2012 in Review - The Best Books, Movies and Music

My last post hinted that I was going to do a whole chunk of entries about Peru but this semester kind of got away on me. Once I entered my pracitcum I was often doing 16 hour work days, which, if you're good at math, doesn't leave a whole lot of time for my own writing. Thankfully I've got some time on my hands now so I'm going to spend some time reflecting on 2012. I love December because it often means summing up your year into short, concise lists. Obviously we have so much more going for us than a few bullet points to summarize a year, but it's a cool reminder to look back on. Just a few of the great moments in my life this year were:

- Becoming an uncle

- Watching my middle sister get married

- 5 Days for the Homeless

- Going to Peru and climbing the Inca Trail

- Getting to share my spoken word

- Having an amazing PS1 experience

This is less about bragging and more about reminding myself how blessed I am. There was a lot that went wrong this year as well, but a lot of things also went really right.

Books

Alright, enough with the personal stuff, let's get on with my media lists. 

In 2011 I started making a note of every book that I read in the year. I so wish that I had started doing this sooner. It's cool how looking back over a list of books can give you a reflection of the year. Each book brings with it a memory of where I was when I was reading it. Why I chose to read it, who I was reading it with, why I took so long to finish it--these all point to the parts in my year that aren't necessarily special enough to make it onto a grand list, but are still a huge portion of my life. When I first started making the list my goal was to read more books each year. I failed completely. Meh, it was worth a shot. Here are some great books that I read this year:

• Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom. When I finished this book I literally just sat on the couch and cried for a solid amount of time. It's short, simple, and powerful. Maybe it was the connection I've had in my life with people who had Lou Gehrig's disease, maybe it was because the failing health of my grandpa, maybe it was because it just reflected on humanity so well, but either way it was definitely a book that I will be going back to. I recommend it completely (K, I'm not going to say that at the end of each one seeing as I probably will recommend them all).
• In the Skin of a Lion - Michael Ondaatje. This book really turned me on to Ondaatje's writings and I recommend his stuff to any customer who comes in. Refreshing and Canadian. It's books like this that make me really lament the fact that my English class days are pretty much over. I would never have read this book if I hadn't been forced to, and I would never have appreciated it as much as I did if I had not had someone showing me how awesome it truly is.
• Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claiborne. This is my go-to book when people are wandering in the religious section at Chapters with a wide-eyed, lost look. "Seriously, it changed my life," I tell every customer. It's hard to explain why I found it so impacting. "What's it about?" they always ask. "Welp, it's about love." Ooo, I really sell it with that line. Most of the people just stare blankly at me at that point and I don't usually end up selling it, but to the few who picked it up, I can pretty much guarantee that they loved it. If you haven't already read this book (and most have) go out and buy it right now. If I could pick one book off this list to recommend, it would be this one. (And then, if you have already read this one already, check out "7" by Jennifer Hatmaker. It's in a similar vein and, while not quite as inspiring, still one that I intend to read again and again. And if you've read that one, check out "The Man Who Quit Money" by Mark Sundeen. How I made it out of this year with out becoming a full blown hippie I will never know.)
• The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills - Chuck Bukowski. With a title like that, it's gotta be poetry. Despite my love of poetry I really don't actively seek it out because I often find myself drowning in its pretentiousness. I really liked Bukowski because his poems aren't overly cryptic or full of flamboyant narratives of rolling hills and deep oceans. His work is simple and shocking and entertaining. Kinda like Shel Silverstein for grown ups. But really not really at all.
• To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee. Yes, I am an English major who managed to get through his whole life without reading To Kill a Mockingbird. People who don't read a lot have read To Kill a Mockingbird. People who hate reading have read To Kill a Mockingbird. So I'm sorry, I remedied it, and I quite enjoyed it. Would I teach it in my classroom? Probably not. Would I give it to my kids to read one day? Definitely. It's got some great lessons and a good story.
• Stitches - David Small. I took a seminar in university about graphic novels and their increasing prominence in schools nowadays. I had honestly never given them much thought--I have always wanted to read Maus by Art Spiegelman but have never really gotten around to it. Stitches was one of the first 'literary graphic novels' that I have read and I loved it. It's an autobiography of a boy who had brutal parents and cancer growing up. It's certainly not the 'BANG' 'KAPOW' that you typically think of when you think comic books, but it certainly packs a punch in its own way. I bought it immediately after I was finished it and it has encouraged me to check out a slew of other literary graphic novels. Any other ones anyone would recommend? (Also, if you like Stitches, check out Blankets by Craig Thompson).

Movies 

Along with books, I always make a list of movies that impacted me throughout the year. Obviously not all these movies were released in 2012, so you're not going to be seeing a lot of them at the Oscars, but I watched them this year so they deserve to be mentioned. My top eleven are:

11. Freedom Writers - I had to make the list 11 to include this because it's so cheesy and predictable but given my desired occupation I couldn't resist.

10. American History X - After watching this I decided that Edward Norton is genuinely messed up in the head, but still it's a profound movie that anyone (with a bit of a tough stomach) should watch.

9. Sherlock Holmes 2 - My 'superhero' pick. Avengers was fantastic, Dark Knight was strong, but for some reason Sherlock stuck with me. (This might be swayed by the fact that I just watched every episode of BBC's Sherlock and am currently riding that high.)

8. Like Crazy - I didn't really like this movie, but I came away from it shaken and not okay. If a movie can cause that strong of a reaction, it must mean there's something there.

7. Blue Like Jazz - For what it was, it was amazing. It was probably the best Christian movie I've seen, which isn't saying a WHOLE lot, but it is saying something. Again, it affected me strongly, not necessarily in a this-is-the-best-movie-ever kinda way, but in the I-actually-want-to-spend-time-contemplating-my-life kinda way.

6. The Departed - Got me started on a whole mafia/gangsters kick. I love movies that make me pause halfway through and go, "Okay so he's... but then that guy... but they think... but who was... OHHHH!"

5. There Will Be Blood - I still think about this movie on a weekly basis. I love love love it and it made me want to watch every Paul Thomas Anderson film. (Punch Drunk Love should also get an honourable mention on this list too).

4. Safety Not Guaranteed - Really fun, simple, and slightly quirky. More than just your average rom com. 

3. Silver Linings Playbook - I think Bradley Cooper deserves an Oscar nom for Best Actor. He probably shouldn't win it, but he still deserves to be recognized.

2. Never Let Me Go - So unique! I have never seen a movie that I've been more thrown-off by its complete disregard for its premise. It's technically sci-fi, but it's so character driven that you kind of forget about the sci-fi -part. And it made me hate Keira Knightley less, so that's always a bonus. I wrote out a whole review immediately after watching this movie for no other reason then I wanted to sort out why I loved it so much. (Watch the movie, don't read the book). Also, it features my love Carey Mulligan, of whom I will one day convince to amicably split up from her now-husband Marcus Mumford so he can play at mine and Carey's wedding. 

1. Life of Pi - This is what a movie should be. It didn't need sex, violence, or any other cheap trick to keep it flowing. It was brilliant to witness, entertaining to watch, and inspiring to analyze. I didn't even like the book all that much but the movie made me a believer. I definitely want to see it nominated for Best Picture. As I described it on Facebook: "So Life of Pi is like Castaway meets the Discovery Channel meets Avatar. Except Tom Hanks is an Indian boy, Wilson is a tiger, and the director is on acid. I recommend it 100%"

I feel like The Master and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel should also probably find their way on to this list but I just don't know where.

This year I learnt to stop following actors and start following directors. Some actors consistently pick good roles (e.g. Philip Seymour Hoffman), but I found out that most the time, if you want consistency, you follow the director. Some that I actively sought out this year were: Paul Thomas Anderson, Darren Aronofsky, Christopher Nolan, the Coen Brothers, Roman Polanski. They've all got some really, really great stuff. I'm still learning to delve past the Golden Globes and Oscars. Does anyone have any recommendations of less popular titles/ones I didn't mention? (And don't say Les Mis, Argo, or Lincoln--I'm working on it!)

Music

And finally music! My New Years Resolution for the year 2012 was to not download a single song and, with some serious dedication, I can proudly say I reached it. Life list entry checked off! I went from getting multiple albums in a week to multiple albums in a year. And honestly, I like the change. It was a lot of pressure to keep up with all of the music I was downloading and this past year I've been able to just appreciate the music that I already have. But still I can't go completely without new music, so thank God for gifts from friends, Noisetrade, 8tracks, and good ol' youtube. From the few that I purchased, ones that I would recommend:

• Dave Siverns - Songs for Singing (If you live in Lethbridge you should already own this one)
• Alt J - An Awesome Wave (K maybe just buy 'Breezeblocks')
• Fun. - Some Nights (Don't actually buy this album. Listen to the good ones--'All Alright', 'Some Nights', 'Carry On'--on youtube over and over and that'll be enough.)
• Shane Koyczan - Shut Up and Say Something (Have I mentioned Shane Koyczan before? Well if not, get this album. Spoken word gets hazed for using music to manipulate emotions--this album does it even without the music)
• Matthew Mayfield - A Banquet for Ghosts (Free on Noisetrade. Worth checking out.)
• The Fray - Scars and Stories (If you're not a huge fan, at least check out 'Be Still', the final track)
• Keane - Strangeland (Worth buying. I had this album on repeat for a month)
• Mumford and Sons - Babel (Still not as revolutionary as ''Sigh No More'', but that's not to say it's not ridiculously awesome. I love it more and more with each listen.)
• Of Monsters and Men - My Head is an Animal (Icelandic and fantastic. Sold.)
• John Mayer - Born and Raised (I feel compelled to buy every John Mayer album because I know that with enough hits on shuffle over the years I will probably discover that I love it.)
• David Crowder Band - Give Us Rest (Their final album. A few amazing tracks, but mostly just goodness.)
• Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires (Not quite ''Eyes Open'' but it still has a couple synth-ballads that I love oh so much)
• James Vincent McMorrow - Early in the Morning (100% recommend.)
• The Lumineers - The Lumineers (102% recommend. It's a short album but I listened to it over and over and over.)

TL;DR: Buy James Vincent McMorrow, Lumineers, Mumford and Sons, and Of Monsters and Men. Love everything else. Get mad at Sigur Ros for putting out ''Valtari'' (I love you guys, I really do, but this album was really just sounds.)

Now it's your turn! During my music "fast" I made a list of albums I want to buy/download when I have the money. Most I was interested in, but nothing quite pushed me over the edge to buy them. Would you recommend any of these guys' latest albums? Any other ones that aren't listed that you would recommend?

- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Soundtrack

- Starfield

- Gotye

- O Brother Where Art Thou Soundtrack

- Train

- Hunger Games soundtrack

- Polyphonic Spree

- Ingrid Michaelson

- Like Crazy Soundtrack

- Sons & Daughters

- Hugo Soundtrack

- Rend Collective Experiment

- A Creation Liturgy - Gungor

- Regina Spektor

- Temper Trap

So there you have it. My year in a very media-focused nutshell. 2013 has been off to a great start with four (4!) things already crossed of my life list. Here's to a year of more consistent, shorter blog posts. (Ha!)

An Ode to Mono

So, as many of you know, I have been dealt with the wonderful disease known as mono. MONO. It’s so threatening. Not because the word itself is that intimidating, in fact quite the opposite because it kind of reminds me of Bono, which is soothing. Rather because its name suggests that it will only affect you once, yet, while that may be true, that once may last for FOUR freakin’ months.

I am now coming close to my four month monoversary (man I am I ever clever) and I think that I may just maybe actually sorta kinda a little bit possibly be done with it *crosses fingers* (I'm hoping not to jinx it by typing it out loud). I've been told that I am going to have the lack of energy symptom for a while to come, but the rest seem to have left for the time being. In honour of this glorious occasion I have created for you a list, no an ode rather, of the 25 things I have learnt over the last four months.

  

Everything I’ve Learnt, I Learnt From Mono: 

An Ode to Infectious Mononucleosis

1. I’ve learnt where my spleen is located.
2. I’ve learnt that buying Costco amounts of toilet paper unintentionally back in September actually comes in handy once you run out of Kleenex boxes.
3.  I’ve learnt I suck at being sick. If there were an award for being sick, I would get the Razzie equivalent of it. I’m just not good at it. I believe that some people can be good at. I'm not. (It's as if I was driving everyone else here crazy. Crazy with worry, that is.)
4. I've learnt that people are all too aware that mono is known as the "kissing disease". I've also learnt that the phrase "kissing disease" apparently has to be said in the exact same high-pitched, sing-song tone every single time it is said.
5. I've leant that some people aren't aware that mono is not an STD.
6. I’ve learnt that “I have mono” is an effective way of getting out of things as well as gaining more personal space.
7. I’ve learnt that sometimes mono made me a terrible person. I felt like I was carrying around a secret weapon. Sometimes I would spend my whole class scheming about how I could exchange saliva with people I don't like.
8. I've learnt that Oil of Oregano, as miraculous as it may be, still tastes like garbage no matter how many different ways you take it.
9. I’ve learnt that watching “House” for 8-hour periods while being sick is entirely entertaining, but really unsettling and ultimately unhealthy as you feel like you are about to die every approximately 38 minutes. Don’t worry, he always figures it out in the end.
10. Studying about the migration and gestation periods of pigeons is boring normally. I’ve learnt that studying the migration and gestation periods of pigeons while having mono = worse than watching consecutive episodes of the Tyra Banks show.
11. I've learnt that girlfriends are understanding and patient (sorry about the Tyra Banks comment).
12. I’ve learnt that having zero appetite is a great way to save on your grocery budget.
13. I’ve learnt that attempting to play trumpet while having mono = a lot of phlegm and not a whole lot else. Enjoy that mental picture.
14. After 4 months of coughing, my abs are going to be freakin’ RIPPED. I haven’t learnt this yet, but I will.
15. I’ve learnt that girls never tire of laughing at you when your voice cracks. Never.
16. I’ve learnt that attempting to do mono-obstructed meditative breathing exercises in yoga class results in purely in frustration as well as people inching their mats away.
17. I’ve learnt that threatening to spit in the water fountains is a great way to get yourself approved to be excused from completing your practicum.
18. I've learnt that not being able to breathe out of your nose for 2 months sucks. I've also learnt that that first full breath after 2 months is a cathartic, euphoric, and a, for all intents and purposes, magical experience. Some would even equate it to the feeling you get the first time you hold your newborn.
19. I've learnt that when you announce said ability to breathe with both nostrils to your parents they will respond with comments such as: "Congratulations!", "Send out the pigeons!", and "Blow the flugelhorns!" Aren't parents swell?
20. I've learnt how often I break out into song. This proved difficult and entertaining many times throughout the four months (see #15).
21. I've learnt that not having the appetite to eat the huge Thanksgiving meals that are set out before you is murder, especially when you're a university student whose normal eating habits consist of KD and cereal.
22. I’ve learnt that middle school students will continue to nail you with hacky-sacks even if you warn them about your swollen spleen. Fourteen-year-olds are impervious to swollen spleens.
23. After the first two months, I learnt that it is a lot handier to keep the garbage can directly beside my bed instead of trying to aim used Kleenexes into the bin 6 feet away. On a related note, I’ve once again learnt why I did not make the basketball team in high school.
24. I’ve learnt that not having the energy to take advantage of a day where you didn’t go to school is like running a steaming hot bubble bath and not being able to step into it.
25.  I’ve learnt I have a new appreciation for the healing powers of a steaming hot bubble bath.

I’ve also heard about a lot of different horror stories of people who have had to quit their jobs or schooling because they couldn’t keep up with it due to mono (including one of my profs). I mention this because I cannot be more thankful that God gave me the strength to keep up with my classes and finish off my semester well. Christmas break couldn't have come at a better time because right now I am able to indulge my ridiculous sleeping pattern and hopefully get back to normal come January 10th. So here’s to ripped abs.

A good, optimistic getting better song:

Mumford

"Love that will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free. Be more like the man you were made to be."

I like music. I like it a lot. I’m also a bit of a music whore. I go through about six or seven bands a week, taking them in, embracing them, and then leaving them to out to dry with a sad play-count of a mere 1 or 2. Hence why I have a music collection of over 10,000 songs. Hence why it is on my life list to ensure that I listen to every single one of those songs and give them a fair chance. I have this strange, instinctual need to give every album, no matter how embarrassing, a fair trial. I can’t just get one song, I need to get the entire album because you never know when you’re going to find a hidden treasure that will make your next mixtape brilliant. It is a curse and a blessing.

I give you all that background to show you how impressive it is when a band stops me in my musical tracks and gets me to listen to it for more than a week on repeat. Or, in this case, almost four months now. Mumford and Sons has beat out falsetto-singing Icelandic men and Irish-pop rock ballads to secure a place as my favourite band of all time*. I know that’s a brave thing to say considering we’ve only known each for a total of 6 months, but when you know, you know, and I think this is a step we are ready to take.

Why you ask? Well, I present: Ten Reasons Why You Should Lend Your Heart to Mumford and Sons:

1. Phenomenal banjo skills. That’s really enough to end the list right here.

2. Their band has its own coat of arms, and that coat of arms has a lion on it.

3. Powerful builds. I will always be a sucker for a good build and they do not disappoint.

4. Their lead singers name is Marcus Mumford. How deliciously alliterative is that?

5. In their concerts, each member of the band alternates moving around to different instruments because they are that cool.

6. They’re associated with Laura Marling and Noah and the Whale

7. Their album “Sigh No More” has been on Canadian Itunes’ Top 10 Charting Albums for months now. I check that list on a daily basis and I have never seen an album on there as long as this one.

8. They quote Shakespeare and Steinback in their lyrics.

9. They have one of the cutest most addictive engagement songs ever written called “She Said Yes”. Note, do not listen to this song if you are about to go into a final: you will not be able to get it out of your head.

10. Their lyrics are so awesome that there are hundreds of forums on their website of people discussing them.
Mumford and Sons wins my heart for many reasons, but what sets them apart for me is their lyrics. It is rare for a secular band with no claims to religion to sing out lines that have impacted my faith a lot more than most Christian bands ever could. The Parental Advisory sticker may have you leaning away from them, but, blame my intrinsic need to rebel, that makes me love them all the more. Raw is the best word to describe it. Here are some of their lyrics from their song “Roll Away Your Stone”:

“Cause you told me that I would find a hole.
Within the fragile substance of my soul
And I have filled this void with things unreal,
And all the while my character it steals
Darkness is a harsh term don’t you think?
And yet it dominates the things I see
It seems that all my bridges have been burned,
But you say that’s exactly how this grace thing works
It’s not the long walk home that will change this heart,
But the welcome I receive with the restart”

Their songs “The Cave”, “Sigh No More”, and “Awake My Soul” are just a few more examples of beautifully written lyrics that are powerful and strikingly relevant. I know it’s silly to review a band that I’m pretty sure anyone reading this has already heard of, but I just can’t help myself. Normally, the more popular a band becomes the less attractive they are due to my conformist need to be indie, but, in this case, I entirely embrace their well-knownedness. They are just that good that everyone should know about them. Their lyrics defined my summer in many ways and will continue to alter and affect me as I find more and more of their stuff. They are nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy this year and the saddest thing is that the probably won’t win seeing as they’re up against Justin Beiber (as well as Florence and the Machine, who is, at least, a worthy opponent). But still, I will hold on hope and take solace in the fact that they made Best New Artist in my heart (feel free to groan) and have managed to secure a permanent appearance on my Top 25 Most Played playlist.

Hold On To What You Believe - Mumford and Sons

*This rank may be subject to change.

New Beginning

So here lies my blog, a site that, in its heyday, was a raucous-house of parties and good times. Where there were people laughing, they were laughing on this blog. Where there were children dancing, they were dancing on this blog. Where there were gifts of euphoria and exuberance to be given into unexpecting and overjoyed hands, they were given right here on this blog.

But it’s sad now really, because those days are gone. I’ve decided that perhaps I’ve matured past my old self who needed to fulfill his teenage angst-filled desires by having a secret (/not-so-secret) blog, which he could choose to reveal at the perfect moment to those who were truly deserved of witnessing his soul. For years I was so excited that I had this confidential blog that no one else knew about that was harbouring so many of my fears and dreams and that one day, with the single click of a mouse, I could reveal my heart completely to someone. It would be magical and romantic even and so perfectly Hollywood and

Lame. Secret blogs suck. Plus the entire concept of a “secret blog” is pretty oxymoronic since, technically, there’s nothing secretive about the World Wide Web. Also, it I sucked at keeping it a secret, considering I’m pretty sure I posted the URL on Facebook at one point. Still, despite the fact that it was hosted on a device that is accessible to 90% of the population of the world (aka the Internet), I’m pretty sure that my blog was viewed by approximately six people, three of which I’m pretty sure only read the first page. One of them was apparently someone from India though, so that’s pretty exciting.

All that to say: I think I’m going to start blogging… again… but for realz this time. Why? Three reasons, which I have compiled for you in a neat, compact list (a theme which you will most likely find recurring quite frequently in this blog):

1. I had an epiphany after my latest paper-writing stint which found me locked in the university library for a consecutive 24 hours to finish two papers due the next day. Mono-filled Kleenexes strewn out on the floor, Subway extracts to my right and lefts, papers sprinkled over the span of the entire desk, clothes bundled throughout the room particularly in the far corner designated for 20 minute catnaps, you get the picture. As my fingers began to numb during my third editing run-through, I was forced to stop and ask the question that every student asks themselves on a daily basis, whether consciously or not, and that is, “Why am I doing this to myself?” And the answer, to my deranged disgust and glee? I kinda like it. I kinda really sorta like writing a lot. Even if it means putting myself through a type of literaturistic-hell just to meet a deadline, then so be it. I love to write and I want to do more of it, so why not do it in a place where I can write what I want to write about, with the added bonus that there will be slightly more accountability to keep it going than there is from my journal that is currently gathering dust on my desk.
2. I suck at responding. It is not one of my gifts. God did not grant me the ability to read an email and reply to it in a prompt, precise manner. I wish He did, but it’s just not so. There are many people in my life who have unfortunately poured their hearts out into virtual print and mailed it to me with the hopes of hearing words of wit, encouragement, and mutual updates in return, only to receive the sweet, silent echoes of a vacant inbox reverberating back at them. I apologize for this, and I promise I am working on it. Honest. For the record though, my standard has always been that, while my responses are rarely timely, what they lack in punctuality they make up for in scale. I go big. You’ll learn that soon.  For those of you who are still expecting updates from me as to where I’m living or what I’m up to, hopefully this blog will serve as band-aid on your virtual heart for the time being.
3. I need to get over myself a little bit. I was scared of blogging because it is a commitment that thousands of people make every day, and then fail at every other day. Who am I to think that I have something that is deserving of other people to read? What if I can’t keep it up? What if it turns out that I am a terrible writer? Well, like I said, I need to get over myself a little bit. It is not the New York Times. It is not the be-all and end-all of modern literature. It is not the psychoanalysis of my ability to commit or succeed at anything in life. It is a blog, a word that is apparently so meaningless that my spellcheck does not even currently register it as legitimate. So, with the nudging and encouragement of my friends and fellow bloggers (see list on side), here I am.

So there’s my reasoning. That, and why-the-heck-not? (ALWAYS a good argument.) I have been attempting to restart this blog for a while and have been hinting at it with many of my friends. One thing that stopped me was that last poem. Honestly that was the last poem I’ve written and I wrote it over a year ago. When I wrote it, it meant a lot to me and then the worst thing that can happen to a writer happened: I lost it. Nothing disheartens me more than having to rewrite something that I’ve written. Thankfully, randomly, miraculously I stumbled upon it last month and it was like reopening a door that I honestly thought I had shut for good. It was cool the timing of it and I wanted to make sure I posted it before I officially began anew.

So continuing on looking towards the future, just as with my email responses, I will try to set a standard here on this blog (yes, in list form. You might as well get used to it now):

1. I will try not to post anything that I’ve written after 2am (such as this very post) without editing it/completely re-writing it the next day.
2.  I will attempt not to rant. Ranting is fun and sometimes necessary, but generally not that good of a read. I will do it, I can pretty much guarantee it. I’ll just try to do it… well? Umm… considerately. I will attempt to be a considerate ranter.
3. I will update you on what I’m reading/watching/listening to as best I can.
4. I will try to update often. That’s the doozy right there. Anyone who has attempted blogging before knows how hard it is to post frequently and I am very aware that it’s not an easy task. I will try. I will fail. You will forgive me (I hope). I will try some more.
5. I will not take myself, or this blog, too seriously.
6. I will be posting a sufficiently less amount of poems. This blog was begun with the intention of posting my poems but that phase of my life has passed and this blog has undergone some serious renovation. I can’t say I won’t ever post a poem again, but it will certainly become much more of a rarity.
7. I will want to have consistent catchy themes like “Wild Word Wednesday” or “Philosopher’s Freakout Fridays” but I will try to resist. Though I’ll still have some, let’s be serious.
8. I will wing it, for the most part.
9. I will attempt not to make all my posts this long.

So there you have it, the ground settings. The Blogger’s Vow. My pledge will change and alter, just like my life list (which is featured on the right side of this blog and will most likely be the topic of conversation many times), but hopefully they will grow towards a better site for your viewing pleasure.

Disclaimer: I am well aware that literaturistic is not a word. I also know that the terms “catnap” and “doozy” are archaic and somewhat revolting. I am aware that my grammar may not be perfect: this is my blog, not my English assignment. Please do not hold the fact that I am an English major against me.  That being said, if you notice a blindingly obvious grammar/spelling mistake, please inform me, just… be kind :)

So anyway, here’s to being here. Here’s to life being interesting, words being inspiring, and clichés being the light that guides me home. I feel like I need a good signoff now, so I will leave you with the words of my first-ever recorded journal entry written at the ripe old age of 8:

“I don’t have much to say because the day was so boring. So I end the day with a slow good-bye dear journal. Verse of the day: Be glad for what you have.”

Gems of a future writer, friends. Gems.