Writers Camp. [ Day One ] Introducing...!

This is the first day of Writers Camp!

And the Participants are:

Me!!! (You're on my Blog. 8-D) Fantasy/Mystery/slight Historical Fiction.

Hannah (Miles in the Rain.) Realistic Fantasy/Steampunk.

Hayley (My Life is a Musical.) Fantasy/Contemporary/Romance/Sci-Fi/Dystopian/Historical Fiction.

Angelique (That which They Defend) Fantasy/Dystopian/Historical Fiction/Fiction

Ellie (On the Other side of Reality.) Fantasy/Paranormal

Christine Eyre (Overflowing Mind and Pen.) Fantasy/Other Sub-genres.

Miss Evie (Letter From Avonlea) Historical Fiction

Ivy (Revealed In Time) Historical Fiction

Lady Emily (The Life and Times of Emily C.) Fantasy

I had just enough people to make this fly. Whew. If anyone else joins in the weeks that follow, I will welcome them in a future post and add their name to the list. 

I write a lot of fantasy. That is my biggest genre. I would describe myself as a Fantasy writer first and foremost, with a little touch of other stuff that I touch on now and then. I'm not quite High-Fantasy, I think I'm more Middle/Traditional fantasy. I try to keep a medieval kind of feel to my writing, I guess. Fantasy is very freeing because you can build your own world with it's own laws, and not have to worry about facts VS fiction. I am most comfortable in Fantasy and I have the most fun with it. I love the idea of magic, mythical creatures and far-off places, so fantasy is obviously the nitch for me. In fact almost every story I have takes place with some sort of Fantastical background. I just recently started a detective series, which is why I added Mystery into the mix. I am very new at the whole "Mystery" thing. Slight historical fiction... Yeah. I have yet to write anything set in the past, though I do have several ideas. I even have an idea for a Musical which is set in the Great Depression, and I have some songs for it. I guess this means I also dabble in script-writing and lyrics? I didn't know if I should put this as a genre since I only have one or two Musicals in the back of my mind that I am sort of working on. 8-/ 

There you have it! I am really, really excited about this camp!!!! I can't wait to start breaking out the Plot Bunnies and all that good foo-fora. 

Peace Out Y'all!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

Glass Beach

Before I get started on anything else, here are the Official Dates for Writers Camp. You are free to be flexible with the days you post, so long as you finish by September 7th. 8-D

Day One: August 10th.

Day Two: August 12th

Day Three:  August 15th

Day Four:  August 17th.

Day Five:  August 20th

Day Six: August 22nd

Day Seven: August 24th

Day Eight:  August 26th

Day Nine: August 27th

Day Ten:  August 30th

Day Eleven: September 1st

Day Twelve: September 4th

Day Thirteen: September 6th

Random Life Update! A few weeks ago my amazing friend Jack to me and my sisters to Fort Bragg. That's right folks! I finally went to the Ocean!!!!

We drove down on a Friday. The drive there took us about five hours. We left around noon and didn't get into town until about seven. We made some stops... stops at places you should never stop at. Like the Nice Market in the Nice Town. Don't ever go there. The town looked like a zombie apocalypse had wiped out the population and left the houses to waste away. And the Market looked like an out-of-date dollar store where everything is expired and costumers get shot by the cashier. But we hadn't had water in like, two hours, so we had to stop somewhere, and it was the only place for miles. (until after we got the water, that is. Then a nice little town cropped up off the freeway about fifteen minutes later. Isn't it funny how that works?)

There was this really cool area right before we got to Fort Bragg. All the trees were bowed over a narrow, curvy road so it looked like we were driving through a tunnel made of trees. Most of the time they were so thick it looked like dusk even though it was still afternoon. Everything we be grey and quiet, then a small gap would appear in the trees and all at once there would be sunlight and you would remember it was three o'clock, not seven. It was so exciting! The air smelled like sweet pine, salt, and sea. It made you want to set off on a search for buried treasure, right-now-immediately. This lasted for close to half an hour and it was the most thrilling, fantastical drive I have ever taken. It was like a forest from a fairy tale. The forgotten road. The encroaching trees. The smell.  Perfect story material.

It was about 20x more epic when you drove through it. Trust me. Just go there yourself sometime.

When we got to our destination we had nowhere to stay. I know. Aren't we great planners? We rode into a Camp Sight about fifteen minutes from Glass Beach, and prayed there was a place open. We prayed hard. And God was very good to us. We got the last camp sight available. It was in a nice corner area, slightly away from everyone. We even had indoor facilities!! They were only about a camp sight and a small hill away, which was very convenient. And even better we had running water in our camp sight! It was a pleasant surprise. It was a very nice evening. We had roasted mushrooms and peppers and onion, and some very tasty corn of the cob, with extra spice. Yuuuuuuuuum. Then we tried to tell a creepy campfire story but somebody kept making it a comedy. *squints at person* You know who you are.

The next day bright and early we headed off to the Coast. This is when I get to the fun bit. We went to see the ocean of course, because it's the OCEAN. But also, there is this place called Glass Beach. Apparently from the 1920's to the 1960's, Glass Beach was used as a dumping ground for a lot of California's trash; glass, canisters, cooking utensils, and the like. During World War II the same beaches were used as a dumping ground for bullets, scrap metal and other such leftovers. Over the years the different debris was tossed and turned into beautiful shapes which washed up on the shore like stones made of glass.  It's also super cool because there is some things embedded in the actual rocks. Like giant bullets, and corkscrews, and bottle tops, and the other strange things you wouldn't think about. Like drinking glasses! It was fascinating!

We found a nice little cove to have a picnic in. We didn't know you couldn't bring a BBQ so we ended up having to cook our hot-dogs in the parking lot. But it was fun anyway.

It was a good thing we got to the ocean early, because by about 11:00 the shore started to feel up pretty fast. Some people even charged through our picnic sight! RUDE!

The stones were so pretty!!!!! I was irritated because I could see people carting off stones, and you're not supposed to take glass off the beach. It is against the law. A lot of fascinating glass pieces and historical odds and ends have been swept off the beach because the public won't leave them alone. Stupid public. I was so irritated I actually asked a family to leave the bag they were collecting. It was just so upsetting to see people taking what is meant for everyone to see. There are two other beaches you can take glass from. Do not take it from the official Glass Beach! It's wrong and selfish. If you ever visit this amazing sight, leave the glass and other historical stuff on the shore where it belongs!!! SPREAD THE WORD BECAUSE HISTORY IS DISAPPEARING AND IT'S SAD! #saveglassbeach

Me and my sisters on the shore of glass beach, being very tourist-like.

LOOK AT THESE JEWELS!!!!

I got a picture just as the wave hit the glass. Isn't it fabulous?

 The waves were incredible! I have come the the conclusion that the two most beautiful and breath-taking places in the world are the ocean and the mountains. There is an amazing amount of raw beauty in both those places that is hard to find anywhere else.

 We decided to dig a massive hole, and Jack and Cinta found a couple massive rocks that they just HAD to unearth. Very archaeological those two.

The ocean is so wild and amazing! Tiny and I even swam in it! It was freezing, but so exhilarating! I definitely want to try playing in it again in December, when the water is warmer. Oh, and I kind of liked the taste of the ocean. I wouldn't want a mouth full or anything, but when you get a bit in your moth and spit it out, the after-taste is rather of interesting. (saaaaaaaaalt.)

Look at us being all tourist-like. This is right before Tiny and I plunged into the waves. 8-) Even Jack joined us for a little bit!! It was loads of fun. The waves were fantastic guys!

LOOK AT THE MAGNIFICENCE!!!

Looking for treasure....

We were dopes and stayed by the water until sunset. We were shivering and slowing going numb, but we were going to watch the sunset if it killed us! It didn't matter if the wind was brisk and the air was sharp! It didn't matter that we were still damp from diving into frigid waves. We had to watch the sun dip behind the Ocean!!



The sun took a very long time to set. We stayed down on the shore for like, an hour, and then Annie sensibly reccomended that we go up a little so we'd have shelter on the cliffs. As our luck would have it, we were climbing the cliff and Cinta was like The sun is setting!!!!!!!! And we all had to scramble like mad so as not to miss it fall off the face of the earth.

It was gorgeous. The water turned violet and pink and green and silvery all at the same time.  Definitely well worth the wait.

That was my very blessed, very happy weekend. The Ocean is amazing. It's strong and beautiful and frightening and wild. It helped me remember the breath-taking beauty which God has put into the world, and I was able to lay down a good deal of my worries and just enjoy the sheer wonder of God's creation. Things like the Ocean, The Mountains, Waterfalls, Giant Stone cliffs, massive Oak Trees... They're reminders that God is an artists and an architect, and that He flooded His world with incredible sights for us to enjoy. It's an amazing thought that God made all of this for us. The animals can't properly enjoy natural beauty. Neither can insects. Only humans can see foaming blue waves crash on the shores of a wild, untamed coast and think, Wow. That is so beautiful. And God put it there just for us. In fact, while we were sitting on the soft sand, watching the ocean flow free, Cinta said something beautiful that I'm going to share with you. Because it was a very lovely thing. She said,  "Just think, Bella. God made this moment just for you. Every time something makes you feel joyful or excited, every time something puts a smile on your face, just think... God made that moment just for you. Just because He knew it would make you happy."  It was such a lovely thought. It made my heart ache a little.


There's my story. I have lots of others, but that is all for now. Peace out y'all!!!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

I have an official date for writers camp!!!!

I'm sorry I've been gone for so long! I meant to post before this, but I went to the Ocean and - yeah. That is a post for another day.

BUT LOOK-Y HERE!!!

Writers Camp will start on August 10th and will last until September 7th.

What is it: Writers Camp is a sort of "Pick Me Up" for young writers in need. It is similar to a Blog Party, only for this event we're focusing more on a learning/inspirational experience. Don't be put off though! I'm going to make this so called "Camp" as fun as possible!

The Rules: Anyone can participate, but you must link back to my blog. You should also follow me. 8-D This camp is going to be very family oriented, with a high focused on wholesome books that we don't see very often anymore. Things like Friendship and Family stories will be greatly emphasized. If I find some of your stuff super inappropriate, I won't post it.  (I honestly don't think this will be an issue at all. Most of you who seem interested write really good books. 8-D )

How it Works: Everyone who joins will send me an email with the link to their blog and the type of genre you tend to write it. You can have more than one. If you don't have a blog, this is no big deal. You can guest post on my Other Blog, Till the End of the Line. Just email me and we'll work something out. When Camp begins I will post the different participants on my blog, with the links to their blogs. I will continue to posts these links every day of Writers Camp.

EMAIL ADDRESS - ( bellawriter98 @ gmail . com )

What it focuses on: Writers Camp will focus on inspiring the Inner-Writer through prompts, games, tags and other creative stuff.

What It Will Cover: Writers Camp will cover a multitude of Topics, especially the importance of platonic love and realistic romantic love, and the need for a strong show of good VS evil in your books.

How Long It Will Last: The Last Day of Writers camp will be the first week of September. The reason for this is to give plenty of time for people to join without feeling awkward, and also to give us breathing room with the Days.

Who Can Join: Anyone can join! All Writers are welcome! Just stay classy. (As I said, this shouldn't be a problem. ;-D )

There will be Thirteen Official Days.

Day One:  Introducing the Writers and discussing what their genre is. (Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Sci-Fi/Steampunk...)

Day Two:   This Day will cover prompts! I will post prompts and Plot Bunnies. You pick from the Prompts/Bunnies I post and use them as a guide to help you get creative during Camp. You can choose how many you decide to work with, and you do not have to do more than one. But you can if you want to. 8-) On Day Four you post your finished Work on your blog and link it back to me.

Day Three:  Tag, You're it! Day three will be a Writers-Tag! 8-D

Day Four:   Prompts and Bunnies! Everyone will post their Prompt/Bunny. Link back to me and I will link back to you!! 8-D

Day Five:  Bring Out the Books! Everyone will share certain Authors and series that are their personal favorite and explain why they like them, how they were inspired by them, and how others might be inspired.

Day Six:  Break Out of The Mold: Have you noticed that a vast majority of books now days seem to have that certain mold? Now is time to break out of that! This Day will cover the importance of a unique story and why it is so important to write the books you want to write, not the books "The Public" craves. Believe it or not, a lot of people want fresh ideas, despite what you see on the shelves. You can all post stories/books that you see as unique, or at least Stand Out.

Day Seven:  Love/Family. This day will cover the importance on positive strong friendships,and family bonds. We'll discuss books (or TV Shows/Movies) with a positive angle to these topics, as well as books (or TV Shows/Movies) With a negative angle.

Day Eight:  Happily Ever After: We'll talk about The Importance of strong, realistic romance. As with friendship/family, we will show books (Or TV Show/Movies) with both positive and negative angles on the topic. Share some things you would like to see in a romantic relationship.

Day Nine:  What's You Writing? Share the plot/characters of at least one book you are currently writing.  You are totally welcome to ask for feedback. 8-)

Day Ten:  Sample Time! We share snippets and samples of our writings. You can even write random scenes that have nothing to do with your books, but still show us what style you have and things like that. Again, you can absolutely ask for feedback.

Day Eleven:  Would you Rather/What Now?  This will be a Writing Game! Basically, you will pick a character from a book you are writing on and put him through a Would You Rather/What Now? Test. I will supply the test. You have three days to complete it. This game helps you to understand your characters better, and it also helps you think as a writer.

Day Twelve:  Conquering Writers Block!!! Okay, writers block is the worst obstacle a writer can face besides Plot Hole. This day will cover the different ways you can conquer or outsmart writers block, and how to keep yourself writing when you'd rather nap and give up on the whole thing.

Day Thirteen:  Be inspired! Share things that help/inspire you with writing. Put out some ideas on what you think might help other writers get on with their work.

We still have plenty of time and a lot of breathing room! If you had any ideas for writers camp, or anything you wanted to cover, go ahead and leave a comment. We can always tweak days, or even add more if you want. But be sure to float your ideas past me before August 10th.  8-D


Peace Out Y'all!!!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

I found some new things. Now I must share.

Thing One:

I binged on Avatar: The Last Airbender last week.

FRIENDLY MUSHROOM!

I'm almost finished with Season Three. And I'm a total fan. I'm not even ashamed.

There are five basic stages to becoming a fan of this show.

Stage One: Hmmm. This is kind of fun. But really dopey too.
Stage Two: Sokka is so funny!!!! And Katar is super cool. And Aang is really cute! And tough! These characters make me very happy. I think I even like Toph!
Stage Three: AAAAAAAAAH. What?? Why the cliffhangers??? I hate villains!! WHO NEEDS SLEEP? Sleep is for the weak!!
Stage Four: ZUUUUUKOOOOOOOO
Stage Five: WATER. EARTH. FIRE. AIR. *sings along to the theme*

This show is actually quite good. Is it dopey? Yes. Is it silly? Yes. Don't get me wrong. Avatar: TLA is definitely a kids show. It can be really silly and ridiculous. The animation is horrible. But if you are looking for comic relief, goofy story-telling, good characters, and a fun, interesting premises, Avatar is a good show to watch. The episodes are only like, fifteen to twenty minutes long, so it's really easy to binge on them.  Plus, there is some surprisingly good character development that goes on. (Zuuuuukoooooo)

Thing Two:

I'm sure you have all heard about Hamilton by now. It seems like it's the biggest thing since Les Miserables. I've held a lot of prejudice against this musical because A.) It's Rap and B.) It's the Founding Fathers. I have a problem with the Founding Fathers being turned black, especially George Washington. This isn't racism. This is historical fact. They were white. I also have a problem with the Founding Father's singing rap. And dancing to the rap. It seems a little ... disrespectful? However, I finally decided to give it a go. I shouldn't judge something until I know more about it, right? I sat down with a couple of my sisters and listened to the whole thing.

A Rap Musical

I didn't hate it.

But I don't know if I liked it. The music is very catchy. It's easy to sing along to, even the first time around, and after you listen to it once, you have all these lines from different songs that play in your head. The characters were fine. George Washington as a character was fine. I liked a lot of his lines, and how he put Hamilton in his place. He was fairly close to historically accurate, at least as close as you can get with a modern twist and rap involved. The story itself was also fairly accurate... again, as accurate as you can be with rap.

There were some songs I really liked. There were some lines that were pretty cool. For instance, there is one point where Hamilton says "I am just like my country, I'm young scrappy and hungry, and I'm not throwing away my shot!" I like that line a lot. It stuck with me fast.

I don't think I like the rap angle. The rhythm wasn't bad, the lyrics weren't bad, the characters and songs weren't bad. It was a decent sort of musical to listen to and I think if it had been anything but the Founding Father's, I would have been like - "Yaaay, Hamilton!" As it is I'm more like - "Hmmmm. Hamilton." I did enjoy listening to it. If you can get past the rap (which I'm not wild about anyway) the modern language, the mis-representation of the Founding Father's, and the fact that Hamilton is not that great of a person, it is fun. Aside from some awkward duologue/scenes, and language, it's also pretty clean. Sometimes you hear something and you're like "Well, that was inappropriate." But I don't think you actually see anything dirty. Maybe I'll even watch it at some point, but it will be a bit before I try that. I've seen gifs, and I don't like the dancing, or how the actors portray some things. (Did Washington just high-five Hamilton? What? ... What are they doing, the twist? No. Why?? Uh oh. Here's comes the swagger... no. Please.... Uhm, what is with Philip? Perve.) I think I will probably listen to it again, mostly because it's annoying to only know a handful of lyrics; but also because it is very catchy and it makes you want to listen to it more than once. I still maintain it was a bad call to turn historical men black just to show the America dream of everyone being equal. It's like turning Fredrick Douglas white. I don't think blacks would be very happy about that.


Thing Three:

I did find another musical though, and this one I really like. It's called The Light on the Piazza. It's about an Italian boy falling in love with a cute American tourist. It's super sweet. It has a good message about love being difficult but worth fighting for, and how important family is. It shows that everyone has flaws and you should never underestimate people just because they're different. The music is beautiful and the singers are amazing. Oh, and you get to hear Matthew Morrison sing in Italian!! What could be better?

Clara and Fabrizzio

As usual, I listened to the Original Cast first and it is pretty fabulous. Kelly O'hara has a beautiful voice. Her notes makes me happy. When she and Matthew Morrison sing together lovely things happen. They blend so well! Their love is precious. It's simple and innocent, and even though they fall for each other fast it doesn't seem silly. They get to know each other and their relationships develops in a gentle, natural way. I really liked how their love story saved other people's love also. It's like they inspired their families to not give up on marriage and that was a nice touch. And I love that after Clara meets Fabrizio she gets instructed in Catholicism, cause that makes the Catholic in me squeal. The Light on the Piazza is something all musical geeks should listen to it. It's beautiful, clean, classical, it sends a good message.... the only thing wrong with it is that in the first Act there is a kiss that goes a little too far. Like, it could become a scene if someone didn't walk in. Completely unnecessary. But other than that, it is fantastic!!!

Thing Four: 

I'm almost done with the Inkworld trilogy. That series is goooood. 8-D I think my favorite book will probably be Inkspell, but Inkdeath has been really well done too. I'm sort of afraid to finish it. I'm afraid of the ending.

DON'T KILL THE ANYONE. PLEASE.

The Last Thing: 

Before I sign off, I have a sort of announcement. My idea of Writers Camp seems to have attracted a lot of people. If I can get at least five other writers to officially sign on with this idea, I'm going to make it happen. It will probably start the first week in August sometime. I'm not sure how long it will last. Maybe a couple weeks? We can be super flexible with time and activities.  Basically, we're just going to take time and explore different writing styles and ideas, share some of our favorite authors and stories, discuss things that no one writes about even though they SHOULD be written about, and share ideas with motivation, the importance of writing, and how to get inspiration. There is plenty of time to juggle ideas, as well as which topics are Very Important and should be covered.

If you think Writers Camp is for you, leave a comment and tell me if you're officially in! Feel free to share this idea with other writers you know. The more the merrier.

Peace out y'all!!! God Bless!!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

Should Writers Camp be a Thing?

I have some things I want to talk to all ye all about, but since it is sort of late tonight, I decided just to cover an Important Thing right now.  Hopefully I'll do a longer post tomorrow! 8-)

writing gif

You know how I know I'm a writer? 

We recently watched Goosbumps. I liked it, it was funny, but there was this one bit at the end where the Writer has to write a whole book in on night in order to save the day. At first this didn't seem too preposterous. One night might be a reasonable amount of time.

Then suddenly he had to write the whole book on a typewriter in like, an hour.

Let me remind you. This is a movie about a writer making character so real that they climb out of the book the second it opens. But I wasn't bothered by this idea. I wasn't even bothered by the idea that his daughter (SPOILER!!!!!!!!!!!) Was in fact fictional. (END SPOILER!) My big thing was that the Write wrote a whole book in 60 minutes or less. On a typerwriter! And he wasn't typing quickly either. Not possible guys! Not possible!!!

Jess (my cute sister-in-law) was found this incredibly funny. She kept teasing me about it for the rest of the night.

"Monsters on the streets is okay, but a book in an hour isn't?"
"NO!"

This is how I know I am a writer. This is how I know.

However, writing has been hard lately. Really hard. For this reason, I have decided to pitch Writers Camp!

A couple blog posts ago, I mentioned Writers Camp, and a lot of people seemed to be interested. If I were to really do such a camp, what exactly would you all like it to be about? I have started writing up some rules and ideas, but I am open to suggestions. How long should it go on? Who will join? What are some themes we should explore? What are some good things to do? Any thoughts?

Depending on how big this actually gets, I might host the actual Camp on my side blog. It just depends on how much everyone wants to do.

So, writers!; Want to write?

Give me your feedback! If we want to make this a thing, let's make it a THING!!!!! 8-D

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

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

Platonic Love; what it is, and why I think it's so important.

Pla·ton·ic pləˈtänik/ adjective (of love or friendship) intimate and affectionate but not sexual.

"Clara is my friend."

So, I have noticed a lot of fandoms using "Platonic" as a way to describe relationships that do not involve romance/sex. I looked it up on google, and the definition above is what I found. I did a little bit of research, and it seems that in it's original form I think Plantonic Love meant that it was a type of love not only driven by sex. It didn't completely exclude sex, but it put the sexual side of the relationship on the back burner. It is true, however, that it was mostly used to describe friendships and relationships that didn't involve being in love. In our day and age, this is what platonic love is used to describe, and it is the most popular definition.

Platonic Love is important.

friends

Why am I posting about this? Because right now the world is turning it's back on purely friendly love.

I think this is super sad.

Let me explain.

In Greek, there are four different words for love.

1. Philio - companionable love.

2.) Agape - is called out of one's heart by the preciousness of the object loved. It is unconditional love. (This is often used when referring to love between God and His creatures.)

3.) Storge: A natural affection or obligation.

4.) Eros - The love of Passion. (Also known as sexual love.)

In this society Eros has become the only type of love two people are allowed to experience with each other. Eros is the only type of love that really matters. It is the only definition love has anymore. If you aren't in Eros your relationship doesn't hold weight or meaning.

Philio on the other hand.... Philio has been cast aside as something that isn't as important, as strong, or as wonderful as Eros.

Brothers

Let me explain to you a thing. PHILIO IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS EROS. IN FACT RIGHT NOW IT IS MORE IMPORTANT.

I don't know how the majority of people are today. I don't know if most people just don't have friends anymore, or don't understand what it is to have a friend, a best friend, someone who is always there for you, someone you can count on for anything. I don't have a giant number of friends, but I do have a handful of people that I consider to be my best friends and my family, and I feel so blessed that I have them.  Best Friends are amazing. They do crazy things with you. They are goofy and insane and awesome. They're always there when you really need them, and even if you are miles away, even if you don't see each other for months, you know you're always going to be there for each other.

I love my friends. I love Jim, my amazing writer buddy who has done so much for me, and is there to help even if she's had a rough day. I love Sammi, who will literally drive a whole hour to my new place just to stay the night with me. I love Gavin, who has become like a brother to me and my family, and is the sweetest, most gentle guy you could meet. I love all of my sisters, and my amazing, goofy big brother. I love my friends and family. I tell them this as often as I can, whenever I can, however I can. We are all super emotional and affectionate, and we aren't afraid to show that we love each other, and care for each other. We hug. We squeeze hands. We crowd together on the big family couch. We bicker and argue and poke fun. We can drive each other crazy, but we know that no matter what, we are here for each other, and that is an amazing, beautiful thing. There is very little I wouldn't do if it meant helping the people I love.

Why do I love friendship stories? Because they echo what I have. Because they show me that you can get through practically anything if you just have someone there for you. Because when someone touches your soul it is incredible, and if that person is special enough to decide you are going to be their friend, and they are going to face fire for you because they love you enough to do it, then that is something to be cherished. Friendships are important and beautiful and they need to be protected at all costs.

Why do I feel like I (and others like me) need to write about friendships and families?

Because those stories are dying. Everywhere you look, everywhere you go, there is nothing but Eros. You can't have a simple friendship, or even a companionship anymore. If a person is willing to die for their friend, there is more going on. If a person is willing to sacrifice their career for their friend, there is subtext. If friends support each other through rough times, There is so much subtext and sexual tension!!!!! Heck, if two people look at each other longer than three seconds they are obvious IN LOVE and need to be a couple right now, immediately.

"Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both school yard and battle field."

Bucky and Steve are a classic example of Philia. They are best friends who would literally die to save each other. Best friends who have gone to hell and back together. Best friends that people insist must have a romantic pull because why else would Steve be able to break through all the brainwashing Bucky had gone through? Why else would Bucky "Follow [that little kid from Brooklyn] into the jaws of death"? Why else would Steve cry when he thought Bucky was dead? Why else would Bucky risk his life, and get his arm blown off to save Steve? Obviously they are IN LOVE. It's Eros.

No guys. It's Philia. Yeah. Bucky loves Steve, and Steve loves Bucky, but it isn't romantic. It's a friendship, it's a bond. This is what happens when you face the world together and somehow come through it. This is what happens when most of your best moments are formed with someone you care about. This is what happens when a person sees you at your best and your worst and doesn't give up on you. This is what happens when a person fights for you and cares for you. This is Philia. This is the simple, innocent and pure love that comes from being there for each other, sharing secrets, sharing suffering, holding on to each other with both hands. This is love in it's finest form. Love isn't always Eros! It doesn't have to be Eros! IT IS VERY OFTEN TIMES PHILIA! But for some reason, our world today is determined to slant everything toward sex and romance, and so they disregard the strength of friendship, and the loyalty that exists between friends, and write it off all sorts of love, caring, and devotion as romantic.

Sherlock and John are another friendship that gets knocked into the ground and made to be something more, because why else would Sherlock fake his own death and ruin his reputation for John? Why would John care so much that Sherlock was gone, and cry at his grave? Obviously they are in love.

No one will ever convince me that you told me a lie.

A large group of fans (and people) seem to think that the only way a relationship works if it is a Love Story. They will ship almost anything they can get their hands on, and they ship it very romantically; Merlin and Arthur, Sam and Dean, Steve Rogers and Bucky, Harry and Hermione, Rick and Daryl, Sam and Frodo, Nick and Monroe, Danno and Steve, Malia and Lydia, Tony and Rhodey,  Benny and Dean, Clara and The Doctor, Shawn and Gus, Juliette and Rosalee, Aragorn and Legolas, Legolas and Gimli, Natasha and Steve Rogers, John and Sherlock, Eleven and Amy, heck, even Dean and Cas! (I don't like their friendship, but that is still all it is. A friendship.) These are only a few of the friendships that fans have turned into a romance for no freaking reason. It's like, if someone is willing to go through crap with another person, if they care about them, if they are happy and at ease around them, and enjoys having fun with them, obviously they are in love.

That is so wrong! No guys. They aren't.

"I know, Shawn. You love me. You love me like two guys can
 love each other and still have wives and kids and connecting pools."

Let me explain to you a THING.

Friendship is just as important as romance. Friendship is just as strong as romance. The love that exists between two friends is something you honestly can't find anywhere else, and it is so, so precious. I don't know why there is this vast group in every fandom ( I call it the Tumblr Group) that insists there is more going on and some sexual crap being hinted at. Oh my gosh, did they encourage each other to keep fighting? Oh my gosh, did they hug? Oh My Gosh, did they brush shoulders?? Oh my gosh, did they actually sit next to each other?? #whatispersonalspace #otpforlife

These sorts of fans have sort of leaked into everything, including books. It's seriously annoying. Like... Guys. Farid and Dustfinger? Farid and Dustfinger???? Why?? They're friends, they're like father and son more than anything else. They sort of have an older brother/little brother relationship, and it's really cute! Why would you ship them? I don't think most fans do, but there is still that group! This society is so freaking obnoxious! I will say however, that I can kind of deal with it when it's just fans being weird. At least I can tell myself they are reading the story wrong and they are just too obsessed with romance to see anything else. I can't handle it when the writers betray me and actually make the obviously just friends canonically romantic. (I'm looking at you, Megan Stiefvader)

Caring about someone, loving someone, does not equal a romance!

Take Harry and Hermione for instance. I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan, but I enjoy the movies enough that it really bothers me when people ship Harry/Hermione. I only read five of the books, but even so I still never saw for a second that they might be romantic. They were brother and sister and it was sweet and adorable, and I loved it. (I also ignore everything JK Rowling says on the subject because she is just ridiculous at this point. She wrote her story in a certain way. It's annoying that she wants to change it through twitter.) I especially liked how Harry and Hermione's friendship and dynamic was brought to life in the movies. It was so clear that they were as close as siblings, that they were family, best friends, and I really appreciated that.

I loved this dance scene 8-)

Why is it that everything has to be so strongly romantic in society today? I believe it's because people have forgotten what love actually means. It's hard in English, because unlike Greek, English only has one word to describe love. You don't get Philia, Agape, Storge and Eros. You get love, love, love, and love.

Our society has forgotten that love means loyalty. Love means "I will be there for you, no matter what." Love means, 'I won't give up on you.' Love means, 'I'm with you 'till the end of the line.' Love means 'I will sacrifice my time and my own needs for you.' Love means, 'I will take care of you when no one else will.' Love means you value someone else's life enough to risk your own. Love means you are brave enough to value life... even a life that perhaps seems unworthy. 

"I love you." - "I love you, buddy."

Steve and Danny were like a breath of fresh wind. Like Gus and Shawn, they are not at all ashamed to show they love each other, but at the same time they like totally normal best friends. They bicker constantly. They poke fun at each other. They tease each other. They disagree on a lot of things. But a the end of the day, they are still best friend. They would face fire together and they aren't afraid to show it. They aren't afraid to affection, even at the risk of being mistaken for a couple. They're just like, "Yeah, we're best friends, and your dirty minds can think what they want, but that is all that's happening here." They call each other "Babe" they say, "I love you," they hug, they share beers, they tease each other non-stop, they call each other all sorts of names, jerk, control-freak, paranoid and idiot to name a few.  They are even roommates for a little bit, and if either of them ever need a place to crash, they know their friend's house is open to them.

Isn't that the sweetest thing ever?

Why don't people like friendships? Why don't people like brotherly bonding? Why don't people like brothers and sisters existing outside the blood ties? What is wrong with love that isn't Eros? Why is love without a sexual or romantic pull any less important or amazing than being IN LOVE?

I honestly don't understand. I think our world could use some good old fashion friendships stories. Even if people still see them wrong, even if they still ship them, at least there will be a few of us still holding on to the understanding that you can love someone without being being in love with them. You can follow someone through hell without being in a romance. You can love each other more than anything, and still be just friends. (This way readers like us will also have good stories too, which is a bonus.)

This is important!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We must use all the exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, just so you know, I am not trying to hate on romantic love. I think romantic love is very important too. That is another thing society is trying to crush; the strength of being in love; The strength of a marriage. Society has this twisted idea that if you fight a few times, if you have big, bad fights, if you have one, maybe three or even five years of hard times, you should give up on your marriage even if it means walking away from the person who made you see stars where there weren't any. It's sad. Because if those couples would just persevere through the hard times, they would see their love grow stronger and better. (This might become another blog post, because this subject is highly important also.) True Love and Marriage needs to be saved, just as much as friendship does.

Clint and Laura

For example; Clint and Laura are the only recent couple I can think of (in cinema and popular stories in general) that really brought to the table what it is to have a good marriage - complete with children, a home, and a deep, emotionally romantic friendship. (Like... Laura being pregnant made my day.)

Clint's kids were the cutest 8-)

If you are a writer like me who values friendship, if you are like me and value platonic love, if you value morals and good old fashion decency, please put your pen to some paper and use write to death!!! Write friendship stories to shake society. Write brother stories to shock the fandom. Write brother/sister/sisters stories as a way of saying, "No, you can love without being in love!" Write father/daughter stories, Father/Son stories, Mother/Daughter, Mother/Son stories. Write Mommies and Daddies who don't get divorced,  but fight for their marriage. Write family stories, because right now that is what the world has forgotten about, that is what the world is trying to kill. We need to save it!!

WHAT LILO AND STITCH SAID!

This is my message to writers at large! If you be like me.... write! Write until your wrists cramp and your fingers are sore. Write, write, write, never stop writing.

I was actually thinking of doing a writers camp for people like me, conservatives who love platonic love and actually remember that there should be morality involved in life choices.

What are you thoughts?

*Swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

Dreaming is in my nature.

I randomly decided to change my blog layout again. This probably won't last, and I'll probably do some more tweaking, but I love wishing flowers so I thought, what the heck?

I felt creative. I needed to move something around. My blog didn't seem to be quite me.

Why this particular layout, you might ask?

Well, For the past few weeks I have been itching to do something different. Not just wanting, but needing. I realized that those of us living today have been dealt a pretty poor hand. The world is in bad shape, but I think if we can all be strong for just a little while, things might be okay. Maybe they won't ever be perfect. I hardly expect them to be. But we can make moments that will at least be happy ones, ones to hang on to. This blog was started so that I could have a happy place to explore my dreams, and that is what I want to get back to.

For me the idea of a weed that is also a wish is a giant source of comfort, like a lost cause that can be turned into a great gain, or a failure that can be turned into success. I especially love that the Wishing Flower doesn't really have a name. It's just that flower you make a wish on. It's a type of dandelion, but does it have it's own name? No. It's that flower you make a wish on, and that's about as specific as you can get. I love the Wishing Flower. I think it looks like magic on a stem.

There is a famous saying; Always follow your dreams.

I decided to put an emphasis on the fact that dreams is actually plural, which means you don't have to have just one dream.

This is amazing news, since I am the queen of Too Many Dreams to Accomplish.

I decided to do a tag, one I created. I'm not going to tag anyone else. If you want to you can do this, but you don't have to. It's mostly for me.

1. 
   

Rules:

Answer the Questions.
List some of your dreams.
Mention three things that inspire you.
List ways that other people might be encouraged.
Post one song that helps you feel happy.

Questions:

What is one thing you wish could be different in your life or situation right now?

I am actually pretty happy right now.  know it's crazy, but I am, in fact, pretty okay.

What is one thing you wish you could change?

Uhm... I wish I could be closer to all my friends and family, like, maybe a coffee shop away.

Is there anything that you've always wanted to do but haven't because you're too scared?

Yes. I want to do storytelling, but it freaks me out. I have this accent and it make me R's sound funny. In fact, my whole voice has a strange sort of tint to it. So I'm sort of scared to talk like that in public.

What is one thing you wish you could experience?

A Broadway Show live.  Also, a Mass for the soldiers in WW2.

Is there anything you want to experiment with right now? (Style, looks, living arrangement, goals, etc.)

Yes! I have been thinking about getting my hair cut. *Cue wailing and aggressive fears.* I want to see if there is other things I can do with my whole look in general, because I feel like I need a change. You know?

What is one thing you can see yourself going after long-term?

Story time for little kids. Complete with costumes and funny voices.

List of Dreams:

Dream One: Do some stage acting. Even if it's just as a hobby. I want to act. It makes me happy. I would like to pursue musical theatre as my main outlet, but Shakespear and other stuff is also a yes.

Dream Two: Write multiple books with friendship stories. Emphasis on friendship. This I feel is an obligation as well as a dream, because the world is turning it's back on platonic love, and platonic love is the best.

Dream Three: Learn to write short stories for kids so I can have story times with little' ones.  Like, I want a "Bella's Story Time" complete with fun costumes and stuff. And I want to read all the stories I grew up on as a kid, because those stories shouldn't DIE OUT. This dream also links with the Story Teller Dream.

Dream Four: Be a Storyteller. No books. No script. Just tell a story, like a bard. This is a dying art and it needs to be saved. I don't know if I'm gifted enough, but if I am I'd like to help save it.

Dream Five: Learn to freaking dance.

Dream Six:  Go to Italy, especially Rome, and visit all the old chapels and Historical Catholic landmarks.

Dream Seven: Go to Germany and try their chocolate.

Dream Eight: To maybe have some sort of "Daycare" of something, where kids who can't go home after school can hang out and have fun.

Three things that inspire me.

First:  Olan Roger. I know this seems funny, but Olan Rogers has been a huge inspiration to me lately. He is an incredibly gifted man with a ton of potential, and he is making his dreams come true. He gives me hope that, as dorky as I am, I can accomplish some of mine too.

Second: My friends and family, who have always been very encouraging when it comes to what I want.

Third: Music. Music inspires me more than anything else.  It can help me get almost anything done.

To anyone out there, I'd like to say a few words of encouragement. I know how freaking hard it is to live in this world. Trust me, I'm am learning more and more every day that to live in this world is a heavy burden. You have to fight for everything. Nothing is easy, and there are going to be a lot of barriers in your way. What I would like from all of you dreamers out there is to hold onto your dreams WITH BOTH HANDS, and never, never let go. It is easy to give up on dreams in our society. The whole world demands that you be yourself, and "Let your inner star shine!" but when you try to obey, you find there are lots of, "But not like that," and, "No, you have to do this another way," and, "Change your beliefs, you stubborn person!" It isn't easy to be yourself in our world. That is why it is so important to be strong and be yourself in spades.

Read books that make you feel brave. Listen to songs/music that make you feel better about life in genereal. (I strongly recommend Il Vollo, and the Script.) Read about people that inspire you. Watch movies and shows that will encourage you to be the best version of yourself. Make a list of "Things to do," and just go after them. Remember that you don't have to be a huge success. You don't have to be center stage. You don't have to be the next big thing. What you do can be on the side, even a hobby, but at least you are doing it. Just do what makes you happy, and don't care how much money you make or how successful you are. Just be happy. No matter what happens in life, do what makes you happy and let the chips fall where they may. There is so little we have control of in this world. The fact that we can control our outlook, we can control what we do and how we do it, is a very comforting thing. We can help ourselves in little ways, whether with writing, art, music, careers, or new homes.

Remember that with God's help, all things are possible.

I will leave you with a song that seems to echo this subject well.

Some call dreamers mad. Others say dreamers are useless, that they imagine their life away. I believe that dreamers, real dreamers, Dreamers that believe with their whole heart and soul, are something rare and special, something to be protected. True Dreamers are magicians. Dreamers are people mad enough to try. Dreamers are optimists. Dreamers hold on to hope. Dreamers never give up.

I am a dreamer. Are there any who will dream with me?

Peace out y'all!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella