Happy Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, OLIVIA!!

 

Are you ready to take our journey to Neverland with Peter Pan?

He's at the window, ready to take us! And look! I think he found Tinker Bell!

Phew....I was really worried we weren't going to be able to find her.

 

 

 

Once we get there we can explore to our heart's content.

I'm kinda excited to see the mermaids...are you?

 

 

And I heard the Indians got some horses, maybe we could go for a ride?

 

It's going to be so fun!

 

I'm so glad that we're friends and I hope you have an absolutely FANTASTIC  birthday- you deserve it! I love being inspired by your artwork and your passion for God, it's very uplifting and strives me forward. Aghh...I'm just so grateful for your friendship!

 

 

Hey Megs, would you like to come along?

3 are better than 2! Or something like that... (;

 

Stephanie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've got a doodling problem......

I've been doodling a lot lately...

 

In my journal:

 

During school:

 

Sketching Mandie:

 

 

 

When I should be studying for biology but instead writing a note to my friend:

(I was really excited to give this note to her because she lives pretty far away, but we're planning on getting together soon, so that's what the note was about, and I doodled through out the whole note, I was a little worried she would think my doodles were weird because she's taking advanced drawing this year and is really good at it, but when she opened the letter she banged it back on the table and looked at me and was like, "I  knew you liked to draw but I didn't know you were this good!" Awwh!)

* ****Oh dear....I just noticed how bad the purple word in the corner looks!!! Oh my word. It's actually just half the name of my friend I was writing to the rest was cut off by the camera....dear goodness, I apologize!

 

^ LOOK! Hands! I'm breaking through my biggest drawing fear! They aren't the greatest, but it's something, and it's a start!

 

 

For the yearbook snack bar:

It's so much fun to get to Thursday classes early so that once the snacks are set up, we can then draw on the two small whiteboards we put out each week.

One of my friends came in and was like "Stephanie, you should draw Olaf!"

So...I did. And the whole time she was just sitting there like, "Oh my gosh, Stephanie, how are you doing this?" and she took a picture of it once I was done. Haha

The only camera I had with me was my phone, so it's not the best image resolution and his right hand/ stick is short....it should be a bit longer.

But it was fun to doodle him anyway!

 

 

Yay for doodling and making my brain and heart happy!

 

Stephanie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Semi-Formal Sneak Peek

My family and I like to visit our favorite clothing/ thrift store on Wednesday nights from time to time. All clothing is 50% off on Wednesday nights (except for one color tag), which is why we choose to go then.
The last few times I really haven't found much to add to my wardrobe, but tonight I found the most gorgeous dress! CBA's semi-formal is coming up in May and I was getting a little worried because I didn't have a semi-formal dress yet. Last year I wore a dreamy blush color dress I actually got for free:

 

And while shopping tonight I found this!

 

 

This dress, of course had the tag that wasn't 50% off, so it was still $30... but  it was still cheaper than it would've been getting it new.

Yay for cheap semi-formal dresses!

 

 

Stephanie

 

 

Two Sides of the Glass (Short Story)

 

      I could hear my parents argue as I was finishing up a drawing I had been working on for a few days.  I stood up from my desk and peeked out my bedroom door and watched as my mom harmlessly threw a dishtowel at my dad. I sighed and shut my door. More yelling.

I had to get out; throwing my thin backpack over my shoulder, I  opened my bedroom window and slid out just like I had several times before when my parents were arguing  and landed lightly on the ground.

I didn't know where else to go when I was agitated,  I kicked a rock as I  headed over to my bike and watched it skitter helplessly over the pavement.  I kicked in my bike stand and started pedaling, taking my  typical route to SeaWorld.

The warm Orlando, Florida air softened my spirit as I rode the sidewalk, I watched as palm trees swayed in the breeze and felt sand from visits to the beach kick up against my ankles.  

Whenever I felt cornered, or captured, or just angry,  nobody understood me more than the orcas.

 As much as I felt I held a relationships with the orcas, I knew the beautiful marine creatures were too far barbarically treated to feel a connection with me. The orcas were unhappy and belonged in the wild, which was exactly what I was planning; a way to free them. 

 I visited SeaWorld so often that employers had noticed that I came quite regularly and offered me a small volunteer job to help feed the marine animals and in return, it cost me nothing to walk through SeaWorld's doors.

I kicked out my bike stand and practically half jogged to the doors.

“Evening, Becca, the otters need supper, if you’re up for it.” The assistant behind the front desk told me as I walked by.

I nodded and threw my backpack into my locker and grabbed my extra volunteer shirt out of my backpack and tossed it on, over my green t-shirt and slammed  the locker shut.

Grabbing a bucket of fish I headed to the otter center and settled myself on a rock.

The otters were always so cheerful to watch and never failed to bring a smile to my face.

When I was done feeding the otters, I  threw off my volunteer shirt so nobody would ask me to do anything else.

Even though most of the workers recognized me, without the volunteer shirt on I could at least walk around without bringing too much attention to myself.

I took my regular spot in the empty orca arena and watched as the orcas swam in the tank.

The more I sat and watched, the more uneasy I felt.

The orcas didn’t deserve this. They deserved something bigger to swim in. Such as the ocean.

I closed my eyes and sighed sadly to myself. How on earth was I ever going to manage freeing the orcas if I didn’t even have an inside trainer as an ally? Or even a plan?

A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts, “Is that you, Becca?”

I spun around to face the familiar voice, “Hey Ethan.”

“Marie told me she saw you come in, thought I might find you here.”

I let out a light laugh, Ethan knew me so well. He was a volunteer at SeaWorld, just like me.

I pushed myself off the stands and moved up to the glass, placing a tender hand up to the glass and watching the orcas swim. They were such beautiful creatures.

 An orca came close and almost seemed to look me in the eye before swimming away.

 Ethan coughed, “Well, no reason to sound excited to see me or anything,”

I sighed, as Ethan snapped me out of my daydream, I had almost forgot he was still here, “Oh! I’m sorry. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately.”

Ethan made his way down the stairs and sat in the front row.  I turned around and rolled my eyes. I wasn’t exactly in the mood to talk, but I wasn’t really expecting  him to just walk away.

“What’s up?” He asked as I walked over and took a seat next to him.

“So many things.” I answered.

 

To be continued....??

 

I recently watched a documentary called "Blackfish" I had such mixed feelings if I wanted to watch it or not, because I knew I would feel angry and helpless after I watched the film. There's just nothing I can do to help. How can I, a 16 year old girl living in the east coast help orcas at SeaWorld?

Well, I can make a Pinterest board to help raise awareness. Most people don't even know about orcas and their story.

Second, I can make art to promote awareness, just like I plan to do with ocean conservancy.

And so forth.

I've just felt so helpless lately and just felt like writing it out (and drawing it out, I was flipping through my sketchbook and found a half-finished drawing and finished it up)

I'm not sure if I'll continue the story though...that would take a lot of planning of something that has never happened, such as I would want the story to end with the orcas being free and back in the wild, but I don't even know how that would take place.

Maybe, just maybe I might continue it.

We'll see. :)

 

Stephanie

 

 

The Bookstore (Short Story)

The Bookstore

 

The bookshelves were cut low and only sized to my elbow’s height, which slightly annoyed me when I searched for a couple books to buy because I noticed a strange young man, roughly my age watching me from just a few book shelves over. I noticed he was with another man, who was bent down searching eagerly for books, he was slightly better dressed  than the young man, who I noticed was holding books for the better dressed man. That must mean that he was a servant of some sort. I shrugged to myself, but then I noticed the servant boy bring a fountain pen out of his pocket and he quickly scribbled something on a white piece of paper.

Feeling color rise to my face from young man’s unsettling stare.  I hastily fixed some flyaway hair and began looking through the shelves again, but in my haste, I managed to bang my elbow quite harshly against the metal shelf. I glanced quickly at the boy again, this time he held a hand up to his mouth as if to stifle a laugh.

I rubbed my sore elbow and shook my head as I tried to hide a smile and went through the last couple books on the shelf.

I didn’t get as many books as I was planning on finding, but I didn’t want to keep searching, and risk getting closer to the isle where the servant boy was standing.

I cast down my gaze as I walked and shuffled through the books I had picked out at the same time. I started towards the pay booth when I bumped into something, I was blinded for a few seconds. Whatever I had bumped into was hard, but soft at the same time and oh! Mmmm. Whatever it was, it smelled good too. I backed away, it was the servant boy! Oh! My books! I had let go of them in my shock and I helplessly watched  as they fell onto the ground.

“Oh!” The servant boy seemed embarrassed. “I’m sorry, miss, here let me help you with that,” He gestured towards my books on the floor and I nodded and bent down with him to retrieve my fallen books. We bent down in unison, and our heads knocked into each other.

“Ouch!” I yelped. I looked over at him and he was rubbing his head. Color flushed to my face again.

Could this get any worse? This cute guy bumps into me, offers to pick up my books and I accidentally head butt him in return.

When he opened his eyes a few seconds later he looked at me and started to laugh. I started to laugh too. This was all so ridiculous!

“What’s your name?” the servant boy asked as he crossed his legs, while picking up the last two books of mine and handing them over.

“Qwen, and your name?” I asked as I reached out for my books.

“Samuel.” He answered simply.  He extended his hand, “would you like some help up then, Miss Qwen, or would you prefer to stay down here all day?”

I laughed as I accepted his hand and curtsied in return.  “Why, thank you, kind sir.”  We both laughed at our formality and were interrupted by Samuel’s master. “Samuel! You stop lollygagging and come back this instant! I don’t like holding my own books. Such a chore! Snip snap, young man!” The book shop keeper snapped his head up from his work and shushed the man for such a loud interruptance in his usually peaceful and quiet bookstore.

I stifled a giggle. And resisted the urge to ask how Samuel’s master reads books if he doesn’t like holding them. I got a strange picture in my head of Samuel holding the book out in front of his master as he read and turning the pages to his master’s pleasure.

Samuel looked at me and shrugged. “Duty calls,” He leaned over and took my hand and kissed it. “Until we meet again, miss Qwen.” As he walked away I looked down at my hand.  He had left the small piece of white paper I had seen him writing on earlier, was what he placed in my hand. And written on it was an address.

I smiled and walked up to the paying booth and purchased my books, the worker put them in a large paper bag for easier transport. I walked out the store into the street, hearing the faint sound of the little golden bell attached to the door give a light ring. It was raining, but I didn’t notice.

 

The Faces

 

Qwen

 

 

 

Samuel

 

 

Pictures that make you feel ALIVE

 

The search for my interests in  a career is still underway. A marine biologist? A member on a marine animal rescue team? A spokesperson for Ocean Conservancy? Hmm. I don't know. I'm still searching....but I have realized that  my love for books has only gotten stronger as I grow older. While I can't tell where a comma should be apart from a spot where the semicolon belongs, like an editor, and I don't prefer to teach students in a classroom, like an English teacher...the library has always called my name. So therefore, how about a librarian?

A job, surrounded by books?

How would that even feel like a job?

 

 

"But then, every librarian needs to be a little bit of a dragon- or else, Who would guard the books?"

 

 

Last Thursday after Biology class, I was changing for volleyball, and we were out of class late, so the other girls that take biology that are in volleyball, and I were stressed to hurry. In my rush, I realized that I had lost one of my lovely rose studs my sister had given me for my 16th birthday. In slight distress, I went back to the bathroom and searched the stall I had changed in. Nothing. I found that a small relief. I still had the other stud in my ear, and placed it safely in my backpack until volleyball was over. If the stud wasn't in the bathroom, it had to be tangled in my change of clothes in my bag.

Once I got in the van, I fumbled around in my bag, and there it was! I was so grateful to find it.

I knew the stud backings seemed loose at first, but I never bothered to change them for a more sturdy pair of backings, until Thursday, when I got home I changed the backings to a more tight-fitting pair.

I typically take out my earrings before I change, but since we were stressed to hurry, I got frantic and forgot.

 

Have I ever mentioned that I am no good under pressure?

 

It would make no sense to talk about Summer while there is snow right outside my bedroom window...but I'm going to do it anyway.

 

I haven't the slightest clue why, but I have been longing to feel to ocean breeze and watch the ocean rise and fall in it's strangely calming way.

If I thought it wise, I would live near the ocean. Closer than I do now. I would live so close, that I could bike there and back again. Only two things hold me back, the crowds and the danger of hurricanes.

But I love the uncanny calmness of ocean living, right down to the oceanic room decorations and the sand trailing into your beach house.

*sigh* If I could, I would live there.

 

 

Recently, my parents went to Costco and saw kayaks for sale for $300.

I have been painfully, slowly, saving up to buy  one.

I only think I'll have enough to buy one when I graduate and have my graduation party.

Britney bought herself an ipad mini with her graduation money.

I on the other hand, am quite on the downscale of technology. Mostly because I can't stand it. And I would much rather be out kayaking on $300 bucks than lugging around a $300 piece of technology with me at college.

 

 

Wanderings by the forgotten tracks where once a train burdened with carts of coal would travel.

 

 

The other evening we were heading out to eat at 'The Golden Corral' when the phone rang, and dad talked to my grandma for quite some time. So we (Mom, Britney, and I) went out to warm up the van. It's been chilly, so it's always a good idea to warm up the van.

Mom started to joke about how it would be funny if we drove behind the bushes to make it look like we had left and make dad freak out a little.

So I joked that I could back out of the driveway and do it and she told me to go right ahead!

I have driven before, but only in empty parking lots.

And well, I am 16 now....I have to start practicing somehow!

So, yes! I got to back out of our driveway and drive up to the court and back.

Ahh! And I didn't hit anything!

 

 

 

 

"I like fishing. It's like yoga; except, you get to kill something!"

 

Sadly, according to a state law here, I can't fish without a $20 fishing license now that I'm 16.

People will do anything to squeeze money out of you.

And the sad thing is that I only like the feeling of reeling in and out a weight attached to my fishing line. I don't even bother attaching a hook most of the time.

I just like the feeling of fishing, it's relaxing.

 

 

I love daisies, and buttercups.

I love the smell of roses. But I feel like roses are too mainstream.

If and when I get a guy, I truly don't want him to buy me any flowers.

I feel like handpicked flowers hold much more meaning.

 

Spring is just around the corner, and I am so excited!

The closer I get to summer, the closer I am to being done with sophomore year!

School has been boring this year, but I have plans for the summer!

 

 

* Learn how to drive.

* Read 'The Lord of the Rings'

Among a couple other things!

 

Let's go bring back Summer!

 

And I can't wait to figure out what plans God has in store for a career for me. I've had so many interests in my life so far, but lately I've been stuck in a rut with what to major in at college.

 

^" For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

 

Stephanie