A Halloween Tale

Once there was a hobbit, alien and curious girl. They traveled in a carriage to attend a feast in the land of Den. The friends set out and sang Halloween songs until they arrived at a small shop to buy elevensees for the feast. Once they got to the feast, they played a game of ping pong while the hobbit happily filled her flaggon with ale. Not too long, the alien got a message from a pumpkin pixie to join them at a Halloween bash. The three friends said their farewells and left in a dash. They arrived to find the pumpkin pixie with her husband, a dude, and her sister the blue flower fairy. They arrived at the bash and visited the bunch until the alien realized she left her proof of living on the planet paper. So they set out again to buy provisions of their own. A few good drinks and a bunch of cakes made for a party and added to the fun. They went to the alien's spaceship to finish their journey. Then they watched a play about three witches in a hurry. All in all the night was a blast. They had no idea time could go so fast.

How to be Alice Kingsley

Wear a beautiful baby blue dress
No corset (They are like codfish after all)
Stockings are optional (unless you're against them)
Claim to see a white rabbit in a waistcoat
Curl your hair (But it wont stay up in pins for long)
Appear very "distracted" by using your imagination
Wonder about things
Don't be like Aunt Imogene
Have nightmares about a dodo bird and blue caterpillar
Visit a place called Wonderland (or Underland)
Obtain your "muchness"
Go by the name of Um
Make sure you're the right Alice
Follow your destined path or make your own
Believe as much as six impossible things before breakfast
Befriend a Mad Hatter
Speak with Absolem
Become a champion
Obtain the Vorpal Sword
Face the Bandersnatch
Talk with a cat that can smile
Slay the Jabberwocky
Eat Upelkuchen and drink Pishalver
Explain events as "Curiouser and Curiouser"
Shrink and grow until you find the right size
Discover who you are
Claim to love rabbits "especially white ones"
Dance the Futterwacken
Board a ship called "Wonder"
Transform to "Alice"

Something Blue 10

Eyes can be blue. . .
Like sea and sky
Reflecting memories
Blinking with a sigh
Cerulean and Marine
Royal and shy
Clear and bright
Steadfast and light
It can stand
for water and ice
viewing sky from land
Bright and nice
It can be a riddle
Stained glass eyes
A mystery that has
multiple tries
If shown with a tear
Widened by fear
Mirror of ocean
Ruler of year
Whether it is
Celestial or wise
It is a gift
To have blue eyes

Collage

A collage about me :) This took awhile. . .

Writing Prompt Tuesday prompt 4

Prompt: It was Erica Jong who said " If you don't risk anything, you risk more." Write about what this means to you.

Ironic. In class today we discussed the meaning of Medusa's stare. Of course any mythological fan knows that her stare turns you to stone, an instant death. She is also feared among many Greek heroes (Perseus in particular). First we came up with the phrase "Petrified with fear". And idleness or not taking action is death. So we concluded this thought with the perspective that not acting is pretty much the opposite of being alive. The Jong quote above says something like this. By not acting or risking anything, you lose the process of trial and error or trial and success. This is how humans learn, through experience. Without this experience, we could not define who we are or how to live. So, in other words if you never take a risk, you risk your own personal growth. Of course I am no expert in learning from experience. In fact, I missed an opportunity to move forward today by not acting the way I wished to. Instead of deciding to say something, I held back and in turn regretted that decision. I've also come up with my own mantra. "You usually only regret things you don't do." So, this is my new phrase and I've missed a lot of life due to the fact I didn't realize this sooner. Life is about taking risks. If you don't take those risks, you are stuck in your own prison and have no one to blame but yourself. By stepping out of this prison, you risk the unknown, but is it always great to stick with a pattern of what you know? I would say not. A comfort zone is actually an illusion when you aren't satisfied with your own life pattern. Routines can be poison if you are stuck in a rut or used to thinking negatively. This is why Jong's quote makes a lot of sense. I'm willing to say that if you don't risk anything, you've risked everything. You lose a life lesson and you don't gain any knowledge about yourself or the world until you decide to break from your pattern. But the only way to break from this pattern is to realize you are not happy or satisfied with your routine. Only you can motivate yourself to escape your tower and experience life.

Book review: The Lost Hero (spoiler free)

Last year, I became a huge fan of the Percy Jackson series. This is not only because I'm a fan of Greek Mythology, but also because I loved the elements of fun tied in to an epic tale. It was the perfect escape from tests, homework and any kind of stress that you can imagine. So, naturally I have all the books, seen the movie and own a movie Tshirt. I also own The Red Pyramid, because I enjoy Egyptian Mythology. I had to get the next book when it came out.
This book goes on a different path than the Percy Jackson series. It is told in third person and follows three main characters. The first character, Jason (no doubt a familiar name to Greek Mythology fans) begins the story with no memory of the past. He is accompanied by Piper, a half Cherokee girl claiming to be his girlfriend, and Leo a spirited, brown haired trouble maker who claims to be his best friend. Together these three go on a journey filled with suspense. This story will test your knowledge of mythology in general and takes more of a serious turn than Percy. I still found this book to be enjoyable and exciting. It's more of an epic than a satire. Still I give The Lost Hero four out of five bronze dragons. I practically couldn't put it down!

Life as I Know it

So my mom and I watched this movie called Life as We Know It. It was probably the best chick flick I've seen this year. It's not the typical formula. It's about something greater and more complicated than a romance, how to deal with life. So normally when I watch a chick flick, I get this "yeah right" feeling by the end of the film. It's usually the part where the guy rushes in or the girl follows him to wherever he goes and confesses. Well the end of this movie was actually believable. This movie was about making a home, creating a family and coping with hard times. It wasn't boy meets girl, boy and girl like each other and one obstacle stands in the way. It was something far more realistic and powerful. In this one, it's boy and girl lose their best friends and are left wondering why their friends chose them of all people to raise their child in case they died. It's a giant struggle. Everything changes and so much goes haywire both of them practically go insane. I have to admit, this is the life I'm used to. This is the life I believe. There isn't just one obstacle. There are many. But somewhere down the line, you work it out and you learn about yourself. It wasn't about what boy and girl wanted. It was about what boy, girl and baby needed. That says something. Sometimes we get so caught up in what we want that we forget what we actually need in life. I'm afraid I've realized this about myself. Life is obviously a struggle, but it doesn't have to be faced alone. That was the message in this movie, and that's something I may actually believe in.

Desperado

Never has a song said so much with so little words. . .
My dad tells me to listen to this song. Now I know what he means.

Lyrics: (Originally by the Eagles)


Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
And I know that you've got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Hurt you somehow

Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet
Now it seems to me, that some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can't get

Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom, that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walking through this world all alone

Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the night time from the day
Well you're losin' all your highs and lows
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you,
You better let somebody love you, before it's too late
It's too late

Batty Butter Cookies

Fangs are required for baking
This activity must be accompanied with The Little Vampire movie
Chocolate Sprinkles
Bat cookie cutter
1 cup of sugar
3 and 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of Baking powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cup of butter
Microwavable chocolate glaze
Vanilla icing (for fangs)
Bake for 11 minutes
Other ingredients include:
Goofy vampire jokes
Tomato juice
Wine glasses
Capes
Absolutely no Garlic is allowed
Crosses, wooden stakes and Holy Water are not welcomed
This baking must only be done at night (sunlight isn't pleasant)
Twilight movies are optional
Dracula is preferred
It is wise not to invite vampire hunters

The Tale of Arthur Penfish and Guinefish

(This was an idea of Mom's and contributions by me and my obsession with Merlin and my Middle English class)


Hear ye, Hear ye!
I'll tell you a tale
A tale of magic
But it's not Finnish
The tale of Arthur and Guinefish
It begins in the kingdom
Of Swimalot
Where Merlin the dog
Threw in his lot
To protect the kingdom from Morgana-cat
Who took a spot by the tank
There she sat
By Lancecat who
watched a fish swim by
She was blue as the sea
And predictable as the sky
From his tank
The bold Arthur Penfish
Swam by his castle
With just one wish
To act with fishy chivalry
As Merlin the dog
Kept the cats from the sea
In a small town tank
Guinefish swam on
Swishing and diving
From dusk till dawn
When she caught the eye
of the Fishy King
Who wanted to take her
Under his wing
He wanted more
Than an aquatic fling
But knights must prove
Their love through worth
An oath they swore
From egg to fish
To protect his love
From the cat's dish
He puffed up his gills
With a mighty threat
But Morgana-cat wasn't done just yet
Lancecat strutted
And sat by the town
If a fish could
Arthur would frown
But Merlin the dog
Came in with a growl
The cats were on
A dangerous prowl
As Guinefish swam
Without any care
Arthur tried
To show he was there
He swam by the tank
With all his might
If only he could
Catch his lady love's sight
But the lady was busy
With Lancecat's gaze
Her fishy eyes
Were quite in a daze
But Merlin the dog
Both loyal and true
Starting chasing the cats
He knew what to do
For soon the owner of the pets
Lord Uther came in
He stared down at them
and stroked his chin
"I banish you cats"
He said with a glare
"For such treacherous behavior"
Thunder filled the air
The cats hissed with anger
As Merlin stood proud
He was the favorite
Of the fishy crowd
Guinefish danced
While Arthur bubbled
Now Swimalot
Would not be troubled
And so it was and came to be
The kingdom of fish and chivalry

Something Blue 9

Cookie Monster is blue!!!

Survival Guide to college step 1

How to survive two essays in one day:
1. Eat chocolate (you may notice this as a common theme in my survival guides)
2. Sunshine!! (how else will you stay awake?)
3. Give yourself a goal (ex: I will have a cookie after I type a page)
4. Try to stay positive (colorful words are not beneficial in essays)
5. Stretch ( believe it or not, this helps you stay focused)
6. Take a break (make sure your break is a reasonable amount of time)
7. Don't forget meals (Lunch is a good excuse for a break)
8. Reward your self when you're finished (ex: I played 3 hrs of Kingdom Hearts afterwards)
9. Reread the instructions (Just in case you forgot anything)
10. If a nap is needed go for it!

Mood Music

I love this song! And this movie has an amazing story.

Writing Prompt Tuesday prompt 3

Prompt: Take a cliche from a list of cliches you know and start a poem.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
A glass bottle
Shattered in the snow
The sun reflects its surface
Ugly or Beautiful?
The rain falls on a sad day
Creating ripples on a pond
to chase the pain away
A butterfly lands
on a delicate rose
Do you see it?
While writing prose
The thoughts that you ponder
The sayings you hear
The very tiny details
Year after year
A cage or a garden?
Only you can decide
whether the beauty
or ugliness will hide

3 things I really want and can achieve

So here's a new idea.I'm going to post three things I actually want and go achieve them. This won't be easy since I'm painfully shy and scared of life. Ok, here we go:
1. Talk to a cute guy (this will probably be the toughest)
2. Sing in public (surprisingly this might be easier)
3. Write more of my Starlight story

Wish me luck!!!

Mystery

Where are you?
Where am I?
I can't figure this out
No matter how hard I try
What happened back then?
What's happening now?
I always have to say
I'll get through this
Somehow
It's strange and bizarre
It left a scar
Now I must heal
Now I must deal
Wishes and dreams
Hopes and fairy tales
It's hard to understand
When it feels like car sales
What else can I do
Should I forget you?
Do you exist?
Must I resist?
How do I believe
When I feel
I can't achieve?
This whisper of doubt
Comes and goes
It could be a weed
It could be a rose
So many things
I try to get by
This poem
Could be anything
Or it could be a lie
Frustration
Confusion
Whether it's real
How can I trust
The emotions I feel?

Little Wonders

You know it's a good day when the sun is shining and you have your family around you, cheering for the football team. The sun shines on their helmets as their shadows grow longer on the green field. It's one of those moments where everything is right and you want to sit back and let the occasion last forever. For me, it's the ultimate goal of the day to see everyone happy around you. During those moments you feel like you've done something right by bringing people together just to have fun. What really matters in life are these small moments where you don't feel stressed or confused. You feel like you are a part of the calm and happy feeling that swells all around you. I picture myself watching this moment as if I've never seen it before. It's a bright light on a cloudy day. The small joys of a few minutes or even 20 seconds seem to be the best times. These are the memories you want to look back on and reflect how peaceful they are, even if you're shouting or screaming for your foot ball team, or laughing loudly at a great joke. The sound of these memories are what life is all about. I'm sure you already knew this, but I felt it was appropriate to write about them just the same. Yes there are bad times, but there are also moments like this. Both have their times and both have their lessons. These are the moments you should reflect on when times get tough. Because, even though they are small, the calm and happy emotion is so special that it's always worth it. Now, maybe you don't know what I'm talking about, and maybe this sounds like a typical moment to you. There's nothing wrong with that. Everyone's moments are different and whether you acknowledge them or not, they stick with you. What matters is that you've turned nothing into something. That accomplishment is worth a thousand sad or angry moments and that one sweet breath of fresh air before the climb is more powerful than a single unhappy second.

Cybelle the warrior (Something Blue 8)

It was All Hollow End in Undercity. Cybelle had just completed a quest with the inn keeper in the Ruins of Lordaeron and earned a pirate costume. She changed her hair to a light sea green and added a few markings by her eyes. Her cold, blue skin paled in contrast to glowing yellow eyes and dark blue lips.On this day, it was easy to be an undead. The daily hunt for Duskbats had given her plenty of leather to sell for her trade. While looking for areas to mine, she came across the village of Brill and heard the voice of the Headless Huntsman as the houses in the village burst into flames. Sighing she couldn't help but think, "Oh look, another house that bursts into flame. Why is it you never see the Headless Huntsman but you can clearly smell and see the flames of his destruction. After saving the village, she decided to fly to the Barrens. After hopping on a Zeppellin, she found a Chimera keeper and flew through the Crossroads to Ratchet and decided to enjoy the flight on her way to Stranglethorn. Sometimes flying was the only break a warrior could get on a holiday.

How to survive Mideterm week

1. Buy chocolate, (Lots of it)
2. Try not to panic (repeat the mantra- it's only a test)
3. Focus on one class at a time (arrange a time to study for each class)
4. Take notes while you read (Sometimes you can't remember everything)
5. Take breaks in between study sessions (video games and movie s are optional)
6. Get plenty of rest (3 hours may not cut it)
7. Wear your favorite outfit (This boosts your confidence)
8. Organize your study area( Clutter can be distracting)
9. Do crafts or activities in your spare time (distract your mind from panic)
10. Try to chill (this is the hardest one for me)

Good Luck :)

The path

It can be shadowed or sunny
Gloomy or Nice
A glass half full
Or empty with ice
These thoughts will matter
Wherever you go
You decide how you feel
Based on what you know
Your road is before you
What path will you take?
Positive or Negative?
Blessing or mistake?
Things matter most
When you look with your heart
You can turn a perilous journey
Into a beautiful work of art

Picture taken by my Mom

Beauty

Because "Everyone could use a little beauty in their life" Kyle from Beastly

Just some thoughts. . .

It's hard to admit that you can only do what you can. It's even harder to admit that when you look back, you realize you didn't try as hard as you should have. It's like this hike you said you would do for weeks. You don't only pack the good stuff to keep you going, you pack the junk food, the negative thoughts, and the painful memories. You may not even prepare for the storms or get enough experience to do this hike, yet you trudge on regardless of all these things. You know what drives you forward, but it always seems that you are going back, never reaching that rest stop atop the hill and always seeming to start right back at the bottom again. Interpret this how you will, but this is about life. Challenges and Obstacles bar your path, keeping you from reaching that goal, to get to the top and look at all you've accomplished. You stare at this situation and analyze it for weeks, months, years to see if you can find the way to reach the top. This same pattern follows you and sticks in different situations, but they all lead to the negative perspective.
During your darkest days and your stormiest nights you sit there and tell yourself, "I'm never going to make it."
But on your brightest days and clear starry nights you smile and say, "I can do this. I can reach that goal."
Is life always on this unbalanced scale? Is there always a completely negative and a completely positive perspective? What about a middle ground? Would it work to say, "What happens will happen." or "That is that." Or maybe you could say, "That's life".
is it wrong to put the blame on yourself? Is it wrong to worry? Is it wrong to refuse to take the blame? Is it wrong to try and fail to help every single solitary time you want to make a difference? As you hike up this mountain and start to unpack the junk food (maybe you eat it or maybe you throw it away) Does the hike become easier?
There could be a violent storm with harsh winds and heavy rain. You'd need a tent wouldn't you? A small safe place from the world outside. A small bit of order to chaos. A tiny glimpse of hope. Could that hope be anything? Could it be something from the outside world or the inside world? Is this really something you "pull up your boot straps and deal with?"
So you start to put up this tent, and at first it looks good, and you feel safe. Then the tent becomes a prison, and you'd rather be in the storm of reality than the calm of fantasy. You'd rather do something, anything but pretend it doesn't exist or simply refuse to call it life. Before you ask, no there is no elevator and no ski lift to take you to the top. You MUST walk or run, but keep in mind that running only goes so long before you tire out. And you only have a certain amount of provisions in your backpack. So how do you get to the top?
Some would say positive thinking. Okay, sure so let's see I'm in a storm. . . in a tent. . . I can't stand the tent. . . I feel like I'm not moving. . . but at least it's not a hurricane.
Some would say that you deal with it. Okay so living in the present. . . trying to do things. . . isn't dealing with it?
Maybe the key is to accept it. Maybe you have to tell yourself, "I got myself in this mess,and I can get myself out of it."
You already know this won't be easy, but let's be honest. There are days where you just want it to be easy. You just want to stand in a valley on a beautiful clear day, but instead you're hiking a mountain and slipping, stumbling back down a few miles every time you walk a few. There are days where you search for that middle ground, the order in the chaos. Because you're exhausted and want to take a nap. The question is should you take a nap when you could be walking a little further? Should you rest or push on? How long can you live in a fantasy before it destroys you? The tent (wall) and the mountain are now your obstacles to face. You must find the courage and you must believe you can conquer these feats. . . somehow.

Secretariat; The Movie and the True Story

My parents and I went to go see the movie Secretariat tonight. This movie is based off the incredible true story of the race horse Secretariat who won the Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths and set two records still standing today. My parents remember when Secretariat was all over the news and surprising the country with his speed. He won the Kentucky Derby with a time of 1:59 and he won the Belmont Stakes with a time of 2:24. The horse had personality. He always started the race dead last and moved his way to the front of the line. Only in the Belmont Stakes did he charge forward and stay in the front during most of the race. The movie did a great job balancing the home life and racing life of Penny Chenery and her struggle to keep the family farm she grew up in. Although I'm sure some of the movie was dramatized for effect or given more entertaining details, I was still impressed by the excitement of horse racing and the spirit of Chenery's character. It's truly an inspiring story that will be recorded in history as long as time lasts.

Toothless goes after something blue

The Tank was quiet. ShivaBelle swam through the water, waiting for her reflection to start the race. Right when the sun shone on the left side of the tank, she'd start to swim to each side of the tank. She stopped when she heard a small plunk on top of her fish tank. Something was up there. She swam to the left. She swam to the right. Suddenly, the bubbles started. Something was going on. The bubbles pushed the waterlily as she peeked around the corner. A small black wing appeared from the corner of her eye. Strange. She went next to the bubbles on top of the tank and saw a giant black dragon with bright yellow eyes. One claw was placed gently on top of the tank while the other gave him balance from the shelf next to the tank. ShivaBelle stared for awhile, but too soon her reflection started the race and she was at it again. Besides, she wasn't afraid of the dragon, he only stared with a slight smile and stayed in the same position all day.

Just a happy thought ^_^

Lyrics:
I have often dreamed
Of a far off place
Where a hero's welcome
Would be waiting for me
Where the crowds will cheer
When they see my face
And a voice keeps saying
This is where I'm meant to be

I'll be there someday
I can go the distance
I will find my way
If I can be strong
I know every mile
Will be worth my while
When I go the distance
I'll be right where I belong

Down an unknown road
To embrace my fate
Though the road may wander
It will lead me to you
And a thousand years
Would be worth the wait
It may take a lifetime
But somehow I'll see it through

And I won't look back
I can go the distance
And I'll stay on track
No I won't accept defeat
It's an uphill slope
But I won't lose hope
Till I go the distance
And my journey is complete

But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part
For a hero's strength is measured by his heart

Like a shooting star
I can go the distance
I will search the world
I will face its harms
I don't care how far
I can go the distance
Till I find my hero's welcome
Waiting in your arms...

I will search the world
I will face its harms
Till I find my hero's welcome
Waiting in your arms...

Digging A Little Deeper

I have a dream to be an Author. This dream has been with me since I was little. I have a lot of work to do before this dream comes true, but I will work hard to achieve this goal. Another thing I will work on is tearing down the wall I've built for a long time. These are the two things that I will focus on. The other stuff will come later. This includes being more comfortable in social situations and eventually having a boyfriend. If I continue to "dig a little deeper" than I will eventually find who I am. This fact helps me "keep moving forward" everyday. By working inward, I will eventually solve the problem outward. This is really about having a plan to take a step a day at a time and to avoid thinking negatively. Soul searching, positive thinking and little goals will get me where I want to be. So for now I will "Dig A Little Deeper" everyday and eventually I will discover what I need and continue to move forward.

Prompt 2: If your cell phone could talk. . .

Prompt: If your cell phone could talk. . .


Hey you! Yeah you! What's the deal? You leave me in your purse with the sound off and you barely use me to call people. Occasionally your conversations amount to something, but mostly you discuss the happenings of the day or you whine about how miserable you are to your pals and your parents. Well that's fine, but at least you have a little bit of room to breathe. I'm always stuck in your pocket, your purse or your backpack. At least you change your ring tone or your wallpaper every once in a while, but you barely use me for anything. I think the most you decide to pick me up is when you're in the grocery store and you ask your mom what kind of college food you should buy. Instead of cellphone, you should call me the errand phone. Seriously. I'm only used when you want to talk to a friend about a meeting place, or your parents about college advice. The only other thing you pull me out for is pictures. I'm not exactly a picture phone. Sure I have a wallpaper, but I'm not a camera. Sheesh! Don't even get me started on texting! Do you even know what texting is? Most people your age know how to text and how to send pictures. Sure, you occasionally send a happy picture message to your friend, but that doesn't count. The only thing I am to you is a clock, camera and a walkie talkie. But, enough about me, how's your computer doing? You know, the technological device you use EVERY DAY and NEVER FORGET! Clearly you aren't completely technologically deprived so at least you amount for something. But your computer and I are good friends, since I'm usually left by the computer while you go play the PS2 or PS3. You don't even take me to class that often, so you might as well make a little house for me on your desk. I know about those chairs and sofas you buy for your cellphones. You humans always decorate what you like. Well anyway, at least I know that you generally take me everywhere. My battery will never run dry because you barely listen to me when I ring. I guess I can be grateful that you worry when I'm gone. I can't count the number of times you frantically searched your desk, bookshelf, bed and closet for me, but I admit I'm glad I'm missed. Aw well I guess I could guess what it would be like if you texted too much or always used me to get on the internet. I guess I can be grateful that you care enough to notice I'm gone. I just felt like ranting today, but I'm glad to be your phone.
P.S. You can make this up to me by getting a new phone case ^_^

The Wall :Double Blog Project (Mondays)

It is made of invisible bricks. Each brick is made of a memory. Memories of being teased, badgered and lied to. Each day for several years, a new invisible brick is made. There are also vines. These vines represent the support and love from friends and family. some have light blue and magenta flowers dotting the leaves. There is only one hole in which the vines can reach. This hole is three miles up the nine mile high wall. The hole has a crack, small but existent which faces toward the bottom of the wall. The invisible wall has a shield with a blue dragon painted on the side breathing orange fire. This wall can only be seen by the person who makes it. The bricks are an angry red and the cement is made of an unknown emotion mixed with fear. The wall is starting to encircle the constructor. The lower half of the wall holds books with many stories in a variety of genres. Beside the books are movies, journals and pictures. the books make a tower while one side of the tower is not formed, but is slowly piling through books. Whether it is night or day, the tower is built through many red bricks created by self doubt, passive decisions and denial of dreams. A small waterfall clears the side of the wall at the seven mile mark. The water falls in whimpers and small drops fall one at a time. A clock is next to it, running backwards and occasionally stops on memories. A giant blank page, slowly being filled with negative expectations hangs from half the wall and can be reached by a ladder. Next to this ladder is a window to observe everything from the outside world.
This wall needs to be taken apart piece by piece.

Psychology in Alice in Wonderland

So, I'm working on my essay for my Mythology class and I have purchased the Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland and I am currently reading the novel on the movie. I found it fascinating that Burton decided to do an emotional journey for Alice from the beginning. Anne Hathaway explains that the original version of Alice is a story where all the characters she meets are people she doesn't want to be. She's on a quest to find who she isn't. In this version of Alice in Wonderland, Alice must find who she is. As I've observed before, she does this through the myth quest. It appears that because the story revolved around Alice's internal world which mirrors the external, everything in Wonderland is a different approach at her situations in the real world. The sizes she goes through represent her confidence and her "muchness" increases through out the film. Another interesting observation is that the Bandersnatch wound she gets reflects her disbelief of all that is happening around her. This is an emotional battle with grief and self doubt. The prophesied battle with the Jabberwocky is really the internal struggle of Alice with her negative emotions. This can also be viewed through the battle between the passive White Queen and the aggressive Red Queen. Alice must find herself somewhere in the middle. I think this essay may go well.

What's that sound?

It was an odd sound. ShivaBelle noticed the strange tube in her palace was forming bubbles. It didn't make any sense. Just yesterday she had been introduced to her new abode, from a simple container not suitable for such a delicate creature. She swished her tail as her nose touched the water lilly on top of the tank. First the light came on, and then the buzzing started. Just at the moment she decided to take a nap. She swam to the front, hoping to find the answer. She poked her nose through the water, but only saw the top of the tank. What was that noise? She looked around a little longer before she decided the noise was a threat. After watching the bubbles ascend to the top, she decided the safest place was the hole under her bridge. She curled up and waited. Suddenly, the noise stopped. She wriggled out of her sanctuary and looked at the strange contraption. Water replaced the bubbles now as she swam around it. She decided to swim to her pink plant hideaway and found the light had shut off. Finally, some peace and quiet. she went to the top of the tank and found a place to sleep under the water lilly. Maybe she'd figure the mystery out in the morning. Until then, she was content to snooze the day away.

Dance

Standing on the water is a lot harder than sinking in it. It is easier to let the current carry you through the sea or the wind blow you across the ocean. Standing takes strength and endurance. Dancing is even more difficult, however once the first step is taken, the next step is easier and the dance more enjoyable. As the sun sets on the water, the view encourages the dance, a little melancholy, but still beautiful in its own way. The story it tells has yet been finished. The external battle fought internally only just beginning. For now, there's just this moment. As long as the dance on the water lasts, the courage and motivation to move forward continues.

Beauty and the Beast reading list

There are many books out there that relate to Beauty and the Beast. The few I have are the favorites of my book collection.

Beastly by Alex Flinn: This is a modernized version of the fairytale told from the Beast's point of view.

Beauty by Robin McKinley: This is my favorite version of the story told by Beauty's point of view. It is more like the original fairy tale with a few twists.


Belle by Cameron Dokey: This book has it's own folklore which pushes the fairy tale along. It is told in Belle's point of view and she enjoying the craft of carving.

The Princess and the Hound series by Mette Ivie Harrison: These books are a little different than the fairy tale but follow the same kind of principle. The "beast" in the first book is a Princess who acts like a hound.


Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Mariller: this book is probably the most read of my collection and it combines The Tweleve Dancing Princesses, The Frog Prince and Faerie Court lore into one amazing story.

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley: This book is a different approach at the tale and Beauty is a gardener.


The Frog Princess series by E.D. Baker: I love this series of books and they explore different fairy tales but especially the frog prince, a derivative of the story Beauty and the Beast.

East by Edith Pattou: This book retells another Beauty and the Beast story from Norway, East of the Sun and West of the Moon. Told in several points of view, the book shows many sides to the fairy tale. Including the evil one.

Beast by Donna Jo Napoli: This book makes the legends of Persia an adding factor to the familiar tale.