Butterfly Paints

I've been hesitant about whether or not I really wanted to post this little piece of my story, but I decided, why not?  This story is still rather slow in coming at times because I've also decided to keep working on a previous work... maybe not the best idea, but I gotta do what I feel at the time.
This piece is a flashback to when the main character, Mina, is about 12 or 13 years old and her best friend, Luke, is about 14.  Enjoy!

Butterfly Paints

            The afternoon sun shone through the branches of the tree where Luke and I sat.  Someone told me once that it was good luck if a butterfly landed on you.  We sat cross-legged in our favorite spot.  Suddenly he sat very still and told me to do the same.

            “There’s a butterfly in your hair,” he whispered.  It scared me to know that there was a bug in my hair, even one as beautiful as a butterfly.  When I flinched Luke grabbed my hands just below the wrist and I held perfectly still.  We sat there in perfect silence not wanting the good luck to go away before it was ready.

            After a few minutes of him looking at the butterfly and my looking at him, waiting for him to tell me what to do, he brought his eyes to mine and smiled.  I smiled back.  The butterfly was moving in my hair.  Its wings dropped a gold piece of hair onto my face.  Soon after, it flew a slow circle around us and we sat as still as we could.  It landed on my fingertip and made my heart rate sped to a thrumming in my chest.

            His hands rotated slowly around my wrists so his hands were behind mine.  The butterfly walked its way down my finger and into my palm.  I was still scared that a bug was crawling on me, but I couldn’t move.  Luke was there and his gentle hands on mine calmed me… a little. 

            Wings are interesting things and I suddenly felt myself wishing that I could have them.  I wanted wings just like the green, blue and yellow ones we held in our hands.  Luke was staring at me, I could feel it, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from this beautiful creature.  No painting or photograph could capture the moment, nor did I want them to.  The sun glistened off her wing and made even the black edges shimmer.  This had to be the luckiest butterfly in the world because it was the most beautiful.

            I felt Luke’s hands slowly bring mine together to cup the butterfly.  Her wings brushed the insides of my palms like tiny feathers.  A slight giggle escaped my lips.  It almost tickled.

            He smiled and whispered, “She’s yours now.”  His lips came closer to my ear.  “You’ll have good luck forever.”  Hazel eyes twinkled back at me and fingers traced my knuckles. 

            We talked about everything we could do with my newfound luck.  Becoming rich and owning the tallest tree in the world that only we could climb.  We would catch more butterflies and have more luck than we would ever know what to do with.  That’s when I felt her wings slow in my hands.  They didn’t feel as soft as they felt at first.  It was almost like they scratched me now.  Worry grew across my face and Luke’s questioned.

            Slowly I opened my hands.  Blue, green and yellow paint was splashed across my hands smudged in a dull black.  She laid in the crevice where my hands came together, colorless and still.  I searched Luke’s eyes for an answer but they didn’t have one.

Vampires... :)

I must have been in the mood to get hooked on another TV show this week because I am now so desperately hooked on The Vampire Diaries it's ridiculous.  Last night I don't think I slept at all because I was dreaming about vampires all night.  (Not that I mind Ian Somerhalder invading my sleep. :) )  I've found that every time I read something about vampires in some way shape or form I find myself dreaming about them.  So, I guess the point of this post is simply to say that I can't get enough of this show and really can't wait until the season comes out so I can watch it from beginning to end!  Since I've only seen the four clips on hulu I'm still a wee bit confused about a couple of things.  Not gonna stop me from watching though and I'm still on the edge of a cliff because I'm all caught up except for last night's episode.  It's killing me!  Hopefully tonight.

Shiver!

When I first started reading this I was a bit skeptical because it felt like the love story never evolved.  Love at first sight is exciting and all but it doesn't always go anywhere.  This book, however, was so good!  I loved it.  Yes, it's another book about werewolves, but it is so unique and wonderful.  It got to the point where I couldn't put it down.  When I finished last night I think I was grinning like an idiot.  Living vicariously through books is great.  I couldn't wait to pre-order the second book and thank heaven I only have to wait a month and a half for it.  (Unlike the Hunger Games.  I waited six months for the second and now I'm still very impatiently waiting for Mockingjay.)  If you want a good exciting love story, I recommend this one.  You can bet that I will be picking up other books by Maggie Stiefvater!


I also read Bitter is the New Black.  It's a decent (and very humorous) memoir about the author Jen Lancaster who has an insatiable urge to spend money, not on anything, but on Prada, the best spa treatments and such.  This isn't a problem until one day after 9-11 she loses her job and can't find another one.  I have to admit that it was not the best book I've ever read, but I found myself enjoying it.  It's probably the first really chick lit book I've read, and I do think that I will read more.  They're happy and entertaining.  Thanks Jernae!  (Sophie Kinsella is still on my list!)

Fallen

Another book down, and I'll say that I'm in a bit of a slump over this one.  It was easily devoured in about a day and a half and I wasn't ready for it to end, especially since book number two hasn't even come out yet.  (Story of my life:  I'm always waiting for the next book.)
This is another one of those books that I could just live my life vicariously through.  A love story just for the sake of being a love story.  Honestly, I was better than I expected.  The story is well thought out and I fell instantly in love with some of the characters.

Not only does it have an intriguing cover, it's suspenseful, scary, and great!
If you want a book that is just a good fun read with a story about love that could change the world.  This one is for you!  I can't wait to dive into the next one!
Fallen by Lauren Kate

Going Bovine

Going Bovine by Libba Bray
I just finished reading this book over the weekend and I must say that it deserves all the attention it's been getting especially the little gold sticker on the cover... the Printz Award. For those of you who don't know, it is the highest award a young adult novel can receive. Naturally, this award was what first drew me to this book. I read a sample chapter online to see what it was really like and I was hooked. Her writing in this novel is incredible.
Why it's noteworthy: It handles a serious subject in a funny and original way. It depicts high school life incredibly well for those who are numb to the good things in life or for those who feel like their family is a hinderance to who they are, and shows young adults that battles can be fought and won, just maybe not in the way they expected. What I like most about it is that it can teach young adults to live and love the best they can before it's too late. Life doesn't mean anything if you don't let it. Cameron, the main character, is numb to his surroundings and doesn't understand what he's missing in life until he is somewhat forced into a major change of heart.
Caution: I would recommend this book to older young adults, because language, drug use and sexual references.
Though it is not happy, this book has so much value for young adults, and that is why I recommend it.
If you want to know more about it, I would be more than happy to give you more information.

Kittens, Birds and Other Falling Things

I know, it's been forever since I have posted anything. I've been trying to write in the midst of finals and finding a new job. Needless to say, writing hasn't really been the priority. However, now that I'm no longer employed, I find myself writing again! Life has a funny way of working itself out, even if you don't think you're ready for it. There's just something that I was missing while I was working where I was and this is someone's way of saying, "You're not doing your job, so let me help you."

My yoga instructor also said something the other day that really hit home for me. She said that she was afraid to start teaching yoga because she felt like she wasn't good enough, or that she didn't have enough to offer. But, somewhere inside her she knew she had something to offer and knew that she just had to go for it. That's exactly how I felt about writing, and now I know that I just have to go for it! Ready or not! I have a lot to learn, but learning is achieved through practice, success and failure.

This is a story that I started working on as my final project for my literature class and I grew kind of fond of it and I'm excited to expand and keep working on it.

Here's a small sample titled: Kittens, Birds and Other Falling Things.

Once I dropped a kitten in the water just to see if it could swim. When it sank, I knew. Another time I climbed a tree to see a nest of baby birds. They didn't see me, so I picked one up just to let them know I was there. I heard once that baby birds don't always know when they're ready to fly, mama just makes them. Well, mama wasn't there so I assumed the role and let it go. The tiny shrill cry only lasted a couple of seconds. Baby birds aren't always ready to fly.

You can call me heartless all you want. I won't care. The only reason you would say this is if you didn't know my story. Sure, I could've been better, and yeah, I could've done worse. I settle for the middle. Call it fence-sitting, indecisive, numb… whatever. Most of the time it's better not to think about something too much before you do it. In all of these examples I've provided, a mere thought entered my head and I did it. I don't weigh consequences. Nothing turns out how you think it will anyway.

When I tested the kitten I was just curious. My friend's cat just had kittens and one of them wandered into my back yard. I sat on the swing set looking out over the pond wondering about fish and how they swim. People swim, ducks swim. Along comes kitty. You know the rest. No one ever asked me what happened, and if they did, I would've told them. There's no point in lying.

The birds? There isn't much to explain there. A few weeks after the kitten and the day before seventh grade, I climbed a tree by the same pond to see the birds. Baby bird jumped, I jumped off the other side. Dad mowed the lawn.

Daisies

    I don't usually write poetry but I thought I would share this anyway.
This poem came about while writing a notebook entry for my British Romantic Literature class. I know it is kind of depressing, but in the Romantic era there was a lot of focus on the emotions and exploration of everyday things. So, here's my little take on Romanticism.



I ran through the field of daisies
And stopped to pick one.
I knelt and admired the petals
Perfect and petite.
I pulled one petal off and shivered as I said,
"He loves me."
Then feared as I said that he didn't love me at all.
"He loves me."
I smiled once more.
And then a frown once again crossed my face.
I continued on in this pattern,
Of smiling and frowning.
When at last the final petal fell in my lap,
There wasn't a smile but giddy excitement that he loved me too!
In haste I picked another daisy.
And then another,
And another.
Each held the same good news.
I couldn't stop,
The news was intoxicating.
I sighed relief and placed a hand in my lap,
I felt what I had done.
The pillow of petals I had created
Was a crime I could not erase.
The field of white,
Now a place of broken stems.
The daisies had done nothing but let me pluck and pluck.
My heart sank and tears threatened.
Love had caused pain to the beautiful and pure.
Was this love I felt a thing of evil?
I knew not.
Pain mixed with my excitement
And the tears flowed freely onto the wilting petals.
I gathered the plucked daisies into my arms.
Sank down into the earth with
Pain as severe as my joy was full.
"He will love me not."
Only my pride fulfilled,
And my garden ruined.


  

For the Love of Books

    I am in love with my new little bookshelf! It was actually quite convenient as I am creating my literature collection and now all of you can actually see the books I've read. My literature collection will have a rating system all its own. This little shelf will be rated simply by how much I personally liked the book. My collection will have some deeper influences involved and actually rate the book according to stuff that counts (or at least what I think counts).
    I've recently had a lot of people ask me for book recommendations and now you can see what I like, dislike and read because it meant something.
    For anyone who wants to know what I'm reading right now…

  
    So far, I love this book. It's another one that keeps me up at night because I can't stop reading.

Woohoo!

Okay, now that I've changed my background and layout, this blog is finally starting to come together!  I'm still a bit inept at doing so.  Perhaps I should get a tutor...

It Has Begun!

Okay, so I have now started my very own blog!  It's taken me quite some time to get up the guts to actually start one, and it's rather exciting.  Thus far I don't really know what I'm doing, but it's slowly starting to come together.  Now if I could just get my pictures in my slider to show up everything would be great!