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