30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 2

Happy Friday my friends,

Well it's another day of the Writing Challenge. Today's prompt is: "Write something that someone told you about yourself that you never forgot." Well this may seem superficial, but the answer revolves around me hair, yes me hair.

First let me tell you the tale about my hair. It's frizzy, wild, and destined to swallow a city. My hair has frequently been used when asking strangers if they've seen  me. I think when I was in my teens and college I wasn't crazy about the frizzy mess, I liked the color just not the mess. I mean I wished many times it was more straight, or had cute curls, both I could have achieved maybe with a styling tool, but apparently my hair won't stay styled long. I even tried to use a defrizzing product, it didn't go well. So yes I probably added it to the list of things I wanted to change about myself. I actually think it maybe  reflecting the crap going on inside my head the illnesses and all the thoughts running around up there.

With all that in mind I can move forward to the day my mind got changed about my locks. I think I was in college when the Captain still lived in Asheville and she decided to take my sister and me to this New Age type store she'd gone into. The woman at the counter, probably the owner, looked at my hair and said something along the lines of how she loved how wild and free my hair was. I'd never saw my hair in that way before, and since then because of those words I've come to love a part of me better.

Actually here recently Jewel shared an old video where she does a "Hair Brain Monologue" during a live tapping for her first CD, it kinda fits with this whole idea I guess.
I hope you always know your beautiful friends, and may God always bless you!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer and Vampire >vv< Kitty

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 1

Hello My Friends,

Welcome to the start of the 30 Day Writing Challenge! As I mentioned yesterday I'm gonna be doings this challenge I found on Pinterest, shared by 3 a.m. Sunshine.

So Day One's prompt for this  30 Day Writing Challenge is: "List 10 Things that make you really happy."

1. God/Jesus- God brought me into this world, decided the world needed a me. His Son willing sacrificed Himself to save us, to give us hope and joy, and peace. I'm not going to lie I don't always feel joy and happiness as I should when it comes to these two, but that maybe due to the emotional scars I suffered from my early anxiety battles as a child . All that aside they belong at the top of this list, cause they are the source of a lasting joy and when you think about all the reason for the existence of the other happy inducing things on this list.

2. Family/Friends- I put these two together because I have friends who are very much part of my family. This includes the pets as well. My peeps have brought me joy in life, and sorrow and anger, but that's true of many things in life, and not the point of this post.

3. Sunny Days- I love beautiful sunny days when the sky is brilliant blue, hence why sky blue is my favorite shade a blue.

4. Night Skies- I love a night with brilliant stars, a lovely moon, and maybe a meteor shower. I also love nights when Orion is hanging out. Sadly the most beautiful night skies occur in the winter, and I don't fancy frostbite.

5. Bubbles- Yes I said bubbles. If I feel down I can grab a bottle or whatever start blowing bubbles and it lifts my soul. Paired with the a fore mentioned Sunny Day, it's a winning combo.

6. Car Rides- Sometimes I just enjoy a good ride, maybe with some music on, and good company.

7. Music- Nothing can lift your mood than jamming out to a good song, preferably a happy song. My taste is broad Country, Christian, Pop, Rock, you get the picture.

8. Doctor Who- I love this show! Yes the feels kill you, but I love it. I see a Tardis or something related to the show when I'm out it's like I'm an excited Pinkie Pie (for you uninitiated that's a My Little Pony Character).

9. Chocolate?- I do love chocolate. What I'm running out of ideas on what's making me happy.
 
10. A Good Book Ending?- I'm really stretching.

Well that kinda proved to be a little tough.  May it's because of my ever changing mind  plus depression/anxiety, I guess it makes it hard in some cases hard to decide on what makes me happy. Or may maybe it's cause I never really thought about it before? Whelp I did the best I could. :P Have a good March my friends and may God bless you.

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer and  Vampire >vv< Kitty

A 30 Day Writing Challenge

Hello my Friends,

This is actually an unplanned post. I've decided to do this 30 Day Writing Challenge I found on Pinterest that got shared from 3 a.m. Sunshine blog, the blog's apparently not in use anymore, but I'll give credit to it anyway for at least being where it was saved from. So I'm gonna do a post for each day, on top of my regular posting, I wanted to actually do this I think in December, but as many things that come my way it slipped my mind. Thankfully Boho Berry's Challenge reminded me of it.

I think it'll be a nice little fun challenge to partake in. So check back tomorrow for the first post of the challenge. Have a great day my friends and may God bless you!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer and Mousey~C>

Musical Moment- Taylor Swift's Red

Welcome to another Monday my friends,

This week we dive into Taylor's last country album, well for now maybe cause we don't know where her musical journey will take her, Red some of my most favorite Taylor tunes come from this album. So let's trudge on:

Artist: Taylor Swift
Album: Red
Released: 2012



Cover:  Taylor is sporting some red lipstick. The use a bold kind of type for it all including for the first time Taylor's name, which is in white. Red is in all caps and well red.

Booklet: There's a Prologue once more that talks the album theme and Red. The lettering is in red save the word red, which is grey. Prologue and a quote from Taylor's State of Grace song, plus her signature. All the song titles are in white, for some reason certain words are underlined. It's almost like another hidden code, but I don't think it is. The lyrics, with the hidden code, are in red, with people who worked on the song in grey, and when red comes up in the son it's written in grey. The photos are made to look vintage, Taylor reminds me of some past movie star in some of them.   The last page has her in the outdoors, sun shining down. White top with black accents, black shorts holding her shades she was rocking in other pics and some teal nail polish.

Back Cover:  Inside back cover has Taylor in a field with a yellow dress and sunglasses on waving. There are vertical white and see through strips With the simple words "Thank You." beside the artist.  Outside back cover has Taylor in the yellow dress. The background is grey the record label emblem is an off white The title is in red like the cover and rest of the writing is in white.

The Disk: White background the red vertical strips, Taylor's name and album title are also in red, the rest of the words and label emblem in grey.

The Music:

State of Grace- Another solo Swift written song, about the game of love. I don't know if it's the vintage theme pics I've been looking at or what, but the music sounds like something from the past, not sure 100 percent what decade, but that is the vibe I get.

Red- Taylor solo writes a song about a love she can only describe in the color red. you know there is something to be said about associating things with colors. There's certain songs that I associate with colors even if colors don't come up anywhere. JK Rowling even did a write up on Pottermore on the subject of color associations. This is another one of those songs just would feel right playing through you car speakers, maybe it's the mentioning of a car?

Treacherous- Written by Swift and Don Wilson of the that person you should walk away from, but your gonna fall and get sucked in anyway, or for a more geeky look at it, it's like me and the show Doctor Who. One episode and I was in the Time Warp Rabbit Hole.

I Knew You Were Trouble- The song of a woman who despite knowing a guy is trouble, she falls and becomes another of his conquers. This was written by the trio of Swift, Max Martin, and Shellback. There sound like a hammer on rocks in certain parts of the song, or something mechanical. I remember this video had Taylor in a desert with I think her hair cut short for the first time. I don't know if it's just me but it's like Treacherous and  I Knew You were trouble almost could be companion songs.

All Too Well- Written by the famous writing pairing of Swift and Liz Rose about remembering the bittersweet memories of a broken love.

22- Swift, Max Martin, and Shellback pen one of my top Taylor songs.We have a group of peeps heading out into the night and "feeling 22".  I just jam to this song when ever I hear it.  My favorite line is where she's talking about instead of sleeping they'll be dreaming. To me this is talking about being a wide eyed dreamer again, something I think we all need to tap back into once in a while or else were just brain dead zombies trying to get through life. Actually, one of my favorite scenes in the video happens when this line is sung. Taylor is sitting on a rock by the beach singing, and looking like she's lost in a daydream.

I Almost Do- Taylor writes about a person wondering what their ex is doing, and trying so hard not to get in contact with them cause they don't wanna take the chance of another heartache.

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together- the a fore mentioned trio is writing of an off and on again relationship and how the chick is saying this break up is the final one. I remember there were two videos to this song, the lyric video then the official music video that came later. I remember on CMT's making of special that her band thought they'd be in normal costumes for once, then she put them in animal outfits. I'm also amazed that this is a one continuous shot video, and we're talking complicated scenes and costume changes included! Anyone else join in on the weeeees?

Stay, Stay, Stay,- Another solo wrote song. We have a cute little bubbly number about why this person wants the person's their with to stay with them. My  favorite part of this song is after a fight where she's thrown something at him, she decides to talk it out rationally which he only agrees to with the protection of a football helmet.

The Last Time- This song features Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol who wrote this along with Swift and Jacknife Lee. It's almost like a darker toned We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together except they do apparently get back together, but this will be The Last Time it happens.

Holy Ground- Taylor writes about a woman remembering a past romance and the places they stood being Holy Ground, and going to dance, but not without him, but I guess doing it anyway and just pretending he's there... That's best description I got.

Sad Beautiful Tragic- Solo written tale of another love story turned into a tragic ending.

The Lucky One- I think Taylor may have wrote this based off a real life celebrity. It's about someone being lucky and becoming famous, then the hardship of such a life, and with luck once more got out of the biz intact.

Everything Has Changed- Ed Sheeran joins Taylor in the singing and writing of this tune, actually doesn't he sing a song with her on the Reputation album? It's about those moments that suddenly change you life in this case the meeting of a person.

Starlight- The final two songs of this album are solo written by Taylor and this song like 22 is one of my top favorite Taylor tunes. In my head I have an entire performance worked out for this, hey when I imagine I imagine big. I also can't help think of that Doctor Who episode back in David Tennant's era when he runs into space ship version of the Titanic (sorry have got Doctor Who on the brain lately).

Begin Again- A song about a woman beginning again with a new relationship, and apparently a better one than her last one. I also feel it's like the song title is telling you to begin the album again.

And so we close the door upon this country chapter of Taylor's career. As usual if you got any thought or memories surrounding this album leave a comment. Next week will be the final installment of this Taylor journey since that's the last album I have at the moment.

I hope and pray your week is good, always keep a good song in your ear, and may God bless you!
Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

Musical Moment : Taylor Swift's Speak Now

 Hello my Friends,

It's Monday again so we're gonna jump back into the tunes with another trip down Taylor Swift memory lane. I should say given that Taylor and some artist love putting out deluxe or special editions of their albums, that none of the ones I talk about on here are, just a heads up.

Artist: Taylor Swift
Album: Speak Now
Released: 2010

Cover:  We have Taylor in a purple gown looking like she's in the midst of a twirl. Some of the dress looks like it has been painted. To add to the painted effect there's purple and white paint splatters. The album title is white, her name is in a shiny gold, both I'm pretty sure are in her hand, and the letters are raised (I know there's a proper term for that, but I can't recall it to save my life).

Booklet: There appears to be a theme with this booklet: paintings. They give a feel of golden framed paintings in a gallery. There is a prologue in this booklet talking about the title and album, similar to what she did in Fearless. There's looks like strokes of paint above it with the word "Prologue" written in white the rest of the words and Taylor's signature, is in black. The song titles are in in different fonts and colors appropriate to each song, some of the pictures also have lines of song, with them, and the lyrics, in various colors, has her hidden code. There's a simple one lined thank yous in white at the end. The back cover of the booklet has Taylor in a white shirt, but the bed she's sitting on and the background appear to be painted. There's of course the golden frame. The websites and Big Machine Records™  logo in white. Like the last post I'll mention individual pics with their corresponding song in the music section.

Back Cover:  Inside is a painting/photo of  the fisted hands of Taylor and her band members forming a circle each wrist has a letter that makes up the title Speak Now.  I'm pretty sure it's her band cause they've been used for the other photos and one guy had thr same "O" on his wrist in another photo. Taylor I'm almost certain is the "W" cause it also has her lucky number 13 written on the wrist. Taylor in in a yellow dress black heels. It all puts be in the mind of that famous Marilyn Monroe grate scene. The dress is painted like the cover song in for is in purple possibly in Taylor's handwriting. Producers are written in white, while the rest of the words and record company's emblem is in black.

The Disk: The picture a black/white/grey tone version of the inside back cover picture. All the writing and trademark emblems in gray. Taylor's signature in black.

The Music:

Mine- All music on this album is written solely by Swift figure I'll get that out of the way. We have a woman who is iffy on love because her Dad left, yet finds a love whose not gonna leave. I first heard this song when I think it was CMT did the premiere of the video which included the making of. I actually probably grinned every time I saw the "they first meet" scene cause of what went on during the filming. The booklet pic for the song is  a painting/photo of Taylor in a beige top and a light blue gold trimmed skirt sitting on a rock looking out on the water.

Sparks Fly- A song about when a love has those sparks flying. Did she have a video for this song? I keep wanting to say it was a tour video, or maybe I'm confusing it with Fearless.

Back to December- The tones of a woman regretting a relationship she ended. I seem to remember her CMA performance of this song where she had an orchestra and was playing the piano and at some point snow, rose petals, or something fell from the ceiling. I sadly can't recall much of the video. The pic for this is a straight haired Taylor in a white top or dress.
Speak Now- A song that lets us image if someone actually spoke up when the preacher asks if there's any objections? This song has one of the most funniest pictures in the booklet. Her band mates are in it some playing wedding guests, one is the preacher, one's the freaked out groom, and I don't know if the bride is one of her band mates, but she is hilariously in bridezilla mode. Then there's Taylor in a pink dress with blue belt standing in the aisle reaching out to the groom, I'm assuming she's just spoken up after the preacher asked if their was any objections.

Dear John- A woman who realizes the kind of man she was really dating. I guess this is a Dear John letter if you will.

Mean- We have Taylor giving her mind to those who've ever been mean to her. The photo to this has Taylor as that damsel in distress tied up on the railroad tracks and I think it's one of her band mates as a the villain in a handle bar mustache.They actually do a scene like this for the video, don't know if it's the same guy though. I loved this song's video, which I also saw the CMT making to. It had various people being picked on for everything for the kind of jobs they were working, what they were into, or what they wore, but eventually each person finds a way to overcome the ridicule and being victorious in life, or are set on the path. Taylor and her band are putting on a show where they start of as country bumpkins in a tumble weed land home then ending up in the big city with new spiffy duds. Taylor has this silver dress of fringe on which I love the effect that happens when she spins in it.

The Story of Us- Tis the tale of how the story of a relationship is ending on a sad note. The photo for this song has Taylor in white, with a silver heart locket, her band is either in dark clothing, or in shadow, happily carrying on conversations leaving her alone.

Never Grow Up- We have a parent wishing their child wouldn't grow up and then a girl wishing she wouldn't grow up then as an adult wishing she hadn't grown up.

Enchanted- It's the song that inspired two of Taylor's frangrences: Wonderstruck and Wonderstruck Enchanted, actually if your wondering why the song seems familiar it's cause it was used in the commercial for the perfume.  Beautiful song, like some fairy tale to music I guess you can say, except we don't know if there's a happy ending yet. The photo to this song is Taylor in a beige gown a against what looks like the painting of some plantation.

Better Than Revenge- A revenge song against a girl who stole a dude from her apparently. I can't help but just jam out to this song even if it's a person bashing song. Is it sad I actually have my own moves to this song?

Innocent- She writes of someone who longs for the fresh start, simple days of youth and tells them that no matter what has happened, to her "they're still an innocent".

Haunted- An apparently fragile love has turned cold though the singer wished it hadn't. The music for this I feel really fits the song title, kinda haunting. The image we have to this song is Swift in a grey gown going through a lantern lit forest. I get a lady in grey ghost story feel from this image.

Last Kiss- She sings of a person reminiscing over the memories of a past love. I assume it's a recent split the singer is still trying to get over.

Long Live- A song about taking in the moment when you came out on top against all odds. I like to think this song is companion song to the Fearless album's Change this being the second part to it. This photo to this song features Taylor and her band looking back at the camera with a huge auditorium before them, like saying "see we've conquered".

So I guess I've spoken all I can about Speak Now. Do you have a favorite off the album or a special memory pertaining to it? I hope you have a good week my friends and keep the music going. May God Bless You!
Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

Artsy Fartsy: Fabric Taco Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day my friends, or Galentine's Day if you prefer to observe that,

I know is not a favorite day for many of you, as a fellow single gal I totally get it, but each year I like to take this time to shower some love on my family and friends. This year along with some cute little Dollar Tree® plushies, and a little homemade card, I put together a Fabric Valentine Taco! Why the crap would I make tacos? Well to be honest there were suppose to be fabric fortune cookies, but I got so far and saw that wasn't happening. I was inspired by this Chica Circle tutorial that Craftgawker shared on their Facebook. But I wanted to make big ones and felt the paper would be easily messed up so I opted to make fabric ones, but it started reminding me of a taco so I decided of it's a taco.
So it today's Artsy Fartsy Segment, which if you recall is where I do crappy craft tutorials, I shall show you how to make your own Fabric Taco Valentine:

First cut out a circle of fabric, I leave the size to whatever you need. My fabric of choice for this project was a Waverly® Inspiration Fat Quarter from Wal-Mart. I think the color is Lacquer.

Next fold it up, and stitch it together along the top leaving the sides open. And there's your fabric taco valentine.

If you want to add a personalized touch to them before you stitch it together you can stitch the recipients name into the side.

Finally we have the fun of filling it, my ingredient filings of choice were some Palmer® Fudge Hearts and some heart table scatter and a boxes of stickers I purchased from Dollar Tree®. My family really thought they were cute, so that's all that matters.

I also should note not sponsored by any of the above, just happens to be the places I got my stuff.

So you guys make anything cool for Valentine's, or Galentine's, day? Let me know in the comments. I hope you all have a good day, remember to spread the love always, especially in the times we find ourselves in, and may God Bless You!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

Musical Moments: Taylor Swift's Fearless

Happy Monday my friends,
Yeah I know for most of you that's impossible. But look at this way the good Lord has given you another day so say Amen! Well today with our Musical Moment we are still on the Taylor Train with her second album Fearless. So let's get the tunes rocking.

Artist: Taylor Swift
Album: Fearless
Released: 2008

Cover:  All I can say is white and gold. We've got a white background and Taylor in white with her hair just everywhere. The Album title Fearless is in a bold white font under Taylor's signature that's done in a shiny bronze color.

Booklet: There's not really a theme to the photos some look as they are taken straight from her photo albums, some are more artsy, since some go with particular songs I think cover it in the music section. I will say my favorite photo is on the back of booklet where Taylor seems to be channeling a bohemian hippie vibe with her outfit. She's out on a sunny day in a field with a picnic basket and a fancy tea set sitting on a blanket and pillows picnicking with bubbles floating in the air. The websites are in that white "written script" and Big Machine Records™   has a metal grate look with a red car and flames.
There's various fonts for song titles, sometimes the pics are accompanied by a line of lyric. Of course the hidden messages in her lyrics is also there so look for that. Before the Thank Yous she takes time to discuss why they chose Fearless as the album title and every time the title is mentions she has it in bold and in color to set it off from the white text.

Back Cover:  Inside is a golden pic of her hands heart surrounded by whiteish imprints of swirls and swirly leaves. The back has a close up of Taylor with her signature and album title the same as the front cover with less shine. The song titles are in a type of brown. Then in a lighter bronze with lovely cursive is the words "Enhanced Content". The music video titles are in that brown song title color. The websites are in the light bronze.

The Disk: We have the hands heart in beige along with the imprint pattern from the inside back cover, actually it's the same picture. It's encircle with black, the words on the edge in either beige or brown. All the text in the circle is in black save the websites in brown. we have Taylor's John Hancock and and Fearless in the same font as it's been used else where.

The Music:

Fearless- Here we have the title track written by Swift, Liz Rose, and Hillary Lindsey. The photo fits the song perfectly Taylor in a shy blue gown dancing in the rain by the glow of headlights. I remember the video to this being taken from the Fearless Tour. The image conjured in this song of a woman throwing caution to the wind going out in a gown dancing in the rain is one that I guess I associate with a person who is free, bold, daring, if you will... fearless.

Fifteen- Another one solely written by Taylor, as it the next two, about life and the trials of love at fifteen. The booklet's photo for this song has a nicely framed pic of Taylor and her friend Abigail, who's also mentioned in the song, in Santa hats dated 2005. I wonder how she felt about being in her friend's song, obviously pretty chill about it if she appeared in the song's video.

Love Story- This is such a beautiful song complete with references to Romeo and Juliet, except this story ends with less tragedy. I think there's even a nod to The Scarlet Letter. The photo to this song is one of her from the Love Story video, with the white gown and castle like setting. Now the video is it a remembering a past life thing or romantic fantasy in ones head, that's what I'm wondering.

Hey Stephen- If memory serves she wrote this song for a guy she was crushing on that was in a band she was touring with. Wow, talk about... fearless. The image they have for this song looks like Taylor in her room writing in her diary.

White Horse- Swift and Rose ride again in the writing. Basically a tale of how this guy and hers relationship is not what you'd find in the fairy tales and movies.  I don't have much to say about this one, pretty straight forward.

You Belong With Me- Yeah don't really need to repeat the writing duo's names do I. We find a girl watching her friend dealing with an evil cheerleader girlfriend, and hoping he realizes they are better suited for each other. Taylor does double role in this song's photo being evil head cheerleader and the band geek sitting on the bleachers, which she also does in the video. I like her and the guy next door communicate with giant sketch pads. Like two cans and a string. I think on the making of video, on CMT maybe, the signed t shirt she's wearing is someones actual band tee. Yeah in high school I was the girl seating in the bleachers, except I was friends with some of the cheerleaders. I also wasn't in band, but my best friend, though I generally didn't sit in their section at game time I did one time to hold her music or turn the pages for her.

Breathe- It says Colbie Caillat helped Taylor write this, as in the singer? It kind puts me in the mind of Caillat's style, granted it's been forever since I listened to her, so don't quote me. Basically we have someone having to carry on after a relationship ends no matter how much it hurts. The image for this one is Taylor in a gown underwater.

Tell Me Why- While this is a rather upbeat song, Swift and Rose have written about a relationship scenario that's anything but. We have someone who loves this man like a fish needs water, but he's destroying her bit by bit. Sad thing is I've had people I know in similar situations.

You're Not Sorry- Swift gives us the bleak tale of a woman who's fed up with her man's antics. The picture for this is of Taylor, looking at her wits end, sitting on a bathroom floor with the words "I'm sorry" scribbled all over the tub and wall. When I see this picture I see myself. At least when I'm having a bad anxiety/depression episode.

The Way I Loved You- Taylor and John Rich gives us a song about a girl that despite having a guy that sounds amazing, isn't happy cause it's not the whirlwind the last guy was. I mean I get someone wanting a passionate love that sends fire through you, but personally I'll take a nice decent guy over someone I'm gonna be getting it a yelling match with.

Forever & Always- Swift pens the final three songs solo beginning with this one of a girl recalling when she fell in love with her guy and what's happening to this relationship, if it's coming to an end. The picture for this song id Taylor peeking through her hands heart.

The Best Day- Taylor recounts special memories from her life especially with her Mom. The pic used for this song is of her Mom and a ittle Taylor.

Change- This a song for all those who've been beaten down, but never given up. How we'll fight will eventually victory will be ours. Dang I'm getting chills just writing that. Why am I including myself, believe me I've been knock down plenty, yet deep, deep, deep, deep, deep down there's apparently something inside of me that believes I could be victorious, I have no clue where, what, how but the belief's there.

Extra Bits: Like the first CD some videos are included for you to view on the computer. The screen's theme is romantic. The frame around the screen, and video box, Taylor's signature, and the words are in beige.  The time indicator for the video screen is a cute tiny  flower that is of course beige. The title list is a beautiful cursive font, the tiny white EXIT in the corner looks like some old font. You have Taylor in her Love Story gown at that castle like location from the video. The videos available for you to watch is of course Love Story and the second one is one she made for Change. I don't think the Change video was released on any video channel, it has Taylor decked on in her cowboy boots rocking out with her band.

A second treat we got with the CD was a poster of Taylor in that Love Story gown standing if front of what looks like a mosaic version of the Love Story castle set. Well truth is that background is actually made up of hundreds of tiny pictures of Taylor's fans. I remember when they asked for fans pics I was considering sending one in, but didn't. The bottom of the poster all the words are in white We have Taylor's signature and the website thetaylornation.com which I think will just take you to her main site, it use to take you to a page that allowed you view the pictures from the poster up close.

Do you guys have any memories, thought, favorites with this album? As usual if you do leave it in le comments. I hope you have a good week my friends, live life to the fullest, and may God Bless You!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer  and Mousey~C>