Hippy-Happy Fourth!

Today is the Fourth!!!

PROUD TO BE AMERICAN.

OKAY, OKAY,  YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE POST BUT SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. THERE IS A SONG YOU MUST HEAR!!!

This is the first Fourth of July which I am going to be spending away from home.

This was something I didn't really think about. And it's been a kind of weird month. You know those weird months where things aren't and they really should be.

My emotions this week be like; 😃😞😠😃😢😄😒😖😴😱😁😖😃

I did spend the weekend with my family, which was wonderful.  It was Treskie's birthday on the 2nd, so obviously I couldn't miss that!! We had cake and watched Jurassic World and had a ground old time with the whole gift-giving festivities. (She got lots of lovely things. Like a miniature Il Volo CD necklace. AAAAAAH!) Then, on Sunday a bunch of us went up to a little local beach in town that not many people visit because it takes so long to get deep. Seriously folks. You have to walk out like, a quarter of a mile to get neck deep. What the Freak??? 8-( The other beaches aren't that shallow, but those other beaches were *ehem* crowded.

Because the beach was so shallow, it was a little marshy near the shore. I was sad. We all sat on the sand and stared at the water, wondering if it was worth the walk to swim. Some of us (the ones not feeling slightly sick) decided it was. It took a bit, but finally I and a few of my sisters decided to brave our  way through the mushy water to the thigh-deep water where the water cleared up properly. Once we got to clear water it wasn't bad at all. It was refreshing. It was just a long, long walk to swimming depth. But it was so worth it! The water was beautiful! We stayed out for a good fourty-five minutes or so, playing and swimming and enjoying summer sounds and smells, then we gently coasted back in, slid onto the beach and dried off. We went home and had food and drinks and a musical (MARY POPPINS!!!) To finish off the day, Tiny and I stayed with my Great Friend Jim and watched A Series of Unfortunate Events. That movie is weird. I enjoy it, but it is so freaking weird. I hadn't seen it in years and I was like, "Yeah, this is definitely unfortunate."  (The books were even stranger. I ought to finish them some time.)

BUT GUYS.

If they make a Magician's Nephew they TOTALLY Have to cast Jim Carry as Uncle Andrew!

Enough said.

I am so rambly right now. Lol.

What about the Fourth, you ask?? Well, today I spent the day at B&N with my fabulous sisters. I got a beautiful coloring book/journal and the first season of the Flash because Barry. We swung by Hobby Lobby and got some fun nick-knacks which was lovely. I even got a nice little plaque that has "Friends." with the definition underneath. I love things like that! 8-D Then we had some Fro-Yo and Tiny and I went back towards Jess & Joe's house.

Joe's planning a fabulous BBQ. We're gonna party! Which probably means food and drinks, patriotic music, and then a patriotic movie movie to finish off the day.

We party so hard!

The Fourth of July always makes me really emotional. It is a reminder that America actually has an amazing history, and amazing potential.  I think we should all take this moment to remember America is not a bad country, it just has some bad citizens. America does not have a bad government, it just has bad rulers. America is not a bad place to call home, it just has some very bad people living here.

Remember what America has gone through. Remember our history, our heritage. Remember the soldiers who died so we could be free, the soldiers who still sacrifice everything so we are kept safe. Remember all the wars, the blood and the fight. Remember what America cost, and remember how hard we had to work to earn it. Remember America is not, in itself, evil. It has only had some evil years.

America is a good place to call home. We have made terrible mistakes and choices, that can't be denied. But America, as a country, is not bad. I am proud to be American. I am hurt by how the Rulers are disrespecting her by their ignorance and idiocy.

America is about hope. I don't think America is finished. I think with a little faith, a whole lot of prayer, and a some great perseverance, America could stand tall again. I love America, and I am proud of our heroes who have served her through the years. She is a great country and she deserves so much better.

I found this song today. It is so beautiful. I cried.

She's been through the Fire Before

And I believe She can take a whole lot more.

Isn't that beautiful??? The whole poem really got to me. It reminded me how much I loved my country. Pray for America. We are Once Nation, Under God. So long as that remains we can not fail. Pray for America and remember that you can love the country and hate what the rulers have done.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY Y'ALL. OUR RAGGED OLD FLAG IS VERY RAGGED. BUT IT STILL STANDS, AND IT WILL RISE AGAIN IF WE HAVE FAITH IN THE GOOD GOD.

Never lose your love for our incredible country! You can lose your love for the sovereigns, but never your love for the land.

PRAYER FOR AMERICA:

Dear Beloved God in Heaven Please give us a president that loves this country and everything it stands for. Please give us a president who respects you as the one true God. Please give us a president who will, with your help, restore this nation to its former glory, the way you created her. Please help us to respect what you have given to us and not take anything for granted ever again. Please God weaken the evil and strengthen the good both without and within. May our eyes be opened. We ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, and Also His Holy Mother. We ask this in the Name of Peter, His Faithful Apostle and The First Pope, and in the name of all Christ's loyal followers who have gone before us into heaven, and stand on His right hand side. Amen.

#prayforamerica


With God, all things are possible.


Happy Fourth, Fellow Americans. Our Country truly is a beautiful thing!!!!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

Stories, Writing and a Movie.

Yesterday was the 13-year anniversary of 9/11. I didn't have a chance to blog, but let's take a moment of silence in honor of all those who served and fell on that day.


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God Bless America

It's almost the end of the school week

Le normal people finishing school

OH YAY!!! TIME TO.... DO NORMAL STUFF! PARTY!!

Le me just finishing school 

Le me putting away my books

Le me opening computer. 

Le me;

Hmmm. I wonder what the best way to break this person heart is.... 

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I've realized something. I think the stories I read and the shows I watch rub off on my stories. Most of the books I plan on writing have some kind of pain in them. It's a problem. I like books with a lot of ... hardship to them. And I suppose its not really a recent think. I've always drawn to stories with high stakes and a lot of conflict and good against evil and heart ache and troubles.... but not because I like being in pain. Some people have asked me that. "Do you like pain? Do you like crying?"

 Well no. It isn't so much that I like crying and getting my heart broken over fictional characters. It's more of a light-in-the-darkness thing I suppose. I was trying to explain this to one of my older sisters who doesn't write and she just couldn't get it. She thinks I'm a weirdo for liking the sad, traumatizing stories that I do. But... Its' not like she thinks. I love stories where it seems like there is all this darkness and pain and evil and you don't think anything can ever be okay again, but then there is this flicker of hope. Somehow, even with all this awfulness going on the characters are able to push on and fight and survive and keep HOPE and even optimism. It's very inspiring for me. Like in Lord of the Rings. If things hadn't gotten so awful and terrible the ending wouldn't have been half so fulfilling, and the same goes for a most books. I love the stories where there is a lot of bad but that bad makes all the good moments so much better. Stories about friendship and family and loyalty and love and fighting for what is right even when it's hard, even when everything is falling apart and you feel like you're drowing. I think those types of stories are very beautiful and amazing.

This is why it irritates me when people say "It's just a story." or "They're not real." or "For pity sake its just a TV show!!!" I always balk. No it is not just a TV show. Stories are powerful and the characters you come into contact with can be just as powerful as a real friend. I can personally attest to this. It's a strange thing that a fake person can inspire you to be brave or to do the right thing or to be optimistic when things are rough. But they can. Characters touch peoples lives. Fictional characters have even SAVED lives. There have been fans who decided to keep going because, "If Sam and Dean could do it, why can't I?"

I've been on a buzz with this recently. These past few weeks the whole "It's just a story!" has irked me to know end. It might be because I've gotten back into writing and have emotionally invested myself into several characters and thrown myself into them and I get very protective. It might also have something to do with me being an actress. Acting makes me even more protective of the fictional world.

I have a hard time explaining myself. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that stories and characters mean a lot to me and it hurts when people say they're fake and I'm silly to like them because they aren't fake for me, they're important. I think stories are incredibly important and I think they can do a lot of good for a lot of people. A friend of mine said that stories are special. Even Christ used stories. He used them to help us understand about Heaven and about who God really is and how He works. He used them all the time, and I think that is saying something. Stories get through to people in a way nothing else can. I believe that with all my heart. And that is a big reason I feel so protective of them.

Talking of stories I watched The Gladiator for the first time the other day.

Gladiator

LDFJSLFJLSLGJ:SDFKJSDLFJSLDFJKSDFJSDF!!!!! I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!!!!! Russell Crowe did an amazing job as Maximus and I completely fell in love with him. He was so freakin' cool!! Of course the movie itself was a little violent and gory. Okay. A lot violent and gory. You know.... Gladiators. They fight to the death in the arena. They're very bloody. In fact some people might think you a little strange for wanting to watch this particular movie. I used my writing as an excuse. I said that I wanted to watch it to help research my new book. (yes I'm working on a Gladiator book. With a friendship. And feels. *hides behind pillow*) And while this was true to an extent I also just wanted to watch it because it looked really good and sad and brilliant and I was not disappointed. I cried. I smiled. I shouted in triumph. I clapped. I was consumed with hundreds of different feels. IT WAS BRILLIANT! HE WAS BRILLIANT! I LOVED HIM!!!! I CRIED!! AND YES!!! YES I WAS ENTERTAINED!

What we do in life echoes in eternity.

I'm going to watch Indiana Jones and try not to freak out over the fact that the third Captain America movie is called The Fallen Son. PEACE OUT Y'ALL!!!!!!

*slides off car*

Bella 

A Late Fourth and a Challenge

It's Saturday. Again. I trust everyone had a good and happy Fourth of July. I know we did. We ate and talked and made lots of food and listened to "God Bless the USA" and "The Star Spangled Banner" and sang along, very loudly and patriotic-like. Cause when all is said and done I AM proud to be an American. I LOVE America.  I mean, it isn't the country's fault we have crappy leaders and some bad citizens. Just cause there are some awful people it doesn't mean the country is bad.

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I was planning on doing a post but I forgot and I felt bad. So I decided I could just cheat and wish everyone a happy LATE fourth today. I hope that works cause its the best I can do.

HAPPY LATE FOURTH!!!

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Now onward!

I saw this list on Pinterest the other day and it was so cool I just had to do it too. Its a 15-day character challenge. You can choose to use books, movies, TV shows or all of the above - it's really up to you. I'm going to be doing all three, which should be interesting. If any of you want to join in, by all means please do! I know my buddy Jim is going to be posting over on the other blog, so pop over and check it out when you get the chance!

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1.) The first character you loved.

For books

I was eleven when I first read the Howl series and he is the first character I can remember really LOVING like that. He was so funny and ridiculous but there was so much mystery and fault hidden in him and he was so wonderful. He is the first character I remember who made a real impact on me and who really stuck with me for weeks after reading the book. So I'm going with Howl.

 





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For Movies:

 

The First character I can remember really loving in a movie was Edmund Pevensie. I was like, ten when The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe came out and I went to see it in theatres. I was still reading the book and I remember watching the movie and thinking he was such a sad character. I remember loving his redemption story and thinking he was incredibly brave. To this day I still like Edmund.  He is my favorite Pevensie, being the one with the most interesting story and the best character ark.



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For a TV show:

 

I want to narrow this down. I know I like Kirk and his crew but I don't think I LOVED them like that - they were just fun. So that means the first character I remember loving - and I mean delving into and connecting with and really, really understanding and GETTING, was Arthur Pendragon.

 

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I know there are a lot of people who don't like Arthur. There are even more who just full on hate him and everything he stands for and it kind of breaks my heart. They seem to think Arthur is this arrogant, stuck up and selfish prince who thinks himself above everyone else and expects everything to be handed to him on a silver plate just because he's a king. They think he is tyrannical and unjust and murders without reason or proper conviction. They also thinks he is disloyal and a bad friend, which is so far beyond true. Arthur is very loyal to those he holds dear and he always has been. He has trouble opening up and saying how he actually feels so he usually ends up joking and poking fun rather than trying to express what he's actually thinking. Because of that he comes off as arrogant and uncaring sometimes, but he really isn't. And as far as being unjust and tyrannical... don't even go there with me. If you think these things about Arthur you don't understand his character.

 

 

Day one completed!! I hope this is more fun than that song challenge. I think it will be. I hope it doesn't get super boring. Cause that would be sad.

 

PEACE OUT Y'ALL!! *Slides off car*

 

 

Bella