Spring Snow

And no, I don't mean the kind of snow that randomly shows up in the middle of spring (though that's not totally uncommon where I live).
Let's start at the beginning, shall we?
There's not a lot about work that isn't fairly boring.  It's not that I don't like my job, it's just... well, fairly boring.  It's mostly busy work, filing and such.  However, the nice thing about it is that my desk is right by the window, and outside, we are surrounded by flowering trees.  Today there was a bit of a breeze, and it was knocking some of the petals off the buds.  The petals falling past the door looked like snow falling in the sunshine.  It was absolutely beautiful!

Fare thee well, friend!
Mira

The Books I Enjoy

Rereading The Rose Bride, I think I've finally figured out what kinds of books I really enjoy.  I mean, I like all kinds of books, but there are some certain books I read that just make me sigh in contentment every time I read them, and I finally realized why. 
I enjoy the books that take the characters to the very depths of despair, and then pull them out again to the light.  I love stories that make you really feel pain, but then show you that even that passes as well.  In The Rose Bride, SPOILER WARNING!!! the character, Rose, loses everything in her life, except the clothes on her back and a knife in her pocket.  There comes a point in the story where she has the chance to take her own life, but she chooses to move on, because she is promised that there is happiness waiting for her if only she will keep going.  That moment has always given me hope.  No matter what happens, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, even if we can't always see it. 
In the wise words of Samwise Gamgee:

Some people think writers are just daydreamers who never grew up.  The truth is, writers are daydreamers who have grown up, who have seen the pain and the hurt in this world, but have also seen the love and the hope, and they want to share it.

Fare thee well, friend!
Mira

Returning

I owe my visiting teacher a huge plate of cookies.  Like, seriously.  Why?  Because she made arrangements to go to the temple.  It's the first time I've gone in years, and I have been missing out.  Lately my life has been anything but peaceful.  I thought I had recovered from my friend's suicide, but it seems like every day this week I found a new way to regret something about it.  Going to the temple yesterday, I felt peace and joy for the first time in days.  I love the temple so much! 

Fare thee well, friend!
Mira

Back in Uniform

Because of finals and the end of the school year, I haven't been able to go fencing in about six weeks.  I missed my fencing friends!!!  I mean, I see Kay nearly every day, and I see Heather at the library sometimes (she works there), but for everyone else, I rely on fencing for a chance to see them.  It's been a rather lonely couple of weeks.
But no more!  With school out for the summer (no way am I taking spring/summer classes while I'm trying to save for London), my nights are now homework free, which means I can now enjoy fencing as much as I like! 
It feels good to be back in the uniform, even if everyone kicked my trash last night because I'd been gone so long. ;)  On the plus side, I nearly beat our resident leftie, which is next to impossible to do (seriously, lefties are so hard to fence!)!

Fare thee well, friend!
Mira

The Rose Bride

Guess what, guys?  FINALS ARE OVER!!!  I'm done!  I can go skipping through fields of flowers without worrying that I'll miss a class!  Wow, I have a really weird mind...
In any case, now that finals are over, Kay, Mia and I decided to celebrate by getting books (even though Mia isn't in college yet)!  Well, actually, I wasn't planning on buying, since I'm trying to save money, but I thought there wouldn't be much harm in dropping by Barnes and Noble anyway.
 I know.  What was I thinking?
I was doing really well, actually, but then something familiar caught my eye.  There was a book I found in my Jr. High library that I just fell in love with, but I haven't been able to read it since.  It's called The Rose Bride.  There was a single copy on the edge of the bookshelf.  I glanced longingly at it, but I was strong!
That is, until I read the price and realized it was ten dollars cheaper than I was expecting.  I had to buy it!  And then it was just fate when Kay decided to take the opportunity before checking out to pay back a couple dollars she owed me.
So now The Rose Bride is sitting next to me, and I am satisfied.  If you ever get the chance to read it, I highly recommend it.  This is an absolutely beautiful book!

Fare thee well, friend!
Mira

Merlin's Tempest

So, I have always loved Shakespeare's The Tempest, mostly because I was named after Miranda, the heroine.  I am very heavily biased.  I think it was the first Shakespeare play I ever read.  Unfortunately, I have never been able to see it performed.  Apparently, the only version easily available to me involves the fairy, Ariel, being played nude.  So stupid.  And it's not all that popular where I live, so I've never had the opportunity to see the play performed.
And for those of you who have been reading this blog for a while, you know I kind of have an obsession with BBC's Merlin.  What can I say?  It's a brilliant show!  Merlin is a very relatable character.  What do these have in common?
Colin Morgan, the actor who plays Merlin, is currently playing Ariel, in The Tempest, in the recreation of Shakespeare's Globe... and I can't see it because I'm halfway across the world!
WHYYYYY????
Oh well.  Apparently they'll have a DVD of it at some point.  If anyone has information on where to get this, I would appreciate it!

Fare thee well, friend!
Mira

Dodgeball

I don't necessarily have a problem with dodgeball.  In fact, I will usually play it when suggested.  However, it's not my favorite game.  Why?  Because I happen to be one of the unathletic people who spend the majority of the game up against a wall, waiting for someone to catch a ball to let me back in.  I'm just not good at dodging.
But last night, the rules changed.
Someone suggested dodgeball for fhe, but it was a new form.  It was more of a mash-up of dodgeball and capture-the-flag.  The best part?  They set up tables as shields.  I could now enjoy being in the fore-front of the game without all that much risk of being the first to go out.
Your legs do get a bit sore after ducking so much, though. ;)

Fare tee well, friend!
Mira