Well, dear blog readers, I've done it! Minus one day, (which really shouldn't count because family was visiting and you're supposed to put your entire life on hold when family comes) I have managed to write something (some of it not very worth while) every day in august.
I'm more proud of myself than I ought to be, probably, but this is the first time in a while that I have actually done something I said I was going to do!
It should be noted that the last time I said I was going to do something that wasn't absolutely essential for a grade in school, I had to stay up until five o'clock in the morning to finish it. Once it was finished, I sent it out to everyone and their mother practically begging for feed back. Yes, in case you are wondering, I am that insecure.
And, in case the six of you are worried, no. I won't ask you to post a rating of my blogging capabilities on a scale from one to ten in the comments. I won't even ask for comments. How's that for being a mature, secure, worthwhile human being?
I've found myself doing a lot of soul searching and considering where my life is going this month. I've thought a lot about who I am as a person, what I beleive in and what I want to do with the rest of my life. I'm not sure if that has to do with blogging or if it's just where I am in my life right now.
Either way, blogging my one month journey probably helped me get there. Which means the six (or more, or less...depending) of you helped me get there. So...yeah. Thanks for that.
I want to try to continue to blog at least once a week. Let's make it a nice, medium day like Wednesday. Yes, every Wednesday I will post a new blog. (But not this Wednesday because that's tomorrow. And, I sort of want to take a day off now that I can).
So, the Wednesday after next I will regaile you with more of my goofy mis-adventures, rants, sentimental moments and horrible spelling mistakes.
Until next time!
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Monday 30 August 2010
BEDA Fail and Life in the Capitol
So... I didn't post a blog yesterday. Which means I kind of failed at the whole 'blog everyday in August' thingy.
Honestly, it's easy to say "oh, of course I can blog everyday in August. How hard can it be?". But then, inevitably, you come home tired from work, or you go to a water park or the pool, or your sister comes to stay so you're out late doing vacationy things, or (in my case), a combination of all of these occurs.
Vacationy things can really wipe you out. Going to Schlieterbann on Saturday was, in and of itself, exhausting. However we also went to a party with some of my Dad's friends and then out to eat. All of it was more than either Sarah and I could take, beleive it or not.
Which brings me to my next point (sort of...not really...but I needed a segue). See, Sarah gave me this book called "Set-Apart" it's talking about Women being set apart for God and sort of turning our backs on the things of this world. While it's a little radical, it has made me think about the things we're bombarded with, particularly in the United States.
We (I probably more than anyone), sit for hours in front of the television and the computer (as much as I love it), we have more than enough to eat and then complain when we put on weight. We are obsessed with fashion and celebrity and spend thousands of dollars on making ourselves look and feel better. Sexual obsession is looked upon as healthy and neccesarry (especially for men) and peoples individual and private dramas are splashed across the television as entertainment.
There is a society similar to this featured in the other book I'm reading The Hunger Games. In this strange city people are obesessed with surgically altering themselves, wear new outlandish fashions every week, indulge in rich, decadent food and watch children fight and die on television for profit and entertainment.
It's amazing how easily we could become exactly like the citizens in The Capitol. Indeed, we're half way there all ready. I'm as much, if not more to blame in this than anyone else, I spend so much time talking and thinking about myself and I hardly give a thought to others who don't have the luxuries that I take for granted.
More than that, I don't even take the time to thank God for the innumerable and amazing blessings I have. Instead I complain to him about my body or my living situation or my lack of money. Silly, insignificant tidbits, really.
So, now, I will make another vow. Along with my vow of 'No more pitty parties' I also make a vow to take an hour everyday to spend alone with God in order to thank him for all I have. I'll also make a vow to do at least one thing for one other person with no personal agenda everyday.
Like blogging it won't be easy and I'm absolutely certain I won't want to do it everyday, but it's something I'll just have to do.
I also feel like I really need to look more into the peac corps. So, I'll probably be doing that too.
Well, with that helpful thought, I bid you good night my dear blog reading sextet.
Only one more day to go!
Honestly, it's easy to say "oh, of course I can blog everyday in August. How hard can it be?". But then, inevitably, you come home tired from work, or you go to a water park or the pool, or your sister comes to stay so you're out late doing vacationy things, or (in my case), a combination of all of these occurs.
Vacationy things can really wipe you out. Going to Schlieterbann on Saturday was, in and of itself, exhausting. However we also went to a party with some of my Dad's friends and then out to eat. All of it was more than either Sarah and I could take, beleive it or not.
Which brings me to my next point (sort of...not really...but I needed a segue). See, Sarah gave me this book called "Set-Apart" it's talking about Women being set apart for God and sort of turning our backs on the things of this world. While it's a little radical, it has made me think about the things we're bombarded with, particularly in the United States.
We (I probably more than anyone), sit for hours in front of the television and the computer (as much as I love it), we have more than enough to eat and then complain when we put on weight. We are obsessed with fashion and celebrity and spend thousands of dollars on making ourselves look and feel better. Sexual obsession is looked upon as healthy and neccesarry (especially for men) and peoples individual and private dramas are splashed across the television as entertainment.
There is a society similar to this featured in the other book I'm reading The Hunger Games. In this strange city people are obesessed with surgically altering themselves, wear new outlandish fashions every week, indulge in rich, decadent food and watch children fight and die on television for profit and entertainment.
It's amazing how easily we could become exactly like the citizens in The Capitol. Indeed, we're half way there all ready. I'm as much, if not more to blame in this than anyone else, I spend so much time talking and thinking about myself and I hardly give a thought to others who don't have the luxuries that I take for granted.
More than that, I don't even take the time to thank God for the innumerable and amazing blessings I have. Instead I complain to him about my body or my living situation or my lack of money. Silly, insignificant tidbits, really.
So, now, I will make another vow. Along with my vow of 'No more pitty parties' I also make a vow to take an hour everyday to spend alone with God in order to thank him for all I have. I'll also make a vow to do at least one thing for one other person with no personal agenda everyday.
Like blogging it won't be easy and I'm absolutely certain I won't want to do it everyday, but it's something I'll just have to do.
I also feel like I really need to look more into the peac corps. So, I'll probably be doing that too.
Well, with that helpful thought, I bid you good night my dear blog reading sextet.
Only one more day to go!
Saturday 28 August 2010
The Promised book review
I completely forgot I promised a review of The Hunger Games for yesterday. I find my days are so filled with vacationy things that I'm exhausted by the time I get home and can't think properly to write a decent blog post.
But, as promised, here it is. Again not a literary masterpeice, more of an incoherent ramble.
So, in case you're not familiar, the Hunger Games is a young adult fiction series which takes place in a post apocalyptic North America which has been transformed into a nation of 13 districts ruled by an affluent, tyranical Capitol. About 75 years before the book series begins district thirteen rebeled against the Capitol and the capitol destroyed the district. Now, as a reminder of the capitols power over the districts, and the futility of resistance, the Capitol requires that two tributes, a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district be randomly selected to go to the Capitol in order to participate in the Hunger Games. In the games the 24 tributes must fight eachother to the death on live television and only one Tribute must be left alive for the games to end.
The story revolves around Katniss, a girl from district 12 in what used to be West Virginia, voulunteers to go in place of her Sister.
I won't tell you more than that for fear of spoiling you. (Really, all that information can be gleaned from the back cover). I will tell you that this is, beyond a doubt, the best young adult series I have read in a long time. The plot is orriginal and engaging, the characters are increadibly complex and realistic.
There are historical references, (obvious ones to the Capitol as Rome and the hunger games compared to the Gladiator matches, obviously Roman names for Capitol characters) and also references to pop culture that really make you think twice about that harmless reality television show I watch all the time.
It is an amazing series and one I hightly recomend. Not much of a review, but I'm tired, so, it'll have to do.
So, good night!
But, as promised, here it is. Again not a literary masterpeice, more of an incoherent ramble.
So, in case you're not familiar, the Hunger Games is a young adult fiction series which takes place in a post apocalyptic North America which has been transformed into a nation of 13 districts ruled by an affluent, tyranical Capitol. About 75 years before the book series begins district thirteen rebeled against the Capitol and the capitol destroyed the district. Now, as a reminder of the capitols power over the districts, and the futility of resistance, the Capitol requires that two tributes, a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district be randomly selected to go to the Capitol in order to participate in the Hunger Games. In the games the 24 tributes must fight eachother to the death on live television and only one Tribute must be left alive for the games to end.
The story revolves around Katniss, a girl from district 12 in what used to be West Virginia, voulunteers to go in place of her Sister.
I won't tell you more than that for fear of spoiling you. (Really, all that information can be gleaned from the back cover). I will tell you that this is, beyond a doubt, the best young adult series I have read in a long time. The plot is orriginal and engaging, the characters are increadibly complex and realistic.
There are historical references, (obvious ones to the Capitol as Rome and the hunger games compared to the Gladiator matches, obviously Roman names for Capitol characters) and also references to pop culture that really make you think twice about that harmless reality television show I watch all the time.
It is an amazing series and one I hightly recomend. Not much of a review, but I'm tired, so, it'll have to do.
So, good night!
Friday 27 August 2010
It Counts! (or, the REAL shortest blog post in the history of blog posts)
I haven't gone to bed for the day so, though it is technically the 28th of August, it is still Friday night to me. This counts as the blog post for the 27th!
Besides that, my Sister is here and I just had an awesome and exhausting day. Work was easy, we had lunch with the station manager and I spend the evening eating at this great little tea house in Southtown and then listening to music at a jazz club on the river walk.
We just got home not more than an hour ago and I am very happy but very tired. And, I know this is probably going to be less than 200 words and so probably should not count as a blog post. However, there comes a point in a persons life when they just fall beyond the point of caring.
Plus, I have to get up early to go to Schlieterbann (an AWESOME water park) tommorrow with my Dad, Sarah and the free (!) tickets I got from work. So, I guess this is me saying good night and expect a nice, long, funny anecdote filled post tomorrow.
Good night dear blog reading sextet!
Besides that, my Sister is here and I just had an awesome and exhausting day. Work was easy, we had lunch with the station manager and I spend the evening eating at this great little tea house in Southtown and then listening to music at a jazz club on the river walk.
We just got home not more than an hour ago and I am very happy but very tired. And, I know this is probably going to be less than 200 words and so probably should not count as a blog post. However, there comes a point in a persons life when they just fall beyond the point of caring.
Plus, I have to get up early to go to Schlieterbann (an AWESOME water park) tommorrow with my Dad, Sarah and the free (!) tickets I got from work. So, I guess this is me saying good night and expect a nice, long, funny anecdote filled post tomorrow.
Good night dear blog reading sextet!
Thursday 26 August 2010
The finishing of books, better days etc...
So, I've finished the first hunger games book. Which means that I will post a full review on Friday. This review will, most likely, not contain any literary merit whatsoever. It will more likely contain nothing but squeeing, gushing and contemplating the reasons why fictional male characters are so much more fanciable than males who exist in the real world.
I'm having a hard time not writing a full out gush filled review right now but...I promised myself that I will wait until Friday. So I shall.
In other news, things are a bit crazy at work right now. We're changing over afiliations on the thirtieth, so, I'm putting media kits together and inputting schedule changes like nobody's business. On the bright side, it turns out I didn't do anything massively wrong the other day. My boss is just a bit cranky with everyone because of everything that's happening in the office right now. So, I will not be fired.
In more other news...Sarah's here! This makes me so increadibly happy that it geels like a weekend! We got to go to a great healthy mexican restaurant and we get to go to Schliterbann (the most amazing waterpark in the world)!
With that, much happier post, I shall say good night.
So...goodnight!
I'm having a hard time not writing a full out gush filled review right now but...I promised myself that I will wait until Friday. So I shall.
In other news, things are a bit crazy at work right now. We're changing over afiliations on the thirtieth, so, I'm putting media kits together and inputting schedule changes like nobody's business. On the bright side, it turns out I didn't do anything massively wrong the other day. My boss is just a bit cranky with everyone because of everything that's happening in the office right now. So, I will not be fired.
In more other news...Sarah's here! This makes me so increadibly happy that it geels like a weekend! We got to go to a great healthy mexican restaurant and we get to go to Schliterbann (the most amazing waterpark in the world)!
With that, much happier post, I shall say good night.
So...goodnight!
Wednesday 25 August 2010
Rachel and the terrible, horrible, no good very bad day
In case you couldn't tell by the blog title, I didn't have the best day. Things aren't going as well as I would like at work. I've made some big mistakes that I shouldn't have made and now I'm sort of in hot watter.
Not to mention I have very little money in my account and, sometime this week, I have to transfer a substantial ammount of money from my account to my Dads for my car. I've been yelled at for the past couple of days and, I've also been running around trying to get things done not to mention it's comming up on a certain time of the month which is never fun for me.
I came home ready to indulge in a full out pitty party when I got on my computer and heard the horrible news: Esther, a nerd fighter and supporter of the Harry Potter alliance passed away this morning at the age of 16.
I didn't know Esther personally; but I've seen her vlogs and I know all about the great work she's done for the Harry Potter alliance. I knew that she was sick but this comes as such a...shock. She was such a wonderful person and so young and here I am whining about my insurance and 'that time of the month'.
I'm healthy, I have a job, my family is perfectly fine right now. Tomorrow I could get hit by a car, my Mother or sister or Father could be diagnosed with cancer. It could end in less than a second. I know you've probably heard that a billion times, but it's another one of those cliche's which is true and, unfortunately, things like this come along to illustrate just how true they are.
One of the things that amazed me about Esther is, she never had pitty parties that I can recall. No, not in one instance in her vlogs do I ever remember her feeling sorry for herself. So, I've decided that now, I'm not going to either.
I can't promise anything but I think, with Esther's help, I can try to turn my perpetually self pittying days behind me. If you know me, you know that not feeling sorry for myself won't be easy, but I can promise to try.
So, I make a vow right now to put this terrible, horrible, no good very bad day behind me. After all, they happen to everyone at some point. Even in Australia (Brownie points to anyone other than Sarah who understands that reference).
Not to mention I have very little money in my account and, sometime this week, I have to transfer a substantial ammount of money from my account to my Dads for my car. I've been yelled at for the past couple of days and, I've also been running around trying to get things done not to mention it's comming up on a certain time of the month which is never fun for me.
I came home ready to indulge in a full out pitty party when I got on my computer and heard the horrible news: Esther, a nerd fighter and supporter of the Harry Potter alliance passed away this morning at the age of 16.
I didn't know Esther personally; but I've seen her vlogs and I know all about the great work she's done for the Harry Potter alliance. I knew that she was sick but this comes as such a...shock. She was such a wonderful person and so young and here I am whining about my insurance and 'that time of the month'.
I'm healthy, I have a job, my family is perfectly fine right now. Tomorrow I could get hit by a car, my Mother or sister or Father could be diagnosed with cancer. It could end in less than a second. I know you've probably heard that a billion times, but it's another one of those cliche's which is true and, unfortunately, things like this come along to illustrate just how true they are.
One of the things that amazed me about Esther is, she never had pitty parties that I can recall. No, not in one instance in her vlogs do I ever remember her feeling sorry for herself. So, I've decided that now, I'm not going to either.
I can't promise anything but I think, with Esther's help, I can try to turn my perpetually self pittying days behind me. If you know me, you know that not feeling sorry for myself won't be easy, but I can promise to try.
So, I make a vow right now to put this terrible, horrible, no good very bad day behind me. After all, they happen to everyone at some point. Even in Australia (Brownie points to anyone other than Sarah who understands that reference).
Tuesday 24 August 2010
Warfare
So, in case you couldn't tell from my previous blogs, I'm a little excited about this book I'm reading called the Hunger Games. And, really, I think it's beging to go to my head.
See, I have this habbit, well...it's more of a quirk, really. When I really like a book and I really identify with a character, I take on the emotional state of that character. For example, when Henry the Eigth wanted to divorce Anne of Cleves because he said that she was 'too plain' in Philipa Greggory's the Bolyn Inheritance, I spent the entire day mopping about the streets of London moping about being plain and unattractive with absolutely no prompting. In essence, I became Anne of Cleves.
Well, right now,(A little bit of a Hunger Games spoiler here for people who haven't read the first book), Katniss Everdeen is in the woods and has just managed to survive a fire attack by the game makers. There is danger around every corner and everyone around her has a stratagey and, ultimately plan on killing her.
I'm in 'The Games' part of the book, and I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like danger and attacks have been around every corner today. First, I take my eyes off the road for one second and I find myself driving over a curb. Next the oldsmobile that parks next to my car almost crashes into me. Then, someone ran a stop sign and would have run into me if Luna hadn't had nice, quick brakes.
Other things started happening to me today too. I started, with no obvious prompting, to doubt myself, to feel as though I was going to be fired (though no one at work has even hinted that I'm not performing well), to feel as though I would never reach my goals, to fell like I was stupid and lazy. Again, I'm not sure where these thoughts came from, but where ever they came from I began to answer myself in 'battle tactic' terminology.
I began to tell myself things like:
'Pull yourself together' and 'you can't afford to show weakness, you can't afford to feel sorry for yourself', ' you have to keep going on or they'll all think you're an easy target'. I know for a fact that these phrases came from 'The Hunger Games' and, in a way, they helped a lot.
I mean, really, when you stop to think about it we're all in a competition, a fight to survive everyday. Sometimes we're fighting against normal external factors, some times we're fighting against ourselves and sometimes (I, personally beleive), we're fighting against suppernatural sources that we can't see ( I can see some of you backing away from the insane evangelical girl with her crazy blogs about things like angels and deamons).
I'm not saying that a deamon almost ran over my car at a stop sign today, however, I am saying that thinking in battle tactics can sometimes be helpful. If we're going to go through a tough world, sometimes we've got to be tough with it.
So, thank you Katniss Everdeen, thank you.
In other news, only one more day before Sarah comes! We've got a lot to do, house wise, before she gets here. But, I'm really, really excited all the same! And, Sarah, I'll have the first book done by the time you get here. I promise.
Well, goodnight!
See, I have this habbit, well...it's more of a quirk, really. When I really like a book and I really identify with a character, I take on the emotional state of that character. For example, when Henry the Eigth wanted to divorce Anne of Cleves because he said that she was 'too plain' in Philipa Greggory's the Bolyn Inheritance, I spent the entire day mopping about the streets of London moping about being plain and unattractive with absolutely no prompting. In essence, I became Anne of Cleves.
Well, right now,(A little bit of a Hunger Games spoiler here for people who haven't read the first book), Katniss Everdeen is in the woods and has just managed to survive a fire attack by the game makers. There is danger around every corner and everyone around her has a stratagey and, ultimately plan on killing her.
I'm in 'The Games' part of the book, and I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like danger and attacks have been around every corner today. First, I take my eyes off the road for one second and I find myself driving over a curb. Next the oldsmobile that parks next to my car almost crashes into me. Then, someone ran a stop sign and would have run into me if Luna hadn't had nice, quick brakes.
Other things started happening to me today too. I started, with no obvious prompting, to doubt myself, to feel as though I was going to be fired (though no one at work has even hinted that I'm not performing well), to feel as though I would never reach my goals, to fell like I was stupid and lazy. Again, I'm not sure where these thoughts came from, but where ever they came from I began to answer myself in 'battle tactic' terminology.
I began to tell myself things like:
'Pull yourself together' and 'you can't afford to show weakness, you can't afford to feel sorry for yourself', ' you have to keep going on or they'll all think you're an easy target'. I know for a fact that these phrases came from 'The Hunger Games' and, in a way, they helped a lot.
I mean, really, when you stop to think about it we're all in a competition, a fight to survive everyday. Sometimes we're fighting against normal external factors, some times we're fighting against ourselves and sometimes (I, personally beleive), we're fighting against suppernatural sources that we can't see ( I can see some of you backing away from the insane evangelical girl with her crazy blogs about things like angels and deamons).
I'm not saying that a deamon almost ran over my car at a stop sign today, however, I am saying that thinking in battle tactics can sometimes be helpful. If we're going to go through a tough world, sometimes we've got to be tough with it.
So, thank you Katniss Everdeen, thank you.
In other news, only one more day before Sarah comes! We've got a lot to do, house wise, before she gets here. But, I'm really, really excited all the same! And, Sarah, I'll have the first book done by the time you get here. I promise.
Well, goodnight!
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