An all around update of sorts.

First of all... math is getting ridiculous:

Oh, so now we're dealing with imaginary numbers, are we?

Today I found out that I need my bottom wisdom teeth removed. Instead of coming in right side up, like they are supposed to, they are coming in sideways and at an angle, so they are pushing up against my other molars. Also, the bottom left wisdom tooth is nearly on top of some sort of vocal tube thingy... So, on June 17, I'll have them surgically removed. I'm not looking forward to it, but at least the top ones don't have to come out (yet)!

In February my new story came to a halt. There was an aspect of one of my character's back story that I wasn't comfortable with and it kind of ground the whole story to a standstill. Well, the other day, I had an idea that clears up the back story problem, but allows me to keep the plot in tact too! Huzzah! Hopefully I can start work writing again. I miss it.

I have a summer reading list all written out, which I will post to my blog sometime next week. Last year having a reading list was really fun, and I can't wait to do it again this year! It features three biographies and I'm toying with the idea of adding a fourth...

I can't wait for summer!! And camping! And summer! And August! And reading and writing my way through summer!

Singing in the night.

"Someone is practicing a flute." Daddy says as he walks in the door.
"What? Where?" I ask.
"In the back." He gestures.
I go near the open window. Sure enough, I can hear music floating in, although it is hard to hear over the fans and Mom. So I go outside. Rats, it stopped! Soon enough it starts again. But that isn't a flute! It's a violin! Or a fiddle. I walk silently over the grass until I'm at the back fence. I peek through a knothole. The neighbors are sitting around their table, playing music and singing. Candles light the table. One or two have a lighted cigarette in their hand (the neighbor previously used to put his spent cigarettes in a pop can. I don't know what he did with them afterwards....). A deep voice from a somewhat heavyset man starts the singing. It doesn't last long. It is as if he is just learning the music. The fiddler plays on. They stop. Someone makes a joke. They all laugh. Then I notice something... They aren't speaking English! I can't reconize the language, although I am guessing it is not Spanish, German, or Dutch. Perhaps Russian?
The music starts up again and I am reminded of The Adventures of Tintin: The Castafiore Emerald.

Tintin: "I'm just going for a stroll with Snowy: I need some air. I shan't be long."
Captain Haddock: "Right you are. Enjoy yourself. I'll hold the fort."
Snowy: "Wooah wooah!"
Tintin: "What a perfect night!"
Music reaches Tintin ears as he walks through the grounds.
Tintin: "That sounds like.... yes, it's a guitar.... It must be the gipsies. What haunting music it is!"

The neighbors start a haunting song. Slow, melodic verses... With a one word chorus, "ai ai ai ai" or something. The man with the low voice echoes. I listen, peering through the knothole. Suddenly the verse gets energetic.... Back to the slow chorus... The violin plays softly. The song ends. It leaves me chilled. I try to get to a better knothole but the dry leaves crackle under my feet. Someone sings the chorus but adds a joke. They all laugh. Under the cover of darkness I flee back to the house, bare feet barely touching the grass. But the music calls me back. I sit in the doorway of the house. The dog next door barks. I run into the house. Even from inside I can still hear mentions of the music on the wind. Suddenly loud laughter breaks out. Then, all is quiet.

True story. It just happened.

I made another smoothie today. Watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, and banana. It was good. Especially after a walk! Mom and I walked to the orthodentist office near our house to surprise a friend of mine who was getting her braces off today. She was supposed to have them off before me.... My mom made her wear her rubberbands. And now she has a beautiful smile!

I also got a good 1000 or 2000 words written in my rewrite today.... I'm really on a descriptive high right now, which is good.

I started "The Secret Garden" today. It is good thus far! I am only on chapter 3. So far the main cahracter is bleak, spoiled, annoying, and alone (her parents who never cared about her just died from cholera). She is being sent to live with an uncle who has those same characteristics. So far it looks very sad and depressing for the main character, 9 year old Mary.
If I read three chapters a day I will have this book done in 9 days - next Tuesday. Yes!

Have a wonderful week!

P.S. Anyone know of a good thing to say at the end of posts? I want to say something clever... A quote from something or another. Miss Jack does, "Allons-y" which is from Doctor Who if I am not mistaken. Someone other blogger whose name I can not remember right now does, "Sink me!" which is from The Scarlet Pimpernel (which looks like a great book. Sadly, it is book 29 in the Vancouver Sun series... I have to wait awhile to get to it). Jake from Teenage Writer just does, "Jake." Any clever ideas for quotes to put at the end of each blog post?
P.P.S. I finally returned the Netflix!
P.P.P.S. Check out the "Meet the Dolls!" and "Books" sections of my blog for I have re-done/finished them both as of last night and this morning!

Today I went back to the orthodontist to pick up my new retainer. It's lime green, although it looks dark green in this particular picture.


Silly Rosey knows she's not allowed to lie on the brown blanket so whenever she sees the chance - however small it may be - she decides to break the rules....


"What are you lookin' at?"


With the help of Mom and Dad I finished the puzzle I got yesterday!


"Live long and prosper."


I have exciting news... I finished filming my American Girl Doll Twelfth Night! Now I need to finish the editing, which I have already started and then I will be DONE!
Here is a small clip from the final scene I shot (although not the final scene in the whole movie):



My friend's surgery went fine! Her mom called to let us know that she is in recovery asleep. Thank you SOOOO much for all your prayers and concerns and support.

Orthodontist and only God is awesome

Around four years ago I walked into my orthodontist's office for the first time. I can just imagine being a bit frightened about what was going to happen to my mouth... I had an expander put on the top of my mouth. My mom had to use a little wrench to turn it every day. Slowly it moved my teeth out and made my mouth bigger. A little less than a year later I got something stuck underneath my expander and couldn't get it out. It was very painful. My mom took me to the orthodontist and he took my expander off a month early (yay!). After that I had a retainer for awhile. After the retainer I had headgear to wear at night. Finally, not even two years ago, after a very long process, I got my braces on.
This morning I got some joyous news... I will get my braces off at my next appointment! =D Six weeks is a long time to wait...
When I first got my expander off I couldn't stop feeling the top of my mouth, since I hadn't felt it for nearly a year. I think I will have the same sensation when my braces come off and I can feel my teeth once more.

Can you believe I can't find any AD songs on Youtube?? Instead I use Grooveshark, a website my saxophone teacher told me about. You can look up any song or artist and listen to their music for free. It doesn't even require an account. Plus, it's legal.
Now I sit listening to the song "You are the distance" by the band AD. I find the lyrics to be very true. I especially like the chorus:

You are the distance, but oh, so near.
How can the one I love be the one I fear?
There is no peace 'till You choose to appear.

Perhaps I will listen to a bit of Ken Medema... He is a truly amazing artist. He sings tell Bible stories and the piano just flies under his fingers... It's hard to imagine he's blind and can't see the keys. One of my favorite songs from Ken Medema is "Sittin' in the Window Prayin'" which tells the story of Ananias "Sittin' by the window prayin', waitin' for the break of day" when God calls him and tells him to go to to Saul and talk to him. Ananias is shocked "Don't you know that he's got orders from Jerusalem to put us all in jail? Don't you know that he's got orders from Jerusalem to run us out of town on a rail? Don't you know that he's got orders from the powers in Jerusalem... Do you know all that? Do you want me to go still?" In the end he goes (but he stops to buy a bagle). When he reaches the place where Saul is he rubs the mixture of mud on his eyes and "Instead of a enemy, see's a friend." It is truly a wonderful song and a wonderful telling of the Bible story.
My other favorite Ken Medema song is "Wade in the Water". Two semesters ago when I found out we would be singing Wade in the Water in choir I was overjoyed. It was lovely, but not like Ken's version. In Ken's version he changes some of the words to tell the story of the man healed by, I believe it was the disciples. The man had been lame for 45 years (I think... I haven't listened to the song for a few months) and then one day he was healed and was able to walk into the healing fountain. Ken Medema's version is breathtaking... His piano skills are amazing. Parts of the song sound like rushing water. He truly has a God-given talent.

As I listen to these powerful songs I reminded of something my pastor has said in church a number of times.
"Only God is awesome."
Since hearing that in his sermons I try to use the word "awesome" less and only save it for when I am describing God. If you think about it, awesome should only be a word for God.
Webster's 1828 dictionary of the English language (it's huge, but the best dictionary around) describes awe as: " Fear mingled with reverence and admiration. Reverential fear."
As Christians, we fear God (Psalm 19:7-11 "The law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of Yahweh are trustworthy, making wide the simple. The precepts of Yahweh are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of Yahweh are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of Yahweh are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.") in reverence and admiration.
As I said above, I try to use the word "awesome" less. Instead I say "cool" or "amazing". Sometimes "awesome" seems like the only word to fit what I'm trying to describe and I use it... But I feel a nagging in my heart as if I've said something wrong.
Only God is awesome.
Food for thought. ;)

P.S. Happy birthday Grama (Mom's mom)!! I love you. =D
Also, happy birthday to my friend's brother!
And to Freddie Mercury (the band Queen's leader singer).