Photography

Photography is my passion. For real. Whenever I get to take pictures of something that I haven't before, and they all turn out marvelous, I get super hyper. It's sort of like a toddler who's been chowing down on the chocolate cake and Sunny-D. I get this huge adrenaline rush and I get very hyper and jumpy and chatty. I'm like that right now, actually. I just got done taking pictures of my brothers and a few of our pets in silhouette form. It was really quite awesome.






I'll write more about my love for photography another time. I'm still too hyper to take the time to write anything.

The Promised Picture

Judge me if you must, but know this: Snuggies are epic.

It's The Blanket With Sleeves!

The transformation is complete. I am now 100% nerd.

Today I got a Snuggie from my grandparent's. I'm wearing it right now and oh em jay. Is it ever cozy! And I'm not going to lie, I look pretty awesome in it. The huge sleeves and floor length robe make for some great Jedi imitations. Trust me, my fellow Jedis; You will be seeing pictures very, very soon in a galaxy not so far away.

Unhearted

Unhearted is one of the best songs ever. The lyrics seem like just a jumble of words at first, but now that I've listened to it for the three billionth time, the lyrics make some weird sort of sense to me.

"I wear this angel's crown, to cover up my devil's frown."
"And all the things that seem out of place, like my head in outer space..."
"And I breathe 'cause it's necessary, and I sigh when I see the moon. I dream to make sleep less boring, until there was you."

Those are some of the lyrics. They make complete sense to me, and I find that last phrase particularly meaningful, but I'm not 100% why.

Don't worry, this was just yet another random post.

Hah!

To all those girls out there who think it's not possible...

I have a guy who is a really good, even best, friend and WE'RE NOT DATING NOR DO WE LIKE EACH OTHER LIKE THAT!

I believe that would be called a "burn". Later.

....

"In sleep he sang to me. In dreams he came."




Best. Lyrics. Ever.

Blah!

Today I woke up happy, and then I went completely blah. I can't think of anything to take pictures of, I don't feel like cleaning, I can't focus on reading when I try to read, and one of my best friends(you know, the only one who ever texts me) is going to be away, so they'll be too busy to text. It's probably for the best though, because I'm guessing that I'm not much fun to talk to right now. I feel so monotone. I'm actually thinking of taking a nap, so that maybe I can get a do-over of sorts, you know? Try waking up happy and staying that way. That would be great. Geez, even smileys on the computer are bugging me. If I type out this... =] It feels all wrong. I can't go around all day posting =/ though(even though it's far more accurate to how I'm feeling right this moment). I think the thing that bothers me most is that I'm so used to being happy and cheerful all the time, and then I get into THIS sort of mood, and it bugs me to death! I can't stand feeling like this! I hate it! Ugh. Well, writing this made me feel a little bit better, I guess because it's helping me to think again. I don't know. I'll write again when I'm feeling a bit more sunshine-y.

Drama.

So. It's been awhile since I've wrote anything, but that doesn't mean that it's also been awhile since I've thought any thoughts worth thinking(and yes, I'm aware that that was a tad bit confusing for those of you who aren't fully awake yet.). One thing that has been really bugging me is drama, and therefore.....that is what I shall be writing about. Lucky you!

Ok, ok, so I know all teenagers have it, and it's a very common topic, and it makes for some great movies, but still. I feel the need to vent about it. So do I have your attention? If you've made it this far through the blog, then I feel as though I can count on you to continue reading it. If not...well, I'm not going to throw a fit and cause an uproar over it. Now, back to the topic at hand. Drama.

"Oh, if only drama would stay in the club!" "I hate drama!" "Drama is for people who have no lives, and therefore, I will not participate in it. Ever!". All of the previous are commonly used sentences with teenagers, and yet, they never actually mean any of it. Sure, most people can say they hate it, but if they hate it so much, why do they start things up? And as for the people who say they'll never be dragged into drama: That's easier said than done.

I used to think that drama was usually only in schools, and that if I just stayed away from that group of people, I'd be just fine. I was very sadly mistaken. It turns out that drama is anywhere people are, and that is a fact. All the "he said she said" is inescapable, even in the oddest of places. The oddest and probably most sad place that I've found drama is at church. How sad is that?! We have the backstabbers, the two-faced people, the girls with claws, the jerky playuhs, and the few who have too big of mouths. You would think, that since we are in church, we'd be a bit more mature then we actually are, but that is not the case. We lie, we cheat, we cry, we ignore, we hurt...all over stupid drama! And here we are, my youth group, going to church to learn how to be better people and better Christians! It's ridiculous! I think that if people would pay more attention and practice what is being preached, there would be a lot less drama. I'm not trying to sound like the innocent one, because I'm not. I try my hardest to stay out of it, but that's not saying that I don't occasionally join in. Drama is a stupid waste of time, especially when it's over people who we are supposed to be friends with. We're supposed to care for others, treat them as out neighbors, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" sort of deal.

It's upsetting and it makes me mad, but I'm trying my best not to start any drama and to not join in on it. There are so many other and more important things to worry about in life! Sorry I couldn't end this on a happier note, but drama isn't pretty, unless you're just acting. And these people...they're not acting.

Wouldn't it be great if you could tell someone something private and then sew their mouth shut so they couldn't go repeating it? Just a thought I had.

Christmas!!

Ok ok, so I know it's much too early to be posting about Christmas, but I just wanted to show everyone something.

PROOF! That I am indeed a nerd!

Let us start by looking at my Christmas list for last year.

Harry Potter Edition Clue
The Force Unleashed
Apples To Apples
The Tales Of Beedle The Bard
Last Word

Notice anything? The first isn't just a board game(which that in it's self is nerdy because it's not a video game). It's a board game based on a book series. The 2nd is a Star Wars book, the next is a word game, another book, and yet another word game. Are these things a "cool" kid would ask for? No. Are these things a nerd would ask for? HECK YEAH!

So what is on my Christmas list for this year? Let me show you.

Any Margaret Haddix book that I don't yet own
Last Word
A bigger bookshelf
A tin of those delightful vanilla luxury wafers

One Hundred And Seventy-Two

I just got done counting how many books I own that are in my room, and I came up with 172. Is that it?

Just kidding. I had no idea I had so many! I mean, I knew that I was starting to triple stack my bookshelf, I have a basket full of Anime comic books, and I have piles of books scattered all around my room, but I had no idea it would so quickly total up to 172 books! Goodness gracious!

And those are just my normal everyday reading books. My have-fun-while-reading-them books. I didn't even bother to count my old school books, notebooks, diaries, magazines, and game guides. If I were to count those, I'd have around 250, I'm sure. And if I were to count the books that are in my room that aren't mine but I plan on reading, then we'd hit 350. And if we were to count every single book in the house, upstairs and downstairs, we would go past 1000. Of this, I am absolutely positive.

My room alone is my own personal library. I stock it with books I get from Goodwill. Goodwill probably has no idea how much I LOVE them. They have so many books, and I usually get at least 4 books per trip, per Goodwill store. Sometimes I'll find 10 or more books in one Goodwill that I MUST own. Whether it's something I think looks interesting or something I've read a million times before, I get it. Hey, can't beat $1.99.

So even though I have 172 books, I shall continue to collect more. Life is too short, so read as much as you can!

Cryng For More

I am all sniffly. Why? Because I was crying. Not because I stubbed my toe on a corner of something or because I heard some bad news. Nope, I'm all sniffly because I just got done crying over a book. Mhmm, a book. Is that nerdy of me?

I am not the crying type. It takes quite a bit to make me cry. So when I read a book, I don't expect to start bawling. Sometimes it happens though. The first time I ever cried while reading a book was during my 1st read of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Chapter 35, page 805. I'll not say what it is that makes me cry every single time I read it, but that was the first time I came to realize that J. K. Rowling is a truly amazing writer. Her amazing writing skills made me tear up once more during Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, chapter 34 page 698(and as I was looking through my HP book just now to that page, I started to get teary eyed!). To possess such a great talent, one that enables the reader to get so emotionally attached to the plot and to the characters of the story, is just AWESOME! If only I could obtain such an ability!

It's been awhile since I've read a book like that, one that I feel like I must read. I recently finished The Vampire Diaries series, and let me tell you, L. J. Smith knows how to write a true page turner. I read the entire series in 4 days. That is to say, I read and completed a book a day. It wasn't until I got to the 3rd book that I started crying. I'd felt other things, such as fright, anger, anticipation, and joy, but when I got to towards the end of the 3rd book, I felt sad! All of the twists and turns in the series didn't prepare me for the ending of that book. It was great! I continued on to the 4th and last book in the series, and I cried. And I cried. And I cried! I couldn't help myself! I was so into the story, so hooked on the very idea that the events were even happening, that I felt like I was watching a movie. It was that well written. Every word played out like a movie in my head, and I was able to see every character, every place, every description of anything that was wrote.

All I can do is praise authors like J. K. Rowling and L. J. Smith for writing such great stuff. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A Prodigal Son

Ok, so I'm supposed to be doing homework but I'm on Blogger instead. Bad, I know. ;] Anyways, I've got all my homework done except for these poems. I was flying through them, thinking "Wow, this is so easy!" when I come to a sudden stop: A Prodigal Son by Christina Rossetti. Oh boy.

Here's the poem.

Does that lamp still burn in my Father's house,
Which he kindled the night I went away?
I turned once beneath the cedar boughs,
And marked it gleam with a golden ray;
Did he think to light me a home some day?

Hungry here with the crunching swine,
Hungry harvest have I to reap;
In a dream I count my Father's kine,
I hear the tinkling of bells of his sheep,
I watch his lambs that browse and leap.

There is plenty of bread at home,
His servants have bread enough and to spare;
The purple wine-fat froths with foam,
Oil and spices make sweet the air,
While I perish hungry and bare.

Rich and blessed those servants, rather
Than I who see not my Father's face!
I will arise and go to Father:--
"Fallen from sonship, beggared of grace,
Grant me, Father, a servant's place."

WAIT A SECOND! I suddenly understand this! There is a Biblical allusion in each poem, and this one was slightly tricky for me. But I now get it, and I'm now done with this blog. Thanks for helping!

My Thoughts On Friends

So there's this certain type of person. These people are the kinds of people who makes you go crazy trying to understand them. You think that maybe you're just not paying attention, but they're really making it a lot more difficult for you because they almost appear to be bipolar. One minute they're your best friend; caring, sweet, easy to talk to, deep. They act like this for a few days, and then they suddenly turn into another person, this one being the bug bite in a very uncomfortable place. They become rude, self-centered, moody, & big headed. You hate it when they're like this, wanting them to just leave you alone. You try to ignore them, but eventually, they turn back on the charm. Why? Because they want something. Either they want to talk(because everyone knows that you can only talk to them when they feel like talking), they need you to do something, or they want you to listen to their drama and for you to back them up. They keep the charm up for a few days, and in those few days, you begin to feel like maybe THIS time, they will have really changed for the better. But no, they go right back to their old habits.

My question is do they realize how truly MADDENING their behavior is? That everyone HATES their multiple personalities and fake exterior? Because not only do they have personality issues, but they also act different in front of other people that they don't know very well. They act friendly, funny, buddy-buddy with new faces, but as soon as the people get to really know them, they bring out their true selves. Nobody likes friends who are only friends when they feel like it. Friends are supposed to be the people you can ALWAYS count on to care about you and what's going on in your life. TRUE friends don't talk to you just because they're bored and want someone to entertain them. Friends are supposed to have each other's back; they're the people you can have fun with any time you're together, the ones who remember important events. If they can't do any of those things all the time, instead of whenever they feel like it, maybe they aren't worth the trouble.

Pandora's Box

There is one story in Greek mythology that really stands out to me. It's called Pandora's Box.

In the story, Titan Epimetheus grew to become very lonely(his brother, Prometheus, had just been chained for life to a rock, but that's a different story). The deities of Olympus came together to consider what they could do to make Epimetheus happy again. After much discussion, the deities decided that a companion for Epimetheus was the only solution to his unhappiness. The messenger god Hermes was sent to Earth to bring back some soft clay, which Hephaestus, the artist of the gods, formed into a beautiful figure. As Hephaestus sculpted, Zeus(the most powerful of the gods) told him ideas on how he thought the companion should look. Hephaestus finished his work, the soft clay now being a beautiful young woman with waves of soft golden hair, ivory white skin, and eyes bluer than the bluest Spring sky. The gods, seeing how truly lovely she was, each bestowed a gift to her. After the gifts had been given, they chose the name Pandora, which means "all-gifted". Pandora was brought down to Earth to be married to Epimetheus, and she was so loving and sweet, that Epimetheus grew happier and happier every day, forgetting that he had ever had sorrows to begin with.

Life would have continued on perfectly had it not been for Pandora's immense curiosity. In the house where Epimetheus and Pandora lived, there was a chest. The chest was always bound with a strong cord, and Pandora was not to touch it. Pandora begged and begged her husband to let her see inside, but Epimetheus stood strong. As time went on, Pandora became more curious, and with her curiosity never being satiated, she became depressed. At last, a day came when Epimetheus was out, and Pandora ran to the box and carefully untied the cord that fastened the lid. She opened the lid, and suddenly, an amazingly loud BUZZ and ROAR was heard. Out of the box came a swarm of little evil-looking creatures, some with stingers, some with sharp, sharp teeth. They were not at all pleasant to look at and Pandora quickly became very scared, especially when they creatures suddenly flew right of her house and into the world. As Pandora lay weeping and sobbing, Epimetheus and a group of men ran into the house. "Pandora!" Epimetheus cried. "You have let loose all of the evils and troubles into the world!" He did not stay to comfort Pandora, but ran back outside to try to stop the now constant wailing.

Pandora wept bitterly, out of fear from seeing the evil creatures, out of shame for make her husband so angry with her, and out of guilt for being so curious. As she lay there crying, she felt a soft hand touch her on the shoulder. Pandora looked around, and saw a silvery-white figure the same size as the evil creatures, except beautiful and kind. "I am still with you," said the little creature. "You can never be altogether unhappy if I stay; for my name is Hope." Hope landed on Pandora's wrist, and guided her to the window over looking the city. All the men, including Epimetheus, looked up at Pandora and seen that she was holding Hope for all to see. The wailing and quarreling stopped, and everyone went back to their homes.

The point of this story is that no matter how bad things seem, always remember that Hope is always around. This is a great moral, but I've always had one thing wrong with this story. Why is it so bad that Pandora was curious? Sure, she let all the evil into the world, but is it so wrong to wonder about things? Is it wrong to ponder? I agree with the point that too much knowledge can be a bad thing, but I really think the story was a bit harsh on Pandora. She was just thrust into a world she'd never been in before, of course she's going to question things! She is but a small child(mentally) who is awed by all the wonders of Earth.

But anyways, this is what's been on my mind.

Rain Rain, Don't Go Away

So I was on the way home from Gallatin, listening to the radio, when a country song comes on. It's some dude singing about his break up and how the tears start pouring like the rain. It got me to thinking, "How come tears are always associated with rain?"

Why is it that rain is made out to be depressing? Sure, when it rains the day gets gray outside, but it really doesn't have to be sad. I mean, rain is actually quite relaxing. When you're sitting at home, reading a nice book, all curled up inside your favorite home-made quilt, and it starts to pour rain, doesn't that just make you feel all the more warm and safe and cozy? Or how about when you get trapped out in the rain. Most people say that they go out in the rain so no one can tell that they are crying. Well, what about when you get trapped out in a nice rain with the boy you've had a huge crush on for the past 4 years and it's just the 2 of you, and while you're both laughing at how silly your mascara looks, he leans in and gives you THE perfect 1st kiss. Rain doesn't have to be sad and dreary!

Without rain, our lives would be dull and dry. Imagine a world where little kids didn't jump into puddles made from the latest Spring shower. Imagine what a loss it would be to not see the small beauty that is rain drops set upon a rose's petals. Try to think of an instance where you HAVEN'T enjoyed dancing in the rain, whether it be alone or with some of your best friends. Rain is a blessing, you just have to choose how best to enjoy it.

Owchie Wa Wa

It's Saturday evening, and I am super sore. Why? Because on Thursday, I went spent the night at my friend's house. Every time I spend the night with Kirstin, whether it be at Tonya's house, Kirstin's house, or my house, I always come back incredibly stiff and sore. Parts of me that are sore include my arms, my back, my ribs, my legs, and my feet. Maybe it's because me and Kirstin always end up wrestling? Maybe it's because (when at Kristin's house) Ryan pulls me and Tonya off of beds and we fight back as if our lives in jeopardy? Maybe it's due to the fact that I run around unknown territory with no shoes on while playing Hide & Seek? I don't know, and who am I kidding; I don't really care. All I know is that I always have a blast when I'm with my friends. You know what they say: "Love hurts", and I really do love those guys. If I didn't know them, my life wouldn't be anywhere near as entertaining. All the pointless text messages, soccer practices, retarded pictures, late night conversations, 4am hysteria...it's all pretty great. So yeah, go ahead and bruise me up like a banana, I don't care. At least I'm having fun with my posse. =]

I have decided that I'm through with boyfriends until I'm an old 17, possibly even 18. Boys right now are....

Stupid.
Dumb.
Jerks.
Cheap.
Cocky.
Not worth the trouble.

Not all guys are like this, but most of the ones that I know are. There's simply too much drama involved in a relationship. You can't just like someone. If they find out you like them, then you are asked out on a "date". Dates aren't really dates anymore though. Now when a guy asks you to date them, you're his girlfriend automatically. Let me just say that that is NOT what a date is. A date(to me) is supposed to be an outing with a guy that you have some interest in. You go do something fun, whether it be the movies, the park, or a trip to Wally World. Then you go out to eat, and then you go home. You're supposed to get to know each other, and if you both had a good time, you make plans to go out again. If not, well, at least you tried.

Another thing that seems to be wrong with dating now is that you have to please EVERYONE. You can't just be happy to be together, no sir. You have to make sure that everyone is pleased that you and such-and-such is together. That sounds ridiculous to me.

Another problem is that lots of people want to move on too fast. I'm perfectly content with taking things nice and slow. I'm not a cuddly person. In fact, I hate physical contact with people that I don't know very well. People now like to hold hands on first dates, kiss as soon as possible, talk about getting married, and throw around the word "love" like it's no big deal. They do all that, and then usually the person they were with breaks up with them a week later, and they move onto new prey. Practically all teenagers out there are "used goods". Does that make anyone else feel kind of sick? Say you FINALLY find a person that you really really REALLY like(while you are still in your teen years). You tell them that you love them, and they say back the same. Now think: How many OTHER girls has that guy said those same words too? Does he really mean it, or is he just telling you what you want to hear? How about this example. You have your first kiss ever with your boyfriend. It made you feel all giddy and shy, while your boyfriend tells you that that was the best kiss he's had yet. Maybe he means it's because it was his first kiss too, but I highly doubt it. You kissed lips with a guy who has kissed goodness knows how many other lips! Doesn't feel so special now, does it?

I know I sound like a real killjoy, but this is what's been on my mind. I really think that it's worth waiting a few years until the right guy shows up. It may be years before he does, but I'm willing to wait. The guy who is for me will understand that I don't like to rush into things, and hopefully we'll be great friends first before we are anything more. He won't get mad if I say that I want to wait till my wedding day to have my first kiss. He'll also love me for me and won't try to tell me to change. If I don't ever meet that special someone, then it's no big deal. I've already decided that I will still be happy if I never get married. Sure, I'd prefer to be married, but it's really not a necessity for me. I can still live my life. I'm single and happy, and it's going to take a pretty amazing guy to make me change that status. ;]

Buttercup The Guinea Pig

On July 29th, 2009, a very cute and sweet little guinea pig passed on. Her name was Buttercup.

We had got her from a friend of mine, and she was already old then. I carried her in my lap on the way home and she was the sweetest little piggie I'd ever seen. She loved to cuddle, she loved carrots, and she loved her Timothy hay. Everytime someone would walk into the room, she would squeak and squeal really loud, even if it was at 11 o' clock at night. She liked me more than she liked anyone else. She also liked to be taken out of her cage and set on the floor so she could go adventuring. She always tried to go under the bed or under my dresser, but I wouldn't let her. She was fun to take pictures of because she was just so cute and had that happy face. She really looked like she was smiling all the time. I'm really going to miss my little piggy, but I'm glad that she got to be with us at least for a little while.

R.I.P. BUTTERCUP. WE LOVE YOU!

More About Puma!

Yup, thaaaat's right! I thought up some more things I could say about myself.

What are the 2 movies that make me cry? Milo & Otis and Edward Scissorhands. I tear up with M&O, because it's just so sad when Milo starts floating off in that box. With Edward Scissorhands, I weep. Badly. I just can't stand the ending, when(spoiler alert!) Edward goes back up to his house and says good bye to Kim. It kills me!

I'm almost always happy. I didn't even notice this until my friend Rachel told me. I think it has to do with staying out of drama as much as possible. If you surround yourself with people and things that are cheery and optimistic, then you will most likely be both cheery and optimistic(unless of course, all that happiness makes you queasy and you turn out emo). Really though, being happy most of the time is better than being depressed and mopey.

I can whistle and snap my fingers.....at the same time.

I'm not a romantic at all. I don't like cuddling. I hate people invading my personal space. I don't believe in "love at first sight". I don't normally fall for pick up lines and sweet talking. Like I said, I'm not a romantic.

Snow is pretty for about 10 minutes, and then I hate it. Rain is ok as long as it doesn't rain out anything(like soccer). Sunshine, blue skies, & fluffy white clouds = the best type of days.

I have an over-active imagination. I get it from my mother, who gets it from her mother. I'm constantly scaring myself by thinking up creepy things while I'm in our basement or in my bed trying to sleep. It usually has something to do with creepy dolls. I'm actually scaring myself right now thinking about what I've thought about before. Ugh.

I think Johnny Depp is awesomely awesome, Tim Burton is a mad genius, & together, they make an incredibly artistic duo!

I'm very weird when it comes to drawing on myself. Give me a pen and I'll start doodling on my arms and hands. As soon as I'm done drawing, I HAVE to get it off. If I don't, I constantly think about it and look at it. If it doesn't get rubbed off as soon as possible, I get all worried about it. OCD? Eh, maybe.

Muppets may be old school, but I care not! I LOVE Muppets. Rizzo the Rat & Gonzo the Great are my favorites. I have clothes, a piggy bank, stuffed animals, stickers, posters, keychains, and even a Oscar the Grouch Jack-In-The-Box. The Muppets will be be awesome forever!

If I could play any 3 instruments, they'd be piano, clarinet, & accordion.

Soccer is my favorite sport. No no no, soccer is my favorite necessity. I've played soccer for 7 years, and I LOVE it. I play Defense, and I get told quite often that I'm really good at it. I don't think I'm all that great, but hey, I'll take the compliments. ;] I've met so many cool people through soccer, and I've learned a lot about lots of different things. I've only got 2 years left to play, but once that's up, I plan on getting a U-18 team and coaching.

A List of My Favorite Songs of ALL TIME

Wake Me Up When September Ends -- Green Day
The Reason -- Hoobastank
Hey Jude -- The Beatles
More Than Words -- Extreme
Cancer -- My Chemical Romance
My Last Amen --Downhere
Breathe -- Taylor Swift
Got Me Going Crazy -- Jonas Brothers
Move Along -- All American Rejects
Night Drive -- All American Rejects
Killer Queen -- Queen
Nine in the Afternoon -- Panic! At The Disco
Dreamin' -- Weezer

About The Puma(otherwise known as Amanda)

I'm writing this at 11:40pm because I'm bored, and when I'm bored I seem to get an ever flowing supply of words come to my head. I decided that I should probably write a little bit about myself, seeing as my profile isn't very informative. Where to begin...as yes, how about the basics.

I'm 16-going-on-17, my birthday being in the month of FREEZING COLD(aka December). Most of my close friends are younger than me, either by a few months or by a few years. I don't know if it's because I'm immature or if it's because I'm just so gosh darn cool, but I'm betting it's the 1st choice. Little kids seem to really like me. Either they stare at me, randomly come up to me and start talking, or they just grab my hand and let me walk them around. It's sort of like I'm Santa Claus(except for the fact that I'm not fat, a man, old, rosy cheeked, married, etc.). People like to tell me that I don't look like I'm 16. I'd just like them to know that hearing that said right to my face does NOT make me feel happy in any way. Tell me I look younger than I am when I'm 40, not 16.

I've been cursed(but some would say blessed. I disagree openly with these people.) with curly hair. Though not as curly as it used to be, it's still a problem that I hate fooling with. Thus I always always always pull it back. I hate it and it hates me. I will say that it does have it's good days(those are the days I take pictures in fields and with my brothers and such), but I almost NEVER wear it down in public because I have a terrible fear that someone will comment on it. Everyone who has straight hair lustfully say how they'd just love to have a few curls. Everyone with curly hair tells the Straighties that they're insane.

I am what most people would call a "nerd". I love to read, I love computers, I'm a Star Wars junkie, tragic deaths in history interest me, and I play Scrabble at least once a week. Oh, and I wear glasses. Can't forget about that.

I don't believe in the term "best friend(s)". Partly because I really don't think there's such a thing as a BEST friend, and partly because it seems kind of mean to the other people you call your friends. Maybe it's because I'm just weird, but I had to give up on picking a best friend because my best friend seemed to change all the time. I have CLOSE friends, and I love them to death, but I don't have BEST friends. Unless you count my brother Jesse.

I have 3 loves in this world, and they are Charlie, my camera, & soccer. Charlie is my wonderfully weird kitty(his blog is quite weird too. You should read it). My camera is like an extension of my arm. I ALWAYS have it with me. I take pictures just about every day, and I try to post them on Facebook as fast as I can. Soccer is pretty much amazing. If it weren't for soccer, I wouldn't know a large amount of my close friends, and we all know how big of shame that would be!

I love love love photoshopping! I'd love to go into Photo Journalism and maybe work on magazine ads for a living. I just love how anything you can imagine, someone can make it. I don't like to toot my own horn, but I think I do pretty ok for a n00b. ;]

I have 5 favorite colors. Blue, purple, green, yellow, & orange. In that order.

And I believe that's enough about me, at least for one night.

Once There Was A Girl...

Most people in life are lucky enough to meet at least 1 super special person in their life time. I'm not talking about crushes or spouses, I'm talking about best friends. And not just any type of best friend, I'm talking about the kind of people you love and know so much that it seems insane that you aren't related in any way. These are the kind of people that are always there for you, no matter what. They'll back you up(even if you're in the wrong), they love you despite your faults, and they can be 100% trusted. I had a friend like that, and her name is Jessica. We met waaay back in February of '06. That may not seem like so long ago, but it seems like forever to me. I was on the way to the last Homeschool Spelling Bee practice. Mom had told me that morning that I should try to make some new friends, but I kept thinking, I already know everyone at the church, so who would I be trying to make friends with? Mom dropped me off and I went inside. They had already started so I looked around for a good seat. Where should the only empty spot be except right by a new girl who looked kindly nervous. I marched right up to her, sat down, leaned over, and said, "Hi, my name's Amanda." She looked at me and mumbled, "My name's Jessica." Really, it's amazing how those few words were the start of something absolutely wonderful. We didn't say much else until the person giving out the words said a word she didn't mean to say. I spelled the word she had said correctly, but they told me I was out. Jessica was suddenly saying to them, "Amanda spelt it right." The word-giver looked around and asked if that was true. Jessica kept nodding her head and so I was back in the game. We smiled at each other, and it was all good from there!

It's weird how when you first meet someone, you try your best to make a good impression. I was shy back at age 13, but I didn't want Jessica to know that. After spelling bee practice, we went outside, and I was going right up to people and talking about whatever came to my head. I was talking to the kids I usually didn't talk to, but with Jessica there, I felt like I needed to be more outgoing, because Jessica seemed shy herself(turns out that was a total false judgement.). Months went by, and me & Jessica were still becoming closer and closer. Every weekend, one of us would go to the other's house and we'd talk and play games and talk and take pictures. Oh, and talk some more. We would talk about everything, from shoes to how we wanted to die. Jessica was very emo, even then. She would talk about how stupid it was to kill yourself, but then she'd have all sorts of ways planned out about how you could do it. She talked about her funeral, she talked about death, she talked about weapons. Another thing she seemed obsessed with was weight. She was constantly calling herself fat and spouting off about how many carbs and calories where in such-and-such. When I met her, her family was really into eating organically. EVERYTHING was organic, from the chips to the mayo, to the cookies to the peanut butter. Everything was totally organic. Jessica would eat almost nothing at her house, but when she came over to my house, she would fill herself up with Pez and poptarts(which she was inclined to sneak home). But then she would go home and call me the very next day saying how she always gains 5 pounds when she spends the night at my house.

Another thing Jessica would always have with her is her scars. She had white lines all up her arms and on her thighs. We played soccer together, and when she was wearing shorts, you could really seem them. I had quite a few people come up to me and ask if I knew anything about them, and I would always say that I didn't. I used to worry about them, but eventually I just forgot about them, the scars becoming just another thing that made Jessica who she was. I was reminded of them again though when she was at my house, and she came out of the bathroom and her arm was bleeding right on top of a scar. I gave her a band-aid, and was asking her about it, but she acted like it was no big deal. My mom and I already suspected that she was cutting herself, but really, how do you ask someone about that? I know I should have just asked her, but it's so much harder when you actually have the chance to ask someone that question. So I just kept my guesses to myself.

Jump to February of '07. Jessica was having a sleep over at her house for her 14th birthday. Me and 2 other girls were invited, and it was really fun and we all had a great time. When we got tired, one of the girls fell asleep on the floor, and Jessica and her friend got on the bottom bunk of the bunk beds and I got the top. Jessica and her friend started talking about Jessica's problems, and I just started crying. She was a cutter and a bulimic, and her parents were FINALLY going to send her to rehab. We had a few more months together, and she left sometime in the Spring of '07. She was gone for SO LONG. I didn't hear from her again till August, when she sent me a letter telling me that she was in rehab and that she liked it. I was so glad to hear from her. She would try to call every Saturday, but even when she would call, we were only allowed to talk 15 minutes. Oh, did we make those 15 minutes last as long as we could! I remember getting really mad at Jessica one time, because I was trying to talk to her, and she put me on speak and was talking to all of her other friends, instead of to me. We only had 15 minutes once a week, and yet she was wasting our time by making me talk to people I didn't know. I forgave her, of course, because that's just how Jessica was. She was all the time getting me to talk to new people. I personally think that she is one of the reasons why I try to talk to as many people as I can. I think she made me make it a habit; Meet as many new people as you can before something happens.

Jessica finally got out of rehab and she moved to Boston, where she was able to start her life over. She started going to public school, she made tons of new friends, and she was more gorgeous than ever. Still, with all those new and exciting things, she still made it a priority to call me, her blast from the past pal, almost every single day. Everything was going seemingly good, until she called me to say that she was leaving Boston. She wouldn't tell me why, but I figured it was because she was going back to her old habits. We still tried to make the best of it, making plans for what all we were going to do when we saw each other(she was supposed to be moving back around Nashville with some family friends). We were so excited! We were both counting down the days till she would be in little old "Lay Flat". My mom, my #1 hero, drove me out to the jail(which is also a civil service building), and who should I see in the parking lot walking around: JESSICA! I was waving at her, and Jessica had this confused look on her face, and then she started smiling bigger then I'd ever seen. I jumped out of the van and hugged her. We fell right into a conversation, and it was just so great being able to see my best friend again. I gave her her birthday present(an Edward Cullen action figure), and she opened it up right there in the parking lot. We took a few pictures, and then she had to go inside. I hugged her one last time and told her to call my cell phone when everything got situated. She went inside the building, and I haven't talked to her since.

A few days later, I got a voicemail on my cell phone. It was from Jessica's aunt, who was there when I gave Jessica her birthday present. She left a very pleasing message, saying that it was truly a blessing for me to have came to see Jessica. She said that Jessica absolutely loved her present and that she carried it around everywhere with her for the rest of the day. She said that it meant so much to Jessica that I had showed up, because it was a really hard and long day. She also said that she didn't know where Jessica was now, but that if she knew anything she'd let me know. I don't think Jessica's aunt knows how much that voicemail meant to me. I was so glad just to see Jessica, but to get a voicemail from a woman I've only said maybe 5 words to, thanking me for helping Jessica's day be a bit better...well, that just made my day.

I still pray for Jessica every single day and night. She was the sister I never had, and I'd give anything to be able to help her more. I wish I could make all the bad habits that are hurting my best friend go away forever, never to return, but I can't. Only God & Jessica can do that, so I'm just going to pray that she has the strength to give that all up. When she finally gets better, I'll be here, waiting to give her and her Edward figure a great big hug.

A Contract For Members Of My Posse

My mom asked me a question today that really got me to thinking. She asked me if all of my friends were scared of me yet since I've proven to them that I'll post pictures and videos of them on Facebook without a second thought. It got me to thinking that maybe I should provide some sort of warning. Maybe a contract sort of thing with some wonderful little fine print at the bottom and all that jazz. Maybe it could look a little something like this...

I, _______________________, aged ___ years and ___ days, hereby grant Amanda D. full permission to post whatever retarded/stupid/crazy material she wishes. I understand that it's my own fault for doing funny things, and I also understand that Amanda can't help it that she has amazing timing with her camera. I am in full awareness that if I am to say that I'm going to do something totally crazy, that Amanda will instantly whip out her Flipcam and record every single second of it. I do, however, hold the right to delete whichever pictures I want; IF I can get the camera away from Amanda, who is allowed to fight back if need be. Signed, ______________

Sentence 4 applies to pictures only. Videos are not included in this statement, nor are recordings. Amanda is not responsible for any comments that may appear on said pictures and/or videos and holds the right to sue the subject in the picture/video at any time.

Sounds good, right?? Yep, I thought so too.

Life is...

Life is like a box of chocolates-You never know what you're going to get. Sometimes it's sweet and sometimes it's bitter.

Life is like a carrot-Usually orange and crunchy, but ALWAYS pointy.

Life is like a Pick Your Adventure story book-It's up to you to make the choices.

Life is like a roller coaster-It has it's high and it's lows, and eventually it's going to end.

Life is like a cup of coffee-It's always worth getting up for.

Life is like LIFE. And that's all there is to it!

Obsession...

It's 10:10pm. I've been typing for most of the day. Say I have no life, call me lazy, pronounce me a hermit, I won't care. I'm having fun.

You may be out partying and socializing, but I bet your fingers are nowhere near as strong as mine. You are probably out site-seeing with some friends, but I don't care. I can make up my own worlds. You might be dealing with real life drama, but that's ok. I can make up my own.

This "blogging" idea was good the first time around, but for some reason it's even better the 2nd time. It's like my brain and my fingers are finally working as one. Yay!

In case you haven't noticed, I'm not very good at writing serious stuff. Even when I try to be serious, it still turns out somewhat goofy! Is it a curse or a talent? I like to think the latter. Maybe I'm just meant to make people shake their heads in wonder, roll their eyes in exasperation, and smile in amusement. Or maybe I'm just meant to write and write and write and I'm just supposed to sit at my computer for 4 hours and see what happens. That could be possible too.

Even as I'm typing, I'm still getting new ideas in my head of what to write. I think I'm going to wait until tomorrow though because I want to read something that's already wrote. It's called Memoirs of a Geisha. It's amazing so far, very interesting and sad. Maybe I'll post a blog about it....

So yeah. I think I'll end this blog with these 3 small words.
I. Am. Obsessed.

A Blog In Which I Complain

I have decided to write something about myself.

I'm 16 going on 17.
My birthday is almost at the very very very end of the year. It is always cold.
Never, in all of my 16-almost-17-years have I had a pool party on my birthday. I tend to think of this as a crime, an injustice, a horrible misfortune, cruelty at it's worst....you get the picture.

If I were to have a pool party on my birthday, everyone would freeze and most likely die. I'm not even being morbid. It's the dead truth. We would start out in my house, sitting around the heater, and then I would say something like, "Hey, let's go swimming!" Since the people I call my friends each have a good dose of common sense, they would most likely say something back like, "Um, no way José!" Well, since it's my house, my party, and my birthday, I would throw out something like, "Oh yeah? Well it's MY birthday! I'M the birthday girl, so you have to do what I say!" As we all know, your birthday is the only day of the year when you have complete control over life. And since I would probably say that, everyone would probably shrug, and then we'd all take our turns in the bathroom, then we'd walk outside and into the snow. As we would start to shiver, I would walk up onto the frozen pool deck and take a step onto the ice. "Wowie!" I would probably exclaim. "This is going to be SOME pool party!" I would then most likely take 2 steps before I fell flat on my buttocks and scrape up my elbows. Everyone would then start laughing where as I would be trying not to cry. Not because I'd be embarrassed, but because if I were to start bawling, my tears would probably freeze right to my face.

Now you see why having a pool party would be such a pain. If my birthday were celebrated on my half birthday, I'd be in good shape. June 30th is usually hot, muggy, and very sunny. December 30th is always cold, snowy, and very uninviting. I suppose I'll just settle for a heater party instead.

A Dream I Had Last Night

...for some reason, my mother & I decide to go for a cruise. We are just driving, not really going anywhere, when my mother suddenly takes a turn. We drive for a little ways more, when all of a sudden, we're surrounded by movie sets! There are cameras every 10 feet and props scattered about. There are tons of sets; some bedrooms, some kitchens, and some that are yet to be decided about. I am suddenly out of the car, walking around in a state of awe. I've always wanted to see a movie in the making, so I'm pretty stoked. I look at the props and sets a bit, and then decide to walk down this old dirt road. It's hard to tell if things are real or props here. It's very dusty, and clouds keep puffing up with every step. I cough a little bit, and continue walking. I'm fixing to walk up a small hill that appears in the road, when I see a limo coming to a stop at the top. I stop walking, squinting my eyes so that I may see through the dust. I see lots of people gathering around the limo, getting ready with their cameras, recorders, and microphones. A chauffeur gets out of the driver's seat and comes around to open the door for what must be a very important person. The dust is starting to settle by now, and I'm able to make out a human figure. It's nothing more then that at the time, nothing but a mere shadow in the dust cloud. I can hear the cameras starting to click and I can see flashes aimed towards the figure. I take a few steps more, desperately wanting to know who the famous figure is. I take no more than 4 steps when all of the sudden the dust is gone, leaving me to stare at Jackson Rathbone. Jackson looks as though he just came from an oasis, his skin cool and clean, his hair perfectly set, and his clothes perfectly pressed. He has on his clothes that he wore in Twilight, appearing as though he just came off the set of New Moon. He has a smirk on his face that only he can get away with with no one calling him arrogant. He waves to the paparazzi, and walks down the hill, coming straight towards me. I reach around to my side, where I find my camera fully charged and ready to go. I take it out and start taking as many pictures as the cursed paparazzi, snapping it at him, knowing that one crummy picture is better than no picture at all. I find it hard to get a good, clear picture because he keeps laughing at something. On my camera, his face is just a blur each time I take a shot. He finally gets to where I'm standing, and he doesn't say anything. He just smiles at me. I hold my camera, asking him without words if I can take a picture with him. He apparently understands, as he stands next to me and smiles at the camera. I take a picture, sure that this time it will be a good picture, it has to be. I'm so excited to be standing next to him that my hand keeps shaking, making all the pictures blurry. I grumble a little bit, then motion to him to follow me. Jackson does follow, all the way to the outside of a kitchen movie set. My mom is standing there, and she instantly grabs my camera away from me and starts taking pictures without me being ready. I beg her to wait a second, then stand next to Jackson. I seem to remember him being much taller than me not 15 minutes ago, but now he is the same height as me. I shrug it off, and smile at the camera. My mother continues to take more and more pictures, but with each shot, Jackson seems to be getting shorter and shorter! When he is finally a little below my shoulder, my mother frowns, seeing that there is a problem. She suddenly laughs and shakes her head, because she thinks she knows what the problem is. She takes us into the dark kitchen set, thinking the lighting is making Jackson look short. My mother is just making us sit on the counter, when Jackson's manager starts calling for him. Jackson, now back at his normal height, leaves without a word, still smiling and laughing at nothing in particular. As he and his shadow turn the corner, I wake up, realizing that it was all just a dream...

The Fat Cat

Once there was a cat,
Who was very very fat.
His eating schedule was easily understood,
Eat 24 hours of the day. And eat he would.
He did no exercises, for they made him tired.
So he sat on the couch, eating food before it expired.
The cat ate and ate, and ate some more.
He ate until he could no longer ignore.
He realized he could no longer see his feet,
And he realized that when he walked, the floor would creak.
He started to wonder how come he couldn't jump on the table.
Which he used to do, back when he was able.
His bulky size started to stick out to him like a sore thumb.
The cat then decided that the battle had begun!
For the next few months, he ate nothing put mice.
No pudding, no cake, no bread, and no rice.
No donuts, no candy, no cream made of ice.
No, he ate nothing but mice mice mice mice!
After awhile, the cat grew very thin.
He purred triumphantly-this battle he was to win!
He ran around the yard, ready to shed a few more pounds,
When he heard the most evil of evil sounds.
"Dingle dingle dingle!" went the ice cream truck,
The driver wasn't in it at that moment. Oh what luck!
The cat started towards it, but then stopped himself quick.
"How am I going to win if I go and make myself sick?!"
The cat turned around and began to walk back home.
"Oh my..what I'd give for an ice cream cone!"
"With chocolate and vanilla and candy on top!"
And with that, the cat ran towards the truck, not to be stopped.
The once skinny cat came out of that truck very slow.
For now, slow was the only speed he could go!
The cat waddled slowly off back to his house,
Wondering if he might be able to catch himself a mouse.
That night, the cat was laying on his bed,
When an interesting thought popped into his head.
"Maybe cats are meant to be lazy and fat!"
"Maybe I was just BORN to be like that!"
"If this is the case, then no more diet for me!"
"Bring on the pies and cakes! Oh, and maybe a cookie."

A Short Star Wars Story That I Wrote

Aba Fedd crouched down at the top of an old tree house in the middle of Kashyyyk. She was on a mission. A mission, unlike any she had had in the past. She was to take down one of the more feared Sith Lords, the dark Lord Riethan. Just a little bit longer... thought Aba. She had been hiding in this abandoned tree house for nearly 5 hours, waiting for the person closest to the Sith Lord to appear. Bounty hunters were trained to wait any amount of time. The credits were usually worth the wait, in the end. So Aba waited, sweat starting to bead on her forehead. Suddenly, there was movement in the woods. Aba stiffened, ready to pounce on her target. Her eyes narrowed, trying to make out who , or what, was coming. A man appeared out of the woods, looking over his shoulder as if he was being followed. Aba allowed herself a small grin. It was time to take action. As the man walked under the tree house, Aba jumped down, using great agility, as if she herself were a Jedi. The man had sensed her coming though, and already had his blood red lightsaber out by the time she was on the ground. "Well well well. Look who it is." said the man to Aba. "I was beginning to wonder when I'd see your face." Aba smiled with no humour. "It's always nice to know that one is expected, but let's get right to the nitty gritty, shall we?" Aba whipped her gun out, about to shoot, but Denjaloleb was too quick for her. He knocked the gun out of her hand, sending it flying into the woods behind him. "Did you really think you could kill me with a mere blaster?" Aba's eyes got large and a look of shock came over her face. Denjaloleb snarled. "What are you gawking at??" He turned around to where Aba was staring and there, right behind him was his master: Lord Riethan. Lord Riethan looked down at his apprentice, a cold look in his unhuman eyes. Denjaloleb got to his knees. "Lord Riethan, what are you doing...." "I've come to finish you off, apprentice." said Riethan, cutting his apprentice off. "It appears to me that you have taken much too long to kill the enemy." Denjaloleb looked up, fear on his face. "B-b-but Master, I've only jus...." "Enough." Lord Riethan ignited his light saber and drove it into Denjaloleb's back before the once upon a time apprentice could finish his last sentence. "Now," said Riethan calmly, looking at Aba. "It's time we got this over with." Aba did the only thing she could think of. She went straight up in the air with her jet pack. Suddenly, she heard a scream from below. Aba knew she couldn't fly very well, but the sight she saw made her proud of her poor flying skills. Lord Riethan, the dark Sith Lord, was quickly burning to death. Aba had took off at an unusual angle, making the jets hit Riethan's cloak, starting the burning process. As the fire climbed to Riethan's hair, the screaming worsened, and so did Riethan's threats. "CURSE YOU, ABA!! YOU SHALL NOT GET AWAY WITH THIS!!" As Riethan talked, he used a Force jump to jump up to Aba, where he grabbed her, and wouldn't let go. Aba tried to shake him off, but it was no use. She was quickly engulfed in flames too. As the fire got to Aba's back, she was, by that time, dead, as well as Lord Riethan. They sped back down to the ground, where their bones broke into a hundred pieces, and they lay next to the body of Denjaloleb.

The Bald Frog

Once upon a time, there was a bald frog. He was so bald, that if the sun hit his head JUST RIGHT, the shine that bounced off could blind a man. The frog became horribly depressed, because he liked to sunbathe, but could no longer do so without risking a life. A fairy heard the frog's depressed thoughts, and said to herself, "I shall give this frog the answer to his problems." The fairy took off for the frog's house, and when she got there, she scared the bajeebers out of the frog. He jumped as high as, well, as high as a frog. The fairy smiled, knowing how much he loved the sun, and gave him a box with a little bow on top. "Here, Frog, take this, and remember this kind act I have shown you." The fairy disappeared, and the frog opened the box. Inside, was the most lush wig he had ever seen. He put the wig on, and walked outdoors, waiting to see what would happen. People came up to the frog, asking if they could run their fingers through his new head of hair. The frog was finally at peace, and they all lived happily ever after. THE END

The Blind Smiley

Once upon a time, there was a little smiley that was blind in one eye. -_O He was a quiet soul, never speaking, not because he was mute, but because he rather liked seeing the world fly by with one less voice. Well one day, a magical fairy princess flew by the blind smiley's house, and her heart went out to him. "Aww, the poor lil thing! He needs to see this loud, annoying world with BOTH eyes!!" So the magical fairy princess picked up the smiley, and asked if him if she could blow into his eyes with her magic breath(no, it wasn't a new brand of mouth wash). The blind smiley wouldn't speak, but in his mind, he protested greatly. The fairy just laughed a loud annoying laugh, and blew into his eyes.

-_O....O_O >_< *smiley speaks* OW!! MY EYE!! OWWWW!!! THE BURN!! FEEL THE BURN!! OMG!! OW!!!!

The fairy gulped. T_T "Maybe that wasn't such a great idea..."