Two and a Half Things

Thing 1: Technology is made of evil. I was unable to blog last night because I had internet for all of maybe half an hour and the connection was sloooow. And of course last night was the one night in the last several weeks that I have really and truly needed an internet connection because of schoolwork. Go figure. Thanks, technology. Love you too. I'm only able to blog tonight because I am not at home, which leads me nicely into...

Thing 2: I am currently in a room at the Sewanee Inn. First college visit this weekend. I don't have much of an opinion yet, since it got dark before we arrived, but tomorrow I will be able to tell you all about Sewanee (aka the University of the South). I have not seen anyone in jeans yet, and that's not a good sign, but we'll see.

Thing 2.5: I have a song that I really really really want to share with all of you but it's not on YouTube yet and there's only a 30-second clip on iTunes. I haven't been able to find it on Grooveshark either. This frustrates me immensely. But I have a very awesome song recommendation for you guys once I can find it.

And now I should sleep. Because I'm tired. (Or maybe I'll just stay on the internet for a while. Whatever.)

Love,
Bex

Victory

I would like you all to know that I am officially a Script Frenzy 2010 winner. I have the icons and everything:

Aren't they lovely? Yes, I thought you'd agree. But it took some work to get there.

My final screenplay document was 106 pages (plus one line). So, when you subtract out the title page, it was really 105 pages of text. However, in order to confirm that you've won, you have to convert the file to a pdf and it counts the pages for you.

The PDF Converter decided that I only had 96 pages of material.

Grr.

So, I added some stuff and messed around with it a bit until the pdf finally admitted that I had 104 pages. A page short, but whatever. I figure it counts.

Also I have finished another book. However, I have homework that I have put off to finish Screnzy, so I should do that. Remind me to tell you all about THE RECKONING tomorrow, when I really have time to do it justice. Kelley Armstrong's work deserves a blog post of its own.

TTFN, interwebs. Love,

Bex

On Endings

I hate writing endings.

I never know how to end anything. I've finished first drafts of three novels. One of them ends with "to be continued" and two of them have ridiculously lame conclusions. I know this is something that could/should be fixed with later drafts (and/or by adding a sequel), but honestly, the two lame-conclusions ones were NaNo stories that I don't plan to redraft anyway.

I just don't know where to stop, how to wrap things up nicely without providing too much information, what should happen at the end of a story. I love playing with new ideas and characters, but finishing them is hard. I keep getting sidetracked by new ideas.

Case in point: Script Frenzy. I've written up to the climax...and now, having absolutely no idea what to write there, I have turned back to Chelsey.

I am going to finish Screnzy. I am. Possibly tonight, more likely tomorrow. Promise.

And I'm going to finish Chelsey too. Eventually.

But I hate (loathe, despise, detest) writing endings. Because I never have any idea how. You'd think I'd have a better idea, given how much I read (since all books have endings). But I don't.

Guess I'll have to figure it out as I go.

Love,
Bex

Grrr.

I am thoroughly annoyed, people of the internets. I've read my copy of DEATHLY HALLOWS exactly once - the night it came out. Each of my parents has read it once, and then it sat on my bookshelf for two years, which is probably the longest my Harry Potter books have ever sat on a shelf untouched, and then I lent it to a friend. As far as I know, she and her brother each read it once.

It was in perfect condition when I lent it to her. And when I got it back, the pages were barely attached to the cover anymore because the binding had come undone. And MM is not someone who mistreats books. She's very nice to them. And it wasn't like there were any pages bent or anything - except for the fact that the binding had basically come completely undone, it was still in perfect condition.

Well, now I've sat down to reread it, and the binding problem has gotten even worse, and the pages are now coming apart as well, so if the one tiny strip of paper that's holding them together comes undone, I will have Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Deathly Hallows Part 2. Part 2 will still be shabbily attached to the cover. Part 1 I'm not so sure about.

"Well, Becky, it's a book," you say. "Easy enough to replace. There's a Barnes and Noble five minutes from your house. You're in there so often half the employees know you. Just go buy a new one."

Well, I would, only...the one I have is a hardcover first edition that I got at the midnight release. It's special because it's a first edition, yes, and also because - well - I got it at the last midnight release party for a Harry Potter book ever and it's kind of got some sentimental value.

It has not been mistreated. It's barely even been read. The library copies have been read loads more than this one and they're still fine. So why is my book falling apart?

If I write to Scholastic, they'll replace it. I do not want it replaced, I want it repaired. Maybe this is childish and impossible, but that's what it feels like. Is it stupid to feel like I'm losing a friend when one of my favorite/most treasured books is falling apart?

Here's to my copy of HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, which I may not be able to finish reading again.

Love,
Bex

The Today List

Something that you should probably know about me, if you haven't figured it out yet, is that I make lists. A lot. I am a compulsive list-maker. (Also freakishly organized, although you'd never know it from looking at my closet, but that's beside the point.) So, as is fairly typical of me, I have made a list of things I have done today. Not all-inclusive, of course -- I'm sure you don't want me to tell you every single boring detail of my day -- but a reasonable sampler.

1. Finished reading HP6.

2. Went back over some more of HP5.

3. Started HP7.

4. Thought very hard about taking some Tylenol or Advil but decided to take a nap instead, because I don't like drugs and naps are nice.

5. Attempted to teach myself some Spanish grammar concepts. (Yes, I was reading snippets of a textbook for fun while my family watched a movie. I understand that I am weird. I accepted that a long time ago.)

6. Seriously considered dancing/singing like mad to my iPod but realized my family (who was watching a movie) might not appreciate the noise.

7. Fell asleep on my bedroom floor.

8. Ate ice cream.

9. Worked on Screnzy.

10. Typed this list and realized how genuinely uninteresting my day was, especially considering that AF and ES were having a blast at a Goo Goo Dolls concert. Oh well. Relaxation is good...right?

Love,
Bex

Live Music!

I just got home (as in, thirteen minutes ago) from the semi-local Performing Arts Center, where I was volunteering with World Vision at what was arguably the most amazing concert I have ever been to. Tenth Avenue North and Casting Crowns. (!!!!!) It was FABULOUS.

World Vision, if you don't know, is an organization that sponsors children in third-world countries so that they can have food, water, education, medical care, etc. They mostly work through the church, so they distribute Bibles and stuff like that to the sponsored kids, and you can write to the kids and everything, it's great. My family sponsors two children, one from Guatemala and one from Honduras, I think. Yuri and Jose, aged 10 and 2 respectively. You can (and should) check out the World Vision website here.

And Tenth Avenue North. Ohhhmygosh. I ADORE that band. They did some very awesome, very powerful songs that I can't post links to because they aren't on YouTube yet because they haven't officially been released yet because they're from the new album The Light Meets the Dark, which doesn't come out until May 11. But I will absolutely be getting some of those songs the second they come out. Especially "You Are More." New favorite song? Oh, yes. I think so. And I got to hear "Hold My Heart" live (squee!), which was kind of the most amazing thing EVER because I LOVELOVELOVE that song.

And then Casting Crowns. I've been a fan of Casting Crowns since as long as I can remember, and I'd recommend some specific songs but I wouldn't know which one(s) to choose because they are almost ALL just fabulous. I'm sure you'll be hearing more about some of these songs later. But Casting Crowns eeeek squeee YAY!!!!!!!

Suffice it to say that hanging out with KD and listening to two AMAZING bands and helping people help children worldwide made for one of the best evenings I have had in a VERY long time. The concert was AWESOME. If you ever get a chance to see either of those bands in concert...TAKE IT.

Love,
Bex

Talent

I spent three hours of my evening tonight at my school's talent show. There were a lot of very talented people. It was an excellent show. I'm gonna take this opportunity to call out KD and OC, who performed a fantastic rendition of Dashboard Confessional's "Stolen" (which is an excellent song; you should absolutely go listen to it. The band's video is pretty cool too).

And K and O weren't the only ones who were awesome. SK, AB, and OB had written what was absolutely the funniest song I have ever heard, which listed every teacher in the school. They won first place and they absolutely deserved it. LB, DJ, and OB did a very good job on Billy Joel's "Piano Man" as well, with an awesome piano/accordion/harmonica trio. And MB and JC sang the White Stripes' "We're Going to Be Friends," and of course there was MM singing Magnetic Fields' "The Book of Love," also very well done (placed fourth). And an all-freshmen band did an excellent job on the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "Under the Bridge."

This is not to say it was all singing. An AP Lit class, including Mrs. L, did this skit-song-thing from Dr. Horrible's Awful Blog or something like that. Three underclassmen girls did some very impressive Irish dancing, which placed second. They were excellent. And then of course there was senior DA, who belly-danced. It definitely took skill to do it, but it was a little strange to see at a school performance. Still, she did well. And JJ and PH did a really awesome ukulele duet.

That's only a few of the acts that were out there, but they really were excellent. I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone who performed tonight, because you were all awesome! And now I'm going to sign off and attempt to get some Screnzying done and maybe that last APEX diagnostic (again). Have a lovely evening, all!

Love,
Bex

Teachers Are a Crazy Bunch

I have drawn the conclusion that teachers are insane. Since I live with one (my dear old Dad - I do love him but he's crazy), have met several of his teacher friends, and see lots of other teachers every day at school, I feel like I am somewhat qualified to draw that conclusion. However, I shall provide examples for you.

-This morning, I had a conversation with Dad on the way to school about "whoever" versus "whomever" when it is both the subject of a verb and the object of another verb. This is a conversation you will probably not ever have with someone who is not an English teacher.

-My history teacher. Oh my goodness gracious. I was up until some ridiculous hour of the night early morning finishing homework for his class so that I would not have to use my second-semester late pass and would therefore earn five extra credit points on my test (I need all the points I can get in that class). Then when we all get to class, he announces that he's making it a group test, so we can work with four other people (assigned, not chosen, mind you) but that's too much of an advantage to put five extra points on top of it. *sigh* I could have slept last night!

-My Spanish teacher, who I am very glad to say is teaching our class again now that our student teacher has left, is excited about the enormous windows her classroom will have next year at our new campus, because she can grow her own vegetable garden inside her classroom. I love Srta. D, I really do - she's unquestionably the best Spanish teacher I've ever had - but this amused me.

-Don't even get me started on last year's Spanish teacher. He tried to teach us the present progressive by saying that he ate babies "Estoy caminando el bebe! I am walking the baby! And for -er verbs, it's -iendo! Estoy comiendo el bebe! I am eating the baby!" and then he proceeded to babble to a couple of the obnoxious freshmen about different flavors of babies. He also tried to teach us direct object pronouns by saying that he would give TG an orange, because TG had scurvy. (Your guess is as good as mine.)

-And then there's my creative writing teacher. He's certifiable. Granted, he's amazing - "certifiably insane" is not a bad thing in this case. But he is crazy. He gets very excited about bad puns and strong verbs and weird art and jazz music, and he also adores tvtropes.com.

-My math teacher. Ms. P is a great math teacher (no really - several of my friends [yes, I am talking to you, KD] didn't like her at all, but she does explain things well) but she's...well, she's got an interesting personality. I spend most of her class laughing with RF, MM, and JA, but I distinctly remember one time when Ms. P expressed surprise that any of her students could possibly dislike her, because "What is there not to like?!" ...excuse me for one moment while I choke.

-Mrs. S, my chem teacher, is very politically conservative, and does not hesitate to tell us all about how our country is "going to hell in a handbasket" because of health care and she's leaving the country as soon as she has the money. The following class period, she proceeded to demonstrate to us how to tell whether a snake is male or female, describe how snake sex works, and then show us a t-shirt she has designed about herpetological reproductive anatomy. Yeah, not fun.

-I will never forget Ms. M (Mrs. G now that's she's married)'s answer when CH asked what "bosom" meant: "It means boobs." Also she welcomed me to the "cult of people who watch LOST" a couple of weeks ago. She doesn't like season six because the teacher behavior in the teachers' lounge is unrealistic. Only a teacher would say something like that.

-And then there's Mrs. R. You just know she's crazy, because she lets all of us hang out in her classroom during lunch. Of course, we all believe "crazy" to be entirely synonymous with "really freaking awesome" in this case, but anyone who lets all of my friends and me hang out in one room - her room - during the lunch half-hour has gotta be slightly mad.

So - there you have the evidence. D'you agree with me yet about teachers being crazy? XD

Gotta go - I've got work to do. Catch ya later!
Love,
Bex

Life Lessons

1. Dance parties with a three-year-old, a six-year-old, and a seven-year-old are much more fun than kickball tournaments with kids your own age.

2. The world would be a much better place without AP US History. Or, if not the world, at least the lives of several Magnet students.

3. Certain parts of certain books and movies will always make you cry, no matter how many times you read/watch them. This is nothing to be ashamed of.

4. Amazing friends are what make life worth living. (♥ ♥ ♥ to KD, AF, CH, CJ, SH, JH, RF, JD, and SP. You guys are amazing and I love you.)

5. The longer you put something off, the harder it is to actually do it (and in a lot of cases, the less likely you are to actually do it at all). One example is homework. There are other examples that I could mention as well, but I suspect that the list would go on and on and on if I really got started.

6. It really is possible to connect anything to Harry Potter.

7. Chocolate really does make you feel better. (Unless you're allergic. But I'm not, so for me personally, this one is quite true.)

8. An exhausted body at rest will remain at rest unless forcibly awakened by an outside entity such as an alarm clock or an irate parental unit.

9. Little kids are probably the most accepting group of people you will ever find anywhere.

10. Life's a lot more fun when you don't care what other people think of you.
      10a. That's a lot easier said than done.

Love,
Bex

I Wanna Hear Some Music...

I would like to apologize for my apparent inability to blog every day. That's twice now in the last week that I've skipped days not because I've been at someone else's house or out of town or too busy doing homework to even consider the internet but because I just forgot.

However, I hope I can make it up to you with a couple of song recs. The first is "Crashin'" by Jack's Mannequin, which is where the title of this post comes from (the opening line of the song is "I wanna hear some music, now that they're driving us all underground"). It's really quite an excellent song. Definitely worth a listen.

"And even if your voice comes back again, maybe there'll be no one listening. And even if you find the strength to stand, it doesn't mean you won't go missing, and the world will come crashin'..."

The next song I want to recommend is called "Tapes" and it's by Alanis Morisette. AF gave me this one a while back and I absolutely adore it. Then last night I spread the songvirus to CH, who reportedly also thinks it is made of awesome. Absolutely go listen to it like right now.

"'I am someone easy to leave, even easier to forget,' a voice, if inaccurate. Again, 'I'm the one they all run from,' diatribes of clouded sun, someone help me find the pause button..."

 Finally, I must share a song that an old friend from summer camp posted on Facebook the other day. It's called "I Do Believe in Nargles" by The Whomping Willows. Absolute hilarity for the Potternerds out there. Check it out. XD

Gonna go now. I kind of forgot all about Screnzy yesterday until four minutes til midnight, which means I wrote absolutely nothing, so I should do something about that. And I wanna finish ORDER OF THE PHOENIX. Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Love,
Bex

Mini-Blog: Get Out

Don't have long tonight, folks, but I want to share an amusing and very well-done short film called "Get Out." It's about a guy who's afraid of doors. Many thanks to KD for finding it. You can check out the video here.

I suspect you'll enjoy it. Especially the twist at the end.

Also you should watch the one about a ninja love story. It is the most adorable thing I have encountered in quite some time.

Enjoy! And good night! Love,
Bex

To-Do List

First off, my apologies for not posting yesterday - time got away from me and I totally forgot. Next I'd like to apologize for the brevity and boringness of tonight's post. Merely a simple to-do list. Because I have lots to do.

1. Stop wasting time on the computer(/making very detailed excel spreadsheets about all sorts of random details which cause KD to worry about your sanity).

2. Do your precal homework. The page numbers are written in your agenda.

3. Create a storyboard for your creative writing children's book. You should have done this in class yesterday but were distracted. Idiot.

4. Find a couple of studies you can use for your methodology write-up.

5. Use these studies to complete your methodology write-up.

6. At least make an effort to start the 6x9s for APUSH so you have time to study this weekend. You really do not need another bad grade in that class.

7. Finish reading ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, because it's awesome.

8. Remember, you will need to sleep tonight if you do not wish to be completely dead tomorrow, so do try not to put things off too terribly much.

9. Taking a shower would also be a good idea at some point.

10. Wrap up this blog post. You're on the internet wasting time again. Sign off. Close out. Go do your homework.

I guess I'd better obey my to-do list, folks. I can't necessarily promise a more interesting post tomorrow, but I'll try to have something fun for you soon. Good night!

Love,
Bex

Assorted Randomness

One of the rules of successful blogging, according to my father, is that you should have something to blog about or else nobody will be interested.

I hope you're interested even if this is just a collection of randomness. What's in it for you? Well, there's a song rec at the end, my first one in a while, and possibly some other things that might amuse you. Depends on your sense of humor, I suppose. Guess you'll have to read and find out if you're interested. >:D

I don't understand TV's obsession with sex. Don't get me wrong, I love ABC's "crime dramedy" CASTLE (that's how they describe it on their website). It's one of my favorite shows. But tonight's episode, and a few others, have had these storylines involving random hook-up sex and I don't get it. Maybe that makes me weird - I know, I know, a teenager NOT obsessed with sex? call the insane asylums now - but I don't understand why casual sex is such an accepted topic, especially to portray on TV. *sigh* End rant. Before it gets out of hand.

And now, a quote from HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE. Just a random one:

[re: Percy's in-tray if he left work for five days]
"Someone might slip dragon dung in it again, eh, Perce?" said Fred.
"That was a sample of fertilizer from Norway!" said Percy, going very red in the face. "It was nothing personal!"
"It was," Fred whispered to Harry as they got up from the table. "We sent it."

I kind of adore this book. Like a lot. The whole series actually. ♥ XD My copy of this particular book is rather falling apart...If I am not VERY careful with it, I'm going to have 3 different sections of HP4. (AF already does, but really, I prefer my books in one piece....)

For some inexplicable reason, I keep thinking of the quote from "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner": "Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink!" I'm not sure why. But there you have it.

I've seen this "Piece of Flair" on Facebook (yes, I collect Facebook flair - I have already openly admitted to being a nerd, so I don't care if you call me one), and it says "Forget this - I'm transferring to Hogwarts." I have decided: whoever wrote that, I'm coming with you. Much more fun than chemistry tests and APUSH quizzes.

There's a new episode of LOST tomorrow. I'm excited. CH and I are actually discussing it as I'm typing this... the general consensus is that we want the old Charlie back and that we are tired of the "Where is my husband/wife?!?!" frantic searching. And also time travel and...uh...interdimensional parallel universe quantum physics whatever-you-call-it travel is also pretty awesome.

Little brothers can be really obnoxious.

Finally, the song rec I promised. All day today, I've had "Before It's Too Late" by the Goo Goo Dolls stuck in my head. I'm not sure why, but there you go. Anyway it's an excellent song, and I suggest that you go listen to it.

"Hold on, before it's too late, we'll run till we leave this behind. Don't fall, just be who you are, it's all that we need in our lives."

Quite a good song. Also, CH has recommended the Owl City songs "Hello Seattle" and "On the Wing," both of which I enjoyed. In fact, I would not be surprised if he recommended one or both of them in his blog post tonight, but I haven't read it yet. That is my plan as soon as I finish this post.

Speaking of finishing this post. I said the song rec[s] would wrap it up, and so they shall. G'night, internetfolks! Love,
Bex

A Farewell to Spring Break

I have decided to say farewell to the final evening of Spring Break 2010 with a list. A list of what, you might ask? A list of reasons that I have no interest in going back to school.

1. I just finished rereading PRISONER OF AZKABAN again. (3 HP books in 3 days - ohhyeah! XD) I would really, really love to read GOBLET OF FIRE tomorrow, but if I'm in school all day and doing homework in the afternoon, that just isn't going to happen. Which makes me sad.

2. I have a chemistry test tomorrow. It's on molecular geometry, which I have no understanding of, plus it's a test on a Monday morning after a week off - how am I supposed to remember any of it?!

3. I have an APUSH quiz tomorrow. It shouldn't be too difficult, assuming it's on the review book like most of us think it is (although apparently there was some confusion over this), but it's still a quiz.

4. I will presumably have to choose a "work of literature" to read. Because to my AP Lang teacher, Harry Potter does not count. Especially since JK Rowling is British, not American, and she's not dead. Plus I hate AP Lang anyway. Love reading, love writing, hate English class. Go figure.

5. I can't sleep in. I'll have to actually get up in the morning. For a night person like me, this basically sucks.

6. Jeans + very sunburnt legs = ow. Unfortunately, school means I have to wear long pants if I don't want to freeze from the A/C. I can't just wear shorts and a blanket like I've been doing at home.

7. Just when I was getting used to NOT having to carry textbooks that way as much as I do all over the place...

8. School is unproductive. See the post entitled Sand and Silliness. I learn SO much more on my own time.

9. It is so nice to not be stressed and pressed for time. I can write screenplays! Read books! Organize things! Get enough sleep at night! School makes all of that go byebye.

10. Believe it or not, it's actually quite nice not having to deal with all the obnoxious high school drama that seems to follow my friends and me around. I know - shocking, right? I mean, who DOESN'T want to deal with drama all the time? That must make me weird.*

Ten is a nice round number, so I'm gonna stop the list right there and go attempt to learn molecular geometry. Have a lovely evening, everyone! Love,
Bex

*I really hope no one is dim enough to miss the heavy sarcasm with which these statements are infused.

We've Never Blown Up a Toilet!

Title quote courtesy of George Weasley. Even though it's really more of a Fred line.

So, Harry Potter and chemistry homework basically consumed my day today. I reread CHAMBER OF SECRETS in a couple of hours this afternoon....I really do adore this series. After reading this one again, I can completely remember exactly why I absolutely cannot STAND Gilderoy Lockhart. He's such a butt.

And Ginny! She's so cute and little in this one! Teehee. It's kind of weird, though, thinking about it - as a second year, Harry is the same age as my little brother: four years younger than I am. Actually, Harry's birthday being when it is, he's almost five years younger than I am. Except that by the last book he's a year older than I am. It's kind of weird to think about. I grew up with Harry. It's crazy.

But man do I love these books. So, so much.

Also: chemistry homework sucks. Especially when you realize you do not have any sort of concrete understanding of the material because your teacher never explained it (or you missed it if she did) and that you have a test on this stuff second block the first day back after spring break. KD, if you're reading this, I am kidnapping you Monday morning and making you explain it to me because you understand chemistry.

APUSH homework is not much better. *sigh*

At least I'm almost done with homework. And now, I am going to reread POA. Again. Teeheehee.

Love,
Bex

Sand and Silliness

I've never been a huge fan of beaches. I don't like sand, and I can never seem to spend any time at the beach without getting a sunburn, no matter how much sunscreen I apply. Guess that's one of the unfortunate side effects of being so ridiculously pale.

But despite the fact that beaches aren't really my thing, I managed to have lots of fun today with CJ, AF, and ZH. For the record, doing handsprings is even harder than usual when you're in thick sand. And whoever decided that swings are for little kids was obviously confused. (I'm thinking "wouldn't recognize a joke if it danced naked in front of him wearing Dobby's tea cozy," from Fred Weasley about Percy.) Also, children's books make lovely afternoon entertainment for a group of sunburnt teenagers in Barnes and Noble.

So even though my legs are now a painful shade of scarlet (hey, Gryffindor colors at least, right?), I would count today as something of a success. I don't even look like a sandpire anymore.

What is a sandpire, you ask? Well, the vampires from TWILIGHT sparkle, and sand sparkles, so naturally the Cullens were made of sand. Right? ZH and I know it's true. XD Hence, sandpires.

I've finished my umpteenth reread of HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE. I lost count of how many times I've read these books a looong time ago, but it had been almost three years since I read any of them. I have missed Hogwarts. So much. So, it's good to be back. :)

Unfortunately, sand and sun and the Sorcerer's Stone haven't been getting any scriptwriting done. Guess I better buckle down and do that. And maybe some homework, too, since we have to go back to prison school on Monday. *sigh* I don't usually dislike school so much. Sure, APUSH and Chemistry are not exactly thrilling, but I've never minded school that much. I think it's because I've just had a week off and going back to using my time unproductively is not going to be fun. At all.

For those of you who caught that "un" and questioned it, yes, I find school to be relatively unproductive. This week, I've learned about the history of togas, conjugated a couple of different verbs in Latin, practiced screenwriting and story organization, organized things in my bedroom, researched colleges, gotten a healthy amount of sleep, practiced my Spanish skills by eavesdropping on native speakers in public places, and understood quantum physics (granted, that was from LOST, but still). During school, what do I accomplish? Sleep deprivation. Building alien spaceships like the MDADAM (Mass Death and Destruction Alien Motorbike) from the molecular geometry kits. Doodling practice. A vast array of random, irrelevant, interesting tidbits that are the only things the teachers DON'T put on the quizzes.

I think I learn more on my own time. And on my own time, I get to read Harry Potter.

OH! And the EVERNIGHT series by Claudia Gray! Fun vampire novels, admittedly a bit cliched with the romance but with an interesting twist on the mythology by throwing in wraiths instead of werewolves. If I had more time, I'd rant about them, but for now I can only show you the cover of HOURGLASS (Book 3, which I finished on Wednesday), highly recommend them (first one is called EVERNIGHT), and direct you to the author's website.

And now, I'm off to work on Screnzy (current page count is 46, I think, but I've divided it into two separate documents which means I can't use the MS Word page count without doing some basic math) and read more Harry Potter. Because, as Ranulf (from HOURGLASS) says, "That is the manner in which I roll."

Love,
Bex

Harry Potter

I don't think I've spazzed much on this blog about how much of a total Harry Potter nerd I am. But, I am one. (AF can vouch for me. She's one too. XD)

I could go on and on about why I love the entire series, how frustrated I am with their apparent inability to make a movie that resembles the book (although some of them have definitely been better than others, and on the whole the screenplays have been decent, mostly), all the Harry Potter-related things I either bought, was given, or made when I was a kid, etc., etc., etc., but I'll spare you.

Instead, I will say only this: I really want to reread them. Likenow. Because it's been AGES. It's been almost three years since I read any of the books. I don't think I've gone that long without [re]reading any of them since I first started. I've only read the seventh one once! Granted, that's the only one I've read just once, but still.

I also kind of want to make an Encyclopedia of All Things Harry Potter. Because I am a nerd. Yup.

I...guess that's pretty much it for now, yeah....Catch ya later!

Love,
Bex

LOST

This is going to be the last post dedicated to LOST until next Tuesday at the absolute earliest. I promise. But see...I'm caught up now. I watched probably 2 seasons' worth of the TV show in the last week and a half or so, and as of three minutes ago, I finished watching my first-ever episode of LOST actually on TV.

It's seriously the weirdest show I have ever seen. But in a really strange way, it kind of makes sense.

Because all they have to do is un-explode an h-bomb that exploded thirty years ago, in one of two universes. Nothing too complicated. Right?

Hehehehe. I love this show. AND, Faraday and Charlie are back! *squee* They're two of my favorites. And they're baaack. This makes me really happy.

I don't want to say too much and spoil it for people who haven't seen it yet. But eek. This show is fabulous.

Gonna shut up now and go back to Screnzying. I'm writing 3 separate scripts, now, that I'm eventually going to put together as a bunch of flashback sequences and stuff like that....it works for me, and for right now, that's all that matters. KD and SH are gonna help me fix it later.

That's all for now, folks. Laters!

Love,
Bex

Too Much TV

Sooo I now have, um, five episodes of LOST left before I'm completely up to speed. I think that constitutes a liiiittle bit too much online TV. But....

Quantum physics + Euro Ben + smashed mirrors + names in a cave (<-- roflcave) + Claire + time travel = ack!!!!!!

I love this show. It's so weird. But I love it.

ALSO I love Castle. Which has reportedly been signed for a full third season. This pleases me greatly. Admittedly the endings are a bit predictable. I figured out the killer from tonight's episode wayyy back at the beginning (and then changed my mind, but I was right in the first place!), but even so. Less predictability would be a plus, but I would be very upset if it got cancelled. I adore Castle.

Anyway.

I think I'ma watch another episode of LOST now. Because if I can get through 5 more episodes before 9pm tomorrow, I can watch my first-ever episode of LOST on TV. And that would be very exciting.

Who, me? Nerdy/geeky/whatever the appropriate term is? I think not. >_>

Well, okay, maybe a little.

Or, you know, a lot.

OH! Before I forget! AF and I found, online, the PDF of the script from the pilot episode of the first season of LOST. And it was the funniest thing I have ever seen. All the chaotic plane crash death and destruction wasn't nearly this funny on TV.

There is no way Boone was thirty.

Signing off now. Love,
Becky

Happy Easter!

So, the time got away from me yesterday and I didn't post. I was watching LOST (surprise surprise). I have an episode and a half left of Season 5.

Time travel conundrum anyone? Yeesh. Because if they blow the bomb up, then they'll never get to the island to blow the bomb up, and if they don't blow the bomb up, then they will crash on the island, which means they'll blow the bomb up, so they'll never crash on the island, so they won't blow the bomb up, so they'll crash on the island, so they'll blow the bomb up...

You see where this is going. It's a bit ridiculous. I love this show.

Anyway, I just wanted to take a few minutes to wish everyone a Happy Easter! It's not all about the chocolate and painted eggs (and getting to listen to Jack's Mannequin again after giving it up for Lent -- here's to KD, who succeeded in this spectacular feat), either. People say "Jesus is the reason for the season" around Christmas, but He's really what Easter is about too. Remember that today...well, actually, today's not gonna be around much longer. In a few hours it'll be tomorrow.

And I've written exactly nothing today. After dinner (no, I haven't eaten dinner yet), I'll get right on that.

Hasta luego, everybody. Happy Easter!

Love,
Bex

Shut Up, Inner Editor

One problem that I always have during NaNo is that my Inner Editor (the Grammar Snob and Structural/Linguistic Perfectionist of Doom) will not shut up. This Inner Editor always yells at me to go back and fix things that I shouldn't be worried about fixing yet, to completely restructure this one part, to go back and fix every single typo before I write another word. But that was a NaNo thing, never interfering with Screnzy.

Until now.

Yes, right now, almost at the end of Day 2, I'm seeing a total restructuring of my story setup. This is probably because I know more about the backstory and the flashbacks and everything than about my actual plot, which is basically nonexistent. So I really want to start over again and put everything in the right order and present it completely differently.

Which I suppose I could do, but...NaNo and Screnzy are supposed to be the Months of Turning Off Your Inner Editor. (Except for thesis. I kinda need my Inner Editor while I'm working on thesis. Thesis is kind of a big deal.)

Bahh. It's only day two. I can restructure and still finish in time...as long as this is the only restructure...

Right?

I'm gonna go for it. Inner Editor, you win this one. I'm gonna maintain that it's only because I need you to stick around for working on senior thesis. Come November, when thesis is basically done and over with and it's NaNo time again...I shall have my revenge.

Probably no more scripting is going to happen tonight. Much. Except maybe a bit of restructuring. I need a title. I need a soundtrack. I need to totally and completely know and understand my characters and my plot.

I'm a bit obsessed. I think researching screenwriting for senior thesis does that to you.

Shut up, brain, shut up.

Alright, dear internetfolks, I'm signing off now. Otherwise I'll never be able to shut up. Especially if I start talking about LOST now that I've seen up to Season 5 Episode 9 --

Shut up, brain, shut up.

Hasta luego, internetfolks! Love,
Bex

Fade In

For those of you who are not well-versed in screenwriting format, "Fade In" is the term used to signal that a screenplay is beginning. I figured it was a fitting title for today's post...because across the world, lots and lots of screenplays are beginning. April 1: Screnzy 2010 has officially begun.

*cue mega-excitement*

I'm on page 8. Considering the page goal for day 1 is 3.3, I think I'm good to go. But I don't think I'm done writing yet.

I can already tell, though, that this is going to take some MASSIVE revision before it's anywhere near ready to be presented to the public. Hmm.

In other news, happy birthday to Fred and George Weasley! (-->In my mind, Fred Weasley lives on. The first six books are still out there too!<-- CH, don't read that. Likewise anyone else who has not read book seven.)

And, in other other news, it's April Fools' Day. Unfortunately, I didn't get to pull any spectacular April Fools' jokes on anyone, but CH did. (♥ KD!) Did you?

AND, in other other other news, I've now watched through Season 5 Episode 5 of LOST. This has got to be the weirdest show in the history of ever, but I love it. XD

I'ma sign off now, before this gets too ridiculously rambling and blabbery. Until next time, internetfolks!

Love,
Bex