8 Mini Stories

Hello readers. I hope you are well on this rainy, haily (if that's not a word now it is :-P), dark, autumn day here in Belgium. I feel like some creative writing challenge, so I'm going to challenge myself and write tiny mini stories based on pictures I found on pinterest. Stories don't have to be long; you can often fit a whole story in just a few words. They're stories. Mini stories. Hope you like them.

Mini Story 1

Her name was Millie and she was my sister. She died when I was seven; she was seventeen. She died falling off her motorbike when she was on holiday with her boyfriend and his sister. She died wearing her favourite summer frock; the white one Mama didn't like her to wear because it was see through if the sun shone from behind her. Mama cried when she died; Daddy sobbed and sobbed. My brother ran away from home for a week because he didn't want me to see him cry. I went to Millie's bedroom and I hugged her pillowcase. It was green with purple flowers. I took it to my bedroom and slept with it.

Mini Story 2

"Why, Sarah, why," Jonie asked. Only, she didn't really ask it. She said it, like she wasn't expecting a solid answer.

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to sit down and eat with me? Why did you buy me food? I literally took your boyfriend away from you."

"I didn't own him," Sarah said. "And it's just chips."

Jonie smiled her beautiful smile. "Chips are good, though."

"And so is Jonathan," Sarah nodded. "I am not blaming you for wanting him. Besides, he prefers you. That is not your fault either."

Suddenly Jonie hated Jonathan for leaving this sweet girl to be with her.

Mini Story 3

Mama always told me I shouldn't pass notes to people in school, but when someone passes you a note, what else can you do but except it? Especially when it's specially written for you. It's not every day that you get a note written for you. The teacher was explaining about African tribes and Christopher Columbus but I stopped listening to her to open the note. 

You're stupid and ugly, it said.

It was the first time someone had written it instead of saying it. Now it was written down, it became a fact.

Mini Story 4

Dear Diary, 

We are married. We got married in the mountains; it was just us two, and Bets and Dorian, and the pastor. Bets took pictures, Dorian played guitar, the pastor married us. Joe and I, we just smiled and smiled. Our cheeks hurt from happiness. Maybe when our parents see how happy we are, they will give in. Maybe they will be okay with us being husband and wife. Maybe one day. But even if they never do, we have each other. And we have these mountains and we have Michael Jackson cd's and a Bible. We will be okay. I am so happy my heart could burst. I must leave; my husband awaits. 

Yours truly, a wife.

Mini Story 5

When you have a crush on your brothers' roommate, you visit your brother often.

"Oh, hey sis," my brother would say.

"Oh, hey bro," I would say, but I would look over his shoulder and look at him. He was always at his desk, writing. Poems, books, pieces of future classic literature. He had a cup of coffee next to him and the radio played orchestral music he couldn't hear because he was so absorbed into his writing. Oh, but he looked so good in his brown waistcoat and messy hair. I was sure I could stare at him for ages.

"You're too obvious," my brother whispered.

"Apparently not," I whispered back. He didn't even look up when I came in anymore.

My brothers' roommate put his pen down and looked at me. "Yes, you are," he said. He was smiling.

Mini Story 6

Where there are large families, there are messy halls. Where there are messy halls, there are plenty of shoes. Where there are halls with plenty of shoes, there are large families. Or, of course, a single lady with an unhealthy obsession with buying shoes.

But when such a single lady comes to live with a large family; then, and only then, things get offhand. If you think your house contains too many shoes, you have not visited the Pickfords. The Pickfords' house was ninety percent shoes, ten percent other. The Pickfords had nine children, their two parents, and now, their jolly aunt Priscilla Pickford. She had two hundred and thirty two pairs of shoes and counting, and Mr Pickford felt suicidal whenever he looked at any single one of them. So one evening, when Priscilla Pickford went out to buy another pair, he held a huge bonfire in the garden with his children. 

They couldn't find any wood for the bonfire, so they elaborated with two hundred and thirty two objects they found lying around in the house. Objects they didn't think they really needed.

Mini Story 7

It had been six years ago since I'd seen her. She had put me out of the house when I was sixteen. "You don't need me to feed ya anymore," she had said. I had asked her, what do I do on my own, and she had said, go find your father. And she had closed the door in my face. I went to my Grandma. My mother didn't even know who my father was; how would I know? I was now both fatherless and motherless. Both didn't want to know me; and that was how it stayed for six long years.

But here she was. I saw her, she was standing at the side of the music floor, looking at the ground in deep thought. I stared at her through all the couples slow dancing between us. My heart beat wild and fast. It was her. The same curly hair. The same thin, white arms. The same dark eyes. Only, she was older; she was sadder. She looked weary.

"Jesus." I prayed. "Jesus, you forgave me. I am going to go to my mum and forgive her."

Mini Story 8

"You know grandma, I've always loved your fridge," Annie smiled.

"You mean all the magnets?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes, they're cool. I mean, it looks cool."

"When I was a young girl," Phoebe said, her old hands wrapped around her cup of coffee. "I once made a long journey around the world. I was hopelessly in love with this guy, but because I thought I would never have a chance with him, I went on this journey to try to forget him. Well, every country I was in, some stranger randomly came up to me and gave me a magnet. When I came back home the next year, it turned out he had given them all to me."

"That is so cute,"Annie gushed.

"It was the sweetest thing someone ever did to me."

"Did you date him?"

"Darling, he's grandpa."

Which Mini Story is your favourite?

(For the record this is so much fun to do. My favourite is 5, because he looks like Gilbert Blythe and you can't go wrong there.)

PS MINNIE AND ALFIE IN LARK RISE ARE THE CUTEST COUPLE EVER

A post on trains

I don't know about the USA and Australia and all you guys' places, but here in Belgium students like me take the train to go to university every day. At first that kind of freaked me out because trains are risky things.

10 reasons why trains are risky things

1. You're stuffed into a narrow, metal snake with people you have never met before. That's the basic explanation of a train. And it does not necessarily sound very attractive.

2. This can therefore include being seated next to a potential murderer or drug dealer.

3. You could get your handbag nicked. A handbag contains important cards and passports and in the case of some stories, babies. (Little Importance of Being Earnest reference there; before you get wierded out.)

4. You can miss your train. Think of how stressful it is; you have to get in that thing before it whizzes away again - and if you don't it won't care; you'll just have to wait fifteen minutes or more for the next metal snake.  It does not care about your feelings. 

5. There is a small gap between the train and the platform. This is ok, but just don't fall. Death may occur and that death may be yours.

6. Sometimes trains are very stuffed. I have been on two trains today - one so stuffy a man was standing right in front of my face, a girl was sitting next to me, another girl was standing next to me, another man was sitting right behind the man standing in front of me; a lady sitting right next to the man standing in front of me (I was trying to concentrate on C.S.Lewis' The Problem of Pain) - and another nice and calm one where I had a little table and bench to myself and I could edit my story in peace. The latter is somewhat more of a rare specimen in school hours, let's just say that.

7. You can accidentally sit in the 1st class passengers and get a ticking off from the conductor.

8. You can accidentally lose your train ticket and get a ticking off from the conductor (+fine.)

9. You can accidentally get on the wrong train and find yourself landing in some weird-sounding place you have never heard of. Guys, train timetables are the most complicated dang things there are. Just make sure you have your phone with you so you can phone Mum whilst weeping. Like, there's 23 platforms. How am I supposed to know which one might potentially have a train that will bring me closer to my home?

10. Underground train stations are super creepy. Forget about the Matthew and Mary romantic train station scene in Downton Abbey. I'm talking black walls with graffiti.

... basically, my life is a play between life and death.

All right, I am obviously being overly pessimistic for dramatic reasons (;-P) and I have to say, I have already noticed some of its positive sides. I did not think I would find a lot of them, but I have found that travelling by train has its quaint, storybook sides. 

Such as:

1. Yesterday I was walking in the big grand train station, and outside there was this jazz band playing on the pavement - with saxophones and everything. As I went inside, and down the steps into the underground world of train platforms, the jolly jazzy sound intermingled with the sound of trains, announcements, and endless footsteps of people rushed to get on with their own life. With all those sounds drowning into each other, I felt like I was in one of those slow motion, soundtrack-y scenes in a movie. You know, one of those scenes where the main character feels all numb and struck and where he or she is reanalysing life and everything about it? YOU know. Anyway. I felt like I was in that kind of scene for a few minutes and it was cool. :-P

2. When there's a sunset shining through the train windows. Guys. Purty.

3. When I spot someone reading a book I like. Ok, that hasn't happened yet, but I'm happy to say that people are still reading books. Granted, more people are on their phones, but I have spotted many noses between book covers and that makes me happy.

4. Some of the landscapes I pass are very picturesque indeed.

5. Sometimes there are good looking people on the train. There was a guy dressed like Wooster this morning. And a girl with a nice handbag. There is always something to observe.

6. The rattle of the train is quite satisfying - not a bad sound.

7. Now and then us cold Belgian strangers will dare smile to each other. But never longer than half a second. Oh no; heaven forbid. That is far to familiar.

There was my little anecdote on trains. I'm training myself to get used to them. You'd better keep track of my process and station assignments on my way so I can improve. I'll keep a to-do list with boxes of things I have to do to improve, so that when I get the things done I can ticket.

(SEE WHAT I DID THERE. FOUR PUNS. ONE PARAGRAPH. *hi-fives self*)

Five things you could do to make your day better

1. Have a spontaneous meet-up with a friend. 

When you randomly hear that a friend happens to be nearby, hop on a bike and go have a random meet-up. Just a chat and a laugh and a 15-minute windy walk is worth it. There is something about spur-on-the-moment decisions that makes my love for life skyrocket to a high level. I should do more of it. I love it when an ordinary day ends up having a quick change of plan to make it a bit special. It does not happen often, but when it does it does my heart good.

2. Go through a movie/season and just rewatch all your favourite scenes. 

Don't listen to those people who think that's weird - just do it. It's so much fun, and sometimes one doesn't have time to watch everything but one still has A Desire to relive certain scenes. I went through the entire season of Berkeley Square when I was staying at my grandparents' several weeks ago, and just watched all the Ned and Matty scenes because those two are adorable. The other day I watched the last episode of Downton Abbey again and then the day after I was like, 'I'm still not over that episode; I have to rewatch some scenes.' So I did. Edith and Bertie are so cute and I can't even tell you how proud I am of Thomas and the way he turns out in the end.

3. Learn a chapter of the Bible by heart. 

My goal one day is to know an entire book by heart - like that man who performed at the convention I went to in England back in July, and acted out the entire book of Luke (it was amazing) - but I am not very good at learning stuff word for word, so I'm trying for a chapter. Of course the first one I want to learn by heart is 1 Corinthians 13. Learning Bible verses by heart used to be something I absolutely hated, but now I so see why it's important and helpful. Reading the Bible is one thing, but remembering it and living it is another thing - and the latter is so much easier when you have verses stored up in yo brain.

4. Write down prayers. 

Getting distracted is easy easy EASY; I mean, can I get an amen? Even without a phone; even without music on the background - my brain just crawls away. Also, prayer is so important; and so powerful - and I don't want to ignore it. Being focused during prayer is important also, and avoiding distractions during prayer is therefore essential. What helps for me is writing down my prayers. Writing is one of the ways I express myself, so I'm not saying it's good for everyone, but writing down my prayers has helped me so much and I really recommend it!

5. Listen to all the cliché feel-good songs.

Hey, just forget a second about being stereotypical; if you want to jam on Happy and Can't Stop the Feeling while doing the dishes, just freaking do it. If you've listened to the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack 100 times already but your heart still says it can handle more, just put it on again and sing your heart out. (Confession: I listen to One Direction now and then. K. Don't judge me.)

Give me something I should do to make an ordinary day extraordinary.

a poem

Do you know

How to write

Poetry

Just write whatever

Pops into your head

And like butterflies

On bramble hedges in spring sunsets

Use metaphors for false illusion of cleverness

And click

Enter

So that you

Have a lot of lines

Which makes some kind of

Surprising

Rhythm

Like waves bobbing on an ocean

Like extreopotism

See I just used water imagery

And a word I don’t know what it means

But it’s all good

Because

It’s a poem

Wow that was deep

That blank line really showed that

10 types of instagram captions

The title speaks all. This is going to be fun to write. ;-)

1. The hashtagger

thehashtagger #sunset #nofilter #soblessed #okmaybetherewasasmallfilter #buthardlyany #itwaswayprettierinreallifeanyway #sunsetpics #sunsetsofinstagram #sunsetsofinsta #godscreation #art #artisinotdead #godsnotdead #lit #dope #beautiful #stunning #beautifulsunset #imaluckygirl

STOP IT.

2. The long caption-er

thelongcaptioner Ok, so guys these past few hours have been a rollercoaster of emotions. I don't even know where to start, lol, but let me just say that man, it's been worth it. Going to the beach with my one-year-old for the first time was precious and I'll never forget it. The memory is not only in a polaroid snap and instagram pictures, but it's also engraved in my brain. My sweet baby girl saw the ocean with her own eyes as blue as the ocean and my heart ached out of love for her and for the beautiful vast waters. Our God is so so amazing; Ha makes the blue of little baby eyes and the blue of powerful oceans. Coming home from this trip with weary bones and sand-clad skin I was musing about all this and this poem came to mind that my mama used to read to me when I was a little girl. My eyes filled with tears as the words came back to my brain, one by one... {continued in the comments}

(Don't feel like you have to read all that, haha.) I like a bit of meat on a caption but I'll be the first to admit that some people go wayyyy too long EVERY TIME they post (like, how much time do these Mum instagrammers have, to write a novel on their toddlers latest antics every day when they post a picture?!?!) and that some long instagram captions are just so. dead. boring. Like, at this point honey, I don't care about you enough to go to the comment section to read the rest of your caption. Start a blog. Or a diary.

3. The emoji-er

theemojier ⛅✨😍

An emoji speaks a thousand words, people. (Actually, it doesn't. They're cute, but they're not informative and imagination-rousing to the soul.)

4. The no caption

Boring? Lack of creativity? Lazy? All of the above. Whoever writes the first comment gets to be the caption-writer for the picture. (A slight improvement of this one is the caption: "Caption this." :-P)

5. The witty one

thewittyone Ok, so I have literally no reason to post this but you have literally no reason to read this or waste time online so STOP JUDGING ME K. #hatersgonnahate

The one that tries really hard to be funny. (I'm probably this one, if I'm being honest. :-P) Often these people's captions include: a) puns (often really bad ones) b) rants (often really unnecessary ones) c) using wacky hashtags (like #wowlolsofunnyjkthisjokesucks) and d) saying somethign very snobbish like posting a selfie and captioning it with something like 'what a view.' Because that's hilarious, apparently.

6. The deep, short caption-er

thedeepshortcaptioner 💚 D O N ' T  F O R G E T  T O  B R E A T H E 🌒

This one gets my goat. But it's very popular in the World of Insta, I have noticed. Especially girls do this a lot, with pictures of holidays and poses and fields. Other examples of such captions are: "Shoot for the stars 🌠" "But darling, what if you fly?" "Fields of gold" "Golden hour of love" ... honestly, none of them make sense. And they're all from pinterest, probably.

7. The quote caption

thequotecaption "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." - Oprah

Few people read these captions.

8. The Bible verse caption

theBibleversecaption "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him." (Prov. 30:5)

... in a similar vein, this is a popular caption choice with Christian instagrammers who don't feel inspired or led to write a long sermon as a caption. :-P A Proverbs or Romans or Corinthians verse are popular choices. Or John 3:16.

9. The sponsored caption

thesponsoredcaption I love my new boots from @somebootshopnoonecaresabout - they are honestly so comfy and pretty. Use promo code "idontcare' to get 50% off your first purchase! Totally recommended!

This is for popular instagrammers with tons of followers. Kind of annoying though, these captions. I mean, I'm glad they have a job writing these captions and I'd probably do it too if I were them... but I rate these captions 1/10 bc they're boring. Sorry.

10. The 'I posted something' caption

theipostedsomethingcaption New video up on the youtube channel! Link in bio! Check it out!

No explanation needed.

Which one are you? Which one is your favourite/least favourite? Any I forgot?

PS: KATE AND WILLIAM ARE HAVING BABY NO.3!!!! 

Jesus wants you.

Hey reader. Here's a 100£ bill.

You'd take it, right?

You'd take it if I licked it. It's still worth 100£.

You'd take it if I crumpled it up. It's still worth 100£.

You'd take it if I tore it a little here and there. It's still worth 100£.

You'd take it if it was dusty. Still worth 100£.

You'd take it if it was smeared with mud. Still 100£.

You'd take it, right?

Jesus died for you.

God'll take us if we're ugly. He still died for you.

God'll take us if we're messed up. He still died for you.

God'll take us if we have a past filled with sin. He still died for you.

God'll take us if we sinned five minutes ago. He still died for you.

God'll take us if we sin five minutes later. He still died for you.

God'll take us if we lie, cheat, kill. He still died for you.

God'll take us if we work for his enemy, the devil. He still died for you.

God'll take us if we hate Him. He still died for you.

God'll take us if we kill Him. Which is what we did, because of our sins. 

But He still gladly died. For you.

Jesus wants you.

He'll clean you.

He'll fix your tares.

He'll dry your tears.

He'll dust you off.

He'll smooth out your creases.

He'll help you and change your life.

He'll take you.

Jesus wants you. Every day, again and again, He wants the whole of you.

Jesus loves you.

Let me tell you a true story of a miracle.

(inspired by this video but honestly he just stole my thoughts.)

You were once in your mother. Think about that. Just because everyone was once in their mother doesn't mean that it isn't special. IT'S FREAKING MINDBLOWING. You, the adulting-teenager-what-ever-you-are, you, were once inside your mum for nine months, in water.

And now you are almost taller than your mother. Or you are. Or you are almost as tall. (IDK.) Your cells have developed and your bones have grown and your brain has gained information. That's insane. Baby you and you now don't look alike. Baby you and toddler you don't look alike. Toddler you and kid you don't look alike. Kid you and teenager you don't look alike. HOW DO YOU CHANGE SO FAST?

You can think about anything you want to think about. Your brain can decide what you do and your brain can make decisions for you. You rely on that amazing machine in your head to guide your entire life and SOMEHOW IT WORKS. HOW.

You have your own unique fingerprint and eye pattern and face features. Even if you don't like them, they're YOURS and no-one else has them. Even your twin doesn't look like you, even if everyone says you two look alike. You have these unique THINGS and man alive, there's billions of people on this planet and you've got countless things that are LITERALLY ONLY YOU?! Lucky.

Doing stuff - you can do stuff. No, you can change things. The fact that you are breathing oxygen and eating food and sleeping means that your human self can impact things on this globe. How did we get that opportunity... just by being? That is a responsibility and it's an HONOUR. Why are we not excited about this?!

You can love people - you can love things. You can feel loved. You can get excited and feel passionate about things; you can hug and feel overwhelmed with emotions; you are a bundle of confusing feelings and incomprehensible sensations that you can choose how to deal with, with that amazing machine under your skull. ALL THIS IS MIND-BOGGLING.

YOUR EYEBALLS. Can we just appreciate your eyeballs? THEY ARE READING THIS. And your brain is understanding all these squiggly black things; your brain is absorbing and munching on an idea that popped into my brain because of something that popped into somebody else's brain and OUR BRAINS TALK TO EACH OTHER. 

Why are we surprised when things go wrong? Miracles are not normal. You are not normal. You are a miracle.

Combinations of things.

You know how you attach certain scents, memories, places or images with books and stories? I love how brains work like that - how it puts two different things in the same category and context; how it juggles with smell and weather and words. It's amazing. Like, The Help is yellow and lemons and the sound of a typewriter. Celia Garth and Violins of Autumn take me back to summer 2015 in Switzerland, the green shutters in the house we were staying at, and the dew on the grass in the morning. Eve's Daughters is me crying in bed and imagining the characters' smiles and the colour purple of the cover. The Book Thief is Christmas holidays, and my bedroom when the bed was at the other side of the room. On the banks of plum creek is lemonade and my old bed sheets with the pink and salmon-coloured hearts on it. Remembrance by Theresa Breslin reminds me of my old bedroom in the attic and Back Home by Michelle Magorian gives me memories of cute lamps, nylons, and my second cousin Rebekah. The Story Girl is me wishing so bad I could dive in it; and it's the colour of gold and the taste of orchard apples. Rilla of Ingleside is an emotional soundtrack like the Kings Speech soundtrack and late nights. Sense and Sensibility is grandma and my old pink diary. That chapter in Hebrews (Hebrews 11) about faith reminds me of strawberries for breakfast and talking about it on grey sofas with five friends. While We're Far Apart by Lynn Austin is dark red and chocolate and watching trailers of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland movies on youtube. The Sweetest Thing is light green and mental images of 1930 dresses. Gone with the Wind is dark hallways and mirrors and spring. Man, I love how there are so many combinations of things.

4 fictional characters that may have like 2 things in common with me.

First, here are three random facts I want to share with you: 1. I discovered Jack Johnson yesterday on Spotify and I just love his songs. Better Together is my favourite and I want to dance to it on my potential future wedding because I love it that much right now. 2. My grandma is friends with the film producer of Sherlock. (No seriously.) So my grandma practically hangs out with Benedict Cumberbatch. Guys, beat me. My grandma is the coolest. 3. I was in Scotland for a grand 15 minutes on Saturday. I walked in Glasgow and spotted four men in kilts. I have no pictures to prove it, so you'll have to rely on my word.

(Two sisters. Two very different personalities. I seem to be an odd mixture of both. Although I think more Elinor.)

My dear friend Eva tagged me with the four fictional characters tag (thank you!) and I've been wanting to do this thing for a while now, so here I am. Here I am, I hasten to add, before I start another busy week - this time less merrily occupied; replace spending time with fun-loving Christians with cleaning tables and emptying plates of breakfast in an old people's home - life is life, I shall refuse to complain! - I don't even know what this sentence is; let's just do the merry old tag, shall we. (I don't know why I say 'we' when I am writing this alone. You should not get any of the credit! :-P)

Okay, I thought this would be an easy job, but finding four characters that 'are very much like myself' is no easy feat for me. I told you in this blog post, I am a confusing human being. Extroverted one week; relishing in silence and just-me-and-wifi-and-notebooks-and-my-Bible-in-bed the other. Fond of poetical metaphors and nostalgic whimsies one week, mocking them in a Marilla-Cuthbert-no-nonsense-fiddlesticks way the other. However, of course, some things are generally and all-around Naomi traits (even though even those can differ and disappear for an odd hour or two), so okay. I'll try. But bear with me. I'll probably read this again next week and be like meh NO. :-P

Number Uno! The first that came to mind, in fact...

Jerusha Abbott in Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster

I remember when I read this first I was 100% sure I had found my fictional twin. Of course, Judy is way cooler than I'll ever be and her letters are way more entertaining than mine will ever be, but yah, we doodle odd stuff and we pop random thoughts in random places and we like reading and stuff. Just yeah, she reminds me of me. She's quirky and I want to be quirky. (She probably reminds me of the me I wish I was.)

Secondly, the gal I see myself in muchly is, and has to be, the main character from Lynn Austin's Wonderland Creek. There's reasons my blog is named so, after all.

Alice Grace Ripley from Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin

We're both book lovers. (Although, I have to be honest! I haven't been reading much lately. Eh. I still love it though, okay.) We're both not exactly animal people. We both love the idea of adventure but when it comes to sitting on a horse eh nope that's disgusting no. We both like a bath. We both love seeing people happy. Just... Alice and I are two of the same kind of peas in the same kind of pods. (Only, I'm not blonde. Although I was as a 3-year-old. There's a little tidbit about me.)

Thirdly, my friends, I must slight Celia Garth by suggesting that we have some common traits.

Celia Garth in Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow

I MUST REREAD THIS; it's been way too long, but one thing I can remember is that I wished I was like Celia Garth. Well, I'll never be like Celia Garth. But maybe we have some things in common - maybe the sense of humour, the love of being teased. Also, the things she thinks and says I really, really relate to. Maybe in a wishful way. I don't know. I'm adding her to this list anyways. I flatter myself.

And fourthly, and this is the one I had to brainstorm for for ages - I thought of Elizabeth Bennet (but I'd never go for a quiet guy and oh, I wish I was as well-spoken as Lizzy!) - I thought of Anne Shirley (but I don't talk that much and I'm not that poetical sorry) - I thought of every Montgomery heroine because I feel like I relate to ALL of them - and then I thought, well let's just be boring and go with Jo March because I like writing and... yeah, I like reading. (Lame.)

No. That will not do. I must be original.

Valancy Snaith/Stirling in The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery

I alllmost did Rilla of Ingleside but I think I just did that because that book just wrenches the life outta me (I don't relate to Rilla that much actually), but you know what Valancy and I like the same guy. Barney. Kay, enough. (Also, we appreciate nice clothes and quirky outings and views and cosy houses. And we both enjoy a good joke and a tease. I think this gives us enough in common.) (Of course, our situations are very different, so it's hard to weigh.)

Done.

*phew*

This'll have to do. (Maybe I should have said Elizabeth Bennet. We do have the same personality type, according to the Meyes-Briggs Personality test.) (Never mind.)

For those of you who know me better, do you think I chose a good sample of characters to represent me? Who would you have picked? Also. How are you doing, my friends? Tell me something about life. It's so funny, when you grow up, life seems to get harder and harder and better and better. That's because life is super super complex and every day we learn something more about its complex-ness. There, was was your philosophy session.

(Should I tag people? Okay, I tag any of my readers that I've met in real life and that have a blog. Emma, Sadie, Hannah... that's bout it, I think. (And you, Sarah, if you've got your blog yet!))

PS!! Oh, I just thought of a character that I relate to so much! Barbara in Call the Midwife. (Too late. Let's just click publish.)

oh, the people you meet.

That girl who looked like Angelina Jolie and always wore cute necklaces and sandals.

The lady who came to me during worship crying out 'hallelujah'.

The adorable girl who lost her voice and who thought that art museum was as boring as I thought it was.

Sarah, who grew up with Laura Ingalls and Anne Shirley and yeah why does she live in Texas.

The blonde gal with the colourful laugh and big love for Princess Diaries.

Two hardworking, kind german lads who make two amazing friends and I miss them.

That man who went barefoot or flipflopfoot in the cold and the rain. 

The 18-year-old called Charity Priscilla Charlotte who I bonded with instantly cuz we like clothes and chocolate.

The amazing, wisdom-filled young lady I prayed with and will never forget.

That girl with braids reaching her mid-thighs.

Two sisters from Aberdeen with cute smiles.

The guy who automatically speaks French to everyone because he wants to learn it.

His wife, who used to run a photographer business and is so cool and artsy.

Their baby boy called Levi who looks like a baby version of the singer in La La Land.

The Flemish preacher who wears checked shirts and uses snapchat like a teen.

The beautiful girl from Atlanta who's going to make the best primary teacher.

The red-head girl who never eats veggies and has a tattoo on her foot.

Those two girls from Holland called Naomi and Hanna who, as it turned out, we have mutual friends. It's a small world.

Rachael, who is the queen of dungarees and who says 'amazing' a lot and sometimes randomly hiccoughs.

The theology student with whom it's easy as a snap to delve into a deep conversation with.

The three guys I beat at the card game Nerves twice. It was great to beat them.

The girl with the cute northern British accent and quirky style I went hiking with.

These past two weeks have been crammed with amazing people. I love them and I miss them. And I love that literally the only thing these guys have in common is that they love Jesus. Gah, it gives me chills - so many different people from different places and with different faces... all brothers and sisters in Christ. All bonded in a deep way no-one can really explain.

Kay bye. (I urgently need sleep.)

This blog post is gonna be fun.

I've been getting a LOT of spam comments recently. UGH. Here's me having fun and responding to them. (Respond as in Roast.)

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This blog was... how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I've found something which helped me. Thanks a lot!

This comment was... how do I say it? ANNOYING!!! Thanks a lot, spam comment.

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Hmm is anyone else having problems with the images on this blog loading? I'm trying to determine if its a problem on my end or if it's the blog. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hmmm is anyone else having problems with spam comments? I'm trying to determine things. (The funny thing is that this spam comment was on the P&P05 blog post. As if people are going to start a comment chain on images loading while there's lengthy, interesting discussions on which Pride and Prejudice version is ultimately superior. :-)

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Aw thanks, spam comment. I have been blogging for three years. Blogging is quite easy; just write random trash and publish it. Tada. But thanks. (Again, this comment was on the P&P05 post. Meaning spam comments have opinions on P&P?)

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Apparently I speak Spanish. Or whatever that was. (I just Google Translate-d it, and it was Portuguese and it said that he just found a site which had all the information he needed answered all his questions. This guy probably wasn't very well informed on Jane Austen and Downton Abbey. Glad to be of help, Portuguese person. Although if my blog was that useful it implies you speak English in which case why on earth did you decide the wisest thing to do would be to comment in Portuguese?) (Huh?)

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SHUT UP. LIKE WOW. JUST GO. The door is over there. (I'm assisting your son? I give helpful tips that many men and women may have been trying to sell? Chris rounded up his inquiry with the precious recommendations hee (HEE?!) (He.) grabbed through my web site? Your spouse and you got quite thankful? LEAVE THE ROOM. You are such a ungenuine little liar.

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The Porgtueese person comments again I see. This time saying (thanks google translate) that he has 'bookmarked my blog for later'. Glad to hear it, son, glad to hear it.

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OKAY now I'm sick of you. LEAVE.

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Hi kavin. It's your first time commenting anywhere? Ha. Ha. Ha. Good try. I don't believe you. (And no, you don't create comments. You write comments.) (And it's not an article. It's a blog post.) (You thought wrongly, kavin.) (Did you misspell your own name? I would not be surprised.)

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Best of luck gaining knowledge. (Why early hours in the morning? That does not make me go like, 'ohh that's a nicer spam comment than the rest of them.')

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No, I am not clicking that URL. And no, you do not visit this web site every weekend. Glad the feelings are mutual. Liar.

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Again, I am not clicking that URL. (I couldn't refrain from telling you that.)

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NO I AM NOT CLICKING THE URL. You're gonna watch out for brussels?! What on earth do you mean with that? (I will be grateful if you don't continue these comments in the future. Thx.)

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I don't care about cheap china jerseys. That is literally the last thing I would want right now.

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Have you ever considered about including a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is important and everything. But just imagine if you added some great visuals or videos to give your posts more, "pop"! Your content is excellent but with images and videos, this site could definitely be one of the greatest in its field. Good blog! 

No. I have not ever considered that. And my posts do have images. Are you blind? (Or do the images not load for you either? Are you the same dude as the the-images-aren't-loading-guy?)

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I don't know if it's just me or if everyone else experiencing issues with your blog. It looks like some of the text in your posts are running off the screen. Can somebody else please comment and let me know if this is happening to them as well? This might be a problem with my internet browser because I've had this happen previously. Thank you 

It's just you and no, no-one will comment and let you know. Lol.

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You're cute.

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This comment was on a 'If Period Drama Characters had internet Bios' post. 'Thanks for the advice'?!? What advice? (I absolutely think this website needs less attention. From spammers like yourself.)

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The conclusion is that spam comments are annoying. I am sure concerning the supply. (And you commented on a very random post so what do you mean with 'this topic'; that post literally had 10 'topics.')

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Have you ever considered about including a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is valuable and everything. However think of if you added some great pictures or video clips to give your posts more, "pop"! Your content is excellent but with images and video clips, this blog could definitely be one of the greatest in its field. Fantastic blog! 

Oh, it's you again. GO. AWAY. (You just copy and paste this comment everywhere, don't you.)

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The last thing I write about on here is diet programs. Just go.

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Awww, you are a darling, aren't you? I'm sure that was so geniune.

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You just asked the author of a blog whether she visits her blog regularly because it would make a 'pleasant experience.' I know. The blog is mine. :-P (No offence, dear sir comment, but clever you are not.) (And no, saying 'dear' does not make me go like, 'aww that's so sweet.')

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You and your spouse again. You are so creepy. Leave plz.

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(That was fun.)

If Period Drama Characters had Internet Bios #6

NORTHANGER ABBEY

@catherine.moorland. I'm a girl with a big future; stop being online and read books or go dance!
@Mr_and_Mrs_Moorland proud of all our children; some of them are almost goodlooking!
@Henry_Tilney I smirk to relieve any tension, it always works.
@Eleanor_Tilney Reading is a beautiful escape to a world that can be scary and unjust.
@GeneralTilney Northanger Abbey is my home and my standard. My home, my rules!
@LOL_ISABELLA yooooo lol i'm here for the fun. i love creepy movies and books and fashion 👗sub4sub
@JOHN_Thorpe220 Love a good party and hott girls. Follow me and I'll follow u back. YOLO.
@james.moorland. I love @LOL_ISABELLA a lot!
@Frederick_Tilney The only Tilney sibling that knows how to have fun. #savage
@MrAllen i enjoy being a good uncle with money to spare.
@Mrs_Allen UNDERSTANDING MUSLIN IS A GOOD QUALITY TO POSSESS.

SAVING MR BANKS

@Mrs_Travers If you call me Pam or ruin my books with cartoon penguins, I will block you.
@Call_Me_Walt! The official account of Walt Disney. There is magic in everything if you are a child at heart. #ohyeah
@TraversGoff I love pears. I love my girls. I love life! #yolo #swishswishswish 🍺
@MargaretGoff pretty tired mom of three daughters. need help.
@ginty Daddy helped me get this account! We're an aussie family going to a castle!
@Ralphthecardriver Hi, I'm @Mrs_Travers' official taxi driver. I love sunshine and my daughter Jane.
@Don_DaGradi I'm a filmmaker. I hope. (How do you make a movie without the colour red?!)
@Robert_Sherman I have the cane, and was the one that made up the word constable.
@Richard_Sherman 🎹 music is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. 🎹
@The_Sherman_Brothers official account of two music-loving brothers
@Dolly_disneystaff 💕🍰👩 i love hairspray and jelly treats and making ppl happy!

WIVES AND DAUGHTERS

@Molly_gibson I love poetry, nature books, wasp nests, interesting letters, and helping people.
@Roger_Hamely In Africa with bugs and mosquitoes, but left my heart in England.
@thatgirl_Cynthia i don't care. i just want to be free ok, is that too much to ask? its just how i am ok
@Mrs_GIBSON 🌸Engagements are engagements! 🌼 Grapes are for hairs! 💟Daughters are for heirs! #so 🍇
@Doctorgibson I love goosies. And cheese. DM me privately if you know more info about Osborne's illness
@OsborneHamely Poet. Plz buy my poems. #tbt to the time when I was in Mons.
@SQUIREHAMELY I didn't say Roger is better, but one of my sons is, and it's not Osborne. #ihavetwosons
@Mrs_hamely I love my sons and poetry. I dislike disappointments.
@thatboy_Preston hey girl, we can meet up in woods. You know who you are. #taken #forcinglove
@Aimee_G mon amour, il revient toujours, ma cher Osborne.
@lady_harriet_cumnor I have an impeccable taste in friends, hairstyles, and matchmaking. FYI.
@Lady_CUMNOR Qwite fwankly I do not know what all the tewwible fuss is about instagwam.
@Lord_Cumnor bad at maths but still have a jolly time
@iampheobe oooohhh this is exciting isnt it being online lol! I do love being able to follow people
@I_am_Sally The more mature sister. A little bird tells me interesting things. I'll leave it at that.
@BIGFATGOSSIPLADY You know who I am. I have some RIVITING NEWS ABOUT MOL-you-know-who!
@GOSSIPMAN I saw two ppl passing notes in woods. DM me and I'll give more info. 😉
@RedheadCoxe I love molly cynthia so much plz plz plz make my dream come true oh plz

Debunking 'Deep Inspirational Quotes'

(Dr Suess' quotes are good. Even I will admit.)

Why do you bake cookies and cook bacon? That makes no sense whatsoever.

Hello readers. I hope your day is fine and dandy. If it is and you feel ready for it to be less dandy read a WW1 romance novel and your heart may be crushed for the following week. (Rilla of Ingleside by LMM or Remembrance by Theresa Breslin are two I would advise.)

Today I'm going to look up "deep inspirational quotes" - (you know, those phrases that teenage girls put in their instagram caption to appear very philosophical and inspirational when they really just took it off pinterest and added an emoji like 💞or ✨ or ❣ in an attempt to appear creative) - on Google images and I'm going to make them ridiculous. (I know. It's really cruel of me. But I rather enjoy it. It is the Adler Davidson in me.)

Do not take this post too seriously. It is supposed to be all in good fun. (Can I just say how nice you all are? You are all good sports. Hate comments are not a thing here.) (I don't write posts about Narnia anymore.)

"I stopped looking for the light. Decided to become it instead."

Okay, this one is stupid. What if you're looking for a slice of pizza? Is the advice you give me become a pizza?! Seriously. Dude. No. If you want a good life, you can't just magically BECOME A GOOD LIFE. You have to go and look for it. You have to go and earn money or go and make continued attempts to be a good and kind person. That's called looking and searching.

Replace this quote with: "Seek and you shall find. (Matthew 7:6)"

"Old ways won't open new doors."

My way of opening doors is reaching the door handle and pushing it down while simultaneously pulling it open. It's the old way and it always works. (Of course, some new doors just slide open.)

"Ahh but it's a metaph" - oh of course of course. But still. Sometimes old ways are good. What if you've always been a punctual person? That's good. That may well give you new opportunities. DON'T CHANGE THAT OLD WAY.

"Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting."

Plagiarising a turn of phrase from Matthew 5, I see. Only, it's not plagiarism because this one is silly. That is, I am genuinely confused. What is so good about giving without remembering and taking without forgetting? Remembering what? Forgetting what? The object? I remember giving my sister a present yesterday for her birthday. That does not mean I am all fluffy and prideful about it. I simply remember it. Apparently I am cursed.

"Only dead fish go with the flow."

It's okay. I'm not dead. And I'm not a fish. And even if I was, going with the flow isn't always a bad thing.

(Also, only black pictures and with white words get into google images.) (Hypocrite.)

"It's not about getting a chance, it's about taking a chance."

But dude, how can you TAKE it when you don't GET it? Like, right now, I don't have a chance to eat pizza, so I can't take pizza. There is no pizza. However, I do get a chance tonight because we're going to order some. So dere. It's all about getting a chance, bro.

(Looking forward to the pizza, btw. The pizza I will GET and then TAKE.) (Or whatever.) (Ugh.)

"To heal a wound you need to stop touching it."

Actually, you need to disinfect it, bandage it, press it, and do all sorts of things for a wound to heal properly.

(I'm not even a physician and I know that.)

"If you can't stop thinking about it, don't stop working for it."

We're back with the black-background-white-wording, I see. It's so inspirational to see people be different.

Okay so this quote is a good piece of advice in some situations but in many situations it is not. What if my baby sister wants to be the first toddler to visit the moon? What if that's all she thinks about? All her work won't change a thing. (No offence, sis.)

"I think life is about falling in love with the right person, shopping, eating your favorite decadent desserts and traveling a lot."

According to this quote millions of people do not have a life. 

I think life is a whole lot deeper than that, Palermo. I wish you knew about it. (Man these quotes are missing out on Jesus. It's honestly quite sad.) (Life is about shopping?! No.) (Basically this quote is saying life is about money and also a hot bae for the instagram pics.)

"Let your smile change the world but don't let the world change your smile."

OHH CLEVER CLEVER CLEVER A REVERSE PHRASING QUOTE THAT'S SO CLEVER. (These capital letters you just read were sarcastically inclined, by the way.)

Also, I doubt a smile could change the world. Smiles merely bare teeth and sometimes they don't even do that. Actions are more likely to produce some kind of change. So do something. (And honestly, if the world doesn't change your smile sometimes, I'm worried for you. The world has some horrid things going on. Stop smiling for a second and pray.)

"Maybe life isn't about avoiding the bruises. Maybe it's about collecting the scars to prove we showed up for it."

Maybe.

 Avoiding bruises still sounds like a solid thing to do though.

"One day or day one. You decide."

One day. I decided.

(Okay, I actually kind of like this one. Got to say.)

"Life is short. Break the Rules. Forgive quickly. Kiss SLOWLY. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably and never regret ANYTHING that makes you smile."

Mark Twain hated Pride and Prejudice, so I knew I couldn't trust him. This is stupid life advice. BREAK THE RULES? You want me to go and rob a bank, dude? You want me to go and do drugs because it'll make me laugh uncontrollably? NO.

(Sometimes you have to regret things that you laughed at before. Be mature.) (And P&P is a good book. So shut up.)

"Don't forget to live before you die."

I won't, but thank you for the reminder that I should do something that is in every way impossible not to do.

This is all for now. I love doing this. :-P (What do you think of these quotes? Would you like me to debunk more?) (ALSO DON'T FORGET TO LIVE.)