A Place Forgotten

(#3: Make someone smile.)

{image © SpyKate//deviantART}

There is a girl across the room;

her face is covered in a mask.

She once knew of a thing called happiness,

a place she has forgotten.

In her childhood, she knew of this place...

this place called Happiness.

But reality clouds her vision.

No smiles are left.

Now all she has,

is a simple, plain, mask.

But who knows?

Maybe you can help her remember...

that place called happiness -

just by giving her a smile;

maybe she will smile back.

Who knows?

You might find her there again someday...

that place we all know as Happiness.

Outside these walls...

(#2: Turn off your computer and go outside.)

...it's a wonderful world.

J o u r n e y.

Mood:chillaxed

(#1: Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.)

{image via. Redeemer-of-light//deviantART}

"I haven't a clue as to how my story will end. But that's all right. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, you don't conclude the road has vanished. And how else could we discover the stars?" -- Anonymous

爱是对的。。。

Mood:happy

"Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway."

-- Mary Kay Ash

"As long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you otherwise might."
-- Marian Anderson



"Beauty, truth, friendship, love, creation – these are the great values of life. We can't prove them, or explain them, yet they are the most stable things in our lives."
-- Jesse Herman Holmes



"Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve."
-- Mary Kay Ash



"Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born."
-- Dr. Dale Turner

[photos©itsirrational]

(Just something inspirational to keep you going.)

"Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reasoning grows." - John Betjeman

Mood:hopeful

"A timeless story of innocence lost and humanity found."

"Lines may divide us, but hope will unite us..."

"A story of innocence in a world of ignorance."

---

We watched this movie in our Language Arts class because our unit is on the Holocaust this semester.

This was a beautifully quiet and heartbreaking film that explored the innocence of childhood.

Based on the novel by John Boyne.

If you've never seen this movie before you have to click HERE. for the full film. (I highly recommend it.)

And even if you're not - at least watch it for the great score/soundtrack. [:

With love and inspiration,

101 Ways To Annoy People

Mood:happy

1. Sing the Batman theme incessantly.

2. In the memo field of all your checks, write "for sensual massage."

3. Specify that your drive-through order is "to go."

4. Learn Morse code, and have conversations with friends in public consisting entirely of "Beeeep Bip Bip Beeep Bip..."

5. If you have a glass eye, tap on it occasionally with your pen while talking to others.

6. Amuse yourself for endless hours by hooking a camcorder to your TV and then pointing it at the screen.

7. Speak only in a "robot" voice.

8. Push all the flat Lego pieces together tightly.

9. Start each meal by conspicuously licking all your food, and announce that this is so no one will "swipe your grub".

10. Leave the copy machine set to reduce 200%, extra dark, 17 inch paper, 98 copies.

11. Stomp on little plastic ketchup packets.

12. Sniffle incessantly.

13. Leave your turn signal on for fifty miles.

14. Name your dog "Dog." 15. Insist on keeping your car windshield wipers running in all weather conditions "to keep them tuned up."

16. Reply to everything someone says with "that's what YOU think."

17. Claim that you must always wear a bicycle helmet as part of your "astronaut training."

18. Declare your apartment an independent nation, and sue your neighbors upstairs for "violating your airspace".

19. Forget the punchline to a long joke, but assure the listener it was a "real hoot."

20. Follow a few paces behind someone, spraying everything they touch with Lysol.

21. Practice making fax and modem noises.

22. Highlight irrelevant information in scientific papers and "cc:" them to your boss.

23. Make beeping noises when a large person backs up.

24. Invent nonsense computer jargon in conversations, and see if people play along to avoid the appearance of ignorance.

25. Erect an elaborate network of ropes in your backyard, and tell the neighbors you are a "spider person."

26. Finish all your sentences with the words "in accordance with the prophesy."

27. Wear a special hip holster for your
remote control.

28. Do not add any inflection to the end of your sentences, producing awkward silences with the impression that you'll be saying more any moment.

29. Signal that a conversation is over by clamping your hands over your ears.

30. Disassemble your pen and "accidentally" flip the ink cartridge across the room.

31. Give a play-by-play account of a persons every action in a nasal Howard Cosell voice.

32. Holler random numbers while someone is counting.

33. Adjust the tint on your TV so that all the people are green, and insist to others that you "like it that way."

34. Drum on every available surface.

35. Staple papers in the middle of the page.

36. Ask 1-800 operators for dates.

37. Produce a rental video consisting entirely of dire FBI copyright warnings.

38. Sew anti-theft detector strips
into peoples backpacks.

39. Hide dairy products in inaccessible places.

40. Write the surprise ending to a novel on its first page.

41. Set alarms for random times.

42. Order a side of pork rinds with your filet mignon.

43. Instead of Gallo, serve Night Train next Thanksgiving.

44. Publicly investigate just how slowly you can make a "croaking" noise.

45. Honk and wave to strangers.

46. Dress only in clothes colored Hunters Orange.

47. Change channels five minutes before the end of every show.

48. Tape pieces of "Sweating to the Oldies" over climactic parts of rental movies.

49. Wear your pants backwards.

50. Decline to be seated at a restaurant, and simply eat their complimentary mints by the cash register.

51. Begin all your sentences with "ooh la la!"

52. ONLY TYPE IN UPPERCASE.

53. only type in lowercase.

54. dont use any punctuation either

55. Buy a large quantity of orange traffic cones and reroute whole streets.

56. Pay for your dinner with pennies.

57. Tie jingle bells to all your clothes.

58. Repeat everything someone says, as a question.

59. Write "X - BURIED TREASURE" in random spots on all of someone's roadmaps.

60. Inform everyone you meet of your personal Kennedy assassination/UFO/ O.J Simpson conspiracy theories.

61. Repeat the following conversation a dozen times: "Do you hear that?" "What?" "Never mind, its gone now."

62. Light road flares on a birthday cake.

63. Wander around a restaurant, asking other diners for their parsley.

64. Leave tips in Bolivian currency.

65. Demand that everyone address you as "Conquistador."

66. At the laundromat, use one dryer for each of your socks.

67. When Christmas caroling, sing "Jingle Bells, Batman smells" until physically restrained.

68. Wear a cape that says "Magnificent One."

69. As much as possible, skip rather than walk.

70. Stand over someone's shoulder, mumbling, as they read.

71. Pretend your computer's mouse is a CB radio, and talk to it.

72. Try playing the William Tell Overture by tapping on the bottom of your chin. When nearly done, announce "no, wait, I messed it up," and repeat.

73. Drive half a block.

74. Inform others that they exist only in your imagination.

75. Ask people what gender they are.

76. Lick the filling out of all the Oreos, and place the cookie parts back.

77. Cultivate a Norwegian accent. If Norwegian, affect a Southern drawl.

78. Routinely handcuff yourself to furniture, informing the curious that you don't want to fall off "in case the big one comes".

79. Deliberately hum songs that will remain lodged in co-workers brains, such as "Feliz Navidad", the Archies "Sugar" or the Mr. Rogers theme song.

80. While making presentations, occasionally bob your head. like a parakeet.

81. Lie obviously about trivial things such as the time of day.

82. Leave your Christmas lights up and lit until September.

83. Change your name to "AaJohn Aaaaasmith" for the great glory of being first in the phone book. Claim it's a Hawaiian name, and demand that people pronounce each "a."

84. Sit in your front yard pointing a hair dryer at passing cars to see if they slow down.

85. Chew on pens that you've borrowed.

86. Wear a LOT of cologne.

87. Listen to 33rpm records at 45rpm speed, and claim the faster speed is necessary because of your "superior mental processing."

88. Sing along at the opera.

89. Mow your lawn with scissors.

90. At a golf tournament, chant "swing-batabatabata-suhWING-batter!"

91. Ask the waitress for an extra seat for your "imaginary friend."

92. Go to a poetry recital and ask why each poem doesn't rhyme.

93. Ask your co-workers mysterious questions, and then scribble their answers in a notebook. Mutter something
about "psychological profiles."

94. Stare at static on the TV and claim you can see a "magic picture."

95. Select the same song on the jukebox fifty times.

96. Never make eye contact.

97. Never break eye contact.

98. Construct elaborate "crop circles" in your front lawn.

99. Construct your own pretend "tricorder," and "scan" people with it, announcing the results.

100. Make appointments for the 31st of September.

101. Invite lots of people to other people's parties.

---

I know I'm supposed to be on hiatus working on my novel

but I just had to post this on here. Enjoy & pass it on!

Summer Kisses & Sunburned Hands...

"The falling leaves

Drift by the window

The autumn leaves

Of red and gold

I see your lips
The summer kisses
The sunburned hands
I used to hold

Since you went away
The days grow long
And soon I'll hear
Old winter's song

But I miss you most of all

My darling

When autumn leaves

start to fall"

Lyrics - [Autumn Leaves by Frank Sinatra] ♪♫

---

Outside it's snowing puffy, white, snowflakes and I must say, I love snow even if I completely dread the cold that comes along with it because it's so beautiful when it snows. So far I am having a splendid week! But I have to go on a hiatus. One of the things on my New Year's Resolution was to finish writing my novel & I'm afraid I'm not going to get to that if I spend too much time on my blog. I have to do it this time or else I'm never ever going to finish. I'm not sure how long this hiatus will last but I promise it won't last that long... at least I certainly hope not.

Just a few more months until Summer Vacation and then - boom - high school. I don't exactly have my 4 years planned out yet but I'm not going to sweat it. One particular skill of mine is the ability to adapt. I'm not worried at all because I know I'm going to do well no matter where I am. But if you are already in high school/ or graduating, what kind of things/extracurricular activities would you recommend? Just trying to get a head start. (:

Thanks a lot for reading. You guys are amazing. I guess my hiatus begins ... now.

With l-o-v-e,

Pandora.

Mood:gleeful/worried(?)

(image above: screenshot from the movie Avatar)

Yesterday I had the privilege of finally going to see the movie Avatar with my Dad. We've both really wanted to see it for awhile and yesterday my Dad came home from work a little bit earlier so we could go to the movies together. The first time I heard of James Cameron's new movie was the night New Moon came out (which, by the way - was a pretty bad movie). You know how there are always a million previews before the movie actually starts? Yeah. I wasn't too convinced that was going to be a good movie. I mean c'mon - it all seemed a little Smurfy. I said, "After all the great movies, this is what he comes out with? Wow." I guess I was too quick to judge because after watching it I realized that I was totally and completely wrong. The director of Titanic, Aliens, and True Lies took his time (14 years) to finally release this movie. What gets me is that it took more money to make this movie than the Titanic which already costed $200m to make!

It was well worth the 160 minutes. Director Cameron takes you to a world of beauty, nature, soul, and love. It really shows you how greedy and evil humans can be. You have to go see this. Like, now!

---

Review by By Kirk Honeycutt

The protagonist, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), is a disabled former Marine who takes his late twin brother's place in the avatar program, a sort of bone thrown to the scientific community by the corporation in hopes that the study of Pandora and its population might create a more peaceful planet.

Without any training, Jake suddenly must learn how to link his consciousness to an avatar, a remotely controlled biological body that mixes human DNA with that of the native population, the Na'vi. Since he is incautious and overly curious, he immediately rushes into the fresh air -- to a native -- to throw open Pandora's many boxes.

The center of life is a holy tree where tribal memories and the wisdom of their ancestors is theirs for the asking. This is what the humans want to strip mine.

Jake manages to get taken in by one tribe where a powerful, Amazonian named Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) takes him under her wing to teach him how to live in the forest, speak the language and honor the traditions of nature. Yes, they fall in love but Cameron has never been a sentimentalist: He makes it tough on his love birds.

They must overcome obstacles and learn each other's heart. The Na'vi have a saying, "I see you," which goes beyond the visual. It means I see into you and know your heart.

In his months with the Na'vi, Jake experiences their life as the "true world" and that inside his crippled body locked in a coffin-like transponding device, where he can control his avatar, is as the "dream." The switch to the other side is gradual for his body remains with the human colony while his consciousness is sometimes elsewhere.

He provides solid intelligence about the Na'vi defensive capabilities to Col. Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), the ramrod head of security for the mining consortium and the movie's villain. But as Jake comes to see things through Neytiri's eyes, he hopes to establish enough trust between the humans and the natives to negotiate a peace. But the corporation wants the land the Na'vi occupy for its valuable raw material so the Colonel sees no purpose in this.

The battle for Pandora occupies much of the final third of the film. The planet's animal life -- the creatures of the ground and air -- give battle along with the Na'vi, but they come up against projectiles, bombs and armor that seemingly will be their ruin.

In years of development and four years of production no detail in the pic is unimportant. Cameron's collaborators excel beginning with the actors. Whether in human shape or as natives, they all bring terrific vitality to their roles.

Mauro Fiore's cinematography is dazzling as it melts all the visual elements into a science-fiction whole. You believe in Pandora. Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg's design brings Cameron's screenplay to life with disarming ease.

James Horner's score never intrudes but subtly eggs the action on while the editing attributed to Cameron, Stephen Rivkin and John Refoua maintains a breathless pace that exhilarates rather than fatigues. Not a minute is wasted; there is no down time.

The only question is: How will Cameron ever top this?

Signed,

P.S. Happy Chinese New Year! (:

P.P.S. Please go to the sidebar and cl!ck on my photography blog. I just uploaded new photos for Valentine's Day. Go check it out! ♥

A Wish For Her

“Is that her?”
“What? Who?”
“Shh … here she comes.”

“Oh … her.”

We avert our eyes as she walks by. We clutch our books tightly to our chests, stare down at our sneakers, and hold our breath as she passes. Whispers follow her like shadows as she scurries up the stone stairs, through the metal doors. Lisa and I exchange looks. The bell rings in our ears, and we head inside.

"Who's she with today?" Lisa asks at lunch.

“Toby,” I scoff, biting into my sandwich.

“Figures. Apparently they had a great time at Jack’s apartment last weekend.” I make a face.

“Disgusting.” Lisa laughs.

“I bet she has all sorts of diseases.”

“I bet she’s wearing his sweatshirt. The one that smells as bad as he does.”

“I bet she’s gonna be one of those girls who never goes to college and ends up on the street.”

“I bet she’s gonna be a …” I look around to make sure no teachers are listening, “whore.”

That’s her new name. It spreads like a foul disease around the school, through the hallways, passed from one lip-gloss-smeared mouth to the next. Some kids just call her “The W,” or “The H” for the stupid ones who can’t spell. It’s what she is. It’s who she is. And none of us like her. None except Toby and Mitchell and all those guys who are too dumb to see her for who she really is. We see her kissing guys in the alley after school each day, like she doesn’t even care, like she doesn’t even know.

Don’t worry, we’re gonna make her realize who she really is. We’re gonna make her feel so bad she’ll shrink like a little mouse and learn her lesson and stay away from all of them, especially Devin, who liked me all of sixth grade ’til she stole him last summer.

We isolate her. We don’t speak to her, not even when she asks what the homework for last night was. Find it out yourself, stupid. We leave notes in her locker, and we snicker as she walks by.

Have you learned your lesson yet, princess? Are you ever gonna stop wearing so much lipstick and eyeliner and skirts that are way too short? Are you ever gonna put out that cigarette or throw out those bottles? You’re 13 – what’s wrong with you? Didn’t your parents ever teach you what’s right and wrong? Half the grade hates you. Sticks and stones, you say, but soon it’ll be real. I will smash up your pretty face if I have to. I’ll break your bones. I could snap your neck over my knee.

***

I walk home from Lisa’s house, and I take the long way because I want to look at the moon and the stars. I want to cross the cornfield, because once I saw a shooting star. I have to walk through the sketchy neighborhood to get there, though, but I should be okay if I hurry.

Suddenly, I hear a man’s voice coming from one of the houses, the one with the shingles falling off and the rusty car in the driveway. He is yelling. I rush behind a tree, heart racing so loud I’m sure he can hear. Suddenly I see a familiar figure. It’s her. She and the man are yelling at each other. He lashes out at her, and I wince. I can hear the slap.

And then the door closes. She is alone, and she sits on her porch steps. And she cries. I’ve never seen her cry before. Alone, with no boys, out in the cold night, crying, crying, crying so hard she can’t breathe. Her tears make ugly black lines down her face. And suddenly, she looks up, and our eyes lock. I run.

I run past the houses and the deli and the gas station with the creepy owner, and the ice cream store where we get really great slushies. I cross the street, my heart racing, out of breath and into the lush grass of the cornfield. I collapse on the ground, my arms and legs spread apart, trying to catch my breath and hold back the tears, though I can’t understand why they’re coming.

She was so alone. So sad. She is loved by no one but those boys. And I’m not sure they even really love her.

Suddenly I look up and see something sparkle across the indigo sky, a little explosion of white like a firecracker on the Fourth. I close my eyes.

And I wish for her.

[Copyright © by Emily K. via. TeenInk]

To wish upon a star...

"All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust." - J.M. Barrie

"There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again." - Elizabeth Lawrence

"If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older." - Tom Stoppard

"The things which the child loves remain in the domain of the heart until old age. The most beautiful thing in life is that our souls remaining over the places where we once enjoyed ourselves." - Kahil Gibran

"For most of us, dreams come true only after they do not matter; Only in childhood do we ever have the chance of making dreams come true when they mean everything." - Anonymous

"He carried his childhood like a hurt warm bird held to his middle-aged breast." - Herbert Gold

---

[photos via. deviantART]

"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known." - Winnie the Pooh

Remember your childhood.

Three Little Birds.

Mood:joyous

"Don't worry about a thing,

'Cause every little thing gonna be all right.

Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,

'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!"

Rise up this mornin',

Smiled with the risin' sun,

Three little birds

Pitch by my doorstep

Singin' sweet songs

Of melodies pure and true,

Sayin', ("This is my message to you-ou-ou:")

Singin': "Don't worry 'bout a thing,

'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."

Singin': "Don't worry (don't worry) 'bout a thing,

'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!"

Rise up this mornin',

Smiled with the risin' sun,

Three little birds

Pitch by my doorstep

Singin' sweet songs

Of melodies pure and true,

Sayin', "This is my message to you-ou-ou:"

Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, worry about a thing, oh!

Every little thing gonna be all right. Don't worry!"

Singin': "Don't worry about a thing" - I won't worry!

"'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."

Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,

'Cause every little thing gonna be all right" - I won't worry!

Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,

'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."

Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, oh no!

'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!

Lyrics: [Three Little Birds by Bob Marley]

From Me to You,

Good Day, Sunshine!

I got another award and I can't believe it. I never thought this many people would be interested in my blog, let alone read it daily. Thanks goes to Isha Ethera (who gave me this award), actually, anyone who has given me any award (You're simply amazing); and most of all to you who took the time to read this humble blog. You guys make my day.

RULES:

Put the award on your blog or in your post (done)
-Pass the award to 12 bloggers (look below)
-Link the nominees within your post (look below)
-Let the nominees know by commenting on their bog (finished)
-Share the love and link to the person who gave it to you (check!)

And Here Are the Awesome People Who I Pass This Award On To:

• "Alpha" @ Simplify♥ (Her posts are beautiful; and usually they make my day.)
• Betsey @ Una Bella Vita A Beautiful Life (All her posts are so captivating and inspirational.)
• Ebony @ Victor Is Cool (I always said she has a talent for words. Unique; overall great content.)
• Lexi @ Dallas Valley Photography (Wow - incredible photographer for being only being 14!)
• Scarlett @ A Nice Kind Of Mean (I can tell she has a great personality; great content & blog.)
• Tori @ Chocolat Dreams & Strawberry Kisses (One of my personal BFFs; Fun girl; fun blog!)
• Rosa @ rosanguyen (Awesome, awesome person; awesome awesome blog. Lovely.)
• Kayla @ Planned Confusion (Simply lovely.)
• Kay @ Cerulean Skies (She already received this award, but whatever, awesome blog!)
• Adriana @ Simplicity. (An amazing photographer & a really nice person.)
• Leona @ Cuppycake Lies (Already received this award but she's an incredible writer!)
• "MoonFlower" @ Here and There (Beautiful content, amazing photos and quotes)

XOXO,