I have officially (but not unofficially) graduated high school...

On the 21st of this month, I will have been a high school graduate for one whole month.  (I will also be at college orientation).  During this time of supposed freedom, I have been trying to finish high school whilst working and being in a play and writing thank you notes.  That's right; I've got the diploma, but the burden of unfinished textbooks is still there.  But I'm a fighter, and freedom is not free.

Speaking of graduations, I would like to congratulate my DBF Megan Pevensie, for completing the homeschool years as well (I don't stalk, it just showed up in my news feed ;P).  My words of encouragement and advice to you: may Aslan and the force be with you, check every wardrobe just in case, never simply walk into Mordor, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

So, I now have one of those iPod dock/alarm clock things, and I love it.  The other day, just to be ironic, I set my alarm song to "Don't Wake Me Up" by The Hush Sound.  It woke me up.  It is amazing how much easier it is to slip out of dreams slowly and to music, rather than being jolted awake by a screaming time machine.

Last night, after the play was over, I went home and got a bowl of cereal and some chocolate, climbed into bed, and watched Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.  Freaking.  Love.  And that soundtrack is one of the best things in my ears' life.  On IMDB, the third is "in development."  2014, it says.  Heck yeah.

And if any of you reading this post have never listened to the band "Capital Lights," you need to go check them out.  "Night of Your Life," "Let the Little Lady Talk," and "Out of Control" are some of their really good tracks.

Tonight is the closing night of Outlander, in which I am an extra, which means that I'll be at the playhouse extra late with all the other cast members to strike the set.   This is my last show this year (I wasn't cast in Big River :( ), but I'm an apprentice, so their are theater days ahead for me yet.

I miss mah deebs (erm, DBFs), and I hope you all are having a lovely summer.

Help me name this poem!!!

I have had this thing written in this, it's final, complete form (which is really saying something for me) for two months now, and I still have not named it!  If you have the time, I'd love for you guys to read it and give me some title ideas.

Part I

The bright yellow swing on the swing set

moves on its own as if

an invisible person is swinging gently upon it.

"Just the wind," I scold myself, and yet,

it seems as though it is teasing me,

playfully beckoning, "Come out!"

But I remain behind the window, behind

my self-made wall. Duty of the self-educated.

Words and worries, sums and stories,

Tick-tock, tick-tock allegory.

Books are closed, I may play.

Placid treetops, wind has died.

Yet yellow swing still sways. "Come out!"

To swing or not to swing,

To breathe and remember the sound of my heart beat.

My fingers drum against the window, dull

dum ba dum ba dum

And I forsake her, thoughtful friend,

for I have growing up to do, you know;

the words and worries, sums and stories.

Tick-tock, tick-tock allegory.

Part II

Clouds like the stretched out cotton balls

that wiped away the princess pink from my little nails.

My imaginary friend must be aging, getting

feeble, for the faded yellow swing creaks

back and forth, inch by shrinking inch.

I taste the tingly promise of the changing seasons,

the words and worries, the sums and stories.

Tick-tock, tick-tock allegory.

But today, today with all the chores and changing

schedules in a fickle whirlwind, with all

the promises I've made myself...

What should I wish to do but swing?

Yes I am ready... but it is gone.

A ghost dances about me elusively. A single

wilted daisy, her forlorn grave marker.

My fingertips kiss the petal strings.

Slight silver crescent of a moon like

a sharp fingernail clipping...

sweet dream escapes are all drowned out

by the words and worries, sums and stories.

Cruel tick-tock, tick-tock allegory.

Part III

Reminiscing pulse. I take

my place on yellow swing once more.

But I'm too solid, she too faint. Her eyes

so sad yet accusing, bore into mine.

"You are gone."

Her voice, like nails on a chalkboard,

chills me. "But I am here!" I protest.

She shakes her head, more and more

dark and distant. "Here

but not returned, you're not.

You'll never be back again."

I wake from my reverie, reality dawning cold.

It's frightening for one so young as I

to be so young no more.

Yet a subtle knowing all along.

Shifting battlegrounds on the

inescapable outcome. I took too easily;

the words and worries, the sums and stories.

Tick-tock, tick-tock allegory.

Part IV

In a haze of sweet honesty, my eyes

like my mother's take in the fresh world.

Mud pies baking in their sun-rock oven, fish dinner

of pinecones roasting on a spit, stick-fashioned

weapons, pole and tarpaulin fort; breathing with

a pure belonging life all their own.

"Hold on." Mother's whisper tickles my ear.

My fingernails imprint my hands around

the ropes of the bright yellow swing.

I sail towards blue, laughing pure laughter.

And the pendulum motion begins.

Oh, and Happy Mum's Day! (;

A very British post...

In honor of the completion of my collage "Britannia," I decided to post a couple other random English tokens I've come across in my life's rambles.

These are some charming tea things and luggage I found at Marshall's a few months ago.  (Unfortunately, I hadn't the funds to buy any of it; so I took pictures instead.)

And now, the poem I wrote to go along with the collage, and which ack-chellay wound up in the collage itself:

Hello you place I've never been;

My! you've inspired me so.

You've blown me kisses from afar,

into my head, my eyes, my ears.

Accenting vocal fun,

attractive beings acting out

those fantasies, how I admire!

Brush and pen stroke, teleport

me to your rich old worlds

of tasteful trifles and triumphs.

Take me there, and closer.

Foreign land of ever-after,

kingdom far, far away.

Oh, and last but not least, I stumbled upon this a while back and immediately saved it because it is such good advice:

'Tis what we do, eh DBFs? ;)







Afore promised poem...

Welp, here it is.  I may still tweak it.  Constructive criticism is most welcomed!

Growing Pains

By Caroline Hughes

My duffle bag

is full of outfits.

Each one a costume

for a new scene.

My binders

are full of papers.

Spilled contents,

overloaded brain.

My notebooks

are full of ink.

Lines that make a map

to somewhere.

My iPod

is full of music.

Words and rhythms

for mood swings.

My shoes

are full of feet.

They're connected to me,

and aching to go.

My heart

is full of blood.

I'm alive

and able to love.

My head

is full of me.

She's screaming and whispering,

kicking and sleeping,

jumbling up, sorting out,

trying to process

each object, sensation,

memory, fact,

opinion, and truth.

Will she ever get out?

We'll see...



I am Kentucky bound....

Oh dear.  I have over a month's worth of material to blog on.  Thank heavens it's Friday.

Well, let's start with the big stuff.  I have, at long last, submitted the $50 enrollment deposit.  To Berea College.  I cannot express to you guys in blogospheric language (or any other sort of language, for that matter) how relieved and downright ecstatic I am to finally know where I am going in the fall.  My friend Jordan goes to this college, so I already know someone there, and the campus is lovely.  Oh, and my first year is free.  It's work study, so I'll get job experience whilst working towards my degree.  Plus, the music lessons are only $50 for the year (methinks the cello is a high possibility), and the school pays for 75% of study abroad (England, Italy, New Zealand...oh where to go, where to go).  In other words, I am very excited to be taking up residence in the blue-grass state this August!

Okay, sorry if I got a bit gushy about college.  Now, on to other matters.  Yesterday I found out that Mountain Air, a gated community close to where I live, has hired me on their recreation team.  I'll be working in the recreation building to maintain the facilities, answer members' questions, and help with the kids' day camp about 20-25 hours a week over the summer.

Between college and getting a job, I am feeling blessed to the uttermost, praising God, and getting the feeling that my life is about to change for the better.  In less than a month, it's good-bye high school, hello future.

In theater news, there isn't much to tell, save that Isabelle and Olivia were simply wonderful in the Parkway Playhouse Jr. production of Alice in Wonderland.  Olivia was the White Rabbit, which meant she had a solo, and Isabelle was Lily, a flower Girl of the Golden Afternoon.  It was really cute.  The two of them are really besting me in drama, especially Olivia, who wants to be a famous actress.  She is convinced that she is going to meet Josh Hutcherson someday.  I'm keeping my eyes open for Catching Fire extras audition info.

Last night I saw Mirror Mirror with my family and my friend Hannah.  It was really good as fantasy comedies go.  Visually appealing, and laugh out loud funny.  I loved the costumes, the snowy setting, and the clever twist on the ol' Grimm's tale.  The idea that the wicked queen wasn't "all there" gave it an air of villainous whimsy.

I have a made a rather delightful discovery through facebook.  A friend of mine posted a video by Blimey Cow, these two formerly homeschooled brothers from Nashville who post hilarious videos on youtube every Monday.  Here's one of my favorites: (just a head's up, I have this kind of crazy sense of humor, such that sometimes the things that I burst out laughing about seem stupid, childish, or just plain ridiculous to others.  However, these videos do usually make a good point. So, that being said, Blimey Cow...)

I really am going to quit lying and ack-chellay post some of all this poetry I've been working on and promising to post.  But I'm afraid this post has gotten too long for it.  Perhaps tomorrow.

So, without further ado, DBF Out!

I believe the odds are in The Hunger Games' favor...

It was just a fantastic movie experience all around: the movie, the AH-mazing Regal Biltmore Grande, peanut m&ms and sierra mist, and even being dressed up as characters:

Katniss arena, Katniss reaping, and Effie Trinket. Yeah, you could say we're fans.

Right, so on to the movie.  I enjoyed it immensely.  The casting was pretty much perfect in my opinion.  I was very happy with Jennifer Lawrence's performance, as well as Liam Hemsworth's.  I honestly don't think Peeta could have been more perfect; Josh Hutcherson, you are amazing.  Adaptationwise, I feel like they covered the basics.  That being said, there were a lot of basics to cover, and so they were unable to get into all those delicious details.  They totally nailed the reaping scene in my opinion (way to go Willow Shields) but I was somewhat disappointed in the cave scene.  There was still some bonding going on, but it wasn't the three-day "vacation" of the book.  And I loved that part, so I was kind of sad.  But it was still good.  I missed Madge, Katniss drugging Peeta, the Avox girl, and the lamb stew.  Overall, it was not as emotionally and thematically complex as the book, but that's to be expected.  They did a great job.

And after I got home, I stayed up till 1:45 AM reading Catching Fire again.  November 2013 is when the movie is expected, I think.  I literally cannot wait to see who will play Finnick Odair.  Well, here's to more anticipation.  Happy Hunger Games!

A very happy 17th to a very dear blogging friend...

Of course, nothing can compare to Megan's genius birthday blunderkind from last year, but I thought I'd throw a little somethin' together.  Because Kellie is cool like that and deserves it. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyUGNiO5qxA
(hmm, seems me video will only post via link. why is blogger being difficult?)
Kinda cheesy, quick put together (the song doesn't even fit, but it was the most fun birthday-pop-y sounding thing I had), but there you have it. :)  I hope you had a fantastic birthday Kellie!