I am convinced the only reason girls watch romance movies is because they are lonely.

Long way to go

So I just signed up and submitted a little piece of my work to this website called Teen Ink. It's also a magazine. On the website you can publish your writing and get feedback from other teens and such. It seemed like a cool place. So after entering one of my little mediocre snippets of writing, I go and look around at the "Voted Best of the Day" articles and... gosh, they are good. Some of the most vivid and poetic descriptions I've ever seen. Some of them better than most authors now-a-days. I was truly impressed. And these are teens! Just like me. Perhaps older, but still a juvenile. It was amazing...

I realized that though writing may come naturally to me, it doesn't mean I'm anywhere near the top. I have improved lately from where I was before, but I still have a long way to go. I'm not sure how but I need to practice more, to get better. I need to write more, get stricter criticism, open up to different genres, challenge myself, think differently, expand my vocabulary. Words are so deliciously beautiful, I just need to know more of them. I need to master the art of putting these words together to form this undeniable thing in everyone who reads it. I guess I never realized how much of a passion I have for writing. I have to get better, there is no doubt. I just need to figure out how. Any suggestions? Heh...

Go check out Teen Ink, it's pretty cool and you will see what I'm talking about. Ugh...

Sarah

Joy to the world!

I am so in love with all of my presents! Today was great. Everyone enjoyed all of their gifts. I got a beautifully spectacular watch that I never thought I'd get. It's those old kind with the little face that shows a moon when it's nighttime and a sun when it's daytime. I also got bunches of books I can't wait to read. The biggest thing, though, was an iPhone! :) I love it and can't wait to transfer my sim card to it and get a cover for it tomorrow. I feel so blessed. Thank you, God, for being so good to me. I celebrate with joy, the day that you were born to die.

Sarah

Christmas tradition

I always get depressed right before Christmas. Not in a serious way, I just get gloomy and down. I don't know why. And it usually goes away before the actual day arrives. Yesterday I felt like I was having a midlife crises or something. I kept feeling like I didn't have a purpose in life and that if I wasn't striving towards something then why am I alive? But then I talked to God about it and He, as usual, had his perfect, simple response that set me in peace. Today I have felt fine but very pensive. I wonder what will happen in the future. I wonder what will become of me and my friends and of the world. I allowed myself for a while to imagine a cynical option, something like in the Hunger Games or a time when the whole government is virtually obsolete and we the people are running away from each other because most of us have gone into some bloodthirsty frenzy. It seems dark, I know, but I didn't think of it that way. I thought of it more as an adventure. But then I turned from that and decided that whatever may come, it will all work out for the glory of God and that's all I have to worry about.

Well, I hope I didn't get you down. This isn't the time to be making up horrific endings to the world, this is the time to appreciate all of the goodness around you and to reflect on the fact that the hope in your heart all started when a little baby was born thousands of years ago. After all, Christ was born to bring us salvation, grace, hope, joy, peace, comfort, and celebration. Praise Him, for He is good.

Sarah

I need to have an annoying freak out moment

Ahhhh!!!!! I can't wait for the Hunger Games movie!!!!!!!!!! Exactly three months from today!!!! Ahhhhhh!!!!! It better be good! I just listen to a song from the soundtrack for the movie and it's by Taylor Swift. It's actually really good. I like it a lot. Oh my gosh I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHlkjfalskdfja;sldkghaosdjfalkdfj!!!!!!!

There it is. Ahhh! I can't wait!!!!!! Okay, I'm done.

Sarah

Rant

Okay, so I'm going to be a little judgmental so I'm apologizing ahead of time. I'm sorry. It's probably hypocritical of me. God, please forgive me and help me to work on these things myself.

Okay, so recently I've been on Pinterest a lot more than I normally am. It's a great time waster. And as I'm looking through these pictures of cute sayings and things, it dawns on me how many of them are about needing or doing all these things for yourself. I mean, you do need to do things for yourself but at some point it's just annoying! Over and over and over, all the time, it's me, me, me. How come no one wants to do anything for anyone else? (The following is an actual picture from Pinterest)

I'm like, really? We already have so much! Oh pooh, we need more sleep and tea and road trips while thousands of people all across the globe need water and food and a place to sleep. It annoys me when all people do is complain about certain luxuries they don't have when so many people don't even have the basic necessities. Don't get me wrong, I would love to do all of these things. But I also want others to know the same riches I grew up with. Ugh... it just frustrates me.

And also, what's with all these people going around and looking for things like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, and aliens? Why? They haven't bothered us! So leave them alone, if they are out there! Otherwise they will start messing with us.

Another thing, why do parents spoil their children? There is nothing more annoying than a screaming, spoiled brat. Tell your kid no, when they scream, spank them and sit them in a corner until they can control themselves. Goodness, it's ridiculous!

Okay, I'm not in the best of moods. I'm tired. You might can tell. But there's my rant. It was rather rude. I'm sorry. My next post will be much cheerier. 'Tis the season, after all.

Sarah

I keep looking at my blog expecting it to change.

But then I remember it's me who is supposed to be writing it.

I have a headache.

Sarah

Times are changing

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." 
 ~ The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights (emphasis added by me)


It may not be like this everywhere, but from where I'm standing, there has been a lot of talk going around about where we as a country are headed. Two bills are in the process of being passed that allow the government to censor the internet. They don't say that, but that's what it means. According to Wikipedia, the SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) Bill allows the "barring of search engines from linking to such sites, and requiring Internet service providers to block access from such sites". These sites, of course, would be ones that make online piracy possible, but that's all kind of subjective, isn't it? Youtube is an obvious one. But if you thought about it the right way, Facebook and things like Photobucket could be convenient sites for stealing pictures and videos. 

And censorship isn't the only worry. Though no bills have been proposed about this yet, there is talk of the government considering any act of protest a form terrorism. Do you remember the last part of the First Amendment up there? "the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Sounds like the Constitution allows protest to me. But none of our government officials care about the Constitution anymore. It is our responsibility as citizens of the United States of America, to protect the Constitution. I know that sounds... I don't even know the word for it. It sounds extreme, it sounds talk-show-host-y, but it is true.


And you know, I really hate to be cynical. I don't like getting all worked up about conspiracies about the government and such. But this is something that needs to be acknowledged. It is very dangerous if we the people are apathetic, ignorant, indifferent to what is happening. We need to realize the immediacy of the change that is to come. But do not be afraid. No, no America was not built upon people who were afraid. 


And honestly... I am not sure of what is to come. I don't know what will happen. Maybe something beautiful will come out of all this. Maybe a revolution. But above all else, don't let these things disturb you, any of it. 


"You will hear of wars, and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come." Matthew 24:6


For some reason that verse comforts me so much. Such things must happen... but the end is still to come. I know that sounds like it should scare you, but it comforts me. 


Oh well this was much longer than intended. If you made it this far, congratulations. Tell me your thoughts. :)


With love and peace,
Sarah

Invisible Children 2012

Ah! Watch here!

I can officially check off my first accomplishment on my book list. Go check it out, it's pretty impressive. ;) Mockingjay was intense and depressing and I got really lost near the end, but the fact that she chose Peeta made up for everything. :) But the epilogue, in my opinion, killed it. It was just a little too much. I would have liked the idea of leaving their future together to the imagination. Make it a bit of a mystery. But oh well. :) It was great and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would highly, highly recommend them to anyone (well... maybe not kids. It was rather bloody). So yay! Now if I can just finished the Harry Potter series, I can move on to Walden, by Henry David Thoreau. :)

With peace and love,
Sarah

The world's greatest author of the English language... and some random sappy stuff

So I just got finished watching the Romeo and Juliet movie with Leonardo DiCaprio. Of course now I'm all caught up in this romantic stuff. And it doesn't help that Leonardo is incredibly hot and - well, let's just admit it - sexy. But even beyond that, I can't help but marvel at such a good idea as that of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespear truly must be the greatest author of the English language. The more I read his works, the more I am in awe of his talent. It is a level of greatness I will never reach. Such poetry and honest truth behind those eloquent words we're not used to that people get so caught up on. Why do people complain about his lengthy descriptions and "big words"? Can't they see what it's saying? Shakespear speaks of human nature. Of something everyone can relate to. No matter what day and age it is, all humans are alike. He can put feelings into words so smoothly it's as if your very own heart wrote it (cheesy, maybe, but true).

Romeo and Juliet specifically gives me hope for love. At times, I honestly think I will never marry. I've accepted my destiny as an old maid, and I am setting my mind to be content with that. I think I gave up the hope of actually finding a man (now I know I'm only 15 but all girls dream and hope for their future husband... and I'm beginning to think it's all a trick). Every time I read a story or watch a movie about a great guy who is totally, irrevocably in love with a girl, I think "Wow, I want a guy like that". But then I remember, it's just a story. He doesn't exist. I feel like by reading all of these stories, I'm getting this expectation set in my mind that can never be reached. And what girl wants to settle?
And sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who takes love seriously. I want love. LOVE. I don't want some goofy crush. All of my friends who are dating say it's great and they tell me all these sweet things but I realize they are just floating on the surface of what love is. They don't want to get serious because we're too young for that. And it's true, we are. My desires for a significant other is matured way beyond my age. I want devotion. I want love. True, passionate, insane love that makes it seem like the only reason worth living is for that love. But then I question, does that even exist? And around and around my mind goes in this vicious circle...

Then there's God. I feel bad that I spend so much time thinking about satisfying this desire through a boy when God probably wants me to focus only on Him. Ughh... this is why I avoid the topic of boys and love and all of that crap. I'd rather fix my mind of being content with being single all my life. Then all of this just goes away. It seems easy enough. Maybe I'll join a convent. But I'm not Catholic... Oh well...

... if I become a nun, would I be missing out on possibly the greatest gift God has given to man?

I am too young to be concerned with such thoughts. I am only 15. I should be thinking about Barbies and dress-up and tea parties.

With peace and love,
Sarah

I sit in my room all dim and warm,
And think about the way we all transform.
I wonder at things that I'll never know,
Like how many snowflakes constitutes snow,
Why does my father talk at the TV?
How long will it take for us all to agree?
Why can't they see things like this never last?
Why can't they look back into their own past?
Why are we given a second chance?
How come boys never ask us to dance?
Why are we afraid to trust our own eyes?
Why do people feel safe behind a guise?
Why do we look down on those who want change?
Are we simply afraid of someplace strange?
Why am I so enamored with the stars?
Isn't it strange that we move around in cars?
Why do we underestimate our capabilities?
Why do we feel like life is a bunch of responsibilities?
Why is there gray where there should be black and white?
Why are we afraid to stand alone in the light?
So many things I ponder,
All the time my mind, it wanders.
In my head there's such a riot,
And you wonder why I'm quiet?

Finally

Ah ha! I can finally read Catching Fire (the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy)! This weekend will be glorious. I intend to spend the rest of this afternoon reading, like I've been doing for the past two and a half hours.

Reading > TV
Reading > Internet

With love and peace,
Sarah

Absolutely.

With love and peace,
Sarah