This tag is sooooooooooo old.

I am late to the party, but hopefully doing this New Year's Tag will help me get back into blogging!

1.) What did you do in 2017 that you’d never done before?

  I started a stick fighting class, got hired on at a new job, successfully wrote out the plot and songs for some of my musicals, took a piano class, moved, bought a new dresser, and visited my sisters in North Dakota for the first time in 12 years. *loooooooooooong gasp* Okay, I did a lot. Those were the good highlights 8-D *cough* Don't ask me about the bad.

 2.) Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make one this year?

Resolutions?

Resolutions?

What resolutions?

3.) Did anyone close to you give birth?

    Um. Yes? I think a sister had a baby... I'm such a bad aunt, lol. I don't remember which month it happened in. I believe... April?

4.) Did anyone close to you die?

No.

5.) What countries/states did you visit?

I visited Dakota and Montana, because I went out to see my sisters! *boing*

6.) What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?

*cough* A license. *Cough*

*COUGHCOUGHCOUGH*

Oh, and a gun, but that won't happen until 2019

7.) What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory? 

Prolly February 28th.

8.) Did you move anywhere?

AAAAAAH YAS! I moved into a beautiful little house with a few of my sisters. It's great, there are bedrooms, a nice kitchen, a lovely living room with space to visit - We even have a real fireplace! WITH ASH! IT'S AWESOME! SPAAAAAAAACE!

9.) What was your biggest achievement of the year?

  

I actually have no idea. I got a new job. Is that an achievement?

10.) What was your biggest failure?

I didn't make myself present online as much as I should have. And I didn't fulfill all my resolutions.

11.) Did you suffer illness or injury?

 Nooooooooope. I live a rather unremarkable life. Lol.

13.) Whose behavior merited celebration?

Our sweet family friend Gavin, because Gavin is a good person. And my sister and brother-in-law, Regina and Dan. They were awesome this year. They're just wonderful, generous people, who are there when you need them and do what they can to help. *heart eyes*

14.) Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

        You know the person I've mentioned the last few times at this point? Yeah, that person again. The name shall still go unmentioned :-[

15.) Where did most of your money go? 

Rent, manga, and a freaking computer, and Christmas gifts.

16.) What did you get really, really, really excited about?

November 28th. *dances* That's when I went to see my sisters!!!!

if you are wondering if the second photo was edited, yes it was. 8-) I put a fancy brick wall behind us because the other option was super unattractive. ;-)

17.) What was the best concert you’ve been to this year?

I didn't go to a concert. :-) I saw a Dear Evan Hansen bootleg though, and it was great. I WISH I COULD HAVE SEEN IT ON BROADWAY! Why is New York so expensive? *dies*

18.) What song/album will always remind you of 2017?

      

  I don't know if they'll always remind me of 2017, but the song that resonated with me this year was"Oh My Soul" by Casting Crowns, and the album would be "Dear Evan Hansen."

Oh My Soul, You Are Not Alone (gif)

(Dear Evan Hansen)

when you're broken on the ground, you will be found

19.) Compared to this time last year, are you:

 Nostalgic. Wistful. So much changed this past year and I sometimes find myself getting stupid emotional about it. I have trouble with change - even good change.
      

20.) What do you wish you’d done more of?

Music

21.) What do you wish you’d done less of?

Being so anxious and emotional. 2017 was a hard sort of  year my friends.

22.) What was your greatest musical discovery?

       Dear Evan Hansen, and Beethoven's Last Night.

No one deserves to disappear.

Your candle's quite low, we've been watching it burn.

I quite like Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Yes they are crazy rockers, and yes their musical style is strange (it's called Orchestral Metal. Weird, right?) But I love how faith-based and pro-life all their story's are. They're Pro-life at every point too, whether it be an old life or a young life, a broken life, or a life well-lived. I think that's a beautiful thing.

23.) How did you spend Christmas?

       We had a sung Christmas Morning Mass (we sang it) and then the family got together at our beautiful new home for presents and food. It was a good Christmas, but a bit strange since it wasn't quite the same as usual. New house, new home... all a bit odd. 8-)

24.) How did you/are you spending New Year’s?

We watch The Lord of the Rings, and have agreed to do an annual rewatch. It's good to start off the New Year with Tolkien wisdom and encouragement!!!

25.) Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?

My sister Tiny, and my friend Ana.

26.) What was the best book you read?

YAS, THIS BOOK!!!!

       Best new book would have to be Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner. Some others books that merit a mention are The Hollow Boy and The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud. I've yet to read the Empty Grave. *hides* The best reread would have to be the King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner, and Pandora Hearts, by Jun Mochizuci

Lockwood and Co

Pandora Hearts

27.) Did you fall in love in 2017?

Still no.

28.) What was your favorite TV show?

I haven't watched many new shows this year, except Hawaii 5-0, So, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is still my favorite - although Marvel's The Defenders was pretty good, especially when Matt was on screen. I also liked Stranger Things, but I don't know how I feel about the ending of season two.

Bonus: Two shows I've officially boycotted would be Sherlock and Doctor Who (CURSE YOU MOFFAT!!!!) 

29.) Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? 

I don't hate. lol. Uuuuum, no. The people I didn't like last year are still on that list and no new people have emerged.

30.) What did you want and get?

A Nice House, a dresser, a bed, a new computer, Dear Evan Hansen, and Beethoven's Last Night.

*I think I should add I did in fact have a dresser and bed before now, they  just weren't my dresser and bed. 

31.) What did you want and not get?

A gun, because for some reason I can serve my country at eighteen with guns but I can't own one for personal use until I'm 21. Like.....why?

32.) What were your favorite films of this year?

        My favorite Live Action was Spiderman: Homecoming and my favorite animated movie was Coco. Coco made me cry.

miguel is so cute. I love him. 8-)

(Oh, and I've seen Book of Life before. It's been a couple years but I still think Coco is different enough to hold it's own. It's like a retelling of the same myth, you know, but with a different plot/twist.)

33.) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

My 19th birthday was a bit odd. I had a couple friends over, got an adorable card from Gavin, and watched The Giver. This year I watched The Rise of the Guardians, ate some delicious cake/brownie thing, and received beautiful fairy lights to decorate my room with. Plus Beethoven's Last Night which is an awesome album and brings out the electric-guitar side of me. The Lost Christmas Eve is still my favorite album that Trans-Siberian Orchestra does, but Beethoven is great too.

34.) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?

I was something between Bo-Ho and Casual. 

35.) What kept you sane?

Prayer, my musicals, my books, my tea, my family and friends.

36.) Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I didn't really fancy anyone, but there were a couple public figures that left me pleasantly surprised with their good choices and actions.

37.) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? 

original source image

2017 was one of those years that I burned at Midnight on January 1st. Sooooooooooo.

38.) What political issue stirred you the most?

So Many. *le sigh* But I was particularly stirred when President Trump covered the March for Life. That was rather surprising, but in a good way.

Oh wait. That was this year. LOOOOOOL.

39.) Who did you miss?

Sammi, and my sisters.

40.) Who was the best new person you met?

41.) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017.

This isn't technically a new life lesson, but it's one I was reminded of a lot in 2017. My family always comes together for meals, we sing and do music together, and generally just have good times in good company. I realize how rare that is the older I get, but I also realize how precious and important it is.

42.) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away; you're not alone stop holding on and just be held. Just be held... find your rest in the arms of the God who won't let go." - Be Held, Casting Crowns.

43.) Five personally significant events of 2017:

       1. February 28th, because reasons

       2. Moving into a new place

       3. When I applied for a new job
       4. When I was asked to be my friend's Confirmation Sponsor. She won't be confirmed for a while but it's still a privledge.

       5. Visiting my sisters at their homes for the first time. (Last time I visited Gina she was in a trailer house. Long story.)

44.) Five things I want to do in 2018:

        1. Make music.

        2. Finish my musicals. (yep, this is still a goal in progress)

        3. FINALLY get my license so I can visit my friend Sammi.

        4. Do more Catholic Action

        5.Buy a new rosary and a Saint Michael statue.

45.) Five people I’d like to know better in 2018:

Gavin. 8-) I'd like to visit my friend Ana and actually meet her in real life, so I guess she's one too. This question is stupid because I don't have five people to know better. 8-/ I guess I can still get to know Sammi. (????)

So now you're kind of caught up on my life 8-) ONWARD AND UPWARD!

In summary... 2017 was a hard year. It's up there with 2012 as a year of rough times. I had some special, beautiful moments, but also quite a few earthquake moments. It sounds like 2017 was hard for a lot of people, but God is ultimately in control and everything will be okay.

Here's hoping that 2018 is better than the years before it, filled with good times and good company. Eat, drink and be merry! Value good food and cheer over hoarded gold and be better for it.

HAPPY (late) 2018!!!!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

Blow Out the Candles: Make a Wish!

Yesterday was my birthday! Hey ho. Another Year older, another year newer.

God is so good. I said a prayer that I wouldn't have to work on my birthday, and you know what? I didn't have to work! The counts at the Daycare were down and they didn't need me. WOOT WOOT! You know what that means? It means I spent my morning listening to music, writing and generally enjoying myself. I also watched the Concert Edition of A Tale of Two Cities, because why the heck not? It's my freaking Birthday!

I don't know what anime this is from, but it was funny.

I had a lovely chicken meal for dinner, and my whole family came up over afterward with presents and a cake. I got lots of lovely tea, a sweater, a necklace, and a handy-dandy box to keep my things in so they aren't always scattered everywhere. I even got The Magnificent Seven! I almost watched that as my birthday movie but since there were people over that wouldn't have liked it so much, I watched The Giver instead. My three little sisters stayed the night, and I was up late just having fun.

All in all it was a good birthday, the best one I've had in a while.

Here is hoping that Nineteen will be a  new, fabulous year, better than the last have been. Here's hoping for lots of good memories, good days, good friends, and exciting new challenges and dreams. Here's hoping I'm a better blogger too! Here's Hoping!!!

TO MY NEW YEAR!

*Swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

So. 2017. *crazed laughter*

As all of you know, I am not a good blogger. I have good intentions but I really don't blog half so much as I ought to. Back in the Summer, I gave my blog a face lift and talked a little bit about being a dreamer and how I was going to make this blog a "safe place" for people like that. Then I promptly crashed, losing any sort of inspiration. Now that the New Year is hear, I am going to try and remember this mission. Part of the problem was that I really didn't know how to approach my new blog idea. However, I think I have an idea now, of what I'd like to do here.

I want to start posting once a week for starters. *More Crazed Laughter* I want to try and post something positive, optimistic, or fanciful about my week. I'd like to start talking a little more seriously about stories, writing, poetry, and the overall stunning glory of God's world, which is so easy to miss out on now-days. I want to post about beautiful things. With this mission in mind, my blog should be much more themed this year. Here's hoping!!!!!!!

As a Kick-Off for the New Year I am going to do the New Year's Tag.

1.) What did you do in 2016 that you'd never done before?

Erm. I went to Frontsight, I got a job. I started writing a musical. Oh! And I visited the ocean with my friend Jack and my younger sisters! 8-D

2.) Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make one this year?

I don't properly remember my New Year's resolutions. I don't think I had any for 2016. But I do have tentative resolutions for 2017. Mainly to focus on my writing and take some freaking music theory. (MAYBE ACT???)

3.) Did anyone close to you give birth?

Oh yes! My sister did! His name is Dominic. He's adorable.

4.) Did anyone close to you die?

No, Thank God.

5.) What countries/states did you visit?

I only went to Nevada. That was it and it's not that big of an achievement, seeing as I live fairly close to that state. Probably the biggest thing I did travelling-wise was going to the Ocean. That crap was beautiful, and it was tons of fun. Behold God's untempered magnificence!

6.) What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?

Moooooooooney! Lol. I guess I'd like an actual house to live in, not a flat. A cute little two-room cabin would be nice.

7.) What day in 2016 will remain forever etched in your memory?

November 7th. The last and best day I had at Frontsight. I hope I will never forget it.

8.) Did you move anywhere?

Well, I was briefly in Nevada but then I came back home and am now living with two of my sisters. Otherwise, no.

9.) What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I'd love to say 'I got my license!' but alas, that isn't true. So.... I placed into the third round in the contest at Frontsight. And I can actually shoot now, even though I need to practice on speed.

10.) What was your biggest failure?

Failing my driving test. Twice. Curse you parallel parking! I knew I could do it but my nerves were less sure. *blows smoke from ears.*

I was not this kid.

11.) Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nah. I'm all good.

12.) What was the best thing you bought?

I bought my very own copy of the Fullmetal Alchemist; Brotherhood series. Complete with OVA episodes.

13.) Whose behaviour Merited celebration?

My Mom is the ultimate superwoman. Honourable mentions would be Gavin from the library, my sister Mahri, and my brother.


14.) Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

A person whom I will not say the name of. Such a person made me very appalled and depressed. And angry too. *scowls at said person.*

15.) Where did most of your money go?

Toward books, Anime and Manga, and Reeses.. And I bought gifts for everyone at Christmas, which was very fun, by the way.

16.) What did you get really, really, really excited about?

FRONTSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT! And of course, my visit to the ocean. I am so grateful that Jack let me come with her to that. Oh! And my brother's wedding, way back at the start of the year!

17.) What was the best concert you've been to this year?

I saw no concert. I did however, see a bootleg of Les Miserables and it was magnificent.

18.) What song/album will always remind you of 2016?

My 2016 song is probably Battle Scars by Paradise Fears. The album would be.... hmmm. Bring Me Giants, by James Barbour.

19.) Compared to this time last year are you:

Determined. Determined to live my life as best and as hopefully as I can, and to make the most of what is given to me. God's got this. I'm determined to be a good, if anxious soldier under His banner.

20.) What do you wish you'd done more of? 

I didn't do any acting at all last year. I'm homesick for the Theatre. I wish I'd done more writing too.

21.) What do you wish you'd done less of? 

I wish I had done less of nothing. I was stuck without a car or anywhere to go within walking distance for most of this year, which meant I did almost none of the things I wanted to do. Like act and Dance

22.) What's your greatest Musical discovery?

Bring Me Giants (James Barbour) Ghost the musical, and as much as I hate the plot and premise, I liked a lot of the songs and music from Bridges of Madison County*. Kelli O'hara has an amazing voice, and that whole album inspires me to write music of my own. It showed me how much music can inflict mood on a scene; from contemplating and hopeful, to excited and bedazzled.

*I don't recommend this musical for a number of reasons, number one being that its about an affair. I only listen to a few select songs from it.

23.) How did you spend your Christmas?

Rather like the others, I spent Christmas at Homebase with my family, good food, and some very great friends. My brother and sister-in-law also came up with their kids, which was wonderful.

24.) How did you/are you spending New Years?

This was a nice New Year. Usually I slog through until midnight, say a small "Happy New Year," and vanish to my room. This year, my family (+friends) completed a Three-Day Lord of the Rings Marathon on New Year's Eve. We were invited to Sammi B's house for the last movie and finished the RoTK just a few minutes before midnight. After an epic count down to midnight, we toasted in the New Year with poppers and horns, and the sound of bagpipes flooding from outside, as they always do.  We kicked 2016 into the past with much ghusto, called out HAPPY NEW YEAR! And went home. We're such party animals it's ridiculous. Our New Year's are pretty freaking lay-back.

I honestly thing there are few better ways to start the New Year than with an LOTR marathon. It stirs up your soul in a big way. Let this be the hour when we draw swords together! Fell deeds awake; Now for wrath! Now for ruin! And the red dawn! ..... RIDE NOW!

25.) Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerm. My sister Tiny and... Jack?

26.) What was the best book you read?

My favourite book of this year was probably The Penderwicks in Spring by Jean Birdsall. Yes, it was a painful book and yes, I cried a lot in it, but it helped me with some of my own struggles. I found a kindred spirit in Batty. She is dear. It also got me back into my clarinet and made me feel like maybe I could write music, so there is that.

Honourable mentions include; Castle in the Air: Diana Wynne Jones, Screaming Staircase; Bartimeus:  Jonathan Stroud. Heist Society: Ally Carter. Pandora Hearts (10): Jun Mochizuki.* Noragami (11-14): Adachitoka**

*Yes, it's a manga.

** Yes, another manga. Don't judge me.

27.) Did you fall in love in 2016?

What? No way! *thrashing anime noises*

No love life for this girl, yet. This is probably good. I don't think I'm ready for that.

28.) What was your favourite TV show?

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Honourable mentions include: Hunter x Hunter, Hawaii 5-0, Pandora Hearts, and Lethal Weapon.

29.) Do you have anyone you hate now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Not really. There are some people are strongly dislike. Some that have annoyed me or caused me distress.

For example, I strongly dislike a certain party of people more than normal. #NewAgePharisees

30.) What did you want and get?

I wanted Musical Notation notebooks and by golly, I got them!

31.) What did you want and not get?

Ghost; the musical.

32.) What were your favourite films of this year?

Doctor Strange and The Magnificent Seven.

Mister... - It's Doctor. - Mister Doctor? - It's Strange.

33.) What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

Here is the thing. My birthday is in January, so sweet 18-year-old me has been around all year. That's a long time folks. What I'll do is briefly recall my last birthday and tell you the plan for my next one.

Well, I was sick with Broncitas for my 18th birthday. *

I work this birthday, but I plan to have a few of my siblings and Jack over for dinner. I think I'll watch either The Giver or .... Something epic. I am on a Lord of the Rings high, so I'll need to watch something emotional and grand. Maybe one of the Marvel movies, or Gladiator.  Or The Eagle.

34.) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?

I was basically Vanellope from Wreck it, Ralph!

I'm adorable!


35.) What kept you sane? 

Prayer. Anime. The library. My sister Tiny.

36.) Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I actually didn't have a celebrity figure that I especially fancied this year. I like Chris Pratt and Il Volo, but that's old news. So, no public figure has made much of an impression on me since 2015.

37.) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Passing my driving test would have made my year much better. *headdesk*

38.) What political issue stirred you the most?

The freaking Elections man. Oh my gosh. I was in Pahrump learning about guns all day; then I went home that night and worried (and prayed) about our next presidential candidate.

39.) Who did you miss?

Sammi Bender </3. Also, my adorable little nieces.

40.) Who was the best new person you met?

I don't really meet people. I guess Gavin has only been around a year, so I'll count him. He's dear.

41.) Tell  us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016.

-Noragami

Life is full of suffering and pain, but it is also full of joy and happiness. Everyone has their own crosses, their own burdens and trials that they must undergo, whether for the betterment of themselves, or the betterment of many, or both. I've known this for a while but it really hit me this year. Life is a walk in shadow, but that doesn't mean there isn't any light. And despite all the hardships life is actually worth living. To see a sunset, to feel wild wind, to witness the glory of a waterfall, to have good company and good meals, to enjoy stories and laughter, to experience love and friendship; all of these are good reasons to endure the bad days. The bad weeks. Even the bad years. And no matter how bad things get, one day all the suffering will end. The grey rain curtain of this world rolls back and all turns to silver glass. Then you see it. White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise. 

42.) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Rain came pouring down when I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe... And by morning gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean. - (Clean, Taylor Swift.)

Also, this incredibly relateable verse: On and on, like we're living on a broken record, hope is strong, but misery's a little quicker. Sit, and we wait, and we drown there, thinking, 'Why bother playing when it's unfair?' They say life's a waste, I say they lack belief. They tell me luck will travel, I tell 'em that's why I've got feet. Left, right, left, right,  moving along to the pulse of a heartbeat [....] Don't stop. March on. (Battle Scars, Paradise Fears.)

43.) Fiver personally significant events of 2016.

1.) My brother's wedding. We welcomed our new sister into the family with much merry making  and friendly company. Especially my sister Gina, her husband, and her kids. It was a good week.

2.) Visiting the Ocean in July with my best friend and some of my siblings.

3.) FRONTSIIIIIIIIIGHT. NOVEMBER 4-8th!!!

4.) February 16th, when my amazing brother treated the whole family to Disneyland.

5.) November 31st because, reasons.

44.) Five things I want to do in 2017.

1.) Take a music classes.

2.) Audition for a play or musical.

3.) Write at least the rough draft of a musical, and finish at least the first draft of my Cyril book.

4.) Spend more time with my sisters

5.) Pray hard, fight well, and live the life God gave me with fewer fears and more happiness.

45.) Five people I'd like to know better in 2017.

How was your 2016? Are you optimistic about 2017? Can you believe it's 2017??

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

A (Big?) Number Of Things You Might Not Know About Me:

This should be interesting!

1.) When I was two years old I was spinning around the living room. (I actually do remember this a little bit, as odd as that may seem.) I'm pretty sure I was pretending to be a fairy or something very close to that, and I was so caught up in my magic sparkles that I didn't see the coffee table until it was too late. I ran right into it and smashed my front tooth to smithereens. Seriously. It wasn't knocked out or anything normal. I rammed my face so hard against the glass that the pure pressure shattered my tooth and pushed the fragments into my gums. The Doctor said the tooth should come back within a couple years. But little old me was without a front tooth until I was about ten. When it finally started to come back it was a super weird experience. It was like losing a tooth, but in reverse. I have the tooth now (which is great) but it grew in crooked, and it will always be crooked. There is something wrong with my jaw or the bones or something, and my teeth cannot be set. Oh well. I don't mind it.

I was so cute.

2.) When I was a kid my favorite part from Sleeping Beauty was when Maleficent crashed down in front of Phillip and cried; "NOW SHALL YOU DEAL WITH ME, O PRINCE! AND ALL THE POWERS OF HELL!" I used to quote that line quite often, complete with dramatic arm-raise. Why did I like this so much? I'm not sure. I think it was the epicness of the villain threatening about Hell and then turning into a terrifying DRAGON and then Philip defeating her with the Shield of Virtue and the Sword of Truth - yeah, I really love Philip. That whole scene was so cool though! I just loved it so much! It was my favoritest of lines. Once I even did the thing in the library, and one of the librarians was like, "You told her about Hell???"

"No! It cannot be!"

3.) I have am severely conflicted about which side to join for Captain America - Civil War, because I feel like by choosing one  I basically tell the other he is a zero and I don't really care about him.

NOPE, NOPE, NOPE, WHY CAN'T WE ALL BE FRIENDS AND HAVE SHWARMA?

3.) I used to climb up on the shed roof in the back yard and fish for pine cones with my younger sisters. The shed was about a story high, but that didn't shake us. we put hangers on a long line of jump-rope and we just sat up there on the roof, trying to snag pine cones in the hanger hooks. It was intense.

4.) I wore jumpers growing up.

5.) I didn't play "Red Rover." I played, "BLOOD ROVER." Seriously. When my sisters and I played that game we didn't mess around. You locked hands up to the wrists. You planted yourself. You kept the enemy from crossing, if your arms broke doing it. One time we had friends over and they weren't used to our ways... and I could feel her hand sliding, and I just dug my nails into her skin like, "Don't let go."

6.) Peter & Edmund were the first brother story I ever cried over. *not counting Bro-Friends.

When are you going to learn to do as your told?

7.) I used to stand in the rays of sunlight that came through the living room window and pretend to be Mary, or an angel from heaven.

*cue heavenly voices singing*

8.) When I was super little I'd play this stupid game with my sister. We had a pitcher in the bathtub and I'd fill it up, and I'd slowly poor it out saying, "The mirror shows many things. Things that were. Things that are. And some thing that have not yet come to pass. Look into the mirror." I had the time the pouring perfect, otherwise I ran out to fast and had to quickly dunk the pitcher back into the water before I finished, or I was too slow had to dump the last of the water out with a splash. Once I finished, I'd pass it to Tiny and she'd do the same thing. And we'd do this the whole time we were in the bath. I don't know how we knew this quote at five and three... but we did. #TrueLordoftheringsfans

9.) I read so much in middle school that my mom threatened to take away my library card because I wasn't getting my chores (or my school) done.

10.) Once I put on headphones, turned on some loud, exciting music and went tearing through a giant rain puddle in the road, dancing and whooping like an idiot. My age at this time is confidential.

11.) I believed in Santa Clause until like, two years ago, and I still believe in Father Christmas.  I come from a long line of believers.

12.) I used to take my Dad's stud-finder out of his tool kit and wander around the house pretending to be Kirk, looking for signs of life (or danger) on some distant planet.

Their cute old/new technology 8-)

13.) I loved capes but I never owned one. I went on a lot of adventures. Adventurers had to have capes. This was a thing with me. So I would raid my big sister's closet and find a long flowing skirt to stick on my shoulders and run around in.

14.) Sometimes I would pick out a black skirt for my cape, grab Christine (an unfortunate younger sister) and drag her down through my lair, (the deck and the swing set) singing the Phantom of the Opera in a deep, masculine voice. She always knew the responses. And she put up with being dragged all over the back yard, singing and boating across giant lakes. She was a very good sport. *waves at sister* You know who you are.

15.) OH, OH, OH! I just got an instagram. You should check it out HERE.

16.) I have tea time every night, and when I'm with my family we have it together. We're all very British that way.

18.) I don't think Loki is a hero. I like him, but he's not a hero.

19.) I never finished the Harry Potter books.* What can I say? I thought the movies were better!

All the Potterheads be like....

*I know, I know. I want to try again somewhere in the soon-ish future. 


20.) I read The Hobbit when I was 10 and The Lord of the Rings when twelve. I cried over both.

"I will not say 'do not weep,' for not all tears are an evil."

21.) I fangirl over Original Star Trek.

22.) I always wear a Scapular. *

Our Lady's promise.

*A scapular is like kind of a necklace that is worn in honour of the Mother of Christ. The Catholic's have a tradition of wearing them, as it shows our devotion to the Church, and merits for us special prayers and protection from the Mother of God. 

23.) I never, ever wanted to be an only child. Like, ever.

24.) I always go barefoot in the summer time, for as long as I can.

25.) I sing practically all the time. Wherever, whenever, whatever time of day. I'll be there in the corner, singing like a lark. Or a chickadee. Or a toad, depending on your opinions and the state of my health at the time. (But I kind of like my voice, so if you hate it, that's too bad for you. *sticks out tongue*)

There! Twenty-Five things you might not know about me! I think I will be off now. I will leave with this song that I recently discovered. I really, really like it. You've probably all heard it before, but whatever. It's one of my many anthems. It makes me feel ready to be brave.

God Bless! Peace out y'all!!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

That's What Best Friends Do

I was going to share a snippet with you tonight but I decided to cheat and wait till tomorrow. Because I have been wanting to do this post since January, but I've never really had the time. Until now. And I have to do it now otherwise I might freak out and not post it because it feels chick-flicky and emotional and I don't usually write this kind of thing.

*Breath* Here it goes.

I've never really had friends. Ever. I mean, sure, there were the kids who used to come over when I was little, but the were more playmates than anything. The type of playmates who hung about for a year, maybe two, than grew up and disappeared. The only friend from my childhood that I actually kept is my best friend, Sammi, who has lived up the street from me since before kindergarten, and whom we have kind of made part of the family, along with her brother and her mom. Besides her, I didn't really have anyone. That's how everyone in my family is. Of course, there are 'Friends of the Family,' and most of my older sisters have that one best friend whom I've always known, but they all live a good few hours away and we don't get to see much of them. And because they are my older sisters friends they are more like.... more older sisters. If you understand me. Until a few years ago Sammi was all I had.

Having no friends never really bothered me. It never occurred to me to be bothered. For me it was normal. I didn't expect friends cause I never thought I needed any. Having a big family helped with that, because there were always people around anyway. So I never felt lonely. (Actually sometimes I felt the opposite.) I never had 'Birthday Parties' in the normal sense, just a couple presents, cake and a movie with the family and Sammi. I never had picnics or anything like that with other kids. Sometimes the neighborhood children would come over and play baseball, but they weren't 'friends' like that. Just kids we knew. Kids who would flit in and out with no names and no lasting time. Even when I was going to Music lessons I never had FRIENDS like that. Sure, people liked me enough and there was even this one girl that I shared a few visits with. But I always felt a little out-of-the-loop. Like I didn't belong. I was always a bit different. First off, I loved to read. I spent a good amount of my time curled up in a ball with a book. Even then, I was crying, laughing, and loving anything to do with the world of fantasy. I easily fell for fictional characters and tried to be like them all the time. As for movies and TV shows.... my family was always a bit geeky, what with my dad watching Star Trek and things like that. So I was brought up rather geeky. (Though it wasn't until later that I became full-fledged obsessive) I tried to make friends a couple times but I suppose everything about me was just too weird. I was Catholic, I was homeschooled, I had a very large family, I wore dresses and I could quote books from beginning to end. I was used to people looking at my funny, thinking I wasn't quite right. I didn't mind it. I was never embarrassed or ashamed of myself or my family, or how I dressed. I figured if the person didn't want to like me it was their loss.

Then a couple years ago I hit a really, really, rough patch in my life. There was a lot of stuff going on at home and for three years of my life nothing felt safe. For a while things got so bad that I kind of shut down and shut the world out. I locked myself up in my room. I buried myself into the world of fiction because, for some reason, fictional trauma was so much easier than real-life trauma. It was during these years that my sisters and I became the wild, obsessive geeks that we are now. We dove into fandoms headlong,  devouring Doctor Who, Sherlock and Merlin like chips. They were our escape and our relief. That's actually why, besides Lord of the Rings, Merlin is my favorite fandom. It introduced me to the rest. I don't actually know if we'd seen any of the Avengers before Merlin. I wasn't allowed to watch Iron Man until just recently (For reasons difficult to explain) and I don't know if I'd scene Captain America yet. But either way, I watched Merlin before I watched almost anything else. It was the first time I found myself so connected, so a part of another world. It brought me a lot of comforts during that time and it holds a lot of precious memories for me. Then FINALLY I started a blog. Most of my older sisters already had one by then, so it didn't seem too terrifying to get one myself. That's when I realized the Internet wasn't full of a bunch of axe murders just waiting to hunt me down and kill me. There were actually a lot of nice people on the Internet. And that really helped me. It helped to fangirl with people as enthusiastic as I was. It was fun to hide away with fictional characters and not face the world. And I wanted to hide. Because I was having a very hard time coping with the situation in my life. I had a lot of self-doubt, anger, frustration and stress. I didn't like anything I did and I didn't think I was good at anything I did. I stopped writing. I stopped singing. I almost stopped acting. If I hadn't loved the stage so much I probably would have stopped. I gave up on friends entirely because, if people had thought I was weird before, Geeky-Me was more than they could handle. Sammi was the only one who wasn't scared away by my insanity, but by then she'd made it clear we were stuck with her and had become more of an adopted sister. So she didn't really count. But after I started blogging all that changed.

First off, there was this really sweet, special girl whose blog I actually followed before getting my own. I remember liking her immediately because she was geeky and nerdy and normal, just like me. She watched all the shows I watched and loved them as much as I did. And she didn't get freaked out when I wrote long comments or randomly quoted or made references. She just quoted back because she was just as geeky as I was. She never got tired of me or acted like I was different. She was like me and I was like her and eventually we started emailing. And after my emails didn't scare her away I thought, just maybe, someone besides my family might actually like me. She is the one who prompted me to start a blog. She is the reason I finally pulled out a pen and started writing again. She is the reason I didn't give up acting, and she is the reason I didn't completely shut down. I owe so much to her. Especially because she was having a bad time too. I think that is some of the reason we got so close. Because we both were having very hard times and suddenly we found each other and just --- BAM!

So I started my blog. And I met a lot of lovely people who liked everything I did, and who understood about TARDIS's and Young Warlocks and dragons and "BORED!" and "FIGHT THE FAIRIES!!!" It was such a shock to find out there were people like me. People who understood. People who laughed and joked and actually took the time to READ my blog in those beginning weeks. (Thank you, you brave little soldiers! I couldn't have done it without you!) After that nothing was the same. I'd discovered a new world, in a way. And it helped me in more ways than I can put down.

I made a resolution back in January to try to move on from those horrible years. To make myself see the world NOW and not THEN. And I've been trying really hard to do just that. But May.... May is a delicate month for me. I have some.... hard memories from the month of May. And because of that its not my favorite time of the year. Actually, I used to hate May. Which was sad, because I love Spring and I always have, and I didn't like hating May. But for some reason I couldn't help it. It wasn't so much that I hated the month. I hated the things that had happened in the month. The things is, I don't want to hate anymore. Because this is the first year in a VERY LONG TIME that I have actually felt happy. Its the first time in a very long time that I've actually felt like myself again. Things are finally better. Maybe not excellent, but better. And sometimes I still struggle, but its nothing like it was. And when my very dear friend said she'd do Camp NaNo with me this month, I realized it was the best thing, really. I wanted to leave behind the all the awfulness. And it seems like filling up a month that has so much BAD attached to it with GOOD, was the perfect way to start.

That sounded totally cheesy, but whatever.

I guess I just really want to say thank you. Thank you to all you amazing bloggers who welcomed me like family and who followed and commented and made my day by dropping by. I want to thank my sisters who listened to me yell or vent, or were just there for me when I need them. I want to thank Sammi, who stuck with me through all of it, even on the worst days, and who somehow made me smile when all I wanted to do was cry. And most of all I want to thank that one special girl who told me: "YOU CAN DO IT!" and hasn't stopped saying that since. I want that girl to know she is my best friend. I want her to know I love her like she is my sister, and I wish she was. I want her to know she is the Merlin to my Arthur, the Sam to my Dean, the Clara to my Eleven, the Bucky to my Steve and, above all, the Jim to my Ben. I want her to know she has helped me more than she could ever, possibly know. I want her to know that I love every one of her quirks and it is because of them that she is so cool. And I want her to know how much she means to me and that I'm with her till the end of the line.

Thank you. Its been a wonderful year on blogger,

and I hope there are many more.



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Here you go. A song reflecting all the greatest friendships. 

It makes me feel so happy inside *grin*

 



Now I have to go back to editing and crying over Tyson. And Peregrine. I will try to share a snippet tomorrow, I promise! I the meantime, here. Have a Bucky and Steve video. I made it. And I think I do quite a good job, if I do say so myself. If its really quiet for you, try using headphones - otherwise it should be okay :)

 

 

  God bless and have a lovely night! *Slides off Car*

 

~Ben The Robot~