The process of making a Christmas present

1. Okay, so Christmas is next week, I better start making stuff.This person likes pizza, I like 
2. pizza. Conclusion: I'll buy them a pizza/make them pizza earrings/make a pizza-shaped card.
3. What?! No. I can't make them a pizza-shaped card for Christmas! That's so lame.
4. They don't care! They would love pizza earrings!
5. Go to beads store looking for pizza beads.
6. Wow. Those are really cute. I want those. Maybe I'll just....
7. Wears pizza earrings for two days, "just seeing if they're comfortable".
8. Heh Heh Heh. You know what? They don't need pizza earrings!
9. OHMYGODS WHAT AM I GONNA MAKE THEM?
10. Is super subtle
11. Sooooo, you don't like pizza, do you? Yeah, didn't think so. But you do like Star Wars, right?
12. Goes to beads store looking for Millennium Falcon beads.
13. Oh. Gosh. These are super cute. 
14. ....
15. Maybe I'll just....
16. CHRISTMAS DAY
17. I hope you like the new socks I got you!

SUPER LATE (sorry)

I apologize for not posting in... lets see... a long time? Since October 16th. SORRY!
I was going to do a post about Halloween, but then, you know, I didn't, SO yeah.
Life has been busy.

The Westward Chronicles #5

Today is my last day. I will be packing tonight. I will be eating my last pieces of chocolate. I will be saying goodbye to Seattle. Yesterday, I saw Mount Rainier for the first time this trip. It was just as beautiful and majestic as always. I really hope that today, I can go to my old apartment and look around. That's one of the things that I pushed to the very last day, and thanks to that, I can only hope that I'll be able to do them before I leave. I'm excited to be home. To see my family again. And my house and my cats and my friends and my room and my tiny town. I'm excited for Halloween. I'm still making up my mind on what I'm going to be, but I would love to hear what you are going to be, so you can tell me in the comments if you see fit. I haven't had a lot of time to right on my book. And I didn't get to hike in the Cascades. The next time I come visiting, I will definitely make a schedule. So I know what I'm doing, and when I'm doing it, and so I don't end up not doing anything I want to do. I am almost done with Insurgent, and Mom just finished Divergent a few days ago. I hear Allegiant isn't as good, but when you start, you can't stop, so I'll be reading that soon.  I'll keep you posted on getting back home. See you soon, Ohio.

The Westward Chronicles #4

Over the seven days since my last post, I've gotten very good at Mario Kart. I like to play Peach on the Mach Bike, Standard Bike S, or Sugerscoot, for those who know what I'm talking about. two days ago, I went out to dinner with the super amazing Allie!!!!!! We went to Picolinos for dinner and then went to Fred Meyer. I ended up getting some cool Halloween LED skull lights for my room, a rainbow wig that doesn't fit, but I gave it to SweetShadesUnicorn, who loves it. I got a book for Ani (I have not forgotten about you, dear sis!), a small, soft Halloween cat stuffed animal for said awesome sister and I, an Avengers 2015-2016 calendar, and a supersoft fall shirt that says, "Be Yourself, Everyone Else Is Taken". Before Allie came over, QueenUnicorn, FartMasterUnicorn, SweetShadesUnicorn, and I went to Archee Mcphee's and I got some Skull and cross bones hand warmers, some stuff for my Special People back home, and Pop Rocks, some of which we poured down the toilet as they exploded. Seriously, you should try this! I also got these cute little skull key "toppers" to put on the handle of your keys to tell them apart, and make them look nice. Have you picked up on my weird skull obsession? I just found out about it two days ago. I am really attracted to skulls! Cool!
I miss you, family!!! Hugs and kisses and don't forget about the cats!
xoxoxo

The Westward Chronicles #3

Hi from the basement of the Sparkle Pants Kingdom of Unicorns. This basement room is like a whole apartment. I have a huge bean bag and a couch and a TV and a desk top. (not to brag or anything) I've gotten into the routine here and it's really nice. It's super great to see these unicorns again. Oh, hey! I almost forgot! My TARDIS backpack got here!!!!!!!!!! I will be posting a picture of it soon, for you eager Whovians out there. Today, I will finally meet up with the amazing Bubbi and Helvi and maybe even Nils! Bubbi and I are going to surprise Helvi when Bubbi goes to pick her up. CAN'T WAIT! I hope she remembers me. I haven't seen their new house from the inside yet, so that will be cool. They have a tree house in their yard and I can't wait to crawl up there with Helvi. And I really hope that Bubbi and Helvi will want to go the market with me again this year. THEY THROW SALMON. They actually toss the fish to each other. And the food is amazing. I also want to see Uncle Johann and Sarah and Theo and Ilsa!
Here are a few links to the local Derby teams: http://ratcityrollergirls.com/, http://www.seattlederbybrats.com/.
Mom, have a wonderful time at the Women's Herbal Conference. Dad, have fun in rehearsal for Penelope. Ani, have a great time with Mormor. I MISS YOU ALL AND HOPE YOU'RE WELL.

The Westward Chronicles #2

Hey from the beautiful Seattle Washington. And yes, I did survive the flight. SweetShadesUnicorn sat next to me and we wrote a short story going back and forth together. On my left was a silent dude with earbuds who only spoke to us when we asked him how to spell Illinois. The airport was crowded and big and lots of people from all around the world were there (DUH). Mom, Dad, Ani, I miss you all and am having a GREAT time. SergeantUnicorn  taught me a really cool way of memorizing certain times tables I had a hard time mastering. It's super fun. I already have a whole week's worth of chores planned and written down, just so you know, Mom. And I ordered a TARDIS backpack that will get here Thurs. 1 of OCT. I got it because it wasn't much, I loved it, and the backpack that I brought split when we got home! Actually split down the side! So soon I will have another backpack crowding up my closet.  Can't wait to hear from you all. More from my end soon.

The Westward Chronicles #1

Good morning! Right now, it's about 8:43 (central time) on Sunday the 27th of September 2015(DUH). At 10:00, we will drive from Madison Wisconsin, to Black River Falls. There we will meet my buddy and his family of wonderful and fabulous and amazing and so, so funny space unicorns. (I'm talking to you, Levine family). At about 12:00 or 12:30, we will do the hand off, transferring moi from the clutches of my also super fantastic Aunt Lissy, Uncle Spoons, and Lucy The Amazing and into the grasp of said unicorns. I will also say goodbye to my dear little sister.ANI THE BOO, I LOVE YOU!!! I said goodbye to my totally-cool-and-not-at-all-embarrassing-however-hard-she-might-try Mom, yesterday. And my thrillingly-awesome-and-wicked-cool Dad, last Sunday. I LOVE YOU GUYS TOO!!!!

Hello to you on this beautiful or not so beautiful day or night or whatever time you're reading this. So, you might not know this about me, but I really, really, REALLY, REALLY like Roller Derby. I'm kinda obsessed. My cousin, Lucy, and my sister, Ani and I have been thinking about what our names would be and our numbers. Lucy's would be Peanut Brutal #42. Ani is Bionika (we haven't figured out her number yet). And I'm Beauty The Beast #206. 206 because that's the Seattle area code, and I was born there. I don't think I would be a very good Jammer, so I'd be a blocker and work my way up to being super fast. But, there is one tiny little problem...

I CAN'T SKATE

Yup. Where I live, we have a Team, the Appalachian Hell Betties, but you can't join until you're 18. I'm not 18. But I'm hoping they are going to offer lessons for teens or something. I really want to play, but I suck. For now, I'll just be going to Bouts and trying to get off the wall at the Roller Rink.

The Book Challenge

Read a book a friend suggested to you

Read a book written when your grandparents were your age

Read a book you started but never finished

Read a book with a logical antagonist

Read a book everybody thinks is terrible

Read a book about a heroic woman

Read a book you randomly grab of the shelf at the library

Read a book with an annoying protagonist 

Read a book about Shakespeare

Read a book about the past

Read a book with talking animals

Read a book with different worlds in it

Read a book about someone who's a jerk

Read a book with magic in it

Read a book to a parent

Read a book about poetry

Read a book about the Holocaust

Read a book about vampires

Read a book about sifi

Read a book that's really popular 

Read a book that was popular five years ago that you haven't read

Read a book that takes place somewhere you want to go

Read a book about pirates

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED.

Things to bring on an adventure

1. A camera. However crappy it may be, this item of still motion is essential to the capture and recollection of small moments.
2. A tiny jar. "Why?", you ask? It is optional, but a very nice reminder of the certain place. Find a tiny jar, and fill it with something that has to do or will remind you of the place you are at. For instance, dirt, crystals, sand, confetti....you know, if you go to a carnival...
3. Postal stamps. You need to let your friends know what's going on at your end, and getting letters and postcards is always nice. It makes you feel good to know your friends and family are thinking of you. 
4. An item that reminds you of home. Be it a photograph, your mom's old sweatshirt, a baseball cap, or whatever! It's always a great comfort to have an item that can ground you and hold you in one place when your head is flying everywhere. And there's always that middle-of-the-trip-crisis, and you want to be prepared. 
5. A journal. You need to write down all your thoughts and what you had for dinner, and who you sat next to on the bus, and if the flight attendant was crabby, and what big monument you saw, etcetera. It's also nice to get out your emotions of homesickness, see rule 4. 
6. Your iPod. Get rid of that old music you don't listen to anymore and put some other albums on. Have you heard the new one of your favorite band yet? And audiobooks are always awesome! Get at least three new ones, and re listen to them all the time, if you like them.
7. A sketchbook. This is totally optional, you don't have to follow any of this, but a sketchbook is one of my personal favorites. I'm an artist anyway, and when I'm on a trip, I usually get all this stuff crammed up inside me, so I have to take time to sit down and draw or write about it. 
8. Books. DUH. If you know me, you know that this is a no-brain-er. Get new books you've never read to try them out. And, of course, bring old favorites. 

Shark Attack

You're swimming, in the perfect water of everyday life. The water is clear and you can see straight to the bottom. Little fish swim around your ankles, their bright colors bursting out of the corners of your eyes. You find an especially beautiful fish and follow it deeper and deeper. But the water gets darker and darker. And you see big movements down there, but you can't make out what they are. You decide to go back, but your fear makes it hard to swim. You crunch your legs into yourself so they don't trail down, closer to the big, dark things. You frantically paddle for the clear waters, forgetting all knowledge of any other more efficient stroke. You look behind you, a pointed fin zig zags in your direction. You can't do anything about it. It's so close. You curl up in a ball so it doesn't hurt as much. But it still hurts.
It doesn't matter if it's an event that occurs, or something some one says, if it hurts, it really does feel like a shark attack. If you survive, you still have scars. You can't go over it with nice things. It's there, like a bad drawing in the sketchbook. Stuck there, forever.

My thoughts on getting ready for a trip

So, let's face it, you've never really been on a trip by yourself. Well, there was that one time when you were ten and went with a friend, but that was only for a week. This one is for three weeks. THREE WHOLE WEEKS. Without your family. And your mom is already having separation anxiety, even though you don't leave her for a week and a half. And it has basically been planned six months previous. And it's not like your heading into a war zone or anything. You were born there and you have friends. And you won't have to navigate the airports alone, either. But then you start thinking about not seeing your mom and dad and sister. Jeez, you see them EVERY DAY, this will be a change. And for dad, it will be four weeks, not three. Which is a freaking month for Pete's sake. And of course you'll email and videochat and send postcards and stuff. You've even updated your address book. You have a pile of things you're bringing in the middle of your room, but there is the problem of finding a suitcase. Of course the one you usually use is broken.(You broke it last year) And when you look at thrift stores, you only find ones that are even more broken than your old one. And when you resign yourself to suck it up and go to the mall to look for one, and you find the perfect one, and you look at the price tag and.... it's a freaking $100.00 or more suitcase. And you just say, "nope." and walk out, and your trip to the mall is wasted until you find a cute flannel jacket, but you didn't want to go to the mall anyway. And now, you have only, like, four days to pack and you're scrambling for everything you need, and you don't even have a suitcase yet and your mom is making you clean your room "as a gift to your future self" but it's just adding more things you don't want to do before you leave in.... oh my god, five days?! WHAT THE FUDGE?! You don't really care what your room looks like, you're a messy person as it is and you can't concentrate when things are superclean. You will definitely not end up dating an OCD. You are a clutterhead! And it's not like when friends come over who are not your best friend and know you better than you know yourself, and you totally don't feel self conscious about your pigsty room with pictures of Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Jennifer Lawrence taped to the wall. And you definitely don't feel judged when you show them your gorilla art that is.... EVERYWHERE. Anyway, you still have dance classes, and homeschool, and writing group's first meeting is tomorrow and you're not sure you even want to share your writing with strangers, even though the whole writing group was your idea in the first place. Sigh. And, like, 50% of why you're going is to film a movie with your buddy, who wrote a fabulous script and asked you be the star and of course you said yes because you love acting and you love your buddy, but it will totally demand all your acting skills and you don't even know if you're that good. But of course you'll give it your all. But you don't know how big your "all" will end up being. And you don't know if the three weeks will fly by, or seem like forever. And your little sister is driving you CRAZY but you know you will miss her terribly. And no matter how hard you try to be nice to everyone, you end up going full out Snapdragon Princess. And maybe there are other conflicting emotions with something that has nothing to do with the whole trip, but is NOT HELPING AT ALL. And you just want to climb into bed and watch the last episode of the 8th season of Doctor Who, Death In Heaven, because you are loyal to the show and have never skipped an episode in your life and can't wait to find out what happens to Mr. Pink and Clara and everybody. And you just have to calm down and breathe, and take a moment to think about all these things and then let them go for now.

In a society

that profits from

your self-doubt,

LIKING YOURSELF

is 

a

rebellious

act

Hunger Games question #3

Question:

One of the storylines driving the plot is the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. In this conflict, who are you rooting for? Do you like the romantic storyline? Why or why not?

My answer:

There are thousands of people with very strong opinions of which guy Katniss should hook up with. I’m going to explain why I would root for each one, so if you don’t want to read that, just skip ahead*. Gale and Katniss are best friends. Starvation and keeping their families alive brings them together. Early on in the first book, when Katniss is first reaped and taken to the Capitol, she doesn’t know what to do without Gale. They have always been a team, and suddenly she has another teammate who is not technically a teammate, but an enemy. When she is gone, he takes care of not only his family, but hers also, which shows compassion and loyalty. He doesn’t stop helping them even when Katniss and Peeta get up close and personal. And he doesn’t even know that Katniss is faking. But he will never understand what she went through and what conflicting emotions she has. But Peeta does, because he went through them two. I think Gale always thought that he and Katniss would end up together. Now for Peeta. He has always, from the moment he saw her, had a crush on her. When Katniss was starving, he gave her bread, even though his mother hurt him for it. And when they are both in the games, he is determined to let her live. When they get out of the first games, and Katniss tells him their love is all an act, he is crushed. But that doesn’t mean the act is over. They have to play it up for the Capitol and the District people. You never doubt his love for her. When they find out they’re going back in the games, he puts himself in to protect her. You have noticed that Katniss experienced slight twinges of attraction to Peeta, but can’t pick them out. But now, in the new Arena, when Peeta hits the forcefield and almost dies, you really see how much she loves him, and I think that is the moment she finds out she loves him too. When she is rescued from the games by District 13, but Peeta is not, she constantly worries about them torturing him. She finally convinces the officials of 13 to go get him, but when he turns up, and tries to hurt her, they realize he is hijacked. The struggle is now reversed. She loves him, but he does not love her. The line, “I must have loved you a lot.” And Katniss’s response, “You did.” Really shows how lost and gone the real Peeta is. In the end, Katniss helps Peeta find the lost bit of himself and he realizes he really does love her. This relationship is so intriguing because of the back and forth emotions going on. And it’s so comforting in the end when they both love each other and can be relatively happy. *I am rooting for Peeta.

Hunger Games question #2

Question:

This novel is written in first person present tense narration. How does this affect the tone of the novel? Why do you think Collins chooses to write from the first person perspective? Secondly, why does she write in the present tense instead of the past tense?

My answer:

It is a personal choice to write however the author feels like. I think that making it first person allows the reader to get a peek into the protagonist’s head. When writing in third person, sometimes you get a look into other people’s minds as well, but when writing in first person, you (and the protagonist) have to guess at what goes on in other character’s brains. If Collins were to rewrite the Hunger Games, and she chose to put it in third person, the story wouldn’t have as many surprising and exciting pockets. We would know what was going on and what the other characters were doing. In some points, for example, when Peeta is taken to the Capitol and is hijacked, it would have been interesting to hear from his point of view, but we would know that he was being hijacked instead of discovering it with Katniss experiencing her shock and emotional trauma the way we do in first person. I like that it is written in present tense, we as readers get to be with Katniss in the moment and discover things when she discovers them instead of through a time-filter like we might in past tense.

Hunger Games question #1

Question:

Throughout the novel, Katniss’ experience of hunting and her quick thinking save her life. If you were in the arena, what would your strategy be? Would you join the careers, hide out like Rue, or lay low like Katniss?

My answer:

Like Katniss and Rue, I would form an alliance. Making friends can be helpful. Even though we would have to kill the other in the end. I can’t hunt, and I’m not very fast, so I would wait until the careers got what they wanted and then come back to the cornucopia for food and weapons. I would lay low, try not to draw attention to myself. I probably wouldn’t win the Hunger Games.

catching up with yo peeps

Salut! (Hello)
First of all, I want to say sorry for not posting in FO-EVA. A lot has been happening lately and also I'm a lazybutt. So, I went on a trip with the fam to Wisconsin for THREE WEEKS which was too long but still good. We got back about two weeks ago, and I have been busy since. While there, I finished the Hunger Games, (all of 'em) Divergent, (still waiting for Insurgent from the library) and Fangirl (an awesome book about a nerd starting college that EVERYONE should read). We started homeschooling this week and I have been helping with *SBC preparations. I have about four more weeks until we drive back up to Wisconsin and then I'm off to Seattle for ANOTHER THREE WEEKS. This fall, for dance, I'm taking hip hop, composition and performance, and ballet for teens. I have never taken ballet and can't wait. I ordered my new ballet shoes two days ago from Discount Dance Supply which is a wonderful website store that has stuff for dancers and gymnasts and also they have awesome leg warmers. I will post pictures of *SBC soon, for those of you who are waiting for them.

*SBC (Silver Baby Cup) is a ramshackle freakshow golf tournament that is held every year by the previous winner. IT'S AWESOME!

Salut! (Goodbye)

my 13th turning

At 2:56, Saturday, the 20th of June, I turned 13. I know in the past, i have done things like, eleven things you need to know about me when I turned eleven. So I'm going to do thirteen things you didn't know about me. Here we go...

1. I can't stand the sound of nails on chalkboard
2. I have never had fish fingers and custard (if you get this DW joke, tell me in the comments)
3. I absolutely LOVE thunderstorms
4. My favorite animal is an elephant
5. If I had the choice to choose between throwing up or having diarrhea, I'd choose throwing up
6. I hate avocados
7. I prefer coffee to apple juice
8. I'm scared of heights
9. I'm a movie star (here's a link to one of my amazing performances)
10. I want to be a graphic novel artist
11. One of my favorite movies is Enchanted. Look it up if you don't know it
12. I LOVE swimming in the ocean
13. I write books

AND NOW.... drum role, please.... THE STUFF I GOT FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!!!

• I got two chocolate bars from Pockets
• I got colored pens from Erin
• I got a stuffed Adipose from Ani
• I got a home made Doctor Who TARDIS blanket from Mom
• I got a Doctor Who Don't Blink Weeping Angel necklace from Dad
• I got a Wreck this journal from Grandma D and Grandpa Greg
• I got two pretty shirts from Morfar and Grandma Liz
• I got the Theatre Illuminata series from Mormor
• I got a Target gift card from Mormor
• I got a Barns and Noble gift card from L.E.A.
• I got another Chocolate bar from Abby
• I got a beautiful home made necklace from Hannah
• I got a sea green sweater from L.E.A.
• I got a cheesecake from Erin
• I got the Hunger Games books from Mom
• I got a cute tank-top from L.E.A.
• I got an Inside Out book from Grandma D and Grandpa Greg
• I got a summer dress from L.E.A.
• I got a shopping trip from Dad
• I got a Doctor Who comic from L.E.A.
• I got a sketch book Grandma D and Grandpa Greg

I think this is all, but if I remember something I forgot, I will let you all know. HAVE A NICE DAY!

Eliza

Here's to The Doctor

Dear Reader, 

I don't know about you, you might hate Doctor Who. You might be obsessed with a different show and just as obsessed with it that you feel it should be part of everything you do. Or you might be like me and go crazy for anything Who-ish. 

When the 11th Doctor meets the Tardis (season 6 episode 4)

Don't blink. Blink and you're dead. They are fast, faster than you can believe.
Don't turn your back. Don't look away and don't blink.
Good Luck. 

for some people, small, beautiful events are what life is all about.

Waiting For A Mad Man With A Blue Box

Eyes Like Stars

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev is one of my overall favorite books in the universe. I just finished, like, ten minutes ago. It's about this seventeen year old girl called Beatrice (Bertie) Shakespeare Smith. She lives in the Theatre Illuminata along with all the players from all the plays. I tried explaining this to my little sister, and she got mad at me, so if this confuses you, all I have to say is, sorryyyyyy. I tried. My dear friend Lilly recommended these books to me.

1. Eyes Like Stars
2. Perchance To Dream
3. So Silver Bright

I think there are only three books. I will start the second one tonight. I can't wait. Really. I might burst in the middle of Big Hero 6 while eating potato chowder. 

Click HERE to be transported to the website about these a-mazing books. 

I hope that you will check them out soon and read them, because they are extremely good and I LOVED the first one. 

If you didn't know, my Mom and Dad have been actors since the beginning of time, so I have always been exposed to plays and theatres and backstage secrets. I always got to go backstage at all the productions that my Dad was involved in, if I wasn't in it. When I was seven, my Dad directed Oliver! by Charles Dickens. I was in it. I was an orphan and a pickpocket. I had a bunch of songs that I needed to sing with all the other orphans and pickpockets.  I got to say one solo line. It was near the end of the play, when everyone is looking for Bill Sikes. I got to run onstage with a bunch of other kids and I got to yell, pointing toward Mr. Sikes, "LOOK! THERE HE IS!"

I was very proud of that line. Sorry, this post has turned out to be longer than I had planned. I think I'm just rambling now :P

xoxo

Eliza

Congrats, Jessica!

On Monday May 18th, my amazing cousin Jessica Robin Bliss had her first baby. It's a boy! His name is Lyle Owen Bliss Dalziel. He looks like a frog. My so very lucky mom got to fly to New Jersey to see them. I bet she's holding the baby right now. Hi, mom! Hi, Jessica and Ben and Calvin and Lyle! LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!! LITERALLY MY HEART IS BURSTING AND I THINK IT'LL BE MESSY! SORRY ABOUT THE COUCH, MOM.

xoxoxo

Eliza;)

Kentucky bound

On Monday, the 18th of May, my mom and dad and sister and I will be piling into the car and heading down to Kentucky. We are going to see dear relatives, Dave and Monica and Rio the dog and Lucy the goose (no offence, Lucy the person!) We will be staying two nights there, one in a hotel with a pool. YAY! But before we leave, mom and I are performing on Saturday and Sunday with our fellow Calliope Feminist Choir singers. Mom is a Soprano 2, I a Soprano 1. Apparently I can reach all those off-the-scale notes. That's news to me :) We have to wear purple for the performance, so I'm wearing a beautiful, long, purple and white patterned dress that goes over my toes, at least it did when I last wore it. Maybe I've grown. I hope so.
I know my dear mother, Slim Pickins, will be posting all about our upcoming plans. Click here to be transported to her blog, Plot55.

Getting closer to summer | tips and suggestions

Most of you know that summer is definitely not my favorite season. In fact, it's my least favorite. But, it's unavoidable. And if you're like me, you get overheated, you have meltdowns, you eat more sugar, you have a hard time eating actual foods and end up not eating enough and getting grumpy. For some of you, summer is a break from school. I, on the other hand, am home schooled. I do get breaks from schoolwork over the summer, but I do have certain things that I don't take superlong breaks from. Whether or not you are home schooled or real schooled, or are an alien, or whatever, here are some tips on surviving the summer and what you might want to bring along on your summer journeys.

1. You'll want to have a 'bag'. Not just any bag. The bag. In fact, I should probably put it in CAPS. This Bag, is for you to carry around wherever you are, whenever you are. This is the Bag that you keep anything essential in. Anything that you think you might need, because, think about it, you'll probably need a lot. And if you're not like me, and don't need to bring endless amounts of things I'll never use, that's terrific. Here is a list of things you might want to put in The Bag. Modify how you please.

• sunblock
• sunglasses
• container of fruits or berries
• water bottle
• alternate pair of comfy shoes
• several novels (amount identified by oneself)
• journal, diary, poetry or writing book
• camera
• sketchbook | pencils, pens, markers, paints, etc.
• deck of cards
• swim suit/towel
• money for ice cream (duh)
• dog leash, ball, treats, plastic poop bags, etc. (optional)
• sun hat
• bug dope
• flashlight (optional)

That is all I can think of right now, but if I remember some more, I'll let you know. Also comment below what things you like to put in your Bag.

      

       2. It is very important that you don't get overheated, so, always remember to drink lots of water, or hydrating liquids. Don't forget to wear sunblock when you know you're going to be in the sun for a long period of time. No one likes sunburns. I don't know about you, but I tan really easily. But, if I'm tan already, and I forget to put on sunblock, I'll turn purple or maroon. Yuck. If you want to get tan, I wouldn't advise using tanning lotions, you don't know what kinds of crap might be in those. You should just spend time outside. But not using sunblock won't mean you get a tan faster, it just means you get a burn faster. And if you've tried so hard to get a tan, and it just won't happen, you have to remember that your skin is beautiful anyways and if you want to experiment with different shades, that's ok, but try not to use junk just to get that look from whatever teen magazine you're into.

       3. Camping. Some of you might really enjoy camping. But, I am not so crazy about it (sorry, mom and dad!) But when I do go on camping trips, I tend to bring things that I end up not using at all. Here is a list of things that I bring when going camping. Modify as you please.

• t shirt
• shorts
• light dress
• bug dope
• swimsuit
• hat
• deodorant
• sunblock
• sandals and/or rain boots and/or sneakers
• sweatshirt
• flashlight
• pocket knife
• novel
• journal

      4. Road trips and other vacations. Every year, when we go on a trip to Wisconsin, where all my relatives live, my Mom makes a list of everything I need to pack in the clothes department. One year, (I think I was ten) I decided I was a big girl and didn't need a packing list. I ended up forgetting any longs leave shirts and had to borrow one from my Grandma Liz in Sheboygan (Thanks, G. Liz!) 

So, if you are planning a trip soon, you might want to read this list of things to pack on a vacation. And, of course, modify how you please.

• several t shirts - it really depends on how long you're gone, but for a week, I'd pack about five shirts.
• two pairs of shorts - going by the one-week scenario.
• a skirt and/or dress - 1 or 2 
• two pairs of long pants
• two pairs of longs leave shirts
• eight pairs of underwear - you never know how many you'll need
• four tank tops
• seven pairs of socks
• one or two bras
• sandals, sneakers, boots
• hat
• sweatshirt

This is for you, Mom

This is just to say

I have taken my helmet off 

once or twice 

when on another road.

You probably should scold me.

Forgive me.

I felt so free

and so mischievous.

~Eliza J. Dennis

A poem written by me and inspired by a poem by William Carlos Williams

This is just to say

I have picked too many dandelions

that went bad right away.

You probably would have liked it better if I had left them in the ground.

Forgive me.

They were so yellow

and there were so many.

Photo by my sister Ani

William Carlos Williams originally wrote a letter to his wife in poetry form, that inspired this poem and many others.

This is just to say

by Williams Carlos Williams

I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox

and which you were probably saving for breakfast.

Forgive me.

They were delicious

so sweet 

and so cold

To My Sister

My dearest  sister, Ani, is turning 10 on the 10th of May. This, if you hadn't noticed is going to be her golden birthday. 10-10 get it? Anyway, golden birthdays are supposed to be the best birthday ever. So I'm going to try and make it amazing for her. We are going to be camping at a lake, so there will be fishing, swimming, boating, ghost stories, and smores! I won't give anything away until after her birthday, in case she reads this post. But I'll tell you this, we are going to have a great time! My mom's dad, Morfar, and his wife, Grandma Liz are coming down to visit, too!

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT

Hey, everybody!
I have a pretty big announcement for you today. This fall, in September, I will be doing something I have been wanting to do for a really long time. (No, I'm not going to Paris) I am going to Seattle! You may know that I was born in Seattle. I know I did this July of 2014, but that was with my family. This one, I'm going alone. Some friends have a wedding to go to in Minnesota, and I'll meet them there, then we'll fly back to Washington. I'll be there for about two weeks. While I'm there, I will be starring in a new film by my amazing friend Cirrus Levine. I can't really give you any spoilers, but I can let slip the name of the film. Dead Clock.


                                                                                    Eliza

Happy Easter!

Even though my parents and my sister and me aren't Christian, we still celebrate Easter. But we mostly just dye eggs, hide them, and then find them. This morning, I woke up to my little sister poking me in the back and whispering, "there's something hidden in the house!" Turned out there were little dark chocolate eggs hidden all over the house. And on the coffee table, were our baskets. Inside them were huge solid gold bunny chocolates. I have never had one of these things in my life, so you can guess at how excited I was to find them. Before breakfast, me and my sister went outside and found dyed hard boiled eggs and neon plastic eggs filled with more little chocolates, jelly beans, glitter, and pendants. It was really fun. I'll see if I can post pictures of the eggs and us trying to find them. Have a happy Easter!
XOXO,

           Eliza

What I've discovered about my hair

I have found out that I have, well my hair has, this odd ability. Basically my hair is superhero, only it's not much of a hero, so I guess it's just super. Anyway, I found out if I braid all my hair in tiny braids, then leave it in for three hours, it will be altracurly. But what if I leave it in all night? Here's the result for ALL NIGHT BRAIDED SUPERCURLS,

So, if you want to make your hair look like it's from 1988, just do this, and then add a scrunchy, and some neon hair clips. And you're done! Of course, you'll have to do something with your outfit too. 

Good luck!

XOXO,

Eliza

My crazy weekend

Wattup, Everybody!

This past weekend was a blast! My parent's went out of town. Actually, they went out of state. I made up a song about it... on a date, out of state. On a date, out of state. Wooooooooooooooo. You get it. My little sister went to a friends' house for the weekend, and I stayed home! Weehaw!!! I hung out with my friend Claira up until 11:05, when I kicked her out of my house. See how I did that? MY house! Ha! Anyway, then my friend Madeline and her family came over. We had lunch, and went to Cat's Pajamas, which is a clothing exchange that happens every year in March in the small town I live in. After that, Madeline and I got dropped off at a make-up dance class, only to find that it had been canceled, and the phone number they called to reach me, was the old number for our old phone. Luckily, there were cookies and cupcakes and shortbread to gaze upon. I did a lot of gazing in the time it took to call my house (which was where my friend's mother was) about twenty times with no one answering. We had to wait an hour and a half until she arrived to pick us up. "Aren't you a bit early? Doesn't it end at 4:30?" She asked. "NO!" Was our answer. They went home, leaving me alone again. Then, my friend Abby came over!!! We got burritos and tacos, and watched a Bollywood movie called Paheli. It's awesome. You should watch it. In the morning, we made pancakes with chocolate chips in them, whipped cream on top, and syrup all over it. With a sausage on the side, of course. Then, we watched another Bollywood movie. Mere Brother Ki Dulhan. Also awesome. Also watch it. Then, my parents got home. YAAAAAAAAAY!
And that was my awesome weekend!
XOXO


                                                                                   Eliza

Fictional poem by myself

My Picture Wall

My picture wall, above my bed, where I can see all my friends. I can see my dog Cali, her tongue sticking out, it was a hot day, even if it was autumn. I can see myself standing under a tree, the same tree where Angel broke her arm, she tried to jump off her horse into the tree, but she fell down. I can see the woman who owned the hotel in St. Paul. The same hotel where I found a knife under the mattress.

Farewell, Pockets

My friend, Pockets (only nickname used here), is soon to be moving to Main for a year. Pockets, if you are reading this, you are probably thinking something like, "Oh no she didn't!" But, I wanted to write about you since I'm not going to be seeing you for a year. I hope you have a wonderful time, send me letters, and of course, you can email me, but snail mail is so much more fun. I have a snoggestion, you should start a blog so you can keep me and Nightpoo (nickname for other friend used here) posted on your doings. You will be attending public school, correct? Which is going to be a change (we are both home schooled). Have fun, keep being odd, and eat pickles! (inside joke)

Here's to you, Back Pockets!

Eliza

Books you all MUST read

Hey, Blog buddies!

So, there is this ah-mazing series of books. I mean TOTALLY AH-MAZING AS IN BRAIN-SPLITTING OPEN EVERY TIME I READ IT. It's called the Time-Traveling Fashionista books. The first one is called the Time-Traveling Fashionista on Board the Titanic, the second, Time-Traveling Fashionista at the palace of Marie Antoinette, and the third, Time-Traveling Fashionista and Cleopatra, queen of the Nile. Everybody should read these. They are wicked fabulous. Here is the link to the website: Time-Traveling Fashionista website click here!

A work-in-progress story.

Hello, guys! This is a work-in-progress story that I'm writing. Here is the first chapter. I thought you might want to see it. So, here goes!

Chapter one

She’s mad at me. I knew she would be. I was expecting this. But I didn’t know how mad she would get. I run across a log over a small creek and keep running. I don’t want her to catch me. She runs right through the creek, silver high heels and all. Her dress gets muddy but she keeps running after me. I spot a tall tree and rush up it, she can follow me, but not in her getup. 
“HANNAH! YOU GET BACK HERE!” I keep climbing until I’m way up in the tree, and a good four feet above her head. Her heels have sunk into the dirt, her dress torn by brambles. Her hair has come down from her updo and her mascara is running. I’ve never seen my sister this mad. 
“HANNAH! WHY?! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!” She’s not going to listen to me if I tell her why. She won’t believe me. 
“I’m sorry, Courtney. You don’t understand. I had to do it.” I’m right. She doesn’t listen. 
“OH! YOU HAD TO DO IT! YEAH, RIGHT! I DON’T UNDERSTAND, HANNAH! YOU LITTLE RAT! WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU DO THIS?!” She’s scratched her face, and I can see white lines on her red cheeks where her manicured nails have dug into the flesh. “You wouldn’t understand.” I say. 
“OH, I UNDERSTAND! I UNDERSTAND PERFECTLY.” She’s glaring at me and trying to climb up to me. I know that if she catches me, she’ll scratch me worst than she’s scratched her face. 
“WHY DID YOU HAVE TO RUIN MY WEDDING?!” I ruined her wedding because Ben, her would-be husband is a bad person.

Things I like about summer

It's true, I totally dislike summer. The only things I really really like about it, is lemonade, swimming, cicadas, fireflies, sleeping outside, going on the roof, toenail-painting, going barefoot, leaving windows open, turning on fans, sleeping with no blankets, shorts, tank tops, yoga outside, warm wind, summer dresses, vacation, thunderstorms, ice cream, eating outside, sleeping all day, peepers.

If I can think of more, I will let you guys know.

Eliza

Blog views from around the world!

So I was looking on the stats on my blog that you are currently on right now, if you are reading this, and I found out that I can see what countries some of the people who read my blog are from! Hi, guys! I had no idea you were there! That's great! You can comment too, y'know! Make yourselves heard on mah blog, we can be friends!

Here are all the countries I found on my blog's stats:

United States
France
Russia
Romania
Germany
Ukraine
United Kingdom
China
Poland
Canada

WOW. I HAD NO IDEA MY BLOG WAS SO POPULAR! Maybe it's not that popular, but what the heck!!!
If you are reading my blog, and you are from one these countries, please let me know which one! Don't be shy.

Eliza

Springtime approaches

Hey, guys. So we can all agree that we want winter to be over, right? I, at least, am tired of the cold weather. A couple days ago, it was, like, 68 degrees, and I got really happy!!!! But then it got in the 40s again.... pooooooooop.
I was walking my neighbor's dog, Homer, a week ago, and I saw crocuses in somebody's yard. There were purple ones, orange ones, white ones! And not too long ago, crocuses started growing in my yard!!!!!!!!! Only orange ones, but heck! They're lovely, and orange is my favorite color!
I know I want it to get warmer, but I also don't particularly like summer, it's too warm and humid, and I always smell bad, and then there's the matter of Ticks. My favorite season is Autumn.
Comment what your favorite season is, and if you are planning any summer vacations, and if so, where you may be going!

Jokes

Joke #1:
Two muffins get put in the oven. One muffin turns to the other and says, "Man, it's hot in here." The other one says, "AAAAHHHH! A TALKING MUFFIN!"

Joke #2:
A mom goes shopping and leaves the dad to watch TV and the kid to play "tea" with her plastic tea set. While she's gone, the kid brings "tea" to the dad, who thinks it's adorable. Finally, when the mom gets home, the dad shows her what their kid has been doing all afternoon. She says, "Didn't you realize that the only place she can reach is the toilet bowl?"

Crafting package surprise

Two days ago, my mom and sister and I received a package. It was full of fabric and crafting supplies. It was heaven! It was from some place in Seattle, but we don't know who from. We have our suspects, though. In the package, there were these little studs things that you can put on your clothing. I painted some, and put them on my shorts. 

I didn't put the studs in any real pattern. and I left three of them unpainted.

This one I just took with an effect on Photobooth. I think it looks pretty cool.

Comment if you want to know what other crafty stuff I got! 

Byeeeeeeee!

XOXO, Eliza

50 things doctor who has made me afraid of

Blinking, statues, libraries, the dark, mall dummies, scarecrows, astronauts, tally marks, the sun, drums, gas masks, cracks, TVs, pills, angels, teachers, old people who stare at me, clones, drawing people, dark forests, wasps, quicksand, crabs, health patches, dreams, stars, the cold, spiders, fat, rocks, Romans, schools, remembering, ghosts, pocketwatches, Stonehenge, dirt, boxes, seat belts, clockwork dolls, the word "cyber", lizards, global warming, other planets, spaceships, water, gardens, bugs, fortunetellers, fire.

These are fifty things watching Doctor Who has made me scared of. There are many more, but I could only think of these at the moment.
Comment if you agree with some of these and/or if you have more suggestions!
xoxo, Eliza
byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

More on the trip to Virginia!

Hey, guys! I'm not sure if I've told you this already, but we went to a couple of thrift stores while in Richmond and I got my awesome high tops (I told you about them, didn't I) I got a lovely blue sweater (suuuper soooft!!!!) But that was only the first thrift shop! On the last day there, we went to this huge Goodwill all the way across town. It was worth the long drive, I didn't get a ton of stuff, but I got some amazing junk, people! I got a huge purple sweatshirt and a lovely navy dress. My friend Awen found a shirt with Kermit The Frog on a rainbow and it's good to be green! written underneath. Me and Anwen also made a video that she uploaded to YouTube! Watch it here!  If you watch it, and look in the description, you see that she linked to my blog! What a darling person she is!

I'll have some photos of my trip soon!
XOXO
Eliza

Triiiiiiiip!!!!!!

11:10 AM

We are about to venture out into the world and go swimming at the indoor pool! This pool is cleaned with salt, so no chlorine!
Yesterday, we went to Carytown and got ice cream at Bev's and went window shopping at every one's favorite vintage clothing store, Bygones! We also went to Chop Suey Books and I found this huge book about Hollywood costumes, but it was $20.00, so I didn't get it. We also went to the biggest goodwill EVAR!!!! I scored a blue sweater and .... drum role, please .... purple high-top converse!!!

2:41 PM

So, we are back from the swimming pool! It was super cool! Though, the deepest part was only 4 feet and 6 inches. There was a tiny lazy river and you could jump in front of this jet of water and it would push you down it. I liked to flout down the lazy river on my back. There was a water slide, too, which I did not go on.

I will tell you guys everything else later, because now I have to go eat lunch.
XOXO,
Eliza

Upcoming trip

Heeeeeeeeeeyyy!!!!
Sorry for not posting in, like, forevs! (I'm so glad i don't really talk like that)
Aaaaaaanyway I'm going on this trip to Virginia to see some friends with my mom and little sister. It's going to be so much fun. We're leaving tomorrow (sat Feb 28th) I will tell you guys all about it when I come back or maaaaybe, if we're lucky, while I have some free time there.
See y'all later!!!

XOXO

cute headband

Hey! Sorry it's been so long since I posted!
I made a really super cute headband not to long ago and I just wanted to post some pictures of it here. I will probably do a tutorial someday...

Happy Brigid!

Happy Brigid everybody!
For those of you who don't know what Brigid is, I will explain for thee.
Brigid is the goddess of the flame and of the water, inspiration, the cow, heather, healing and much more. There are a lot of stories about her. Here's one...

Once, there was a brother and sister, Alex and Brigid. They lived in a small village. They loved winter, building snowmen, sledding, having snowball fights, but after months of cold, freezing, deathly winter, they grew tired of huddling by the fire to keep warm and not freezing while they slept at night. One day, they asked their mother a question, "How long will winter last? When will spring come?" She said, "Light a candle tonight and look into it, maybe the goddess Brigid will come, she is your namesake after all." So, that night, they lit a candle and looked into it. After a little while, the flame seemed to grow, and grow, higher, and higher, until the goddess Brigid appeared in front of the two children. Her hair a blazing fire, her skin as dark as ancient wood, her hands strong. "Why have you summoned me?" She asked. "I am named after you." Brigid said. "And we want to know when winter will be over and spring will come." The goddess looked down at them. "When all the fires burn bright and the holy well runs clear." And she finished. The next day, Alex and Brigid went out to all the houses in the village to see if all the fires burnt bright. At every house, a roaring fire sat in the hearth, gnawing at old wood. At every house, they asked if the people there knew of any holy well in the forest. No one did. Only one house was left, Old Man Mad Dog's house had no smoke coming from the chimney. He was known to be dangerous, and the children of the village were told not to go near him or his house. Alex and Brigid went up to his door and knocked. No one answered. They went inside and found Old Man Mad Dog lying on his bed, feverish and cold. Alex and Brigid made a hot soop and lit his fireplace, and cleaned his house, until it was warm and smelled a little less like a pigsty. "I don't like children much, but I guess I should thank you." He said. "That would be the polite thing to do." Said Brigid. "Do you know of any holy well around here?" Asked Alex. "The only well I know about is deep in the woods, and it's full of trash." Alex and Brigid went to find the well. It was full of trash, but the two scooped mud out, and pulled bottles from it, until they could see clear water. Suddenly, the goddess Brigid appeared. "Thank you, children. All the fires are lit, and my holy well runs clear." A smile like daises on a field spread over the goddess's face. "When will spring come?" Asked the two.
              "Spring will come when winter is over." And with that, she was gone.

I got the story from a book called Circle Round by Starhawk



Here are some images of Brigid

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Icecream Stand

a poem



The ice cream man, broke the first waffle cone, so he had to get another one. He told me to call him Paul, but he looked like a saint, so I called him St. Paul. When he looked down at me, I could tell he thought I was an angel, but he didn’t know I had a knife in my pocket, that made me a bandit. I didn’t look like one because dad said I couldn’t ride my horse around town. I smiled at him when he handed me two ice creams, one for me, one for Cali. I was surprised there were still ice cream stands, seeing it was autumn.




#fictionalpoem

My Mother

a poem

She always carried that knife. Even when she was broke. We buried her in late autumn, two miles out of St. Paul. She was buried deep down in the earth. With the plastic angel Cali gave her, and her horse’s saddle tucked under one arm.

I kept the knife. But I vowed to never be broke. I put her high school picture I found in her diary next to the grave. After some thought, left the knife there as well.

This is fictional, my mother is perfectly alive, but I just like writing poems from fictional character's points of view.

Juicy Summers

a poem

I remember the summers in St. Paul to be real Juicy. What with Cali getting married, when Sarah fell off her horse and broke her arm, I remember Aunt Watermelon giving her a lollipop and Sarah sticking her tongue out at me, I didn’t get one. I decided that if I wanted a sucker, I’d have to work for one. I spent all day picking flowers, cutting the stems with my knife so I wouldn’t pull up the roots. I gave them to Aunt Watermelon. She called me an angel, but didn’t give a sucker. I remember looking down at Aunt Watermelon’s fluffy slippers and wishing I had some.

    Autumn is juicy, just not as juicy as summers are.




Hope you liked it! I don't actually have an Aunt Watermelon, this is completely fictional!

Things I liked in the Harry Potter books

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE

1. I like that Nevil protected his friends 

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS

1. I like that Fox, the Phoenix was a big part of this book
2. I like that you learn that Filch is a Squib

HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN

1. I like that we meet Prof. Lupin in this book
2. I like that we meet Sirius Black and learn some stuff about him
3. I like that Hermione got up and left Prof. Trelawney's class

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

1. I like that we readers discover other magical schools
2. I like the whole Tri Wizard Tournament
3. I like the Yule Ball
4. I like that Hagrid meets another giant

HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

1. I like that we meet Tonks
2. I like that we meet Creature
3. I like that we meet Luna Lovegood
4. I like that the kids break into the Ministry of Magic
5. I like that we find out about Thestrals

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

1. I like that we learn more about Snape
2. I like that suddenly Harry is better at Potions than Hermione and that she is a little ticked off about that
3. I like the connection Harry and Dumbledore make
4. I like that the hunt for Horcruxes start in this book
5. I like that Draco gets put to the test by Voldemort for the first time
6. I like how Draco fails the test but Voldemort still likes him

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS

1. I like that there is a lot of traveling 
2. I like how Harry, Ron and Hermione get put to the test with the horcruxes
3. I like how suddenly Ron notices Hermione differently
4. I like how Draco's mother helps Harry
5. I like that when Harry, Ron and Hermione get captured, Hermione blasts Harry's face 
6. I like when Ron saves the house elves in Hogwarts
7. I like how they all have kids in the end 

Things in Harry Potter that I can relate to

1. My friend is like Hermione and Ron combined. I think she is their offspring
2. I am in Ravenclaw
3. I have a large cat, and sometimes I call him Crookshanks
4. I have a Chamber of Secrets
5. I have a diary that I can communicate with my friend with
6. I have a clock like the Weaslys'
7. I have a bag that I can fit literally anything into
8. I have seen a Garden Gnome
9. I read a TON like Hermione
10. I don't believe in mind-reading
11. I like writing with a quill
12. I wear dorky jewelry like Luna
13. I live in a muggle town when I'm not learning about magical stuff

MUCH, MUCH, MORE WILL BE POSTED!!! SORRY ABOUT NOT POSTING IN A WHILE! 

My friend went to harry potter world for an early thirteenth birthday present and she brought back some Bertie Bot's Every Flavor Beans!!! I'll tell you how they are and maybe even make a video of us trying them!

Flowers of joy.

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Flowers dust the fields like blush across a girl's cheek. 

If you dig a hole into the ground under a field of poppies, 

you would find a girl, your age. 

If you talk to her, you would find that the

sound of her voice is like the smell of roses and lilacs.

She is your friend.