What I'm Thankful For

So this is something that I used to do every year around Thanksgiving, but unfortunately I didn't have my blog up and running on Thanksgiving so I'm doing this now.
What I'm thankful for:
My wonderful family that has kept me going through everything. They've held me up when I'm down, given me courage when I've felt doubt, and shown me the true beauty of family. I have so much to thank them for.
My wonderful friends. I can't even express how amazing these fantastic people are. They've always been there for me, made me laugh exactly when I needed it, and just been such beautiful, inspiring people. I have this one friend who knows exactly how to cheer me up even without me telling them I feel down. All my friends are amazing people that deserve so much more thanks than I am giving them right now.
My teachers. I owe so much to all of you. You've shown me the true power of learning and how it's not just memorizing facts for a test, but training the mind to think. "Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think." -Albert Einstein. You've not only taught me so well, but have helped me grow as a student, as a writer, and most importantly, as a person. I've come to love every subject, and every class as well, thanks to you amazing people.
These are just a few of the things I'm thankful for. I hope you guys enjoyed.

What I'm Looking Forward To This Year

New Years Eve holds a special place in everyone's hearts that is different for each person. New Years celebration (to me) means spending a great night with your best friends to start the new year. That's how I spent it this year. I had some friends over and we enjoyed a great end to 2013 and an awesome start to 2014.
But the fun of 2014 isn't just in New Years for me. There is so much you can do in a year and these are a few things that I'm really looking forward to this year.

1. Power of the Pen. Power of the Pen (POP) is a writing competition for seventh and eighth graders. The competition is tomorrow! :) I'm very excited and honored to be in this competition and I wish my team-mates well.
2. Italy. This summer I'll be attending an 11 day trip to Italy with a few friends from school. I'm so excited...I just can't even express...
Number 3. Getting to have some quality time with my friends. In case you don't know this about me I really don't have a social life, but this year I'm getting one so I'm very happy to be able to spend some time with my amazing friends who are just...Well, I have some really great friends who've always been there for me and I'm honored to have each and every one of these fantastic people in my life.
4. Reading some books. Okay yes I read a lot already. But that is mostly class books that are assignments this year. I haven't read a lot of my own books this school year (I have for years just not this year) so now I'm getting back into that and I'm really happy about that because there are so many wonderful books written by fantastic authors. I can enjoy the plot and learn from the author(s) and the techniques they use in their writing.
5. Music. I absolutely love music. If you didn't know that about me, then you don't know me. ;) Just kidding. Anyway, whether it's music written by other people that I can play on my iPod, or music I'm learning to play on the piano, I've really been getting into both this year and that's something I definitely look forward to taking a bigger role in this year.
6. Becoming more confident. I really lost any self-confidence I had for several years when I was younger and ever since I switched to the amazing school that I'm at now, my self-confidence has been building. It's been really nice to feel proud and confident to stand out of the crowd and shout to the world, "this is me. I'm different." Being different than everybody else is something that lots of people are scared of. But from my experience, being different is special. Being different is fun. Being different is important. People will respect you more and get to know the real you if you stand out with confidence and say "That's right. I do this. I'm different. I'm proud." This is something that I've treasured for the past few years and I'm glad I can still have that confidence to show the world that I'm not perfect, that I'm different, that I am me. This is who I am.

That Moment

You know that moment when you're sitting in a chair by the window and everyone around you is chatting away and you hardly notice? You find yourself admiring only what is on the outside of the stone fortress you're in. You look out the window to the gray clouds coating the sky in their bleakness hovering high above the barren trees, leafless and cold. The snow on the ground has been turned to mush where cars and feet have walked countless times over. But then you see it. The beautiful field of nearly untouched white. Pure and soft, just waiting for one person, one bike, or even an animal to break it's perfect balance and press it into the ground.
That moment when everything stops. When it just becomes you in the world. Everything slows. Nothing is there but you and the world you see outside the window from your perch.

Then your friends start singing songs from My Little Pony. Then everything becomes real and you find yourself joining in.

Cold Frosty Wonders

So this is a poem I wrote a few years ago, but I felt I should share it because of the bitter cold winter that I'm experiencing right now. Winter is probably my favorite season so don't get me wrong; I love winter, I'm not complaining. That much ;) So here is my poem. I've titled it Cold Frosty Wonders. I hope y'all enjoy.

You're so cold

So white,

So classy

And bright!

I've missed you all year;

The rest of the year such a bore.

You're the only time

I get to explore!

I've so much to tell you.

Come in won't you?

Oh, you'll melt!

Perhaps we should stay outside!

Come with your winter flowers,

And white snow.

Maybe a chill or two,

And don't forget a white Christmas!

Let us toss your snow around,

Enjoy the cold you bring,

And explore the wondrous white

You bring to our woods!

Would you like some ice with your popsicle?

Maybe a frost?

Oh please don't go!

You've just come.

What will I do without you?

I shall melt away just like you.

Don't leave!

Stay a little while!

Don't let spring bring you down.

Don't fade away to a small pile.

Oh rest assured,

I will wait.

Until next year come again,

When we rejoice together.

Winter

The Outsiders Review

So I recently read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and I've got to say it was one of the most eye-opening, realistic books I've read in quite a while. The Outsiders told the story of a young boy living in a horrendous lifestyle of fights and poverty. One night was especially rough and his friend saved his life by killing another boy. They went on the run and really showed what life was like and still is in some places of the earth. This review really isn't doing justice to the book I'm afraid, but I must say that it is an extremely well-written, thought-provoking book that can be read by teens and adults alike. I would not recommend it for children just because of the violence in it, but it is very realistic and what helps that realism is that this is the author's life put into a story. This is not a book for the faint-hearted, but I have to say that this is one of my favorite books. The plot is brilliant, but even if you cast the plot aside, the writing is just fantastic on it's own.
So next time you see The Outsiders in the store or at a yard-sale or really anywhere, purchase it, take it home, and read it. This is a book that needs to be heard. This is a book that needs to be read. This is a book that needs to be shown. And you can help.

Air 1 Review

Air 1 is the radio station I listen to every day on the way to school. Air 1 provides positive, beautiful music that is bound to lift up anybody's spirits. Whenever I'm feeling down, I turn on my radio and go straight to Air 1. Even when I'm feeling like the best person in the world I turn it on. They give such a great feeling to the listener that whether you are feeling terrible and that nothing can ever go right again, or you are feeling as though you are on top of the world, Air 1 gives you such an amazing feeling like nothing else can. I'm actually listening to the station right now. I turned it on in the middle of typing this and I feel ten times happier than I was when I started typing. (And I was already pretty upbeat.) 
Air 1 is an amazing station that everyone should listen to. You can go to their website at www.air1.com and listen to their live broadcast or check out some of the music they play. Please go do it. Words matter.

What Would You Do?

What would you do if you were given the world? What would you do if you were given more hope than you could possibly imagine? What would you do if you were given all you could possibly want to have the perfect life? Would you take it, or turn it away? The decision falls to you. 

Life in 2054

I think life will be quite the same in 2054. Yes technology will probably be different; advanced surely, but I don't think that the way people live will really change that much. Every kid will still have their chores that they complain about, every adult will still have their jobs that they go to everyday, and everyone will not really change. Why should they? Apple technology will have a different name or it will die out and be replaced with more high-tech devices. Siri won't even be Siri anymore though. People won't have to even hold out their phone for it to do a command. They'll say it, and it'll happen.
But aside from technology, what else will change? Will average human health change? Will they way we eat change? In 2054 it will. People will be more aware to how they are eating and how it affects their life. They will go back to eating healthier food, growing their own, and being more aware of the fact that what they eat affects their future.
A lot will change but the way people live their everyday life won't. Music will still be treasured, plays will still be greatly enjoyed, live broadcasts will be just as awkward whenever we mis-speak. These are all things that will remain the same and true at the heart of them, but they will just be shown differently. Books are still books in 2014, so why would they not be in 2054? Sure people will create a different way of displaying them to the world, but books are still books if you look at the heart of them.
Children will still wake up early for school complaining that they are sick when they aren't, they'll still beg to play their video games and toys instead of doing homework that's already a day late. Parents and adults will still go to work, they'll still give rules to their kids, they'll still be the same.
Nothing will change. Nothing. But everything will be presented differently in 2054.

Random comedy

"So my parents called me a liar. I said to them, "Santa, Easter bunny, and tooth fairy." And walked away like a boss." I love the Internet. It helps me find funny captions on weird photos. The Internet: a place to go when you have nothing better to do with your life. Just kidding ;) well...maybe... Comment below and tell me some of your favorite captions you find on the Internet.

The beginning. The truth.

Hey, my name is Elaine and this is my blog of all my writing. Well, almost all. I'll also be sharing anything that is going on in my life that I find worthwhile or important. I am very interested in being a writer and I absolutely love when other people put their writing into blogs or places like Teen Ink. I am a very positive person and am very supportive of those who are totally and completely...random! It's heart-warming when people just come out and say "you know what? I'm different! I'm proud to be weird." I'm not a judgmental person but I am not a fan of the people who hide behind beauty and popularity. I like the people who are not afraid to be themselves. So, please, be yourself. Show the world that you are proud to be yourself and not anybody else. Shine.