"Just come down!"
I heard his voice through the balcony window; it somehow managed to seep through my blasting earbuds while I lay on the couch trying to forget him. Not even the loudest volume and the most unnerving song could block him out. It was my heart's fault, I reasoned--you could deafen your ears, but the heart was ever listening, even when you begged it not to. Even when you'd had a bad day and wanted to forget about him, just for today, just long enough to get a nap and relax.
"Just go away," I mumbled, knowing very well that he could not hear me. I grabbed one of the couch cushions and pressed it over my head, blocking out all the light. If my human ears couldn't hear, and my eyes couldn't see, maybe I'd be able to blind my heart too--just for a little bit.
It was too late, though. My mind was aware of his presence just out the balcony, and it teamed up with my heart to worsen my nightmare. Why did he have to choose the balcony to apologize? It was so cheesy, so cliche, so...
So sweet.
I felt like someone in a fairy tale now. My imagination wandered far away, and I was in a castle with a prince out my window. What would a princess do in this position? A hundred years ago they'd probably go to the balcony. What would Kate Middleton do today?
"Please?"
I wasn't sure if he really spoke this time, or if it was just my heart begging me to give in and let it live this fairy tale. How many girls actually got to make this decision? How many girls could climb into a storybook for just a moment?
I pressed the pillow harder over my face; now I could barely breathe, but I would not give in. My heart knew Kyle wasn't gone yet. My heart and Kyle both kept asking, "Please?" My brain wasn't helping much, either. It kept reasoning that I was about to miss my only chance, and reason rubbed salt into the injury. I was about to lose the battle with my own will.
I tossed the pillow across the room and plucked out my earbuds, feeling disconcerted. He could have tried the doorbell. Why did he have to use the balcony? How did he know I was right there with the window open?
"Rachel!" he called again, this time in a voice heavy with misery. "People are starting to stare."
He'd probably caught the attention of the neighbors now, too. I couldn't fend off a smile. What kind of a fairy tale was this? A prince didn't typically disturb the neighbors--though this was anything but typical.
"I'll go in a minute," he called, this time to someone else who'd shouted angrily out their window.
Enough was enough. I got off the couch and sighed, trying to think of what to say after putting him through such humiliation. His persistence made me think that chivalry wasn't yet dead, and I was one of the lucky girls to catch a modern-day prince. My heart and brain agreed that it was stupid to send him off.
I opened the door and stepped onto the balcony; our eyes locked immediately, and though Kyle didn't say anything, I knew he was sorry. In his hand was a tiny wrapped present. After this, he probably wasn't going to forget my birthday ever again.
I leaned down slightly, waiting for the neighbors above to close their windows. When they finally did, I smiled and said quietly, "You forgot to throw the pebbles."
Kyle looked puzzled for a moment, then hesitated and motioned to the present. "I'm sorry. Can I come in?"
I glanced out over the city, for a moment taking in the beautiful sunset and picturing it as an illustration in a modern-day book of fairy tales. Then I looked down at him and smiled. "Yeah. Give me a moment."
Making a dash inside the house, I paused halfway to the stairs and grinned stupidly. Then I gathered myself and went to meet my prince and give him the hug he deserved. Actually, I danced down the stairs with a flourish...
Like a princess.
Writing ♥ GOD ♥ Photography ♥ Escapism Blog
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
I'm now managing two blogs.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Friendship with Jesus will also lead you to bear witness to the faith wherever you are, even when it meets with rejection or indifference. We cannot encounter Christ and not want to make him known to others. So do not keep Christ to yourselves! Share with others the joy of your faith. The world needs the witness of your faith, it surely needs God. I think that the presence here of so many young people, coming from all over the world, is a wonderful proof of the fruitfulness of Christ's command to the Church: "Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation" (Mk 16:15). You too have been given the extraordinary task of being disciples and missionaries of Christ in other lands and countries filled with young people who are looking for something greater and, because their heart tells them that more authentic values do exist, they do not let themselves be seduced by the empty promises of a lifestyle which has no room for God.
Pope Benedict XVI, WYD 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Updates and New Blogs!
Hey, guys. So. Quick update here.
Hopefully, my Catholic blog will go well this time; I'm looking for friends who could help me with it. That way the whole burden won't be on me. But this is extremely important; it could change the world.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
The Underscore Level: To anyone who needs it
Dear you,
If you have ever felt alone, if you have ever wanted to give up, I am writing this for you. I don’t know what compelled me to sit down and begin this message, but I hope whoever it can find something in it.
If you have ever thought of leaving this world, if you’ve ever wanted to take your own life, it’s probably because you think no one cares. Some people don’t understand that loneliness is a temporary thing. It may last for weeks, months, even years, but it does go away. You just have to find the right people.
I know that is so much harder than it sounds, believe me. I’m probably not even in the position to be dishing out such advice, but I know for a fact that I have felt lonely before and I know that so many others have felt and do feel much worse and want to end their lives because of it, or maybe you just seek out attention through drugs, or drinking or sex with meaningless people.
You think no one cares. What if I told you that I care? What if I said that I wish I could have met you before this happened, so you wouldn’t have ever had to feel lonely or sad?
If you’re thinking of giving up, don’t. There are people out there who care. Your life matters, and you are worth so much more than any negativity that surrounds you, even if negativity is all you have right now.
Fight to move on. Fight to move forward. Fight for positivity and most of all, fight for the person on the other side of the computer that’s writing this. We will never meet, we will probably never even exchange words in conversation, but I do care and I hope that you can find some happiness in this.
Love,
Me
If you have ever felt alone, if you have ever wanted to give up, I am writing this for you. I don’t know what compelled me to sit down and begin this message, but I hope whoever it can find something in it.
If you have ever thought of leaving this world, if you’ve ever wanted to take your own life, it’s probably because you think no one cares. Some people don’t understand that loneliness is a temporary thing. It may last for weeks, months, even years, but it does go away. You just have to find the right people.
I know that is so much harder than it sounds, believe me. I’m probably not even in the position to be dishing out such advice, but I know for a fact that I have felt lonely before and I know that so many others have felt and do feel much worse and want to end their lives because of it, or maybe you just seek out attention through drugs, or drinking or sex with meaningless people.
You think no one cares. What if I told you that I care? What if I said that I wish I could have met you before this happened, so you wouldn’t have ever had to feel lonely or sad?
If you’re thinking of giving up, don’t. There are people out there who care. Your life matters, and you are worth so much more than any negativity that surrounds you, even if negativity is all you have right now.
Fight to move on. Fight to move forward. Fight for positivity and most of all, fight for the person on the other side of the computer that’s writing this. We will never meet, we will probably never even exchange words in conversation, but I do care and I hope that you can find some happiness in this.
Love,
Me
Please reblog if you want to spread the word about people caring. Let this reach more than just my 20 some followers. Together we can help the world feel a little less lonely, one tumblr at a time.

Sunday, July 24, 2011
The Katy Perry California Dreams Adventure!
Aside from that, I wore some nice ballet flats that I thought would look good with my sequined shirt, but I forgot that for something like a concert ballet flats are not the most comfortable kind of shoes to wear. Next time Katy Perry comes I think I could get away with wearing fluffy bunny slippers! ♥ It would fit the theme and I think that if I dress up in my pajamas I might be able to make the Meet-and-Greet. I will start shopping for the perfect bunny slippers now.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Reading Soon: ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins
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| ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins |
As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?
Friday, July 15, 2011
Colder Weather LIVE from Red Rocks
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh5Lt1ccdjA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Sent from my iPhone
Reading Soon: SHINE by Lauren Myracle
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| SHINE by Lauren Myracle |
Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.
Pitch for BEAUTIFUL DANCING (Yes, I finally have one!!)
Pauline Hemingway is a ballerina. She's spent all her childhood trying to express herself with grace, in a stuffy Alabama mansion where things are always so quiet. For most of her life there hasn't been much noise except her music and the fights between her parents--shouting she never listened to, whispers she couldn't be bothered with.
Then one day, sixteen-year-old Pauly is injured at dance class, leaving her no choice but to come home early. She finds herself walking in on a dark secret that will slam the doors shut on her dreams.
Rumors fly. Pauly is pulled out of school and her dance class for two years, wanting nothing more but to escape. On the night of her eighteenth birthday, she does just that.
The music has long since fallen silent in the halls of her house, leaving nothing but her parents' fighting to fill in the silence. With a soul thirsting for art and beauty, she will no longer wait for it to come to her. On the night of her birthday, Pauly escapes to New York in search of beautiful dancing.
Will she be able to find it?
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Reading Soon: THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER by Sarah Dessen
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| THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER by Sarah Dessen |
Sixteen-year-old Macy Queen is looking forward to a long, boring summer. Her boyfriend is going away. She's stuck with a dull-as-dishwater job at the library. And she'll spend all of her free time studying for the SATs or grieving silently with her mother over her father's recent unexpected death. But everything changes when Macy is corralled into helping out at one of her mother's open house events, and she meets the chaotic Wish Catering crew. Before long, Macy joins the Wish team. She loves everything about the work and the people. But the best thing about Wish is Wes—artistic, insightful, and understanding Wes—who gets Macy to look at life in a whole new way, and really start living it.
Reading Soon: SING ME TO SLEEP by Angela Morrison
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| SING ME TO SLEEP by Angela Morrison |
THE LOVE AFFAIR
When Beth's choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek's untethered passion - for music, and for Beth - leaves her breathless. Because in Derek's eyes? She's not The Beast, she's The Beauty.
THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE
When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?
THE HEARTBREAK
The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek's been hiding a dark secret from her ...one that could shatter everything.
On Reading, Reviews, And Rereading Twilight.
- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison
- Anna And The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
- Shine by Lauren Myracle
- The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
- The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
- The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
- A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
- Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
- The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
- Wings by Aprilynne Pike
- Spells by Aprilynne Pike
- Illusions by Aprilynne Pike
- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
- New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
- Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
- Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
WAIT WAIT WAIT---YOU DON'T MEAN? HUH? TWILIGHT? THAT'S GOTTA BE A TYPO. That's probably what you're thinking. But you read correctly: I've decided to reread Twilight. It's been at least two years since I've read it last and I'm curious to see how my opinion on these books would differ now from how they were back then. I'm not saying I plan to read and love them, but I'm going to look at them with a critic's eye--or at least try to, because everyone knows I'm not a very good critic. Chances are I might throw aside Breaking Dawn before I finish it because I remember that book only for negative things. But I want to try it. It's just something I feel I have to do. I talk about how I dislike that series all the time but feel stupid doing it when I barely remember any of it, so I'm going to read it again in order to either change my mind or back up my claims.
Here are books about religion that I'm going to read, most of which I've never finished because though I love the subject I just can't skim them:
- Rediscovering Catholicism by Matthew Kelly
- Jesus Of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI
- The Sacred Romance by John Eldredge and Brent Curtis
- Spiritual Warfare For Every Christian by Dean Sherman
- Lord, Have Mercy by Scott Hahn
And, this is a 6-book boxed set on world religions that I got forever ago:
- Judaism by Alan Unterman
- Catholicism by George Brantl
- Protestantism by J. Leslie Dunstan
- Islam by John A. Williams
- Hinduism by Louis Renou
- Buddhism by Richard A. Gard
Some other books I have that are neither YA nor Religion:
- Tomorrow We Die by Shawn Grady
- The Prince Of Tides by Pat Conroy
- The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Classic novels:
- The Prince And The Pauper by Mark Twain
- The Hunchback Of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo
Historical novels:
- The Diary of Anne Frank
I will, of course, keep you updated on any changes--additions, etc.--to this list. But so far this is what I've got and hopefully I can read them all by the end of the year.
I'm still open to suggestions and would love to hear what you think would be good books to read. I will put up my book reviews for Kissed by an Angel and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas tomorrow.
Hugs!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011
I want to be vocal.
I want to be vocal.
So I may start a podcast.
If anyone is interested :-)
Sent from my iPhone
Monday, July 11, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
I have a friend. She's been in a dusty closet for several months now...
| Cecelia. |
It is believed that St. Cecilia was born in the 2nd or 3d century A.D., although the dates of her birth and martyrdom are unknown. A religious romance telling the love story of Saint Cecilia and Valerian appeared in Greece during the 4th century A.D., and there is a biography of St Cecilia dating from the 5th century A.D. She is purported to have been the daughter of a wealthy Roman family, a Christian from birth, who was promised in marriage to a pagan named Valerian. Cecilia, however, had vowed her virginity to God, and wore sackcloth, fasted and prayed in hopes of keeping this promise. Saint Cecilia disclosed her wishes to her husband on their wedding night. She told Valerian that an angel watched over her to guard her purity. He wanted to see the angel, so St. Cecilia sent him to Pope Urban(223-230). Accounts of how and when Valerian saw the angel vary, but one states that he was baptized by the Pope, and, upon his return to Saint Cecilia, they were both given heavenly crowns by an angel. Another version recounts that Tibertius, Valerian's brother, sees the crowns and he too is converted.
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| Saint Cecilia |

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