The fading forests grow

      "I would be lying if I said I was not penning this down with no mixed feelings..." 



     My Christmas was one spent in the sunny Southern California, in the lovely area of Palm Springs. It is very strange there; surreal, as it was a chilly time, yet with the eternally green grass and palm and evergreen trees about and many desert flowers blooming, it looked like summertime. Still, it was very nice, and the weather was perfect for many things.

    The first day there was, frankly, a mess. It was lovely to see my grandparents again; we spent the whole time in their house. We unpacked alright, but the different time zone, lack of sleep, and a plethora of very sorrowful feelings churning in me made the whole day and evening a rough affair.

    Things improved from thereon out. The days were really rather peaceful; we went to eat with my mother's sister and her husband after going to a park known as Joshua Tree National Park. It's a pretty desolate place, but the trees themselves were bizarre and interesting, as well as the varied rock formations and history of the park we learned more of as we went along. We went to a summit and were able to see the whole of Palm Springs, even to the salt sea beyond, and a few mountains even further away. It was immense, vast, humbling, nearly overwhelming....and very cold. Still, it was really amazing.

    I read a great deal of Jane Eyre, which I like a lot, but still have yet to finish. I also read, more later on, old Celtic Romances and finished the most recent book in the How to Train Your Dragon series, which was very good.

    Also saw my father's side of the family; firstly the grandparents, then his sister, her husband and two of her sons and their children. Their children were frankly all adorable and were being raised well; they were behaving admirably for their age. Also there was one of my cousin's Rottweiler, who was a presence all on her own with roughly 120 pounds to back her up. Still, she was a sweetie, though a gluttonous one.

    Spent a lot of time with this side of the family, which was really nice; they're good and easy to get along with and talk with. Also tried Guinness...and realized much of it is far too light for my taste. Ahh, I really do want some Cider sooner than later...

    Overall it was a great vacation. Christmas Day was our last full day there, and it was really quiet compared to the previous day. Went to two great masses (Sunday and Christmas dawn) and also Advent Confession, and at the Adoration Chapel in that particular church, saw a relic of Saint Padre Pio. This meant a great deal, as I had started to pray regularly by the handbook of devotionals related to and directed to him, asking for intercession. More than anything this Christmas, I gave away many prayers. I do not know, and may never know, if anything has or will come of them, but I do think it's done me good, at the least.

    On the first day, while leaving from the second airport at the half-way stop, it was then that I started the prayers that I have continued and will continue to do so, and it was then I was inspired to write a letter that I will never send. Expressing myself through it has made me feel very purged; psychologically, it was a very good exercise.

    At this moment, I am happy it's Christmas, and I wish everyone I have ever known a good Christmas. This Advent has been fruitful, as well as the time spent with my family and I'm very grateful for it. But I still feel very lost in many ways, especially in regards to the letter. It all does feel very lonely, and perhaps nothing will ever occur or happen, because I am rather powerless. All I can do is pray. Yet, no matter what occurs, I still believe there will be fear. But that might just be because no matter what happens, there will be suffering.
I do not want the easy way, I want what is best; I hope for it, no matter what it may be.

    I have so many things, that have occurred, are occurring and will occur, which I may be grateful for. I cannot close my heart any more than I can open the hearts of others, but this is fine. To accept and be at peace is my own Christmas wish at the moment. To be grateful and accept the suffering, no matter where or when it may come, not matter the cause. And yet hoping that it comes from healing, all the better...


      Oh how I wish I could express this...to express this and all with complete fullness, as words are indeed so limited!

Legend of Zelda: Deluge November Part 8

     For the third time in five minutes, Link found himself flat on his back on the cold, stone floor, his head ringing. Dolo was laughing again and as Link pulled himself up, Golo was still standing across from him. He was leaning forward in place, his stance ready, grinning encouragingly.

     “Let’s try again!” he said. “Remember to keep your knees bent!”

     Nodding, Link rubbed his chest where the Goron had just managed to strike him and knock him over. “What is this called again?”

     “It’s from a southern form called sumo,” spoke up Dolo before the Golo could say anything. “We changed it some, but that’s it.”

   “Don’t worry about trying to knock me over yet, Durmuni said you need to be faster.” Golo frowned as they stood across from each other, ready to fight. “It must be hard to be so small, only really able to rely on your speed!”

Legend of Zelda: Deluge November Part 7

     The rest of the armory seem almost clean itself up, caught up in a whirlwind of frenzied, rough scrubbing, washing and polishing. When a knight came to inspect, he was speechless at Link’s speedy progress. After making him redo a few things, he declared the job finished. Immediately, Link rushed to put his cleaning equipment away back in a nearby room where soap was stored, and then hurried to the stables.

      “Great timing, fairy boy!” The moment he entered, Malon threw him a pitchfork. “You’re just in time to help me muck the stalls!”

     After some instructions, Malon had him cleaning and putting down fresh straw for all fifty eight stalls. She told him that there were even more stables out on the castle grounds, and the Stablemaster was currently stranded there. As he cleaned each stall, Malon would lead the horse out and pace it around the courtyard. As Link worked, he noticed that most of the horses were very frisky in the snow. They tossed their heads and even kicked out at the snow; some bucked around in what he thought was a very childish manner. Malon seemed completely relaxed working with the even the largest horse, which was brown with thick feathers as white as the snow. He leaned against the pitchfork and watched them for a while until Malon noticed and motioned for him to get back to work.

Legend of Zelda: Deluge November Part 6

     Zelda woke up in her bed, immediately aware of the cold, biting air. Not bothering to open her eyes, she snuggled deeper into the warmth of her blankets, pulling them over her head. After a moment of basking in the warmth of the shell of blankets and quilts, she peeked out. In her small bedroom, the fire was lit, kept fresh through the night by one of her servants. The firelight and the cold light peeking in through her curtains were the only things illuminating her dark room. Slowly she sat up, keeping the blankets wrapped around her.

     It’s a lot colder this morning.

    Slipping out of bed into her thick, luxuriously soft slippers, she rubbed her arms and pulled her thick nightgown close around her neck as she padded over to the curtains. Drawing them back, she stared outside, her hands clenching the heavy, soft curtains tightly and not releasing them.

In The Christmas Mood

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
- "A Christmas Carol"

     This post is pretty much going to be a photo-dump, of Christmas and Christmas-related images and quotes.I just feel like using the free time doing such a thing; plus, I'll use several pictures I found from tumblr and deviantart (so copyright to those owners) but those websites, especially tumblr, are sometimes scary and horrible placse, so no one should have to go there if they don't want to; I don't want to spend too much time there, either. Plus, if you're just looking for Christmas things...or Christmas-related things, too, here's the place...well, you may just see some art as well that doesn't at first appear related, but believe me, it is. 
If even one person aside from myself enjoys this post at some point in their lives, that'll be enough for me. 

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.
-Norman Vincent Peale

 "Probably the reason we all go so haywire at Christmas time with the endless unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is that we don't quite know how to put our love into words." 

-Harlan Miller

 

 I have always thought of Christmas time as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely.

-"A Christmas Carol"

 "What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace." 

-Agnes M. Pharo

All hail to the days that merit more praise
Than all the rest of the year
And welcome the nights that double delights
As well for the poor as the peer!
Good fortune attend each merry man's friend
That doth but the best that he may
Forgetting old wrongs with carols and songs
To drive the cold winter away.

Tis ill for a mind to anger inclined
To think of small injuries now
If wrath be to seek, do not lend her your cheek
Nor let her inhabit thy brow
Cross out of thy books malevolent looks
Both beauty and youth's decay
And wholly consort with mirth and sport
To drive the cold winter away.

This time of the year is spent in good cheer
And neighbours together do meet
To sit by the fire, with friendly desire
Each other in love to greet
Old grudges forgot are put in the pot
All sorrows aside they lay
The old and the young doth carol this song
To drive the cold winter away.

When Christmas' tide comes in like a bride
With holly and ivy clad
Twelve days in the year much mirth and good cheer
In every household is had
The country guise is then to devise
Some gambols of Christmas play
Whereat the young men do the best that they can
To drive the cold winter away.

 
Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance — each beautiful, unique and too soon gone.  
~ Deborah Whipp

Words and Faith and Love

Joy seems to me a step beyond happiness –
happiness is a sort of atmosphere you can live in
sometimes when you’re lucky. Joy is a light that
fills you with hope and faith and love.
--Adele Rogers St. John

 Women preparing for Christmas is a tale as old as time, but one that I never grow tired of hearing and participating in. The Christmas story is one of reassurance and restoration that I cherish and finally, thank Heavens, it is not surprising in the least to realize that, of course, each December sees us in need of a miracle of one sort or another. How could our Christmas dreams come true, Virginia, if we didn’t need a miracle with our name on it?

Legend of Zelda: Deluge November Part 5

     Snow was beginning to fall lightly as Link waited with the knights in the large courtyard just inside the castle walls. The walls surrounded them at a distance, reaching down a wide lane on both sides. Lines of about fifteen well-spaced, old oak trees lined each path. Ahead of them was a much shorter wall connected to the castle itself. It seemed much larger, as big as a small mountain, now that Link was at its very foot. All around in the courtyard were knights, simply dressed servants or very well-dressed aristocrats, most hurrying inside from the snow or cleaning up some leaves hastily. The ground was rough, white cobblestones, on which the snow stuck, hardly melting.

     The old knight, Quin, had left them inside the castle, going back out to find Auru and Bolek. Link still had the teal fairy silent and hiding in his shirt. Every now and then she would flutter around, ticklish, and he forced himself not to react. He could still feel the furious gazes of the Georg and Werin, the two knights who had tried to capture the fairy.

A little bit of sour in my life

     And then so I realized that posting about the negative, partially induced by finals sleeplessness and stress, was a silly idea. Why?

    Because the bitterness and resentful feelings are the most wasteful things to remember ever.

Legend of Zelda: Deluge November Part 4

     It took Link and Auru a good ten minutes to cross the castle grounds along the winding, main road and reach the east side of the castle. Link looked up to see the scaling towers and peaked roofs far above them. The sun was hovering towards the west, casting their side of the castle in shadow. With the chill wind blowing freely from the northern mountains, they shuddered in the shade. The knights, none wearing an additional cloak or cape, were rubbing their hands together, moving around to keep warm. One tall knight stood apart from the others, his lance slack at his side, looking away towards the mountains.

     Auru approached the other knights, who stood up straight, their expressions curious yet still rather bored as he asked, “Is Bolek around here?”

Legend of Zelda: Deluge November Part 3

      Someone was grabbing Link by the shoulders, shaking him. Mumbling incoherently, he opened one eye. Auru was sitting beside him, looking tired and peevish. It was before dawn, and the sky was a grey blue, with dark grey clouds threaded, wispy, all over.

    “Link, this is the fourth time I woke you up!” he was saying as he rolled up his bedding. “You need to get up now, everyone’s almost ready and we’ll be going in a few minutes. We’ll be left behind if you don’t hurry!”

    After yawning widely, Link began to slowly inch up. His head and leg ached strangely. Moving gingerly, he slowly sat up and reached for his head. His hat was gone. Looking around dully, he spotted it on the ground, where he had used it as a pillow. Picking it up, he unfolded it, slipping his hand inside. He felt out a tear in it, wide enough for him to slide all of his fingers through.

After more than two months...(spoilers marked)

    This morning, in the first showing, I FINALLY saw "Rise of the Guardians."

    Though I haven't been too open about it on here (maybe?), I've been seriously anticipating and looking forward to this movie. That means sometimes looking up news for it every day, scouring around for clips and trailers, etc, and getting seriously hyped up and excited over each new thing I saw.

     It first started because Jack Frost (above) is such a cute-pie. Seriously. But then the whole basic concept for the characters and the story basically makes me jealous that it's not mine! Having different emblems of childhood myth be true, giving them a purpose directly correlating to childhood, not to mention establishing them as their own persons and characters within and without their role...it's a refreshing concept, and I can see why Dreamworks was so keen on adapting it to film.

     But my obsession with this film

Find the key

Finally, some time for some art that's a little more complete than the scents series!

    This is Deora in a scene that doesn't happen.
    Putting this one up for reasons, for all that I have had attached to this story, all the memories of it. And it's not yet published...who knows what else will happen?
    But I just adore my little losers (aka characters.)

     The background was inspired by the Baten Kaitos backgrounds. Those games are too beautiful and are my life (not exaggerating TOO much.)

     Speaking of life, Rise of the Guardians tomorrow. Finally, after over TWO MONTHS. Will update about it afterwards.

    This picture is also found on my DA: http://mahira-chan.deviantart.com/#/d5lrc28

Legend of Zelda: Deluge November Part 2

    

     They passed Oerba, and then the other two fishing villages. In just about two hours, they had reached the outskirts of the last village, Yambol. Here, the river met Hyrule Field. As they approached it, neither of them spoke. Link kept glancing at the line of trees on their side of the river as it drew further and further away from them, leaving them much more in the open than he was used to. The banks were now solid grass, and were almost level with the river. The river itself in this area was incredibly wide and deep, with only a few larger rocks breaking the smooth surface below visible far below the river’s clear surface. At one point Link tried to throw a rock across the river. His throwing arm gave him a reach of about twenty feet, or more if he threw it well. This was a good throw, yet it only reached about halfway across the river.

     The trees had cleared away completely, now at their backs.

Tai Chi and Relevancy

   I went with a friend to a Tai Chi lesson and it was awesome. There was  the geek feeling of thinking about Water Bending, but it was also just a lot of fun. Like yoga in the whole exercise-the-body-empty-the-mind type of thing, but my instructor kept reminding us how these moves would be used properly to knock someone's eye out or break a rib. It was so much fun.

    Really though, it's very magical when such a type of exercise makes you feel so connected to yourself...in so many different ways. First, it's focus on the balance and movement of the body made you feel in control and calm, and...the fact that we learned "Repulse the Monkey" made me think of Xiaolin Showdown and realize that Tai Chi is officially awesome. But that aside, I think the best exercise does and should connect you to your body and soul, in different ways. And the calmness of the mind brought on by things like Tai Chi and Yoga is pretty special, magical, especially when the mind seems full and stressed. It's like proper prayer and/or meditation, but you're actually moving and all. It was just a lot of fun!

    And because it's absolutely worth mentioning, as anything good is, the ending to (THE FIRST) Yu-Gi-Oh show is just awesome and sad and sweet. Even if things end earlier than you'd like, no matter what the reason, there is still the exceptional blessing that you knew anyone or experienced anything. It's truly a lucky thing given to us by God!

The Legend of Zelda: Deluge November 1 Part 1

    

     Link shrugged on his old coat that had more patches than solid garment. Layrel watched her brother from the stoop of the modest inn where she was boarding, her slight figure framed by the large, dark wooden door. Still in her nightgown, one of Link’s long, old tunics, she shivered as a breeze from the river rushed past them.

     “Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” Layrel asked briskly, rubbing her arms.

     It was Calan Galaf, the day after All Soul’s Night. It was still early morning, and the sky bore only the faintest signs of dawn; the grey rising over the trees to chase away the stars, the pink clouds. The sun was well hidden behind the woods that surrounded the Zora’s River.

     This morning in Oerbel, most villagers and revelers remained asleep. Some had already arisen out of habit and, in a sleepy stupor, were trying to go about their morning chores. Others, like Layrel, had arisen to help prepare the enormous, luxurious luncheon that the all gathered in the village shared in honor of the day.

     “This will be my only year where I’m in charge of the knot bread.” Layrel frowned at him, twisting one of the loose pigtails of her long blonde hair in her hand.

     Link shook his head. “I need to get back.”

Grand Design

 Let your love flow outward through the universe,
To its height, its depth, its broad extent,
A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.
Then as you stand or walk,
Sit or lie down,
As long as you are awake,
Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;
Your life will bring heaven to earth.
-Sutta Nipata

Suddenly, inexplicably, and more often than anyone ever suspects, life stuns us with loss. We lose a loved one, or our job. We lose our home, or our health. Without warning, hearts are broken, dreams are dashed, fortunes reversed, lives shattered. Gone are the assumptions that sustained us; the expectations that shaped us; the illusions that propped us up. We feel as if life is over—and we are right. Life as we knew it is over. In an instant. The ordinary instant.

Whether the loss is personal, precipitated by a phone call in the middle of the night, or collective, announced during a breakfast television bulletin, whatever was in our lives only a moment ago—serenity, sanity, security, safety, sameness—is ruthlessly snatched away or blown to smithereens. And we are left behind—bewildered, bereft, and incredulous at the horrific reality of what is now facing us. 

 

Deluge Playlist Update

I had an old one on my DA, but it got lost in a sea of journals, plus it needed updating in different ways. I'll try to categorize the songs by what they relate to in regards to the fan fiction. Hopefully this will give a solid idea of the type of mood and culture and story this fic is/will be.

Holiday Songs:

All Soul's Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPINPgIGcnM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L72e7OgW5j8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKfbVAO6VGA

Calan Gaeaf: tbd

Yule / Eventide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q-yxeow7Xw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ehRXCzoGRw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfXKEySv_wA

Day of Light: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Caj4rHkie8

Springtide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3SJ1Vd6MlU 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVIT5DRBEv0

On Epona

In regards to my Zelda fan fiction, there's the topic of what breed of horse Epona is.

For much of my youth and time spent as a Zelda fan, I always thought Epona was an Arabian. This is due to the appearance of her in-game in Ocarina of Time especially:

 She has a slim build and most importantly a slim neck. Additionally, I presumed the white on her legs was just normal stocking coloration. However, this isn't the case in the official art:

She still has the curved neck, and even appropriate ears, but she's too stocky for a pure-blood Arabian, and there's also the issue of her white marks being the "feathers" found on draft horses.

At this point, it became clear that Nintendo was aiming not for an Arabian (which made sense to me as a kid; the only other horse we saw outside of Lon Lon Ranch was Ganondorf's and another Gerudro's, so I

The Legend of Zelda: Deluge October 0

    The vivid lights from the bonfires and the sounds of the dancing and partying still swimming in her mind, Zelda entered her dark bedroom. Setting down her gently burning oil lamp on her desk, she closed the door behind her. With a sigh, she leaned back against it wearily. Turning away towards her open window on the other side of the room, she walked over to shut it. She reached out to do so, but paused, gazing out below. Beneath her were the castle grounds, a vast span of gardens and man-made hills. Seven of the largest hills was a bonfire; seven being the traditional number for All Soul’s Night. Around the flames were the dark figures of partygoers, flitting about like ghosts, casting long shadows as they danced, drank and chatted around the flames. For a moment she longed to join them, but then remembered her duties the next morning. Looking out one last time at the fires and then at the brilliantly shining Castle City beyond the grounds, she shut her window firmly.

    There was nothing left for her to do but try to get to sleep as quickly as possible. She closed the shades over the window, leaving just the light from the oil lamp to illuminate her room. Sitting down, she listened to the silence enforced by the thick glass of the window and the stone engulfed the room. Longing for some companionship, yet at the same time glad for a moment of solitude to reflect, she turned her gaze upon the largest tapestry on the bedroom walls. Upon it was stitched an intricate image of herself as a child with her red-haired mother beside her, who had been dead for ten years now. Having already offered sacrifices and prayers for her mother for Spirit Night to ease her spirit, Zelda wondered what else there could be to say. Her mind ran through many different discussions she had longed to have with her mother, but reluctantly shook them away. Wiping her eyes, she forced herself to look back at the tapestry, smiling.

    Her voice only quavered slightly as she whispered, “Happy new year.” She gulped. “Please, watch over me, Mother.”

    She stood up to get ready for bed, this time ignoring the stinging in her eyes. All Hylians, young and old, knew the sorrow of remembrance that All Soul’s Night brought would always be washed away by the sleep that night. The legends said it was blessed by the goddesses to ease the sorrows of all who had lost loved ones. Zelda supposed it just felt refreshing because everyone was so exhausted from partying, but she was also certain there was something special about this night.

     Mumbling a quick prayer to Farore to watch over her dreams, she settled down to sleep.

     A dark cloud on the distant horizon threatened to block out the sun. As she watched, it grew, shrouding the vast sky. The dark, sodden ground rose up past the horizon, followed by the sound of a stormy sea. Water began to envelop everything, and she feared she would be swept away from where she stood. But she could not move. The sun did not die, even as the rains began to fall, but there was never a rainbow.

    Nothing touched her; not the wind or rain. Calming herself by rubbing her arms and breathing in the faint mist shrouding her, she realized with absolute certainty that she was safe. Zelda smiled for a moment, but she felt a terrible wrenching in her chest. Her heart was being twisted inside of her, as if some cruel hand was wrenching it. Crying out, she collapsed, the darkness engulfing her.

* * *

     Only one bonfire was lit in the celebration of the villages that dotted the banks of the mighty Zora’s River. All of the villages gathered together for three days at the largest river settlement, the only one that was big enough to be called a town rather than a hamlet. Oerbel was its name, and this night was the last evening of the celebrations it hosted. All Soul’s Night was the climax of everything under the sky, the beginning of the New Year.

    Even before the moon had risen to the position that told midnight, some of the revelers had already gone to bed. While the rest crowded around the bonfire in Oerbel’s plaza, dancing and telling stories, some hunkered away into their homes or wherever they had managed to acquire lodging for the three days of celebration.

     Up in the loft of an old, yet stable barn that smelled like salt and fish bones was sleeping a young Hylian, Link. He was the only one sleeping in the barn, as it had been offered to him free of charge, allowing him to direct his severely limited funds towards getting his younger sister more hospitable lodgings. 

    Link rolled over uneasily, murmuring in his sleep. Underneath his lids his eyes had begun to dart around rapidly. He clenched his fists and went rigid as he began to dream.

     Link leaned back in his small fishing boat. He was floating idly down the river, moving both quickly and smoothly. The smoothness struck him as just slightly unnatural, but he decided to accept it. It was so terribly nice and warm. The sun shone down on him, and its light encompassed all around him, so all he could see was the boat and the shining river around it.

    The sunlight began to fade, and mists rolled in. They felt like warm summer showers, so Link did not move, and let them slowly soak him. The light faded even more, and the mists grew steadier. He jerked his head up as the boat slowly rolled to a slow stop.

    Link sat up straight, rubbing his eyes and looking around. The mists had changed into a soft rainfall, and the sunlight that shone off the droplets dazed him. He shut his eyes and rubbed them again briskly, as if to motivate them to work as he wished.

     Softly out of the haze came the sound of chiming bells. Link looked up and around carefully, shielding his eyes from the glare of the light on the river. The sound came again and he looked behind him, frowning. The sound was undoubtedly a bell, but it also reminded him of the sing-song voices of the little girls who had told riddles after the All Soul’s Night prayers.

    Desperate to find a source, Link rose up, keeping the boat steady with practiced ease. He looked down at the water carefully to find that the reflection of the light had vanished. The deep river was entirely black except for a faint light emanating from far below. The chiming sound came again, calling out to him softly.

    Link’s eyes only flew open for a second before he shut them again. He rolled over in the blankets, letting his mind and body fall back into the sweet weightlessness of unconsciousness. As it enveloped him, he was vaguely aware that the ruckus of the revelers had vanished. All Soul’s Night had come to an end.

The Legend of Zelda and characters copyright Nintendo

 "The Legend of Zelda: Deluge" writing and original concepts and characters copyright Mahira / Mahira-chan

The Golden Breath of Longing Love

    This Hurricane Sandy is pretty incredible, in a sort of terrible way; it's bringing all these power outages (even though it's only a category 1 Hurricane) and all, and it's also bringing all this cold weather around where I live, and up north in West Virgina they're getting tons of snow! But it must be really hard if their power is out there. I hate to say it though, but most of the houses in West Virgina are older, so at least they're far more likely to all have proper fireplaces.

    Anyways, I'm in the cold weather side of Sandy was I said before, and frankly, it's pretty amazing. We finally got a light frost, and it's really beginning to feel like we'll soon be heading into winter...at least, sooner than later. We had been having quite the Indian Summer last week, and frankly it's relieving that it's gone (even if the lack of the humidity combined with refreshing breeze and warm sunshine did feel VERY nice indeed.) Well, either way, we usually do get such a part of the autumn around this time of year. But enough about that!

    Recently, I've become more and more aware of beauty around me, not in just creation, but in fellow people. I finished editing my sequel the other day, and I think that really realizing this is probably connected. Still, for some reason human beauty is so much sadder than almost anything else, despite how amazing and sweet it also is. I suppose it has to do with everything that Eva is about; being hurt, misunderstanding, distance, loneliness...all the things that have always, always hurt people. We are rarely more powerless than we are when someone else will not accept us, and rarely does it hurt more. Yet even then, it perhaps is almost too easy to see the beauty in the other people, if we're willing to realize that we must be grateful for the part they have been in our lives. This sort of thing is everywhere, in everyone's lives in all different ways. It's something irreplaceable, perhaps, and certainly one of the most bittersweet paradoxes in fallen human nature. Which is why it hurts so much and why Eva devoted an entire series to what can happen around it.

     Well, might as well mention that this blog will always be used for my large Gratitude Journal thing, and I do want to continue my Bath and Body Works Scents-picture series on here as much as I'm able. But from this Wednesday on, I'll be using it to submit my Zelda fan fiction to.

    This blog will be the ideal place to read (and for me to submit) my fan fiction, as I'll be able to put up a song in front of each chapter, so the reader will be able to listen as they read. I do have a set "soundtrack" for the fan fiction (as sad as that sounds, I know, but it's really a lot of fun) and this blog lets me do as I please in regards to that.

    This will not be the only place I shall submit the chapters. I'll also submit them on:

My deviantart account: http://mahira-chan.deviantart.com/

My fanfictionnet account: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/4297930/

My tumblr (yikes): http://a-single-thread.tumblr.com/

Since this is my ideal place for my fan fiction, I'll probably be putting up extra stuff (like sketches, concepts and all) on here that won't be on my other places.

And for a picture:

This one is based off the scent "Twilight Woods" which is a definite favorite of mine. This looks a little darker and scarier than the sweet scent would make you feel, but I guess I can't keep Halloween away from my mind. And I think the colors of the sky make up for it a little bit.

Onwards to Halloween and November!

The Rustling Days

    It's been over a week since the last entry. That's probably because I hardly know where to start! There's so much happening that I have to be grateful for.

    So, last weekend was my break. I went up to the Mountain Glory Festival in Marion, North Carolina. It was positively wonderful. There was SO much there, and I managed to get a present for my grandmother, which is always a harder thing to do. There were lovely shops in addition to all the booths, and we went in one that had old records and albums; one of them was a super old Christmas album, and I only knew one song on there, "I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas." I considered getting it, just to show it to my grandmother, but decided against it, because I'd really have no idea what to do with it! Oh, the same story also had some really nice dresses, including one that was DREADFUL and covered with sequins. I kinda want to try it on, you know, just to see what it looked like!

     Really, that was a wonderful trip. The driving itself took a while, but it was really nice to talk and catch up with my friend who went with me. Besides, I do like taking longer road trips. It can be a little troublesome if everyone is very tired and cranky, but fortunately that wasn't the case. And the scenery is always worth it, especially in North Carolina!

    This past week was a pretty nice one, too. Strangely enough, I and just about everyone else at the Uni felt very dead after returning from the break, but it was still an easier week...the professors probably know that everyone gets a strange sort of school-fatigue after tasting freedom! There was a final, but I murdered my wrist by giving awesome long answers, so I'm pretty pleased with that...though, last night I did have a dream that I FAILED that test, because I didn't have enough time to answer everything! How strange!

     I also started going to the Newman Club again and I do think I should attend regularly, since I commute. It's still a little sad that I'm disconnected more from just about everyone at the campus since I don't live there and I just really started getting involved this semester, but there's still a lot to be grateful for, mainly still being close to my family and the extra chances I have to be with friends who go to other colleges. So, that's very nice. Plus, there's this group I really want to get into that seems really nice...I'll probably start this upcoming Sunday, they meet on a Sunday.

    Let me think...well, that was this week, and then on Friday I spent the day hanging out with a friend, and then on Saturday my sister and our childhood friend went up to the Arts and Crafts Festival at Lake Lure. I really adore that town, but the festival was also amazing on it's own. I could have done ALL my Christmas shopping there; I already did quite a bit. I'm pretty happy about that...oh, and I also got a pottery turtle to add to my turtle/tortoise figurine collection. Score~!

   But that town is fantastic. The trees were really getting underway in changing, the lake itself is beautiful and clean, and the river and the main town area are both adorable. I got a really cute coaster for only two dollars there, and we just had a great time in the FREEZING river, goodness. But it was all really, really fun. And small towns and small town shops and stores are really adorable (well, MOST of them, no where is perfect.) But still! I'd love to live in such a town someday.

     What's strange is that after going up to the mountains twice, I started yesterday reading a book for school called "The Body Farm" that takes place around Black Mountain NC. It's a little creepy, but also kinda neat in a strange way!

     Oh, at the fair we got this fresh Kettle Corn that was AMAZING. Nothing quite like it....I mean, we saved some and all, and it's still good, but everything's best fresh! Oh, and there was also this amazing fudge stand both at the Marion and at the Arts festivals. One piece (good sized) for a dollar! And other great prices. It's really great! They must do amazing buisness no matter where they go, really!

    Finally, I found more things about the Dreamwork's "Rise of the Guardians", which I've been crazy about for a while now. So, yes, that also made this past week very awesome! And then, of course, there's also the things like the winter birds flying around (cardinals, blue jays, blackbirds), all the humidity going away and leaving us with 40-degree nights, and the fact that even the pin-oak trees are starting to change, which is a big step.

    One last thing....in a little over a week, my Zelda fan fiction starts. I think I'll put that up here, as well as on deviantart and fan fiction.net. I just edited it this morning, and I'm pretty stoked!

    A happy October, as it begins it's first steps to closing down with Halloween...