Repose en paix, mon chat

Today I would like to look back on a cat, a little friend, I've had since I was 3 or 4. Even through the end he's been the greatest little friend for me. I'm guessing he died last night before we got home from Toronto - otherwise I'm sure our friend Gary would have told me, since he was keeping us updated in texts. He died alone. When we got to the house, I knew he was gone, and I didn't want to go down to the basement and get him. Before we left, I knew he was sick and probably wouldn't make it to see us again, so I told him, "Little buddy, if you need to go while we're gone you can. I understand. But that doesn't mean I don't love you and want you to." Three days later I got the text that his legs were failing him and he was having trouble getting around... and I knew it was getting closer to being the end. I used this song for Pup when he died in mama's arms two years ago, and I'm going to use it again.

You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through
somehow I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbyes
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now.
-Homesick, Mercy Me.

A Great Night

Yesterday my mom and I drove to Millennium Park in Chicago to see Rachel Barton Pine get the Great Performer of IL award for 2010. Afterward she played a concert consisting of her three groups - her Trio, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and Earthen Grave. During her first performance, it started pouring rain and storming. Now... Millennium Park is nice, but it's outside. So to go along with the amazing baroque performance we had a little extra bass beat in the background. She went on through her Symphony performance which was great, and then Earthen Grave played, and I didn't know an electric violin could sound so cool. Haha. Most people had given up on staying dry by this time and were splashing in the puddles but mom and I refused to give up on the umbrella. There was a crazy dude dancing in the aisle and yelling things during the concert.

Then I went to stand in line to meet her, and I was pretty much in the front of the line. I took my bridge off my violin at home and had her sign it. When I told her who I was, she remembered me from an email I wrote her telling her how ironic we were in comparison. How cool is that?! I still need to tell her that she likes Maude Powell - my orchestra teacher's name is Mr. Powell. She took a picture with me and I accidentally deleted it on the way home, and I cried about it. I'm not ashamed to say so. I'm trying to recover it using www.cardrecovery.com but I'm not sure if it'll work - but I really hope so.

2010 Great Performer of Illinois Award

2010 Great Performer of Illinois Award Presentation & Concert | Explore Chicago

I will be attending this tomorrow night. I am going to see Rachel Barton Pine, a violinist. We have many similarities; red hair, the violin, middle names, last names, and string choice. I hope to get to meet her - she usually sticks around for autographs (says on her website) and so it would be interesting to meet her. Maybe we're related?

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Beastly by Alex Flinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


"A beautiful thing is precious, no matter the price."

This has the same plot as Beauty and the Beast, but it's set in NYC with two teenagers. A popular, rich, gorgeous guy and a not-so-noticeable girl attending a private school on scholarship. The boy is transformed into a beast by a "witch" and given two years to find true love or be stuck that way forever.

Other books by this author: Breathing Underwater, Breaking Point, A Kiss in Time, Nothing to Lose, Fade to Black, and Diva.

View all my reviews >>

French Poetry

J'ay Desiré Cent Fois
Pierre de Ronsard

J'ay desiré cent fois me transformer, et d'estre
Un espirit invisible, afin de me cacher
Au fond de vostre coeur, pour l'humeur rechercher
Qui vous fait contre moy si cruelle apparoistre.

Si j'estois dedans vous, au moins je serois maistre
De l'humeur qui vous fait contre l'Amour pecher,
Et si n'auriez ny pouls, ny nerfs dessous la chair,
Que je ne recherchasse à fin de vous cognoistre.

Je s¸aurois maugré vous et voz complexions,
Toutes voz volontez, et voz conditions,
Et chasserois si bien la froideur de voz veins,

Que les flames d'amour vous y allumeriez:
Puis quand je les voirrois de son feu toutes pleines,
Je me referois homme, et lors vous m'aimeriez


Translation:
I Want to Be Inside You
Pierre de Ronsard

A hundred times I wish I could transform myself
And become an invisible spirit that hides inside your heart
And seeks to comprehend your scorn
Which seems to me so cruel.

I would become master of your emotion.
I would discover the pulse of your nerves
As they flow through your flesh and change
Your disdain. And then I would know you.

In spite of yourself, against your will
I would be a part of your desires and your terms.
And I would chase the coolness from your veins.

So perfectly, love could set fire to you,
Then, when I saw them burst into full flame,
I would step out and be a man again.

Show and Tell.

What I miss most about elementary school, specifically first grade and kindergarten, is show and tell. Every Friday, we would have the chance to bring in something that was important to us - a piece of us - to share with everyone else. I haven't gotten to do anything like that since then. I think that no matter how old you are - sometimes it's important to take piece of yourself and share it with everyone else. Do teachers even do that anymore? I think it helps to make kids more understanding of each other. It shows them that "hey, this might be important to you, but this is important to me."

I'll add more to this later.

Long Live Harry Potter.

For the past 10 years of my life, there has been Harry Potter.

Within the next two years, it will be over. I won't have something to look forward to in that regard. The movies will be finished. The books have been finished for a few years. What more can they do? I still believe that JKR should write one more book about Harry Potter. One more. She should rewind through the last few pages of Deathly Hallows and talk more about what happens to these characters. After all - I've known them for ten years. They're almost like family to me. I think I'm going to finish up my other books and reread the series.

Every time I watch this trailer, I get goosebumps.