Book Challenge

          Hello, hello. Yes, I know I haven't really had anything exciting for you lately. Never fear, I have found another challenge! This one is a book photo challenge, but I will talk about the book(s) in the photo and why I chose said book(s). Sound good? Of course it does!

Day 1: Currently Reading

         How can I possibly be reading so many books, you ask? Well, I very much like to read and I happen to be taking classes that require a lot of reading. Starting from the bottom, I've got a textbook (Classics of Children's Literature, 6th Edition). It was quite a wide variety of fairy tales, poems, and novels in it. Currently, I'm reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer out of it. Next is my sister's copy of The Chronicles of Narnia. I am just starting The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Next is Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, which I am unfortunately still on the first chapter. I fill finish it, Franco Fan! And of course, Tolkien is on the list. I've been slowly chugging away at The Return of the King. That's one that I read when I have the spare time. I could be doing that now, you know! (Actually, I should be working on my presentation right now...) Next is Thomas C. Foster's How to Read Novel's Like a Professor. I am using this as a source for my aforementioned presentation. As much as I hate to admit it, I kind of am enjoying the book. And last, but certainly not least, is Over Nine Waves. I'm reading this for my Literary Ireland class and it is absolutely fascinating! I love reading through all the myth cycles (Mythological, Ulster, and Finn) as well as the Saint's stories (I've always loved St. Patrick :o) That's all for today...and if you're lucky, you may have something tomorrow!

"For three days his enemies watched Cuchulainn. The ravens of battle, the Morrigu and Badb, hovered around his head and at last the hero light faltered, flickered and went out." -Over Nine Waves by Marie Heaney

Ireland, again.

          Alright guys...I was supposed to write about my truest fear for the writing challenge. But I can't. My mind is far too occupied elsewhere, Ireland specifically. Shall I tell you my dilemma? There is a study abroad program through my college to go to Ireland for a little less than three weeks. And what is the program, you ask? Literature. This is like MY trip. This is the trip for me. And, as far as study abroad programs go, not that costly. I really, really, reeeallly want to go. Ireland, guys! IRELAND!

          (I'm not seeing the dilemma here...)

          Sorry, I'm getting to that. I really want to go, BUT I have some cons. I've never traveled outside of the country before (Canada does not count), and that terrifies me. I would be without anyone I know, which also terrifies me. I would have to miss my brother's graduation (but hey, my older brother missed mine, so..). While the trip isn't terribly expensive, it's not terribly cheap either. And I'm only a college freshman. The trip is open to all students, but I feel like freshmen don't belong on these sorts of things. Am I right? But I want to go so bad! Guys, this is Ireland, the one place I want to go more than anywhere else (closely followed by New Zealand). I am just very torn on this. If there is anyone that reads this other than my Franco Fan, I could use some advice. (Advice from Franco Fan is more than welcome, of course. And just so you know, I will always refer to you as Franco Fan on here now. Congratulations.) I will now put on a picture from Ireland so we can take a moment to sigh wistfully. Let the sighing commence.

"All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”

-Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein

Day Thirteen

Writing Challenge Day 13: Someone You Would Like to Meet

          This is a very good question. At first I thought maybe a band, but to be honest, I don't want to meet people that sing my favorite songs. I don't want to hear that they didn't even write the song, that it isn't personal, that they are just good at singing it...I'd rather pretend that each and every song means something to them, and they were written out of experience. Now, of course I know that this usually isn't the case. But still. I like to pretend. So that would have to be a no for a musician. (Unless maybe I met The Piano Guys. Or 2cellos. I love them regardless.)
          Then I thought...a historical figure? Or rather, an author that lived more than a century ago? Perhaps Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte. I wasn't really feeling that either. But I like the idea of authors. J.K. Rowling? I would love to meet her and discuss all things Harry Potter. Which ultimately led me to book/movie characters. But there are so many of them that I would love to meet! And I have a whole list of them. Care to see?

• Sirius Black from Harry Potter 3-5
• Poppet and Widget from The Night Circus
• Brom from Eragon
• Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings 1-3
• Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars
• Elizabeth Bennet from Pride & Prejudice
• Warden from The Bone Season
• Wes from The Truth About Forever
• Basil from The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Javert from Les Miserables
• Brigan from Fire

          Well, you get the idea. There are several characters that I would love to meet. The one character I would choose above all of these, however, you haven't heard of. Unless you are one of the five people (including my sister) I've told this to, you don't know who she is. Her name is Azure and she is the main character in a book that I am writing. And I absolutely love her. I wish it were possible to actually meet her and talk to her. So that's who I pick as someone I would like to meet. A character that was born in my head.


P.S. Fall is coming...so I'm changing the look again! And I, for one, am very excited for the autumn season :o)