Gadsden, Alabama and amazingness.

So. I went to Gadsden last Friday, the 7th, to see John and Hank. And it was AMAZING. Hank sang, John read from Paper Towns, they did a question Tuesday, they signed my books and my nerdfighter shirt, and I got a picture with them.

Here are some photo's from the adventure:

Coming out to say hello!


I love him:


Fun times!


Cute picture:


Oh, how I love Hank:


Talking about the Zipper times:


I gave Hank a box of Nerds and he gave me a Bubbles keychain:


THE KATHERINE!!


This. Is probably the greatest picture. Ever.



Oh, it just makes me happy happy happy happy.

Anyway, things are good. The play opens next Tuesday, and I am ready ready ready.

School is school, you know. Haha.

Hope things are good. Hope to hear from you soon.

=]=].

Sarah.

Oh, Paper Towns

How I love thee. I've already read it twice. I love, love, love that book!

Lately I have been so swamped with school, I've barely had time to breathe. And let me just say, I do not enjoy the causal essay. At the moment, it's the bane of my existance. But aside from that, things have been relatively normal.

That's great about the play! I'm excited for you, but are you really shaving your head?? Wow. Guts, my friend, you have guts.

And here's a picture of me and Margo.

And this tree is the prettiest tree on the face of the earth. All its leaves are gone now, but it was beautiful. Here's the proof.

Unfortunately, I lead a boring life, so I have nothing to report at the moment, but next time hopefully I will.

Best wishes!

Caitlyn

I assuming you're reading Paper Towns.

Because I sure know that I am. And, thus avoiding the mounds of school work that I should be doing.

Okay, so update, since it's been a while.

Things are good. School is fairly stressful, but you know, that is par usual. I have a lot of work all the time... blah, blah, blah.

Good news is: I am in the next Play here at Berry! It's called Eclipsed, and it takes place in Ireland. It's about these women who are mostly unmarried mothers, and they are forced to work in a laundry at a convent. And they are very mistreated by the nuns. I play a nun, but I don't like that I am having to mistreat them, and I try to help them. Oh, and I'm bald, so I'm shaving my head. I'll post pictures when I do it, so you can see. =].

Speaking of pictures... here is one you may like:


OH IT MAKES ME HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!

Anyway, just saying hi and hoping things are well.

Hope to hear from you soon.


SARAH.

Just checking in...

I thought I'd pop in and let you know that I'm alive because I know if I were you, I would have thought I kicked the bucket with how infrequently I post... *is guilty* But in my own pathetic defense, I have been pretty busy lately.

Not much to report, except that I've had a very suckish kind of week and that my lang class is going to be the death of me. We had two projects due on the same day, and tomorrow I have two lang tests in the same period! I didn't think the laws of the universe allowed such things...

But enough of my griping. I wrote a short story (I enjoyed yours very much, by the way) a while back and figured since you posted one, I would too. It was just one of those random thoughts I had to get down...it really is quite random (and unedited) and probably makes little sense haha.

Here it is:
Maybe I’ve been here before
I know this room, I’ve walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you
I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah

Nothing has changed, save for the layer dust coating anything and everything, the sense of weariness about the place. She picks up a picture, stares at the smiling faces for a long moment. They were both too ignorant, she decides, what did they have to smile about? They were never ready for such commitment, anyway. She places the picture back, face down, on the shelf. Takes a deep breath, finds that even the air smells of surrender and she wonders why she even decided to return here.

She should have known better, she thinks. Better to have let him be. He is long gone by now, possibly even dead, and she thinks she should care more about his fate, for it was him who plagued her thoughts and dreams for nearly three years. Three years. She shakes her head. No, best not to dwell there.

It was a fool’s game they had played, at the mercy of their own hearts. “And when you leave the thinking to your heart ‘stead of your head, the comfort of the shallows is left far behind and you’re swept to much deeper waters,” someone once told her, back in London. Deeper waters, indeed. Waters that could easily drown you if you didn’t mind the tides and keep your bearings. And drown she did…

Memories seem to flood back, now, and she can do nothing to ebb the flow.

A stolen kiss, his grin, his swift disappearance before she could say word. The passion in his eyes, a murmur of soft words in her ear, the ghost of a long forgotten smile touching his lips as she pleaded with him to let her stay. A soft kiss pressed to his forehead, a note left behind on the nightstand, the empty bottle of madeira hanging limply from his hand, and the feel of the room, cold and broken, as she stepped out the door.

And now, three years late, she feels the tears swimming in her eyes, and she knows that, damn it, she’s going to cry. She tries to suppress it, but it overwhelms her, and the next thing she knows, she’s on the floor, back leaning against the bed and body wracked with sobs. And she cries. Cries until there’s nothing left. Tears, energy, and bitterness have all left her, and she feels only the ache of lost love. Foolish, she thinks, to fall in love. But then, she would have never made it, otherwise.

When she leaves, she does not look back, only places the photo neatly in her bag and carries on down the corridors with footsteps echoing in the soft light of a morning sun. A new day has dawned.

Fin

Hope you're well

Caitlyn

[I know I'm not supposed to go two times in a row... but...]

I wrote a short story, and I thought you would like to read it.

Here you go:
Remember that time me, you, and Theo found that stray? Yeah. Me, too. Was a really good time. We was just walkin' to school, and then he just come up to us and started lickin' on Theo's knee. You nearly lost your breakfast, you was so scared. I was yellin' at you makin' a racket in front of Mrs. Jenson's house, but you didn't listen. She come runnin' out of her house screamin' at the top of her lungs. She was tellin' us that we was bein' too loud and that we wasn't ever gonna make nothin' of ourselves. Theo told her that we found the dog, and she just threw her cup at us. We took of runnin' down the street. That dog followed us! He was barkin' and havin' a good old time, but you was still so scared out of your mind. Theo and me was trying to tell you that nothin' was gonna happen to you, 'cause the dog was a nice one. Finally, you stopped your screamin' but you still wouldn't go near the thing.

When we got to school we just left the dog outside. Theo was convinced he'd be gone by the end of the day, but I knew he was gonna be there when we got out. And, was sure right? He was sittin' right there when we walked out of the buildin' that afternoon. He looked so happy to see us 'gain. He followed us the way we was walking home, since we decided to go the long way to avoid Mrs. Jansen this time. Don't you remember? And then Theo went home and the pooch kept on followin' us, all the way to our house. I knew you wouldn't admit it them, but I knew you was gettin' to like the dog, 'cause you looked real excited when I asked Mama if we could keep it. I shoulda known she was gonna say no, but I asked anyway.

Wasn't this about the time that you was learnin' to read? Yeah, yeah, it was, 'cause, remember that you asked Mama if the doggy could stay just long enough for you to read a story to it. She laughed, because she thought you were just silly, but she told you could. You was so excited. You really did like that old mutt after all didn't you? I can't remember what it was that you was readin' to it, I just remember thinkin' that I was glad you was my sister, and thinkin' about how I never wanted anyone else to be my sister. You was perfect.

I miss you. I went back to see Mama and Daddy last weekend and they're doin' fine. They miss you, too. Theo asked me to tell you hello. I know he misses you more than anyone, other than me of course. I hope things are treatin' you well up there with the Big Man. And, tell that old dog, if he's up there, that you readin' to him is one of my favorite memories, sis. I love you.

END


Anyway, I hope your week is going well!

Sarah

HI!

So, I'm really glad you posted! It gives me an excuse to stray from my studying for a bit, which goodness knows I need.

I feel you about the tests thing. Next week I have: On Monday, my Shakespeare Journals due, Tuesday a paper due in Western Lit, Wednesday a paper due in Medieval Lit, Thursday a break [Thank goodness], and Friday a Paper due for Lit Theory. It's going to be a rough week. PLUS, next weekend is Mountain Day weekend, which is like our version of Homecoming here at Berry. There's no dance, but there's an Olympic game thingy on Friday afternoon, then Saturday there is a March, which is like for school unity or something, and then Saturday night there is something called Marthapalooza [named for our founder Martha Berry] which is basically a big carnival thing with rides and everything. AND THEN, on Sunday are the auditions for the next play, and I'm auditioning. Needless to say, it will be a L O N G week.

AHH. <--- that's about the string quartet video. YES THAT'S MY SCHOOL!!!! AND! AND! AND! I FILMED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Yes, I am excited about it. I just feel really special that I had a lot to do with it!]

Right now I am supposed to be working on getting my journals typed for Shakespeare... But, it's just so darn tedious. Blarg.

I thought of something we could do to make our posts a slight bit interesting. If one or the other of us has paper, or assignment, or whatever that we actually find interesting then maybe we could post it on here and talk about how it was for us to do. That way, we are studying/working, but also posting too. Haha. Like, for example, in Medieval we did a Beowulf translation that I really had a lot of fun with. So, next time I have a fun assignment, I can post it on here? Just a thought.

Anyway, I'm going to go do my work then.

=]. Hope to hear again from you soon.

Sarah

Oh dear

Goodness I'm bad at this posting on a regular basis thing.

I refuse to stick to schedules! Fight the power! It's the hippie in me haha.

I have had a ridiculous amount of tests this week. And it's only Wednesday! I even had a test in choir class. Oh, how I hate tests. And I have to take the PSAT soon. Standardised testing and I don't mix very well.

But enough about that. It makes me depressed lol.

In other news, I found a very interesting fanfiction writing exercise on livejournal. There are fifty prompts and one sentence (only one!) has to be written for each. It's quite fun, but extremely challenging. I've only written 12 as of yet. I also signed up for another writing challenge that requires my fic to be completed in a month. A schedule! I can't handle schedules. Chances are I won't end up submitting anything on time, between homework, reading, and studying and such, but I will try.

And I'm right sorry about your ant problem. I hate ants. I hope yours are all dead now.


Sorry for the boring "I'm good, and you?" post, but I really have nothing of interest to say. I will think of something, though. Eventually...

Caitlyn

P.S. Did you see Hank's video with the string quartet? Was that at your school?

P.P.S. Oh! Homecoming was weekend before last. I offer you a pretty picture and an odd one.

The wind just happened to be blowing in that supermodel fan kind of way when my friend took the picture on the left haha. My hair isn't really pulled back. And on the right, Annie and I are being very cold in front of a breakfast cafe that was, indeed, closed at 8:00 at night. We had half an hour to kill before our ride came. Curse our being sixteen and not having licenses yet!

Ants!

So, It's good to know, that even if you are sick [which sucks], that you are alive!

School is going going here. I am immersed in my classes, and have more homework that I know what to do with.

Story time. So, I was in the library working my Journals for Shakespeare until about 2 or so. Late night, but is par usual. So, I go home and I am ready to just fall into bed. But, instead I walk into my room and there are ants EVERYWHERE, crawling on EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING! And, my room is on the second floor!! So, I ant spray basically the entire room, and have to sleep on the couch downstairs, but I am okay... it was just awfully traumatic. And, I am about to go and wash my clothes/sheets/pretty much anything else that got either ants or the spray on it. Haha.

Sorry about the lack of interestingness in the posts. I'll sit down this weekend and think about stuff we can write about so that we don't continue with the boring "I'm good, and you?" posts.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Sarah

Illness = No me gusta

Well, I haven't posted anything in about an age and a half. But I am alive.

This week has not been fun. It should have been as it's Spirit Week, but it hasn't.

My day has gone as follows:

Wake up at six a.m. Roll out of bed and drag myself to the car to go to school. Get to school, totally bomb an AP Gov. test, then halfway fall asleep during my free period. Now I'm at home, sick with a cold/flu/something and missing algebra and choir (not that I'm complaining).

Ugh. Being ill is the worst. And my homecoming dance is Saturday night. No fair.

But we are that much closer to Paper Towns! And basically, me = jealous! Do you know if you're able to go to New York yet? Because you will have to take tons of pictures for me if you do.

And now I'm off to take a nap.

I hope you're well :)

Caitlyn

P.S. Harry Potter is the best sick movie ever. You know, in case you wanted to know that haha.

short and short.

I don't have a lot to say, but I did want to update, so you'd know I hadn't died or anything.

This week isn't much better than last, but it IS better. Last week was just awful...

Now, that I am actually IN to classes, and we are doing work, and my mind will be busy, maybe everything won't feel [although will actually be] so hectic.

On a happy note... we're one day closer to Paper Towns!!! And, I don't know if I have told you this, but I might have a chance to go to the Fantastic Release Party in NYC on Oct. 17th, which would basically MAKE MY LIFE. The end. Haha.

I know that this post is wayyy short, but I was just dropping a line.

Hope all is well with you and school and all that.

=].

Sarah

Joy and joyness

Goodness... And I thought I had a big work load.

I'm sorry about your wet three days and all of the work you have to do. I'm into my third week of school and I'm already anxious for Thanksgiving Break haha.

I'm afraid I still haven't finished Wrinkle and I don't know when I'll get around to it as I've already been assigned four books for school, three of which are for AP Lang. Gah. English is my favourite subject, but really, some of the stuff we've had to do already is not fun. Like writing an essay about the American Dream, which I found surprisingly hard. I think it's because I'm really British at heart.

I'm also taking AP Gov. and CP Chem. Woo. Lot's of work. But really I have no room to complain after hearing about your first three days.

Mike sounds lovely. I bet you two will become friends. I, unfortunately, have no British friends at my school and no one else understands my affinity for them. Do tell him I say hi =].

And now I must depart to do my mountain of homework that's been piling up in the darkest recesses of my backpack.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Caitlyn

The tale of an English Major on a journey.

So.

Today was only the third day of school, and I already feel like I have had an entire semester of stress.

I am now going to proceed to tell you everything that has happened to me in the last three days, good and bad. Be afraid/excited/confused/whatever you so choose to feel. Before I continue, I must say that it has been raining for four days straight, so rain will play a large part in much of my story.

Monday:
I had to wake up earlier than normal, because I had to go buy books for my class that I had that day which were: French 101, Oral Communication [Speech], and Medieval Literature. After purchasing my books, I park my car in the commuter lot and I trek over to my the Humanities building [so named Evans-which will refer to later, I'm sure]. At this point I do not have an umbrella, so I am quite wet by the time I get to class, but class turns out to be alright, because Jordan [best guy friend] is in the class with me. After this class, and still without an umbrella, I have to walk to the Communications building [Laughlin] for my Speech class. Which, it turns out, is great. Although we did have to give a speech on the first day [however, the speech was introducing another member of the class and I got paired with a quite wonderful British boy named Mike who was well excited that I love everything British so darn much.] After speech I have a four and half hour break before Medieval. So, I go home because I had left my cell phone there, and some junk happens with my dad, which I won't go into detail about, although it is quite funny, and then I go re-park my car in the comm lot and go to meet Chels for lunch. Lunch is fine, however during this time the rain really starts to pick up. A lot. So, I go to the college bookstore and buy and umbrella before eventually treking back over to Evans to sit and wait for Medieval to start. Medieval was and still is a great class. After class Chels calls me and is having a nervous breakdown because her boss is a bitch and won't give her any hours and she needs at least 15 to live. Once Chels is calmed down we head over to eat Dinner, except that I ask her to drop me at my car, so I can move it and drop my books. I get to my car and MY WINDOWS HAVE BEEN OPEN ALL AFTERNOON IN THE EPIC RAIN. So, my car has supreme flood damage [still]. So I'm crying, blah blah blah, I end up speeding to a car wash place so they can wetvac it, which they do, so it doesn't smell bad the next day or anything [which by the way, it does smell... HORRIBLE.] And after that I just go home. Because I am spent. I read a bit of Beowulf which I have to for Medieval, and go to bed around midnight.

Tuesday:
Wake up still earlier than normal, because I have to buy my books for this day's classes [Literary Theory and Western Literature], which I do and everything is fine. My classes are great, lunch is great, everything is great, you know, aside from the never-ending rain. I even had an interview which went really well. I hung out at the musical auditions last night since Chels was auditioning [and she got a call back!], so my Tuesday ended up being a fairly event free day.

Wednesday:
So, I get up and go to French, in which the teacher proceeds to tell me that, even though it was fine two days before when I talked to her about it, the fact that I have a class [Western Lit] at the same time as the language lab, is a big issue and that I would need to drop whatever class it was. So, I'm like, "Uhm, I can't. It's for my major, thanks." And so then she tells me that I have to drop French, so I'm like, "But, I need it, too." Then she told me I could take it in the spring, which I will, and I dropped it [which I can do online on the eweb thing for my school]. But, there was the small problem of that now, I didn't have enough hours [I needed 16, and now I only had 12, because a language is a 4 hour course]. So, I go to Speech, and gave my Narrative Speech about my trip to NYC, and saw wonderful British boy =]. After Speech, I go to my adviser, and I'm like, "Okay, SO WHAT DO I DO!?!" He tells me to calm down and that I can just take a fourth English class. I'm like, "Yeah, okay, and KILL MYSELF, sure." But, I end up, not only adding another English class, but adding the HARDEST CLASS IN THE DEPARTMENT, Survey of Shakespeare. But, this only brought me up to 15 hours, and if you remember before I had 16, so I added a theatre practicum, which means that I have to work in the theatre for at least 50 hours. 50 hours of time, I DON'T HAVE. But, I went to the Shakespeare class today and it was great, and of course I went to Medieval, which is great.

And, the moral of the story is that, I am going to do nothing but read, write, study, repeat. It will be fun semester. Haha.

So, that is the story of my Epic three days.

[This may put a damper on me reading Water for Elephants any time soon, but WILL! Eventually.]

Hope to be hearing from you soon.

As always.

Sarah.

Happy Birthday John!!!

Hello John!

I really have nothing to say that Sarah hasn't already said, but I'd just like to wish you a superfantabulous birthday today! You are one of my idols and I'm so grateful for everything that you do. I am eagerly counting down the days until Paper Towns comes out (52 days) and am going to celebrate when I get it (everyone at Borders beware, for there will be happy dancing!).

As an aspiring writer of sorts, you're a fantastic role model and I offer thanksX239857203697640 for giving advice and just being there. (I know you wouldn't be able to tell that I try to write from this...but really, I do.) You are truly made of awesome. Sarah is not alone in wishing that there was something much more awesome and creative to make your birthday fantastic, but alas, I have nothing, either. Perhaps by the time the Great American Tour de Nerdfighting comes round I will have thought of something for you.

Until then though, I can only offer you my sincerest birthday wishes and may the power of awesome be with you. [[Nerd jokes, nerd jokes, nerd jokes]]

=]

Caitlyn

[And Sarah, good luck at school tomorrow! DFTBA!]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN GREEN!!!!!

Goodbye 30 year old John!

[Hi, Caitlyn... Quickly to you, thanks for the link to your page, and also, I just wanted to let you know that I am starting school tomorrow, so wish me luck and all that kind of stuff... haha]

John! Hello. I am not entirely sure if you will be reading this, however I hope that you will. I just wanted to say, that I think that you are severely awesome in many ways, and that I cannot wait until Paper Towns comes out [which I have pre-ordered, and my friend Chels and I have plans to have our own release party/Nerdfighter day thing]!!! I genuinely hope that your 30th year of life was an amazing one, and that your 31st year will be even better! Thank you so much for what you have contributed to my life and I know that you will continue to influnce me in awesome ways. I cannot wait until the Nerdfighter tour and a chance to actually meet you!

I wish I had something amazingly creative to day to you, however, I find that I am very busy with buying books/reading books/just getting ready for class to start in general, and I will try my best to be more creative on Green brother's birthdays in the future!

In conclusion, you are an amazing/awesome/all around great person, and I wish you a very very very happy birthday!!

DFTBA!!!!!! [Not that you would.]

Sarah [Tree-Hugger Nerdfighter.]

p.s. to Caitlyn, I am going to post a link to the blog on John and Hank's pages RIGHT NOW.

It's Sunday

No, you don't fail. I just happen to like odd quotes, that one happening to belong to Albert Einstein. "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." So there you are. There's a useless tidbit of knowledge for you.

Yes, our next challenge! Alerting Hank and John to the existance of this blog. We could, as you suggested leave tons of comments on their ning pages, and/or email them about it. Or... Nevermind, I'm kidding. I don't have another idea.

John's birthday is today!!! I agree with you about the special post about how much we love him and wish him a happy birthday. I will post mine later once I figure out what to say to him lol.

Of course you can read my fic. There's a link to my writing journal HERE. I hope it's not too bad haha.

Okay, I'm off to think of a birthday post for John which I'll post later today.

Caitlyn

I fail at this game.

So. I fail at the title of your blog post, which means that I don't get nerd points, which makes me sad. But, you will have to tell me what it means, so that I may know. Because I fail.. haha.

Anyway, moving on. I am not, as of yet, participating in the secret project, but I could. I will go sign up as soon as I am done with this. =].

Getting John and Hank to know about this blog. That could be a challenge. Our next challenge!Now, as to how... Hmm. I suppose we could go the easy route and just post a link to their ning comments? [Several times. Haha.] We could also make a thread about it in the forum. But, I do think it is a very good idea! Maybe we can even get some suggestions as to what sort of challenges/fun things we could do/write about, which would be good. =].

John's birthday [SUNDAY!]... What could we do? My only real idea is to each make a post devoted to telling him happy birthday/how much we adore and love him... but, if you have any more exciting ideas, please tell tell.

I would like very much to read your Harry Potter fan fic, if that would be possible!

Anyway, I must away to lunch with Chels, but hope to be hearing from you soon.

Sarah

A very persistant illusion.

This blog comes in four parts!

Part I: Wrinkle. I am, veeeeery slowly, reading and enjoying it. I'm only about sixty pages in but I like it so far. I've just gotten to the bit where they've reached Uriel. I've been trying to read it during break times in class but I only get about four pages in at a time... It's quite possible that I will finish it this weekend, though.

Part II: The nerdfighter secret project. I am curious if you are participating and am also wondering vaguely if there is any chance of Hank or John finding this blog... Hmm.

Part III: John's birthday! As I'm sure you know, John's birthday is coming up on August 24th, and I'm thinking we should come up with something for the occasion. I will start brainstorming. I know we have limited options but I'm sure we can still come up with something creative.

Part IV: I've just written my first Harry Potter fan fiction. Yay! Just finished last night and it was great fun. After nearly a month of no writing it was so great to have the muse return.

I hope you get settled into your new house soon.

Caitlyn

Oh, and if you can guess where the title comes from you will get some nerd points, which I just made up, but are very desirable haha.

A strange new place.

Blog in four parts:

1. So. I've moved into my new house and it's strange. I am not really used to it yet. But, I guess I will in time. I was vaccuming my old room and it was sad and sentimental. But, I put up posters/pictures everywhere in my new room [Harry Potter montage, Beatles montage, Pirates montage, Mighty Boosh collage, Monty Python and the Holy Grail poster, and pictures of me and my friends EVERYWHERE!]. Of course my room is the only room in the entire house that is near finished. I say near, because I want to put up the picture of me and Chelsea with the twins and Matthew Lewis up on the wall with a collage of pictures of the twins around it. =]=].

2. Chelsea is back at school and I am "helping" her move in [while I am acutally writing to you. haha]. But, it makes me really excited because I missed her and now I have someone here to hang out with. Yay.

3. I have to purchase Water for Elephants. However, school starts Monday and I have been informed that I have to read Gatsby by next Thursday, so it may be a while. BUT I WILL! I'm excited to! [How are you doing on Wrinkle? I love that book so much.]

4. AHH! PAPER TOWNS!!! Chelsea and I have decided that we are going to have our own release party for it! Gah. I can hardly wait.

Anyway, I'm going to go help now.

Sarah

Brain overload...gah...

Oh boy. Two days of school and I'm already wiped. But the good news comes in three parts, 1. I finished my essay on time! 2. I started A Wrinkle in Time and like it so far and 3. 57 days until Paper Towns comes out, and I'm already pretty excited about it.

I just saw The Notebook this weekend and I pretty much loved it. I kinda sorta cried about six times throughout the whole thing... I'm a bit of a cry baby I guess, but I liked the story. I saw that it was originally a novel and I kind of want to see how the book and movie stack up. Have you seen the movie and/or read the book? I suppose this is my mental note to eventually find and read The Notebook...if it's actually called that, I wasn't paying close enough attention.

I still have no challenge ideas... But I promise, eventually I will come up with one, really I will. And I will also come up with more exciting things to say when my brain isn't on overload. Hope your move went well.

Will hear from you soon...and next time I will hopefully not be such a bore.

Caitlyn

I need to be more creative with this whole title thing...

I am well sorry about your essay. I hate hate hate hate school, in general. I start a week from tomorrow.

I was in a band for about six weeks. And, I don't actually know if I would call us a band. Haha. We were called Excalibur, and to be frank, we sucked. Haha. We only did covers, because none of us wrote any songs. I sang/played keyboard, my friend Ellen sang, and my friend Cody played accordion. YES, accordion. We had no guitar player. So... we were like, "Why are we doing this?!" and we stopped.

I think I am going to read Water for Elephants. I have no idea what it is about, but the title intrigues me, so I will go pick that up from good old Barnes and Noble, when I have time. Which may not be until Wednesday with all this move stuff happing in my life.

Anyway, I've been thinking more about other challenges we could do, and failing miserably. Maybe we could each pick one thing that the other is [totally, completely, unhealthily] obsessed with and have them explain it in full to the other person. [Of course that means it has to be something that the other person doesn't know ANYTHING about, but wishes to learn about]. Just a thought.

Anyway, I'm on my way to work, so I must run like the wind.

Report back.

Sarah.

[Insert Title Here]

Yeah, I have no idea why those strange dots keep appearing in the most random pictures I have. My friend Kristin took one while we were in the park at about one in the morning (past curfew, naughty us) and there were tons of those freaky dots everywhere. She refused to believe it was paranormal activity, but strange white dots don't always appear when taking pictures of pine trees at 1 am. Unfortunately, I think she deleted the picture so I can't show you lol.

I can't say I've actually watched the entire five hour P&P because 1. it's five hours long and my attention span when it comes to movies is not all that long and 2. I agree with you in saying Matthew McFadyen IS Darcy and that I also have quite a soft spot for Keira Knightley. But I'm thinking I should probably watch it at some point...

Oh, I'm so sorry about your foot! That sounds very painful. I suppose you'll just have to keep an eye out for run away glass from now on. The most painful thing that's happened to me recently were three wasp stings in my hand. I didn't have use of my right hand for two days (it bites to be allergic to every kind of sting there is) but I think your foot is much worse than a couple stings. I hope it gets better soon!

Yay money! Money seems to be a commodity I never have enough of. Perhaps I should take a leaf out of your book and sell some of the 13435781964519 things I don't need. It always amazes me how much stuff I have, too. It's crazy, and yet I always find an excuse to keep things. I'm like "Well...what if I get rid of it and then realise I still need it?" and so I keep it... Not a very good habit haha.

You used to be in a band? That's so cool! I try playing the guitar and I'm not very good, but I love it anyway. I've been trying to get my friends to start a band for ages and they never do *humph* so I sit alone playing my chord progressions (because, truthfully, I'm not good at much else haha).

=O I haven't read any of those!!! Oh dear. I think I'll choose A Wrinkle in Time, because it is actually sitting on my shelf right now, unread *is guilty*. But it's funny you suggested Princess Bride because my friends and I are actually making a musical parody of the movie this summer. It was great fun. Annie was Buttercup and my friend Molly was Westley (we were short on guys. The one we did have, Alex, played about four parts including some very funny scenes where he actually had to have fight sequences with himself because he was playing both characters).

Anyway, books! I do hope you haven't read at least one of these:
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (one of my favourites)
Mr Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (P&P told from Darcy's pov. I squeed like a fangirl when I found it)
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brian (a war story, but it's wonderful, I promise)
And The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (I know you've probably read this one, but I love, love, LOVE this book)

Oh dear, now I best get back to my stupid essay that's due tomorrow (bleh, no me gusta the start of school). I have a horrible habit of procrastinating haha. Good luck with your move!

Caitlyn

Ahaha. Yay for your paranormal dot. That is actually quite odd.

Anyway, Stand By Me is based on Steven King's book The Body and it is about four boys about 12 who hear about a body that has been hit by a train out in the woods about 12 or so miles from town, and their adventure to go find it. It's sort of like Sisterhood but for boys... and I love it. Hahaha. The Constant Gardener is about a man who's wife has been killed by the pharmaceutical company that "supplies" medicine to Kenya. She knows that they are not really helping the people and threatens to expose them, so they kill her... and it's his story of trying to find out just what happened. I suggest them both HIGHLY.

I definitely do NOT hate you for liking the new P&P. I actually was watching it when I was "interviewing" people for this blog! Haha. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It's so less boring than the long and involved 5 hour one with Colin Firth, and I don't care what anyone says, Matthew MacFadyen with always be MY Darcy. I mean, I have read the book about 2.5 million times, as it is my favorite book of all time, and I never really saw Colin Firth as Darcy, and then this movie comes out and I was like "YES! He's PERFECT!" Anyway... this is NOT to say that I don't love Colin Firth at all, because I adore him in Love Actually.

So, I'm in the process of moving right now, and I had broken glass in a trash bag in my room and I was walking gingerly to the bathroom when I brutally cut my foot on the glass that had found it's way out of the trash bag and on to my floor. I bled everywhere. Which is well bad, because we don't own this house anymore, so... I just bled all over carpet in a house that is not even mine anymore. The big move is on Monday [AHH!] and I still have a lot left to do. Which means, I should probably not be blogging you, but alas, I have a severely cut foot that requires being up for a bit while. [Excuses, excuses.]

My mother and I had a yard sale this morning to sell off all the stuff we discovered while packing that we don't need and I made a well amount of money. I sold my old dresser, about a million purses/bags, tons of shoes, an old electric keyboard from my band days, and other misc. stuff. I never knew I had so much STUFF.

Anyway, on to the book challenge. I am going to suggest a few books and some of them you may have read, but hopefully one of them you haven't:
Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger [I just finished today, and LOVE IT].
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle [Favorite book as a kid].
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
And finally, The Princess Bride by William Goldman.

If you haven't read ANY of them, then you can pick one. =].

As for a book for me, I assure you, there is a great lot I haven't read [while there is a great lot I have read, too... haha], but suggest a few like I did, and we'll go from there.

Here's another fairly nifty picture for you. This is me [on the right] with my mom in the middle and my friend Katie [on the left] when we were all of about six. Haha.

Fun Stuff

I love British-isms! My favourite is "dirty great _____". I will go to London someday and I'm sure I will feel more at home and surely embarrass myself by using my *ahem* perfected British accent haha.

And my questions:
1. What's your favourite movie?
This is really hard to pick, but I'll narrow it down to three. What's Eating Gilbert Grape because it's just one of those movies that you either relate to and love, or don't and hate. I just happen to love it. Pirates. Yes, my fangirlishness really does extend that far. And (you may hate me for this) the recent Pride and Prejudice. The book is better, always, but I really do enjoy that movie immensely.

I also love Zoolander (Merman!), but I've never seen Stand By Me or the Constant Gardener. What are they about?

2. The worst book you've read to date?
I think it's a tie for me between House on Mango Street and Things Fall Apart. I know they're supposed to convey these deep themes, but I hated these books. Blah. I hate being forced to read things for school. And this summer Boomsday is the book I'm directing my hate thoughts at. It deals with politics and is supposed to be humourus, but I don't like it so much.

3. Favourite band?
The Rolling Stones. I. Love. Them. Though Beatles come in a close second, the Stones still rise a bit above them. I love basically all classic Rock music though. I'm not the biggest fan of new age.

4. Funnest summer vacation you've had?
This summer I got to go to Florida for a week with my best friend, and then a month later I went to NYC and got to see Pahntom and Chorus Line on Broadway. Best summer so far.

5. Sun or snow?
Sun. When you live in Colorado, snow isn't all that exciting. Especially since school doesn't get cancelled haha. But I agree, I don't like HOT sun. 70 degrees is a good teperature I can live with.

That sounds like a good idea. Though I think it will be a lot harder to find a book you haven't read than me. I do read a lot, but I have a tendency to reread things I've already read (I get very attached to books). So as far as books I've read, the list is actually pretty small compared to some, but I'm always open to new books. And, for the record, your challenge ideas are more creative than mine, which are nonexistant haha.

Will hear from you soon.

Caitlyn

And since you included a picutre, I will put one in too, though mine is not quite as exciting as yours. I'm on the left and my best friend Taylor is on the right. And there is a paranormal dot above my head, which is the most exciting thing that has appeared in my pictures.

A response

I have to say, I hate the Jonas Brothers, too. And I totally feel you about the British spelling, thing. I don't do the ou thing like you do, although, I totally should. Haha. But, I DO use British-isms in everyday speech, like saying "What are you on about?" and instead of using the words "very" or "a lot" I say "well", like, rather than saying "He was very creepy!" I would say, "He is well creepy." I also call people berks and knobs which is fairly British, too. Oh! And I say the word fairly fairly often, as well as the phrase "Listen! Don't do it." to pretty much anyone or anything. Like if a book is falling off the shelf I scream "LISTEN! Don't do it!" [Basically, I'm well crazy.] OH! And there's the part where I talk to myself, pretty much all the time and in a British accent. Ha.

Okay, now on to your questions:
1. What's your favourite movie?
I have about a million, but there are four that stick out in my mind above all others: Zoolander, yes really. Stand By Me. Bend it Like Beckham. And The Constant Gardener. The reasons behind: Zoolander because I just love Ben Stiller and I really admire him for writing, directing, and being Derek all in one movie. And making it so darn funny. Stand By Me, because it was my mom's favorite movie when I was little, and so we watched it all the time. Bend it, because I love love love love soccer, and Jonathon Rhys-Meyers. Haha. And, finally The Constant Gardener, because it makes you think. And, it's the movie that made me want to go to Africa [which I still do]. And because Ralph Finnes is well fit.

2. The worst book you've read to date?
Oh, man. Usually when I'm reading a bad book, I just don't finish it. But, I think one that I've read all the way through because I had to for school, that I just HATED is Cold Sassy Tree. Lots of people love it, so I'm pretty much in the minority, but I HATED it.

3. Favourite band?
The Beatles. No contest. I also am a fairly large fan of: Maroon 5, Coldplay, DMB, and The Stones. [Plus there's a well amount of solo artists I adore, my favorite being Tyrone Wells].

4. Funnest summer vacation you've had?
Definitely the year I went to London for two weeks. Me being a Brit stuck in an American's body, this was heaven for me. It was 2001, I think. I was right out of 7th grade. I also loved my trip to NYC this year. =].

5. Sun or snow?
Sun, but not HOT sun. A 65 degrees with a breeze sun. I don't do cold weather well. Although, I did ski in Colorado two years ago, and it was one of the best trips I've ever been on.

Challenges. Hmm. We could both suggest a book which the other should read, and then report back. Of course, with both of us being readers of the avid nature, we may have to dig deep into the depths to find a book that we haven't both read. That's what I have now on the challenge front. I'll think more about it. Surely I can be more creative than this. Sheesh.

In case you want to see more of the insides of my mind HERE is my personal blog.

Anyway, I would greatly like for you to answer the questions that you asked me. =].

Yay! <-- I'm a nerd. Hearing from you soon! Sarah Happy picture? Oh yes, I think so. That's me between the twins and Chelsea between Matthew Lewis and James.

And the post to follow the first...

Hey Sarah!

I'm going to follow your lead and tell you a bit about myself.

I'm sixteen and I'm going into my junior year in high school. I live in a small town called Erie in Colorado. I live about thirty minutes away from civilisation in every direction. I go to Niwot High School, about twenty minutes away from my house.

I have absolutely no idea what college I want to go to or what sort of job I want to get, though my parents would like me to know already.

You say I'd be in awe at your ability to fall in love with fictional characters, but I assure you, we're in the same boat. I actually think of fictional characters as my friends (talk about nerdy).

You are so lucky that you met James and Oliver Phelps and Matthew Lewis! I've never met anyone famous, though it's my dream that I meet Johnny Depp someday. I'm probably one of the biggest Johnny Depp fan girls you will ever meet and have seen nearly all of the movies he's been in.

I adore Tim Burton and think he's the best director in the entire world. Edward Scissorhands=my love. I also really like the Geico gecko for some reason.

I write a ton of fan fiction and that's mainly why I have the internet, so I can read others fiction and post my own. I live for LiveJournal (though, admittedly, there is some censorship going on there which isn't cool). I mostly write in the Pirates of the Caribbean fandom and my OTP is Jack/Elizabeth. In the Harry Potter fandom, my OTP is Remus/Tonks.

I love:
Reading (sometimes I even blow off my friends when I'm in the middle of a good book, which I'm pretty sure isn't normal at all lol). Writing. My family. My friends. Jane Austen. British television (Doctor Who and Torchwood being my favourites). Spelling like a Brit, even though I'm American (I've been spelling things with u's for years and can't seem to stop). Movies that make me think. Keith Richards (I know he's a narcissist, but he's my guitar idol). The Beatles. Jack Sparrow. Elizabeth Swann. Tonks. Remus Lupin. Severus Snape (I LOVE HIM!!!). The Outsiders (OMG Johnny Cade). Being a fangirl. Dogs. Fruit. Wonderful places. The smell of new books. Adventures. Smiling. Laughing (loudly). Blue eyes. And about a million other things and people.

I don't love:
School. Politics. Writing essays about writing essays. US history. Racism. Running. Hospitals. Feet. Spanish (probably just because I'm not good at it). Cooked carrots. Not having enough hours in the day. Wasting the day sleeping. Mr Manni (my chem teacher, who thought that sub-atomic particles were bigger than the atom, and who I have the unfortunate pleasure of having again this year). Moths. Television. The House on Mango Street. The Jonas Brothers. Disney Channel. Pop music.

My best friend's name is Taylor, and we're polar opposites on so many levels but I love her to death. My other friends are Annie, Kristin and Kyleigh. I would die without these girls. I don't have any guy friends becuase I find it impossible to befriend any who don't have some other motive, which is sad.

I used to want to be a vet, but realised that I can't handle blood very well, and so I limit myself to volunteering at my local vet office.

My favourite colour is blue.

And now I don't really have much else to say, but I think the challenge idea sounds fun. I don't know what kind of challenges we could do though. What do you think?

And now a few questions for you:
1. What's your favourite movie?
2. The worst book you've read to date?
3. Favourite band?
4. Funnest summer vacation you've had?
5. Sun or snow?

You don't have to answer these if you don't want to. Just some fun facts and such :)

Hope to hear from you soon.

Caitlyn

First post!

Hi Caitlyn!

This is exciting. I'm fairly excited anyway. So, I'm not really sure what to write other than to just tell you a bit about myself.

So, here it goes:

I'm 20, and about to start my junior year of college. I attend a fairly boring school in Rome, Georgia called Berry College and I am an English Major.

I'm loud. I love it.

You'd be in awe at my ability to fall in love with fictional characters.

I've met James & Oliver Phelps and Matthew Lewis. It was the best day of my life. Times 238472098347298379842. THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.

I Love:
My family. Gary Hopper [my godfather]. READING [is my life]. Writing. The Mighty Boosh [the word love doesn't really work here, more like LIVE. They are a British comedy troope]. Paul Wallace [My Astronomy teacher]. Elanor Roosevelt. Robert Kennedy. Dennis Kucinich. Barack Obama. Richmond, Va [where I was born] Sleep. Jesse L. Martin. Dave Brown [plays Bollo in The Mighty Boosh]. Derek Zoolander. The Beatles. Coffee. Fred Weasley [He is the LOVE OF MY LIFE]. Remus Lupin. Luna Lovegood. John & Hank Green. Colin Singleton. Elizabeth Bennett. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Jacob Black. Adam Levine. Horatio Caine. Jethro Gibbs. Olivia Benson. Pineapple. Granola. London ENG. Shoes & Bags. Books. Jon Stewart. Nelson Mandela. Hugging. Chipped nail polish. Will Smith "saves the day" movies. Robert Redford. Jeeps. Organic Milk. Happy Endings.

I don't love:
Michael Meija [my English 102 teacher]. Stress. IGNORANCE. Conservatism. George Bush. Mike Huckabee. Racism. Fairweather friends. Beef. Long toenails. BAD DRIVERS. Country Music. Fox News. Dead batteries. Reality TV. Spanish. Horror films. Broccoli. Summer School. Unfinished business.

I have three best friends: Christy Fox, Chelsea Knost, and Jordan Coleman. Christy and I
have been friends since 7th grade. Chelsea and Jordan are dating, and are somewhat of a package deal, but I love them both, and I've never been a third wheel when with them.
Now, this is not to say that I do not have other friends, it is just that these three people mean the world to me, and without them I would be well lost.

My favorite color is yellow.

My mother is my rock.

I don't really have much else to say, because if I was to write everything right now, there would be no point, right?

Anyway, hope to be hearing from you soon.

If you have any questions, as away.

Maybe we can have challenges each week... I don't know. It's really open to whatever. But, alas, I am excited.

OH! And please give any suggestions/do whatever you would like to, to change the blog layout around.

=].

Sarah