"It's not the destination...

...so much as the journey." - Cpt. Jack Sparrow

It's time to embark! Tomorrow marks the beginning of yet another month of literary abandon. That's right, NaNoWriMo is upon us again!!! I most likely will not be posting on my blog for a while, do to what will be a very full schedule during November. I will be working full time and writing in my spare hours. Discipline will be paramount. :)

The big highlights of October, which have not gotten any of the mention they deserve, include:
1)Dance night we hosted on the 14th, we did a few new dances, including some Brandon had recorded, and one or two we learned at the OSR.

2)Visiting with the Sherrills again down in Virginia for the twins' birthday. We had a wonderful time getting to spend some more time with them. We went and saw The Three Musketeers with them, as well as visited George Washington's grist mill and distillery.

3)The Pre-NaNo Pep Party, which was on the 28th. My scheduling didn't work out very well, not everything we were planning fit in, but I think everyone had fun, and that was the important thing. :)

Good morning, Starshine!

The earth says hello! :)
Oh, the joys of getting up early...:)

Off to work in a couple of minutes, glad to be done with twelve hour days for now! It will be nice to be back to leaving at 4 today. Very thankful for answered prayer yesterday, however, as the machines worked quite well, all things considered all day and we finished up a really big order.

Ta ta! Have a blessed day!

Wait, "WHAT" to Him I owe?

A reflection from today:
For as long as I can remember, my family has tithed.
When we were young, we had 'spend cans,' piggy banks, (savings,) and a "God money" can, and we divided our money between those three categories, (little as there was of it back then.)
As I prepared to tithe today, I tallied up my last couple of checks from work, and as I came up with the sum, the thought flitted almost, I may say, unbidden, across my brain, "I owe God [x amount of] dollars." No sooner did the idea hit me, though, than another hit me even harder.
How stupid to say that! How presumptuous - how blasphemous - to think to 'give God His cut.'
I 'owe' God everything, not a meager ten percent of what I earn. My money, my possessions, every single breath I take.
Have I been giving a tenth of my mint, dill and cummin while neglecting the more important matters of the law? (Matt. 23:23)
Perhaps I have been viewing the tithe as the end, rather than the means, as I should. Perhaps as often happens with symbols, it has become the destination, rather than the guidepost.
That ten percent, then, represents the vast debt which I could never hope to begin to repay, and every time I set aside my "God money," it should remind me, and I should fall on my knees and cry out "Thank you, Lord Jesus!"

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim
I'll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calvary's Lamb

Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

No, Caleb...

You may not just log into Facebook to check messages even though the aforementioned social network chose now as the time to change things so I don't receive notification emails...
I am sorely tempted, "but by the mass, [my heart is] in the trim!"
Yes, I am taking a month off of Facebook, what due to my job, I am finding it much easier than I thought. :)

So, where has the Summer gone to??? Can anyone tell me? :)

Some recent highlights in my life:

The Ohio Summer Rendezvous, Sept. 16-18. Where Brandon and I were once again blessed to share: A time joy, a time long anticipated and past too quickly! A time of friends, of fellowship, of fun, of dancing, acting, playing, visiting, and sharing in the glories of God's creation on display in Southern Ohio with fellow homeschool graduates and brothers and sisters in Christ.Thanks so much to the Ferrars, the Orths, and Hannah Michelle L for all the hard work put toward the event! I can't wait for the next one! :)

Shakespeare's 'Henry V'. From which I (with the help of two wonderful friends) performed part of act 4, scene 3, namely the St. Crispin's Day speech as the OSR. Despite the fact that I forgot my place several times, and had to pause, and the fact that I choked up about half way through the speech, I was really, really happy with the end result!
Yesterday, I finished watching Kenneth Branagh's 1989 film adaptation, which I had started watching a week or so earlier, and I was totally blown away! Now I need to read the entire play myself. :) If you saw my performance, or even if you didn't, you should check out Branagh's St. Crispin's Day Speech...*is speechless*. It is A-MAZE-ING.

Pulling my arm free of about a quarter ton of solid concrete which had fallen on it, and finding that it was only scraped and not broken! Thank you, God!!!

Seeing 'Courageous' with my family at the theater this past Saturday. It was GREAT! I highly recommend it, especially if you like Flywheel, Facing the Giants and Fireproof! Sherwood Pictures has done it again, and better than ever!

Participating in the Stark County Life Chain in Canton. Thankful for the opportunity to "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." The cry of unborn life is indeed great, and being able to present to the truth to those driving by, and to pray for them as well, even for only an hour, is a privilege.

Firing a 9mm (or any gun for that matter) for the first time in my life. Thanks so much to my co-worker Dan for letting me! He was right, it does feel good! I fired 15 rounds in all, and made three hits. Okay, so I need a little work on that... :)

Well...I need to sleep, so I will talk to you later!
Blessings,
~Caleb

Hello September!

Well, it's been a fair amount of time since my last update, which was not a real 'update,' on life, but a sneak peek at the novel I'm planning to write this November! If you haven't seen that yet, please check it out! :)

Last week, my dad and I had the opportunity to be extras during the shooting of Marvel's upcoming film "The Avengers" which will be coming out next Summer. He and I and some friends went to the open casting call in July, and long after we had given up hope of getting a call, Daddy got one! I was excited for him, of course, but disappointed that I had not. Then about a week later, I got a call too!
So, yeah. That was...pretty cool. :)
We spent two nights (last Monday and Tuesday) in Stuttgart, Germany, (aka Cleveland OH.) I'm telling you, the set was AMAZING! I loved it.

A few days before that, on the 20th, our family went up to Conneaut for the D-Day Ohio re-enactment, which was REALLY neat. The Allied and German camps were really neat to look through, and the battle was really well executed. Not to mention getting to visit with some of our area friends, The Kuntzes (who clued us in about the re-enactment!) the Browns, Debbie Bates, and the Andersons. Lots of fun at the re-enactment, as well as getting to visit a little more with the Andersons (and Alex and Amanda, and Kyle, and the other Alex...:)) at the Andersons' house.

Oh! Also, I entered my Horatio Hornblower costume, my formal kilt attire, and my Caledonia tartan waistcoat in the fair, and got second place, first place, and second place on them, respectively.

I've had a busy couple of days this week with work for WPG and the neighbor, but I've begun work on mine and Brandon's costumes for the OSR. I will need to really knuckle down in the next few days, hopefully good progress will be made sooner rather than later, so that I'm not in the usual mad rush the day or two before the event. :P

So, that's what's been happening...

Eyes Of My Heart (promo/prologue)

So, this is [part of] the prologue (or basically a preview) of what will, hopefully, be my novel this November. I hadn't been writing much lately, and so I thought I'd do this, both as just to get a bit of writing in, and also to try and begin focusing ideas for this story before NaNo rolls around. Enjoy! :)
(And I realize this is kind of a cheat of a blog post...;))




The glory of triumph was stirring Alexander's heart as he cut past two guards and faced a third in the very gateway of the castle. His advance was inexorable, the men who came against him could not stand against his fierce onslaught. The great sword gripped in his fist fell in blow after blow against his enemies. Punishing, vanquishing. He penetrated the high guard of the next soldier in front of him, and bowled him over with his shoulder. He was in the courtyard now. The stones beneath him fairly resonated with absorbed heat, but the sweat which covered his brow and soaked his clothing was nothing compared to the victory at hand. With a sideways slash and a powerful backswing, he swept his enemy's sword out of the way, and kicked it from his hand. Raising himself to his full height, he lifted the tip of the blade to his enemy's throat.

"Yield, blackguard." He wiggled his sword impatiently. "Yield, I say!"

"Who are you fighting?" The voice, so close, and yet utterly unexpected, made Alexander start involuntarily. He turned. The girl was sitting on a circular bench beneath a tree, watching him. Her gown was simple and unadorned, but by the very cut and texture of it, Alexander could see that the girl was 'quality.' A large white and grey tomcat, whose fur she was gently stroking, lay curled beside her. Alexander was so taken aback by the intrusion into his battle, that he simply stared at her. She smiled, as if understanding.

"I'm sorry if I startled you," She said. "I often sit here beneath this tree during the afternoon. The people who pass interest me."

There was another moment of silence in which the only sounds audible were Alexander's still-heavy breathing and the low drone of the cat's purring.

"Who were you fighting?" She asked again.

He drew himself up again to answer, "The enemies of the King." He replied with as much grandness and pride as he could muster, flustered as he was by the girl's interruption.

She nodded, smiling still, which irritated Alexander's warrior sensibilities. "You are a very brave knight," she said admiringly. Needless to say, this statement considerably bolstered Alexander, and he smiled now too, though his eyes were now gazing intently at his feet and the point of his sword between them instead of at the girl.

"A 'brave knight'? Fah!"

This interruption was much more offensive, and, if possible, even less expected than the first. Anton, Alexander's one real, flesh-and-blood, opponent, came striding across the square, smirking at Alexander. The girl's head turned slightly, toward the sound of the approaching footsteps, but her eyes did not leave Alexander. "When was the last time you drew your sword in defense of His Majesty and his interests, Anton?" She asked gently, but loud enough for the walking ego to hear as he drew near. He frowned at her, and then at Alexander. "I have more important things to do than play act!" He viciously directed the last words in Alexander's direction.

"Oh." The girl replied simply.

Anton seemed to be taken aback by the nature of the response. Apparently he had expected more, or perhaps less.

"I am a squire to a knight," he proclaimed, "and I'll be one myself, long before this little man ever gets out of the kitchen!"

Alexander was bristling, fairly shuddering with shame and rage, but unsure what to do. Anton must have noticed the spasmodic jerks of his sword hand, for he smiled mockingly and raised his empty hands, palms up, as if to say, "You don't dare try and fight me, little knight - I have no weapon, and what sort of chivalry would that be?"

"Perhaps," the girl's voice snapped, as effortlessly as if it had been a piece of taut string between a pair of shears, through the tension between the two boys. "Perhaps, Anton, but you must admit there was a time not so very long ago, when you were as enthusiastically in the King's service as this brave boy is now. Has your reality taken away your fervor?"

Anton stood silent for a few moments, while the girl waited patiently, letting the cat, who had rolled onto its back during this discourse, play with her hand. After the brief silence, Anton simply stalked away.

As soon as Alexander lost sight of him around the corner, the girl smiled again, and beckoned to him. "Come closer, brave knight."

As he approached her, he guessed that she was probably a year or two younger than himself. Her eyes were large and blue, her golden hair long and braided. When he was in front of her, she indicated the place beside her and, after a moment of hesitation, Alexander seated himself. He was of that age when boys shy away from girls; for what reason, they themselves do not even fully understand. However, Alexander was of an outgoing nature as well, and was not as petrified of the fairer sex as some. The girl smiled, and turned in his direction, but their eyes did not meet.

"What does your sword look like?"

Alexander's mouth actually dropped open, but he willed it closed again. It was hardly polite to leave it hanging wide like a cod's on market day. He eyed the crude wooden implement in his hands, not quite sure how to reply. It was right in front of the girl, so what prompted such a question. She seemed to know what he was thinking and added almost apologetically, "I know the shape of a sword, but great knights often have very unique ones."

A flash of understanding brought a slight scowl to Alexander's. The girl's condescension was not appreciated. He had no delusions about his sword, it was but wood and nails, with uncountable dents and scratches along the length of it. He was not such a child to be imagining a grand sword out of a piece of battered oak.

"It's just wood, miss." He was looking away now, trying to contain his irritation, and also beginning to feel strange under the girl's eyes. "Just for practice."

"I know." The soft smile was again turned toward him, "but do you not have a dream of having your own sword when you are a knight?"

He turned to look her full in the face. Her unblinking smile drove his eyes away from hers. He felt himself start to squirm, his boyish shyness suddenly falling on him full force. "Y-yes, I mean, I suppose I do..." He stammered, wondering how to politely get away.

"What is your name?" Asked the girl.

"Alexander."

"Ah, The Defender." The girl nodded. "Your parents chose well."

"Would they had." Alexander managed to choke out.

The girl's face clouded, and she looked away. "What?"

"My Aunt named me. My parents are...are." He stopped and looked away himself. After a moment he stood, slowly wiping the corner of his eye.

"I'm sorry."

Alexander looked back at the girl and started. She was looking at the place beside her on the bench where he had been sitting, and her hand was slowly moving out, he guessed, in quest of his. He slowly sat back down, staring at her with strange fascination. Her gaze did not waver, though her brow began to furrow. Slowly, he slid out his right hand until the tips of their fingers touched on the bench. The girl took hold of his hand gently. "I'm sorry," she repeated, and at the same time, Alexander raised his left hand and passed it slowly in front of her face. Her eyes did not blink, nor did they follow the path of his hand. He gasped.

"What is it?" She asked quickly, her head turning swiftly.

"Your...your..." Alexander gulped and blurted: "Your eyes!"

"Oh...!" The girl turned away, her hands moving to hide her eyes. Alexander reached out quickly and caught them, however. The girl slowly turned back to him as he gently pulled her hands from her face.

"Your eyes are..." His voice caught in his throat. He hadn't meant to hurt her, and the guilt he would have felt otherwise was increased tenfold by the realization of her disadvantage. She couldn't help it that she was blind. He could not imagine the difficulty she must have endured without her sight. The thousand and one things he saw and took for granted every single day, an which had never made her heart glad. The girl's blue eyes stared at him, the corners glistening slightly with tears. Although he knew she could not see him, her eyes were... "beautiful. Your eyes are beautiful, miss." He finally whispered breathlessly.

...To be continued...

Whoa!

...I haven't posted in two months! :D
Okay, okay, Ill work on it. :)

On 'The Rite', Satan, Faith, and the Power of God

"Choosing not to believe in the devil won't protect you from him." - Anthony Hopkins as Father Lucas Trevant



Wow. Just finished watching The Rite*. When the first promotional material appeared online, I saw the poster and didn't even watch the trailer. There was the title: 'The Rite', there was a lurking darkness, there was Anthony Hopkins' unreadable eyes staring from within the shape of a cross. I wasn't interested. My impression was of yet another supernatural horror film, (there had seemed to be several which had appeared in the last year or so.) It wasn't until some time later, when I headed over to Focus on the Family's review site, (www.pluggedinonline.com) to find a review for a different film entirely, that I saw that there was a review for The Rite. The few short sentences next to the poster intrigued me, and I grudgingly started reading the review. The farther I read, the more interested I became. This did not seem to be the film I had anticipated.

So I finally watched it tonight. Inspired by true events, the film opens with a young man, one Michael Kovak (Colin O'Donoghue), working as a mortician alongside his father. Michael says his choice in life is to be a mortician or a priest, and although he is hardly a believer, he gladly leaves his father's business to pursue the second option. After four years of seminary school, however, he informs his father superior (Toby Jones) that he does not feel he can take his vows because of his lack of spiritual foundation. The father, who sees in Michael a very promising candidate for the priesthood, does not forward the message to his own superiors, but instead sends Michael to Rome to attend a course on exorcism at the Vatican. He thinks this will dispel Michael's disbelief. The young man's doubts persist, however, as he continues to maintain that a psychological explanation is still possible. "Do you believe in sin?" The instructor of the class, Father Xavier (Ciaran Hinds) asks him. "Yes," Michael responds, "I just don't believe the devil makes us do it." Xavier tells him to pay a visit to an old friend, Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins), a seasoned exorcist; assuring Michael that Lucas will be happy to oblige him with the evidence he desires.

The two don't exactly start off on the right foot. "You don't like cats?" Standing in the middle of Lucas' courtyard swarming with felines, Michael sheepishly responds, "Not particularly." Father Lucas greets his guest with "Welcome to Rome - it's infested with cats." As it turns out, though, the cats are the least of Michael's worries. He soon meets Rosaria, a pregnant 16-year old who suffers from demon-possession. The first exorcism rite Michael witnesses does not part him from his skepticism. He argues that the young woman "doesn't need a priest, she needs a shrink." Father Lucas counters with the quote I began my post with. When a thief or a burglar breaks in, he says, does he turn on the light? Of course not! He prefers you to believe he's not there. Michael's unbelief begins to weaken, however, as he himself is drawn into a deadly serious spiritual assault. In the end, it is through the power of God alone that he is able to defeat the evil forces at work.

Although most of us have never witnessed the types of things portrayed in the movie, the truth of Satan's existence and methods are very clearly laid down. I believe it was C. S. Lewis that said that the devil would rather you think he doesn't exist, or better yet, that he is what he is often portrayed as, a naughty, red, goat-y prankster. He doesn't want us to take God's warning to heart - that he's "a lion, seeking whom he may devour." He's also a - the - deceiver. The accuser. The father of lies.

Now, while the devil's work on earth does take up a lot of screen - and plot - time, the film does not neglect the solely effective power of God in liberation from sin and the devil. The final exorcism scene of the film, in which Michael is forced to take on his demon-possessed mentor, dramatically illustrates how speaking God's name, commanding in the name of Jesus, with the faith to believe that He will do that which we ask, unleashes untold fathoms of God's power. That last bit is important. It's not the rite that drives out the demon. As Michael discovers after his first attempt to oust a demon, "It's not just the words." It's God alone working through a Christian's faith, in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritūs Sancti.

There are a few things I don't agree with the movie about, and I may discover more in future, but on the whole, I found it to be a very impressive portrayal of the very real conflict which is constantly being waged around us, and which we very often don't think about.

"Faith becomes you. Stick with it. Keep fighting the good fight with all thy might." - Anthony Hopkins as Father Lucas Trevant

* The Rite is rated PG-13 for "disturbing thematic material, violence, frightening images, and language including sexual references." I would only recommend the film to mature, discerning viewers, who can understand the content, as well as appreciate the message. While this is not a 'horror film,' Satan's work (to kill and destroy) is an ugly and horrible business, and The Rite does not shy away from giving us a taste of that work.

"Da." Definitely, "Da."

Wow, somehow in the past week, Russian folk songs performed by choir and orchestra have nearly become the staple of my listening library. How did this happen? Well, there are probably any number of ways that it could have happened, but I'll tell you that my first taste of this powerful, dramatic, sometimes melancholy, sometimes crazily joyous phenomenon nearly ten years ago.

Kind of a sampling:


It was the evening of February 19th, 2002. There I was, 11 years old, sitting with my family near the back of the upper deck of E.J Thomas Hall. The place was packed, if my memory serves me right. I think I can safely say I had no idea what to expect. But what I got blew me away. It has to have been the best Tuesday Musical concert I ever went to...part of that I think is that there has never been another one like it in any respect. What concert was it? Red Star: Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble, (Now called the Alexandrov Ensemble,) the official army choir of the Russian army. So that was then.



Now, after those several years, just last week, for some reason, I can't even remember what prompted me, but I just decided to look up Red Star Red Army on Youtube and see what I found. The first full song I found was Kalinka, performed by the chorus and the tenor Vasily Shtefutsa.
I definitely recommend checking him out. :)


And, well, now I'm hooked. Our Red Star Red Army video is actually on loan, and I'm looking forward to getting it back to watch it! In the meantime, any time I spend on Youtube is employed with finding new RSRAC songs. :)
The emotion and skill of the soloists and the chorus is completely engaging, and athleticism and sheer energy of the dancers is staggering.
An example of the dancing:



And a few of my favorite songs:

Leonid Kharitonov is so entertaining in this performance!


Some others:
"Regimental Polka"
"Wait For Your Soldier"
"Brave Don Cossacks"
"Swallow"
and "On the March."

I just love the enthusiasm, the joy, the excitement, that their performances are full of. (Speaking from my own single experience as well as what I've heard from others and reviews I've seen. Apparently I haven't been the only one who got blown away. :))
If they come back to the US on tour, I'd definitely go and see them again...I'll be keeping an eye out...:) Until then, however, I'll content myself with listening and watching online. :D I also have a cd out from the library, which I have been very much enjoying.

Hello, Beautiful.

My new machine, The Janome 6300! I have been VERY pleased with it so far! I look forward to a long and good working relationship with it. :)

*(I have become aware that my blog post title with the post deleted came across as being a little weird. :) So I thought I should put the post back. The reason I originally deleted it, was because the picture was too big, and I didn't want to take the time to find another or format it.)

Song of the Week: 'Stir'

Song: Stir
Artist: Downhere
Album: Wide-Eyed and Mystified

You belong here, everyone's invited
You can't fail here, 'cause we can't fail united
It's safe to be yourself here
And it's time to go beyond here

We've got life to give,
So why don't we do what we we're saved for
Come along, why don't we stir?
You know you and I could do so much more together
We are the new at heart, so why don't we stir?

We are strong here, but weakness is for certain
To show our love here, we share each other's burdens
We don't mind,''cause there is nothing left to fear
And Love divine is calling us out from here...

We are salting, lighting
We refresh like raining
We are love remaining
And we've got...

"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:6-7 KJV

"No weapon forged against thee..."

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] of me, saith the LORD." Isaiah 54:17 (KJV)

This is such an important promise to the people of God, but we so often forget the power that God vests in us if we will simply call on His name, and rebuke the Satan and his minions in the name of Jesus. It has been really interesting - as my mom has shared the things she has been learning in the Bible study she has been working through, (Beth Moore's 'Believing God,') - seeing my perspective on spiritual warfare change recently, and I've been realizing more in how many ways Satan tries to attack us. Frustration has been a really big one for me lately, I've realized. Things don't work the way they're supposed to, my attitude heats up and my spirits droop. Just what the devil likes to see.
So try to remember, and I'll try too. The next time you feel like you are hemmed in at Weathertop, with the devil's blade aimed for your heart, believe God. Don't just believe in Him, but believe His holy word, and the promises He has made. If you trust Him and call to Him, you will be saved.

{A little night update}

Hello friends!
I hope this finds you as it leaves me, in good spirits, and pleased with the view. (figurative or literal, whichever you prefer. :))
- Well, I have had a pretty nice, busy week, and I feel that my health is improving by bits and pieces, for which I am very grateful!
- I have finished reading The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and am still working my way through Schindler's List. Kidnapped has also seen a bit of progress over the past few days.
- My current sewing project, (finishing my Colquhoun tartan waistcoat,) is almost done, and I've got a few more lined up, the biggest in urgency, will be helping Mommy with an order of six shirts and six waistcoats for an Etsy customer's wedding.
After that, I'm planning on another waistcoat or two, a new Regency jacket, (possibly of green velvet, but we'll see,) finishing my Colquhoun kilt, and a few other ideas.
- Things of particular note of late, I finished my Prince Charlie jacket and waistcoat in time for the Eversons International Folk Ball (May 14), and was quite happy with the result. Here's a picture of me in my outfit from the ball:


The ball(and the rest of the weekend (May 13-15) the ball was a part of as well,) was great! A lot of great fellowship and fun. Also, it was great to see different people helping each other in a menagerie of situations which arose surrounding the event, and seeing God's provision.
- This week saw the release for purchase of Downhere's single "Let Me Rediscover You" from their upcoming album, "On the Altar of Love," which I'm really excited about. They are one of my favorite bands at this point, I really like their sound, as well as, even more so, their lyrics. I recommend checking them out. :)
- Some other highlights: I worked for one of my neighbors on Wednesday, and had a rather exciting bit of wondering whether I was going to weather a tornado under the porch of a rental condo. Thursday night/Friday morning, Brandon and I choreographed a dance! I started out just trying to get Ginny's Market, (Emma and Knightley's dance from the 2009 Emma,) down on paper so that we could dance it. The way it's shot for the movie though, the casting section is just unintelligible (at least for me.) So we got down what we could and started trying to come up with something for those measures in the music. Then things just started popping out, and we ended up pretty much reinventing the dance. Only the very beginning looks exactly like the dance from the movie. There are a few oth similarities, but they are now out of order. It's a triple minor longways set, which is something new for us, and we have yet to try it out.
- I am planning to attend some sessions of the Great Lakes Grace Bible Conference on Sunday, in Wilmot.
-And...I should really be going to bed. :)
Goodnight and joy be to you all!
~Caleb

Busy week!

Yes, it's been a busy week! Not too much happened for most of the day, but it did mark the 30th year of my wonderful parents' marriage! They are such a blessing to us (their children), and a testimony to God's provision and faithfulness. I'm very thankful for and to, them! They are dream-fanners extraordinaire! Which is great for someone like me. :) Dad had to work, but that evening, we all went out to eat at Steak and Shake in Chapel Hill. It was a lovely evening spent together as a family - and the food was great, too...;)

So, Tuesday, Mom, Hannah, Eva, Levi, Shane and I went and volunteered at the Akron Fossils and Science Center, a small, nearby Creation Science museum, introducing many to the truth of God's creation. We painted most of the presentation room while we were there. I hadn't painted in a while, and I enjoyed doing it again, except for a couple of spills, which were annoying, but thankfully not too bad. I went to library and Volleyball by myself that evening, (first time going to Volleyball this month, and I had a great time, (as always. :)))

Wednesday...hmmm, cleaning up a bit around the house, and Mrs. Ferrar, Michaela and Anna came over after lunch, Michaela to consult with Mommy about her (Michaela's) pattern which she is using to make her gown for an upcoming event. (Looking forward to seeing it finished, I might add. :)) Anna came to claim her prize, Brandon's lately outmoded Canon Rebel XSi, which she was thrilled about, you could hardly help but be happy for her. ;) While Mom and Michaela were working, the rest of us had a very nice conversation about Pride and Prejudice, which was quite enjoyable and fruitful!

Thursday, I spent a good part of the late morning and afternoon working on a folding job for WPG, during which I finally watched Casablanca. I really liked it! I had to move downstairs to my room at about 1, because of people arriving for dance class, (we are hosting a ballet class for the homeschool group on Thursday afternoons. A friend of ours teaches and dances in the dance ministry Praise His Name With Dancing, and it doing the instructing for this class.) Another big thing on Thursday, (which I'm still 'geeking out about', to borrow the colloquialism,) was the release of Downhere's first single from their upcoming album "On The Altar Of Love" which is coming out in August, and I'm very excited about! Check it out on Youtube "Let Me Rediscover You" is the title, or visit downhere.com!

Friday, I went out for a bit, to deliver Dad's flashdrive to him at work, as well as a stop at Jo-ann's to get some more fusible weft insertion interfacing I wanted to finish my Prince Charlie jacket. Oh! Prince Charlie Jacket update! Not much has happened with it this week, but I'm hoping to finish it in the next few days so I can turn my attention to the waistcoat and get it done as well. I want to have it done at least a week before the Eversons' HSA event. I need to order my buttons Monday...I need to write that somewhere so I actually do it!
Friday evening was the CARE homeschool group's Fine Arts Showcase, at which Eva, Levi and Shane were displaying some of their sewing projects, and to which I went wearing my Horatio Hornblower costume, which met with much acclaim. :) I must insert, 'Non Nobis Domine, Sed Nomini Tuo Da Gloriam', to ensure I don't let my head swell. ;)

Okay...where was I?

Today!
Today Levi and I went for a ride, we went to the post office, and then to Akron to the recycle center to unload our collection of paper and cardboard. We then went to the Akron Main Library, and spent an hour, give or take there...I could spend all day at that library really...or any library, really...:) Browsing is dangerous because I lose track of time! I have to try and keep myself focused on specific items I want to look for, and look at the clock in between. :D
When we got home, we got some grass cut, (Levi and I trading off.) Which is a great feeling, seeing what we got done. We're not done by any means, but we've got a good start!

Now, I'm planning to spend a quiet evening at home, hopefully working on my jacket, but perhaps drawing, reading or something else...we shall see...

Have a blessed Lord's Day tomorrow - and everyday! Every day is a gift from God!

New sewing project

Just a brief update on life (Kilted life, mostly)...several cool things happened in these past couple weeks, and the very uncool sickness too, but I can talk about that later. Nobody wants to hear about being sick anyway, do they? C'mon, really!
Anyway!
My latest project: I began cutting out a Prince Charlie jacket and matching waistcoat, (using Folkwear's pattern #152), and my goal is to have it done, by the Eversons' HSA event next month.

So, what is a Prince Charlie jacket, you might ask? Well...:



Also, I recently ordered a Balmoral bonnet from SportKilt (incidentally I ordered it on National Tartan Day, Apr. 6, because they were offering free shipping. :)) It arrived yesterday. Very excited about that as well! :)



(My bonnet doesn't have a clan crest or any other insignia on the side as is pictured. Maybe someday.)

What I'm reading....

Although it was not my intention when I picked it up, it seems I'm being a bit counter-cultural among my friends by reading Victor Hugo's 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame', instead of 'Les Miserables'. :)
I'm not really far enough into it to have an opinion, but I do have some, notwithstanding, (thanks to my despicable habit of reading ahead). :)
I don't like Phoebus, first of all. He's a lout once his habits get unfolded. Esmeralda is still somewhat of a mystery to me...what's she after? (Besides Phoebus, poor girl.) Quasimodo is tragically stoic (at least that's the impression I'm getting,) Frollo strikes me about the same as he did after I saw Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, (which I like, by the way, even though it's nothing like the book.) Like my character Governor Andellan in Points of Light, Frollo represents a great mind that has reached too far and has finally come up empty. Not a good situation.

One character I'm still in the dark about is Pierre Gringoire. The story keeps coming back to him, but I have no idea what part he will play in the grand scheme of things...time will tell.

EDIT: One thing I forgot to mention in my original post is that Frollo's relationship with Quasimodo is very different than in the Disney movie. In the book, his adoption of the hunchback is a real act of charity, (done on Frollo's younger brother's behalf.) The aspect of Frollo's relationship with his brother is another huge wedge between the evil, conniving Frollo of the film, and the Frollo who you meet at the beginning of the book. (Though you quickly see him become as he is in the movie, as he becomes obsessed with Esmeralda.)

Random Update for late in March...

Hello there!
This is just sort of a random update...as noted in the post title.
I'm working on my costume for the upcoming literary ball on April 1st. I'm very excited for said ball! I love dancing, and costumed dancing is even more fun!
Plus I'll have something cool to enter in the fair this Summer as well! :)
No, I'm not going to reveal my literary identity, but I will say that it is quite unlike my last costume role which was rather unsavory. ;)

Pride and Prejudice fan trailer

So I finally got around to giving one of my favorite movies some love...:)
Enjoy!

Mr. Matthew MacFadyen...you are "The man"

Totally.


For me, Matthew McFadyen IS Mr. Darcy, and he always will be. Colin Firth is good, but Mr. MacFadyen great. So imagine my wonder and rapture when I happened to see this on Youtube:



This my friends is...well, the ultimate in audiobook material. Now if only there was a complete audiobook on the market...it shall be a lifelong sorrow, I know. Is not his voice amazing? So dramatic, but not in the least overdone. Such a great performance. Such feeling, so soothing, so expressive.
If it helps, don't watch the video, just click play, minimize the window, and just take in the experience!



There are also a few videos on Youtube of Mr. MacFadyen reading poems, which are very good as well, though nothing to the above clip.

A sneak Peek at what I've been working at...

As some of you know, I've got a new trailer in the works, that should be coming online very soon. I'm not going to reveal what movie the trailer is for, but I'm going to share some of the music I'm using in it. So without further ado, I give you:
Audiomachine's "City of Hope",
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BQVkB95cPY&playnext=1&list=PLFD7C2CCF154F82F2

I hope you like the music, and keep an eye out for the new trailer! :)

An interesting sale...

Some of you know that my mom has an Etsy store and has been making and selling Regency dresses through it. She has been, basically, costuming a Pride and Prejudice play in Wisconsin, (Very blessed by all those sales.)

Her most recent sale is very interesting. We discovered that the buyer is in fact, Sharon Lathan...(Don't completely pass yourself off as illiterate if you don't know who she is...I didn't either.)
My mom came down and asked me, "Are you familiar with any books about Darcy? Like sequels to Pride and Prejudice?" (Or something to that effect.)
A little confused, having just got out of bed, I pulled some eyebrows and tentatively said that I was, thinking of Mr Darcy Takes A Wife.
"Have you heard anything good about them?" Was the next question.
"No."
"Well, the lady who bought my dress has written a series of Darcy books."
More eyebrows..."No kidding."

So, I had never heard of these books before, (The Darcy Saga,) which to the best of my knowledge begins on Darcy and Elizabeth's wedding day, and over the course of five books, covers the first years of marriage, their first child, etc.
I can't say anything for the books, but watching an interview with the authoress and her husband was quite nice, and reassuring as far as for her motive in writing.
She bought the dress for her daughter to wear to a Jane Fest in CA (Which was canceled, unfortunately). She has some pictures of her and her daughter in their Regency dresses up on her website's blog, though only one of her daughter. I'm not sure what kind of a following she's got, but it is international. And so that's kind of a lot of advertising, we're thinking. :)

Anyway, anybody heard of/read these books?

http://www.sharonlathan.net/sharonsblog/

Dein verstand ist der ort des verbrechens...

That is to say, "Your mind is the scene of the crime." (The tagline for Christopher Nolan's Summer 2010 blockbuster, 'Inception'.)
Does it make me something of a geek that I enjoy watching movie trailers in Deutsch?
Here are a couple of my favorites:



Valkyrie, (My ALL-TIME favorite German dub of a trailer...I would love to watch the entire movie like this...I call this, 'the way Valkyrie is meant to be watched'. :))
I can't find an embeddable one on Youtube, so I'll just include the text link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBOoW2jUSdk&feature=related

Random update

Okay, so I figured it was time to update my blog, but I don't really have a good topic, or time to develop the one or two good topics I've got right now...so...

As some of you know, I have begun to wear a kilt now and then. My infatuation as a 4 year old with Scotland and Highland dress was rekindled last spring when I met Gabe Everson, a professional kiltmaker who lives a few hours from me. At the end of July, I went up and spent around a week working with him on kilts, during which time (with his help and instruction,) I made my own.
Here is my Caledonia kilt ensemble:

I am planning to work again with Gabe pretty soon, at which time I will most likely begin working on another kilt for myself, this one in the Colquhoun tartan, which is exciting, as it was the tartan I was originally hoping to get for my first one. The reason for the choice of Colquhoun is because of a distant relative on my paternal grandmother's side who was a Calhoun. (c. Civil War era). So that's my reason for choosing this particular tartan. (I don't know of any Scottish relatives closer to me in the genealogy. :))


So...yes, my wardrobe will soon include another kilt. :)
I'll also be getting a couple new pairs of hose and a new set of garter ties, so I will officially have choices inasmuch as I will be able to mix and match kilts and hose and garters for interesting combinations. Very fun and exciting! :)
So that's my random update for now.

Latest Fan Trailer

My latest editing project. Pretty happy with the result...:) I'm finally getting a better hold on the sound editing/mixing...still need more practice with it, though. Anyway:



Enjoy!