Something simple and clever

Hello Hello Hello there my fine and dandy readers!

T'is the time of year where we are all stuffed with countless sugary goods and spending time with loved ones and family and friends. I simply wished to peek my nose in here and wish you all a very Merry Christmas, hoping that Santa paid you all a visit and delivered many goodies! Since Christmas has already come and gone, I am also here to wish you all a Happy New Year! Start making your resolutions now, 2012 is sneaking up on us!

Once school starts and we all hit the ground running, I shall be back in business with (hopefully) semi-regular updates and hilarious stories to share. I am gathering them as we speak!

So stay happy and healthy, bake many tasty things, share stories, give hugs and kisses, and last but not least raise your glasses of bubbly and toast this fine year of 2011!

Cheers!

~Piper

"I shall bottle your tears and sell them to the Gypsies!"

T'is the season of perpetual hope, a sudden love of the color red, as well as cashmere sweaters and hot chocolate.

There is nothing quite like finishing finals week off with a bang, that moment where all of your studying and mad essay writing skills pay off nicely and all you can do now is to watch the movies: "My Fair Lady", Disney's "Hercules", "The Parent Trap", as well as "Pride & Prejudice" all in one sitting.

Whilst doing so, I embarked upon a glorious journey of painting my nails, sipping hot chai tea, and creating a perfect snuggle corner on our couch and enveloping myself within my trusty micro-fleece blanket.

I shall also have you know, that every inch of our apartment is decorated in the spirit of Christmas. Everything is strung with lights and randomly-perched Santa-Clauses and several advent calendars scattered throughout the kitchen. Needless to say, one can never have enough chocolate.

But seriously, now that finals are over and one semester has successfully come to a speedy conclusion, Christmas break is here at last! Plans are being put into action and I cannot wait for homemade cookies, gift exchanges, snow, seasonal songs, as well as time spent with the family and my loved one. All such beautiful things will illuminate the end of this year and make it a spectacular one! Unfurling a new and beautiful year filled with opportunities and fantastic experiences!

I look forward to all that is yet to come, I cannot tell you how excited I am for it all! I hope you all are just as anxious, regardless of what seasonal holiday you celebrate this time of year. :)

Be sure and catch some snowflakes on your tongue for me! The Peanuts always stated they taste like sugar, let's put that fact to the test now shall we?

~Piper

Growth Spurts

As you get older it's strange that you become "okay" to things you absolutely hated as a child.

Like naps for instance. I know that when I was knee-high to a grasshopper the thought of a nap was like the worst form of physical torture. I never wanted to stop in my daily adventures or put anything on pause, so when it was announced that it was time for me to take a nap, it suddenly became a game of "hide and seek" between me an my parents. Now I see naps as glorious little "me time"s, where I can just relax, forget about any responsibilities I have, and succumb to a pleasant state of not caring about anything for 15 minutes.... Or maybe an hour. Two if you're really pushing it.

Veggies were refused at the table, I'm not going to lie. They were the furthest thing from delicious and were not deemed as acceptable in my book, or any child's book for that matter. I loathed asparagus, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and spinach. Now I find that they are very flavorful and add that extra "oomph" to a dish. Though, I still hate asparagus....

Weird.

I mean come on, it looks suspicious, like it's up to no good.

Mozart and Beethoven were not my BFF's when I was a little sprite, despite my playing the violin for 10+ years. I always fell asleep at concerts and found it to be "too" soothing, to the point I found it boring. Then I gained an appreciation for it when I listened to Vanessa Mae and how she transformed classical to modern and full of life and energy and pizzaz. I also began listening to Josh Groban and Andrea Bocceli as well as Chris Botti and I dare say...they WILL change your life. I don't care who you are, you will melt from overexposure to pure awesomeness.

So tell me guys, before your black friday deals begin and everyone gives thanks to a good year, what has changed from your childhood to your now?

Almost there! Keep smiling! Over-indulgence is on it's way! Promise!

~Piper

An ending and a beginning

“Just think of it as you're being let go, that your life's going in a different direction, that your body's part of a permanent outplacement.”

You know…it really sucks when a door that you’ve been walking through every single week for a good number of years suddenly locks and you can’t come back in. It’s like someone put a big fat sign on the door that says “No girls allowed”. And even if you try the door, it’s locked. Looking for the key is pointless, because they have it and they’re huddled together inside giggling. Boo.

Well, that’s either the moment where you pull a Robin Hood and climb the nearest tree and swing in on a vine, or make like Humphrey Bogart and tuck your hands in your trench coat pockets and simply walk away from the plane and take it like a man.

“Here’s looking at you, kid….”

Despite my undying love for Robin Hood and his tights, I find that given this situation, it is better to just leave quietly and enjoy all the good memories.

Have you ever had that happen? You walk into work one day and suddenly your boss approached you, saying that budgets are being cut and they can’t afford to keep you. Suddenly, whatever spark you had in your heart that day is completely snuffed.

Experience doesn’t matter. How much time and hard work you’ve put in doesn’t matter.

You’re just…being let go.

Well shucks.

Now I know how Genie felt at the end of Aladdin. When he’s told he’s free and he’s staring at the empty bangles in his hands and he has that moment where he doesn’t know what to do with himself anymore. I haven’t quite gotten to the next part where he’s bouncing everywhere exclaiming excitedly that he’s free and packing his suitcase to see the world. I’m still wondering what will come next.

Well, we shall figure that out now, won’t we?

I guess this is the part in the story where I cue the Indiana Jones music and ride off into the sunset, leaving the viewers’ imaginations to figure out what happens next.

“Junior!”

Keep smiling, adventure is out there

~Piper

Crazy Random Happenstance

So guys, got a question for you.

Have you ever been walking down the street or sitting in a coffee shop or shopping at the grocery store--basically doing any everyday task--where you encounter your look-alike? I have never run into anyone else who looks like me per se, but I have run into several people who look like people I know. It’s crazy. As a matter of fact, this morning I’m walking across campus after getting off the bus, and the first thing I see are several students who look amazingly like very close friends of mine who attend school several hours away from here. I was horribly confused as well as momentarily shocked. It was one of those times where you wonder if you should call out their names to see if they will turn around. But you know that if you do you will be THAT PERSON who is awkwardly calling out a random name that no one is going to respond to, or that someone will respond to, it just won’t be who you thought it was.

Weird.

Anyway, that is pretty much a typical morning for me. Until I have finished my coffee/chai tea, my brain is not up to par with anything above singing a Disney song. After my caffeine fix, I can give you an in-depth close reading and analysis of “War and Peace” and recite the prologue of the “Canterbury Tales” in middle-english.

So ha.

I am definitely awake now, and I can tell you that today is going to put my mad skills to the test. There is an 80% chance of rain and I looked high and low for my umbrella today, but to no avail. Thus, I am going to have to make like a very fast person and sprint to my last class of the day should it start to downpour after work. Cross your fingers!

I offer you this challenge in the meantime: Take a look around you today and see how many look-alikes you can find. Whether they look like friends or family members or even celebrities. (We have a guy here on campus who looks exactly like Robert Pattinson, his secret codename is “The Edward Cullen guy!”)

It’s fun, amusing, and might provide you with a chuckle or two. Just don’t shout out their names, you will feel quite silly. I promise you.

Bottle up that sunshine in your heart and be sure and laugh today. Laughter is the best medicine!

"Fall back!"

In a world where college students’ umbrellas turn inside out, and the streets are flooded with water and fallen leaves….

(insert dramatic music here)

If feel like we have been here before. Cold weather, lots of rain, very little hope of seeing a smidgen of sunlight. It’s back. Fall has returned.

I was peeking out from under my umbrella this morning and couldn’t help but think of several pumpkin flavored recipes. It sounds odd, but when the colors change, suddenly I crave seasonal spices and flavors. As a college student living off campus, I have to cook for myself, and therefore my culinary world is expanding faster than you can say “Sundried tomato pesto turkey Panini’s”!

I find that fall weather is the perfect time of year to be contemplative, really sift through the memories you have made. Go through all the imaginary files in your brain and thumb through all that you have learned and absorbed like a sponge.

As I sit at this familiar window at work, I ponder what I was doing on this day last year…. Was I just as cold and wet from walking the distance from campus to work? Was I happy? Upset? What was I working on? What was I thinking at the time? How did I define myself then? Surely I cannot be the same person now.

It’s strange to think how, in a year, you can change and develop so much. College is the place for expanding your horizons in countless ways: making friend, getting involved in different activities, actually learning how to dance, falling in love, getting your heart broken, making mistakes, and learning from said mistakes, re-defining yourself, making a foundation for yourself and for the big world to see. It’s quite a road to travel, but you certainly aren’t alone!

365 days and you are still here, reading my blog, seeing a different me than I was last year. Writing and conveying words to an entirely different reader than you were last year at this time.

Woah.

That’s pretty nifty, if I dare say so myself.

If you don’t believe me, just sit back and take a few moments to ponder how far you have come in life, and be sure to give yourself a big pat on the back for hanging in there through the “life is a bitch” times and shining your best at “yes! This is totally awesome!” moments.

I am mentally giving you all a high five.

Be sure to bundle up today if you live in a rainy and cold environment like myself, if you do not, I’m totally jealous. Let’s hit the beach.

Keep smiling!

~Piper

It's a new dawn....it's a new day....

It's a new life.

And I'm feeling....good.

Actually no, not good, things have been rather hectic and crazy around here. Not favorable in the least, but hopefully things will improve and the sun will come out and the freezing ice rain will leave us alone!

So...yeah...hi there. You probably don't remember me or recognize me for that matter, since I am covered in dust and dressed in the shadows of a forlorn corner of the mind. I was kindly reminded that I had not posted a blog in a while, and I realized exactly just how long it has been!

Not a whole lot has changed since my last post, a pity to those who were seeking mind-blowing excitement and earth-shattering stories of my day to day life. Nevertheless, I will tell you that the seasonal colors are absolutely gorgeous, rain is absolutely dreadful to walk though in high heels even with an umbrella, coffee is slowly but surely wearing off on me...I think I need to take a break, and last but not least MIDTERMS are over! We can all take a wee bit of a breather now that the planets are back in order and school is less stressful.

A little tid-bit that you might enjoy is my Halloween costume! This has been in the making for the past couple weeks now and AT LAST it is finished! I am dressing up at the eternally gorgeous Audrey Hepburn in her classic role of Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's", it shall be super fun to do and I cannot wait until I am in full Audrey mode! Watch out world, for one night and one night only, a crazy girl in college is about to take on the great role of a fabulous actress!

I hope you all have your costumes picked out or at least have a rough idea as to what you want to be. If not, e-mail me, I have a million awesome suggestions!

Now that I have assured you that I am not dead (yet), I promise I will get back to a regular blog posting schedule here soon. Perhaps updating on just tuesdays. We shall see how it goes. Until then, thank you for hanging in there! I shall see you in the next post!

Keep smiling.

~Piper

Ahh...ahhh...aaaaaaaacccchhhhoooooo!

Grab your hankies ladies and gents,

Cold season is here.

Yes, I have caught the dreaded plague that has been going around. No matter how much hand sanitizer I manage to use or how many vitamins I take...there is always a bug that manages to dodge right past me and get me horribly ill.

Today was where the evil seed blossomed into something big and terrifying. My head turned fuzzy and dizzy, my stomach was queasy, and my nose became runny. And what did I do? I still went to school.

So put that in your oven and cook it!

Ahem, yes, I am quite proud of myself. I actually contemplated riding the bus back to my apartment several times during the course of this day, but I still managed to suck it up and pull through the entire day without tossing my cookies. I should like to call it a personal victory.

A word to the wise, keep your tissues close, spray everyone you come into contact with Lysol, and drink as much orange juice as possible. Seriously!

Watch out for the plague. Nibble on some pumpkin spice muffins, take many naps, watch chick flicks, and curl up with a good book where the prince and the princess live happily ever after.

(Achoo!)

Love you all, stay healthy!

~Piper

Ahhhhh Cashmere….

It’s that time of year again dear readers,

Where Mother Nature decides that there is no longer any reason for the weather to have a coherent pattern of temperature increases and decreases. It is scattered and all over the place.

So, armed with a vast wardrobe and a thick skin, I ready myself for the days that are above 80 and the days that are below 65. Us college students are a resilient bunch.
Aside from that, I absolutely must tell you about the crazy things that have been going on in my life!

Are you ready for this?

Last night I decided to make fried chicken, but since I was without a fryer, I wanted to improvise....

I looked up recipes for pan fried chicken breasts that had a nice crunchy skin to them. I immediately entered into my own version of “Iron Chef America”/”Chopped” where I only had select ingredients and I had to improvise with what I had. I was missing most of the bizarre spices that were mentioned, so I combined some chili power, paprika, and salt, then I tossed in the flower and bread crumbs as well as garlic salt and pepper. I was golden! I had a basic foundation that I could work off of, the rest was completely of my own invention…ahem…I mean…I totally knew what I was doing. And let me tell you, this fried chicken was FANTASTIC.

So after that strange episode, I also had a bizarre dream last night....

(Keep in mind that this is a dream.)

I had a landscape class in a forlorn building that was incredibly hard to find on campus. So I was a tad late, but the teacher didn’t seem to mind. He was a middle aged fellow with red glasses, a short dark moustache and beard combo, and a sassy attitude! He gave us all a list of places/landscapes to find, assuring us that we had never seen them before. And sure enough, he was right.

They were all drop-dead-gorgeous scenes that looked to have been out of a National Geographic magazine. The catch though, was that each and every one of those places had a difficult task assigned to it. For instance, one place was a steep hill that we had to climb up, but with very thin strings to use as rope. And then another was a long tunnel that flooded with water every five minutes, so you had to sprint. By the end of the list, we all came back exhausted and tired and dirty, and the professor just looks us over and said, “Congratulations, you survived the first day. See you Wednesday for the next list.”

BAH!

Strange dream. Very strange.

I also wanted to inform you that I am super huggable today. I am wearing my cashmere sweater and I swear to God…it is the most glorious material on the planet. Mr. Darcy would totally have attracted Elizabeth Bennet much more quickly if he had been wearing cashmere.

Just saying.

Well, I hope you all are relishing in the fall weather and are readying yourselves for scarves, crunchy autumn leaves, sassy boots, as well as warm snuggles with loved ones.
Much love to you all!

~Piper

"You have bewitched me body and soul...."

Dearest and loveliest readers,

Have you ever had one of those days where you just want to crawl into bed, make a fort out of fluffy pillows, eat an atrocious amount of ice cream and watch Pride and Prejudice over and over again?

No? Really? Weird….

We should really get together sometime and do that because it is quite the experience and is really fun!

It just so happens that I feel exactly like that today and need a movie buddy. Would you be so kind as to join me?

Excellent!

Unfortunately I will not be anywhere near my bedroom until later today, and then I may just grab something delicious to munch on and snuggle with my college-worthy stuffed animals and build a pillow fort. Why? Because I can.

Indubitably.

Yes, I vote yes.

Even Castle votes yes, because he knows when I am right and agrees with me 110 percent. Ask him yourself, granted, all he will do is wiggle and flap his fins really fast (since he is no longer a chubby little fish). That’s his form of saying “YES PLEASE!”

Ugh. I have one more class to go to today and all I want to do is…well…look at the first sentence of this blog entry. I’m sure you can figure it out.

Then it is off to the apartment and getting some homework done as well as looking over my notes for this week. And mayhaps cooking something delicious for dinner, what that might be…who knows?

Maybe something with chicken, I still have a chicken breast in the freezer….

To the internet!

Whilst I skim for some handy recipes for this evening, I bid you all a good day and I hope that you are looking forward to this long weekend just as much as I am! Renaissance Festival here I come!

So, you know what you are doing tonight right? You are coming over to watch Pride & Prejudice with me, as well as several other Jane Austen movies that involve cute and fluffy romances as well as a sophisticated lexicon sported by epic British accents!

You know you want to.

Love you bunches

~Piper

What? She's Alive?!

Yes, yes I pride myself in feeling as awesome as Wonder Woman after the first week of classes, thank you very much....

(nerd)

Well here it is folks, the beginning to a new school year. A fresh slate. Full to the brim of Northface jackets, UGG boots, fake tans, and scandalously tight clothing accompanied by high heels you shudder to walk in.

Campus is alive and well, teaming with students from all over sporting as many fashions as there are blades of grass. I am proud to admit that I am not including myself in the popular phenomenon of “what is totally hip right now”. I’m that common, everyday person you don’t think twice about. Yet I think about you. Yeah…that sounded creepy.

But just as I state in this blog’s description, I notice the tiny details and see what other’s don’t usually see, thus the flashes of inspiration. And this year, ladies and gents, will be full of flashes of inspiration, I can feel it!

Updates on this year overall, the living situation this year goes splendidly. I enjoy living with my lady friends and cooking and baking while listening to old pop music such as Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and NSYNC.

Last night I went to the grocery store with two of my roommates and bought some gorgeously ripe strawberries that gleamed like rubies.

I couldn’t resist.

I sliced those jewels up, put them into a bowl, sprinkled some sugar, and dove right in to pure bliss. I then cooked up a batch of macaroni and cheese and completely stuffed my face. As is the way it should be! I have also fallen madly in love with hummus. Is that odd? To fall madly in love with ground up chic peas seems a tad odd….but I was introduced to a certain brand of hummus recently and it was DIVINE. So I had to pick some up along with whole wheat pita bread and baby carrot sticks for dunking. So good my friends, so good….

Ahem.

As a side-note, I am proud to announce that Castle is doing better. His belly is a little less noticeable and seems to have gone down in terms of size. Hopefully it will continue to progress so that he returns to his normal self. So let us all cross our fingers, click our heels three times, spin around, make a wish, and hope that Castle is on the road to recovery and that his new diet will serve him well.

Other than that, he is a happy and wiggly fish that never ceases to make me smile when I enter my room. The moment he sees me, he becomes the epitome of excitement. Who knew that beta fish could have such wonderful personalities and be so awesome at cheering you up?

Enough of fish tales (get it? hehe) for now, let us continue this journey which I have been putting off for far too long….

My short story blog.

Yes, yes, I know I haven’t updated in a while….it is quite sad. Well, I intend to post a new story up there tonight, so keep an eye out for that here: http://short--flashes.blogspot.com/

As for right now, that is all I have to say really. I hope you are all doing splendidly and smiling often!

Love you bunches,

~Piper

The Belly of a Fish

...rather, the belly of my beta fish.

Rick Castle is my dorm fish, as you know from previous journal entries. And this morning I discovered he has grown a bit of a belly. Nothing too outrageous, but just a tad noticeable. He lives by himself, and is a HE no less, therefore he is not pregnant unless the store managers forgot to tell me something....

I have to preface this by saying that he is by far the cutest thing since sliced bread, especially when I get up in the morning and his fins flap extra quickly and he is wiggling all over the tank. So....with such a wonderful greeting to the day, I feel compelled to reward him for such behavior. I feed him just a tiny pinch of food. No biggie.

Well over the course of the summer, his tank was stationed in the kitchen. And because my family is going through some serious pet withdrawl, Castle was as close as they came to having a pet. So both my mother and my sister would feed him, and then I would feed him, unknowing of their already having fed him.

He has become a little piggy. Guess who is going on a diet pronto!

You can definitely hold me to this, because I am only feeding him ONCE a day from now on.

Castle, prepare yourself. You are about to trim down and become a slim swimming machine rather than a pudgy little fish.

For those of you who have fish, do not be sucked in by their cute little wiggling and extra speedy fin flapping and big shiny eyes! Take control and say no to the cuteness and deny them that extra pinch of food.

Hope you all are happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise!

I'll update on more college-ness in a future post. In the meantime, smile!

~Piper

A New Beginning

A fresh slate.

No one could ask for a better thing.

To begin on a completely new foot that is both curious, cautious, as well as rearin' to go. You don't know what lies ahead, but you sure as heck are ready to take a peak and see!

As I look out of my new window watching the sunset, I see that the fountain is still running and each and every drop is illuminated like a tiny facet. Each and every bedroom light in the surrounding apartments are on, showing that their inhabitants are also settling in to their new and temporary nest.

It's a nest away from home and I already feel strange and just a tad lonely despite my being surrounded by lovely roommates. I am ready. But there is always that hesitancy of having to spread your wings and count on a good wind to take you away from the nest, and keep you in the air rather than plummeting to the forest floor.

We all have to learn how to fly at some point in our lives, and sometimes, we need more than a nudge. We literally have to be pushed from the nest and rely on pure instinct. This method is not always encouraged, but the end result is definitely worth it!

To all you new "flyers", be glad that you left the nest even if it's for a short time. You were kicked out of it for a reason and you might as well not make that reason half-assed. Put all your energy into it and make sure you succeed.

I believe in you.

In fact, I am the one encouraging you to keep flying.

Fly until those little wings cannot keep up with you anymore, then take a rest, and then give it all you got again and again.

I'm with you all the way!

~Piper

All Aboard!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The time has come for newly sharpened pencils (do people use those kinds of pencils anymore?) fresh notebooks, blank planners, and lots and lots of excitement to see all the people you have missed over the duration of the summer.

With the determination and strength of a lion, I am ready to leave the nest once again in order to gain a better education and prepare myself for the world. Needless to say, this will be a fun year filled with cooking, friends, outings, photo-shoots, dancing, and lots and lots of homework and study time.

Move-in day is the 19th so we are running around gathering things that I shall need for my room in the apartment. That also involves me rooting through my room trying to decide what nick nacks and clothes to bring....ALL of them of course! Am I right ladies?

So without much further ado, I am off to stuff my belongings into black trash bags that will make traveling much easier and more space efficient.

In the meantime, I hope you all are enjoying your last taste of freedom and are enjoying every last ray of sunshine this summer has to offer before school/work/life starts.

Keep smiling!

~Piper

Cha-Ching!

There is nothing quite like a day where you and your girlfriends go shopping.

Shopping, what a word. What a beautiful, glorious, amazing word.

Nothing in the world that can compare to that intense estrogen connection; which sparks urges to drool at shoes and purses and super cute fashion trends.

They will always be honest with you. Telling you that you “deserve” those new boots, or that you look “amazing” in that dress, or that that necklace is “definitely” your style.
Plus, school is on the horizon, so the need to buy some new articles of clothing was definitely a must.

I am very proud of the loot that I found yesterday, and now have sitting in my room, patiently waiting for me to sport them and look fantastic while doing so.

Those shopping sprees relieve huge amounts of stress and make you feel unstoppable. You feel as though the entire store is one big adventure, and in it are goodies just waiting to be discovered. Like your own personal treasure hunt. And at the end of the hunt, you feel as though you have conquered the world with that receipt showing just how much you actually saved.

Well played.

The best part of shopping is being able to touch everything, sift through every hanger and instantly decide whether or not it is something that would suit your taste. The process is instantaneous. You have to quickly make a choice between “OMG YES!”, “Absolutely not!”, or “…..maybe….let me try it on first….”.

It’s such a guilty pleasure.

Truly it is.

And us girls love every minute of it.

Though, it is interesting to think of all the different guilty pleasures we have. Some of us like to get manicures and pedicures. Some of us like to get our hair styled. Some of us like to have facials. Some of us just like to sit in bookstores for hours on end.

To me, shopping is like chocolate. It’s bad for you to indulge in all the time, but every once in a while, you just got to have it.

So yesterday could technically be considered my chocolate fix.

Yumm.

I hope you take some time and invest in your guilty pleasure. Believe me, it's worth it!

~Piper

It's the crazy simple things....

So….

I found a new recipe this morning.

I religiously watch this woman’s cooking blog called "Joy the Baker" and try out her fantastic recipes. Today I was delighted to find a Lemon Almond Meringues recipe that looks divine.

I had to try them.

My fingers twitched, my toes curled, and this growing urgency to make these cookies became too irresistible to ignore. So I printed the recipe and moseyed around the kitchen and gathered all the ingredients I needed.

The only problem…I did not have a lemon.

I have this thing about improvising on recipes. It can be a fun thing to do and is highly encouraged for experimentation of flavors, but when trying a recipe out for the first time, I find that improvising is a forbidden thing to do. So instead of making the cookies, I dug through every crevice of the refrigerator, looking for a leisurely lemon that might aid me in my cookie making, but to no avail.

I concocted a daring scheme to run to the store in my pajamas with no trace of makeup on my face. In a college town the “just rolled out of bed” sight of me would have been easily forgiven. However, I then talked myself out of this spur of the moment affair and simply told myself to wait until after work to go and get a lemon, saving on gas and not limiting myself to a serious time crunch.

About an hour later, when it is almost time for me to go to work, my father and grandmother enter the house with a load of groceries…and in their possession…was not just one lemon but TWO lemons.

The irony was comical to me, but at least it saves me from having to run to the store after work. I have all the ingredients I need at home now and can finally put my twitching need to make cookies to rest.

Whew.

What a fine way to start the day, don’t you think?

So I shall definitely be baking some fine and dandy deliciousness in the kitchen this evening, and sending many silent and endearing “thank you’s” to Joy the Baker.

Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!

Do yourself a serious favor. Actually, two favors.

1. Check out all of Joy’s recipes and ogle at her witty sense of humor and fantastic photography: http://www.joythebaker.com/

2. Make something fun in your kitchen today. Whip up one of your favorites and pretend that you’re on your very own cooking show, no one will ever know! :)

~Piper

More like guidelines….

I am not a political person.

Let me just make that VERY clear before I get started.

Because this post involves Hogwarts owls as well as swashbuckling Pirates.

So to begin, let me just say that I have a voice just like any of you, and I would like to throw my two cents in. Food for thought, if you will.

Consider the following:

In 1776 a bunch of grumpy old white men locked themselves into an extremely hot and stinky room and would not leave until they finished writing the Constitution. A document that could technically be considered a second list of commandments.

The American people needed guidance, an outline, a rulebook, in order to bring some sort of sense into the world.

Without laws, we would be a very messed up place.

But that doesn’t mean that even WITH laws we aren’t messed up.

People try and scoot past the laws and extend and stretch them, just so they can see how much they can get away with.

I believe a famous Pirate said it best. “Thirdly, the Code is more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules. Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Miss Turner.”

In America, land of the free, home of the brave…

We are all Pirates.

Yes.

Pirates.

Yarg.

Think about it. When we do not get what we want politically, we get angry and start to blame the higher powers and rebel in ways that could be considered plundering and pillaging. With a lot less pistols and swashbuckling swords and compasses that don’t point North.

The world is falling apart bit by bit and there are a lot of bad pirates out there who want to see it burn and be thrown into a crumbling and shattering derision. There are countries that we don’t like, and don’t seem to like us in return. Therefore, the longer we hold a grudge the more likely we will be involved in a war. Our economy is getting worse as we try and pick up the pieces from past presidencies and try and work with the stubborn opposing parties. The Republicans and Democrats can’t work together, ever, so why are we letting them decide what is best for our future?

Clearly, they just want the treasure and gold all to themselves.

What can the American people do when the higher power clearly can’t present itself as respectful and trustworthy and fair?

Mutiny? No. Walking the plank? No.

Maybe just a mandate from the people would do.

Or a lot of letters. Lots and lots of letters written in green ink, delivered by Hogwarts owls.

Yes. I am in favor of this plan.

Well, I believe I have exercised the first Amendment well enough and made a few interesting notes.

Let me know what you think. Do you believe we should storm down the Whitehouse with our blades drawn and drink up me hearties yo ho, or should we send off a bazillion magical owls carrying howlers to said Whitehouse?

I personally think the second idea is the best. I mean, just look at these guys! D'awww


~Piper

(Any Harry Potter or Pirates of the Caribbean references belong to their respectful owners. J.K. Rowling and Gore Verbinski.)

I dub thee...Sir Clumsy!

This entry is in part brought to you by my natural sense of humor and my innate desire to please.

To begin, let me ask you:

You know those mornings where you wake up all groggy and wobbly due to a not-so-good night’s sleep, and suddenly the world is conspiring against you and your anatomical means of locomotion?

Suddenly your feet are your worst enemy, tripping over each other and blindly smacking into every hard surface while your thighs and hips manage to hit every sharp corner of furniture. There is no escape. Because this wobbly nonsense carries with you throughout the day.

Yeah.

It’s just one of those days….

I have a lovely collection of bruises that are blooming nicely, they are either in the purple stage or the sickly yellow stage.

I also have a trove of treasures untold, including a cavern of gadgets and gizmos a-plenty as well as whozits and whatzits galore. But that’s another story….

Ahem

You know what helps with days like this? Aside from building an entire fort of pillows and staying there until the following day.

Shopping.

It sounds terribly cliché, but when I am feeling blue and need some buttering up, I go shopping. I actually went therapy shopping the other day with the family. It was a glorious thing. Who knew that buying a new cardigan and ogling at ridiculously overpriced shoes for a couple hours would do the trick?

There’s also something magical about looking at big chunky diamond necklaces and imagining that I am Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. It sounds ridiculous, but it totally works. As long as you feel polished and shining, the rest of the day seems that way too.
So, with a full suit of armor and a pillow tied to every limb, I shall strive to make it through the rest of today without any further surface damage.

To those of you who are going through the same bizarre thing that I am, good luck! To the rest of you…you seem to know what you are doing. Well played.

~Piper

Dream a Little Dream

Do you remember all the different professions you wanted throughout the course of your life?

One minute you want to be the President of the United States, next you want to be an Astronaut, then a pop star, then a comedian, then a veterinarian, etc. etc. etc.

It's crazy how much the people in our lives can alter what we want to do in terms of careers. Today's media also plays a huge part. We are inspired by the popular idols we see in movies and online.

Heck, I myself am inspired by the people I read about in books. I love turning to the end of a novel and reading about the life of the person who write it.

Sometimes I wonder if I am on the right train, traveling to the destination which will make me happiest.

I am inspired by anything and everything I see and absorb. So when I watch videos on youtube from my favorite makeup artists, I cannot help but think if I would enjoy being a makeup artist and getting a chance to help people look their best, be as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside.

Then I remember everything I am working towards. The quiet yet amazing and adventurous life of being a writer.

At the end of the day, I love knowing that the stories I create are entirely my own. That no one else in the world has combined the same words or the same sentences as I have. It is all my own, it's unique, precious, and THAT is nothing short of magical.

Be proud of your craft, whatever it may be.

Work towards it. Seize it. Dominate it!

And remember that I love you.

~Piper

Creature of Habit….

Everyone has habits....

I bite my nails when I am nervous or scared.

I chew the end of my straw when I am at a restaurant, and then proceed to blow bubbles in my drink.

I burst out into song throughout the course of the day.

I pinch the bridge of my nose when I am deep in thought.

I double check, triple check, quadruple check the ingredients I am supposed to put into a recipe.

I coo at my betta fish because I have no other pets to coo to. It’s a sad thing to behold.

I giggle like a pixie when I find something amusing, or at least so I’m told.

I curl up into a ball before I go to sleep.

I am incredibly protective of my porcelain skin. Sunscreen is my friend.

I make cat sounds as a form of communication at times. Yeah…no explanation for that one.

I refuse to bend the corners of pages as a form of bookmark.

I smell books after I purchase one or get one from the library. Such a pleasant scent.

I act like a man when I eat. There is no daintiness allowed when it comes to chicken wings my friend.

I try to learn something new every day, whether it be a fun fact or a new word.

If I don’t wear concealer under my eyes, I will die. I have the worst dark circles you can imagine.

I must smell yummy or pretty before I leave the house. It has to be subtle, not loud.

I can recite Disney movies by heart.

I carry a little notebook around with just in case I have to sketch or write something down.

I wave my hand whenever I enter a store with automatic doors, it makes me feel like a jedi.

etc.

Tell me some of your habits!

~Piper

If You Just Believe

Methinks Mr. Josh Groban said it best, “you have everything you need, if you just believe.”

(I got to see him LIVE in concert on the 15th, needless to say I melted into a tiny little puddle of sheer bliss and happiness.)

Ahem. But let me ask you this, do you believe? No I am not about to go all “preachy” on you. Seriously though, I mean, do you truly actually with all that you are and with all your heart…believe?

“Believe in what?” you ask. I’m not asking you to believe in fairies, but you better clap your hands just in case!

Quite simply, I am asking if you believe in yourself.

Have you forgiven yourself for the mishaps and the mistakes you have made? We are human, even the best of us make mistakes. What would life be without its curveballs and pitfalls? Yes we condemn them when they happen, we shake our fists in fury and swear like sailors.

But when was the last time you gave yourself a pat on the back and really smiled at yourself in the mirror?

A lot of the time we find life passing us by too quickly, we never take a moment to say “Stop stop STOP! Hold up, just give me two seconds.” Take a deep breath, look around you. For goodness sake relax. Life loves to put on its running shoes and go at a contant speed of 600 miles a second when we can only run 80 miles a minute.

Take those polietely requested two seconds to really appreciate life. Seconds are ticking away constantly. That is the beautiful and ugly thing about time, it goes at a steady pace, coming when we want it to and even when we don’t want it to. It’s an invisible thing that rules us all, yet we believe in it. Especially when we begin to see those crow’s feet in the corners of our eyes and feel the weakness in our bones and hair coming out of our ears.

There are people all over the world who believe in things that they cannot see. I do the same. I believe in things I cannot see or touch or taste or smell, but I have the courage to put my faith and trust in the things that are looking out for me, even the mischievous muses that come in and out of my life providing me with the inspiration to write.
(end of rant)

If you have to absorb and learn something from this blog entry, it’s that you should believe in not only the invisible, but also believe in the visible. Believe in yourself. Even if the weight of the world is too much for you to bear, you failed a test, love sucks, your parents are nagging you, your pet died, you forgot to pay a bill on time, you got fired, whatever. Life is certainly not fair, people have the power to make you miserable, but one thing they cannot take away from you is your belief. It is a flame that stays lit as long as YOU kindle it and take care of it. If you believe in yourself, everything becomes a little easier.

Smile. Today is all yours. You got this. I’m behind you 110%. I love you.

Go to my other blog to read my short stories: http://short--flashes.blogspot.com/

~Piper

Short Stories Galore!

Drum-roll please!

This is the moment you have all been waiting for! Right? Right? Am I right?

I have created a second blog devoted ONLY to short stories written by yours truly. There is no general theme or protocol, it's as simple as me and my imagination.

If you are interested in paying that blog a visit and reading the first story I just posted, go to the following link: http://short--flashes.blogspot.com/

Happy reading and be sure to comment and leave feedback so that I know whether or not my work needs tweaking.

I love you all, my gentle readers. And yes, this blog will continue to be updated with my observations and odd happenings.

Smile, this day is yours.

~Piper

Need to Knead

Chai tea is quite possibly one of the best things on this planet....

Seriously

I mean think about it. Any kind of tea will either make you feel British OR will put you at ease. Especially chai tea, which is subtle yet packs a punch of serious spices and flavors that entice your taste buds to take that next sip.

Another thing that tops the list of being one of the best things on this planet

KNEADING BREAD DOUGH

When you have had an incredibly stressful day and nothing in the world seems to make sense, you can always retreat back to a simple and tasty cook book, crack it open to one of your favorite recipes, and begin the magic of creation.

Bread is the ultimate trickster. You have to make sure the yeast is active and that all the ingredients are behaving properly and that you add enough flour to make it sticky but not too sticky.

Once you have a lovely blob of baby-bottom soft dough, you are golden. There you get the opportunity to knead it into submission until you have taken all your problems out on the combination of flour, butter, and milk.

Consider it to be a tasty "stress ball".

Once it is all baked and filling the house with its delicious warm scent, it is the silent reassurance that you did something right that day and that all is good in the world.

Settle down on the sofa with Pride & Prejudice, a piece of the freshly baked bread and some chai tea and that will make for a ridiculously satisfying evening.

A recipe that I have tried and strongly recommend:

http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/03/cinnamon-sugar-pull-apart-bread/

This woman is a genius. Queen of the kitchen.

In conclusion: have a lovely week, keep your head up high, smile at the little things, laugh out loud, and savor every sip of tea.

Also, be sure and knead the life out of that bread dough. Life will get better.

~Piper

Recipe for happiness

Begin by separating all the key ingredients, this is important, because if you mix certain components together in the wrong order the end result will not be tasty.

Start with 1 cup of genuine smiles. Make sure they are well packed, and pour them into a big mixing bowl. Then slowly incorporate ½ a cup of hugs and warm embraces in with the genuine smiles. They will combine very easily after a few stirs. Be generous with your kisses, make sure they fill at least 2 tablespoons. They have to be passionate and affectionate kisses, not shy chicken pecks.

Set aside this mixture and grab another mixing bowl.

Scoop out three measured cups of laughter, make sure they’re fresh; it WILL make all the difference. Next, crack four enthusiastic high fives into the bowl and fold them in with the laughs. Add a 1/4 of a teaspoon of playful eyelash flutters, a pinch of cuddles and snuggles (careful not to add more than a dash, anything more might become overbearing and clingy) and last but not least add a dash of pink rosy blushes. Stir this well and very gently for about five minutes. Once you have finished stirring everything and it is all integrated, add the other bowl of mixture in with what you have just mixed.

Continue mixing for another 5 minutes until it is all bubbly and enthusiastic. Rainbows and glitter should start forming on the top, and that will tell you that the mixture is complete.

Pour into pan of choice and bake for 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven of 325 degrees. Bake until golden brown and singing Beethoven's “Hallelujah”, caution: the rays of light will be very bright and might blind you momentarily.

Serving size: Enough to fill the bellies of all painfully cute woodland creatures that come and clean your house whilst you are away at work.

Enjoy!

~Piper

I’m Laughing at Clouds….

I wonder if people walk in the rain anymore.

Would you grab an umbrella once it started raining? Just so you could stroll down the street, step in puddles, watch your reflection amongst a rippling surface, perhaps indulge in some singing and dancing and be like Gene Kelly?

Do they listen to the rain?

Do they try and make sense of the rhythm and patterns that those cascading droplets are making as they descend from the skies to the solid earth?

Do me a favor. Next time it rains, grab your sweetheart (if you do not have one, an invisible Mr. Darcy will do just fine) or family member or friend or cat or whatever is available and take a stroll in the rain. Wear your best pair of rain boots/duck feet and be daring. Hold their hand while the other holds up the umbrella. It’s a surreal experience and one that not many appreciate anymore.

Our little town has been plagued by dark clouds and blustery winds and MANY droplets that have accumulated into heavy downpours. Every time you look out the window you will see the sky is permanently blanketed in leaden clouds heavy and swelling with rain. The Earth absolutely loves all the attention it is getting, it has never been greener….or wetter for that matter.

It’s interesting how people complain about how dry the summers are, and then when they finally get a summer filled with rain, they complain about that. It seems there is always something to complain about. They have a serious case of needing to take their sweetheart’s hand and take a walk in the rain.

I do not have the power of little duck feet today, alas. I have some snazzy black heels to which will be my doom if it chooses to rain around 4:30 when I get off of work.

It looks like rain—no surprise there. So I may just have to take my umbrella and rainboots and take a long walk and let my thoughts be carried away by the rush of water and the soft drip drops and pitter patters.

If you listen closely, you will also hear me singing and dancing in the rain.

~Piper

The WHAM Factor

Have you ever met one of those people...who are so opinionated and so closed minded that it absolutely drives you up the wall?

If there is one things in this world that I do not tolerate, it is closed mindedness. Those who cannot keep a broad perspective that can see both sides of the table are truly the most infuriating people on the planet.

"I am right, because I am always right, my opinion is the only one that matters, blah, blah, blah."

Seriously. Take it from the movie Bambi. "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

That special group of people remind me of birds....

I know what you're thinking. You're probably giving the computer screen the oddest of looks. But let me explain!

Picture the scene....

It comes so unexpectedly that it is almost unwelcome entirely.

There you are, taking a leisurely nap on the couch, hypothetically curled up in a nice warm fuzzy ball of micro fleece, and suddenly WHAM

You sit up in alarm, searching desperately for the perpetrator. There is no visible evidence that reveals a shenanigan or intruder so you resume your nap on the couch, a little wary and cautious this time.

WHAM

It happens again!

You race towards the general direction of the noise and low and behold, there is a bewildered and perplexed bird who is curiously cocking its head and wondering why it cannot pull a Matrix move through the glass of your kitchen window.

Birds are crazy.

Just like those annoying closed-minded people.

They have very little perspective when it comes to clear surfaces. (Then again, the same behavior can be observed within the human species. How many times have we ourselves walked into a glass door, or witnessed someone doing thusly? If you haven’t, just wait, it’ll happen).

Sometimes we just have to admit that we are not the cleverest of species at times….

How does one avoid closed-mindedness?

First of all, when you encounter someone who is closed minded you will often find yourself resisting them entirely. Resistance comes from you and who you are and how you define yourself as a person. Treat that moment like a personal challenge. Do not put forth an argument that is emotionally attached to you and your personal beliefs. Instead, make the playing field level by saying "you COULD be right...but what about this?"

Being open-minded means you are receptive to new ideas and are willing to consider and discuss and take on new challenges and perspectives. By exploring them further, you will be able to gain better knowledge as well as a broadened range of ideas that other people might have.

Consider all that comes your way and do not immediately resist the people who put forth those ideas.

In other words, to wrap things up with my peculiar metaphor from earlier....

Don't be the bird that crashes into everyone's window so unexpectedly!

Magic Beans

Unfortunately, these little buggers do not grow gigantic bean stalks....



You get up in the morning, you are crabby and half-asleep, and the only thing that will prevent the oncoming headaches and biting people’s heads off like an angry bear is a gritty mixture of that strong little brown bean. Somehow, it turns the meanest of morning creatures into happy campers within a few sips. It may take a cup…or two…or three…but for those of us who do not drink coffee or are new to the substance and are becoming a convert….it can kind of be terrifying to see the transformation people undergo when they are deprived of coffee. It almost makes you re-evaluate your decision to drink said coffee and what long-term effects it will have.

As a college student, I am proud to say that I do not get my caffeine fix from coffee or those fizzy sugary beverages that look like liquid radiation. Those are only used in desperate situations (such as finals week *coughhellweekcough*). I prefer healthier alternatives, such as tea. Tea contains SO many goodies for your body, including herbs and antioxidants and fruit extracts that can boost your immune system and clean out the evil free radicals. Tea can also give you that little extra “something” to get you going in the morning should you need it.

Coffee is that naughty little bean that does strange and interesting things to people. Why else would there be so many StarBucks coffee shops all over the place? They are indeed EVERYWHERE. I always feel a tad indecisive whenever I walk into a StarBucks because you have to make a bagillion decisions on the spot, and I am certainly a fan of trying new things.

Cappuccino, mocha, latte, espresso, iced, skinny, extra whipped cream and caramel sauce....

So many good things packed within a tiny cup.

Such highly addictive good things.

How I wonder what you are....

Once upon a time,

I remember gazing at the stars that night.

Losing myself to the celestial bodies that loomed above me, resembling a canvas made of black silk with diamonds scattered upon its smooth surface.

It was like looking into a stygian sea with pinpoints of light to guide you.

Then, one of them began to move.

It was as though it were a crystal, rippling and shaking from the vibrations of sound. Then it broke away from the darkness and twinkled and beamed as it began its luminous descent across the sky.

I watched as it raced towards me. It was surreal, unexpected.

I reached out my hands as though I were trying to catch a ball.

As soon as it made contact with my fingers, I winced and groaned.

It burned upon contact, yet the star was the most beautiful thing I had ever beheld. Its iridescence was inhuman, colors of all kinds flashing and glowing, singing a soft melody as it felt my grasp upon it begin to waver.

I did what any sensible man would have done.

I put the star in a cage.

It hummed and buzzed against the gilded bars, but the star made no fuss as it hovered and danced within the tiny perimeter that surrounded it.

It almost seemed to enjoy its captivity.

As the days grew longer, I began to covet the star. Obsessing over its presence. I was plagued by its existence and the fact that it remained within my possession.

But then, one day, the star no longer sang its bright songs. It remained at the bottom of the cage. Its light flickering and dimming like an exhausted candle, choking on its own pool of wax.

I tried everything within my power to cheer it up and make it lively again.

Nothing seemed to work. Not even the sound of my own songs or musical instruments.

So I did the only thing I could think of...and dreaded.

I took the cage out into the middle of the star gazing field. Shakily unlatched the door, scooped the coldness out of captivity and whispered to it. Wishing upon the star.

It came to life, slowly but surely, it burned and blazed one more time, bursting like fireworks as it shot out towards the heavens and began its long ascent.

A journey that I knew all along that would have to be taken eventually.

With a smile and a tear, I watched as it diminished into the familiar blackness to join the others that twinkled above me.

"Then the traveler in the dark, thanks you for your tiny spark; He could not see which way to go, If you did not twinkle so."

With an empty cage, I turned on my heel and left the field. Hoping and praying that the star I once called my own would find the happiness it deserved.

A caged star is a dead star.

A free star is a living star.

They were never meant to be caught.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

C'est fini! I watched Howl's Moving Castle and concocted of this little idea for a story. It seems riddled with metaphors and symbolic meaning, but I'll let you figure them out. In the meantime, be happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise!

~Piper

Let’s Talk Regrets

Life is filled with opportunities. By taking advantage of one of them, several thousand more arise. But what about the opportunities you didn’t take? Will they cost you? Will they haunt you? Do you regret not taking ‘that’ path instead of the one you are currently on?

Several times a day I find myself contemplating the ‘what ifs’ and the ‘how abouts’. I am always thinking, always wondering. Yet I find myself in the shoes of so many people who wish they could rewind the past. Unfortunately, life does not have a restart button. If you fail a level you cannot go back and start over.

They always say to live your life to the fullest so that you don’t have any regrets.
This may be true. But somewhere during that journey of your full life, you will have regrets that you wish you could tweak and alter and even return to and fix completely.

We sometimes fight for things we cannot have.

We sometimes are completely oblivious to the opportunities that are happening underneath our noses.

We sometimes are misinformed or there is a miscommunication.

We sometimes screw up so epically that we practically dig ourselves into a deep dark hole.

We sometimes build walls around ourselves and shut everyone out.

In today’s society it’s almost expected that you don’t make any mistakes. You are born and bred to believe that the world is a difficult place and you must never make a mistake, because mistakes result in punishments, and punishments are things you want to avoid at all costs because it will leave a mark, a mark you will be judged for.

Not true.

It is within our nature to make mistakes. We live under the guidelines of “trial and error”.

For example: The Homo Habilis looked at the Australopithecus and dared him to eat those green berries while he ate the purple berries. So the Australopithecus took up the challenge and ate the green berries and shortly died, whereas the Homo Habilis ate the purple berries and was very happy and satisfied and lived to have a long life. The trial being the different colored berries, the error being the eating of the incorrect color berries. Lesson learned, you now know to never eat those green berries, else you too will die.

That may be an overly dramatic example, but you KNOW it happened. (Also, Homo Habilis and the Australopithecus did not exist at the same time)

I am sure that the Australopithecus wishes that he could go back in time and stop himself from eating those poisonous green berries.

Unfortunately that is a regret that he cannot fix.

HOWEVER there are regrets that you can fix.

My personal motto is, “there’s always a however”. No matter how hopeless the cause, no matter how many times someone says ‘no’, no matter how harshly you feel you are being judged by others, if you have the courage and the strength and the determination, you will surely gain something from your endeavors. If anything you are proving to yourself that you are not giving up and that you will not be ruled by regrets. Keep Fighting.

I regret a lot from this year. A lot of open doors slammed into my face. But I was persistent, I always got back up and tried everything I could in order to find a key to open the door again or simply try and force it back open with my bare hands. I got my fingers caught in the doors, it hurt, but I managed to prop them open again and barge my way through.

I am finding that there are still several doors that are closed and will not budge, but that doesn’t mean I can’t open them again someday, I just need to figure out how. Only I can open them. I just can’t seem to find my keys…. The garden gnomes must have cleverly hid them whilst I was taking a nap.

Now that I have completely bored you with inspirational nonsense and ramblings about how you too have the power to change the course of your future, I am simply going to say this…..

You got this.

I love you.

Stay strong.

Regret Nothing.

~Piper

10 Facts about Piper

I’ve looked back on my entries and I realized that you know very little about ME as a person. Therefore, I shall compile a list of TEN, count them, TEN facts about me that are described in full detail. Consider this the “Never Before Seen Footage” of blog entries. So, here is your chance to get to know the person you are receiving posts from on a weekly basis.

Ready Set Go?

Let’s begin!

Fun fact number 1:
I love wearing boots. I am approximately 5”2 and therefore feel vertically challenged when walking amongst my peers, therefore, when I am feeling a tad ‘short’, I pull out my sassy boots (that go with everything!) and suddenly I feel like I have all the power and confidence in the world. ….Until someone who is 6”2 towers over me, then I just feel silly. I love all kinds of boots, especially rain boots. In my previous entry (hyperlink) I refer to them as ‘duck feet’, and they sure have saved my toes during the rainy season! Love love LOVE my little duck feet.

Fun fact number 2:
My favorite movie of all time would have to be “The Fellowship of the Ring”, the first movie in the trilogy that came out when I was still a kidlet. For some reason, it is the perfect beginning to any quest and the characters are sublime. I can never get enough of the story. And yes, before you ask, I have read the entire series. I am a huge nerd when it comes to LOTR and I am terribly proud of it. I own a pair of elf ears I purchased at the Renaissance Festival. Do I wear them in public? Only if it’s Halloween and I am dressing as a fairy. Do I wear them in private? Wouldn’t you like to know….

Fun fact number 3:
I collect coins of different currencies around the world and I also collect skeleton keys. Ever since I was a child I had a fascination with keys and wondering what each one unlocked. My imagination went crazy with days dreams of buried treasure chests, secret doors, passages that lead to other worlds, etc. I have a mad obsession with keys and where each one will take me. As for coins, that just happened out of nowhere. I just started collecting them and they have accumulated ever since.

Fun fact number 4:
I attract cats. For some ungodly reason, wherever I go, there is almost always a cat nearby that takes an interest in me. My family calls me the “cat whisperer”, because no matter how feisty or depressed, I somehow have the magic touch that makes every cat I encounter fall madly in love with me. (Note: Please don’t send me your cats, I am not an actual cat whisperer, I am merely a college student who likes cats.) Do I prefer cats instead of dogs? No, in fact, I much prefer dogs. When I was little I would have told you otherwise, by my preference has changed over the years, especially after owning a fantastic Australian Sheppard.

Fun fact number 5:
My favorite past-time food is macaroni and cheese. There is nothing quite like picking up a box of Spongebob Squarepants macaroni and cheese at the store. You feel giddy like a child and cannot wait to go home and indulge in empty calories and powdered cheese. Some people say the macaroni is better….nay! In my humble opinion, the shapes definitely taste better.

Fun fact number 6:
I ADORE curly hair. In this world, where a lot of things are synthetic and or can be mimicked, it’s always a joy to find someone who has naturally curly hair. I know that people who have ridiculously curly hair wish they didn’t, but seriously, I want in. Don’t get me wrong, I like my hair, but every once in a while I find someone with insane masses of tight ringlets and I go into this mode where I am determined to get a perm or finding a lamp that could grant me three wishes so that I could wish my hair to be like that. Or I just grab my curling iron and mousse and start playing around for an hour. Curly hair=awesome

Fun fact number 7:
I take pictures of the oddest things. You will find that I will get up close and personal with the foods that I bake as well as the nooks and crannies of nature. There is no surface that I am not willing to explore with my lens. One day I hope to have a fancy bagillion dollar camera and take high resolution photos that I can share with others. I love the feeling of using my camera as another pair of eyes, being able to see things in ways that you physically cannot. And if you can capture such beauty, then that is a true gift.

Fun fact number 8:
I love surprises! You would think everyone loves surprises, but that is not necessarily true. I have met people who get very uncomfortable from surprises because they were not able to anticipate or plan around said surprise. That's just silly. If someone arrives on your front porch with a bottle of sparkling apple cider and raspberry chocolate cake, there is nothing wrong with that picture. I also love surprising people. I love writing little notes and tucking them away in places that the person will look so that they receive a small 'hello' or something that brings a smile to their face. Happiness is something you should receive on a daily basis, and if I can do anything that can make that happen, I certainly shall!

Fun fact number 9:
My favorite color is green. But not just any green. When winter has finally diminished from the world and mother nature yawns and stretches and wakes from her long slumber, unfurling her lovely array of plants and flowers. My favorite color is that of newly born, budding, fresh spring green.

Fun fact number 10:
Last but certainly not least! My favorite thing to drink is tea. Specifically green tea or chai tea. I love the feeling of making tea in the morning and letting my hands linger upon the warm exterior of the mug. It has the same effect as hot chocolate, but is so much better for you, especially during the non-Christmas seasons. I am actually going to experiment with different iced teas this summer and see which ones I prefer, so keep an eye out to see how that goes!

There you go, ten quirky facts about your Piper. Hopefully you were able to get a better sense of this blogger and feel more of a connection. I love hearing random facts about friends or new acquaintances. Instead of getting a sense of what their general likes and dislikes are, you get more of a sense of their personality as well as the type of person they are. Everyone is unique and I love exploring that about all those I meet.

In return, I would love to hear random facts about you! Tell me your story.

~Piper

"Crazy Little Thing Called "Dove"....

Random fact:
I have great respect for Dove chocolate wrappers. Inside each and every one is a delicious surprise not only for the taste buds, but also for the muse.

I was eating a Dove almond dark chocolate when I curiously and carefully unfolded the foil wrapper and inside it said, “The only certainty in life is smooth chocolate.”

So true my friends….so true.

Chocolate is not only the greatest invention since sliced bread, it is also the epitome of that naughty little sliver of temptation in the back of your mind that whispers ‘you know you want more.’ Blasphemy.

With that said, I must confess… I could not resist another chocolate morsel. I indulged in (only) one more so that I could appreciate another harmless tidbit of wisdom. This one said, “Tempt your sense of exploration.”

Yes. Definitely yes.

I am a fan of Dove chocolate as well as their quirky little sayings.

Also, have you ever wondered what kind of job position that is? The person who writes such compact proverbs with the purpose to inspire and enlighten your day deserves a medal or a lifetime supply of chocolate or something, as long as it’s an epic reward.

Regardless, if this is indeed a job position, I will happily send in my resume and see if they would be interested in my several volumes of poetry and odd little lines of prose. If Martha Stewart can be invited to write Valentine’s Day lines for Dove chocolate wrappers, well then, by golly, so can us fellow writers!

It’s all a mystery.

A sweet, thick, slowly melting mystery that is just too good to be true.
Thank you Dove for all that you do. You provide us with such evil yet heavenly candies that are wrapped in silvery joy, making our days a bit brighter.

Indulge, eat chocolate!

~Piper

All about being brave....

Why did the chicken cross the road?



The answer should be simple right?

To come, to see, to conquer!

No. To get to the other side.

Countless times in my life, I have always looked back and thought to myself...."If only I had done "this" differently, or "that" differently....if only I had been more brave." Don't we all wish that we had been braver at one point or another? Don't we all just want to get to the other side of the road?

Personally, I find that I am always asking for courage and strength, whether it be from God or from my family and friends. I never ask of it aloud, because...come now...who really walks up to their friend and says, "Give me strength!" I mean, I would, but that's beside the point. To save myself from curious and bizarre glances, I ask for strength silently.

Bravery is within us. We are capable of bravery. However, according to Mrs. Darling from Peter Pan, "there are many different kinds of bravery. There's the bravery of thinking of others before one's self. Now, your father has never brandished a sword nor fired a pistol, thank heavens. But he has made many sacrifices for his family, and put away many dreams. He put them in a drawer. And sometimes, late at night, we take them out and admire them. But it gets harder and harder to close the drawer... He does. And that is why he is brave."

I myself am being tested for bravery. Only this drawer is one that I have my fingers caught in and someone is threatening to lock it because they have the key when I didn't mean to give it to them.

Life is difficult, it was never meant to be easy. If we come out of life too clean, someone is bound to come along and throw us into the mud to dirty us up a bit. Sounds pessimistic, but it is true. Sometimes what we say or do catches up with us, and suddenly everything is turned upside down.

A lot has happened this year, too much has happened this year, but somehow I find the strength to get up each and every day. I am a hero. I am a survivor. And although it may seem like bridges are burning behind me, I can always rebuild them.

If you have ever been through a series of challenges that tested your strength and bravery, raise your hand and pat yourself on the back. Give yourself credit for how much courage you wielded during that time, and how it made you the person you are today.

I don't care who you are or what you have done. If the situation tested you, and challenged you, and made you question and re-think your values, then you deserve to have someone stand by you and believe in you and support you 110%. Just do your best, and be yourself. Strive to be a better person, because that is what life is all about. The experiences and the people who make us a better person.

Just breathe.

Smile.

Take those steps, so that you too can cross the road to get to the other side.

You are loved.

~Piper

Musings

An excerpt from my current story project….

He barely met her gaze as his skilled fingers loomed over the strings, plucking softly, letting the sound fill the air as ripples would expand throughout a body of water. He relished in the sound, breathed it, tasted it, and became a part of it almost. It was as though he were transcending into another world even as he sat before her. He was no longer here; he was lost within the gentle hymn of the instrument and all the beauty it possessed.
“Can you hear it?” He murmured, “I mean…can you really hear it? What it’s saying?”
“I can.” She replied in as soft a tone as his, as to not disturb his concentration, “I can hear every word it’s trying to say.”
“Then you are one of few who can.” His fingers flew down the neck, caressing the instrument as though it were the most precious possession he owned. It sang for him, helplessly giving in to his commands, revealing such sweet music that it haunted the soul with its melody. It transcended anything else she had ever heard before, and brought her into his world, showing her everything he was feeling and everything he wanted to convey with the notes that were played.
When the music ended, her reverie scattered into a million fragments. She had strayed into what had seemed a dream; he has so effortlessly brought her there and brought her out of it.
“My constellation of chords.” A faint smile tugged at his lips, flickering across his perfectly angular features and illuminating his cerulean eyes as they fixed themselves upon her.
“Only you could paint the sky in such colors.” She grinned, still in awe at his mastery in the art of music.
“And only you can see them.”
He returned to his instrument, fiddling around with different notes and key changes until afternoon became evening and the diamonds of the sky peeked out from the sheet of black silk....

~~~~~~~

Hope you enjoyed that tid bit! I'm playing around with my characters and seeing how I would like for them to interact in the story. This is certainly a fun story to write and I greatly appreciate all the inspiration that went into it as well as the characters and how they're turning out. I must give great thanks to one of my incredibly close friends who I shall cherish for the rest of my life. He is without a doubt the muse to this story, and has inspired me in countless ways, especially as a person as well as a writer. The line "constellation of chords" is ENTIRELY his, and rightly so. Only he could create such a line and such music.

Keep writing, keep smiling, and keep loving the life you're living!

~Piper

Let down your hair, here's your glass shoe, your awakening kiss, and magic carpet....

A cute little fairytale I devised within my imaginings today....

Once upon a time there lived a princess. A princess who lived in an old and weary castle, filled with dark riddles and secrets that hushed and snuffed any candlelight. No princes or suitors dared enter; for fear that such darkness would ensnare them as well. Not even the bravest of hearts challenged what lurked there and guarded its precious prize.
This princess was not the most beautiful or the most elegant, she was quiet, kind, creative, courageous, intelligent, and had a heart of gold that she wore on her sleeve. Her only companions were the family of spiders that spun diligently in the corners of her room.
She occupied her time humming, never singing, tip-toeing, never dancing, and whispering stories to the spiders, never fully talking aloud. Silence kept her, it made her afraid to utter anything above a murmur or do anything that might cause a racket.
One fateful day, a man in golden armor appeared with a torch. He held the flame high with his sword drawn, armor clanking with every footstep as he approached the castle. Upon his head, a mighty crown to match his gilded plates.
“My princess, I am a Prince of a faraway land, I shall see to the destruction of this creature and release you from this horrible place!”
He entered bravely, triumphantly making his way into the depths of the castle where the beast waited in roiling anticipation. She could almost hear his racing heart, before it was silenced with a cry. It was another crown to add to the beast’s collection.
On that same day, later in the afternoon, a knight upon horseback approached the castle, waving his banner high.
“My fair maiden, I will rescue you from your imprisonment! Fear not, this darkness shall soon be introduced to the light!”
He charged his noble steed into the castle, not knowing what waited within until it was too late. She heard the almighty roar of the beast as it came alive and silenced the progress of the knight.
Then, as the evening grew dark and night cloaked the sun in black silk, a minstrel approached the castle, singing soft sweet melodies that would soothe any savage beast.
“My lady, trouble yourself no longer with this castle, for I shall be the one to set you free!” He too made his way into the castle, no light, no armor, merely his tunic and his instrument to guide him. He was a fool to think that he would succeed with so little protection and no weapon to defend himself. She listened and waited. Before she knew it, music bounced off the walls, echoing, moving every which way until she herself was rendered confounded. The music was everywhere, the frivolous plucking and stringing of chords filled her head to the point she did not know where the source was coming from. It was then the minstrel appeared within her doorway, still singing and playing as loudly as possible, beckoning for her to follow. She gathered her hampering skirts and hurriedly followed the nimble steps of the minstrel. They flew through the stygian chambers, blindly following their feet as they created such noise and such music that the beast could not find or trace their progress through the shaking labyrinth. Stone began to crumble from the intensity of the echoes, the castle began to tremble and wither away behind them. It wasn’t until after they escaped the castle that he stopped playing the tune and looked back at his progress. The castle was nowhere to be seen, all that was left was a pile of rubble that once guarded and held her captive for many years.
“You are safe my lady,” he smiled, eyes dancing with a victorious light and laughter. Yet when he saw her face, his victory was soon halted. “My lady….why do you cry?” He lifted her porcelain chin to meet his curious gaze, salty tears leaving hot rivers down her flushed cheeks.
“The spiders….” She wept, her voice shaky and uneven, but still above a whisper now that she was free of that cursed place.
“Spiders? Why, there they are perched upon your shoulder.”
The princess ogled at her shoulder and sure enough, there they were! The tiny family, eight legs and all, sat upon her embroidered sleeves, safe and sound.
“You did it. You saved me, you saved the spiders, and you killed the beast!”
His smile was contagious, his lips spreading into a charming smile that could illuminate the sky all by itself. She was tempted to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him, but she didn’t want to hurt the spiders. So, instead, she cupped the sides of his face with her hands and leaned in for a gentle and rewarding kiss.
“I would save all the spiders in the kingdom if it meant spending a lifetime with you and your golden heart.”
Their laughter filled the air, she felt her voice unleash at long last as she allowed herself to smile and feel the happiness that had been unlocked. As he played a merry tune, she sang to her heart’s content. They lived far away, somewhere by the sea, where they could sing and dance all day long and pursue the greatest happiness of all.
The end.

~Piper

To fight the rising odds

What does it mean to be a hero?

Really?

Is it glory? Is it recognition? Or is it inhuman abilities that can be used for the power of good to vanquish evil?

You walk down the street and you must think to yourself that life is not a marvel comic book, there is no Batman, Superman, or Spiderman. We’ll throw in Wonder Woman, just to level the playing field. These people do not exist, they are mere drawings and fictional characters thrown into a modern corrupt world and they are the ones to set things right. Is that not god-like? Are they not overseers correcting the wrongs of mankind? They are the other half of the spectrum, the light vs. dark, the good vs. evil, the justice vs. wrong.

It’s sad to think that such people do not exist. That no almighty 6 foot hunk of beefcake with rippling pectorals tightly bound in spandex is going to save you from the boredom of your day job. Again, a girl can dream.

But then you have to realize that the road to life is very much like Gotham City and you are Batman. You may not have superpowers from a faraway planet, and you may not be the richest person alive, but you can make a difference. It doesn’t take a cape and a mask to make you a hero. ANYONE can be a hero. You may not be saving people’s lives on a daily basis or curing serious illnesses, but you are vanquishing the evils that life has planted around every twist and turn in the road. And that is what I am doing. I am taking each challenge that is being thrown at me and wrestling it to the ground, so that I may rise and be the victor. With each challenge, with each decision, with each action, I am bettering myself as a person and becoming someone I am proud of. By doing that, others will recognize your confidence and will and determination, and deem you a worthy soul as well and will be honored to know you.

Hold your head high and wake up in the morning feeling determined, feeling like you can do this, feeling like you can face whatever curve-ball life has in store for you. And no matter how many curve balls hit you, the bruises will go away, you will heal, and you will move on and learn to throw them back twice as hard, so that they will never return to hurt you again.

So put that spandex suit away, it may be bikini season but trust me, you won’t need it….

Be your own hero.

And who knows, maybe others will see you as their hero too.

~Piper