Why Murder is So Horrible

Why does this even need an explanation, you might think. It just is – we never think about it deeply, but it’s obviously, unquestionably wrong. Right?

I’m not going to argue. I, for one, am most definitely all for the idea that murder is wrong. Not just wrong, but heart-breaking. I am trying to use the right words to describe the raw pain I feel in my chest just thinking about it.

Because no matter where someone goes after they die, you have to look back at how they lived. No, not how they lived, but the fact they lived at all.

Do people ever think about it? We’ve all heard the phrase “with feelings” before (usually in relation to animals), but it’s so little.

Think about all your thoughts you’ve ever had. The tiny, useless talents you’ve accumulated. The big challenges you’ve faced. The dreams you had – maybe for a wife/husband to share your life with, kids to bring up. Maybe occasionally you faced a problem, got through it, and imagined talking to your kids about it.

Even the small things, like funny accidents you had, embarrassing mistakes you made. Your personality, your sense of humour, your opinions, the way you do small things – maybe you’re so stubborn you’ve made people cry about the tiniest arguments, just to get your way. Maybe you’re so kind-hearted you remember fighting through the pain to forgive someone for something terrible, just because you couldn’t leave them looking so sad.

Imagine all of that. That’s you. Your entire life, is a giant story. And when you die, that story ends. Full stop. There’s no coming back. Everyone you knew just has to live on without you, knowing your useless talents are ones they will never see again, your witless jokes will never be spoken, your tears never comforted. You will never be seen.

So my point is basically, when someone dies, it’s so much more than a life that’s being snuffed out. It’s not about the organs that stopped working, the blood that froze. It’s about the character, the very being of the person who will never get to share their personality again. Their story ended halfway.

The whole world, in my opinion, is like one giant story. But when people die, that’s every individual thread of story dropping away. And just because the giant story remains, it doesn’t mean theirs don’t matter. Theirs become so much more special, as without them, all the other stories would be different.

Murder isn’t bad because of the body that falls. It’s about the story ending, and ending before its time had come. And that is the real crime. No one should not get to see the ending of the story, come naturally and at the right time.

If I Never Knew You

In case you didn't know, I'm a big fan of Disney. I know nearly all of their songs. Most of them I can sing without looking up the lyrics, and the ones I can't, I generally know where they're from. But I found a song today I'd forgotten about which is absolutely beautiful. I looked up the lyrics so I could sing along, and was disappointed to find there were no correct lyrics online. So I quickly typed them up myself, and here they are.

A (J) means John, (P) means Pocahontas and (B) means (tada) both.

If I Never Knew You

(J)
If I never knew you

If I never felt this love

I would have no inkling of

How precious life can be

If I never held you

I would never have a clue

How at last I'd find in you

The missing part of me

In this world so full of fear

Full of rage and lies

I can see the truth so clear

In your eyes

So dry your eyes

And I'm so grateful to you

Id have lived my whole life through

Lost forever

If I never knew you

(P)
I thought our love would be so beautiful

Somehow we'd make the whole world bright

I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong

All they'd leave us were these whispers in the night

But still my heart is saying we were right

(P) For if I never knew you

(J) There's no moment I regret

(P) If I never felt this love

(J) Since the moment that we met

(P) I would have no inkling of

(J) If our time has gone too fast

(P) How precious life can be

(J) I've lived at last

(Dialog)

(J)
And I'm so grateful to you

I'd have lived my whole life through

Empty as the sky

(P)
Never knowing why

(B)
Lost forever

If I never knew you

17 October

Hello everyone!

News - we have two new interns! Which is exciting, because I never thought we'd get interns, our church is so small. But now we have our own building (for more than a year, which seems ridiculous) and our own youth club, they'll actually have stuff to do.

They're really nice. One girl (Haley) is from America, the other from South Korea. And I cannot remember her name, but we call her 'Ani' (at least, I think that's how it's spelt) which is a term of respectful older-sister affection. I think her name is... Chani... or something. Ani, if you ever read this, I apologise again for forgetting your name. I have explained how terrible my memory is when it comes to people, so I hope you understand.

Anyways, they're staying in our house for two months, and then we'll figure out other arrangements. I've had long chats with Haley, who is also obsessed with Disney, and some short chats with Ani, whose English isn't as good. I also got to read Haley five chapters of Harry Potter - we're going to try and finish the whole series.

What else? I'm in the chorus for our school play (Annie, yes, how original) which is fun, but means I have to leave church early because there's practice on Sundays at 1-3pm. And tomorrow we're eating dinner at church as a family, so I'm missing most of it. Luckily I'll be back for an hour, so I'll get to eat.

Funfair's come to town. My brother, the interns and I plan on heading there tomorrow. That will hopefully be full of thrills.

We watched Armoured tonight (Saturday = Movie Night) and it was good, even though the ending just implies it's happy, we don't actually see the happiness occur, which is frustrating.

Sorry about this meaningless post. Just thought I'd drop a post in, and I promise to post something meaningful soon.

With You - Superchick

Superchick's newest album doesn't have the lyrics for this song online yet, so I put them up. They're really beautiful.

I will walk beside you

Good and bad times

Busk the streets for spare change

I'll hold the sign

Though the storms may blow down

All that we own

I will not be homeless

You are home

Through it all

I'll go down to the bottom with you

They can take it all away

But I'll be alright with you

As long as you are by my side

I'll be okay, I'll be alright

With you

Charge the gates with fury

Blaze through the lines

Do not fear for safety

Yours or mine

Walk the path untravelled

Faith be your guide

I will walk beside you

All our lives

Risk it all

I'll go through anything with you

They can take it all away

But I'll be alright with you

As long as you are in my life

I'll be okay, I'll be alright

With you

Indoctrination Today

Indoctrination is a word we usually recognise as something from the past, used by dictators to control their people, using propaganda, or using phrases over and over until they were ingrained in the public's brains. Indoctrination makes you, unconsciously, think of an unintelligent person - or at least an irrational, unobservant one. Surely someone who was being indoctrinated would notice? And wouldn't logic be against them? Being told all Jews are animals - that's not logical, who would believe that?

But it's terribly rude and arrogant to consider yourself smarter than others - and I'm sure that if entire countries could be indoctrinated so well, so could you.

"But!" I hear someone cry "We have better systems today - democracies, freedom of speech and thought, people can't be indoctrinated, we get to make up our own minds!" etc, etc. True, in a sense, but that will come later. Let's first look at the definition for indoctrination (dictionary.com)

1. to instruct in a doctrine, principle, ideology, etc., esp. to imbue with a specific partisan or biased belief or point of view.

2.

to teach or inculcate.

3.

to imbue with learning.

Well, to explain (often in dictionaries you end up just looking up more words), imbuing something is soaking it up, so you would be saturated with the doctrine, principle, ideology, etc. Inculcate is the word which really strengthens the view - inculcating an idea is teaching it persistently, eagerly, repeating it over and over.

Indoctrination is, in my opinion, a form of manipulation. If you're smart, you can make someone know something so deeply, not only do they not question it, they also think they thought it up in the first place.

This doesn't mean everyone who believes strongly in an ideal has been indoctrinated with it - sometimes people have really tested and tried their ideals, or just really, honestly, want to follow it with nothing involved.

But their is indoctrination in our world today - and it's not far away, in one of those countries we associate with badness and poverty, like the giant country of 'Africa', or China, or Mexico. It's right here, on our doorstep.

I've gone to school since I was four, and ever since I was old enough to think about it, I've noticed it. It's propaganda for indoctrination - people are indoctrinating us with evolutionary theories. They're also ramming 'religion' down our throats, yes, but that's so obvious people actually shy away from it. No, the indoctrination in our schools is so subtle I doubt any of the staff actually know it - that's the talent of indoctrination, you end up believing it yourself, believing it's your idea.

Although, going to a Catholic secondary school, I've been forced to sit through morning 'prayers' and have had to leave school as everyone else heads off to Mass, or miss half a day while the other students have confession, I've also had evolution, and it wasn't set on the calender as "Evolution Class - nonbelievers go home" or anything like that.

Examples of this are when in History class your teacher says something like 100,000 years ago was the Mesolithic Stone Age (I haven't checked that date, but replace Mesolithic Stone Age with the correct answer) or in Geography class where the teacher tells you about how the plates were formed, billions of years ago.

This is all Old Earth theory, belonging in the evolutionary standpoint, and it isn't brought in as a theory, it's brought in as fact. It's brought in in such a way, that even if you have a questioning mind, it seems like a thing you would never question. It's put in on Discovery Channels, and in Wikipedia. All of our information has gradually turned evolution into a fact - until we no longer question it, it's just reliable. Evolution scientists actually help promote the idea that evolution is right and everything else (mainly religion or Christianity) is wrong, by making it out that they (religion etc) indoctrinate people and that evolution began as a way of finding answers.

Both true, yes - religions have indoctrinated people before, and evolution was just a man trying to find an explanation for the world around him.

But times have changed - now evolution is dragged in so subtly we all subconsciously decide it's true.

I'm not saying evolution shouldn't be taught. I think, with the freedom of speech, all theories have the right to be heard. But I do think it should be taught honestly, from an objective standpoint - as should religion. And until we figure out how to do that, we can't manipulate people into believing it.

Today a large majority of people in Ireland believe in evolution (even if they're Catholics) and the ones who don't usually don't do it for a logical reason, they just remain loyal to beliefs which state evolution is wrong. Which is also the wrong way to go - and makes anyone who doesn't believe in evolution look stupid.

I'm a Christian. I go to school, and I'm sick and tired of hearing people being manipulated every day and being unable to do anything about it. Please take indoctrination out of our schools, off our televisions and out of our networks.

Thank you.

Logic VS Faith

In case you haven't noticed yet, I'm a Christian. I have a very personal relationship with Jesus. It isn't a Sunday morning thing where I get a biscuit and a cup of tea, or a Christmas thing, or an Easter thing. It's a day-to-day walking with my best friend.

Obviously, this takes considerable faith. I am most definitely a person with faith. I have faith in my friend, my saviour, that he will always be there for me. I have faith he exists. I have faith he knows what's best for me and that he wants that too.

But, for a person filled with so much faith, you'd be surprised how much I base my life on logic.

If you have ever thought about it, you will realise people think in different ways - another way in which people are unique. Everyone thinks slightly differently, probably a mixture of nature and nurture, but a very famous personality questionnaire called the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator gives you one very good idea of how it works.

Basically, there are sixteen personality types, and each of them has been given a different name. You can be an INTJ, or an ESFP, or anything in between (not that there's an inbetween exactly). For more information, I'd suggest googling it, or perhaps even taking the test (type 'myers-briggs test jung' for a free, reliable scoring), as I'm supposed to be making a point here.

My point, however, is that I took this test. I'm actually slightly between two different personalities - the INTP and the INTJ. Long story. But these two personalities are known to be very logical, analytical personalities. INTJ's are called 'The Scientists' and INTP's are called 'The Thinkers'.

I base most of my decisions on science, when that fails me, logic, and when that fails me, rational thought. There is a difference. I will go into why science isn't always logical another time.

But to finally reach my original point - there is no versus. Or, at least, there doesn't have to be. You don't have to choose. I live a life with faith and logic, and I have to say I think I've turned out pretty well. I'm not perfect, but I know how to think for myself, I know how to hope, I know how to trust, and I have a God whom I love.

Logic is not faith's enemy. Science is not faith's enemy (read my blog on 'Creationism Is Not A Science' where I show why I disagree with that viewpoint). Faith is believing in something. Logic is based on a world around me. I can rationally decide to put my hope in something, because logic itself does not cancel out a God. But that is another argument for another time.

Comment if you agree, disagree, or are just plain confused...

Book of Eli

Just watched the our family's Saturday night movie, and it was amazing! We get good movies, we get bad movies, but occasionally, we hit upon a movie with a plot that lasts you a lifetime, mixed with realistic characters, fight scenes and just the right amount of heroism. That is what we consider a great movie. Here goes - the Book of Eli.

I'm sure we've all started having enough of those post-apocalyptic stories. There was Children of Men, although that's kinda old now, and probably not considered part of the rise, unfortunately, considering it's worth more than every Twilight copy in the world put together. No, we really started off with the admirable I Am Legend. That was really worth the watch. But then we all wanted more, so of course, Hollywood spewed them out. We've had the Plague, the Road, and, of course, 2012 (which is arguably just an apocalyptic movie, but still). There are more, there will be more, and we're getting tired of these movies which usually end with either 1. the world ending, or 2. all the main characters dying (or both). Or they just end, and you're left wondering what happened.

So when my sister said we should get the Book of Eli, it took me a while before I was convinced. Trusting my sister, I settled down happily in our sitting room, and began to watch.

30 years ago, the world was ruined. Now, a man is travelling across North America, walking and walking. He holds in his possession a book, the last of it's kind. And somebody else wants it. But Eli is a man on a mission, and nothing will hold him back.

It's a movie with guts. It dares to mention the Bible, and God, in a very real way. One of the first (possible) Christian movies I've watched that wasn't cheesy. It's plotline was intricately designed, not rivalling Harry Potter's, but only because Harry Potter is a series seven books long, while the Book of Eli is a movie.

The characters are both bad and good, but the evil guy doesn't stroke cats or have the classic 'evil laugh'. He is a learned man who wants to restore the world - or at least, so he says. The main good guy leaves people to be raped and kills, in defense of a single book. Very much 3rd dimension. And although the ending isn't the type where the world explodes (hint hint, the Knowing is a terrible movie), it doesn't end in smiles... or tears.

Now go watch it. It is worth every minute.

DIe 4 You - Family Force 5

I might be going to see these guys live in Dublin on the 27th, so I'm checking out some of their smaller songs. I found this one, and it's so amazing, I realised I had to share it somewhere. People rarely appreciate lyrics of songs, preferring the tune. I like the tune too, of course, but the lyrics really matter to me, and while this tune is fast and amazing, the lyrics are even better

[Verse 1:]
I'd take a bullet for you
Bleed all my blood out for you
Be taken hostage, under the knife's edge
Pay all the ransom for you

Do the hard time for you
On the front lines for you
Bring on the pain(yeah), the ball and chain(girl)
Be executed for you

[Pre Chorus:]
I'll cover for you, take a hit
I'm your alibi
I got your back
I'm living every day just to die

[Chorus:]
Every day I die for you
Throw me in the fire, I'd walk right through
I made a promise, it's an I-O-U
I'd D-I-E-4-Y-O-U

I'd D-I-E-4-Y-O-U
You know I'd D-I-E-4-Y-O-U
You know I'd die for you, die, D-I-E for you
You know I'd D-I-E, I'd die for you

[Verse 2:]
Give me your paranoia
I'll walk the plank for you
Sous la guillotine, jusqu' a la fin
Willing to suffer for you

Interrogate me for you
Accept my fate for you
Put me in a noose(yeah), turn the dogs loose(yeah)
Take all the hatred for you

[Pre Chhorus:]
I'll cover for you, take a hit
I'm your alibi
I got your back
I'm living every day just to die

[Chorus:]
Every day I die for you
Throw me in the fire, I'd walk right through
I made a promise, it's an I-O-U
I'd D-I-E-4-Y-O-U

I'd D-I-E for Y-O-U
You know I'd D-I-E-4-Y-O-U
You know I'd die for you, die, D-I-E for you
You know I'd D-I-E, I'd die for you

I'd D-I-E-4-Y-O-U
Well now I'd D-I-E-4-Y-O-U
Well now I'd die die die for you
You know I'd D-I-E-4-Y-O-U

[Chorus:]
Every day I die for you
Throw me in the fire, I'd walk right through
I made a promise, it's an I-O-U
I'd D-I-E-4-Y-O-U

I'd D-I-E for Y-O-U
You know I'd D-I-E-4-Y-O-U
Well now I'd die die die for you
You know I'd D-I-E-4-Y-O-U

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/f/family_force_5/#share

My thirteenth of June

Well, it looks like I can post after all - and I still have another week of exams. I have Maths Paper II tomorrow morning first thing, and I'm writing to you instead of studying, so treasure it!

Actually, the main reason I decided to write a post as I finally finished the Robin Hood series today (yes, that would be another one of those things I did instead of study) and I had to tell you that 1) it's amazing and you should all watch it and 2) you should find a petition to sign or have a strike or something, forcing BBC to continue the show because it ended horribly.

Well, horribly in an amazing way, but still...

As for other news - please think of me all next week, because I have exams nearly everyday, except Tuesday. For all of those who wish to know my schedule, I have Maths Paper II and CSPE (which is like the study of politics and the environment and stuff) tomorrow, nothing Tuesday, History on Wednesday, science Thursday and German and Home Ec (which is cooking and sewing and childcare, basically) on Friday. Then I will be FREE, unlike some of my friends who do music or woodwork and have another exam Monday or Tuesday somewhere.

I also found out that Family Force 5 (a Christian fast-moving band - no idea of genre) is playing in Dublin on the 27th of July. Right before the end of my CTYI course... so chances are slim I can go. However, my friend and my youth group might go (I mention my friend specifically as it was her idea, and we haven't talked to the youth group yet), and I might find a way to leave the DCU for that night.... maybe.... I guess we'll see.

Actually, I advise everyone to check out their songs - I used to only know "Love Addict" and "Earthquake", but their song "Dance or Die" is fantastic, so give it a try.

Other news... I'm going shopping on Saturday, which is big for me. The last time I went shopping (as in Galway shopping, not just popping down to the grocery store) was in January, for my birthday, where I got a really pretty black dress. No, I'm not a goth or an emo, in case you're wondering. It can look both pretty girl or rebel, depending on what I wear it with, and as I tend to go with what my crazy head dreams up instead of a label, it can be that or anything else when I wear it.

But my point is, I'll finally get some new jeans, as my new ones (which I still refer to as my 'new jeans') are about a year old and just Friday got a giant hole in the knee from a fun game of human Fussball, played on our knees. I also really hurt my leg diving for the ball (ha, I cracked it, it hurt for a second, and I left the game... but there were extenuating circumstances!!!) too, so I feel kind of hardcore. But yeah, I loved those jeans. They're getting hard to put on around the waist anyways (I'm pretending I have big hips, not a big stomach).

So... that's me for today I guess. I don't have much more time, so I'm going to read fanfiction now and check some other TV series.

I mean... study.

Music

Hey everyone. It's the 8th of June (tomorrow my exams start - this is me not studying) and I just wanted to write one last post before I disappear for a while about music. Especially classical.

I'm no expert. I've never studied music, apart from a few years studying the piano/violin, a summer learning drums and then, for all Irish students, the inevitable tin whistle. Not that I can remember how to work half of those. But my point is, I haven't studied music. I don't know how to play long beautiful sonatas on the piano - ha, I find it hard to play with two hands! But that doesn't mean I don't love music.

That's the beauty of music. It's for everyone. You don't need to learn how to understand it, or get a PhD in "Music - Listening and Learning" before buying yourself a stereo. It's all out there.

People often ask me "What's your favorite genre of music?" and I always answer something like "Rock" or "Rock, but I also like hip hop or pop" or "Classical".

But to be completely honest, for me it feels like saying "What's your favorite race of people?" or "Who's your favorite politician?" - if you can even have one of those! No matter how much I like rock, there will, and have been, plenty of times when someone put on a rock song and I shuddered and blocked my ears.

At the same time, there's that horrible classical music which we all must riot against, and I can listen to that for ages.

Music is different, music is versatile, music is unique.

So we should stop lumping it all together under one big box! I actually love all types of music - as diverse as hardcore Flyleaf, to indie Local Natives, to soft Beethoven to rock Paramore, to cheerful pop Britt Nicole to gloomy, end of world, P.O.D.

It's all different, but it's all amazing. So don't be an idiot when your friend tells you "Check out that song - it's rap" and you think 'Ugh, rap. I hate rap'. Don't stick yourself into one box - because then everything else will glide by, you'll never notice, and some beauty will be left out of your life. And you can always have some more beauty in your life.

So take a risk. If it's that scary, maybe read the lyrics or a review first. But don't just throw it out because it's different.

Here's a good example, from my own life. My friend showed me a great song - "Fences" by Paramore. I was skeptic. Then she showed me "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by the same band (a U2 cover) and I became even more skeptic. But I was skeptic before I even heard the two songs. Just because she showed them to me, and I didn't always like her music, meant it was another year before I properly appreciated Paramore. Now I'm in love, and I've even been to one of their concerts (which is a very big deal when you're Irish...).

So that's my little rant/speech/preach(?) for today. My conclusion - listen

Don't Want An Ending

This is a song by Sam Tsui. The lyrics aren't online as of yet, so I decided to post them. Bear in mind, I had to play it by ear, and I have no idea what the word after "It's this song" is, and I have no idea if that's what he's saying. Feel free to leave comments correcting this, and I'll put them in.

Don't Want An Ending - Sam Tsui

I don’t want to fall out
But we’re all out of time,
(It’s this song…)(Don’t want an ending)
In one day, no way you’ll be mine
(It’s this song…)(Don’t want an ending)

Mmmm (Don’t want an ending)

My heart is running on empty
One more day and then we go
And yeah, the time goes on now
Don’t ask me how, I don’t know
We’ll be home tomorrow
About a thousand miles too far away
Say you won’t forget and I’ll be okay

At least tonight
It’s just you and me
And honestly
That’s everything I need

I don’t want to fall out
But we’re all out of time
(It’s this song…)(Don’t want an ending)
In one day, no way you’ll be mine
(It’s this song…((Don’t want an ending)

Tonight’s a countdown
Till the day we’re not around
And you’re gone,
And we’re on with our lives – I
(It’s this song…)(Don’t want an ending)

NoOo

Don’t want an ending

My 25th of May

Wow, what a day. The heat stroke lasted past the weekend. It's Tuesday and still going strong.

I have quite a bit of news. Here's a lovely little anecdote to show you a glimpse of my family. Yesterday we ran out of smooth peanut butter. Mad, as it is my spread, I'm the one who wanted it and got it and stored it so I'd have enough to last me a few years (more like a week and a half, but whatever) and then someone, in my family, comes along and takes it. I complain (which is a loose way of saying I get very very angry and sellotape a sign on the cupboard and mutter and groan and yell) and then I do the unforgiveable.

I ruin the family's strawberry jam.

Actually good payback. I don't like strawberry jam, they love it, take good care of it, fight about who gets the last bit. Kind of like me and smooth peanut butter. So then Dad, of course, has to go be the rational one and find a solution. Because of course we don't want a solution - we want to keep arguing and fighting.

So in the end, after school, I went to SuperValu (our big grocery shop in town) and bought some more... yes, I know I could have done that in the first place, but shh!

Other than that, school was boring. My Home Ec teacher would make a good Nazi. Everyday I do all her homework as perfectly as I can, and yet I remain the entire class with my heart thumping. I don't know how she does it, but I've always missed something!

Other than that... my friend has a boyfriend. It's not usual for her, so I was quite surprised. This was pretty much the conversation.

"I have a boyfriend"

"Oh.... do you like him?"
"Yeah"
"Do you want to marry him when you grow up?"
"I'm not you!!"

The 'not you' is referring to the oh so rational part of me that realises I will only date someone to see if he'd make a good lifelong companion. Also, I tell everyone everything. Really - you want to know something, and I'll probably tell you. Except if it's someone's else's secret, and even then it'll be hard. So, anyways, she knows everything I ever think, and I think I won't date a guy until I'm old enough to be able to consider marrying him.

Oh, I found the worst Harry Potter fanfiction in the world. Not an exaggeration - it's no longer on fanfiction (too many people were flaming her) but it's still online. It's so bad, it's hilarious. Here's a link: http://myimmortalrehost.webs.com/chapters122.htm

Also, some artist who found it terrible enough to profit off it drew a comic for it, which is also great - http://chaziebaka.deviantart.com/art/My-Immortal-Cover-135036123

In case you didn't know, I'm a Harry Potter freak. I know everything there is to know of Harry Potter (which can be found inside the books - only some outside the books). I know the two names of the room the DA used for practise, I know when Harry snuck his books into his room in the summer after second year.

Other news - my dad's gone off to Finland with work for about three days, to Helsinki. For all Americans out there, that's the capital of Finland. Okay, fine, sorry, I suppose it's probably a European joke. But then, I don't know the capitals of your states (I don't even know if you states have capitals!). But of course, countries are rather different from states.

It's lonely without him here - I'm definitely a daddy's girl. The family, but me, went to some lake for a walk, and I'm pretty much just avoiding them all in my room.

Also, I'm still stuck for a plotline for my book. Have I mentioned my book before? I'm writing a (hopefully) trilogy about dragons and stuff. But although I have plenty of characters and a world filled with drama, I can't think of a good plotline that isn't "We meet, we fight evil, we defeat evil, the end".

So... ideas are always welcome. Any mention of the Sahara, rabid women or... well, anything that doesn't make sense will not be welcome.

Apart from that, I have no other news...

Bye for now.

My 23rd of May

Whew, I'm back!

Okay, this is going to be an about me, as I have no idea of anything to debate about right now, I'm just too tired (it's nearly 12 and I've had a long day).

Last week of school! Yes! Well, actually, I have this week, then four (or three, I'm not sure) more days, and then school is officially over, but I have my Junior Cert exams, I am not going to waste four days when I could be studying. Or pretty much be doing anything else.

I just started taking an online psychology course... I don't think it's a very official one - I don't think I'll get a degree or anything, but I'll learn something, and that's the point of it.

It's been hot all weekend - Ireland, for those who don't know, is usually wet, cold and miserable. However, these past few days it's been sunny and hot and warm and there's barely been a cloud in the sky. I hope it lasts for another week, and then goes, as I have a lot of outdoor stuff planned this week. The week after I need to study, so then it'll be okay if it rains.

I didn't actually do much all day - I went to church, which is always fun - our church is tiny (20 people on a good day) so we're like a large family, and it's not one of those boring churches you see in movies (although we don't dance or jump around singing either). After that I basically did nothing all day but lazed around on my computer. The rest of the family went swimming and to the park, but I couldn't be bothered. Not to mention I don't have any swimming togs.

Wow - I am so very tired. It must be the heat. I was going to blabber on for a while, but I am just way too tired.

Goodnight :)

Creationism is not a science

And by the way, I'm opposing this one. It's not hard to realise this, if you look at the facts. You just have to be a bit objective.

I don't know if every Christian you've met knew this, but creationism (the belief that the universe was created) is still deeply based in science.

Lets look at this example for a minute. The world a large bowl. Creationist scientists and evolutionist scientists are both digging through it. They both find the exact same evidence - they only have one bowl. Evolutionists look at the evidence, and all they see is stuff pointing to evolution. Creationists look at it and all they see is stuff pointing to creation.

There is quite a famous magazine - "Creation" magazine, which is all scientific articles pointing towards creation in scientific ways.

You see, both theories (yes, as a matter of fact, they are both theories) constantly have to change arguments and refresh them and rephrase them. All arguments are fallible - that is just a thing all scientists understand when it comes to these two. You need to revise your arguments constantly. Just like in debating. The opposition argues a point. You don't keep on stating the same point over and over - you listen to the opposition, hear what they're saying, then find an argument for that.

Evolution is commonly thought of as proven fact, while creationism is some sort of religious freakshow of people, still living in denial. But that's a very biased way of looking at us, and a very ignorant form also. We have plenty of scientific explanations for what we believe. Archaeological finds continue to help our theory. We do believe that the Bible is true, and this is the main reason we don't believe in evolution. However, we do have other things to back this up.

Often skeptics criticise us when we retract any arguments which were proven wrong. But these are the same skeptics who say we never change! You see, we're up against a very steep hill, and both sides are showing teeth. I think it would be best if everyone just tried to remain educated in both sides, because often when I debate with people online, I get stupid arguments from people that have been proven wrong years ago. Many people still don't understand creationism is a science.

There is a lot of evolutionist propaganda. I don't know if this was approved by the scientists, but the discovery channels, most other TV channels - even Wikipedia, a great favourite of mine - have all been infected to argue everything from the evolutionist side.

If you really do think creationism is wrong, fine. Believe that if you want. This argument today is not evolution vs creation. I'll write another article for that, haha. But just because you block out our voices and fill up your head with evolutionist theories, doesn't make us wrong. It just makes you unwilling to listen.

My fifth of May

School again - although I think I only have about 17 more days or so... then I have my Junior Cert. And yes, I still haven't studied. My art project was due last Thursday. Right now, however, it's on my bedroom floor, not being done. Well, I've got all my preps and support studies (my drawings and my photos, for all you not artists) set out on sheets, but I have no glue and can't be bothered to look for any, so they're not done.

My lino (again, for all you not-artists, basically you cut a shape into a tile and then put ink on it... or something) is fully cut, and so are two of my fingers. Yes, I forgot that your hand must always stay behind the knife...

As for my main picture, that's half done. I'm supposed to paint some bubble-wrap yellow and roll it across a black sheet, so I'll have a scale effect, and then I'm going to stick my two already drawn dragons on it. Right now it's just a black sheet and two unattached dragons... oh well, I'll be tired no matter what, so I'll just stay up and do it.

As for homework (I hate the word) I have my German done, and I'll bluff my Maths, or do it tomorrow, or maybe even tonight. But my Irish... ugh. I never actually do my Irish, but we have a sub now, and not one of those young, I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing subs just out of college, no. We have an old one who gives us proper homework and who I don't understand half the time. So, for the first time in 3 years, I have to do Irish homework. So you can see why I'm completely lost. But I'll get through it, I suppose.

Hmm.. what else? Everyone loved my hair cut - at least, everyone who said anything about it said they liked it.

I'm stuck on inspiration for my book... for any story-writers, I think you might understand when I say, my entire world is written and planned, but I can't get my plot to work. It's a fantasy novel about dragons and magic and fighting evil. And I have the beginning. But the middle and the end evade me, and I don't want to write without those, as my hero (J.K.Rowling) knew exactly how her story would go before she wrote it, and that is how you get good writing and good plot twists.

Well, I best get round to painting my art project.

Talk to you later,
Irene

The Leaving Cert Song

This is for my sister Caroline, who is sitting her Leaving Cert. And no, I didn't write it. All Irish will get it. And if you're not, you'll probably get it, as long as wikipedia the small words like C.A.O

Harry Potter vs Twilight

Well, I've always wanted to do one of these, so here goes.

Before I actually go for Twilight's throat, I want to say, if you want to like Twilight, go ahead. I don't think you're an idiot. I mightn't continue to trust your taste in books, but I won't shoot you or anything. This is just for those people who go on about how Twilight is better than Harry Potter for the stupidest reasons (there's actually a website which talks about how Twilight is more realistic which amuses me greatly. I think it's probably been taken down by now though.)

Okay, number one point - genre.

Twilight is a fantasy love story. Pretty much what ever pervert has inside his mind - a love fantasy. Would you like to read a pervert's mind? I don't think so! Harry Potter, on the other hand, is an adventure, fantasy novel. Everyone likes to read about adventure and fighting and scapegoat heroes.

Point number two - Harry Potter had twists. I could tell how Twilight ended after reading the first few chapters! I knew Bella and Edward would end up together, after some sort of tortured drama, and Bella would have a child, who would be absolutely amazing, and they'd all live dramaly ever after. Harry Potter had the triple-crosser be the actual good guy, even after he killed the famous hero, so that was great.

Point number three - Harry Potter is not an idolised version of Joanne Rowling. She had enough imagination to make her main character different from herself, and still write a good book. Wow! Isn't she talented?!

4. More realistic one - Harry Potter appeals to a wider range of people, male and female, old and young, while Twilight only appeals to love-struck (or not) teenage girls. One reason I'm not letting myself be love-struck until I'm out of my teens!

5. Indepth characters. Twilight, you have: perfection, sparkles and a giant wolf. Oh, and a self-doubting but yet perfect girl, who everybody falls in love with. If you want to write a book, here's a little note - BE ABLE TO WRITE FIRST! Characters who are perfect are not characters, they are blights on the world of fiction!]

6. Harry Potter has proper vampires and werewolves. Remus Lupin actually has a curse (which is what lycanthropy is supposed to be!) and the vampire in book five actually nearly eats kids. And, most importantly, he wasn't a fairy hybrid.

7. Twilight promotes teenage pregnancy and throwing your life away for a guy (because those are lessons we all need to learn) while Harry Potter is about unity and facing evil.

8. Harry Potter settles for everything not being happily ever after. How many people die altogether? The Great Hall is just filled with bodies after the last battle. Who dies in Twilight? Well, all their enemies, and then there's that vampire girl who switched sides at the last minute. Oh, what a tragedy, I'm actually crying... I won't even bother to let you know I was sarcastic.

9. Most people who read Twilight don't read Harry Potter. Why? Because it's too complicated. Harry Potter is for people who (i) know how to read and (ii) are able to understand hard concepts, like... loyalty to a cause, or family love, or abuse.

10. Edward is a 108 year old stalker dating (and marrying, and having sex with) a 17 year old girl. She's stupid, but that's still wrong.

11. Meyers writes her book as if she's like "Hmm - oh, I remember, I wanted to make Edward mad at Bella. Why? I can't remember. Let's just do it anyways." Five minutes later, you have another 180 for Edward. I'd feel sorry for him if he wasn't such a creep.

12. All Bella does (other than obsess over Edward) is sleep and cook dinner for her dad. Harry Potter - he fights evil, does homework, fights with his friends, has jokes with his friends, uncovers plots, and he also cooks dinner and stuff for his family when he's home.

13. I might have mentioned this before, it's just that important - Bella and Edward pretty much meet, drive in a car, and fall in love. Harry doesn't even know he likes Ginny until book five, and you didn't really think it would happen, as you got distracted with other things.

14. Edward Cullen is an controlling, emotionally abusive creep, while Jacob is a violent, immature boy. Why would you write about that kind of love triangle and make it sound cool? Harry Potter, while I will be the first to (eagerly) point out the relationships have flaws, it's a great addition to the story and the author actually writes them in on purpose. She doesn't just act like every relationship is perfect.

15. Here's a little rephrase "I thirst for your blood, but don't worry, I'm a vegetarian". How do I feel reassured? I don't. I get the hell away from him. Harry Potter never thirsts for Ginny's blood. And if he did, then he would probably be a Death Eater and in love with Bella(trix - the Harry Potter Bella, not Twilight).

These are fifteen points as to why Harry Potter beats Twilight.

Now, I don't necessarily rage against Twilight all the time. It's just not worth it. It's a terribly written book. But when people insist it's better than Harry Potter - especially when they haven't read all the Harry Potter series - it really makes me mad!

My fourth of May.

Hey everyone (for now, pretty much no one). For now, I think I'll just tell you about my day. I can rant about the important topics later. I'll do my own private ranting now.

Like school - school is the most terrible idea ever invented. I'm all for education, but as someone smart once said (Einstein, I think) "Education is what we get after we have forgotten about school"... or something to those lines.

I have my Junior Cert this year - for all those not educated in the Irish school system, that's like a little exam that everyone makes a big deal about. The big exam is your Leaving Cert. It's secondary school - third year, Junior Cert, fifth or sixth year, Leaving Cert.

But enough about how it works - because it doesn't! People don't teach you in school! They just yell at you and make you learn off stuff and at the end of it, the only reason you feel inspired and creative at all is because you're so happy to be out of that horrible place.

For all those many of you who are fortunate enough to never have been taught Irish, don't. Don't even consider it. Sure, maybe it's a beautiful language. I DON'T CARE. I don't want to have it drilled in my ear every day. I've learnt Irish since I was four. I've learnt German since I was 13. Guess which one I'm more fluent in? Yes - I could go to Germany and hold a mangled conversation with somebody (Mangled. I said mangled). Irish, I'd just stand there and put on my best Neanderthal face. Or my best Einstein face, but that would all be a big show. I might as well have an exam in Greek for all I know Irish.

Or, Home Ec. I have a perfectionist as a Home Ec teacher. Last weekend, I had nightmares about coming into school without my homework done. So I do my homework, triple check everything, come in and, guess what? I still get yelled at!

The thing about teachers for me is, I either respect them, OR I obey them without question (unless they tell me to jump off a bridge or something). If I respect a teacher, they'll be the type to explain why they're doing something, or the type to understand when you forgot your homework - although you always do it, you love them that much.

The ones you obey without question are the slave drivers. I do as they say, because when I come into school I'm submitting to their authority, and I don't argue back, and I don't give pleading excuses. I just take whatever they deal out. But I hate them for it, and I don't respect them. And I won't work with them when they're giving us something optional.

I think someone should just write a teacher's handbook. It'd sell millions of copies - things which help you teach and things which don't, except I'd have to make it sound cooler. No one buys books anymore unless they have good titles.

Hmm - what other news? I recently discovered I'm allergic to something (we found out when I started itching my arms, legs and face like mad) and the hives (those itchy things) have returned, so now I have to go to hospital to find out what's wrong with me.

Not that everyone doesn't already know, haha.

But I'm actually happy I'm going - I've never minded hospitals (actually, I love them so much I think I'd have Munchenhausens if it weren't for the fact I'm slightly sane) and now I'll get out of school to go to one, and no teacher can get mad. Well, they can, and probably will, but at least then I can laugh at them in my head.

I haven't done all my homework (to all adults out there - I envy you!) and I don't think I will, but I just don't care. I'll do my English though, she's one of those teachers that I respect. Oh, that reminds me! We're having a debate in English, and as there are 4 teams, there are 2 topics. I'm pretty sure ours will be "Harry Potter vs Twilight" (which I came up with, yes!) which is a pretty great idea, if I do say so myself. Much better than "Transition Year is a bad idea". For all those ignorant, Google it. I already explained one bit of a futile Irish system.

Before I go, I have to tell you - I just got my hair washed and cut at a hair-dressers. To all girls out there, I'm just sitting here rubbing my head (whenever I'm not typing). It's so silky!!

That's all for now (folks - Bugs Bunny pops up and eats a carrot),
Irene