Been a While

So..............

School really takes a lot of my time leaving little time to for fun on the internet. When I do have time I must admit I don't spend it writing post instead I spend it doing things that require less thought. I don't like writing post for the sake of writing posts. I want to write something of value for others to read.

Some cool stuff has happened at school. I got to play in a ton of concerts this semester and sing with a choir. My piano teacher said that I was a performance monster this year. I have had some very good classes this semester with some wonderful professor.

Also a monk from a local monastery came to school and I got to have my picture takes with him.

I wish I had some more interesting stuff to say but I just lack the time to create and organize a topic. Maybe I will have some inspiration to write a fantastic post at some point. 

Love

Elizabeth 

Get ready for some ranting.

I saw this list list of things you want to tell a teenage girl. Some of them were wise and others were annoying, oh but nothing compares to the first one. That one really made me mad. I was going to write a really long comment but instead I am writing a blog post about why this statement really got under my skin.

“1. If you choose to wear shirts that show off your boobs, you will attract boys. To be more specific, you will attract the kind of boys that like to look down girls’ shirts. If you want to date a guy who likes to look at other girls’ boobs and chase skirts, then great job; keep it up. If you don’t want to date a guy who ogles at the breasts of other women, then maybe you should stop offering your own breasts up for the ogling. All attention is not equal. You think you want attention, but you don’t. You want respect. All attention is not equal.”

Here is my issue. Everyone is always telling girls that they need to dress more modestly to protect themselves, protect men and a load of other reasons, believe me I have heard them all.

My issue is that this post is telling women they have to change to be respected instead of say "hey guys those breasts are attached to a real person who deserves to have the respect given to a human being," no instead we tell girls all the things they have to to to protect themselves. That is not going to solve the problem. 
Here is a news flash people. How you dress will not change how much you are cat called and how much guys will stare at you. I was wearing a very modest outfit(short-ish skirt with leggings, shirt with tank under, and a sweater) I was outside at school studying psych when a bunch of guys came and started making a lot of racket and running around. There was another girl I didn’t know not far from where I was sitting. These guys started calling us pretty girls and beautiful girls(not in a way that felt very complimentary), once swore at us about interrupting our study time. Now I was not dressed to ask for attention I was dress in a way that I think the above statement would say require respect, but was I respected. No. Why? Because these guys did not see me as a person to respect and how I dressed was not going to change that.

So here is my idea we tell people that women and girls are people who deserve respect for being a human being with thoughts, feelings, and intelligence, not to mention they are made in the image of God as well. How they dress is irrelevant to how much respect you get. Period. To paraphrase Dr. Seuss a person is a person no matter what they wear.

I have been in the very extreme modest camp. It does not sound like they are objectifying women but they are. They are just doing more subtlety. You have to cover yourself because your body is such a sexual thing that men cannot control their actions or thoughts around you so you must change for them. Really? Guys are humans they are people. Why do people not get upset when a guy goes around without a shirt on it can be just as dangerous for a woman’s mind in that situation. So why are women forced to change how they dress to protect a man’s thoughts but men are not forced to change to protect a woman’s? I call double standard.
I am so angry at our culture and society right now. I think I will go write about Frozen or something happy. Thanks for reading my rant. I would love to hear your thoughts about this.

Love
~Elizabeth
oh P.S. Click this picture to check out an interesting article about modesty and objectification and the connection between the two.

Fantasy Tag!

I am answering question on fantasy books from Fullness of Joy you should all go check out her blog and look at others who are answering these questions.
Fantasy is a bit of a rough topic when it comes to Christian circles. There is a lot of argument about “to read fantasy or not to read fantasy.” I am for fantasy and I think it a wonderful way to tell stories and is great fun to read. I think as long as you know what is real and what is not it is fine.
1. Taken from a Christian perspective, what are your thoughts and feelings on the fantasy genre in general? Do you hold to any convictions or guidelines on things like magic, sorcery, fantastical elements or allegory in fantasy books?
As a Christian I don’t see anything wrong with fantasy. I think there was a quote someone once told me from C. S. Lewis that said something along the lines of “Children know that dragons are real we tell them stories that reassure them that the good guys can beat the dragons.” When I heard this quote it really struck me because it is so true. Children believe in fantasy even when you tell then something is not true. I do not know the book or the author as it was a book my mom read and she told me this story because it was so cute and funny. There is a little boy and it is Christmas time. The parents are Christians and so they want to do Santa Clause but they make sure their son knows that Santa is not real but make believe. The kid does not believe his parents so at one point he sneaks off to go visit Santa at the mall. He is determined to prove to his parents that Santa does exist. His plan is to tell Santa while his parents are there that he wants a puppy for Christmas. If he gets a puppy for Christmas he will know that Santa is real because his parents don’t know that he wants a puppy for Christmas only Santa does.
Fantasy is also something that has been around for a long time. I think stories of supernatural things and magic are old. They are a huge part of any culture. As an Orthodox Christian it is traditional to embrace another culture and their traditions into the faith so that they are not lost because they are important and have meaning for people. Think of Saint Patrick.
I have also heard recently that the idea of wizards having long beards and performing miracles comes from a time when priests were persecuted and so they traveled the country side preaching and helping people. 
I think that they only thing I ask for in a fantasy book in that there is good and bad. Good and bad magic and good and bad elements, because that is the way real life is. There are things like the internet that have a good side and a bad side. There are also grey arias. I find books that don’t have grey to be unrealistic and fake. Fantasy is suppose to be an allegory for real life.  
2. Who are some of your favourite fantasy/fairy-tale authors? (you can name up to three.)
J. K. Rowling, C. S. Lewis, and J. R. R. Tolkien.
3. Have you read The Chronicles of Narnia books, or watched any of the movies? Which, if so, are your three favourite books?
I have read the Chronicles of Narnia and watched the more recent movies. My favorite books are The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
4. How many books by J.R.R. Tolkien have you read and enjoyed so far? Can you choose a favourite book (The Lord of the Rings can be considered one book ;)?
I have read the Hobbit, They Fellowship of the Ring, and I am currently reading The Two Towers. I hope to read as many of his books as possible I am sadly very slow at reading his books. The Hobbit and The Two Towers are my favorites so far.
5. Uhm. . . since, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were friends, I will not risk causing further estrangement to the history of their friendship by pitting them against each other! However, being the mastermind of mischief that I am, I will toss this question your way: which of the two are you most fond of in sense of storytelling, characters, themes and what personally touches/inspires you the most: The Lord of the Rings, or The Chronicles of Narnia?
I like them both equally. I think they both were very talented writes who chose to write in different styles and that both of those styles are good. I will say though that The Chronicles of Narnia strike me as geared more towards a younger audience while The Lord of the Rings more towards an older one.
6. Are there other books and movies of the fantasy/fairy-tale/legend genre that have you read and loved, especially from modern authors? Please tell us a little bit about them.

Some of my favorite modern day fantasy authors are J. K. Rowling, Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Gerald Morris, and Rick Riordan. I don’t think J. K. Rowling needs and introduction. Anne Elisabeth Stengl is Christian fantasy writer and her books are amazing. You should definitely go read them. Gerald Morris the one series I know by him is the Arthurian legends told through the eyes of Sir Gwain’s squire. Rick Riordan is a modern rendition of the Greek myths in modern times(Mount Olympus is the top of the Empire state building for example).
7. Have you read any Christian allegories, such as Pilgrim's Progress, Holy War or Hinds Feet on High Places?
I believe Narnia is considered a Christian Allegory and I have read that. I tend not to want to read them and they preach a particular theology that I do not agree with most of the time and I then end up being annoyed and frustrated.
8. Share some of your most well-loved heroines from fantasy tales in literature (books, movies, modern and classics), and why you love them so much! What virtues/traits in them would you like to have yourself?

Hermione Granger from Harry Potter is my top favorite fantasy heroine. She is smart and she uses her intelligence. She has a strong sense of what is write and what is wrong. She is very clever at figuring things out. She inspires me to do well in my own studies.

Luna Love good also from Harry Potter. I love her because of her strong belief in what she believes is true even when everyone else makes fun of her and calls her names. She is not afraid to be herself even when it makes her seem weird to other people. She is also kind and respectful of others.

I love Belle from the show Once Upon a Time(I am only in the middle of the 2nd season so don’t spoil anything for me if you are farther!) I love how she loves books. I love how she uses her talents and skills to solves and defeat problems. She see good in people and she stands up for herself.
9. Which land would you rather go, dwell in, or be a part of: Middle-Earth, or Narnia? (or maybe some other fantasy-land, you share!)
Harry Potter’s world. It would be in England, I could have muggle stuff and magic stuff. It would be the definition of perfection.
10. What kind of fantasy are you most fond of? Fantastical and "fairy-tale-ish" like Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, or rather the mythological, high-epic-fantasies such as Tolkien's?
I like both though I probably tend more towards high-epic-fantasies.
11. Which is your favourite fairy-tale?
When I was little I really liked Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty. Now that I am older though I find that I have trouble relating to these stories as they don’t have strong female characters and I really want those in stories. I don’t connect well to characters that just sit there.  
12. List some of your most well-loved movie adaptions of fantasy tales (this does not include Disney fairy-tale animations).
Okay it is not a movie but the TV show Once upon a time is one of my top favorite fantasy-twisted-fairy-tale shows. Most of the fantasy movies I have seen are based on books that I adore so I end up not liking the movies because they stray from the book *cough*Harry Potter*cough*. I enjoy the Lord of the Rings movies that I have seen and I am really liking the Hobbit even though they are not always very faithfully true the books.
13. Who are your favourite heroes from fantasy books? (you may list as many as you like!) Tell us a little bit about why you love them so much :).

Harry Potter. I like him because despite all the horrible things he went though he still love people and he still fights for good and he still fought against evil. He has a strong belief and trust people. He knows his weaknesses and he also recognizes his own short comings. He recognizes that he needs Hermione and Ron’s help(especially Hermione because let’s face it Harry and Ron would not have survived without Hermione).  

Wonderful, wonderful sweet Neville Longbottom. He is the braves person there is. Most people didn’t realize how brave he was and they beat up on them, but in the end he was the bravest of all. he cares about people and is very shy.

Bilbo Baggins the hobbit who did not want to go on an adventure but ended up going on the biggest adventure of the century. He is a lot clever than many of those around him think he is and he also comes to care very much about his companions. He goes on a journey in which he finds out how brave he can be.
14. Saddest moment in any fantasy tale you've either watched or read?
The End of the Deathly Hollows. Book and movie.
15. How did you get into The Lord of the Rings and Middle-Earth books/movies? (If you're not into LOTR than you can talk about how you got into Narnia instead).
I got into Narnia by reading the books and watching the movies I am not a Narnia expert though. I have been reading the LOTR books and watching the movies slowly. I really enjoy them so I think I am getting into LOTR.
16. Give a list (preferably with pictures!) of your favourite fantasy/medieval costumes/armour/gowns and from which movie/character they come from.
I know I said before that I really don’t pay to much attention to costumes. I have am putting more effort into this question this time though. I think also I have been watching this show recently so I apologies that they are all from the same Show(Once Upon a Time).

I love Regina’s costumes they appeal the my gothic side.

Captain Hook. There is something about black leather.

Snow white when she is a fugitive in the forest.

Little Red Riding Hood’s costume strikes me as the most medieval looking. 
17. Which fantasy/fairy-tale has inspired and influenced you the most?
Harry Potter without a doubt has inspired me to love people more and to stand up for injustice and inequality. Also to be the best at what I am good at and try my hardest. I connect to the character more in that book and there are many moments that brought me to tears.
18. Favourite character in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings/Hobbit universe? Favourite character in The Chronicles of Narnia? (Choose 1 each)
I really like Bilbo and Prince Caspian.
19. Favourite friendship in a fantasy book/movie/series?
The Ron/Harry/Hermione friendship.
20. Which villain of fantasy strikes the most dread and loathing in you? Which foe strikes the most pity?

Voldemort is the bad guy that I dread and am most freaked out by. A bad guy that is incapable of  love is a frightening foe.

Rumpelstiltskin makes me feel the most pity, though at this point I am not 100% sure he is an actual villain.
21. Share some of your most well-loved quotes from fantasy books/movies :).
“Now I am off to be before you get up killed or worse expelled!” – Hermione Granger Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
22. Favourite battle in a fantasy book or movie?
What battle did I most like? The Battle of Hogwarts? I feel like I should pick a battle where most of the characters survived.
23. Tell us which romance couple you love best in any of the fantasy stories you know about.
Ron and Hermione.
24. Elves or dwarves? Gondor or Rohan? Aragorn or King Tirian?
I like both Elves and Dwarves. I am more of Rohan and I like Aragorn.
25. Who is your favourite side-kick (secondary character) in books/movies of this genre? (you are welcome to choose more than one ;).
Ron is a side kick character that I love. Merry and Pippin.
26. List five fantasy novels you are especially looking forward and eager to read in the near future.
The Return of the King. The rest of the Squire’s tale series and I am thinking about trying Game of Thrones. (I don’t know specific titles so I listed of a couple of series. I think it should all add up to five).
27. Which fantasy work struck you with the most sense and depth of faith and the author's perception of morality, ethics, the distinction and battle between good and evil, and the Christian walk? Can you share a little bit about it?
I see Christian themes and morals in a lot of the fantasy that I read whether the author deliberately put them there or not. Harry Potter has stuck me with the most depth of understand of love and all the different kinds of love there are. There is a quote from a character as well that talks about how good and evil are not always as easily divided as we think; “The world isn’t divided into good people and death eaters.”
28. What was the first fantasy novel you ever read and how did it strike you?
I am not sure what the first fantasy novel I read was. I want to say it was Narnia.
29. What would inspire you to pick up a work of fantasy literature or watch a fantasy film? What do you believe are both the benefits, negatives and overall effects of enjoying this genre?
A recommendation from a friend would make me want to read it and a well designed cover.
Getting people to read is important I think fantasy is a wonderful way to get into books for some people. Especially those who find other kinds of books hard to get into. It is a way to escape into a world very different from ours and yet similar. Reading fantasy is a wonderful way to see different themes in a new light and I think it gives an author a variety of ways to express those themes. There are darker fantasy novels out there and some very poorly written ones *glances at Twilight*, but there are so many other wonderful books out there.
Love!
~Elizabeth

Fullness of Joy Birthday Party! (The Classics Tag)

It is the third Birthday of Fullness of Joy! To celebrate Joy is having a literary themed birthday party with question and giveaway!
Here are my answers to the Historical Classics Tag.
1. Tell us  a little bit about yourself, your tastes, and the little hobbies and things that your readers probably don't know about you!
I love the out doors and have discovered that I love hiking. I have taken to trying to compose music.
Something you probably don’t know is that I have a fondness for Giant Bunnies. I don’t own one, but they look so cuddly!

2. Books! We really do love them. . . but we all have preferences of what kind of books we love best. What is your favorite genre to read from (and to write in, if you happen to be a writer too)? Could you tell us why?
My favorite genres are historical fiction and fantasy. I like historical fiction because it makes history come to life for me and I know that these are real people that are in the stories. I like fantasy because it has the ability to be anything really. It can have dragons, magic, and all sorts of other stuff that does not exist in our world.

3. Are you fond of classic literature or do you generally find them too "dry" and hard-going for your tastes? Alternately, how much of your reading diet consists of books written by authors of the 21st century? Are you more fond of the old books or the new. . . or maybe a little bit of both?
I enjoy classic literature. I sometimes find them a little more difficult to follow and they may take me longer to get though but I still enjoy them greatly. I equally love old and new books They both have merits. What I want to read really depends on my mood at the time.

4. What is your favourite historical time period and setting? How did you come to be especially interested in it? Would you be happy to live in that time-period or era?
Gosh, It would be a tie between Victorian England and Tudor England. Victorian England would be a very interesting time I think. I love Tudor England with all the royal drama going on. I would probably not want to live in either. I love the opportunities that I have in the 21st century to much to wish to be in another time.

5.. List three of your favourite classic authors (authors from the 1500s and up to the very early 1900s such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Robert Louis Stevenson, Mark Twain etc. . . )? What makes you love them so much?
The Bronte sisters are a top favorite. I have read many of the books by all of them and I feel in love with their writing. They are different but similar with just that unique something that only they could give to each of their books.
Jane Austen has to be on this list. I find her books to be entertaining in a way that makes me laugh and smile and yet she does a social commentary on the times she lives in. I sometimes feel like I miss some of her points though because I do not live at the time when her books were written.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has been rising through the ranks the more I read his stories. I find his stories to be a strange combination of easy reading with parts that are difficult to slog through.
6. What type of "Historical classic" is your favourite: Adventure and exploration, romance, mystery, social, memoir, or political?
I don’t think I have a particular favorite. I have read a few books form all of these categories and have enjoyed most of them.

7. Share some of your most well-loved heroines from historical novels in literature, and why you love them so much! What virtues/traits in them would you like to attain yourself?
Eleanor Dashwood. What can I say. I cannot express how much I love and adore her. I think I love her so much because she is the oldest daughter in her family and I am as well. She loves her younger sisters even though they sometimes annoy and frustrate her. She is calm and critical thinking.

I fell in love with Esther Summerson quite quickly. She is a kind and gentle person. She is practical. She does not want to trouble others with her presence and yet she is quite endeared by those who know her. She has can sometimes have a righteous anger when something that is unjust or wrong is happening but she does not let that frustration rule her.

8. Who are your favourite heroes from historical literature? (You may share up to five). What makes them stand out among the rest as special?

Edward Ferris is shy and quiet but he has honor and he stands by what he believes is right. Colonel Brandon I like for similar reasons to Edward but Brandon also like music which I love. Mr. Knightly is witty and smart. He also knows how to behave in society.
 
9.  List your favourite "classic" novels. . . (as this is a painful question, you may list more than one!)
Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Agnes Grey, Bleak House, Oliver Twist, North and South, and Mansfield Park.

10. Which period-drama movies, (adaptions from historical classic works of fiction), fall under your favourite pile? Do you prefer the more modern adaptions or the old ones? Faithful renditions, or the more exciting ones?
I  like rendition that are faithful to the book and ones that have good actors and are well done. I find that the more attached to the book I am the more I am pick about how the film adaptation is done. I think film is a very different art than a written book so they are going to be differences.
That being said. Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson, North and South with Richard Armitage, Pride and Prejudice 1995 are my favorite adaptations.
  
11. Which historical classic has inspired and influenced you the most?
Jane Eyre without a doubt has had the strongest impact on me. It was the book that truly got me into analyzing themes and characters and plots. I became very passionate about Jane Eyre and would talk about it almost constantly.

12. Give a list (preferably with pictures!) of your favourite period drama costumes (hats, hoops, gloves, parasols, etc) and from which movie/character they come from.
This is a really hard question for me. I usually just notice a dress or outfit and go “oh, that is nice” and then I completely forget about it. I mostly just care about how historically accurate the costumes are.

13. How accurate do you think classic authors were about depicting history and accuracy of different cultures? Were they sometimes prejudiced or melodramatic in their descriptions, or do you think they often had a point to make?
I am not an expert on classic authors or the times they lived in. I do know that they were human and therefore where susceptible to human limitation and faults. I do however think that they show a particular perspective and some where trying to make a point. I know in Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte that Anne is trying to show how hard and unfair a governesses live can be.
 
14. Think of the funniest "scene" in either a book or movie from classic literature, and share the quote/picture below (Gifs and animations allowed!)
The ending of North and South. Makes me laugh.
“How Shall I tell Aunt Shaw?” she whispered, after some time of delicious silence.
“Let me speak to her.”
“Oh, no! I owe it to her, – but what will she say?”
“I can guess. Her first exclamation will be, ‘That man!’”
“Hush!” said Mararet, “or I shall try and show you your mother’s indignant tones as she says, ‘that woman!’”


15. Which villain of historical literature strikes the most dread and loathing in you?
Who do I most detest? I will have to go with Willoughby. I am really upset that he would court someone and then just up and leave them. Not to mention other parts of his behavior and character. He does not respect people and makes fun of them.
 
16.  How many Charles Dickens novels have you read? Do you enthusiastically love his stories, or sob in misery over them, or worse get bored by them?
I have read a total of 3 of Charles Dickens novels. I am working on rectifying this. I enjoy his books however sometimes I find that he goes on and on and on about the same thing for pages. That bores me. I want to know the story. So while I am not enthusiastic about his books I am not completely bored by them.

17. Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, or Elizabeth Gaskall?
Charlotte Bronte.
18. Favourite French Revolution novel?
I did not even know that this was a category. I don’t really have one as I have not really read any.

19. North and South or Pride and Prejudice? Mr. Darcy or Mr. Thornton?
This is a most difficult question. I will have to go with Mr. Thornton though despite how much I like Darcy. I relate to Thornton much more. I also find him much more interesting in a literary analysis way.
 
20. Which historical classic struck you with the most sense and depth of faith and the author's perception of morality, ethics and the Christian walk? Can you share a little bit about it?
North and South has the most strong religious morality in it. Elizabeth Gaskell was a parson’s wife which I think is why her books have such a strong religious tone to them. I was particularly grabbed by North and South because there was a lot questioning of faith in that book. At the time I was reading I was leaving Protestantism and converting to Orthodoxy. There were aspects of my faith that I had come to question.

21. Who is your favourite side-kick (secondary character) in literature of this genre?
Nicholas Higgins is my favorite side kick character. I am not sure he really counts as a side kick character though. I love his strong belief in his ideals and standing up to fight for them. I am not sure I always completely agree with him but I admire his commitment.

22. List five "Historical Classics" you are especially looking forward and eager to read in the near future.
A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield, Persuasion, The Time Machine, and Little Women.
 
23. What was the first historical classic novel you ever read and how did it strike you?
Pride and Prejudice when I was about 11. I was mostly just happy to have finally read the book as I had seen the 2005 adaptation several times with my mom. I was struck by the different style of writing to what I had read before.

24. What would inspire you to pick up a historical piece of literature - namely a "classic"? Do you believe it is important for our generation to get back to reading the classics? What do you believe are both the benefits, negatives and overall effects of treasuring historical stories written by authors of the past?
I think that classics are important to read many of them are a part of culture. There is also the fact that they come from a different style of writing. I think I have read articles about studies that have shown reading classics is good for your brain. It is also a way to glimpse how those in the past, how they thought and what issues where in their day even their personal views of their world.
I think reading classics and wanting to read them has to be a choice you make. It has to be something you want to do for your enjoyment.

Book Review: The Word Changers

“Her parents’ marriage is falling apart. Fifteen-year-old Posy feels her life is falling apart with it. Retreating to an old library down the street, she selects a mysterious book in a secluded corner and is magically drawn into its story...
Posy finds herself in a kingdom ruled by a cruel and manipulative king and queen who have attempted to usurp the role that belongs only to the Author of their story. The princess has fled and the kingdom is teetering toward rebellion. Posy is joined by the Prince Kyran as they fight with the characters of the story against their slavery to the Plot.
Posy and the prince search beyond the borders of the story for the runaway princess. They visit mysterious places, face horrifying monsters, and fight fierce battles. They make both friends and enemies as their journey leads them into many dangers. But some of the worst dangers, Posy soon finds, lie deep within her own heart.
Now Posy must find the courage and forgiveness needed to save the story and, most important, heal the heartache she knew in her own world.” –Book description from Goodreads
I had the wonderful opportunity to review The Word Changers by Ashlee Willis. I tend to be a bit wary of Christian fiction as it is often very preachy about what the author believes which makes me feel uncomfortable. The Word Changers is a nice exception. Ashlee Willis never mentions religion in her book. There are recognizable Christian themes and parallels Ashlee Willis does a wonderful job of melding them into the plot in a way that feels natural with out any tacky feeling or awkwardness. It made reading the book much more enjoyable.
The idea of being able to fall into the story in a book is a fascinating one and an idea that many book lovers have often wished for or is that just me? The idea of characters being bound to the plot and yet free to make their own choices and taking on a life of their own was a very wonderful idea. Ashlee Willis gives just enough detail that the read can build a picture of what is going on without going overboard with details.
Some characters I found more relatable than others. They were real people who had lived life they had gone through pain and even joy. They had hope for the future. I found it difficult to relate to Posy at times though there were moments I had to remind myself how old she was. She is fifteen but sometimes I felt she behaved a bit more like a twelve year old. She did grow and change throughout the story to become stronger and more confident. I think part of it was that if Posy just didn’t mesh with me. I did relate to Posy’s love for her younger sisters and to her being and oldest child as I am a the oldest of four girls.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It is a fun fantasy book for book lovers to read. It has a nice length that is not to long and a relaxing book to read for those who are on summer break and need a good book to read to help them relax. I would give this book 4 out of 5.
If you are interested in this book you should enter the giveaway on Goodreads! You can also purchase this book on Amazon and Barns and Noble.
You can find Ashlee Willis at her blog Finding The True Fairy Tale, on her Facebook page, and her Twitter.
Lots of Love!
~Elizabeth

The Homeschool vs. Public School Struggle.

(This picture was taken my a wonderful friend of mine at school)

I have never felt ashamed of the fact that I was homeschooled(I get to use the past tense now!) and if I ever am it is only because I am ashamed of other homeschooler stupidity and rudeness. The fact that I was homeschooled is a huge part of my identity how I see myself. It doesn’t mean I see myself as hugely different form society rather only that I have a more different style of education.

That doesn’t mean that I have not had negative experiences from being homeschool, there are several. I remember when I was little maybe 6 years old I told it to some neighbor boys and they seemed to think that maybe I was stupid because I didn’t go to school like them. At the time I found it hurtful and from then on avoided the other kids in the neighborhood. Later however I could not avoid when they came and talked to me one girl it seemed delighted in making fun of us in front of my sisters and I and she seemed to think we were too stupid to understand that was what she was doing. It got to the point where I would make some excuse to stop riding my bike and go in the house when ever she came down to our part of the neighborhood. I was not sure how to deal with it as I was only 9 or 10. Because of all these negative experiences as a child I came up with a stereo type that public schooled kids were rude, mean, and stupid.
Later when my family left our old church(where 99 % of the population was homeschoolers) and started going to our current church I met public schooled kids(and private school) who seemed to be much nicer. I was still wary of them but as I got to know them and be friends with them I found my stereo type to be wrong. Which I was secretly relieved about because I didn’t want to go through my life having to deal with people being mean to me all the time.
That does not mean unpleasant experiences have stopped. At a birthday party for a friend I was asked the inevitable question that I loathed “where do you go to school?” and I replied with the answer that gets mixed reception “Oh, I don’t go to school I am homeschooled.” After that these two girls didn’t want to talk to me and avoided me for the rest of the party.
In college I have found that less people really seem to be bothered by where I got my education. They seem to be more open to homeschooling and even find it cool. One friend told me I was lucky because I had not had to deal with the bullying and other crap she had had to deal with in her school. There was one guy who I don’t think realized how rude he was being when he told me that I must have hated being homeschooled and how horrible it must have been for me. It really ruffled my feathers that he assumed I must have had a negative experience when really I had a positive one. However most of my friends have found it to be cool and don’t think I am a weirdo, or at least I am no weirder than they are. They really don’t actually care about where I got my education but rather whether my education was a good one.
Homeschooling gave me a chance to really focus and work on my weaknesses and explore my strengths. I worked hard at school in high school because I enjoyed it. I love learning and school. Lots of people sometimes assume that because I was homeschooled I had loads of free time. I really didn’t I worked on school for 6 to 7 hours a day. Maybe I did have more free time than my peers who went to school because homework does not work the same way when you are homeschooled, but that does not mean I didn’t work as hard.
Granted there are homeschoolers who’s necks I want to wring sometimes because they really are not doing the work and don’t seem to care about their education. I really get mad about homeschoolers who don’t really do school. It makes me so mad! They could have the best education they could possibly want but they are not doing the work! Words cannot express how frustrated and angry it makes me.
Back to homeschooler vs. publicschooler.
I think a lot of my negative experiences have to do with negative stereo types about homeschooled kids. I think most of them just don’t know what it really is and so they don’t know how to relate to us. I think kids are more prone to snub others who are not like them than adults are. At least that is the what I think based on my experience in college. I wish that homeschoolers would stop stereo typing publicschoolers, and publicschoolers would stop stereo typing homeschoolers then we could all sit down and find we are not so different after all.
I know I have a few homeschool followers and public school. How has your experience as a homeschooler been? Or for my public school friends what has your experience with homeschoolers been?
Lots of love!
~Elizabeth

Warehouse 13 H. G. Wells

I don’t know if any of you watch the show Warehouse 13 so I will give the briefest description/summary possible. Here goes.

Warehouse 13 is a show that is best described and a sci-fi and fantasy mix. There are objects that have certain powers to do weird and freaky stuff. There some kind of science behind the objects and what they do but that is really complicated. The Warehouse stores the objects to keep the general public safe. There are agents of the Warehouse that collect the objects. It is a dangerous job and there are bad guys along the way. I would say it is a fun show and if you are also familiar with the show Eureka it is in the same universe and that show.

Warning I would also like to warn you that if you plan on watching this show my post contains spoilers. If you don’t care about spoilers or the show then read on! (please note that the word spoilers should have been read in River Songs voice) End Warning

Now that you know the basics of the show I can now explain what H. G. Wells has to do with it. *Deep breath* H. G. Wells was preserved by some process called bronzing to prevent her from doing some not so nice stuff to the world. now in the future another bad guy has debronzed H. G. to help him cause havoc on the world.

Now you may be wondering why there are pictures of a woman in this post because H. G. Wells is a guy right? In the real world yes however in Warehouse 13 the writers have gender bents(am I using that correctly?) H. G Wells to be a woman whose first name is Helena. In the story H. G. Wells is actually a brilliant scientist whose older brother Charles wrote the famous books about her actual inventions.

She is my absolute favorite character from this show. She is totally badass, kickass awesome. I lover her despite the fact the most of the time we are wondering whose side she is really on and if she is a good guy or a bad guy. I find her to be a relatable character with depth and feeling. When she is the bad guy she is not the bad guy who just wants to destroy the world because she is insane. She is in pain because she lost her daughter(she was not married) whom she loved dearly and was unable to save. She has been grieving the loss for a very long time and is angry at the world for letting such a horrible death happen to her innocent daughter.

She is also good because she does help and does care about other people but is very lost in her grief. H. G. Wells is smart and brilliant and knows what she is doing. She is trained in different fighting methods and is very good at what she does. She is also a human being who as suffered a lot of pain. On and interesting fact in the show it is hinted, if I remember correctly, that she is bisexual.

Warehouse 13 has done a wonderful job creating a fantastic fictional character based on a real person with a few changes. I would recommend Warehouse 13 and a fun show to watch with a few weird really weird and slightly creepy episodes.

Lots of love!

~Elizabeth

Historical Fiction Books I Recommend

I am a big historical fiction fan and I would say close to half of all the books I read are historical fiction. I wanted to share with you some of my favorites. I will have links to the books on Goodreads so that you can read another description and/or add them to your want to read list. I have quite a few favorites so I might do another post or two so that it is not one big long post.

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The Voyage on The Great Titanic by Ellen Emerson White

The title speaks for itself I believe. This is the diary of a young girl who survives the Titanic. I enjoyed this book and it was very moving with a great attention to detail. My only complaint was with the description of how the ship went under. The Titanic broke in half in this book is is described as going under in one piece. This book was published in 1998 and the wreck of the Titanic was found around 1985 when it was discovered that the eyewitness accounts of the ship breaking in half were in fact true. Since the authors seems to have so much research on the Titanic given the amount of detain she puts in other places I am not sure why she would completely omitted this huge piece of information.

To Destroy You is No Loss by Joan D. Criddle

This is a true story of a family in Cambodia during the communist period and genocide. This is not an easy read and is not a book I would recommend for someone who is not at least 15. It is important to read though so that we remember.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

This is a fantastic book. It is takes place during the Denmark evacuation of the Jews. That is one of my favorite moments of World War Two. There are many moving stories about this event. This is one that has stuck out to me more.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

This takes place during the early colonization of north America by the British in a puritan town. It is also during the witch scare. It can be and interesting look into how superstitious early Americans were and a look into puritan culture. 

Nory Ryan’s Song by Patricia Reilly Giff

This book takes place in Ireland during the start of the Irish potato famine. I read it when I was much younger and it made me fall in love with anything Irish.

Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan

I love Gloria Whelon as an author and this is one of my favorites by her. It is the story of you English girl whose parents are African missionaries. It tells her story of how she lost everything she held dear and how recovered from it and became stronger.

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These are a few of my favorite historical fiction books. Let me know if you have read any of these ones and tell me a few of your favorites I am always on the look out for book suggestions.
Love!
~Elizabeth

Reading in the Summer

My goals for summer break before I go back to school are to learn a few songs and memorize them. I have also dedicated myself to reading as many books as possible in the three months or so that I have before school starts again.
I am mixing some pure fun books, like The Mark of Athena, with more serious books, such as a Tale of Two Cities. I am also currently reading a book for a review that will hopefully post this month very soon! Some of my books are audio books to listen to while I do chores and weed or other activities. I really enjoy audio books I find them to be relaxing especially if it is read by someone who has a good voice and is talented at reading aloud. Reading aloud well is definitely a talent and also requires practice.

Writing Music

I have started writing lyrics lately and then writing music for them. I am extremely proud of what I have done so far. They are not very good but still as first tries go. I think they are quite good. It has been relaxing for me and I have been enjoying myself while doing it.
I wish I could record them. That would be fun, but sadly I do not have the equipment to experiment with that maybe someday I can.
I have also checked out like 10 0r 11 books I would have to go count them. Three of them are audio books. I am really excited about getting back to reading. I have really missed it in college. I was reading but it was not the fun recreational reading. I have a goal for how many books I want to read this summer before school starts.
I will also be doing some camping this summer which is going to be awesome.
Hopefully I will be inspired soon to write some more interesting content for my blog. For now though I do not have much to tell you.
Love!
~Elizabeth Hamre

Finished First Year!

 

To day I took my last final for school and turned in my last project. This has been an awesome year and I feel like I have grown up so much in the past year. So much has happened and so many awesome people that I have met! It has been an amazing time. I have learned so much.

I love music theory it has probably been my favorite class. I now feel like I really know how to compose music and I understand how it works better. I hope to compose over this summer.

I am planning on writing a bunch of blog posts and reading tons of books. I have lots of practice goals too.

Love!

~Elizabeth

Music Major

Hey Everyone! I am super excited to tell you that I got into the music program and am now officially declared a Bachelor of Music in piano performance!
I also recently got to perform for the first time in college. It was a short piece called Etude in E-Major by Heller. It was really exciting to get to play. I was also nervous but it went really well and I did not forget how to play it. It was really wonderful to play the piano that is used for performances. It has to be one of the most wonderful feeling pianos in that I have ever had the pleasure to play!
PE is over and I am way less stressed now! I will not me missing that class. I am looking forward to registering for class in the fall.
Music theory has been wonderful and amazing to do. I love to understand music, and now I can talk about music with much more depth.
Overall things are amazing right now and I hope you all are having an amazing time. Thank you all for still following me despite my inconsistent posting.
Lots of Love!
~Elizabeth

Coming Out as a Feminist

Okay so I probably started to be feminist back in freshman year of high school after I read a biography of Elizabeth Cady Stanton. A really amazing and interesting person, and I found that I related to her and what she was fighting for. I have been a bit of  a closet feminist for the past two years. I am now finally coming out in the open and saying that I am a feminist.
Feminist have been shown in a negative light. I honestly think more people would be feminists if they actually took the time to think about the issues that feminists are fighting for. Equal rights for women really should not be such a big issue and it is really sad that it is. It really makes me upset that women are not given the same opportunities as men. I think mostly I am for equal rights. I don’t care who you are we are equal. We are all people and should be thought of equally. I don’t understand how people do not get that.
When I apply for a job I want to be considered for my ability to perform the job, not my gender or race. Those things have no bearing on my capability to do the tasks required. I should be paid the same wage as a man for doing the exact same job in the exact same amount of time.
I just wanted to get this out there. It has been on my mind for a while and I really felt the need to say it.
Love ~Elizabeth

A New Phase in Life

When life takes and unexpected turn and you find that you are not the same person you once were. Even just six months ago I was a different person than I am now. For starters I had not started college yet. I had not met the friends I have now. I am now past my first semester in College and I feel like I have grown more in the past few months than I have in the past year. It is strange.
I feel happier than I have in a while. I have many new friends. I love school and I am doing music. I can say with confidence that the school I picked is the best one for me. It is amazing.
There are a lot of things I could say about my life right now, but for now this is all that needs to be said.
Love ~Elizabeth