A Much Better Christmas Post

Yesterday's Christmas post was not really a blog. Well it was, but only about a paragraph of it was actual blogging. Sooo now that I have more time, here's the story of the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!

I actually can't remember the celebration part of Christmas 2008 (grade 8) at all. Just the tree. I imagine we had a delicious dinner at Grampa and Grandma's house on Christmas day and Quaker Christmas either the week before or the week after. And we opened our stocking Christmas morning, had a delicious breakfast, opened presents, and spent the rest of the day figuring them out until Christmas dinner. Actually, that was the year I received my mp4 player! I've since upgraded to an actual iPod but still, it was pretty great. The BIG amazing thing about that year was the tree.

We went out to get it about two days before Christmas, so of course all the better trees were already taken. There'd also been a really heavy snow the day before and half the trees were buried in snow. Only it was packed down, so we didn't realize just how MUCH of the tree was hiding beneath the snow. So we were hiking around the tree farm, thinking all of the trees were way too small. When we found the perfect one, Dad began making his way around to flatten the snow, and then wedged himself underneath to start chopping. I guess we should half know it was going to be a problem tree when, half an hour later, he was still hacking. No. We kept going. Also, apparently, if we had gone back to the farmhouse, the man owning it would chop it down for us, but that thought's just depressing and really doesn't matter anymore.

You know how usually, to get it on top of the car, you have to get a bunch of guys together and hoist it up? We had to back into the tree. Really. I'm sure how that even worked, but we were there for a LONG time getting that tree on top of the van. And we had to borrow extra rope.

Okay, this is taking way too long and I have relatives over. The rest will be rushed.

Basically, the tree had two trunks, one of which Dad spent a LOT of time removing. We had to remove a lot of the top of the tree to fit it inside the house - even more the fit it inside the stand. By the time Dad finished trimming, we had more rejected branches sitting on the front porch than we had on the actual tree. Still, it looked like a bush. It was the first year we've ever used all of the Christmas lights for the tree - we didn't have any left to decorate the cedar branches along the outside, or the fake branches on the stairway or kitchen arch. We used ALL the lights. And beads. Not a single bead rope was left out. We often skip the gold beads because they make the tree look too cluttered. Not this time. And ornaments. Normally we put some of the handmade ornaments hanging somewhere else because they're too big for the tree. Not this time. It was also so thick that there was very little space beneath for presents.

All decorated, it did look like a Christmas tree. In fact, it looked like the BEST CHRISTMAS TREE EVER!!! We've never chopped our own tree since - they're all from Fincher's now, but that tree was definitely the best one we've ever had. It doesn't really look as amazing in the picture - but it was great.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I know I haven't posted in a long time, but this season is so busy! But this is the most wonderful and uplifting holiday of the entire year, so if any day is worth posting on, it's this one. Even if it isn't much, again. This is my favourite Christmas carol because it shows someone of such high nobility showing equality to someone so beneath them. It also, in my head, for some reason takes place in this really beautful picturesque scene in the medeival ages.

GOOD KING WENCESLAS

Good King Wenceslas looked out

On the feast of Stephen

When the snow lay round about

Deep and crisp and even

Brightly shone the moon that night

Though the frost was cruel

When a poor man came in sight

Gath'ring winter fuel

"Hither, page, and stand by me

If thou know'st it, telling

Yonder peasant, who is he?

Where and what his dwelling?"

"Sire, he lives a good league hence

Underneath the mountain

Right against the forest fence

By Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh and bring me wine

Bring me pine logs hither

Thou and I will see him dine

When we bear him thither."

Page and monarch forth they went

Forth they went together

Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather"

Sire, the night is darker now

And the wind blows stronger

Fails my heart, I know not how,

I can go no longer."

"Mark my footsteps, my good page

Tread thou in them boldly

Thou shalt find the winter's rage

Freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod

Where the snow lay dinted

Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed

Therefore, Christian men, be sure

Wealth or rank possessing

Ye who now will bless the poor

Shall yourselves find blessing

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
...and don't think too much about the presents eh? ;)

Story from Grade Three

All throughout my gradeschool years, I was sort of known as 'the writer' because I wrote a LOT. So I was digging around through my old things this afternoon for my portfolio in Careers, when I came a across my old story called "I Went To Calumuzzu". I wrote it in grade three, and it is sort of what triggered my entire image of being 'the writer' because I gave it to my principal directly after I wrote it, and he gave me a certificate. This is going to be a long post, but here it is. I removed all the spelling and grammar mistakes. Also, blogger doesn't have the 'Tab' button, so the paragraphs are only marked by moving to the next line.

I Went To Calumuzzu
I went through a wardrobe to a city. The sign said "Welcome to Calumuzzu.", the next sign beside it said "Hippety Hop Calumuzzu Circus", and underneath that in small letters it said "Apple Valley Street".
I turned around to go back the way I had come. I was going to go get the others, but the wardrobe was gone! How would I get back?
I wondered if my life was based on the books of the Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. No, because then my name would have to be Lucy, but my it’s Anni, short for Anneke.
So I started down the street to find Apple Valley. When I found the street, I found that the roads and everything was covered in snow. As I walked, I started to freeze. I found nothing but snow. I began to cry.
"I can’t bear the snow any longer. I’m going to die," I thought. I made a little bed of snow and took off my sweatshirt. Then I layed my scissors across my pants and cut, so I had shorts on. At last I layed down on my bed that I made of snow, waiting for me to die.
"Get up - you might get frost bite. Snow doesn’t keep you warm, you know," I head someone say. I sat up immediately.
"I know that," I said.
"Then come on," the lady said, "We ought to get you all bundled into some warm clothes, don’t you think?"
"Yeah," I answered. The lady was wearing blackish-bluish-greenish turquoise pants with a greenish coat, a headband in her hair, and long blonde hair.
"Oh yes, and my name is Kemp, Katy Kemp," she said.
"Oh, mine’s Anneke, but people call me Anni," I said.
"Last name? I’m sure it wouldn’t be Anni," she said impatiently.
"Oh. Narnia," I said.
"Anni Narnia? Something is peculiar about you," she said rudely.
"Like what?" I asked.
"You last name," she answered.
"So?" I asked.
"So just look up at the sign," she demanded.
The sign said "Welcome To Narnia".
"So? Who cares if I have the same name as the town? What will it do? And besides, I thought this was Calumuzzu?" I asked.
"Well, it was, but it’s not anymore. Well...you see ... um ... well ... well that ... you see, that ... that was the last town. Kind of," she stammered.
"Uh huh? And why does it matter?" I asked.
"Oh ... just because, and you’re asking too many questions! Now you’ve lost the answer for this one," she muttered.
Whatever, I thought. We started going home. Now I thought that my life really WAS based on the book of The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. A magic wardrobe, snow everything, a wicked witch (or at least she seemed like it), and wierdest of all, the town’s name was Narnia. Now how weird is that?
When we got there, she got to the door and when she opened it, all I could see was children everywhere.
"Now we mustn’t waste any time - there’s too many children," Katy said.
"For what?" I asked.
"Their names," she answered.
"Oh, but so many kids, Katy!" I begged.
"No buts. And call me Mrs. Kemp. Now the kids on this side are Cassie, Luis, Jen, Jennifer, Paul, Xavier, Lucy, Mary, Cammie, Cam, and Lisa. Over here on the right is Lexi, John, Jamie, Stephen, Steven, Tyler, Candace, Morgan, Michelle, Polly, Reuben, Ruben, Kyle, Rachel, Jordi, Jessie, Courtney, Jason, Cody, Makayla, Crystal, Jade, Suzie, Rebecca, Hannah, Zachary, and Kyla. Over here on the west are Darian, Kysha, Lila, Lilly, Lia, Linsy, Lauren, Tish, Lore, Carver, Tino, Freddy, and Luther. Now the kids on the north side are Kate, Kelsey, Carmen, Meryn, Megan, Leendert, Jeanette, Roger, Maria, Mandy, Kelly, and Nisa. The kids on the kitchen table are all triplets with one more. Their weird names are Dotty, Lotty, Moxi, and the fourth triplet is really weird. She doesn’t rhyme with her brothers and sisters. She is Cottontail. And the kids on the cabinet who are not supposed to be up there are Tammy and Tommy. Guys, get down," said Mrs. Kemp.
"Wow, there are about 60-something people in here," I said.
"Yes, and you are the next child her," said Mrs. Kemp.
"No, I’m not, and I never said that either. So there, we’re even and I’ve even got a little more proof than you," I declared as ran out the door.
She ran after me, yelling, "Stop, stop! I’ll catch you! You name, well last name anyways, is now Kemp."
"Bad chance," I yelled. I ran all the way back to Calumuzzu, and right into a door. When I found that I was going through a tunnel, I stopped.
"Get in here quickly - she is coming!" a voice boomed. I ran faster by the thought of her catching up.
When I finally saw something, it was weird. In the huge opening in the tunnel, there was an old man.
"You coming or not?" he asked.
"Yes," I answered.
"Then come on," he said. I ran over. I saw a flying machine.
"Come on, get in," he said. I ran in.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Are you kidding? We’re going home," he answered.
"You mean you know me?" I asked.
"Yup. I knew your grandma and grandpa pretty well in college. Now they were love bugs. Oh yeah, and I taught your dad," he said.
"Wow," I said, surprised.
"Yeah, I’m pretty much in the family," he said.
"Oh, you get back here!" yelled Mrs. Kemp, running and shooting fire bullets out of an evil wand.
"Oh no," he said.
"What?" I asked.
"If that goes into the wrong hands, this machine can’t run," he said.
Just then, an evil bullet shot into the flying machine.
"Ahhh!" I yelled, or screamed - I don’t fully remember. Now back to the story. The machine split in two and him and I landed on our butts.
"Stop, stop! Why are you doing this? What do you want of us, you wicked witch of the East?" he said.
"Oh not so quickly," she said, "You think I am the witch of the east, but I’m not. I am the witch of the north. Oh yes, and I will call Elda here. She’s the witch of the west. I know how you all fear her. And about why I’m here and who I want. I am here for a new member of my family, and I want Anni. I would be surprised if you would want her. You’re so clumsy, you can barely keep yourself alive," she snarled.
He fainted.
"He can so," I said.
"Cannot!"
"Can too."
"Cannot."
"Can too."
"Cannot."
"Can to."
"Cano-." Her voice got interrupted by a girl’s voice.
"Thop it, you meany!" the voice yelled. It sounded like a 5-year-old. Well, that’s because it was, except a 4-year-old, which is even worse.
"Polly, what are you doing here?" asked Mrs. Kemp.
But before she could answer, I yelled, "watch out, Polly! Get over here - she’s lifting her magic wand!"
"So?" she asked.
"So if she shoots our bullets of fire and she’s aiming at you, which she is, than," - I snapped my fingers - "you’re dead."
"Fine, then I’ll get you first," snapped Mrs. Kemp.
I ran behind the biggest rock in the cave. Polly ran after me.
"Ok, on the count of thwee, we will wun out and thing ‘I love you. You love me. We’re a happy famawy. With a gwate big hug and a kiss from me to you, won’t you say you love me too.’ We’ll do that to let her know that we will like her," said Polly.
"No way. You do it," I said. It way have been a stupid song from Barney, but it was smart, in away. It would help make Mrs. Kemp go wacko, I thought.
Just then, I saw two doors. One had a shape of a hand carved in it, and inside the hand there was a silver button right where the palm would go. The hand was about Polly’s size.
I could still here he singing, "and a kiss fwum me to you. Won-."
I interrupted her and said, "Polly, come here,"
"Why?" she asked.
"Just come here!" I yelled. She ran over, a bit frightened.
"What are we doing?" she whispered.
"Go put your hand in that one," I pointed at the door.
"Why?" asked Polly.
"Because I said so!" I yelled.
Quickly, she ran to the door with the hand on it. When she put her hand in the door, it opened. She walked in.
"Mommy, Daddy!" I heard her said. Then a bigger hand appeared. Mrs. Kemp ran to the door. Just then, a hand the same size as her’s appeared and in she put her hand. She ran through a hallway.
"What! A jail!?" I heard her yell.
I put my hand in the next one. Suddenly, I saw coats.
"The wardrobe!" I yelled. I would have imagined the old man heard me. I ran through the wardrobe and into the living room and saw my sister reading.
"What you reading?" I asked.
"Chloe’s Diary," she answered.
"Cool, what’s it about?" I asked.
"Here, I’ll read the back. This is what it says: ‘I have just gotten the popular boy in the school to notice me, but he doesn’t want me to tell, but what good it is if nobody knows cause then I won’t be popular?’ There, that’s what it says. Now can you just leave me alone?" she asked.
"Cool, can I read it?" I asked.
"Uh ... Anneke, you don’t even read love stories," she said.
I laughed out loud and said, "it’s so fun getting you confused." I walked out of the room. Oh yeah, and did I mention that was Amy? She’s 16 and her boyfriend’s David.
"Anneke!"
Oh, that was Amy. I better stop talking about her. Now let’s go see Jacob. He’s 13 years old.
"What are you reading?" I asked.
"Knight of the Flaming Sword," he answered.
"What’s it about?" I asked.
"An evil armoured man with a flaming sword. If a man gets touched by it, he’ll get cast into the dark ages," he answered.
"What are the dark ages?" I asked.
"Medeival time," he answered.
"Oh," I said. I walked out of the room. I walked into Mom’s office and there was my meanest sister, Marije. She is 11 years old and in Grade SIX.
Here it goes, I thought.
"Hey, Marije," I said.
"What are you doing in here? I thought Mom told you to scram! Even though you bothered the others, I’m not gonna let you bother me. Now go!" she yelled. I did.
Now, my mother did not say ‘scram’. She aid ‘go’.
Now my twin Ponika.
"Hey, Ponika." I said.
"Hey," she said.
"What are you reading?" I asked.
"Cool Barbie," she answered. It doesn’t really say ‘Cool Barbie’. It just says Barbie, but she thinks Barbies are cool.
I’m reading Lizzie McGuire. My little sister Gwen is in Preschool. She’s six.
"So you’re reading Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree?" I asked.
"Yeah," she answered.
Well, that’s the end of my story. Good-bye.

SPACE FILLER JOKE #1

Okay, I know haven't been on in a while (not sure how long), but I can't type that much today because I've been having MOUNTAINS of homework lately! Soo this post is only going to be a joke.

Q. How did Oprah die?
A. Spell 'No Oprah' backwards
...
Harpo On
...
harpoon
...
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Minor Reference to my Harry Potter Obsession

I got these from Bailey's blog, http://theramblingsofaninsaneteen.tumblr.com/, who probably got them from somewhere else, and I thought they were pretty much the most amazing thing ever! :D

Books [just for reference]
1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3. Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Askaban
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter from He Who Must Not Be Named's perspective
1. Harry Potter and that time I picked the wrong head to chill on
2. Harry Potter and that time he killed my snake
3. Harry Potter and the time I was not around
4. Harry Potter and that time I killed some spare
5. Harry Potter and the time I hung out in the Ministry
6. Harry Potter and that time that I wasn’t there but Snape Killed Dumbledore
7. Harry Potter and the time he and his friends kicked my butt.


Harry Potter from Ron's perspective
1. Ron Weasley and the Frigging Three Headed Dog
2. Ron Weasley and the Possessed Sister
3. Ron Weasley and the Rat That Isn’t A Rat
4. Ron Weasley and the Green Monster of Jealousy
5. Ron Weasley and the Year of Quidditch
6. Ron Weasley and the Girl Drama
7. Ron Weasley and the Wooing of Hermione Granger

And maaaybe I'll just add that The Deathly Hallows Part 1 is AMAZING!!!! :D :D :D :D :D
Favourite Parts:'
- Fleur as Harry: "Don't look at me, Bill, I'm hideous!" and cuddling up against Bill's shoulder
- pretty much the whole Seven Potters Scene!
- when George walks in on Harry and Ginny kissing
- Harry and Hermione's dance

- Ron: "Midnight. Mom always said midnight. Sounds better than twilight."

- Harry[after the scene where Ron goes on about hearing Hermione's voice]: "yeah, why don't you keep it up about seeing her light and stuff? I'm sure she'll come around."

- Dobby: "Kill?! Dobby never means to kill!! Just maime or seriously injure."

- Fred[worriedly]: "How do you feel, George?" George: "Saint-like." Fred: "What?" George[pointing to his ear]: "I'm holey. Get it?"

- Ron, Hermione, and Harry in the Ministry as the adults. Imagine what it would've been like for the actors!! lol

- and then the part with Ron and Harry's fight almost made me cry ... it's just so sad when you've seen them through so much! :(

Et Voila, that's the first Harry Potter blog entry, with probably many more to come. This was just triggered after seeing Deathly Hallows for the first time. Friggen great! :D



And, NO, I am not just a movie cheat. 'Cuz everyone knows the books are better than the movies.

Even if I eat my veggies, starving kids in China are still starving...

Wear a ribbon for breast cancer, wear a poppy for Remembrance Day, eat your veggies at dinner because there are starving children in China who would love to eat them, take a Vow of Silence for children who do not have a voice, etc. What difference does it make? When it doesn't really affect the people who we're doing it for? To raise awareness? Well what are the people we're 'awarifying' going to do? Do the same thing and make more people aware? Lot of good that will do...
This is really debatable in my head, as I can see the point from both sides. However, I'm leaning more towards doing it. It's kind of a personal thing. Giving money all the time loses its meaning after a while, and it's just another dollar going to some organization. Wearing the ribbon or making some sort of stand reminds you of why you're doing it. It reminds you that you care, and truly are in support of whatever you're supporting. Don't you feel better when you can physically see that you're doing something? Donating is good, but you can't actually see with your own eyes what you're sponsoring. When you where the ribbon or eat your veggies or take the vow of silence, you do it proudly, knowing that you're in support of whatever it is. It gives the giver both a sense of pride in what they are doing as well as sort of puts them into the shoes of whoever they're supporting, or makes them realize what they have that others don't.
Not that it's only for the person doing it, of course. People do notice and they do take joy in the fact that you're supporting it, and sometimes they ask what it's for, but not always. It does raise awareness, but not nearly as much as your own. It mostly increases your will to give and support this cause.
Well that's all I can think of at the moment. You'll see there's no structure to this entry at all, just like all the others. I'll probably continue this later with more and better points, but for now that's all there is.

Awareness Ribbons:
White - adoption awareness, Methamphetamine[Meth] abuse awareness, lung cancer
Yellow - bone cancer, suicide awareness and prevention, endometriosis awareness, bladder cancer, Association of Young People with M.E, genocide awareness
Puzzle Pieces - Autism awareness
Clouds - Congenital diaphragmatic hernia [I think it's some sort of birth defect thing...?]
Blue - child abuse awareness, 'Bring Home our Troops', thyroid awareness, prostate cancer, colon cancer, anti-sex slavery, ant-tobacco
Jade - Jade Ribbon Campaign [hepatitus B and liver cancer]
Purple - crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, sarcoidosis, religious tolerance, domestic violence awareness, childhood stroke awareness, alzheimers, cystic fibrosis, March of Dimes
Lavender - epilepsy, cancer awareness[general]
Periwinkle - stomach cancer, eating disorders, esophageal cancer, pulmonary hypertension
Pink and Blue - Pro-Life, breast cancer, infertility awareness, infant loss, pregnancy loss, male breast cancer
Orange - self-injury, animal protection, leukemia, multiple sclerosis, anti-racism, kidney cancer, ADHD
Red - heart disease, AIDS, substance abuse, vasulitus
Gray - mental illness awareness, diabetes, brain cancer, asthma, and... zombie awareness[yes, it's real!]
Black - melanoma awareness, Anarchist Black Ribbon Campaign, remembering the Virginia Tech massacre thing
Pink - breast cancer, LGBT violence
Green - bipolar disorder, gastrochisis, depression, lyme disease, organ transplantations, environmental protection, mitochondrial disease, pedestrian safety
Teal - ovarian cancer, OCD, panic disorder, dissocatiative identity disorder, anti-bullying, batten disease, agoraphobia, food allergies
Violet - testicular disease
Gold - bone cancer, childhood cancer
Silver - brain disorders
Daisy - neurofibromatosis[those bumps on old people]
Burgundy - brain aneurism, headaches
Red and Blue - Haiti recovery[from earthquake]
Orange and Black striped - World War II
Red and Black - atheist solidarity
Blue and Black - law enforcement

And then of course there's the poppy on Remembrance Day, and many many others. There's also [my favourite] awareness bracelets!

War is stupid, just like republicans :) Not really, but for impact it is

Seeing as it's Remembrance day, I thought I might post something in honour of the vets. Not that I support war in any way. I'm quoting Muriel Duckworth as she says for the millionth time: War is stupid! And THAT is where the title comes in. In my opinion, war is stupid, but I'm still honouring the veterins by wearing a poppy :)
I think the two world wars we had were terrible, as does everyone else probably. Although I am pacifist, I'm glad Canada joined that war. Germany was...insane, does that fit? The Canadian military was needed to stop it. All the men, younger and older, cared enough about, not just our country, but the rest of the world. I don't like that they were forced to, but I respect the men who fought. Any life that ends, at or before their time, deserves respect. Of course, I also respect the men that DIDN'T fight. My great-grampa, for example, who managed to escape being drafted into the war by hiding inside a hole under the kitchen table when the soldiers came, but that's another story. Those people who knew they didn't belong in the war and managed to remain with their families also have my total respect.
War is the worst thing on earth. One of the few things I hate. I hate it! I hate it! I HATE IT! This is where the controversy comes in, in this thing :P In Canada, we have 'peacekeepers', 'peacemakers', and 'peace enforcers'. I'm pretty sure the way they work is that the peacekeepers help two nations work out their problems BEFORE they go into war, peacemakers place themselves into warring sides to prevent attack, and the peace enforcers 'enforce' peace. That's all good...in theory! The problems are (a) the 'peace enforcers' part of the three, and (b) what these groups ACTUALLY do. You can't 'enforce' peace, just like you can't fight for peace. When someone is attacking someone else, that is not peace at all! It's a completely hypocritical situation: you can't go up to get down and you can't fight for peace. It just doesn't work that way! If someone has another opinion on what these 'peace enforcers' actually do, pleeeaaaase tell me. But really, how many different ways can you interpret 'peace enforcers' without involving physical violence?
Okay, when I say what these peace people actually do, I don't think I'm really putting that right. I think it might just be only the peace enforcers, and maybe the peacemakers to. They don't fight; they only keep the peace that's already present, and prevent the war from starting. The peacemakers I'm not too sure about. You can't really 'make' another nation peaceful. You can give them advice, try to help them see from the eyes of the other nation, persuade them this way and that, but it's all verbal, much like a person. I guess peacemaking is OKAY, because they're not really attacking anyone, and they don't fight all the time, but they ARE armed. Peace enforcers, on the other hand, no. That's like running someone else's country because you think you're better than them or something, AND you're attacking them. No. Not right.
Another thing is that the peace enforcers don't always fight on behalf of the lesser nation, or really attempt 'peace'. It's like Canada's role in, what was it, Afganistan? Iraq? Both? We ended up helping the US more than we did the other country, or for peace. How does a country with an army like ours plan to stop a country with an army like the US' from attacking? We can't. So what do we do? Apparently we go and make a big mess and shoot a bunch of innocent people. And then we hear about all those 'poor Canadian soldier deaths' on the radio. Don't get me wrong, it's not a good thing they died and they should be properly mourned, which they likey are, but what about all the Afgans or Iraqis that perished? Do we consider the deaths that person might have caused? We don't hear those on the radio. Did you know that those whom we call terrorists, in many homelands they're considered 'freedom fighters? And likely the other way around as well. When our 'peace enforcers' storm into some country shooting up a storm [you know, making peace and everything :P], why shouldn't the people consider them terrorists? Our military are terrorists. All militaries are terrorists. When someone from another nation attacks us, they're considered 'terrorists', right? Why shouldn't it work the other way around?
The two World Wars, I think, helped us realize the effects of war, and it helped create the UN. The UN helps nations communicate with eachother so much easilier. It connects all the countries with the common good. [When the US goes in and makes without the UN's permission however, is a complete other story. And how they managed to STAY in the security council of the UN even after that I would really like to know!]. But the UN is great. Once all the countries decide to join, it will be even better. Maybe even authoritarian governments will become more democratic and developing will become developed. THIS can be acheived with the UN, I believe, and, dear United States republicans, I hope you're reading.
The US has so much power over the world. I mean really. How can such a powerful nation be so blind? How can such a tv station like FOX News even air without being shut down from being so wrong? Not the people. I'm sure most Americans are wonderful people. The one's that I know are perfectly nice people. Then again, all the one's I know vote democrat, and I've not yet talked to a republican, althouth somehow they keep holding office. If there's any republicans out there, let's chat?
So there you have it. My opinion on war. Well not really just war. My opinion on war can be put in three words: "War is stupid", once again quoting dear Muriel Duckworth. This whole thing was more like my opinion on Canadian involvement in wars, and a little bit of the US.
So NOW you can judge for yourself. Was this fitting for Remembrance Day or completely and totally inappropiate? I hope the veterans aren't mad. We met a couple yesterday after the Remembrance Day assembly at school, and they were so sweet! :) I love old people! You can't even describe them. There's something about them that just makes you love them, and veterans tend to be more... real? Maybe because they've lived through so much, have felt so much, and that's taught them what to be proud of and thankful for. They might be the only ones who truly know what it's like to love what you have, because they so easily could have lost it. I have so much respect for them.
There. That's more fitting for Remembrance Day :)Adios!

Quoting Rachel McQuail: is wearing a white poppy today in remembrance of all those who've suffered and are currently suffering as a result of wars and as a prayer that one day we will invest as much in preventing wars as we now do in in fighting them so that this suffering can end.

Conversation Starters People REALLY Need to Stop Using

1. I'm [so] cold. - Get a jacket or sweater on, you stup! If it's Winter, it's going to be cold. If it's Fall, it's going to be cold. If it's Spring, it's still going to be cold! It's not that hard to dress to the seasons!
2. I'm [so] tired. - Go to bed earlier, smarty pants. Nobody cares, especially when you're 'so tired' every day.
3. I went to bed so late last night. - You're a teenager, everybody goes to bed at midnight. If it affects you so much, go to bed earlier. If you want to make a bigger impression, go to bed at three in the morning and brag about that the next day. If you need more sleep, get it. If you need to brag, pick a better topic. End of story.
4. Watsup. - Not much, you? Same. Cool. Mmk, 'nuff said.Let's move on, shall we?
5. How are you? - How is someone supposed to answer that? If you say 'good' it sounds like you don't care and the conversation pretty much ends, even if you do feel 'good'. And someone who's really feeling like crap likely wouldn't admit to it unless they're really bold and need to vent.

An boring but easy way to start a conversation: ask them what they did last night and get details. Listen, ask, listen, ask, listen, ask. It can be very boring but at least you can get a ton of information about them to remember for future conversations, and you filled that gap of awkwardness with actual talking. Good Job! :P

If These Movies Aren't Completely Adored...Something is Wrong With the Watcher

It occurred to me today that there are many movies out there that I like that others don't like. Well that's not surprising. However there's some movies that I decided would be completely horrendous if somebody didn't like. These are them:

1. Australia. The Drover [Hugh Jackman] and Lady Sarah Ashly [Nicole Kidman] star in this story about a girl from england who comes to the Australian Outback to find out why her husband's cattle ranch, Faraway Downs, is losing so much money/cattle, and this whole amazing story comes out across the amazing Australian Outback. AND the Aboriginal actors are actually speaking their Native language, which plays a huge part in the movie. It's long but it's AMAZING! Also, Hugh Jackman makes me cry in this <3>

2. Avatar. Pretty much everyone's seen this movie and pretty much everyone loved it, EXCEPT a few people. What could possibly be wrong with those people?? Oh I know, they approve of military and Avatar completely displays the faults of military. Narrow-minded, ignorant, and stubborn. Either that or they didn't understand the movie. Everything about the movie I found amazing, and every un-Americanized part I loved even more.

3. Hayao Miyazaki movies. You know, movies like My Neighbour Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke, etc. Honestly how can you NOT be completely in tears by their innocent voices, abnormally huge mouths, and fantasy-into-reality plots that actually make sense?? These movies are incredible and you love them JUST as much if you're 5, 15, 50 or 500!

4. Peter Pan. This would be the live action version with Jeremy Sumpter. It's like the book only it has a plotline and an actual emotional connection. And man what an emotional connection! I can't watch that scene with Peter and Hook[who also plays Mr.Darling, btw] fighting/flying around the boat without crying. Seriously, you feel SO bad for Peter when Hook says those things! It's a childish, action tear-jerker, only not really romancy. Well it is romancy, just childish romancy, which makes it seem more real somehow. It's just really good.

5. Ever After. I understand if the guys don't like this one - it's not exactly a guy movie. But all should know that this Cinderella story came out BEFORE the whole Cinderella-movie-craze. It's sweet and makes you want to be in Danielle's place, or makes you scream out 'Come on, Danielle! Hit Margaurite again!" It also gets your stomach into knots xD It's greeeaaaat.

6. How To Train Your Dragon. Come on, they're vikings! They've got dragons! They wear those awesome clothes! And, if you're Marije, it's Iceland! Perfect setting, perfect story, perfect theme, perfect movie. It's amazing. Although it might just be the setting that makes me so addicted...

So there you have it. If you don't like those six movies, something is wrong and you need some tweaking.

wake up wake up get outta bed!

I've decided to actually start using this blog. I mean, I got it a long time ago, forgot about it, the started following other people's blogs, and then realized 'hey, I have a blog of my own'. I think I could really use a blog too. Like, there are so many things in life that make you think 'hey, if I ever actually that down, I could actually use it someday.' Or I dunno, something like that. Not that I don't already...just this is different. You can't put your opinion on certain movies in a day short and you can't put imaginary things you think of off the top of your head in a dream journal. And nobody really uses Facebook notes. So this blog thing? Maybe a good idea. I know I'll look back on this in 20 years and think 'why on earth would I put something like that in a blog?', but even still, I promise never to delete anything from this blog. Even if it's super-odd. That's like pretending you didn't post something that you actually did...or something like that. Who really cares what someone wrote before anyways, if they've changed now?

Well after bamboozling this much of whoever actually is going to read this' time, I'm going to bed. Isn't that such an awesome word? 'Bamboozle'. We read it in 'Life of Pi' in English, apparently they use it in India and it means something like cheating or frauding or something like that.

Disregard this post. It's the first one. Adios.