Well, world, I'm back.

Sort of. I will actually be leaving for a family vacation on Saturday, which gives me very little time to post anything actually useful. However, I will try to make the most of my time.

For those of you perhaps stumbling upon this blog, its purpose is to remind us all that life is full of beautiful things that, if we seek them, will bring us much joy and purpose.

Today's beautiful thing will be found in the following article:
http://gawker.com/bill-gates-was-this-reddit-users-secret-santa-1486663792?utm_campaign=socialflow_gawker_facebook&utm_source=gawker_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

It's a very short article, but it is guaranteed to make you smile. I give Bill Gates big props for supporting Heifer International. I first became aware of it when my cousins donated a goat to an African village on my family's behalf several Christmases ago. And speaking of goats, I just read a fascinating article (in a print magazine, or else I would post a link) about the huge effect that donated goats have in the lives of women living in small Nepalese villages. Not only do the animals provide important sources of protein and dairy in more isolated mountain regions, but by selling them, the women hope to raise their family's income from around $300 a year (on average) to over $1000.

Check out their website: http://www.heifer.org/

Have a beautiful evening!

I would just like to apologize...

I have been extremely busy ever since I got back to school for spring semester, and I am sorry that I have not posted in this blog at all. I will make a strong attempt to start writing again. In the meantime, enjoy this picture of a polar bear that I stumbled upon.

Why, Hello Again!

 Please forgive the fact that I disappeared for two whole weeks! I got back from my vacation a week ago, and I just kept forgetting to write after that. As a means of apology, can I treat you to a few pictures from my trip? I took over 200 pictures while I was there, but no amount could begin to convey how magical and amazing it was to step inside Harry's Wondrous World. If anyone is interested, I would be happy to tell some of my stories from my time there.

The entrance to Universal's Islands of Adventures

A view of Jurassic Park and Hogwarts

Beautiful Butterbeer!!!

Hogwarts!

Happy New Year!

I will not be posting for a few days because I will be on vacation with my good friend. Don't worry - I will report back with all sorts of stories and photos from...Harry Potter World!!!

Have a beautiful night!

Alas...

...our success could not last. My sister and I once again attempted to get my mom to watch a movie with us, but she fell asleep less than five minutes in. But in other news, I found Brave to be quite a lovely film.

I have a challenge for you today, based on how my good friend and I spent our afternoon. Go to a bookstore. Proceed to the children's section. Pick out a book (or ten), sit on the floor, and commence reading. We can all do with a small taste of childhood every now and again.

Plus, you're not going to find an Avengers movie picture book in the adult fiction section, are you now?

A Momentous Occasion

Well, momentous for my family. My sister and I got my mom to stay awake for an entire movie! I have only seen that happen two other times in the last five years: when I got her to watch Slumdog Millionare...and The Hangover. The movie in question was The Hunger Games, which my mom seemed to enjoy quite a bit--even if she did ask a lot of questions.

Anyway, here's a nice shot of sunrise at the shore to cheer up anyone who has been suffering from the cold winter weather. You know, both sand and snow are beautiful, but they are certainly frustrating in large quantities. For example:

This is snow.

This is sand.

This is snow.

This is sand.

Thank you Google images. And with that, goodnight!

A Very Productive Day

Today, I purged my room. No, not "cleaned." Purged. I am an abominable pack-rat, so I forced myself to toss out many things that had been sitting, dusty and unused, in my room for years.

I feel so much better now.

I also rearranged and redecorated, which really freshened up the space. I think that I can finally use my room as a workspace. It sounds a bit paradoxical, but cleaning really relieves stress.

So, for any of you out there reading this, I have two movie suggestions. I am sure that you have seen them advertised dozens of times on the television, but The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and Les Miserables are certainly worth your time and money. I happen to be a big fan of the source material for both films, so I may be a little biased in my reviews of the movies. I'll try to keep these brief.

First, The Hobbit. It was released on December 14th, but as I had a final that day and the next, I saw it on Sunday the 16th with my father and siblings. A bit of back-story here: my dad took me to see The Fellowship of the Ring when it came out in 2001. I was nine at the time, and I felt like the coolest kid in the world because my dad took me to a PG-13 movie (the only stipulation was that I had to read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy beforehand, which is a tad difficult in the fourth grade). My dad got me a large Hi-C--the best drink for a "grownup" kid--which resulted in both of us having to run to the bathroom in the middle of the Mines of Moria. We were better prepared for the next two, longer movies in the trilogy.

Anyway, back to The Hobbit. I will not attempt to hash out the plot for you or anything like that. According to my father, I did not stop smiling for the entire movie. Could it be that I was watching my favorite book of all time playing out on the big screen? Could it be that the casting was spot on? Or that the detailed work of Weta Workshop never ceases to amaze me? The music, the sets, the panoramic views of New Zealand...it was a fest for the ears and eyes. Of course, not everything was perfect. Parts of the plot were altered or omitted. But that is just how it has to be with film adaptations of books, and I would rather see a lovingly-crafted, if a bit imperfect, movie than nothing at all.

Les Miserables. No written words can express the deep connection that I have to this musical. I have seen it five times on the stage, and my mother raised me on the soundtrack and the 10th Anniversary Performance VHS tape. The music, plot, and characters have somehow twisted with my DNA and become a part of me. My entire family saw the film last night as part of our Christmas celebrations. My brother shifted uncomfortably in his seat the whole time (he's not a musical fan), and my mom was very stoic, but my sister and dad and I shed tears during the whole three hours. If you do not like musicals at all, then you should probably avoid this movie. But if you are a fan, or if you are open to trying something new, please please please see this movie. Once again, it is imperfect, with changed lyrics and plot points and a few awkward camera shots, but it carried the feel of the musical perfectly.

And if Anne Hathaway singing "I Dreamed a Dream" does not shake you to your emotional core, then you are probably not human. Like my brother.

I will leave you with two beautiful quotes from two beautiful movies.

"Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love."

"And remember the truth that once was spoken: to love another person is to see the face of God."