the mockingjay lives

I've seen this twice now and I honestly don't think I can write a full review on it. Let me just say I loved, loved, loved it and it was horrible and depressing and amazing. I loved Cinna's design book. I loved how Katniss kept fingering the pearl Peeta gave her. I loved Effie's attempts to glamourize the District 13 clothes. I loved Gale and how he saved as many people from 12 as he could. I loved Prim's courage. I loved Haymitch and how he wore a beanie. I loved Cressida and her bizarre but pretty hairstyle. I loved how we got to see the real Finnick Odair. I loved the song, The Hanging Tree, and how we got to see the rebellion in the other districts too. I loved sitting in the theatre sobbing on my best friend's shoulder because PEETA. I don't think I stopped crying the second time we saw it. I walked out of the theatre wiping my face hoping I still looked presentable. It was so book-accurate and so many of the lines were word perfect.

Go enjoy your day and take Finnick's advice: it's better not to give in to it.....

new year tag...

I already did a new year's post, but I've noticed this new year's tag a few times and thought I'd finally give it a go even though it's terribly long:-)

What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?

Er. Lots. I spent a night in hospital and went to a youth camp and on a trip to Auckland and stuff....

Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make one this year?

If I made any, I've forgotten them now:-D
But I have thought about some goals this year:
~ Work really hard at school, pass my exams including piano.
~ Make new friends and grow closer to old ones
~ Try new things, have adventures, be braver
~ Grow closer to God 
~ Be more patient and think of others first
~ Go ice skating, just because.

Did anyone close to you give birth?

Lots of ladies in my church. My best friend's mum had a baby girl. She's adorable:)

Did anyone close to you die?

No...unless you count Finnick Odair.
Do fictional characters count??

What countries/states did you visit?

hahaha. None. Except NZ and I already live here.

What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?

Maybe a job, my learners licence, more time and motivation to write, more time in general. I want 2015 to go very slowly...:-D More time to pray.

What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory?

Oh goodness. 25th July: friendship anniversary. 3rd Oct: I turned 16. 16th Nov: I professed my faith. 

Did you move anywhere?

Nope!

What was the best month?

October/November.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I finished a book! 

What was your biggest failure?

Ehhh....don't ask. There's not one huge thing but lots of little things I feel I failed in, chances I would like to have again to do something different.

Did you suffer illness or injury?

Yep. Lots of colds/flu and knee surgery.

What was the best thing you bought?

Maybe my Paris tote bag. I don't buy a lot of things...

Whose behaviour merited celebration?

My parents have been awesome, they put up with a lot and they give really good advice. My friends and Bible teachers, people who come to our house group. They're amazing.


Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

Mine. And the human race's in general. :-/

Where did most of your money go?

I went shopping a few times. I don't know, really. Stamps, candy, clothes...

What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Camp. Sleepovers. Birthday celebrations and school this year.

What was the best concert you've been to this year?

Well, my mum and sister and I played in a concert with an official band and we stayed to watch the rest of the programme afterwards. They'r pretty good.

What song/album will always remind you of 2014?

Oh, too many. Les Mis, Let Her Go by Passenger, Brooke Fraser's album Flags, Safe and Sound ( from the Hunger Games credits--Taylor Swift)

Compared to this time last year, are you:
1. happier or sadder? 

   Maybe a little bit of both. I think that because of sadness, my happiness has had to come from inside and be deeper than just on the surface.

2. thinner or fatter?
   
   I don't know, and I'd like to say I don't care, but hopefully thinner. I think I might have got thinner over being in hospital and stuff.

3. richer or poorer?

  About the same. Maybe richer. I've had a few babysitting jobs and things this year, and I'm rich in the things that count.

What do you wish you'd done more of?

   Study. Writing. Drawing. Exercise.

What do you wish you'd done less of?

   Arguing. Staying up late and browsing on Pinterest.

What was your greatest musical discovery?

   Les Miserables. the end.

How did you spend Christmas?

  We went to a service at church, had a barbecue at our friends' place, then went to my oma's in the evening and some aunties and uncles came over too.

How are you spending New Year's?

 Watched the extended version of the Fellowship of the Ring, ate olie bollen, counted down the seconds to the new year and introduced my parents to Studio C.

Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?

  Probably Captain America and my amazing friend Caroline.

What was the best book you read?
  
   Les Mis for theme and The Book Thief for style.

Did you fall in love in 2014?

   Well, that's a little bit intense. Wouldn't you like to know?

    Do fictional characters count? 

    According to Naomi, yes they do, but the list is too long for this post:-P

What was your favourite TV show?

    Err...The Block NZ or Masterchef Australia.

What did you want and get?

   A fat copy of Les Mis. To see Mockingjay. 

What did you want and not get?

  Er, I don't know. A trip to Europe.

What were your favourite films of this year?

 ~Les Mis
~THG
~Frozen
~Courageous
~Eragon
~Star Wars

That is, my favourite movies that I watched this year, not that came out.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Sixteen and had a party with a bunch of friends:)

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?

At home, anything goes. Blues and grays and lace, pink lip gloss....vintage-y and pretty but nothing over the top.

What kept you sane?

The Lord. I mean, there was nothing so terrible that I felt insane, but He certainly kept me calm.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy most?

 I don't know. :-/

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

  I'm happy with the way it was but I would like to have done more writing.

What political issue stirred you the most?

  NZ government voting to legalize gay marriage. I guess. Was that last year?

   
Who did you miss?

   ~Katherine
   ~Caroline
   ~Jessica
   ~various other people who live far from me for some reason...

Who was the best person you met?

   I don't know...

Tell a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.

  Focus on pleasing God first and don't stress about pleasing everyone else. Always be optimistic and find something to laugh at wherever you go. Keep an open mind but be careful of what people try to tell you. 

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

  "The summers die one by one, how soon they fly on and on...."
  ~ Bring Him Home/les miserables

Five personally significant events of 2014:

 Oh dear.
  
  Camp in June, Auckland trip at Easter, surgery in December, pof in November,......that's only four.

Five things I want to do in 2015:

  ~Learn
  ~Grow
  ~Write
  ~Run
  ~Drive

People I'd like to know better in 2015:

My friends, especially the ones who live far away.

   More boring stuff all about me:-) Feel free to do this tag. Hopefully I will be posting a review of Mockingjay part 1 soon, which may be my last post of the summer holidays. We'll see.
Have a blessed New Year!!

Happy 2015!!

I know everyone is saying this, but seriously, WHERE DID YOU GO, 2014!! I miss you! Does every year go faster as you get older? I only just got used to writing 2014. :-)

It's come around super fast and it's going to be one exciting year. I'm going to high school, and I've never set foot in a classroom before. And now I'm going to a school with 1400 students. Yikes. But I want to learn lots and grow in different ways and still make time for my hobbies and most importantly, grow in my relationship with God. He's shown and taught me so much this year and I know this year is going to be just as amazing. One thing I've learned is that people may let you down but God never does. He never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. I've become more aware of His hand in my life and I believe He is testing me by throwing me these changes. And I'm really, really excited. I thought I'd post some photos not just from this year but from past years too. Always good for a laugh;-)

Is that me???

Okay, so I've grown out of dressing up......well, not quite;-)

cutie.

I call this the puffer fish face.

Ems' birthday 2 years ago. What!

Country dance, Feb 2014. Sister and two amazing friends, one of whom is moving overseas.......

Me and my gorgeous girls.

Siblings.

BFF.

BEE. It's an acronym for us.

A bunch of crazy people.

Collages for two books, one finished, the other a work in progress.

cuzzies.

weirdos.

friends.

me.

the two-year-old!! I mean, he was born, like, yesterday.

I did heaps of things last year that I've never done before. I went to a youth camp, I had my hair cut in a concave bob (it's grown out now), I did two exams over four days, had knee surgery, countless sleepovers with that blonde person and my sister (insane things. went to her place, then went out to another friend's party, got back to E's house and watched Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. At eleven o'clock.) Watched fireworks on Ems' birthday, Built a barricade in Bff's rumpus room and slept in it. Went stargazing and camped out, ate way too much candy. actually, I've eaten way too much candy this year. Went to the movies to celebrate the anniversary of our friendship. Turned 16, wrote a book, started two more. Changed my blog look. Discovered Studio C. Professed my faith before our congregation. Discovered and fell in love with Les Miserables and the Hunger Games, (books and movies) and consequently became less afraid of writing sad and scary. Performed at a brass band concert. Came up with silly nicknames for just about everyone I know. Ems is Elimelech. Lukie is Lucas Skywalker. BFF is Miss Flimsy, Captain America, Blondie and who knows what else. Oh yes, and we discovered Star Wars. Learned the art of fangirling and discovered Eragon. Not a lot of really exciting things, but I'm sure more are in the future.

Sorry for subjecting you to all that. ;-) Okay, your turn. Tell me what you guys all got up to last year and what your plans are for this one.