Music Challenge - Day 9

A song I can dance to.

Ha.

Umm...one that I can dance to, like with real dance steps, or one that I like dancing to?

Let's do both.

a) one I know steps to.

I danced to this song in a Swan Lake production a couple year ago.



b) one I like dancing to.

Music Challenge - Day 8

A song that I know all the words to.

This night be the hardest one yet - I know TONS of songs by heart.

But which should I choose?

Okay, I got it!

To quote my mom I "watched the Little Mermaid at least once a day since birth". No wonder I could sing this song backward and forward at five-years-old. I still remember the lyrics, and The Little Mermaid is still one of my favorite Disney movies :)



Off music topic: Have y'all seen the trailer for Disney's Frozen, coming to theaters this Thanksgiving?

What do you think? I'm pretty excited :D

Music Challenge catch-up

So sorry for my lateness! I was at a church campout and didn't have my precious wi-fi *sniff*. I did have a lot of fun though :D Stayed up late goofing off with friends, played kickball, ate junk food, rode bikes, and had a church talent show. And yes, I did participate. Two of my friends and I did a comedy skit with a veggie tale song in it. Not to brag, but we were awesome. 

Plus, since my character was a book nerd, I got to where some cool glasses.

How many days did I miss? Let's check...

 

I missed FOUR?!?

Okay, here we go:

Day 3 - A song that makes me happy.

I really really LOVE this song! The movie it's in is one of my favorites as well. (Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, which is based on the Guardians of Ga'Hoole books by Kathryn Lasky.)

Day 4 - A song that makes me sad.

 

Day 5 - A song that reminds me of someone.

 

Day 6 - A song that reminds me of somewhere.

Ummmm......Hmmmm.............

Somewhere...........

I got it!

Honestly, this song doesn't remind me of anywhere. It just fits.

And today's challenge...

Day 7 - A song that reminds me of a certain event.

I know, I know. Cheesy. But this song reminds me of when I moved away from my hometown after living there for eleven years. I remember driving away, my family and all our travel things packed in our gray Suburban, heading toward a place I didn't want to be. My eleven-year-old self couldn't take it. I was mad at everything and everyone, but mostly I was terrified and sorrowful. As we drove away that day, I had pulled out my iPod and closed off the world by digging my headphones as deep as they would go into my ears. With how loud I turned the volume, I'm surprised I didn't break my eardrums. This song pounded in my head as tears flooded my face and I replayed it over and over until I couldn't cry or feel any sort of emotions but tiredness. This song, however cheesy it may be, reminds me of a time where I lost everything I thought was dearest to me. Eventually I came to realize that my life wasn't over, I still had my family, and I would see my friends again someday...and no, this song doesn't bring any boy to mind, just friends that I grew up with and with whom I have shared earliest memories. 

Music is so beautiful in that way, isn't it? We correspond events in our life to music that evokes the feelings we felt at the time. Even silly High School Musical songs ;)

30 Day Music Challenge - Day 2

Day two of the music challenge: 

My least favorite song.

Well...I don't think I have one. But, here's one that makes me go like this when I hear it.

Does it count?  I think yes.

 

Not a Book Realated Post

This is my first non-book-related post EVER. *cue scary music*

Wait, does mentioning books make it book related? Hmmm...



Anyways, this is a MUSIC related post! *cue happy music*

I stole got this idea from Old Fashioned Girl's blog, which she acquired from Pinterest.

Day 1 - My favorite song.

I can't say I have just one, but here's a song I've been jamming to recently:

This, my blogglings, will be a fun 30 days :)

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Sorry I haven't been posting as often recently.

My excuse:
School.


(adapted from Goodreads)


Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived the 75th Hunger Games. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol.  District twelve has been destroyed, but thankfully Gale has escaped and  Katniss's family is safe.  They are living in District 13, which really does exist. There are rebels,  new leaders, and a revolution is unfolding.
 
It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans -- except Katniss.
The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay -- no matter what the personal cost.


~


I wasn't looking forward to reading this book. I knew certain characters were going to die and didn't want to go through that emotional trauma. Tip: if you never want to learn spoilers to books and movies, then do not have a Pinterest account. 

Katniss basically goes insane. Yep.

She is traumatized by her life in the arena, confused about her personal feelings for Peeta and Gale, and haunted by the presence of blood and roses. It was difficult to read her like this. She wasn't the same clear-headed huntress that I've grown to know. 

But you see, that's the thing. Who could go through all the circumstances she's been through and not be changed? It wouldn't be realistic (or humane) for her to be completely unscathed by her experiences. I mean, come one! She's murdered innocent people to save her own skin! Who wouldn't be conflicted and mortified after doing these things? Well, ruthless villains wouldn't, obviously (*cough cough* Snow) ...but that's besides the point.

So on top of Katniss being mentally unstable and whatnot, Peeta has been 'hijacked'. The Capitol went in his head and twisted certain memories.

I'm not going to say any more on that subject...

Overall, this book was just really depressing. The ending was beautiful, but sad, and made me want to curl up in a ball and cry. I've heard various peoples' opinions on it. Some people say it's an amazing book, while other people say it was a bad ending for a trilogy of such epic books. Personally, I think it was just right. Of course it was depressing, but it wouldn't be realistic if it ended with "and they all lived happily ever after". That's just not how life goes - especially a life full of death and war.

So, yes. This book was a sorrowful ending to the trilogy, but I think it was the right ending and applaud Suzanne Collins for her marvelous works of epicness. 


~


41/2 stars
I know what your thinking, but there was just one characters death that I think was unnecessary and that lost part of the point of the book for me.

Ages 15+
Violence, sexual references, and death.

 

A Tolkien Blog Party of Special Magnificence

 Hamlette over at The Edge of the Precipice is having a blog party/giveaway in honor of Bilbo Baggins' birthday! In order to enter the giveaway you need to answer these questions on your blog/website/facebook account and then go to her blog and add your link. The prizes are epic! Thank you, Hamlette, for this wonderful giveaway!

let's give Hamlette a round of applause!

Here are my answers:


 1.  Have you read The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit? If so, how many times?
I have only read the Hobbit once. The rest are on my reading list :)




2.  Have you seen any movies based on them?
I've seen all of them numerous times and I've seen the animated Hobbit movie from the 70's.




3.  Who first introduced you to Middle Earth?
I have been watching the movies since I was five, but if I recall... it was my grandma that watched them with me first.


4.  Who are your three favorite characters?  (Feel free to elaborate on whys.)
JUST THREE?!? Fine...
1. Samwise Gamgee
2. Aragorn
3. Smeagol
 
 
5.  What's your favorite Middle Earth location?
Rivendell or The Shire


6.  If you could belong to one of the races of Free Folk (Men, Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, 
Ents), which would you choose?
Probably Elves...I've always wanted to be tall and slender with pointy ears.


7.  Would you rather eat lembas or taters?
 I've always wanted to try lembas! Here's a recipe I found online: www.geekychef.com


8.  If you lived in Middle Earth, what weapon would you prefer wielding?
Bow and arrows


9.  What draws you to Tolkien's stories?  (The characters, the quests, the themes, the worlds, etc.)
EVERYTHING! There isn't one thing that doesn't draw me in!


10. List up to five of your favorite lines/quotes from the books or movies.

“A day may come when the courage of men fails… but it is not THIS day."

 

" You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you; the world is ahead."

 

" Poe-tay-toes! Boil em, mash em, stick 'em in a stew. Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish.

 Even you couldn't say no to that."

 

" I am no Man."

 

"Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you!"