Safe and Sound, a Musical Post

Firstly: YAY!  I'm back!  I will post soon, explaining my rather extended absence from my blog.

Now that's taken care of, on to the music!

I have been obsessed with the song "Safe and Sound" by Taylor Swift, which features The Civil Wars (they're outstanding, by the way).  The song is featured on The Hunger Games soundtrack, for those of you interested.

Anyway, the song is beautiful.  Seriously.  The song is acoustic, with a little bit of drums near the end.  It's just...words are really hard to come by at this particular moment.  This could possibly be because my computer screen is just a tad blurry for reasons I will explain in just a minute.

After listening to the song, I looked up the lyrics and the song got even better.  The lyrics are beautiful and the song spoke to me in a way just a beautiful melody can't do.

Now, the reason my computer screen is blurry.  I couldn't help but think of my little sister Mikheala while listening to this beautiful song which promises safety.  And maybe I'm just being unnaturally weepy, but as the song played, my mind went back to the last time I spoke with my sister.  I think I even told her she'd be safe, she'd be okay.  And that's when the lines from the song really hit me:  "Just close your eyes, the sun is going down.  You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now.  Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound."  And I totally lost it.  Good thing none of my roommates are around to see me sob into the couch, haha.  It's crazy, but she'd be sixteen now.

I've added a link to the video.  For the love of beautiful music, go listen.

The New Year Post

Wow.  It's 2012.  It's surreal how 2011 is already the past.  Or am I the only one who finds it odd that it's January 2012?

Anyway, since just about everyone is doing this, I decided to go ahead and list a few of my New Year's Resolutions.  In times past, they've been more like New Month's Resolutions, but I'm determined to stick by them for this year.  So, here we go.

1) Be more healthy.  I'm going to be better about what I eat.

2) I'm going to reduce my caffeine intake, especially where energy drinks are concerned.  I will now pause for five minutes to give my mother time to finish her victory dance.  You good, Mom?  Good.

3) Be more involved in school.  Now, I'm already part of a club on campus (VGAME--Video Games Are My Entertainment), but this also means going to a play put on by students or a concert or Divine Comedy.

4) Tone down my procrastination.  If I could, I would probably major in it, but that would also mean I would NEVER graduate.

5) Spend more time with my family.  This may be a bit difficult as they live in another state, but my younger sister, Kira, lives in Cedar with her husband, which is, like, only 2 and 1/2 hours from me.  So, I can make more of an effort to at least drive down and see her.  Hopefully, I can do this about once a month.

6) Go for a jog, bike ride, SOMETHING!  Y'know, to be healthy and such.

7) Keep my house clean.  Spotless, even.  This is a very lofty goal because by the end of the day (I have two part-time jobs and I'm a full-time student) all I want to do is either a) weep, b) sleep, or c) do nothing.  Usually in that order.

8) So, a friend of mine challenged me (and quite a few other people) to go Vegetarian for a year and see how much our health improved.  I scoffed because chicken makes me happy.  But, in light of trying to go healthy, I'm going to accept her challenge, but tweak it.  I'm going to go Vegetarian for two months.  If by that time I don't want to kill myself or run immediately to Wendy's and pick up some spicy chicken nuggets, then I'll continue.

9) No more fast food.  Mainly because fast food can be gross (except for the aforementioned Wendy's spicy nuggets) and it's just not good for me.

10) No more eating out...except for special occasions.  I'm going to start cooking more.  Mainly because, well, I actually miss it.  Even if that means I have to make it then freeze it for later, it'll still be better for me in the long run.  And, y'know, my wallet will stop crying in the middle of the night when it thinks I can't hear it.

11) Be a little more outgoing.  Even if all I do is say hi to someone I don't know, it'll be an improvement.  Because social things terrify me.  Yup.

Here's to an amazing, happy, and healthy New Year!

10 Facts

So, I've seen this meme floating around out in the wilds of the interwebs and decided to give it a go.  And besides, what could be a more fascinating read than 10 facts about myself?  Nothing would be the correct answer.

1) I am a senior at university and will be graduating this coming April!
2) I have my dream job at my lovely library.
3) I'm addicted to books.  I will go a day without eating if it means I can buy a book.  I know.  I'm sick.  But the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.  The only obstacle to my recovery is that I never want to recover.
4) I have the best parents in the world.  Seriously.  THE. BEST.
5) I love to bake.  I love coming up with new and interesting cupcake concoctions.
6) I never leave my house without at least one book in my bag.
7) I have two jobs and I'm a full-time student.  I know.  I'm officially cracked.
8) I'm 5'8''.
9) I love to sing.  I will suddenly burst into song.  If you want to know what your life would be like if it was a musical, come hang around me.
10) I'm socially awkward.  I have no clue how to talk to people that I don't already know, which means I spend most of my time huddled in a corner...with a book.

What about you?  Any interesting tidbits?  The people would like to know.  And by people, I mean me.

It's been so long

Holy banana muffins, Batman!  It's been forever since I've posted anything.  I blame finals.  And my DS.  And the universe.  Because the universe is always and forever out to get me and make my life suck.

So, it's Christmas break on campus (yay!) but I'm stuck working.  Granted, I can be home with my parents and the rest of my family during the actual Christmas holiday, but then I have to work.  So, three days home then back to work.  Being a grown-up can blow.

Anyway, so I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping.  WOO!  I know, I totally left it till the VERY last minute.  I'll be able to get it all done.  Because I'm a superhero and we get things taken care of.

So, here're the people I'm still gifting for:

1) My awesome supervisor at the Library
2) My sister, Erika.
3) My sister-in-law, Kim.
4) My brother-in-law, Corbin.
5) My awesome library coworkers.
6) My best friends Ariel, Brit, Leah, and Morgaine, affectionately called Morgy-poo or Migraine.  Yep.  We're clever.

Aaaaand, that's it.  I have a pretty good idea what I'm doing for the library people (yay for baking and sweet things) but not so much for others (*koffCorbinkoff*).  I'm floundering, but I will persevere!!

Anyway.  That's all for now.  I promise I'll post again and soon!  And with pictures because pictures are great!  Until the time of more pictures, enjoy this picture of the Sleeping Beauty Castle all dolled up for Christmas (Disneylaaaaand!).

Book Thanksgiving---The Diamond Throne

I am thankful for The Diamond Throne by the great David Eddings.  Sparhawk, the main character in this book, was my first crush/love.  Seriously.  I loved him.  I remember the first time I read this book.  I was thirteen and my family had just moved.  I didn't know anyone.  I'm admitting it now, but I had no friends outside of the internet.  My last best friend told me never to call her again because she had found a new best friend.  I was depressed from leaving the city I had come to know.  I missed the kids I had nanny-ed for on a regular basis.  I was nervous about going back to school as my last experience with middle school left a lot to be desired (as in I was pulled out and home schooled because of bullying).  We had just about unpacked everything and my dad took me into the playroom and picked up a beat-up paperback from one of his numerous bookshelves and handed me the book.  He told me to read it, that it would cheer me up, that I would enjoy it.  I took his word for it, desperate for some sort of escape from my sucker of a life.

I devoured the book and fell in love with a fictional character, haha.

The Diamond Throne is one of the only books (series, really, because it's the first in a trilogy which leads into a second trilogy) that I re-read constantly.  I usually pick up this book when I'm feeling low, so if you see this book lying around my house, you can pretty accurately guess my mood.

Anyway.

I love this book.  I love the characters.  I love the interplay between the characters, how they grow, how they suck you into their world.  The first time I read this book, I finished it in a day.  It was summer, so I had nothing else really pressing going on.  Other than moping like a moody teenager.  This book saved me. 

I am thankful for this book and for my dad's understanding.  My mum once told me that I was scarily like my dad.  I took it as a compliment.

So, click off the internet and go read this book.  Believe me.  It's worth the time spent off the interwebs and TV.

Good news

Haha, that title makes me chuckle.  If you've seen Futurama, then you'll understand.

Moving on to my EPICALLY FANTASTICALLY AMAZING GOOD NEWS!

First, I got a job at my favorite Library!  That's right.  My dream is coming true.  And it's awesome.  I love my job!  I get a little giddy every time I drive to work.  It's the best during events.  Things are crazy busy and time just flies!  There's actually an event coming up in two weeks.  Christopher Paolini, author of the Eragon series, is going to be at the library.  That's right.  Be excited.

And.  I'm dressing up for the event.  Yay costumes!  I'm going to be Arya the Elf.  I'm going to be dressed in medieval finery.  I'll probably also be carrying around some sort of pointy and dangerous object, like a sword.

Anyway.  That's good news part one.

Good news part two: I'M OFFICIALLY GRADUATING IN APRIL 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holy CRAP, I can't describe how excited I am.  No more finals, midterms, or silly projects...at least until I get into my Master's program.  Sigh.  But that program will be awesome.  Gonna get my MLS at (hopefully) the San Jose State University.  I'm hoping and praying they accept me.  The two biggest reasons: they're one of the best programs and were recommended to me by quite a few librarians AND I wouldn't have to take the GRE.  Woohoo!

Okay.  That's all for now.  I'll be posting some pictures of events and such later.

Oh.  And the downer of my week: I'm not in Orlando at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with my best friend Brit.

Giveaway

So, remember that giveaway that I mentioned about a month back?  You remember, right?  Well, I have something pretty awesome to add to it!  Be excited.

I'm giving away a signed copy of Matched by the fabulous Ally Condie.  Seriously, she's one of the sweetest people I've ever met.  Here's the synopsis, courtesy of Barnes and Noble.

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Interesting, no?  It's an excellent book and an excellent addition to my growing giveaway.  And, because I'm pretty sure I have some international followers (woohoo!), this giveaway will be open internationally. 

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