tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48938290516335422762024-03-12T16:40:21.065-07:00A Bookworm's Tale~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-39863872589185060782016-12-28T13:26:00.001-08:002016-12-28T13:26:49.671-08:00On TithingI've always paid tithing. Ever since I was a child, I've diligently sealed up an envelope of money and passed it to the bishop every time I gained income. It was always easy for me. I declared on my mission that I had a testimony of tithing. I taught about it and people believed my testimony.
But I've learned something recently about myself. My previous "testimony" of tithing wasn't a testimony ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-57294854456866510182016-12-19T11:59:00.002-08:002016-12-19T11:59:50.607-08:00How to Love Writing AgainI've been struggling to write as of late. I call it writer's block when people ask why I've slowed down. Honestly, though, it's because my passion for writing has fizzled out of existence and I don't really like it anymore.
Don't get me wrong, when people ask my hobbies, I still say, "I'm a writer." But I just don't write so much anymore because I don't have that passion anymore. It's so low on ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-76985979706460639352016-10-20T11:35:00.000-07:002016-10-20T11:35:32.734-07:00On MarriageFunny how life can change and progress in such a short time. Since I've last posted here a lot has happened.
And by a lot I mean:
I got married.
Yeah. So that's a thing. Since then, life has been a lot different than before, and also a lot different than I expected marriage to be.
For example, we've never fought. Granted, we've only been married for all of two months by this point, and dating~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-86272024710065505402015-10-19T09:45:00.001-07:002015-10-19T09:45:29.784-07:00A Thought On LearningIn my college classes, I almost always become known as the "smart one" who finishes tests way earlier than anyone else and then passes them with flying colors. And I call them easy. People start coming to me with questions and for help. I don't mind helping them in the least.
But I've started questioning why this happens. I don't feel like I'm particularly smart or anything, at least not smarter~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-2626991564592485852015-10-15T19:38:00.000-07:002015-10-15T19:38:26.470-07:00The DreamI had a dream last night that I'm still trying to decipher.
It started out normal enough - or rather, like any of my other dreams which are usually anything but normal, and include random characters from various books popping in and out of them. Last night, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy made an appearance. :)
Anyway, after a bit, the dream changed from my normal abnormal. I was standing on a ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-33149409167175025552015-08-12T20:58:00.000-07:002015-08-12T20:58:39.833-07:00A Tribute to CarolLate in June of 2014 I met this woman while proselyting as a missionary in Ohio. Her name was Carol. She was one of the sweetest, most amazing people I had ever met. Over the next three months, myself and my companion visited her almost every other day and taught her the Gospel, as well as doing service for her.
She became almost like family. We told her that we'd tell our children ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-41480139579366620042015-01-16T21:26:00.000-08:002015-01-16T21:26:22.687-08:005 Things I Learned About Myself From Serving A Mission1. I actually do have the ability to endure to the end and finish something.
Eighteen months in Ohio - check.
Serving a mission was, in fact, the hardest thing I've ever done. It had it's ups and downs, but I can honestly say, it was definitely a positive in my life. But there were days I wanted to quit, give up, and fly home. Fortunately, I held out strong and finished.
Knowing this, that I ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-74953882922232932282013-05-20T11:00:00.000-07:002013-05-20T11:00:03.318-07:00I Don't Get ItThere are some things I just don't get in life. Why cats can be perfectly cuddly one second and then killing your hand moments later is one of them. Another is why some English words are spelled the way they are.
But I am troubled with something bigger right now.
I recently went to see the movie "42". It is a true story set back in the 1940s, about Jackie Robinson, a black baseball player who ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-68984064964686084002013-05-13T11:00:00.000-07:002013-05-13T11:00:08.710-07:00GrowthWay back, a few years ago, when I was still a bit naive about the world, I made a goal that one day, my writing would be good enough that I will be able to make someone cry when they read my words.
Well, I've hit that goal, but it wasn't nearly as gratifying as I thought.
I've learned a lot about it, and I'll tell you the secret to making your readers cry:
You have to cry as you write it. It's~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-66278259896791638732013-05-10T14:03:00.001-07:002013-05-10T14:03:56.802-07:00Five Reasons Why I Will Never Be Able To Stop Writing...Except To Be A Missionary1. Writing Saved Me
When I was twelve or thirteen, I went through what I call my "dark age". I struggled with pretty much everything - bad family relationships, my supposed lack of friends, how ugly I thought I looked, and wondering what my purpose even was.
One late night, it all came to a head as I had a long (we're talking hours here) inner battle with my demons, and finally fell to my knees~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-24423794219990185692013-05-06T23:41:00.000-07:002013-05-06T23:41:23.295-07:00Outlining a Novel 101
You know that feeling you get when you put on a pair of jeans you haven't worn for a long time and you find a ten dollar bill in the pocket that you had no idea was there? Well, that's kind of how I feel about these extra six weeks. At first, I was upset and such, but I've come to see them as something good and needed even. I've spent a lot of time writing during them, which is nice, since ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-82565256158957016102012-12-25T20:57:00.000-08:002012-12-25T20:57:08.272-08:00New Writing Project
So I got this book for my creative writing class next school quarter titled "The 3 A.M. Epiphany". It not only has taught me how to spell "epiphany" but it has started me writing again. It is full of unusual writing exercises that actually make me think about how I write. I'm attempting to do one of them a day, just to see what I can do with them.
I'm on day three, but I decided these snippets ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-33476999039390407612012-09-13T01:00:00.000-07:002012-09-13T01:00:07.885-07:00A Review: Fall of Eden by Michele Poague
The first thing you should know about this book is that it's a sequel. It is the second book of The Healing Crystal trilogy. You can find my review for the first book HERE.
Just like the first book, the thing that stood out most to me about this book were the characters. The main character, Kairma, is very relatable She has emotions like the rest of us, loses her temper like the rest of us, ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-14645281143200653982012-08-13T00:20:00.001-07:002012-08-13T00:20:27.788-07:00A Lot of Writing Stuff That You Probably Don't Much Care to Know (But With Adorable Cat Pictures Interspersed)
Six months between posts? Yeah, lately, a lot of things have been getting in the way, but such is life. The little things get pushed out of the way for the big things. Big things meaning, in this case, my graduation from high school and seminary, plus church youth programs, travelling out of state no less than three times for various vacations, my dad's wedding, my mom's wedding, and trying to~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-6488439294229753192012-02-17T08:13:00.000-08:002012-02-17T08:21:25.176-08:00A Review: The Ember Gods by Andrea Pearson
The thing about sequels is that you already kind of know what to expect. You aren't diving in blindly to a new series, having no idea what is to come. Just like that, the second book of the Kilenya series delivered the same qualities as the first book. There were new, unheard of creatures, new characters, and more on the distant lands and magical abilities of people in Eklaron. It is, ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-43890668257536327842011-12-22T05:00:00.000-08:002011-12-22T17:08:33.423-08:00A Review: Heir of Power by Michele Poague
All
books that I love have something in common - good characters. This
book, Heir of Power, is among those books. The characters are very
memorable. Each character has a set of personality flaws and
strengths; worries, fears, and insecurities; loves and hates; strong,
realistic emotions; and all the other things that makes a character
real. Things that make a
character stick out in a person's~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-35633068620307682362011-12-09T07:40:00.000-08:002011-12-09T07:40:49.575-08:00Playing Games with RealityWhen I was a child, I used to play imagination games, like most other children. My favorite was a hypothetical situation game. What would happen if some random stranger showed up and told me I was actually adopted and belonged to a different family? What would happen if my parents died and I was sent to live with some random unknown relative in some random unheard of country? What if the house ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-63188994196927145242011-10-26T08:47:00.000-07:002011-10-26T08:49:54.159-07:00A Bit of Original PoetryBecause it wouldn't let me sleep until I wrote it...
Left BehindAG Stewart
Running up the staircase,Fearful of the basement monsters.Chasing cats around and 'round,Through the rooms in a circle.Shrieking, laughing, shouting late at night;No neighbors to bother as they sleep.Hiding alone without a chance to be found,Because of the spaciousness of the house.
These are the things I've left behind,~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-20275726507704812012011-10-20T09:48:00.000-07:002011-10-20T09:48:05.851-07:00HappinessLast night I stayed up until 2 AM reading a book titled The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin. (Check out http://www.happiness-project.com/ for more information). I guess you could say it inspired me.
In it, she plans a happiness project that will last for an entire year. I decided to do one as well, except on a much smaller level. I'm kind of sick of year long projects because of ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-48170642749897623852011-09-16T08:46:00.000-07:002011-09-16T08:46:46.419-07:00Reflections of SunlightEvery morning as I drive home from Seminary, or at least in the Autumn and Spring months, the sun, having just risen, is usually just above the horizon, causing a glare on the windshield that prevents me from seeing hazards in the road very well. The deer are usually out this time of the morning, creating more dangers. This morning, there was even the added hazard of the body of a dog in the road~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-11127477394160644072011-09-01T08:36:00.000-07:002011-09-01T08:36:34.011-07:00A Review: The Key of Kilenya by Andrea PearsonAs I'm sure most, if not all of my readers know, I am a big procrastinator. As such, I didn't start reading this book until late two nights ago. I continued reading all day yesterday and into the night. The thing is, even if I could have put the book down, and still have finished it on time, I wouldn't have. It completely enthralled me, and this is even the second time I've read it, the first ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-86811443883224989112011-08-24T21:53:00.000-07:002011-08-24T21:53:16.190-07:00Ten Odd Quirks You Probably Didn't Know About Me
My best time to write is in the middle of the night, when the house is silent and my imagination can run wild without distractions. I always get my best writing in when I write in the middle of the night.
When I'm at home, my hair is always up in a pony tail or a messy bun. In public, it's almost always down. I can't stand it being down when I'm at home, and out in public, I can't stand ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-28387957517970563062011-07-28T11:51:00.000-07:002011-07-28T11:55:45.981-07:0021. VacationPart 21 of the 100 Themes Challenge(And no, I don't plan on doing the words in order.)
Emery took a deep breath of the evening air and just savored it. It wasn't the best tasting air in the world, in fact, a lot of people probably hated it. Emery, however, couldn't get enough of the salty air that you could only find at the ocean. A light breeze wafted the air right towards her and Emery inhaled ~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-4214879055789227082011-07-28T11:16:00.000-07:002011-07-28T11:16:40.821-07:00100 Themes Challenge - 1. IntroductionLydia is doing this project called the 100 Themes Project, where you are given 100 words and you're supposed to draw a picture for each one. I liked the idea, except, I'm not exactly capable of drawing all that well. So, I decided to turn it into a series of short stories and/or poetry instead. Or maybe I'll just give my personal feelings on the subject. I may sometimes include a drawing or photo~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4893829051633542276.post-65620634070937018122011-07-15T20:17:00.000-07:002011-07-15T20:17:06.601-07:00A Matter of PerspectiveCurrently, I am reading two books (well, actually three, but one doesn't apply to this) and in both is a character named John Dee. This character in both books is based off of the same real person from history.
In one book, (the fifth or so book in a series, so I know the character fairly well by this point) John Dee is somewhat of a villain, in loose terms. In the other book, John Dee~Major Bookworm~http://www.blogger.com/profile/06253887411441033607noreply@blogger.com