Mood Ring, Oh Mood Ring...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Blogger!

And same to you, my wonderful readers!  I know it's late, but I never actually got around to posting until just now!  Gomenasai!  I'm very sorry!

Okay, so get this; MY PARENTS BOUGHT ME A MACBOOK!

You know you're jealous!  I was utterly unprepared, and so I was like, in shock!  (I'm still not sure that this is really happening!)  Plus, they bought a new printer/scanner!  They're so amazing!  I love them soooooo much!  And Mom helped me set it up, so I'm typing this from my brand new LAPTOP!!! HALLELUJAH!  Plus, now David and Maggie might actually get some time in on the family PC that I've been using up till now!  MAN!!

Did I mention that most of my other presents consisted of candy and books!  I'm so easy to please!

But I didn't get on my BRAND NEW LAPTOP to talk about myself!  I came on to give out my immense knowledge!  Now let's see...  I didn't decide on a topic before I decided to post, so now I have figure out what I'm going to divulge upon you!

I shall post on...

Moods!

It was set off by my otouto acting weird in karate because he was unhappy with my for reasons unknown to me.  Apparently, I put him in a bad mood... cue depressing song...  (Hey, that's Hare Hare Yukai!  Not depressing!  Sound guy, you're FIRED!!)

So it got me to thinking...  What sets a mood?

Music...a book...what's been happening lately...  It really depends on who you are.

And the E-Express (aka my train of thought) stopped there.

I'm debating whether or not to just start posting my comics up here...  I think that might be fun... (Evil expression... MWAHAHA!!)

Let me know what you guys think!

This post is dedicated to...

My otouto-chan

For consistently challenging me to play Duel Monsters with him

Even though he PROMISED to stop *pointed glare*

And for creating Ryojin, who is Kai's ultimate opponent

And he also constantly challenges her to duel him...

Even though she's generally asleep...

To my amazing parents

For getting me my MAC!!!

And to all of my SUGOI YO cousins!

YOU GUYS ROCK!!

This post brought to you by

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--the Lioness

Catch Me If You Can!

Has anyone here ever heard Catch Me If You Can (Zero Gravity Mix) by Runblebee? I'm going to blather about that until I get bored.

I think that the song has a bit of a desperate edge to it. This is the mental storyline for the song that I have created.

The guy singing it (for my purposes we shall call him Run) is known as the fastest guy around. He has a tough guy rep, but deep down, Run is lonely, and wants to find a competitor who can keep up with him. In order to do that, he's calling out to all the racers around the globe. However, since he's very confident, he's putting his plea a little snidely. So his call is "Catch me if you can!"

Since I've decided that this post will be about speed, I'll tell you the dictionary definition of the word!

Speed (verb) To make haste; to move, work, or take place faster. (noun) the act or state of moving swiftly; swiftness or rate of performance or action.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be so fast that the world moves in slow motion? Well, (and I'm sorry for all the song analogies) the song The Ballad of Barry Allen by Jim's Big Ego describes it perfectly!


For those of you who don't already know, Barry Allen is the Flash! dun dun dun! (I like Wally West's Flash better, but that's just me!) Since he's so fast, everything else around him is in slow motion. He has apparently decided to write a song about his troubles. It starts out like this...


I've got time to think about the beauty of a thousand variations of the beating of the wing of a hummingbird suspended in the aspect of a world moving slower than molasses as I'm off to catch the girl who's falling off the bridge...


Basically, he's lonely because he's so fast, and he has a hard time talking to people because everything "takes so long, seems so slow." He'll "be there before you know it, [he'll] be gone before you see [him]!" "Do you think you can imagine anything so lonely?"


However, there are fringe benefits! After all, he's faster than Superman! (at least, I think he is!)

Does anyone really think about the bad sides of superpowers? After all, even Superman has his Kryptonite! (Seriously, he keeps a sample of every Kryptonite he's ever come into contact with!) Like with superstrength; you would never be able to exert your full strength on anything. With shape-shifting, what if you forgot what you looked like? With mindreading, you could accidentally "hear" about your surprise party! We've already gone over superspeed...

Plus, you'd always be worried about accidentally revealing your powers to everyone, getting experimented on, losing control... (I could go on for days, here!)

Maybe being just a mere mortal isn't so bad, after all!

This post is getting a little long, so I'll wrap this up. (besides, Mom's been nagging at me all day to empty the dishwasher, and I still haven't done it! ^-^;;)

So, blahbadiblah inner strength blahbadiblah power of the heart blahbadiblah and all of that blahbadiblah cheesy soap opera junk that everyone is embarrassed to listen to.

This post dedicated to

Dr. Awesome, the orchestra director

For living up to his nickname

To Pablo Casals

For becoming my latest hero

To the Flash!

For partially inspiring this post

And to Runblebee

For inspiring the other half!

This post brought to you by

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--the Lioness

P.S. Catch me if you can!

Bipolarity

So I was drawing, right? I just picked up my pencil and drew, and do you know what I drew? I drew an adorable picture of one of characters while he was asleep. He's like, dozed off on a desk and he's got the cutest little smile... *SQUEEEEE!!!!* Ahem... girly moment over!

Anyway, he's normally this hardened guy who's convinced that he's a monster, and he looks totally peaceful and sweet. Plus it was pretty good. So I thought it was sugoi (cool, awesome in Japanese) enough for you guys to want to know about.

I'm now bored of that, so I will move on to a deep topic randomly...

Insanity.

Insanity is really sad, if you ask me. (which no one did) I think it's also a little scary for the ones who realize that they're crazy. I'm going to delve into one particular form of mental illness.

Bipolar Disorder: any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized usually by alternating episodes of depression and mania

There are 2 types of bipolar disorder:
Bipolar I disorder: episodes of extreme manic symptoms and sometimes extremely low depression and
Bipolar II disorder: episodes of depression and milder episodes of manic symptoms (milder mania is also known as hypomania)
There are 3 main types of bipolar episodes:
Acute manic episodes: The high moods, which can make you feel overly happy, irritable, or restless
Mixed episodes: Having symptoms of acute manic episodes and depressive episodes at the same time
Depressive episodes: The low moods, which can make you feel very sad, hopeless, or fatigued

I recently created a character who is bipolar. He was trapped in an alternate dimension for 246 years with no sensations what-so-ever. He can't be around people because of the very extreme nature of it. However, two other characters have to talk to him in order to get answers to a horrible problem (having to do with the alt. dim. that he was stuck in) and he has a hard time telling them what they need to know because of his bipolarity. (I considered giving him a split personality, but then I decided that bipolarity was a better way to give the MCs a problem)

I feel like I've been rambling this entire time... I may just post about something else later.

I seek only to bring enlightenment, not to make money, so if anyone tries to sue me... BOO HOO FOR YOU! ;)

This post dedicated to

People who suffer from bipolarity everywhere

I'm truly sorry, and I hope you feel better soon!

My best friend, Emily

WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?!

To the creators of Mario, Bowser, and LUIGI!!!

Because from them, I learned some new Japanese phrases!

And to Runblebee

For singing the song Catch Me If You Can!

This post brought to you by

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--the Lioness

Turkey Genocide

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!!!

You know, suddenly, I'm glad I didn't call myself the Turkey-ess. Seriously! My mom would be trying to cook my goose... errr, turkey!

So, I'm up in good old TN, and I'm going to go spend a bunch of time with my amazing BFF, Emi-chan! I haven't seen her since, like, last SUMMER, and I'm really really super excited to see her tomorrow! For which, by the way, I am thankful!

I'm currently spending time in Laptop Haven, alias, my cousin's dining room table, with my cousin, Emily, my older sister, Chelsea, and my mom WAS here, but she split! (Lame old mother!) Add that to the borrowed status of the computer I'm using (it's Pa's. I LOVE him!) and the amazing awesome butterscotch candy I was eating and the Werther's I am currently sucking on, and you have a very hyper Lioness!

So, what to post, what to post...

Ooh! I'll post about...

The things I'm thankful for!! (Aren't you surprised? ;) )

Anyway, I'm thankful for my crazy awesome cousins who are far too numerous for fear of leaving someone out and incurring their wrath, and for my aunts and uncles, and for my parents, and for my siblings, especially Chelsea! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

I'm thankful for my grandparents, and for the delicious food provided by Mimi! (and Aunt Sandy, and possibly Mom, but Mimi's renowned around the world for her awesome cooking!) And for Chelsea's generous allowing me to use her laptop to charge my iPod!

And I'm thankful for my adorable doggies! TRIPLE kawaii!!!

And for David Archuleta! I don't know him personally, but I'm rooting for him! I hope he always maintains his moral principals and stays active in the Church and all that junk.

I'm thankful for Brother Sheets, and for the wonderful missionaries that converted Grandmama and Grandaddy and Daddy!

And I'm thankful for Miss Stephanie, because it was she who taught me the most about riding!

And I'm thankful for the opportunity I have to visit with Emi-chan... have I mentioned that?

Waaaaaaa... Sumimasen, I'm getting tired. But, before I get off, I will dedicate this post!

This post dedicated to

Emi-chan

because I get to see her tomorrow!

And to the Green Arrow

because green is my favorite color

And to the guy who made up the word

AMAZING

If they got a nickel for every time it was said

they'd be super amazing rich by now!

And to my sisters and cousin

Who are preparing themselves to torture me

Even if they DO have good intentions...

This post brought to you by

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--the Lioness

In the Eye of the Beholder

Today's post is about beauty.

The dictionary definition is "a particularly graceful, ornamental, or excellent quality."

(Oh, and this is a minor annoyance and advice to dictionary makers everywhere; NEVER use the word or another form of the word in the definition.)

There are two different types of beauty. The first is outward beauty, meaning a pleasant appearance, and the second is inner beauty, meaning the beauty of the spirit. When one decides it's time to start dating, one looks for someone with a beautiful spirit, if they're at all sane.

Some things I think are beautiful; oceans, sunsets, most flowers, trees in fall, love songs, red hair in sunlight, and cherry trees in bloom. Oh, and songs in the Mormon hymn book. They are so beautiful!

Maggie thinks that these things are beautiful; horses, babies, roses.

Ooh, and there are very pretty fish, too!

And you'll love this lovely picture!

And this one too!

No, I'm not talking about the girl holding the book, I'm talking about the book itself. Such a good book!

Yes, you guessed it; I am the girl reading the book. I'm a little camera-shy sometimes, but I have my photogenic moments! (Few and far between as they may be...)

How about snow? Snow is very beautiful!

And pine trees! My uncle had a song he used to sing. It goes like this; 'Pine tree, pine tree, pine tree, pine tree, pine tree...' For all I know, he still sings it.

And mountains! Oh, lovely Signal Mountain, I miss you so!

Not Signal, but it's still very pretty, n'est pas? (isn't it?)

Ooh! The moon! It's lovely!

Mom says that well-earned wrinkles are beautiful (and I agree. Take THAT, all you skin-care product companies! WE DON'T NEED YOUR ANTI-WRINKLE FORMULA!) and so are cellos! And the music that cellos play! Colors! Flowers!Not the cat, but but the flowers on the tree it's leaning on. Fall leaves! And my baby, Roo! Kawaii Roo-kun! (He's my horse, and he has the cutest face ever!)

And LIGHTNING! Most don't think about it, but lightning is very pretty! Just like this lightning here!

I'm running out of ideas, so I'll wrap this up.

Just remember, everyone, beauty is only in the eye of the beholder, and, as long as you find something about yourself that you like, you'll always be able to believe that you're beautiful! (or handsome, as the case may be)

This post dedicated to

Mom, Maggie and David

For their help in putting this post together

Thanks for the pics, Mom!

And to my amazing new characters

Talon, Mark, Luke and Arianna

And to Emi-chan

Even though I haven't talked to her in ages

GET ON ALREADY!!

Brought to you by

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--the Lioness

P.S. Hot cider!

Persecution and Discrimination

It was on my mind today.

I was actually reading the Work and the Glory, a book about Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Mormon Church (to which I am proud to belong), and when it got to the part about the mobs attacking the Mormons and the government not helping, and especially when it got to the part where Joseph Smith and his older brother, Hyrum, were killed in Carthage Jail when the governor PROMISED to protect them, my blood just boiled! How DARE they!

Ahem. Suffice it to say, I was infuriated. (Still am, in case you hadn't noticed.) It got me to thinking; why DID the people hate us so much?

Quite honestly, I have no idea. Maybe it's because we're so different. We dress differently, talk differently, and we have higher standards than a lot of people (especially back then, when drinking and smoking were fairly commonplace, and no one really knew for a fact that it was bad. We stopped first!)

Just a moment please, before you skip this post because of religious content. I'd like to say some things.

1. I am not trying to convert you. I'm just saying how it is. (Though I would be very happy if you'd pick up a Book of Mormon.)

2. I'm not just going to talk about the discrimination against Mormonism in the early days of the Church. (But that will be the basis of a lot of what I have to say)

3. ... I'm still deciding on this one

Then, before that (and I mean WAAAAAAY before that) there were blacks. And afterwards, too. And there were the Japanese-Americans, and the Hispanics.

Why do people discriminate? There is a simple psychological solution to this; because most people don't like what they don't understand. And if one doesn't like something, one gets rid of it, right?

WRONG!! That is the instinct of the NATURAL man! The natural man is what we are trying to avoid! That's why we became civilized, set up governments, leaderships, and RULES!!

And there is, of course, fear of the consequences that keeps us in line. Fear of punishment is part of why most non-religious people don't break the law.

Okay, I'm going to divide the reasons into three groups of people.

The religious; They fear God, and want to come before him when their time comes as pure as possible.

The fearful; These people are too scared of the consequences of their actions to break the law.

And the pacifists; They don't like conflict, so they avoid it at all costs, and in doing so, they often avoid breaking the law.

But I digress...

Like I was saying, there are some people out there who don't care, and they are as close to the natural man as they could possibly be while living in today's society. (of course, if they're politicians...) These are the ones who do something about their discrimination. Their dislike slowly turns to hatred, and their hate drives them to do awful things.

However, they choose to dislike people that are different. They don't have to hate. They choose to. It's all a matter of choice.

In any event, I'd like to list certain things caused by discrimination.

Slaves, who were only slaves because their skin was dark.

The Pioneers of the Mormon Church, who were driven from their homes because they refused to give up what they believed in.

The Trail of Tears. The Native Americans were only on the Trail because the settlers wanted to mine for gold on their lands, and the president, Andrew Jackson, simply went along with it!

All of those times before women got their rights! We were discriminated against simply for being women! They thought that girls couldn't protect themselves... Ha! (Ahem, sorry, I feel strongly about that; discrimination about gender, that is...) It really ticks me off!

David: Everything ticks you off, sis!

Me: Not everything! ... Okay, alright, everything.

Maybe you don't realize it, but there are different kinds of discrimination; ladies first, for instance. I have two wondrous responses for that.

1; "Then what are you waiting for?" and

2; "Ladies? What ladies? I know you're not talking about me, because ladies can't do karate!"

2 often varies, depending upon who I'm speaking to.

Anyway, I should probably wrap this up. It's getting WAY long.

That's all folks!

Seriously.

Oh, what was that? I forgot something?

Ah! You're right! I did forget!

THE DEDICATION!!!

This post dedicated to
my cousin, Rachel
who always knows how to cheer me up!
and to my best friend, Emi-chan
for her steadfast faith in my creative streak
however misdirected
And to Kid Flash, and his mentor, THE Flash
simply for being so fast!
Keep up the good work guys!
And to Kara, Alex, and Carlie Lyman, my latest characters
May Kara lighten up
May Alex grow up
and may Carlie remain as she is, cute and cuddly
and, of course, to my parents
without whom, I could not exist!
This post brought to you by
All the Write Things through Blogger
--the Lioness

I Spy with my Little Eye... Haikus!

I really really like poetry. I like Japanese stuff, too. So, when I rediscovered haikus, I was thrilled! Ecstatic, happy, joyful, glowing!

This is the dictionary definition of haiku; an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin having three lines containing usually five, seven, and five syllables respectively ; also : a poem in this form usually having a seasonal reference.

A haiku is a form of Japanese poetry. Previously called hokku, it was given its current name by the Japanese writer Masaoka Shiki at the end of the 19th century. Shiki suggested haiku as an abbreviation of the phrase "haikai no ku" meaning a verse of haikai, although the phrase predates Shiki by almost two centuries, when it was used to mean any verse of haikai. A hokku was the opening verse of the collaborative linked verse form, renku (haikai no renga). In Japanese, hokku and haiku are traditionally printed in one vertical line. In English, haiku are usually written in three lines to equate to the three metrical phrases of a haiku in Japanese, which consist of five, seven, and five on (Japanese sound units equivalent to syllables). Since the Japanese language does not distinguish between singular and plural in nouns, the word 'haiku' usually remains unchanged in its English plural form. Senryū is a similar poetry form that emphasizes irony, satire, humor, and human foibles instead of seasons, and may or may not contain a kigo (words or phrases that are associated with a particular season) or a kireji (the term for a special category of words used in certain types of Japanese traditional poetry).

And here are some of the haikus that I've written. (I'm not sure if these are very good, but I like them!)


Rain

Thunder and lightning
Together they dance and make
Rain to quench Earth’s thirst

The inspiration for this one was that it had been raining for, like, a week, and I was seriously trying to think of something nice. Normally I don't like thunder, but... I liked the thought of the dancing. It gives dancing in the rain a whole new meaning!


Write

Words flow together
Giving writers spirit wings
To escape reality

My brother recently began to write stories, so I think that this was inspired by that. I'm very proud of him. His story is actually very funny.


Anger

Hot, sharp, red and black
Grey, powerful, consuming
Dangerous unchecked

I don't know where this one came from! I guess I was just ticked off.


Sorrow

We always fought for right
But also fought each other
My only regret

It was a good trap
Though lost in the explosion
You are terribly missed

My final regret
That I never told you this
I wish you were here

I was bored, and feeling dramatic. Besides, I seem to really like writing about tragedy and devastation.


Sunrise

Black clouds mar the sky
Otherwise perfect, the sun
Rises in glory

I was in the car, and it was sunset. I was going to make it about sunset, but I ended up changing my mind.


Moon

Pure white and perfect
The moon hangs, smiling, up high
Until morning comes

Once again, I was in the car, but the sun had set, and the moon was up and I saw it and... you know what happened next.


Snow

Snow falling smoothly
Creates a pristine new world
Perfect and untouched

This one came from the moon haiku. I was going to describe the moon as snow white and perfect, but then I got the idea for this and... let's just say that I like diversity, and it was a good day for haikus!


Ninja

A ninja is sly
And one with the night
Silent and unseen

Do you know where I got this? If you don't... you either didn't read the ninja post, or you don't remember doing so.


Well, that about wraps it up! See you next time!

This post dedicated to

my brother David

who has always been there (seriously, sometimes I wish he'd just leave me alone)

but I still love him! ^-^

The creators of the Teen Titans the Cartoon

for the creativeness used to create every single episode!

And to my wonderous creation, Ayr

simply for living in my head and in several different stories!

Don't worry, Ayr, I'm sure I'll come up with something original for you!

This post brought to you by

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Flip Out Like a Ninja

I wasn't thinking about ninjas until just now, but whatever.


I shall now rant about the ninja arts!


A ninja is sly
And one with the night
Silent and unseen


Ha, I wrote a haiku about ninjas! (it only took a second or two, really)


There are twenty ninjas hiding in this post. You can't see them, but they're watching... BWAHAHA!!!


A lot of people write about ninjas, and about their counterparts, the samurai!
Ninjas are way cooler, though! :)

But, seriously, ninja arts? Way useful! There are a lot of deviations from ninjutsu in the modern world, too, such as:

Jujutsu -- Literally meaning the "art of softness" or the "way of yielding" is a collective name for Japanese martial art styles consisting of grappling and striking techniques, it originated in Japan, and it actually was primarily used by samurai. (but ninjas are awesome enough to steal it!)

Tai Chi -- Tai chi is typically practiced for a variety of reasons: its soft martial techniques, demonstration competitions, health and longevity. I believe that a ninja would practice it mostly for stamina-building and correct breathing. As an old master once said; if you breathe correctly, you will move correctly.

Karate -- is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands from indigenous fighting methods and Chinese kenpō. It is primarily a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands and ridge-hands. Grappling, locks, restraints, throws, and vital point strikes are taught in some styles.

Judo -- meaning "gentle way", is a deviation of jujutsu. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking the elbow or by applying a choke. Strikes and thrusts are applied mostly in prearranged forms called katas, and are not allowed in official judo competitions.

Tae Kwon Do -- is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. It is the world's most popular martial art in terms of number of practitioners. Kyeorugi, or sparring, is an official Olympic sporting event. In Korean, tae means "foot"; kwon means "fist"; and do means "way"; so taekwondo is loosely translated as "the way of the foot and fist" but can be best translated as, "the art of kicking and punching."

Shooto -- Shooto is less of a martial arts and more of a shootwrestling thing. Legal techniques include general grappling, choke holds, joint locks, kicks, knee strikes, punches, take downs and throws. Illegal techniques include biting, elbow strikes, eye-gouging, forearm strikes, hair pulling, headbutting, pressure point techniques, kicking or kneeing the head of a downed opponent, small joint manipulation and strikes to the groin, spine or throat.

Kendo -- Kendo, or "way of the sword", is the Japanese martial art of sword-fighting. Kendo is heavily influenced by traditional Japanese swordsmanship, kenjutsu. It is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sporting-like physical elements.

A modern day ninja would combine all of (or at least most of) these techniques to form a full arsenal of combat.

Tradition ninja weapons are (but not limited to):

Shuriken -- a throwing star, often coated with poison, most often used for distraction.

Katana -- a Japanese sword with a curved blade. Must be 60 cm or longer to actually be classified as a katana.

Wakizashi -- a Japanese short sword that ranges in length from 12 to 24 inches. It literally translates to "side arm."

Kunai -- Once more commonly used as a farming tool, it was a multi-functional weapon. Its more common uses were as grappling hooks or for stabbing in hand-to-hand combat.

Chigiriki -- It consisted of a staff with a weighted chain on the end. The stick was usually as long as the wielder's forearm, while the length of the chain was not set.

Bo staff -- A bo staff is a long pole, usually made of tapered hard wood, for example white oak, bamboo and in some cases for training purposes, rotan. Sometimes it is made of metal or plated with metal for extra strength. It was usually about 3 cm wide and six feet long. It has its own style of being used, called bojutsu.

Sai -- Sai were short unsharpened daggers, usually symmetrical in design.

Kama -- Kama were most commonly used in Feudal Japan when weapons among peasants were outlawed. They were actually small hand scythes that could disguise a small dagger in the handle.

Tekko -- The English equivalent is brass knuckles. The literal translation is "knuckleduster."

Surujin -- It comprises a 2-3 meter long rope with a weight tied to each end. Historically this weapon is very prevalent and can be found attached to a weapon or used separately. It was specifically designed for warfare.

Tonfa -- Also known as tong fa or tuifa, the tonfa is a traditional Okinawan weapon from which the modern side-handled police baton is derived.

Tambo -- It is a light, evenly balanced stick measuring two to three feet and made of bamboo or wood. A martial artist cuts a tambo to fit his or her size. The length is determined by measuring from the hip socket to the top of the ankle. This length ensures that the tambo can be swung freely without hitting the floor.

Ninjas were usually divided into either dojos, where many ninjas studied martial arts together, or clans, where families of ninjas studied a secret type of martial arts known only to that family.

Ninjas, or shinobi, were primarily hired as assassins, sabotage, scouting, theives, or spies, due to their ability to get in and get out without being caught, but they had their own codes of honor that they typically followed without hesitation or exception. Of course, there were some bad eggs, but... All in all, ninjas were very strict about their code of honor.

Lately, I aspire to become a ninja. In fact, I've picked up karate in order to more effectively do so! What thinkest thou? Are ninjas awesome or what?

Now that I've given you some of the history of ninjas, I hope we have some new fans of the ninjas hanging around!

This post dedicated to

ninjas around the world!

And to my baby brother,

For his many protests to the contrary

and, begrudgingly, to my mom

who constantly forces me off the computer

And to the creators of the Batman and Robin!

For the pure awesomeness that is them!

And to you

my dedicated followers

for sticking with me and my craziness!

--the Lioness

The Pursuit of Happiness

So, I was talking with Mom this morning, and she was telling me to get on with school (imagine that!), and how did I respond?
"Men are that they might have joy."

Oh yeah, it says it right in the scriptures! 2nd Nephi 2:25! Oh! What now?!

Ahem... As I practically dislocate my shoulder... ow...

Anyway, never mind that I am in pain, I shall recover!

Right, so the whole verse is; "Adam fell that men might be, and men are, that they might have joy."
Well, what about women? I'm pretty sure we're included in this. "Men" can be a very general term. This is assuming that Nephi was using it in reference to mankind, which I'm sure that he was.

Well, that brings us to a very intriguing question; What is happiness?

Let's look!

The dictionary definition is; "A state of well-being and contentment" or "a pleasurable or satisfying experience."

But what makes people happy?

Everyone is different, so everyone would give you a different answer. My answer would be reading a good book, especially if it's spiritual. The Spirit makes me happy, and I feel good inside when I read something that clicks with the Spirit. (If you don't know what I mean, pick up a Book of Mormon!)

Okay, missionary moment over... whatever! You get the idea, right?

Chocolate makes me happy, too. But I'm not just talking about 'here and now' happiness. That isn't true happiness (even if you think so), because it doesn't last. The 'forever' happiness may not make you happy at first, but, someday, you'll be happy because of the choice you made.

Example? Okay, if you insist.

A college degree -- Even if you aren't happy while you're in college earning your diploma, you should feel a certain degree (no pun intended) of satisfaction when you finally get it and get a good job that you enjoy.

Children -- These strange creatures can be the cutest and most annoying things on the face of the Earth, but you really can't help but love them. They're so innocent (well, MOST of the time ^-^) and sweet (sometimes...) and adorable, even if they aren't so adorable when they grow up. They're also brutally honest, mostly because they don't yet understand the concept of 'kissing up' and 'what not to say'. You may think that when they're grown, you'll be happy. But you'll find yourself missing the laughter. (and that's when the grandkids come! BWAHAHA!! I think that's why so many grandparents spoil their grandchildren. It's like a second parenthood, with less restrictions!)

Doing a good deed -- It may be tedious at first, but, if you have a friend with you, then it becomes more fun. If you are by yourself, then you use your imagination! The satisfaction of doing a good deed lasts a long time, and, in hindsight, you'll see that it strengthened your character, and that will make you happy! (I sound like one of those cheesy soap opera psychiatrists, but that's what I think)

Not smoking or drinking -- It might seem fun at first, but it's awful. We'll start with smoking.

Smoking -- I'm going to show you a few pictures (because I just figured out how to post them! :) I'm so smart!)

Seriously, does anyone REALLY want to breathe that stuff? And look what it does to your lungs!

Ewww... Left is what they're SUPPOSED to look like. On your right is what they look like after smoking enough.

Drinking -- Don't do it. It ruins your liver. You get hangovers, which I'm pretty sure are very unpleasant (not that I would know. I'm getting most of this off of a website.). It messes up your eyesight and coordination, and I'm just scratching the surface here. A lot of deaths are caused by people driving drunk (which is illegal, by the way) and it's just blind luck if they get away with it. The only reason that alcohol was even allowed to continue being manufactured was that it became even more toxic when made illegally.

But, I digress...

David says that happiness is:

Games -- Understandable, seeing as he's eleven (going on twelve... sniff...) But, really, I know you're expecting me to delve deeper and tell you a spiritual reason for why games give happiness. Well... I will!

Multi-player games allow for bonding time between siblings, or cousins, or friends, or even parents! Indeed; most parents are NOT fun-hating, evil, shriveled OLD people who want nothing more in life than to make you miserable, otherwise, they'd let you do all that late-night, party stuff, and wear that lame sweater when it's chilly outside. Trust me, these things bring happiness later on.

True love -- It makes you happy. I don't know much about love, since I'm not even old enough to date, but I've read the books, and I've seen my newly-wed cousin, Renee and her husband, Travis. Actually, they've been married for two or three years now and have two little girls, but they're still in love. (Daddy says that that won't last much longer. He's joking, though. I think.)

Learning -- Don't you ever feel so satisfied that you've learned something new and you just can't seem to stop thinking about it? I LOVE that feeling! I'll learn a new word just to get it! It's such an awesome sensation!

Anything else... Come on, voices in my head! What makes me happy?

Driving me nuts? That's an odd... HEY! Not funny, voice!

But, I digress... AGAIN.

Friends -- Friends are there to support you. They spend time with you and make you laugh. Even when you make a mistake, good friends always forgive you if you make it clear that you're sorry. Friends are joy.

Hey! I just figured it out! Happiness is...

A LUNCH BOX!!! :D

Just kidding. Sorry, but I couldn't resist! ;)

Anyway, Mom says that happiness is:

Obedient children -- That is both short and long term happiness. When they obey, they're safe, and they don't give you a headache. They also learn whatever it is that you're trying to teach them! (And besides, they can't disobey their mother! She can ground you until you're EIGHTY!!!)

Music -- Music can be uplifting or depressing, depending on what you listen to. But no matter what, it's always best to listen to music that's clean. No explicit lyrics, no questionable references... you know what I mean. (Now I sound like I'm teaching a lesson in church...)

Beautiful things -- Like art, or a flower garden, or a colorful bird, or a sunset! (or sunrise, if you like getting up early enough. Someday I want to watch the sun rise over the ocean. I'm gonna hate myself for getting up until I see it, though.) How about a cathedral? Or a painting? Or a well-groomed horse? Or maybe even a snake, if you like reptiles! Or a passionfruit! Or a bird of paradise? Xanadu? Atlantis? Long walks on the beach? Rainbows? On bubbles? What do you think is beautiful? (Maybe I oughta go into the sappy-comment business? What do you guys think?)

This post is getting rather lengthy. I'm enjoying this! Maybe I'll continue it in another post... if it makes me happy! ;)

This post dedicated to

David and Mom

for their inspiration

and to the prophet Nephi

for giving me the scripture I needed to write this

and to the prophet Joseph Smith

for restoring to the world what I believe in

and to the current prophet, President Monson

for carrying on the work

and to Adam

who fell that men might have joy!

And who could forget

my much-beloved grandparents (especially Pa)

for loving me endlessly and sending me birthday money! ^-^

This post brought to you by

Blogger

--the Lioness

Family Magnets!

A few days ago, the home teachers (for those of you non-Mormons out there, that's people who come and teach a lesson on a topic that the bishop gives them) came over and talked to us (my family) about harmony in the family. I had an idea in the middle of the discussion that families are like magnets!

Now, before I go on, I'd like to tell you a bit about my family.

First, there's my daddy, Rick. He's over fifty, and his once black hair has given way to salt-and-pepper. A lot of salt. Not so much pepper. He's a businessman who does finance. He's also on the High Council (for those of you non-Mormons out there, it means he goes around to different church buildings in our area and talks to the congregation) and has been on and off for as long as I can remember. He has had different callings before, but whatever. He's been on the High Council a lot.

Then there's my mom, Lois. She's forty-three, but, unlike my father, her grey hair is kind of rare. (either that or her blonde hair disguises the grey) She's a stay at home mom, but her unlisted job is to keep us, her kids, on the right path. (and to nag us about whatever homework we've left undone. Mom would say that that falls under keeping us on the right path, but I disagree.) She's actually into the writing business, and is looking for an agent. She's really good, and no I'm not biased. (But nobody tell her that, cause I'll just deny it.)
Sometimes, though, I swear she can read my mind. It's uncanny. We'll be talking, and then we'll say the same thing at the same time, or we'll get the same idea... And I finish her sentences. I'm very rarely wrong, in all honesty. (seriously, it's kind of scary)

My older sister, Chelsea, is in college. When I was younger, I thought she was perfect. She's pretty, kind, and smart. Ack! Speaking of Chelsea, I forgot that I promised her I'd e-mail her a story I'm working on! Bad me!
Okay, now that that's done... BACK TO CHELSEA!!
She has brown hair with natural highlights, and I think her eyes are supposed to be hazel, but they change, sort of. She tans really well (jealous) and she's really good at math (still jealous). Last I heard, she's planning to go into pharmacy, but I've heard some doubts in that statement, so I guess I'll just have to see! :)

Then there's me. I'm Elizabeth. I'm homeschooled, and in eighth grade. I play the cello and the banjo (the ban-cello, because I hold it like a cello). I write stories, this blog, and I love to draw and sing. I have red hair, blue eyes, and a lot of freckles. I take karate (bad guys beware!), Japanese (with my bro), and I'm in the church choir. I don't tan AT ALL (sighs), but I'm trying to avoid feeling bad about that. It isn't something I can change.
I try to be the peacemaker between my two younger siblings, but some days... I wonder why I get out of bed. (and trust me, I put it off as long as possible)

My favorite brother is David. (he argues that he's my only brother, but that doesn't matter, right?) He's in sixth grade, and is being homeschooled, effective last Monday. He doesn't play any instruments, and he's more math-inclined than word-inclined. He is, however, beginning to learn that reading is NOT torture, as homework had once caused him to believe. He has a very good voice, (you didn't hear it from me) and he's about to turn twelve and receive the Aaronic Priesthood. (Sniff) I don't want my baby brother to get older, mostly because he'll get taller than me... (sob) He has brown hair, brown eyes, scattered freckles and a pretty nice permatan. He's taking Japanese with me. Progress is pretty slow so far, but I'm using Japanese words with him in daily conversation. Besides, he's only had one lesson! Plus, he wasn't watching Japanese anime with English subs, thus picking up some of the more common words. (like oneesan, oniisan, okaasan, and many others.)

My baby sister, Maggie, is turning eight in November. I'm hoping that she undergoes a magical maturing process, but I'm not seeing that happening any time soon. Sometimes, I swear she's still five or six. She has red hair and brown eyes. She can tan, sort of, but she has to burn first. She's in second grade. People think we look a lot alike. I'm here to assure you that this is NOT the case. She and I have a lot of differences.
She's very hyper and girly, and she enjoys a multitude of feminine hobbies, like fingernail polish, hair stuff, and playing with dolls. She loves the spotlight. (I hate it. All those people staring at me... shiver) I don't know which way she's inclined academic wise, but whatever. There's one more thing, though. Maggie is very cute. One of my friends constantly compares her to a little porcelain doll. However, she has powers of annoyingness that Hilary Clinton can't even imagine. I love her, but she should stop trying to hug me so much. I'll let her know if I want her to hug me.

Right, so what was my post supposed to be about...? Oh, right! Magnets!

So, people are like magnets. Why? I shall explain.

Well, imagine two magnets. Their polarity matches, and they're attracted to each other. They stick together. Well, imagine that one of the magnets turns around! They go shooting away from each other, and only by reversing to polarity can they be stuck together again.
Imagine two people, a boy and a girl. They like each other, and they're "stuck together." Imagine that one of them does something stupid, and the "polarity" changes. Now that they're disagreeing, they avoid each other. Imagine that the one whose "polarity" changed decided that he's in the wrong, and changes himself. His polarity goes back to normal, and, assuming that the girl's "polarity" hasn't changed, they will get along again.
More object lessons! On a refrigerator, there is a piece of paper that you're trying to use a single magnet to hold up. The paper is too heavy, and the magnet can't hold it up alone. So, what do you do? You get more magnets! One by one, you put the magnets on the paper until it stop sliding down. All of those magnets are working together to hold up your paper.
Families need to support each other and work together, or the whole paper goes sliding down the fridge. I know it's a pretty lame analogy, but I was thinking about it at the time.

Be warned! The randomness SHALL PREVAIL!!!

This post is dedicated to:

my brother

David

who shall soon receive the ordinances of the Priesthood

and also to

my sister

Maggie

May she always retain her spark, though others may pour water on her!

And to my other sister

Chelsea

May she succeed in whatever she puts her mind to!

And to my parents

Rick and Lois

who've always loved me, despite my laziness

And to all of my friends

cuz no one can stop the awesomeness!

--the Lioness

Homework

So I found this piece of paper on my brother's desk. It's titled; HOW TO TAKE CONTROL OF HOMEWORK SO...IT DOESN'T CONTROL YOU! JUST DO IT!



Okay, I know I'm not the first person to say this, but... I absolutely DETEST homework. My rant, however, is not about how much I hate homework. This is about the piece of paper. I could find a good argument against everything on that sheet.



I will quote some more;



The following are some tips to get more out of homework:



Set the mood -- Create a quiet study area with all the material you need.

'Create a quiet study area...' Everyone has their own different needs. Some people need quiet places to do their work efficiently. I am NOT one of those people. I absolutely HAVE to have background noise; music, construction sounds... ANYTHING as long as it isn't silence.

'...with all the material you need.' I, personally, find it hard to believe that people think that I'm going to remember everything I'm supposed to bring home. Heck, I walk into rooms and forget why! It's always possible that one has forgotten something.



Know where to begin -- Make a prioritized list of everything you need to do, so you can't use the 'I don't know where to start' excuse.

I am not that organized. Some people are, some aren't. I don't know anyone who uses the 'I don't know where to start' excuse. I've never used it (at least, not with homework...) and I can function very well without a list, notes, and, for that matter, HOMEWORK!



Don't overschedule yourself -- Remember that there are only 24 hours in a day, and you have to sleep...

I have never had that problem. I like to sleep (as my mom could tell you. Check her out at http://www.domusmuscida.blogspot.com/ . Hers is a lot cooler than mine) and I'm fairly lazy by nature (and I am currently working on that so it doesn't go into excess). I'm not saying that I slack off in everything, I'm just saying that I give only as much effort as is needful, and no more (except in math. THEN I slack off)



Study every day -- Even if you don't have homework, use the time to review notes or read! If homework is something you accept as part of your day, you will approach it with less dread.

NOT TRUE!!! FALSE!! WHOEVER SAID THAT HAS A RAPIDLY GROWING NOSE!! I accepted homework a long time ago, and (when I was still in the school system) I STILL dreaded going home and being nagged by my mom to 'just get it over with.'

Just a random fact; I rarely ever study for tests and stuff, and I, as a rule, do just fine. I'm perfectly satisfied with anything over an 80. I don't need to have the highest scores on the ACT to feel good about myself, partly because, as I said earlier, I'm not exactly an overachiever. I also happen to LOVE reading. I don't have to be forced, or even asked to read, because I'm usually already reading! (For instance, I'm reading a good book called 'I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You' by Ally Carter. It's got spies and secrecy and stuff, and it's well written, too!)



Keep assignments in perspective -- Know how much weight each assignment carries and use your time accordingly.

Not much of a problem with that. Only the super hardworking students have to be asked not to do too much. Let me reiterate my prior point; I am kind of lazy by nature. I will not do any more than is needful unless I personally benefit. I also know how to divide my time evenly. I can do THAT math.



Get more involved -- Did you ever feel like you can't stay awake to read something, let alone understand it? To keep your mind from wandering, take notes, underline sections, discuss your reading with something else, or relate your homework to what you are studying in another class.

That doesn't help; the note-taking, the underlining, the discussions... NONE OF IT!! Sometimes, you just need a break, and the best way to do that, for me, is to write about something. I love writing almost as much as I love to read.


Organize the information -- People process information in different ways. Some people draw charts or pictures to digest, to organize, to make sense of information; other people like to read aloud. Do whatever works for you!

There are three kinds of people in this world; the listeners, the readers, and the talkers. The talkers get very little done, and the ones who talk the most with the least amount of truth usually end up going into politics or acting. (And I hate the former; both the politics and the ones who get involved (meaning the politicians)) The readers need to look at the information in writing or in pictures. The listeners usually remember best the things they hear, so they read the information out loud. I'm not a psychiatrist; I can't tell you why some people have certain ways that they need to intake information, but I can tell you that the paper spoke true in this area; people process information in different ways.


Take advantage of any free time -- If you have a long bus ride or ride to soccer, use the time to review notes, prepare for an upcoming test, or start your homework.

Believe me; I take advantage of free time. Mostly. Usually, I draw or read. But I'm homeschooled. So I can't say much. My friend, however, has very little spare time, especially during the school year. Mostly because of her incessant homework.


Study with a friend -- Some people work well with a Study Buddy. If studying with someone is not too distracting for you, get together with classmates to quiz yourself, compare notes, and predict test questions.

I have no classmates. I am homeschooled. With my brother. Who is two grades below me. So he's not much help. Even if he does understand math better than I do. Speaking of my brother, I'll probably rant about him tomorrow.
My definition of studying with a friend is to invite the aforementioned friend, who is a senior, over and ask her to help me with my math. It works. She's a good teacher. But, she has very little spare time, like I said. So she hasn't come over recently.


Celebrate your achievements -- Reward yourself for accomplishments! For example, when you finish your math, get a snack or go shoot a few basketballs.

Most people reward themselves for good deeds done. It goes without saying that things should be rewarded.


Stay for tutoring -- If you need help with your homework, stay after school for tutoring.

Most people have better things to do with their time than to stay after school learning lessons that the teacher should have taught them in class. I'm not saying anything about the intelligence of anyone. I'm just saying that most people have things they'd rather do.


I'll continue my rant some other time. I'm running out of steam.

Later, readers!

--The Lioness

The First Thing...

Greetings! I am the Lioness. Welcome to my blog!

First of all, All the Write things does not tolerate violation of its ROCs (Rules of Conduct), which are specified below.
These rules include;

1. NO SMOKING!! Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'll probably rant about that later.
2. No bad words. I am a minor, and if there is foul language on my blog, I shall delete your comment!
3. Don't gossip. It's more than often offensive, and it's cruel. I will not put up with it.
4. No taking the Lord's name in vain. I will not apologize. His name is sacred. You will not get away with using it offensively on MY blog. So don't. Please.
5. Constructive criticism ONLY. If you point out an error, like a misused word, that's okay. But don't just comment to say mean stuff.
6. Obey the ROCs.
7. That is all.
8. Really.
9. I mean it.
10. I'm going to stop now.

Hehe, love 6-9.

Oh, and one more thing...
Rule number 11...

HAVE FUN!!