So Long 2009, Why Hello 2010!

Dear 2009,

We have had some ups and downs this year. You threw some curves and bumps my way that left me flat on my butt. But no matter the problems it always seemed to fix its self or it got better. There were many tears, smiles, laughing, yelling, and dancing in random places. I had a great privilege to find some amazing people on Blogger that I do, without a doubt, consider my friends.

I had a wee bit of a hiccup with college and my major but I think i'm getting that all fixed and worked out. I also had many opportunities to take pictures of either nature or people. I even got the chance to sew some for a change.

I really hope that 2010 will be more exciting, filled with adventures and possibilities. I want to explore more and not get stuck in the sorry routine of driving back and forth to college, cook, and clean. Only to wake up and do it all again. I will try really hard to be a better me and be happier.

Sincerely Yours,
Stephanie

xoxo


(P.s. The collage is photos I took, one for each month)

Whimsy Jar

I was up late one night looking through Flickr when I came across images like these, turns out they are whimsy jars!

Quite simple to make...

1. Get a jar that you fancy to look at
2. fill it with things you enjoy...and that will fit inside
3. screw the lid on
4. you're done!

The whole purpose of it is to have something cute to look at or to remind yourself of all the great things there are when you're feeling not quite fantastic.





I intend to make one and fill it with things that will remind me of happiness when i'm feeling sour.

I would like to challenge all of you to make your own whimsy jars, fill it with what makes you happiest whether its stickers and glitter or little magazine cut outs of pin up girls and fake tattoos or even plastic butterflies and fake grass...it is all up to you!



New Year's Eve is ALMOST HERE!!!
xoxo

Tune Tuesday

Deradoorian can be described as Nu-Jazz but she quite awesomely describes her music as "A garbage truck falling off the Empire State Building." That might sound bad but her music is far from the sound of metal scraping on concrete...She has a very low and soft voice that is matched with her whimsical and pretty lyrics.



She also has an amazing collection of Polaroids on her Myspace that is worth checking out. You can get to her Myspace by clicking HERE!



So far my favorite song from her is Grey Teeth, but sadly I could not find a video for it. So another great song from her is "You Carry The Deed" which you can watch below of her singing live or you can listen to three of her songs on her Myspace.



**Couldn't find any lyrics for her**

xoxo

My New Year's Eve Playlist

1. Moving Clocks Run Slow by We Were Promised Jet Packs
(better time management)


2. Waiting for the Kill by Elizabeth & the Catapult
(Be Stronger Emotionally)


3. Meet Me In The Garden by Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele
(sun kissed)


4. Xfile by 凛として時雨
(craziness)


5. Boom (She's So Hot) by Flight of the Conchords
(more laughter)


6. Hit in the USA by Beat Crusaders
(dream big)


7. Get up offa that thing by James Brown
(Dance in more random places)


8. Best of Me by Morning Wood
(Not give a flying fart in space what anyone thinks about me)


9. The Flowers by Regina Spektor
(More whimsy)


10. Blank White Page by Mumford & Sons
(More Love)

A New Me? Gasp!

A new year is coming around the corner rather fast. Only a few more days to come up with how I want my year to go and what I want to do. I've been reading other blogs and seeing what their NY's resolutions are...some are the ones you hear/read every year; Losing weight is probably the most common one. I won't say I don't want to..of course I want to..I have a little poof (yes I call my belly fat a poof, sounds better that way). But i'm not going to go into a horrible spiral where I tell my self I can't eat this or I can't eat that because what's the first thing that happens?! You feel repressed and crave it till you eat and eat! No more I say!

What my resolutions this year are...

1. To dress better or at least feel better in what i'm wearing. I put together a little visual about what you might find me in most of the time. Neutral colored t-shirts or sweatshirts, baggy pants or sweatpants...and usually with my hair pulled in a pony-tail or under a hat. I have a horrible habit of while in school of not having enough time to really put time into what I look like. I might spend 15-30 minutes getting ready and i'm out the door. I just want to look a bit more put together and be more confident.

old me out the window by pinkapplecore featuring Blingstyle jeans

BUT I don't want to loose who I am and what I like; which is cute, comfy, and geeky. I have already bought the red blazer, still slowly accumulating the rest. I also have this habit of my weight size changing...bigger or smaller it slightly fluctuates. So I keep clothes from different weight sizes I have been...I realize this is probably not a good thing. I'm going to go through my closest and get rid of things I haven't worn in more than a year or things I can't fit into anymore.

the new thing by pinkapplecore featuring Forever21

2. I want to do more..have fun..go out and live

3. No more stressing out, no more panic attacks, no more break downs..
(I have a really bad habit of putting everything on my shoulders and caring to much)

4. work on my 21 things to do before I turn 21 list

THAT'S IT! ONLY FOUR!! ^ .^

xoxo

Give-A-Way Winner!

The winner of the special preview to Myne Whitman's new book "A Heart To Mend" is dollyasylum

just send me your email to greenlime95 at aol dot com or you can post it below in the comments!


I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

Play A Game...

Last night, for nostalgia reasons, Jodi and I played on my old Super Nintendo. Which looks like the one below but a bit dirtier..cough. We had a blast since we rarely get to play games together it's usually he plays a game and then I'll get on the computer and play my game. So this was fun for both, even though I completely kicked his butt at the game. hahahaha



Took me about 14 years to beat it though, not 14 years straight or anything that would be horrible. I would play it for about 3 days and put it away for a year, then pull it out and play a few days, put it back into storage...you get the picture

But what I was thinking about last night was how far games have actually come..not surprising really but it's cool to look at the two side by side.

This is the game Jodi and I were playing last night, It's Super Mario World. This guys version is a lot cleaner looking than mine but I think this is the computer version that came out years ago. But it's the same set up.



And here we have the New Final Fantasy 13 Versus game that is going to come out soon. Gah they make them look almost real. I can only imagine what games will be in 2 to 5 years time.


Question: What is your favorite video game to play?

Tune Tuesday

Edit: I edited this page after posting. I wasn't feeling to well when I typed it up and I usually put more information about the band or singer but at the time I just wanted to hurry and post it. So to be fair I went back and put what I would have if I wasn't sick. :)

Sorry this is late but i've been having computer troubles and not feeling to well.

Dot Allison has a very mysterious sound that would fit into a smoky lounge with dark lighting, and lush red velvet curtains.


Dot is a Scottish singer that used to front for the band One Dove but decided to go solo. Some of her more recent songs have appeared in t.v. shows and movies this year. If you want to find out more you can go HERE




My favorite song so far from her is "Colour Me" which like I explained before just makes me think of a lounge with sweet smelling wisps of smoking swirling around me.



LYRICS...

Now I'm sliding, it's intriguing
So young yet too old to learn
That summer is the thirst
The river always runs dry first
You're in heaven
This is heaven now
You're in heaven
As the tides they draw and close
And the seasons turn again
Will the moon still wax and wane?
Will you always colour the day?
You're in heaven
This is heaven now
You're in heaven
Now I'm sliding, it's intriguing (this is heaven now)
So young yet too old to learn
That summer is the thirst
The river always runs dry first
You're in heaven
This is heaven now
You're in heaven

Virtual and Blog Tour: A Heart to Mend by Myne Whitman

Hay lovelies I have a very exciting announcement or well many announcements!! A very special blogger, Myne Whitman, had her book recently published! It's called "A Heart to Mend". I am going to host a give-a-way of sorts! I will randomly chose one lucky person to get a email from Myne Whitman that will have a special preview of the book! How exciting is that?! You have till December 23, 2009 to comment!! I will announce the Winner on December 24, 2009!!



Myne Whitman was also sweet enough to have an interview with me! Here are the questions and answers!! Hope you enjoy them!




Book Related Questions:

1. What made you get into writing?

I have been writing for a very long time, ever since I was a child and always dreamed of holding a book in my hands with my name on the cover as the author. I think it comes from my very vivid and extensive imagination and from the thousands of books I read.

2. What advice would you give to someone wanting to get published?

I will say that they should keep at it. It was Petina Gappah who said on her blog "A writer is a person who writes...You, at your computer or with your notebook, writing, and writing, revising and writing, and revising again." A writer thus has to persevere, have a story they want to share and push till it's in a forms others can understand and appreciate.

3. Is there a character you modeled after yourself or someone you know?

None of my characters is based on myself or any one I know but on a cumulative of my world view and experience. Other than that, they're just people of my imaginings and are therefore may seem free from some of the usual constraints we real persons face. However, since I try to make my stories as real as possible, they also share our fears and hopes, our victories and our pain.

4. If you could chose three words to describe the book what would they be?

Intriguing, fun, and lovely

5. Do you plan on writing more books or a sequel?

I definitely plan on writing more books. A sequel is not on the books right now but who knows what will happen? LOL. I am currently working on another romantic suspense manuscript and a couple of short stories, one of which I hope will be published before the end of the coming year.

Random Questions:

6. What are some of your favorite websites to visit?

I like to visit the Nigeria Village Square, the BBC, Google books, Yahoo News, and sometimes ABC. Other than these sites, I can be found checking my mails, reading my blog and others online blogs and message boards. I also use social networking sites, I have a page on Facebook, a Twitter account and a LinkedIn profile.

7. Do you have other authors that you look up to or idolize?

I look up to almost all authors and writers because I know how much work that goes into writing. I love various authors and cannot really narrow it down but the names that stick are; Mills and Boons, Barbara Cartland, Francine Rivers, Sidney Sheldon, Robert Ludlum, Leon Uris, John Grisham, and Micheal Critchton. And in Africa; Pacestters, African Writers Series, Flora Nwapa, Buchi Emecheta, Cyprian Ekwensi,Chinua Achebe and more recently Chimamanda Adichie and Jude Dibia.

8. If your style had a name what would it be?

Minimalist and Simple. I prefer using short sentences and lots of dialogue to tell a story. I like to think that this style is tailored to the situations I'm writing about and will carry my audience on the fluid journey of reading my books.

9. Can you list some of the music you are currently swaying to?

Circus by Britney Spears, Halo by Beyonce, Strong Thing by Banky W, No Air by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown, Try sleeping with a broken heart by Alicia Keys, Whatever it takes by Leona Lewis, Paparazzi by Lady Gaga, Million Dollar Bill by Whitney Houston and Love story by Taylor Swift.

10. How has Blogging helped you?

Blogging has been amazing especially in my chosen niche. I'm happy I have been able to establish my blog as a story and writing site but it has just been luck. I got overwhelming response to the Gladys and Edward story which is now a Heart to Mend on my blog and again when I decided to self-publish and open up the blog to other budding writers. In the four months since I started, I have won several awards and a couple of giveaways. My website is Mynewhitmanwrites.com and people can buy the book at AuthorHouse or Lulu
Bonus Question.... Pencil or Pen?

Definitely a pencil! LOL


DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO GET A SPECIAL PREVIEW OF HER BOOK!!

Tune Tuesday

Phosphorescent has a haunting quality to it. The first time I heard his music I was on the verge of tears because of the sadness that reverberates through it. Some of his lyrics can be slightly uncomfortable but that’s up to you to decide.

Phosphorescent is the one man band of Matthew Houck. But while touring he has many members who come and go. He was, in November, playing in England. I’m not sure when his next performance will be but you can check him out HERE.


My favorite song is “Wolves” which like I said earlier it just evokes an emotion in me. It’s haunting, chilling, and sad…



Lyrics...
Mama there's wolves in the house
Mama they won't let me out
Mama they're mating at night
Mama they wont make nice

They're pacing and glowing bright
Their faces all snowy and white
Bury their paws in the stone
Make for my heart as their home

They tumble and fight
And they're beautiful
On the hilltops at night
They are beautiful

Blazing with light
Is the whitest and the tallest and the biggest one
She's muscled and fine
When she runs

They're tearing up holes in the house
They're tearing their claws in the ground
They're staring with blood in their mouths
Mama they won't let me out

They tumble and fight
And they're beautiful
On the hilltops at night
They are beautiful

Blazing with light
Is the whitest and the tallest and the biggest one
All muscled and fine
When she runs

Mama there's wolves in the house
Mama i tried to put them out
And mama i know you're too wise
To wait till those wolves make nice

Adding To The Movie List

Here are some more movies I can't wait to see!

(Clash of the Titans Trailer)
I am looking forward to seeing this, it's seems like it'll be a pretty good action based movie. I don't know if it will have a good story plot though.


(Police Adjective Trailer)
This movie I believe is in Romanian. This is one of those indie films that I like to watch ever so often. It's about a cop who's having morality issues.


(The Wolf Man Trailer)
It seems like it will be good, don't know if it will live up to the original but we'll see!


(The Lightning Thief Trailer)
This is based on the Book, The lightning Thief. I haven't read it yet. The trailer doesn't really give you a good idea of what's going to happen.


(Kick Ass Trailer)
Oh this made me laugh. It's about this teen boy who loves comics and always wanted to be a superhero. It's hilarious.

(District 13 Trailer)
I kind of feel like they are trying to be Jason Statham. But never the less it's looks like it will be a good action movie.

(Avatar Trailer)
I am interested in seeing Avatar. Not only are the graphics amazing but the story seems solid.


(Prince of Persia Trailer)
Based off the video game Prince of Persia. I was a little disappointed who they chose for the main character. My excitement for the movie went down greatly..."Groan ug it's going to suck". Then the trailer came out and I have to admit the guy has really taken the role seriously and buffed up and everything.

Book Review and Interview!

Eyes Like Stars was a lovely read full of mystery and action! The story takes place in a theater unlike any other. This theater is a world of it's own with rules that if broken have dire consequences. Beatrice, or Bertie as her close friends call her, is the trouble making hero of the story and definitely has a commanding personality that can't be ignored. I give this a 5 out of 5. It kept my attention from start to finish, unique characters, some devilish mischief, and it's all together a thrilling story! I can't wait for the second installment to hit the shelves!



Venture forth to the Theatre Illuminata for more information on Eyes Like Stars!

click HERE to see the main character bios!

Lisa Mantchev was so lovely to have an interview with me! Thanks again Lisa you are truly amazing!

Book Questions

Me: 1. What made you get into writing?
Lisa: I've been writing short stories and poems since the third grade... it's something I loved almost as much as reading.


Me: 2. What advice would you give people who were looking to get into
writing?
Lisa: If you want to be published, you really need to treat it like your second job. Put your bum in the chair, put in the hours and the hard work, behave professionally... all the things you would do in your workplace for a paycheck.


Me: 3. If you could have a date with Nate or Ariel who would you choose?
Lisa: I'm married, so that's not an option. *ahem*


Me: 4. If you worked in a theater what job would you have?
Lisa: I've worked in the theater (albeit not professionally) and I've done everything from paint sets to change and wash costumes to direct. My original love was acting, though!


Me: 5. Is there a character you modeled after yourself or someone you
know?
Lisa: There's a lot of me in Bertie, that's for certain... I have a love of coffee and pastry, I like wearing Mary Janes, and I like to dye my hair crazy colors, although I've never gone blue!



Random Questions:

Me: 6. What are some of your favorite websites to visit?
Lisa: CakeWrecks.com, CuteOverload.com, eBay... That about covers the cake, the cute, and the shopping, right?


Me: 7. Favorite cake flavor?
Lisa: Some variety of chocolate with fudgy frosting, although I am also a sucker for a raspberry marzipan layer cake my sister gets in Seattle.


Me: 8. If your style had a name what would it be?
Lisa: My writing style? Magic realism, I suppose.


Me: 9. If the world ran out of sweets what would you do?
Lisa: Plant sugar cane and set up bee hives!


Me: 10. Favorite holiday?
Lisa: Halloween... I love costuming!



Me: Extra Question: Lollipops or Suckers (dum dums)?
Lisa: Suckers, but the Tootsie Roll Pop kind!




I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed putting it together!
-xoxo

Oh Dear!

I want to say thank you too all the lovely ladies who dropped by yesterday to say "Merry SITSmas" I appreciate it.

Here are the ladies who took a chance and dropped by last night!

Angry Julie Monday
Moments of Mommyhood
Kallaydoscope
One Crafty Mama!
Some Days You Gotta Dance
Pixeltrashmania
Hurricane Riley and his Big Brother Rex
Random Thoughts at 65 MPH
2 Toddlers and Me
OF Mice and Ramen
Joy to the blog

I had fun looking through blogs last night, didn't through them all. What am I kidding I didn't get through 1/4 of them on the list. I did find some pretty cool blogs though! I will post them later. I also didn't realize how many mother bloggers there were.

xoxo

Merry SITSmas!

Namine from the Clutter Box posted about this Blogger website that helps people find other people's blogs.

I thought I would take part in that!

So Merry SITSmas and go Here for some good cheer!

Tune Tuesday

Band of Skulls music is a primordial soup of angst kick butt power with a sense of humor thrown in. I did not know when I found this group that they were on the “New Moon” soundtrack… **Wait come back, I promise it’s a good band!!** I actually don’t like the song that’s on the soundtrack, not saying its bad but it’s not my glass of sweet tea. But buisness wise it was probably a smart move on their part.


They are a British group that formed in 2008. Russell and Emma both share vocals and I think it just adds to their wickedness.



My Personal favorite is “I know what I am” which just gives me this really kooky boost of confidence when I hear it. I get this extra pep in my step. And if you don’t believe me just listen to it!!



LYRICS
High ho, triple sow cow,
I got a feeling like I'm tired of the flow
But I know what I am,
They know what they are
So let me be

Gasoline, saccharine
I got no reason for the state I'm in,
But I know what I am,
They know what they are
So let me be

Hotel, Taco Bell,
I got the hit that you know damn well,
But I know what I am,
They know what they are
So let me be

Cut, tease,
Better believe,
I got the feeling that I'm underneath,
But "I know what I am"
They know what they are
So let me be

But it’s alright, its okay,
I got the time, but the time don’t pay
(repeat 3x)
It’s alright it’s okay.

Flip flop no stop,
I got the wit that my enemies lack,
But I know what I am,
They know what they are
So let me be

Trick some, just begun,
Giving you more when you only want one,
Cause I know what I am,
They know what they are
So let me be

Hot, sweat,
Got debt,
Keep looking in the locker cause you don’t know yet,
But I know what I am,
They know what they are
So let me be

Ship shape, ticker tape,
Looks to me like a narrow escape,
But I know what I am,
They know what they are
So let me be

But it’s alright, its okay,
I got the time, but the time don’t pay
(repeat 3x)
It’s alright it’s okay

I know what I am,
They know what they are
So let me be
I know what I am.
(repeat)

Inspiration Contemplation

I've been wanting to make over my room for a while now. I feel like i'm half way there in the color palette. I like my space to be white and clean but with splashes of colors that can be interchanged. I like to think of my room style as simple modern alternative.. yeah that just rolls off the tongue.I really enjoy music so I want to find some music or band posters to fill up my practically bare walls. Other than my collection of postcards i've received there is nothing on them. I think after I went through this weird phase with paint I was really hesitant to put anything up or put unwanted holes in the walls. I had a mishap of painting my whole room neon green once. If you ever drove past my house it was like an alien invasion going on from my room. I could turn the lights out and it was still bright. Yeah the green didn't last long. Right now it's Studio beige. Something else I want to incorporate is Christmas lights. They are so lovely and romantically magical. Why can we only have them in the winter? Nay I say, I will have them year round! Once I can figure out how to have them without all the cords. I mentioned before that I really like white as by base color. On the down side I have a gray cat that loves to sleep on my bed which is like the one in the picture. A simple white duvet with a white cover. After a week of the cat sleeping and taking naps you can see this gray shadow on the bed from her shedding. I wash my sheets once a week. I would even if I didn't have a cat but you get the idea. It's hard to keep it clean, but i'll try and manage. I have two DIY projects I want to cover before summer next year. The first is a low standing coffee table.It's really hard to find a coffee table that you like within your budget. The coffee table below is really close to what i'm picturing in my head but I will be making it out of Plywood and I don't like the round edges. I like that you can store things on the bottom and I want a place out in the open my books and music for easy access. I'm pretty certain I will paint it white. The second Project is a couch. Yeah I know it sounds daunting. It's a fairly simple design. I think the hard part is just putting it together and not forgetting some key pieces. The Lady who made this bought her cushions from IKEA but I hope to make them my self. I've made cushions before and they're easy but sometimes they can be pricey compared to what you buy in a store. Depends on if I can get a great deal or not. I don't want mine to be this wide though. I just want a small little lounge space to sit, do work, and relax. Sometimes it's kind of boring to always sit on your bed to watch t.v. or do your homework .. or relax... plus sleep.I don't think I will start work on this till after Christmas, maybe January. When I do I will keep you all informed and post pictures for your viewing pleasure!

Tune Tuesday

Alela Diane was probably born in the wrong era! Her music style is a combination of folk and psychedelic rock, termed psych folk which originated in the 60s. She learned a lot from her parents not just about life but music. They would sing together, though she taught herself how to play guitar. She played with other bands and eventually went solo.




You can go to her website HERE and get updates through email or you can go HERE to her Myspace for more info.

Personal Favorite is “Foreign Tongue”. The way she sings is very sobering. Listening to the song makes me think of being home alone, bare feet on a cold floor, and rain beating against the windows.







Lyrics

That sidewalk is a river that I fished dry
Oh that sidewalk is a river that I fished dry
And now it's my heavy hand filling the brim
And it hauled me out of their brim(??)

But my coat of arms burns stronger still
But my coat of arms burns stronger still

And foreign tongue ties me here
Foreign tongue ties me here

So hang my slips out with the words between the lines
Oh hang my slips out with the words between the lines
And bow my head to their ears
Bow my head to those ears

I'll never tip-toe across my home ever again
I'll never tip-toe across my home ever again

Ever again
Ever again

And foreign tongue ties me here
Foreign tongue ties me here