The Weekly Update

Reading: I finished The Fault In Our Stars by John Green this weekend. The second half of the book was better than the first half because of the powerful situation involving Hazel and Augustus and their immense love for one another. Chills ran down by back after I finished the last page of this book which demonstrates the impact it had on my life and life as a reader. Green blew me away with the realism infused within these characters, and I imagine this type of love affair happens every day somewhere in this world.

Watching: I saw Cloud Atlas in IMAX on Friday night!! I’d give it four and a half stars because the graphics were simply astounding as well as the perfect acting across the board. Even though the story lines were hard to follow I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this movie since the IMAX created an movie experience I will never forget. After I sat in the theater for almost three hours and watched Tom Hanks and Halle Berry morph into several characters, I am determined to read this book, whether that be over winter break or over the summer. I would definitely recommend seeing this movie if you find yourself sitting at home on a weekend with nothing to do.

Eating: Sunday afternoon the Spartan Alliance Band held its annual celebratory potluck in the cafeteria as the State competition took place Saturday night in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Our band knows how to eat! I indulged myself with several homemade pastas, fruit salads, and decadent desserts as the band directors thanked all those present for the fantastic season and State Runner-Up finish. This was my sixth and final potluck, and I can assure you that I will miss this day next year. Luckily, Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away! 

Emotion Explosion: TMI

Reading: I’m about halfway through The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. It happens to be the most touching book I’ve read this year, yet the characters are completely made up, the story line is incredibly real and fiction all at the same time. Green’s creativity, unique descriptions, and tender explanations of a near terminal life drew me into this novel and continued to pull on my heart strings! Hazel and Augustus fell in love; they were destined to be together after meeting in the Cancer Kid Support Group. The rest is history basically, but I’m not completely sure since I haven’t finished this yet. A few quotes that seemed appropriately relatable:

                “I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once.”

                       “What a slut time is. She screws everybody.” 

Watching: You’ll never believe how I spent my Saturday night. Most teens were probably hanging out with friends at a Halloween party, but what was I doing? Sitting on my couch watching Titanic.  How sad is that?  I’m not admitting to any water works, however, I still don’t understand why Rose let go of Jack’s hand while they were floating in the freezing water, and he specifically told her not to! He could’ve been saved as well and they could’ve had a future together, but no, she let the love of her life sink to the bottom of the ocean. Tisk, tisk tisk.

Eating: Seeing as my 18^th birthday was last week and my friends threw me a surprise party, I’ve been eating leftover cake. LOTS of it. Um, probably the most exciting part of my diet lately… just in case you were wondering. 

What We're Loving Nomination

My nominee for a WWL comes from Windowledge Marius: Downlaod 10.19.12
Listening, Appreciating, Anticipating, Consuming --it's all wonderful and seems to be unlike all the other peer blogs I've visited.
http://redheadjones.blogspot.com/2012/10/download-10192012.html

Oh You Know. . . Stuff

Reading: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson is a dark twist on the classic story of Peter Pan. I’m usually not the fantasy type reader but this was a very intriguing tale considering I grew up with the legend of Peter Pan and Wendy in Neverland. The basis of the plot is Tiger Lily’s decision between marrying a terrible man in her own tribe and running away to an uncertain future with Peter (because they fell in love). I found myself conflicted as well; it is always difficult to choose between going with your heart or with your head. Tiger Lily was always the mischievous native in Peter Pan the movie, but this novel shows another side of this dynamic character in adventures involving bravery, family, and of course, love.

Watching: This weekend, my friends and I watched the Orionid meteor shower on Saturday night/ Sunday morning. We lied under the stars on reclining deck chairs with our sleeping bags, loads of blankets, hats and gloves, and let’s not forget our popcorn. We tried not to freeze as we were out in the backyard looking into the sky for two hours. About 20 meteors or so flashed across the dark, star filled sky, and we would gasp at the amazing miracle that was gone in a flash. We sang songs to keep ourselves busy, but never once were we bored. Space is a vast concept that I will truly never be able to understand or wrap my mind around, and it is insane how small and insignificant we really are here on Earth. We pondered the existence of another universe, aliens, heaven, and black holes. It was one of the most memorable nights with my friends this year. And if you missed the meteor shower, there is another one coming up on Sunday night November 18^th!

Eating: I went to Cold Stone Creamery with my mom for the first time in a while. I had a dish of Berry Berry Berry Good, a sweet cream with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries mixed in. I give it a 9.5/10, so I’d say it lived up to its name and was berry good. 

On The Shelf!

Reading:  This week I felt the need to release my inner girl and read a “girly book” just for kicks and gigs. Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries is a classic in that category if I do say so myself. Plus, any girl who had a decent childhood has seen the movie starring Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews. However, if you happen to be of the male gender and have not encountered this wonderful story, let me enlighten you with a short synopsis. Mia Thermopolis is a typical, geeky, 14 year old girl who lives in the bustling city of New York, has a BFF named Lilly, and a cat named Fat Louie. She learns that her dad is the prince of Genovia, and she is the only heir to the throne after him. She must take princess lessons from her grandma, who she isn't particularly fond of, and she also has to learn how to deal with all the attention and unwanted popularity once the press finds out about her royalty. Her world literally gets turned upside down; one day she is the nerd with retainers and caterpillar eyebrows, and the next day she is the most popular girl in school with a limo waiting to pick her up from school. It’s not the most challenging book to read I have to admit, but it gets the job done (if the shoe fits type situation I’d say). So the next time this airs on ABC Family you ought to sit down with your cat and eat a box of chocolates, although you are not a princess, you can certainly pretend to be one. 

Watching: Another TLC program has got me glued to the TV on Sunday nights! Breaking Amish has such an interesting story that it is difficult not to stay up and watch the newest episode. This reality show follows five individuals who have chosen to leave the Amish community and start a new life in New York. I suggest you DVR this and see if you are as amused as I am at the sight of an ex-Amish member cell phone shopping at a mall, and then hitting the clubs shortly after.  

**Oh and I’ve also watched Felix Baumgartner’s free fall at least 10 times. I think it is incredible that he broke the sound barrier and returned to earth like it was no big deal. One of the items on my bucket list is to sky dive; I think I’ll leave it to daredevils like him to set new world records on free falling. CHECK THIS OUT!

What I'm Loving

Three years ago, I was fourteen, living the life of a typical freshman in high school. I was involved in sports, had a fair share of friends, and had absolutely no interest to change the world or had any clue what I was going to do with the rest of my life. Unlike me, unmotivated and clueless, a boy by the name of Taylor Wilson had an idea and was building a nuclear fusion reactor in his garage with ambitions to change the world. He believes nuclear fusion is a solution to our future energy needs. He spoke at a TED conference and shared a short version of his incredible story. I was in awe after watching this podcast because it became evident that one doesn’t have to be a certain age in order to make an impact in our world. Taylor became interested in this issue after his grandmother struggled to receive radioactive drugs needed for her chemotherapy; this was the point of inspiration young Taylor used to create a reactor that could be built in any hospital to help patients like his grandmother. Any idea, no matter how miniscule or insignificant it may seem, created by any person regardless of age or personal background, has the potential to change the world. Taylor Wilson has already accomplished more than the average seventeen year old, and he is just getting started on his journey to solving our world's energy crisis. 

For more information on his story, check this link out:
TED Taylor Wilson

Dreams, Spirits, and Ice Cream

Reading: Wake by The New York Times Bestseller, Lisa McMann, was this week’s read. The line YOUR DREAMS ARE NOT YOUR OWN stared at me on the cover and I had to know what this story was about, however, it was nothing that I had expected. Innocent seventeen-year-old Janie gets sucked into other people’s dreams as she has been cursed with the ability she doesn’t’ want and can’t control. Somehow she gets involved with a boy named Cabel and she continues to visit dreams that are nothing like the dreams I’ve ever experienced. This book seemed to be full of suspense and horror until the word love interjected the plot. Janie has nightmares and becomes witness to someone else’s twisted psyche on a nightly basis.  “NOT ALL DREAMS ARE SWEET” basically sums up this book, it’s not the most interesting book but it gets the job done in a diary type format, similar to a book I read earlier this quarter. And Wake is also part of a trilogy, but I honestly don’t think it has a substantial story line that will bring this idea full circle.

Watching: Suddenly I’ve become extremely interested in the TLC Program, Long Island Medium. Teresa Caputo, the medium, has extremely blonde hair, a thick New York accent, and the ability to connect with spirits who have crossed over to the other side. After watching Sunday night’s episode, I am completely sold that the souls of departed loved ones are still present with us in the physical world. If you’re a skeptic, check out her work here:  http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/long-island-medium/videos/spinetingling-video.htm

Eating: On Sunday, my family finally took a trip to the new frozen yogurt shop in town, named Menchie’s where Blockbuster used to be. It is similar to Yo Yo’s and Spoonz, except Menchie’s has hot fudge, peanut butter, and caramel. I love sampling every flavor they have multiple times before deciding to fill my bowl with the original twist of chocolate and vanilla!