Summer has gone and passed...

I can't quite comprehend it, really. It seems like just days ago where I was scrambling to finish up a paper that was due... It's strange how days and moments can pass so quickly without one noticeing it. I had a wonderful summer, though! And I'm really, actually, looking quite forward to the school year. It'll be different. A heck of a lot of change, that's for sure!

Attending Triad, for one will be a change. For those of you who don't know, Triad is a Christian private school in Klamath Falls, and it will be the first "school" I've ever attended, save homeschool. :) I have mixed feelings about attending Triad. I mean, I'm pretty excited about being a part of such a nice school, and getting involved in sports and the like, but at the same time I'm REALLY going to miss the long days at home where I get my school done early and have the whole rest of the day to read and do whatever. It'll be different. A whole lot of change.

Whoops, I gotta go get ready for volleyball practice. Yep! :) I'm joining the JV Volleyball team at Triad! Cool, eh? I think so, anyways. Okay.

Till further notice I remain,

Ellie May Brain

I need prayer

Hey everyone!

I don't know if all of you know, but this summer I'm going to be a part of an AMF summer missionary group! :) We have about 6 teens in the group and a director, and what we do is go around to various camps in Oregon and help out with whatever is needed: cooking, recreation, music, cleaning, etc. Anyway, today (Saturday) I take off for the first of my many week long summer camps. I'm actually a little anxious, and I know it's going to be hard being away from home almost all summer. :( If you guys wouldn't mind praying for me, I would appreciate it more than words can express. Thank you so much!

Love you all!

God Bless!

-Ellie May

The Princess Bride

Some of the quotes from this movie keep running through my head. I thought I'd share a few of them with you. :)

Buttercup: You can die too for all I care.

[pushes him down a high hill]

Westley: AS... YOU... WISH.

Buttercup: Oh my sweet Westley what have I done?

[throws herself down the hill]

*

Inigo Montoya: Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.
Count Rugen: Stop saying that!

*


Miracle Max: You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles.

*

Vizzini: INCONCEIVABLE.

*

Vizzini: HE DIDN'T FALL? INCONCEIVABLE.

Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

*

Inigo Montoya: I donna suppose you could speed things up?

Westley: If you're in such a hurry, you could lower a rope or a tree branch or find something useful to do.

Inigo Montoya: I could do that. I have some rope up here, but I do not think you would accept my help, since I am only waiting around to kill you.

Westley: That does put a damper on our relationship.

*

Inigo Montoya: I do not mean to pry, but you don't by any chance happen to have six fingers on your right hand?

Westley: Do you always begin conversations this way?

*

Inigo Montoya: You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you.
Westley: You seem a decent fellow. I hate to die.

*

Buttercup: You mock my pain.

Westley: Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.

*

Vizzini: I can't compete with you physically, and you're no match for my brains.

Westley: You're that smart?

Vizzini: Let me put it this way. Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?

Westley: Yes.

Vizzini: Morons.

*

Buttercup: You're the Dread Pirate Roberts, admit it.

Westley: With pride. What can I do for you?

Buttercup: You can die slowly, cut into a thousand pieces.

Westley: Tsk, tsk. That's hardly complementary Highness. Why loose your venom on me?

Buttercup: You killed my love.

Westley: It's possible. I kill a lot of people.

*

Dread Pirate Roberts: Good night, Westley. Good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning.

The Ground is Being Rewarded

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day...

It's been raining practically non-stop over here. The grass is all squishy from drinking it in, and everything is clean and pure-looking from the continueous washing.
Things are getting ready to end over here. But before they end and life gets easy, it's gonna get a whole lot more diffecult. Dance has only a few weeks to go and then it's over. School will be done on the tenth... That'll be so nice.

You lovely people all need to come to my dance performance on the 13th and 14th of June @ 7:30 both nights. I probably told you all this before, didn't I? Geeze, what can I say? dance has been such a huge part of my year.

Today will be the test. Can I go through this evening and last? Wednesday night is always my challenging night, because that's when I have the most dance classes, which are the most challenging ones.

I need to stop worrying. Man.

There's A Place In My Memory...

Every time I walk our hill leading up to our house, I subconsciously take a deep breath and pause at a certain place. I just realized for the first time that I was doing this yesterday when I took a deep breath and could not yet smell the flowers. In the summer the chokecherry blossoms on the trees surrounding that area are in pearly white bloom, and it's like breaking into a world of vanilla senses when you walk in the cove. I was expecting them. The blossoms aren't here yet, but they'll come. I’ll be ready.

I Gotta Tan/Burn Today!

You heard me. No more white legs.

Spring Is Here!

I've been waiting forever, it seems, to pull out the shorts and SPF lotion, and it looks like I can finally do so! This afternoon there will be a high of 87, and tomorrow, 91. THEN, on Saturday, they predict a high of 92! Waahoo! Now THAT's what I'm talking about!

So anyway... I just wanted to let you all know that summer has finally decided to grace us with his presence here in Chiloquin, Oregon. Thank goodness!

Oh yes, since the pictures aren't at all high-quality, I decided to have fun and so I tweaked them a little in Picasa, so... Yeah.

This Is My Hair-cutting Proof

Here it is, Folks. The all-telling picture of a very unhappy 5-year-old gazing at "Born To Be Wild."

the title of my life

Notice in the "about me" section I've elaborated, and I've also added cooler titles to the photos at the left-hand side of the page. Anyway, not necessarily a huge difference, but what the heck, at least I did something! :)

I've been doing pretty well lately.

Dance has, as usual, consumes a larger part of my free time, and I've been enjoying it immensely! Extra practices are thrown at us randomly throughout May so we'll be ready for the performance on June 13th and 14th. You should all come to one, or both of them. They're at 7:30 at the RRT (Ross Ragland Theater) on the 13th and 14th, which is a Friday and Saturday. (Call 1-800-884-LIVE to get tickets reserved!) I would LOVE for you to come!! Anyway, so that's what's going on there...

On May 13th, or around there, I'm going to attempt to get my Drivers License! So that could either go good, or bad depending on... well, me. Ugh. That's stupid. I could use some prayer in this area. :D I love driving, though, so I'm hoping my love for it will rub off on the person who decides whether I pass or fail.

I can just see it now...

"So, uh... I'm pretty good at this, aren’t I? That was a smooth turn, wasn't it? Don't you like the way I looked over my shoulder before switching lanes? Good stop, eh? You like me, don't you? I'm going to pass this right?"

School: the continual struggle to be the best possible on many different subjects. It's going fine. I'm trying to get good grades so I can be accepted into a really good college. I have yet to decide which college or what degree I want to get, but hey, I've got a few years!

I'm soul-searching right now; trying to discover who I am, and who I want to be. It's an on-going struggle to stay content with myself and what God gave me; the whole "It's greener on the other side" type deal. I love life. But I can't love it too much... What??

I hope all is well. I know this is more like an update/letter, but I figured you guys might want the 411 on the most recent goings-on in my life.


Peace Ninjas.

-EMB

Childhood Memory

"Mom, what did you do?!”

I stared in the mirror at my small 5 year old face with a head of hair cropped short to the ears.

My mom looked at me sympathetically,

“Ellie, if you wouldn’t have cut your hair in the first place, I wouldn’t have had to make it so short. You would have looked worse if I didn’t do it.”

Looking in the mirror with my young eyes and youthful view of beauty, I cried.

Earlier that morning, I had undertaken the job of cutting my very blonde locks of hair off. Now, mind you, I didn’t cut just a small snippet at the side of my head, but went for a full on hack job. The result: me, a very nervous little girl awaiting my mother’s wrath, and a head with a disastrous hair cut.

I’m not sure what prompted me to do such a thing—something almost all young children undertake sooner or later—but after I had finish I was horrified with the result. Oh wonder of wonders! My mom was, of course, the first one to discover my little deed as she walked into her bedroom one morning.

“Yeah, I was talking wi—“

She stopped talking to Carrie, my older sister, and looked at me. I looked back at her with what I thought was a very innocent face expression (hah!).
I starting scooting for the door,

“I’m gonna go play outside with Will…”

“Wait a second! Ellie,” she looked at me piercingly “what did you do to your hair?!”

No response.

“Ellie May Brain!”

That was it; I knew I’d had it. When my parents started pulling out the full title I was in mucho trouble! With what I knew was going to be the end, I turned and looked into my mothers cobalt eyes; which I always had the feeling could see straight through everything. She was mad; I mean really mad.

Obviously the next best option from me not cutting my hair in the first place, was for her to cut it, and cut it short. It was already quite short on one side due to my immaculate handy work, so to even it out my mother had to cut the other side. After she was done, crying, I ran to the movie cupboard, picked out a movie with Jonathan Taylor Thomas on the cover and proclaimed with much misery that,

“I look just like hhhiiiimmm! I look ugly; I look like a boy!”

Carrie, tried to console my self-injured heart,

“Its okay, El., you don’t look that bad. Besides, your hair will grow out soon.”

Still clutching the movie case in my arms and sobbing, I realized for the fiftieth time what a stupid idea my self hair-cut was. Neither I, nor my mom ever cut it short again. To this day I have long hair.

Lunar Eclipse

For those of you who don't know, there was a Lunar Eclipse on February 20Th. I was going to try to take pictures of it with my own camera, but for some reason it wasn't focusing like I wanted it to, and I figured it would be better watch the whole eclipse rather than try to fix my camera and miss the majority it.

There's always something fascinating about a natural occurrence. I always get to thinking when I watch the sky light up in brilliant oranges, or see the moon cast it's silver light on a sparkling lake, man, God must have had a heck of a lot of fun creating the earth! I'm sure glad he has an artistic side. I'm also thankful he wasn't a Picasso when it came to people... Heh... Well, SOME people. :D

This Saturday, My dance studio and I put on a performance of Carl Orff's masterpiece, "Carmina Burana". I was in three of the dances. Although it may seem like I'm trying to make up for my lack of technique, I will say I think when you're there, the dances seem much better. :)

Snow Storm!

It's been crazy out here in Chiloquin! The last couple of days the snow's been falling non-stop! Snow flurries whizzed in and continued on their insane path and left us here, trying to dig ourselves and our neighbors out of our snow caved houses. The thick snow formed into sweeping rise’s by the wind, and in some places the drifts are around 4 1/2 feet deep!

It’s nice to have a big snow. I think to many, being snowed in is an inconvenience. But, personally, I like it. Course it makes it difficult to get into town and get food, but there’s something about ‘battling the elements’, and surviving that attracts me, and makes a good snowed in day feel extra fun. Though it’s not as extreme as to where we’re eating bark off the trees and drinking melted snow, it certainly cuts off a fair amount of communication with civilization. J Enough that it makes it feel survival-ish.

Waiting Backstage

Whenever you're backstage you don't think about how nervous you are, or whether or not you're ready. But it all comes down on your shoulders when you're waiting in the wing. The lights are shining on the dancers before you; they glide across the stage. The music plays; the audience is spellbound. You can hear the dancers breathing hard, but their faces look brilliant in the lights; and they move with feigned ease. As the music fades, the audience erupts into applause that consumes the air. The roar slowly fades into a spattering. It's then--right at that moment, before you step out onto the stage where all can see you--right then your mind and body are consumed by small butterflies and your hands and body shake and then... everything's silent. Your mind, heart, soul and body take a soundless breath. The people are waiting; waiting for the silence to form itself into a body, and the body into a dance. Your entrance. A breath floats through the audience. The beginning of the magic. You’re ready.

A Section of Dialogue in My Recent Essay

Dialogue between a C.S. Lewis and Paddy Moore


LEWIS: Are we not foolish, selfish humans? I think about why I am here and I cannot think further then that I want to attain to the hero I see in my minds eye.

MOORE: Look at all the young men. They see the same; the hero of the war; knight of the battle field, we all see it and want it at that. But most of us will never see our homes again.

LEWIS: It is a grim thought, is it not?

MOORE: (Moore looks bleakly at his hands which hold a gun) One of the most forbidding.

LEWIS: The real hero’s are the ones who give their lives. Not the ones that come racing home with a scar on his cheeks and a sword for his courage. (Moore grimace, Lewis glances at him) Paddy, you look dismal.

MOORE: I pictured that image, and I’m afraid it’s rather too much like I imagined myself.

LEWIS:( Lewis Chuckles) I too confess it’s the image I dreamed of. (A long thoughtful silence follows)

LEWIS: (A wry smile crosses Lewis’ face) Where would you be Moore, right now, if you could choose it?

MOORE: Anywhere?

LEWIS: Anywhere.

MOORE: There are a thousand places I could go.

LEWIS: Indeed there are, but where do you want to be the most?

MOORE: Well... America sounds wonderful. It brings new culture, tastes, adventures and such, but home brings memories, smells, laughter. I think If I had to choose, home would win.

LEWIS: I would have to agree. (Both stare off into the distance; lost in their own thoughts of home) We don’t think much about home until we’re gone from it.

MOORE: We’re lucky lads to have homes.

LEWIS: We are, aren’t we? (Moore nods, still thinking)

MOORE: I love my family. I just don’t tell them all the time.

LEWIS: It’s something we could all work on. I tell myself I haven’t the time for such trivial things as “relationship” talks. Yet when I sit here thinking of home, I cry bitterly at the thought that I never made an effort to talk.

MOORE: You’ve met my family, right, Lewis?

LEWIS: I certainly have! They’re wonderful people, Paddy. (They both smile at each other) Why, may I ask, do you put yourself in such a position as this, where you would leave them in bitter despair if you encounter fatality?

MOORE: Like you, my friend, I would hate to leave my family with that horrible weight, but I do what I think is best and I think what I am doing is right.

LEWIS: Cheers to you my friend! It’s a great accomplishment when one can decipher what he thinks is best and acts on it.

MOORE: Jack?

LEWIS: Yes?

MOORE: Can I ask you to do something for me?

LEWIS: Sure, Moore! I’m happy to be of service.

MOORE: If I die—wait, let me speak—I want you to promise you’ll take care of my family; my mother and my sister.

LEWIS: (Lewis looks pained, he and Moore lock eyes) You’re not going to die. I’ll see to that.

MOORE: Just promise me. Please?

LEWIS: …I promise. (Paddy looks relieved) But you must return the favor and do the same for my family.

MOORE: (Moore holds out his hand in agreement) I swear it. (Both men shake hands and wrap each other in an embrace. They pull away wiping their eyes)

LEWIS: Friendship. You can’t ask for more.


Reflection:
This dialogue is between Paddy Moore and C.S. Lewis, both of which had enlisted to fight in World War I. When Lewis enlisted in the army during World War I, he met Paddy Moore and roomed with him when the two men were training. They became good friends during that time, and shared many horrors of war, and most likely fond memories of home. In 1918 Paddy died. After getting injured fighting in the trenches, Lewis kept his promise and went back to live with Moore’s mother Jane Moore. Jane Moore became like a mother to 18 year old Lewis, and he wrote about her in a letter, “All I can or need to say is that my earlier hostility to the emotions was very fully and variously avenged.” Dialogue between a C.S. Lewis and Paddy Moore

New year's resolutions

IT’S 2008 EVERYONE!

Are you going to change?

It's it worth it to change?

What should you change?

Is it possible to change?

How are you going to go about changing?

It's a new year! That means new opportunities; new chances to show people who you really are; new ways to show loved ones they mean everything to you; new possibilities. Everything's new! Take advantage of the new, and use it for the good! This year gives you the chance to take something and run with it. Show the world that though there are you can defeat the monsters of 2007. Go for it! I'm all for you! GOD BLESS YOUR 2008!