Friday, April 29, 2011

On the void


♪♫ ♪♫ ♪♫
I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?

I've been listening to this song repeatedly for what seems like forever. I've heard it before, in an animated movie of ogres (Shrek, anyone?) of all places, but was reintroduced to it when I found out we were playing this song in band. I love the melody, it's really beautiful music. However, it makes me feel somewhat melancholy. Then again, I've been feeling like that a lot lately. The days are the same, in and out, nothing different. I just feel empty... that's the only way I can describe it. It's like I'm searching desperately for something to fill that void and can't find it. Nothing phases me anymore. Things that I should enjoy, I don't. I just feel like curling up and sleeping and staying by myself for the rest of time.

Moving on from all that awkward self pity. The beach is always a nice place to go, no matter what. So I dragged myself away from Bio studying - I couldn't resist with balmy 60 degree temperatures. ;) I've always loved the water. The shoreline, crashing waves, jumping off the pier, children splashing and bright umbrellas. Even the not so pleasant aspects, like the slimy seaweed and slightly fishy smell that accompanies it, and the swarms of flies near street lights at night. So sitting down by the river for a few hours did improve my mood slightly. Plus it's the weekend, that's always good.

-Brooke

PS: Sorry for the terrible pictures... they were the best I could do with a bench/self timer. I really need to get someone to take pictures for me, or a model that would let me take pictures of them... I want to experiment some with portraits)



Sunday, April 17, 2011

On Sundays spent reading

Okay, so I finally managed to get a hold of a copy of the Hunger Games from the library, and it is amazing. <3 Mind being blown right now. I've been reading since last night (Emily - you were right! I didn't want to go to sleep, haha!) and most of today, and am almost finished. It's such a great book. I love how Katniss tells it from her point of view, and the whole concept that Suzanne Collins came up with is incredible. The characters are so life like and the descriptions of the games make me feel like I'm right there. I'm loving Peeta, Gale, and Katniss, but I my other characters are Cinna and Rue.

It has quickly become one of my favorite books. Unfortunately, most of the time I'm too busy to do any substantial reading, but today I've pretty much dropped everything to get through it. Yeah, who needs to study or do homework. The suspense is killing me! xD I had to take a break because I've been sitting in the same place for five hours and my eyes hurt somewhat (going on the computer probably doesn't help). But ahhh, I can't wait to finish. I need to get back to reading.

Anyways, that was a random quick update because I had to gush over the Hunger Games amazing-ness. I now understand why everyone loves this book so much. I had heard it was going to be good, but hearing things and then actually seeing for myself is so much better. It's wonderful. There is no better way to spend a Sunday that curled up with a good book, with a warm cup of tea hearing the rain. :)

-Brooke

Saturday, April 16, 2011

On good days and photoshoots

bow tie and shades, FTW.
 Have you ever just had one of those really great days, where everything is simple and nice and just falls together perfectly? Yeah, those are always fun. It's finally the weekend, and I couldn't be happier. The past few weeks have been crazy busy for me. Soccer season has started up, and my team is 2-0-1, and I've started for two out of our three games. :) Even though our match last night the other team played so dirty and I got elbowed in the nose and pushed/tripped on multiple occasions.

Then there's school, AP Bio in particular. That class kicks my butt times one thousand. The exam is in... 25 days, I think. Oh man, I am definitely not prepared for that. Just a word of advice - do NOT take AP Biology when you have never even had standard Bio before. It makes things a lot more difficult then they need to be. Just sayin'.

Plus today I had a music competition that my band director has been stressing for the past month. So I've been all over the place lately.

pondering the universe?
Me and, introducing my friend A., went to said competition. It consisted of a solo piece, scales, and sight reading. I totally messed up on the sight reading, but somehow managed to still get a Division I, score of 96, and he got a 98 (of course...) xD Anyways, we both played early in the morning so then decided to goof off the rest of the day. And fortunately, I had my camera in tow. He makes a good model, yes? Haha.

It's been a good Saturday, but over far too soon. I'm now off to curl up with The Hunger Games. Yeah, that's right. I got it transferred in from a different library and I have it to read for the next two weeks! YES'M. I picked it up this afternoon. Another reason why it is a wonderful day.

-Brooke

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

On The Hunger Games and my impatience


Because this is seriously getting ridiculous. My dear, public library - I love you, of course, but would it kill you to have more than one copy of a popular book? Seriously. It would be much appreciated by us who don't have the patience to be on the mile long waiting list. Every single copy of "The Hunger Games" in my county is currently checked out, being held, in transit, or lost. There are eleven city libraries in the area, and not one has THG available. Well isn't that lovely. Library, you seem to have many editions of Twilight for the obsessive fangirls, but only one HG per building? Stock your shelves with fine literature, please. It's really my own fault for not being put on the waiting list... but I feel like complaining. So here we go.

The public library system in my area is somewhat defunct, in my opinion. I mean, I love it because it's where I get most of my books, but it's really not how I picture a space of education and entertainment to be. When I imagine a library, I see tall wooden bookshelves floor to ceiling, wall to wall. Any bare space is filled with artwork and photography. Slightly dimmed lighting, with a air of casualness. The shelves are filled with numerous novels with old worn bindings and the earthy smell of parchment along with just a hint of coffee or tea. The warm tones of the covers with their golden script dancing across the front. Every topic under the sun, from fiction to biography. With plump, cushioned arm chairs nestled back in a corner, where the world can turn into a fantasy land just by the turn of a page.

That would be like a dream come true. My library? There's bright fluorescent lighting, rows of computers, little kid puzzles, and taxidermy owls. A section for DVD's and then the bland informational things. Books that are thirty years old - and not in a good way. "___ For Dummies" and other assorted how-to books line one wall, awkward romance paper backs the other. The 'young adult' section translates into vampire teen novels and anime. Then there's that tiny sliver of goodness, tucked away like a secret, with JK Rowling and Jenny Nimmo, Cornelia Funke and Jeanna DuPrau. Things actually worth reading. But alas, the Hunger Games are absent, for they are always checked out by some lucky soul who gets there before myself.

I really want to read this series, I have for quite a while now. It seems very interesting, and I've heard a lot of great things about it, especially from the AG blogger community (if you could call it that...) Plus, with all the news about the film being made, I have wanted to read it even more. Unfortunately, it is never checked in at any library, I'm too impatient to sign up for the waiting list for who knows how long, and I'm too cheap to go out and buy me own copy. It's really my own fault for not having it held. It just frustrates me. I just want to be like this sometimes:
gif of Mark Salling (AKA Puck from Glee). I'm not a huge fan of the show, but it does make for some pretty funny gif's...
I used to read constantly. I would always have my nose in a book. I still do, pretty much, but with my super busy schedule, I sadly don't always have time. For the past month, I have had literally had no spare time. Between four hour musical rehearsals, soccer practice, school, homework, band competitions... it's not fun. Five hours of sleep does not make for a happy Brooke.

Anyways, I digress. I want to read The Hunger Games. So bad. I want to curl up in my favorite chair and read the night away, listening to the rain. Or sit in the sun outside while turning the pages. But instead, I shall do something productive, like Bio homework.

-Brooke


Sunday, April 3, 2011

On summer reminiscing


Spring Break is finally here. Of course, it snows. 'Gotta love the unpredictable weather of the Midwest. I can't wait for the summer to be here again. Lemonade, lush grass, beach waves, balmy nights with fireflies... I wish I could just fast forward to June. Summer 2010 was an excellent time. It was spent at the lake and in the woods, with friends and family. I want to repeat it in some ways, but it's best not to live in the past. Still, it's fun to remember all the good times I had.

A big part of it was also meeting my Hanna (on the right in the photo). She would have to be one of the few people who I consider to be my best friends. I wish I had some long, sentimental story, like how we had known each other since pre-school days and have been pals ever since, but it's really not like that. She moved to my town this summer, down the street, and the rest is history. It's funny how much just a few months can change a person. Before, I was just the quiet, sarcastic girl with her nose in book. I have a rather odd personality, being shy but also having a weird, outgoing side with a strange sense of humor. It doesn't seem to mesh well with very many people, and I can honestly say I don't have that many friends to my name. I have a constant feeling of being left out for some reason, probably because it happens a lot, and Hanna really helped me to 'find' myself that summer. And this is getting way too sappy and personal for my taste, and you guys who may be reading this probably don't care, so I'll move on.

Summer is fireworks and camping trips, barbecues and jumping off the pier (my personal favorite past time). That's one part I love about living so close to the water, the beach is just a walk away. I'll spend day after day there. An early bike ride in the morning, a swim in the afternoon. Reading in the warmth of the sun.

I can't wait for it to come again.

Have a favorite summer memories? A best friend?
-Brooke

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

On the creation of this blog


Hola, everyone! Well, everyone being the readers of this blog. And the readers of this blog being pretty much no one. So I guess, hola to myself? And the few people that may actually follow this? But see, that's a mouthful and 'hola, everyone' is much more feasible.

Anyways, it's Brooke here. I'm the crazy girl on the block. I'm no stranger to blogging, but wanted a place where I could just be completely myself and not filter anything, or feel bad about writing my whole life story at a blog that wasn't intended for that. So, that's where The Mighty Pen came into play. Don't ask about the title... I really don't know how I came up with that. It's one of my favorite quotes, and I was like "Hey, I need a URL! How about this?". It was also midnight, and I was sleep deprived and slap happy. But hey, whatever works, you know?

Moving on. This blog is by me, for me. But really, who am I? I'm the strange, odd ball, geeky, sarcastic, bio-loving girl with her nose in a book. I hope throughout this journey blogging, you'll all get to know me just a little bit better. Most of it will probably be completely random, but I'm an awfully random person, as you will soon find out. So yes, there are ramblings, rants, and musings by me, plus some photography in the future. You've been warned!

I hope you all enjoy!

-Brooke