In Search of Chocolate-y Chocolate Hot Chocolate

Instant sugar rush, ladies and gentlemen. 

Most people think that Friday nights spent alone would be a dull evening indeed. For me, however, it was wonderful ending to a wonderful day. 

The past two weeks have been, uh, rather rocky. And by rocky, I mean a-nefarious-villain-has-tied-you-to-a-horse-and-is-dragging-you-behind-him-down-a-gravel-road type of thing. Nope. Ugh. Ick.

But I've come to think about a few things. I've done a lot of thinking recently. Of things I need to read, and write. Of capturing precious moments throughout the day. I've been thinking about places I want to visit. 

I applied to study abroad in London next fall. If I'm accepted, I'll miss the leaves changing colors here in America. I'll miss football season and long lines of pumpkin spice latte-lovers trailing out the library doors. The thing I'll miss the most though, is marching with my beloved Golden Wave Band. 

There's so much changing, and it's all happening so fast. Days are fleeing more quickly than I can grab hold of them. I attended my first career fair last week. I turn twenty next year. 

But there are those moments, those warm, delicious, chocolate-y chocolate hot chocolate moments in life that are worth the whirlwind. Good books and movies, for example, along with a nest of blankets and pillows. Laughing with fellow color guard members. Swapping stories with the best of roommates. Lindy hopping for four hours straight. 

These moments are what makes time slow down and life infinitely more precious. 

Stop and smell the roses, and feel the taste of chocolate-y chocolate hot chocolate as it warms you from the inside out. 

Five Fantastic Quotes for Friday

Quotes are something I love. These just make my heart soar, so I wanted to share them with you! 

1.

"Adventure is out there!"

-Pixar's Up

2.

"Even in the darkest night will end and the sun will rise."

-Victor Hugo

3.

"You are valuable because you exist. Not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply because you are."
-Max Lucado

4.

“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” 
-A.A. Milne

5.
"For a star to be born,
there is one thing that
must happen: a gaseous
nebula must collapse.

So collapse.
Crumble.
This is not your
destruction.

This is your birth."
-Unknown


BONUS QUOTE:
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C. S. Lewis

Skim Milk Revolution

And now for something a little more silly...

Let's begin with a little background. For the college composition class I took my senior year of high school, we had to select a piece of writing that we had scribbled into our writing journals during the year to put into a class anthology.

One afternoon, annoyed with the cafeteria for only serving skim milk, I penned a petulant story about how much I hated the stuff. While other classmates selected more serious works to add to the anthology, I, wanting to change things up, slipped in my hate letter to skim milk.

I'll warn you right now: it's a little weird. And writing wise, it's not that great. But without further ado, I present you with the inner workings of my seventeen-year-old mind.

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The cafeteria lady was wiping counters and minding her own business, just like she did every Thursday. Only on Thursdays would she mind her own business. On Fridays, she would color in her Disney Princess coloring book. On Mondays, she would drink coffee. (She does what she can. After all, it's a Monday.) On Tuesdays, she would hang out on Facebook. Her favorite day was Wednesday, because she could just close her eyes and enjoy life.

But back to Thursday. Unfortunately, this wasn't an ordinary Thursday.

The door slammed open. A wild eyed kid stood panting before her, a crushed milk carton clutched in his fist, trails of white dripping down his fingers. "THIS IS THE LAST STRAW!" he screeched.

"Um..." The mild mannered lunch lady didn't know how to respond to this.

"THIS. IS. THE. LAST. STRAW." The boy looked even angrier, if this was indeed possible.

"We have more in the back." The lady was pretty helpful as far as ladies go, "Just let me go get one for you..."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The kid threw his head back and screamed. "Why is there only skim milk?!"

"State orders. Sorry. Can I..."

"I can take no more of this tyranny! NO MORE!"

With that, the kid hoisted the crushed milk carton overhis head and dashed out the door. As he successfully accomplished his dramatic exit, the cafeteria lady thought she heard him scream, "REVOLUTIONNNN!" The cafeteria lady looked at the leftover cartons of milk in the cooler. Skim milk was truly disgusitng. How could she, server of nourishment, impose such torture on innocent children? She gingerly lifted a carton out of the cooler. She could do this no longer. The charade could go on no longer. Her fingers curled around the carton. "Revolution," she whispered softly.

                                                ........................................

The principal glanced out his office window. The cafeteria was a mad house. Milk was doing the impossible. It was flying everywhere. Kids were doing the possible-but-not-usually-at-school. They were the ones throwing the milk. Along with that, they were shrieking something that sounded suspiciously like "revolution."

What? He wondered.

"Sir!" His aide dashed into the room. "The children have discovered that we've given them only skim milk! It's a catastrophe!" The aide handed the principal the last carton of milk in the entire school and dashed back out. The principal curiously opened the milk and took a sip. He immediately spat it out and climbed on top of his desk, scattering papers everywhere.

"REVOLUTION!"

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Did I mention that I loathe skim milk?

Yes? Good. A dozen times? Even better. 

Books That Have Stayed With Me

There's a challenge going around Facebook at the moment, where someone is told to list 10 books that "have stayed with them," or have made an impact on their life. Although I was not challenged, this is something I really want to do. Because that's how much I love reading.

I've decided to post my list here on the blog because, with each book, I want to share a little about it, and WHY it's there. Kind of like a list of recommendations, if you will.

And I'm sure you know by now, if you've been following along, how much I love lists.


1. The Bible As a believer in Christ, this book is very, very important to me. Not only are there amazing truths, but within the pages of this Book are the most interesting stories.

2. Kira-Kira I cry every time I read this book. EVERY. DARN. TIME. Because that's how good this book is. The story of a Japanese girl moving to a new state with her older sister is just too real. Even though I don't have an older sister...

3. Inkheart Along with The Thief Lord and Dragon Rider, these three books really captured my imagination with their rich worlds and awesome characters. I read them over and over when I was younger. The idea that someone could just read something or someone into being just blew my mind.

4. The Knife of Never Letting Go/The Ask and the Answer I won't recommend these to all readers, because, unfortunately, there's some violence and a couple of swears. BUT. There's a lot of other great content in this book. Even though the characters have their flaws, you experience pain, joy, anger, and everything else right along with them.

5. The Picture of Dorian Gray I won't recommend this one to all readers as well, but this book, one I had to read for my college British Literature class, is absolutely amazing. The tale about how a naive young man steps down into darkness and depravity is fascinating, and well crafted.

6. The Giver Another book that I had to read for school, but high school this time. This one is a very short and fast paced read, but it is full to the brim with the importance of feeling and remembering.

7. Tuck Everlasting I actually saw the movie before I read this book, but, even though this is another short read, I love the story very much. Essentially, a family gets more than they bargained for when they drink out of a certain fountain.

8. A Wrinkle in Time I have loved this book ever since I first listened to it on tape when I was a kid. Sometimes I compare my brother and I to Meg and Charles Wallace. I'm the awkward older sister and Kevin's the way-too-smart-for-his-own-good younger brother. Except we don't travel through dimensions though.

9. Unwind Agh. This book. This book brings so many thoughts and opinions. It's a great read that forces us to consider human life and what it's worth.

10. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes The. Feels. This book messed me up even worse than Kira Kira. However, I would recommend it to everyone. It gives the perspective of a girl who experienced the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.