My oh my.

Guess who is undergoing major blogger's block? You got it. This blogger right here. Confession: there are currently 82 published posts on this blog, and 97 under my 'edit posts' tab. That means I have 15 unfinished drafts. I would start one, with varied amounts of enthusiasm, and lose whatever vigor I had after typing a sentence or two. It's not that bad of a feeling, I guess. Blogging is way less important to me now than it was a few months ago, thankfully. It was annoying to subconsciously think in blog posts and not be able to do just about anything without thinking about the post I could write about it. :) Maybe you know that feeling.

Anyway, I don't feel like deleting this little ol' blog, because I have put way too much time and energy to do that without being sure to regret it. I like having it; in case something remotely interesting comes up, I can get people's thoughts on it and have the satisfaction of writing something readable. :) {This post is certainly not an example of readability...sorry!}

I will now stop blathering about the intricacies of a blogger's life and move onto a girl's life. Far more interesting, hopefully. *cynicism*

Christmas is very near...you knew that, right? I went to my old friend's house today to walk around in the snow and eat Christmas cookies and discuss the pros and cons of killing characters in your novels. Very stimulating discussion about the "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" movie took place as well! No matter how much I talk about that movie, I still have trouble figuring out just how much I like it. Because I know I like it, but there are some things that really shave off respectability. Like corny green mist. Moving on.

Are you familiar with Arcangelo Corelli? The radio doesn't stop playing his Christmas Concerto, and that's fine by me. LOVE baroque music! The orchestra I was in long ago played it. I hated it then, but that's changed for the better now. :) Why deny myself good music because of petty dislikes?

My newest bad habit: harvesting five or six good-enough looking books from the library even though I have positive mountains of books already at home that I want/need to read/re-read. It has to stop. Right now, I have bookmarks in The Scarlet Pimpernel, I Capture the Castle, IronHeart, and Wuthering Heights. And then there is a delightful book of Robert Frost that I love. Oh, and I am also reading the best book on photography ever written. It's by Chris Orwig and called Visual Poetry. If you have any interst in photography, you will love this book.

News! The role play blog I take part in has a new makeover and lots of improvements. You really should go check it out. :)

I jusy scrolled over thispost and am aware that it reads like I just dashed it off to post for the sake of posting. Disregarding the fact that blogging is not a key aspect in life, I really didn't. I haven't posted in over a week, probably won't for another one or two, and wanted to remind readers that I am still alive and very well. :)

Well, it has been nice to talk to you again and I will see you again in an undefined amount of time! Thanks for being my readers, followers, and commenters-- I appreciate you all very much. And Merry Christmas! Remeber what God did when He sent Jesus to earth--it absolutely blows my mind.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ~John 3:17

~Margaret ~Who didn't edit or proofread this post. Could you tell?

Happenings

1. Violin.

Okay. I like violin. But my recital is in three days, and my piece is not recital-ready, and that is stressing me out a bit a lot. Ugh. But on a funnier note, here is a story: I was just doing my normal stuff the other day when my little sister, Ruth, emerged from the hallway carrying her little violin. "You should name your violin, Margaret. I named mine Susan," she announced. Leave it to her to apply names to instruments at random times. :) So we thought of names for my violin, looking for the perfect one. It needed to be elegant, because I am a classical violinist, and down-home style, because my violin is a fiddle. Now we can't decide whether it should be Clara or Johnny. It's not that bad of a predicament, I guess!

2. Thumbdrives.

I was going to add more to my NaNo novel on Sunday, but to my small horror, the thumbdrive I the keep the file on had disappeared. A mad racing over the house ensued, with me asking everyone, "Have you seen a tiny silver colored thumbdrive? No? Are you sure?" It was awful, but as I continued to search, I started to realize that losing the first draft of the novel wouldn't be that terrible. That made me feel like a traitor, for some reason... But I eventually found the thumbdrive in the pocket of my vest and of course was very glad to have it back. :) Remember this: USB thumbdrives are devious little implements of matter that will disappear if given the tiniest chance. Do not give them that chance.

3. Tangled.

Have you seen it yet? It's really great. Rapunzel makes a lovable heroine, and the details added to the story are just perfect. Good movie. :)

Not my image

4. Flickr

It's so fun! I started one the other day and have really enjoyed it. But I still have stuff to learn about it, too. :) Click here to see my photostream!

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Well, I am off to do algebra, bake cookies, and prepare for a busy weekend. Have a lovely winter day and thanks for reading!
~Margaret

It's a happy day

Today has been special. I went to a Write-In for the first time ever with some very fun, wonderful, writer friends. I loved that. And it was at Borders. I love being there! And while writing NaNo novels, with friends I haven't seen for a while, exchanging funny sentences from our stories? It could not be more blissful!

Then it started to snow. Thicker and faster it came. I love snow.

And my college-student brother is home for a few days! It's so nice to have him back. Today, he took me out to Burger King for lunch, just because he's nice. I love him.

Then some other friends we hadn't seen for a good amount of time unexpectedly dropped in for tea! It was a very nice impromptu visit.

Then I did a bit of enjoyable school (algebra), taking a break to write down a piece from random story idea that has been in my head for a few days. Loved that! I am thinking that it has to do with Italy...

Then I made spaghetti for dinner while singing along to my parent's choir's CD. Fun!

Then I blogged, something I haven't done in a long-ish time. I realized this: when I tell you that I won't be posting for a while, I get this sudden onslaught of post ideas and go right back to it. But when I give myself to freedom to do it, I simply don't feel like it. Funny how that works.... But I still love reading all y'all's blogs. You guys are the best. :)

Now I am going to have movie night with my family. A vintage one from 1939 and Robin Hood are on the itinerary! And of course, movies mean knitting. :)

And tomorrow is Thanksgiving! My family is heading to grandparents house for the feast. What are your plans for the big day?

And then on Friday, it will be..... Black Friday! I can't wait for the insane shopping and people watching. :)

So tonight, I am very, simply, happy. Thank you, God, for giving me happiness!

The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is over all that he has made. ~Psalm 145:9

And for your viewing pleasure, here is a picture I took last November. :)

What are you happy for today?

Yesterday

Wow. Last night was magnificent.

It all started at 5:50 PM, when I began to prepare for my very first NaNoWriMo writing session. My room was perfectly organized, as I spent all day Sunday making the War to End All Wars in there. I love having a perfectly clean place to write in. :) So I moved around my room, turning on Enya, praying, and booting up my computer.

Then I began to write. "The Memory of Trees", one of Enya's best songs, was simply perfect as I typed that first paragraph. I felt like I was embarking on an incredible journey. After ten minutes, my mom came in and gave me a nice little pep talk before. I checked the word count at that point. Under 200. I was a bit a miffed, but then remembered that this is Day 1. Hint: Never check your WC often. Wait a page or so before doing it. And then I kept plugging along.

An hour or so later, my older brother James popped in to ask what I was doing. He doesn't read my blog and I have never talked about NaNo in his presence, so I gave him the nutshell description. He was full of *helpful* questions like, "What's the point?" "To write a novel." I said. "Yes, but what's the main idea of it? What is the thesis?" He is such a student! I was nearly frustrated and said, "I am writing a novel! That is point enough!" Then he relented and left me alone. {After reading that, you may doubt my love for my brother. Don't worry, he just likes making me think and I appreciate that in him. And he's teaching me self defense, and that's really fun. :)}

So then I pecked away for another hour, until I exceeded my daily goal and decided I had better eat something for dinner. It was nearly 9:00, and I gleefully pranced around the kitchen making toast. Then James gave my sister Ruth and I an impromptu karate lesson in my, uh, less than large enough room, which was great. :)

What really made last night special is that I started out with my main character and her friend, but by the time I finished, Cadish had a mother and sisters, all of whom had the makings of personalities. It's amazing where a single character will take you.

Yeah, last night was wonderful. :)

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Have any of you read Chris Baty's book?

I snagged a copy last week and read it in a day. It was just what I needed, full of advice and comfort for a newbie like me. This is how I looked after reading an especially fabulous page:

I was thrilled. I still am thrilled! NaNoWriMo is just. . . altogether thrilling! I am so happy I signed up. And if you haven't yet, there is are still 29 days in November! You can do it! You seriously do not need a plot in mind. A few characters will give you a plot in return for their lives.
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Well, I need to go finish up the mundane daily tasks so that I can start writing again! How are your NaNo projects going?

Have a lovely day, everyone!

~Margaret

What's up?

My brother left for his freshmen year of college a couple weeks ago. I was watching him pack up the car on the morning of departure. He lifted into the car a bin full of assorted essentials that used to be filled with toys- building blocks, to be exact. The tag was still on it. He ripped it off saying, "Well, I won't need this anymore." A few minutes later, I hugged him hard and watched him drive away.

That really struck me- the tag you see above had been on that Rubbermaid that held our childhood toys for a long over a decade. Now the bin is filled with the stuff someone needs for life in a college dorm room, not passing the playtime hours. Things really can change.
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Credit

Being the dedicated (yeah right!) fan that I am, it took me a few months after its release to get Celtic Woman's newest CD! But I did get it, and I think it's fantastic. If you are not familiar with these singers, I will say that their performance style is not exactly my favorite (big and showy), but the music is wonderful. I was amazed at how much Celtic Woman has changed since their original CD from 2004; Chloe especially, but I still like her a lot. And I am delighted with Lynn and Alex, the two girls that I hadn't 'met' until this week.
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Check this out: my roommate [sister] and I got new coverlets! Simple pleasures, right? :)

The tree one is mine. I love trees! Sister has one with colorful hills on it. She loves it, as you can see below:
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I turned fifteen! My birthday was very nice, thanks to my wonderful family.

Aren't pictures that are so obviously taken my the subject great? :)

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Okay, I have caught IBS (Insecure Blogger Syndrome) and have a request to make of you: I would love it if you could tell me your opinion of this blog, and suggestions for it if you have any. I have allowed anonymous comments if you don't want me to know who you are, but you can still be as nice as normal when you comment. I also have a poll up, so please vote.
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Thanks so very much!
~Margaret R.

25 more blessings

1. I went my first and last Major League Baseball game of the summer last night! My home team won and I had an AMAZING time.
2. Thanks to Robin Blogs, I now know how to get back to the original Blogger templates! Including the delightful Minima. :)
3. My friend's little brother came up with the best term for my braces; they are now "the sparkles on my teeth". How sweet is that? :)
4. It's fun to layer bracelets.


5. The last couple of days have been some of the best I can remember.
6. Les Miserables is such a good book! You will no doubt hear more about this later, too.....
7. I just had a blueberry muffin.
8. It's a golden September day.
9. My God controls the future, and He has the best plan for me in it.
10. All the dreams I get at night are very vivid and memorable.
11. The radio just played a really cool song.
12. Bunnies. Are. Darling.


13. It feels good to learn.
14. I have many (10-15) pillows on my bed.
15. My left thumbnail is painted hot pink.
16. The radio is playing another great song! It's Beethoven's Fur Elise on the piano accompanied by an orchestra. Mmm.
17. The sky was beautiful last night.


18. My CD player is emblazoned with Hello Kitty!
19. I have sight and hearing.
20. One cannot remain bored for very long in this varied world.
21. I have very attractive highlighters that go click-click. :)

22. I have pets.
23. Just because one's parent is laid off from work does not mean one's life turns miserable.
24. My birthday is one week away.
25. The window in my bedroom is a big one.

Discoveries

I have discovered two wonderful things today:


First off are these little chocolate covered clouds of goodness- Mallow Bites! Oh, are they good. The serving size is 24 pieces.... I am not sure if I have exceeded it yet.


Second of all, is the Les Miserables soundtrack. I was cruising the CD shelves at the library and stumbled upon it. Hmm, I thought, perhaps this will be interesting. I settled down in my room with it, planning to read Enna Burning or something while listening, but ended up paging through the booklet, reading the lyrics, and sometimes singing, along with the performers. What powerful music!

I have been planning to read the novel for a while, and I am sure that figuring out the story through the songs will give me a better understanding of the 1000+ page tome.

Have you made any pleasant discoveries lately?
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Would you believe that this is this is the fourth time I have changed the appearance of this blog? I just can't keep away from websites like Shabby Blogs. How do you like the greenery of this new look?

~Margaret Rowena

Disclaimer: The above photos are not mine.

Days 1-5

Day 1: A favorite song

That's a hard one. It changes often, but there is one song that never fails to move me: Vida la Vida by Coldplay.

2: A favorite movie.

"Bride and Prejudice". It's a modernization of Jane Austen's classic about an Indian girl and a rich American. It's the first Bollywood film I had experienced, and, honestly, I loved all of the crazy dancing and music!

3: A favorite book.

Oy, another hard one. I will just choose one off my profile... okay, The Secret Garden.
I love it because it reminds me of a very happy night of my life, as well as being a great story.

4: A favorite television program.

First, I really don't watch very much real TV, so my favorite TV show was found at the library.
Monarch of the Glen is about a Scottish highland estate called Glenbogle and its young laird. My mom and I have watched all seven seasons twice (!) The series really, really pulls you in. (It's also BBC!)

5. A favorite quote

Well, if I thought about it, I could recall some deep, wise one I have heard, but for now, I will give you:
You get more with a gun and a smile than just a smile. -Al Capone

Thanks for reading and I will see you all again tomorrow!

~Margaret Rowena

30 Day Challenge

Hi there! Marie introduced this to me and it looks too fun to pass up. I will post a few of the below categories every day, or when I can, so it won't be a 30-day challenge for me- maybe more like fourteen or twenty...

Do you want to do it too? Go right ahead!
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Day 1: A favorite song.

Day 2: A favorite movie.

Day 3: A favorite book.

Day 4: A favorite television program.

Day 5: A favorite quote.

Day 6: A moment you wish you could relive.

Day 7: Five things you couldn't possible live without.

Day 8: A thank you letter to someone who has changed your life.

Day 9: A photo you took.

Day 10: A photo of you taken over ten years ago.

Day 11: A photo of you taken recently.

Day 12: A song that you want played at your wedding(or was played).

Day 13: A guilty pleasure.

Day 14: A vacation you would like to take.

Day 15: A person you admire.

Day 16: A song that makes you cry.

Day 17: An art piece.

Day 18: A time when you felt passionate and alive.

Day 19: A talent of yours.

Day 20: A hobby of yours.

Day 21: Something you know you do differently than most people.

Day 22: A website.

Day 23: A way in which you want to be remembered.

Day 24: A movie no one would expect you to love.

Day 25: A recipe.

Day 26: A childhood memory.

Day 27: A physical feature you love.

Day 28: A scar you have and it's story.

Day 29: Hopes, dreams and plans you have for the next 365 days.

Day 30: A motto or philosophy.

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My summer list!

I have noticed a lot of bloggers are making up lists of things they are looking forward to this summer, so I am following suit and doing the same:

1. Next week I am going to Missouri with my grandparents and little sister. Adventures can happen anywhere, and I am ready for 'em.

2. I am going to be a camp counselor for the very first time. I am kind of nervous, but I am asking God to remove my doubts and He is working.

3. I am hoping, hoping, hoping to get a lot of much needed writing done. I have been shameless in my lack of discipline.

4. My friend and I are going to practice our tennis skills all summer. We played our first game today and need much improvement, but we are both really psyched and can't wait to get better!

5. Three of my best pals and I are having a tent party! ^_^

6. I am going on a retreat to Lake Superior, one of my very favorite places in the world.

7. I am going to a wedding. I love weddings and haven't been to one for a couple years.

8. I spend a week or so each summer with my grandparents and cousins in the Iowa countryside, and this year hopefully won't be different!

9. I have a lot of reading to do. A lot.

10. My new-ish writers group and I are going to get organized, and that just makes me smile. :)

-Thank you, veterans, for protecting America's freedom through so many trials. God bless you for your service.-

Happenings

Hello everyone! It feels like it has been a while since I last posted, and I wanted to write something cool for this newest post, but nothing was coming. So I am just going to tell you all the stuff that has been goin' on with me lately!

1. I had a piano recital tonight. I told myself and everyone that it was just another recital and there was no way I was nervous. Psh, I do these things all the time, right? Right. Well, my number was third to last on the program, so I had all concert to NOT think about my turn. But when the time drew near, I was feeling acute anxiety. I had hoped to play my piece from memory like I could at home, but if I had not had the music in front of me while I was playing, it would have been a disaster. But I did it, and it's done, and I have all year to prepare myself for a butterfly-free recital next time! My friend and I also played a duet of "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera that we have been practicing for quite some time. It turned out very nicely, I think. Big sigh of relief :)

2. I have been very tired for last few days. The reason? Late night reading. The book Inkheart by Cornelia Funke is the type that you simply cannot put down for at least five chapters. I have been letting myself go for up to ten, which means my light has been on at 12:00 AM on a week night. It's a book about books, and very suspenseful, so I am just loving it.

3. I am very fed up with school. I want it to be done!!!!! Maybe the snow (!!!) that is falling outside right now will help me get into the winter/school year mindset again. But for now it is Friday night, and I will block IT from my mind until next week. Starting now.

4. My delightful friend, Abigail, told a whole bunch of stuff about blogging, so now I know how to mess with the template and fonts and buttons and backgrounds.... Can you tell? How are you liking the new theme? This website has a wide selection of the cutest blog graphics I have seen yet.

5. More recital stuff: I have my violin recital tomorrow, and I am not as confident as I should be about my song. But my teacher (who you know to be very cool) is assured that I will do fine, so I am blaming the insecurity on recital jitters. Which still do exist, as I learned tonight!

Have a fabulous weekend!