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)

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. ;)

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. ;)

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

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

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?

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. :)