Creepy, or not?

Dystopian novels are fairly popular, right? Pretties, Crashed, Hunger Games...All of them, pretty popular. All of them, pretty amazing. (Who am I kidding. I love them all. Hunger Games is my favorite book of pretty much ever.)
However. It's kind of interesting to me how we get to that point. Most novels don't deal with the actual happening that changes society. I mean, sure--an evil bug. An uprising. But what led to that point? Are we at that point now?
It's kind of a weird reason to blog, I guess, but it's something I've been wondering about lately because of a very stupid reason; cameras.
Now, in Missouri, we used to have Red Light Cameras. If you ran a red light, you got a ticket, no matter if there was a police man. The camera just took your picture.
Yup. It's the all seeing Traffic Light.
To me, that seems normal. I mean, if you don't do anything, what does it matter? That seems to be the overwhelming consensus of my generation.
However.
People older than us FREAKED.
In fact, now, the cameras are gone.
On another side, my school is rigged with all sorts of cameras. Over a hundred, at least, and I think it might be closing in on two hundred. They're there to keep us safe. Again . . . That seems normal to me. But on another level, it is mildly creepy--we are monitored on every level. Sure, it keeps us safe. I've had several teachers who absolutely despise this practice, though, because it's ... Well, kind of creepy.
If you aren't doing anything wrong, logic says we shouldn't mind. It really doesn't bug me that much. I read a dystopian book the other day that follows this thread, though; a generational change.
(This is NOT a 'World is going to end' post. I'm just musing.)
So. What do you think? Do these-
-
Bother you?
Or, as in my case--does it seem weird that you aren't bothered?
Anyway, I'll have a book review up tomorrow.

Ouch

There are some things that I know I'm bad at. However, there are things I'm good at too-- probably not as many as the bad, but I take a lot of pride at what I do well. Probably too much pride.
Such as debate.
We had districts yesterday--the national qualifiers. My event requires a lot of research, and a capability to redistribute that research in a seven minute speech. It's called Extemp. You don't know what your topic will be until thirty minutes before.
Yeah. Well.
I made it further than I thought.
And then I panicked.
It was nine at night, I was tired, cranky, and I got I topic I knew NOTHING about.
So. I lost. At something I'm usually relatively good at. I don't know that I've ever been this mad at myself. It wasn't that I did my best and lost; I could handle that.
I did my worst, and deserved to lose. I think that's so much more horrifying.
So. My pride is sorely beaten.
I guess it happens in writing, too, though? I mean, sending of manuscripts before they're ready, and then getting rejected. Typos in a query. Even publishing a book and then realizing there were parts you could have done better.
*Sigh.*
We've all got to go through it, I suppose. But dang, it sucks.

Warning: Girlyness shall ensue

I have a secret. It's seriously quite astonishing. In fact, it's down-right mind boggling.
You ready?
I may look fifteen. I may act fifteen. In fact, I probably even act older. The truth, though?
I'm secretly six and a half.
*Nods seriously.*
I get the feeling you aren't believing me. Maybe it's my grammar, or my spelling. I've got too tight a handle on that, right? No. See, no fifteen year old could get as jumpy and squealy over a Disney cartoon as I did about ten seconds ago.


Yes. That is, indeed, Rapunzel.
And yes. I will, indeed, go to see that in theaters.
Hehe. I love Princess movies. (Shut up. I can be six if I wanna.)
Even if they have changed the name to 'Tangled' in hopes that more guys will watch the movie. Apparently, you see, Princess and the Frog didn't make enough. (222 million. I wish that were a paltry sum in my book.)
Still. I'm more excited for Rapunzel than I was Princess and the Frog--not that I wasn't excited for that too.

Sigh. I wanna be a Princess. I wanna have a pet Alligator. I'll pass on the creepy snake though.
Anyway. In order to fulfill my renewed childhood status, I'm off to play with my barbies and paint my nails with silvery sparkles.
...
Actually, I'm going to go watch American Idol.
...And yes. I'm going to watch American Idol while painting my nails with silvery sparkles.
PRETTY!!
...
Ahem. If it makes it better, I'll also be doing Honors Geometry homework. I do, after all, have a brain.


....I take it back. Lord, just let me be six again.

Hey, look, it's me

Well, I find this cool. Holly Schindler interviewed me.
(Yeah, I know. Someone actually wants to hear me ramble? WEIRD. Oh, wait. You're reading my blog, so....*Awkward cough.*)
Anyway, it's here.

Like chocolate, but better

Me, oh my.
This book? Yeah. It was great.
In the world after Harry Potter, there have been a lot of boarding school books. House of the Night, even, is loosely a boarding school book. It's just vamps instead of witches.
In this story, though, they combine vamps, witches, fey, ghosts, and even shapeshifters. And let me just tell you--it works. I started the book with a tad bit of apprehension--I mean, like I said, there are a lot of books in this genre--and at the very start of the novel, I was a little worried this wouldn't be the one of the better ones.
Well, at least I can admit when I'm wrong.
The story built quite well, and there were twists all through out it. I guessed a couple of them--it left me with a quite pleasing 'Hah! I'm intelligent!' feeling. Then came more twists, and I sat there, looking at the page thinking . . . . Holy monkeys--this author is clever!

(These were meant to represent holy monkeys. Instead, I think I've just disturbed not only myself, but you, dear reader. I apologize.)
Anyway, back to the book. The author, Rachel Hawkins, has a blog. She's funny and seems to currently be on tour.
*Take a moment while I mourn my small town status. No authors come near here. It's a sad world.*
Moment over. Anyway, the book was amazing.
And there is a sequel! A sequel I really, really want. Now.
Actually, I think that was part of what I liked about the book. The curse of trilogies is pretty strong in YA, which is great, but I get quite sick of books that don't have a full story without their companions. This book made total sense at the end. Like a box of chocolates, I had total satisfaction and still totally wanted more.

(Dude, a chocolate keyboard. How awesome is that? Yummy.)
However, unlike the monstrosity above, Hex Hall has no calories. In my world, that makes it even better.
Anyway. It's late, and I'm in a rambling mood. G'night, and go read that book.

Is it okay?

Fairy tales were the building blocks of my childhood. I can recite more stories about princess's, good hearted robbers, and talking animals than most people even knew existed. If you've read my blog for a while, you've probably seen the books I've posted that are spins of fairy tales.
It started with Disney, right? I mean, we all remember those. The Princess's, and the heroes, and the evil, evil bad guys.
Or girls, I guess. Evil doesn't discriminate.
The funny thing about that is, most of the Disney versions of fairy tales--arguably the most well known adaptations of classic tales--don't stick to the 'real' story. I mean, in the Grimm version of Cinderella (no pun intended) the step sisters mutilate their feet so they can fit into the glass slipper. In Beauty and the Beast, the dad is a jerk who gives up his daughter willingly.
Is it bad that they changed the story?
I don't think so. Disney's version of Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite. and as for Cinderella, I would have been one traumatized little kid to see cartoon characters start hacking off their feet.
Why do people get so angry, then, when stories are changed? I'm asking about this because of Alice in Wonderland; it's coming out tomorrow, right? Well, I was looking at reviews and stuff, and there are people who are ticked off that Tim Burton changed it so much.
Personally, I think it's kinda awesome.
People are mad that Alice is a 'champion' or a 'warrior.' Dude. Personally? How cool is that?!

I would much rather spend two hours and change of my life checking out a new version of an old story than seeing the same story twice.
(Plus, you know...It just kinda looks awesome.)
What about any of you? Does it make you mad when you see old stories changed?

Holy Monkeys And Pandas!

Ahem.
Yeah.
That website?
You know. That one? Inkpop? Where the top five get reviewed by Harper Collins?
Well.
Guess who's in spot number two right now?
...
....
......
*Raises hand timidly.*
Yup. Me. Holy monkeys, pandas, and platypi.

(For those who do not know me personally, these are my three favorite animals and tend to take the place of curse words. I'm not sure why.)
Anyway. Top five. *Nerves!*
And, by the way, thank you Cipherqueen, for this. :D

I'm quite pleased right now.
Well, that and nervous. Mostly nervous. NERVES.