Life, the Universe, and Everything

I have been meaning to write a post that isn't 30 day challenge related...but life has gotten in the way. Like today, I had a dentist appointment. It was fine but I have to go back The Day After Tomorrow (hehe, I couldn't resist; such a fun movie). I need sealant on one of my teeth (I swear they have put sealant on that tooth two times before now). *headdesk*

In other news I still haven't finished reading Prisoner of Azkaban (I plan on finishing it tonight). I just got to the part where Harry's head "appeared" in Hogsmeade Village and Snape has taken Harry to his office. It isn't my favorite part of the book, but it is when Lupin shows that he knows about the map. It also has all of the funny comments from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. I have forgotten how much I love this book.

All together, life has been okay. I've been working on some writing and I have been to Pullman and back. I even got to eat at Red Lobster in Lewiston, Idaho. It was delicious. I was able to grab my contacts while I was in Pullman (they were the one thing I forgot when I came home for the summer) and I grabbed season one of Charmed to watch with my cousin later this summer. Summer will be totally awesome (as I have said before).

Day 19 - A recipe

Here it is from one of my favorite vloggers:

Charlie McDonnell's Secret Family Brownie Recipe (even though it seems pretty standard)

2 oz dark chocolate

6 oz milk chocolate

3/4 cups unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Powdered sugar

Preheat ove to 350° F. Melt chocolate and butter, stir until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla, and eggs; mix. Next add salt and flour; mix until smooth then add chocolate chips. Grease pan, place batter in pan, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool and top with powdered sugar.

Day 18 - A thing you are afraid of

So, I have normal fears, but there was this dream I had once. I was in a bedroom, lying on the floor and there was a guy sitting cris-cross-applesauce on the bed. I was looking out the window and the two of us were talking about nothing in particular. All of a sudden he asked me, "What are you afraid of?" I have never felt more panicked in my life.

My first thought was, "Losing you," and I knew, deep down, it was the honest truth. I didn't want to lose him, but I didn't tell him that. I'm afraid that I'm going to meet this guy someday and he'll ask me that question and I'll be too afraid to tell him how much he means to me.

This is so true...

You won't believe how many nights I've wished to have someone to just hold me. (This was taken from Sexstrology)

Day 17 - A secret

I'm in love with my friend Daniel. I don't know what he would say if he ever found this out, but I've been trying to get over him. He is such a sweet guy, but I don't think things would really work out. I've liked him for so long I don't know how to get over him. I suppose it is good that he won't happen across this blog and if he ever does he won't know I'm talking about him (he wouldn't even know this is my blog). As my roommate would say, "You win at the pathetic contest." I don't try, it just happens.

Day 16 - A picture you took

This is a picture of my puppy sophie when she was still little. She was just so cute (she still is).

Day 15 - A wish

I wish I had a special someone. Not that I need a person to make me happy...I just miss doing couple things. Like kissing and hand-holding. Or watching movies together. Sure I can do that with my friends, but I don't cuddle with my friends. It has been much too long.

Day 14 - A bad habit

Chewing my nails. It isn't as bad as it used to be (I've been trying to break this habit), but when I get nervous or when a finger nail is bothering me, I start biting it. It isn't a good thing and I want my nails to look nice, but that doesn't happen.

I'm Back!

Okay, so if you couldn't tell by my two previous posts, I'm back from my trip. It wasn't very eventful. The most exciting thing was going to Wicked which was closely followed by going to Barnes & Noble. Something that wasn't so exciting was that I got blisters from the shoes I chose to wear the night of the play.

We were walking in downtown Spokane and I knew before hand that these weren't the most comfortable shoes, but I didn't think that they would give me blisters. However, a few minutes into the walk, it became quite clear that I was not only going to have blisters on my heels, but also on both of my pinkie toes. Talk about nightmare. We had walked maybe three or four blocks when I mentioned it to my mom and her friend Amy. When we got to the restaurant to have dinner and I looked at my heels, I had the worst blisters I think I have ever had. My mom left from the restaurant to go and see if she could find more band-aids and flip-flops so I wouldn't have to wear the shoes from hell (all blisters are now covered by band-aids).

After dinner (we had Chili's and I only ate chips and salsa; lunch had been big), we headed for the performing arts center for Wicked. I was worried that they would look through my bag and see that I had shoes, but they didn't go through our bags (seriously, anyone could have brought in anything o.O). We stopped at one of the stands selling t-shirts, sweat shirts, cds, magnets, pins, and jewelry. I got a really cute shirt that has the main image of the show on it (Glinda whispering in Elphaba's ear). It was seriously one of the best musicals I have ever seen (and I've only seen a couple live; if anyone has a chance to see Alter Boyz please go). Even though it wasn't the same actors and actresses that are on the soundtrack, it was amazing. Most of them sounded nearly the same as the original actors. I was amazed (if you couldn't tell by now). Anne Brummel, who played Elphaba, had the biggest set of pipes ever. As I haven't read the book, I only knew a little bit about the play. I was blown away by both the acting and the singing. I want to see this musical again.

In other news, I made it to the bookstore (bad, bad Alyssa!). I bought The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima (I've been wanting this for ages) and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (I know, I know, I'm falling into the fandom; I want to read it before it became a movie). I'm sure I'll be blogging about these two books in the near future (I have to finish reading Harry Potter first).

Day 13 - A list of favorite memories

1. Having my fifth birthday in Texas. I mostly remember playing Lion King with my cousin though (we made my sister be Zazu).

2. Seeing Wicked (enough said).

3. Finishing my first story. There is just this feeling of completeness and then you get to revise. And revise, and revise...Revising is never finished.

4. Reading the seventh Harry Potter book.

5. Graduating from high school.

6. Graduating from community college.

7. Going to WSU.

8. Getting e-mails back from Tony Abbot.

9. Anytime spent with my cousin.

10. The last hockey game I worked for.

Day 12 - A thing that worries you (catch-up)

Something that has had me worried for a while has been my sister. She has been making poor decisions for a year now, and I'm worried that she will become one of those people you see on Judge Judy or Dr. Phill. I wish she would just get rid of the loser boyfriend (my cousin and I call him You-Know-Who and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named because all he cares about is himself and he doesn't care who he hurts in the process).

On hiatus

I'm sorry to say that I'll be out of town for the next couple of days and I won't be able to post anything because I won't have internet. I'll be back Wednesday night, but I won't be able to post the rest of today (Monday) and tomorrow (Tuesday). Let's hope I'll have a lot to tell when I come back (I'm going to see Wicked!! Yay!!).

Day 11 - An actor

Right now an actor would have to be Arthur Darvill. Even though his character dies in almost every episode of series six (the second episode, the third episode, and the fourth episode of the season), not to mention his character really died in series five and then came back as a plastic Roman soilder (a really long story). Arthur Darvill is one of the reasons I love Doctor Who, even though I want to shout at the tv, "Stop killing Rory!"

Day 10 - An insecurity

That I'm not good enough to write a book and get it published. That I'm not persistent enough, that I'm too cowardly.

Well this was kind of dark and angsty...

Another Sirius and Remus Post

My friend just sent me this on facebook and I couldn't resist sharing it. Click this link here to see a funny picture. But in the meanwhile, here are some other pictures.

Day 09 - A show

I have recently just found the show Sherlock, which aired last fall on the BBC. I have actually known about it since it came out, but I hadn't ever watched it. Now I have, and I can say that it is one of the best television shows I have ever seen. I'll probably have a post later on about it.

Have you ever...

felt so excited for something that you couldn't possibly wait for it to come, but when it finally arrived you began to dread what would happen? What if things weren't going to be as awesome as you thought they were? What were you going to do now that it was over?

I suppose the best way to word this comes from Rapunzel and Flynn Rider in the Disney animated film Tangled. Rapunzel begins by saying, "I've been looking out a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not every thing I dreamed it would be?"

"It will be." Flynn tells her.

"And what if it is? What do I do then?"

"Well, that's the good part I guess. You get to find a new dream."

I feel this way about a couple of things that will be happening this summer. One of them is I'm going to see the musical Wicked next week. I've been looking forward to seeing Wicked since my sophomore year of high school. That has been a pretty long time seeing as I'm about to become a senior in college.

The other is the final Harry Potter film. I have been waiting for this movie since 2001 when they first started making the films, but in all honesty, I don't want it to end. I started reading the books when I was in fourth grade and the seventh book came out the summer before my senior year of high school. Harry Potter has been in my life for 12 - almost 13 - years. Just over a decade of my life has been devoted to reading Harry Potter and watching Harry Potter and hoping that J.K. Rowling decides to write something else (according to her Twitter, she is busy writing).

I guess it is just a feeling of not wanting things to end. Yeah, I could always read the book Wicked and continue listening to the soundtrack a hundred more times. And, yeah, I could re-read the Harry Potter books and re-watch all of the movies, but it won't be the same as reading or watching it for the very first time. That feeling of awe and amazement and sadness that you have finally ended a chapter of your life.

Day 08 - A pet peeve

One of my biggest pet peeves is The Jesus Juke. This is when someone (or my aunt) takes what is supposed to be a joke and turns it into something God related. It is one of the most annoying things to ever wittness and be present for. Just click on the link for further information...too annoyed just thinking about it.

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin...

have to be two of my favorite characters from the Harry Potter series. This topic has only come about because I have finally finished reading Chamber of Secrets and am now onto Prisoner of Azkaban (goodbye Lockheart until book five where he is funny beyond belief).

Prisoner of Azkaban has to be my second favorite Harry Potter book (the first is Sorcerer's Stone because without it, there would be no Harry Potter). In it you meet all of the exciting characters and begin to understand why exactly Snape hates Harry so much. Plus Ginny isn't so stalkerish and you find out that she actually has more to her character than just "OMG! HP is in the room! I don't know what to do!" Don't get me wrong, Ginny is one of my favorite characters as well. It's just that she wasn't very rounded in the beginning of the series (I like her best in book five).

Between blowing up his "aunt" and running from a "murderer," Harry learns so much more in book three than in the previous two books (but still not everything, oh no, not everything).

In a side note that is related, I'm a big Sirius/Remus shipper. Yes, I know Remus marries Tonks, but before that it was totally Sirius and Remus. Just read fanfiction, it will set you straight (I will go down with this ship).

Day 07 - A picture of you when you were little

So here is a picture of me when I was little. Just to point things out - the dog is my grandma's old dog, Taffy, and the guy holding me is my dad. This was actually a little difficult to do because I had to find a picture of me and then I had to take a picture of a picture (which is why the quality is crap). Let's hope I don't have to do that again anytime soon.

Day 06 - A blog

As I don't really follow too many blogs, it wasn't difficult to choose one. One of my favorites is The Compulsive Reader. If you love reading young adult literature, then this is the blog to follow. I have found many good books this way (including one that I'm anxiously awaiting in the mail called Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier).

A Merlin Post

Here is a post about one of my other favorite shows. Merlin is just so funny (in a very cheesy sort of way) that it makes it hard not to love it. The relationship between Prince Arthur and his "servent" Merlin is adroable and it is easy to ship the two of them (even though it is clear that Gwen and Arthur are going to end up together). Even though I love shipping Arthur/Merlin, it is hard not to ship Arthur/Gwen, especially after the third season (sorry, not a big spoiler here or at least I don't think so).

Anywho, I found these gifs and I thought that I would share them. Because they are very share worthy.

Day 05 - A person you miss

I really, really miss my cousin. Sure we chat on Facebook and Skype, but it isn't the same as being able to text her when something reminds me of her and would make her laugh. I can't wait until she is back in the states (again, best summer ever!).

Books, Books, Books

I don't know about you, but I have a rather large book collection. I own 486 books and counting. Most of them are fantasy books and I own at least two copies of each Harry Potter book. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that I have a lot of books. So many books in fact, that I haven't been able to read all of them. I got books at Christmas time that I haven't been able to read and I'm hoping to get through them this summer (yay!! Summer!! *breaks out into the song "Days of Summer" from AVPS*).

First though, I have to finish re-reading the Harry Potter series...I'm in the middle of Chamber of Secrets now (good grief, I hate Lockheart) and I should have it finished by the end of the week. Then I can start Prisoner of Azkaban. I can't wait to read that one, it is one of my favorite books. Not just of the series, but of all time.

In case you are bored and are looking for books to read, here is a nice list for you. Enjoy!

Alyssa's Favorite Books:
1. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
2. Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce
3. The Immortal Series by Tamora Pierce
4. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling (shocker, I know)
5. The Heir Series by Cinda Williams Chima
6. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
7. The Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan
8. The Dark-Hunter Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon
9. The Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon
10. The Bran Hambric Series by Kaleb Nation

Day 04 - A goal

For a while now, it has been a goal of mine to become a published author. It doesn't even really matter if my books don't become bestsellers, but it would be cool to know that I had writing out there for someone to read. It would be exciting for me. I just have to finish my first novel first...

Countrycide

I now remember why I like the Torchwood episode "Countrycide". No, it isn't the insane amounts of dead people and the insane cannibals that are killing said dead people. Rather it is the Gwen/Owen romance, because who wouldn't want to jump Owen. Yes, his mouth may be rather large, but he is quite handsome and funny.

Before Owen's death in season two of the series, he was my favorite male character (besides Jack, but it is assumed that Jack is everyone's favorite character...I mean, have you looked at the man?). After his death, Owen just didn't have the same appeal...plus there was Tosh all lovesick and what not. Okay, I still had a thing for Owen after he died (the first time at least, because it wasn't permanent and he became "King of the Weevils").

Anywho, back on topic. "Countrycide" is a good episode alltogether, but the best parts in my opinion are the scenes with Gwen and Owen. It was happy making for me to see them together at the end of the episode, even if I knew it wouldn't last (and later learning about how Tosh likes Owen, it makes me feel sad for her now).

My sister...

makes me want to do this: Or possibly this: Either way, my sister makes me want to crash my head into objects or to find a way to crash her head into objects. In other news, I have a sister for sale, would anyone like her?

One Cute Pairing

Mentioning Torchwood in my last post made me remember how much I love Jack/Ianto. Even though it is practically cannon to ship Jack/Anything that breathes, Jack/Ianto is my favorite.

So here is more of Jack/Ianto cuteness.

Day 03 - A thing that's on your mind

A lot of things have been on my mind lately, but the one that keeps coming up is SUMMER!! While I am on summer break already, my cousin (who has been stuck in the UAE with her parents), won't be here until next month. June approaches quickly however and fun time will be coming with it! There will be lots of movie watching and REDVINES! We are also planning on watching the end of season two of Torchwood and then season three of Torchwood (I don't want Ianto to die!). We have it all planned out to avoid our crazy family. This summer is going to be totally awesome!

Day 02 - A hobby

Is writing considered a hobby? Or is a hobby more like knitting? I think I'll say that writing is a hobby and not just something I want to do profesionally. People in my life can usually find me typing away at the keyboard like the mad person that I am. I have several stories that I'm working on and none of them seem to be finished; which isn't such a good thing. I need to be able to finish things if I want to publish my work.

P.S. I also knit, but that isn't as exciting as writing about writing.

Puppies

I have two of the cutest puppies ever. And let's not forget my fish Mushu.

The black lab is Maycie and the beagel is Sophie.

Sorcerer's Stone

So I have decided to re-read all of the Harry Potter books before the new movie comes out. That means I have about two months to read seven books. Good thing I just finished reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Next up Chamber of Secrets.

It has been quite a while since I last read Sorcerer's Stone and I had forgotten some of the details that weren't in the movie. However, I got quite the laugh out of how many of the lines from the movie were exactly the same as the lines in the book. It was also fun to read something I've read countless times since I was the age of 10 (wow, eleven years of my life have been centered on Harry Potter...this is sort of depressing).

I can't wait to re-read Chamber of Secrets now (even though it is one of my least favorite Harry Potter books. I honestly can't stand Lockheart). It is the first book that really has Ginny as a character and I love Ginny. I would have to say that I'm most like her (even though my friends have called me "Hermione"). Fred and George are pretty awesome in it as well. Here's to reading good books and avoiding housework!

Day 01 - A paragraph about yourself

So, a paragraph about myself. I am a writer, therefore I have a bunch of characters running amok in my head. They like to tell me what to do (sounds like I'm mentally unstable, but I'm not, I swear) and they like to refuse to do what I want them to do. I gave them a form of life and they way they repay it is to ignore me. Okay, maybe I am as crazy as I sound... Right now I'm on summer break between my junior and senior years of college. I am a 21 year old American who happens to be an English major. I'm majoring in Creative Writing (which I might have mentioned before...) and I just passed one of the creative writing classes with an A. It was extremely happy making. If you haven't guessed by now, I'm female. I have four really close friends who know me as well as I know myself. One of those friends is my cousin. I don't know what I'd do without her (probably die a slow and painful death at family events) and I wish we lived closer to each other. I tend to be anti-social and like to keep to myself in large groups. However if I am in an awkward situation, you can't get me to shut up. Awkward silence is not my friend. I have a mom and a dad plus an annoying younger sister. Said younger sister shouldn't be mentioned very often in this blog (I like to try to forget about her because she causes a lot of the angst and stress in my life. It is just easier not to think about her) because she doesn't live at home any more and has deviant boyfriend. Saying that I don't have a boyfriend and I don't really live at home. It is summer and I am staying at my parents house central Washington (the state, I live on the West Coast, not the East). I have an off-campus apartment at school and that is where I live the rest of the year. I thought that writing a whole paragraph about myself would be hard, but apparently it wasn't. I think I covered everything though (it should probably be more than one paragraph, but that is what it asked for. *sticks out tongue* I'm also immature sometimes).

"A" Challenge

So I have been seeing a lot of challenge things lately... For example: 15 day "How I Met Your Mother" challenge; 30 day photo challenge; 5 day deviance challenge (that one looked rather disturbing...); and challenges about anything really. So, I have decided that I will do at least one of these "challenges."

I came across a few that I would really like to do (actually more than a few...but I'll probably do them all eventually). The first one that I will attempt to do is called "'A' Challenge." Hopefully this will develop a habit for me as I'm usually shit at doing things regularly. It is said that it takes 30 days to create a habit; let's hope that is right.

If I enjoy doing this challenge, I'll do a few others. A "Tangled" one, a "Harry Potter" one, and a "Doctor Who" one for sure. Here is a glimpse of what I'll be doing in the next month:

Day 01 - A paragraph about yourself
Day 02 - A hobby
Day 03 - A thing that's on your mind
Day 04 - A goal
Day 05 - A person you miss
Day 06 - A blog
Day 07 - A picture of you when you were little
Day 08 - A pet peeve
Day 09 - A show
Day 10 - An insecuity
Day 11 - An actor
Day 12 - A thing that worries you
Day 13 - A list of favorite memories
Day 14 - A bad habit
Day 15 - A wish
Day 16 - A picture you took
Day 17 - A secret
Day 18 - A thing you're afraid of
Day 19 - A recipe
Day 20 - A picture of your "Crew"
Day 21 - A dream you had recently
Day 22 - A thing you do everyday
Day 23 - A meme
Day 24 - A topic that makes you think
Day 25 - A song
Day 26 - A thing you want to do before you die
Day 27 - A thing that makes you mad
Day 28 - A quote
Day 29 - A place that gives you wanderlust
Day 30 - A future

Who is this?

I really wish I knew who this guy was... Because he is very, very cute!

Finders Keepers; Losers Weepers

I couldn't help it. This is just so great. Hufflepuffs really are finders!

For Starters

My name is Alyssa (I would have used my initals, but they are AN and I don't like that...so there). If you can't tell, I like Harry Potter. Not just the books and the movies, but also the parodies. In fact the title for this blog comes from AVPM and it is one of my favorite quotes. However, I feel that I would be in Slytherin if I were to go to Hogwarts (even though I'm 21 and there is no way that I would be accepted at this age).

I am a writer, but I don't think that my eariler writing is very good (it really isn't...it is quite terrible). I'm in college to get a degree in Creative Writing, but I really have no clue how that is going to help me in the real world. I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to double major in, but so far I haven't found a course of study that will work for me.

I suppose I'm a pet lover. I have two dogs that I miss while I'm away at school. However, summer has started for me because my university (WSU! Go Cougs!) gets out early for the summer and starts early in the fall. I get to spend as much time as I want with my puppies now.

I've been looking forward to this summer, but the parts I am looking forward to won't be happening until next month. This will be a good way to pass the time. I really should be looking for a job...