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Welcome! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Welcome to my little Den! Here you'll find all sorts of things- mostly blog challenges, but mixed in, you'll notice:  I'm a bit of a fangirl  My life is very busy I enjoy using emoticons  I don't tend to swear, but stuff happens. |
| What are some things you would put in a time capsule to be opened up one, twenty, and/or fifty years from now that shows the person you are today? The problem with a time capsule is, you actually need to be willing to let go of the stuff you put in there... and I'm not sure I'd be able to do that for some items I would, in theory, put in. With that said, I'd probably remedy that issue by taking pictures of whatever I don't quite want to part with and put the picture in instead.  A picture is worth a thousand words, right?  Okay, okay, the list. Plushies. Definitely plushies. You're never too old for plushies, even if most people don't quite see eye-to-eye on that. *coughs* Mom... Anyways, I'd definitely do a fun arrangement of plushies on my bed or something, then take a picture and put that in. Next, there'll be a good amount of pink stuff. Maybe the free earbuds I got from American Airlines last time I came back to CA.... Oooh, maybe a couple old boarding passes- to signify all the travelling I do- both from Qantas and AA. I might put in a journal, as well. And a bucket list of sorts, with things I'd like to do by each time I open the capsule. Recipes would be cool- for my favorite foods. Then I don't have to waste some perfectly good dumplings or sauce and such to put in there.  I'd probably also find that "Dragon's Journal" I decorated in middle school/high school and put that in there as well, since it had a bunch of my written stories from back then, plus drawings. I may also part with the Delta Goodrem cat ears I bought, because that is definitely a memory I'd like to have in there. Would probably print out my selfie with her as well and add that into the capsule.  Finally, maybe some clothes, because apparently, my tastes haven't changed much since around the end of middle school, so it'd be interesting to see how what I wear in the future compares to what I wear now. |
| Normally a two- or three-sentence response to a blog prompt doesn't seem like much of a response to me (personal opinion, that's all)...but today, come up with a couple sentences using as many WDC emoticons in place of words as you can. Any subject, any topic, and they don't have to be related if you just wanna make up random sentences. Have some fun with this! Oooh if there's  thing     , it's this.   emoticons.   ....   ?  !!  [ + ] is:       Though....Mom +    .  Mom [  ],  ,  , {e:gelato}.  . Afterwards,  almost    You  it out?  |
| What's your opinion on high school reunions? Have you gone to any? Why (or why not)? Funny enough, shadowfanglerz and I just went back to our high school yesterday. Saw a bunch of teachers, which was really nice- and one of the many teachers we both had (but I didn't think liked me that much) was all "you look the same!"  I mean yes, I'm aware I don't look my age, but now I guess I look like I'm in 11th grade. I've always wondered how old I look.  Going back to the prompt, I think reunions are dumb, honestly. Like, if I want to see my high school friends or teachers or whatever, I'll just go back to campus and see them. I don't need someone to organize something big and fancy and such and have everyone comparing where they're at in life. I see Owlz regularly enough- well, I wouldn't mind seeing her more often, but point is, I don't need a reunion to see her. I've pretty much lost contact with everyone else I used to be friends with in high school, but they don't talk to me, and I don't talk to them, so I think that's pretty fair to say it's a mutual not-really-keeping-in-contact thing. I figured, if they want to keep in contact with me, they could message a hi or whatever, and since they haven't, it's really not a huge deal for me, because towards the end of my senior year I was more hiding out in the library, anyways. I was dealing with some antagonistic girl who thought she would be going to culinary school to make vegan chicken soup.  Yeah so the library was kinda a safe haven for me, because I'd go into their textbook room to tap dance. The librarians were really nice to me about it- with the exception that technically, you weren't supposed to be eating in there. I ate anyways, on occasion. You can't starve a kid, can you?As for going to reunions, it hasn't even been 5 years since I graduated, so I haven't gone to any reunions, because there haven't been any. Had there been, though, I'm still not sure I'd go. I wouldn't want to see the Chinese teacher, for starters, and I only knew my counselor for one year, since in my 4 years, there'd been 3 different counselors for the S-Z category.  Yeah, so probably not. It'd probably be more fun going back to campus in general and seeing the teachers I wanted to see- the Digital Animation teacher, all 4 English teachers, and then some others, like the biology teacher. The chemistry teacher transferred to another district, though, and I didn't really take science my last two years, so I think that's about all the teachers we went to see. Honestly, I think I liked my teachers more than the majority of the kids in the school. Except for the World History/Gov teacher. He was terrible. Rumor has it he had a mail-order wife who ran away.  And he was a chain smoker. Yeah, he wasn't a very nice guy. Even sis didn't like him, and it's rare that we BOTH dislike a teacher- him and the new Chinese teacher were the two be both agreed on. Owlz was all "yes, let's avoid her (Chinese teacher) for your sanity!" yesterday. |
| Actress Ethel Merman, born on this day back in 1908, once said "I can never remember being afraid of an audience. If the audience could do better, they'd be up here on stage and I'd be out there watching them." How does this quote relate to your blogging? Do you write for any particular audience? Oh hey 🌕 HuntersMoon  didn't you just say that about my emceeing?  Anyways, yeah, no, I don't write for an audience. My responses may be short, and when I write these, sometimes I'm thinking if I could extend them in any way, but for the most part, I write for myself. It's a way to get those thoughts out in a different way, when the creative stuff doesn't feel like being nice to you. I don't see the point in writing for an audience in your blog, honestly. I mean, it's one thing to be writing for an audience when you're writing a story, or novel, or whatever else. But a blog should be reflective of yourself, not reflective of what people want you to be or sound. You can save that for the stories you're trying to get published, or those articles you're writing for others. Not to put down those $X-per-word things, because those manuals and advertisements and such do need to get done some way or another, and quite frankly, manual-writing doesn't sound that appealing. So yeah, no, I don't write for anyone but myself. |
| I love McDonalds' Chicken McNuggets. I would probably still eat them if you pulled a gun on me . Your grubby gun-toting fingers won't dare pull a trigger on my enjoyment. What food item would make you stare down the barrel of a gun and be like "Nah bruh, I'm busy here on this..."? Hmmm, I think I'd have to say dumplings- they're one food I have yet to get sick of. After all these years, I still won't turn down a good bowl of dumplings, even if you've just given me a 10-course meal. Not that I *could* finish a ten-course meal, but still, I suppose it's just figurative. Not that my love of dumplings isn't. Plus, I eat them with vinegar and chili oil, so even if you did try to pull a gun on me while I had dumplings, chances are, the sauce would end up in your eyes, and hurting- very, very much. No, I'm not above dumping vinegar and chili oil/sauce into your eyes to protect my dumplings. I actually remember dumplings being the go-to food in elementary school when either me or sis had a loose tooth, because 1. it hurts to chew with a wiggling tooth and 2. dumplings are soft! Then when we got braces in 7th grade, every time after an orthodontist's appointment, we'd have dumplings for dinner as well. And even earlier in elementary school, like 1st or 2nd grade, when Grandfather still came to the US to visit me, sis, and Mom, we'd frequently go out to eat dumplings after school. They were fun memories- that was when I first started eating my dumplings with vinegar- because Grandfather taught us. Before, it was with Maggi sauce, because Mom's not too keen on the smell or taste of vinegar, but I tried it and went "YUM! " The place was called 好又来- in English- if it's good, please come back! and we went back there many, many times, especially while searching various antique stores for Buddha statues or Buddhist implements, like vases and such. We'd go look at stuff, then maybe buy a statue or a couple vases, then go to that restaurant and eat. Mom claims it's gone because we gave them too much business, so they were able to shut down and move on. Yeah, dumplings are like a Chinese comfort food, I guess- I mean, they're one of those foods, that traditionally, the whole family is supposed to get together to make. Technically, we don't do that in our family, but yeah. It's one of those foods where it should have nice memories associated with them. |
| Creation Saturday! You're all talented writers, of varying backgrounds and abilities. As we near the halfway point of the month, take some time to look back at your entries. Create a poem inspired from your entries this month. Any style or form (or none at all). Pull lines from all of your entries thus far and see what happens. Obviously you're free to add/subtract words from lines that don't seem to fit the narrative you've come across when compiling your thoughts; this isn't meant to be a summary of the month to date, but a writing exercise. I have a separate tab open for this, so we'll see what happens. I still don't know, to this day why I'm afraid of falling and breaking my neck. It seems to be a vicious cycle of trying, failing, then trying again and failing. I'm not entirely sure where, exactly, this poem is going, but my failure at aerialing is definitely not because "People are getting lazier and lazier!" Either way, this poem really is going nowhere, and I'm very, very good at rambling though it takes me a while to come up with these thoughts. I do value my life, and my well-being and the thought of breaking my neck can send me into a panic. Okay, maybe not literally. But figuratively is bad enough. with no performance enhancers- not that I'd want them- I don't know whether or not it's actually safe. This poem is still going nowhere, so I may end up tracing the Heart Sutra in the book that Grandfather gave me. although, I'm terrible at tracing always going out of the lines, and this poem has changed a subject though I don't really know why. Unfortunately, my penmanship pretty much reflects what I'm like in real life whether it's writing for me or for school both are an organized mess. This is why I never wrote slips from the office and such You'd probably dismiss this as impossible but you've not seen my writing. And once more, this poem's topic is changed- though do not despair, for, here, the end lays. |
| On this day in 1854, Anthony Faas of Philadelphia, PA, was granted the first US patent for the accordion. He made improvements to the keyboard and enhanced the sound. Do you play or have you ever played any instruments? If not, what's one you'd like to learn? Bonus Points today for sharing a favorite song of yours with us that names any instrument in its title. Fun fact: I used to play violin. Oh, and the recorder, but I think that's kinda a given for most kids in the public school system in the US? Now, though, I mostly play piano, and when I do, it's for fun.Just a brief-ish summary of my musical past- I think Mom started me at the piano in kindergarten? Sis began having formal lessons when I was in 4th grade, but I didn't start until 6th grade. Why? I still don't know, to this day. Anyways, she taught us from a Leila Fletcher book she had from her childhood, which was all browned/yellowed with age and tattery. I think the cover of it actually came off at some point, since it was all paper. When sis started lessons, the teacher started her on an Alfred series- I remember each level was a different color- red, then yellow, green, and blue. I'd take her books and learn from them, as well, teaching myself how to play the basics. Afterwards, the teacher stopped teaching at the music store/school, and we ended up going to her house, and I think she tried raising the price or something, so Mom pretty much went "absolutely not!" and we found the music school we went to from my 6th grade onwards.I did violin in 4th and 5th grade, because starting 4th grade, it was a semi-requirement to learn an instrument, and I had mis-interpreted the sheet that went home, saying I HAD to pick from strings, brass, woodwinds, etc, and could no longer continue with general music, so Mom asked Grandfather, who suggested the violin. And so we got a violin. I played it in 4th and 5th grade, but then stopped after that- I definitely wasn't very good at it, and when I tried to tune my instrument at home, the strings would either completely uncoil, or snap. So practicing was rather difficult at times. Mom was actually quite pleased I picked up the violin, though, because it did strengthen my fingers a bit, which was good for playing piano. I'm generally quite the weakling when it comes to hand strength, so Mom could definitely tell my fortes were louder, though I think my pianos also increased in volume. When Mom enrolled sis in her piano lessons at the new school, ESMA, I requested to be put in, as well, and Mom made us both sign "contract"s that we wouldn't quit/cry/etc if things got too tough. Right away, though, Mom was very keen on getting me and sis to take the Trinity Guildhall London music exams- pretty much you spend 9-10 months of the year preparing 3 songs and exercises, and 2 supplemental tests (your choice of sight reading, aural, or musical knowledge). Sis and I both skipped the Initial level for it, and I was actually recommended to start at level 2, but Mom decided we should both do level 1 first, and that was that. Honestly, I kinda regret not going with level 2, because if I had, I would've been able to actually finish the whole series, up to grade 8. I finished at grade 7, because that's when I graduated high school. As for an instrument I'd like to learn, I'd have to say the guitar. It seems cool, I suppose. Plus, with my interest in country music and such, it's fitting. Then I'd have a choice of doing the guitar or piano while I sing. Not that I can sing well.... Aaaand, finally, I've actually come up with a list of sorts of songs with an instrument in the title: Teardrops on my Guitar- Taylor Swift Bongo Beat- Hi-5 Mr. Drum- Hi-5 Ring my Bell- Blondie Jingle Bells- Xmas Carols/Hi-5 (and I'm quite surprised Kit didn't cho ose this one!  )Church Bells- Carrie Underwood Piano Man- Elton John Carol of the Bells- Xmas Carol As for my favorite, I'd have to say I'm torn between Church Bells, Bongo Beat, and Jingle Bells. So I suppose I'll have to share them all. Bongo Beat: [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2VH4WFKMzo) This one's cool because it's so many different percussive instruments in one go, but it still sounds really nice and not too heavy. Church Bells: [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2-yVryNjUM) Firstly, wow, I wasn't aware it'd been out for a year already. and secondly, I loooove the lyrics. I have a thing for those dark, rocky songs. and coming from Carrie Underwood? Bring it on! I'd love to see her in concert one day. Oh, and I think she kinda looks like Elise Archer, a Tassie politician. Jingle Bells: [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcIYL7X3QsU) It's a Hi-5 Carols by Candlelight classic! That's another one on my concert list- Carols by Candlelight. Anyways, yeah, Hi-5 performs it at their Christmas concert every year, and everyone gets to dance and sing along. It seems like a really fun time, and I'd love to go see it! Plus, who doesn't like Christmas carols in January? |
| I just spent the bulk of the evening reorganizing my WDC portfolio a little bit. I do it maybe once or twice a year. How often do you organize yours? How do you have yours set up? Are your folders arranged in any specific order? Guide us on a virtual walking tour of your port. I don't think I've organized my port since Robyn is PUBLISHED!  did the folder covers for me back when I was a freshman in uni.  Sure, I do minor re-organizes, but no major overhauls. Like, I've added my "fun and games" folder recently, to store some of my activities, but that's about it.I suppose the organization of my port pretty much reflects what I'm like in real life in terms of being organized- everything pretty much has its own category, but within those categories, everything's pretty messy. I don't know if I'd ever re-organize it, just because it takes so much time to do so, but if I did, it'd have to be for some pretty major reason. As for a "virtual walking tour", I have the Teen Contest and Sticker Shop at the top of my port, just for max exposure. And then the "Personal" folder- which has no subfolders, so everything you see there has something to do with me. There's no subfolders because I don't see the need for them, here. Plus, there really isn't much of a way to sort them, unless it's by date. Next is the Creative Writing folder, which is pretty much where the bulk of my work is- discounting my pictures and activities, of course. There's a couple sub-folders there- the poems folder only has static items in there, but the Stories folder has Horror and Children's folders in it, since I went through a horror phase and a children's phase. Everything else probably falls under some miscellaneous genre. Outside of the folders, but still in Stories, are my OctoPrep 2016 attempt, which may become my NaNo 2017, and some other, miscellaneous works that are neither stories nor poems. My Schoolwork folder is pretty boring- all essays and some pictures related to school in some way, and I don't think that needs further explanation. The Pictures folder has some drawings, hosts my Cnotes, and the pictures I used for the emoji shop. Plus a bunch of other, random pictures and sigs that I've accumulated. WdC Class assignments hosts stuff I've done from the Wodehouse Challenge or New Horizons classes. Finally, the Activities folder- that one is a bit messier, because I've got a bunch of non-static items hosted in there. There's a bunch of madlibs, quizzes, forums, banks, groups, etc. And then the folder for the Teen Group, and the folder for all my other activities- the Fun and Games- there's subfolders for CNY, the Juice Junction, sticker album/emojis, the Halloween pumpkin patch, and WdC-Opoly. ...Aaand I think that's about it. Maybe, if I re-do the cover pics for my folders, I'll do a major cleanup as well, but for now, this is how my port is- and it's rather reflective of me. An organized mess. |
| Prompt: What's your favorite way of passing the time when your internet connection is interrupted for an extended period of time, especially when you had a lot you planned on taking care of online? Or, if you prefer- real talk- how addicted to the internet are you? I'm not really addicted to the internet. Yeah, I do spend a good chunk of time online, but does that mean I'm actually addicted? Usually I use it to chat. With WdC friends, some uni friends, and my one friend I still keep in touch with from HS. And for school. But that's about it.  Okay, okay, I'm... ridiculously hooked to the internet. There's Youtube, WdC, Viber, Facebook, Snaggy.... And ebooks!And this is probably cheating, but smartphones are quite useful for accessing the internet when there's no power. With that said, my favorite game(s) mostly use the internet as well- Gems of War and Candy Crush. Candy Crush, not so much, but still... oh and iBooks are helpful to pass the time, too- I usually have one or two downloaded onto my phone at a given time, to read when 1. the internet goes out, or 2. there is no internet service in general. When I wasn't so hooked on the internet, and I had more time, I loved logic puzzles- the kind where they give you a grid/chart, and a set of clues, and you need to figure out who did what, or who's name is what, etc. And puzzles! Jigsaw puzzles. We have a bunch of those in our library here in the US, and I loved doing those 1000-piece puzzles when I had the time. Sis and I would work on them together, and we'd finish in a couple days, or hours, depending on the puzzle. Then there's TV- we don't watch much TV on our actual TV, so I watch alot of TV online- Neighbours, House Husbands, Nashville, and the list goes on. Oh, The Next Step, and Lost and Found Music Studios, as well. *nods* Yeah, TV and movies online are another reason I spend so much time on the internet. I'm not a big online shopper, but on occasion, if I do find a good deal, I'll definitely go for it. And then I use Swagbucks sometimes, so I can get more PayPal credit to buy more stuff. And get Swagbucks points for doing it. It's a vicious cycle.  |
| Late actor Bob Denver (known for playing Gilligan on the tv show Gilligan's Island ), who would've celebrated his 82nd birthday today, once said "You know, I have no worst experiences." What do you think? When have you had to turn a potential "worst experience" into something positive? I'm not sure I can say I've had a "worst experience"- I mean, yeah, sure, there's plenty of stuff I definitely wouldn't want to relive, but at the same time, "worst experience" is pretty extreme. I suppose I could just start with some of my not-as-nice injuries throughout the years- falling off the bar counter at our place in Australia when I was, what? 2? and then falling down the PE stairs  in 6th grade. I think I bent down to tie my shoe that time, and my backpack went over my head and I followed suit. Two long flights of concrete stairs, and they were tall, as well. I ended up with an ankle the size of a golf ball (may've been a tennis ball!) that night. I still did PE that day, though- even though my hand was scraped up and the foot was definitely not in any position to be doing PE. I don't remember what we did- may've been the Mount Miraleste run, but bottom line is, PE was 2nd period, and I still had 3rd-6th to get through. I think Grandfather worked some miracles over the phone that night when Mom called, all concerned, saying Dragon's foot looked about twice its size and that she'd fallen down the PE stairs. Oh, and while on the topic of PE, I had one day when I was seriously not feeling well in 8th grade, and tried getting out of PE at the nurse's office, but Mrs. Robertson, one of the other teachers, was all "oh your class isn't doing much today. You don't need a note!" We did some running and then went inside the gym to play badminton... and then things turned yellow. I may've almost fainted, I'm not entirely sure, but I went to the teacher- his name was Mr. Uruburu and slightly notorious for not really caring about the students' well-being, and told him I really wasn't feeling well, and if I could please go to the nurse's office. I told them my vision turned yellow- and one of my friends was thankfully having a free period helping to deliver slips from the office and such, and she went back down to the PE area and brought my stuff up for me. Mom had to come early to pick me up as well.The positives of those? I survived, I suppose. I'm alive today, and knocking on wood, they haven't happened again, which I'm pretty grateful for. |
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