I feel like it's time to give all you readers an explanation. I probably should have explained earlier, but I dunno, it just now came to me-perfect example of what I'm now going to tell you about.

I have this thing. Most writers call it their Muse. I, personally, dislike that term because it reminds me of mucus which is never a good word to be reminded of. Seeing how that is the only term for it, though, I'll use it when I absolutely must. Anyway, this Musey thing controls my writing. I don't write well (I try to avoid writing at all when it's in a mood) when it doesn't want to. I write my absolute best when it is in prime writing mood (see "The Colors of Faith" and "Have you ever noticed that idiots have lots of friends?". I can't always tell how my Muse feels and a lot of times it surprises me, but usually I know when I should write and when I shouldn't.

The reason I haven't been blogging much is because my Muse has entered a dormant stage of sorts. It doesn't bother me because I know it will come back. It always does. I have faith in it, but it still saddens me when I am unable to express the world around me through words to my satisfaction. I've been using pictures for that more lately, but that's beside the point. I just wanted to let you all know that, I dunno, the Muse goes off and on and right now it's off. I look forward to writing more of all kinds of lit (except poetry, song lyrics, and all that stuff I don't write) and seeing how it all turns out, but for now, oh Muse, I'm content waiting upon your return.

I'll just keep painting, and reading and living, and observing the loveliness around me.

Lydia

I love night. I love the sounds that come with the night. I love seeing the moon and stars. I like the dark. It's so still and beautiful. I see God's hand in the night just as much as in the day, and to be honest, I love it almost more than the beauty of the day.

Summer is my opportunity to really indulge in this "love affair." I like...no, I love being up late into the night. Doing...well, nothing. I love looking out my bedroom window and into the world that is literally outside my window. I think my favorite part of summer is my reading time. I read like a crazy person during the summer. Reading is my drug. Ask pretty much anyone. Having a good book to read during the summer nights translates into late nights for me.

Lately, I've been enjoying being artsy...which is weird because it doesn't come naturally to me, but lately it has in a special way. I've been painting some. I love it. It is because of the inspiration of two people in my life, and to them I am so thankful. It's transforming my outlook on life.

I've been reading my Bible at night. I don't read it in the morning very often because I just don't think I absorb it very well. I've been reading through Philippians. I've been reading a chunck at a time. Let me tell you, if you never have read through the book of Philippians, do it. Start before you can talk yourself out of it. It's changing me, the way I view life. The way I view death. God. It's beautiful.

I love the beauty of the night.



Brianna

LOST, LOST, LOST. Oh the things you have put us all through. Seeing how this is the end of it all, I'll try not to complain and hate to much. I mean, after all, without the writers none of the great LOST moments would have happened. So though the ending was nothing spectacular, we can't totally be mad at them.

As for the ending though...sigh...I really can't complain to much (not only for said reasons but also) because it ended focusing on the relationships which, as I posted before, are the heart of the show. We got to see everybody with their loved ones, rejoicing in Heaven or Pergatory or Purgatorio, or Paradiso (however you choose to see it), thankful that all the previous trials had brought them to such a place. Call me an awful fan, but that didn't quite cut it for me. I'm not outraged by the ending, it just wasn't as unique and breath-taking as (most of) the rest of the show was. Not to mention that the end does not justify the means and the means by which the two writers got us to that happy place made little to no sense. I'm still trying to figure it out. Plus it left some of the characters unaccounted for. Shameful.

Having said all that...I must admit I was not angry or in turmoil at the end of the (two and a half hour) episode. I didn't cry (unlike Brianna), but it didn't make me mad. That says something for it. We loved the characters that had died and it was great to see them back together in a way that kinda/sorta/mostly made sense. And there was some decent action towards the end of the episode with the "good" overcoming the evil (always a plus).

The best part was, no doubt, that Hurley got to keep on being his real, island self for who knows how many hundreds of years. Just sayin'.

Lydia

P.S. So much for blogging more now that school is out.

Happy 50th Blog Post!!!

I've been applying for a part time job to start this summer. Let me be the first to tell you...it's tough. When you've never had a job before, and you start filling out applications it is hard to leave a big blank section on your application. Or at least it's that way for me.

Not to mention NOT getting the job you applied for. Now that, that is really hard. Today I went to speak to a hiring manager at this place I applied. I had dropped my application off less than a week ago and was told I needed to come and speak with the hiring manager, and this morning I did exactly that. I spoke with the hiring manager only to find out that because of me wanting Sunday off, she was unable to hire me. [She also mentioned she thought the hours I had put down were funny (this was odd to me considering the times I put down were for about the same time each day).] But, because of me wanting Sunday off. I was just a little taken aback. Okay, I was quite taken aback. As well as discouraged. I mean, if this place won't hire me because of this, then are there other places out there that will not hire me for the same reason? Is me not wanting to work on Sunday that big of a deal? I didn't think it was.

This is a frustrating process. I am thankful that I am not the one in control of it all. I know that wherever I get a job is the place God wants me. That gives me peace. Even with that knowledge, I have to admit...I'm still frustrated.

Brianna

Help me out? I just painted this painting and it's not my favorite. So I decided that I am gonna try and redeem it with some beautastic phrase or saying. Unfortunately, though, I have used up most of that kind of thing on all the paintings I've been doing lately. Will you help me? I need something deep and awesome to paint on the green part of this canvas and yeah...please comment with your suggestions-religious or otherwise!

Lydia

Everyday Selfishness.

Being treated poorly does not make someone a nobody. Treating someone else poorly makes someone a nobody. You see, it's not usually your fault if you're disrespected and put down, but it's ALWAYS your fault if someone suffers loss at your expense. Being respected, getting recognized on the same level as fellow humans spells out ones humanity while down-playing the importance of treating others kindly is a detestable tragedy. When I turn down a hand shake without giving the feelings at the other end of the hand a second thought, when I choose to believe that the person on the street corner is a name-less, face-less creature I loose something. I may become more popular, and I may save time, but I have lost something that, when totally removed, leaves me a smaller person.
Not saying "hi" back to someone is casting them down. Insisting that someone else wash dishes for you meal after meal (snack after snack) is putting yourself above others, and shameful. Washing your money away in tides of alcohol, or expensive restaurant meals, or nights out may be tempting, but when that money really belongs to your offspring, doing so is selfish and cruel. Ignoring someone because everybody else is shows just how little of a person you are. It is an honour to serve just as it is an honour to be served, but ONLY if you are being served because someone thinks you are worth their time. Never is it an honour to force another person into servitude. Never. We are all worn down by the sandpaper roughness of life. Why do we increase this savage process by cutting away at each other with our words, deeds, or neglect? Our personal worldviews effect this discussion more than anything else but someone's being different does not allow for their mistreatment. Imagine what could be if we stopped working against each other and started working to change the world and teach others about the beauty of peace and grace. If every person is respected think of how much more we will respect ourselves and our world. Leaving behind personal, everyday selfishness and striving towards Heavenly perfection (as though it is not an impossible goal to reach) is the only answer to worldly problems.
Talk. Wave. Focus. On. The. Bigger. Picture.

Lydia

Painting My Life Away (for the beauty of the earth).

Lydia

This is probably going to be the cheesiest and most pointless blog post of all time. But oh well. I have to relate to someone today's moment of awesome.
So I run a lot. Like, it's my favorite thing to do. I'm on the track team but really that isn't so great because it makes me have to set goals and run shorter distances when my real desire is to run for as long as I want at the pace I want. Running and I are in love and track...track has been getting in the way of that love. So has life, but we won't go into that. Anyway, I was running a couple of miles today and I was about 60-70 meters away from this gate (that I have to punch a code into every time I pass through) when our neighbour drove up and through the gate. I saw the gate start to close, I realized that I would have to wait for a couple of seconds if it closed before I got there, I gritted my teeth (emphasis added), and started sprinting so that I could get through the gate before it closed. My music heightened along with my pulse and I kept pushing, faster and faster. I made it through the gate with seconds to spare and continued at my previous pace. I felt pretty epic, hardcore, and generally amazing. Really, I didn't accomplish anything at all. It wasn't even a long enough sprint to add anything to my work out, but it was my moment of awesome for the day. And it was grand.

Lydia

To all the mothers out there, thank you. Thank you for carrying your children for nine (long) monthes. Thank you for changing our dirty diapers. Thank you for all the sleepless nights you have had (and probably will have) while taking care of us. Thank you for cooking dinner, for keeping house, for loving us unconditionally, and for being there.

Sometimes we as children are driven nuts by (what we think to be) your insanity. We don't always listen to you. Generally, we hear what you have to say even when you think we don't hear it and could care less. We do care what you think. And we want you to be proud.

Behind each child is a loving, kind, wonderful mother. On this day we choose to honor you, even though you really deserve it every single day of the year. Thank you, mom.

"Life is too short to be wondering what if! Sometimes you just gotta live and see what happens, even if you get hurt. Sometimes you can only feel something if you take a risk."-Charlyne Yi.

Little things make the world go round. Little acts of kindness bring such joy to me. Little things make my day.

In my mind, the little things in life are the ones which should be most treasured. They are so easy to enjoy...it's impossible to not love them.

I love:
A good book
A good cup of coffee
A good glass of milk
Notes in the mail
Waffles
Bubbles
Voicemail on my cell phone
Cheez-Its
A good cheesy romantic story
Coloring
Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream
Babysitting O & P
Friends

These float my boat, if you will. They make me smile. They make me laugh. These little things...mean the world to me. The little things, they are important. What are yours?


Brianna

My Earth Day clothes-line!

Unfortunately my clothes smell a little bit funky after hanging out to dry....but oh well.

This little guy visited a couple days ago. I think he appreciates my attempts to conserve energy.

Lydia

Happy May!


Brianna: I'm going to learn all the music I have for the movie Pride and Prejudice. It may not be perfect or perfectly playable...but I want to at least know my way through each song.

For more exciting news, I'm going to finish school. BAM!

Lydia: I hope to finish two books before their library loan runs out. I'm really bad about checking to many books out during the school year without having the time to read them. I'm already mostly done with Past World by Ian Beck (it's pretty good), and the other is Vandal by Michael Simmons (one of my favorite authors). Here's to me finishing both before they have to be returned!

I too am going to finish school, not with quite the same flying colours as Brianna, but finishing Sophomore year is finishing Sophomore year.