A VERY Long Post (Includes Question Day, Character Day, My Day, and Two Tags :O)

Okay, this is a LOOOOOOOONG post, so let me help you find your way through it with this handy Table of Contents:

1. Question Day (Why do people have it so good, but then complain all the time?)
2. Character Day (Johnny Tremain)
3. Usual post stuff (how my day was, what this evening looks like, what I'm reading right now)
4. Tag from Bethany (Hopeless Romantic Tag)!
5. Tag from ciaraaa:) (Finish-the-Sentence Tag)!
6. Thanks for reading, don't forget to vote, ask me stuff, don't forget about Followers Say, blah, blah, blah.

Question Day:

From GracieTheFirst: "Why do people have it so good, but then complain all the time?"

My answer:

It's part of human nature, I believe. The lack of "carpe diem", the staring at the grass on the other side of the fence.

Often people who have it the best complain the most. Isn't that odd? I think the reason is that they are spoiled. Not in the bratty way, just that they've had everything they needed all their lives. They don't know what it means not to get everything they want for Christmas, or not have enough food, or not have a best friend.

When you never need anything, you can't appreciate not having it.

Like in Coloniel days, a stick of candy would make a kid's day. Now, a stick of candy is just a temporary pleasure that we forget ten minutes later when we're whining to go to the movies.

Sort of the opposite, people can complain all the time because of ONE THING they don't have, and that over-shadows all the good they DO have. A girl might gripe and moan about, oh, say...not having an older brother, and miss the fact that both her parents are happily married to each other, have jobs, and she lives in a beautiful new house!

You're so right; we need to stop complaining. It's so cliche, but we really do need to count our blessing. Be glad of the things we have, ignore the things we don't (within reason).


However, on more reason for ridiculous complaining is that the person needs Jesus. Honestly, the way to true happiness cannot be found in possessions. It cannot be found in good friendship (although that certainly is a wonderful thing). It cannot be found solely by counting your blessing.

To be truly happy, one must find God.


Long story short: People who live the good life complain all the time for one (or all) of three reasons:

1. They don't know what it means to live the "bad life", so they have nothing to compare their "good life" to. They have never lived the "bad life", so they can't realize how good they have it.

2. They are too busy complaing about a single thing to realize the countless blessings surrounding them.

3. They are looking for happiness in the wrong places.

Hope this answer is everything you were hoping for! Thanks for asking!
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Character Day! Sorry I'm late.

Since this is going to be a monumental post anyway, I'll go into semi-detail this time.

The character of the week is Johnny Tremain from the book "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Forbes. Why Johnny? Because I think he's an excellent example of a realistic and complex character. The book takes place right before and during the Revolutionary War. Johnny begins the book as an extremely talented silversmith's apprentice for a kind master, Old Mr. Lapham.

The complexity of Johnny’s character helps makes the story believable. At the beginning of the book, pride dominates Johnny’s nature. His skills as a silversmith far exceed those of the other two Lapham apprentices, and Johnny lets this go to his head. For the first part of the book, Johnny is extremely arrogant and treats everyone as though they were beneath him.

Pride isn’t Johnny’s only character trait, though, even from the beginning. Johnny is also clever and bold and determined. He can’t be stereotyped, which makes him seem especially real. He reacts to things in ways unique to him. The way he feels about Cilla, the old Mr. Lapham’s daughter, confuses him, and he struggles with what to do about her. This struggle adds depth to Johnny’s character, and shows a different side than his usual arrogant, determined nature.

Johnny grows up a great deal during the course of the book. He never loses his proud nature completely, but he learns that everyone makes mistakes—even himself—and his pride shifts from arrogance to healthy self-confidence. He matures and finds his true self, developing into a determined young man of courage and good values.

Johnny is one of the few characters I've read about that can't be put into the common mold (hot-head, ladies' man, prep, innocent, big-mouth, etc.) at all. He's as real and complex as anyone you might meet in real life, and sometimes even more so. Johnny is one of my favorite literary characters, and Esther Forbes is a writer I long to be like.
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Ah, yes. Today was much needed.

I got all of my work done, and tonight my dad is going to watch football with some guys, so it'll be a "girl's night" at my house :) We are renting (or buying) the Hannah Montana Movie and having popcorn, pretzels, etc.

Yes, the Hannah Montana Movie. I've had such a wonderful day, though, that I don't even care! And plus, it really wasn't a half bad movie at all. I even liked it, and it's not my thing. Lucas Till helped, of course ;) Haha, just kidding.

In school, we're reading "Paradise Lost". Not the whole thing, though. Just all the arguments at the beginning and then book one. We read some of it in Challenge B (eighth grade), and I HATED IT with a PASSION. All the except we read talked about was gluttony and drinking, gluttony and drinking, for pages and pages and PAGES. I thought reading all of book one was going to be torture.

It is not.

I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Honestly. Really. I LOVE IT.

Book one is all about Satan, his falling from Heaven, and rousing up his rebel angels in Hell to continue resistance against God. It's incredible. John Milton is an absolute genius. He portrays Satan so believably. Evil, yes, but relatable, real, in some places almost charismatic. I'm a firm believer in God, but some of Satan (as Milton portrays him)'s speeches are incredibly persuasive.

"Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven." --Satan

Favorite quote. While I have to admit it, I tend to think that way myself. I know that's horrible, and I'm a strong Christian and everything, but...well, does anyone else know what I mean?

I had crazy dreams last night. More Maximum Ride dreams. I watched the whole series as a movie, but when I woke up, I realized that it didn't even follow the book. It was really vivid and interesting, but not half as good as the dream where I was Max and Fang was my "brother" :)

I've been tagged! Twice! Yay! I do love these things. Thanks, Bethany and ciaraaa:) for tagging me!

First tag, from Bethany:

The Hopeless Romantic Tag:

1. What two qualities do you want most in your future husband? Humor is definitely one of them. He's got to make me laugh. Who wants to spend the rest of their life with someone who has no sense of humor?? Quality two...Okay, there are several qualities that I'd like, but I'll say this one just to shock everyone: Protective. *scowls as your jaw drops* Yes, okay, I said it. Not like Over-bearing Edward Cullen or anything, but someone who will stick up for me when necessary, and, well, protect me. I'm horribly proud and like to think of myself as a complete fend-for-herself girl, but I actually appreciate when people step in and say, "Hey, knock it off" when I'm in trouble, or help me out.

2. Is there a fictional character you see as a model for your future husband? Hmm, I don't know. I've had countless book-crushes, and I'd marry a couple of character, but isn't it kind of a moot point since they're, well, characters? Okay, that's not really an answer, I know. Let me try again. Eragon ("Eragon"), Fang ("Maximum Ride"), Jace ("The Mortal Instruments"), Johnny Tremain ("Johnny Tremain") and Kavi ("The Farsala Trilogy") are my top book crushes. Make of that what you will.

3. Where do you want your wedding? I don't know. Outside weddings are pretty, but the weather is so unpredictable, and I like predictability when it comes to things like weddings. I definitely want it to be simple, yet elaborately beautiful, if that makes any sense.

4. What are your views on courtship? Nice idea. Don't know if it's going to happen. (Well, put Bethany.) I think it's a fine idea, and it works wonderfully for some people. I don't think I will do it. The idea of a "boyfriend" is kind of heavy for me, though. I'm a huge believer in "friends first". Hanging out with a guy one-on-one is fine with me, but when I get really serious, I want to be absolutely sure that it's someone I want to spend the rest of my life with. Does that make sense?

5. What are your views on your first kiss? I'm waiting for someone I'm really in love with. I'm terrible at KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid), though. I complicate things to within and inch of its life, and then there's no magic left. I want everything to be perfect for my first kiss, but I know that's impossible. Just my nerves alone will prevent that.

6. Do you have or want a purity ring/locket? No, but I want one so badly!! Of course, I'll have to take off my mood ring to wear it :O

7. Do you have or want a hope chest? I dont' have one, and I'm not sure about wanting one. I think it's a beautiful kind of old-fashioned idea, but I don't know that I want to have a giant chest full of towels and dishes and stuff in my room waiting for the I Do's...

8. Will you wear a veil at your wedding? No. I want to see everything just as it is, not through a veil.

9. What kind of wedding dress do you want? Ooh, something intricate, Elven, and definitely white. I like this, but I'm not sure about for a wedding dress...It seems a little more like a ball gown. Honestly, though, I'm horribly at this kind of thing. Lizzy (my sister) will definitely be accompanying me to every bridal store to make sure I don't buy anything I'll regret, lol!

10. What flowers do you want in your bouquet? Just pretty ones. I have no idea. I like rose,s though. And I like pink at weddings.

11. What do you want to name one of your daughters? *moan* Don't get me started on names! Um...I like Hope actually. I used to really hate all the names that were virtues, but lately I've started to like Hope. I like Ava, Alazne (uh-LAZ-nee), Maris, Elizabeth. I like the combination Cameron Beth (a girl, obviously). Ava Elizabeth is pretty. Alazne Maris is nice. So is Alazne Elizabeth. So is Alazne Marielle. So is Elizabeth Hope. Lol, see why it was a bad idea to get me started on this??

12. What do you want to name one of your sons? You asked for it. Names I like: Kade, Darren, Cavender, Brandon, Matthew, Mark, Drew (not Andrew, Drew). Brandon Matthew sounds nice. So does Darren Cavender. Cavender Mark. Brandon Daniel. Mark Alexander. Alexander Mark...

13. Do you believe in the 'knight-in-shining-armor' view of courtship? I don't know exactly what that means...I'm thinking not, though, lol

14. What music do you want to play at your wedding? "Here I Am" from Spirit (STOP LAUGHING AT ME), some Lord of the Rings, At Wit's End from Pirates of the Carribean. Other stuff.

Are you a hopeless romantic? Oh, I don't know. Not out loud, but inside...probably so :)

Tag from ciaraaa:)!

The Finish-the-Sentence Tag!

I like tomato soup.
I like books that make you deaf to the world.
I like music that makes you feel things.
I like shocking prudish people >:D
I like laughing.
I like getting everything done.
I love my friends. (I know that's cliche, but I really mean it. See, I love my friends so much that I put books in "like"!)

Today I skipped snack :O

I hate worrying.
I hate throwing up.
I hate losing people I'm close to.
I hate idiots.
I hate loving to run but being too out of shape to run long distances.
I hate slow computers.
I hate my parents nagging me.
I hate people bugging me.
I hate sleepless nights.
I hate books that end with unanswered questions.

Thanks for tagging me y'all! Wow, the Hopeless Romantic one is something I've never seen before. I really enjoyed that, because I hadn't really thought about a lot of the questions before. I like the Finish-the-Sentence tag, too. It's a neat kind of over-view of a person.

Thanks for reading to the end (if you did)! I know it was a long post. Don't forget to vote on the Disney Movie poll and think about Followers Say! You guys rock; I love being able to post my thoughts here.