The Soundtrack of my Life

Music is the soundtrack of our lives.  It says things about us.  It tells about who we are.  What our interests are, what we love, what makes us happy, excited, and fills us with joy.

Music can tell a story....or bring you back to a certain time and place.  I'm going to share a few songs that once I hear them, take me to different times and places.  ;)

The first song is very significant.  As soon as this song comes on my iPod or the radio or whatever, I am automatically in my grandparent's vacation home, a few summers back, playing Moxie Girlz with my cousin and sister.  We wrote journals for our dolls, made outfits, books, and accessories.  :)  The Owl City soundtrack "Ocean Eyes" was our game soundtrack that year.

Now this song brings me back to several summers ago....when we had our American Girl doll epics.  That was fantastic, and this CD was played on repeat almost the entire time.  ;)

This song was our theme song for a trip we took last year, to Sanibel Island.  GOODNESS I want to go back so bad it HURTS.  I can't even listen to the whole song. XD

(also this video is the most epic thing I have ever seen....especially since my latest obsession is My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.)  :D

Hah, this one is funny.  Every time I hear this song I think of Amaranthine, and her nagging at me to finish up the Lakehouse Forum newsletter while I was on vacation.  I listened to this song on repeat the entire time finishing that darn thing (because she sent me the link!).  XDD

This song is not only adorable and funny, it brings back memories of how Ember and I started the idea to create a Movie Review blog, which will be starting up soon, once she goes on Spring Break.  ;)  We were the oldest (not adults) people in the theater to see Winnie the Pooh, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  xD

This next song actually brings back bad memories....XD  When i was in the 5th grade, my class took a field trip to this REALLY REALLY REALLY epic place called "Pathfinders".  It was AMAZING.  I'll never forget it.  One thing I definitely won't forget is how horribly carsick I got on the way there.  XDD  I was miserable.  Luckily, my dad was one of the parent chaperons, and I had a few nice friends who stuck with me when I was so sick, but I remember vividly being really really ill.  And then the bus played a scary movie (for all the boys, LOL) and when I was only 11 or 12 (however old I was...I don't really remember) and with my really wimpy scare-factor, this freaked me out.  My dad had given me my iPod to listen to while I tried not to be sick again and not watch the scary movie that was going to make me cry.  This was that song, and I really still can't listen to it without getting that cringing "I-don't-like-this-feeling" feeling in the pit of my stomach. XD

Happier song/memory now....xD This reminds me of playing volleyball with my sister and cousin at the vacation house.  We'd listen to one of our iPods (my cousin's at the time if I am correct) and we'd just sing the songs over and over and over.  This was our favorite that day. :)

(yes another Taylor Swift...XD)


Last one for this post......this song makes me think about our trip to Sarasota, where I got to meet the amazing Timothy Zahn!!! :D  We drove around going to all the tourist-y spots and stuff while there, and I listened to this song on repeat in the car. ;)

This might become a series of posts, when I find more songs....;)  Hope you enjoyed hearing a few memories!!!  Better posts to come soon, I promise!! :D

From the Eyes of a Writer

As a growing writer, I tend to see things differently than the average person.  I don't always notice that I do, but yet, it happens.
I find myself thinking of a story for something as small as a little flower growing as a weed in a flower garden, to a random person in the mall eating a cheeseburger.  It's a little weird, and quite funny.
I have bizarre hobbies too, like people-watching (AKA stalking, lol), and character discussing.  It's fun!

I can't watch movies the same way anymore.  I look at the deeper plot more than the special effects and acting.  I look into the background of the movie and the depth of the different characters. I can think of new plots and storylines and feelings of the characters.

I love it.  It makes for a good writer, to be able to come up with things on a whim like that.  I am constantly getting ideas in my head. I am constantly needing to write stuff down. Just ask my mom, many times a day I'll stop what I'm doing and run into my room to write down a story idea.  Many of them aren't developed (at all) and some of them are just fanfic ideas, but I still write them down, just for the sake of getting the idea out of my head.

I dont' think there's ever been a time where I HAVEN'T been writing a story in my head. Seriously!  I remember even when I was a little kid (my earliest "story" memory is probably from when I was six...) I'd walk around the perimeter of the playground at my school (this was before I was homeschooled, obviously) and just think of story ideas in my head. Back then, I called it my "Imaginary Friends". Now, I call them my "Characters".  ;)  See the difference?  I believe that all good writers once had imaginary friends.  I know I still do.  Their names are Luke Skywalker...Princess Leia....Han Solo.....Mara Jade......Corran Horn....etc.  ;)

AND STEVE ROGERS. (okay, i'm done now xD)

Seriously though....I was the queen of angst before it was cool.  I was always writing, coming up with, and thinking up very depressing or angsty romances, stories and ideas.  I was pretty pathetic actually.  (this may end up leading into a post about my social awkwardness that has risen to become a problem as of late...we'll see.)

In short, what I'd like for you to take away from this post is this: If you are a writer, and you see things differently too, that's okay.  Embrace it.  It just might be your future.  Everything happens for a reason, and ultimately, God doesn't make any junk. ;)

Write on....

My Weekend/Meeting Timothy Zahn (Picture Post)

I am exhausted.  My hair is /really/ messy (from having open car windows most of the day), and it's pretty late.  (9:30 pm on Sunday when I'm typing this).

**sigh**  And this was the best day ever.  :)

I decided to post about all my adventures from the past two days, since I only gave what happened in the car last post.  ;)

Well, you read about getting to Cracker Barrel.  ;)

Here are a few pictures from that experience (and before hand).  XDD

My view...for about one and a half hours worth of driving.

Nutmeg, with her pillow...>.<

My Baby, who I wrote on for hours, until she took a /nap/.

CRACKER BARREL!!!  We spent a long time looking at the candy.

And the canned goodies...

And more candy!!!!!!!!!!  :D 

Famous Peg Game....

The view from my seat...a GUN!  XD

The root beer I told y'all about.  ;)

Nutmeg with her menu.

Captain Rex Pose!!  XD

And then we drove some more, until we FINALLY got to the hotel, where I posted that last blog post.  ;)

My view from out the car window...

Turning onto the street to go to the hotel!

The hotel!!!!  :DDD

From the Car Window....

Then we decided to go to the Beach!!!  :D  Siesta Beach was AWESOME!  :D  I loved the sand, I could just sit in that stuff all day.  ;)

The sign for Siesta Beach!!! 

The sand looks like snow.  ;)

Nutmeg walking in the snow-sand.  xD

See all those seagulls??  There were swarms of them.  XD

Seagull footprints...

The Ocean!!!  :)

Birdie......XDDD

Cute little lifeguard house thing...it had murals of sharks on it, much to Nutmeg's displeasure.  XD

The rolling surf..

Ripples in the Sand

MORE ripples in the sand...

Another pretty shot of the beach...

I love the sand ripples!!!!  XDD

I found a Sand-Dollar!!!!!  :D

Pieces of Sand dollars....

SPONGE  xD

The grasses by the beach were really cool, they were super soft.  ;) 

One of my favorite shots of the beach.  I love the sky in this picture.

The Lakehouse Forums was too long to spell in the sand.  ;)  This will just have to work.  XD

Cute-ish picture of me on the beach....my layers fell out of the hair-tie. xD

We found this rubber shark on the beach!!!!!!!  Isn't he awesome?!!

TEENY-TINY seashells!!!

It's true...I do love TLF.  ;)

I love this picture.  The sunset is sooo pretty! ; )

Look at the clouds!!!  XD

After a wonderful time at Siesta Beach, we decided to go get dinner.  We went to the most AMAZING restuarant.  It was the Dutch Heritage House, in the Amish part of Sarasota.  ;)  SO COOL!!!!!

**Angelic Choir here** 

Me being silly in the car. XDD

BEST. PICTURE. EVER.

BEST. SUNSET. EVER.  ;)

Homemade rocking chairs!!!!!  :D  They were so cool!

Inside the lobby

Part of the downstairs gift shop.  ;)

Our table.

The awesome chandelier.  Pic dedicated to Chibi*Chick.  ;)

Menu

Upstairs in this resturant was a HUGE gift shop!!!!  :D  They sold all kinds of cute crafts, bags, and LOTS of Christmas decorations!!!  :)  My favorite part of the Heritage House was that it was SO CHRISTIAN!  :D  They played Christian music, they sold Christian books and movies,, all the gifts upstairs were either Christmas or Christian related in one way or another, and it was really welcoming and sweet.  ;)

**facepalm**

We wanted to buy this for my mom.  ;)

I literally LOLed at that sign.  XDD

**sighs**  So true.  ;)

ESPECIALLY my Family.  XD

My Future Lamp.  Someday I WILL find one like this.  XD
One that isn't $70.  XD

Cute magnet with the legend of the Sand Dollar on it!  ;)

For all my Wolf loving TLF sistahs. ;)

The Nativity Scene.  ;) 

After having a HUGE filling dinner, we went back to our hotel, for some much needed rest and relaxation.  ;)

Another shot of the hotel.  ;)

Or, rather, my sister decided to sit on my while I was trying to get some rest and relaxation.  xD  ;)

Then we all (eventually) went to sleep, and it was Sunday!  :D  The day I got to meet Timothy Zahn!!!!  But we did lots of things before we even went to the bookstore.  ;)

This was just epic.  The car near where we were parked at the hotel had this Mandolorian Sticker on it, and I showed my mom in excitement.  She groaned and the following conversation occurred.

Me:  Mom!!  Look!  It's the Mando symbol!

Mom:  Oh no!  HAN!!!  FETT IS CHASING YOU AGAIN!

Dad:  DARN IT!!!  KIDS, GET IN THE FALCON!!

Me:  **facepalm**  XDD

Cute house.

Pretty beach en route to Anna Maria Island.

Grass.

My dad and sister on Anna Maria pier.  ;)

The following pictures are all from Anna Maria Pier, which was REALLY windy and fun!!  :)

One of the best shots all weekend.  ;)

And that picture would've been so perfect, had my thumb not been covering part of the lens...>.>

After that we headed to the Barnes and Noble, where I would spend the next four hours.  XDDD

One of my favorite shots of the books.  ;)

My view for the next four hours.

Me...taking pictures with my mom while waiting for four hours.  ;)

MINE!  :D  MY copy of the 20th Anniversary HttE book!!!!  :DDD

They had the 501st of the Tampa Bay Legion out!!!!  :D  Vader, Royal Guard and a Mando (as well as an Imperial Officer) joined us for Timothy Zahn's book signing!!!!  :DDDD

"Hello Citizens..."  XDD

There was a girl under that helmet!  XDDD

EEEE  MR. ZAHN!  :D

ME!  I got to meet him!!!!  :DDDDDD

Look at how happy I am....**sigh**

He signed my Choices of One book, and two copies of my Heir To The Empire 20th Anniversary Edition!  :D

Closeup!  :D  I was SOOO HAPPY I couldn't even breathe. XDDD

By the time I was done, my mom and I just waited around, watching other people talking with Tim, and we chatted with a few others.  I got interviewed for the local Sarasota newspaper, and my picture was taken several times!!  :D  All the "book ladies" knew our story of traveling 3 1/2 hours without a/c in our car so I could meet Timothy Zahn, and they all gave me hugs before we left. ;)  So sweet!!!!

Sorry it's so fuzzy....that's Sandi, one of the "book ladies".  :)  She gave me a hug and wished us a safe trip home, along with a "I'm so happy you got to meet him!!!!!"  ;)

It was honestly the best day ever. ;)  I was soooo happy.  Just thinking about it makes me soooo happy!!!!  :D  Goodness.....I had so much fun.  ;)

Okay y'all, well I hope you liked that post!!!!  :D

Sorry for the wait, it took a while to load all my pictures and then find time to write the actual thing!  ;)  Going to do school now.....at 10 o'clock at night.....>.>

Oh well.  ;)  May the Force be with you all!!!