the silly human that is me.

I was just thinking... getting older is so confusing sometimes.
We are tirelessly preached at by movies, books, music, and our friends to throw away any concept we previously had of young adulthood and just do it "our way"... yet really, we'd be persecuted if we did. For example, I am the sort of teenager (and I'm probably an extreme minority) that is quite stingy with my money as far as extra clothes or makeup, and yet would instantly blow $20+ on a Build-A-Bear Kermit the Frog. Or forego eating out+Starbucks to buy a Doctor Who series boxset with my sister. Both of which I did over the past two glorious days. And I've no idea how to feel. Should I be happy with my nerdy investments and just enjoy the heck outta them, not caring about how I might appear? Or should I be properly ashamed of not getting that summer dress that I seem to "need"... all for some childish stuff?
In my mind, I tend to be a very decided person. My opinions are sharp and clear, when no one can hear them but myself. However, too often once they hit the open air they curl up with fright and melt into what our culture deems acceptable, without a chance to explain. Fear of man, this is commonly called.
In my mind, being a nerd is just a part of me and I can't really shake it. Why, I ought to embrace it and have fun with it, as I would my new Kermit. ;) But out there... I'm immature.
Oh what to do.
I suppose it's first step first. Get rid of my fear of man, and then see what creature emerges from the silly human that is me.

Isaiah 9:6-7

"For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given;
and the government will be upon His shoulders.
and His name will be called 
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

And by God's grace, we have the joy of celebrating these things coming to pass in a most amazing way- many hundreds of years ago, His son came to earth as a humble babe, through a humble teenager, for a desperate world in need of a Savior.

John 14:6_ "...I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through ME."

With that in mind, have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light... let it also treasure the Light of the world who's birthday we're remembering.

words, words, words.

Know that the Lord, he is God!

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

-psalm 100:3

Happy 9th of November! It's a very special day because... well, because it's another day of enjoying God's beautiful world, and the fact that we are, indeed, His. So let's not be discouraged as autumn slips into winter, as I'm often tempted to be.

In the meantime, I'm being kept busy with National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Basically, I'm striving to write 50,000 words of a book over the course of November... whew! So far I've only got 9,046 words, so I'm a bit behind, but it is a thrilling and helpful experience, to be sure. It's a chance to shut up my nagging inner editor and just write. I also got a fresh new computer to do it on, as my other "new" one decided to quit on me (I didn't spill water on it this time, honest!). 

september days.

ASCYO orchestra.

Acting I.

History co-op.

Nutrition.

Spanish II.

Algebra II.

NaNoWriMo brainstorming (heck yes!).

Baby-sitting. Maybe giving some violin lessons. 

Knitting a really long scarf for the winter. 

Polishing up 'Blackbird' on the guitar.

Getting over my sore throat (my voice was pretty much gone for a couple of days...).

Smiling at the Winnie the Pooh quote on my wall.

Reading through 2 Samuel and Matthew in my devotions.

Gradually organizing my room.

Reading Through Gates of Splendor by Elizabeth Elliot. 

Making North&South fanvids.

Enjoying the days when the weather is chilly and bright (and being slightly exasperated by the ones that aren't).

These are my days of late. So far I'm liking the school year. :)

schoolwork, pies, and hayrides.

Go outside, right now. Go on! And while you're out there, take a big snort of air. Close your eyes... smell the air again.

Do you get it? The scent of fall? Can you smell the crackling orange leaves, the bite of cold, the hint of apple pie baking in someone's oven? Can you hear the sound of notebooks being opened for the first time, their pages rustling with gleeful anticipation of being written on? Are you ready to pick apples from a tree, or select a pumpkin to carve from a field? Are you ready to go a hayride with friends, get lost in a corn maze, and prepare a costume for the Harvest Party? Are you ready to get fresh new textbooks, new assignments, new classmates and new teachers?

I am! I am so ready. Autumn is the best season of the year, dontcha think? The weather is usually perfect- a brisk chill that allows you to wear jackets and sweaters and boots without looking like Humpty-Dumpty (cough... winter). Also, I know it's cliche, but when you drive past some woods with their leaves ablaze with color, does it not give you a thrill?

True, fall hasn't really descended upon us yet. But I felt I had to do this post... I'm quite excited, as you can see.
I'll leave it here, with a question: what do you like (or not like) about this incoming season?

my top ten film scores.

This is a tough one for me. I love so many soundtracks, and I'd love to do a top 50 list, but then I'm afraid I'll have lost you all ;) So here are my absolute favorite compositions from my absolute favorite film scores. I encourage you to, if you've a spare ear, listen to the pieces I'm posting here. They are amazing works of art.

10. The King's Speech

This is my own personal preference. You might not be a fan like myself, but there's something about Alexandre Desplat's score here that I really loved. The piece I've chosen to represent the film is rather obscure, but I took an immediate liking to it. It's just... pure happiness in music form. The piano and the cello always kills me, too. Such an amazing pairing of instruments.

9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

This is my official tip of the hat to the wonderfully creative Danny Elfman, who's composed many a great score. They are sometimes a bit too eerie for my taste, but this particular track for "Charlie" is brilliance, I think. It has the weirdness and almost techno-ness of Willy Wonka's factory, and the wonder that Charlie feels upon seeing it all. I like it especially near the end, whereupon it transforms into a lovely, heart-warming melody to represent the Bucket family, which was my favorite element of the film itself.

8. Finding Nemo

I dare you not to get a little misty-eyed while listening to this piece. The simple piano composition at the beginning, with the smooth, sentimental violins coming in softly... just beautiful. Simple and meaningful.
Composer: Thomas Newman.

7. Harry Potter

Now, don't you shake your finger at me just yet. This is about music, remember. And there are two films in the series that really stood out to me in terms of the score. That would be the first one, and the last one.

This is called "Hedwig's Theme", although it's really the "Harry Potter" theme, in essence. It was composed by the brilliant John Williams, who captured the essence of this story perfectly, using large amounts of bells, brass, and spider-y strings. Mystery, merriness, and a little bit of magic.

Next up, two (I know! I'm cheating!) selections from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which hit theaters a few weeks ago. Both are kind of in the same boat: heart-wrenching, if you know the story; beautiful, slow, and sad.
"Courtyard Apocalypse". The drums at the beginning. The determined, steady melody of the low strings coming in, paired with the almost despairing high strings, as if even the music is losing sight of all hope. (Sorry for all the drama... I feel the music, okay?)
Composer: Alexandre Desplat.

Next, a piece that didn't actually make it into the final cut of the movie, but that I completely love. This would have gone along with one of my favorite bits in the book, and the most moving for me. Harry realizes, at last, what he has to do. And he comes to terms with the truth in the way of a true hero- he doesn't run away or think of himself before others. He stands, however shakily, to confront what's coming. This music captures that beautifully, I think. Also composed by Alexandre Desplat!

6. The Incredibles

I love, love, LOVE the 60's brass. It just... makes you want to go out and have some jolly old-fashioned car chases with a superhero, yeah? This composition holds that feeling to a thrilling perfection. I mean, c'mon, how can this not put a smile on one's face?
Composer: the amazing Michael Giacchino.

(Quick note: I highly encourage you to listen to the composition below. I didn't originally include it because it wasn't really the "Incredibles" theme. But this one, called "Kronos Unveiled", is so unnerving, and yet quite gorgeous in its own way, slowly getting faster and more intense. The flute is creepy and beautiful at the same time. Listen listen!)

5. Pirates of the Caribbean

Come on, you knew Hans Zimmer was going to make it onto this list. Repetitive though he may be, the stuff he produces is incredibly addictive and it makes your heart race with enthusiasm. This "Pirates" theme is a theme that people will always remember and hold dear. It's swashbuckling, adventurous excitement in the music form. Makes me want to go sword-fight Davey Jones on a mast of a ship in the middle of a storm, all the while exchanging witty banter with my slimy opponent.
Music is, after all, the universal language. ;) Enjoy.

4. Henry V 

I must admit that I've never seen the movie in full, although my dad loves it, but I had to include this breathtaking composition by Patrick Doyle. I won't say anything more... just listen. It's glorious.

(Honestly, if you didn't listen, you're missing out on something special.)


3. How to Train Your Dragon

This soundtrack blows me away. When I watched the movie for the first time, I could hardly concentrate on the actual story, I loved the music so much. It's epic, but with a Celtic flare. The fiddles, the subtle horns, the soaring violins, all together in perfect harmony. I'm listening to it right now, and I'm literally getting goosebumps. I've selected two tracks from the score, even though I love them all. It's my dream to play these pieces in an orchestra someday.
Okay, now I'll shut up and let them speak for themselves.
Composer: John Powell.

"This is Berk"

"Forbidden Friendship"

2. Star Wars

I was this close to putting Star Wars at no. 1, honestly. The sheer awesomeness of John Williams is hard to beat.
The Star Wars theme is one that I think will stand the test of time, and that will always go down as one of the most inspiring pieces of music ever written. It's just... the epitome of epicness. It soars. When I listen to it, I do feel as though I'm in the Millennium Falcon, going at light-speed. Again, pure brilliance.

1. The Lord of the Rings

When I said I wanted to play the "How to Train Your Dragon" score in an orchestra, multiply that want by about 100, and that's what I feel about the LOTR soundtrack. It is my favorite film score ever, and it holds a very, very special place in my heart. I basically grew up with LOTR surrounding me. I've read the books, watched the movies countless times, have seen all the behind-the-scenes footage that's out there, probably (I can tell you the names of all the actors, then right down to the producers and set designers), and have been practically saturated with the music from the movies.
Howard Shore... what a mastermind/genius he is. His compositions held the films together, gave them another layer of intensity, culture and grandeur. He captured the essence of Lord of the Rings in these tracks, and I want to share them with you now.

"The Breaking of the Fellowship"... beautiful beyond belief. I love this one so much.

"Isengard Unleashed"... there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo; and it's worth fighting for.

"Samwise the Brave"... again, it almost makes  my ears ache, it's so gorgeous.

"The Ride of the Rohirrim"... again, the Celtic influences really have me sold on this one. :)

(Besides the fact that it's completely epic, yaknow.)

"Shelob's Lair"... so delightfully different from the rest of the pieces here. Shrilly violins are always disturbing.

"The Grey Havens"... I'm sorry to have to repeat myself, but just listen. If you don't listen to any other track I've posted, listen to this one. I think it's my favorite piece of music ever.

On that note, I bid you goodnight. I hope you've enjoyed the music I've listed.

Cheers!

P.S. What are your favorite film scores? 

a christian anthem.

I was listening to the Newsboys song, 'I Am Free'. Yeah, remember them? Those were the good times :)
Anyway, AWESOME song. There's a line in there I wanted to share with you. It's quite short, but incredibly profound.

"I am free to live for You!"


That's it. How amazing!
We've been freed from such a deadly peril: a life of sin and hopelessness, an eternity in hell. We're no longer enslaved to sin, no longer a prisoner of Satan!
We've been given forgiveness and have been born again as a child of God... so what do we do with that? Enjoy life here on earth then head straight for heaven? Nope.
We have been freed to live for the Lord. We have been freed to proclaim God's goodness to the world. Sounds weird to somebody that isn't a Christian, probably. Aren't we just being subjected to another kind of oppression? Well, John 14:15 says, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." Which means it must be a joy for us to serve Him, and an exciting goal to strive towards. That doesn't mean it's easy, of course. But He has poured out His grace on us, and promised that He will never leave us, nor forsake us.

Oh, praise Him!