Thursday, January 31, 2013

Dreamsssss and Disastersssssssss

Poem Girl? I'm pretty much positive that you've asked me for some kind of button... but I can't remember which. Wasn't it like a designing contest and a photo editing contest?? Anyway, please get back to me about that. Sorry, I've been really busy lately......... =P

Anyway, so, I just found out this Owl City song that I LOVE (ask anybody in my family =P) and I really wanted to share it with you. It's called Dreams and Disasters, and it's the reason that I actually started writing the Danielle Panabaker story (which I've mentioned on my other two main blogs...). Anyway, now what's this song sound like in the first place?


I don't know if YOU guys will like it, but I really did. =D

(I'm actually listening to it right now. "Weeee were alone, on the road driving fasssterrrrrrrr!" ;D)

Anyway, I don't know why THIS inspired me, but it did.

Actually, I kind of do know.

As you watch it, you know the first picture? The Owl City cover thiggy diggy? Well, anyway, that kind of made me imagine this world--the kind of strange, beautiful, lovely, unique, mystical world that Generation is supposed to be in. A place where Danielle would live.

And that's how it happened.

It kind of sounds like one of those "there was a big revolt and the government took over everything", but it's not really, and I decided not to make it Earth so that it wouldn't sound like our government is horrible or something. (I don't agree with a lot of the things the people in politics are doing currently, but as a Christian I don't believe in talking meanly about them.)

Anyway, so I called it Ayrth (haha, almost earth =P) and I actually managed to get it quite "cultured", as I like to say. That is, you really feel like it's a real place and it doesn't just feel like one of those fake things. It's like you don't have to trust my word that it's there. You can experience it for yourself. I was actually pretty happy at how I managed to develop it. =D

(Random moment--"Faaaaollow the lighhhhhhhhhht, through the dreamssssss and disasters!!!!" Sorry, I love this song.... =P)

Want some other great Owl City songs? Just talk to me. :)

(lol I've finally got to use my "Owl City" label again..... =P)



Wednesday, January 30, 2013

About Jessie and other things...

I've got some updates on the magazine!!

I AM going to put Rubberboot Girl in. We got it fully edited and it's already sent in.

I'm not sure when if/when/or what I'm going to do about the website. It hasn't even been put up yet, since the magazine hasn't even been PUBLISHED yet....

All keep you updated.

Meanwhile...

I'm really excited for summer, since I've got some interesting adventures lined up for Jessie!! This is a summer you guys won't forget!!

Jessie's convinced that all she needs is a relaxing summer away from Maya and the annoying kids at school. But her Mom, the baby on the way, has a very different idea...

Let's just say that you'll want to stay tuned. :)

Later gator. ;)

Monday, January 28, 2013

About Buttons...


I've taught a lot of things about designing, and now I'm wondering what I CAN post without giving away all my secrets. =D

(Not to mention the fact that I like designing your blogs. lol If you want something in particular, I'll tell you..... =P)

Sometimes, though, it's kind of hard to figure out how to do a button.

I mean, I've seen hundreds of buttons.

But now all are really easy to read.

When I see a button, I want something that's easy to read and cute, something that kind of speaks about the life of the blog.

And I'm pretty much guessing that's what you're looking for, too.

So, in your buttons, how are you supposed to accomplish that feat?

Well, first of all, you can do one of two things:
1. Use a picture for your button.
2. Use a white background for your button.

I end up using pictures a lot, just because I like that style.

(Tip: a thing to make the picture button look more professional is to put a simple black frame around it, not that thick, just pretty thin. Black usually turns out the post, but feel free to explore with the colors!)

And when you do it, you want to make sure that you can ACTUALLY SEE THE WORDS. This is a big downfall of a lot of buttons. You just can't read it!

If you have a darker picture, use brighter colors for your fonts--white, yellow, neon colors...

If you have a lighter picture, use darker colors for your fonts--black, brown, crimson, etc...

And you want to make sure that the words are as big as possible on the button so that you don't have to lean over and squint to see the words.

Like see here; I have a blog named Dragonmaster, right? Well, it's kind of a long name, so it would have to be smaller on the button, right? Wrong. I can break it up to be Dragon Master just on the button so that it'll be big enough. Look at the difference below.
See? Small.
And see? It's suddenly lots bigger and easier to see.

And make sure that your picture's not two distracting. (Like the idea of a button collage isn't very appealing to me. =P)

That's all for now.

And you want other tips?

Just ask. ;)



Sunday, January 27, 2013

How Jessie [accidentally] started the second spaghetti fight of the year

Dear Readers,

This is Jessie. I'd been so happy about the baby, that when I went to school on Monday something really horrible just had to happen. I should've NEVER forgotten what Maya had yelled at me at the dance! And now I was going to pay.

I was walking into the cafeteria when all of a sudden Maya jumped up on one of the tables. Ladasha looked at her like she was nut (I could see it all over her face--"That girl just got herself demoted to most unpopular person in the school...") and Summer looked horrified.

"Jessie!" she shouted.

I cringed and stopped, turning around.

"I heard that..."

You can kind of guess the rest. You know--she went off and convinced everybody in the cafeteria that Noah and I were dating. (I didn't want to right the whole thing, because she said a lot of nasty stuff, too, and I didn't want you guys to have read that.)

I was hopping mad. Still, I prayed to God for help and walked over to where Noah was sitting at the table. Michael who, if you remember, used to be the most popular kid in the school and also head of the school newspaper which I was apart of, came over and started talking.

"You know," he started, "no offense, but it seems that you haven't done much for the newspaper lately."

I sighed. "Sorry. I need my camera so I can take some pictures and stuff."

Michael handed me one. "You can start today. We need some school life pictures for the yearbook people."

"OK,"  I sighed.

Michael walked off.

And that's when Maya stood back up on the table.

"Jessie!" she yelled at me. "You think you're something, huh?"

I didn't answer.

"Jessie, look at me! Unless you're a coward!"

I didn't do anything.

But I was thinking.

And thinking hard.

I really had to do something about this problem.

I glanced down at my plate.

It was spaghetti.

I turned and stood up on my own table, Noah giving me a bewildered look.

"OK, Maya," I started. "Stop harassing me, or I'll throw this spaghetti at you." I'd grabbed my plate and picked up a glob of spaghetti in my hand.

She snorted. "You wouldn't."

Splat! But it wasn't ME who'd thrown it!

I glanced around the side of Maya and saw the Sisterhood Squad--Spy, Addy, etc.--all holding globs of spaghetti. Before I could stop them, Spy screamed at the top of her lungs, "FOOD FIGHT!"

And so started the second spaghetti food fight of the year for poor Dayton Middle School.

And, no, I actually never threw any spaghetti.

You know what I DID do?

I grabbed my camera and started snapping pictures left and right.

And, of course, dodged spaghetti.

Let's just say that by the time the teachers got everybody under control, nobody was too sure who'd really started it so we all get sent home with a warning.

Hmm................ ;)

Love,
Jessie

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Updates and... BASKETBALL!! =D

Dear Readers,

OK,  so, first off, way sorry I couldn't get on yesterday and comment on your lovely blogs. ;) I was "babysitting". Anyway, I'm almost finished with Connie 2. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to post it. :( (Because of the magazine and everything.....)

Also, me and my friend just got talked to about maybe writing this story thingy majiggy for this dance recital thing. Any advice? It might be very.... interesting. Anyway, I'm trying to see if I'm going to do it. =P

I've realized that I really like basketball. Yesterday night I went to a basketball game, and it was the first time I'd ever really gotten into a game. (Like not yelling anything or something like that, but more like watching the ball and hissing to myself, "No! NO! Oh, yes! Come on! Drive the ball in NOW! Wait, no, what're you doing?! Urgh, you should've..." yeah, stuff like that. =P)

It was really fun, because we won last night. But anyway..... =D

Later, my friends.

Love,
Katrina

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Abigail Jane Applegate--The Invisible Message

New York
1778
The British Occupation of New York

I sat before the fire, staring into the flickering flames. I could hear Father's quill pen scratching behind me on the rough paper. I got up and glanced over his shoulder. The fake message that I'd written in my own hand, addressed to an Aunt Mary, was there on the paper. In between the lines Father wrote swiftly with ink that slowly disappeared as he wrote it.

Invisible ink.

"When I'm done with this," Father started in the quietest of whispers, "you'll need to take it to the woman at the edge of town. If the dresses are out on the clothes line, then all's well. If there are men's work shirts out on the line, then that means that you've been followed. If there are trousers on the line, then that means that the soldiers are nearby. And if there are sheets..."

"Yes, Father?" I prodded in a whisper.

He hesitated and then glanced up at me. "Then, Abigail," he whispered, "you must run for your life and destroy the letter, for the British are at her house and know that somebody's coming. If they know that she's part of the ring, they'll suspect anybody coming near the house to also be part of the ring."

I nodded solemnly. "You can count on me, Father."

He smiled. "I know I can."

He finished the letter and then handed it to me. I stuck it in my skirt's hidden pocket and then walked out of the back room and back through the stable. Nathan was still pounding away on the blacksmith's anvil.

He stopped hammering as I walked past. "Abigail," he whispered.

I paused. "Yes?"

Nathan's brown eyes met mine. "Be careful, alright?"

"Aye," I nodded. "I will."

He smiled a wan smile, one which I shared. Both of us knew that if I was caught with the message, despite the fact that I was a young woman I would be hung for my deeds. For being a spy for the Patriots.

I started out along the street. I passed a troop of soldiers with my head down, but they didn't even pay attention to me. The thing about the British is that they would never think a woman smart enough to be a spy. That's why there were so many of us in the ring.

The Culper Ring.

I finally reached the border of New York. I spotted the house, just on the outskirts. I started towards it, looking for the line. My green eyes peered around the house, and that's when I saw something that made me gasp.

There wasn't white sheets hanging on the clothes line.

There wasn't anything.

I paused. What should I do? It couldn't be good if there were no sheets. But what if the woman had just been struck sick, or was too busy and had forgotten? I paused, my hand straying to the secret pocket.

"I've got to do it," I whispered.

I strode boldly forward towards the house.

But what would I find?

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The Agent Files, sticky oranges, my wantings, and a question

Dear Readers,

I'm proud to tell you that my friends and I (Piano Bookworm, Hadassah) have finished the first The Agent Files and are working on the second one, which seems to be going better than the first one. (Very Hobbitish. And funny........ if you haven't read the book or watched the movie The Hobbit you might want to do so......)

Anyway, does anybody else get irked when they're eating an orange and their hands get all sticky? Even when they've washed them?! I know that's kind of random, but I just ate an orange...... =P

Sometimes I wish that I could be like other bloggers. I wouldn't show a picture of myself (of course) but I wish I could at least give an age-range, kind of what I look like, my first name, and then use like "I live in Xxxxx". (You kind of get the picture.) But I don't. Oh well. =P

I was wondering.... should my next post be Abigail Jane Applegate, the Patriot spy, or Jessie Bender, the hilarious Ohioan? Please tell me. :)

Love,
Katrina

P.S. Don't forget to enter the design contest!! It ends the first of February. :)

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE BABY!

Dear Readers,

This is Jessie.

And I've to come to say that.....

.......I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SUMMER!!!!!

Mostly because of that fact that then I'll never have to see Maya again.

Until school starts back up.

Ugh.

And more baby news--we found out that it's a little boy, and my parents decided that his name's going to be William. Then they decided we'll call him Willie while he's really little, and then when he's starting to talk we'll call him Will. Interesting.

Anyway, so the old room down the hall that used to house all of our old junk is now being converted into a baby room. We've got it all painted, and now Mom's always driving us around to Good Wills and such getting all of these baby supplies.

And, you'll be proud to know, I've kind of come to accept it.

And now I'm actually kind of excited!!

I mean, a little baby brother?! SWEET!

I'm actually really, really, really excited. (And it's not only because Mom says she's going to actually teach me how to change the baby and that she'll probably be doing it most of the time.) And now I'm going to have the sibling that I kind of (secretly) always wanted. And then I can be like all of those girls who walk around the park, carrying their little sibling...

Aww. That's so cute. :)

I JUST CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!

Love,
Jessie

Monday, January 21, 2013

Magazine Update!

Dear Readers,

GUESS WHAT?!?! I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO PUT A STORY OF MINE IN THE MAGAZINE!!!!!! GAH!!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!! (Yesterday I was jumping up and down and screaming. If you can imagine that..... that's kind of what I did when I thought I was going to get to be an extra in a movie...... =P)

The story I've decided to put in is actually Connie (Rubberboot Girl). So I've had to pull the story off the blogs that they're on because it's being published. Sorry! I hope you guys understand. Soon, hopefully, I'll have the link to the magazine's website so that maybe you guys could subscribe!!!! That would be really awesome. :)

I'll keep you updated.

Love,
Katrina

Sunday, January 20, 2013

I might have a story in a magazine...?

Dear Readers,

Guess what?! I might be (might be) having a continuing story in a magazine! (like again and again) (and a real magazine) (by a really awesome person I know) Anyway, we haven't figured out everything out, but I'm pretty sure it's all going to work out. :) I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!! I really love the lady who's going to be doing the magazine. I just can't wait!!

The editor of Connie has told me that they have gotten to the end (I believe) of chapter eight, and when they start editing again they can get to chapter nine. Like I said, they're thorough. I'll make sure to keep you updated, and if/when I get Connie published/agreed-to-be-published I'll make sure to let all of you know!!!!! :)

So, did you guys like the new Abigail? Well? (Well, I did!! =D)

I'll tell you guys more about the magazine later.

(I'm also probably going to have an add for it. And a place where you can subscribe. And of course a link to the magazine's website.)

As for now, I'll be seeing you later....

Love,
Katrina

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Design Entry

I decided to enter a design contest (I know, like first, right?!) for Britt.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Spy--Chapter 1

My name is Abigail Jane Applegate, and I was ten years old when the British started taxing us horribly. And it's not fair. Mother has refused to buy tea anymore. Instead, we drink coffee, which isn't quite the same, but it has to do. It comes from our friend's plantation. And if coffee was taxed, then we'd go to water. I know it. My parents do not like the British. They would do anything to oppose them.

Last night, my father came home, his hat in his hands. I was just telling Betsey to get her hands off the table and Priscilla to stop trying to pull off little chunks of bread from the bread plate when the door burst open.

Mother, who'd just been bringing out a pot of stew, nearly fell over in surprise as Father burst into the house, a happy smile on his face. By the scared look on my mother's face, I knew that she had thought that my father was one of the British.

"Oh, Beth, you won't believe it!" he cried merrily.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"I just got news from... some friends of mine that something wonderful has happened," Father told her. He glanced over at us and then said, "Abigail, please get your sisters into your room, please. Thank you."

I sighed. "Come along, Betsey, Priscilla."

The girls bounded out of the room with me on their heels. They started up the stairs to their room, glad that they'd gotten out of hearing of the conversation that they, no doubt, thought was boring beyond belief. And me? I stayed behind, moving towards the door into the dining room again, pressing my ear to crack to ear my father's words.

"...and the Sons of Liberty have gone and dumped tea in the harbor!" Father was whispering excitedly. "The British are furious. It's got to be war!"

"I wouldn't be so sure," answered Mother.

"But don't you see?" Father whispered. "We've shown that we don't need the British, or their tea! Soon every man will be raising their arms against England!" His voice had risen into a happy cry.

"Lower your voice, William," Mother warned. "These walls have ears." She stared right through the crack where I was listening. "Abigail, please come in."

I sighed and opened the door. Mother was frowning but Father was smiling.

"Abigail, my lass," started Father, "you're about to witness something amazing in American history. Did you know that?"

"Yes," I whispered. "I do."

He smiled. "Are you ready?"

"I'm not quite sure," I answered truthfully. And I wasn't.

***
Five years later
1778

I hurried through the streets of New York, my eyes trained to the ground before me. Clutched in my hand, hidden under my shawl, was an important message that I needed to get to my father as soon as possible. 

I glanced up ahead and saw several British soldiers marching towards me. I glanced around and saw a woman peeking out of one of the doors.

"Girl," she whispered.

I quickly came over and slipped inside the house just as the soldiers turned down the street. Panting, I leaned against the wall, waiting for the soldiers to pass. I glanced over at the woman and saw her staring at me, her eyes scared.

When the sounds of the soldiers' stomping feet had left, she whispered, "Is it urgent?"

I nodded. "Thank you so much. May God bless you."

I quickly left the woman's house and continued down the street. I spotted the old stable, with the sounds of a blacksmith's hammer inside, and quickly went in. My father's apprentice, Nathan, was there, pounding away.

"Where's Father?" I queried.

He got the meaning. "He's in the back room."

My skirts swept around my legs as I walked over the old hay and came to the big wooden door in the back of the stable. I knocked three times and then kicked the door. It promptly opened. My father's worried face melted into relief when he saw me.

"I didn't think you'd make it with all of the soldiers marching around," he whispered. "Thank goodness you're alright."

My hand came out of my shawl. "Here's the message."

He nodded. "Thank you, Abigail. You're a true Patriot."

No. I was a spy.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

A very short letter from Jessie and a message from Storyteller.err.Katrina

Dear Readers,

This is Jessie, and I just got back to my own beautiful house in Dayton, Ohio, and away from the farm. PHEW! I'm glad to be back.

Bye!
P.S.From.Storyteller.err.Katrina. OK, just to say, Abigail Jane Applegate WILL be coming back, but she's very different. Everything's that happened before... it's zilch. So, we're starting over! Clean slate! Whoohoo!! Keep a lookout for it. ;)

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

A Horsey Adventure

Dear Readers,

This is Jessie.

And guess what?

I've got news.

My parents decided that they were going to let me have a "sleepover" at my cousin's house.

OK, so my cousin lives in Indiana on this farm where they have all of these horses and animals and whatnot.

I suppose it's because they didn't like me freaking out about the baby.

Urgh.

Anyway, so I got my things together and got shipped off.

My cousin, Adriane, happens to be kind of a horse-whisperer. She's the one who takes care of the horses and is kind of like their lead mare.

And guess what happened this morning?

So I was playing in their barn with the kittens that they have with my younger cousin, Lilly, when all of a sudden Adriane comes running in.

"Jessie!" she yelled. "I need your help--RIGHT NOW!"

So I jumped down from the loft (OK, OK, I used the ladder... ;D) and she yelled at me to grab one of the horses' halter (which the leadrope attached) and another leadrope, explaining that one of the horses had gone and jumped the fence. (OH GREAT!) Then she took off running, a bucket of grain in hand. I came stumbling after her.

She was already with the horse, letting it fill its stomach greedily with the grain. Blood oozed from this really nasty cut on its leg. She told me to put the leadrope around the horse's neck, which I did. Then she slowly pulled away the mostly-empty bucket and put the horse's halter on. Then she told me to walk ahead with the empty feed bucket and get the other horses into the corral.

At first, I was kind of freaked out. Me? Horses? They hadn't mixed. EVER. We'd have to see if I survived...

So I went ahead, not running, and got the other horses into the corral while she got the horse she pulled along into the corral. Then she told me to go and get some healing salve and a bucket full of warm water and a soft cloth. I managed to find all of them, and quickly got them back out to her.

Now I could really see all of the damage that the horse had gone and done to herself. Other than the oozing cut on her leg, there was a kind of chunk/cut taken out just above that leg (not that much...). She also had a small cut on the other leg. Adriane told me she was lucky. Apparently some horses look like Joey in War Horse after trying to jump a fence. (Though our horsey friend actually HAD jumped the fence...)

Yeah, so that's my adventure.

Pretty crazy, huh?

Love,
Jessie

Based on real-life events.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

W.O.W.

SHOULD I GET RID OF ABIGAIL JANE APPLEGATE AND START ANOTHER CONTINUING STORY?!

Monday, January 14, 2013

LOOK AT THESE CHOPSTICKS!!!!!!!

OK, so, I was going to say that I was going to get to use my chopsticks again today! We picked up these Chinese/Japanese meals for like a dollar each (so we have a LOT), and then I was told I could have one. (YES! SCORE!!) 

And THEN I was looking up pictures of chopsticks and I saw this picture^ and I was like "THIS IS TOTALLY AWESOME I WOULD SOOOOOO USE THOSE!!" Aren't they?! What kind of a genius comes up with lightsaber chopsticks?! They're so awesome!!

Anyway, I've been working on this one new story (don't worry, Connie's getting worked on =P Oh! And we finished The Agent Files!!!!!!! :) I'll post it soon.....) called The Polar Vortex (please don't take that name) and it's going really well!! I just got it over 100 pages yesterday, so that's good.... and I know what's going to happen at the end of the book, and what the second book is mostly going to about. And I know who's really a bad guy..... anyway, I don't want to tell you anymore so that when I post it you guys know everything. =)

I don't think I told you guys, but I got a new blog called Heart of a Storyteller Blog Designs. Please go check it out!!!!! It means a lot. :)

Later!!

Love,
Katrina

Sunday, January 13, 2013

A Childish Occurrence

Dear Readers,

This is Jessie. The heat still hasn't died done. URGH!

But I get home from school, and Mom and Dad are sitting on the couch. I frowned, hesitated, and then came in, wondering what on earth was going on.

"Uh, hey," I managed, dropping my backpack on the chair by the door. "Um, what's going on? You guys just have a little heart-to-heart talk or something? Because if so, I can leave..."

"Oh, no, actually, we were waiting for you to come home," smiled Mom, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear, giving that knowing smile to Dad.

"Oh, really?" I plopped down on one of the chairs.

"Yeah," agreed Dad. "We've got some important news."

I froze. Oh great!! We weren't moving, were we?! I still remembered with horror when we'd almost moved to Dodo, Alaska. YEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! With sweaty palms and a gulp, I looked up at them.

"So what's the news?" I whispered.

"Well...." Dad smiled at Mom.

"We're..." started Mom.

"...Going to be having a baby!" they both said at the same time.

I about choked. A BABY?! Were they kidding!? They couldn't have a baby!! I'd be like thirteen years older than it!! That was HORRIBLE!!!!! And it was probably going to be all stinky and whatever and I'd have to go and change all of its diapers. And then Mom and Dad would pay more attention to the baby than to me.

Ugh.

"Oh, uh, that's great," I managed feebly.

While they were rejoicing together, I went upstairs to my laptop and quickly shot Noah an email.

To: Noah Darcy <savethekoalabears@yahoo.com
From: Jessie Bender <dramaticcrazyjessie@gmail.com>
Subject: THE WORLD HAS COME TO AN END!!!

Noah,
I'm serious!! My parents are having a BABY!!!!!!! How horrible is that?! What am I going to do??!!?! I need some help!!!!!!!!!
Jessie

I quickly sent the email before I could change my mind.

What am I going to do?????


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Ask me one!

As most of you know, I love designing.

And, as most of you know, I've done tutorials about designing.

Well, I can't really think of something really important that I want to talk about.

But if there's anything about designing that you'd like to know, tell me and I'll do a post on it!

Sorry this is kind of short. =P

Love,
Katrina

P.S. Also, if you need places to design, I can offer a few.....

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

I'm a Princess!

Dear Readers,

I'm not perfect. Like NOT AT ALL. I have faults. If I get mad, I'm mad. If somebody annoys me, then I get annoyed. Sometimes I'm the annoying one. I'm far from perfect. In fact, I can't even begin to become that word. At least on my own.

If it weren't for God, I don't know where I'd be. I'd probably be convinced that I was the most horrible and most ugly person ever. I'd probably become a recluse and stay in my room all the time. And when I was forced to go somewhere I'd stay in the quiet corner, hidden.

Our God is a great God! How I'm glad that's He real, that He's here, inside of me. I really have no idea where I'd be. Without Him, I'm nothing. With Him? I'm a princess.

And you're all princesses, too, if God's your Savior.

Don't EVER forget that!

Love,
Katrina

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Olivia McCarthy Cover Contest!

What it is:
Design a cover for my book, Olivia McCarthy: Avalon Keepers.

Rules:
1. You MUST be a follower of this blog (Rubberboot Girl).
2. You may only enter once. If you do more than once, you're disqualified.
3. Post your designing on your blog and then leave the link in a comment ON THIS POST. If it's not on THIS POST, it will NOT be counted.
4. Share this post on Google so that your friends will know about it! (If you're not allowed to do Google sharing or you have a Yahoo! account, this rule does not apply to you.)
5. This contest ends February 1st, so you have some time to get your designing done! :)
6. Take off the add above (I'll have it on my sidebar) and display it on my blog for the whole time the contest is going on. When the contest ends, you do not have to keep it on.
7. First place will receive a blog design by me.
8. Second place will receive a memorabilia piece from Olivia McCarthy: Avalon Keepers.
9. Third place will receive a quote of their choice from Olivia McCarthy: Avalon Keepers.
10. Good luck and God bless!!! :)

Monday, January 7, 2013

*Embarrassing!*

Dear Readers,

This is Jessie. And I've come to announce that I'm hopping mad at Summer!!!

Mostly because of the last thing I heard come out of her mouth!!!!

And now her horrible words have become this really bad rumor.

Thankfully, Noah has chosen to ignore it all.

(For a guy, he really is an awesome best friend.....)

It's horrible. I walked through the hallway and pinned to my locker was this note--

"Jessie loves Noah."

I admit it. I about puked!!

The next time I went to my locker the note was gone. I was pretty sure it had been Noah. Thanks, buddy. I owe you one.

Every time I saw Summer, she was just glaring fiercely at me. I kind of wondered why. I mean, I suppose she might LIKE Noah, but I would think that that stinky Maurice was more of her type, if you know what I mean...

Either way, when school ended I sprinted out the door, running into Mom's waiting car and yelled, "STEP ON IT, MOM!!!"

When I explained the whole situation, Mom admitted there wasn't anything she could do.

Me: Are you serious?

Mom: Uh, yeah...

Me: Can't you like talk to the principal or something?!

Mom: What can he do about it?! You can't make a whole school stop talking about something!!

Me: What about the Nazis?!

Mom: Jessie, what about them?

Me: Well, they made people stop reading Jewish books and whatever, so I think that the principal could...

Mom: Jessie, this isn't 1940!!

Me: I know...

Mom: You're just going to have to grin and bear.

Me: Grin and bear it?! More like PUKE and bear it!! It's embarrassing!! He's just my best friend. Can't they get over it?

Mom: Apparently not....

Isn't this awful?!


Sunday, January 6, 2013

I don't like things changing.

Dear Readers,

I've never liked the idea of giving things away. Or the idea of moving, of packing up my things, leaving, and never coming back. I like to hang onto things. I like them always being there. The thought of people close to me dying is almost unthinkable.

I don't like change, either. I don't really like having to give something away from my childhood. I don't like having to forget and go away. I like remembering things. I like hanging onto the memories and keeping them forever.

But that's just me, isn't it?

Love,
Katrina

Saturday, January 5, 2013

I have found out that I love chopsticks...


I have found out that I love chopsticks. I really do! They're like amazingly awesome!!! :) I've met some Japanese people before, and I have a friend who helps a lot of Japanese people get used to living away from Japan. One of the Japanese people actually taught me how to use chopsticks! I was sooooooo excited!!! If you haven't tried using them, they're SUPER fun and actually really easy!!! If you've ever thought that like the idea of eating rice with chopsticks is hard, think again. I learned from our Japanese friend that the kind of rice that they eat with chopsticks is actually really sticky and so stays in clumps, which, I know from personal experience, would be REALLY  easy to pick up with chopsticks! We actually don't eat a lot of rice, but I love using chopsticks to eat things like pieces of cereal or popcorn. It's tons of fun!! Our Japanese friend gave me my own pair of chopsticks so that I could practice at home. :) And did you know that there are actually boy and girl chopsticks? The black ones are boys', and the red ones are girls'. I got a wooden pair, which could be either. (Though there's some pink on the end, so I would say girl.... =D) If you've never tried chopsticks, go and grab some and try them out!!!! :)

Friday, January 4, 2013

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Party Horrors

Dear Readers,

Hey, this is Jessie!!

Let's just say that you probably don't want to hear about the dance.

What? You DO?!

OK, your funereal.

(It WASN'T MY FAULT, okay?!)

OK, so, like, I got ready, and then Noah's mom came over and we all went to the dance and got dropped off, and the whole time we were joking all over the place.

And then we finally got there, and the whole thing was totally decked out like this huge castle or something, with streamers and big paper cutouts and lots of crazy stuff. We were pretty much like "are you serious? This was the GYM?!"

So then Noah's mom drove off and we just walked in there like old pals. I think that Noah wanted us to go, but didn't want to go with me and ask because he was afraid that I'd think he was going all weirdo on me. So it was all relaxed and totally friend-to-friend, which was what I wanted.

When we walked in, Summer looked about ready to burst.

"What's her problem?" I snorted.

"Probably ate a sweet pickle," chuckled Noah. "Come on. I think I see some food over there."

Boys. Always thinking about food.

OK, OK, I admit it--I was starved. So we hurried over and attacked the food and then sat on in the chairs by the wall and watched the drama unfold. Pretty interesting.

First, Summer got jealous about Ladasha and "secretly" (not very. We could see the whole thing.) tripped Ladasha so that she fell right into Maurice, who'd been dancing with another girl who I'd never met.

Then Ladasha went and started yelling things that I wont repeat at Summer, which got everybody horrified and hushed. THEN the principal showed up and demanded what on earth was going on. Then Summer lied and said that Maurice had taken her out and then been ignoring her the whole time.

Then Ladasha told her that she was a liar--TO HER FACE--and then they both got taken off to the principal's office.

Then I got wrangled into dancing, and then Maurice asked me, and then I had to dance again with Noah, then I hid over by the refreshment table, and then, and only THEN, did the dance finally come to and end.

I LOVE YOUR TIMING, GOD.

But then something really horrible happened. Summer had somehow escaped the hands of the principal and, just as I was walking out, yelled,

"SO YOU'RE LIKE DATING NOAH, AREN'T YOU, JESSIE?!"

And I was horrified that I nearly fell over, and Noah grabbed my arm and we ran towards the door.

So then I finally managed to escape.

With Noah's help, of course.

#WORSTNIGHTEVER


Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Wow. Another contest??

Dear Readers,

Apparently you guys want another contest!! (I mean, it's winning.... =P)

So before I go and make up this big idea and the add and everything, what kind of contest would you be most likely to enter?

Story, design, or photo contest?

The one that gets the most comments about it, that's the contest that I'll do, OK? ;)

Meanwhile.....

It's snowing!!! Yay!!!! Love ya, snow!!!!! =D

This is kind of random, but I really love libraries. I really, truly do. If I had to spend all day in town at one place, you know where I'd go? Bingo!! THE LIBRARY!!! 

I love it because of all the books. And that's because I LOVE reading!! I always have. And I love it when they get a whole bunch of awesome new books in. I'm usually the first ones to get them out!!! =D Yeah, it's pretty awesome... this one librarian really knows us, too, so it's just like coming and seeing a friend. :)

And, if there aren't any good books, there's a TV upstairs in a quiet corner, so you could watch a movie, too. And of course computers. =P (lol) 

Don't forget to talk to me about the contest!!! ;)

Love,
Katrina

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Wow--it's 2013!!!

Wow--it's 2013!!!! I can't believe it!!!! :)