Night is for Sleeping (as I try to convince myself)

I am a night-owl. Officially, I go to bed at about 9:00 to 9:30 at night. Unofficially, I crawl into bed at about 10:30 PM. I don't know why, but I don't like to go to bed early. I will avoid it for all I'm worth: I'll read a book, I'll knit, I'll draw...I'll even do algebra! (I know something's up if I'd rather do algebra than go to sleep!)

Basically every single night last week I found some excuse not to go to sleep. Books, schoolwork, stuff like that. It was even worse than usual; I was getting into bed at...oh...about 11:00 PM or later.

I'm so glad I have a good Heavenly Father who is always looking out for my health. I have a job babysitting/walking some girls up to the bus stop, plus the time when I teach piano to one of my students has been switched to pretty early in the morning. Because I have to be at the house of the girl that I babysit at 7:30 AM (!) I've actually been forced to go to sleep earlier out of necessity.

Of course, staying up so late repeatedly last week has taken its toll. I am sick. Sore throat, cold, general feeling of washed-out-ness. I guess it's my penalty for avoiding sleep. *sigh* I've never been a morning person, but getting up early with a cold is sooooo hard.

Speaking of procrastinating and 'sooooo hard', I'm starting to tear my hair out about something. I participate in a public speaking club, and about a month ago I was given the assignment of doing a humorous interpretation of a book or poem. Now, the last assignment I completely put off until it was code-red urgent, and so I told myself I was not going to repeat that. So the first chance I got I went to the library and got out one book.

After I had spent about a week working on a piece from that one book ('By the Great Horn Spoon' by Sid Fleischman) I decided that it wasn't funny enough. You see, there are some super hilarious parts of 'BtGHS' but it's about the goldrush and so there's several mentions of cigars, fistfights, guns, and stuff like that. (It's not really that bad, but my teacher was hoping to have me perform the interpretation at a library children's hour or somewhere like that, and I don't think telling jokes about cigars would make a great impression) So then I had to go back to the library and gather up a multitude of books. Again, I spent another week preparing an interpretation, only to realize that it mentioned Hell. 'Hell' as a place, not swearing, but once again it wouldn't make a good impression. I honestly don't want little five year olds slinging that word around.

So, it's less than a week before our club meets again and I just picked out my interpretation. It's Winnie the Pooh. You just can't go wrong with Winnie the Pooh.

The whole point of that long, rambling story was to praise God that I didn't procrastinate in that situation! Can you imagine the chaos and turbulence I would be in right now if I spent a week experiencing the above story instead of a month?

No, wait. I don't even want to think about it.

I suppose I should follow my own advise about procrastination and go to bed now. Adios, amigos!

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori

P.S. Guess what! I get to make up my own fairy tale and write it in Spanish! I am soooooo excited. =) It makes me feel accomplished. =)

Happy Birthday!

I would like to wish a very happy birthday to my friend iGirl!

(and, of course, I need to sing her happy birthday)

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear iGirl,
Happy birthday to you!

(sorry for the extremely short post: I am really pressed for time today. But not pressed enough to wish iGirl a happy birthday. =)

Blessings,

Izori

The Blur That Is My Life

I have a big problem. Procrastination. Laziness. They're the same thing, basically. A couple weeks ago, I was getting so frustrated with myself. I'd tell myself I'd do something later, that it wasn't urgent, that I could just push it off, and then the next thing I know everything is jumbled together and needs to be done now. I gave an extemporaneous speech yesterday. I had about a month to prepare it, and instead I spent one and a half weeks on it. I was happy with my speech, but I think it could have been even better if I had spent more time on it (of course, I did pick a tough current event--the stuff going on in Egypt). What was worse, I was pushing off other things besides speech. And I wasn't doing so well on those.

Then just recently, I decided that I really hated that rushed feeling and I was going to do something about it. Instead of wasting my time fiddling around on the computer, I'd get my schoolwork done first. God has placed schoolwork in my life as my main responsibility, and that means if I don't get it done I'm failing Him. So I actually put effort into my schoolwork.

You see, I'm not very smart. My mental capacity is slower than many of my friends. I take a while to 'get' things, and I struggle with comprehending things. I think I've always had this trouble, but I'm really noticing it this year. I look at many of my friends, who are doing honors classes/skipping grades/generally intelligent, and I get so discouraged.

I've just accepted the fact that I'm slow on the uptake. When I'm reading a case for government, I scan over a confusing paragraph and just say, "Oh, I don't get it just because that's how I'm made. What's the use." And then I don't give it any more effort.

Lately I've been trying to change that.

And I'm thrilled! It worked! I am actually 'getting' a lot of stuff that I never thought I'd get: algebra, government, politics...

Plus, I've actually had time to do things like blog! It's incredible.

Of course, you might not be seeing that much of me for a while. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are packed. On Wednesday, I'm making pot roast for dinner and I'm getting my hair cut. (yes, that takes a lot of time). On Thursday, I have piano, voice, biology, more biology, piano again, more piano, and more piano! All right after the other. And then on Friday, I'm going to watch three rounds of debate in a tournament! I'm really excited.

Yeah. Everyone else is watching American Idol and sports, and I'm watching a debate.

=)

Random Thought: Stars are like shards of broken glass dropped into black water. I've read many similes and metaphors about stars in books, but I haven't ever seen the one I thought of last night. (please don't take it. I think it's an awesome simile, and I would really like to use it. If you take it, I will slowly strangle you. I'm one half joking)

Hugs and Blessings,

Izori

Sigh.

Today was not my day.

Meltdowns: 3

Answers to a test that I had forgotten but remembered thirty minutes after I turned the test in: 2

Mistakes made while accompanying ballet on the piano: 22

Headaches: 3

Times I couldn't pay attention to save my life: 7 (while playing the piano)

Total of words I wrote in my books: 0

Typos in this post: about 18

The good things are that that I wrote in my diary for the first time in 2011, I memorized 1 Peter 1:6-7 in a day, and I actually got around to blogging. =)

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptation that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried by fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ.
~1 Peter 1:6-7

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori

This is impossible...

I remember going to a book signing for an author that I admire so much. My brother, Peter, and I were the last in line to have our book signed. There he was--a genius of a man, with a really cool white beard and twinkling eyes that spoke so much. We heard him speak earlier, and we have never had such a good time. We got a glimpse into the mind of the creator of our favorite books. I remember perfectly--he signed our books, and then he asked Mom to photograph us three--him, Peter, and I--all holding hands.

That man was Brian Jacques, and he died on February 5th of a heart attack.

Here is his website: Brian Jacques: The Official Website

"A mouse is small and can go unnoticed: but there is no limit to what a brave heart and a fearless spirit can achieve."--Brian Jacques

It's been a while...

So, how are you all? Do you remember me? It's been a matter of weeks since I've posted!

The first reason for my lack of posts is that I really don't have that much time! (I think just about everyone has that problem). Juggling my jobs, chores, schoolwork, writing, and blogging has been kind of tough. That is because I can't juggle three balls, let alone five. It's just to be expected that I drop a ball. Thankfully, unlike real juggling I had a choice as to which ball I should drop. Blogging hit the floor with a resounding thump.

The second is that I haven't been able to think up anything to post about. Now that I'm on Traveling Tales, I'm not posting writing tips on this blog anymore, and I'm kind of at a loss for what exactly my blog should be about. My life is so boring that I'm sure that no one wants to hear endless posts about it, but sometimes it feels really good to just sit and type about my life.

(Peter just walked by the computer room, completely drenched, holding a soccer ball. Our eyes met and an instant telepathic bond was formed. The translation of the message that was transmitted: my brother is crazy.)

I'm actually happy. =) I'm starting to rewrite my first NaNoWriMo book. It's tough, because I'm so used to first draft jot-down-whatever-trash-pops-into-your-head-first type of writing. But now, on a second draft, I'm actually spending some time editing stuff I've just written. And I'm actually satisfied with my writing style. I can see that it's grown so much from two years ago. I know that it'll keep growing and that two years from now I'll look on it and pronounce it garbage, but I know I'm progressing.

The story line is changing a bit. Before it was super cliche (partly because I had just watched Lord of the Rings and was completely obsessed over it). Honestly...I even had something very, very close to Ringwraiths in my book. Now it's starting to look really original. Like it's my very own. *happy sigh* I love you, book.

I hope this post was worth your time clicking over. =) I'll try to write something even more substantial later this week, but now I have targets just waiting for me to nail with arrows! *happy sigh* I love you too, archery.

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori

Bail

Pass it on! Of course, you have to title the post with the first word you pick out in the crossword puzzle!