Ending on a high note.

And we come to the end of a month of nothings. Did I add to the overall goodness of the world? Have I said a single thing that could improve anyone's life? Probably not. Has my typing got much better? Not really. I have to start at the beginning again and unlearn all my bad habits. But I am not letting any of these insignificant things deter me. I will not be brought down. Positive thinking and all that junk.

This years BEDA reminded me of this years Lent. Not a lot happened.

 My gosh, I am having one of the most groan worthy, first world problem riddled years. I laugh at how sad I think my own lack of growth is. Good things have happened, I still have a job, I am preparing for one of the biggest exams of my life and I want to b***h about my lack of personal and spiritual growth. Can anyone say goof?

On an upbeat, I made mini shortcake so we can have strawberry shortcake for dessert tonight.

Wow. I am a bucket of cheer. I am actually quite happy. It just is not apparent form the above.

So, I hit a minor stumbling block on the books from the library but I picked up Penhallow again. My kindle tells me I am over half way now. Gosh, I have never taken this long on Georgette Heyer. I think I am losing my touch. Maybe I don't know how to read any more? Oh well.

My new random image generator came up with a...

Rock. So there we have it.

Quote: “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”
― George Bernard Shaw

Pesto, food of minor gods.

My mum must approve of my pasta habit. She bought me a treat, one that she hates the smell of and still she loves me enough to buy something that makes her feel sick. Pesto. I adore pesto. I could and do eat it on everything. I eat pesto the way some people eat ketchup. And because of the herbaceous smell and bright green colour it feels healthy. My mummy loves me. Bunches. For which I will forever be thankful.

The random image generator had to go home so it could go to work. I have to come up with an image on my own. I can promise it wont be nearly as funny.
...

I tried. I just don't have that particular talent.

So have this instead.

Quote: “It would seem that you have no useful skill or talent whatsoever," he said. "Have you thought of going into teaching?”
― Terry Pratchett

DAY TWENTY-NINE

Counting down the days.

At several points today I had the thought, "oh that would be a great post", but being at work or wherever, I could not write it up, and am now left at the end of the day with brain suck once again.

BEDA is almost over and I cannot say I will be sorry. I might keep posting more often than I had been, but definitely not every day. The well of interesting things to say is not that deep in me.

For my record keeping I just finished The False Prince - Jennifer A. Nielsen

I think everything I ever say is that I have nothing to say. Which might be totally true. Some people are here to have thoughts and others must be here to hear thoughts. I hear. I feel that listeners are not appreciated fully. But someone has to listen to all the hot air being blown over the world.

I'm not feeling particularly lucid right now, so I am cutting myself off there.

And the random generator once again comes up with the most odd junk. Really.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bactirium that causes most cases of tuberculosis.

 

DAY TWENTY-EIGHT

Because I'm lazy. Or something.

I was thinking of doing an unofficial 7 quick takes but I don't have that much  raw material.

But here we go..
1. I love the 2005 edition of P&P. The characters have been made real and believable, which if you take straight Austen, they can be a little goofy. don't get me wrong, I LOVE Austen,just that it was nice in the movie that the people were believable.

2. Also both the cinematography and soundtrack were awesome, which is very important to me. I can't think of a time when I have ever loved a badly shot movie just because the story was good.

3. When I have to only feed myself I never want to cook, which is sad because if it is only me I can make whatever I wanted with no food preferences to ruin my life.

4. I happen to really like fictional characters with sticky fingers. Have I ever told you that?

5. Yup... drawing a black. I ran out after four. Sad really.

6. “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”
― Madeleine L'Engle
I happen to love children's books. I often think they are better written.

7. The image generator came up with a bat wing this time. my goal is to play slightly on the suggestion, so without further ado... a bat wing.

DAY TWENTY-SEVEN

We are really close.

Please use your library.

Library's should be utilized as often as possible. I just hitchhiked on someone else card and consequently I have to many books to read. One down, five to go.

Nothing to say otherwise. Really.

This is for my new thing of cataloging how many and which books I read in a year.
The Morning Gift - Eva Ibbotson

The random generator of images asked for a screwdriver tonight. I hope this is the random item they were thinking of.

Quote: “Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings.”
― Robert Benchley

DAY TWENTY-SIX

One should never have days off. They make one more tired when one has to go back to work. Also If one gets up at 5am one's eyes get tired by evening and one can't finish one's book. Blarg.

This is only for the sake of BEDA. If I wasn't doing it this would never exist.

Random Image

The random generator asked for a bear claw. It did not specify what kind.

Quote:“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.”
― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid

DAY TWENTY-FIVE

Not a movie review.

If I only discover little personal quirks once, they just pass out of my mind, because I am not reminded. Last night I was reminded of one I discovered in Disneyland. I am a giggler.  People have many different  responses to excitement, like a ride, some gulp, some scream, some grip, others look away. I laugh.

Last night I went to watch Cabin in the Woods. I would not recommend  this movie unless you enjoy the genre of horror. It was my first horror film, but I have experienced horror on Supernatural and I knew that I could enjoy it. But I had a fear. I didn't want to scream.

Fortunately there was no screaming, only much giggling.

This is not going to be a review of Cabin in the Woods. I suggest you only watch it if you like horror, Joss Whedon and are old enough to get into an R-rated movie. All I really wanted to say was I'm happy I'm a giggler.

Now for an image of randomness from my personal generator.

This is a blue button.

DAY TWENTY-FOUR

Not Shopping.

Shopping on the internet is by far my favorite way to shop. I don't have to deal with pushy sales people. There are no rush decisions, I can add something to the cart and think about it for days. Right now as I type, I am shopping for new summer sheets. My old one are dying. Like coming apart at the seems, dying.

But I have to think some more. Which is why the interwebs are amazing.

DAY TWENTY-THREE

Many Half Baked Ideas

Um... I have half formed ideas for several posts, but this is April, and I never fill out my ideas anyway. I gave up doing that when I finished my last exam with essay portions.

I was yawnig so hard this morning I thought my jaw was going to dislocate.

Growing friendships is work. Very rewarding work.

Trying to keep up with a bunch of sports without spare time is rough. (Case in point; I am watching a hockey while doing this.)

I pre-ordered the second season of Sherlock today. I almost bought it in Oxford. It was sitting behind the counter in Blackwell's and I sooooo wanted to buy it, but any DVD I bought there would never work here, so I refrained. I tacked it up to just another thing I have against living here. I love it most of the time, unless it comes to books, TV and choirs. Also old stuff.

My days are not long enough. Or I am just to dang tired to take advantage of the remaining day. I don't even have kids and I'm this knackered.  Sheesh, what a wimp.

I have to start practicing actual typing again. What I do is just not going to cut it.

Quote: A gentleman is one who never hurts anyone's feelings unintentionally.
Oscar Wilde

This baby rattle is an act of randomness. I asked for a suggestion of an object. This is what I got. Why do baby toys have to make so much noise?

 DAY TWENTY-TWO

Recreate?

Why the constant need to recreate stuff?
And yes, Blogger I am targeting you right now.
I get redoing some things, but, but...
Oh fine. I like when people rewrite fairy tales. Not always, but there has been more than one successful retelling done. I also collect versions of  the Twelve Dancing Princesses. So I can't be totally against the re-vamp.
Mostly I don't like it when people move stuff on my computer, I am too close to being a Luddite, that this messing with things always leaves me close to the edge of not being able to find anything. And I have control issues, I don't like not being able to find junk.
GRRR! Oh well. I must carry on.

Quote: A room without books is like a body without a soul.
 Cicero, (Attributed)
Roman author, orator, & politician (106 BC - 43 BC)










DAY TWENTY-ONE

Work shmorck.

Got called into work tonight. BOOM! That was the sound of all my plans.

But this morning I finished a book. So that was better. And I think I came up with the name for the tag I am going to use to track my book progress. Biblio-geek. How does that sound? Huh? Yeah, thought so too.

It was the Dragon Tooth one. I liked it, also it was the first in a series, which is always good, if it continues to be well written and interesting.

Now I have to go finish my laundry. It got interrupted.

DAY NINETEEN

Ramblings.

I can't seem to read and work at the same time. I mean my books do not progress. At all.
So I can't talk about that.
The sorting news we got yesterday.
The Canucks look like they are winning but the game isn't over yet.
I'm tired?  But that isn't a topic.
Gosh, my brain is a barren wasteland.
I painted my fingernails mint green?
Really I have nothing to add to the over all info of the world that will not suck.
So I think I will leave it at that.
DFTBA

DAY EIGHTEEN

I can breathe now.

So much happier now. And validated. I was right all along and someone just told me so. Nice feeling being right. Also I get to act just as happy as I feel because RED is in Ravenclaw. So no one wants to cry.

(Happy Dance.)

Did I say tonight would be more interesting? I lied. I do so periodically. Not often, but it does happen.

I am just fangirling. And yes, that is a word. Don't mind me. Tomorrow might be more sane? Maybe?

DAY SEVENTEEN

Sweet Jehoshaphat!

One of the reasons I don't blog everyday and/or read more than one book at a time is that I simply don't have time to execute everything to my satisfaction.

I still have not finished any of those books I talked about the other day. And this writing thing is an after thought at the end of a busy day. So don't expect eloquence.

I had to colour my music today. That was different and fun. Hopefully it works. 

Gosh, I am dead on my feet. So this is the end of an uninspiring post. But... tomorrow I am being sorted in to a house in Pottermore. That post should be more fun, if I am not crying in a corner. I am anxious. I might tell you the results though. Maybe. Oh boy. I so don't want to be Gryffindor.

My preferred house is the top right corner. Fingers crossed.

DAY SIXTEEN

I have had a day.

So my day to this point.
5:00am: Up and get ready for my day to begin.
It takes me forever to eat in the morning because my tummy isn't awake and it doesn't want to eat.
7:00am till 2:pm Work.
2:30 Divine Mercy service in which I had to lead all the singing.
My mum broke the news when she picked me up that we where haveing company for dinner. So at
3:40pm we went grocery shopping.
When we got home my email had finally arrived from Pottermore, so I spent some time doing that.
Then 5:00pm our company arrived and they just left.
There is a very important hockey game on, and I am knackered.
Over and out.

DAY FIFTEEN

This is why...

I never read more than one book at a time. Because It takes forever to finish even one of them. GRRRRR.
These are the books I am currently reading. (No judging!)

The Dragon's Tooth by N.D. Wilson

There will be no synopsis because I haven't finished these ones yet. Soon, but not yet.

Penhallow by Georgette Heyer

And lastly; A Brief History of Britain 1066-1485 by Nicholas Vincent

If I had something Catholic in that mix it would basically be my insides as books. Oh, that image is yuck. Never mind.
I think I will come up with a codename that I will use to indicate that I have finished a book, and then the tag numbers on here will count them for me. Good idea?

To Start My Old Age

I think my allergies are getting worse as I get older. I had to drug myself up on Benadryl just to make the world clearer and my skin stop itching. Also I spend my mornings doing that. (Arrow pointing down)

I love spring?
It is almost bedtime so I think I will leave this short.
More tomorrow? Maybe?

Title.

I listen quite well, but I don't actually have much to say, or at least not everyday. Which is one of the hardest parts of BEDA.
Did I tell you about Tolliver? Well, we left for the weekend and I when come home he is limping. Yup, that is right, his first cat fight results in a trip to the vet. He is not even a year old. This cat is going to cost me before he dies.
I am reading three books right now. Normally I will read one at a time, so this is distracting.
Would anyone like to know what I am reading? Should I count how many books I read in a year?
Don't know.
I think in the future we should talk about the books I re-read.
Anyhoo...
Going now.

Short and Dolce

If it would interest you I have a movie recommendation.
"We Bought a Zoo" is a lovely movie that can be watched by everyone. It is rated PG. I happen to be found of family approved movies. I laughed, I cried, I thought they handled grief well, the funny and the tragedy.

DAY ELEVEN

Post Script: If the Hunger Games interest you I just found this link and you might like it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At3XDMUCZ-8

Bits and Bobs

I thought this could be some disjointed thoughts.

1) I love chocolate. I had to give in to a cliche this lent, and give up chocolate because I was suffering from an honest-to-goodness addiction. I back in chocolate land and life is so much better.

2) If I never get to have my own kids, I still have the bestest nieces and nephews ever.

3) I am going to the opera again tonight. This will be my 16th? opera, and I still don't really like them. Plus it means I will not have a good night sleep and an early morning at work.

4) I do get to go book shopping today though, so that kinda makes up for it.

I think that is it for now.

DAY TEN

Auntie Twink

I missed the last two days of BEDA for a very good reason. I was out of country without my computer. If that isn't a valid reason then I will never come up with one.
We went to the States for Easter to be with my oldest nephew, for his First Communion.
I spent a lovely two days being Auntie Twink.
But I am back on the wagon now, so expect more in the coming days.

DAY NINE

Good Friday.

This is the place were I would say something profound and fitting for the day, but I have no words.

As a cradle Catholic, I have functioned in a liturgical year my entire life. It is what I do. If I ever fell away from my faith I would probably still think in a liturgical year. I rejoice in this, because I have seen in the people around me how barren a year can be if you just celebrate the joyful part of any holyday. And on this day that secular people do not credit to be part of Easter, I am glad that I know different and wishful that they did too.

DAY SIX

I'm less grumpy.

Sorry about yesterday. I sounded... gruff? Anyway, I finished my book and Chelsea got through to the semi-finals. So after I left here things went well. I was reading "A Posse of Princesses". I borrowed it from RED, and if you would like her opinion here is a link;
http://redbookreviews.blogspot.ca/2012/03/posse-of-princesses.html
The only thing I would add is that Sherwood Smith balances the age of her heroine nicely. Often with YA the characters can sound either wildly young and not self reflective at all or just too dang old. It is a rough age to write, middle teen years. I make no claim about being able but, I like it when they nail it. Her characters recognize that they are 16 and so realize that some of their actions are silly, they are also on the cusp of adulthood and make some wise choices. I just think she captured the balance.
So, good book.

DAY FIVE

This is brief.

I want to go read my book. And watch the recorded football game. It is the UEFA Champions League.
So excuse this lame post as me doing my duty and not missing a day. I'm tired. I had to haul ten 70lb bales of hay into someone truck and then go to the gym. And I still want to go read my book.

DAY FOUR

Pennies

Down With The Penny!

My country has finally seen the light and in the fall we will stop making pennies. Huzzah! Since beginning my career in giving people change for twenty dollar bills, I have become a firm hater of the penny. Also I have seen the math and listened to some smart people talk about the penny. And New Zealand is doing just fine without it.

So, yay us! We are getting rid of our penny. I will of course save some to show my children.
On a less approving note. The new plastic money sticks together. It can make life difficult. And it just doesn't feel like money. But I approve of no pennies, so I can forgive about the plastic money, and I am sure that in time I will become used to it. I hope.

NO MORE OF THESE BABIES!

DAY THREE
Post Script: If you are interested you can watch the No Pennies things here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU4E6SSy5Yg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5UT04p5f7U&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77C47XYm_3c&feature=youtu.be
Have fun.

3D

I finally saw Hunger Games yesterday. Fortunately for my sake it was not as powerful as the book. I would have not been able to sit in the theater if it had been.
As an adaptation of a book I thought they did well. Having the author co-write the screen play probably  helped.
The cinematography was effective and the sound track did not distract me.
But the thing I was most thankful for was that it was not in 3D. If it had been in 3D it would have been more about the effects and not the story. Which is how had to be told if this book was going to become a movie worth watching. And I thought they did well.

DAY TWO

I don't prank.

First of all it is Palm Sunday. Just thought I would mention this so that you know I have higher thoughts in my mind, because I sound like a heathen for the rest of this. It is about...

Second, Happy April fools.

Third, it is the beginning of BEDA, again, so soon. And now if you want there will be material form moi, to read.
  
Back to April Fools. Imagination is used in so many aspects of life, and how it is used differs for the circumstance. Someone who is a brilliant creative writer might not be able to decorate a room. Etc. etc. and so forth.
I lack imagination in many aspects of my life. Pulling pranks is one. I cannot think up a decent prank, and most certainly cannot execute. Always wished I could, though. The camaraderie that pulls people together to pull off the trick has always pulled at me. I figure but don't know for sure that maybe a feeling like that exists between siblings. I had hoped that maybe they were close and that I could pull pranks and by proxy get siblings, but I can't prank. So, that was that. April Fools is just the first day of April for me. Not a day to show of a talent, and gain family. Oh well.

Post Script: I do have adopted siblings. They adopted me, so I didn't have to be spectacularly selfish. And suffer from unending Only Child Syndrome.

DAY ONE.

Post Post Script: It is the first day of April and the daffodils have not bloomed yet. Are we getting Spring? Ever?

Post Post Post Script: Should I use pictures more?