I kinda disappeared there, didn’t I?

So, I first want to say thank you to everyone of you who left a comment for me on my last post. You were all very encouraging and I really appreciate the time some of you put in to typing all those long comments. Since Christmas week, I and my family have been battling horrible colds and I am finally recovering from mine. This means that I basically have not see anyone outside of family for several weeks so I still haven’t gotten to be around a large group of friends and actually practice not holding back anymore but hopefully this Sunday I’ll have a chance to step out of my comfort zone more…. I seriously need to do this soon.

News of importance, I saw the first season of Sherlock! I’m working on a post about but to just share some brief thoughts now: I. FREAKING. FLIPPING. LOVE. THIS. SHOW. I am desperately waiting for the second season to be found at the library and put on my card so I (and the rest of the family) can watch the next three episodes.

(Yes, I do know there is a inappropriate scene in the first episode of the second seaon, about six different friends have warned me of it. I’m saying this now so you all don’t repeat yourselves in the comment section. We shall have the fast forward button ready, I assure you.)

I am dying to continue watching this show. Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes is SPOT. ON. PERFECT. He is amazing; he rivals Basil Rathbone’s version even with the large differences like being a modern version. But seriously, Benedict’s Sherlock is perfect. I love him to death. Martin Freeman as John is also perfect casting. He compliments Benedict’s Sherlock so well and they make the perfect Holmes and Watson team.  The end scene of the first episode with them walking off the crime scene together in slow-mo with the theme song triumphantly playing left me with the hugest grin possible–it was so perfect (see gif above).

O.M.G IT’S ALL JUST SO PERFECT AND I AM FREAKING HEAD-OVER-HEELS BACK IN LOVE WITH SHERLOCK, I HAVEN’T FELT THESE BUTTERFLIES SINCE I WAS ABOUT FOURTEEN YEARS OLD AND IN LOVE WITH BASIL RATHBONE’S VERSION IT IS THE MOST INCREDIBLE FEELING EVER AND IT’S ALL EVEN MORE DEEP BECAUSE I’VE READ SO MANY OF THE STORIES THIS PAST YEAR AND I’M JUST REALIZED THIS LOOKS LIKE I’M SCREAMING AND THAT’S RATHER INAPPROPRIATE EVEN THOUGH INWARDLY I AM SCREAM AND I SHOULD BE DOING THIS ON THAT OTHER POST SO I WILL STOP NOW.

*clears throat*

Let’s move to something that won’t make me spaz out quite like that, it’s a bit much, I think.

Well…. actually, considering I’ve been sick and stuck in the house for a couple weeks, there doesn’t feel like much to talk about in a post like this. I haven’t done much, I haven’t even written a thing for my NaNo book, but that’s okay because the plot took a turn I wasn’t expecting so I’ve been needing to take a break and just think it all over for a while. It’s been a good break.

Before I close, I would like to ask for your prayers for my family’s sanity this up-coming week and future months. I will hopefully be able to share more details with you later if my mom permits but for now if you could just pray that peace will come over my home especially for the upcoming few days I would be very grateful.

Until I get around to finishing those other posts, I bid you all a good weekend! God bless and may the Force be with you!

~Jamie

I was a fan of Star Wars before Disney bought it

A reliable source brought to my attention that last Friday George Lucas sold Lucasfilms to Disney. And they are planning on releasing Star Wars Episode 7 in 2015!

I’m honestly speechless about this. And am absolutely horrified of what could be in store for one of my favorite fandoms.

Memes are the only way I’m able to express my feelings accurately….

MY MIND IS IN PANIC MODE I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS INFORMATION BUT I’M INWARDLY DYING RIGHT NOW THE APOCALYPSE IS COMING I THINK.

~Jamie

 

Done with School!

There’s a party going on in this girl’s head!

Thursday evening found me finishing the last page of my math. Meaning, I have finished all my books and am completely done with homeschool! I’m so happy to be all done and am SO. READY to have upcoming days, weeks and even months to be free from all worrisome homework and lots of time world-building, plot-planning and writing. I can spend more time reading some fiction instead of mandatory history books and no longer have a looming deadline of finishing before my graduation before me either.

ALL IN ALL, I’M SO EXTREMELY EXCITED TO BE TOTALLY DONE AND HAVE ALL THAT HARD WORK OVER THE SUMMER PAY OFF AND AKSJDLFJSKLF!

Friday I moved my desk back up to the bedroom that Kayla and I share and I’ve set up my new writing station beside my shelf. I’m totally ready to be world-building here in the cool of my bedroom with fresh light coming through our window (and that wonderful vision of the neighbor’s roof outside our window *coughlolcough*)

This coming week is going to be extremely busy with party planning; that’s next on my agenda.

Anyway. I’m happy to share that this lassie has completed her school and is now off to change her bio to proudly say, “homeschool graduate”.

Yep. Sounds great.

~Jamie

Batman, Books, Birthdays… and basically anything else on my mind

So, I’m basically in the same predicament as I was during the last post, which is fine, because that’s probably all you’re going to get from me for a now; I’m in a chattery mood anyway.

I’m also sitting on pins and needles waiting for my birthday tomorrow; I can’t wait (thus, ^ the cupcakes up there. Isn’t that gif kinda hypnotizing?)

Anyways.

So, I finally saw Batman Begins and The Dark Knight this past Friday and Saturday. Batman/Bruce Wayne is pretty cool, but I have to admit Tony Stark does a much better job pulling off the billionaire playboy persona than Bruce does. Also, Batman has a really awesome voice and I’m very terrible at imitating it. Anyway, I REALLY enjoyed Batman Begins, the plot and story arc was awesome. Everything about that movie was great and I think it’s sadly underrated.

The Dark Knight was awesome… but that’s because it has one the best, most colorful villains in it. Ever.

Now, you know me; I always cheer for the good side and I love a epic hero. But every once in a while, I give my dues to the villains who really deserve it. Remember, a movie can have a great story and cool hero but it’s all nothing without a big bad villain to provides conflict, emotional turmoil inside characters and provide a challenge that we want to see the hero take on. Examples; Luke Skywalker and Entire Rebel Army/Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine. Entire Avengers Team and SHEILD/Loki.

Now how ’bout adding a little theatrics to the bag?

Basically, I wouldn’t have enjoyed The Dark Knight that much if it wasn’t for The Joker. He completely saved the movie in my opinion. He’s basically everything I love in a villain plus more. He’s crazy, he’s hilarious, he smart, he’s daring, and evil. Really evil. He’s colorful (literally), complex and has a huge personality. He can manipulate a system, say the right things to the right people to get them to do what he wants, and he full of real, bad boy swag. He’s good at what he does and he loves it.

This is how your villains should be, people.

They should want to watch the world burn.

So, yeah, I’m basically a Joker fan now. To me, he’s literally one of the best characters I’ve seen walk across a screen. If you don’t like The Joker than you must not like great characters. My personal opinion, of course.

*wink*

So, my family went to our state’s home school convention last weekend… and it was pretty cool. I bought a plasma lamp (looks very similar to that one above), a flexi-clip, a video game and…. I think that was it. Anyway, our family on a whole dragged home a lot of stuff from there. We got to see some old friends, too—I literally got tackled in the middle of one of the isles by one of my little adopted sisters from our last church. Nothing like being jumped one from behind than being squeezed over and over and someone squealing, “I MISSED YOU!” That’s the best feeling ever.

So, it was all great.

OH! Remember in my last post I was mourning over the fact that I wasn’t sure what Dylan and I would do after we finished The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes? God solved that problem at the very last minute, and here’s the story.

So, like I mentioned above, at the home school convention, I bought a video game? Well, it happened to be a Agatha Christie mystery game. My dad bought my sister a similar game, so we brought home two Hercule Poirot mystery games. Well, I opened the box of one late Saturday and discovered it had included a free copy of The Murder on the Orient Express. Oh, how cool, a free book, blah, blah, blah. So, I open my own game and I pull out the same exact book. My immediate thought was, “oh great, we don’t need two copies of the same book! Why couldn’t they have a different book in this one?” I sat there staring at the two books and something clicked. I was so excited. “Ohmigosh, KAYLA! Look, two copies of the Orient Express! Ohmigosh, this can be the next book Dylan and I can read! Ohmigosh, this is AH-MAH-ZING! Hallelujah! This is awesome!”

So, yesterday, after church, he started sighing about, “I don’t know what we can read now, you already read Dracula—” and I was all, “Oh, I know exactly what we can read now; you still want to read an Agatha Christie mystery, right!? I have just the thing! WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT YESTERDAY BY PROVIDENTIAL APPOINTMENT I WAS GIVEN TWO COPIES OF THE SAME EXACT BOOK?!?!?!?!”

It’s all planned, as soon as he finishes The Final Problem, we’ll start Murder on the Orient Express (which Kayla says we saw as a film adaption but I don’t remember it, so I hope it will be a fresh story for me.)

I’ve gotten him addicted to Sherlock Holmes.

Now lets see how he cottons to Hercule Poirot.

*grins*

It’s awesome sharing adventures with friends.

Because, you know, reading really is an adventure when you think about it. We’ve traipsed through murder and mayhem with Sherlock Holmes, rediscovered the chocolate world of Willy Wonka and he introduced me to the chilling battle humans against vampires. I think those are what we can call adventures. All you readers out there can testify to that. Reading isn’t boring. Reading is an adventure.

(My sister is probably rolling her eyes right about here…I see you there, Kayla! *give the Nick Fury evil eye*)

So, I’m sitting in my butterfly chair tip-tap-tapping away on my keyboard listening to some Faun Eden, scrolling through pictures of The Joker, trying to decide what movie I want to watch and trying to think up different things I want to do tomorrow. I’ll probably pull a Loki and go full out “I do what I want!” tomorrow. Yep, that sounds like a great idea. Somebody pass me his helmet.

So, until next time, yours truly,

~Jamie

I’m feeling the need to *talk*

Wow, it’s been awhile since I rambled to you guys (or, rather, to my white computer screen in which you all live in. lol.) I feel the need to just talk, though, so, if you’re expecting something orderly and cohesive…. well, just don’t.

Anyway. Moving on.

I’ve been busy–July is always so busy for us; I’ve not had time to respond to emails or even the past few comments or leave comments on anyone’s blogs (I am reading them, guys, I promise!) Between stressing out over family stuff, keeping up with Princess and kittens, babysitting Nathan twenty four seven, and sighing over my cardboard box of school books…… well, yeah, my mind and emotions have been on a roller coaster.

Long sentence there. Wow.

Yeah, I’ve been busy.

Oh, and the home school convention is this Friday and Saturday. This is, like, one of the biggest events on my family’s calender. So, yay!

This past Sunday, Kayla and I attended our first official sleepover with the five girls from our church. We had to pick up Lauren, so we threw a surprise for her by having her mom fake that the whole thing was cancelled and hiding in the Basha’s restroom and jumping out at her (there is a whole other story about that, and it was a lot more fun than I just made it sound, but moving on.)

After arriving at the one family’s house, we put on our pajamas and covered the coffee table with candy and chips and watched Seven Brides for Seven Brothers together in the living room. That took us till midnight and than we watched Tangled. That took us to two thirty, at which we hauled ourselves up to bed and fell asleep in the girls’ bedroom and the guest room. Seven in the morning found me, Kayla and Lauren awake, so we chatted for, like, an hour about little siblings and dental experiences while everyone else slept in. We all had breakfast at about nine and we didn’t get home till about ten in the morning.

I went to bed super early at eight that evening and slept till nine in the morning.

I’m still not completely recovered.

I’m sad to say that Dylan and I have nearly finished The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes; we only have the Final Problem—which, has a huge plot twist at the end, as y’all Sherlock fans know (and I honestly don’t think he knows just exactly what he’s going to get smacked in the face with yet from this story.) I’ve been reading all I can bout Holmes’ death, how it turned into a ‘faked’ death, and all the extra stuff to explain to him. I personally cannot wait till we can discuss it together.

Speaking of Sherlock Holmes, last week I was surprised by how excited I got by The Greek Interpreter. I hadn’t read that one and it had me so interested. I’d known about Holmes having a brother but it was a delight to finally meet Mycroft and then see him and Holmes rub shoulders throughout the story. It was also quite action packed by end, and I enjoyed the way the story was told. It’s now one of my new favorites.

I don’t know what we’re going to do once we’re completely done. Will we, like, sink into a book relapse or depression or something? Geez, that wouldn’t be fun. I like talking about books.

Guess what. This is the song I listen to if I have monotonous work needing to be done; like ironing or preparing chicken or washing dishes. I play the track from Iron Man 2 called Nick Fury on repeat and I get my stuff done. Just like that.

I’m having a ‘identity crisis’ with Nick, too. My siblings and I haven’t actually gone around calling each other Avenger names (when we do, Nathan is Cap, Kayla is Thor, and I’m Iron Man). What we actually stick with is SHIELD. Kayla loves Maria Hill and since Maria Hill is Nick Fury’s right hand, guess who I get called. Yeah, I’m Director Fury (and we call Nathan Coulson, which he does not like: “NO! I’m Captain America!”) So, now I think I’m Nick Fury. Which is okay, because he was actually pretty cool in The Avengers.

So, go figure.

*****

My birthday is about six days away. *faints*

*****

Drastic topic change here, but I have to squeal for a minute now; first off, a huge THANK YOU  to Emily for being the first (and only) person to bring my attention to the writer’s friend, Scrivener! It’s a wonderful program for writing your stories in and…. “aklsdjfkalsdjfkasldjfakldsfj” is the best way to describe it. I downloaded the tryout version, read some of the tutorial and after a couple days realized, “I need this. Like, I need this right now.” So, I bought the download this afternoon and I ordered the software on a CD as well. It looks like it will be the most perfect thing ever for all the writing I’m planning on doing this upcoming fall!!!!!! YAY!

Speaking of writing, I realized this afternoon that I’m quite different; at least from the general public at large. You know, that exclamation that I’ve read on so many different blogs saying, “I’ve always loved writing; I had that one special pen that the ink just flowed out of and I filled notebook after notebook with stories and thoughts in my special writing nook with that steaming cup of early grey tea.” Yeah, that one. And I thought, “lol, I started off spinning around on a computer chair dancing my fingers across a keyboard and following the blinking line as I created words on a fresh Wordperfect document.” Yep, I actually started on the computer. Notebooks were neglected, the pens stayed in their containers, and I was about seven years old, so there was no drinking tea nonsense. To this day, I still do all my writing through my keyboard. A pen and paper have no worth to me. Maybe that’s weird, but hey: I’m at least unique.

Well, right now I’m sitting in the dark on my top bunk bed listening to James Newtown Howard and feeling the sugar from all that ice cream I ate wear off, thinking over a weird plot idea about fairies and telling myself I could not pull that off and wondering how I can make up an original deliciously evil villain like Cruella DeVille.

Speaking of Cruella DeVille, that reminds me I have a guest post for Kayla that I need to work on, so, I should really come to end of this prattling. Have a good night everyone. Don’t let the bed bugs bite!

~Jamie