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Has it really been nearly a month since I've last posted?

Apparently, it has.

Sorry 'bout it.

Lately I've been incredibly busy, and kind-of nerding out with other stuff.

I've also got a Tumblr now, so if you want to check that out, click here.

Awesome. That's it for now.

Bye! :]

The Game of Kings

Chess.

Formerly used to teach war strategy, it is now a popular game among intellectuals (and strategists) everywhere. It's also a game that I used to be quite good at.

I stopped playing when I was around 11, just after my grandmother died.

I never really realised the connection until a few months ago.

See, my grandma bought me my first chess set. All of the pieces were marked with their names (Pawn, Rook, Queen, Knight, etc.) and the board itself had it's places marked on it. She taught me how to play chess, and she helped me develop my strategy.

Just for a laugh, I tried to play chess again. I failed. Miserably. It's definitely one of those games that requires a large amount of practice in order to be any good at it, but it's frustrating knowing that I used to be really excellent at playing chess, and my abilities have whithered away over the years. If anybody has any helpful hints or strategies that may come in handy for me, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much!

Cheerio,

Molly

I burn, I pine, I perish!

That's one of my favourite lines from The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare (though I'm shocked if someone doesn't know who wrote it...). We're reading it in lit right now, and I couldn't be happier.

It's one of my favourite of Shakespeare's works. I've read it several times before, and the modern remake (10 Things I Hate About You) is spectacular.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt + Heath Ledger + Shakespeare = epic win of epic proportions.

I'm tired.

That's all.

Cheerio!

Molly

Laaaaaaate. Late.

Hey guys.

There hasn't been one post from me in the past... well, in the past few weeks, actually.

I've had a lot to do.

Homework, reading, moving, homework, taking a trip to California, homework, tiny chicken disease, school, reading, reading, reading.

If the tiny chicken disease didn't end up happening (hooray for re-circulated airplane air!), this list may have been something tremendously exciting! But it's just moderately exciting. Which is fine by me.

Updates... updates...

Oh!

So, my dad and stepmom just moved into their new house in Danville, CA. I came to visit them over Labour Day weekend, which was two days after they moved into their house. Therefore, the house was quite riddled with moving boxes. My baby sister, Zoe (who is now a two-year-old, so I shouldn't really call her a baby, but old habits die hard) seemed to be the only family member who was even close to being unpacked.

That weekend was nice. I'm quite excited to get to know the area that I will now be calling home a little better. If you live in the Bay area, by the way, hit me up!

I'm going to try to put up a new video at some point this weekend, but I have a lot of homework, plus I'll be reading, going to a block party, going to church, helping run a car wash, going to youth group, and possibly going to a 17th birthday party. Good lord I'm busy.

In unrelated news: School this past week has really proven to me how valuable watching vlogbrothers can be. It has provided me with a whole bunch of random trivia that has helped me in class discussions. Yay for nerds!

I should probably go do something productive now.

Which probably means that I'll end up playing a Harry Potter game or Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Until later!

Cheerio!

Molly

ZOMG First Vlog!

Howdy friends!

I've FINALLY gotten my act together and posted my very first vlog. You can check it out below. If you like what you see, subscribe! There will be more to come!

Cheerio!

Molly

The Importance of [Social Issues] Being Surfaced

As a dedicated political activist and member of my church's Board of Social Justice and Outreach, it really appalls me how little people know about the world they live in. Far too many people my age, and really every age, do not know anything about the atrocities that are taking place because of the genocide in Darfur, about the global hunger crisis, or about any of the other issues that everybody should know about. To me, this is really heartbreaking.

I don't know how many people read this blog. I don't know if anybody even reads this blog at all. But if I am blessed with even the smallest number of followers, I want to ask something of you:

Help.

Really, that's it. Nothing horrible. Just help.

Far too many people just go about living their day-to-day life, completely oblivious to the world around them. This has to change.

Please, get off your ass and do something. Promote awareness of the rights that every human is entitled to. Learn and teach about poverty and the devastating impacts that it can carry. The slightest effort can make a huge difference.

If you're actually considering being part of one (or more) of the many organisations in existence that strive for a happier, peaceful, stronger, equal world, then thank you.

If you're already a member of one of these movements, thank you tenfold. It is because of caring, effort-making people that countries and communities in need can receive help.

If you can't, or don't want to, make the commitment to take part in one of these movements, it's perfectly all right. All I ask of you is to read over some of the links I've posted, and to inform yourself. I hope that this post will plant a seed in your mind, one that will grow and prosper.

Thank you.

Cheers,

Molly

P.S. Check out the banner below for the organisation Feed Projects. They're a really great group, their mission is something that I personally believe is relate-able, and their products are socially and environmentally conscious. Not to mention cute! Check them out, they're definitely worth a fraction of your time. (If you can't see the image below, just click here to be taken to the Feed Projects website.

P.P.S. Another great website is FreeRice.com. On FreeRice, you can choose from several different subjects, and you're given a set of flashcards relating to that subject. For every correct answer, FreeRice will donate 10 grains of rice through the World Food Programme in an effort to end world hunger. Enjoy!

Hey, Revlon?

     Thanks for the offer, but I’m really not that interested in my lips looking like they were “Just Bitten”.  Modern society’s obsession with all things vampire-y these days is somewhat disconcerting.  With today’s pre-teens, teens, and even some adults becoming totally enamored with the idea of their one true love (if there even is such a thing) being a flawless, sparkly, blood-sucking vampire, modern media and companies have taken the bait and are sucking everyone dry.

     To be honest, I don’t really see the appeal of this sort of thing. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I can understand why the whole concept is alluring. I just don’t follow along with the Twi-hards and those of similar breeds.

     I am relatively positive that this is only a fleeting fancy, and will blow over… eventually. Until then, though, a few words:

     I’m getting sort of irritated with the people who think that the Twilight Saga is a piece of prime literature. Even the author, Stephenie Meyer, has noted that she is not as skilled of an author as other famed Young Adult Fiction writers such as J.K. Rowling. If the author of the series has realized that her work isn’t the greatest, her audience should realize it as well. As a high school student, one can imagine the amount of praise (and criticism, for that matter) that I hear Twilight receiving on an almost daily basis.

     However, the Twilight series has definitely done some wonders for the recruitment of avid readers. And, as much as I hate to admit it, it’s not a bad gateway series. I read the series before it was getting a lot of attention (cue groans from the live studio audience in response to that very cliché remark), and I read it because the concept seemed interesting. When the first trailer for Twilight was released, the books started getting more attention. Like I said, if it gets more people interested in reading, it’s not a huge problem. I’d honestly choose a different series for someone to begin avid reading with (For example, the His Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman. This was my favourite series as a little kid and I still re-read it from time to time. I’d most definitely recommend it.) but if it works, then so be it. The thing that bothers me (I repeat, yet again) is that it’s receiving too much praise. When it comes down to it, the books are a series of teen indulgences which are a product of someone who is an average writer. Nothing more, nothing less. It shouldn’t receive all of the praise it does, but it also shouldn’t receive the equal (if not higher) amount of negative criticism it does.

     Final remarks: It’s a phase. Nothing long-lasting will come out of it, so just let it be what it is while it lasts. Don’t be rude to the people who like it; they’re being honest about their likes and interests, which is a truly admirable trait for most people. That goes for those who like the series as well: don’t be rude or inconsiderate to the people who don’t like the Twilight series and would rather read something else. It’s okay for one of you to be Team Vampire and the other of you to be Team Wizard. You can still be friends. Trust me.

 

     Another thing that’s worth mentioning is the pop culture craze that has resulted from all of the vampire novels as of late. Everything from clothing to makeup to the obvious films have sprouted in lieu of the publication of sort of a sub-par genre. The Just Bitten Lipstain isn’t even a blood red colour of lip product, as you would expect from a product called “Just Bitten”. It doesn’t make you look like you were just bitten, it makes you look like you were born with very colourful lips. And with shade names such as Passion, Crave, and Forbidden, (which aren’t even legitimate names for shades of anything, since they don’t provide the colour of the product) the product feeds off of the modern youth’s determination to have an alluring, mysterious, caring, controlling, perfect-yet-imperfect, sparkling boyfriend. Actually, I think that companies have taken advantage of an obvious vulnerability that exists in many teens and adults today, and I don’t think that it’s okay. In my opinion, it seems as if Revlon is just making-over their old products with a new label and title so that it seems like the hot new product, when really it’s the same stuff that you’ve already got in your bathroom cabinet. It’s not hip, or new, but since it has to do with what everybody’s talking about, it seems like it’s exactly that. It’s a smart marketing move, and if an ad campaign sells it well enough, then almost anything can seem like the hot new item to own, but taking advantage of modern society’s obsession with all things vampire is kind of inconsiderate, for lack of a better term, when it’s used to increase revenue.

So that’s my two-cents. Until later!

Cheerio!

Molly