Life, and other problems

You never realize that you should have listened to your parents until it's too late. Or maybe just a little late, as in my case.

I woke this morning and went to the DMV. I left with my driver's license. I then proceeded to the local community college to register for some fall classes: Foreign Language and Algebra 2. I left with some paperwork and my placement test scores.

My sophomore year so far has seen me working through Geometry- for the second time around. Math and I are not pals. It is one of my less glorious traits.

I completed Algebra 1 in 8th grade. Last year, my parents discovered a site called Khan Academy. It has proved, in other cases, extremely useful in fairly quick and thorough math learning.

Beginning this last fall, I was supposed to do my other 10th Grade work, and do Khan for math, which would help "fill in holes" and make finishing Geometry and doing Algebra 2 extremely easy.

That is what was supposed to happen.

This is what actually happened.

All of my other work has been a breeze- and because Khan Academy is an online program, I had almost completely unrestricted access to a laptop that eventually had permanent residence in my room.
I think that was the first mistake.

Under the guise of working on papers (which I did get to- eventually) and doing Khan (which I did for a little bit and then failed to continue), I ended up with a tumblr account and wasted five months scrolling through my dash, reblogging who knows what, participating in livestreams and getting hooked on a tv show my parents never would have given me permission to watch. No, it wasn't something like Glee or CSI. I watched the first three and a half seasons of CW's Supernatural.

That's all I'm going to say about that show and me right now. Maybe you'll hear more about it in another post. Maybe not.

Long story short, my secrets ended up coming out in December. I no longer have a tumblr. I'm not watching any shows without parental permission. I haven't seen the laptop since. I'm in the middle of going through my Geometry work for the second time. It's easier now, but I could have easily bypassed it by doing Khan in the fall.

That brings us to today.

My placement test showed that I had fantastic reading/english/comprehension skills. I'm sure no one is surprised by that.
Math was a little different. I tested into Algebra 1.

If I had been doing Khan since August, I had the potential the test into Algebra 2 or even Statistics.
Nope. I wasted, and had fun wasting, the first half of my 10th grade year.

I didn't realize how badly I shot myself in the foot until today. Do I regret the months I spent on tumblr and watching tv shows? I didn't really until now. I saw what it cost me, and what it's going to cost me. And I wish, how I wish, I could take the time back and redo it.

I'm going to have to start up Khan mathwork again anyway to get me through Geometry and Algebra by August. I want to go to a four-year university- and to do that I need to dig in and do some hard work now so I don't have to retake courses after high school.

I didn't truly avoid anything. I put it off, but now I'm really pressed for time to get through a heck of a lot of math.

It's because I didn't listen. I thought I was fine. I didn't think it was a big deal. I didn't realize that my parents were serious. I thought what I was doing was fine, and that I would magically make it somehow.

Nope.

On top of that, today was my first real experience on a college campus.
I didn't like it.
There was nothing disagreeable about the school, not really. That wasn't it. I think it was the realization of life, and work, and what a big world it is, and how it's a lot less fun and a lot more work that I had pictured it would be.

I identify greatly with Jack Frost of Rise of the Guardians. "You're all hard work and deadlines! And I'm.... snowballs and fun times."

Snowballs And Fun Times was a glum chum today. And rather shocked from the blast of reality dealt to her face.

As I cried in the car, my mom said, "At least it's just math."

I asked her if she meant that to mean, "At least you're not behind in everything."

There was laughter, but then she clarified.

What she meant was, at least it was something not-eternal. Just math.

Because some people live their entire lives thinking what they are doing is fine, they spend their whole lives metaphorically doing what I did in the fall. Vanity. Soap bubbles. Tumblr and TV Shows.

And they will have to stand before a Holy and Righteous God, and He will have to look them in the eye, and in sadness say, "Depart from Me, I do not know you." Because they didn't realize that God means what He says and says what He means. And before the Judgement Seat, they will not be able to change the outcome of their choices.

"At least," my mother said, "today is a small day of reckoning. It's just math. Time is short, but there is still time."

I wish I had listened to my parents the first time.

I want to strive to listen to God the first time.

Today was a hard, but good day. A few steps into the big world, a little taste of reality, a few tears. New plans, new goals, new regrets and new motivation. It was a good wake up call.

We need Spiritual wake-up calls too.

Depart from Me, I do not know you.

The word "know" is an active word. You can't acknowledge God once, twice, every five years, or when you happen to feel like it.
Knowing God is an active thing. Knowing God is life. Knowing God is catching a glimpse of the glory of eternity, living in faith and the hope of things not seen, acting on directions from the Spirit of God and living for something that will outlast this Earth.

Knowing God is hard. Knowing God takes guts. Knowing God takes the certainty that it is worth it in the long run.

Will the fairly large load of schoolwork I have help me in the long run of life? Yes. My current goals are to graduate from high school and go to a four-year-university to get a degree in screenwriting. The work I need to put into these last two years of high school will serve me well.

You never realize that you should have listened to God until it's too late. Or maybe just a little late.

I pray that for each and every one of us, the story won't end in "too late."

It may not seem that diligently seeking God, going to church, praying, or reading your Bible daily is going to do you much good.

But if the only things that matters for the Creator of the Universe, the only valid ticket into Heaven is the blood of His Son Jesus Christ, and through that, an intimate relationship with your Savior and God, I would say all of that stuff is pretty darn important.

Let's say I went up to the admissions desk at Portland Community College and said, "Hey! I have this tumblr blog, I'm a quality role player, and I write some decent fan fiction! I didn't finish the math work you said I need to get in here, but I've been doing tons of other stuff, and I think it should count."

They would turn me away, with good reason.

Unfortunately for our human selves, life doesn't work on our terms. It never does and never will.

If we can take that to heart and willingly bend our will to God's will, we will save ourselves an unfathomable amount of heartache- in this life and the next. Even if it seems like nothing, even if it seems like a waste. Even if it seems to cost you too much. 

(For those of you, and I know there are at least a couple, who have also seen Supernatural, this is for you: There is no Cas to pull you out of Hell. There is no coming back like the Winchesters do, all the time. There are no crossroad demons to make a deal with. There is no salt, there is no Latin, there is no holy water. There is no black '67 Impala that will ride in to save you. I hate to say it as much as you probably hate to hear it, but Supernatural is terrifying fiction. Grains of truth, absolutely yes, but ultimately fiction.

Because Supernatural does not tell you that the blood of Jesus Christ is the only thing that will make you acceptable in the eyes of your Creator. It does not tell you that what you do in this life matters and that you only have one shot.

The Apocalypse wasn't stopped by a man driving through a cemetery blasting Def Leppard's Rock of Ages. It hasn't come yet. But when it does, I guarantee you will want to have intimately known the Winner.)

If you don't know where you're going after you die, take a moment. As human beings, cursed by Adam's fall in the Garden of Eden, we are stained with sin from conception and are unfit for Heaven and deserve eternal death. But Hell was created for the fallen angel Lucifer, known as Satan, and his demons alone. Our Creator sent Jesus Christ to live a perfect life and die a thief, taking the penalty of all our sins and the wrath of God on a cross, on a desolate place outside of Jerusalem, Israel. Three days later, He was resurrected: the ultimate proof He has power over death and that we are no longer slaves to it.
All we have to do believe in our hearts and declare with our lips that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Jesus' blood has the power to cleanse our sinful hearts and make us new, and righteous before God, so that when we die, we do not have to spent forever in torment and darkness; we can live, more alive than we ever were on this earth, in a place where there is no shadow, where the adventure only gets more and more glorious, where we will truly find the satisfaction of our hearts, and the craving we feel on this paltry Earth will find fulfillment in the presence and Love of our Maker.

Today is the day of salvation and redemption. Don't delay, dear friends. Do not delay.

Selections from Chapter 6

Proverbs 6, verses 6-11

Go to the ant, O sluggard

Observe her ways and be wise

Wisdom can be gleaned from even the smallest of creatures. The sluggard, one who is not industrious and is overly fond of rest. Lazy. Not inclined to work hard, to find a good excuse to get out of it.

Which, having no chief, officer or ruler

The ant does not need someone to tell her what to do. The ant doesn't lay around until someone forces her to get crackin'. The ant knows what needs to be done and does it through her own motivation. Always.

Prepares her food in the summer
and gathers her provision in the harvest

She looks ahead to the future. She isn't caught up in the here and now but keeps a proper perspective on life- just as the believer should keep an eternal perspective and not just be concerned with today. Think of the consequences your actions will have on your life farther down the road.

How long will you lie down, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?

Awake sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Indulging the desires of your flesh will serve you ill. How long will you indulge your rest which will do you harm?

"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest---"

A little more time on the internet. A little more time watching empty videos on Youtube. A little more time on your dash. A little more time goofing off. A little more time letting your brain wander from matters of heavenly importance.

Your poverty will come in like a vagabond
And your need like an armed man

You will not realize you are poor and lacking until the truth of it has slipped completely into your life.
You will be unable to resist acknowledging it.
It will be as ferocious as a warrior, and you cannot resist it.

Fight the good fight, master the dillydallying of the flesh with prudence and foresight, before you fall prey to poverty in provisions and soul.

verses 20-23

My son, observe the commandments of your father

And do not forsake the teaching of your mother

Your parents as well as your elders in the faith. They have all walking the path of life before you. Pay heed to their words, though they may be tiresome to hear, or seemingly useless. Do not think yourself above what they have to offer.

Bind them continually on your heart; 

tie them around your neck

What is it you hold closest to you? Books that have guided you? Fictional characters? Words of people of influence? Hold godly wisdom, hold His word, closer than anything.

When you walk about, they will guide you;

As you live and grow and journey through life, the things you have been taught will be the roadsigns, the traffic lights, the guardrails and the paint on the road.

When you sleep, they will watch over you;

You need not even fear while you sleep if you live in godliness and godly counsel. The Creator of the Universe blesses those who walk in His ways- they allow themselves to be blessed by Him. Walking in His statutes keep you from unnecessary harm. 

And when you awake, they will talk to you

When you arise, they are the guiding voices in your ear, the first thing your mind goes to.

This is precious. This guide, this guardian, this voice. It ought to be so precious to a believer that they are willing to forsake the paltry things of this world that do not satisfy to hold on to that which truly rewards. 

For the commandment is a lamp 

and the teaching is light;

And reproofs for discipline are the way of life

People often say they don't want restrictions, for people to tell them what to do. But it is a big, big world, and it's easy to get lost. How else are you to walk in the light and in the way of truth than through teaching and discipline? How else are you to be sure your feet are not leading you to death?

We have a sinful nature, brought on by Adam's fall in Eden. And yet our merciful God has provided salvation from our rightful doom through the blood of His son Jesus Christ, and wisdom by which to live our lives. What glorious life we can have, if we so desire it. 

Percy Jackson Film Sequel

*deep breath*

*deeeeep breath*

I think...

I think they actually got their act together.

Granted, they're never going to be as good as the books, but compared to the first film attempt, this looks pretty decent to me.

What do YOU think?

a speculative glance at a conversation

"If only you knew what delights I have planned for you," Writer murmured to Character.

"I am sure it is wonderful," replied Character. "But perhaps it could come sooner?"

"Alas," said the Writer, "I'm afraid a great many hard things must come first. But do not fear. My pen tells only good tales."

Character was silent for awhile.

"Dear Writer, why must it happen this way? Surely you can scratch out an easier path for me to walk."

"I could," said He, "but it would not make for much of a story."

"Story!" squeaked Character. "Is that what you care about? An good story for the telling, but not about how I fare in it?"

Writer waited until Character was ready to listen.

"You talk as if the whole universe spun around for you."

Character could make no response.

"I let it happen this way because you will be changed, and better, for it. And your story is not written for your benefit alone. In fact, you are not even the main character. But I will take care of you nonetheless."

Character thought about this.

"I am sorry I was so selfish." said Character at last.

"All is forgiven," said Writer.

"Do you promise that my life's pages will be in your hands alone? That you will not turn this work over to a less Wise and Gentle master?"

"With my blood," promised Writer.

"Then write on," said Character, "Write on. My mind is made: I will never be in a better place than when I bow to your pen."

Snippets: Double Movie Review

(Sorry these are so short. Not much time on the computer these days.)

Batman Begins
Christopher Nolan

The thrilling beginning of the Batman franchise, headed by the brilliant Christopher Nolan. Starring Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Cillian Murphy, Gary Oldman and Michael Caine.
Obviously a must-see for any superhero fans. Batman Begins is an origin story, an action-drama, and an exalter of fear and justice.
Certainly along the darker vein of epic tales, Batman Begins concerns itself with the beginnings of Bruce Wayne and his rise into the unforgettable being of Batman and his quest to bring justice to the villains of his city Gotham.
A fantastic film, one I think is much more than "entertainment." It's serious and thought-provoking and shows the world from several different points of view. Throughout, there are different images, characters, and occurrences that are the result of magnified fear, which certainly make this a more somber and chilling superhero picture than, say, the Avengers.
All the same, it is a classic and well worth a re-watch or two. But lighthearted chick-flick this is not.


Star Trek (2009)
J.J. Abrams

I'm not sure I can adequately praise J.J. Abrams and his ability to make me fall in love with a story I had no interest in previously. Before this film, I had few brushes with Star Trek- some reruns on TV, which we never finished watching. I had the series written off, in my mind, as an old, dusty, and quite cheesy piece of production.
However, multiple viewings of the trailer of Star Trek: Into Darkness in the theater convinced me it was worth a shot. And in order to see the second film, I had to see the first.
This 'modern' Star Trek is thrilling, beautiful, and brilliant in every way. From casting to cinematography to effects to score, I am rendered utterly speechless with admiration. It's a quite tangible and very believable presentation on Trek, and one that reminded me again why I love science fiction.
If you're looking for a space epic, fraught with humor, intelligence, fantastic characters and a brisk pace, look no further than Star Trek.
As for "cleanliness," there is quite a spattering of language, a bit of smooching and one scene that deserves to be skipped.
(Just ask a friend who's seen it before where to edit.)
That aside, Star Trek is, and will remain, one of my favorite movies.
And no, this doesn't mean I renounce my love of Star Wars. There is room for both in my heart. ;)

***

What do you think? Give us your take on these movies if you've seen them.

The Hobbit

OK.

I've seen The Hobbit now.

Twice, in fact.

It's fabulous.

But we all know that, so let me the cons out of way first:

Ze Cons

We're just going to brush by the whole PG-13 thing. It's definitely lighter than LOTR, but still.... a few parts are still gross :P

I'm critiquing the movie on an entirely technical level. I think.

There were only a few things that rubbed me the wrong way- the strongest of them being the Nazgul theme being invoked while Thorin's trying to be epic near the end of the film.

Seriously? Don't bring that theme in and make me think of the Black Riders while the screen is filled with Orcs and Dwarves.

(Also the main Dwarf theme was overused in battle. Use it in the goblin cave or save it for the fight at the end. Not both. It makes the fighting tedious.)

The White Orc + orc language translation subtitles = video game interlude.

I mean, it kind of works in this day and age, but still, I went to the movies to watch a movie. Not clips from the subsequent interactive role player game.

Oh and the Goblin King looked like he was from a sick kid's book. I didn't believe he was real at all.
And his parting line was cheap.

OK, enough negativity.....

Ze Never-Ending Pros

The plot is being handled beautifully. I'm SO pleased.

The troll part, which I was warned about due to it being turned into a "big battle," was hardly bad at all. It still concluded very near to how it happened in the book. And they're bringing in more details with Sauron the Necromancer and all that stuff so that the Battle of the Five Kings will actually make sense for moviegoers.

And dude, Saruman was actually really funny in that scene in Rivendell. Mushrooms....

How did y'all feel about tying it so closely to the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring? I think it's splendid. The return of Ian Holm and Elijah Wood is quite great. It brings the whole movie closer to home if you're already familiar with LOTR.

The casting is incredible. I had great faith in Martin Freeman as Bilbo. And I didn't expect to be a Thorin fan, but man, is he not the most awesome dwarf in all of Middle Earth? :D

Also Ori is my favorite. He's like a little stuffy three year old in preschool.

Overall, the graphics were amazing. The new themes were amazing. And the whole Company singing around the Bag End hearth is the best thing to ever happen to my ears :P

Riddles In The Dark was marvelously played. I got chills.

Oh, and the costume design was stellar. And the makeup.

Radagast was wonderful. What did you think of him?

For almost the whole time, I could pretty much feel Middle Earth beneath my feet. Location, location, location.....

Come on somebody lets pool our money so we can move to New Zealand together.

I could go on forever about how good it was. But I won't.

Really though. How do the rest of you feel about the movie? And how many times have you seen it?

Brief Ender's Game Splurge

Pardon me.

BUT LOOK THERE'S FAN MERCHANDISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Need. Sorely want.

Buy it on Redbubble!

Also there are some amazing fansongs..... The first in this group takes images from the graphic novels, so I just prefer to listen to the audio..... don't say I didn't warned you. It's an amazing song though.

And the last one is catchy and downright gorgeous.

I wrote the middle one.

thine opinion is needed!

Ok y'all.

If you were working on a futuristic, sci-fi-flavored story, what soundtrack would you listen to to get you in the mood?

I've currently been digging up as much techno as possible, and some action-paced scores.

But this little writer is hankerin' for some new music.

Any suggestions?

It doesn't even have to be strictly techno or whatever either. Whatever pops into your head when I say futuristic and science fiction.

Signed,
A Very Desperate Writer

Aaand it's 2013 at last

I slept in until 12:30 today and still haven't gotten out of my pajamas.

I spent yesterday with amazing friends watching The Reichenbach Fall and then going to a Prophecy Update at our church. Time very well spent.

I had peppermint fudge after a hearty breakfast and re-read my Christmas letters from the Avengers. My heart is very warm.

The other day I was helping my parents do the bills, and one of the checks receipts was so sketchy, it looked like it read "Angst Waddles."

I have now taken to calling one of my ferrets "Angst Waddles."

Angst Waddles.

As Pathfinder said:
Even Angst has to waddle sometimes.

The day has been crisp and clear and perfect.

I have three different candles lit in my room. For the past three weeks it has smelt like a Christmas bakery in there.

We repainted and rearranged too. I live in a bedchamber of cleanliness and glorious pink.

And candles.

I'm going to listen to techno music and work on a plot for a feature script I'm very excited about.

My 16th birthday is in 10 days. I'm very excited.

I wish I wasn't so picky about cars. For several reasons, one of which cannot be explained and the other I don't care to divulge at the moment, I have actually formulated an opinion about cars and have a dream vehicle.

Laugh all you want, but I sorely desire a '67 Chevrolet Impala.

Then I could learn to be a mechanic and rebuild the engine and all that stuff.

I mean seriously how fun is that.

I have high hopes for 2013. My joy in the Lord had been renewed.

He is good. He is faithful. I am but dust and yet his grace abounds.

It is marvelous.

I think I'm going to consume some more peppermint fudge.

Happy New Year, my dear blogosphere friends. I thank the Lord for all of you.

Condensed Double Review: Les Miserables and Rise of the Guardians

Rise of the Guardians

• go see it
• now
• there's Biblical application every five minutes
• it's funny but with absolutely no crude humor
• but also extremely epic
• so all you dubious people
• just spend the $10.27 already 
• so worth it
• in fact
• I've seen it three times already
• it's a beautiful, beautiful film
• more in-depth later when I have time/energy

Les Miserables

• good golly miss molly
• gorgeous
• perfect casting
• heart wrenching
• technically amazing
• I definitely wouldn't have wanted my 14 year old sister to watch it
• if I had known the more mature content in the beginning of the story
• yeah a little tmi for such a sweet and innocent babe
• but still
• they handled the sexual content delicately
• even if it was a tad more 411 than I would want
• anyway yeah
• I probably won't see it again for at least a few months
• because it was super deep
• but definitely worth the money to see it at least once on a big screen

OK people I've told you everything you need to know so go watch movies already. 

It's A Very Avengerous Christmas!

So, about two weeks ago I received a package in the mail marked as being from the Avengers.

It also said 'Open Before Christmas.'

Naturally, I then proceeded to open it before Christmas.

I was too excited to remember to take very many pictures, but let's just say I got a gift and a letter from every single Avenger, as well as their one-eyed director and the villain. Among the gifts was a scented candle from Bruce Banner, a handmade scarf from Steve Rogers, a box full of ninja stars from Natasha Romanoff, and a deck of cards from Nick Fury.

I would go into each and every one in detail but.......... this would be a very long post.

Here are the few pictures we got, though!

After much deliberation, I figured out who the culprits were, too.

The completely insane sweethearts who took who knows how long to put together an entirely in-character gift to me were our very own Hannah Joy and Jess!

They entire thing was a huge push to get me back into blogging, too. It pretty much worked ;)

Anyway, this is much shorter than I meant it to be, but I'm just glad to be able to thank them and to share their insane work with you. 

By the way, Hannah and Jess, I rearranged and painted my bedroom. It's now a very smooth pink, and when I have the candle lit in there, it literally smells pink. Let's just say that that candle is one of my favorite objects in the world :D Thank you guys so much. You're crazy. 

Back with a queue!

Sorry, I was without internet for a *cough* few days. This post commencing, the Avengers Christmas post is queued for tomorrow, and right after that, a review for one of the best movies ever created. And surprisingly enough, I don't mean The Hobbit.

Anyway, I was going to publish the Avengers post today, but in the wake of the Connecticut school shooting today, I just wanted to give y'all an exhortation.

A few weeks ago there were two high school student suicides in the same week. And more recently, it's been a rough few days as far as the news go. The other day a man walked into a shopping mall near where my dad works, and killed two people and injured a fifteen year old girl. There would have been more if his gun hadn't jammed. Then this morning, a gunman shoots 27 kids and also his mom who worked at the school.

Guys, this stuff is insane. And the problem isn't higher security or gun control. Neither of those things get to the issues of the heart.

I know it sounds like a sappy facebook post or something, but honestly here, we as a nation have pulled out from under the covering of God. People are so shocked that these horrible things happen and they shouldn't be. It's because the devil is having a frickin' heyday with people because they aren't covered in the truth and grace of Jesus Christ, and they lose perspective and hope and the darkness goes in and messes them up.

It's beyond depressing. But I don't say any of this to discourage you. Rather, I say it to rally all of you.

We all are bearers of light. We are workers, harvesters of souls for the God who died to save us. And the daylight is ebbing away, and before you know it, the time we have allotted to work here will be over.

So what are you going to do about it?

My mother was encouraging me this morning to not get distracted, and to really get filled up and to not slack off and live life for your own enjoyment. And I share that with you. Look at the people in your life that don't know the Lord. Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone.

Consider this a challenge. Don't worry, I'm going to do it too. But see if today you can share the Gospel, or pray with someone that doesn't know the love of God. Because you never know what the rest of the day is holding for you. Time is short, and we gotta dig in and do everything we can to save people. You with me?

Anyway, I promise you all two more posts in the coming week. Sorry for slacking off. Lord bless you all- now go forth and conquer!

I'm here to talk to you about the Avengers Initiative

Dun dundundun dun dun dun DUN!!!

So basically, I'm back. I hope to regularly post now- at least once a week.

Why am I back?

It will all be clear in my next post, but let's just say for now that there was a collective effort by the world's greatest superheroes to get me back into blogging.

(Ok for some reason now I have Back In Black stuck in my head. You all should be very grateful that you don't have to hear my rendition.)

I'll bring y'all up to speed on the stuff that's kept me from the ol' blog.

• I'm very pleased to have been a finalist in my first film festival. I didn't win, but I plan on using my finalist prizes to further my screenwriting abilities. The Interlochen Academy hosts film & screenplay courses in the summer. (I might go next year.)
• Since watching seasons 1 & 2 of BBC Sherlock, I've been on a song writing kick. I wrote an entire set of Sherlock fansongs a few weeks ago. I was sick when I recorded them, though, so they're a little painful to hear. 
• My sister and I have started watching another BBC show called Merlin. We're six episodes into season one. It's glorious so far. 
• Continuing the account of my personal life, I'm getting a haircut on Friday for my role in the Nutcracker ballet. My hair reaches almost all the way down my back. It'll be above my shoulder after the cut. I'm excited.
• Oh yeah, and I've been writing freelance articles and teaching beginning violin lessons. 
• But basically, nothing has happened that's been interesting enough to blog about. 

Later on this week I'll chronicle the day that the Avengers sent me Christmas presents. 

And then after that.... I'll finally catch up on movie and book reviews! Wa-hoo! 

So how are you all doing? Splendid, I hope :)

In which I owe all of you a thank-you

Sorry it's been a bit, y'all.

I want to show you guys something. It's a screencap from an email I got yesterday morning.

Yes, oh yes, my friends.

The FOCFF is an international festival, open for 13-18 year olds only. And they have a Short Script category, which meant I could qualify all around. This is the first festival I've ever entered. Crazy, yo.

Anyway, I polished and edited that lovely little piece of work one more time, and submitted it last month. And basically, just found out my piece is a finalist.

The actual festival takes place November 1-3, in Michigan, which is when the final results are announced. I'm invited to attend, but I'll be performing in a play all three of those days. Which is a bummer in some ways, but this in and of itself is cool enough. There'll always be another festival ;) I'm sending a hard copy of the script in my stead, though.

Anyway, the reason why I'm bringing this to your attention, is so I can thank all of you.

Because the only reason I'm a finalist in the first film festival I ever enter, is because of you.

You, my wonderful followers, are the people that humored me with my "Script-A-Month" thing. It was you guys that encouraged me and gave me ideas and were there when I needed inspiration.

In other words, it's all your fault. And I say that in the most grateful way imaginable.

There are a few people in the blogosphere that I need to thank in particular. Those people are:

Stephen, aka Farjag, who gave me the piece of dialogue that cinched the story, and is in the final draft. I'm blaming any awards I happen to get on you, man.

Corey Poff, aka The Ink Slinger, for reading and critiquing. Your input helped so much.

For another blogger, Kid In The Front Row, who took the time to take apart that script and give me the final push to make it tighter and cleaner. You might be pleased to know, I got it down to 15 pages for the final draft.

and also for Charley Robson, Kismint, and Hannah Joy, who all have been vastly encouraging, and whose great comments I tend to go back and re-read a lot. Yeah. Thank you, girls :)

Even if I didn't mention you by name- in a way, you all are a fanbase, but even more than that, all of you are an extension of my family. You're my blog family. And you have all been amazing and sweet and are exactly what I have needed. Even when I'm a slacker and never comment on your blogs, or forget to email you back or... I don't know. I just kinda suck at that kind of stuff a lot.

But this goes out to all of you. A sorry, and a huge thank you.

You guys are the best.

And don't worry, I'll keep you updated on the script stuff. (Also, did anyone feel like having another Idea Pool, or what? Actually, I have some ideas, but that's for another post.... ach, look, here I go, I'm rambling again... )

Alright, well, that's all for now. I'll be back soon. 

This is important

You MUST watch it right now.

Stop whatever you are doing.

Even if you've seen it already.

Because it's The Hobbit, and The Hobbit is important.

(voice your opinions ecstatic rantings below!)

The Hobbit 3 - Your Reaction?

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=35053

Yes! Oh yes, fans, it's true. Using The Hobbit novel, as well as material from the appendices (history in between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, I believe), Peter Jackson and crew shall be making not two, but three Hobbit films. 

I, for one, am all for it. At first, I thought this was a rather bad move, since it seemed like a ploy to make more money. Upon thinking it over again, however, I am very eager to see how they bring un-novelized history from Middle-Earth to life. 

So. Whaddya think? Think it should have been just one movie? Two? How do you feel about the material they will be potentially using? 

Speak up in the comments! And give the article above a quick look-see, too, there's a bit more information to be gleaned there.

BBC's Sherlock: Massive Review

This is late, I am ashamed I am so sorry. o_O

It's exciting, it's addicting, and it's utterly brilliant.

The Splurge is gonna be a little massive for several reasons:

1) I will do a mini-review on each episode. Which is six reviews. This won't be overviews on the plots, not really. I'll just splurge on each episode, trying to be as articulate as possible. 

2) Pictures.

3) Quotes/Clips/Fanvideos

4) A general Pros/Cons list at the end

5) It's Sherlock and I can't shut up about it. So there. Don't say I didn't warn you.

***

I'm prefacing this with the fact that before watching, I knew very little about Sherlock Holmes. I knew he lived on Baker St. and he had a sidekick named John Watson; that he smoked a pipe and had a hat and solved something to do with dogs and Baskerville. But I had never read any of the stories (this has been remedied now, I assure you). 

I shall assume you know at least as much as I did. If you know more, then very, very good for you. 

Now. Let us begin. Bear in mind, Sherlock is has a rating of TV-14.

***

S01 E01

A Study In Pink

This is the introduction. This is where we meet John Watson, Sherlock Holmes, Baker Street... and how those two met each other. The case is as exciting as all get-out, and as intelligent as the books. The translation of Sherlock into the modern world was completely believable. They include a lot of little tributes to the original stories, instead of trying to copy them, and that makes it work.
Benedict Cumberbatch is THE perfect Sherlock Holmes. And there is no other John but Freeman. Sorry, Downey Jr./Law fans. Sorry.
Anyway, translating Sherlock's brilliant but rather eccentric character and making him work in the 21st century was..... amazing. There are no words. I pretty much guarantee you will love it.
Swearing aside, there is one inappropriate (mutable) conversation and one awkward (skippable) conversation. Otherwise fantastic. (Email me if you would like my edit notes for all the episodes.)
Yeah. A Study In Pink is a very "classic-y" feeling Sherlock episode. The perfect introduction to 21st-century Sherlock. And it's much more brains than brawn.
The sort of disconnect Sherlock has with the real world, and yet somehow seeing it more clearly than the rest of us, it's shown perfectly. The practical John Watson, the rather presumptuous Anderson, sweet Mrs. Hudson and steady Lestrade are a fantastic balance for his..... Sherlockness.

S01 E02
The Blink Banker

This one is a case dealing with Chinese smugglers, two murdered bankers and much strangulation. A lot more intensity as far as action/peril goes. This one is just as brilliant as the first, if not more so. The one thing with watching Sherlock is, you really have to stay on your toes. It's easy to miss something.
Anyway. Not too much so say. This is a good episode. Enough funny, enough brains, and quite a bit of action and intensity as well. And nothing really objectionable (There is one statue at the museum that is singled out for a reason in the episode. But it could use some... clothing. This could be a problem for some people. But that's it.)

"I always hear 'punch me in the face' when you're speaking, but it's usually subtext."

S01 E03
The Great Game

And here is where we meet Moriarty. This episode involves a series of puzzles that Sherlock has to solve  within a certain number of hours. If he doesn't solve one within the time restraint, someone with a bunch of bombs strapped to them is blown up. Yeah. It's a fantastic episode though. The relationship with Sherlock and his older brother Mycroft surfaces again, and also we get to see Sherlock when he's bored. Hysterical.
The one thing, which seems slightly less absurd by this time, is the severed head John finds in the fridge. Sherlock has all sorts of things lying around he uses for experiments, all of which, we assume, have some sort of importance. But yeah.... there's a head in the fridge.
Moving on. A lot of things culminate in this episode, and we finally get to meet Moriarty, who has been lurking in the shadows of the previous two episodes.
And if you watch The Great Game, the ending will pretty much guarantee you will be watching Season 2.

"I'm not a psychopath, I'm a highly functioning sociopath, do your research!"

S02 E01
A Scandal In Belgravia

.....this epsiode. It requires some SERIOUS editing. Irene Adler is a rather... bold character. And yeah, that's an understatement. There's an entire scene that is much better skipped, and several short sequences as well. Watching an edited version with someone that's seen it before (or, again, if you want my notes...) is a good idea.
However, the raciness aside, it's a very good episode. Perfect balance of wit and brains and humor. There are three cases that float through this episode. And there's actually quite a bit of character depth that wasn't quite reached before. (Sherlock actually makes an apology?!)
There's a lot that makes Belgravia worth a watch. Once is fine. It's not an episode that I feel a great need to watch over and over again. One watch is plenty. You just kinda need to it balance out the following episodes.
Which leads us to Baskerville.



S02 E02
The Hounds of Baskerville

This one is rather the thriller of the season. My least favorite in some respects, my favorite in others.
The thing is, there's quite a lot of comedic relief, which is important since The Reichenbach Fall is the next episode. The great thing about the humor in Sherlock is that it's always, always in character, which is why it's so funny.
Baskerville involves genetic mutations, a gigantic hound, and a guy who's slowly going crazy after his dad was killed 20 years ago. There's quite a bit of screaming and rather intense scenes. However, it's quite worth a watch because of 1) Sherlock showing up at the flat with a harpoon. 2) Him telling someone to shut up and smoke. 3) His mind palace. 4) More character development. 5) Fantastic quotes.
Yeah. I really love and really dislike this episode. Love because there is so much.... Sherlock. And dislike because it's got an overly thrillish edge. Which, I mean, I'm not really objecting, it's just that thrillers aren't my thing. But I would totally watch this episode again.
Plus, the ending segues into.....

"It's going to start very soon Sherlock. The Fall. Because I owe you a Fall."

S02 E03
The Reichenbach Fall

THIS EPISODE.
It is very much full of emotions. But I'm a girl. Pardon me.
This is where Moriarty makes his move. He has everything a criminal mastermind could want. Except the ruin of his only rival. And seriously.... he plays the game well. The final showdown between Moriarty and Sherlock is NOT something to be missed.
Reichenbach is really the payoff for watching the first five episodes. It's deep, much deeper than the previous ones. We have developed characters that we are fully familiar with, who are now in a treacherous game laid out by our favorite, chewing-gum loving psychopath villain. (Moriarty, I don't think, stays completely accurate to Doyle's character. However, translated into a different time period, I've gathered that they did a good job.)
Again, a lot of tributes to the original stories instead of translating it directly. Reichenbach is definitely my favorite episode, but not one I would watch all the time simply because the gravity of it. But it's brilliant. Fantastic, and nothing really objectionable, as far as my memory serves me.

But really. Watching Sherlock is worth it for Reichenbach.



***

General Pro/Con list:

Cons:
• Fair bit of swearing in each episode
• Smoking/nicotine patches, etc. Though, to be fair the original Sherlock did drugs too. It's not like they added that or anything.
• Some sort of gay reference in probably every single episode. (It's clear that Sherlock and John are not, of course. However, people allude to them being so, on multiple occasions. That would be the topic of the awkward conversation in A Study In Pink; the first time we meet Jim Moriarty in The Great Game, he pretends to be gay in order to make a very forgettable first impression on Sherlock. Irene Adler professes to be at one point, and there's a gay couple in the Baskerville episode.)
Half the references are on the subtler end. The other half, not so much. Very few of these instances are actually important to the story.
• THREE EPISODE SEASONS.
This here is just wrong. Season 3 doesn't even start shooting until January.

Pros:
• The pure brilliance of Sherlock, much thanks to Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss and Benedict Cumberbatch.
• The quite humorous relationships between Sherlock and: Mycroft, John, and Lestrade. (When you've got a friend who's a sociopath....)
• Brilliant casting.
•Good music.
•Good editing
•Fantastic little effects like the way they show text messages. (Just watch it to see what I mean. ^_^)
• The wit.
• The humor. (Seriously, Sherlock is so much funnier than it may appear.) The pure sociopath insanity that Sherlock is....  it's undeniably hysterical at times.
• Martin Freeman as John Watson. Seriously. He's perfect.
• The complete joy of seeing another rendition of England's most celebrated character ever. I would have gone into mourning and attacked Doyle in the street too, if I had been around when he wrote the story that killed Sherlock off.

The brilliant thing about this Sherlock is, in the words of Moffat, they "blow the fog away from him." Meaning we, in a way, get to see the inner workings of his brain, we get to see how his minds works in the moment. His observations are open for us to see, and it's really quite fantastic.

And really, there's just something about Sherlock Holmes. You just can't help but admire, and totally love him. And as far as film/TV reincarnations of him go, I would say BBC's Sherlock will top them all, always. The completely appropriate use of technology, the intriguing and quite complex cases, the aloof but impossibly irresistible Sherlock, a very grounded and down to earth John, a fantastic Mrs. Hudson, a great Lestrade, and unforgettable Moriarty.... they just did a really, really good job. Nothing more to say than that. They did an incredibly good job.

So. Whaddabout you? What do you like most about Sherlock? Biggest dislike? Have you even seen it?

(Hope this was sufficient, Teenage Writer :D)

The Director

Note: The title  does not refer to me, but the position of a director in general. Just to clarify ;)

***

The Director
They are magicians. Dream-makers, dream-catchers. They spin tales, open wardrobes, show us portals to worlds we never knew of. Worlds we would give our hearts to be a part of. The imagination is their playground. The things we wished could be reality, they make it so. They give us a small inkling of how things ought to be. They show us heroes we can cheer for, villains we can despise, or seek to understand. They take us away from life for a few hours, giving us a place to escape. To put the glimmer back in our eye and make us kings and queens and wizards and warriors for a time.

Or at least, they should.

In this day and age, the director has misused the weapon known as media. The lens they use to weave their tales show us things we ought not to see. The sacredness of physical intimacy in marriage is destroyed and shown as something far less valuable. The horror of violence is flaunted and glorified. Decency has disappeared. The line between lending enough information to tell a story and showing far too much has been crossed, over and over again.

Now the director, the filmmaker, tells lies with a loud voice. And when he is not doing that, he is merely putting on an elaborate show to distract you. Explosions and blood and cursing and skin and twisted humor is nothing but an act to keep you ineffective. What has become of good films, good stories?

The job of the director is to take us to another world, not drown us in the carnality of our own. The tale may take place on our very own Earth, but that should not stop them from showing it beautifully. The job of the director is to tell truth, and tell it well. Is that done?

Francis Schaeffer once said, "Whoever controls the media controls the culture." And he is not the least bit wrong. Media is not a tool to be used lightly. The director ought to tremble as he wields it. For in using it, he tells the audience something. He teaches them. Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing as such we will incur a stricter judgement.

Of course that passage is meant for the one who teaches scripture. But should it not also be held in the forefront of the mind of he who sits behind a camera and shouts, "Action!"?

Yes. Yes, I think it should. Because the director has a weighty job. One that, these days, is rarely done right.

The director should not be someone who uncovers things that should stay covered. Should not be one who flaunts that which is evil. No. The director is a bard, a minstrel, a herald of wondrous tales not yet heard. He ought to be the one who, when he escorts us from our seat into a world of his own creation, we hold no shame for being part of it.

Hey you guys :) aka 7 Random Things

1. I really am a distracted writer. It turns out, Chesney Street wants to be a feature, and so does The Seed (that's a working title by the way, I already don't like it). Unfortunately, I only have one of them outlined according to action. And it's not Chesney Street. That one will take a bit to complete. I'll post what I have of it... eventually.

2. I have been, at long last, caught up in the wonderful, wonderful world (and fandom) that is BBC's Sherlock. Oh, yes, tremble with fear at my obsession, world. [Again with the unfortunates: I've only seen Season 1, but and watching Season 2 this Sunday and already know more about it than I should due to some seriously well done, and heart-wrenching fanvideos. I've have to release my fangirliness in a massive post one of these days. Look out, my friends, it's coming!]

:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

2.1- Sherlock was actually the first thing I had seen Martin Freeman in, besides The Hobbit trailer ;) He is officially one of my favorite actors. The problem is now, I shall watch The Hobbit trailer and think to myself, "What is Watson doing there?" *headdesk*

Oh and Benedict Cumberbatch is lovely, of course. If there was anyone born to play Sherlock, it is him. He's extremely fantastic. 

3. Skyping with blogger friends is infinitely more delightful than Skyping with people I have already spent considerable time with in person. For one thing, with people I already know well, Skyping seems primitive and distant and a difficult way to communicate, whereas when I've never even seen the other person's face, or heard their voice, it seems like the greatest invention ever :)

4. I'm still not done with my freshman year of high school, and my sophomore year is due to start rather soon. Which means I should probably close the computer and get to work. o_O

5. I promise, there shall be a glorious giveaway once I reach 200 followers. Not that I need anymore, you all are more than I ever could hope for. (As I said to someone recently, I wouldn't give up my 20-so closest followers for 1500 who aren't half as nice.) I just thought it would be a good reason to give stuff to you guys :P

6. Perhaps it is due to... other obsessions *cough*, but I've barely had any time to blog. I try not to make these paltry little posts, but it's all I can manage at the moment. Just know, there are lots of things the Lord has been doing, and lots of fun things I've been up to, and I promise I shall share at least some of it with you sometime soon. 

7. I tried thinking of something funny, or at least relevant, to make the 7th random thing, but I couldn't think of anything. The only things I had were along the lines of Sherlock, and I have a feeling I shouldn't release all my pent-up thoughts and emotions about it yet. :P

So, please, I've splurged about life.... kinda. How about you? How's writing, or reading, or school or life or whatever? Gimme your Seven Random Things. 

And it's the first CQC Idea Pool!

Ready for this?

Don't forget, if this goes on and you have an idea as to how to make it more awesome, do not hesitate to speak!!

Alright, first up we have some submissions that some fantastic people need some help with.

Hannah Joy

I need a name for my villainess (is that even a word?). She is a lady in her mid-twenties who was excommunicated by her father on account of marrying the man she loved. Her husband was murdered and she's after the killer--as well as being up against the government (wants the demise of the rich and the uprising of the poor basically). I don't want a weird name--I want a pretty normal name since she's, for the most part, a pretty normal lady. It is actually set in a different world, but it's not fantasy, really. It is basically Industrial Revolution type era, so if we could go off that that'd be awesome. 

Madison

I'm looking for three character profiles, one of them is the girl protaginist and the other two, a boy and a girl are the protaginist's best friends. I've already chosen names, but I'd love personalities. But only one of the characters can be sweet.

The protagonist's name is Philadelphia (Dellie) Malbrey, her best friends are Tyler (Ty) Mason and Chloe (Clo) Richardson. Dellie later finds her real name, her elvish name, is Freya Cobalt Galendrof. 

Here's a summary of the story:

After five hundred years of oppression, Azeroth is beginning to wake again, with only one goal. To convert The Gifted; or destroy them.

Dellie has lived her whole life believing she’s just like every other normal teen, only to find one day that she is not normal. She’s not even human.

The Council of Alagaësia calls them The Gifted, we call them Angels

OK so it's very confusing, basically Dellie finds out that she is a very special elf, and is one of The Gifted, and elf breed that is trained to protect humans. In the end she has to make a decision of her life or her friends, she chooses hers, so her character has to be the typical protagonist in that in the end she is a hero. 

The Director

My next month's screenplay is set in a post-apocalyptic/dystopian-ish time, after a deadly virus has wiped out a lot of the world's population. In a dry, desolate desert, a former killer, a suicidal teenager and a biologist who is trying to develop a cure for the virus have to somehow get along and survive... or join the billions of already dead. 

The title of the script is The Seed.

I just need a little boost in the right direction-- maybe motivators for the characters, or a common goal/destination for them. Anything that strikes your fancy to enhance the story ;) 

Eruantien Nenharma

Basically, I don't know what the MacGuffins (things that the heroes have to get a hold of and the villains also want to) for my fantasy trilogy should be. It was originally three magical stones, but that's been done so many times it's not even funny. So I'm trying to figure out what three things the antagonists and protagonists should be fighting over--some sort of weaponry, scrolls? I just have no idea.

(Basically, she has the same problem I have with Dantere's story: what should the great object of power be, and what should it do? To be honest, anything you have to come up with, no matter how 'silly' or 'stupid' you may think it is, will help. That's what brainstorming is anyway.)

***

And now ve haf de freebies!

From Hannah Joy: 

So...my freebie is a title for a book/short story, anything. It caught my attention when I thought of it, but I never really went anywhere with it. So, here it is:

A Town Called Remembrance 

From The Director:

I had a character that was a peregrine falcon in a long-gone story named, in various forms, went from the name Thora, to Reana, and she was my MC's closest companion. Feel free to use her if you'd like. She's protective of her master, and very faithful. Does well in hot, dry climates. ;)

From Reformed Squirrel:

Totally at random, a story title popped into my head. Here's the title:

Then There Were Twenty-Nine 

From Eruantien Nenharma:

Here are some names I came up with but never used...

Rani
Gaston
Mira

And from Madison:

A whole handful of snippets to use at will!

•I sat there watching golden dust dancing in a beam of sunlight...

•What was the use of it all? Beauty was worth nothing, it faded and withered like the petals of a rose given time. And fame? Fame was a bubble that swelled with it's own importance till it bursts and was gone. And I could forget happines too, after all it was never truly found, and if found it certainly couldnt be kept....

•Rigelis threw the water in the bucket upwards, and for a second it hung, suspended, in seperate drops, each drop catching the radiance of the sun set, before they fell...

•The only thing slower than Bill's walk was his drawl...

•This whole day had felt like one prison door after another, and now mother's worrisome comment slammed the jail doors shut with an ominous clang...

•The way his hands would glide over the keys-it was almost a caress. It was like watching someone dance with technology....

***

And there it is folks, the problems and freebies for this month's Idea Pool!

If you have some ideas to help us ailing folk, please do not hesitate to speak up!

And if you find you have a problem of your own, go ahead and take a freebie-- or let us know in the comments!

Have fun people!