The Character of a Friend

Friends.  

Friends are really hard to come by.  But let me clarify what I mean by that:  I'm a people person.  I don't do well when I'm alone; I just love being around other people.  This ensures that I almost always can say "Oh, my friend so-and-so said...."   or "my friend so-and-so and I think....."  It's great to have friends.  But today, I'm going to correct the dictionary.

friend

   [frend]  Show IPA

–noun

1.

a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard

This definition, to me, is just not cutting the mustard.  I have tons upon tons of people to whom I attached by feelings of affection or personal regard.

But are they truly my friends?

Here's my definition of a true friend, explained by means of comparison.

• A true friend always tells the truth right away.
• A false friend only tells the truth when it benefits him/herself.
• A true friend's heart breaks when yours does.
• A false friend expects you to be broken when they are, but they aren't when you are.
• A true friend tells you how beautiful you really are.
• A false friend makes cracks about your clothes/appearance.
• A true friend builds you up in Christ.
• A false friend teaches you how to promote YOURSELF.
• A true friend doesn't let people who hurt you get off scot-free.
• A false friend has an "it's not my problem" attitude.
• A true friend knows everything about you.
• A false friend doesn't take the time to ask.
• A true friend has nothing but good things to say about you
• A false friend will mock you when you're out of ear-shot.
• A true friend reads Scripture to you in times of sorrow/confusion/emptiness
• A false friend reads passages from "Seventeen Magazine" in times of sorrow/confusion/loneliness/"drama"
• A true friend is excited for you when you get to go do something amazing, even if it doesn't include them.
• A false friend whines about feeling left out when you get to go do something amazing, especially if it doesn't include them.
• A true friend is not bounded by time or sleep or illness.
• A false friend makes excuses for not being there when you need them most.

I could go on and on.  And I am so blessed to have a true friend.

I truly hope you have a friend like this too, although they are hard to come by.  I think, especially for teens, it's very important to have someone of the same mindset to fight through the culture and yuckiness of the world, and learn how to do that while we're still young. 

We are broken together, we laugh together, we scheme funny schemes together, and we understand each other completely.

I am so thrilled to have someone with whom I can fight the world. 

Sleepover Across the Globe

I made a new buddy! :)  She's so great, and we're already best friends.  Here's the catch... she lives in CALIFORNIA!

She's in my rhetoric class, and so one day we video chatted about some chapter in the book or something, and we hit it off!  Here is a screenshot we took today.  She's in the corner because she was the one who took the screenshot.  I really don't know how to do that on a PC.

We both have perfect hitchhikers thumbs...

And thus marks the end of the sleepover across the miles.(Even though it was afternoon for her!)

Random Dozen, number 5! (Known today as the TWOZEN)

Time for the Random Dozen!!  Except today, it's the Random.... two-zen.

1. What scares you the most

A) Physically


Dying a painful death.  No, not dying in general, I haven't any real fear of that because of my faith in Christ, but I would really not like to dye a PAINFUL death.  It's not the death that scares me... just the pain.  I don't like pain.

B) Emotionally


Hmm.... tough question!  I really think I would have emotional trouble if I grew up and never got married, which would further hurt me because that means I would also not have children.  I think that would really be a strong, strong test of my faith.

Why does that scare you, and how do you cope?


Because I've simply always been wired to be love children and I really enjoy companionship and being close to someone who I can really trust.  So I think being a wife and mother is the perfect job for me, no?  If that doesn't happen, though, I would cope in knowing that God has bigger, better plans for me.

2. What comes to mind when you read the phrase, "Nothing gold can stay?"

Well.... the first thing that comes to my mind, you mean?  For some reason I just started thinking about golden brown bread and how it can't stay very long because I, well, eat it.  And I kid you not, that was my first thought.

Hello, my name is Caroline (insert last name here) and I am a food addict.

Digital Nation

I had to watch a documentary on technology and the ways it applies to the world today, and I thought I would share it with you.  It was very interesting, and rather enlightening.

Click here to watch.

The video talked a lot about multi-tasking and teenagers today, and as I was watching I looked up at all of the internet tabs I had open.  I, rather surprisingly, noticed I had my email open, my school website open, my blog dashboard open, an online text for school open, and also Google was open.

I immediately closed all the other open tabs except the documentary, and I noticed that I kept having the urge to "real quick" just flick over to see if I had a new email.  When I didn't let myself reopen another tab to check it, I felt strange and disconnected.

And very, very ashamed.

Where previously I might have touted the fact that I don't text anyone except when very necessary, and the fact that I don't have a Facebook or MySpace and that I read books, I realized I'm no different.  I'm always blogging, "quickly" checking my email, reading blogs, etc.

This documentary opened my eyes, and I'm very happy I watched it.  I strongly advise you to watch it as well.

Even if it means exiting my blog, though I know it will pain you deeply. ;)

Ciao,

I can't do this

I just thought I'd pop in with a quick notice.

Um, it's high of 15 celsius, low of 9 celsius.  Do you know what that means?

That means it is high of FIFTY-EIGHT degrees and low of FORTY-EIGHT point TWO degrees.

I am sorry, when did this become my life?  This probably sounds like small stuff to you, but this is the girl who grew up in Hawaii.  I wore a trench coat, scarf, jeans, and boots to the store and was dandy, but goodness gracious, today is so much colder than yesterday!  I stood on our balcony for a moment in my robe and p.j.s just to confirm the hype.

The hype has been confirmed.

I can't do this.

That is all.

Would someone please hug the inventor of Dove dark chocolate pieces?

My dear, wonderful Gammy and Bebob landed safely in Rome!  I'm thrilled that they're here, and we are going to have a marvelous time.

Today, when I was in my geometry class, they went for a walk and got some coffee at our local cafe, and after that we all hoofed it over to the market so that I could make dinner.  I picked up some guanciale (the meat around a pig jaw... like bacon, but BETTER), tomato sauce, pasta, bread, and some other things we need for breakfast and so on and so forth.

When we got home, I cooked supper.  Oh my word, and it was tasty. And I'm not saying that because I have some sort of massive ego; it's the recipe.  Who could go wrong throwing guanciale, tomato sauce and pasta together?  That recipe.... good gracious I cain't take it.  It's so, so tasty.  Delightful, even.

After that we did the dishes and cleaned up, and I'm sitting typing this blog post in my pajamas.  And eating dark chocolate. It sounds disgraceful and I should be ashamed, but if it's wrong, I just don't really see the point in being right.

Tomorrow, we shall hop on a train to Trastevere and I'm going to take them to some delightful bakeries and pizzerias to taste test some legitimate Italian grub, and we'll have a grand ol' time, I'm sure of it.

Until next time, ta-ta for now!

My weekend: In list form

I'm in a bit of a writing rut.  I haven't been posting much, partially because it's been busy around here, and partly because I don't know what to say.  So I'll just tell you a bit what I've been doing, and try not to bore you to death.

• Friday night, the NATO Defense College had a great International Night.  All of the people from different countries would put together a table of foods from their country.  For instance, all the Americans got together and served up chili, brownies, and apple pie.  It was, for us, very simple, but all of the non-Americans were thrilled!  Especially with the brownies; I guess if you were newly introduced to squares of concentrated chocolate, you'd be thrilled too.

• International Night wasn't just about the food... there was a raffle (We won plates from Azerbaijan) and dancing!  It was a bunch of fun, and "I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night, and still have begged for more..."  (Name that movie.)

• Yesterday, Saturday, we went to a Van Gogh exhibit.  Mom wasn't feeling well, so she dropped out, though she really wanted to go.  Dad and I may have gotten a wee bit lost on our way there, but we made it in time.  It was very interesting, though I had a little bit of trouble understanding our tour guide, because she had a heavy Italian accent.  I love the way Van Gogh paints; and it's so hard not to want to touch it because he globs it so thick that it's 3D!

• After the exhibit, I myself wasn't feeling great.  I attributed it to dehydration, and Dad and I went searching for some Gatorade or something with electrolytes.  As if I know what that means.  Furthermore, we were delayed when my dad was about to buy one from a street stand and asked how much.  The man said "Four."  FOUR EURO FOR A GATORADE?  That's almost six American dollars.  Dad just looked dumbfounded and said, "No way, that is far too much."  And we left.  We did find a cheaper Powerade later though.

• Last night, I ate a lot of Fritos.  

• Today, we're going shopping!  I've been needing some warmer clothes, so we're going to go to the big H&M on Via del Corso.  H&M is my favorite store.  In the world.  Ever.

• Tomorrow, my dear and darling grandparents, Gammy and Bebob, are flying in to see me. :)  I can't wait!  

• I miss my brother so, so very much.

• I miss Hawaii so, so very much.

• I love Italy so, so very much.

• Italians need to learn to be a little bit more patient, so, so very much

• Meaning: they should really quite banging the elevator door from two floors below when we're on our way down already, gosh!

• But I love Italy so, so very much.

• And it's so cold here that I saw my breath the other day! I was so thrilled I think I might have squealed.  This squealing caused more breath in front of my face which caused more squealing..... and so on and so forth.

And thus ends my incoherent post on what I've been up to.  I just ended a sentence with a preposition... ew.  Let's try again.

And thus ends my incoherent post on that to which I've been up.

Hmm.  Doesn't have the same ring.

I tag you, you tag me, we're a tagging family...

Today I'm starting a meme.  I had it copied into a document from a long time ago, and I found it today, though I don't know from whence it originated.  Enjoy!

• Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says:

"Indeed, you are not different at all, you are just as I am!"  From Gilgamesh, in our copy of The Norton Anthology of Western Literature.   

• Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first?

The arm of the sofa... In fact, I shoved my left hand out really quickly while still looking at the computer screen without thinking, and stubbed my middle and ring fingers on it.  I'm very clever, obviously.

• What is the last thing you watched on TV?

Let me think.... oh, last night I watched the first half of "New In Town" with Harry Connick Jr. and Renee Zellweger.  It's cute... but not my favorite.

• WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what time it is:

I'm throwing out 4:30 pm because I'm sleepy.

• Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?

Oh you're kidding!  It's only 2:01!!  Little off, P&W, little off.

• With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

My mom is in the kitchen and she just ran the dishwasher, is cutting up some fresh baked brownies, and listening to the Dennis Prager Show.   

• When did you last step outside? What were you doing?

This is actually strange... I went outside a few hours ago, onto our balcony, because there was this LOUD loudspeaker echoing through our entire neighborhood... in Italian of course.  Mom and I were so confused!  I caught something about kitchens and that somebody had something but doesn't anymore.  I hope we aren't supposed to evacuate our kitchens! ;)

• Before you came to this website, what did you look at?

On the internet?  My email.  In the real world?  My mommy.

• What are you wearing?

My adorable new target boots with black leggings and a denim tunic.  When I go outside where it's cold, I'll add a leather jacket and a purple scarf. 

• Did you dream last night?

I did, in fact.  And it's the most embarrassing dream.  I'm debating whether or not I should tell you. 


Ok, you don't have to twist my arm.  I was sitting on the edge of a fountain in some Piazza, and Justin Bieber, oddly enough, came up and acted like he knew me and bought me flowers and we walked around and chatted about music and he tried to hold my hand so I ran away and went home and ate a pie and a gallon of nutella with a side of spaghetti.


Whaaaaaat??  


Is that really a part of my subconscious?  I'm scared.

• When did you last laugh?

When I thought about the fact that I had a dream about Justin Bieber.  Why?  What is wrong with me?

• What is on the walls of the room you are in?

A big and wildly unattractive painting of some harbor some place, a few OK paintings of some cities in Rome, and a print of part of the Sistine Chapel ceiling.  All of this wall art courtesy of our landlord's mother... who scares me.

• Seen anything weird lately?

Yeah, I looked in the mirror this morning.

• What is the last film you saw?

"Life as we Know it" with Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel.  It was just ok, but we really just wanted to sit in a theater and eat some movie food and watch something American.  It was nice to feel a bit at home for a while.

• If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?

Well... I'd probably buy the fall collection of Essie nail polishes, pretty much any clothing by H&M, an iPad, an iMac, an iPhone, and a pony.

• Tell me something about you that I don't know:

This is hard, because I'm not really afraid to embarrass myself, so I pretty much put it all out there on this here blog.  I don't know if I've said this before on the P&W, but my main desire for my "career" is to be a wife and stay-at-home-mom.  I've been told I'm brainwashed and crazy, but it is all I have ever wanted to be.  It's how I'm wired, and I couldn't honestly care less if I ever have a real business or acting career. 

• Do you like to dance?

Good question.  I LOVE to dance, and I do so quite frequently.  But here's the kicker...


I'm a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad dancer.

• Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her? What if it's a boy?

I would name my first daughter either Lucy or Amelia.  I would name my first son Maxwell Warren.  (My parents thought I was going to be a boy for a while there and that was going to be my name!)  


Now, I tag Valentina and my mommy (though she needn't answer that last one).  Don't feel obligated to play along, but if you do, tell me in the comments so I can check it out!  And if I didn't tag you, do it anyway! It's a free country.

T. Swifty.

Alright, I am not afraid to admit that I really like Taylor Swift.

Yes, I am sixteen, and yes, her main crowd is roughly... below 14.  But I love her.  I will be the first to admit when she sings live, it's not amazing, but she is a FANTASTIC songwriter, and a lady to boot.  She hasn't been in any scandals, and she handled the Great Kanye Interference of '09 in a very classy manner.

And today, I came across a video of her doing a Viva La Vida cover on BBC radio.  You guys, it's beautiful.  Listen:




See what I mean?

Caffeine, College, and Eyeballs, oh my!

I'm up to my eyeballs in homework right now, but I thought I'd drop in and say a quick hello.  No, I simply have no time for the weekly Random Dozen meme, and I also simply have no time to form relatively coherent sentences.

I've discovered in the past few weeks that caffeine... does not have an ounce of effect on me.  Whatsoever.  Except to prevent withdrawal headaches.  But, alas, I can not stop drinking my coffee.  Americano, cappuccino, espresso, macchiato, caffe latte, you name it, I'll drink it.  I can't quit.

So, without any energy stimulation, I'm pushing through all my work, and I tell ya, my head's about to roll off my neck.  I don't want to see a time-line ever again, nor do I want to have to squint at a tiny picture on Google Images trying to find a place that I'm suppose to mark on my map for geography.  And yet, I'm not disliking school, somehow.  Some tasks, yes, are more tedious than others, but this has been my favorite year of school so far.  I'm doing well, and plan on furthering this streak.... all the way through college.

Speaking of college, I have to write an application essay for an assignment in school.  It's not actually for me to send to a college, but it's for practice.  I'm doing the application essay from Covenant College, seeing as that's where I intend to spend my university years.  I ask that you pray for me, because I'm inching up to college, slowly but surely, and I want to make the right decisions.  Thinking about my life, say, a year and a half or two years from now makes me nervous, to say the least.

And now, I must get going.  My eyeballs just popped out of their sockets and I must retrieve them.

Have a nice day!

Breaking News

:)

In which I check-in with my lovely readers.... I'm not dead.

Hello, my little friends.

This weekend, mom, dad, and I went to Pompeii! I don't have any pictures, so you can read about our trip here.  (That's my mom's blog.)

Today, since I don't have a lot of time, I'm going to just do a very quick post.

A few letters:

• Dear neighbors upstairs,

          I wish that you might just maybe possibly sort of kind of perhaps in a small way stop making so much noise.  It's really just getting ridiculous.  I understand that your baby crying is not your fault, and I'm not at all annoyed about that.  But why you feel the need to move furniture around constantly, I have no idea.  Incessant scraping and pushing, and then during the days its drilling and hammering.  How much reconstruction can you do in an apartment?  Not to mention that it seems like you guys never sleep, seeing as you keep me awake quite a bit.  Thanks.
          Sincerely,
                  P&W

• Dear Pioneer Woman,

          You are a miracle.  Your blog makes me laugh the laugh of many laughters, and your recipes make my tummy delight.  And I'm sorry my nickname is also almost PW like yours; it's purely coincidental, I assure you.
          Not trying to steal your thunder,
                   P&W

• Dear empty bowl of oatmeal,

          Would you mind washing yourself?  Kthankyou.
          Best regards,
                    P&W

• Dear Gammy and Bebob,

          I'm so very excited about your impending visit that I can barely stand it.  :)  We're going to have a smashing good time, I'm sure of it.
          With much love,
                    P&W, your granddaughter

• Dear British friends,

          I really do wish you could please continue teaching me British slang.  It's delightful! I mean, "peas above sticks?"  It's brilliant; truly brilliant.
          One slangy friend to another,
                    P&W



Have a nice day, everyone!

Mi piace molti libri, ma vorrei andare a Northanger Abbey

Hey y'all!

Life's been very nice this week, albeit busy.  But luckily, it's only the natural kind of busy that stems from school and chores!  Not so much with the scheduling of events and things.

We did actually do a few things this week, but very light.  Monday and Thursday, Mama and I went to Italian class, which is always very fun, and yesterday we went out to dinner.  My dad has a committee at the NATO Defense College, and every once in a while we go out for social events.  Last night we went to a pizza place downtown, and it coincided with Daddy's birthday!  So it was incredibly fun.  We lucked out on our committee, because they are so funny that I think I might now be suffering from a hernia from all the funny-ha-ha.

Today has been nice.  I'm babysitting this evening, so I'm going to bring some geometry homework to do while the kiddos toddle off to dreamland, and I've been reading quite a bit.  I'm currently noshing on "Northanger Abbey"  by Jane Austen (Who else?) and I love it.  LOVE IT.  It's about a girl named Catherine and her various travails in the social circles in the regency period.  It includes humor, romance, vague but oddly funny suspense, and it's the entirety of the book is just utterly delightful.  And I totally and completely without a shadow of a doubt sort of identify with the heroine.

I am Catherine.  Catherine is me.

So, I shall send you off with a notice that you must read this book if you have not already, and a solemn promise to change out of my pajamas withing the next hour.

I will! I swear!

Happy, Happy Birthday

Dear Daddy,
Throughout my entire life, I have never once doubted that you would be there for Mom and Will and I, and I am so grateful for that knowledge.  That is such a rare thing in this world, and I am beyond blessed.

There have been times when you haven't been home because of your job, but I still, even then, never wondered about your love for this family.  You are the best Dad in the world!

So, today, October 14th, I thank God for the blessing of you, my kind, loving, affectionate, strong, smart, hard-working, funny, wise, honorable, and terrific Dad.  I couldn't ask for a better one.

Happy Birthday!

Love,
Your Baby-Girl

Come my little friends, as we all sing a happy little working song

I was studying geometry the other day, and was flipping around trying to find a certain postulate.  Y'all, my notes were disorganized.  Geometry is the class in which I take the most notes, and I normally just jot down random things in random places.

This was not working for me.

So, guess what I did today?  I re-wrote all my notes (it's early in the year, lucky for me, so this didn't take a million years) and I organized them.  And y'all, I COLOR CODED them.  Let me just show you.  It's so pretty.

I neatly (or as neat as I could write in my awful handwriting) wrote down all of the postulates, theorems, definitions, etc. that I know.

For some of them, I even drew pictures to have for examples. Pictures really help me out when I study.  Because I'm four.

And, the last section is general notes where I write down everything quickly, and rather messily, during class, and then I go put all my notes into their proper sections, neatly, after class.  I keep my general notes though, instead of tossing them once I've placed the information, for things that don't go under any of my sections, like exercises and things that only apply to that class.  

And thus, I have completely gone against my nature and have finally become organized.  Now I'm going to skip off to tidy my room whilst humming "The Happy Working Song..."

Cover Me

I've noticed a growing phenomenon in, especially young, musicians today.  During their concerts, they often cover songs by other people.  I think this is a great idea!  It probably gets tedious singing your own songs over and over again, and it would be a fun respite from the repetition.

So, it got me thinking.  If I were a famous singer and I had a concert, what songs would I cover?  Well, I was looking for something to blog about, and here it is.

My list of would-do covers:

• Gravity, by Sara Bareilles. I'm a sucker for ballads, and this one is so pretty.
• A Year Without Rain, by Selena Gomez.  Call me crazy, but I find this song extraordinarily catchy.  I love singing this one.
• Home, by Michael Buble.  It's how I feel at the moment.
• Hallelujah, by... well a lot of people have done this one.  I really, really, really like this song.  It's so purty.
• Anyway, by Martina McBride.  Very inspirational; very powerful.
• Twist in my Story; Secondhand Serenade.  Another ballad.  I really like this one.
• Cowboy Casanova, by Carrie Underwood.  This one is desperately fun.  
• Amelia, by Matthew Perryman Jones.  I don't know why, but this is one of my favorite songs in the world.  It makes me want to name my daughter Amelia when I grow up.  
• Don't Speak, by No Doubt.  Can't go wrong with some good ol' Gwen Stefani. :-)
• Party in the U.S.A.  by little miss Miley Cyrus.  Don't shoot me... this one would be for a good laugh, and because it gets a crowd going.  But I might do this version... "Party in the PCA"
• It's Oh So Quiet, by Lucy Woodward.  This song is very strange, a tad avant garde, but it's fun to sing.
• Halo, by Beyonce.  Though I know I could never do it justice. 
• And for my finale, Blaze of Glory by Bon Jovi.  Yep, I went there.

There you have it.  I'm sure there are more, this is just to name a few.  I love music, and have very odd musical taste. :-)

Random Dozen, number 4!

Here ya go, everyone. :)


1. Is there a word which you initially mispronounced? Were the circumstances in which you made the faux pas embarrassing? 


Up until I was eight, I pronounced camouflage "camel-flage."  And this girl in my 3rd grade class who I so wanted to impress turned her nose up, flipped her hair, and spat out "Um, it's CAMO-flage."  That friendship never happened.
2. How do you feel about the use of texting shortcuts and trends? (ex: "I've got ur notes. Get them 2 u 2morow.") 


Ugh.  I don't rlly lyk 2 use txt slang bcuz it makes u look insipid.  If i'm in a big ol hurry i mite use it but i usually detest it.  kbye.
3. Tell me about your high school senior picture. Please feel free to post.


Hur hur I'm just a junior.  Sorry.  How about I post a picture of me in, I think, the fourth grade?

This is my mama and me while our family was on vacation on the Big Island.  That was during my several year long awkward phase.  Can ya tell?


5. Share a high school or college homecoming memory.


I.... have never attended anything homecoming-related.  I'm homeschooled.  But I did go to a homeschool "prom" that was so much fun.  I just went with two of my good friends, and I had a blast.  

6. Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets?


Sunsets.  Because sunrises involve me getting up early.  And, well, no.

7. What is something you have not done that you desire to do?


I've never.... written a book to completion.  I start and stop, start and stop.  It's an illness... I really want to finish one sometime.  

8. If you could come back [in another life] as an animal, which would it be?


What a funny question! I don't really care to be an animal... I enjoy my human-ness, thanks.  But if you're gonna twist my arm, I'd say a dolphin.  They're smart, quick, and they get to be in the water.  I love the water.
9.  Where were you 10 years ago? Please feel free to elaborate more than just your physical location.


10 years ago I was 6.  :)  I was living in Montgomery, Alabama.  I was learning how to function as a normal human being.  Still haven't quite figured that one out, though....
10. When you are proven to be correct in any contentious discussion, do you gloat?


I like to give the ol' NEENER NEENER.  No, I'm kidding, I would like to say I don't.  Honestly, there may be an occasional "See, I told you so!" when it comes to silly discussions with my brother, but  I don't think I do in other situations.  I do, however, have a terrible tendency to correct people, even if I don't necessarily gloat once I have done so.  It's awful; I need to learn to hold my tongue.  

11. What is your favorite food which includes the ingredient "caramel?"


Hmm.  I think the only thing I like with caramel is a Snickers bar.  I'm not big on caramel; I'm a choco-holic.
12. If you could be part of any fictional family, which family would you choose and why?


I think I would be part of the Bennett family in Pride and Prejudice.  Refer to this post HERE.  




Thank you everyone, and good night.

I'm not on a horse

I have come to a conclusion about my life.

It may sound crazy, hair-brained, and terribly shocking.... so prepare yourselves.

You see, I was not meant to live in the 21st Century.

My heart genuinely belongs in the Regency Period, where girls of my age frolic in meadows in pretty dresses and lovely hats, know how to sew, dance, play the piano forte, and paint.  Ladies of sixteen attend balls searching for fun and future husbands, and the dancing was never lewd and the music was lively.  The ladies sat up straight, coiffed their hair to perfection, folded their hands in their laps, and called everyone by their last names unless they were very dear friends.

"Why, Miss Jones!  I just positively lost my head when you weren't at the pump-room yesterday! I saw your name was not on the list, and I nearly fainted.  But I am so very glad to see you are well.  How are the children?  Oh and that sprigged muslin is just too lovely.  It must have been at least eight shillings a yard!"

Why has the world gone on to change so much?  Why in the world don't ladies these days wear such long, pretty dresses with straw hats and ribbons and bows?  Why can't I play the piano or paint?  Why don't I have a cute, lady-like British accent?  Why is my grammar not always perfection?  Why are pajamas no longer long, flowing white gowns?  Why are their no fields and woods in my neighborhood in which I could frolic and read novels?  Why don't I own a pony?

And thus, this post blatantly decries the insanity that is my mind.

Happy Belated Canadian Thanksgiving!

So, yesterday was Canadian Thanksgiving.

I can not BELIEVE that I missed it.

In penance, I offer you this cute video of the most polite Canadian in the world.





You're welcome.

Oh, and since he's from Canada, I think I'll name him Justin Beaver.

Sow and Reap

Dear readers,

Today is a day.  Quite a day.

Today something exciting happened to me.

Today, I smiled a great big smile, and squealed and jumped for joy.

Today, I harvested.


For weeks I have been sowing, working so very hard to do well at something to which I normally just don't take.  I've sat and worked over and over again, spending a bit of extra time here, a bit of extra time there.

I have been praying, I've been fighting off the laziness that comes so frighteningly naturally to me.

Everything I've reaped and all the work I've done, I attribute to God.  Without Him calling me to study Proverbs for the past month or so, this wouldn't have happened, not in a million years.  Without His bountiful grace opening my eyes to see and my ears to hear, motivating me to work, to try, to succeed, I would have never done what I did.

Today, I made a 95% on my geometry test.

It sounds like such a simple thing, but for me it's a battle won.  I've never liked anything related to math or science, and so I've never really tried.  But all thanks to God, this time I fought my nature and won.

So why is it that this isn't my constant philosophy?  My head knows exactly the pattern:  sow, reap, sow, reap.  I previously planted dry, puny seeds of laziness and complacency which, in ground that, easily, I fertilized and nurtured, grew into terrible, prickly trees that were so large they nearly blocked out the sun.  This time, I toiled to plant seeds that were healthy, but needed great care and continued treatment, and out grew beautiful plants that make the garden so beautiful that I only want to fill it with more flowers.

But I know that it will forever be a battle.

One day, perhaps I'll be doing geometry, or any schoolwork, and I'll get distracted.  Maybe my assignment will be late.  I know, in the moment, that this laziness will only bring me pain and sorrow later, but I do exactly what the culture advises.  I "follow my heart"..... All the way to destruction.

This is the basis of the need for daily reflection.  Not only is it because of my gratitude for the Lord's goodness, but also simply because I need to be constantly reminded of my calling, and of my nature.   And to be honest, reading my Bible every day is not something I have ever, or will ever, be perfect at doing.  I will be tired, I will be lazy, as is my nature, and I will not read and reflect on promises of God.  And, yet again, I will sow the seed and it will grow.

So why do I not always sow the good seed?  Because it is hard.  It can be so, so hard.  Back-breaking labor that brings me to my knees in front of the Lord.  But is the reward not far better than the few stolen seconds of idleness that only bring temporal and fleeting pleasure?

 Proverbs 6:6-10 "Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways and be wise.  Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in the summer, and gathers her food for the harvest.  How long will you lie there, O sluggard?  When will you arise from your sleep?  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man."  

Today I will think on these words.  And, I can not do this laborious task of sowing good fruit on my own, so I pray that he will teach me every day how to lay on Him the burdens that I simply can not bear.

So, pray with me, and ask yourself what you are really sowing today.

It appears I have several aliases I could use in case of a quick getaway....

So, lots of people call me lots of things.

I am very rarely called Caroline.  In fact, if anyone in my family said, "Hey, Caroline..."  I would automatically know something was up.

Today, I shall give you a comprehensive, enumerated list of my nicks.

1. Caroliney.
2. Liney. (most commonly used my Mama and Will)
3. Caroliney-lou (Mama uses this one a lot.)
4. Loop/Loopy (A derivation of Caroliney-Lou.  It doesn't mean loopy as in crazy.  It's very endearing, my brother uses this one the most.  Will NEVER calls me Caroline.  Ever.  Two years ago, though, I told someone in an online class about it, and somehow by the end of the year my entire biology class was calling me Loop. Go figure.)
5. Tinkerbell.  (Mama calls me this when she's in a super happy mood.  Like today, when I made her some mac-n-cheese.  She likes mac-n-cheese.)
6. Pinkie (This one is primarily used by my mom.  She has very, very many nicknames for me.)
7. Baby (My mom uses this one for me, usually when she's trying to explain something to me and I just don't get it.  "Baby, no, you have to put that over there, not in this drawer."  This is the perfect opportunity for a "No one puts Baby in a corner!"  This one is also used when I'm sick and she's rubbing my back and feeling bad for me.)
8. Baby-girl.  (This one is utilized by my Dad.  He calls me this one every day.)
9. Carolina.  (My Dad uses this one, only when he's calling me from across the house.  And he has the same intonation every time.  "CAroLEEna!!!"  And he rolls the "r," like he's speaking Spanish.)
10. Caro.  (My favorite Spanish teacher, Sra. Pliego, and my friend Valentine have been known to call me this one.)  :)
11. Care Bear.  (I can't even begin to stress to you how often this one is used.  By everyone.  But I like it a  lot.)
12. Care. (My dad calls me this, and sometimes my brother.)
13. Woo (This one extends through my whole family, even the extended family.)
14. Pinks (A derivation of Pinkie, used by my mom.)
15. Petunia (Another Mama-nickname.)
16. Lima bean (Two of my uncles, on different sides of the family, use this one.  Each thought it up on their own.  Suffice it to say, I used to really like lima beans.)
17. Wooty-woo (My Yaya calls me this one.)
18. Canine (This is a rough spelling of what little children call me.  I love kids so much, but they can not wrap their heads around my name.  There's been Kee-nine, Care-nine, Can-line, Car-layn, and I once got a Car-fine.  And one little boy managed to turn my name into 4 syllables, though I'm not sure how.)

Now, I'm sure there are more, but as you can see, I have a lot of nicknames.  Of course there are always the gratuitous ones like "Weirdo" and "Hey, you" but we won't go into all of those.  Also, I have some based on my last name, but I don't feel comfortable putting my last name on the blog, sorry.  

What are some of your nicknames?

(Seriously.  I would feel so nice if you would comment!)

Boys, you won't care to read this post. Feel free to click the big red X on the corner of your screen.

Ok, so, I'm probably the girliest girl to ever be born.  I love makeup and fashion, almost to a fault.  So bear with me as I give you all my thoughts on the topic!  This was a meme I snatched from my fellow girly-friend, Valentine. :)


MAKEUP:

Blush or bronzer?

Blush.  And more specifically, cream blush.  I haven't yet found a bronzer that isn't too orange-y in it's base color.  My skin is very fair, so I would need a very light, cool brown.

Lip gloss or lipstick?

Well, right off the bat my instinct was to say lip gloss, but the truth is I prefer lipstick because my hair doesn't get stuck in it when it's windy outside!  But I haven't found the perfect light lipstick yet.  I don't really like to wear dark colors on my lips except the occasional berry-look which is very "in" now. I want a good, nude lipstick.

Eye liner or mascara?

Mascara!  But I don't like not wearing eye liner, either.  My usual look includes brown eyeliner on the top and black eyeliner smudged a bit on the bottom, because brown eyeliner not only makes my eyes look bluer, but it also doesn't cause the eyelashes to look shorter.  Black eyeliner on the top most assuredly makes lashes look shorter, though I sometimes use black cream or liquid eyeliner to make a "pin-up" cat-eye flick.  I never knew I had so many thought about eyeliner.  Wow.

Foundation or concealer?

Liquid foundation.  I use this on a day-to-day basis, unless I know I'm not leaving the house.  It's great because if necessary you can use it as a concealer.  But honestly, most days I use both because I have dark under-eye circles.

Neutral or color eye shadow?

Color!  I do neutral looks quite a bit, but that's because I'm generally in a hurry.  But my colors of choice are purples, pinks, and maybe pops of blue.  But fear not!  I don't just throw a purple or a blue all over my lid.  I place them and blend them in such a way that the colors are mainly concentrated on the outside corner and my crease, and they fade into a neutral as they come to the inner corner.  This causes the eyes to look brighter and bigger, and it also makes the colors look more natural.  I used to use way too much color, but I've studied makeup and now have amended my ways, luckily.

Pressed or loose eye shadows?

I only have pressed eye shadows, but I would kill for some loose pigments.  I hear Mac has some great ones, but pigments are just generally more expensive.  I would love, also, some mineralized eye shadows, but again, it's an issue of money.  I buy a lot of my own makeup because, well, truth is it's not a necessity in life.  But makeup-art is a passion of mine! :)

Brushes or sponges?

Brushes, without a single doubt.  Sponges are harder to handle, and it's more difficult to get the proper shape and definition.  They are also less sanitary than brushes.

NAILS:

OPI or China Glaze?

OPI.  I, for the same reasons as Valentine, don't like the way that China Glaze products dry matte.  I like glossy nail polish.

Long or short?

Short.  I, for the life of me, can't get my nails to be strong and healthy.  I take my vitamins, eat my veggies, and drink lots of water, but they just chip and crack and peel, so I have to keep them short.  If I could, I would grow them a bit a longer, just to be a bit more lady-like.  

Acrylic or natural?

I've never gotten acrylic nails, but I would like to try at some point.  I know it's just terrible for your nails, and that's mainly what's kept me from them.

Brights or darks?

It depends on the season!  In fall and winter, I wear darker colors.  Especially this season!  Pewters, browns, and some greens are very chic right now, and I'm trying to find some good ones.  In the spring and summer, though, I generally stick to light pinks and colors that are very, very light and neutral.  I don't like to wear bright purples or blues or hot pinks anymore; they don't look good on me.  I'm just too dern white.

Flower or no flower?

I would get a flower on my toes, but not on my hands.  It would peel right off the second I went to do the dishes.

BODY:

Perfume or body splash?

Perfume.  Body splashes are generally way too fruity or too chemical-y smelling.  But in actuality, I don't use perfume that much either, only because I haven't found one I like.  I'm more of a lotion-girl myself.  In fact, one of the main things people tell me is that I smell nice.  It's this great new thing called BATHING!  (And warm vanilla sugar Bath and Body Works lotion doesn't hurt, either.) ;) 

Lotion or body butter?

Lotion.  Look up above to see which one I use.  I also use Suave coca butter with shea lotion right after I shower, because I have extremely dry skin and eczema.  

Body wash or soap?

Body wash.  My doctor actually forbade me against using soap because it's so drying!  Right now I use Caress Whipped Soufflé in blackberry, and I love it!  It makes my skin really, really soft.  And it means I don't have to use scented lotion to smell nice anymore.  

Lush or other bath company?

I hear that Lush is amazing, but I just don't spend that much energy trying to get good bath products.  I'm a "whatever's-at-the-store-that-smells-good" kind of girl.  But I am REALLY picky about my makeup, so I'm not entirely lazy.

FASHION:

Jeans or sweat pants?

Jeans!  I could not live without jeans. And I don't think sweat pants should be in the "fashion" section, I'm sorry.  Those things may keep ya warm, but they're a tragedy, I tell you.  

Long sleeve or short?

Short.  I'm not used to long sleeves, and I have a bad habit.  Whenever I wear them, I, without thinking, push them up to my elbow every time.  No matter how cold I am.  I don't like sleeves on my wrists, which is weird.  

Dresses or skirts?

I prefer dresses and skirts to pants any day, but I don't know how to choose between my two favorites!  I guess I would say skirts because they're more versatile.

Stripes or plaid?

Plaid, only because unless stripes are vertical, I'm not wearing them.  Horizontal stripes are not ever ok.  Ever.

Flip flops or sandals?

Sandals.  Though I really hate even having the term "flip-flops" anywhere on my blog.  They are called slippers, everyone.  Slippers.

Scarves or hats?

Scarves. Scarves.  Scarves.  I love hats too, but scarves are my delight.  I have had several friends mock me because I wear them so often.

Studs or dangly earrings?

Dangly earrings!  I haven't worn studs since the day I was able to take my first earrings out.  I have long hair, so you can't see studs.  I wear big earrings.  I don't like to wear little ones; I don't see the point.  

Necklaces or bracelets?

Necklaces.  Again, I don't like things on my wrists.  But I don't wear necklaces much unless they are dainty because I wear such big earrings.  It would look like a total jewelry overload.

Heels or flats?

HEELS.  I would wear them every day if I could, but I don't have enough casual heels.  I love me some flats, too, but heels are my favorite.  Which is strange, because I'm already 5'8.  So basically, I'm like the friendly giant.

Cowboy boots or riding boots?

Riding boots, though I love cowboy boots.  I have a pair of cowboy ankle boots, but I haven't been able to find any reasonably price full-size boots.  But I really need some riding boots, because I just realized it's getting cold and I don't have many closed-toed shoe options.  

Jacket or hoodie?

Jacket.  I still love hoodies, but I like to dress more formally (one could call me preppy) so I like to wear jackets more often.  

Forever 21 or charlotte russe?

Charlotte Russe!  Although Forever 21 has great prices, a lot of their stuff is poorly made and ill-fitted.

Abercombie or Hollister?

Hollister.  Though I can't stand the way those stores smell... that much cologne in the air gives me a terrible headache.  Like that one time my friend (you know who you are) sprayed me with Axe.  It got on my dress and I smelled like a man for the rest of the day.  It was awful; I hate that stuff.

Saks 5th or Nordstroms?

Well, it's not like I own any of their stuff, because hello! You'd have to be stinkin' rich.  But I'd say Saks Fifth.  Their stuff is very high-fashion, and I love that.  

HAIR:

Curly or straight?

It depends on the day.  In fact, I'm in the middle of a hair crisis because I used to have curly hair, and I despised it and spent all my time straightening it.  Now, all of a sudden, my hair is stick straight, so much so that it looks limp.  Now I spend all my time curling it.  I don't know what happened.  I'm trying to grow it back out now, because  my hair got straight after I got it cut short.  Maybe that's the problem?  I don't know.  

Bun or ponytail?

Ponytail.  At the moment, my hair's too short to put in a cute bun.  If I put it in a real ballerina bun, it would just look like a very silly little knot.  Although, I can pin my hair in such a way that it looks like a bun, but it looks bigger.  A faux-bun, if you will.

Bobby pins or butterfly clips?

Bobby pins.  Butterfly clips, like sweatpants, are a tragedy and should only be worn around the home.  I actually call them jaw clips, though, I had to google butterfly clips. (Hillary Clinton?  Are you listening?  Put that jaw clip back in the drawer, honey.)

Hair spray or gel?

Hair Spray, fur sure.  I only use gel for little bitty fly-aways, and even then I use it very, very, very sparingly.

Light or dark?

Dark, but that's only because my hair's practically black.  So, I use a box-highlighter to give it some color and texture.  I used to have natural highlights, but this summer they disappeared.  My hair is going through a very sad phase.

Side swept bangs or full bangs?

Side swept. The way my bangs are cut, I can do either. But full bangs make my slightly square-ish face look more square-ish than it is.

Up or down?

Up is easier, but I wear my hair down most of the time.  I feel more feminine when my hair's down.

RANDOM:

Rain or shine?

Woah, woah, what happened?  I didn't sign up for this!  Ok... um... thinking...

Rain!  I love rainy weather.  Is that weird?

Summer or winter?

Winter!  I like jackets and cute warm clothes.  And scarves!!!

Fall or spring?

Fall, definitely.  I love fall so much!

Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate.  Need I say more?

East coast or west coast? 

I don't think I'm really allowed to say.  I honestly haven't been to that many places on the Mainland!  But, I will say, south-east coast of Hawaii is my favorite!  Kailua, bay-bee.


Thus marks the end of my extraordinarily long-winded post about makeup and fashion.  I have gotten it out of my system, thank you!