BBBC Foundation

I just set up a website for my dad’s non-profit organization, the BBBC Foundation, at bbbcfoundation.wordpress.com, so you should all check it out and give me some feedback.

Too Young to Marry *Spoiler Alert*

I’m a big fan of Lifetime and other made for TV movies, so I was really excited to finally have a free Sunday afternoon. I watched a little bit of SOAPnet’s Breakfast in Bed and then flipped over to the CW to watch a movie called Too Young to Marry. It started out great:

A teenage couple, Jessica and Max, with plans to go to Harvard together want to get married. They manage to convince their parents to let them.

From that point on the movie basically chronicles the first year of their marriage. She gets into Harvard, but he doesn’t. He takes a crappy construction job to support her. She pushes him to keep applying to schools for the spring semester. He thinks that means she’s ashamed of him for being a construction worker. They stop communicating. They start fighting. There’s another guy involved at one point. They go home for Thanksgiving. They end up getting back together. The end.

Overall, disappointing. I kept waiting for something big to happen, but it never did. There’s a point where they’re lying in the middle of the street and Jessica says, “The first time we did this I was so afraid we were going to get run over.” HUGE foreshadowing, right? Wrong. At another point Max is drunk and he says, “I should not drive home tonight.” Another foreshadowing, right? Wrong. Later, still drunk, he shows up at Jessica’s friend’s dorm and decides climbing the lattice to the window would be a good idea. Maybe I’m just being a Negative Nancy today, but I was sure he was going to fall off and die. Logical, right? Wrong. (Reading back over that I sound really morbid, but I swear the movie gave off those vibes.)

Examining this movie in terms of plot—it sucked. There wasn’t enough conflict. A kiss and a hickey and a lack of communication—pretty bland if you ask me. Also, the timing is all confusing. She’s supposed to be seventeen until December. No one goes to college that young unless they’re home-schooled. There’s this whole other side issue where her parents are divorced and fight all the time. Basically she hates her father because he’s a big flake. Does that conflict ever get resolved? Only by her saying, “I get so mad at my dad for walking out on us and then that’s exactly what I did to you.” Enough resolution? I wasn’t satisfied. The ending was abrupt and left you hanging.

The Moral of the Story: it was a great self-esteem booster. I know I’m capable of writing something better. Let’s just hope I’m lucky enough to find someone who agrees.

B.

Inspiration

Have you ever been so inspired by a single phrase or image that it changes your entire perspective of the world around you? Several years ago I was puppy sitting with Jacob for a doctor who lived across the fairway from me. In this doctor’s house was an enormous painting by Edgar Degas. I’m unsure of the name of the painting and have been unable to find it online anywhere, but it remains etched in my memory. It’s a sole dancer with her left leg raised. She’s facing away from the viewer and the detail is so great you can see the tendrils of her hair. She’s dressed in blue against a rusty, orange backdrop. It’s truly exquisite. I wish I could find it. I can provide a similar painting as well as a recent photo of a friend that evokes the same emotions in me.     It is not quite as awe inspiring as the one I spent over an hour starring at that day several years ago, but perhaps they came from the same collection for the share numerous features.  Images like these make me wish I’d been a dancer, that my mother had forced me to stick with dance as a young girl. It’s so beautiful to watch. It makes me want to do something great like be a painter and create something that evokes incredible emotions in people. Then I remember that I never honed my artistic abilities either. Ever heard the phrase ‘jake of all trades?’ That would be me. Name any hobby and I’m sure I had a brief stint doing it. It makes me sad to think that I never became great in any of these fields.  Now I’ve chosen writing as a profession. My hope is that through my writings I can bring out something emotional and inspiring in my readers. I hope I can bring tears of joy and laughter to my readers. I hope I can change someone’s perspective on their world–even if but one someone. I want my readers to stop and say, “That is the most profound statement,” or “that is a beautifully described scene.”  I don’t want so much for my name to be remembered so much as my words, thoughts, and opinions. This next image is of a friend of mine at a castle in Europe. Obviously it’s been altered via Photoshop, but in doing so, it’s given the image a fairy-tale-like feel. Can you feel the breeze blowing through the wild grass? Can you smell the ocean nearby? Can you imagine the history a fortress such as this has experienced? Do you feel like the prince or a pauper?  I’m curious to know the difference in seeing a place like this and in seeing a picture of a place like this? Is it truly as romanticized as it seems? Or perhaps is it just a castle ruin?  Am I just a hopeless romantic over glamorizing things? I hope not. I’d like to think that there are others out there who see the world the way I do.  Until next time, dream of exotic places and life-changing experiences. Bri

Failure

This blog has two central points: the first pertains to my failure at keeping a daily blog, and the second pertains to people who are unable to form a complete sentence.

I am unable to keep a daily blog for a number of reasons. The majority of the time I am too busy writing papers, editing, or reading to even eat let alone type out a quick blog. On the occasion that I have an evening free, I often realize that there is nothing entertaining about my life and therefore nothing worth writing about. I wake up at the same time every morning, I go to class, I go to work, and I come home to do homework. This past Sunday I was determined to write, but as the day drew to a close the only thing I had to write about was a new card game Ty taught me. I just couldn’t bring myself to write an entire blog about Tick regardless of how much I like playing cards. Besides, Ty beat me horribly two games in a row and my ego couldn’t take the humiliation. Then I’d already missed one day, so yesterday instead of ignoring my mom for a half an hour to tell you guys the meaning of my Facebook status, I gawked at some of my pants that were accidentally dried. They were wool and currently look like something a hobbit would wear.

But alas… I don’t actually think that phrase works here; however, it was used in our crapstone story, and I wanted to imitate the effect. But alas, I failed. (Haha, hooray!)  The point is I’m shifting points.

My Facebook/Twitter status yesterday, if you missed it, went something like this: “Oh!” “Dear!” “Oh!” “Dear Lord!” (Just try typing like that. It’s actually more difficult to type poorly than to type correctly.) This example, unfortunately, was minor compared to other issues I often run into. I love being a copy editor, and I realize I would not have a job if authors actually knew all the rules, so don’t get me wrong here, but I really hate it when I’m editing a manuscript that is comprised of strings of dependent clauses and fragment sentences. As my high school Physics teacher would say, “This is pre-kindergarden, folks.” Sentences must have a subject and a verb. If you do not know how to accurately form a complex sentence, don’t try to write one anyway. In my opinion, simple is always better. It’s easier to read, and there is a smaller margin for error. 

There’s my editing tip for the week.

Writing tip for the week: Don’t put off a five page paper until the night before. The likelihood of me blogging tomorrow is slim to none, but hopefully that means I’ll have more to say on Thursday.

B.

Birthday Madness

He’ll probably be angry with me for writing about this, but it’s too great of a story not to share.

So Tuesday I was setting up my new e-mail at work and somehow I had this backlog of e-mails from the previous week that I hadn’t received. In this backlog was an e-mail from a friend who is studying abroad in Europe this semester. I say Europe because last month he was in London, last week he was in Paris, and today he is in Rome (I believe). The point is, the e-mail I received began like this:

I missed your birthday!….I mean…kinda, not really, as far as your concerned I did…so I guess thats what matters.
I was thinking st. pats is coming up..brianas birthday…yada yada yada….I thought, I guess when all the green is everywhere I’ll be reminded again. (we are oblivious to calendar dates ..or I am…its all kinda unnecessary, you know how that stuff goes when you’re not in school and writing the date everyday) Needless to say, all the ‘green’ never came…I guess its not celebrated here. No one in our group even brought it up.
So thats one long excuse, what do you think?!
but happy birthday. the big 20. pretty big deal.
Im just kiddding. What did you dooooooooooooooooo?

For those of you who don’t know, my birthday is on St. Patrick’s Day–March 17, which is still like three weeks away. I’ll also be turning twenty-one. Not to mention that St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish holiday and probably celebrated more in Europe than in America. I laughed so hard I was crying, and my entire office was thoroughly entertained.

The best part is that I’ve know this guy for nearly two years and dated him for one.

An officemate said, “That explains why you’re no longer dating him.” 

I had to agree.

B.

P.S. I’m on a mission to post every day for a week, so: 1) encourage me if you see me, and 2) check back often for more stories.

I promise I’m still alive

So, I’m a poor excuse for a writer. It’s been two whole months since I’ve blogged, but I have a good excuse–if there is such a thing. Between Thanksgiving and Finals Week I wrote 10 papers–one of which was the last 15,000 words of my novel. The bad news is I haven’t touched the 45,000 words of rubish since I “finished” it. Although, I have another excuse–6 hours of intercession courses and 18 papers. 

Now that all that is over . . . I started my final semester as a college student–ever, I hope. 

After reading my last post, I realized I need to back track a little. 1) Got my heart back. 2) No long in love with Justin. 3) Friends with Justin. 4) Dated one of the guys I mentioned for a few weeks. 5) Decided we’d just be friends. 6) Swearing off men for a time. Does that cover it? 

My new passions? 1) Graduating. 2) Finding a job–actually getting that job, especially when it’s one I feel like I’m severely under-qualified for. 3) Victory Youth Group. 

Graduating is easy. I just have to actually get up for class every morning. Unfortunately, seeing that it’s 11:30 p.m., that may be an issue tomorrow. 

Finding a job isn’t going terribly. In fact I found my DREAM JOB. I finished the cover letter for it tonight, but I’m sitting here starring at it, too scared to actually hit send. What if they turn me down? I know I’d be good at it, but on paper I’m afraid I’m not qualified enough. I’m trying, unsuccessfully I might add, to give every aspect of my life over to God, including my future–all of my future. Every Sunday and Wednesday I claim an offering of thanks over my life, which includes “Jobs and Better Jobs,” but I’m having difficultly actually believing it into existence. I’ve been testing God with giving my tithes and if he were ever going to show me that he’s faithful, which I know he is, NOW would be the time. It’s a fantastic job in a fantastic Christian atmosphere, plus it’s in the area where I want to be.

Victory Youth Group. I just started volunteering as a youth group helper at my church and I love it. Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to watch one of the girls in her high school swim meet. In two weeks we’re taking the whole group roller skating. I really feel like I’m getting more about of helping than they are. First, it brings back memories from my own experience in a youth group, which are some of the best memories of my life. Secondly, it has given me a new perspective on one of my friends. He’s a numbers guy and wants to go into financial planning, but he also volunteers as one of the youth leaders, which means he speaks every other week. Having heard him speak twice now and watching him with the kids, I can’t help but feel that he has a calling on his life. It’s an exciting thing to witness. I don’t want to have to leave this church because I can’t find a job in the area, which is where my DREAM JOB comes in to play. I’m believing that I will get that job and I will be able to remain a part of the church I’ve so fallen in love with.

Hope you’re updated. I’ll try not to wait so long before posting again this time.

B.

In Love with High School Musical 3

My best friend, Kelsey, and I went to see the new High School Musical movie yesterday before the football game, so I just had to fill you all in on my favorite lyrics.

Take my hand, take a breath
Pull me close and take one step
Keep your eyes locked on mine,
And let the music be your guide.

Won’t you promise me (now won’t you promise me, that you’ll never forget)
We’ll keep dancing (to keep dancing) wherever we go next

It’s like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you
It’s one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do
And with every step together, we just keep on getting better
So can I have this dance (can I have this dance)
Can I have this dance

Take my hand, I’ll take the lead
And every turn will be safe with me
Don’t be afraid, afraid to fall
You know I’ll catch you threw it all

And you can’t keep us apart (even a thousand miles, can’t keep us apart)
‘Cause my heart is (cause my heart is) wherever you are

It’s like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you
It’s one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do
And with every step together, we just keep on getting better
So can I have this dance (can I have this dance)
Can I have this dance

Oh no mountains too high enough, oceans too wide
‘Cause together or not, our dance won’t stop
Let it rain, let it pour
What we have is worth fighting for
You know I believe, that we were meant to be

It’s like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you (like you)
It’s one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do (way we do)
And with every step together, we just keep on getting better
So can I have this dance (can I have this dance)
Can I have this dance

On another note: Tech BEAT Texas.

It was the best minute and twenty-nine seconds I’ve ever watched. I left the OU game early so I could make it to my friend’s frat house to see the end. We made it there just before Texas scored, upon which I fell on the floor in disbelief. I thought it was over. I know a minute twenty-nine is plenty of time to score, but I also knew Tech was going to have to fight. Boom, Boom, Boom. They got one first down after another and with eight seconds left made a twenty hard pass to Crabtree. He was inches from the sidelines, and I assume the Texas thought he was already out of bounds because Crabtree just spun around him and stepped the last couple of yards into the endzone for the game-winning touchdown. The frat house errupted into cheers; the fans rushed the field. It was beautiful. And for all the complaining Texas did to get their ONE SECOND, it was wonderful to see put them in their place one last time. 

Now, I considered myself a Tech fan yesterday, and I appreciate their accomplishment. However, from this point forward they’re my enemy. They’re one of two teams standing in the Sooners way to the Big 12 Championship . . .  and we play them at home. Get Ready Redraiders. You’ll only be on top until the 22nd.