Frost Byte

You open your eyes, and turn over. Its bright outside your windows, the sun is up. You rise and open the blinds, and are blinded by the cloudless sky, and insanely bright sun. You dress and have breakfast then step outside and gasp as the freezing cold air shocks your lungs. The snow, what little there is on the ground in late November, is frozen solid. The temperature is only eighteen degrees but it feels more like nine. "How?" you think to yourself. "How can it possibly be this fucking cold? It looked so warm out?"

And thats it. bright blue cloudless sky, bright sun, cold ass temps. Too cold for it to snow when the snow does fall, but at least it's cold enough to keep the little bit around. La Nina. That is the cause for the weather this year. La Nina causes dry spots the mid-west of the U.S. Meaning we're not getting much snow, but we are getting an ass load of Yukon style cold. Not that I mind the cold so much. I would just prefer to not mind it with ample amounts of snow.

It's kinda funny actually. I know so many people born and raised here in Minnesota, who hate the cold hate the snow and hate winter over all. To you all I say, Man The Fuck Up! You deal with it every fucking year. Either stop bitching or MOVE! Because I am so sick of hearing the complaints. It doesn't help that I really love the winter. So it angers me when people bitch and moan about it when it can't be helped anyway. Put up or shut up please.

Anyway, my concern is the La Nina this year. I want my snow damn it! I blame global warming....Hotter summers and colder winters....meaning minimal amounts of snow. Makes me sad. *is a sad panda* Anyway thats it, laters! ^_^

Lonely Thoughts

*sighs* Been lonely today. I'm not used not being able to talk to Jay...especially at night. His work schedule has been changed, just for this week, so starting tonight he's got three straight days of 12 hour over night shifts, 7 pm -7 am. I miss him, but that's the breaks. I won't bitch or complain too much, I am here to support him and thats exactly what he needs. He isn't happy about this change, however temporary it is, and he had no choice in the matter. So I will support him, cuddle and love on him when he comes home. Make sure he eats and be sure he's undisturbed and in bed. He'll need his sleep, this is changing his sleep pattern in a complete one-eighty. I feel bad for him, so I know as lonely as I am at night, and as much as I miss him, he's suffering way, way more than I am for this. He doesn't need my complaints, so like I said, he won't hear one word of hardship from me upon his return home. That is, unless he reads this blog lol.

Moving on...I am sitting here, in my room, watching Auntie Mame. Rosalind Russell version. Its one I've loved for many years now. I've never seen the Lucille Ball version of Mame, the movie version of the Broadway Musicale based off the same book. Russell actually played the starring role in the original stage adaption. Only she and one other actor or should I say actress (Peggy Cass), were recast for the movie from the original play, for it. When watching the movie, you can tell they used much of the stage direction. The actors move and stand more like stage actors than film actors. Maybe it was the time, the era more say. They way the speak too for that matter, everything just makes me think more of watching it on a stage with the perks of an actual movie, you know with being able to do a montage of various places around the world, etc etc. It's cheesy in parts, true to it's "golly gee wiz" late 50's era of filming portraying the 30's and...despite no proof I can only assume some of the early 40's as well.

This movie and a pure gem of a classic. I would love to have seen it's original Broadway stage cast in action. And even, despite some of her personal problems, I would have loved to have met Russell in person. Anyway that's my little deal for tonight. I'm off good night all, and go rent Auntie Mame! ^_^

Fantasy

Ten are the Kings of the great lands

Nine the Dragons of time's old hand

Eight are the those that fight for light

And Seven of us seek truth in night

Six are the Gods just and true

Captured and prisoners of the Five who subdue

Four the corners we champions hail

Three are the steps to start our trail

Two the paths, succeed or fall

One fate, one destiny which joins us all

Jaybear

I am going to get sappy and almost so cliche' it's sickening, but too bad, don't read on if you don't want to. I plan on eventually making posts about all the important people in my life. And this one is about my boyfriend, Jay.

Jay came into my life not very long after I broke up with my ex of 6 years. I met Jay this past January. At the time I was perfectly happy being single for the few short months that I had been. All I wanted was to be held. Jay and I were friends for a short time before he in a very unsure manner, told me that he loved me. I admit that I thought about him, a lot before then, but I didn't want to fess up, and admit that I had feelings for him. I told him how incredibly touched I was and I did care for him deeply but that I didn't love him in return. Jay didn't give up on me though. And for that I am thankful. Many men would have walked away, claimed I wasn't worth trying for hard to win. But Jay didn't. He pressed on and found a way to break down that barriers I'd built up after I dumped my ex. Barriers I created in an attempt to heal from what had... unconsciously done as it was....happened to me. He was patient, and in the end, I came to see that it was something more than friendship that I felt for him.

We've been together for eight months now. And I don't regret a single day. Yes we've fought, but we've always gotten through it. We talk, all the time, about anything and everything, and we've helped one another with the various scars that life leaves on everyone. Jay has helped me to feel so much better about my self as far as my appearance was, helped me feel more confident about my body, and in a manner of months he's almost fully reversed a lot of the hurt from my ex that caused those barriers to go up in the first place. In return I do my best to build his self confidence, and show him that it's alright to open up to me, to tell me everything, that I won't judge him, or make fun of him for sharing his feelings.

Jay is, in the end, a really big teddybear. He's my Teddybear.  On our one month, he sent me roses. He knew that flowers...of any kind, were something I'd never gotten from anyone other than my parents, he knew that I've always wanted flowers sent to me.... even if it was just one little carnation, it wouldn't matter to me. He knew that I always wanted flowers and not only did he send me some, but he sent me roses, my favorite flower. I love roses, and he knew that too, and so he made sure I got it. I didn't know, I had no clue at all, and I was so touched, I had tears in my eyes.

He continues to do sweet things like that. He fucks up once in a while, but so do I. We're only human. We fight, but then we calm each other down, we talk it out, and we move on. Jay really does complement me well, and I love him. ^_^

Pat's Surprise

Its been two weeks since I've updated...nothing new there...been busy and also just slacking haha. But this is an amazingly awesome update, even if it is super short.

Yesterday my friend Pat turned 24...on Friday I text him and asked what he wanted to do for his birthday. He said he hadn't decided yet. So I told him he would have to decide soon. He then said the two stupidest words anyone could possibly say to me. "Surprise me" So... I surprised him...this was the result....

Circle of Magic

Growing up I always believed in magic, faeries, elves, and all the fantasy stories. I figured there were so many that were alike from so many different parts of the world that is has to be real. I am a huge fan of fantasy books and I plan on writing about a few series that I really love and enjoy. Today is a book series I discovered when I was in Jr. High called "Circle of Magic".

Circle of Magic is a series of four books by a wonderful author, Tamora Pierce. I first feel upon her work by stumbling across the first book of this series in my school's library. "Sandry's Book" is about four children between the ages of 10 and 12 though they never specifically say. The first part tells the tale of how they each came into their situations..Sandry the Noble lockes away hidden in a closet while plague and insanity swept through the land her family was visiting. Daja the trader girls who's the lone survivor of a ship wreak and now an orphan outcast as bad luck by her people. Briar (Roach) the street thief caught for the third time and about to be sent to the galleys as punishment. And Tris unwanted by all her family because weird things happen around her, despite being tested for magic and found to have none. As a matter of fact, all four of our heroes had been tested and found to have no magic and so, they were not sent to school for mages...

They were each in a dire situation each rescued by a mage they affectionately know as Niko whos specialty is seeing that which others do not. Each are taken to Winding Circle, a temple community. Each are unable to settle into their dormitories for various reasons they are eventually brought together to live in Discipline Cottage. A small cottage ran by two Earth Dedicates, Lark and Rosethorn. It is in Discipline where they each meet and where the next phase of the story begins.

While under the care of Lark and Rosethorn, and Niko as well, the four begin to co-exist, and each learn that they have power, gifts, magic of their own. Their magic is different though, as it works through things instead of being cast up. Sandry discovers her gift is as a Thread Mage. Weaving needle work, spinning, wool, silk, cotton, she can control it all, with proper guidance. She falls under Lark's wing as her teacher possess the same skills. Rosethorn takes Briar for her own, his gift being able to feel hear, understand plants and work through them as she does. Daja discovers her gift as a Smith Mage and while living at Discipline she begins to work with the best Smith mage to ever live Dedicate Frostpine of the Fire Temple. Tris becomes Niko's student as he is the only one who can help her in controlling her power in connection to the weather.

They learn and grow together and apart and eventually wind up in a predicament where they need to protect themselves desperately. Briar and Daja can do this but don't have the reach with their magic. Tris has the reach but not the strength, and so Sandry spins their magics together to call upon one another in the ways they need and save themselves. And so the circle begins. The following three books consist of events that really focus on how the four use their ability to draw on one another's powers.

A the characters are detailed, insightful. They have pasts and histories. They map out the land and the area around the country in the front of the book as well as describe places, and events within the book itself. Here is a bit about each of the main characters.

Lady Sandrilene fa Toren: More commonly known as Sandry, her parents were nobles who traveled a good deal and so Sandry had few friends before coming to Winding Circle. Her parents were killed by a plague of small pox and the servant who'd hidden her from the raging mob with magic no less, was killed by the same mob outside Snadry's hiding place. Stuck indie the small storage room for so long, when she was found by Niko she had to be blind folded because the light hurt her eyes. Her cousin is the Queen of Namorn, and her favorite uncle the ruler of Emelean. She chooses to go to her uncle, not liking her Namorn relatives. Upon arrival she finds a warm and loving welcome but faced with the reality that the Duke doesn't hold court, and his wife dead his children grown and moved, the citadel would be a lonely place for her. Niko suggests sending her to Winding Circle where many noble children go for their educations. It is agreed and Sandry goes.

Sandry is a girl who always sticks up for what is right. She easily pulls rank on the other, snotty noble girls she houses with in defense of Daja upon their first meeting. She runs to the aid of a puppy being beating by boys knowing full well she was going to be beaten up first. Sandry believes nobles shouldn't be proud and stuck up because they should already know better. She is a small girl but she's got a big heart. She acts more like a commoner than she probably should but that is because as her parents traveled other nobles wouldn't allow their children to play with her so she had to play with commoners. She really doesn't care what people think of her, and only pulls rank when she feels the need to. She is a good person who tries to see the good in others and everything but is realistic to know when to face facts.

Trisana Chandler: Is a young girl form a wealthy merchant family outcast for the odd things that happen to her. Her parents sent her to live with relatives, and she was bounced around from family member to family member, until she wound back up at her parent's home, and they took her to Broken Circle Temple. After losing control of her emotions and her temper..and ultimately her unknown powers, she was taken by Niko to Winding Circle where they had mages more adept in handling cases like Tris. After yet, more problems with the people she lived in a dorm with, she was taken, along with Sandry to Discipline. There they met Briar and Daja who were already in attendance and had been for just about a day.

Tris hates the world. She's picked on for being over weight with ill fitting clothes. She's picked on for choosing to read instead of play outside. She's teased for being so different and fears for the odd things that happen to her. Everyone she's ever trusted leaves her, abandons her, sends her away. Tris has every right to hate and not trust everyone, animals have been her only friends in life, until now. Try as she might to push away her house mates, their guardians (Lark and Rosethorn) and even her teacher Niko, Tris soon comes to soften taking particularly to the soft motherly Lark, as well as the others as she learns to understand them. She is fiercely defensive of the few things and people she really does love in her sad life, Winding Circle and her house mates. This protective anger comes out especially in the second book of the series "Tris's Book" and we see what she can do when fear of losing the best home she ever has takes her over.

Daja Kisubo: Daja is an eleven year old, daughter of a large trading family. She's tall and strong. Her mother is the captain of the third ship Kisubo. She was only just old enough to start sailing with her family. Daja has always had in interest in the work the crafts men, especially those of smiths, do for a living but by Trader traditions one does not take a genuine interest in such things. Daja would get a whooping for her interest try as she might to take herself away from it. Early in one spring season her mother decides its safe enough to sail out, the late winter storms no longer a real worry, or so she thinks. When we first meet Daja she is on a make shift raft in the middle of the Pebble Sea, surrounded by the dead bodies of her family and the wreak of their ship. A ship killer of a storm had taken them and Daja had been the lone survivor. Niko finds her...he then take her to a council made of up two land traders, two sea traders and one trader mage. After much deliberation, it is decided the Daja is Trangshi...bad luck. She is forever banned form speaking or writing to any Trader, for fear her bad luck will rub off. Niko takes her to Winding Circle.

There she meets Sandry in the refectory where no one will allow her to sit with them. Sandry has Daja sit at her table, standing up for her to other nobles. Daja is a realist who has a hard time adjusting to her new situation of having to live with Kaqs (non-traders), as well as being outcast form her own people and the rest of her living family. She is big and strong and can fight well with her Trader staff, and with out it too if it comes to that. She is eager to learn all Frostpine has to teach her. She and Sandry are closest having met when she first arrived, even if they haven't seen one another since until coming to Discipline. Non-traders sneer at her for being a a trader calling her a thief and a baby killer. Traders act as if she doesn't exists because the solid smooth cap on her staff tell them she is bad luck. Between Lark's gentle guidance and Frostpine's lessons Daja learns to accept her place, and instead turns to her new adopted family protecting and loving them as she would her own blood.

Briar Moss: Formerly known as Roach, the name given to him by the Thief Lord, Briar was a street rat, and a thief, constantly stealing food and loot to survive. Cunning and streetwise, Briar had only been caught twice in his short life. Each time they marked an X on the web of his fingers between his thumb and forefinger. Both webs having been marked the third and final time he was caught he was brought before the magistrate. He along with several of his gang members were sentenced to either the galleys or the mines. Just as Briar was being sentenced to the galleys Niko shows up and takes him, into the service of Winding Circle. After a long trip, where Niko had to have stable hands help in bathing Briar, at Winding Circle, Briar is accused of stealing from the other boys in his dorm. Briar proves it was one of the others instead but is kicked out of the dorm for having knives..to protect himself, its hard for a boy who's had to fight for everything his whole life, to break that habit. He is sent to Discipline.

Briar is street smart with a good quick mind. He's loyal to those he feel he owes loyalty to, and as he grows and learns at Winding Cirlce he finds he loves his "new sisters" and their adoptive mothers. He doesn't like to admit to it at first but eventually he comes around to owning up to it. He still forgets that he no longer had to hide with food, and that he can sleep in a bed off the floor because Winding Circle has no rats. The lessons of his young life are still close to him, and even come in very handy at times even in Winding Circle.

There are so many other wonderful character in the series, and along with the series of events, the detailed pantheon, the magic theology, the descriptions of the feelings and sensations, it's all a wonderful detailed with no plot holes. For anyone who loves fantasy novels I strongly recommend this series as well as anything else by Tamora Pierce.

Weekend Celebrations

Yesterday was my 22nd birthday. I'm young in year yet, life has yet to really work on me, but my character and it's path is set, and despite my direction still not being clear I lead a good life that I enjoy.

We celebrated on the 30th, because I didn't want everyone to be out late on Sunday and have to go to work Monday morning. We went out to a sports bar and grill we go to a lot..all I wanted to do was play pool and have dinner with my friends. Well our usual place was reserved completely so we went to another one about five miles away. It was a place I've never been to before, but Nick and Cass knew about it. I spent my night in the Game Room of this new bar and grill with my closest friends. Cassie, Nick, little Rory, Bri, and Pat. I dressed up as the Army Fairy (Don't Ask Don't Tell)

 There were two pool tables, Bri and I played on one and the boys on the other while Cassie chased Rory and interrupted the boy's games. We put a chair next to our table and set Rory on it to watch. She loved it. Bri shot wrong and one of my 4 ball was going to go into the side pocket in front of Rory but was rolling slow enough for Rory to decide she wanted it and stopped it. It was so funny. Bri also decided she wanted to shoot while holding Rory. I wish I'd gotten pictures of her trying to figure that one out. It was so funny. Eventually she figured it out, haha. Here is Bri and Rory early in the night. Rory has only seen Bri a few times in her life but she likes Bri a ton. My Dad says it's because kid's Rory's age are attracted to other kids their age LMFAO!

Later in the evening I was about to take a shot in the game Bri and I had been playing when everyone just sorta gathered around the table near the pool table. I see Nick had my Nano and was like recording or something....turns out my wonderful boyfriend, Jay..since he couldn't be here with me for my birthday, had ordered a cake for me online, and wired Cassie the money to pick it up! Here is a pic of the half eaten cake. And the video of it being presented to me.

It was so sweet. It was my favorite type of frosting...I hate frosting..well most kinds anyway, but someone he'd gotten the one I like the best. I'm guessing Cassie helped him with that...It was chocolate too I love chocolate cake. The surprise really really made my night and pretty much cemented it for being a wonderful birthday. As we left Nick took my bill and payed for it...Cassie was as floored as I was and said it was all him. I just assumed it was his birthday present for me. We left because the pool tables..both of them...stopped taking money so we went to a place just a few blocks from my house and played more pool until a little after 8, then went home. It'd been a long night I was passed out by 11:30....

That was good seeing as I was up at 7:30 the next morning. I think I mentioned this is a previous post but I was born on my grandfather's birthday. Every year on our birthday, since his death, I take my grandma up to Fort Snelling National Cemetery  where my grandpa is buried. Usually my mother comes with, and my sister. Rissa stayed home this year as she'd just come home from New Mexico the day before and didn't want to be up so early. So Momma and Gamma and I headed out and we were there by about 10 a.m. It's just over an hour drive from my house and I have to pick my grandma up first she lives about half an hour away...luckily in the same direction we were going to. It was a good time, a somber time. Grandma only gets up there when mom or I go or are willing to take her. She doesn't drive but she knows all she has to do is ask for a ride and one of us will find a way to take her any place. My mom's siblings don't go up there. My uncle is an alcoholic who only got worse after grandpa's death and my aunt though accepted it...still refuses to cope with it like a grown woman of 50 and will not even talk about my grandpa. Mom and I talk and joke about him..and with him a great deal.

On the way to Grandma's on the high way just before a turn we were to take, there were herd of turkey. Thats the joke in our family...Turkey run in herds not flocks lol. There were seven of them on the side of the road, slowly crossing in a single file line. I came to a dead stop and one by one they filed across the road. All but one had crossed and he started to go as I inched forward then we both stopped. We looked at each other, he looked from my truck to his buddies... flattened out, and just ran across the road. I laughed so hard..I'd never seen a turkey run from so close before. It was just hilarious. So anyway we visited Grandpa's grave then we went and visited a few other relatives there that Grandma knew and as we were leaving we say this huge flock of geese just crossing the road. Once more I was forced to stop dead..in the middle of the big ass graveyard and wait for them all to cross. It was pretty funny..I'd never seen that many ..well any at all really...in a cemetery. They looked cool between the graves so I took a pic. There are 17 in this pic and there were easily three times as many total.

So the cemetery is really close to the Mall of America, and I hadn't been there in over a year I'd say so I told Mom and Gamma I wanted to go. We went, we wandered around. We wound up passing by Build-A-Bear and on the sign out front was a picture of this white bear with orange spots and a black and orange witch's outfit, broom and all. We all loved her. Her skin was right in the entrance and I picked one up to look and Grandma asked what the store was and how it worked. As I was trying to tell her about it (I'd made one for my sister a few years ago for Christmas) an employee can up and chatted with us. She said all the Halloween stuffy's and costumes were 20% off. I had to have this bear with her candy corn spots. I told Gamma I'd show her how it was all done. We slowly walked through and let her look at everything. An employee was ready to help us fill the bear with stuffing and I told Grandma I'd let her press the pedal. She loved it, had a blast. She wouldn't kiss the bear heart though, so I did. Her and mom loved looking at all the clothes that they had for the stuffed animals. I showed her how to make the birth certificate, and then went to get the witch costume. It was the last one...I was meant to have this bear for sure. Gamma wanted me to get the bear shoes like in the picture but shoe's weren't on sale and I wasn't going to spend seven dollars on them. After we bought the bear we went into Barnes and Noble where Gamma bought me 4 books...they were cheap..6.99 each... but they were a series I've loved since I was in Jr. High so she said she'd get them for me when I didn't even ask her to. (On a side note I'm only a few chapters short of finishing the first one and it hasn't even been 24 hours since i picked it up.) We then found a bench to sit on and I dressed my bear and got a picture of her. I named her... Witch Hazel.

We left then..took Gamma back home, and went home ourselves. I was sooo exhausted. I lay down in bed and talked to Jay on the phone for about half an hour till I fell asleep on him. He made me hang up and take a nap. I wasn't asleep for very long before I woke up and got up. But I guess a short power nap was all I needed. I got up and talked to Jay online for a bit while I read my book...then dinner was done. Momma made Chicken and Wild Rice soup for me. Home made from scratch, oh it is the best ever. I've never tasted any other version as good as Mom's. She also bought a loaf of Italian bread for it. Nummy! Just as we finished April and Bri came over. I made them both have a bowl then us girls and mom went to the store. Trick-or-Treaters were already out...I hate driving on Halloween I'm always afraid I'm going to hit a kid.

On a side note...Last year we were leaving my place to go tot he liquor store I think. All of us but Cass had been drinking and so we got into my truck and Cass was driving. Cass doesn't drive often and there were kids everywhere and she was nervous..reasonably so right? Just as she reached the end of my driveway backing out, Pat screamed and yelled she'd hit a kid. OMG Cass and I and Bri and everyone were SOOOO furious with him. I was fucking pissed. I hadn't been that angry in a long time either. Fucking men!

Anyway we came back home and Nick and Cass were at the house and so was my cousin Ciara with her little long haired Doxin, Princess...who was dressed in a little pink tutu. Rory didn't want anyone but Grandpa (my dad) she wouldn't even come to me haha. Bri left then she had some other plans. Little Rory was dressed as Princess Aurora...

So we passed out candy and when we ran out we decided it was time to go ourselves. April and I dressed up. She'd bought a blue wig at the store and I let her dress up in my Army Fairy costume.

And I dressed up in my dark fairy costume that I'd been working on for a few weeks.

We weren't out long it was chilly and most the houses were already out of candy. I hate Halloween in this town people start WAY before dark and it ends so early. But there was a house on our block with a "haunted maze" April wouldn't go so she stayed with my mom and Rory and Herc on the sidewalk while Cassie and I went in. It wasn't scary, I was cracking up the whole time because Cass kept screaming. It was so funny though. Mostly it was just kids running around jumping out at us screaming but there were some adults too and over all it was a really good job. I'd love to do that in our back yard next year!

We came home, ate some candy and relaxed. Nick and Cass gave April a ride home when they left and I got to settle down and read for a few hours before talking to Jay in bed till I fell asleep. I had a wonderful birthday, filled with family, friends who ARE family, and love. It was a great day. It was a small relaxing birthday and thats all I wanted.

I know I didn't mention it much mostly because it doesn't mean a lot to me really..not any more..but I did get a few gifts. Mom and daddy bought me a new bed set that I've been wanting pretty badly. April bought me a journal and a wallet with the images of the Queens from the Alice movie. And Grandma bought me the books...as well as she gave me a deck of cards that my mother had given to Grandpa a few years before. He never used them and displayed them on a stand. She felt I should have them. It was a wonderful weekend.