Movie 4-Another Cinderella Story

I'm not being cynical, that's the name of the movie! It features an adaptation of Cinderella in modern times. But, really, what isn't Cinderella based any more? It's every girl's dream to go from rags to riches! Mary, the maid, is a singing, dancing, tomboy wonder (played by Selena Gomez). Her counterpart is Joey, the hot, famous, singer/songwriter/dancer. They fall in love at a masked school dance and Joey searches desperately for the mysterious girl after she runs off just before midnight. Once he realizes it was Mary, they fall in love (for realsies).  After a complication caused by the jealous ex-girlfriend and the evil stepsisters, Joey and Mary realize they were meant for each other, Mary gets into dance school, and they kiss happily ever after.

What did I learn?

Why is life so unpredictable? Think about it. How often is it that we make plans, and the plans actually work out. I, for one, feel that my plans never turn out as they were originally planned! When I was younger (okay, maybe not so young sometimes), I used to think that if I thought of the opposite of what I wanted, I would get what I really wanted. For example, let's say I wanted to buy a horse. I would think of all of the other options. I could borrow a horse. I could never get a horse. I could lease a horse. I could merely take riding lessons, etc. My theory was, that since I thought of everything else, I would surely get the one thing I didn't think of, or at least tried not to think of. In this case, I actually got a horse. ^_^ In the movie, Mary's life is very unpredictable. She had plans to do one thing, she didn't really get it. *However, since it is a movie, it all ended the way it should have*.

So how did Mary address unpredictability? She didn't. She actually whined. And complained. And gave up on her dreams. There was no persisting, no finding a new path. She moped. And Joey was in agony over what happened between them. Mary totally turned her back on him based on an event that she saw from afar and, obviously, didn't understand. In the end, it was her friends and a lot of Disney magic that gave her the happy ending she wanted.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love this movie. But if the other movies are telling me how I should react, this movie is describing what not to do. Mary almost lost her romance and there was very little effort on her part to regain it. She did drop her grudge, eventually, but it took her long enough! All the while, Joey, did his best to be the "down-to-earth" guy that he wanted to tell the media about. ;)

Thus, I want to not be like Mary in the sense of her...romance. I want to be like Joey. He didn't mope when things didn't go his way (though, he was a superstar so maybe things always went his way). Life is unpredictable and though I will still fall into my ridiculous habit of thinking of everything except the thing I want, I hope that I will be able to handle life's curve balls better than Mary. Maybe the next movie will teach me about the curve balls of life.... 

My favorite scene is the tango-esque one! :)

AND I wish I had animals to help me clean my room...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhTjnzlcIeI

Movie 3- Ella Enchanted and Charlla

I'm about a day behind in my blogs! Yesterday, my sister and I watched Ella Enchanted. This was inspired because I had just finished reading the book (all in one day). It's a great book and really nothing like the movie, so if you're interested in chick flicks, read it! I'm going to go more off of the book, because I liked it better. :) Ella has been cursed with the requirement to be obedient. She is forced to do anything anyone tells her to. This knowledge is found out by her cruel stepsisters (one smarter than the other) and Ella is forced to be miserable. Along the way, she meets the prince (this is where the book and movie differ greatly). In the book, Ella and Prince Char become pals. They're friendship grows when Char repeatedly saves her from danger as she goes along her quest to find her fairy godmother. Her fairy godmother is the one who can remove the curse. Char and Ella fall in love. Char asks her to marry him. She says no for fear someone might find out her curse and use it against Char and the kingdom. Ella pulls a Cinderella move and (anonymously) goes to a ball, loosing her slipper (or slopped her dripper!). Char finds the slipper. Ella fits. She breaks the curse in order to say 'no' to marrying Char, for his own safety. The curse is broken. They kiss. They wed. They're happy.

What did I learn?

First off, don't get cursed.

Secondly, and more importantly, Ella has an incredibly strong willpower. She may be cursed, but by golly she does her best not to be. Most of the time she seems ornery, but it's her way of rebelling against the curse. (I do have to say, I felt like I could relate to Ella because she is definitely a sarcastic person and anyone who knows me at all, knows that I am an extremely sarcastic person!) Not once does Ella sit down and say, "Aw shucks. I guess I'm stuck with this. I might as well give in now." No. She is determined to get her way and break the curse, even if it means running away from finishing school and facing the ogres.  Sometimes, I feel like I face things in life like a curse. "Why do I have to have a job? Ugh. Do I really have to be responsible? Can't I just skip this class?" And, maybe some of it is. No one wants to be weighed down with school. But, instead of whining about it, I can change it. Now, I'm not saying that I should go out and quit my jobs and leave school. I'm saying that I should change that 'curse' into something beautiful. I have the opportunity to learn and improve myself through education. I have the gift of being able to work in a clean, safe environment. I have the privilege of making my own money and putting it where I want it to go (like a new camera or a trip to London!). So I want to view life as an opportunity, no a curse. And use my strong willpower, and sarcastic nature, to make the best of every situation!

Oh, Char. He is extremely charming (in the book...). Plus he's surprising. Ella had him stereotyped from the get-go and Char would have none of it. He slid down banisters. He laughed at jokes. He even fell in love for love, not money or status. He has a kind heart and a caring personality. It's the whole selfless thing again. He had a personal gain only because he gave, before he received. All through the book, his heart was his biggest motivation. I want to be true to my heart the way Char was. Nothing deterred him. I want to do things because my heart tells me to (within reason). Char lived a life with Ella because his heart longed to, not because society dictated it. Wouldn't that be a nice life!

Ella and Char--sittin' in a tree. I've nicknamed them "Charlla". ^_^ They had a friendship more than a romance. They were childhood play buddies, pen pals, and eventually, lovers (in the purest sense of the word). I want to start looking for friendship, instead of romance. I've always had the idea that romance should grow out of friendships, but I think I've been motivated by romance instead. First comes trust, then comes companionship, and then love just grows from there. That way, there's a foundation for the love, rather than just infatuation. I wish to be a friend to others, before I would become anything more.

Life's an opportunity. True to my heart. And Friendship. That's what Ella and Char taught me.

“And so, with laughter and love, we lived happily ever after.”- Ella Enchanted

Movie 2- Thor

Movie 2 of this adventure was Thor. This is where the definition of "chick flick" begins to go awry (didn't take long, huh?). Thor and Jane are the romantics involved. If you haven't seen Thor, I suggest you do. In this movie, Thor, the God of Thunder, lands on earth, cocky and haughty. His path crosses with the frustrated and determined Jane Foster. Turns out, she needs to know what he knows, and he needs to get back to his own world. He has a dramatic personality change and they fall in love, essentially. ;)

What did I learn?

Let's start with Jane. At the beginning of the movie, her life's work was taken away by a virtually unknown government agency. As you can imagine, this is extremely frustrating to her. However, she does not just give up. She comes up with alternative solutions. Yes, she was in a way just using Thor for his information. But, she was never hurtful nor deceiving to him. She was persistent, level-headed, and it eventually paid off in love. She didn't change who she was in order to further advance her circumstances. She stayed true to herself and that's what Thor fell in love with (I feel like this will be a recurring theme!). At the end of the movie (spoiler alert), she is separated from Thor. Again, she doesn't get down in the dumps. She decides to do what she can to go find the man who stole her heart. As a result, I have decided to be more persistent. I don't want to let even the big things in life that may go wrong, get me down. No good comes from depression over the situation. Otherwise, Jane would have never even met Thor!

Now Thor. He took a bit of a different path. The reason he was put on earth was because he had too much of an ego. I mean, he started a war for heavens sake. That would need a little attitude adjustment. For most of the movie, he had this haughtiness. However, when he was at his weakest was when he was able to gain the most strength (oh those metaphoric oxymorons!). When he was unable to lift the hammer (which Darcy-in a stroke of genius-called the "Myeuh-muh"), he finally figured out that maybe he actually need to have...well, a heart and not just the looks. It was when he was able to be compassionate, caring, and selfless that he did the most damage, for the most good. More often than not, my little world revolves around me. What do I want, what do I need, what are my plans? But life's not lived alone and in order to be the most powerful that I can be, I have to be less me and more others. Make sense?

As a couple, what were Thor and Jane? Passionate (another common theme). And oh-oh-oh so charming! They were surprising and playful, bashful and open. It was Thor's confidence and Jane's shyness that made them just so darn cute together! But again, there was a respectful interaction between them. There was a sense of caring about the other. Jane didn't run away when there was danger, she worried about Thor. And Thor stood up to the danger in order to protect Jane (and others, but what do they matter now? ;).

So I guess this rambling comes down to being true to yourself, and making your true self, selfless. Life is not about the self, it's about everybody else and how they affect the self. I want to be more selfless. (Kind of contradicting since I'm writing a blog, which you are reading....)

"Is that one of Stark's?"
"I don't know. That guy never tells me anything."

Darcy- "Woah. Does he need CPR? 'Cause I totally know CPR."

Side note!
The Avengers movie is going to be incredible. I can't wait!! I pretty much love everyone involved. For example, Robert Downey Jr= awesome.
Captain America=Incredible.
Thor=Superb

Movie 1- Singin' in the Rain

Some of the best romantic movies are musicals. Though I'm not real thrilled with modern musicals (ie-of the High School variety), I have a strong appreciation for the classics. "Singin' in the Rain" starring a handsome Gene Kelly and a gorgeous Debbie Reynolds tells a classic tale of hatred turning to love. Kathy (Debbie) originally finds Don (Gene) to be pompous and arrogant. Of course, Kathy's distaste for Don almost immediately makes him fall in love with her. In the end, she sees Don's real personality and grows to love him. And they dance and sing happily ever after (after a tearful miscommunication).

So what did I learn?

In the beginning, even in her dislike of Don, Kathy tries to impress him by bending the truth. She doesn't lie to him, per se, however she doesn't give him the full story. This makes her appear to be more than she is. I do my best to live an honest life, however, I find this characteristic does appear. And like in the movie, it was all in vain. Don ended up liking Kathy for who she was, not who she said she was. So why lie? Why put the pressure on myself to try and appear to be more than I am? What happiness is there in that?

How does Don react? With sarcasm. Don doesn't chastise Kathy for lying to him. He doesn't even call her out on it. He makes sarcastic jokes and laughs at her need to build herself up, because he likes her just the way she is. I want to be able to react like this more. To take my anger and turn it into laughter instead of hatred. Because, in the end, it is Don's kindness that ultimately melts Kathy's heart, not his abilities to change her behavior with harsh words.

Even when Kathy holds a grudge and keeps up her barriers, Don persists in his attempts and wins her over. So why hold a grudge? Why not let the past be the past and start fresh? If Kathy would have just accepted her humiliation for being caught in a lie, she would have found something much sweeter, more quickly.

What did I learn from Don? Well, first off, the way to a girl's heart is through song and dance. ;) But really. He persisted until he caught Kathy, then he fought to keep her, and fought others to treat her well. Granted, I want to eventually have a guy like this, but this applies to more than just relationships. Fighting for something, even in the tough parts, produces some of the best results. If it's not fought for, it's not wanted so badly that I can't live without it. If I can live without it, then I don't need it and whatever I was working for has now become obsolete. So fight if it's worth it.

As a couple, Don and Kathy are passionate. Mostly it's displayed through their dramatic singing and tearful exchanges of words, but it is obvious they are passionate. That seems like the best way to live life and have relationships. There's also something to be said for the classic way of romance. How the caressing of hands could mean so much. In my mind, this displays a lot of respect. Respect for what's proper, appropriate, and even, sophisticated and refined. I want to conduct myself, in public and private, in a way that I'm proud of and that makes me feel....well, classy. It's like being Audrey Hepburn rather than Kim Kardashian.

15 Chick Flicks in 21 days

I love movies. I always have and I probably always will. However, as I'm sure many girls know, watching movies (especially romantic ones), can really get a girl down in the dumps. I have a bad habit of watching chick flicks and wishing my life was like those in the movies. I wish, and dream, and think about how my life should be just like those perfect-ending movies. However, I have decided to take on a new approach. I have decided to watch a movie a day and instead of whining about how my life doesn't live up to that, blog about ways that my life does compare and ideas or values I take away from the movie. Like I said, I love movies so watching them won't be hard for me and I hope to keep my blog updated on my reviews.

That being said, since I do have a couple part-time jobs and am a full time student, I have decided to give myself a little extra rope. My plan (should I follow it), will be to at least blog about a movie I have seen previously if I am unable to watch a movie that day. I will also allow myself about 6 days in the next 3 weeks that I can go without a blog at all. I suppose this could be something of a new years resolution, but I want to learn something from these movies that I use to "just distract" me.

The interpretation of what a "chick flick" is will probably vary, depending on my mood. But since romance is so common in movies, I hope this will be entertaining for both me and any readers who venture along with me as I focus on the romantic aspects.

I love to discuss. So I ask for comments, questions, challenges, anything. If you have a particular chick flick that you love, let me know and I'll maybe put it on the list. This can be as interactive as my readers make it.

Now that you know, let's get started!

Life's Uncertainty

Sometimes, life pulls the rug out from under your feet, and no matter how prepared you were or thought you were, you still fall on your ass. I thought I had such a good thing, and it was; for a while. But then it became something unbearable. Then I reached the point where I had to make the decision of how much do I endure and when do I make for the hills? Cruelest of all of life’s torments is uncertainty. Uncertainty about the future, uncertainty about previous decisions, uncertain about actions, thoughts, words, beliefs. Questions regarding people, promises, plans. Did I do right? Of course, but what if…--Will it turn out fine? Absolutely, but what if…--There’s no plan, obviously. There’s no promises, of course. But how much light must we have gathered before we decide to plunge into the darkness, headfirst, heart scared? 

 

It’s not so bad being alone, save for those moments when you realize it. Stop and think, or don’t, but soon enough life will hit you with the truth and most of the time it’s ugly. Well, personally, I’ll be damned if I let life catch me like that again. And yet, there’s no avoiding it.

The worst part of life is its uncertainty…..and its desire to sneak up behind you and scare the shit out of you.

Perhaps I Would Marry Poet.

Perhaps I would marry a poet. His words would wrap and twist and engulf me. Perhaps we would find love between the letters. He would call me "Minx" and I would call him "Lover." When the sun went down and it was too dark to read, we would speak in hushed tones, whispering such lines to enthrall one another. The sound of his speech would be like a warm touch, cradling my chin or cupping my jaw. No boundaries need be crossed and still my heart would soar. Out bodies need not touch save the caressing of hands as we exchange love notes.

"Would I have the words to describe our love", his letters would begin. "Would I have the heart to read them", I would reply. We would know each other on paper, always craving another line, another word, a single uttering of a syllable. "Write your pen once more, dear lover", I would cry. "I cannot, dear Minx, for the pages are not big enough for my words", he would lament. Ever on would the battle continue. Each selection of words worthy to put on paper would enrichen and revive. Not for a touch, would I crave, but mere words to stimulate my heart.

"Kiss me", I would beg him and he would write me a note. With hands covered in ink, he would paint me a new world of love. "I cannot give you everything in life", he would confess, "But should these pages suffice, I will give you all you desire in love". And when there was no more paper and our pens ran dry, we would turn to each other and find passion in our touch. All the years imagining his touch would pale in comparison to his lips on mine. Like a bird in flight, we would explore a world unknown. Lost more in thought than touch, our true poetic selves would reveal themselves.

In the time following, we would try to depict what we felt. Each time, we would fail. Each time, engulfed by love, we would collide and fall into the most poetic of words, not capable of being described. To think in words in one thing, but when we touched, no language could describe the poetry we felt.

Impossible? I think not.

I broke into my parents house today.

No, I'm not exaggerating. Yes, it was actually locked. No, I am not a criminal. I'm not sure this is really the way I should begin a blog since I don't know who might be reading this, but it's the truth. Of course I had full consent from my parents to break into their house, but I still did it.

My parents went to Iowa for the weekend and my sister is in Alabama with my brother. My other brother remains in Fort Collins and my dog was with me. Leaving me as the only person to water the flowers at my parent's house. Since I have nothing better to do with my time, I agreed. However, when I arrived all starry eyed and ready to get some work done (mostly excited to use the internet as well), all the doors were locked. I'm talking dead-bolts and all. I called my mother and asked her if she had some sort of plan as to why the door through the garage which was supposed to be left open was actually locked and she responded in distress "It is??".

From then on it got exciting.

Since my parents don't actually have keys to their house (it's a long story...), my dad talked about how he was going to bust a window when he got home in order to get into the house. It seemed a little extreme, but what else could we do? I talked to one of my brothers and he suggested freezing the door handle and then chipping away at it. I'll just grab the E-Z Freeze out of the trunk of my car....

So I was stuck on the wrong side of the door with dying plants inside calling for water. Okay, that's a little extreme, but still. I'm not usually one to give up on things so I proceeded to try and find a way to get in. All the windows were locked of course and so I had no such luck as to just get in. So, instead, I took a set of my keys and began testing them on the door in the garage. One went in but didn't actually unlock the door. However, using this not-a-right-fit key and a screwdriver, I ended up fidgeting with the door and it ended up popping open.

As the door swung open, I literally though, "What the hell?"

I soon after called my parents and described to them what had happened and my dad's words were, "That's not possible." Well, apparently it was because I saved all the plants from dying! As I watered the garden and thought of how funny it was that I had actually broke into a house, I wondered at what had happened if I would have just gone home. I was certainly exhausted when I arrived and had very little interest in putting in much effort. In fact, I had a mind to get Panda Express and just go home and watch a movie. However, I pushed on and was rewarded.

But what if I hadn't? My parents would have come home, after a long trip, to a locked house with no way of getting in. I can't say what might have happened, but I don't doubt that my dad might have broken a window to get in. They would have been exhausted, probably cranky, and more than a little annoyed. My dad's knowledge and experience of locks, keys, and doors would have prevented him from attempting what I so ignorantly did.

Perhaps knowledge isn't always power. There's something to be said for ignorance and pure innovation. Thinking creatively in situations that I am not familiar with certainly has saved me a few times. I can't deny that I'm feeling pretty proud of myself after having committed something of my first "crime". I'll definitely admit to having a little more of a swagger when I walk. I even rewarded myself with Mac N' Cheese (which probably means my mom will have dishes to do when she gets home).

But back to the impossible. I wonder if the impossible really is impossible, or if our knowledge and experience are merely telling us that it is impossible. Clearly, if I had been smart, I would have known that my little trick would never have worked. However, I am not that smart when it comes to locks and bolts and thus, what should have been impossible was possible in my eyes.

Just process that for a second.

How often do you think of things as impossible? I know it happens with me often. "I can't get a book published. It's nearly impossible." "There's no way I can travel to Europe! It's impossible with my job." But maybe it's not. My previous experience is getting in the way. If I was dumber and just made it happen, then these impossible statements wouldn't be possible. ;)

Oh but it's been good fun and I'm happily using the internet. The plants won't die and my parents can now come home happy. In the end my ignorance paid off and after all is said and done, I am left with this final thought....

Where was the neighborhood watch as I broke into the house?


P.S. The bunny has nothing to do with anything. I just think he is freakin' cute! His name is Thump Thump and he lives outside my apartment!

Night's Enchantress: Part 2

The young Enchantress and her stallion, Night, slept in the barn together. She would not leave his side. Though the sun still shined, their eyes were heavy and the straw was welcoming. As the hours passed, Night and Enchantress slept in peace, breathing deep and steady. When they awoke, feeling restful and renewed, the Enchantress decided she would visit the village. She wondered what people were saying about this glorious day that never ended.


To her surprise, there was a great deal of fear spreading throughout the village. People claimed that this eternal sunshine was a curse, sent to doom them all for their sins. The Enchantress could not see it that way. She saw the eternal sunshine as a blessing. She had the Night as her friend and companion and in return was blessed with an environment that would satisfy her mood. Annoyed and angry at the villagers’ ignorance of the bliss around them, the Enchantress returned to her confidant.

“People are dumb.” The Enchantress said to Night as she ran her comb through his mane. “If they can’t understand that the sun is a gift and not curse, then I do not think they deserve to enjoy it.” She contemplated their ignorance. “We will enjoy it. Let us go for a ride.” She smiled greatly at the idea, and walking from the barn, was happy to find Night close behind.

With the help of her stool, she climbed onto the broad back of the strong horse. “Let’s fly across these plains, Night!” She grabbed a handful of his mane and urged him forward with her legs. She had been a young girl when she had last ridden a horse and the excitement from the moment soon overpowered her. She laughed aloud and threw one of her arms in the air, while the other held firmly to the mane which kept her from falling off.

Night’s power was great. He thrust himself forward through the tall grass, cutting through it with no effort at all. His feet hardly touched the ground as he moved with speed and accuracy across the miles of open land. He did not tire of exhaustion. He did not grow weary. With the power within him, he captured the lands the Enchantress had never before set her eyes on. The world was theirs and as the sun hung high, they were free.

For many hours they ran. The Enchantress had no desire to return to her little garden with its little vegetables. With the strength of her horse, she was able to go more places, see more things, and become more than she ever had. She vowed she would never return. After a long journey, the Enchantress grew tired. She and Night stopped in a town, some miles from her home, to rest and eat, but the Enchantress had no money to buy food. Her thoughts returned to her little garden and she wondered if she had made a mistake.

“Beautiful horse you have there, missy.” A man with dirty beard and even dirtier clothes slurred. The Enchantress was appalled that the man should address her, an Enchantress, and her horse, the Night, with such impropriety. “I’ll give you 50 shillings for a horse like that.” He laughed as he patted Night on the neck.

The Enchantress was about to reproach the man for bringing up such a stupid idea, when she thought better of the situation. “Alright,” She said, dismounting her steed. “You have a deal. But he is hungry and thirsty, and you should feed him, straight away.” The man agreed heartily and pulled the money from his pocket. The Enchantress whispered to Night, so that the man may not hear, “You shall have your food and when you are full, come to me outside of the town, for I will have eaten as well, and we will be on our way yet again.”

As she took the money from the man, the Enchantress felt slightly guilty for robbing the man of money, but as she could see of no other way to get food, she continued into the town to find some lunch. The man took Night away to the stables to feed and water him.

Food and a large cup of fresh water were easy to come by. The Enchantress ate until she could eat no more, with plenty of money still rattling in her pocket. She walked from the town, content with her trickery. It wasn’t until she had spent some time waiting outside the borders that she began to worry of her folly. What if Night did not have the power to escape the stables? What if he did not want to? After several minutes of anxiety, the Enchantress was about to return to the town when she saw Night’s graceful movements come galloping across the plain. Relief washed over her as well as a feeling of excitement as her plan succeeded.

When Night was close enough, though, the Enchantress realized that she was too short to get on the back of her great stallion. Beginning to feel like she would be caught and thrown into prison for being a thief, the young girl begged Night to come up with a solution. He was quick in his reactions and bowed low for her to climb onto his back. Happily placed on his back, the Enchantress urged Night forward and they continued on their journey.

They traveled for several more hours, crossing all types of lands and going through many different towns. Soon, they were once again exhausted and the Enchantress and her Night stopped in a large town. Having spent the whole of the day, or what they could figure, traversing the country side, the young Enchantress looked forward to resting in a bed. She stopped at an Inn and asked for a room.

“We do not have nights anymore, as you know.” The inn keeper said, flustered. “But we monitor the hours now. You may have a room for ten hours, if that is what you wish.”

The Enchantress felt that was plenty of time and agreed. A young servant boy took Night to the inn stables, where he could rest and replenish his strength. The Enchantress paid the inn keeper with her stolen money, then went to her room to rest.

It wasn’t long when the ten hours had passed and the Enchantress and Night were yet again on their way. They took to the country side, wanting nothing more than to feel the breeze on their face. They began to travel on lesser traveled paths, through fields and country sides. As they passed a particular field, the Enchantress saw that there was man, on his knees, wailing.

“Stop, Night. I wonder what is wrong with that man.” She went towards the distraught man, curious of his dilemmas. “Sir, why do you wail so?”

“Do you not see? Do you not see how I am ruined?” He picked the dirt up from his field and held it in his hands.

“I do not know what you mean.” The Enchantress saw nothing wrong.

“It’s dead. All of it. All of my fields. They’re all dead.”

Finally, the Enchantress saw what the man feared. There was no green in his lands. The plants had all withered and many had fallen to the ground. “What has caused such a disaster?” The Enchantress felt pity for the man.

“This sun!” The man turned to the sky and screamed. “It has dried up all my land. It has scorched the very existence of my livelihood. I am a simple farmer and my crops are my life. But now, with no night, the plants die through the scorching rays of the sun!” The farmer screamed in contempt and pounded his hands on the ground.

Instantly, the Enchantress felt dread spread through her heart. She now realized what had happened. This man’s loss was her fault. She had enchanted the Night and now kept him for her own, but now the plants had no reprieve from the sun and had died.

To her horror, the Enchantress comprehended the folly of her selfishness. But even with the man wailing in front of her, and the fields around her stolen of their lushness, she could not imagine giving up her Night. She had been alone for far too long, and wished never to be alone again.

Night's Enchantress Part 1

There is an old legend, about the young girl who enchanted the night. There are few who still live to believe it, but I will tell it to you now, in hopes that should you not believe it, you will at least learn from it and grow in yourself.

There was a young girl, old enough to have experiences but young enough to still have much to live. She was a strong girl, who worked hard at all she did. But life had dealt her an ill-hand in the game of happiness. She had only one friend, who was dear to her in every way, and an empty barn that only reminded her of the happiness that used to be. She lived alone, had for many years, but in her heart she longed for companionship more than anything. Her friend, though dear, was a farmer’s daughter and left the young girl often alone in her small cottage next to her quiet barn. The young girl, not having a job, lived off what she could grow in her yard. She would spend all day nurturing and loving her plants so that they might bloom into the food she would need to live on. Thus, every day was spent in the garden, but every night, was spent under the stars.

The young girl loved the stars and the moon and would often walk in the stillness of the darkness. She did not fear the lack of light and rather embraced the beauty she felt and knew existed in the shadows. She would walk for hours, singing soft lullabies to the sleeping world around. But most of the night she would spend in deep prayer.

“Stars above, and grass below, how you know me. Moon that shines and lights the way, you can see right through me. So I cannot hide, nor should I try, the loneliness that consumes me. If you care, or might want to share, do send a love my way. Someone to walk along at night and occupy my day.” Such were her prayers to the heavens above, every night as she would meander from pasture to pasture.

For years she had prayed and never been answered. Still she clung to her dear friend for refuge from the solitude. “My dearest girl,” Said the young girl’s friend. “You are more true to me than life.”

“And you to me.” The girl embraced her companion.

“Then you must know, and do not be afraid, that I am to no longer be my father’s daughter.”

“I do not understand,” Said the young girl, “Did he do something wrong?”

“No.” Her friend laughed. “Not in the slightest. But I cannot be my father’s daughter, when I am to be another man’s wife.”

The young girl did not know what to say to her longtime companion. She felt happy, of course, but a sharp pain pierced through her heart and struck her like a knife. Quickly she dismissed her friend and returned to her simple cottage. For hours she cried. Such loneliness no human has ever felt. Such pain in the separation of a loved one had never been truer. As the time slipped by, so did the sun and soon the night engulfed the earth. Frustrated with her plight, the young girl ran out into the night.

“Why have you done this to me?” She screamed, pleading with the stars. “I live a quiet life with no one to hurt. I speak simple things and dream only of friendship, yet you take away the one thing I ask for?” Throwing her arms towards the sky, she commanded the earth. “Give me a love that I can cherish! That no other can steal away. Give me the one, the truest, to help me through my days! You must do this for me to repay the damage you’ve done!” And as she spoke the words, her heart burst in pain. Collapsing to the ground, the young girl fell asleep from exhaustion.

She woke, the next morning, to a bright and beautiful day. The sun warmed her skin and the grass around her glistened with the moisture of a fresh morning. The night had gone, but it left her more exhausted than when it had come. She could move her body for fear of being too weak. But with tears of anger and remorse flowing down her cheeks, she lifted herself from the soft grass and walked back to her home.

She wasn’t far from her simple cottage when she heard a noise in the barn. Fearful of who might have come to cause mischief, she gathered a garden tool and walked cautiously towards the barn door. Slowly and quietly, she snuck inside. Her eyes took a few moments to adjust from the bright sunshine. Once she was able to see her surroundings, she was awestruck by what she found.

Standing, like a triumphant champion, in the corner of one of the abandoned stalls, was the most beautiful of horses. He was sheer black from nose to tail. Not even the white of his eyes could be called such. He was the most fearsome and handsome creature she had ever beheld and she marveled at him for a few moments. He stood quietly, watching her. With a long main and a forelock that fell with dignity across his face, he looked to be a creature of myths. His muscles were strong and his body was perfectly carved. He stood tall, like the magnificent creature that he was.

The girl wondered where he could have come from and determined it did not matter. He was here now, in her barn, and he was hers. The heavens had answered her pleas. Here was a companion known to be the truest of all companions. The young girl went to her horse, and placing her hand on his neck, promised to never let anything come between them.

The girl spent her entire day looking after the horse. She fed him and watered him and took him to the pastures. The lay together and rode together and she couldn’t have been happier. Finally the world had realized who she was and had granted her happiness. The warm day turned to hot and made the sweat run down the girl and her horse’s skin. The played in a nearby creek to cool off and still the horse’s coat did not shine in the light. The darkness that he was took her breath away. She ran her fingers over and over his silky coat and was amazed by the vibrancy of his blackness. He was beautiful, and wonderful in every way.

Exhaustion soon overcame the young girl, so she took her horse to her garden and fed him whatever he picked. She ate happily, knowing she would never have to be alone again. She had found her one companion and her heart felt full. Once she had finished eating, she lay back and closed her eyes, grateful for the satisfying relief of a nap.

When she finally woke, it felt like hours later, yet the sun was no lower. Still her companion lay next to her and she couldn’t mind the beautiful sun that warmed her. Having regained her strength, she began working in her garden; singing quietly and whispering such loving things that had never been heard. Often she would feed her horse treats she would find, and he would be happy. She worked for hours in her garden, always watching her horse. But even after the many hours of labor, the sun still hung high in the sky.

“Why does it not descend into the land like it always does?” She wondered as patted her horse. “Why does it not give us reprieve into the night?”

A soft wind blew through her hair and whispered in her ear, “Because you commanded it to stay.”

At first, the young girl was frightened and didn’t know who had spoken to her, but as she looked at her new found companion, he stared at her with such knowing eyes that it both calmed and unnerved her. “What could you mean?”

“You made the night repay your lost with a companion. But in return, the night must forfeit the whole day to the sunshine.” The breeze whispered.

“You mean to tell me,” The young girl said as she placed a hand on her horse. “That you are the night?”

“I am the night and all that goes with me. And you are my enchantress.”

“I am no enchantress.” Said the girl, “I am a lonely, quiet country girl who only wanted to have someone to share my time with. I cannot enchant the night.”

“But you already have. Now, I am here as your companion, forever with you.”

The girl could hardly believe her luck. She had enchanted one of the most beautiful things of the world and now it was her companion for life. Wrapping her arms tightly around the horse’s neck, she swore she would always adore Night for the true repayment of her misfortune.

Sometimes You Have to Fail...

...Or at least that's what they say.

Life's rough sometimes, but it's during these rough times that we really learn to appreciate the better things in life. Like, getting above a D on an accounting test. Granted, I thought I had completely failed the exam, but still, I was .5 away from a C! No hard feelings, it was my fault. I take responsibility.

However, I really would like this whole "rough weather" thing to end already. I get it, I have a good life most of the time, now can we please get back to the sunny days?? Who knows when that will happen, but I hope I appreciate it more.

And what is with people? I don't know if it's just the rough time I'm going through, or if everyone (okay, not everyone) I come across is just an idiot! People have been irking me right and left and I just keep trying, and failing, to stay calm and not let them bug me, but seriously. Some people really know how to push my buttons!

So. This is more of a rant than a lesson and certainly less informative. However, I hope you learn something. Don't wait until you fail to appreciate your success. Deep, huh? Yeah. I know. It's like the whole don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Not sure how those relate, but enjoy them anyways.

Pleasantly Surprised

Lately, I've been a bit (okay, so quite a bit) gloomy. For various reasons, I've just been in the mood to curl up under my heated blanket, eat tubs of ice cream, and watch TV. I've recently lost hope in humanity because I keep running into the stupidest people who just seem to have no idea that there is a world around them and it doesn't revolve around them.

Tonight I was at King Soopers (I forgot to get band aides :/ ) , walking out to my car, carrying four bags of groceries and a box of soda-ish cans. I was walking behind these two guys who had red plastic cups (and we all know what that means!) and talked like they had never been to school.

"Yo. Yeah dude. Like totally awesome." Okay. That's not really what they said, but you get the picture.
They both had tight pants and funny, neon-colored hats with their skater sweat shirts. They were the classic long-boarders I see all over campus. Stupid. Obnoxious. And conceited.

Coincidentally, they had parked next to my car and since they were a bit ahead of me, I let them get in their car first, but as I was waiting for them to get in, my box of cans ripped and fell to the ground. I was embarrassed, but more than anything I was caught off guard. Then, to my utter surprise, one of the guys stood up (instead of getting in the car) and said...

"Do you need some help, ma'am?" And looked at me with earnest eyes, and even took a step towards me to help.

Caught off guard, I blurted out in response that I was fine and that I was waiting to get into the car next to him. He then instantly apologized for being in the way and taking so long. I said it was alright, and it really was. Where had this kind of kindness come from? Not only had he surprised me by offering his help, but he had also respectfully called me "ma'am" and apologized for being in the way! I was in shock. Complete shock. Now, he may not be the best of guys and I'm not saying he's my new hero, but if more people were like that part of him, then I would certainly not be despaired....

...but maybe there is hope for humanity.

Now, I've got some Ben and Jerry's and I'm going to go back to being hopelessly addicted to the show Primeval, which my friend Beth got me hooked on!

Oh How Irksome!

I'm not a very patient person, and I know it. Sometimes, I even don't mind it. However, I do consider myself to be a rather easy-to-get-along-with type of person, in most cases, even with my impatience.

But lately....

I don't know if there's something in the air but there just seems to be a whole truck load of drama going on around me. The only thing I can think of for why this is happening is based on a theory...

A few of my friends and I have this theory and I think it's pretty good. We seem to think that anything you pray to God for, he'll do the opposite. Anytime you make a positive, resolute decision, he'll change it.

For example, if I..say...pray for patience. He's going to take my impatience, which I have a lot of, and put me smack-dab in the middle of a ton of situations to test that patience, or lack there of. This test, I think, is what will eventually make me grow as a patient person.

But good God it's hard to endure!

I have this professor and I am convinced she has specifically been designed and created and put on this earth as my professor merely to push all my buttons. It's the only way to explain the extent to which she irks me! Now, I've only had three classes with her and I fear that means it's going to be a very long semester.

Shall I give you some examples?

Alright. I find her ridiculous. Excessively ridiculous. She is haughty, self-righteous, inconsiderate, controlling, manipulating, nose-stuck-in-the-air, I'm-so-much-better-than-you, down right obnoxious! And what do I do with people like that?

Well, my first instinct is to run. But seeing as she is my professor and my grade does depend on me being in class, I was unable to run. So I stayed and went to option number two. Now, I could either choose to brood in the back of the room and give her dirty looks as she parades around like the queen of chalk, but there's really no point to that. Instead, I laugh. Not out loud, of course, because that would be unprofessional and rude (which she is always telling the class is most DEFINITELY not appropriate in any situation), but I do laugh in my head and it is a sort of way to relieve my pent up frustration. Another tactic, which usually comes with laughing, is my use of smart-arse (I'm editing for my....more conservative readers) remarks. There's a saying in my house, which I coined, and it goes like this...

"I'm mouthy in my thoughts."

Usually out loud too! And lucky for me, I have a friend in this class that I can whisper my obnoxiously funny comments to and do my darndest to keep from giggling loud enough for the professor to hear. Personally, I think I'm pretty funny and I always feel the need to share my thoughts with others. So that's what I've started to do. My poor friend...

So, now I've built up to laughing in my head and making inappropriately disrespectful comments out loud. Subconsciously, this, of course, has plastered a probably rather smug-appearing smile across my face. I really am enjoying myself in the back of the classroom, even though I have no idea what the pompous lady is talking about.

Now I'm smiling...and my friend's smiling....so what happens next?

The my-girdle's-too-tight instructor calls us out on it! She literally stops her sentence, which I'm sure wasn't that impressive anyway, to ask me and my friend what we are smiling about! Caught completely off-guard, I had to struggle not to bust out laughing! Instead, I make some off-hand remark about the textbook and pretend to play-dumb (which I am sometimes very good at) and she goes on her way.

But that was only day one.... (Is this post getting too long? Well, tough. I'm enjoying it.)

Day two of the class, I still had quite the smug smile on my face, though really it was less smug and more just pure, unhindered, dumbfounded amazement that such a woman could have made it so far in life....and have three daughters and a husband (I pity them!). She, yet again, disrupts whatever-the-heck her lecture was to ask what my friend and I were smiling about. I really can't remember what we were smiling about and it probably had nothing to do with anything, but I almost lost control when she noticed it for the second time! Again, we both just mumbled something to make her go back to lecturing and leave us and our smiles alone!

At this point, in my mind, I've reached the stage where I'm laying on the floor, tears of hysteria running down my face, as I laugh abundantly at the pure idiocy of the situation! Twice, to be called out in front of the class for smiling! Imagine my embarrassment!

Or...not. I was actually thoroughly entertained and wished only that the guy with the Australian accent would take notice and want to sit next to me during the next class so that I may make comments worth smiling about to him. ;)

My, oh, my! Has it been an eventful semester already!
But wait--THERE'S MORE!

Day three of the class-that-never-ceases-to-amaze! What will happen next?? Something most irksome, indeed. Today's very difficult and vitally important-to-the-rest-of-my-life lecture was on commas, apostrophes, noun-verb agreement, and spelling.

Basically if you can tell what's wrong with this sentence...

I know's they'res a place, I kan go.

...you would pass the lecture with flying colors. So you can understand why I spent my time instead, smiling and writing down my rantings on a available sheet of paper (which shall be tucked lovingly into my journal for no one else to read). My professor, however, decided that I was probably a idiot-delinquent and should be put to the test for being so haughty and in denial of my limited capabilities. (I don't know this for sure, of course, but I assume she was thinking something along those lines). For the first time all semester, meaning all three classes, she used the ridiculously preschool-like name tags that sat like a plaque in front of each person, depicting our names, to call on me.

"Andrea." Her statement was harsh and too the point.
I looked up at her only with my eyes, keeping my head down so I looked at her from the top of my eye sockets, and my eye brows raised so she got the full "are you kidding me?" feeling I was sending her.
"Can you tell what is wrong with this sentence?"
Like hell I could! It didn't mean I was going to tell her. But, due to the fact that my parents taught me to be respectful and courteous to all my authorities (or something like that), I sat back in my chair, crossed my arms, looked at her and said...
"It's using the apostrophe to make 'women's' into a possessive plural, when it only needs to be possessive." Very straight forward, very to the point, and from her expression, very right.

She of course said something like "right" and then went on with her lecture as I picked up my pen and returned to scribbling like a mad woman on a piece of notebook paper, as evil, villainous laughs filled my head.

We also had exercises that were due today in class so that we could go over them. She informed us that she had posted the answers online so we could check out answers after class, if we missed one during class (meaning--if you stop paying attention because you feel like your brain might explode due to my ability only to speak like a bimbo, the answers are also online). I don't know about you, but I am very good at multi-tasking, or so I think, so I proceeded to scribble in my notebook.

She began with exercise one, putting the answers on the projector and saying, "Do you guys agree with all these answers?"

Well, of course we agree. I mean, it is the answer key...right?

WRONG!

There was one question that she purposefully wrote the answer incorrectly (mind you, she posted these exact answers online) so that we would learn how to "think critically" and always "challenge" what we read, no matter who the author is.

Honey, if you want to be challenged, come over here and I'll show you a challenge. If I know how to do anything, it's how to be challenging. I'm good with challenging.

The nerve. So I corrected the not-really-the-right-answer on my little sheet of paper and made a mental note that she was delusional. I also realized that any answers she gives me, I will assume she is testing us again and that my answer is always correct. All of this happened before I returned to my written rantings, of course. School first, they say, then you can continue your very expressive, explicit works of art in pen.

All-in-all, not a bad class. She is, however, going to keep pushing my buttons and soon there will be no entertainment in that and I will have to force myself not to resort to bitterness and hatred. As I said in one of my recent tweets, Lord save me from my professor, and save my professor from me.

Funny How That Happens...

I have had the funniest of things happen to me in the past few weeks. They've been small and rather insignificant, but they have certainly been amusing.

For starters, the other day when I got up early to go have breakfast with some friends before I left for CSU, I walked outside and realized that it was raining...but only in one spot! I was thoroughly confused for a few moments, trying to figure out what could possibly be making it rain in only one spot, but then when I looked up at the sky, I saw that there was a little cloud hanging over this spot, dropping raindrops. I was completely ecstatic about that little cloud, and I loved everything about it. How beautiful, how unique, how rare to have a little cloud looming over my head like my own personal display of my inner emotions!

Then, after I've now decided to go back to the Springs after this semester, I have had at least one person from my high school (people I swore I never wanted to see again) in all, except one, of my classes! One of the things I worried about going back to the Springs is that I'd run into people from high school, but I guess it goes to show that no matter where I go, they show up!

Then, I received a text message from a number I didn't recognize (But I later discovered who it was *coughangelacough*!) and it totally entertained me. It was a small thing, but I was completely excited about who it could be, why they thought to text me, and it put a smile on my face!

Then, there was this smelly, nerdy, awkward guy who sat next to me in my awkward Psych class and I was not looking forward to have to smell him for the next hour and a half, but then he *ahem* farted rather loudly, only a few minutes into the rather quiet lecture. At that point, he got embarrassed and packed his stuff up and left. I felt bad, but I can't lie, I was relieved that I didn't have to smell him anymore. As he left, a cute guy with a scarf and glasses that look like those that Josh Groban wears, took the awkward kid's seat next to me, and I was very happy. Though some people would be disappointed to learn that I did not say hi to him, but I was relieved none the less and thanked God for intervening in the matter!

Now, I am completely happy for the moment listening to the North and South soundtrack (which none of the songs are nearly long enough!), drinking tea, all with my beautifully lit candles making the room glow! There's really no point to this blog, except to say that things are funny. And when I find the resolve to, I find these things thoroughly amusing!