of us know.
Well... my mind is a blank. So I guess that's it for today.

Till tomorrow!
Kate, out.

And thus the very tired person posts

2010-08-31T20:06:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm really tired right now. I spent over two and a half hours working on dance costume confermation and choreographing for the dance team that I'm on. I'm the co-captain, and the captain is out of town, and our coach has a broken foot, so my sister (our officer) and I have a lot of work to do. We are choreographing the routines for our junior and senior teams and picking out everyone's costumes. So I'll sleep well tonight.
I'm not sure how clear that paragraph is, so if anyone has questions, post them in the comments and I'll answer them later.
Okay, now for something totally random:

Song I'm listening to right now: The Bird and the Worm by Owl City
Song I want to listen to right now: Terminals by Relient K
What I should be doing right now: Preparing papers for German class tomorrow or cleaning Joe's gerbilarium.
What I wan't to do right now: Look for more pictures I can use to make graphics.
Why I can't do that: Our internet is maxed out, so every minute online costs extra money. I've only been coming on to blog. So, yeah, you can feel special. And thanks for reading this so it's not worthless.
What Joe is doing right now: Building a sawdust wall so I can't see him.
If I turn to my right I can see: I picture of my grandpa reading to me when I was about five.
If I turn to my left I can see: A cardboard box.

Well, I'm getting off now, so I don't rack up too high of an internet bill. Till tomorrow!

I'm Back!

2010-08-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

Hi! I haven't posted for a couple of days because my internet was out on Saturday and I won't post on a Sunday.
Today I'm going to list all of my favorite websites, because I can't think of anything else.

tradema-RK.net forum

NarniaWeb forums

Quad Tetris

Bubble Shooter

Philmont's Official Blog

Did you believe I love you?

2010-08-27T23:59:00.000-07:00

My pastor's daughter-in-law occasionally brings in five-minute videos to play before worship. One she played started like this (no quotation marks because I'm not sure it's exact): I've been a Christian for over 45 years, and over that course of time I have become convinced that when judgment day comes, God will ask me only one question: 'Did you believe I love you? Did you believe I love you and live your whole life around that belief? Did you let My love change you? Did you let My love shine through you so that others may be changed, too?

The first thing I thought was, "That's more than one question." But then I thought about it. Do I really and truly believe He loves me? Am I forming my life around that belief? Am I showing His love to others?

I wrote a song that's kind of about this. It's God calling to you, trying to convince you of His love. I know you can't hear the tune, but think about it anyway.

"Listen to the love song

That I sing for you

My love is always faithful,

My love is always true

I will never ever leave you

No matter what you do

Listen to the love song,

I sing it just for you

"Why do you cry

As if you're all alone?

Run into My arms;

Make My love your home

Allow My hand to guide you

As your life rolls along

And listen to the music,

I'm singing My love song

"Listen to the love song

That I sing for you

My love is always faithful,

My love is always true

I will never ever leave you

No matter what you do

Listen to the love song,

I sing it just for you

"Where can you hide?

And where else can you go?

I'll wrap My arms around you

I wont let you go

There's no need to worry

About the coming day

Listen for My love song

It will show you the way

"Listen to the love song

That I sing for you

My love is always faithful,

My love is always true

I will never ever leave you

No matter what you do

Listen to the love song,

I sing it just for you"

Listen to His love song. Your Heavenly Father loves you more than you could ever imagine.

Can you hear Him? "I love you."

People are like iPods 2: GIGO

2010-08-26T23:10:00.000-07:00

I'm going to expand on my last analogy in another direction today.

Ok, to apply our newfound iPod analogy to something relevant to any culture, any time period.

When you sync your iPod, you choose what goes on it. The songs, video, pictures, notes; everything that goes on there you have chosen to put on there.

Guess what I'm going to say next. That's right! The same is true for you. You chose what you use to fill your brain. The websites you visit, the pictures you look at, the music you listen to; television works the same way. Even the friends you hang out with determine if garbage is pouring into your brain.

Now, I know you can't control what is playing on the demo TV’s when you walk into the electronics store, or what music is playing in the mall, or what a fellow classmate may say over the course of a school day. But if you deliberately go to that store that plays offensive music (and know at the time the music will be offensive), or deliberately watch those inappropriate movies, it will have a cost in your relationship with God.

Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers (or sisters!), whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” (NIV) Why not make it your goal to focus on God and only submit yourself to things that will draw you closer to Him? The blessings will be greater than you can imagine.

People are like iPods: choosing to connect to God

2010-08-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, I will probably be an evening blogger, so for anyone who checks in the morning, this is so they'll have something new to read.

Topic: people are kind of like iPods.

Now, before you quit reading, let me explain.

Do you ever plug your iPod into its charger when you don't want to? Of course not. You have control over when it is charging and when it isn't. But when it isn't charging, the battery runs down until you can't use it. If you never charged it, it would be useless.

But what does this have to do with me? I don't have to be plugged into a computer.

No, but you do have to be plugged in to work as you were meant to.

Unless you choose to plug into God, the devil will wear you down until you don't work any more. Growing closer to God requires enough desire to plug into Him.

How do you plug in? By reading your Bible. By praying. Through worship. All day, every day, stay plugged in to God. It's well worth the time.

But I'm so busy. I can't find the time.

What do you need to do to find time? You could get up earlier, or stay up later. Or, if necessary, you can eliminate something from your schedule. Fifteen minutes less computer time, or maybe half an hour less at that hangout. Or you could read your Bible during breakfast. You can pray when you wake up, before you go to bed, before meals, or even when you have a pop quiz or a test (although you probably pray then anyway). Worship isn't music, it's an attitude you can carry through the day. If you truly desire to know God, you will find the time. Just ask Him to make it.

Kick Off

2010-08-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is. The first blog post.
Well, I don't know what all to put in a first blog. I'm not planning on having a central theme, and I don't know that I'll have anything too political (unless it's also a moral issue). I'm just going to be me, and put that me down for you to read.
So keep reading! I look forward to sharing with you.

Topic for today: Joe! Joe is my roommate. He's the cutest gerbil in the world. Right now he's asleep right now, resting up from his long night of making noise.
Joe was born and raised in my sister's room, and moved into my room as soon as he reached maturity. He had two brothers and four sisters (brothers: Able, Blackie; girls: Sweetheart, Sweettart, Smarties, Poupon). Blackie moved with him, and lived as my roommate until a month ago, when he passed away. Able is missing one of his front legs. And the girls are nicknamed the Mongolian Jumping Jirds. (Jirds=Gerbils)
Joe lives in a coconut. My sister hollowed it out, and baked it. He can't demolish it; it's too hard.

Well, that's all about Joe today. Tune in next time for another completely random topic!