I feel like my Star Wars fan status should be revoked.

At least, it should have been revoked for the last five years or so. Granted, I was busy with life, going through college and getting married and moving and such. But I've lately been inundated with Star Wars news because of the movie being in production, and I realized there's a lot of Star Wars stuff that I have missed. Star Wars has long been my favourite movie saga, though the prequels do leave a lot to be desired. I loved them as a kid/teen and I'm not going to throw that love entirely out the window, but I digress.

I used to be an avid reader of the Star Wars Expanded Universe (EU) novels. My father handed me a copy of Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn when I was eleven and I didn't look back. The Thrawn trilogy remains at the top of my book list, and I discovered a character who would quickly become my favourite character in any book/movie/game universe ever. Her name? Mara Jade. She never appears in the films, but she is honestly the best. I have cosplayed as her more times than I can count. And the last Star Wars book that I read was the one in which she was brutally killed. That was shortly after I started college, and I was so devastated that I basically quit Star Wars for a time. I just couldn't continue the Legacy of the Force series. I was literally heartbroken, and possibly more heartbroken than I've been in my life. Probably not but whatever.  I was so angry with the author, Karen Traviss, even though I know it wasn't really her decision completely. And I think Timothy Zahn was angry at his character being killed, so that makes me feel a tiny bit better. The fact remains that couldn't handle her death and it's taken me a long time to get back into the EU and various aspects of Star Wars.

But I'm back in now. I've played a few games, I've read a few novels, Scoundrels by Timothy Zahn being the one I'm currently reading, and I've been getting into the online world of fellow Star Wars fans. My favourite thing right now is a new podcast called Jedi Alliance. It began in August, and I'm in love with it. It has its really weird moments, but it's a solid 45 minutes of Star Wars nerdiness. I can't argue with it. They've got everything from random trivia to fan stuff to obscure parts of the universe to news on Episode VII. Ken Napzok and Maude Garret are hilarious, and the obvious dedication they have to such an incredible saga is fantastic. You can find it on iTunes and on YouTube.

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This was a hard post to write. Roll your eyes all you want, but I had to write it. This is my personal blog, and these are my thoughts. Star Wars has been central in my fangirl life and I'm finally admitting that I can move on. Though I'm still not *that* excited about Episode VII.

my 2014 reading list

First on my goals for 2014 is to read more again. I used to read all the time, but unfortunately life does get in the way. Anywho, with a few changes, I'm using my list from last year. I decided to take off A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, because quite frankly those books suck your soul and don't have much good in them...as fascinating as the story is...I sort of wonder why so many Christians extol Martin's praises....it doesn't take skill to write about sex and violence and dysfunctional families and use lots of foul language. But I digress.

The first book I am going to read is one that a friend gave me that was written by her friend. It's a fantasy novel entitled The Towers. I'm excited to dive in. I'm also reading William Shakespeare's Star Wars by Ian Doescher. It's incredible. Not even kidding. I hope this guy writes at least the rest of the original trilogy. I also do have a few YA books sitting on my headboard (which doubles as a bookshelf -- seriously, it was made that way) that will most likely get read but are not on this list.

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Along with my reading list, I have a few specific goals in mind for my 2014 reading journey. Here they are, in no particular order, except the top one:

• Read the Bible more.
• Read at least one novel aloud with Nate. (Harry Potter is a good place to start!)
• Read 10 non-fiction books.
• Read at least 3 books on my Kindle.
• Actually blog about every book I read.

Do you have a list or any reading goals for 2014?

here's to making 2013 fabulous!

Happy New Year to my dear followers! I apologize for not posting regularly on here. There have been a lot of ups and downs over the past year, but I am determined to make 2013 better than 2012. We humans, being imperfect sinful messes, always say this every time a new year rolls around. Occasionally it works, and more often it doesn't. We make resolutions to lose weight, read more books, make new friends, stop smoking, eat better food, travel more, etc.... The list could go on forever. And while resolutions can be good, I think it'd be helpful to realize that we will never be perfect no matter how hard we try.

So. I do have resolutions, though I am calling them goals because that just sounds more attainable. Besides, my goals are meant to be habit-forming and thus a change for the better, though a few of them are just fun. So here is my list.

• read my Bible more often
• treat my body better and get it in shape
• drink a green smoothie at least once a week
• eat breakfast
• snowmobile with Nate as often as possible while the trails are open
• play the piano more, and teach myself Claire de Lune
• take up knitting again
• learn how to crochet
• perfect the art of making a latte (I consider it an art anyway...)
• sew a fantastic Halloween costume (gonna be the Miller High Life Girl!)
• take more walks/hikes
• work my way up to running
• plan at least one weekend up north camping trip for this summer
• write something every single day
• purchase clothing only from thrift shops (this is a goal I will expand upon in a later post)
• shop local: both shops and farmer's markets
• write monthly letters to friends and family
• plant a vegetable garden
• harvest dandelions for wine again
• purchase a DSLR camera (I even have my eye on one... ^_^)
• read 50 books, at least 10 of those must be non-fiction
• begin making Christmas gifts at a decent time this year
• BLOG BLOG BLOG 
• don't forget that it's okay to dress up and put on a little lipstick just to do mundane shopping
• always remember that each day is a gift from God and try to enjoy it

There you have it. It's probably not a complete list of goals, but I also tend to overshoot when I plan things out for myself. I think I'm addicted to life, specifically experiences in life. I want to do everything, go everywhere, see all the beautiful sights this world has to offer. Realistically, I know that'll never happen, but I can begin a little closer to home and enjoy what the Lord has blessed me with, which is a fair bit of goodness.
And I mean it when I say 2013 is going to be fabulous!

My 2013 Reading List

It's nearly a new year and you know what that means: My 2013 Reading List!
To be perfectly honest, I love making lists, but have a hard time sticking to them.
This is especially the case with books because I so easily get distracted by another book.
And another book.
And another book.
And so on.
But.
I'm hoping that this year I will be a little better about it.
For my Summer of the Classics, I did actually read a few of the ones on my list!
I was VERY happy with myself.
So now, I am keeping the books on my summer list that I didn't read, and adding to it for this year.
Since this is a year long list rather than just for summer, maybe I'll actually read most of these!
The first book I really should finish is The Casual Vancancy.

My 2013 Reading List

• Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (I am going to start this one over....)
• House of Mirth, by Edith Wharton
• Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen
• Anthony Adverse, by Hervey Allen
• From the Earth to the Moon, by Jules Verne
• Now or Never or, The Adventures of Bobby Bright, by Oliver Optic
• Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy
• The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins
• Tess of the d'Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy
• Quo Vadis: a narrative of the time of Nero, by Henryk Sienkiewicz
• Ulysses, by James Joyce (Okay, this is more wishful thinking, because I have tried reading this before and just couldn't get into it....but I am so willing to try again!)
• Utopia, by Thomas More
• History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, by Henry Fielding
• Cranford, by Elizabeth Gaskell
• The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, by Anne Bronte
• Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens
• The Mysteries of Udolpho, by Ann Radcliffe
• The Phantom of the Opera, by Gaston Leroux
• Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo

• A Song of Ice and Fire: A Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin
• A Song of Ice and Fire: A Storm of Swords, by George R.R. Martin
• A Song of Ice and Fire: A Feast for Crows, by George R.R. Martin
• A Song of Ice and Fire: A Dance with Dragons, by George R.R. Martin
• Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer
• The Arctic Incident, by Eoin Colfer
• The Eternity Code, by Eoin Colfer
• The Opal Deception, by Eoin Colfer
• The Lost Colony, by Eoin Colfer
• The Time Paradox, by Eoin Colfer
• The Atlantis Complex, by Eoin Colfer
• The Last Guardian, by Eoin Colfer
• Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
• Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
• The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
• The Snow Child, by Eowyn Ivey
• The Time-Traveling Fashionista, by Bianca Turetsky
• The Time-Traveling Fashionista at the Palace of Marie Antoinette, by Bianca Turetsky
• Battle Royale, by Koushun Takami
• Casino Royale, by Ian Fleming (James Bond)

• The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary, by Simon Winchester
• The Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin
• The Science of Star Wars, by Jeanne Cavelos
• Salt: A World History, by Mark Kurlansky
• Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis, by Michael Ward
• The Fire and the Staff: Lutheran Theology in Practice, by Klemet Preus
• Jane Austen: A Life, by Claire Tomalin
• Wanderlust: A History of Walking, by Rebecca Solnit
• Tea: The Drink that Changed the World, by Laura C. Martin
• The German Genius, by Peter Watson (A continuation of reading...)

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Note that I have separated the books out into sections. The top section is classics and old books. The middle is newer fiction, and the bottom is non-fiction. I have challenged myself to read ten non-fiction books in 2013. This will be difficult, because I have a really hard time reading non-fiction. But my list is all things that should really, really interest me.

[reading books that take you out of your comfort zone]

There will be another book review in the next few days; I have less than 200 pages left in Gone with the Wind. Excellent book, by the way.

But I wanted to write a little bit about how and why I choose certain books to read. Maybe not how so much, because it seems to me that it always ends up being more of a "random chance" type of thing than anything systematic. But why I read certain books is important, at least to me.

As all of you know (I hope), I am a Christian. Jesus Christ is the center of my life and I strive to make that obvious daily. Granted, this isn't possible, since no one (and I repeat, no one) is perfect, but because of Jesus, my sins have been and always will be forgiven. But this isn't a post to talk specifically about my faith.

Many Christians I have known in my lifetime will only read the Holy Bible and specifically Christian books, both fiction and non-fiction. Think Francine Rivers or Tim LaHaye or anyone like that.While this isn't necessarily a problem, I believe that we as Christians should not try to keep our world too holy. First of all, you run the risk of becoming arrogant and thinking you're better than everyone who doesn't only read Christian authors. Believe me, I've seen it and been looked down upon for it.

Second, there are "Christian" authors in name only who take the "I lived a bad life and now I'm converting" approach to writing and cram everything illicit and sinful into their novels and then give some miraculous conversion near the end. I've even read a few supposedly Christian books that seemed to think that because the couple was married it was okay to describe their sexual intimacy. In detail. Uh, no. Please don't. Not that I haven't read other books that aren't labeled as inspirational fiction that have sex scenes, but I usually try to skip those parts and I honestly don't want to be reading about sex in a book that I thought was going to be cleaner because it's Christian. Okay. I hope that makes sense.

Third, there are far too many Christian authors who just really can't write any better than most YA authors can. Poor quality writing is so annoyingly prominent today. It's probably partly do to the fact that it's super easy to get certain kids of books published, but still. In these inspirational fiction books I think the only requirement is that it's overly spiritual and inspirational. If you don't know how to make your plot and your characters something other than one-dimensional, then just stop writing. Now.

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I'm not saying there aren't good Christian authors out there. I'm not even saying that Francine Rivers and Tim LaHaye are bad writers. (Though I do actually think Tim LaHaye can't really write.) But there are far too many superficial stories with poor writing that are published under Christian labels. And oh so many of them have terrible theology because I'm sure the writers aren't all that trained in certain aspects of the Christian faith.

My point is this: read other books. Even if you never read a contemporary novel, maybe check out the classics. Try Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, or something by Charles Dickens. Try some of the medieval legends about King Arthur. Try some of the children's classics like Alice in Wonderland or The Secret Garden. And if you've already read these (good job!), I can easily recommend more.

Honestly, I can recommend some contemporary novels, too. And if you're at the bookstore or the library and there happens to be a modern novel that isn't in the Inspirational Fiction section and you think that you might like it, try it! Seriously. I'm not kidding. If you think that maybe you'd like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, try it. Yes, that book deals with a lot that is in no way Christian, but you can learn something from it.

So, keep reading inspirational fiction. But check out the classics. And certainly don't dismiss all contemporary fiction. Or even fantasy and sci-fi. There's more good than bad in most of them. And remember this -- branching out in your reading habits can most likely make you a better witness for Christ in our woefully fallen world. My main reason for reading contemporary novels is that then I can see how non-believers look at the world and thus I perhaps understand them just a little bit more. My reasons for reading the classics, old novels that aren't necessarily considered classics, and the fantasy/sci-fi genres are pretty much only that they're generally well-written, well-plotted, and I enjoy reading them.

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This may not be the best organized post I've ever made, but I wanted to get it out there. Read something out of your comfort zone once in a while. I'm directing this at Christians specifically, but this goes for other readers, too. I used to be one of those people who only read what I knew I liked. But then I began to branch out and read books that I'd never considered before. And you know what? I liked them!

Go to the library or bookstore and pick out a book that you wouldn't normally read. You just might find that it's your new favorite. (Just please, please, please never have anything to do with Fifty Shades of Gray. I haven't read it, nor will I. I hear that it's the poorest quality of writing, and it's too dirty for anyone to be reading...I don't care how popular it is.)

[we only watch British television and old movies now]

Hi, long time no see.
Last time I signed into Blogger, I read the announcement about the design change that was coming for the "Dashboard" part of it. Now I find that it has changed and I DON'T LIKE IT ONE BIT.
It's more confusing than it was before.
Oh hey, kind of like Facebook.
Sigh.

Never mind that.
I'm almost serious about the title of this post. There's not much American television I like anyway, though there are a few shows I love, like Once Upon a Time, Switched at Birth, and Bones. Other than that, we tend to watch Doctor Who, Red Dwarf, Keeping Up Appearances, Mr. Bean, and other shows like that
Of course, one cannot forget the always stunning Masterpiece Theatre, especially the Classic part. Downton Abbey is my favorite, and last night I watched part one of Birdsong, which takes place before and during WWI. It was absolutely excellent, though I'm not sure how I feel about Eddie Redmayne playing Lieutenant Stephen Raysford . He always looks vacant and it's kind of weird. Clemence Poesy, who played Fleur Delacour in Harry Potter, is wonderful as the French woman Wraysford has an affair with. So far, having seen part one, I can say this is definitely not for younger viewers, as there is some graphic war violence and sexual scenes, and I would imagine next week's episode will be the same way. The make of this film might bother some people, because it appears to move through the scenes rather fast, with very little dialogue at some points, and an almost exclusively piano soundtrack, but it made me think somewhat of Scorsese's adaptation of Edith Wharton's novel The Age of Innocence. Something about the aura, I guess.
Other than that, I tend to watch a lot of Turner Classic Movies. Rarely have I watched something on there that I didn't like. It's probably my favorite channel.

I'd tell you what I'm reading, but that would infringe upon what I wrote on my book blog earlier today!

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Since Mother Nature can't seem to make up her mind, I haven't done much gardening yet, though my purple tulips that I planted last fall look beautiful! I might mow the grass this afternoon, too, but I want to pick the myriad dandelion heads first. Maybe. I have a recipe for Dandelion Wine and I feel like trying it. Though I don't have all the ingredients yet, so maybe mowing will have to wait.

I have a lot of empty coffee cans that I am going to turn into pots for the herbs I'm going to plant, and I bought three cutesy pots yesterday, once of which is a huge teacup. I think I'll plant the chamomile in there!

My vegetable garden needs a lot of work...I can't even see the dirt for all the weeds. Eugh. Not looking forward to tackling that. Thankfully, I have plenty of time, since I don't want to plant my veggies for another month yet.

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I had intended to include photos with this post, but perhaps I'll add them later, since I haven't actually taken any yet. Oops.

I hope April has treated you well. After all,

April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
- - - T. S. Eliot "The Waste Land"

Genesis 1:1-3:24 [February 4th]

In three days I have read the first eleven chapters of Genesis.

In those eleven chapters is contained the history of the beginning of the world.

I will take a few blog posts to write a short bit about each chapter.

Here is the first one!


Chapter 1
God created the world.
With His voice.
If that's not awe-inspiring, I don't know what is.
When I think about how perfect the world was at the very beginning, I can't help but feel wistful.
At the same time, I feel hopeful. God created us in His image, perfect in every way, perfect in ways we cannot even imagine. And that's what heaven will be like.
Truly, I cannot wait.


Chapter 2
God rested after creating the universe, giving His children a reason to also rest at least one day a week.
I feel like this isn't taken seriously anymore, now that even more of the world has turned away from the Lord. A day of rest is a gift. Now, I realize that it isn't possible in every profession to always take Sunday off as a day of rest. My husband can't even do that. But the point is that humanity needs to slow down and reflect -- on God's Word. That is one of my prayers, albeit a not very hopeful one.
And then there is the detailed description of the creation of Man and Woman. The creation on the sixth day is mentioned briefly at the end of chapter 1, but because humans are the most important of God's creation (the world was made for us), the account gets another section. We are God's children, created in His image to live in the world He gave us. How beautiful!

Chapter 3
And so begins the saddest event in all Creation. Yes, Jesus Christ dying on the cross for us was also one of the saddest events in the history of the world, but think about it this way: He wouldn't have needed to die if not for the Fall into sin.
A sobering thought.
Yet, fall into sin we did. The first temptation, brought forth by Satan, was the temptation to doubt the Word of God. It wasn't the eating of the fruit; that was merely a result. Well, maybe not merely, but my point is that when you realize that the first sin was questioning God, that you realize it's no wonder the world is where it's at today. Original sin makes complete sense, though it is horrid.
And yet, God does not immediately give up and start over. (Yet -- there is the Flood!)
Yes, God tells Adam and Eve (and the serpent, for that matter) that they are cursed because of their sin, but He gives them a Promise right away.
And God never breaks His promises, no matter what people might believe.

reading the Bible in one year

Yes, January 2012 is behind us and February is well under way. This is a year that I have promised to myself will be a year of good things and a healthy body, mind, and soul. I'm working on the healthy body by working out, doing some yoga, and eating right. My mind is always nourished by reading books, especially those that fall under the classification of Great Books. My soul is nourished every Sunday morning when I attend church, but during the week I have been guilty of not paying attention to it. My soul, that is.

Thus, I have decided that it will be this year that I read the entire Bible. I have read most of it in the past, yes, but never the entire thing. At least I don't think so. The point is that I need to read it more often, and in a studious kind of way, not just opening the book and reading the first pages I come to. That method is not terrible, because everything in the Holy Scriptures is important and can be applied to my life; however, I need a way to focus better. So, beginning in Genesis, at the beginning, I am going to read the whole book!

Perhaps I will be through the Old Testament by July or August.

Many individuals meditate when they do yoga. Meditation is not all bad; you have to know what to meditate on. I choose to meditate on the Holy Word of God, to further enrich my soul on this earth.

If I can keep up with this blog in a more regular fashion *coughcough*maybe impossible*coughcough*, I shall update as I read, giving you my thoughts.

Also, any encouragement is greatly welcomed!

The Thirty-Nine Steps

Most films and television shows are based on books. Everyone knows this.
When I watch a film or television show, especially a period drama (like Pride & Prejudice), and especially one I haven't heard of before, I want to discover where the story came from.
This past winter, I decided to watch Masterpiece Theatre on PBS. I hadn't watched it in a very long time.
And I mean a very long time. Try years.
Lucky for me, there was a single episode period drama/mystery being shown on that particular Sunday evening.
This drama was entitled The Thirty-Nine Steps.

I enjoyed the story, and soon afterwards learned from a friend that Alfred Hitchcock had filmed an adaptation of this same story in 1935. I then was lucky enough to find a DVD set of 20 early Hitchcock films for five dollars at Target and it had this film on it! So, I watched it. Black and white films are bloody brilliant! No, really. There is just something about old B/W films. They have a certain charm. But at the moment, that's not really the point of this story.

The best part about this story, however, is not the film versions. I had searched Amazon for an edition of the original book shortly after watching the BBC adaptation. I discovered that it was a very old story, almost one hundred years old. Naturally. There were a few editions of the book available online, but at the time I decided not to order one. I was finishing up college, after all. So, I forgot about the story for awhile.
Until yesterday. A friend and I were at Babbitt's Books, an awesome used bookshop in Normal, and we were just browsing. She shares my love (read: obsession) with books. While I was scanning the top shelves of the fiction section, I noticed a book that said The Thirty-Nine Steps, John Buchan. I was slightly unsure of the author's name right then, but I stood on my tiptoes and plucked the red volume carefully from the shelf.
I flipped through the pages, noting that the book was old and in good shape. The price was thirty dollars, which made me curious. Most books I buy at Babbitt's are between two and seven dollars, so there had to be something special about this one. Sure enough, it was a first edition. From 1915.
Naturally, I bought it. Now I just need to read it, but the discovery of the book itself was quite amazing.

Shameless promotion!!

As you may have noticed, I reconfigured things on this blog o' mine. There are links and more links...yes, I like links. However, there are two links I would appreciate my dear followers to take close notice of. Under the heading My Other Blogs are two links. They are, as should be deduced from the heading, my other blogs!


Enthralled by the Written Word is my blog for the books I am reading and my thoughts on those. This one is quite new, as of I think last Friday. Updates will probably be few and far between simply because I'm a busy college student. The moral of this tale is that I should have started this blog in the summer when I was reading three books a week. Oh well.

Jaded Poetry is my blog for, you guessed it, my poetry! I have some poetry on my LiveJournal from awhile ago, and I should probably link to that on here, but my LJ became sadly neglected, so I moved everything to Blogger. This blog, also, will have rare updates. I will do my best.