An Incomprehensible News Flash

In case you're wondering about the title: this post is a news flash insofar as I'm telling you lots of news and incomprehensible insofar as every paragraph was written too late at night and transitions are quick and random.

I love waltzing. And not only because of the whole getting into the semifinals the other dance. That's not the ONLY reason. From a practical point of view it may be because after about twenty fast-paced swing dances it's a nice breather. From a social point of view it may be because it's one of the few dances that you have the breath to talk to your friends. From a more truthful point of view it may be because almost all waltz music is schmaltzy (as my piano teacher would put it). Aka so wonderfully sappy and corny that it makes you feel like you're in a Disney movie. 

This seemingly random topic is, in fact, not as random as you might think. This Saturday my friends are hosting a dance for which I am arranging music. This is the second or third time I've been through this, but it is the first time that I've actually enjoyed myself listening to five hundred jazz songs that sound exactly the same. I've found some really great music that'll be amazing to dance to. In the past I've been able to find a few bands that play average swing music, but this time around I've been extremely picky and eliminated over half of the playlists. So we're getting nothing but the best. 

It's been quite a while since I've had time to post, in case you haven't noticed. That doesn't mean I haven't been writing, actually, I've been on a huge writing streak for the past week, but just proves that school was invented by the devil. Okay, that may have been a small exaggeration, but not far from the truth. I understand needing to know stuff, so as to be able to survive in that big bad world, but when it gets to the point where it takes up every waking minute of your existence something's wrong. I need to figure out a new method. Getting up early is detracting from my much needed beauty sleep.

One of the few distractions I can manage to snatch from my homework filled life is swim team. It's really great to be able to get away from the monotony of life and just chill for an hour and a half. The only draw back is that, until the last month or so, I haven't been to swim for almost four straight months. Now, I've never been an exceptionally fast swimmer, but that really tipped the scales. It's been a slow climb, but I'm starting to get back into the swing of things.

I started a writing prompt yesterday that I might post. I'm still not sure how it'll turn out. We shall see...

One funny thing I've been noticing about my writing is that my "voice" changes almost every time I sit down. I always knew I was a mood writer, but never fully understood the whole of my condition. It's really a pain because I'm sorta kinda a major procrastinator, and so when I start writing something I hardly ever finish it. Sometimes I'm in the mood to go back and finish it, but my attempts are often to no avail because I've already switched writing moods. It's really hard to follow a depressing, morose story when all of a sudden it's written in a flippant snarky manner. And, trust me, it's hard to write.

That's pretty much my life in a nutshell. But have you ever noticed the complexity of a nutshell? There's more to it than meets the eye.

Okay. I'm getting off now. That means you can stop reading now and go do something productive with your life. Write a book. Compose a masterpiece. Make a sandcastle.

The All Important Debate

I'm here with our USA olympic debate team as they warm up for their imminent competition. Located in Abby's own living room, this looks like it'll be a hot one. Let's see how she's doing.

Are you nervous, Abby?

Definitely. 

Excited?

Yes. I'm confident in my team, so I think we have a fair chance.

I know that the topic is on King Richard III's alleged murder of his two nephews. Which side will you and your team be taking?

My team and I are on the Pro Richard side. We've been researching for the past few weeks and have come up with some pretty great evidence for his innocence.

Thank you very much, Abby. Good luck in your competition! Stay tuned to see the thrilling debate happening TODAY 8:15 PT on Fangirls and Fiction TV. I'm Jean Elliot, thank you for watching.

*An hour later*

That was a pretty tense discussion! I, for one, am totally convinced that Richard was guiltless. What did you think of your overall performance?

I hate to admit it, but I was disappointed by my team's involvement. It was a fast paced debate, but that's exactly what my team and I train for: thinking on our feet. I would have liked it if more of my teammates had contributed. Three out of ten really isn't a good number to be adding to the discussion. Still, I think we held our ground quite nicely. I'm anxious to hear the results next week.

Thank you so much, Abby. It was great meeting you. Make sure to listen for the results NEXT WEEK on Fangirls and Fiction TV! I'm Jean Elliot, thank you for watching.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I must say, Valentine's day is one of our most fickle holidays. It's all about face. I mean, sure, it's great to love everyone and to show that love, but you should be doing that EVERY day, not just once a year. Give me chocolate everyday!

Now that I got that over with I'm going to talk about something totally unrelated. I just finished the Book Thief, and it may just be my favorite book in the entire world. I don't know how to describe it. I want to talk about it, but I could never say enough. Markus Zusak's writing is amazing. He paints pictures for in your mind and makes you think like the characters. His imagery is exquisate. A truly beautiful style.

This really isn't what I want to tell you about. I almost didn't start this for fear I'd go off on a tangent like this and become too technical. But I'm also afraid of butchering the story, so, before I move along I'll give you a little blurb that I think fits very nicely with the book:
It went horribly right.
I may never recover from the emotional trauma in this book, but it really has been an amazing lesson in the beauty and tragedy of life.

*insert paragraph transitioning from one random topic to another*

Tonight I'm heading to the theater to see Monuments Men. I'm a little skeptical. Serious movies are not my forte, not to mention war movies. Especially WWII movies after finishing a book set in that era. We shall see...

Joe's playing the theme song for Up right now, and it matches my mood perfectly. Don't you just love it when that happens? When, out of the blue, something turns on and you can totally sympathize with it and really feel it? Music is so amazing.

This post is just getting curiouser and curiouser as I go on, which I think I'd better take as my queue to sign off. Happy Valentine's day, and eat lots of chocolate!

If Only...

I've been in summer mode for the past few weeks. It stinks. I'm barely off of Christmas vacation, and already I'm waiting impatiently for summer. What's wrong with me? Well, the answer is simple: me. Me is wrong with me.

I'm such an over-organizer and a looker-ahead-er that, in order to get a head start, I began planning for a play that I wanted to direct this summer. Last year's was such a success that I couldn't wait to begin the next one. Well, this time I went a little over board, and, instead of arranging bits and pieces for the production, I went ahead and bought the book of plays, edited the script, and cast the characters. Now all we can do is wait till summer comes when we can start rehearsing.

I've never really been a patient person, but I really don't like the suspense to end. That is always half (if not 75%) of the experience. Now that all of the casting is done, there's no anticipation or anxiety. I suppose I'm happy about that last one, but I sorely miss the first.

I think I'll keep with the pattern, and begin this paragraph with some form of "I." But now that I've started it I can't think of anything to say...Now I do. I found a writing prompt that fits my play perfectly, so I shall leave you for now so as to give myself the opportunity to compose the article and be back soon(ish) to show you my masterpiece. Ta ta.

Arbitrarity

No, that is not a word. Yes, I am about to spew five minutes worth of words beginning with "A."

Words that Begin with the Letter "A"
1. My name.
2. Atrocious.
3. Annoying.
4. Allonsy!
5. Affect.
6. Apple.
7. Amazing.
8. Abrasive.
9. About.
10. Animals.
11. Abercrombie Adorable.
12. Angst.
13. Allow.
14. Across.
14. Adept.
15. Against.
16. Ahhhhhh.
17. Aid.
18. Abject.
19. Alas.
20. Amuse.
21. Anonymity.
22. Appoint.
23. Acquaint.
24. Arouse.
25. Arise.
26. Aside.
27. Assist.
28. Attain.
29. Audible.
30. Average.
31. Awesome.
32. Axe.
33. Aye aye.
34. Azguard.

That was a writing prompt, not just me bring really weird. But I wouldn't put it past me. The prompt told me to write a list of words beginning with "A" for five minutes. This is what I came up with.

I Miss Him

And I will continue to do so for two or three years. until Season 4 arrives. How can they do this to us???

As you may have guessed, I watched the last Sherlock episode last night, so if you value your unspoiled life skip this post. Monday night held the fateful showing of the last episode, and has closed a brief chapter of my life. What on earth will you do, now that it's all over? you ask. My answer: Wait for Season 4. Duh. But it'll take some patience. I'm not sure I'm going to make it, but at the same time I have no idea how I won't make it. I'm too young to die, and there aren't really any other possibilities...

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!

My opinion of the show can be summed up in a letter: M. That letter brought so many surprises, so I think it deserves a small mention. Mary, Molly, Mind Palaces, Mycroft, Magecin, Moriarty...

It's a horrible thing to admit, but I'm glad I haven't read the S.H. stories. I would totally over analyze the plots and then want to murder the world when my theories proved wrong. Plus, I love being surprised. For instance, I never, in my wildest dreams, saw the Mary plot twist. I've seen fandom theories aplenty (like the screen shot of Mary when Sherlock first meets her and one of the thousands of things he notices about her is that she's a liar) but I never gave any of it another moment's thought. Ohhhh! Poor John!

My favorite part was Molly position in Sherlock's Mind Palace. And Mike's, but we'd already seen him in the last episode. And Sherl had a dog! I don't know why that's to amazing, but it is!

And now for a brief interlude composed of entirely original toddler babble:
"Anne!" shrieks her little brother, "Don't be mean to Claire!"
"Don't worry, Thomas," says the victim in a soothing tone, "I might punch her."

Which brings me to the subject of villains. Magnecin. Can I be the first to say "yuck"? He was so gross. Josie, who was sitting next to me, whispered that he was an odious man, but I think that's putting it in a dazzlingly kind light. Vile seems to fit him more. Atrocious. Repulsive.

I must say, when Moriarty blasted his brains to oblivion I was (after the shock had worn off) disappointed. Sure, I hated him at the time, but I really wasn't ready for him to go. This guy, though? I wanted him dead about as much as everyone wants Umbridge to be kissed by a dementor. I was surprised when Sherlock committed murder to do it, though...

I just keep thinking of Moriarty's taunt.

Did you miss me? Did you miss me?

YES WE MISS YOU. HURRY UP AND COME BACK SO SHERLOCK CAN HAVE A PROPER SUPER-ARCH-ENEMY VILLAIN AGAIN.

Two years is 17,520 days too long to wait. I want it now.

35th Post!

I can't believe I've only been blogging for less than six months, and here I am at this momentous post. Let me just say, I wouldn't have made it here if it wasn't for all my faithful minions followers.

The main reason that I'm pointing out this milestone for my repertoire is that when I get around to any real achievements  (50, 100, 200 etc) I won't have the energy to type out 50 or 100 or 200 amazing things about me. And with that many items I might almost bore you. Heaven forbid.

So here we are. 35 random facts that may have been unnoticed.

1. I like to write.

2. Scratch that. I like to "inflict my opinions on the world."

3. I like oranges.

4. Violins are pretty much the pettiest sounding instruments in the world.

5. No, I did not find them as beautiful before watching Sherlock.

6. It's getting really dark in here and I'm too lazy to turn the lights on.

7. Hey. Who turned out the lights?

8. 97.235% of what I say is a Doctor Who quote.

9. I just remembered what I was planning on writing about last night.

10. Apparently I'm either unconsciously humble or just really boring, but I'm running out of trivial facts.

11. I go through words in spurts. Gnarly. Awesome. Beyond. Slantendicular. Like. Totally. Eeek.

12. I read have a scandalous amount of classics.

13. Aka hardly any.

14. I've tried to learn a British accent.

15. It didn't work.

16. I am exactly 5 feet tall and wouldn't have it any other way.

17. I have an absurd number of left handed friends.

18. I have an almost insatiable sweet tooth.

19. I really don't like spell check.

20. I've always secretly wanted to be diagnosed with cancer or something and die in a really dramatic (but preferably non-painful) way.

21. The main attraction in that morbid wish was that, from heaven, I'd be able to see all my friends crying at my funeral. 

22. Heights are not my forte.

23. I take it back. I'm not a fan of falling.

24. I take it back because I don't like rock climbing, and I didn't fall there.

25. Maybe that's because I was thinking about falling.

26. I over analyze some things and totally skim over others (usually the important facts).

27. I'm a slow reader.

28. I'm a wee bit competitive.

29. I'm surprised anyone plays anything with me.

30. Whenever I play games I'm always the kind of person I hate.

31. No one has ever guessed my middle name correctly.

32. It may have something to do with the fact that nobody's actually heard of the name.

33. I love shopping.

34. I'm getting my braces off by Easter.

35. This is the end of the list.

Have a happy Super Bowl Sunday and I hope that Broncos win because horses are cooler than hawks.