Random Babblings of Nonsensical Nothingness

Sorry, We've Moved

2010-02-14T23:25:00.000-08:00

I have changed my blog address to: www.thehotgirlinthecomicshop.blogspot.com. Never mind why, I just did. Go there. Now.

Driving and Writing and ... stuff

2010-02-07T19:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, so, Kenneth and Randolph, who both got their liscenses as soon as they turned sixteen, will probably mock me, but I'm excited, regardless: I went driving today! Yes, my first time behind the wheel of a car. But it was SOOO much fun! I don't even have my permit, but I did pretty good (shhh! That's illegal!) My dad and I drove around a couple parking lots. It was amazing! Yay!

There's a writing contest that I'm entering! It's 5,000 words, in the Fantasy genre, and I have to be finished by March 1 (I told my dad that it was 5,000 pages, and I had to be finished by March 1). I've worked with several ideas, but I'm not yet sure which I'll use. Would any of you be willing to read/edit it for me before I send it in?

I'm watching Tarzan! I love that movie!

"And, Daddy, they stole my boot!"

Question: Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Psych's back on! We had pineapple! I'm afraid Psych may be declining.... However, I have found a new second-favorite show (after, of course, Doctor Who). Leverage! It's AWESOME!!!

This weekend -- Wednesday-Saturday, I am going to the Life, the Universe, and Everything writing conference. Brandon Sanderson -- the author of the Alcatraz books, among other things -- is going to speak. I'm excited! I'm going with Emily Younker, we're leaving late Wednesday.

It's kind of hard to write a blog post whilst watching a movie, so I think I'm going to go now.... I shall talk at'cha' all latrez.

Captain Whitney

Listen to you two! Here we are, at the end of the universe, and you're busy ... blogging!

New Term, Another Beginning

2010-01-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

Term started today -- which meant I had to go to classes at scheduled times today, which meant I had to wake up before 9 ►_◄ Not cool.

I am, however, really excited for this new term. It's a fresh start, and a chance to do things right this time. Last term I kind of ... well ... failed -- and I'm definetly not proud of that and wish I hadn't done it, though I did learn some things that I am glad I learned, even at the cost of my grades. Sometimes there are more important things than math.

But THIS term, I've got all my life-lessons out of the way, and can really crack down on stuff, get to work. I've worked out a schedule that I think will agree with me -- and now I'm taking Psychology, score! Of course, it was at the loss of my Latin class, which stinks, but I'm still excited to take it.

As for my social life ... well, that's non-existent, so never mind.

Oh, but I DID start a club! It's the Society Of Literacy And Bananas! Association (SOLAB!A). We're a writing group (thus the "Literacy") full of crazy teenage girls (thus the "Bananas!"). This past Friday was our first meeting, and the girls brought some really amazing pieces. We wrote from the prompt Death was last seen in the auction house, looking worried. Some of the things they came out with were astonishing. One of the girls wrote a piece that might be the most beautiful thing I have EVER heard -- classics included.

I am really excited to be drawing closer to writers in my community. I joined the Logan League of Utah Writers -- which is a group of adults who share their writing, which is fun (if a little nerve-racking ... I mean, I don't usually allow anyone outside of my age-range to read my stuff).

Um de um de um... I guess I should get back to Math class (grr). I'll talk at 'cha all latrez!!!

♥Captain Whitney

Never put off until tomorrow that which you can do the day after tomorrow.

A Poem

2010-01-14T17:34:00.000-08:00

Sorry this isn't a real post -- I haven't been in a real blogging mood lately. I'll post later about the first Society Of Literacy And Bananas! Association meeting.

I wrote this poem a while ago, while I was going through one of my random bouts of depression. It doesn't really make sense, but does any poetry?

The Apprentice

This is just another test
I guess?
Another of those things you say
will make things better in the end.
Is that all I am—
a test?
Or worse—
Just one to take it?
Filling in answers,
Learning day by day,
So what?
So you can take the credit?
I’m not going to train
If it’s a waste of my time.
I’m not going to learn
If this is the test
For which I’m
Studying.
I’m not just a test-taker
I’m a life-changer,
And I want a chance
To do something more
Than take tests.

♥/Captain Whitney

“Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary.”

P.S. No, the picture doesn't have to do with anything, I just thought it was awesome. And, no, I did not forget the pineapple.

I Have Absolutely Nothing to Say...

2009-11-21T20:13:00.000-08:00

...but since when has that stopped me from saying it?

Work on my screenplay has been going well. My heroine is a Crystal Bearer and my hero is an alien. It's all sorts of good fun. I don't know why I didn't think of doing a television show before. My only problem is that I have to come up with a plot for every episode. So far I've planned the pilot, a murder mystery, and I have some vague idea of them going to Diak in disguise.... I'm not worried, though -- half the fun of writing is not knowing what's going to happen next. Oh, and I have plotted out the love-life in it ... though I'm not sure if I'm going to hook Kimberly up with anyone any time soon. She kind of went through a dramatic breakup just before the show started.

"Let me make my own mistakes, that's half the fun." Tee-hee! I'm watching My Three Sons ('cause I'm an old person like that). Kee! It's such a melodrama. "She wrote this story that's so profound that nobody knows what it means." That reminds me of something a friend of mine wrote:

The people who sit in the stars,

they sit on the stars,

like it's (all of the so bazillions)

their planets.

Even she didn't know what it means. But I think it's cool.

The more you look at less,

The more less looks like more.

So, if you look at my post for a really long time, it might actually seem like something.

I'm really not just trying to prove that I have nothing to say.

Yesterday, I watched the preview for The Lightening Thief. It looks really good. I liked the book a ton -- and it looks like they're going to do it well.

I'm REALLY tired... and this laptop does not hold a charge well ... AND I have to be at the church at 7:30 tomorrow ... AND I want pineapple....

<3/Captain Whitney

Oh, how cute! ...A couple of rodents looking for a theme park.

Demotivational Pictures

2009-11-19T14:42:00.003-08:00

Let's just say, Cristianna's here and I have nothing to do ... well, actually I have LOTS to do, but instead I'm doing THIS!

Question

2009-11-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

Say you're writing a screenplay (which I am) and you're doing a series of shots to show your heroine's morning -- she's running late, scarfing down breakfst, shoving things in her purse, hurriedly brushing her teeth, running a brush through her hair, etc.

Got that?

Now say that you wanted to show, during this series of shots, that your heroine has random ESP moments and can occasionally see the future (she knows who's knocking on the door before answering it, knows who's calling without looking at Caller I.D., etc.).

Right?

So, now for my question: How would you go about showing, in some small way, this psychic power? I don't know how to just slip in something about, oh, yeah, she can see the future. I'm going to explain it more later on, so it's okay if the reader/watcher can come up with some rational explination for how she knew what was happening or they just don't quite catch that she's seeing the future -- I would still like it to be in there, and I'm not quite sure what to do.

Literary advice would be greatly appreciated!

(By the way, she's not a fake psychic, and there will probably not be any pineapple....)

<3/Captain Whitney

"Your bloodhound is nose-deaf?"

"...We prefer the more politically correct "olfactory-impaired"...."

P.S. The picture is improperly formatted -- a screenplay should only be bound with two brads, the middle hole should be left empty.

don't mind me...

2009-10-26T13:21:00.001-07:00

...I'm just testing something....

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l165/4thDrWhoFan/3doctors1.gif

What a Story!

2009-10-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

I've been reading about Marco Polo for History. Honestly, before today the only reference I had to Marco Polo was a pool game.... However, I have instantly become fascinated! Being an explorer would be AMAZING, and his descriptions of the world he found in China... well, it's no wonder that he inspired so many other explorers!

Lately, the only exploring I have been doing has been of places in my books -- but what awesome places they are!!! It is my dream to travel to J-Sar and see the shining cities, or to Aira and study magic at Bostwick's (Batwick's) Academy, or to Phar and ride a unicorn, or to Aquat to ... to ... do whatever it is Aquatians do (honestly, I have no idea).

Right now, I'm writing a series of books about an Earth girl named Kimberly Briggs and a J-Sarn guy named Hendricks (he does have a first name, but he doesn't like to admit what it is) who travel across the universe with Kimberly's Gunnel Crystal. It's going to be AMAZING! (If I can ever get them off of Earth...)

Okay, I woke up late today, and I have been VERY non-productive. I put in 6 1/2 hours of school the past two days, and now I'm fried. All I really want to do is watch Doctor Who and write, but I'm plugging away (well, actually, I'm writing blog posts to avoid having to plug away....)

Oh, sorry to everyone (namely Ken Carson) that I told I was going to Saratoga Springs and then I never contacted.... I'm kind of a ditz (but you already knew that about me, didn't you?).

Okay, I am GOING TO GO DO MY ENGLISH CLASS. Right. Now!

Really.

I am.

Going.

Now.

Um...

I'm out of things to say, so I guess I do have to go do my English class.

Stay out of trouble.

Remember your pineapple.

Don't eat the cat.

Say no to drugs.

Say yes to tacos!

David Tennant is the hottest man alive!

Cheese is icky!

Fish!

Be a Friend of the Ood!

Go U of G! (University of Galifrey!)

(I would insert a heart, but I'm using a stupid MAC computer and the heart doesn't work!)/Captain Whitney

My object in living is to unite

My avocation and my vocation

As my two eyes make one in sight.

P.S. Here's a link to the site I've been reading about Marco Polo -- it's AMAZING!

http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/china/trad/marco.htm

-CW

History vs. Fiction

2009-10-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

So, I'm taking a break from History right now (I've been doing the class for an hour), and I just wanted to comment on how REDICULOUS History class is. I mean, come on -- they think that the thing in this picture has some sort of religious purpose. You could find something identical to that in your local junk yard!

I hope some day, when we're in Heaven, we get to look down on the archeologists who are figuring out what OUR junk means (The Doctor says that he hates archeologists ... which I thought was funny, considering who he is....). I look forward to the chance to laugh at the silly humans who have no idea what they're talking about.

Written records I will believe (with a grain of salt -- every writer has their own opinion that taints their view), but the analyzing of junk seems WAY too imprecice to me -- it's all guess work.

Really, I think fiction is the only way to truly tell the truth. I've been thinking about this a lot lately -- I mean, fiction is the only thing that comes out and admits: I'm not true, and I'm clouded by opinion. Only when that is stated can you then sift through what is being said and find the real message behind it. The book I am writing right now is about a different planet where the people have magic powers -- but it is also a very strong message about agency. In fact, I keep getting prompted to write this book while doing things like watching conference and reading scriptures.

Mostly, I guess I needed somewhere to complain about the stupidity of History class, but now I should go back to actually studying... Sigh. But GUESS WHAT!!! I'm not failing History any more! SWEET! Almost as sweet as pineapple!

♥/Captain Whitney

I didn't lie, I just created fiction with my mouth.

What Kind of Hero?

2009-10-04T21:21:00.000-07:00

So, as you all probably are aware, I am a bit of a Doctor Who fan ("How exactly are you a 'fan'? In what way do you resemble a means of keeping oneself cool?"). But I've been thinking about this obsession of mine a lot lately, wondering why I love it so much (oh yeah -- 'cause it's AWESOME ... and David Tennant's gorgeous), and I realized that (besides those reasons) it's because I wish I could be like him -- The Doctor.

I mean, here is a man who gets to see EVERYTHING. He travels the universe in that little blue box of his (it's bigger on the inside), and he makes a difference in people's lives. Not only does he save them, but he changes them for the better -- teaches them about equality and choice and peaceful living. And he cares about them -- about each ordinary human and emotionless Cyberman and even the cruel aliens from Rexicoricofalipetorious.

Now, I have come to the realization that the probability of me gaining a Tardis and travelling across the universe with psychic paper and a sonic screwdriver saving people's lives is very unlikely. However, I have also decided that I AM going to make a difference ... somehow. I know this makes me sound vain, like I think I'm something grand or I am seeking praise, but really ... I just want to know that my brief span on this earth was WORTH something. That I made a real DIFFERENCE to someone.

Somehow, in some way, I am going to change the world for the better. This I swear. Some day I'm going to do something grand and exciting and marvelous. I'm going to see something of the world and make a difference. I'm making that promise right now, to myself -- a promise I WILL keep.

♥Captain Whitney

Mankind doesn't need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself. Everyday life can provide honor and valor. Let's hope that from now on this country can find its heroes in smaller places. In the most ordinary of deeds.

It's the Little Things in Life

2009-09-16T22:54:00.000-07:00

So, I just had an emotional break down and wrote this whole long BLOG post that made no sense (which I printed out to paste in my diary, but decided not to annoy you with), and then I was going to go to bed and just let myself be depressed. Then I started rereading my old posts, and....

Well, it's all just so SILLY. I always stress about my grades -- and I almost always get them up. And if I don't: so what? Like Mrs. Kavmark says, no one's going to remember your grades in ten years anyways. Sure, it matters for getting into college, but I'm not terribly worried about that -- especially since it might be at the expense of my sanity (which I cannot afford to lose).

It's more than that... I've been... I dunno'. Craving adventure, I guess. Sometimes it's hard to not be running around changing the world.
I just -- I want to do something BIG, GRAND, and EXCITING.

But, you know, some of the happiest moments in my life have come from... absolutely nothing. You know, just sitting around basking in the sunshine, or playing cards with a friend, or discussing how we could terrorize guys on dates when we turn sixteen! (Like faking (what do I mean, faking?!) that we're crazy!)

I guess what I'm saying is: Don't take things so seriously.
Would it be nice to do something amazing and save the universe? Yes. I'm not going to pretend that I don't still want that opportunity. But, until then, I'll content myself with feeling good by sharing pineapple.

♥Captain Whitney

♫♪So you wanna' change the world? What are you waiting for? Say you're gonna' start right now? What are you waiting for? It only takes one voice, so come on now and shout it out. Give a little more. What are you waiting for?♪♫

I do still know how to blog...

2009-09-13T19:04:00.001-07:00

...but I don't know if I still know how to write. THIS is the best I've been able to do:

It's worse than the worst writer's block.
It's having words and sentences that won't make meaning.
It's having characters with no faces,
stories with no plots,
settings with no doors to let me in.
And I'm scared, out here in the rain, and they won't let me in.
They won't let me in.
There's nothing I can say--
they seem to have taken my words away.
Why has the novelist turned poet?
Why has the author turned to Facebook poster and e-mailer?
Why have I lost my pen, my paper, and my passion?
Why is this stupid thing all I can seem to write?
Where did my words go?

And there isn't any pineapple.... (Did you notice pineapple was missing from my last post?!)

♥Captain Whitney

I'm a galley slave to pen and ink.

In WHO We Trust?

2009-08-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

I got this in an e-mail, and I thought of sending it on -- but that seemed so casual. I want it posted here so I can say how important it is. I don't think any of the readers of my BLOG (if I have any left, considering how long it has been since last I posted) want God out of schools and work and our lives -- but I think we need to do more than support Him, I think we need to fight for Him. Our pledge of allegiance should say "One nation, under God", our currancy should read "In God we trust". We need someone to trust, or we're in trouble.

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem. We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay. (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide.)

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.
Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein

Saving Hyrule One Dungeon at a Time

2009-07-16T19:11:00.001-07:00

Yay! I have spent the past two days doing just about nothing save for playing Zelda: Ocarina of Time with C. Bai! I got her totally addicted -- I'm so proud of myself!

I cannot BELIEVE how long it has been since I last posted! And, it being summer, I have little to post about in any case. Next time something exciting happens to me, I'll post about it, promise (you'll be waiting a REALLY long time for such a post!).

My mother got me sleeping pills! They're amazing! I don't sleep at night -- pretty much an insomniac, but these pills knocked me out. And I woke up really refreshed, a thing that has not happened in ... EVER.

I saved Hyrule to-day! (Back to the Zelda thing, keep up.) Yeah, I conquered Gannondorf (and Gannon) and beat the game! It was amazing! And now I'm starting over.

I'm going to go play Zelda, actually. So much for posting. I promise I will... eventually.

I had pineapple with dinner!! It was delicious! Psych's back on SOON!!! Bailey and I are going to have a marathon... it's going to be amazing.

Okay, this was not a real post -- just a sneak preview for things to come. I'll post something real in a day or two, promise.

CURSE NAVAROG!!!!! Sorry, I'm rereading Fablehaven, and I just finished the third one and... UGH!!! It's almost infuriating to know what's going to happen, 'cause... 'cause... Agh! I don't want to give it away if you haven't read them!

I got sunburned at Bear Lake! OUCH! It hurts to WEAR CLOTHES! (That hasn't stopped me, promise.) Cry... sniffle... sob!

Okay, I'm going away. Some day I'll post something with sense.
Wait -- ME post something with SENSE?!?! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! That was a good one!

♥Captain Whitney

Today I am as happy as a seagul with a french fry!

The Devil Made Me Do It

2009-04-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

So... I'm still sick, and I missed my second day of play practice in a row. I'm REALLY worried about how Mr. Taylor is going to react!!! Anyways, because I've been sick and my mother finally talked me into it, I've spent all day: on Facebook!

Wow... if ever there was a waist of time, it was putting Flair on Facebook. Which has to be hypocritical statement of the year, for I have created so many Flair they won't let me add any more until tomorrow, and I've added so many to my corkboard that I ha dto move on to the second one. Sigh. I feel REALLY non-productive! It's really rather depressing. Maybe this was just the thing to get me back focused on school -- I'm READY to go back!!!

...well, at least to play practice....

Except that I still don't feel good.

I'm really depressed.... Sigh. Oh well.

♥Captain Whitney

Boys are like lava-lamps: fun to look at, but not very bright.

This Just About Sums Up My Day

2009-04-20T20:23:00.001-07:00

holding out for spring break

2009-04-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

I am SOOOOO ready for Spring "Keep"!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Don't ask on the keep thing) All of my teachers have Spring fever, and it's driving me crazy! Mrs Hancock, my English teacher, started filling out detention slips on Monday and waited almost anxiously for us to do something so she could give them to us. Mr Crazy Head Taylor was in a REALLY bad mood today -- my friends all say they're scared of him, but I just laughed at them: until TODAY, when I descovered that Mr C.H.T. can be scary!!! Luckily he lightened up before Play Practice ended. I think Grandma's in a bad mood too.... Sigh.

I'm holding out well, though! I'm actually pretty happy!!! I just want to give everyone else a break, so that when I see them again THEY will be happy.

Kendra and I are writing the SPIFFIEST of all SPIFFY books! I play DEATH, she LOVE -- and each of us has to find a new student to train to take our position, so's we can retire. So Kendra plays my student, Fredrick (who's a girl ... don't ask), training to be DEATH, and I play her student, the yet-to-be-named LOVE in training, who's a guy. The great thing is, she's really sweet, loves animals, and hates killing people -- in fact, she REALLY REALLY REALLY doesn't want to be DEATH. And my character would rather play video games than hook people up -- he thinks love is grody, but now it's his job to make people fall in LOVE. Tee-hee. It's really fun.

**What should I name LOVE????**

So ... Drama is consuming my life, but I have found time to work on my latest book (I know, I KNOW, FINISH one already!!!). This one's called Disbelieved, and it's about a girl (Rebecca Hutchinson) who has an Imaginary Friend (Jake, her knight without shining armor ('cause that's stuff's awful uncomfortable)), but then she stops believing in him, because she's eleven and grown up. He gets sent to the cold, desolate planet of Brilliantis -- but he fights his way back to Earth, arriving when Becky is twenty one and most in need of his assistance. She just broke of her engagement with Some Dude, she hates her job, she's failing all her classes... I dunno'. She's in a rut.

Jake has to work to get her to believe in him. It's a really sweet story, I think. I'm really enjoying the writing process (in the few moments I can scrape together to write).

I'M GOING TO PHANTOM TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!! And it had better be pretty awesome, 'cause I paid twenty bucks for the ticket! It'll be cool -- we get a back-stage tour and everything. AND I get to skip out on Science Class (it's almost worth the $20 just for that....)

I've been keeping up on my homework!!! I'm actually really proud of myself, stupid though that sounds. I've been doing my B-Day homework ON B-Days (what a concept!) and my A-Day homework on A-Days (no!). I only have a VERY SMALL amount of Geography homework to do today.

OH MY HECK!!! We have the awesomest Geography assignment!!! (Despite the fact that awesomest is not a word) We were all really annoyed with Ms Cox when she told us we had homework over Spring Keep, but after we heard what it is, I'm all excited! I can't talk about it, 'cause it's supposed to be SECRET, but I'll post after I do it!

As you may be able to tell, I'm in a really random mood. Play practice was physically and emotionally draining, and I don't really feel like doing anything, so I'm just writing everything that comes to this complicated little head of mine.

But that's why you love me, right?

Anyways, I'm going to go away now, while I still maintain a speck of sanity.

♥Captain Whitney

And Peter Pan chose this particular house because there were people here who believed in him.

51 Things in my Bedroom...

2009-03-29T23:19:00.000-07:00

...because I ought to be doing my homework -- or sleeping (what a novel idea!).

1. A thing pretending to be a closet

2. A teensy-weensy custard (that I chose over a giant one)

3. A penguin pillow that says: MOO!

4. Penguin quilt

5-9. Some of my penguin collection

10. Spiffy fadora

11. A broken wall mirror

12. Spinny chair

13. Rabbit lamp

14-19. My Wodehouse books

20. The Three Amigos VHS

21. backpack

22. vanity

23. Partially mutilated green bunny

24. Serial killer baby chicken

25. telephone

26. Unicorn

27. Typewriter

28. Hobbes

29. Marvin

30. Zounds

31. Jewelry box

32. Printer

33. DVD player

34. BzzAgent box

35. horse

36. cow

37&38. Matching armchairs with mis-matching legs

39. filing cabnet

40. stool

41. roll-top desk

42. giant spool of string

43. white Ikea dresser

44. green tiara

45. Crib/bed

46. white board

47. game cube

48-50. Fablehaven 1-3

51. ME!

...Not that anyone cares. This one chic did it on her blog, and I thought it was kind of a fun idea. Mostly, I ought to be finishing my story for Creative Writing (or, as I say, sleeping), and I'm not, so I had to be doing something else.

I have a TON to post about ... hopefully I'll find time tomorrow.

I was rereading my old blog today. Rather painful. I hope I don't sound nearly so stupid on this one....

Sigh. Always depressing to think yourself really clever and then find out that you really aren't. Tee-hee, oh well. It's your time you're wasting, reading my Random Babbelings of Nonsensical Nothingness. And at least there's pineapple, right?

♥Captain Whitney

Don't get eaten by brownies!

I Am But Mad When the Wind Blows Nor-Nor-East

2009-03-23T12:54:00.001-07:00

My director is so bipolar! He's in L.A. today, so we figured we didn't have play practice, so I called Uncle Stephan to pick me up at 2:25. Then Mr. Taylor told Portia that we did have play practice -- so I telephoned my uncle and asked him to pick me up after play practice (whenever that was). Then Crazy Head texted Portia and said we only have play practice if the choir teacher was willing to be adult supervision and help us out -- which, apparently, she was not, for now we don't have play practice. I telephoned Uncle Steven and asked him to pick me up at 2:25 -- and let's hope this is the last time.

I skipped out on lunch today to finish my play for Drama -- then had to hang out in the computer lab during mentoring to continue. I figured I would end up having to finish it at home and hope Mr. Taylor didn't kill me. Then our substitute told us we would be spending the class period working on our plays. So, thusly, I finished forty minutes early and am now writing a blog post which you may or may not be reading (I would assume that you are, but I could be mistaken).

Anyways, luckily for me, we had an auction in Seminary today, and I bought a mini-box of Froot Loops, so I did not go lunchless. HOORAY for Seminary!!!! Today we talked about the repentance process -- which was fun and all but now my faerie blood is taking over. SO on to another topic!

No, I really do think I have faerie blood. Kimberly and I were discussing this, because I can't hold a conversation on one topic for longer than approximately thirty seconds. Everyone knows that faeries are flighty, and it's actually something I talk about in mine and Anit's book Carson's School for the Future.

I finished organizing my room yesterday -- it wasn't really like cleaning, because going through all my papers was relaxing and way fun! (Okay, this is my justification -- mostly, my OCD nature took over and I couldn't leave the papers scattered all over my room the way they were) My room looks better than it has since I moved in to my Grandparents'! (That apostrophe is very important....)

Also yesterday, I had a Rex Harrison marathon! I watched all two movies with him that I know of! My Fair Lady and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir! They were positively amazing (just like they were the last time I watched them)!!! My Fair Lady is actually my most recent obsession -- I tend to collect those. In fact, I was being mocked for my obsessions during History today, because I was squealing over Psych and how DEPRESSED I am that it's over 'till JUNE!!!! (WHAAA!!! I'm still depressed ... and now I'm craving pineapple!) Obsessions make me happy, and keep my occupied....

Mainly, I'm a Drama queen -- if I'm even remotely affiliated with something, I'm passionate about it. I get it from my mother, so blame her.

Anyways, don't eat the cat!

♥/Captain Whitney

"Going into theater is like asking for admission into an insane asylum."

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen ... who also bakes cupcakes!

2009-03-21T20:14:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been forever since I posted, but I have been crazy busy!

We performed Fortress -- which was way a lot of fun, though I did not LOVE being an ensemble member that wasn't allowed to move 98% of the time.
The last night was HILARIOUS!!! It was McKaylie's last night performing with our school EVER, and so she improvised, like, EVERY line. Oh my gosh -- she made me laugh so hard! We took a vow of silence not to tell our director what we did (as he wasn't there, having been at a performance) but it slipped out and he knows. However, he said nothing -- which is good. McKaylie was quite certain she was going to die.

Three days after our last performance of Fortress we had auditions for our school musical "Once On This Island". Those of you who have been following my Blog since forever may recall that I posted about going to it (I don't remember if it was on this Blog or my other one ... all I remember is that the post was called "Poison Mangoes").
Anyways, I was SCARED TO DEATH!!!! Auditions are scary enough under normal circumstances, but I have had ZERO experience singing in front of people, and even less training in Voice. However, I took the chance and auditioned (singing "Santa Fe" from Disney's Newsies). I made it to call backs! I was astonished! They had us sing in groups of four a song from the play and then learn and do a dance. Amazingly, I was on the Cast List!!! I'm only an ensemble member, but at least this time I'll be allowed to move! And a TON of people were cut, so I'm taking it as a real compliment (despite a depressing conversation with the very tautological Paden on how they're just giving us ensemble roles to make us feel good or something). I think we start rehersals Monday -- I'm excited!

I have been theoretically baking lately -- don't ask how you can theoretically bake. Let's just say, the only thing we've actually eaten that I made was from a cake mix. But I'm working on it.
I'm going to try this recpie, hopefully tomorrow, if not, Monday:

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 egg whites from large eggs
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, milk and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix at low speed for 2 minutes. Scrape bowl. Add egg whites and mix at high speed until fluffy and smooth, approximately 2 minutes.

Fill liners 1/2 to 2/3 full of batter. Do not overfill. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes in pans then remove from pan, and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Frost and decorate your vanilla cupcakes as desired.

I don't know if they're any good -- guess we'll find out.

I also have a cookie recipe I want to try, but it's really complicated, and I think it's going to have to wait until I'm less stressed out. Yes, I am stressed out -- very. I need to go back to cleaning my room, because I have left it in total disarray and I can't clean tomorrow, it being Sunday.

PSYCH'S OFF 'TILL JUNE!!! WHAAAA!!! When it comes back on, CBai and I are holding a HUGE party -- with fresh pineapple, and pineapple up side down cake, and a pineapple smoothy. HOORAY FOR PINEAPPLE!!!!!!! I miss Psych! And I was SOOO mad at Shaun at the end of the finale -- I just can't wait until it comes back on so I can start loving him again!

Okay, I really am going away now.

Love, cupcakes, pineapple, et cetera.

♥Captain Whitney

I AM Focused -- hey, look, a chicken!!!!

2009-02-23T16:41:00.000-08:00

I am in a REALLY random mood today -- probably because I OUGHT to be writing my short story for English, or doing my paper for Drama, or cleaning my room, or doing my science project, or doing my math homework, or ... something similarly productive.

So I'm not.

Oh, the loverly picture of me is one Kenneth took at Shakespeare Festivall -- it's beter than the other ones, I'll say that much. (Not that KenBarbie isn't good at taking pictures -- I just don't like having my picture taken so I make funny faces)

I got this in an e-mail -- you guys (all one of you who read my blog...) ought to fill it out, too! As you may or may not have ascertained, you must answer the question with a word that starts with the first letter of your name.

1. What is your name Kat!e
2. A 4 Letter Word Kiss

3. A Boys Name: Kenneth

4. A Girls Name: Katarianna

5. An Occupation: Kiwi tamer (thanks Heid) or maybe kettle cleaner
6. A Color Kashmire
7. Something you wear: Kimona (okay, I don't wear it, but some people do...)
8. A Beverage: Kabuki
9. A Food: Knichi
10. Something found: Kidnapping victims
12. A Reason for being late: kids are sick
13. Something you shout: KALABUNGA!!!!!

Tee-hee! Alright, that was fun.

Perhaps I will go pretend to be productive now?

♥Captain Whitney

I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again.

2009-02-21T23:06:00.000-08:00

Looks like you're stuck getting some of my writing whether you like it or not ☺
The style of this was not my idea -- it's 9 syllables, 8 syllables, 7 syllables, et cetera. We were supposed to write something connected with the poem before, and the poem before mine -- well, read as follows:

Trolls Vanquished
by Keri West

listen now to tales of heros past
trolls vanquished, the princess safe
knights in the castle towers
elves in their woodland home
and you in your bed
a soft mattres
swarm pillow
blanket
sleep

Which inspired me to write:

Moonlit Wishes
by Captain Whitney
We sleep perchance to dream of our life
What adventures might lie in store
And what we may accomplish.
Dream of love, and of vows
Made in the moonlight.
Dream of the day
that follows
and life
past.

♥Captain Whitney

If pigs had wings, they'd be pigeons!

Post Script

So, my computer's having issues (no surprise there), and thusly I can't get the formatting right, and there will be no picture (despite the awesomeness of the picture I had planned for this post). I guess you will just have to imagine one.

Love and pineapple (you thought I'd forgotten!).

♥C.W.

Your while may not be worth what you think, nor what you think worth the while it takes to think it.

2009-02-21T19:36:00.000-08:00

There is something about writing for adults -- and knowing that it is for adults I write -- that makes me, as a teenager, especially careful. I have been posting on http://www.1000000monkeys.com/, and I know most of the writers are grownups, thusly I take time to ponder what I write, and I delve into the extensive vocabulary I know I posses, in the hopes of sounding intelegent. This, I believe, is helping my writing, for fear makes me cautious, and caution makes me better.
Anyways, I know I haven't posted in a while, and I haven't really anything to say, except that I'm enjoying being a monkey, I'm depressed that the Psych season is over 'till summer, and I like pineapple.
Sorry that is the extent of it. Check out my posts on One Million Monkeys if you want to read some of the stuff I've written!

♥Captain Whitney

I'm not inclined to resign to maturity.

A Love Poem

2009-02-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

It's almost Valentines day, and I thought you might all be interested in a love poem we read in History. There is something haunting and sad about it, but definitely something beautiful and sweet.

anyone lived in a pretty how town

(with up so floating many bells down)

spring summer autumn winter

he sang his didn't he danced his did.

Women and men (both little and small)

cared for anyone not at all

they sowed their isn't they reaped their same

sun moon stars rain

children guessed (but only a few

and down they forgot as up they grew

autumn winter spring summer)

that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf

she laughed his joy she cried his grief

bird by snow and stir by still

anyone's any was all to her

someones married their everyones

laughed their cryings and did their dance

(sleep wake hope and then) they

said their nevers and slept their dream

stars rain sun moon

(and only the snow can begin to explain

how children are apt to forget to remember

with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess

(and noone stooped to kiss his face)

busy folk buried them side by side

little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep

and more by more they dream their sleep

noone and anyone earth by april

wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men (both dong and ding)

summer autumn winter spring

reaped their sowing and went their came

sun moon stars rain

Have a happy Valentines day. Split a pineapple with a loved one, and good luck figuring out the verses above!

♥Captain Whitney

The more you look at less, the more less looks like more.

The Snowflakes Dance

2009-02-10T19:15:00.001-08:00

You know, they tell you in school to think outside the box, but it's they who keep us bound. They who place labels, set rules. There is one right answer among innumerable wrong ones. They encourage us to ask questions -- then scoff before giving answers.

"Is LOST an emotion?" you ask.

No. They say. No no no. LOST is a state of NOT KNOWING WHERE YOU ARE. Emotions are FEELINGS. You ARE lost -- you can't FEEL lost.

Can't you?

By their definition, emotions are simple. Are words. Are defineable. MAKE SENSE.

When I smile, I'm HAPPY. When I frown, I'm ANGRY. When I cry, I'm SAD.

I smile, I frown, I cry, I laugh.

But what about when you're WAITING, and the snow is falling, and you aren't cold but you aren't warm, and you want the waiting to STOP and for LIFE to go on, but you NEVER want this moment to END? And you see the snowflakes DANCE, whispering past, decorating your hair -- and you are terribly, terribly LONELY, but you are basking in the FREEDOM of being by yourself?

How do you lable that? How do you catch it, tie it up, put it in a box, shove it in a book, and teach it?

'Cause they don't, you know.

They don't teach you what it means when you want to stand STILL, never move, and paradoxically you want to SCREAM and pull out your hair and break things. They don't tell you what it means when you want ADVENTURE, romance, excitement, danger -- and simultaniously you want to curl up under the covers, hear your mother's voice, and know that EVERYTHING will be OKAY, that you never, ever have to move.

Because they don't know.

They don't understand that feeling of itching to MOVE and longing to STAY.

And here, in this moment, perhaps you've found it. Perhaps you've caught it. Maybe you could tie it up, put it in a box, and shove it in a book? Could you teach it?

No. Because you don't understand it either.

But it's there.

And it's real.

And one day you'll catch it.

And then you'll let it FREE.

But the wait is over. The feeling's gone.

And your fear is that you will forget....

♥Captain Whitney

"We're alive. We're happy." Shouldn't that be enough?

A Day In This Bliss Called Life

2009-02-06T18:28:00.000-08:00

Do you ever just open your eyes and realize that everything around you is perfect? That you really have everything you want, and everything is just right, and all you want to do is what is right? I had one of those moments today -- I think Wodehouse calls it euphoria, but don't quote me on that one. Anyways, it hasn't worn off.

My cousin Sam says "Say 'Hi, from Sam, my cousin'". I'm at their house right now. It was actually pretty awesome -- I was sitting, basking in the sheer joy of being alive, and doing my Science homework (which was far less fun), when my uncle called up the stairs: "Hey, Aunt Candi was wondering if you want to go stay at her house." So now Uncle Stephen and I are bopping around at Aunt Candi's, hanging out with my cousins and playing video games. The best trips are the spontaneous ones.

The only trouble with this spontaneity is that we can't watch Psych until to-morrow. :( Oh well.

I was very productive to-day -- I studied for my Science test and my History test and cleaned my room and did my Seminary reading. You should be proud of me :)

Okay, I promised Sam I'd play Zelda: Ocarina of Time with him (I freaking love that game!!! My six year old self coming out again), so I've got to go.

When in doubt -- eat pineapple. It won't solve anything, but you'll be too happy to care!!

(heart)Captain Whitney

Idioms are for the birds.

Pixie Stix, Lafty-Tafty Jokes, Hot Guys, and Sleep Deprivation...

2009-02-05T20:10:00.000-08:00

...I am SO there!

Sorry it's been a bazillion years minus a half-post since I've come on! Life's been hectic, but nothing's really happened that's good to post about. Nothing I thought would interest you guys, anyways, but KenBarbie was pestering my so much I decided I had to say something, even if I had nothing to say.

This week has been crazy! We've had half schedule because the "Big Kids" are testing -- but a really wonkified half schedule, with two two-hour classes a day! We watched an entire movie today in Creative Writing (and ate cupcakes!).

Plus, I've had play practice -- but that was cancelled to-day. Mr. Tayler's REALLY starting to stress me out! This was a last-minute play, and we perform the (gulp!) 24th!!! and he keeps cancelling practices!! He's crazy, I tell you! Paden thinks he's a warewolf -- I just think he's bipolar, but either way, he's psychotic. A great director, though. I guess you have to be nuts to be great in the dramatic arts. (Shut up.)

I've actually been productive today! My friend Jill (age 5) came over to-day, and then her sister Caitlyn (age 8) visited, and then her brother Isaac (age 10). They're awesome. Anyways, we hung out, and then they went home, and somehow they inspired me to actually do something. I wrote my English essay (gag!) and typed my science notes and ... well, I guess that's about it, but it took almost an hour and a half, so it felt pretty productive. My essay is awful, but, then, I turn in things I like, and Mrs. Hancock hates it, I turn in something I hate, she loves it -- so I ought to get full marks on this piece of crap that I threw together. I have until Monday to edit it, but maybe I should just leave it the way it is?

I hate essay writing.

I don't say that to complain -- just stating a fact. After all, I'm done with the stupid essay, what do I have to complain about?

I did have a sleep-over planned for this weekend, but my friend got sick. Oh well, maybe this way I'll actually get some sleep.

PSYCH's ON TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!! I spotted the pineapple last week, I was so proud of myself! The only times I usually see it is when Suan holds it up with a big red bow on it. Tee-hee!

So, I've got to write a short story for Creative Writing. Short-stories aren't really my forte. At all. But I'm plugging away -- and I've actually gotten to the point where I can enjoy the process (though I don't think anyone around me does). Some days I hate being a writer, other days I remember why I never want to be anything but. The latter is becoming more and more INfrequent. Ah well, all part of the trade, I suppose?

I still haven't read for Seminary yet to-day, so I had better go.

Don't eat the cat!

♥Captain Whitney

In the beginning, there was nothing. Then God said: "Let there be light!", and there was still nothing, but now you could SEE it!

Just for KenBarbie

2009-01-28T09:32:00.000-08:00

I'm in Creative Writing class, and I think I'm supposed to be being productive. However, KenBarbie will never leave me alone if I don't post SOMETHING.

I like pancakes and ducks!

Don't eat the cat!

Pineapple to you!

Maybe some day I will post something of worth.

(heart)Captain Whitney

When in doubt, order pizza.

Just a Preview

2009-01-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

This won't be a real post, as I haven't even started on my homework and I'm supposed to go to bed in an hour, but I was reading The Book of Mormon and I came across my favourite scripture (or, at least, one of them) and thought I would post it here as a reminder to myself:

Ether 12:27
And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Something we tend to forget -- that God gave us our weakness. After all, where would the challenge be if we were all perfect?

Oh, by the way, my pineapple upside down cake turned out pretty good, I think. I'm making a pineapple smoothie Friday in honour of the Psych premier!!! And then maybe I'll get on to real baking. I made cupcakes to-night, but that doesn't count as it was a cake mix, and, actually, my grandmother made them, I just frosted them (and decorated them to look like penguins!!!!!!!!).

I'll try to post a real post soon (probably Friday when I'm waiting anxiously for Psych, I might even change my background, as I'm rather sick of snow now).

Pineapple to you.

♥Captain Whitney

Don't worry so much about homework and the way your hair looks and whether Jane likes you or not -- there are only so many things that matter in this life ... and I'm pretty sure pineapple is one of them.

I Wanna' Wash My Hands, My Face, My Hair With SNOW!

2008-12-18T18:34:00.000-08:00

There are fifteen minutes left on my pineapple upside down cake -- MY p. u. d. c.! I'm SOOO excited! Sadly, I can't try it until to-morrow, because it's for a class :( AND we may not even have school to-morrow! But more on that in a minute.

Do you know how many PIECES there are to a p. u. d. c.?! I gave up counting how many times the recipe told me to get something to-gether and then "set it aside" so I could do something else! And, of course, I managed to get every ingredient on my clothes (where it happily joined my dinner O.o). This has probably been the FUNNEST thing I've ever baked -- let's hope it's also the TASTIEST. I have had my share of baking mishaps :( The Chocolate Chip Cookie Fiasco comes to mind, followed closely by the Sugar Cookie Tragedy. Let us hope the Pineapple Upside Down Flop is NOT added to the list. But, hey, I'm not cooking it with an easy-bake oven, so at least I know it will be done ☺

To-day I actually WENT to school! In Seminary we played some games, watched a movie, and ate pancakes (well, I use the term "we" loosely -- I don't like pancakes anyways, much less when they're a day old and microwaved ... EEEEEEEWWWWWW!!!!). Then in math the people who had turned everything in played games and those who had missing assignments theoretically worked on those assignments -- two kids played games. I was not one of them, as I'm sure you could probably guess. In Creative Writing we wrote some really stupid holiday stories (I wrote a letter to Santa Clause asking him for a horse and a swimming pool and a parrot and a monkey and ... some other stuff). Then we had a HUGE snowball fight -- because it snowed ALL day!!!! There was TONS of snow!!!! AND THEN they cancelled school!!!

Uncle Steven and I went Christmas shopping -- I got Renee and Grandma and Grandpa and my mother's presents. There's a family party to-morrow (I'm SO excited!!!!)

They MIGHT cancel school to-morrow, but it hasn't been snowing any more, so I doubt it -- unless it snows to-night. I hope it does! Well, I do and I don't. Firstly, it would be dangerous to travel, and I REALLY want to go to Logan Saturday, and I think school will be fun to-morrow. I mean, it's a half day, and the day before Christmas Brake, I don't think we're going to be doing much more than goofing off. Biger Than Wee Jaque Jaque wants me to ditch out on P.E. to go to Seminary with him -- which I am actually concidering, especially if we watch a movie in P.E.

Okay, so I finished the p. u. d. c. (and took a bath and watched Leave it to Beaver -- the computer went on the fritz so I had time to do lots of things). It turned out great! (The cake, I mean.) Well, I think it did. I snitched a little peice, and it was good, and it looks and smells good -- oh my goodness gracious, I can't wait to eat it!!!

I'll post the recipe and other fun things latrez, but I'm getting tired, and I want to work on the book I'm writing (you know, it's quite amazing to me that any author ever passed school. I ALMOST did my math homework last night, but then I got distracted by a new book idea....).

♥Captain Whitney

When what's left of you gets around to what's left to be gotten, what's left to be gotten won't be worth getting, whatever it is you've got left.

But I guess I ought to leave you with something deep and poinient (though it would rather be a change from my natural habits, I happened to be looking at quotes from "White Christmas" anyhow).

if you're ever under a falling building and someone offers to pick you up and carry you to safety, don't think, don't pause, don't hesitate for a moment, just spit in his eye.

Just kidding -- I really do have a good thought in here somewhere, but I can't find the quote and they're ALL so good!

Judy Haynes: [about Betty] Yesterday, she couldn't sleep. Today, she won't eat. She's in love. Phil Davis: Well if that's love, somebody goofed.

Still looking. While we're looking, how's this? The song that is stuck in one's head year round!

Betty Haynes: Mr. Bones? Mr. Bones? How do you feel, Mr. Bones?

Phil Davis: Rattlin'!

Betty Haynes: Mr. Bones feels rattlin'. Ha ha. That's a good one. Tell a little story, Mr. Bones.

Bob Wallace: A funny little story, Mr. Bones!

Phil Davis: How do you stop an angry dog from biting you on Monday?

Betty Haynes: Why, Mr. Bones, that joke is old. You kill the dog on Sunday!

Phil Davis: That's not how you stop a dog from biting you on Monday!

Betty Haynes: How do you bring a thing about?

Phil Davis: Have the doggy's teeth pulled out!

Betty Haynes: Oh, Mr. Bones, that's terrible!

Phil Davis: Uh-huh.

Betty Haynes, Bob Wallace: Yes, Mr. Bones, that's terrible!

Phil Davis: Uh-huh.

Found it -- might as well post the whole thing while I'm at it:

When I'm worried and I can't sleep

I count my blessing instead of sheep

And I fall asleep, counting my blessings

When my bankroll is gettin' small

I think of when I had none at all

And I fall asleep, counting my blessings

I think about a nursery

And I picture curly heads

And one by one I count them

As they slumber in their beds

If you're worried and you can't sleep

Just count your blessings instead of sheep

And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings.

So if you're worried and you can't sleep

Just count your blessings instead of sheep

nd you'll fall asleep counting your blessings.

No need to watch "White Christmas" this year -- I just posted the whole thing for you!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

♥CW

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2008-12-16T16:43:00.000-08:00

It SNOWED last night! There's TONS of it! (Well, "tons" is relative. There's about three inches, but it's more than there was yesterday.) I am SOOO excited for Christmas! (even though I haven't bought anyone's Christmas present.... O.o) I'm paying two little boys to shovel a quarter of an inch of snow off our driveway -- they were just too cute! They asked if they could shovel it, and the older boy said: "For three dollars." and the younger one said, "Or two." How sweet are they?

I'm all sad -- my Young Women's group is going Christmas Caroling and I stayed home from school sick to-day! And I didn't even fake it this time -- I really do think I've got the flu that's been going around. :( Ah well, no more play practice to drag myself to!

I'm sad the play's over, really I am, but it will be nice to be able to sleep, and not have to worry about running around and curling my hair :) Last night was my worst night (of course, because it was our last performance!). I KNOCKED OVER A TREE!!!! It was during the blackout, so no one knew it was me, but Oberon noticed when he tripped over it during his monologue! I'll miss everyone in the cast -- I mean, I think Oberon and I will still hang out, and I'll see Shawnae and MacKalie (whose name I cannot spell to save my life), but it won't be the same as seeing them six hours a day plus school time!
I think the play went really well -- Wednesday night we improved almost the entire thing (which is interesting with Shakespeare), but every other night we did really well on our lines, save for the occasional mishap. Wednesday was hysterical -- "Demetrious" forgot one of his lines and hesitated for only a split second before saying: "And ... you should not do that!" Really, though, if he'd said "Thou shalt not" it would have been totally Shakespeare! :) Then, during the Rustic's play, the Duke forgot one of his lines, and realized it partway through when he noticed that their play had been cut short, so he doubled back and said his missing line, causing the moon to shout, "AGAIN?!" It was AWESOME!
Besides my knocking over a tree and falling down the stairs (sigh) last night went over really well. My mother ran to the store for us and bought Mr Taylor (our director) a basket full of chocolate, which McKaly (yeah, that doesn't look right either...) gave to him. I wanted to get him a pineapple, but mutti said no.

I recorded Aladdin on my TiVo!!!! I LOVE THAT MOVIE!!!!!! Seriously, not only is it my favourite DISNEY movie of all times, I think it's my favourite MOVIE of all times!!!
"That's Sultan Vile Betrayer to you."
It's just a great movie! I watched that and White Christmas to-day -- Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas", can you get better than that? I think not! True, I like the version of it in Holiday Inn better (the background music is less annoying), but so long as he's singing it, I don't care what the background music sounds like! (I may or may not have the slightest obsession with Bing Crosby's voice....)

I cannot believe that, after Friday's Family Christmas party I get to go HOME! I am SOOOOO excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm even going to endure MORE curlers for Sunday (the curlers I got for Midsummer's are AMAZING! I'll have to post pictures sometime.). What are your holiday plans?

Oh, we watched this in Seminary, and it's going around the e-mails. Thought I would share it with you -- remember, Christmas isn't just a time of giving, it's a time of receiving -- of being GRATEFUL for the things you have and the things people give you! Love you all!
http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=1a55f2c4dd&view=att&th=11e3af1a327b0ce8&attid=0.1&disp=vgp&zw

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!!
DON'T EAT THE CAT!!!!

♥Captain Whitney

Never fails! You get in the bath and there's a rub at the lamp!

To Maintain a Healthy Level of Insanity

2008-12-14T14:16:00.001-08:00

This is going around through e-mails. Rather than re-sending it, I thought I'd just post it here:

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.
2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice!
3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something,ask If They Want Fries with that..
4. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks.Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions,Switch to Espresso.
5. In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write 'For Marijuana'
6. Finish All Your sentences with 'In Accordance With The Prophecy.'
7.Skipdown the hall Rather Than Walk and see how many looks you get. (I've done this one! On more than one occasion....)
8.Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat,with a serious face.
9 Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is 'To Go.'
10. Sing Along At The Opera.
11. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area and Play tropical Sounds All Day.
12. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You have a headache.
13. When The Money Comes Out The ATM Scream 'I Won! I Won!'
14 . When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling 'Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!'
15. Tell Your Children Over Dinner,'Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go.'
16. And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity :Send This E-mail To Someone To Make Them Smile.

I thought they were kind of funny. Anyways, I've been pretty much falling asleep constantly. I've only got one more night of my play -- it's been WAY fun! And Tina came Friday, which was awesome, even though she was crazy and planned something for Saturday so she had to leave early. I haven't done anything terribly exciting besides doing the play and failing all my classes -- yesterday I slept literally all day (seriously, I woke up at four in the afternoon).

I'm really craving pineapple....

Perhaps one of these days I'll post something worthwhile.... but I wouldn't count on it.

♥Captain Whitney

Normal is relative ... just not my relatives.

Hugs!

2008-12-07T13:49:00.000-08:00

My topic of study for the year is Divine Nature and Individual Worth -- which has made it a very nice year, especially since I moved to what feels like a different WORLD and I've been struggling with my self-esteem for a while. Amazing how God knows these things, and knew that I would need these topics!

Anyways, I've thusly been thinking a lot about realizing that we truly are Children of God and, just as importantly, helping those around us to see it as well. For some reason, we think it's really difficult -- mostly because we as humans tend to want to think EVERYTHING is a trillion times harder than it really is.
You know -- you hear a lot about the evils of humanity and how the world is going to the dogs, but I've noticed that, in general, people are nice. I mean, really, they're just nice.

Apparently it's the big Eagle Mountain (though maybe it's all of Utah and I just didn't notice ... maybe it's just High School in general), anyways, it's the big thing to give people hugs. I don't like being touched. At all. It kind of freaks me out, actually. And I very rarely offer hugs, however I do accept them -- and I've been hugged a lot the past few weeks.

In gym this guy hit me with a soccer ball (this guy having longish black hair and wearing nail polish and stuff ... which doesn't really scare me, as my brother wore nail polish and stuff), but, despite appearing to be punkish, after class he sought me out to apologize. I mean, how nice is that?

Anyways, I said, "I think I'll live." and the guy's friend said, "I think she needs a hug.' and the guy said (and he said, and I was like, and then ... sorry, I'm even SOUNDING like a teen-age girl now), but the guy DID say, "I think I need a hug." So then he gave me a hug!

I told my friend, and she didn't believe me. "Guys don't say things like that." was her comment on the matter. But they do, 'cause one did.

At play practice yesterday, Jeremy told me I did a good job and gave me a hug -- isn't that, like, the nicest thing you've ever heard? And Chad said, rather sulkily, "That's Jeremy, always looking for a cheap hug."

"Do YOU need a hug?" I asked him.

"Well...yeah."

So I got TWO hugs for the price of one! ☺

Anyways, all this hugging really makes me feel special. And McKaylie pulled me off yesterday and we had this whole long conversation about guys -- and we laughed and goofed off, and she told me how much she loves me -- and, well, I felt special -- I previously wasn't even sure McKaylie concidered herself friends with me.

So I guess I'm just posting to say how grateful I am for pineapple ... and for the love of all these great people! Tell the people you love that you love them -- even if you just say it light-heartedly, it means a lot. Don't be stinty with your hugs or your kind words. You never know when someone might just be needing a hug.

♥Captain Whitney

Don't worry about what people think of you -- worry about what they think of themselves when they're with you.

Are you a fan of delicious flavor?

2008-11-29T11:22:00.000-08:00

What better way to start off the season than with some con-artists and murderers? To-day begins the official countdown to not only Christmas but to the season premier (or maybe season continuation...?) of PSYCH! To-day's was great, and I even spotted the pineapple (true, Shawn held it up for all the world to see, with a big red bow on it and everything, so I suppose it wasn't that impressive).

I am so excited for the Christmas Season! I haven't yet come up with a good wish-list, and I think Santa's ready to start throwing Christmas ornaments at me, as so far all I've said I wanted is notebooks, pens, and Wodehouse. I guess it's time I update my Christmas List (who knew Santa used Amazon?)

Anyone have any exciting plans for Christmas? Maybe it's a bit early to start obsessing, as Thanksgiving Break isn't over yet, but I'm already totally excited!!! I'm planning to host a HUGE snowball fight (assuming, of course, that it actually SNOWS) and drink hot cocoa and maybe read a Jane Austen book.

I think I'm going to decorate my bedroom all Christmasy (is that a word?) -- with Snow Flakes. Hmm... I wonder if anyone has any extra Christmas Lights? That would be a spiffy addition. And maybe I can find a little Christmas tree!!! AHH! I'm excited!

My favourite part of the Christmas season is probably coming in from running around in the cold with friends and getting a big mug of hot chocolate and sitting next to fire reading a good book or talking with my mutti. And I like baking cookies and Christmas caroling and snowball fights and sledding and buying gifts for small children and ... and ... I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!! What's your favourite part?

♥Captain Whitney

I'm not inclined to resign to maturity.

Candy Cane Karaoke Night!

2008-11-28T21:56:00.000-08:00

According to Garfield tradition, the fourth Friday in November is Candy Cane Karaoke Night* -- otherwise known as the day we get to start celebrating Christmas!!! Thus the new blog decor, which is actually rather depressing, concidering the fact that there hasn't been so much as a snowflake this season.
Well, I'll keep praying for a White Christmas.

I've been greatly enjoying my holiday -- playing Wii Music, watching movies until three AM with my cousin, making fun of Black Friday shoppers, and compiling a brilliant book with Anit. Fun things. AND there was a new episode of Psych to-night -- we haven't got it yet, but I'm excited! I have a can of pineapple and everything! Oh my goodness gracious -- I can't believe we only have a little over a month until Psych comes back on! I'm, well, psyched!

I cannot believe those Black Friday shoppers -- I stayed up until three last night and slept until eleven and I'm STILL tired -- those crazy BFS's must be dead. But then, they're all loonies anyways.

I really AM tired, and I want to get some good writing done before bed.

HAPPY CANDY CANE KARAOKE NIGHT!!!!

♥Captain Whitney

Remember this December, that love weighs more than gold!

*Garfield comic November 23, 2007

Happy Thansgiving!!!

2008-11-26T13:47:00.000-08:00

It's good to be home, if only for a few days. I'm looking forward to all the FOOD to-morrow! I mean, c'mon, my life motto is: I'm just here for the food. Thansgiving is one of my favourite times of year!!!

And, you know, it's not just the food and the chance to ditch out on three days of school (though that does add to it conciderably), but this really is a time to be grateful. And, you know, from where I'm sitting, I can see a lot to be grateful for.
From a free country to vegetables that taste good, from a God who loves us to crayons, from pineapple to horse shampoo, I'm sure we can all come up with something to be grateful for.

And now, moving on for fear of becoming cheesy:

Mario Music rocks socks! And I've only thrown the controllar and shouted at the game a ... few times. My mother and I just played "Jingle Bell Rock" so many times I'm not sure I can ever listen to it again. And the saxaphone part still isn't quite right.

So, I'm home, and really just enjoying being here. Not much to say at the moment, save for:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

and

DON'T EAT THE CAT!!!

Best holiday wishes!

♥Captain Whitney

If you can't think of something to be grateful for, hold your breath until you can.

Poison Mangos

2008-11-26T12:45:00.001-08:00

My drama group, as I think I mentioned, went to the musical Once on this Island. I have a really hard time with musicals, as half the time I don't know what the characters are saying, and that really stresses me out, but I still enjoyed it. It's the musical our school is doing in the spring, so I ought to get to know it well. I'm not saying I'm positive I'll get a part, but I am pretty sure I'll at least get into onsomble.

I have this habit, when watching a play or a movie or reading a book, of choosing one character that I really like, either for character reasons or because he's really hot, and obsessing over him for the rest of play. I was rather worried about myself watching this one, because my favourite character was the God of Death, but inquiries led me to discover that everyone else loves him too, if not to the extent that I do.

Seriously, this guy was awesome. There are four Gods in Once on this Island, the Goddess of Earth, the God of Water, the Goddess of Love, and the God of Death (don't ask me what happened to Fire and Air, I don't know). Anyways, the Goddess of Earth has an obsession to mangos similar to Shaun Spencer's obsession with pineapple, and one of the songs goes as follows:

Earth: Mangos!

Water: Juicy mangos!

Love: Love those mangos!

Death: Poison mangos.

E/W/L: Wuh -- NO!

I mean, c'mon, how can you NOT love this guy?

The God of Death and the Goddess of Love have a constant debate going on in this musical, on whether Love or Death is stronger. Love says that, well, love conquers all, and Death says that's all very well, but he can stop the heart like *snap!* that! So that's the basic point of the play, is this continuing argument. It was really enjoyable, and, save for some technical difficulties, the whole thing was done very well. I'm really starting to get nervous about doing it for our school O.o Especially concidering how we're doing at Shakespeare. Ah well, it should be fun, regardless.

Shawnae says I could play the Goddess of Love. I agree, as she has few singing lines, and my singing abilities are ... well ... nill.

Anyways, after the play, we were making our way through the crowd, and we saw the God of Death, and Oberon (my husband, who we now call The Goddess of Death) told me I should go up and tell him I love him. We were arguing about this in a light-hearted way, when one of my friends went up to him and said, "My friend loves you."

Figuring that, hey, it'd already been said, why not tell him who said it, I said, "I DO love you! You were amazing!" he kind of laughed and said, "Thanks." and then we left, Oberon realizing that he really ought not underestimate me.

Anyways, my mother and I are going to go play Wii Music, but I'll post latrez!

♥Captain Whitney

"The mouse's name is cheese?"

"Must be, he always comes when we call it."

BYU and Pineapple Up-Side-Down Cake

2008-11-22T18:09:00.000-08:00

Poor BYU.... So much for my Psychic vision. Thomas says he's going to cry for the rest of the evening. I am disappointed, I must say.

Sad sad. Sad.

Well, I HAVE been done something to-day -- my room is clean!!! Hooray! I feel so very productive. I still have a mountain of math homework, not to mention the Geography homework I haven't even looked at yet. And here I am blogging. I am such a failure.

Ah well.

My grandmother made pineapple up-side-down cake, she says because I've been watching Psych. I ought to watch Psych more often.

"Are you a fan of delicious flavor?" Apparently I am, and I don't like cooked fruit. Pineapple up-side-down cake might just be my favourite thing ever now. At least it's up their on the list, above shampoo and unicycles. It is magically delicious (or is that Cocoa Puffs?).

"Sonny is coo-coo. And if Sonny is coo-coo, he must be coo-coo for something."

"Cocoa Puffs?"

"Yes!"

"I always thought they were Coo-Coo Puffs."

"No, Sonny is coo-coo for puffs which are cocoa, and make your milk all brown and chocolaty and delicious."

Who knew maple syrup was so pungent? I spilled it on my carpet (and on my bedclothes, thusly I have been washing them to-day, more on that in a minute) several days ago and my room still smells like IHOP. Which is really grody, I must say. However, I sprayed Fabreeze and hopefully that will help. Oh! I have a story about Febreeze! We got the CUTEST little kitten (we being my "sister" and I and this being a year or two ago), but we got it from a smoking family, and it smelled like cigarette smoke, so we went to the store and bought a bottle of Febreeze and sprayed it down (the kitten, I mean, not the store). It was kind of funny. (By the way, we did check, and it says on the bottle that you CAN use Febreeze on pets. So we were certain, before beginning, that we were not poisoning the small feline.)

I learned something to-day: You ought to wash your sheets BEFORE you was your comforter. Then you can actually make your bed, rather than just trying to find something to do with the comforter while the sheets dry. Oh well, I'm still excited to be sleeping in clean sheets (and not having a maple syrup spot to avoid).

My friend Ash and I were having a very political conversation, which we got started on by talking about how much we hate debating, especially political points (go figure), and I remembered the following poem. Thought I'd post it here:

They first came for the communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics, I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak up.

Kind of made me think of the war in Iraq, and how most Americans don't want us to be involved, despite the fact that we are saving innocent people.

Anyways, my room is clean, now I'm going to go do my math homework and see how Reggie's doing. Toodle-pip!

♥Captain Whitney

"Hello ladies and gentlemen. I will be your narrator. My name is Aurora...Borealis. There are over 400 stars in our galaxy, maybe more. No one knows for sure. Many have said that the universe is even larger than the Indian Ocean. And that is why it is called Infinitum Staroctapusim. Ah, yes, our glorious constellations. There they all are, take a look. Over here we have...one with a guy holding some sort of thing. Over here, our beloved Olympic rings, all seven of them. And here, here's one with a fish. Notice, straight, straight above you: the hammer of Jeff. And over there in the South-north, you'll see Monkey With Rash. The Egyptians used to set their clocks by it. Oh look! There goes an asteroid. Comet. It's what they named that cleaning solution after. I know it may stink when you leave it in the sink, but boy oh boy does it clean!"

Not Cleaning My Bedroom

2008-11-22T16:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, REALLY, I should be cleaning my room and doing my homework, as I leave for Logan on Tuesday and I won't have time between then and to-morrow to do it, but I'm easilly distracted, and very easily bored, and there is nothing interesting about cleaning one's bedroom or doing math homework.

To-day I've ... watched Psych and and BEGUN cleaning my room. I stayed in bed until 11:30 to-day.... Which was nice, even though I felt like I ought to be up and doing something. I did finally get up. I have yet to do something.

I was planning my latest What About Prince Charming? book -- which will be Cinderella. However, I'm having trouble actually WRITING it, because Prince Charming is a git and I hate writing about people I don't like. Any advice? See -- he's totally obsessed with duty. The only reason he's throwing the ball is because he must marry. Before the ball, he comes across Cinderella a few times, but he looks down on her because she is nothing but a peasent. Then, of course, he falls in love with her at the ball, and she kind of rolls her eyes at him and won't take him seriously. Despite his love of duty, he finds his love of this peasent girl getting in his way, and he refuses to marry if he can't have her -- which he can't, because she refuses to marry him. Which is all fine and dandy, and means he's going to become this great guy to get this girl to fall in love with him, la-de-da-de-da, but how to I write the BEFORE the ball part? Any suggestions for making him annoying without making him so annoying he isn't fun to read (or write) about?

Once again, I'm rambelling, mostly to avoid being productive. Okay, I'll think clearer once my room is clean and my math done -- besides, who wants to do math homework over Thanksgiving break? Besides, as Agatha Cristie said: The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes.

Cheese is icky, clowns are scary, and I have yet to figure out what coconut rhymes with.

♥Captain Whitney

My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.

www.thequotegarden.com

Can't Wait for the Holidays!!!

2008-11-21T20:52:00.000-08:00

So, my grandmother was quoting my blog to me to-day, and it kind of weirded me out. Then I went to read the comments and realized that there are quite a few people reading, which REALLY weirds me out. And now I feel all obligated to say something clever, which is kind of a fluky thing with me.

Anyways, I've got an exciting week ahead of me!

Monday: I'm going to Once on this Island with my Drama group (after a good three hour play practice...)! I'm WAY psyched! I love it when we go to plays and dinner to-gether, it makes me feel all special. We're doing the musical for school, so I'm really excited to see it. Shawnae says I would play a good Goddess of Love. I think it sounds fun because she has a constant rivalry with the God of Death, and I kind of have a thing for constant rivalries, like Oberon and Titania ☺

Tuesday: I get to ditch out on school (always good) for a Power in You seminar thing for SBO!!!! And my grandma bought me a whole new outfit and everything! With a spiffy hat! HOORAY! (As most of you know, I kind of have a thing for hats). She also bought me a purse, which I'm pretty sure I will lose, not because I don't like it, but because I'm the kind of person who loses purses. You know that woman who's always running back to wherever she was last, saying, "Have you seen my purse?!" Yeah, that's me.

Then I get to go HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Mr. Packard says not to use excessive !'s. I say: PPBTTBPTPB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
I'll be home from Tuesday to Sunday! And I'm going to try to talk my mother in-to letting me ditch out on school Monday so I don't have to go home Sunday. We'll see how that goes. Especially since I think my director would literally kick me out of the play if I did that... which might not be such a bad thing.
Okay, I don't mean that, but, seriously, you should see our play practices! Actually, you shouldn't, because ten minutes in you would be banging your head against the wall and twenty minutes in you'd be ready to shoot someone. NOBODY is memorized, everyone's monotoning, and our directors are stressing so bad it's kind of scary. Seriously, I think Mr. Taylor's ulcers have ulcers. Shawnae says she is going to mysteriously disappear from out of the country the night before the performance. Thanksgiving break is going to make us or break us, depending on whether people MEMORIZE their lines or FORGET them. We open in TWO WEEKS!!!

And now I'm going to change the subject, before I make myself sick.

To-day was BYU/UofU rivalry day at my school, which meant we got to wear jeans and our team's colours. The big game's to-morrow, but I'm not worried, I already know who's going to win. See, I had a dream that UofU would win, and then I had a dream that BYU would win. In Seminary we played a Scripture Mastery game and we separated into UofU and BYU teams, and the prior won. So my first dream has been fulfilled. ☺ I guess we'll see how good my dreams are at predicting the future.

Hmm... besides play practice and LOTS of homework, all I've been doing is writing and writing and writing. I've been working on The Story of Reginald Alcott or Where I Went Wrong of late, but I keep being side-tracked by pointless stories with no plot that are actually quite a lot of fun. I'm writing one right now that began with a writing prompt -- the prompt being to write about three completely different characters waking up and describing their morning routines. Not much of a plot, but great for character development. I ended up with a Bounty Hunter named Ambrose Briant who hates his life and sleeps with his sword (that's about all I know so far, except that he'll work for whoever will pay him the most, which I suppose comes from being, you know, a Bounty Hunter), a purple-eyed witch (yes, the eye colour is important ... Ambrose has grey eyes, by the way, not that you care) who ... erm, hires the Bounty Hunter? That's about all I know right now, except that she ends up with BH in the end. Her name's Nerida (which means "rare") Ammelise, and she's pretty cool, I guess. Then I have the blue-eyed Morgan Morgan (whose real name is Wilbur Morgan, but who has a long and complicated and very boring story about how that was a typographical error on his Birth Certificate, even though it wasn't, he just thinks Morgan Morgan is a cooler name). He's the flirt who just bops around doing his own thing. Very strong Yellow personality (I'll post those personality things later so you know what that means ... I'm too lazy to go find them right now). He's also cool -- I mean, c'mon, his name is (or, well, isn't) Morgan Morgan -- can you get cooler than that? (Well, yes, your name could be The Pineapple Guy, but that is a different matter all together).

I'm in a really random mood, AND I'm really tired, which always equals rather pointless BLOG posts. I guess I'll end on a Thanksgiving motif, with a story I wrote for the season (only PARTIALLY based on truth, though the list of things I'm grateful for DEFINITELY is)

I smiled at the scene before me. My mother and Aunt Rachel were gabbing about the wonders of Weight Watcher's Core Plan; grandpa, my elder brother, and my Uncle Ben were talking about hunting, the children were squirming impatiently in their chairs, my father and grandmother were talking about something or other (my dad was probably boring Gam stiff with his latest computer project), and the delicious smell of turkey wafted gently over us. Paper pilgrims and Indians lined the clothed table and candlelight glittered on the china.
It was a normal Thanksgiving scene at Grandma's, and I loved it.
Then Grandma stood -- probably because she was sick of listening to my dad -- and the room went as quiet as a room can when occupied by six boys under the age of ten, 'Before we begin, I'm sure Ella would love to share five things she's grateful for.'
I groaned. Grandma knows I hate having attention drawn to myself, this was her revenge because I wouldn't speak in the program she did before dinner. Well, there was nothing I could do about it. I lumbered to my feet and gazed at the cornucopia, and suddenly I was struck by an idea. Clearing my throat, I said:
'I am so grateful for so many things,' Grandma smiled and nodded encouragingly, 'For one: duckbill platypuses, for giving us a great word to say and a never-fail conversation topic "Why? Why the platypus?"' I could see that Grandma was beginning to regret her rash act, but there was no turning back now, 'I am also grateful for itchy clothes, for reminding us that the sweater Aunt Mable gave us last Christmas is NOT the most horrible thing in the world. I am grateful for wallpaper, it hides cracks in the walls better than paint. I am thankful for duct tape, it hold the world to-gether. And, finally, I am most grateful for my fork. Now let's eat.'
I grinned triumphantly at Grandma and sat back down.

♥Captain Whitney

When all else fails, order pizza.

Starting Over

2008-11-09T16:00:00.001-08:00

You know, Sister Paula, knew what she was saying when she talked about the difficulty of expressing spiritual experiences. I feel like I've just gone through a major change and, while things aren't going to get EASY any time soon ("If life were easy, it wouldn't be hard"), I'm going to be okay, and all I can think to say is: PRAYER IS GOOD!!!

But you know, there's a lot of truth in that simple sentance.

Isn't it amazing that the creater of worlds, father of billions, cares what each one of his children has to say and is willing -- not only willing, but eager -- to hear what we have to say? As I prayed to-day I was certain there was someone listening. It felt as though there was someone in the room with me, that I was not alone.

And that is amazing too. We are NOT alone. I don't have to go through ANYTHING by myself. Do you know how grateful I am for that? I think living in Saratoga Springs, away from everyone and everything I'm used to, has opened my eyes to a lot of things. I've realized how important it is to me to be able to call my mother every day -- and sometimes I don't even have anything to say. Sometimes all it is is "I need a new episode of Eureka." But just being able to do that little thing means the world to me. Suddenly I realize how important it is for me to be able to e-mail my dad -- to be able to send stupid cat pictures and quote deep thoughts about sunscreen to each other. I realize how much he helps me through the little, silly things that mean so much (ah, man, I'm crying again....)
And now I realize how much it means to be able to talk to my Father in Heaven at any time. Sometimes it's just little things, like, "I really need to find my planner." Sometimes it's big things like, "Please help my friend in her times of trouble." or "Please let my brother know how much we love him, regardless." Having Him listen means EVERYTHING.

His love is so strong. He sent his SON to die for us, to suffer for us, so that we could have mercy. Without Jesus, there would be no point for us to be here, because we'd never be able to make it back. None of us are good enough without help.

That's all I was praying for: help. Well, and understanding. I don't know why I'm here or what I'm supposed to be doing (though I did figure out that watching every episode of Eureka, Psych, I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, AND Leave it to Beaver in one week was not it...), but whatever it is I KNOW I can't do it by myself. But I don't have to. I don't even have to know what it is. Someone else does. And I think He'll let me know when the time is right.

Sometimes I think we take the church for granted. Sometimes we forget how important the gospel is. Sometimes we forget that we have the spirit. We're like the fish who says, "Water? What water? I don't see any water."
Let us not forget! For we would be nowhere without the power of the gospel -- but we can go so far with it.

♥Captain Whitney

I tremble to know that for me he was crucified, that for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled, and died. Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me. Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me.

One Nation, Under God

2008-11-07T21:14:00.000-08:00

As you all know, Senator Obama has now become President Obama. As most of you know, Kenneth, as well as most of the other Republicans, was freaking out a bit about this. I wasn't sure how to feel, but now I know: Calm.

For one thing: We chose the people in the electorial college, the people who represent US. We trusted those people to represent OUR votes. America voted for Obama. I am going to respect his office so long as he does. Does that mean I agree with him? Heck no. But I believe in America.
More importantly: I believe in a higher power. This is NOT One Nation, Under Obamma. It never will be. Even if everything goes crazy, and Obamma turns in-to some sort of Hitler and takes over, we'll be okay. We know these are the last days, and crazy things are going to happen. We've known this was coming.

I HATE politics. I believe that the word expresses it well, poli, in Latin, meaning "many", and "tics", meaning "blood-sucking creatures". I know it's an old joke, but it's true. However, if there is one thing I LOVE, it's my religion. I believe that we are a chosen generation, and I believe that this place that we live in is a great place. And all of those anti-American Americans can go jump in a lake (how's that for Christ-like? Okay, so I'm working on that.) But I cannot abide people who are not willing to stand by their country. We live somewhere where you can SAY what you THINK. Most people can't do that. Our ancestors couldn't do that. WE CAN!

"Liberty's too precious a thing to be buried in books...Men should hold it up in front of them every single day of their lives and say: 'I'm free to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn't. I can. And my children will.' Boys want to grow up remembering that."

Do we remember? Are we willing to DO something? Because, you know, this country's bigger than one man. "...this country is bigger than the Taylors, or you, or me, or anything else. Great principles don't get lost once they come to light. They're right here; you just have to see them again!"

So, should we be doing something? Yes! Should we be saying something? Yes! Should we remain "God-fearing, gun-clinging republicans", or whatever Obamma called us, despite the fact that the president doesn't agree with that? Yes!
Should we worry? No!
We don't know how the battle will play out -- but we know who's going to win. All we gotta' do is make sure we are on the right side!

-Captain Whitney

I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn't have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella, too.

God Bless the USA! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RssIN3ustUw&feature=email

Quotations from Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, found at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031679/quotes

Fifteenth Birthday!

2008-11-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

Not MY fifteenth birthday, of course, that not being until December (DECEMBER 29, actually ☺). No, it's my friend Apt's Birthday to-morrow! HOORAY!!!!!! Hope your fifteenth year is amazing! Thanks for being a GREAT friend!

You Apt!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

♥Captain Whitney

Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.

i kan haz cheezburger?

2008-11-07T12:39:00.000-08:00

http://lolcats.com/

http://icanhascheeseburger.com/

☺Captain Whitney

I am grateful for laughter -- except for when milk comes out my nose.

Custard and other Deep Thoughts

2008-11-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

Hey, look! I was on my aunt's BLOG!

I would rather die than admit what movie we're at, so don't even ask. Oh, my favourite hat is also in the picture! Along with a handful of my favourite people

So I failed to go to school to-day (again). I swear, my director's going to kick me out of the play! He gave us a long lecture yesterday on NOT GETTING SICK. But, honestly, I couldn't get out of bed this morning! I should be well by Monday -- and if not, I'm going to pretend to be.

I fear I'm suffering writer's block. What would be interesting to post? Of late the only interesting things I have done are watch custard and ... er, watch more custard. At the moment of going to press, I am watching "Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman".

What is Mr. Rogers' first name? Like, Mr. Rogers from Mr Roger's Neighborhood.

Okay, well, I obviously don't actually have anything to say, so I guess I'll go away.

Captain Whitney

Yesterday is history, to-morrow is a mystery, but to-day is a gift...

...that's why it's called the present!

Pureed Spaghetti

2008-11-06T20:39:00.001-08:00

Okay, so absolutely none of you know who Kenneth is, except, well, Kenneth, but all I've been able to think about all day is this charming duo:

and I just had to post.

For those of you who don't know: Kenneth is getting his wisdom teeth pulled to-morrow, which ... well, quite frankly, sucks. I do hope you're one of the fast healers and that you'll be up to coming to school on Monday!

Have fun!

Has anyone else out there (right now I feel like I'm talking to no-one, but, with any luck, Ginny will start reading the BLOG again and I won't feel so lonely....) had their WT pulled?

-Captain Whitney

Live, love, and laugh -- it's all good!

Gee, I'm a Tree

2008-11-06T17:18:00.000-08:00

I went back to school to-day! You know, I ought to ditch out on three days more often, it makes you feel really special when you go back. I mean, how could you not feel good when you walk in-to Seminary and the entire class shouts, "FRED'S BACK!!!" (well, I guess if your name wasn't Fred....) Miss Lojik (who's a guy) shouted to me across a rather large hallway, and I was quite surprised that Kenneth didn't give me a hug In fact, at lunch to-day a girl that I new by sight but had never spoken to asked me how I was feeling (turns out she's one of my faeries in the play ... go figure). I don't mean to sound cocky, it just made me feel all warm and fuzzy in-side (like when I put my hand in the microwave!), I wasn't expecting such a reception.

Oh, the play. You probably all know that I am playing the part of the faerie queen Titania in our school's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. I missed three rehersals this week and felt like such a terrible person for letting Bottom down, and then to-day he wasn't there ☺ We don't have very good timing, do we? My part is awkward enough, but YOU try reading lines of love with a female teacher Yeah, it was awkward.

Ick ... I have two pages of math homework due to-morrow. (one emoticon just wasn't enough) I rather loathe math, actually. But my mother says I have to prepare for when I homeschool my children and my sons want to be engineers.

...I really hope I raise eleven poets, novelists, and philosophers. Just kidding. If my sons want to be engineers ... well, I guess I'll just go back to the books. But that doesn't mean I have to like it, right?

-Captain Whitney

"The king and queen are deceived. I am but mad when the wind blows nor-nor-east. When the wind blows southerly, I can tell a hen from a handsaw." --Hamlet

Blue Birds and Rambeling

2008-11-05T15:57:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a book right now about a fifteen year old girl who gets sent to an orphanage. It's been a lot of fun. The reason I bring this up (well, actually, there is no reason, except that this is a place for be to babble) is that there is a scene in it that takes place in a malt shop. Actually, there are several scenes that take place there, as that's kind of the "teenage hang out" for the orphanage kids. I want this to be a place where deep discussions can happen, and the world can seem simple -- at one point, near the end, the heroine says that "milkshakes can solve all the world's problems, if only for a minute". So I need some help with design. I'm thinking something warm, with lots of wood and mirrors. But, then, I've also considered going the more comfortable, old-fashioned look with tile floors, if you know what I mean. It MUST have a bar. I've been considering doing something like the Blue Bird Cafe in Logan, except without the resteraunt. Do you guys have any input? (Why do I even ask? Ginny's ALWAYS got input ☺)

That resteraunt always makes me think of vegetarian BlueBirds, which makes me think of cats, and the two to-gether make me think of plums, which, by an odd coinsidence, makes me think of the colour pink and a spiffy jacket, which makes me think of Lancelot and a hat.... And thinking about things making me think of things makes me think of enchiladas.
I was watching "Word Girl" yesterday, and she was talking about rambeling. I guess I do have a tendancy to do that, but sometimes I just can't help it. It's the creative flow, you know? So, sorry my BLOG has no point what-so-ever, I guess this is all just free-writing.
If I actually have something to say, I'll post that too.

So ... anyone reading anything of interest? I'm reading the Book of Mormon at the moment of going to press, and I really need to finnish (wait, isn't that a language?) before January.

Okay, I'm really getting a headache from staring at a computer screen so long, so I'm going away.

Cheero!

-Captain Whitney

Narrator: So plan number 365 was for Captain Huggy Face to eat the giant statue made of meat?

Word Girl: Yeah. First time we've had to use that one.

Obscure Jimmy Stewart Movies

2008-11-05T15:44:00.001-08:00

I think they're having a Jimmy Stewart merathon on VCM, except they're only playing the dumb ones or the ones no one has ever heard of. But I've been ill, so I've been watching all of them! Hooray!

The Mortal Storm (****) -- an amazing movie about a family escaping from Nazi Germany on skis. It was kind of depressing, as the whole reason it was written was to get the Americans to join the war (so, obviously, the war wasn't over at the time of filming), and it made me cry, but I thought it was BRILLIANT -- and I hate Nazi stories.

Dear Bridgitt (*) -- This one was really, incredibly stupid. Stewart's character was funny, as he played a ditsy poet who "sends his father candies on Mother's Day", but otherwise it was a complete waist of two hours (not that I would have done anything more constructive with those two hours...)

The Naked Spur (***) -- A weird role for Stewart, as he played a gun-waving bounty hunter, but I actually enjoyed this one. It was a Western (as you may have guessed from the title), and it was kind of weird, because for the first half one guy was the star of the show, and then in the second half he just sort of stopped being important and we focused on the other guy. Which was kind of depressing, as I'd rather liked the first hero (who wasn't actually a hero... of course!) Anyways, this one was fun, even though it lacked much of a point.

The Gorgeous Hussy (*) -- Oh, I suppose this one deserves more than one star, but I thought it was really depressing. Jimmy Stewart wasn't an important character, just a friend of the heroine who proposed to her a couple times (he hadn't a chance). In the beginning there were three guys -- one who wanted to marry her, one who flirted with her constantly, and one she was in love with who was at least ten years older than she (if not more). I was kind of rooting for the flirt, but then she actually ended up with him, which made me mad (because that's the kind of logic I have). But it was all good, because they only got one night to-gether and then he DIED. And so then she finally gets engaged to the guy she was actually in love with, but, because of politics, they seperate, so she goes off and marries some other guy to make her uncle happy. And then the guy she was in love with (who, by this point, two hours later, I was madly in love with as well) DIED and they all lived happily ever after. The end. No joke, that was pretty much the entire movie, minus some politics. It was very depressing.

There might have been more. I've been so out of it, I'm surprised I remember that much. So ... those were my fun Jimmy Stewart movies. Tee-hee!

-Captain Whitney

Lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for.

Starting Yet Again

2008-11-05T14:50:00.000-08:00

So here I am, on my 10 billionth BLOG! But my other one kind of, well, died, and I got sick of pestering my mother to fix it (which she didn't, mostly because I would only ever remember to remind her at inopportune moments, like in the car or at two o' clock in the morning), so I decided that starting a new one would be easier ... at least for me. I won't be able to post stories on it, because it isn't password protected (because SO many people out there want to come on and steal my books *rolls eyes*), but if any of you want any of my books I mention, just bug me about it and I'll e-mail it to you.

I'm really not up to anything very interesting -- just writing a lot and pretending to do my homework. I've stayed home from school the past three days due to illness (which is always when I start my BLOGs and the only time I ever actually post on them....) I've watched a lot of custard* and written a bit and watched more custard and slept a bit and watched more custard and cleaned my room and read and "done my homework" and watched still more custard. It has been quite ... boring, actually. But more fun then math class, so I suppose I ought not complain too loud.

Anyways, I suppose I've got a new episode of I Dream of Jeannie, so I'll post later.

-Captain Whitney

Don't eat the cat.

*I realize that my crazy British slang needs to be explained. See, Custard and Jelly rhymes with tele, so, naturally, "Custard" means "Television". It only makes sense.