okay, first of all, here's the video that brought all this overthinking of books about-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSR8J6LUaT8&feature=channel
now i'll get on to the actual reason i'm blogging about it.
okay, so really, he just mentioned Edward Cullen in passing, when talking about how Holden in Catcher in the Rye is not a likeable person. actually, what he said was something along the lines of
"there's this, like, weird but pervasive feeling that in the world of contemperary coming-of-age fiction that characters ought to be, like, the person you want to be, or the person you want to be with, and i'm happy to aknowledge that Holden Caughfeild is not the guy you wanna be or the guy wanna be with. he's not Edward Cullen."
and the thing is, is that Edward is the person you want to be with.
not the person you want to be, because he's got this constant, undying hatrid of himself. he hates that he's brought all this pain and suffering upon Bella (whom i will get to in a minute), but even before Bella, he HATED himself. he hated what he was, he hated killing, he hated being a "monster." and i think that's part of what makes him so likeable. he's one of those few people who are so likeable in so many ways, but can't believe it, and that's part of what makes them likeable. when people believe or know that they're likeable, when they realize that fact, they become less likeable almost instantaniously. it's like that knowledge inflates their brains. and Edward's brain is, happily, un-inflated.
now to Bella.
Bella, in contrast to Edward, really isn't very likeable. on the outside, she is entirely likeable, but on the inside, she complains A LOT. seriously. (i mean, i can relate to her in some ways, but we're not going to go into that.) she IS nice, and tries not to hurt people, but the fact that she DOES hurt people, such Jacob and Charlie, and even Edward at times, makes you dislike her. it doesn't matter that she doesn't want to hurt these people, it's just the fact that she does. (although it would be worse if she didn't know that she hurt them. the fact that she knows redeems her a bit.)
the thing that REALLY makes the books something you want to read, i think, is the fact that no matter how you don't like Bella's perspective, no matter how unfathomable it is, the way Edward and Bella care for each other and want to make sure nothing bad happens to one another totally throws all of that out the window. you can't help but marvel at the fact that, no matter what happens, Edward and Bella will always, always, always love each other.
sorry. i went of in a really long rant.
and i'm sorry if i over-thunk (over-thunk? is that a word? well, it is now.) that whole thing. i'm done now.
you know, it would be A LOT harder to read if Bella were more like Rosalie...or, heaven forbid, if Rosalie herself were the narrator. god! she's such a bitch.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Brii333
ps...i've been meaning to read Wuthering Heights. i've heard that the characters (yea, from Edward in Twilight talking about it. i meant to read it before that, anyway.) are NOT very likeable, kind of like Holden. of course, i'm just assuming, but...you know how it is...
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
I SOLVED THE NINJA-SAMURAI PROBLEM!!!
okay, so for the longest time, i have wondered....
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NINJA AND A SAMURAI???????
jesus. you'd think it wouldn't take me so long to remember to figure out the answer.
if you REEEEALLY want to know, you can look at this book: "Ninja: The Shadow Warrior" by Joel Levy.
if you want to know really bad, but are too lazy to go find the answer in a book, here is an excerpt (although i'm pretty sure it's not exactly legal to copy part of books into blogs, but i'm doing it anyway. sheesh, it's not like i'm not giving this Joel guy credit. i recommended his book, for the love of all that is awesome!):
Ninja: The Shadow Warrior
Joel Levy
Page fourteen
Some teachers of ninjutsu emphasize that the key to ninja philosophy is found in the interpretation of the word "ninja" as "one who endures." In other words, the ninja philosophy is one of stoicism, of taking all that life throws at a person, enduring it, and attaining one's goal. This emphasizes on the end rather than the means is part of what sets the ninja in opposition to the samurai. The samurai, who were Japan's warrior caste, developed very strict ethical and behavioral precepts that governed how they lived, fought, and died. Honor was paramount, and to maintain that honor it was essential to fightin a noble, forthright fashion: the warrior met the enemy head-on, ideally in single combat out in the open, and announced himself, actively seeking as much attention as possible, before combat. The samurai was expected to place honor above life, so that if he lost a battle, was captured, or failed in his duty to his lord ideally he committed suicide.
The tradition and philosophy of the ninja were the antithesis of the samurai way. the ninja's roots were in poor farming communities and social strata that were looked down upon by the haughty and aristocratic samurai. His philosophy was to avoiad open combat where possible, to use any means of subterfuge, dishonesty, trickery, or strategy to acheive his ends, and to succeed at all costs. The ninja often worked as a mercenary, with no loyalty to his employer, and was probably despised by the samurai as embodying all the traints and behaviors the samurai sought to avoid.
if you are REALLY lazy and don't want to read it even if i just spend a whole minute of my life illegally copying part of a book for you, here is a quick translation:
The samurai is a sore loser that will kill himself to "protect his honor," and will not fight dirty, even to save his life, while the ninja is an opportunist who will sneak in the background and cheat to finish the job, essentially making himself a better assasin then the samurai, and obviously more awesome then him, as well.
and that's it for the differences between the samurai and the ninja. my verdict is:
NINJA IS BETTER THEN SAMURAI. i mean, my Grampa, who fought the Japanese in WWII, says that soldiers were like that even then: i mean, honor is good, but you don't kill yourself when you lose a battle. that would get exasperating, you know what i mean? imagine all the people you're hurting, besides pulling yourself farther to the losing side of things if you kill yourself and don't keep fighting.
don't get me wrong, i value honor. if i don't have to, i am absolutely not going to lie, cheat, steal, or trick people. but i'm not going to kill myself to protect HONOR, of all things. jeez. i may like to think that i would jump in front of a bullet to save others (that seems my ideal way to die) but i'm not going to die for something that stupid.
so, essentially, honor is important, but not important enough to die for.
i will forget about honor if it means protecting those i love.
Peace,
Brii333
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NINJA AND A SAMURAI???????
jesus. you'd think it wouldn't take me so long to remember to figure out the answer.
if you REEEEALLY want to know, you can look at this book: "Ninja: The Shadow Warrior" by Joel Levy.
if you want to know really bad, but are too lazy to go find the answer in a book, here is an excerpt (although i'm pretty sure it's not exactly legal to copy part of books into blogs, but i'm doing it anyway. sheesh, it's not like i'm not giving this Joel guy credit. i recommended his book, for the love of all that is awesome!):
Ninja: The Shadow Warrior
Joel Levy
Page fourteen
Some teachers of ninjutsu emphasize that the key to ninja philosophy is found in the interpretation of the word "ninja" as "one who endures." In other words, the ninja philosophy is one of stoicism, of taking all that life throws at a person, enduring it, and attaining one's goal. This emphasizes on the end rather than the means is part of what sets the ninja in opposition to the samurai. The samurai, who were Japan's warrior caste, developed very strict ethical and behavioral precepts that governed how they lived, fought, and died. Honor was paramount, and to maintain that honor it was essential to fightin a noble, forthright fashion: the warrior met the enemy head-on, ideally in single combat out in the open, and announced himself, actively seeking as much attention as possible, before combat. The samurai was expected to place honor above life, so that if he lost a battle, was captured, or failed in his duty to his lord ideally he committed suicide.
The tradition and philosophy of the ninja were the antithesis of the samurai way. the ninja's roots were in poor farming communities and social strata that were looked down upon by the haughty and aristocratic samurai. His philosophy was to avoiad open combat where possible, to use any means of subterfuge, dishonesty, trickery, or strategy to acheive his ends, and to succeed at all costs. The ninja often worked as a mercenary, with no loyalty to his employer, and was probably despised by the samurai as embodying all the traints and behaviors the samurai sought to avoid.
if you are REALLY lazy and don't want to read it even if i just spend a whole minute of my life illegally copying part of a book for you, here is a quick translation:
The samurai is a sore loser that will kill himself to "protect his honor," and will not fight dirty, even to save his life, while the ninja is an opportunist who will sneak in the background and cheat to finish the job, essentially making himself a better assasin then the samurai, and obviously more awesome then him, as well.
and that's it for the differences between the samurai and the ninja. my verdict is:
NINJA IS BETTER THEN SAMURAI. i mean, my Grampa, who fought the Japanese in WWII, says that soldiers were like that even then: i mean, honor is good, but you don't kill yourself when you lose a battle. that would get exasperating, you know what i mean? imagine all the people you're hurting, besides pulling yourself farther to the losing side of things if you kill yourself and don't keep fighting.
don't get me wrong, i value honor. if i don't have to, i am absolutely not going to lie, cheat, steal, or trick people. but i'm not going to kill myself to protect HONOR, of all things. jeez. i may like to think that i would jump in front of a bullet to save others (that seems my ideal way to die) but i'm not going to die for something that stupid.
so, essentially, honor is important, but not important enough to die for.
i will forget about honor if it means protecting those i love.
Peace,
Brii333
YouTube
Okay, most people on YouTube are excellent. I mean, really. (They put up with me very well, which means they are automatically sweet.) But there are those certain ones that really just are...mean! (mean!) it got me thinking when i watched
THIS VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA5z6apJP0w
I'm sorry, if i had a better way to share videos, i would use it.
but it's great.
i don't know how to be a Nerd Fighter, but i will be. maybe i just need to be awesome.
anyway...
so there's this zaceffron4lifee person that he mentions in the video that is "a real meanie." which made me realize that Zac Effron fans are just MEAN! what the fuck? you know what one Zac Effron fan said to me? you know what he said?
JesseJonasandZac (2 months ago)
Lei ha detto che i signori nominano in vano spero che lei va alla femmina di inferno
you know what that means? i looked it up on google translate. it means this:
She said that the gentlemen named in vain hope that she goes to the female of hell
which i think is actually "she said God's name i hope she goes to hell."
(google translate isn't very good, for future reference. remind me to go find a better translater.)
WHAT THE FUCKKKK!
jesus!
i mean, i can see how, sometimes, people get PISSED OFF. (except for me.) but jeez, most of them don't go around saying shit like that just specifically because they said god, or actually, i think what i said was "for christ's sake."
**sigh** i can deal.
anyways, i love youtube, and as soon as i remember, i'm going to start a video blog type thing. that'll be fun. heeheehee...
i think i'm going to save up to get myself my own video camera, though. nobody ever gets me what i really want.
Mom and Dad do their best, but it's never really a very good one. i mean, my "new" one is excellent for taking videos (kind of) but it sucks for taking pictures. and the one before that is good for pictures but not videos. i think i should just take matters into my own hands.
i mean, my "new" camera WAS free...the only part we needed to pay for was the ten dollar memory card. so i guess i got off easy and i'm just being selfish, but I DON'T CARE. i want a good video camera that can take good pictures.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo,
Brii333
ps...no quote of the day today.
pps...remind me to push Catcher in the Rye up a bit on my booklist.
THIS VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA5z6apJP0w
I'm sorry, if i had a better way to share videos, i would use it.
but it's great.
i don't know how to be a Nerd Fighter, but i will be. maybe i just need to be awesome.
anyway...
so there's this zaceffron4lifee person that he mentions in the video that is "a real meanie." which made me realize that Zac Effron fans are just MEAN! what the fuck? you know what one Zac Effron fan said to me? you know what he said?
JesseJonasandZac (2 months ago)
Lei ha detto che i signori nominano in vano spero che lei va alla femmina di inferno
you know what that means? i looked it up on google translate. it means this:
She said that the gentlemen named in vain hope that she goes to the female of hell
which i think is actually "she said God's name i hope she goes to hell."
(google translate isn't very good, for future reference. remind me to go find a better translater.)
WHAT THE FUCKKKK!
jesus!
i mean, i can see how, sometimes, people get PISSED OFF. (except for me.) but jeez, most of them don't go around saying shit like that just specifically because they said god, or actually, i think what i said was "for christ's sake."
**sigh** i can deal.
anyways, i love youtube, and as soon as i remember, i'm going to start a video blog type thing. that'll be fun. heeheehee...
i think i'm going to save up to get myself my own video camera, though. nobody ever gets me what i really want.
Mom and Dad do their best, but it's never really a very good one. i mean, my "new" one is excellent for taking videos (kind of) but it sucks for taking pictures. and the one before that is good for pictures but not videos. i think i should just take matters into my own hands.
i mean, my "new" camera WAS free...the only part we needed to pay for was the ten dollar memory card. so i guess i got off easy and i'm just being selfish, but I DON'T CARE. i want a good video camera that can take good pictures.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo,
Brii333
ps...no quote of the day today.
pps...remind me to push Catcher in the Rye up a bit on my booklist.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Help!
I started research for my book. I'm so stoked! It's going to be about the possibility or improbability that certain mythological creatures could exsist. (I can't remember if I already talked about it or not, so if I did, I will again.) I've decided to go with vampires, shape-shifters, the Loch Ness Monster and other lake monsters (such as Champie in Canada's Lake Champlain), faeries, mer-people, sirens, and a number of other creatures, and there's a long list of them waiting for confirmation. However, I have encountered a minor setback...
I CAN'T FIND ANY CREDIBLE BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT!!!
Okay, I take that back. I have found a few, some of which i have only found the title/author but have not actually physically found, such as a few books by Montague Summers. I will also say that "Encyclopedia Horrifica" by Joshua Gee is a very credible source, and would be even more excellent if i could find any of the books in the selective bibliography located in the back of the book.
But can you believe how damn difficult it is to find a book on werewolves?? WEREWOLVES!! and Merpeople? what the fuck???
so i guess that what i really put this post here for was to ask you...no, implore you...to HEEELLLLP MEEEEE!!!!!! anyone, anyone, anyone who happens across my sad, pathetic blog, PLEEEEASE leave books/magazine articals/newspaper articals/anything useful that happens to be actual historical information on what people believed these things were. (please, not another modern version of them. i mean, sure, modern shapeshifters and faeries and vampires [ect] are cool, but that's not what history's "monsters" looked like.) (don't get me wrong, Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight" kicks ass, as does "The Vampires Seduction" by Raven Hart, but it's just not the real thing! it's not!!! ASS!)
HELLLP!!!!!!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Throughout the shadowy world of ghosts and demons there is no figure so terrible, no figure so dreaded and abhorred, yet dight with such fearful fascination, as the vampire, who is himself neither ghost nor demon, but yet who partakes the dark natures and and possesses the mysterious and terrible qualities of both.
~Montague Summers
I CAN'T FIND ANY CREDIBLE BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT!!!
Okay, I take that back. I have found a few, some of which i have only found the title/author but have not actually physically found, such as a few books by Montague Summers. I will also say that "Encyclopedia Horrifica" by Joshua Gee is a very credible source, and would be even more excellent if i could find any of the books in the selective bibliography located in the back of the book.
But can you believe how damn difficult it is to find a book on werewolves?? WEREWOLVES!! and Merpeople? what the fuck???
so i guess that what i really put this post here for was to ask you...no, implore you...to HEEELLLLP MEEEEE!!!!!! anyone, anyone, anyone who happens across my sad, pathetic blog, PLEEEEASE leave books/magazine articals/newspaper articals/anything useful that happens to be actual historical information on what people believed these things were. (please, not another modern version of them. i mean, sure, modern shapeshifters and faeries and vampires [ect] are cool, but that's not what history's "monsters" looked like.) (don't get me wrong, Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight" kicks ass, as does "The Vampires Seduction" by Raven Hart, but it's just not the real thing! it's not!!! ASS!)
HELLLP!!!!!!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Throughout the shadowy world of ghosts and demons there is no figure so terrible, no figure so dreaded and abhorred, yet dight with such fearful fascination, as the vampire, who is himself neither ghost nor demon, but yet who partakes the dark natures and and possesses the mysterious and terrible qualities of both.
~Montague Summers
Thursday, December 25, 2008
De-Zombification, Nessie, and More!!!
I believe i have discovered a cure for the dreaded Zombie disease!!!!
So, you know Zombies eat brains, right? And they're SUPER slow all the time, and you can never understand what they say because everything sounds like they've got food in their mouth, probably because they're ligiments and joins and flesh, including the toungue, are decomposing. My brilliant plan will not only feed their neverending hunger for brains, but also make them faster so you can understand what they're talking about.
First, we must synthasize a LOT of brains. Then, we'll infuse them with caffine! Pure genius!!!
How did i stumble upon this sudden blast if intelligence? well, you see, i had some trouble getting out of bed this morning, and i acted and looked a bit like the walking dead. and all it took was a mug of coffee to clear that all up!!! i even look a little less dead. :D
i have also come to the conclusion that the Loch Ness Monster was trained as a Ninja. This is why no one can ever catch her.
I'd love to hear everyone elses theories. :D if you have any, please feel free to post them in the comments.
I was thinking about all the people who don't believe in any mythical beasts...not faeries, not vampires, not were-creatures--not even aliens, though those aren't really mythical--simply because there is no scientific proof that they could exsist.
Who ever said that everything had to be proved by science? Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, Champie (in Lake Champlain), the Kraken, the Sphinx, the Chimera, Minataurs, Giants...everything needs to be explained to them!! who ever said they need explaining?
And then there are those don't believe in these fascinating beings because they don't think that the human race could possibly have a preditor, because we're apparently the "superior species."
who's to say that we don't have a preditor, something that hunts us? every other species has a preditor, every one. why should we be any different?
**sigh** i just think it's stupid to rule anything out. like the whole Kraken/Giant Squid issue. yeah, giant squids are huge. but why should that mean that there isn't something bigger out there, something that could swallow an entire ship? i mean, the ocean is so increadibly vast that it seems idiotic to rule out the fact that there could be something else out there that preys on ships and can gulp down the entire thing in a few swallows?
i dunno.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exsist. Children already know that dragons exsist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed.
~G.K. Chesterton
So, you know Zombies eat brains, right? And they're SUPER slow all the time, and you can never understand what they say because everything sounds like they've got food in their mouth, probably because they're ligiments and joins and flesh, including the toungue, are decomposing. My brilliant plan will not only feed their neverending hunger for brains, but also make them faster so you can understand what they're talking about.
First, we must synthasize a LOT of brains. Then, we'll infuse them with caffine! Pure genius!!!
How did i stumble upon this sudden blast if intelligence? well, you see, i had some trouble getting out of bed this morning, and i acted and looked a bit like the walking dead. and all it took was a mug of coffee to clear that all up!!! i even look a little less dead. :D
i have also come to the conclusion that the Loch Ness Monster was trained as a Ninja. This is why no one can ever catch her.
I'd love to hear everyone elses theories. :D if you have any, please feel free to post them in the comments.
I was thinking about all the people who don't believe in any mythical beasts...not faeries, not vampires, not were-creatures--not even aliens, though those aren't really mythical--simply because there is no scientific proof that they could exsist.
Who ever said that everything had to be proved by science? Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, Champie (in Lake Champlain), the Kraken, the Sphinx, the Chimera, Minataurs, Giants...everything needs to be explained to them!! who ever said they need explaining?
And then there are those don't believe in these fascinating beings because they don't think that the human race could possibly have a preditor, because we're apparently the "superior species."
who's to say that we don't have a preditor, something that hunts us? every other species has a preditor, every one. why should we be any different?
**sigh** i just think it's stupid to rule anything out. like the whole Kraken/Giant Squid issue. yeah, giant squids are huge. but why should that mean that there isn't something bigger out there, something that could swallow an entire ship? i mean, the ocean is so increadibly vast that it seems idiotic to rule out the fact that there could be something else out there that preys on ships and can gulp down the entire thing in a few swallows?
i dunno.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exsist. Children already know that dragons exsist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed.
~G.K. Chesterton
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Dresden Dolls (lyrics)
"Missed Me"
missed me missed me now you've got to kiss me
if you kiss me mister i might tell my sister
if i tell her mister she might tell my mother and my
mother, mister, just might tell my father and my father
mister he won't be too happy and he'll have his lawyer
come up from the city and arrest you mister
so i wouldnt miss me if you get me, mister, see?
missed me missed me now you've got to kiss me
if you kiss me mister you must think im pretty
if you think so mister you must want to fuck me
if you fuck me mister it must mean you love me
if you love me mister you would never leave me
it's as simple as can be!
missed me missed me now you've got to kiss me
if you miss me mister why do you keep leaving
if you trick me mister i will make you suffer
and they'll get you mister put you in the slammer
and forget you mister then i think you'll miss me
won't you miss me won't you miss me
missed me missed me now you've got to kiss me
if you kiss me mister take responsibility
i'm fragile mister just like any girl would be
and so misunderstood (so treat me delicately!)
missed me missed me now you've gone and done it
hope you're happy in the county penitentiary
it serves you right for kissing little girls but i will visit if you miss me
do you miss me? MISS ME??
how's the food they feed you??
do you miss me
will you kiss me through the window?
do you MISS ME? MISS ME??!!
will they ever let you go???
i miss my mister so!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpeWHPtviFQ&feature=related
"Coin Operated Boy"
coin operated boy
sitting on the shelf
he is just a toy
but i turn him on
and he comes to life
automatic joy
that is why i want a
coin operated boy
made of plastic and elastic
he is rugged and long-lasting
who could ever ever ask for more?
love without complications galore
coin operated boy
all the other real ones that i destroy
cannot hold a candle to my new boy and i'll
never let him go and i'll never be alone
not with my coin operated boy......
this bridge was written to make you feel smittener
with my sad picture of
girl getting bitterer
can you extract me
from my plastic fantasy
i didnt think so
but im still convinceable
will you persist even after i bet you
a billion dollars that i'll never love you
will you persist even after i kiss you
goodbye for the last time
will you keep on trying to prove it?
i'm dying to lose it...
i'm losing my confidence
i want it...
i want you...
i want a...
coin operated boy.
and if i had a star to wish on
for my life i can't imagine
any flesh and blood could be his match
i can even take him in the bath
coin operated boy
he may not be real experienced with girls
but i know he feels like a boy should feel
isnt that the point?
that is why i want a coin operated boy
with his pretty coin operated voice
saying that he loves me
that hes thinking of me
straight and to the point
that is why i want
a coin operated boy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAnyYTjjhJ0&feature=channel_page
Girl Anachronism
you can tell from the scars on my arms and cracks in my hips and the dents in my car
and the blisters on my lips
that i'm not the carefullest of girls
you can tell from the glass on the floor
and the strings that're breaking and i keep on breaking more and it looks like i am shaking
but it's just the temperature
and then again if it were any colder i could disengage
if i were any older i could act my age
but i dont think that youd believe me
it'snot the way i'm meant to be it's just the way the operation made me
and you can tell from the state of my room that they let me out too soon and the pills that i ate came a couple years too late and ive got some issues to work through
there i go again pretending to be you
make-believing that i have a soul beneath the surface trying to convince you
it was accidentally on purpose
i am not so serious this passion is a plagiarism i might join your century but only on a rare occasion
i was taken out before the labor pains set in and now
behold the world's worst accident
i am the girl anachronism
and you can tell
by the red in my eyes and the bruises on my thighs and the knots in my hair and the bathtub full of flies that i'm not right now at all
there i go again pretending that i'll fall don't call the doctors cause they've seen it all before they'll say just let her crash and burn she'll learn
the attention just encourages her
and you can tell from the full-body cast that i'm sorry that i asked though you did everything you could (like any decent person would)
but i might be catching so don't touch
you'll start believeing youre immune to gravity and stuff don't get me wet because the bandages will all come off
and you can tell
from the smoke at the stake that the current state is critical
well it is the little things, for instance:
in the time it takes to break it she can make up ten excuses:
please excuse her for the day, its just the way the medication makes her...
i dont necessarily believe there is a cure for this so i might join your century but only as a doubtful guest i was too precarious removed as a caesarian behold the worlds worst accident
I AM THE GIRL ANACHRONISM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO5APfKnR50&feature=related
Grampa's War Experience
Okay, so I always knew that Grampa F. was in the Marines during WWII. But today, I got to see/read some real evidence of it!!! It was fascinating. He let me read some letters he'd sent to his parents, and I read a few articals from newspapers--one was written about those on his ship when they were in the Phillipines, one was written in what looked like a local paper from when they lived in Washington, when he and his brother had met on the ocean. It looked like they were just letting the community know that their friends were still reasonably alive.
It kind of bothered me to see that he'd been among those calling the Japanese "Japs," but I suppose it was WWII, that's just what they were called at the time.
Overall, it was all really very interesting.
Also, i got to see some Japanese money, along with some pesos from the Phillipines, some Japanese matches, Japanese ciggarettes (which were all shriveled), some old cigars (those were huge!), and some cats-eyes that he'd gotten on one of the islands he'd been on below the equator (he asked me to polish a few of them in my rock tumbler; i was a bit nervous about that, because it makes them a lot smaller, but i told him i'd try).
It was really, really fascinating; I got to learn about my grampa (MY grampa!) defending his country--I knew it before, but now it just seems so much more real.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Leave politics to politicians... You as military men, as soldiers, as heroes have the responsibility to protect the state so that all may live in peace whether they are in harmony or have differences."
~Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (to Iraqi troops)
It kind of bothered me to see that he'd been among those calling the Japanese "Japs," but I suppose it was WWII, that's just what they were called at the time.
Overall, it was all really very interesting.
Also, i got to see some Japanese money, along with some pesos from the Phillipines, some Japanese matches, Japanese ciggarettes (which were all shriveled), some old cigars (those were huge!), and some cats-eyes that he'd gotten on one of the islands he'd been on below the equator (he asked me to polish a few of them in my rock tumbler; i was a bit nervous about that, because it makes them a lot smaller, but i told him i'd try).
It was really, really fascinating; I got to learn about my grampa (MY grampa!) defending his country--I knew it before, but now it just seems so much more real.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Leave politics to politicians... You as military men, as soldiers, as heroes have the responsibility to protect the state so that all may live in peace whether they are in harmony or have differences."
~Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (to Iraqi troops)
Saturday, December 13, 2008
"Broken" by Lifehouse
The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight
Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time
I am here still waiting though i still have my doubts
I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
The broken locks were a warning you got inside my head
I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead
I still see your reflection inside of my eyes
That are looking for a purpose, they're still looking for life
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
with a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
I'm hangin' on another day
Just to see what you will throw my way
And I'm hanging on to the words you say
You said that I will be ok
The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone
I may have lost my way now, haven't forgotten my way home
Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time
I am here still waiting though i still have my doubts
I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
The broken locks were a warning you got inside my head
I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead
I still see your reflection inside of my eyes
That are looking for a purpose, they're still looking for life
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
with a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
I'm hangin' on another day
Just to see what you will throw my way
And I'm hanging on to the words you say
You said that I will be ok
The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone
I may have lost my way now, haven't forgotten my way home
Name Origins and Meanings
i got bored and decided to look up what various names meant. :) if you want to find what a name means and i don't have it, look here-- www.name-meanings.com
here's what i got (these are names of people actual people, some famous, some fictional, some i actually know. there are only first and middle names.)
BRIANNA LYNNE
Brianna = Strong One. Celtic/Gaelic.
Lynne = Beautiful Waterfall. English.
BILLIE JO
Billie = Defender of Justice. German.
Jo = ??? Hebrew.
RACHEL ANNA
Rachel = Innocent Lamb. Hebrew.
Anna = Gracious. Hebrew.
TRICIA KAY
Tricia = Noble Woman. Latin.
Kay = ??? ???
KATE
Kate = Pure, Virginal. German.
EMILY
Emily = Admiring. Latin.
AMY LEE
Amy = Beloved. Latin.
Lee = Sheltered from the Storm. English.
CLAUDE
Claude = Lame (haahaa, poor guy). Latin.
COLTON
Colton = Coal Town (no, that's not a joke, that's what it really means). English.
SANDRA ANNE
Sandra = Helper of Humanity. Greek.
Anne = Gracious. Hebrew.
MICHAEL PAUL
Michael = Who Is Like God? (yes, the question mark is part of the meaning). Hebrew.
Paul = Small. Latin.
FRANCIS MAYBEL
Francis = Free. Latin.
Maybel = ??? ???
MYRON
Myron = Fragrant Balm (haa, that's the name of a grumpy old man!). Greek.
GERARD ARTHUR
Gerard = Brave. French.
Arthur = Follower of Thor. No Known Origin.
OSCAR
Oscar = Accurate Spearsman. Scandinavian.
MARTIN LUTHER
Martin = Warlike. Latin.
Luther = Famous Warrior. German.
BRADLEY ROLAND
Bradley = Meadow. English.
Roland = Famed Throughout the Land. German.
SKYLAR LEVI
Skylar = Learned One. Scandinavian.
Levi = United, As One. Hebrew.
EDWARD
Edward = Wealthy Gaurdian. (ironic.) English.
ISABELLA
Isabella = Concecrated to God. Italian.
BELLA
Bella = Beautiful. Latin.
ALICE
Alice = Truth, Noble. Greek.
JASPER
Jasper = Semi-Precious Stone. English.
ROSALIE
Rosalie = From Rose and Lee. English.
EMMETT
Emmett = Strong Worker.
CARLISLE
Carlisle = City of Lugovalos. Scottish.
ESME
Esme = Emerald. Greek.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet.
~ Shakespear, "Romeo and Juliet," Juliet
here's what i got (these are names of people actual people, some famous, some fictional, some i actually know. there are only first and middle names.)
BRIANNA LYNNE
Brianna = Strong One. Celtic/Gaelic.
Lynne = Beautiful Waterfall. English.
BILLIE JO
Billie = Defender of Justice. German.
Jo = ??? Hebrew.
RACHEL ANNA
Rachel = Innocent Lamb. Hebrew.
Anna = Gracious. Hebrew.
TRICIA KAY
Tricia = Noble Woman. Latin.
Kay = ??? ???
KATE
Kate = Pure, Virginal. German.
EMILY
Emily = Admiring. Latin.
AMY LEE
Amy = Beloved. Latin.
Lee = Sheltered from the Storm. English.
CLAUDE
Claude = Lame (haahaa, poor guy). Latin.
COLTON
Colton = Coal Town (no, that's not a joke, that's what it really means). English.
SANDRA ANNE
Sandra = Helper of Humanity. Greek.
Anne = Gracious. Hebrew.
MICHAEL PAUL
Michael = Who Is Like God? (yes, the question mark is part of the meaning). Hebrew.
Paul = Small. Latin.
FRANCIS MAYBEL
Francis = Free. Latin.
Maybel = ??? ???
MYRON
Myron = Fragrant Balm (haa, that's the name of a grumpy old man!). Greek.
GERARD ARTHUR
Gerard = Brave. French.
Arthur = Follower of Thor. No Known Origin.
OSCAR
Oscar = Accurate Spearsman. Scandinavian.
MARTIN LUTHER
Martin = Warlike. Latin.
Luther = Famous Warrior. German.
BRADLEY ROLAND
Bradley = Meadow. English.
Roland = Famed Throughout the Land. German.
SKYLAR LEVI
Skylar = Learned One. Scandinavian.
Levi = United, As One. Hebrew.
EDWARD
Edward = Wealthy Gaurdian. (ironic.) English.
ISABELLA
Isabella = Concecrated to God. Italian.
BELLA
Bella = Beautiful. Latin.
ALICE
Alice = Truth, Noble. Greek.
JASPER
Jasper = Semi-Precious Stone. English.
ROSALIE
Rosalie = From Rose and Lee. English.
EMMETT
Emmett = Strong Worker.
CARLISLE
Carlisle = City of Lugovalos. Scottish.
ESME
Esme = Emerald. Greek.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet.
~ Shakespear, "Romeo and Juliet," Juliet
The Legend of Mercy Brown--New Englands Last Vampire
I was looking on information about vampires for my book, and I ran across the legend of Mercy Brown, one of the most popular North American vampires. I found it fascinating, and thought I'd type it up here.
Mercy Brown was a daughter of George and Mary Brown in the late 1800s. I suppose the story starts when Mary Brown died of consumption, now called tuberculosis, in 1888. She was followed closely into the after-life by her's and George's oldest child, Mary Olive.
Then, in 1891, Mercy, at the young age of nineteen, died of consumption as well, leaving George and the youngest child, Edwin (whom was also ill with the same disease), behind.
Friends and neighbors of the family, being superstitious, believed that one of the family members was a vampire, which was why all George's family were dying. Two months after Mercy's death, George was finally convinced that digging up the dead family members and burning what remained was the only way to make Edwin well again.
So Mary, Mary Olive, and Mercy were all dug from their graves. Mary and Mary Olive were, of course, thouroughly decomposed; Mercy, however, still had blood in her heart and was not decomposed at all. Her heart was removed and burned, and the other two women's remains were also burned as a precaution.
Despite their efforts, Edwin died about two months later.
Of course, there is a rational explaination as to why Mercy was not decomposed at all, while Mary Olive and their mother were--Mercy had been buried in cold weather, and the ground was frozen around her, preventing any significant decomposition.
So, was Mercy Brown really a vampire, or simply an object of the superstitions of the nineteenth centure? You decide...
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Throughout the vast shadowey world of ghosts and demons there is no figure so terrible, no figure so dreaded and abhorred, yet dight with such fearful fascination, as the vampire, who is himself neither ghost nor demon, but who partakes in the dark natures and possesses the terrable qualities of both.
~Montague Summers
Mercy Brown was a daughter of George and Mary Brown in the late 1800s. I suppose the story starts when Mary Brown died of consumption, now called tuberculosis, in 1888. She was followed closely into the after-life by her's and George's oldest child, Mary Olive.
Then, in 1891, Mercy, at the young age of nineteen, died of consumption as well, leaving George and the youngest child, Edwin (whom was also ill with the same disease), behind.
Friends and neighbors of the family, being superstitious, believed that one of the family members was a vampire, which was why all George's family were dying. Two months after Mercy's death, George was finally convinced that digging up the dead family members and burning what remained was the only way to make Edwin well again.
So Mary, Mary Olive, and Mercy were all dug from their graves. Mary and Mary Olive were, of course, thouroughly decomposed; Mercy, however, still had blood in her heart and was not decomposed at all. Her heart was removed and burned, and the other two women's remains were also burned as a precaution.
Despite their efforts, Edwin died about two months later.
Of course, there is a rational explaination as to why Mercy was not decomposed at all, while Mary Olive and their mother were--Mercy had been buried in cold weather, and the ground was frozen around her, preventing any significant decomposition.
So, was Mercy Brown really a vampire, or simply an object of the superstitions of the nineteenth centure? You decide...
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Throughout the vast shadowey world of ghosts and demons there is no figure so terrible, no figure so dreaded and abhorred, yet dight with such fearful fascination, as the vampire, who is himself neither ghost nor demon, but who partakes in the dark natures and possesses the terrable qualities of both.
~Montague Summers
...
Mom asked me a question a few days ago, and it's been bothering me; "Where do you see yourself as an adult?"
To tell the truth, I'm afraid to be honest.
I really don't see myself living anywhere. Maybe a van, just making what money i can in Seattle, or LA maybe, selling stories to papers and magazines, most likely.
I don't want to be tied down in one place, at least not at first.
Someday, i do want a family, a home--maybe even with kids (probably adopted). But i want to find the right person to start that with before i do.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Not all who wander are lost.
~J.R.R. Tolkien
To tell the truth, I'm afraid to be honest.
I really don't see myself living anywhere. Maybe a van, just making what money i can in Seattle, or LA maybe, selling stories to papers and magazines, most likely.
I don't want to be tied down in one place, at least not at first.
Someday, i do want a family, a home--maybe even with kids (probably adopted). But i want to find the right person to start that with before i do.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Not all who wander are lost.
~J.R.R. Tolkien
Monday, December 8, 2008
Nail Polish
i hate nail polish.
i mean, i actually love nail polish, but it's kind of a love-hate relationship, you know? like i hate having nothing on my fingernails, cuz they're gross, but i hate having to keep up the nail polish. and then, i'm a busy woman, i don't have time to sit and wait for the nail polish to dry, so i'll paint my nails and then i'll go to go do something and it won't be completely dry yet, because i'm immensly impatient when it comes to stuff like that. AAAACK!!!! i can't stand iitttttt!!!!!! eek!
i also hate bells that tell me i have to go to class. uch.
xoxo,
Brii333
i mean, i actually love nail polish, but it's kind of a love-hate relationship, you know? like i hate having nothing on my fingernails, cuz they're gross, but i hate having to keep up the nail polish. and then, i'm a busy woman, i don't have time to sit and wait for the nail polish to dry, so i'll paint my nails and then i'll go to go do something and it won't be completely dry yet, because i'm immensly impatient when it comes to stuff like that. AAAACK!!!! i can't stand iitttttt!!!!!! eek!
i also hate bells that tell me i have to go to class. uch.
xoxo,
Brii333
Thursday, December 4, 2008
I HATE SHOP CLASS!!!!!!!!
okay, i already hated that class, but the rest of this is going to be even more miserable then it already was.
we're studying Industry, and we had to go into groups of four for it, by "luck of the draw," as Mr. N put it. okay, Mr. N is cool, but i ended up with three of the fuckers who made my elementary school experience a complete and total misery: Billy, Kyle, and Garrett. okay, Garrett didn't make my life miserable in elementary school, but he sure is making me miserable now. and Billy and Kyle? those two were some of the "popular" kids that made sure i only had one friend, who is great. but i mean, to put me in a group with them is going to make life HELL for a while...
anyhoo, just wanted to complain about that while i had time. i needed to vent.
i want to go to the movies and watch Twilight again. that was such a good movie!!!! i still can't believe that some people are saying that it sucked! i think that they did an excellent job! it's one of the best book-to-movie transitions i've ever seen. i mean, yeah, the part where you see Edward all glittery turned out really cheesey, but the rest of it was excellent.
we're studying Industry, and we had to go into groups of four for it, by "luck of the draw," as Mr. N put it. okay, Mr. N is cool, but i ended up with three of the fuckers who made my elementary school experience a complete and total misery: Billy, Kyle, and Garrett. okay, Garrett didn't make my life miserable in elementary school, but he sure is making me miserable now. and Billy and Kyle? those two were some of the "popular" kids that made sure i only had one friend, who is great. but i mean, to put me in a group with them is going to make life HELL for a while...
anyhoo, just wanted to complain about that while i had time. i needed to vent.
i want to go to the movies and watch Twilight again. that was such a good movie!!!! i still can't believe that some people are saying that it sucked! i think that they did an excellent job! it's one of the best book-to-movie transitions i've ever seen. i mean, yeah, the part where you see Edward all glittery turned out really cheesey, but the rest of it was excellent.
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