A Lackluster Read And The Silent Sanctuary

Much has happened since I wrote last, dear readers. Days have passed, a lackluster novel has been read, a trip to the library has been taken, and a frozen pizza has met with a terrible fate. We've got a lot to cover so let's start with the low point. Last week I was searching through the books at goodwill and stumbled across a middle grade novel I'd seen in the "you might also like" thing on Barnes and Nobel, the book was called The Flame of Olympus (I later learned that this is the first book in the Pegasus series), the price and the review from Rick Riordan on the front cover assured me I had very little to lose, and so I picked it up. I'm just gonna list some of my problems with this book, if you want a summary you shall have to look elsewhere.

1. I felt the author picked the wrong protagonist. Emily was a very lacking character and I much would have preferred Paeleon (or however you spell his name) who still wasn't the best character but at least had some personality.

2. Roman gods instead of Greek ones. Why? Why feel the need to do that?

3. The dialogue was weird. Everyone talked a bit...old fashioned? I dunno, when characters say things like "It is" instead of "It's" constantly it gets on my nerves. It was understandable for the Olympians but for the rest of the characters, most of which were supposed to be New Yorkers, just no.

4. It never actually said how old the main character was. Seriously it NEVER said! I just sort of assumed she was in the 10 to 12 rang.

5. Insta-friendship between Emily and this kid Joel who she'd never met. Honestly, he's the meanest kid in her class but then once he meets Pegasus he just magically becomes friendly?

6. We never learned where the bad guys came from or what they wanted. I mean, it's a series so I guess that could be explained in later books but...yeah..
 
I could go on, gang, I really could but I won't. Let's move on to better times, namely my trip to the library. Now when thinking about the library my brain tends to highlight the negative, how they never seem to have that one book I've been dying to read in, the judgmental glances I get when walking into the children's section to look for books, etc. But there are so many good things about the library, gang, and one of my favorite things is that it's so beautifully quiet. Allow me explain why this fact is such a standout: I have two modes, mode one is me being ridiculously loud and obnoxious and mode two tends to make people think I'm mute, generally I'm in mode two and it feels like the rest of the world is constantly in mode one, so a place where quiet is enforced is joyous. Another cool thing is that the librarian who helped me and my madre check out had all these Disney pins on the lanyard her badge was on. Of course being the special snowflake that I am I was too shy to tell her that I thought she was rocking those pins. I'm not even gonna get into the pizza story, guys. I will simply tell you that this one wasn't actually my fault and I seriously regret trying to eat it. That's it for now, gang. Until next time. Much Love, Gabby         

About Balloons

Yesterday I was talking to my mother and I recalled her telling me to write a power ballad about my feelings on the subject but I couldn't recall what the subject was. I now remember though I still don't know why she thought writing a power ballad was the best method of expressing my emotions. Yesterday as we were leaving Publix I saw a Valentines balloon that had floated to the ceiling and gotten caught on a metal beam, the sight of made me very sad. I know most people don't really think about those balloons but my tendency to over think things made it a very depressing thing indeed. Just think about all the balloons that float to the ceiling, they're never going to be someone's get well present or whatever their print intended them to be, they'll never bring joy into anyone's life, they'll never fulfill their purpose in this world. They'll just sit there caught on those metal beams until they deflate. All that wasted potential, man. I told my mother that those balloons have always made me sad, ever since I was little, it's only now that I can eloquently express my feelings regarding them. That's it for now. Until next time, gang. Much Love, Gabby 

The Optimist

Today I am in a pondering sort of mood. I was just listening to a playlist of tunes I hadn't heard in a good while and suddenly Pompeii came on and a flood of emotions washed over me. Do you ever find that with certain songs you recall how you felt when you first listened to them? Pompeii wasn't a fun time in my life, I listened to that song almost constantly early last year when I was mourning a family member. The lyrics really spoke to me, "How am I gonna be an optimist about this?", how will my life ever go back to normal? The answer is it didn't. I still hurt, I still think about all the days I wasted and all the love I didn't show, I still expect to see this person whenever there's a big family event; I forget they're gone and suddenly a wound I thought was healed opens up again. I've lost a lot of people in the last couple of years, gang, and I've got regrets that go with everyone of them. But you know what? I remind myself that they're happier than they ever were here and someday we'll be that happy together and it comforts me a little. I still go back to those lyrics, I find myself constantly questioning how to look on the bright side in these hard times in this cruel world, and I remind myself what's waiting for me, and that I need to try my best until then, and I feel a little better again. It's an almost constant cycle, it's a struggle to remain optimistic. But to think how for every bad day I have there is an eternity of good ones sure as heck helps. And just because I don't foresee and bright spots in my future doesn't mean that they aren't there, God's full of surprises. I think a good chunk of faith is believing in the good days when you're in the middle of a bad one. That's gonna be it for now, gang. Until next time. Much Love, Gabby    

Lost Without Wifi

Today my wifi was out and I realized just how much of my life revolves around the internet, then I got really depressed by that fact... I'm young, I should be outside breathing fresh air, and seeing new places, and having adventures darn it! But I'm home on the couch trying to figure out where this post is going because my brain is totally blank at the moment. Do any of y'all ever feel a very strong desire to write but once you actually start writing you just feel like giving up and going to bed? That's about me right now, gang. I was thinking about perhaps doing a Q and A on here but I'm not exactly sure how many readers I've got at the moment, after all I only started this blog a month ago, but if you've got anything you wanna know don't forget there's a comment section at the end of every post. I am very much in want of inspiration right now, I need to read some great books, I need to see some awesome movies, I need fuel for that finicky muse of mine. I'm just feeling wiped out, guys. Some stuff went down yesterday and it left me feeling seriously drained. My energy and hope meters are running dangerously low at the moment. The temperatures have continued to plummet and so have my zen levels. It's like winter is making up for all of our normally mild and pleasant weather by giving south Florida a serious beat down before spring takes over. I'm gonna wrap this up for now, I'll wait until I actually have something to write about to post again. Until next time. Much Love, Gabby

Punk Rock Is Dead And The Clones Are Attacking

Recently after my mini spiritual awakening I decided to get some Christian tunes on my spotify. I'm rather ashamed to admit that I didn't have any Christian music anywhere on it and not really any on my iTunes either in the past year. After fleeing the great and terrible mega church I was going to last year I found myself seriously fed up with a lot of songs, I guess I associated them with bad memories. Now I found myself with very few limits, nobody helped me make this playlist so I didn't have anybody hovering over my shoulder telling me to get this or that, it was just me and the tunes. I mentioned this in my previous entry but apparently my taste in worship tends to lean more towards punk rock. Relient K, some Stellar Kart, Hawk Nelson, that kinda old school stuff. I dunno why but I find myself kinda drawn to it, I love how it sort of aggressively proclaims all about the love of God. Now I do like more chilled out stuff, I really dig old Newsboys song from back before they changed their lead singer, The Afters are cool as well. And just in general I tend to listen to more relaxed music, but with worship I guess I tend to like something that really gets my blood pumping, especially since slower song in the Christian category tend to be a little mournful. I love how these songs acknowledge both how sucky life is and how awesome God can make it. And also they're not afraid to say how even with God on your side it ain't all sunshine and fun times. The unfortunate part of my rediscovery of this stuff is that right now this kind of music is dead as a doornail. Seriously, what happened to Christian music? When did it become all oohing and ahhing and comparing God to stupid stuff like rocks and fire? I remember one of the last times I went to my old church and they played this one song that declared "THE ROCK WON'T MOVE!" about 50 times and being the sarcastic little crud that I am I leaned over to my friend and whispered, "This is the most inspirational song about Dwayne Johnson I've ever heard". Let me tell you we started cackling. I know, it was an awful thing to do, especially right there in the middle of church. Trust me, I've asked God's forgiveness on that one. I just don't understand when worship became so generic. I'm not trying to be cool or modern here either, I think the old hymns from way way back in the day are just dandy if you play with the arrangement a little. The lyrics actually used to mean something. I know the world isn't perfect and my vision for a church where maxi skirts for girls and plaid button downs for guys aren't a mandatory dress code that'll get you funny looks if you don't obey isn't realistic, but it's something to try for, man. I mean, how're things supposed to get better if we don't try and change them? I'm not saying it's wrong to dress this way, that you're not allowed to like your Starbucks and get excited when a new Hillsong CD comes out. But the thing of it is that a lot of people right now tend to believe that's how Christians are SUPPOSED to be, and that you're wrong or weird or somehow less holy if you aren't. I personally believe that if you're a Christian the only one you're supposed to be like is Jesus. I don't know how this became a rant about the church's attack of the clones, but my point is that you should never feel bad for just being yourself. No matter what you wear or where you drink your coffee Jesus loves you. That's gonna be it for now, guys. Until next time. Much Love, Gabby

Things I've Learned

Today my muse is not with me but I still want to write so I shall make a list of some random things I have learned recently.

1. When you buy Haribro gummy bears the green ones are apparently strawberry and not lime. The red ones are raspberry.


2. You should never buy anything in Times Square because even a sweet tea from Mickey D's costs an insane amount of money, so instead you should go "around the corner" to a little pizza place called Mario's. I overheard a guy telling his friend this while I was waiting for a pizza.

3. According to my brother my Matthew McConaughey impression sounds like Forrest Gump.

4. There is a fun punk rock cover of Do Want To Build A Snowman by Stellar Kart and a depressing not punk rock one by Jasmine Thompson.

5. The choreographers for Mary Poppins were a married couple. How sweet is that?

6. Apparently you have a better chance of getting a manga published in Japan than winning the lottery.

7. Also apparently my taste in Christian music tends to lean more toward punk rock or old school.

8. I did not learn what my friend Grace's belated birthday gift to me is (but I think I know).

That's gonna be it for now, gang. Hopefully I'll have another proper entry up soon. Much Love, Gabby

A Case Of The Blahs

The temperature has plummeted and so have my spirits. Winter's got me down, gang. I am very much ready for spring. I live on a lake so the wind makes this creepy whistling sound and it's like I'm in The Secret Garden or something. Now I've never really been down with the tropics, the beach just isn't my scene; but I've got dreams, dear readers, and they mainly happen somewhere warm and sunny. Despite the fact that my days have been lazy and uneventful I find myself in desperate need of a vacation. On these gloomy days my head and heart are up north in Disney world. The parks give me that extra shot of Disney magic to recharge my soul, ya know? I can be dog tired but as soon as I'm on Main Street I'm dancing and skipping and making a total fool of myself (and not caring at all because I'm having the time of my life). Orlando is of course colder than my home base but there's plenty of fun stuff to distract you from the mind numbing cold and soul sucking darkness. I would love to tell you that there's a beacon of hope at the end of this tunnel, that a trip to the happiest place on earth is shining in the distance, but alas, there is only me bopping around in the metaphorical tunnel. So here I am, with the days passing quickly and the nights crawling by slowly as a turtle with gum on its feet. That's gonna be it for now, gang. A whole entry just to complain! Until next time, guys. Much Love, Gabby