It's not news that I'm weird

People need to stop telling me I'm weird.

At one point it was an insult, something I didn't want to be.

Then my paradigm changed and it was normal and care-free.

Now I am just plain irritated when people tell me so.

"You're weird," they say. "Duh," I reply. "Tell me something I don't know."

If I was going to attempt BEDA regardless of the fact that mj is not participating and the fact that I am crazy busy this April, I failed yesterday. Damnit.

I want a tumblr.

I had something to say. I really did.

Stalking the Purple Umbrella excerpt

INT. HIGH SCHOOL classroom - MORNING

MAX is sitting, staring idly out the window.

MAX'S TEACHER

Mr. Lindberg?

MAX

(distracted)

Present.

MAX watches out the window as a high school aged girl dressed entirely in purple and carrying a PURPLE UMBRELLA, despite lack of rain walks by the school.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL classroom - MORNING

MAX sits, playing with a pen in his mouth. Max stares out the window at a cold rainy day.

MAX'S TEACHER

Mr. Lindberg?

MAX

Present.

MAX watches as PURPLE UMBRELLA GIRL walks by the school, through the rain, carrying her PURPLE UMBRELLA.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - MORNING

MAX sits, counting ceiling tiles.

MAX'S TEACHER

Mr. Linberg?

Max

Present.

MAX stares out the window and sees the wind blowing through the trees. He watches as PURPLE UMBRELLA GIRL battles her way against the windstorm using her purple umbrella as a shield.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL classroom - Morning

MAX sits at his desk, doodling an umbrella on a scrap of paper and then looks up at the cloudy sky.

MAX'S TEACHER

Mr. Lindberg?

MAX

Present.

MAX watches through the window expectantly for PURPLE UMBRELLA GIRL who never comes.

Int. High School Cafeteria - MIDDAY

MADGE, MARGARET, MAGGIE and MAX sit on one side of a round cafeteria table while the other is occupied by a group of obvious computer nerds.

MADGE

Something's up with Max.

MAGGIE

You're right. He hasn't touched his nutella and turkey sandwich.

MADGE

All he does is stare. Can he even hear us?

MARGARET

(waves hand in front of Max's face)

Maaaaax? Maxy?

MAX

I can hear you, alright? I just don't care.

MARGARET

Oooh, moody and distant. Decided to live up to your teen boy potential?

MADGE

I will totally buy you a bottle of black hair dye when the time comes.

MAGGIE

Don't trust her, Max. She'd probably end up getting you blue.

MADGE

Blue and black are close enough.

MAX

Will everyone shut up? I'm experiencing emotional issues.

For a moment, everyone is silent. MADGE taps her fingers. MAX puts his head down on the table.

MADGE

Oh no. This is not good. He has officially put his head down. Do you read me?

MARGARET

(whispers)

Shut up.

MAGGIE

(whispers to Madge and Margaret)

Wait for him to come up again.

Everyone resumes eating their lunch, pretending to forget Max's weird behavior. After a few moments, Max raises his head.

MAX

So there's this girl.

Everyone collectively sighs.

Madge

There usually is. In theory.

Max glares at Madge. Madge bites her lip and smiles, apologetically.

Madge

I'm just sayin'.

MAX

(coughs)

Anyway. Everyday she walks by the school carrying a purple umbrella. But she didn't today.

Madge, Margaret and Maggie look at Max for more and, when it is apparent he is finished, they share glances with each other.

MADge

I'm sorry for being blunt and tactless here but is that all?

MAX

Well, yeah.

Madge

Oh.

Madge, Margaret and Maggie each look disappointed.

MAX

Look, I'm sorry if that disappoints you. I never claimed to have a movie worthy dramatic story to tell.

MARGARET

I think you're missing the point though.

MAX

And the point is...?

Margaret

Did you not start your story with "So there's this girl"?

MAX

Yes?

MARGARET

You set yourself up for some thrilling tale that would inevitably end with, "And she doesn't know I love her but tomorrow she's getting on a plane to the Barbados and I don't want to ruin her life with my lack of fame, fortune and good looks." Then you end the story after two sentences none of which include 'she doesn't know I love her'.

MAX

I'm sorry?

Margaret looks from Maggie to Madge then back to Max with her eyebrows raised.

MARGARET

It's a start.

Stefan Read for the win!

Although I have not yet written a blog about it (at least, that I can remember) I'm kind of talked out about Stefan. Nevertheless, I feel I should write a blog speaking of my support if Stefan Read. Now, Stefan and I go way back. Last month, I saw him on a commercial and I don't remember the particular details but I do remember even then a strong connection. Also he was reasonably good looking although I'm not so shallow as to say that influenced by decision. *cough* And it couldn't possibly be because he shares a name with a certain vampire.

So yes, from then, I have been figuratively standing behind Stefan as he journeys toward the podium. I did, by mistake, miss his first event which was the normal hill qualification ski jump, but that is less due to my lack of devotion and more due to my lack of realizing there are events before the opening ceremonies. Who knew? Apart from Stefan, of course.

Sadly, he did not qualify for the normal hill event. He ranked 47 out of 50 so my hopes for a gold are low. Whatever, it's a good conversation starter and maybe he'll surprise me in the long hill event. Maybe *that's* his specialty.

I have to finish this up. I've been writing while watching a curling match between Sweden and the UK and so distractions have been plentiful. Snack time and then reading time. My amazing writing plans for the night have been foiled.

Waiting for battery charge... (need sleep)

I'm kind of tired right now. It's twenty minutes to midnight (good song title if only I could write songs-DAMNIT!) but I'm still awake and on my computer because I'm waiting for my silly iPod to finish charging. Come on, Dr. Spectacular, please give me that last sliver of green so I can hit the pillow.

I know it's a tad bit strange that I can't unplug my iPod until it is 100% charged but consider an addition to my quirky tendencies. You know Gossip Girl loves me.

I'm supposedly reading Coraline for book club. The book and the graphic novel. Should be interesting. I'm told it contains undertones of horror and is slightly disturbing. I'm not sure why we're reading it for book club and yet here we are.

All I want is that last bit of battery charge. Why can't I have that? So... tired. Maybe I'll try to write some poetry.

I Am Deranged

You know some days when you wake up and everything is going just fine and then you spend an inordinate amount of time staring at your computer screen and then everything falls to shit but then things start looking up and then everything is fine and then you're suddenly insane and laughing at everything?

Today is one of *those* days.

I couldn't even speak a minute ago.

Evidence of Crazy Times: A Conversation Between Me and My Sister

Me: You shouldn't leave your computer by your window. Someone could STEAL it!

Rachel: Yeah, because so many people walk through the backyard and by my bedroom window... [sarcasm]

Me: You'd be surprised.

Rachel: Really?

Me: Oh yeah. There was a random blond guy in the backyard yesterday. [said between laughter in a barely intelligible fashion] I thought he was Alana.

Rachel: [laughing and completely serious] Oh my God, I know who you're talking about. I saw him out the kitchen window when I was making lunch.

Me: I looked out the window and saw him rummaging in the chest and I thought he was Alana but Alana's in Florida and Alana wouldn't randomly sneak into our backyard and rummage through trunks. But then I realized he was a boy. Then I knew for sure it wasn't Alana. So I ducked out of sight until he was gone.

Rachel: ... [laughs]

To explain this, in case you are worried about people ransacking my backyard, please know that we share a backyard with our neighbours and we think it likely that they share a storage space with people on their karate team which is why people are sometimes back there. 'Neighbours who do karate?!' you ask... yeah, they're teaching us how to be ninjas.

I have to go get dressed or something. That's a great conversation ender, feel free to steal.

Two Items of General Speaking About

Hey-o. I've been thinking about you lately. Yes, you. You know how much I care about you.

Yesterday, I fell off an exercise ball, creating much hilarity for those around me. I was trying to put a dvd back on the shelf whilst balancing on the ball and in the end it just didn't work and I ended up on the ground being laughed at. This is my life.

Then I saw 500 Days of Summer, which was hilarious and touching and really real. The following may not make sense to you if you have not seen the movie, but that is just another reason to see it.

- The soundtrack was amazing. It could possibly just be because I have listened to the soundtrack extensively before every seeing the movie, but the songs seemed really well tied in to the film. They enhanced every scene.

- It was so fascinating that, because it followed Tom's perspective, you fell in love with him, not her. Isn't it novel to see a movie where a guy is obsessing over a perfect girl, rather than the other way around? And even though she didn't actually do anything wrong (as we learned on Tom's blind date) you couldn't be on her side. Even though Tom was completely in love with her, I knew that she was going to dump him one day, out of the blue (to him anyway) and so I couldn't like her.

- I want to find a Tom. He would be a great boyfriend. Younger, of course.

- When it was near the end and she wanted to go home and he asked her to go get pancakes, I nearly cried. That was sad.

The other thing is that I recently re-read City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare, and loved it just as much as before. Possibly more. I fear that if I start gushing about how awesome it is I will not be able to stop and you will run away and not read the book and that would be bad. So I will simply say that it is excellent and you should read it soon, if you have not already.

Two people have told me the beginning is not very gripping (my reply being a stupid silence and mouth hanging openness) and so I guess it's not for everyone. But if you appreciate sarcasm and great writing and amazing chemistry and a well plotted, well paced book, City of Bones (and it's sequels) should be read by you.

Voldemort out, bitches.