Picture of the Day: 

Samwise and the Duck on the floor of the dining room.

Quote of the Day: 

"The day, water, sun, moon, night--I do not have to purchase these things with money." 

-Plautus

Hello, my dearest readers! Today I have an update that is actually pertinent to my writing! I have been working a bit (finally!) on the pirate novel, and I must say that I am quite pleased with the opening so far. Nonetheless, there is one paragraph that is just driving me a little bit crazy. For some reason, it does not seem to be reading right. There is something I am specifically trying to do with it, and I am not entirely sure if it is working out or not. So, here is the paragraph for you to read. Then, in the comments, let me know what it is about the piece that is just a bit awkward. (I know there is something off, I just cannot put my finger on it.)

This is a paragraph from Chapter One, right at the beginning, narrated by Prince Liam. It is as follows:

     I had locked myself away in my chambers in an attempt to both buy myself some privacy and to thoroughly utilize my large bay window as the perfect location to bask in what breeze danced by. From my perch I could see the lapping waves, the rocky crags that stilted my father’s castle, a merchant ship that was coming to port, and part of the harbor nearby. The docks were positively humming with action and conversation, and while I could not make out precise words for my distance away, I was utterly pleased to listen to the volleying shouts and laughter as it wafted up from below. I watched the sailors with an envious eye; the fishermen and merchants that peopled the docks seemed relatively undeterred by the sun’s heat, though their ensembles showed their adaptations. Vests and tunics had been shed and left strewn about, disrupting the brown of the wood with splashes of color. In some cases undershirts had been left as well, dropped amongst the other garments to be reclaimed later. I was covetous of their freedom; I was clad up to my neck in a stiff doublet, trapped in the confines of my father’s walls like some sort of animal in a menagerie.

I am cautious to use the word menagerie, so comments on whether that word is a good fit or not could be quite useful to me as well.

But, today's update will not solely be to make you work! No--I do believe I shall introduce another ship today. This one has no affiliation with the Royal Navy at all! Meet the Rapier. She is a fast little frigate with enough gun-power to make any pirate or navy crew wary, and a captain that is notoriously one of the most ruthless on the Veliarian seas. She looks something along the lines of this:

Here she is, caught in the heat of battle! (Ignore the French flag.) I promise, the Rapier wins. Always.

Okay. So, she is heavily armed, but fast nonetheless. Her captain, Frances "The Iron Angel" Steele is one of the greatest terrors of the open water, and the first pirate ship that our dear Liam comes into contact with when he finally gets a chance to explore the open waters. She has a large crew, full of the meanest and wiliest men imaginable. There is a reason Steele has the nickname "Iron Angel"; in combat, he makes angels of his opponents. The Rapier is also one of the ships that causes the navy the most trouble.

She has, on at least a few occasions, managed to escape even the Garroter in her pursuits.

The Rapier was, originally, a Bellumarian navy ship. Steele commandeered her, and keeps her as a prize, taunting the navy with her use. Now, though, there is nothing left about her that is reminiscent of her time in service to the Bellumarian king, and she is completely and utterly a pirate's ship now.

Her name derives from the sword of the same title, a fancy and quick little weapon that it used as much for show as it is for thrusting swordplay.

I do apologize that I cannot go into too much more detail for this particular ship, either. Still, I do hope interest is piqued over the rest of the fleet I have in my novel! More than this, though, I do wish to apologize for such a short entry. It is not that I am neglecting my writing, I assure you! Merely that I have much going on.

So in closing, if you have only recently joined me on my writing journey, I am going to provide links back to the two entries I have done previous regarding ships from this novel. So, if you are at all interested, please venture further and meet two mighty ships of the Veliarian Navy!

The Sundowner

The Garroter

There you have it, folks! Progress you can see!

Well...sort of. 

Picture of the Day: 

T-Rex Cafe, the coolest restaurant in Downtown Disney!

Quote of the Day:

"The ballet embodies the notes of music. And sometimes you almost feel like you can see the notes dance up there on the stage."

-Robert Caro

Hello, my dearest readers. I have quite a confession to make to you all here this day: I have not written or read a single thing since school has released. I have told myself almost daily to sit down and try my hand at penning something to paper, and yet it does not seem to work. I am inspired to be creative after my short trip to Disney, unfortunately it does not appear to be leading me anywhere near a book of any sort. No; I have been quite preoccupied with dance. 

I have been a dancer since I was three years old.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that I am amazing. I am merely trying to show you how ingrained dance is into me. I am not bad, and I am not eligible to rush out and join a company. But I do enjoy myself completely, and it shows when I am up on stage.

Now, I am planning two distinct dances--both of which are duets with my sister. Yes; it is going to be one amazing recital. In one, we want to do a very dark, twisted version of Swan Lake (but lets face it, Swan Lake is already dark!) to the amazing soundtrack of Black Swan.

I am not advocating seeing the movie--I heard it was very risque and, well, awkward at moments. However, the soundtrack is a beautiful mixture of Tchaikovsky and creepy ambient music. Here, take a listen to my personal favorite from the soundtrack:




Turn it up. It is quiet. Better yet, put in headphones.

I don't know why this is so tinny sounding, but bear with me. It is so lovely. See why it is absolutely amazing? Okay. Now, my sister and I are thinking about this song for our first duet:



Ooh. Amazing.

I will be playing the part of Odette, the White Swan. My sister will be playing the part of Odile, the Black Swan. Now. If you are unfamiliar with Swan Lake, the ending is not exactly cheery--the White Swan commits suicide after Prince Siegfried vows fidelity to the Black Swan in her stead. (In some versions, Siegfried plunges to his death with her. Depends on the rendition, I suppose.)

Anyway, I am finally pleased that the music is as dark as the tale.

And my sister and I plan on making the dance absolutely stunning--and haunting. Something the audience is not going to be entirely sure they want to clap to or not. It will be fabulous.

For the second dance, we plan on doing "Waiting on the World to Change" by John Mayer.

I can see some quizzical faces. I am not, by any means, someone with liberal political views. And, as most people are aware, John Mayer's song is...well...liberal. Hey--I am hoping for a better world, too. I just think that perhaps my way of getting there is different than Mr. Mayer's. So, I feel the song is not entirely out of place.

But that is not why we picked it.

See, my sister is fantastic at ASL. That is, for everyone who is confused, American Sign Language. She has taken one semester in college and flourished with it! (I am so proud of her!)

She knows the signs (or can learn the signs) for this entire song. So, while I do a contemporary/lyrical dance number to this, she will be in the corner interpreting the song for the audience. So, she will be doing this:


That little girl is the cutest thing. Ever. 


Only...she is wayyyy more interesting to watch. I do not lie. When we get it all together, I will record it and put it up here for you!

So, no, I have not written. But hey! I am being creative!

And maybe now that everyone has a breather, you can be too! 

Picture of the Day: 

Lady and the Tramp topiary at Epcot in Italy!

Quote of the Day: 

"All cartoon characters and fables must be exaggeration, caricatures. It is the very nature of fantasy and fable." 

-Walt Disney

Hello, my dearest readers! For most of you (I say this because I probably am physically acquainted with all of you!) are finished with school now. Some of you are even moving on to bigger and better things than college; some of you walked at USF's Commencement Ceremony! 

I skipped it. 

Yes. I skipped it and ran away. Someone asked me, "Katie, now that you have graduated, what are you going to do next?" I immediately responded, "I am going to Disney World!" And I did. My dearest reader, I left Friday morning at the ridiculous time of six in the morning and left late Sunday afternoon. And, I must admit, it was the most fun I have had in a while. 

I have not gone to Disney in a very long time. (Magic Kingdom I managed to get to for a little bit a few years ago, but I was not able to do anything, because for some reason or other, the entirety of us were in bad moods.) So, discounting that horrible happenstance of visitation, I have literally not been to anything in Disney World since I was eight years old. 

Let me tell you, when I got there, I felt eight again. I got my picture with Pooh and Tigger, and with Goofy too! The latter of these characters took time to flirt with me a little bit before allowing me to pose for a picture. He has always been my favorite! (No joke, when I went at two, I was terrified of everyone but Goofy--you know, the tallest one? Hahaha. I even had a figurine that I held up so he could watch the parade with me.)

I am refreshed. I am happily drifting off into some fantastic fantasies. I, methinks, have finally found some form of inspiration. I do hope that it lasts long enough for me to work on something; preferably my pirate novel. I am so excited about that one, and want desperately to have this summer bring about productivity. 

So, for this passing entry I would like to offer up a few pictures from my adventure in Disney World. Perhaps they will be as magical to you as the experience was for me. 

We started off at Epcot; and by we, I mean my friend Jen and I did. Eventually my sister was able to join us (Much to my utter delight!) later in the afternoon. 

In line for Test Track, I took time to be a dummy. 

My friend and I posing in front of Lady and the Tramp. 

I hung out in China! 

At Norway, just off the exit of the Maelstrom. My sister's viking hat only has one horn. Hahahaha.

Oh. When we got off the Maelstrom and after we had posed for a picture with this friendly troll, we put down the hats and swords and axes and began to leave. On boy (wearing the hat my sister has on in the above picture: the one with two blonde braids down the side) picked up a sword and began to fight his brother. The part that made my day? He screamed, "For Narnia!" Yeah. That kid is the coolest thing ever.

Anyway, continuing on our picture journey...

The next day we hit Animal Kingdom for the first half of the day. This musical, by the way, is awesome.

Then, we had lunch at T-Rex, a Rainforest Cafe meets dinosaurs restaurant.

Okay. For a minute here, I want to plug this restaurant. It is the coolest place I have ever eaten. Ever. Basically, it is a restaurant with animatronic dinosaurs in it. Every fifteen minutes or so there is a meteor shower. It is the most fantastic thing on the planet. If you are ever in Downtown Disney, please do yourself a favor and hit this restaurant. Here is the link so you can make sure you are going to be able to plan accordingly. Oh. And you may want to make reservations. If you do, make sure they are made before midnight of the day before. It is so worth it.

And as you're leaving, they have a Build a Dino. It is like Build a Bear, but with prehistoric animals instead. I had to make one, so I did. Meet Achilles, the Ankylosaurus. Get it? Ankyl? Bahahaha. I am hilarious.

He is adorable. 

Then, the next day, my sister had to go home. So, my friend and I went back to the Magic Kingdom and explored there the rest of the trip. 

I found this hat that said "Pirate Princess", and put it on...with my crown. 

I love pirates. Yes. Yes I do.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!

Speaking of pirates! I rode Pirates of the Caribbean! Twice. I love that one. Anyway, when we got off, a show was about to start...so I made passing acquaintance with this guy: 

You may not believe me, but he looked JUST LIKE Jack Sparrow as played by Johnny Depp. He had the same voice and mannerisms too; and he was tops my age. Too bad you can no longer get your picture with him. 

Princesses!

Two of my favorites.

And my absolute favorite. 

Basically, it was amazing. There are plenty more pictures, but perhaps I shall save them for another time.  I am inspired to just be creative, let the story flow, and pray that one day it will catch on as well as all of this! (Okay...yeah right. Hahaha.) 

I hope that summer is starting off well for you, too! Do not fret, my readers. I will be able to update shortly with something of use; I am thinking I shall spend the remainder of my day today reading and writing. 

Picture of the Day: 

Arena Football; the most ridiculous sport I have ever witnessed firsthand.

Quote of the Day: 

"Don't call me a mindless philosopher, you overweight glob of grease!"

-C3PO

Hello, my dear readers! Today is Intergalactic Star Wars Day! If you were previously unaware of such a fact, then I am glad I have called it to your attention. It would be a shame to never celebrate such a holiday. In case you are wondering why the amazing 4th of May was chosen to be the host of such festivities, I merely wish to say this: 

May the 4th be with you!

All right. So, what can I say about today, except that it is a day to remember Han Solo, R2D2, Chewbacca, Leia and Luke for their bravery? Oh. And everyone else, too. Yes, this is a day to recall the great adventures from A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi. May they forever be watched and remembered on this amazing day!

What? You say there are more Star Wars movies than those? 

You say these people are in it?

Lies.

Anyway. To celebrate the only Star Wars movies around (yes, I will quite happily live in denial) I wish to make this post a one-stop need for all things intergalactic.


We will start with this video; it is a nice spoof called "Store Wars". Enjoy:

I do not own this. But it is hilarious.

I have already shared this video, but I must do it again in honor of this day. So, if you have seen this, feel free to skip.

If I have kids, I want them to be this awesome.

Okay. Now, let us all be real; not everyone knows a lot about Star Wars. On this day, I would like to shame those people. If you are one of the select few that know nothing, but want to keep up with all the cool kids today, I give you a link to Wookieepedia. Trust me, it is a one-stop information geyser that will tell you anything you need to know to keep up with the best of them today. 

What is a Wookiee? Madness I say! Still...it looks something like this: 

You know what else looks something like that? 

This dog:

It has got to be nice to know you own the most epic dog ever.

For veteran fans, I give you a link to a store for Star Wars memorabilia. This place. 

Today, you should definitely do something special. I will even give you a list of things that will make your day a little more epic. After all, what couldn't be epic when flavored with Star Wars? 

• Watch the movies. Yes, this seems like a no brainer. But really, that trilogy (See? Still in denial.) will not watch itself! 
• Go to the toy store and buy a lightsaber. Don't worry--I promise you won't be the only adult with a saber. And hey, once you own it, go have a fight with your friend in the lawn. Watch out for those Jedi force-chokes, though. Especially if your friend has turned to the dark side. 
• Go around breathing heavy. For added effect, wear a mask. Preferably one that looks like this:

For an added bonus, tell everyone you are their father.

• Tell everyone your other vehicle is the Millennium Falcon. Go ahead. All the cool kids are doing it.
• Say everything backwards. Trust me, it automatically makes you sound smarter. 

It would make Yoda proud. Ahem. Excuse me. Make Yoda proud, it would.

And finally...

• Discover you are a twin. This works best if you were separated at birth. However, it is doable with the right amount of acting skills and watching audience. Try a mall, movie theater, or just the park. 

There you have it, folks! Easy steps to becoming a regular Star Wars Day aficionado. 

May the Force be with you.

Picture of the Day: 

The albino peacock that struts the walkways of Busch Gardens!

Quote of the Day: 

"I lived to write, and wrote to live." 

-Samuel Rogers

We meet once more, my beloved readers! By this time tomorrow I will be seated in my last final for my undergraduate career, and pleasantly awaiting my release. After tomorrow, I shall be done forever. Hopefully. Verdict still has not come in on my essay for Global Conservation yet. But why ruin an otherwise joyous occasion with such topics? I am looking forward to summer. I am looking forward to whatever is next, and it is mostly because I am so tired of what is going on now.

I plan on focusing more on my writing this summer, so hopefully you will receive more updates that actually pertain to what I am working on! Everything is mapped out for my pirate novel, so I think that I could, potentially, finish it by the end of the year. (Yeah...I will believe it when I see it, myself. But it is nice to dream!) 

Oh! And speaking of pirates:

I cannot wait for this.

Jack Sparrow is back! This time with Blackbeard, mermaids and someone other than Orlando Bloom as his sidekick! (Really, I am stoked!) Hopefully seeing some new adventures on the open seas will give me some inspiration for my own novel--though, I will admit that I am pretty sure my idea is way cooler than this movie will probably be! 

I will probably fill my summer with books about pirates, royal navies, and sea monsters, hoping beyond hope that inspiration will keep me aflame for this novel's speedy finish. I am really excited about this particular endeavor, and I cannot wait to try my hand at finishing one of the many stories I have started. 

Maybe, once this one is finished, I can head back to working on my Legacy of Elysia series. If only I had not grown so tired of it! Ah, well. This one seems more interesting anyway--and while I refine my writing skills, I will gain the tools necessary to meet my Legacy of Elysia idea head on in battle...and win.

Anyway. I will leave you with another ship summary to satiate your growing hunger for my pirate novel.  And if you are not hungering or it, by all accounts, you should be! 

Meet the Sundowner, the fastest ship in the Veliarian Navy. She is light, not entirely well armed (at tops she has six guns), and modeled after a sloop from our world. Which means, she looks something like this: 

Yup. Also without the flag.

The Sundowner, as you can see, has no real cabin on the stern of the ship for the captain. This means that all the crew (Liam, and the commodore included) sleep below deck without any rank distinction. I may have Liam have a little bit more privacy by being at the very back of the ship or something, but he is not going to receive his own quarters. 

This ship is the ship that Liam, Jarek and the commodore set out on their adventure in. It is manned (for this special trip) by the best of the navy. Normally, she is used for chasing down pirates (should the need arise). However, for Liam the Sundowner is a sloop of adventurous proportions. 

I cannot say too much about this particular ship, other than what is already mentioned. The Sundowner's name also stems from something nautical: it is a term used to describe an extra-strict navy officer.

It also is apparently a slang term for a drink to wind down after work. 

Take my word on it; that is not important.