Let's All be Nervous About the New Year Together!

Let's all be nervous together, all of us sitting in our homes tucked away and anxiously watching the clock tick closer and closer to 12:00. Goodbye 2013, hello 2014! 

It's not an unusual thing really, to see how many of us are nervous about the new year. It's actually pretty normal. The new year is an unknown, filled with goods and bads--and we have no clue which side will out weigh the other. It's frighting, exhilarating, daring, and new. It's the new year! 

I have no plans tonight, nothing note worthy or exciting. I'll sit tucked away in my country home watching a movie or two with my family. It suits us just fine, I'm not much of a party goer--so sometimes a relaxing day/night is perfect. 

But there is still the pervading sense that tomorrow the new year begins, and that the slate is wiped clean. For me, it's leaving what has become comfortable, and jumping into something that will either be good or bad. It's a challenge, and a new chance at adventure. And I'm scared of it. 

But 2013 was a wonderful year for me, and I feel blessed. I've learned a lot during it, and while sometimes it took a swift kick to get me to learn my lesson--I never the less learned and moved forward. I feel more comfortable with being me than I did at the start. 

I no longer feel that I have to hide who I am out of fear that others will not accept me--because, after all, if you're not yourself, and you are just projecting a false image of yourself, then the people who like you don't actually like you, but rather the image you have sold them. 

I've also learned that people really don't care a whole heap of a lot about every move you make. Therefore, I shouldn't be worried about what others will think, because most people are busy with their own stories and are concerned about managing their lives. The people who do concern themselves with every move others make aren't the kind of people I want around anyway, so I learned that it's not worth my time to worry about making them happy. 

I've learned so much more over this year, but this was one of the highlights! I've done a lot over this year too, and I've been blessed in amazing ways! :)

I got to be apart of my local theater's production of "The Dixie Swim Club" that was the first big thing that happened in 2013.

Me and my theater friend Taylor! 

I also survived my first semester of college with two A's and a B! That semester also taught me that college isn't the horror story I'd previously thought it was. 

I was a part of my theater's version of the Grand Ole Opry again! Loved being a part of that, though I do regret that there are no pictures to show. :(

I queried agents for the first time about my book, and while none of my letters got me published--I still learned a lot about the publishing world and how to approach an agent. I look forward to trying to use my new found knowledge in the upcoming year!

I had a lot of fun over the summer, but I think the highlight was my trip to Florida! 

Look me! 

We went boating quite a lot! It was one of my favorite things to do during our trip! 

These dolphins were fascinated by our boat, but still remained a respectful distance at all times.

My perch, from which I wrote a lot of my novel!


I also turned 19! One step below the big 2-0 so that was lots of fun.

Yea....not exactly grown up yet am I?

My birthday was beyond amazing, and I'm so grateful to the family and friends who made that possible!

This was night before my birthday--I believe--Jessie spent it with me and we ate lots of Subway and watched "Say Yes to the Dress". Perfect girls night in if you ask me! 

I also developed my interest in photography! I believe the quality of my pictures has grown with time--as seen below. 

The one on the far left is the first time I took Clara's picture--the one at the far right is the most recent time. She's grown so much! She's turning into such a beautiful young woman of God!

I even started doing some pictures for people I knew, which was a huge honor for me! ;) 

I spent a LOT more time with my friends! 

We've grown closer as the year has gone by, and I'm truly grateful for their friendship! 

I also had my first date this year--and while the guy and I didn't stay together, it was still nice to have gone on a date.

My friends and I had a photo accepted into a art magazine, which thrilled us to no end! 

I had my first real job, and enjoyed nearly every minute of it. I worked at a local tourist destination during my fall semester and it was great! I hope to work there again over the summer! 

I made it out of my fall semester with all As and I made the Dean's List for the first time! Yay! Huge blessing there! 

I got an iPod for Christmas, and so now I can terrorize my friends on Instagram! My iPod is my baby right now. :)

Those were just some of my blessings in 2013, and while there was a lot of bad too--I will try to remember the year by the good instead. 

There is also a lot I look forward to in 2014--though I hesitate to say it. 

First off, in the new year, I will be changing my blog name from Just me--which has been it's title since its beginning--to Within Me a Lunatic Sings. This is a big change, but I've been wanting to do this for a while and what better time to make such a big change than at the beginning of the new year, a time when changes are welcomed and exciting! :) But don't worry, I won't be changing my URL, but my blog's actual name will be completely different. 

I look forward to a new year of school, and what new people God will bring into my life. 

On a nerdy note--I look forward to seeing Sherlock, Supernatural, Doctor Who, and The Walking Dead in the new year--I've missed those shows so badly! I also look forward to the first installment of Mockingjay and the final installment in The Hobbit! 

I look forward to all of the writing I hope to accomplish in this year. 

I look forward to turning 20, which is a HUGE milestone when you think about it. My teen years will be gone, and I'll be starting a new part of my life!

There are no New Years resolutions for me, nothing of importance I can think of other than trying to be the best person I can be. 

So whatever your new year brings, I hope it's good and blessed! :) 

Happy New Year, my lovely bloggers! 

Merry Christmas!

Hello, everyone! :D Merry Christmas! How has you holiday been? Ours was very busy, but even that is an understatement.


It all started yesterday--which was eventful in more ways than one. You see, I injured myself all day long. The first thing I did was ram my small toe into an eight pound dumbbell--behind which sat another eight pound, two five pound weights, and then two three pound weights. My toe is now a nasty shade of maroon--no pictures will be forthcoming. So, limping through the remainder of my day--I discovered that Shark Week had arrived, which rendered me practically useless even with the added pain killers and caffeine. Seriously...can't Mother Nature just text me instead? :( Later in he evening I burned my hand on our fireplace. I decided after that, that maybe I should avoid all dangerous activities--like being awake.

We had endless cleaning and cooking before our Christmas Eve dinner with our family friends. My dear friend Jessie was even there with her mother, Mrs. Stacie. It was a great night! We exchanged Christmas gifts and I discovered that my lovely friend had made me a scarf! I absolutely love it and I can't wait to wear it out in public! :D I will post a picture as soon as I find and outfit that compliments it! :D Mrs. Stacie also gave me a jewelry box with my aunt's favorite Bible verse on it. Haha, I will have to keep her from stealing that! ;)

I gave her an infinity scarf, a pair of sunglasses, and some Bath and Body Works stuff! :D No really good pictures of last night, sadly. When you are running like a chicken with it's head cut off you don't really have time for pictures. :( Today we did get some good pictures though. I was exhausted though, I woke up at what I thought was 5:30--but it was actually 4:30 because my little desk clock can't be set back. It did give me a chance to shower and clean up early though. :)

After having Christmas morning breakfast with my grandparents and family friend Mrs. Cynthia, we opened presents to each other. I gave my mom an MP3 player with my brother, I gave my dad a gift card to one of his favorite stores, my sister a jewelry making kit, and I gave my brother an Imagine Dragon's CD. :) In return, my brother gave me the first season of Gomer Pyle USMC, and my sister gave me "Mrs. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children"--a book that I have been wanting to read for quite some time. So far it's really good and very intriguing. I'm nearly halfway through it already! 0_0 I must pace myself because I will need a book to take to college with me this semester.


I have a distinct feeling, however, that this book will get a bit scary before too much longer. Now I really wish I had gotten that Castiel I asked for, for Christmas.

After Christmas breakfast we went to my grandparents house, where all the 'adults' play a Dirty Santa game--where basically everyone brings a gift and you all steal gifts from each other. I'm not a big fan, but this year I did manage to snag a Bath and Body Works kit that was even in my scent! :D Very happy about that.

After Christmas there it was off to my aunt's house (my mom's sister) where we had some light snacks before opening even more presents! There I got a pair of black, chandelier earrings, a aqua infinity scarf, and an iTunes gift card. :) The gift card was great, considering the fact that today I got my very first iPod!

My sweet and very generous parents got me the iPod 5 for Christmas this year, and I am SO excited! They also gave me a gift card to Radio Shack so I can get a case for it--which it desperately needs because I don't want ANYTHING to happen to my new baby. I believe I'll try to hit the store in the next few days, as soon as the craziness wears down.

I also got "The Fault in Our Stars", more Bath and Body Works goodies, a Union Jack/British mug set (tea included), a sketch book and some beautiful new colored pencils. The movie "Hotel Transylvania", aloe socks, a wide assortment of candy, and a sweater with a really cute owl on it. Over all it was a very generous and blessed Christmas! :D


But now that Christmas is over, it's time to focus on going back to school. Books have to be ordered, and new supplies bought. The truck's due for a good wash and vacuum (I basically live out of it during the semester). One good thing is that I have already gotten my official paperwork in order (months ago) so I don't have that stress on me or my mother.

I've excited to go back to school, but I'm also nervous. But we've gone over this song and dance a million times already haven't we? So let's break out of the loop for a bit. School is coming--no more shall be said until the actual first day! After that I'm probably not going to shut up, either because I'm complaining or I'm a little too eager to tell any and all good news I have.



But I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Christmas, and that you have all been blessed! :) Now it's onto the New Year, and I hope that God blesses every one of you!

Merry Christmas, Lovely Bloggers! :D

Christmas Tunes, And Yes I Know I Have Weird Taste in Music!

Christmas is right around the bend, so I thought I might share a few of my favorite Christmas songs! Warning, I have weird taste in music. 

Love this song! 

I grew up with The Kingston Trio's songs, my mom always loved them. 

The Civil Wars are a personal favorite, and so is "O Come O Come Emmanuel" 

Another one of my childhood songs. 

This was a must, every single Christmas! We always had this playing so it is a very BIG Christmas memory for me. 

Well, I don't know when I'll talk to you guys again, but if I don't before Christmas, I hope you all have a happy holiday! :D 

Thank Heavens, I Got my Hair Cut! :D

Before and after--that is my surprised face. 

Yes, finally I got my hair chopped off. I got about three inches chopped off, and I am very happy! Having thick hair is a real problem when it gets long because it actually physically pains you! Seriously, try pulling thick hair into a pony tail--it's basically the same as having a weight tied to the back of your skull. Unpleasant and headache inspiring. 

But now it's lopped off and I am so happy! Now maybe I can speed up my morning routine! 

However, I didn't just come to talk about my new haircut. We've also had some other interesting news. There was a possum on our back porch this evening! Yes, a little marsupial decided to drop in for a visit while we had company over. No pictures--sorry, I'm falling down on my job. This little guy has been raiding our cat food for several days now, and unlike other possums he was actually rather cute. Though, I'm sure my mother and her friend Mrs. Tamera would disagree heartily. :) He's run off now, and hopefully he won't be back any time soon, because while I may think the possum is cute--I'm pretty sure the cats won't feel the same way. 

P.S: I know possums are disgusting little things, trust me--I'm just not really that terrified of one. I mean, I've seen them all my life, so....not really a big deal. 

So...any other news? A lot, but it's bits and pieces. Christmas is coming at a pace so my family has been really busy. I'm still trying to find someone to go to Stone Mountain with me--my parents prefer I go with an adult. It looks now like we may go as a family which would be loads of fun! :) 

And, now I've got to go make ginger bread houses. So until next time! 

Eating Up Christmas Time!

I love Christmas time! 

It's one of my favorite times of the year, even if I have to share my abode with sometimes cumbersome decorations. :) 

Currently I'm enjoying the Christmas tunes and the new photography opportunities. Christmas always posed a problem to me with photography--even back when I was just snapping candids for the family. My camera never wanted to 'digest' the lights correctly, and I usually ended up with a blurry mess--unless of course I submitted to the flash, in which case I got an overbearing, overly detailed, glimpse of everything. Trust me, flash on people isn't always great. 

I've also been happy because I got my final grades back for the semester. I was blessed with all A's--shocking considering that one of them was in Physical Science, which I had been expecting a B in. Wonderful, blessed feeling there! :)

But I'm loving this season so far! :D It's so great to have family around for the holidays. :) I've got almost all of my shopping done, which is a relief! All of the big gifts are bought; I just have a few last minute gifts to get.

We're not in the cooking part yet--but once it gets here I'll be making chocolate fudge, pecan pie, and a vast assortment of cookies. There are usually a lot of sweets around for us during the holidays. I'm going to gain so much weight over this holiday season! :( That's okay though, I'll lose it all over the Spring semester. Stress does that to you...grrr.

I've also--finally--finished my Christmas list! About time too, considering the fact that Christmas is next week. 

iPod,(Yes I still want an iPod.) 

Loki t-shirt from Hot Topic,

"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Greene,

Tardis Necklace from Hot Topic,

And that's about it for this year. I mean, asking for a new iPod is a big deal, so I'm keeping my list simple. :) I really want an iPod.

In other news, I also wrapped a dinosaur...

I got my cousin, Michael, a dinosaur toy for Christmas--more specifically a T-Rex toy. 

It was not so much I had to wrap the dinosaur--as I wanted to see if I could wrap a dinosaur. I'm glad to say I succeeded, though his tail was sticking out. 

Don't worry, he's nicely put in a bag now--this was more of a random idea to use up the bits of wrapping paper I had left over. Fun idea I guess, though kinda messy. 

Today, I also babysat my cousin Michael and my little sister Joanna. We had a great time riding around on the golf cart while belting out Christmas carols--albeit the wrong words. 

I also survived a ten year early driving lesson. My sister has already learned to drive the golf cart--but my cousin was a newbie. So I let him drive a little on his own--basically I let him steer the cart while I handled the pedals. He really enjoyed it, and was thrilled with himself afterwards. Yep, ten years from now I'll be the cool cousin that lets him drive an actual car. 

I also finished a lot of the editing on my aunt's Christmas card photos. I don't do much with editing, I just adjust a few things and then leave it be. 

This is one of my favorites. 

This is a really fun shot, fun for Michael anyway. Haha, now he can bargain for better Christmas presents! 

Well, now I've got to head out! :D 

You Rarely Think About Where You're Going, Until Someone Asks

Yesterday I finally got to take pictures of my friends up in the warehouse! I was absolutely thrilled! 

Taking pictures of the cool objects up there was fun, but my favorite area of photography is portraits!

Our trip was short, and we only spent about thirty minutes in the warehouse. We got there later than I would have liked because we had a lot we had to do first. One of them was actually opening our Christmas presents to each other, which was really fun. I gave Hannah a Downton Abbey shirt, Clara a scarf and cameo, and Hannah gave me a photography book! I haven't given Jessie her present yet because she'll be joining us a week from now on Christmas Eve. Can you believe that it's a week till Christmas? I can't, I really can't. It's flown by so quickly I've barely had time to digest it all. And to believe that after that I have a week and a half until my school starts back. Yikes is an understatement! 

When we got to the warehouse we had a lot of fun taking pictures, but we had to be really REALLY quiet because they were still running the business downstairs and the sound travels. We didn't cause any problems though, so that was a blessing.

I also met a very nice young man who was running the store yesterday. We talked about photography and it turns out he modeled for a bunch of really big league clothing brands in New York a few years back. He said he was trying to get back into the photography/modeling business--and he said if I ever needed a male model he'd be happy to oblige! I reminded him that I was not a professional, but he said that he liked the pictures I'd already taken and that he was looking to add to his portfolio. It's a great opportunity, and I have his number now. :) But when he asked me about my photography and where I wanted to go with it..it made me think. Where do I want to go with it? 

I mean, it's a hobby, yes...but I don't know the first thing about making money with it or actually photographing a real model. 0_0 It's a scary proposition in the sense that I could fail miserably at it. There again it's a great opportunity if I want to actually go somewhere with my photography. Question is...do I? 

IDo I want to take on that responsibility, along with the rest? School, personal life, declaring a major this year, and my main hobby--writing...all of that is very important to me right now, so do I really need to be adding yet another thing to my list? Then there's the fact that I've only been in this game a short little while, and to a lot of professional photographers who have been around for many years--my suddenly declaring photography as a viable part of my life  might seem a bit premature and silly. They've seen people come and go in that, with only the truly dedicated remaining to slog it out. I don't like to be a quitter in anything, it makes me angry, so I guess what I have to decide is--how dedicated am I? It's a burning question alright..one that I will have to answer soon.  

Hannah by the window

This is one of my all time favorite shots of Clara! :D I think it's actually one of the best ones I've ever taken of her!

Jessie! 

I also got to show them the scary mannequin room! This is a very blurry pic, I know, but it captures the moment pretty well. Hannah actually jumped when she saw the Lady of Death, standing in the back--and we were all freaked out when we actually went into the room. Though to be fair, I wasn't really creeped out so much, I was just sitting back and enjoying their reactions. Needless to say, none of them liked that room at all...and I don't blame them. The back part of the warehouse has all of the scary stuff like the rabbit and Headless Henry--plus some jack-o-lanterns that were hiding in a dark corner and that I had somehow missed. Hannah waded cautiously back through the carnage by the light of her iPod--there were many times we were sure she'd never emerge again. :) That place is horror movie central.   

Here's a picture of us when we were opening our presents. There was wrapping paper carnage everywhere! :)

I think everyone had a great time though, and I look forward to going back up there again to take more pictures--and possibly going to Dairy Queen afterwards, which is something we wanted to do this time but because of our late start we couldn't. Besides, when we got home we found that the moms had baked a TON of goodies (including brownies! Yummy!). 

So What Have I Done Today?

Hmmm, let's see, besides being severely dehydrated and tired---the very fact that I didn't just roll back over in bed and hide under the covers until the fever eventually made me a walker--speaks volumes. 

So what did I do today? 

I went to the store, yes, it was needed so it had to be done. 

I wrote five chapters of my book. I'm back on it now. :) That's a big plus. Praise the Lord! :D 

I sat on my butt and watched Supernatural and Doctor Who--yea, that was yesterday and today. Nothing like having a fever and waking up believing you are trapped in the Tardis. I'm NOT joking here, I mean, my room looked like the Tardis. I had also just watched The Black Spot, so I was waiting on the siren to come and take me to the sick bay. 

My favorite episode of ALL time has to be "Vincent and the Doctor". I cried SO freaking hard during that one. Vincent has to be one of the best people they've intertwined into that show. Loved it, and that episode really redeemed the show for me. I hated--and I am under using the word so much--"Let's Kill Hitler". I hated that episode on so many levels. Loathed it with every fiber of my being. For the sake of internet etiquette do NOT ask me why. 

As for Supernatural, I'm still watching and loving it. Dean Winchester is one of my favorites. His internal battle and character development really is one of the highlights about this show. He's a very fascinating character, and he really gets you invested in the show. You become attached to these characters, you know, and you want to see them to the end of their journey. I'm not saying this show doesn't get really weird sometimes, but hey, I survived Doctor Who--so I can pretty much weather nearly any weirdness. Right? 

Almost. There will always be an exception. I actually pause the episode here and just put my hand over my face. It took a moment to process, and for those of you who haven't seen this episode--trust me, it takes a while to process the awkwardness. 

I watched newest The Walking Dead episode. 0_0 The Governor OH MY GOSH! 

Oh, I knew he was coming back. Trust me, but these past few episodes oh my goodness! How much does it take to kill this guy? I mean, he is pretty hard core. I haven't really seen this hardcore since Merle....man I miss Merle. :'( Anyone else with me on this one?

He is the ultimate version of "Every villain is a hero in his own mind." (Tom Hiddleston by the way...can I get some Hiddles love here?). I mean, he is a very complex character with a LOT of crazy going on. I mean, just when you think you've gotten to the bottom of his crazy he's got a crazy underground, zombie prison basement! I mean seriously, dude? How many levels of nutso do you have? :)

I also bought and watched the entire first season of The Legend of Korra! 

Don't judge. The last time I was sick I watched the all of Aang The Last Airbender and loved it. The Legend of Korra was the natural next step. I love both shows and I really loved the new tone that The Legend of Korra brought to the Avatar series. It's much darker and a bit more mature than the first one. I miss some of the more humorous aspects from the first one, but I believe in order to keep the gritty feel, TLoK had to remove the more 'kiddish' elements. Though, I will confess, Aang had me in stitches. 

My favorite character is Asami Soto. She is so amazing! 

I love how she is such a strong and independent personality. She's kind, compassionate, smart, brave, and a quick thinker under pressure. If anything I like her better than I like Korra. She's had some real struggles in her life, some times much more so than Korra, and each time she has shouldered the load with incredible grace. Asami Soto is my favorite, hands down. 

I also got some online Christmas shopping done. :D My friend Hannah will be pleased with her present! I always love it when I buy a present for a friend that I think they will really love! :D I will not tell you what I got her, because she still reads my blog. Sorry, no hints, Hannah! 

What else did I do today?

Well, I thought of some really good stuff to do but I lacked sufficient energy to do them. Story of my life, but I'm pretty sure that today it had something to do with yesterdays vomiting. Thanks for the prayers and get wells there guys, it means a lot to me! ;) 

I decorated my blog for Christmas, yes, I know....I said I wouldn't do it until after Christmas. But I didn't want to wait any longer. As for my room, however, I'm still wanting to hold off there. I don't really want to share my abode with a tree yet. Yea, a big dusty tree that my cat (C.C.--the cat I'm pretty sure I can't throw holy water on.) likes to climb and knock over. 

But hey, everyone can use a little Christmas cheer can't they? It was fun, but I'm still not ready to listen to Christmas music yet. Yep, I'm to busy listening to Imagine Dragons. Love them, they've been my music obsession for about a year now. :) My brother has even started listening to them. Haha! I have corrupted another mind! :D He's also watching Supernatural and Sherlock now! Hehehehehehe, all that's left is Doctor Who and he'll be SuperWhoLocked and be completely insane like the rest of us! 

There has been very little productivity here in these past few days, but I've been sick and it's been a tough week. I'm just grateful I haven't turned into a walker yet. Again, the strength required to fight that off is highly underestimated. 

But I have loving friends and a loving family--duly noted by the fact that they haven't used my illness as an opportunity to kill me. Of course, that may have been because they were too afraid to get near me--the threat of me vomiting was quite high after all. 

Mainly they've just been like,

Lord love them. 

But yea, it hasn't been a really interesting day, but there it is. I'm just trying to be thankful for all that I've been given and all that I still have with me. :) God is good!

So Happy Thanksgiving to all of my lovely followers, I hope you all have a wonderful day. :) And no matter what your traditions may be, I hope you have a love filled holiday. :)