Some Updates

Remember this book?  I talked about it a couple of weeks ago.  I'm sure it wouldn't take too much looking to find my original mention of it.

Anyway, I finished it last night.  It was really good.  Apparently there's another that I need to go find called Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie.  I'm... very curious, to say the least.

So... basically, Dierdre is a cloverhand--(clover allows humans to see Them; cloverhands don't need to assistance, they just can. make better sense?)--and has enough power that the Faerie Queen feels wholly threatened by her.  Plus, there's a lot of ugly history with Luke, the hottie that took up interest, so there's a lot of convolution there.

It never ceases to surprise me how much plot can be wrapped up in teen fiction like this.  (Truthfully I'm not sure why, because it used to be the whole of what I read and I don't read flat/empty novels.)  But there's a lot going on in these.  There's a reason it's called The Faerie Queen's Deception: There's a lot of it throughout the novel and you don't become privy to most of the truth until the end.

Something else I rather enjoyed about these novels was that Maggie divided the sections of it by calling them "Book One" etc.  and every book got a quote, or a portion of a song or something.  I like when authors do that.  It's kind of like... I don't know how to word it properly.  I just like it.  Roll with it.

I don't think I've talked about this before, because I do not remember that book cover.
Demons are a Girl's Best Friend: Linda Wisdom

Can you tell it's a romance novel? Jeez.  I don't think I'd have bought it if I'd have had to go through checkout with that cover in my stack.  I mean really.  "He's so hot, he's literally smokin'!"??  REALLY??  Jeezuz.
And for real, I did not picture either character even remotely like suggested on the cover.  I'm really glad I bought it in e-format now because I don't think I'd have enjoyed it as much with that staring up at me.
I know they say "don't judge a book by its cover" and that's DEFINITELY true in this case.  But I have a tendency to do it anyway.  This book is not as crass as the cover leads you to believe it should be.

And yeah, it's kind of a romance novel, but the sex scenes are so vague it hardly counts.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  I didn't buy it for sex scenes. (Those are added bonuses when they show up--Don't look at me like that, Clare.  Just because I can admit it...) *cough* >moving on>  It's a fantasy/action/romance, though I'll admit it's a tad lacking for action.  And the "climax" was pretty anti-climactic, I won't lie.  It was so... It was as if she was trying so hard not to be cliche, she ended up being obnoxiously cliche in a different way than what she was avoiding, if you know what I mean.
Like if option A is cliche, you go for option B.  But if option B would piss off the masses, you go for option C.  Except that option C is just as freakin cliche as option A, just in the way that anyone who doesn't take option A will take option C.   So it's like... backup cliche?  I don't know how else to explain it.  Maybe it's me. hahahaha.

Looking for Alaska: John Green

Okay, so I just started reading it (awhile ago) and I'm not very far into it.  The prose is interesting.  A little raw, but it is one of his earlier novels, (First? I think Abundance of Katherines was first, followed by this one...) so that I don't really mind.  I mean, I don't mind some not-quite-flawless prose now and again because it kind of makes me feel a little better about my own endeavors.   I find the way John writes enjoyable, but there's something there, behind the words and the intent... I can't quite put words to it yet.  But it's piquing my curiosity.  I hope I'll be able to explain what I'm getting from him by the time I'm done reading it.  I'm sure I need more time to analyze it.  And read it... hahahaha.

The plot is interesting as well.  So far I'm not entirely positive what it is exactly... except that this boy just moved to a boarding school, has already started smoking (sorta; it didn't really work out so very well his first go) and gotten totally stuck on some chick named Alaska--hence the title.  Beyond that... Not too sure.

Clare is probably snickering at me right about now because she's already read it and knows the score.  I, on the other hand, am still in the dark.  We shall see.

Moving along.

Breathe Carolina: Hell Is What You Make It

There's totally like, designs in the base colors of this album cover, but you can't see it because they're... hiding.  You can hardly see them when you're holding the CD in front of you.  So you'll just have to take my word for it. (=

I bought this CD a few days ago in Williston... removed all the plastic, read the lyrics in the booklet... and haven't managed to bother listening to it yet.  God, I feel so lazy. Or something. I don't know.  I just haven't done it yet! D=
I feel really bad now.  Like, I've been meaning to do it.  I just haven't.  You know it is sometimes?  It's been like that.  I'll probably go put it in my computer when I go up to bed (theoretically to bed) and either have already posted this or am finishing doing so.
And no, I won't come back and talk about it.  Sorry if I disappoint. Oh wellz.

I like Breathe Carolina, though, so I'm sure it'll be excellent.  So far I think their first album was my favorite, though. (Before now they had 2.  So it's not like I had much to choose from. hahaha)  The lyrics on this album are interesting, though, so I'm interested in seeing them put to music.

Other information I feel the need to share with you:

• I finished my novel the other night!!! =D =D  That's totally exciting, in case you didn't gather that from my extraneous punctuation and double super-happy faces.  I'm jacked.  Thrilled, for that matter.  It needs a fair amount of revision, especially the first half, but still.  I just have to throw in a bunch of like, foreshadowing and allusions to things and whateverz.  Because I added stuff in the second part that I hadn't decided to do in the first part that need to appear before they did..... If you followed that sentence you're in good shape. hahaha.
• I'm working on another story that I started eons ago.  This one is of an entirely different caliber than my novel, and only probably short-story length, but it's something I've enjoyed writing anyway.  It's kind of about people and the changes we undergo.  More specifically, how much we change when we put ourselves in a new environment for a period of time and the people we knew before aren't looking at us, holding us back from who we know we can be if we'd only free ourselves from the binds of our 'image' or reputation.  These things are mostly background themes, and only come up in passing. Mostly it's just the obvious that's present in the prose and the plot lines.
  If you read my material, you would discover that most of the themes and points that I'm attempting to make are subtle and in the background.  I don't have a tendency to say directly "this is the point I'm trying to make with this story so listen up and learn something."  That's not my style.  I just write in a manner that allows anyone who would like to get something out of it to do so.  You know?
  Sometimes you're just looking to read something without having morals/etc forced upon you and other times you just want to see things in what you're reading without the author telling you directly what they're trying to tell you.
  Reading experiences are personal and should be allowed to remain that way.  What an individual is going through in his/her life at the time they read a novel entirely shapes their interpretation of it.  The way they interpret the themes and such should be able to ride on that as well.  But that's me.
• I have surgery on my face on the 3rd.  All 4 of my wisdom teeth are impacted and therefore require surgical extraction.  I'm... not thrilled.  I actually just had a really horrific dream about it the other night, but I'm nowhere near as nervous about it as my subconscious seems to think I am.  that doesn't make any sense.  But rationally, I know I'll be fine and I'm not really... like... worried. I guess. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not all gung-ho about letting some guy just start cutting into my mouth. But I'm not in a knot about it, either.  It's just one of those things that has to happen.  Just updating you. (=
• There was something else that I was totally going to talk about here..... and it wasn't boys... which is something I almost always have to force myself not to talk about because I look back at it later and feel like a complete tard.  Yes, I just said tard.  Get over it.  So now I think I'm goign to be done since I'm getting all rambly again.  Oops. (=

So that's what I have for you tonight.  Hope you're all well. Stay classy. ;P

I'm out.  Ta ta.
--Emily Renae <3

Newness

Normally, I don't post my writing in my blogs.  I have writers' forums and stuff for that.  But todayyyyy I think I'ma do it anyway.  So here goes.


Goodbyes
So many people hate goodbyes
because they feel just too damn final
and quite frankly
the bye is never good.
And we hold too much inside ourselves
to say goodbye so permanently
without letting them in on the secrets
we hate keeping
but most certainly cannot tell.
When goodbye's been said
and we're left on our own again
we fill with longing for something
we don't have access to--
A secret shared
among friends we seem to've lost.
But I didn't get to say goodbye
and I never got to share my truths
my secrets, lies, or stories
because I woke up
and he was gone without a trace.
I broke apart into a thousand pieces.
The cracks all met and broke me
into a disaster I couldn't recognize--
didn't want to--
but I didn't get goodbye.
Goodbyes are rarely easy
even rarely are they pleasant.
They are too fucking final.
The bye is never good.
But closure...

There is none.

Post Filled with Awesome

Okay, so one of my friends and a very faithful reader named Clare is basically one of the definitions of awesome.  I talked about her awhile back in a blog post becaaauuuuse she makes me happy. (= haha

This is my beautiful Clare:

Look at this beautiful girl.  I mean for real.
Normally I wouldn't make the picture so large that the text is all scrunched up against the edge here, but I just want you to get a good view at my lovely friend.  Because she's the star of this post.
There's something about this picture that I just love to pieces.  I think it's a combination of the attitude that exudes from her every pore, her super cute shirt, cool necklace--is the rose carved from jade?--and... the look in her eyes mirrored in the set of her mouth.  The way the light graces her skin aids in the appeal.  And I love that hat.  God, I wish I could pull off a hat.
I'm not in love... I swear...  And that's not a cover-up.

I should move on before I make a fool of myself.  (It's probably too late but I'll try to maintain at least a little of my dignity.)

Anyway.

Clare was just recently at LeakyCon in Orlando, Florida.  For anyone who doesn't know what that is, it was like a big epic nerdfest of geektastic proportions where famous young adult authors ('young adult' being the genre... not the age of the authors...)... talk and stuff? I don't know, I wasn't there.  But there were also Wrock bands (Wizard Rock; bands that write music about Harry Potter.  It's totally freaking awesome don't look at me like that) and stuff like that.  So basically it was epic and I really really REALLY wish I could've been there.  But I wasn't.  But Clare was!  Which makes her totally spectacularly cool.

Anyway.  So Clare knits.  And not like, boring old lady knitting. Oh no.  She knits awesometastic stuff.  Like giraffe puppets. Puppy-sized elephants.  And an owl!!

The above listed pictured here.

Also! The giraffe puppets were given to Hank Green, and appeared on this video today, which is totally freaking amazing and awesome and I seriously just cannot stop giggling about it when I think of it. hahaha

I had to post a link to this video because blogger is dumb and won't let me use the URL to actually put it in my blog. meh.  But you should definitely go watch it.  Because Clare's giraffe puppets are in it.  And that's just downright awesome.

More things that Clare has made include:

 A super cute snowman family. (=

 Incredibly adorable animals--each of whom have names. I only recall the pig's at the moment.  It's Gertrude. (= hahahaa

And another totally awesome owl!  I love it.  hahaha.  Absolutely truly 100% love it.




Uhm... So when I was at work today... I was totally thinking about whether or not the puppets would be in Hank's next video, and I came up with this totally awesome conversation thingy from Clare's point of view that was absolutely hilarious.  (Writing can form some interesting habits; just go with it.)  It's just an if-I-was-Clare-this-would-be-my-thoughts/reaction/story kinda thing.  But now I can't remember all of it! Gah!  )=  And it was really funny, too.  I knew I should've written it down. =/

Stupid stupid....  This was going to be really funny, too.

Sigh... Now I'm all sad because I told Clare that it was going to be totally fabulous and now it's just lame.  Because my memory sucks ass lately.  If I come up with it again, I'll be sure to post it.
Actually, come to think of it, no I'm sure I won't.  Sorry.  But I'm only trying to be honest.  Don't want to get your hopes up just to slowly crush them.  I wouldn't want to do that to you.

Anyway.  I guess I just managed to totally throw Clare out there and like, advertise her.  So all y'all people in the Fargo area, this is what's going to grace your presence for the next several months, rockin your college and stuff.  Treat her nicely.  You'll love her; it won't be a problem. (=

K thanx bai. lol

Ta ta!
--Emily

Oh.  PS.  She's gonna kill me for posting this but I really just can't resist:

Nail Polish!

Okay, so I realize that this probably isn't going to be good for me and my professional image--ppffffftthahahhahahahah!!! Professional! HAH! Yeah right!--*cough*--*ahem*--sorry...right...--but I have a thing for nail polish.  And I really mean a thing.  I have tons of the stuff.  Probably more than I could ever conceivably actually use.  Like, I probably have enough nail polish to furnish my entire freshman dorm for the year... If we all painted our nails weekly.

Well......No.  I probably do.

Here's the thing though: I go through color phases.  I went through a dark phase and a neon phase and a black phase (I don't revisit that time in my life very much...).  I don't wear a lot of pink... I always mean to but I get distracted by blues and greens and purples and... you get the idea.  I actually managed to go pink this week, though.

I do not paint my nails weekly.  I tried to do that once and it just didn't work out.  I decided that it wasn't worth the necessary time and effort to remove all the nail polish, repaint, and then sit and do nothing while they dry.  I'm not good at "sit and do nothing".  Really.  I just painted my nails like, 20 minutes ago, and I'm blogging.

That, my friends, is what top coat is for!  hahaha.  It dries fast and it makes your otherwise flat nail polish look really shiny and pretty.  Not that all nail polish has a matte finish.  Those are kind of interesting, actually.  I like them, but I only have a couple.  I'm usually after a shiny finish, anyway.

I have decided that I particularly like Sally Hansen Insta-Dri because it literally dries in like, 4 minutes.  I mean, you can't put it on too thick in place of thinner layers, but still.  (When you put on one super-thick layer, it smudges.  Like, the polish just pushes around and stuff.  It's really annoying.)  It's great.  I only have dark colors in it though... Not sure why...

(>>8 hours elapse for my shift at work>>)
Anyway.  Something that really bugs me about nail polish is when it refuses to stick to the surface of my nail.  Like... the polish I put on this morning... when I started writing this... Work was really hard on it... But it for real just flaked off!  It's like... half-gone on some nails! GAH!  I hate that.  Really.  Now I have to repaint my fingernails.  Again.  Today.  Erg.  Talk about frustrating.

I'ma base coat this time. =/

Sooooooo that's my story and I'm stickin to it! =P  And that's all I've got.  I could probably continue, but I'll spare you.  Ta ta.

--Emily Renae

The Rest of the Story

In continuation of my post from 4:30 this morning...

In reference to wanting someone who knows who he is at present, that's not a requirement, simply a desire.  It's hard to have all that's inside of you sifted through and sorted enough to understand the nuances of your personality.  It takes a lot to be able to admit to yourself that you have all kinds of issues, be they anger management, depression, phobias, complexes, obsessions, et cetera, but it takes just as much to be able to realize that you're not the only one with issues and they make you who you are.  Understanding that no one can respect a person that doesn't respect themselves and that disliking yourself won't get you anywhere isn't something that everyone can manage.
I understand that I have a plethora of psychological problems, including a complex, OCD, a severe level of emotional instability, and maybe a phobia. (Not a serious phobia, but still.)  I'm not going to get into my problems because then this post becomes a pity party and that's not what I'm aiming for.  But being aware of your faults and how to cope with them--even if you aren't getting professional help, being self-aware is enough to keep yourself sane and normal--the standard for yourself, not others.
I guess self-actualization, self-awareness, et cetera, are things that we should aspire to.  I like to think I know who I am, even though simultaneously, I'm sure I haven't a clue.  A big thing is understanding that you are a complex creature and will be different tomorrow from who you are today.  Because today, you're different from who you were yesterday.  Even in just the minutest of ways.
Yes, I would like him to know himself.  Today.  Right now.  Because who he is might change by the end of the day.  And that's okay.  Do I need him to know himself?  No, not really.  It's just nice.  And I definitely don't need him to talk about it because it's not really something that can be easily put into words.  The relationships we have with our own psyches are convoluted matters and I don't pretend to understand them.  I'm just a kid from the country, trying to break through.

In regard to Harry Potter...

Nah.  I've already said what I wished to say about it.  I'm good.  I'm not going to start getting into the movie because there's really no point. Plus, Entertainment Weekly would cry at my version of a movie review because they're all pompous bastards about it and give shitty reviews to great movies and great reviews to shitty movies.  I don't put any stock into them.  EW is more than an abbreviation sometimes.  Just sayin.

Anyway. Now that I've expanded on that... I don't want to be up. But I can't go  back to sleep because I have to get ready for work in half an hour.  Ugghhh.  Whiney whiney crabby crabby blah blah blah.  Okay I'm done.  And I'ma gonna go.

So ta ta!

--Emily Renae

Thoughts for 4:30 am

I went to the Harry Potter midnight premier hopped up on an energy drink I didn't think was going to do anything for me.  Only SURPRISE! EMILY'S FREAKIN WIRED!  Well, not anymore. A little, but not like I was earlier.  I'll be able to sleep once I spew a few thoughts.  I do this.

First off, I was just thinking.  I want a guy who knows who his is right now.  I don't care if he doesn't even really know who he was before or who he'll be later--even who he wants to be because dammit we're too young to plan out our whole lives--but today, right now, knows who he is and what he's about.  Because when you know who you are right now, the rest just comes to you.  Because you can take/handle just about anything with someone you love at your side.  Not that I'm saying I'm expecting to find love in every relationship I'll have in college, because that would be bloody ridiculous.  I'm just saying.  Who you are today is what shapes your view of your past and your expectations of the future.  Allow yourself to grow and move forward; don't fear change. Embrace it.
I sound like a motivational speaker, but I'm serious.

Second of all, now that Harry Potter is over--and I really mean over.  Like, totally, 100% complete.  That's it, there is no more--OVER over--I feel as if a huge huge portion of my childhood has just ended.  Scrolled shut with the credits of the movie.  I grew up with these kids, these stories, all this magic and mystery and strife.  It's been there since I was in very early grade school.  And now it's all over, just like that.  It leaves a sorrowful taste in my mouth, I will admit, but still, the end is sweet.  Because it means that I must be an adult now.  I've moved on from one thing that has been constant since single-digit ages into a world with its own strife, mysteries and magics.  I've become my own mystery with my own magic, my own strife, my own battles of conscience and society to fight for and against.

Lastly... I'm going to quote myself now because I rather like this and I would like to be on a quote website someday when I'm famous (for ambiguous reasons at the moment): "The arms of a close friend form a castle far better than any stones ever could."

That's all I have for now.  It's been a really long day.  I'll get back to you later.

Ta ta.
--Emily Renae

Oh My Gosh

I'm actually posting two consecutive days in a row.  Is that weird or what? hahaha.

Okay, so yesterday I talked about a whole bunch of music.  Could've kept going, but chose not to.  The inability to keep my eyes fully open and focused may have had something to do with it. haha.
Anyway, onward!

Since yesterday was music, that means today is literature.  (By the books it's supposed to be something else but since when do I really follow my own schedule?)  I have some books I would like to talk about! (=

First up:

Before I Fall: Lauren Oliver

It's a teenage girl's version of Groundhog's Day!! You know that (I think) 90's movie with Bill Murray?  Where he wakes up the next morning and it's still the day before.  For like, a year and a half or two years or something before he finally figures it out and makes his life move forward again.

I haven't gotten terribly far into it; my Kindle tells me I am 17% done.  I had actually started reading it in Wal-Mart one time while I was waiting for my mom and it had kind of interested me.  (At least I think this is the one... O_o)  So I found it pretty cheap for Kindle and just got it.  So far she's gone through the original day and woken up with the memory of dying (not really a spoiler, actually...) but there she is--and oh yeah, it's yesterday.
Supposedly she's going to seduce her math teacher?  I suppose that may have had something to do with why I decided to actually buy this. hahahaha.  I'm so awful.  But really, when you're reliving the same day over and over and over again, what kind of weird shit would you pull just because you could?  If you know everything's going to be the same when you wake up again... You could wreak some real havoc.  It's not like it's permanent, after all.
If you killed yourself in the morning, would you have to go the entire rest of the day dead, or would you just automatically wake up again..?  Would you even know? Interesting concept to consider.

Bossypants: Tina Fey

This is not what I was expecting.  I don't really know what I was expecting, but I'm pretty sure this wasn't it. haha.

It's nonfiction, of course.  It's amusing. It's interesting.  It's pretty fun to read.  Moderately informative without being exactly educational.  So far it's been a bit of an autobiography, but she's led a rather interesting life.
For example, did you know that she got slashed in an alley on her way home from Kindergarten?  She doesn't really talk about it, but it comes up.  I found it interesting.
Supposedly she has a scar... I've never noticed it... Maybe I'm oblivious?  Or TV has some killer makeup artists. Who knows.

Regardless, it's an interesting read and probably the first nonfiction book I've bought to read voluntarily.  (I don't do nonfiction much.)  I like Tina Fey. (=

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception: Maggie Stiefvater

I should start off by saying I have developed a legitimate love for Maggie.  I've been reading her Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy (Forever comes out this month.  I'm on stand-by) and I've decided that I really like her writing style and her material.  She writes really good material.

The Mercy Fall trilogy is (semi-unfortunately) classified as "paranormal romance" in B&N (which it is, but it's sad that there has to be a whole category for it since Twilight, but that's another story) if you want to find it.  Apparently they're really popular?  News to me.

Anyway.  Lament.  Dierdre is apparently attracting Fae attention.  If you want to read it there's not a whole lot more I can say.  She's an amazing harpist/singer and I think she's pretty.  Her best friend has an unrequited  crush on her.  She's totally falling for a mysterious guy that just showed up named Luke.  And he's a hottie, no lie.  It's a good story.  A very good story.  I'm pretty hooked.
My only complaint is that it's formatted very poorly for eReaders, like my Kindle, which is what I have it on. (Obviously or I wouldn't comment.)  It's not a new thing, poor eReader formatting, but that doesn't make it any less annoying.  Overall it doesn't really affect the reading experience, though. It's just my OCD going haywire in the background periodically. hahaha.  Oopth.

Hunt the Moon: Karen Chance

*Happy sigh*  I love these novels.

The ending really pissed me off though.  It's an audible, breath-taking cliffhangar for another book which won't come out for at least a year.  Which is sad.  Understandable, but sad.  And *censored for the sake of anyone who actually wants to read this series and not have it totally spoiled because that's really obnoxious and I would hate to ruin it*.

I am going to say though that I've found myself in a spot with this newest installment.  I've almost reached a Team Pritkin vs Team Mircea--like Twilight's monumental fan-base thing?  Only I'm totally Team Both!!  Which is... probably somewhat whore-ish to suggest, but really... Dating doesn't have to be with one person at a time.  At least not until you're serious.  Casual dating with multiple people is totally okay.  I don't really consider it cheating.  Just because you go on a date with a guy doesn't mean you're "together" you know?  Our generation has gotten really weird about that.
Anyway, the love triangle.  Mircea laid claim on her in a way that makes the vampire community consider them married, only--tough luck--Cassie didn't authorize that.  So she's making him "date" her... It's... complicated.
Pritkin, on the other hand... Pritkin is a mage--and there's a pretty intense story there that I am not going to share with you--and also half-demon (which you don't know so promptly forget!) but his demon half is incubus--which you also totally don't know--and there's a long, interesting back story on all of this stuff but the point is that his relationship with Cassie is extremely convoluted.  There... is only sort of a relationship.  He's her personal trainer slash body guard slash... et cetera.  But there's always been this crazy romantic tension between them that's been mostly untouched.  Mostly.
But I like Pritkin!  For all he's infuriating, I really really like the guy.  I don't know.  It's complicated.  I'm waiting for the next book to see where things end up.

I could go on--for a very long time, actually--but I think I'll stop for now.  I'm at my great-aunt's place with a bunch of people and sitting at a computer is moderately anti-social.  So that's all you get for now.
Hey. Chill. I posted yesterday!  You're already spoiled.

Anyway, I'm out.

Ta ta!
--Emily Renae <3

Lookit Lookit

I'm back! After a month. =/  Yeah yeah, I know.  Sorry.  I just got busy doin' other stuff and never really had a whole lot worth actually babbling about.  But now I have a few things that I can mention. (=

Okay! So first up, I'ma give you a glimpse into one of my... well, you could call it an obsession if you like.

I have 318 CDs in my possession.  (Well... I'm not sure of the exact location of a couple, but that's beside the point.)  As of today, anyway.  (I bought 3 more when my mother wasn't looking.)  Now, I have not bought them all.  I've been given a number of them, won a handful, and... somehow acquired others.  (I didn't steal them.)
Anyway.  Of these 318 CDs, I have many artists that make multiple appearances.  30 Seconds to Mars, Alesana, and Anberlin all have 3 albums that have made their way into my collection; AFI and Kutless appear 6 times each (though Kutless is a cheater because in order to get one album, I had to rebuy another.  One of those 2-disc deals? I didn't want to but I wanted that dang album! hahaha).  Just to name a few.
And a lot of my music is really random, but most of it's pretty good.  I still actively listen to most of it. (=

Don't judge me.

The albums I bought today are as follows:

Forever Ended Yesterday: These Hearts

This is a "pop-core"--at least I think that's the proper term...--band from...wait for it... Fargo, North Dakota! Oh my gosh, right!?  They're signed to Victory Records with A Day to Remember (who totally rock if you didn't already know that) and Hawthorne Heights.

(By the way... all of these bands have hyperlinks to their websites.  So you have no excuse to not go check them out, unless you're A) lazy, B) lame, or C) really just don't care... in which case you probably kinda suck. (just kidding))

Anyway.  Pop-core.  Basically... power-pop/alternative pop/rock music with some screaming here and there.  That's the best way I have to describe it.  Sorry if that's not good enough.  Go listen to These Hearts if you wanna know! They're a great example.  And I really mean that.  Fo' realziez.
Oh yes. Yes, I just went there.

*Ahem* Right.  Anyway, so These Hearts are actually a Christian band, but they're not all up in yo' face about it, which is something I really like--as I'm positive I've mentioned before.  One of the tracks is titled Romans 15, so I mean, it's kind of obvious they're sending a message, but even still, it's not all "praise Jesus, or you're going to hell, you sinner!"  Which is annoying as hell; no lie.
They're more like "Accept and welcome Jesus/God into your life and good stuff happens because God is an awesome, all-powerful (omnipotent--to get some vocab in there) God and He loves us all very much.  So love the life you live because you're obviously doin' something important."  And it's not up in your face!  It's just there. (=
Who doesn't want to be told that someone big and really important totally loves you even though you're a real screw up?
Don't answer that.

Anyway.  I watched them live in Minot last fall at Rock the Leaves (our website if you're curious) and they put on a really fun show.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching them.  That being said:
The message is good.  The songs are fun and energetic.  The band is great.  Give 'em a shot; what have you got to lose?  Time?  Come on; you're here... reading this... Gimme a break. hahahahaha

 Anyway.  Moving along toooooooooooo

  All Things Bright and Beautiful: Owl City

These days, who hasn't heard of Owl City?  Adam Young is everywhere.  And with good reason, in my opinion.
The guy is cute, creative, fun, energetic, amusing, and has a great voice.  He writes feel-good songs that get stuck in the head relentlessly, but it's okay, because they're easy to bop to.
Yes, I just said bop. As in a verb. Shut up.

*cough* "What was that...?  Oh, sorry."
Anyway, the joy of Owl City lives on with this new album.  I really like it. (=  Not sure I've ever not liked anything of Adam's, though, sooooooo... ya know how it goes. hahaha

Warped Tour Compilation album 2011: Various Artists

It has Paramore on its cover! Yayy Haley Williams!
I like her, okay?  She's cute.  Kind of a girl-crush thing goin on there, but that's another story...

Anyway.  One of the things I love about Warped Tour compilation albums is that they're always totally loaded with music and are super cheap to buy.  Like, it has 50 songs on it (therefore 50 bands) and it was $7.  And I'm 100% for real.  It's great!
I <3 Hot Topic. (=

Anyway.  It's got everything from metal and screamo to power pop to acoustic stuffs (I think...) to whatever.  It's fun.  Definitely worth $7.  Even if half of the music is... well, not amazing. hahaha.  Which happens...frequently... Anyway...

Lemme think... Oh! I know who else I should talk about!

Wires...And the Concept of Breathing: A Skylit Drive

This is actually ASD's first album (well, studio album, and as far as I know--but I'm pretty sure).  I really really like them.  A lot, as a matter of fact.

I don't really know how to tell you what they sound like, to be honest.  There's some screaming, but there's a lot of singing.  There's fast stuff and kinda slow stuff.  Pretty intense guitars.  Good drums.  I really like them.  And this album in particular.
I don't have Adelphia, but I do have Identity on Fire, which is the newest album.

I would like to tell you to go look them up.  And yes, by all means, do it.  If you don't like them what are you out?  A minute and a half?  You're out more than that just by reading this thing.  It's so full of useful information, after all.  (It could be, realistically, but I digress.)

Anyway.  Yes.  A Skylit Drive.  They're interesting.  Good, though.  I rather like them.  Give 'em a shot.  What the hell?

Next up:

Vices and Virtues: Panic! At the Disco

Okay, so they've got the exclamation point back now.  I don't really get what's up with it exactly, but I don't feel so alone, because I was watching an interview with Brendon, and neither do they. hahahaha.  How's that for ya?

Anyway, this is the album that is what resulted post-splitting.  Ryan Ross took Jon Walker and went in a different direction, leaving Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith to run Panic on their own.  And quite frankly, I think it's working out a little bit better.  Don't get me wrong; I totally loved Ryan.  But... he really wanted to take Panic in a direction that I personally didn't feel Panic going.

They split amicably, as friends, before they hated each others' guts.  So at least there's no split-drama.  That's always annoying.

Anyway, the album itself is really fun.  It's got some really good tunes and the video for The Ballad of Mona Lisa is really great.  It shows a side of Brendon that I just love.

Me? Crush?  Nooooooo that's ridiculous.

*sneeze* Continuing on...
OH!!!
That's right. I just exclamation pointed times three.  Badass.  Be excited.

Dirty Work: All Time Low

I am absolutely positively 100% irrevocably in love with this band. (And Alex Gaskarth. Oh wait.)  If you haven't taken my serious advice and looked them up yet, do it.  Just bloody trust me and go listen to them.  This is album 5--including the live MTV thing--and I have them all and frequent the music on them.  All of it, not just most of it.  I don't think they have a bad song, honestly.  I'm in love with them.  Can anybody say favorite band?  Because I totally can.  (Well, one of a few, but I think this one may have hit tops.)

I've had the entire album--not just a song or two, but the entire album--stuck in my head all week.  It's been great.  I love hearing Alex Gaskarth in my head all day. hahahah.  (That was actually halfways sarcastic, but only half.)

I could really keep going on about music for quite awhile.  And then I also need to do a pretty major update on my reading material too.  I just don't have the energy to do it tonight.  So I'll hit you guys up with that... tomorrow... but that's probably a tad ambitious. hahahaha.

So, quickly before I go, life updates:
1. As of today, my face is adorned with glasses.  I shall post a picture with my literature post.
2. I dropped my phone in the sink in the mall today--full of water, of course--and now it's kinda...freaking out... I've got it in a bag of rice because I've been told it's supposed to suck out the moisture, but... I'm having some doubts.  And I'm nervous that I broke it. ='(  Here's hoping otherwise.  I'll keep you posted.
3. My brother is getting married on Saturday.  How cool is that?  I even like the girl.  That's cooler. (=  The in-laws?  Egh; not so much.  We've had issues.  But I guess ya can't have everything, huh?  (Long story; not getting into it.)
4.  I register for classes for college on the 21st.  I could post a schedule, but that might be opening myself up a little too much to creepers... stalkers... ya know. stuff like that.  So if I say anything, I'll say what I'm taking.
6. I have nothing else to add, which is why I skipped 5, because I only had four things to say and so #6 is that I have nothing to say for #5.  Is that lame?  Too overdone?  Sorry. My bad.

Anyway, it's late; I'm tired; I have a crazy weekend.  I'm out.

Ta ta!
--Emily Renae <3