Second Star On the Right, Straight On 'Till Morning!

Brianna and I have been wanting to go to Neverland and never, not ever, come back. We don't ever wanna grow up, we don't wanna be responsible, we like being 17/18. So, we have resolved to go to Neverland, and have epic sword fights with Captain Hook, and tell stories with Tiger Lilly and the Indians, forever. Even my little friend here, Tinker Bell, agrees with me. 

But Brianna and I have agreed to go to Australia and New Zealand first, and then Neverland. 

Growing up is too painful. I am gonna go to Neverland and never come back, just like Peter Pan. 

And if someone would like a few good books to read, I read this series about Peter Pan, and how he became Peter Pan. One of the coolest series I have ever read. I have all of them, if you wanna borrow them. I love them. Then of course, there is J. M. Barrie's original Peter Pan.

Book Review: Shadow of the Giant

Well, it has taken me a third of a year, but I have finally finished Bean's half of the Ender Saga. And man, has it been a great ride. It started with, of course, Ender's Game. Brilliant book, by the way. Then, the parallel novel, Ender's Shadow. Then Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, and lastly Shadow of the Giant.

The reason Shadow of the Giant is so brilliant is the end. But it will take some explaining to get to that:

Bean, the protagonist, is a boy of about 16 in the novel. He has an impairment called Antons Key. This illness is based of the idea of Adam and Eve and the Forbidden Fruit. Adam and Eve lived forever, right? They were immortal, but there was a downside: A lack of knowledge. At least, until they partook of the fruit. Then they lost their immortality, and gained knowledge. So, when Antons Key is "turned" or present in someone, it blesses the person with an insane IQ. The person can basically learn anything and everything, and be fifty steps ahead of everyone. However, it comes at a price: Life. The bearer of Antons Key can only live to be, at most, 20 years old. See the logic? Yes, I know, it's hard to follow. Just don't get me started on the Theory of Relativity. It's insane stuff, and Card implements it in his novels.

ANYWAYS...

Bean, the bearer of Antons Key, didn't believe in God. He didn't believe God would let a monster like himself be born, let alone pass his genes (In the future, I guess everyone will have babies at a young age. This book is placed about 200 years in the future though). However, he learns throughout the whole series that love is God. Because of his Wife, because of his illness, Bean realizes that God does indeed exist. That God omnipotent, does things to help better people. He realizes, in the end, that everything and everyone has a reason. And that is why this whole series is amazing!!

As you have figured out, I read only amazing novels, like the Kite Runner, or Ender's Game. It's because it's a passion of mine to be able to feel through literature.

So, out of five stars, I give the book  4.99999 stars. Yes, it is impossible to have a perfect book. Only amazing books and crappy books exist. No perfect books.

So, I hope I sparked someone's interest.

And now I guess I have to reread Ender's Game to get my juices flowing for Ender's side of the story. Another five books to read. HALLELUJAH! And a new books comes out tomorrow: Scorpia Rising, by Anthony Horowitz. I am just dying to read the last of the Alex Rider books!!

And the reason this series took me so long was.... well, take a look:

That's the flowchart for the series. The red ones are short stories. The blue, obviously novels.

And Orson Scott Card is Mormon, another Bonus!

Three Wishes...

To kick off this post, I'll start you off with a brain teaser.

Once upon a time, in the West Lake village, a servant lived with his master. After service of about 30 years, his master became ill and was going to die. One day, the master called his servant and asked him for a wish. It could be any wish but just one. The master gave him one day to think about it. The servant became very happy and went to his mother for discussion about the wish. His mother was blind and she asked her son for making a wish for her eye-sight to come back. Then the servant went to his wife. She became very excited and asked for a son as they were childless for many years. After that, the servant went to his father who wanted to be rich and so he asked his son to wish for a lot of money. The next day he went to his master and made one wish through which all the three (mother, father, wife) got what they wanted. You have to tell what the servant asked the master.

I will post the answer in a day or two.


So, if I had three wishes, I would wish for:

1. My own Ski Resort, up high like Brighton. Snowboarding has got to be one of the greatest things in life. I feel like the wind blowing through the Saharah, when I snowboard... only it's a tad colder. My friend and I have already come up with a name for a resort we will own together: Cobalt Crest. that's right baby. And, if you are really good, you can go laser tagging on the way down. Don't ask how, it will just happen. And it will definitely have high speed quad lifts.

At the bottom of Cobalt Crest will be a club house, with pool tables, bowling allies, rentals, pools, hot tubs, mini golf, rock climbing, great CHEAP food with a wendy's and arby's and JCW's (yeah, that's right, cheap food at a resort!), free arcades (for anyone who buys a pass), a free bus ride up. That is all I can think of right now.

2. A card for iTunes that never runs out of money. All the music I want, all the shows I want, basically anything digital whenever I want. Of course, this has to come with a iTouch that has around 64 gigs.


3. My own chinese restaurant, like Panda Express or Whistle Work. I love my chinese food!

Pros and Cons. The Good and the Bad.

Okay, so recently, I have been looking at myself, judging my own qualities. I would ask myself, what are my weaknesses? My strong points? Well, this is what I have come up with (:


Pro: I just love reading. You give me a good book, and I will huddle on my couch all day, so long as food is nearby.

Con: My ego. It usually fills the room I am in. I really can't stand to be wrong. It annoys me, and I just really wanna dip the people that point out something I did wrong, after I know it was wrong, into some battered egg and slap them onto a frying pan of popping oil. Sorry, that was graphic. Oops. ;)

Pro: I think I am funny, and so far, a lot of other people do too. Or at least I think they do, and I certainly hope they aren't laughing at me. Just because I wear tweed jackets and vests and giant watches. And I love my ties from DI. :) But mostly my watches...

I love my watches :D




Con: I am easily annoyed. But I really only have one trigger:

People, places, and things. Mostly people though.

I can hold my tongue when I hear something annoying, I can look the other way when someone annoys me. Just be aware when I am annoyed, my eyes get bigger, I say "ugh!" and I have about a million witty comments running through my mind. Fair warning. If you annoy me too much, though, I might have to shoot you.

Pro: I am a proud FBH: Fact butt-hole. I just radiate stupid, pointless facts. Don't ask for one though, usually memory triggers these facts. Like, if you say a word, I might tell you what Latin word it comes from. Sorry. Force of habit. But I like it. And, FYI, my Latin helped on the ACT!

Con: When it rains, it pours. Yes, when something bad happens in my life, it's the end of the world. Everyone must stop and hear my story. When something really annoying happens to me, I will brood on it. Yup. It's the truth.

Pro: I wear tweed jackets, giant watches, tube socks with shorts, and vests. I will shout my grade out in class, no matter the grade, and I will say anything. I don't let myself get bullied around. I will just look past you if you look at me and judge me... I believe Dr. Seuss once said ""Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." I follow it like doctrine, people!

Con. I don't care what anyone thinks about me. I know, confusing right? It's the exact same thing as the last pro. However, when it comes to saying what I feel, I can be cynical. I am trying though. It's hard to just bite my tongue...

Pro: I know this sounds like I am a bit full of myself, but I am leader. I know because it is kinda in my patriarchal blessing. People, for some odd reason, will listen to me, they care about my opinion. I don't know why, it's crazy to someone who goes off of hunches so much. And is as egotistical as I am.

But let's face it....

I AM AWESOME!!!

  So


So awesome in fact, I used colored letters to announce it to you, mysterious stranger-reader person!


Cons: People will listen to me. If I have a bad attitude, and I share it with my friend, especially James, it is usually a shared thing.

Pro: I play piano. How many people in the world can say that? How many, out of the six point five billion people on the earth can say that? A small percentage. So, while it is common for Utahns and Americans to play piano, a lot of people in Madagascar can't. Just saying, I have an acquired skill :)

Con: I am lazy. So lazy in fact, I won't even finish this para


Pros: My scout leader, and priest adviser, told me I was passionate. So passionate, I will memorize things that inspire me. And thanks Brother Jackson, it meant a lot that you could see a good thing in this mess. Hahaha


Con: I doubt. I don't trust enough. A great example is when I do Latin homework with James. He will remember a word in Latin that I forgot, and I doubt him, so I spend half the time we do homework in the back of the book looking  up vocab. More often than not, James is right.

Pro: I have a journal. It's is one of the hardest things I have done, but I keep one, almost daily. I found the key for me is to buy a $10 leather bound journal, and to write down what bugs me, what blessings I have, and my life.


Con: I tend to make things more complicated than needed. So, to end that, I won't write a long paragraph on this. Instead I will just write about my next Pro. Since I am so great. Oops, I made a paragraph. See, I tend to do that!! UGH!!

Pro: I am thrifty. Frugal. Smart with my money, my moolah, my green, and my lettuce. James would say it's cheap. I call it watching my budget, because when I have a steady flow of money, I usually will blow it on a game or a nice watch, like the ones way up there ^^^^^^^^^^^^^. Or DI. Gotta love DI.


I could just keep going on about how awesome I am, but I am tired, and for some reason, I have Jamie's blog playlist thing in the background, and I think it has played each song three times over, so, yeah.... g'night world.

"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You."

-Dr. Suess 

(actually pronounced like Soyce, like a combo of Soy and sauce. Soyce. But he changed it because it was complicated)

Books...

I haven't read a decent book in a while, and I am dying. So, to help myself get prepared for a book coming out soon, I am gonna tell you guys my favorite books, in no particular order, of course.

This book is about redemption, and how even the worst of acts can be forgiven. The main character's greatest curse is his friend's unwavering loyalty.

The Kite Runner helped me realize that no one can do anything too bad, that everyone can be forgiven if the right things are done.

"Love the sinner, hate the sin." - Unknown

Shakespeare's Julius Caesar withdraws the naked desires of the worldly heart and mind. And it makes you realize how people can be manipulated because of their own envy and greed.

And it helps you become less like Brutus, less like Caesar. You don't want to "Scorn the base degrees from which you did ascend."

This is my guilty pleasure. Kids killin' kids. It's that simple. The first book was the best, the second was decent, but the third one tanked.

It was painful to get through Mocking Jay, but I had to, cause it ended the trilogy. I wanted to hunt Collins down because of her lame ending. But the first book is excellent, and I totally recommend it.





These are all the books I can think of right now that I love.

However, I am SOOOOOO pumped up for the final Alex Rider book. It comes out the end of this month!!! Hallelujah! there is an end!

Fire and Ice

In English, we have to do a parody of a poem. Honestly, I would never, EVER touch these poems. I think they are already perfect. So, here are some of my favorite all time poems.

Holy Sonnet X

By John Donne

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou'art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy'or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

What I think it means: It is pretty self-explanatory. Death isn't the end. It's just another beginning. 

Fire and Ice

By Robert Frots

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice. 

What I think it means: I had to read this one a bit slower, but what I got from it is, that if it weren't for God, we would destroy ourselves. Really, I think it's a blessing the world will end in fire, and not in ice.

Shakespeare

What win I if I gain the thing I seek; 

a dream, a breath, a froth of fleeting joy? 

Who buys a minutes mirth to wail a week, 

or sells eternity to gain a toy? 

For one sweet grape, who would the vine destroy; 

or what fond beggar but to touch the crown 

when with the sceptor straight be strucken down.

Interpretation: The context of the poem is this prince is going to do something he knows he shouldn't, and because what he is going to do, his father's kingdom will fall. But he knows this too, and he reasons with himself, saying this poem aloud. So, why is it we do the stuff we do? 

If

Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son! 

What I think: Rudyard Kipling wrote this poem beautifully, and it says, be better than the world, be humble about it too, and you'll be the best person ever. period.

Julius Ceasar

Shakespeare

lowliness is young ambition's ladder,
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face;
But when he once attains the upmost round.
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees

By which he did ascend.

What I think it means: There is no real title for this little poem, so I titled it after the play it originated.

This poem basically says, "Hey! I want to be better than that dude!"

So you climb the ladder. Once you have reached your goal, you belittle everyone else, you turn your back on them. 

The end.