Saturday, February 25, 2012

Yesterday, Three Years Ago...


Three years ago, three years ago...

...THIS BLOG BEGAN! And thus, this blog began many other blogs. A gymnastics one, a 4-H one, a school one, a reporting-turned-art one that got deleted in STEM Foundations class, a pro-life one which is the newest one with the smallest amount of publicity. And I am also the newest member of the JAM Adventures blog.

This blog, and more importantly its readers, has done so much for me. The blog because without it, I wouldn't have discovered my love for writing fiction and newly I have discovered my love for poetry and songwriting. If you see my second post and then this one (I will not link to the first because it is really pitiful), there is a pretty big difference that I hope you can see. With the second post, you can pretty much infer that I was in the fifth grade and I was. Didn't know much about blogging, I just knew I wanted to do it. And that helped me improve in grammar, in which I am suffering a B in Language! Yuck! But then again, I did skip the eighth grade and move up to freshman Language in seventh grade and this year I had to go back to eighth. And how do the readers help? Whenever I'm feeling down, just in the perfect time I receive a comment from one of you, and it makes me feel suddenly much happier. I do want more followers, but I kinda like the title I have for myslef, the indie blogger.

So, here are my top 3's!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fave band
1. Deas Vail (indie rock/alternative/Christian)
2. Coldplay (alternative/pop)
3. Local Natives (indie rock/folk)

Fave solo artist
1. Taylor Swift (country/pop)
2. Katie Costello (indie pop)
3. Yael Naim (indie folk/pop)

Fave cover artist
1. Megan and Liz
2. Boyce Avenue
3. Cimorelli

Fave music genre
1. Folk
2. Alternative rock
3. Country
(I also like worship and Christian music, but that can fit in all of those categories, really.)

Fave indie rock song
1. "Monday" by The Sea and Cake
2. "Wide Eyes" by the Local Natives
3. "Life in These Little Boats" by Deas Vail

Fave indie folk song
1. "Airplanes" by the Local Natives
2. "Go to the River" by Yael Naim
3. "Come Home" by Yael Naim

Fave indie pop song
1. "Anywhere Place" by Katie Costello
2. "Oh, Imagine That" by Max and Simon
3. "Ships in the Night" by Mat Kearney

Fave alternative song
1. "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World
2. "Over My Head" by The Fray
3. "Dare to Believe" by Boyce Avenue

Fave country song
1. "Safe and Sound" by Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars (no, they're not racists)
2. "Size Matters" by Joe Nichols
3. "Best Days of Your Life" by Kellie Pickler

Fave mainstream pop song
1. "Liar Liar" by Christina Grimmie
2. "Far Away" by Tyga and Chris Richardson
3. "Old School Love" by Megan and Liz

Fave orchestra song
1. "Mombasa" by Hans Zimmer
2. "Time" by Hans Zimmer
3. "Doctor Who Opening Credits" by BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Ben Foster

Fave metal song
1. "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence
2. "Again" by Flyleaf
3. "My Heart is Broken" by Evanescence

Fave instrument
1. Acoustic guitar
2. Electric cello
3. Piano

Role model
1. Laura Blaylock (from Deas Vail)
2. Kendall Jenner (she's a Kardashian, sorry...)
3. Ann Marie Calhoun (a rock violinist who has done a performance at the Inception premiere with Hans Zimmer, Johnny Marr, and Lili Hadyn)

Hair inspiration
1. Amy Lee (from Evanescence)
2. Lili Hadyn (her hair is super curly)
3. Miley Cyrus (crappy singer, but her song "When I Look at You" is beautiful)

Fashion inspiration
1. Taylor Swift
2. Laura Blaylock
3. Liz Mace (from Megan and Liz)

Fave tele show
1. Doctor Who
2. Switched at Birth
3. The Lying Game, I guess

Fave movie
1. The Help
2. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Disney/Walden)
3. Inception

Fave book
1. "Beatle Meets Destiny" by Gabrielle Williams
2. "The Harvest of Grace" (reviewed but I don't feel like posting a link) by Cindy Woodsmall
3. "Pretty Little Liars" by Sara Shepard

Fave blog
1. Timmerie's Blog
2. Drew's Blog
3. Mid-Morning Sunset

Fave blog of mine
1. This one:)
2. Gymnastics IS Life
3. Eighth Graders Anonymous
And my newest one is my pro-life blog, Life in Technicolor!

My main talents
1. Writing short stories and novels.
2. Music, which would be Vocals/Guitar/String Bass/Piano. I've been singing for two years, playing guitar for nine months, string bass for one year (very small amount of practice though), piano for four years however I am just now working on chords.
3. Collaging. If that's how you spell it. I put magazine papers on EVERYTHING--- I have a composition notebook that has a whole bunch of stuff on the out and inside covers, plus my wall if full of posters, all perfectly aligned with each other, I try to make them perfectly straight, and not one poster is one hundred percent next to the other. Can't wait for freshman art class this year!

My fun facts
1. I am supposedly in the seventh grade
2. I am thirteen years old and 5'9" and the second or third tallest girl in my class
3. I was a cheerleader for three years and the best tumbler on my squad. I'm also a former gymnast. I miss gymnastics soooo much. So now I do human videos and I still get to spot and base stunts.

My aspirations
1. Be a famous journalist and novelist
2. A member of an indie rock or folk band, preferably as the guitarist or lead vocalist
3. Be a pastor's wife!!! I know for sure that's on my list... prayed about it at Ohio Youth Convention 2011!

If you know me, you know...
1. I love Jesus with all my heart and will give up ANYTHING for Him. "I wanna live, but I would die for You." -Fireflight
2. I have gone through a few things in the past, but I have learned to give it all a 'whatever' and move on
3. I write because I want everyone to have the chance to be as happy in life as I am!
~~~~~~
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Y.B.M.L.a.Y!

Saturday, February 18, 2012

White Lillies

Look at that white lilly dress
Swiftly moving down the aisle.
Look at the color I may never wear on a day like this.
Sure, maybe I will
But I'm not seeing that.
All I can see right now is you, mister
And you're with her.
I say I don't care and I can act it, too
You know--- walk the talk
I can walk the talk but I can't believe it
And if I can't believe it I can't live it either.
The use of saying this is nothing because you already know
It'd be less obvious on a billboard
But it doesn't matter now
Because when you could have been mine
I avoided you in silence
When I should have, could have, spoken.
But too many voices were speaking,
Mine would never be heard.
So here you know without my thoughts be heard
Tiny quirks,
I'm sorry I never make anything work
I'm sorry I'm not like her
But no need to be.
Different people, different directions, I know
So I'll just live on my own for now
And meet you far down down the road
When today was so long ago...

Monday, February 13, 2012

What Will People Think When They Hear That I'm a 90s Freak???

I love the 90s... was born in '98, so it makes sense, right? However, I've got a confession: I love cartoons. The old ones. Preferably from the 90s. And possibly Disney??? Not the new Disney crap though, don't worry.
Here are funny (and sad) videos of cartoons.

This is hilarious--- I love how Howl is such a drama king whiny baby--- "I give up. I see no point in living if I can't be beautiful." Drama king. Drama king. Reminds me of that book series on here from "the violent fifth grade" (Mat Kearney quote! And tomorrow is the last day to get his "Young Love" album for $5 at any Family Christian Stores lcoation! I got it and give it about 4 stars. Why not 5? Too much not-so-Christlike stuff ["...Albatross--- that's a metaphor for death!" LoL, sorry... my sister was a makeup artist in our school's first production, which was "How to Succeed in High School Without Really Trying"] but then it all tied together in the end). Fifth grade feels so long ago... can't believe I've been blogging since then. It still feels weird seeing my horrible grammar from when I was ten years old.

Okay, this was numbered waaaaayyyy wrong: MUFASA'S DEATH SHOULD HAVE BEEN NUMBER ONE!!!! Everybody loves Mufasa. Dude, when I was little I always wanted to cry on that part but my eyes never let me... that part of "The Lion King" scarred me for life, and the music is just beautiful going along with it. And just by chance I checked Hans Zimmer's Wiki and voila! He composed "The Lion King"! Yeah, Zimmer simmers alright:)

So.... Here's what the numbering should have been
1. Mufasa (that part still is so powerful, nearly eighteen years later)
2. Bambi (the music is really haunting... you know, that old people choir in the background? Yeah. Creepy). His mommy died. And that whole movie makes me wanna cry.
3. Gurgi. He committed suicide--- he told the boy not to jump and said he has a lot of friends. "But Gurgi," he said, "Has no friends." :(
4. Shang because he didn't even die. Mulan 2 was really crappy, but when she throws the sword down or whatever, it's really painfulto watch.
5. That random firefly from "Princess and the Frog."

Yeah. That's the wonderful world of Disney.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Music to Get You Looking Forward to Summertime!

In the summertime, you will have more time to go to concerts. I love concerts... I love how a whole bunch of strangers come together and are suddenly bonded over the one thing they have in common: the love of music. Or, more, specifically, that band for whatever the reason. So, here are some artists I want to see live in summer 2012!
Which is better? The non-official (they have an official video, but this one is better and a normal YouTube user made it) video for the studio version of "Airplanes" by the Local Natives or...
...the acoustic version WITH a mandolin!?

Well, though the video BennisHahn made is pretty darn cool, the live version makes me wanna meet the Local Natives soooo badly. I mean, an interview is sooo likely--- there are only like, twenty people at that concert! Which is weird... they are a really popular band... then again, they're indie artists. That's why I love them. Hey, you--- you never gave me that album... which is kinda illegal... but oh well. I still want it. And I will hunt you down until I get it. Remember, we have every class together. And if I don't have that album by Tuesday... then again, I have every class with you that day, too. I will do anything to get that CD.

Yeah. I love my Local Natives. And I am in the process of recording a cover of it. It will be on YouTube soon, and I have been working sooo hard on it. It also happens to be the funnest song ever to play and helps with math! Just look:

Inverse variations in math and inversions on guitar mean: In math, the X and Y axises are doing the opposite things--- as one decreases, the other increases. On guitar, (just an example, there are waaaay cooler inversions out there) the lead E string and bass E are playing the same notes, but one is higher, one is lower. Now, you know one fun way to play guitar AND a little something to help with eighth grade math! Now THAT'S how to succeed in math without really trying!

In the GIF post "Story of my Life" I posted many GIFs from the video "Here I Go" by megan and Liz. I kinda wanna see these twins live... but they're with Allstar Weekend... no interview, no go.

Oh my gosh I LOOOOOVVVVEEEEEE Deas Vail, and a concert would make me feel complete. Like, seriously. I have everything a Deas Vail fan needs. An entire album, a wristband, a poster, autographs (legit), their Christmas music (yes, I listen to it year-round... don't judge me!), singing their song in band at State and going to Phoenix for Nationals, I put a Deas Vail wallpaper on a school computer thinking the netbook was Deep-Frozen... turns out it isn't so now it's stuck there, I learned "Shoreline" on piano, "Desire" on bass, and the lead to "Excuses" on guitar (not saying I remember it because I don't). All I need now: concert, T-shirt, interview. And my soul shall be complete. I mean...

If I snag an interview, I will cry like a baby!!!!!!!!! I will probably be the first fan to do so (both to interview and to cry) since Deas Vail is also an indie band. But if I get an interview with even just ONE of them, I will be like, praisin' Jesus (seriously)! I need that interview. But I can't meet Deas Vail without wearing one of their shirts... That's like, illegal or something! So yeah... I'm stalkin' you guys, be very afraid...

Monday, February 6, 2012

200 Things about... Me!

When's the last time I've done something fun on here? Well, the last time I posted on here was over a week ago, so now you know I am alive. And by the way, there were A LOT of ties in The Blogspot Awards, so voting is re-opening for those events!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. I love blogging
2. I love speeches and narrating... and singing!
3. I love doing back handsprings on my couch (takes talent)
4. I play guitar, piano, bass, and I wish I could play violin or cello
5. I was the best spiker on my volleyball team, best tumbler and stunter on my cheerleading squad, and best on beam in gymnastics
6. I am tall (5'9" to be exact and have been that tall since I was twelve, going on thirteen, which I am thirteen right now)
7. I am black (wow that's blunt)
8. I was homeschooled for over seven years
9. I am public-schooled
10. I have lived in Salt Lake City
11. I have been to Phoenix
12. I have been to Atlanta
13. I do not own a cat and don't plan to
14. I have a dog
15. I had two fish... both died while I was away at summer camp
16. I like, LOVE seafood, especially sushi and shrimp and lobster and crab
17. I do not like any baked or grilled meats (yes, this includes chicken--- must be fried)
18. I do like chicken, though. A LOT
19. I have nothing of my own except for my body
20. I will have a netbook in freshman year in a couple months and will use it to record an EP
21. I love writing
22. I have finished writing a full-length book... and like, five of them
23. I am currently in the process of publishing "Unspoken" but school is killing me
24. I think it would be cool to have super-human powers
25. I love the colors purple and blue and pink
26. I’m a bit of a perfectionist and a procrastinator at the same time
27. I’ve seen Superchick (and met them all--- lead guitar thinks I'm weird, drummer thought I was awesome but kinda cooooky), Stellar Kart, Article One, Starlit Platoon, Point of Grace, Selah, Caleb, Tenth Avenue North, and Casting Crowns live and have Deas Vail and Superchick and Starlit Platoon autographs
28. I started school one year early
29. I will be in high school in just a few months
30. I love noodles
31. I love pizza (especially pepperoni)
32. I LOVE ice cream but hardly get to eat it because dairy is bad on the vocal chords
33. I love Doritos
34. I’m sort of getting hungry right now
35. I love promoting books I like, but more importantly, bands and solo artists I like (Mat Kearney is the next guy I'm advertising--- beware!)
36. I love being interviewed. But I never get interviewed
37. I love interviewing other people
38. I was on a soccer team when I was little and was an epic failure
39. I used to be involved in Junior Bible Quiz (JBQ) when I was little and wasn't good at it until sixth grade
40. My favorite animals are cows and chickens
41. I find incorrect grammar annoying
42. I. HATE. CHEERIOS. THEY STINK.
43. I love gymnastics and dance--- it feels so good!
44. I LOVE being RANDOM!!!
45. I teach three and five-year-olds at church once a month
46. I’m sort of shy in person
47. I love teaching people things.
48. I LOVE little kids from the age range of 2-8.
49. I love reading books.
50. I love reviewing books.
51. I love Mat Kearney's music
52. I love Megan and Liz's music
53. I love Evanescence's music
54. I love Boyce Avenue's music
55. I love Paramore's music
56. I love the Newsboy’s music
57. I love the Local Natives music (only heard one song so far)
58. I love Deas Vail's music
59. I love Coldplay's music
60. I love Relient K's music
61. I love Katie Costello's music
62. I love Superchick’s music
63. I love Yael Naim's music
64. I love TAYLOR SWIFT!!!!
65. I love Fireflight's music
66. I love The Beatles' music
67. I love James Brown's music
68. I love Sanctus Real’s music.
69. I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N
70. I love yellow labs and beagles... my dog is mixed between... so cute...
71. My dream car would be a pink bug
72. My biggest dream is to be a published author and play with Hans Zimmer in his orchestra
73. When I get older, I think it would be cool to, um, be rich
74. I love Sour Patch kids... cute!
75. I LOVE orange soda
76. I prefer to spell “grey" rather than "gray"
77. I love fiction books that aren’t overly-fantasized.
78. I love the arts, but I go to a STEM school (?)
79. I used to keep a diary. Don’t know what happened to that.
80. My iPod is the second generation (no camera), pink case... I take it EVERYWHERE!
81. My favorite song EVER is probably "Time" by Hans Zimmer, or "This is Gallifrey" from Doctor Who or maybe the opera song from Doctor Who "Vale Decem" (which in English is: "Farewell, Ten") in which I can translate all of the Latin into English... impressive, eh?
82. I love my readers:) You make my day every time you post a comment!
83. Hi.
84. I play guitar... jealous???
83. I do not have a boyfriend yet.
86. I just wrote a report about immigration.
87. I have been to summer camp before
88. I collage and collect Olympic things in a box underneath my bed
89. I used to collect soda cans.
90. I LOVE music.
91. I love children’s movies
92. I love Finding Nemo
93. I love  Inception
94. I love Titanic
95. I love the Chronicles of Narnia
96. I love The (2010) Karate Kid
97. I’m not a big fan of other people taking pictures of me
98. I strongly believe in modesty
99. I’ve only cried during one movie: "Letters to God."
100. I have a big vocabulary when writing essays and such, but I never seem to delve into my verbal knowledge in regular speech.
101.  I’ve never watched so much Dora the Explorer or Sesame Street in my life (though I think Sesame Street is so cute).
102. I don’t really watch TV shows for teens.
103. I love watching shows where these cool-looking cakes are made.
104. I love free stuff (who doesn’t?)
105. I do not believe fantasy is of the devil, but it is when the themes portrayed are against or contrary to the Bible.
106. I am learning Chinese.
107. I love going to huge concerts.
108. I don’t say “I love you” without truly meaning it.
109. I have over 111 artists in my music library
110. I love gum (bubble or minty)
111. I know how to blow a bubble and do several in it. (with enough gum, though)
112. I’m sort of shy in person
113. I love sports 
114. I love skating (rollerblade or ice)
115. I cannot swim very well
116. I prefer pens over pencils
115. I prefer gel pens over regular pens
116. I don’t like snoopy people
117. I find loud, obnoxious people amusing.
118. I like pleasing people, but God’s first.
119. I love daydreaming
120. I use iTunes 
121. I love Cindy Woodsmall's books
122. I love Sara Shepard's books (yes, A, I have been involved with those "pretty little liars.")
123. I love CS Lewis
124. I siad I love CS Lewis
125. I’ve  owned an American girl doll, specifically the Elizabeth one
126. I love stuffed animals
127. Highlighters rock
128. I would die without my watch or a clock nearby
129. I’m not a morning person
130. I love staying up all night
131. I can’t dance, but wish I could
132. I love art projects
133. I love puzzles
134. I am not a fan of sudoku.
135. My word processor is so old that it did not recognize “sudoku” as a word.
136. I got my first cell phone this year
137. I am not obsessed with texting
138. I Tweet
138. I am not on facebook
139. I am not on myspace
140. I love music videos
141. I love reading comics (not dirty ones though)
142. I think Snoopy is the cutest thing ever
143. I love sweatpants... kill the jeans:)
144. I have a mini-trampoline I got for gymnastics.
145. I love fried chicken
146. I love apple pie
147. I love Mexican food
148. I’m okay with Japanese/Chinese food, but it has to be really good.
149. I’ve heard a lion’s roar in real life.
150. I always find cute characters in movies I watch. (as in adorable, not “he’s cute!”)
151. I’m still trying to find out what God wants me to be, but I'm pretty sure I want to be a musician in Hans Zimmer's band/orchestra, or maybe a U.S. History teacher, definitely an author, positively a news reporter, I sooo wanna be a mom, possible cheer coach, vocalist who will give free lessons, and member of an indie band, folk or rock.
152. I love listening to Inception music--- TEAM ZIMMER! Zimmer simmers:)
153. I write everything on my calendar
154. I love assignments, but hate tests.
155. I love bright colors
156. I owned a PlayStation (yes, the first)
157. I don’t play computer games.
158. I do like Nancy Drew computer games, but can never find the time to play them. AND they creep me out.
159. Nancy Drew books are alright. PSST--- Carolyn Keen's name wasn't really Carolyn Keen. Plus, those new Nancy Drew books? She didn't write them... she died in 2005.
160. I kill on bass on Rock Band. My song is "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World. Or "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. 1" by The Flaming Lips.
161. I like keeping a small group of close friends as opposed to many acquaintances.
162. I love new things, but I can get overloaded easily.
163. I love playing with technology, but am terrible with computers--- TERRIBLE.
164. C.S. Lewis was an amazing writer and sadly, he died on my birthday (or more like this: I was born on his death date)... happy birthday, Hope? Sad deathdate, C???
165. I love pretty sunsets
166. I love the ocean
167. I love mountains... sooo wish I still live in Utah when I think of that... but Ohio is where I belong. And my heart will always be in Phoenix.
168. I’m not the biggest fan of shopping
169. Orange is my least favorite color, although I do kinda like it a little.
170. I love silver (color)
171. I wish I hadn’t pierced my ears.... I don't do anything with them. But since I've had them pierced for thirteen years anyway, I want a bar in like, the bone of the top of my ear.
172. I love songs with attitude (not like against God or profane or suggestive. Gross!)
173. I love dance-able songs (but I don’t dance to them, since I flunk at dancing)
174. I consider myself very good at singing harmony, but melody is not my thing
175. I love songs that point up to God. "Your Love Never Fails" by Jesus Culture and "You Won't Relent" by Misty Edwards or "The Stand" by Hillsong United.
176. I love soft things... like baby cheeks:)
177. My last name is hard for people to pronounce, but it really is easy once you stop adding in sounds that were never there
178. I have zero allergies
179. I love looking at a fresh piece of paper.
180. I love planning events. I would plan a wedding if people would trust me.
181. I love getting surprises. As long as they're good. And not creepy.
182. I learned how to play the recorder (comparable to a clarinet, but much easier) when I was in kindergarten. I can’t play it anymore, though.
183. I long to visit a beach with clear, blue water and white sand.
184. I can figure skate. My mom never enrolled me in lessons and I wish she had... the first time I skated I only legit fell once, and the times I tried to twirl I succeeded. If I had taken lessons, I believe I could have been at the elite level by now. When I say that, I mean Olympic level by 2018.
185. I am alright with percussion instruments
186. I like making people laugh.
187. Gossiping really bugs me... like I'm one to talk...
188. The very first favorite song of mine was "Sk8er Boi" by Avril Lavigne... I was so little when I heard it..
189. I love sunglasses
190. I love songs that make you feel like soaring
191. I wish I could make people think what I wanted them to think... like, "Oh my gosh Hope is hooootttt!!!" or "I'm feeling generous today... hey, Hope, you want some of my fried chicken???"
192. I can’t wait to meet Jesus in Heaven
193. I am against abortion
194. I am against same-sex marriage (because no matter what you say to me, homosexuality is WRONG) but I don't hate gay people. Enough said. Not going any further.
195. I love "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence soooo much...
196. I love butterflies.
197. I love chicken nuggets
198. I like rugby so I joined my school's rugby club... little did I know I am the only eighth grader playing with high school juniors... who are also GUYS. May the odds be ever in my favor, alright.
199. I am honored to have people reading my blog. May God Bless You!
200. I love you all!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is official. It took over a week to make this post. If you are a follower, you're tagged. Good luck...