Christmas

This past Christmas wasn't as great as it could have been, and a lot of things happened that I would wish to keep private from the web, but one thing happened that I have hoped for all my life...I got to see SNOW for the very first time! It was only just a little bit, but it was enough to give me a good viewpoint of what snow really is...it's wet and soft. The snowflakes gave little kisses as they fell on my face. But I also learned that it gets dirty and sticks to your shoes. But I loved it and hope to see more in the future.

Here's a couple of examples of pictures taken yesterday. 

My dog witnessing her first snow!

My relative's stuff in their yard.

 

Classic Christmas Videos

I found these classic Christmas videos on the web. I really love these old movies!

The Night Before Christmas

Video Source: YouTube's tvdays channel

Christmas Toy Shop

Video Source: YouTube's tvdays Channel

Treat for the Occassion 2

I L.O.V.E this book, The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt (the author/poet) and Tony DiTerlizzi (the illustrator). It was originally a poem written by Howitt and made into a book format by DiTerlizzi. The words are pure chilling with brilliance, and the illustrations are just mesmerizing and look like old screen caps from a 1920 movie. The story itself is haunting, in a nice way, and affirms the moral of being careful who you trust, and making sure not to fall for vain traps. 

I figured I'd share the video version that I found on the web. It's almost as good, simply because it literally is the book, but one must actually feel the pages between one's fingers, and read the story for themselves to really treasure this wonderful cautionary story.

The Spider and the Fly

Video Source: YouTube's ynotawoody Channel.

Mr. Spider!

Just wanted to introduce Mr. Spider. I bought him because I thought I would use him for a lesson presentation, but I changed the topic after buying him. He still might become a handy little helper in the future! I love his silhouette in the picture.

Treats for the Occassion

Since Halloween arrives in only a few days from now, I figured I’d post something to set the mood. The first is an animation mini movie of Edgar Allan Poe's short story “The Tell-Tale Heart.” It's a bit spooky, considering that the story itself is spooky. The third is a video of Tim Burton’s early animation titled “Vincent,” which has some traits that seem similar to Poe’s stories.

The Tell-Tale Heart

Video Source: YouTube’s jmcusack channel.

Warning: Could be spooky.

Tim Burton’s “Vincent”

Video Source: YouTube’s emfoco Channel.

Some Days Are Going to be Blue...

Today really was a bad day for me. There's been a lot of personal worries and problems surface and cause me to think about. Today, I've tried my best to keep my head held high and resume my life with a smile. The only hard part was trying to make conversation with others. I felt vulnerable, so my emotions wanted to fall apart, but I had to guard myself from falling to pieces. This meant I had to fight myself to talk and make conversation with others.

These worries (personal, educational, financial) make me want to fall into Christ's arms and just be held by my Holy Father. He is my rock and my salvation. He is my strength, even during the dark skies. I love my Lord, my Jesus. He makes these blue times bearable. It's hard to say that I have to trust in Him, but I know that by doing so that He will handle this and lead me through them.

The Purpose of Facebook

Clipart from Microsoft Office

The Purpose of Facebook : A Short Parody in Chat Form
By R.Andrew
__________________ 
jonboi_16: what do U mean facebook's for social networking

Paul_Lighthouse: I mean it is a place to connect with old friends, new friends, co-workers... 

jonboi_16: yeh, whatev, facebook is a gamin' website
  
Paul_Lighthouse: No, it is the purpose for communication and networking with those near and far.
  
jonboi_16: dude, your wasting my time with this nonsense. i need to login and update my frontierville.
  
Sarah_Sparkle4: Ooh, while you're updating your homestead, send me some food for my energy count!

Kyle_knight106: I thought Facebook was for stalking liking statuses of random happenings and sayings.

Sarah_Sparkle4: No, it's for adding strangers to your 'friend' count so that you appear as though you're very popular in real life.

Sarah_Sparkle4: Crap, Facebook is going so slow. It's taking forever to gather all my crops.

Kyle_knight106: Guys, I need more friends. Log on and add me.

Sarah_Sparkle4: No, thanks!

jonboi_16: no

Gothic_chik has joined the chat room.

Paul_Lighthouse: Sorry, no.

Kyle_knight106: Please?

Gothic_chik: I will.

Paul_Lighthouse: [sighs] I cannot believe this is how I am spending my Friday night.
__________________

Was edited to add more content.

A Summer Memory

     I couldn't sleep this morning so I got online and thought I'd do a bit of fantasy online shopping - which is just me browsing and searching books and DVDs and imagining myself actually having enough money to buy interesting books and being able to afford to buy complete collection DVDs of my past favorite TV shows. It's a fun hobby, and it doesn't drain your wallet or purse! I came across some interesting TV shows that I used to like - most of them all being cartoons from my childhood past - which brought about nostalgia. This got me thinking about past summers of my childhood and I couldn't help but recall one specific summer that still is fresh in my mind.

     The summer I am referring to happened in the mid 90's; I had passed the second grade and was dreading the soon approach of third grade. My mother allowed me the chance to spend a few weeks at my great-grandmother's house in Georgia, with my great-grandmother. I am possibly one of the few who has ever enjoyed spending summers with their grandparents as opposed to their parents. One of the main reasons I enjoyed it so much at my great-grandmother's house (aside from my deep love for my great-grandmother) was that she had cable, so I was able to watch shows that I never could on regular TV at home. My favorite network channel was Nickelodeon, and it had all of my favorite shows that I loved watching whenever I visited my great-grandmother: Salute Your Shorts, Rugrats, Doug, Clarissa Explains It All, Rocko's Modern Life, Are You Afraid of the Dark, All That, and the complete anticipation for Saturday to arrive for Nickelodeon's Snick.(They're linked to YouTube videos, in case you wanted to take a look at what they are, if you have never heard of them).

     During that summer, I battled tonsillitis and had severe sore throat moments and terrible fevers. (It wasn't until I entered the third grade that I had to have that taken care of.) During these bad moments, when I wasn't watching Nickelodeon, I was watching a network (I believe it was CMT) that showed country music videos (it being Georgia after all), which was something of a discovery for me. I was amazed at this genre of music and, especially, of its fellow singers like Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Tim McGraw, and Garth Brooks. I was so enthused by this discovery that I had a habit of scheduling a certain time frame every morning to watch the network channel that showed the country music videos. One day, while watching the channel, there came a video by Ray Stevens titled "The Streak." It was a funny video about a cartoon person streaking through town and causing disruptions. He also had another music video that was always shown too titled "The Mississippi Squirrel Revival." That video became a favorite of mine, especially because of the setting - a church - and the humor. The video was a fun satire that had a nice message in the midst of the humorist commotion, and it was this video that I remembered this morning as I was feeling nostalgic about that particular summer at my great-grandmother's house.

     Part of the reason for the nostalgia isn't because of the TV shows - or the  specific music videos and music genre - I once loved. They represented a place that I once enjoyed being at (a place to where I only had access to these shows and networks of my childhood). I felt safe with my great-grandmother. I felt loved. Furthermore, she was, and still is, one of the very few people who has ever believed in me. She is someone I truly care about in this world, and I would greatly be at a loss if I ever lost her.

     After recalling that particular summer, and especially that one particular Ray Stevens video, I searched on YouTube for the video and it brought back so much memories of being in my great-grandmother's house, early in the summer morning, watching country music videos. What's still shocking is that it is as funny as it was when I first watched it way back when. Therefore, I conclude this post by including that particular Ray Stevens video.

The Mississippi Squirrel Revival

Source: YouTube's raystevensmusic channel

Why?

     Why do I continue to do this thing called "blogging?" Because a) it's fun, writing and sharing - I understand why some call it "therapeutic"... and b) it helps me know that I exist...Just being honest. 

     I also updated my alternate blog to include a movie suggestion from a movie that I really enjoyed watching the other day...head on over there to read it (I thought it seemed pointless to post it here, since I could easily link to it).

Library Routine

Clipart from Microsoft Office

Library Routine 
        By R.Andrew 

The time has come to make the call, 

to raise your voice and to count down out aloud.

 Flash all the lights, take a deep breath, and stare out at the beyond.

  

“The library is closing in: 30 minutes…15 minutes…10 minutes…

5 minutes…

THE LIBRARY IS NOW CLOSED!”

The lights are off and the chairs are pushed in; 

all doors are now locked, and no patrons are within.

 Goodnight, to all books, shelved orderly within each aisle. 

Adieu, to the warm computers, that will soon cool 
in the lone dark.  

  
Tomorrow will bring more books to be shelved…

more holds to pull down…But for now, there is only home.

Writing...and Faith

     I'm going to have to literally force myself to spend some time writing my stories this summer. I may not have the best verbal communication skills, but I do know that writing is one of my callings. I just get concerned in the final processes when I should worry about the beginning.

      Just the other day I decided to look through some of my old writings that I've kept in my file/folder and I once again had the same revelation that I had a while back. I was looking at stories I wrote in 3rd (?), 4th, and 5th grade, and they weren't that terrible - sure, they were weird and needed grammar help and a reality check at times, but they were still good. I guess my observing students in those same grade levels have made me realize that while I suffered in other academics, writing was always my stronger gift - mainly because I had such a big imagination.

      And then I looked to the story that resurrected this gift. A few years ago, for a college assignment, I had to write a fictional story about a topic the teacher randomly gave me (the topic was related to another classmate's personal experience of having a miscarriage). While classmates told me I couldn't/shouldn't write about it (especially the female classmates), my teacher believed in me and thought that I could. And I did. It wasn't that great, but my professor was right when she wrote that I had a special gift of storytelling...

      God gave me this gift, and it pains me to think that I have been wasting it on small writings just because I am afraid of starting fictional stories, because I see the ending and get scared of reaching that point from where I am right now. I get trumped down by thoughts such as "What if I'm terrible?" "What if the stories suck?" "What happens when I've finished and I reach a dead end?" It's those moments that mirror the same thoughts I have about teaching: "What if I'm terrible?" "What if I can't teach?" "What happens if I can't get recommendations from teachers?" "What if I suck as a teacher?" "What happens when I've finished school and I reach a dead end with no job hiring?"

      It is those moments when I fail God in trusting in Him. Have I not known of His greatest? Have I not seen His work in my life? Have I not seen His presence throughout my academic journey? I have not had a lot of people, especially family, who have believed in me, in anything that I have striven to do...but I should not equate my Abba with those kind of people, because He has always been faithful to guide me on my path.

      I need to be more than that small train in The Little Engine That Could. Instead of "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can," I need to be more like "I know I can, I know I can, I know I can."

      The end.

Looking Back On Things...

Clip-art by Mircosoft Office

     Life has a funny way of happening...We encounter things and people that leave impressions on us. We even become people that we never thought of becoming. Sometimes we look back on things and cannot believe we ever encountered unique situations like we had...

     What I mean is that the person that I am today simply cannot believe that I ever made a fan website for a TV show that I once liked, and actually loved (to which I also made "fan-videos" for). The only things that came out of that experience are my basic knowledge in HTML coding, and also my skill of putting together video clips (which has become helpful with my family videos). I also cannot believe that I use to be on forums debating my beliefs in front of different sorts of people, from atheists, deists, wiccans, and even fellow believers. Sometimes I wished I still had that sort of spunk that I had (because I feel like I have gone soft in defending what I believe), but I also appreciate the person that I am now, because I have grown from the teenager that I once was, when I did those things. I do not regret those moments (especially the debating, because it strengthened my faith in God), but I am glad that I have moved on from those moments, from those people.

     I sometimes wonder what I should be like in the future. Should I have been a cook, creating foods galore? Should I have went to college to be a preacher/pastor? Should I have enrolled in college to be an E.S.E teacher, dealing with specifically older children with physical disabilities? Should I drop my elementary education major and solely concentrate on my writing fictional stories for children or young adults? (Should I still seek that option along with the teaching quest?)

     I sometimes wonder if I made a mistake in choosing education over preaching, cooking, and writing...I always push those thoughts aside by saying, "I can do all of those things while teaching as well..." But can I? Do I even have the option to? Will I ever be a teacher or writer, or will I just fall into a trap and forever wander in this world until my day is done and I've gone to Heaven?

     Let me share a little secret with everyone: Everything I have done has been a struggle. It takes me time! It takes effort! It takes mistakes!...It takes hard, bone-crushing, glass-shattering mistakes! None of it has ever been easy for me...but I try. That is the key...trying.

     It also stinks that I feel way too old...for a 23 year old, yet also behind on my years. That sounds weird to describe, but that is how I feel. I feel mature towards some things, but other things I do not do well, and it makes me feel dumb and useless for even trying. I wish I could turn time around and relive the time when I was 5 years old. My life seemed so simple during that time, and all I had to worry about was that I was afraid of the dark and hated going to sleep at night.

     But, alas, here I am, a college student who aspires to be a teacher and also a children fiction writer...am I crazy to believe I can be both of these things? Especially in today's economy? Do not tell my brain...tell my heart what you think!

Cooking Shows

Clip-art by Mircosoft Office

     I cannot tell you how much I enjoy cooking shows. They are one of my favorite kind of shows on television. It does not have to be of a specific chef or the kind of food (although I enjoy the shows more when they are not about grilling or sea food) for me to sit down and have the cooking show playing in the background as I am doing other stuff. For instance, as I am writing this, one of my favorite cooking shows, America's Test Kitchen, is on right now and is doing a segment on glazed chicken. Perhaps I love cooking shows because cooking is secretly an entertaining joy in my life, even though I am not a great cook, and it is very rare that I cook, because I am so busy. The last special thing I cooked was a chicken salad recipe and sour cream muffin recipe that I got from watching the cook Paula Deen, and that was done about a month ago. Below are the results of following her recipes. 

     I hope to get more adventurous, especially this summer,  and try to cook more things that are normally not what I eat. But back to cooking shows. They are one of my secret loves, mainly because the foods are good-looking, and the cooks appear to have good attitudes. They always seem to make cooking look fun. I remember, when I was 11 years old (which has been quite a few years now) I use to stay up late at night to watch the cooking show Two Fat Ladies, which was just extremely entertaining, and the hosts/cooks were lively and cooked very interesting things. They were one of the few who sort of encouraged me to try to become a chef. (Looks like I did not stay with it, eh?) Thinking of them now makes me quickly search up a video to share of them...


Clip Source: YouTube's Trifficfilms Channel.

The Three Pigs Who Weren't Lazy...Just Intellectually "Different"

     I disagree with the notion that this story is a moral about hard work. Each pig had to have effort and labor in order to create their houses. What I think the moral is about is the notion of the wisdom of what to build a house out of. The two who built their houses out of straws or twigs were just not as wise as the one who made his out of bricks, especially since they knew of the wolf. Plus, the two not-so-bright pigs were arrogant to think that they alone could defeat a foe greater than they. Silly pigs!

Silly Symphony - The Three Little Pigs

Source: YouTube's newchicklook Channel.

The Man With Two Names

Clip-art by Microsoft Office

The Man With Two Names

By R.Andrew

     Dedicated to those who say I'm weird for going by Richard and Andrew...
 

     Solomon Thomas Freemont was in a predicament as he stared at his two replica-selves. On his right stood Solomon, wild-eyed with slow wheezing breaths, and on his left stood a scared, bewildered Thomas. The two were just in a huge argument with Solomon Thomas, in regards as to who of the two were his actual self. Over the years, people were accustomed to calling Solomon Thomas either of the two names and over the years he had became accustomed to dividing pieces of his personality into each name. As Solomon, he was free to be himself. He was confident, fun, and felt like owning the world. However, as Thomas, he was reserved, shy, and waited as he watched opportunities fly past him. Moments ago, as he washed his face in the bathroom sink, Solomon Thomas noticed something strange happening to his skin. His heart raced as he watched his flesh rip apart and separate into two extra copies of himself. Solomon stared at Thomas with a satisfying smile. “I told you it would work, dear Thomas, all it took was a forceful push.” Thomas let out a faint yelp of fatigue.

      “How can this be?” said Solomon Thomas, weak-kneed and falling to the floor.

      “Simple,” said Solomon, “We got tired of the confusion. Are we three, or are we one? Who is real? Which one is nuts? You did not decide, this is your fault! So, therefore, we made the choice.” Both replicas walked out the bathroom door, leaving Solomon Thomas lying on the floor, feeling as though his soul had been torn apart, as though he was nothing but a lonely shell of flesh and mind. Upon reaching the front door, both replicas departed their separate ways, and neither looked back to say a farewell to the other.

      Meanwhile, Solomon Thomas laid on the bathroom floor for what seemed like an hour, until a thought came to his mind, “I must get them back!”

Confidence...

Clip-art by Microsoft Office

     Way back in Fall 2008, a teacher of mine, out of the blue, told me that he was proud of my effort in class and that no matter what, I should never let anyone make me think that I am stupid. It was an uplifting moment, a word of advice that I have to remind myself almost daily in order to press onward.

     Most are gifted with confidence and, sometimes, I want to think that they are the lucky ones. But for those who have to find it, the confidence,we truly are the lucky ones, because we know the value of this special gift; we know its worth.

New Day

Clip-art by Microsoft Office

New Day

By R.Andrew

It is a new day. Today is the day to laugh, so smile and let your laughter soar above the clouds. Today is the day to love, so love all of those near and far. Today is the day to praise the Lord, so praise Him as your Mighty King.

Today is a new day; yesterday has gone, so abandon the past—forget it at last! It is a new day, and God is near. It is a new day, so let go of all fears. Allow hope to blossom within your soul; never look back, it is time to go. It is a new day, so live, because life is a precious gift, one so rare and dear.

Cherry Street Park

Clip-art by Microsoft Office

       Cherry Street Park

                      By R.Andrew 

     Daily, a man sat on a park bench, waiting for his love to come along. And though he could not see her, he’d never even met her, his heart told him that she would soon be near. So, day by day he waited, from dawn till dusk he stayed there, on the bench in the park on Cherry Street.

     But as time grew longer, and his face grew thin and older, he feared that his love would never appear. And with his heart he made a choice, a vow so deeply grave. He’d wait for her tomorrow, but after that, he could no longer stay. Therefore, the next day he sat and waited with the only anticipation of the moment when the sun would rest again.

     Each moment felt like an eternity as he sat there watching the wind blow against the trees. His heart kept beating rapidly as though it was following a fast melody. His breathing was short with every intake, to hear the noises surrounding the lake. He waited.

     He waited as the sun began to shine its closing appearance—its final goodbye. He waited. Salty drops of water slid across his deeply lined face. He rose and took the deepest sigh that someone has ever made. He looked around one final time, hoping that something might change his mind.

     Forever he would wait for his love, but the pain from the waiting hurt too much. The decision was made, he would fulfill his vow, so the only solution was to leave this town. But before he left, he closed his eyes and whispered to himself, “I love you, but now I must go.”

Art I Created This Year

My art, titled "The Escape."

     It's a picture I drew for my Creative Expressions class. It is titled "The Escape."

     I was inspired to create this picture by actually viewing a life-size painting of the artist Irving Kriesberg's work, "Up and Down" in an art museum last week. His painting was beautiful, and it has become my ambition to have one of his paintings in my home someday.  Google him and his painting(s) to know what I mean.

The Reading Corner: Suggesting Books I've Read and Enjoyed

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

      It's a story about a young boy, Reuben Land, who witnesses miracles through his father during a time of searching for his brother, Davy, who has recently gone on the run after committing murder. This novel covers the topic of faith, miracles, and family strength during moments of hardship and struggle. This novel is well-written and definitely a great novel that demonstrates the message of real miracles and the eternal love of a father. 

The Brother's Keeper by Tracy Groot

      It's a story about James, the half-brother of Jesus, and his siblings having to deal with the changes that Jesus' mission has brought on their lives. They care about Jesus, but they don't know whether they should accept that He is the Promised One from God, or some radical. It's a beautiful story that really brings out the personality and emotions from each individual person in the story (especially James). It's dramatic in certain parts, but there is also comical moments that brings a smile out. I love this book. I don't think I've ever read a fictional book as detailed as this author has done for this story.

Harry Potter Lego Game Trailer

Ah, brings back great memories of enjoying this series for the first time.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 at IGN.com

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 at IGN.com