Books to Read

     Happy Thursday! This week is killing me. Thankfully I've done all of my tests and quizzes for the week (finally) but I still have one more day of school! I finished all of my homework for tonight, so it legitimately feels like Friday night. While I'm taking notes tomorrow, I'll be thinking about these books that I'll (hopefully) get to read over spring break!

1. The Book Thief  by Marcus Zusak

2. Looking for Alaska by John Green

3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

4. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

6. Atonement by Ian McEwan

7. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

8. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

9. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

10. On the Road by Jack Kerouac

Carpe Diem,
Brooke

In Spring Break Mode

     Happy Wednesday! So this is the last week before spring break, and I cannot wait for those two weeks when I don't have to worry about school. Unfortunately, all of my teachers decided to pile on the tests this week, which is super annoying because I'm already in spring break mode! I have two more tests this week (both are tomorrow) and I just really don't feel like studying for them. I'm so excited for spring break that I've decided to make a list of all of the things I want to do over my time off from school, so that I don't waste a single day. Here's my list:

1. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

I've always loved St. Patrick's Day -- I love to pretend that I'm more Irish than I really am (I'm maybe 15% at best?) and I've always been obsessed with Ireland and Irish culture. I'll definitely wear green, cook a dinner with corned beef, cabbage, and mashed potatoes, and I might even go to the parade! How will you be celebrating the day of luck?

2. READ

There are so many books I want to read over break. I'll probably make a post on my to-read list...I think there are maybe 30 books on there as of now.

3. Study for the SAT and ACT

This is one of the things that I'm not exactly looking forward to for spring break. Yep, while most of my friends are tanning at the beach on some tropical island, I'll be crying while trying to read this soul-sucker.

4. Study for the APs

This will also be a source of depression during spring break, unfortunately. At least I'm only taking the AP for U.S. History and English, though.

5. Watch "Skins"

So I've only watched the first episode of this show, but I really liked it and I've heard a lot of good things about it, so I'm going to make it my goal to watch the first two seasons (plus it's on hulu for free!).

6. Bake things

I don't know why, but ever since the snow days I've had this urge to bake desserts. It's probably because I like to eat desserts, but I actually enjoy the process of baking something, especially something new. I'll have to try out some new recipes over break!

7. Work Out

 Ugh, this one's going to be so hard for me to motivate myself to do, but I really do need to try to get in shape. I probably won't be doing it on a scenic beach like this girl, nor will I look as good doing it, but hopefully I'll be able to be a bit more active than I have been (which, if my calculations are correct, adds up to 0.0 hours a day).

8. Go Exploring

Ah, the open road. Definitely one of my favorite things. I hope I'll be able to see some of this while exploring with my friend!

Carpe Diem,
Brooke
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Inspirational Women

     Happy Tuesday! Nothing too interesting happened to me today, so I'm going to write a post about the women who are the most inspirational to me. I sincerely wish that I could meet each of these women so that I could tell them how much I look up to them, and how they have influenced me and my outlook on women as a whole.

1. My mother. My mom has to be one of the most inspirational women I know. She works at my school as the director of alumni affairs, and she is an amazing mother. When I see her talking with other people, it's so clear how much everyone loves her. She's hilarious and she has an awesome sense of style, which is why we're friends, too. She's the best.

2. J.K. Rowling.

You all know how much I love Harry Potter, and my love for this woman is the same. She's such an inspiration because she was a waitress living on food stamps, and then she became one of the wealthiest and most successful women in the world! She makes me feel like I am capable of anything.

3. Kate Middleton

 
Kate Middleton is just, like, who I want to be. Honestly, if I could be anyone in the world, it would probably be her. Obviously, she's a princess (I know, she's technically a duchess) and she's married to Prince William and she's going to have his baby (so excited!) and she's absolutely gorgeous, but she's even more inspirational for me because she seems to define grace and elegance.

4. Audrey Hepburn

 Audrey Hepburn was a model, an actress, a fashion icon, and a humanitarian. My favorite of her characters is Holly Golightly from "Breakfast at Tiffany's," probably her most famous role. I love her because of her beauty and elegance, but also because of her work with children in Africa, which shows how beautiful she was as a person.

5. Marilyn Monroe

 Oh, Marilyn. This woman defines "icon." She was so much more than just a model, actress, and sex symbol. She was, in many ways, a feminist, in that she made it okay for women to be more liberated with who they were. She was unlike anything the world had ever seen before, and there will never be someone quite like Marilyn.

6. Dame Maggie Smith

Maggie Smith is so inspirational to me because she is so much more than just a pretty face. Her talent as an actress in unsurpassed, and I will always think of her either as Professor McGonagall  (above) from the Harry Potter movies, or as the Dowager Countess of Grantham from "Downton Abbey," even though I have seen her in other roles. She's quite the bad-ass.

7.  Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston is another one of my favorite inspirational women, again for her acting skills. I watch an episode of "F*R*I*E*N*D*S" almost every day, and I love her as Rachel Greene! She always seems to be so happy and positive, which is truly inspirational.

8. Emma Watson

Emma Watson has been my role model since I saw her in the first Harry Potter as Hermione Granger when I was six years old, and I feel like she and I have a personal connection that other people can't understand. She is the epitome of grace and beauty, and I think that more girls should try to be like her.

9. Jennifer Lawrence

I have the biggest girl crush on Jennifer Lawrence, and I'm definitely not alone! She is so beautiful, so funny, and so talented. She was absolutely amazing in "Silver Linings Playbook," which is why she won the Oscar for the Best Actress in a Leading Role. I hope that one day I can be as confident as she is.

10. Diana, Princess of Wales

I actually cannot tell you how much I love Princess Diana. Out of all of the aforementioned women, Diana is my favorite and the most inspirational for me. I aspire to be her. Everything she was is what I hope to be. No woman has ever exhibited such grace, elegance, and beauty while trying to make the world a better place. Her work in Africa was so groundbreaking because she proved to the world that if she, a princess, could help people, anyone else could too. I wish more than anything that she was still alive today.

Carpe Diem,
Brooke
 
 
 
 
 

Life's Limits

     Happy Monday! Today went a lot better than I expected; I think I did really well on my math test and my physics test, and I also got to spend some time with one of my best friends, who goes to a different school! I'm actually really glad that I got to talk to her today, because she is more of what some would call a "free spirit," which is why I love her so much.
      She and I are so completely opposite in that she is very spontaneous and doesn't see any of "life's limits." I, on the other had, am typically quite boring, I always do what I'm told, and I follow the structured path that has been carved out for me since I was born. The worst part about me? I never do what I want. It's pathetic. I mean, if it's a little thing, like I want to eat a cookie, then yeah, I'm going to eat the cookie (which usually turns into like eight cookies...) but if it's actually a major decision, I'll just do what the grown-ups tell me to. I honestly don't remember, in my entire life, making a decision that was not in some way influenced by my parents, a teacher, or really anyone with any authority. I follow the rules so rigidly that I'm not even living. I hate it, but it's the only way I know how to function.
     My friend helps me live a little bit on the "wild side," if you can call it that. Sometimes, she'll just randomly show up at my house and demands me to go "exploring" with her, which basically means driving so far away that we spend most of the time figuring out how to get back. Today, we went to a place that I'd never been to before, even though it was probably only twenty minutes from my house. She insisted that we go into this sketchy gas station to get a snack, and I was freaking out the whole time (yeah, I'm that sheltered).
     Toward the end of our time together this evening, she told me that we should go somewhere together over spring break, and I said, "Yeah, we should go to like a local lake or something." (thinking that even a few hours at the lake would take some convincing for my mother), and my friend was like, "No, let's go to Canada! Or Mexico!" I totally went along with it, acting all excited about this big trip of ours, the whole time thinking that there was absolutely no possible way that either of my parents would ever let me go anywhere out of a one-hour radius of my house alone with my friend. But then I got to thinking, "What if I did? What if I just packed a suitcase and went away on an adventure with my friend?" Oh how I wish I could do what I want, but I'm afraid I simply don't have the guts. I'm not even scared of getting in trouble with my parents, I think I would be too scared to act like a real adult and step out of my comfort zone for just a few hours. I'm gonna need to work on that.

Carpe Diem,
Brooke

My Favorite Books

     Happy Sunday! I am so dreading this upcoming week: I still seem to be constantly tired, and I have five tests this week (two tomorrow, one on Tuesday, one on Wednesday, and one on Thursday), and this is also the last week before spring break, except I feel like I'm already in spring break mode, so it's even harder for me to find motivation to do anything. A project I'm planning for spring break is reading new books. I never have any time to read books that I want to read because I'm always reading books for school, and I won't have any assigned books for spring break, so I'm really looking forward to just reading for pleasure. I hope I can find some new books to read, although I might have to peek at my old favorites every once in a while, too. These are my all-time favorite books:

1. The Harry Potter Series, by J.K. Rowling

I've already dedicated a whole post to how much I love this series, but I just can't explain how much I love these books. They are my childhood.

2. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

This book took forever for me to read (it's over a thousand pages!) but it was so worth it. I have a theory that every girl is either a Scarlett or a Melanie. As for me, I wish I was more like Melanie, but I'm definitely more of a Scarlett.

3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

This is one of the few books for school that I've actually enjoyed. I somehow feel very similar to Jane Eyre in that we are both truly plain (not ugly, but plain). I love how she is able to have her happy ending with Mr. Rochester, even though she is a penniless orphan who has never known love, and he has more money than God.

4. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

It's been a while since I read this book, but I remember loving it. It describes the stories of Chinese mothers and their daughters, and how they come together through their heritage. I need to read this one again.

5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

This. Book. I fell so in love with this book. As you might have guessed, I titled this blog as "How to Live as a Wallflower" in relation to this book. I certainly consider myself to be a wallflower in many ways. I feel like I have a deep, personal connection with Charlie, Patrick, and Sam, which shows how talented Chbosky is at writing. This is an absolute must-read.

Carpe Diem,
Brooke

Into The Woods!

     Happy Saturday! Last night was my high school's production of Into the Woods, and I have been so proud to be a part of it! Last night was a huge success! Everything (for the most part) went smoothly, and I'm so excited for tonight (our second and final show). I have thoroughly enjoyed being involved in the musical for the third year in a row, but I must admit that I am very much looking forward to being able to go home right after school, instead of getting home at 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 o'clock or later. For the past few weeks, I have been constantly tired, and therefore constantly in a bad mood. Even though I got to sleep in this morning, I am still so tired. It's terrible. Even worse, I pretty much hate every single person in my life right now. Like if someone says anything to me, I get so pissed off at them. I can't wait to return to my happy, bubbly self! I don't think I'll even be going to the cast party tonight because I'm so sleep-deprived and daylight savings time begins tomorrow, so we'll be losing an hour. Unfortunately, I have a ton of tests next week so I need all of the studying time I can get tomorrow. Can it just be spring break already?

Carpe Diem,
Brooke

The Troubles of Being Empathetic

     Happy Friday! I am so glad this week is almost over, and I'm super excited for the musical tonight! Okay so yesterday something extremely sad happened and I didn't mention it in last night's (this morning's?) post because I was so tired. Before school started yesterday, my friend came up to me crying, saying that her friend had committed suicide last night, and although they hadn't kept in touch, they had been really good friends when they were younger, and she couldn't understand why she did it. Her friend, Claire, was apparently cyber-bullied and she was living with a friend at the time of her death. While my friend was telling me about Claire in the bathroom, she was crying uncontrollably, which made me cry. She refused to listen to us about not going to class, because she didn't want to make it a big deal. Seeing her so upset made me so upset because I'm pretty much a freak who gets sad about things that don't even involve me. Death has been a prominent character for most of the story of my life, and each time it comes back, I simply fall apart. I was already an emotional wreck just from being sleep-deprived, and after the news about Claire, I just couldn't hold in my sadness, and I was depressed for the rest of the day.

Claire is the girl playing the guitar. She was so incredibly talented! Claire, I wish I had known you, and I wish that we didn't live in a world where people felt the need to kill themselves. I'm so sorry that people made you do this. Rest in peace, darling.

Carpe Diem,
Brooke