Thank You, Thief!

Let me begin this post with a little story.

For Christmas, I received a phone. A smartphone. My very first smartphone. I quickly used it from everything from texting and Skyping to organizing, scheduling, and typing. I loved that phone. It was useful for more or less anything, anything at all!

Then one day in P.E., I left it in my backpack unattended while I ran. When I returned, it was stolen. Gone.
My mother said she wouldn't pay for a new one, fairly enough. So I decided to make the money myself. I had $30 saved. It was a $150 phone. I suppose I could have started mowing lawns or babysitting on the weekends or something, but that's just so boring. I decided to instead employ my artistic talents and try crafting and selling jewelry.

In my most recent post, "Industrial Hardware Jewelry", you saw a bit of my work. Is it good? Bad? I'm sure it's bad, since I have zero experience and absolutely no proper supplies. In any case, I have gathered no interest from customers. I've earned no money, but I have gained something else.

Simply put, I have discovered that crafting jewelry is so fucking much fun. I love it! i really love it! Maybe other people don't want my jewelry, but I will sure as fuck wear it! I will wear my funky weird jewelry and be PROUD! I've more or less unlocked a brand-new creative, productive hobby.

It's stimulated my creative thinking in a way nothing yet has. I've found myself looking at everything, everything, and wondering what I could make it into. Because really, anything can poentially be a charm on a bracelet or a stone on a ring or pendant on a necklace. Anything can be sewn or glued or cut into something cool and fucking awesome. I don't even care about making money from it anymore; now, it's just plain fun!
(That's not to say I won't still sell it if I have the chance. I still want a new phone. But that's not my immediate goal anymore).

And I owe everything to the fucktard who stole my phone.

This just goes to show you, there's a bright side to everything. I mean, I'll get the money eventually. When I start babysitting in the summer, it should be easy enough. But in the meantime, who cares? My cheap Tracphone can call and text well enough, and I've found a brand new passion! "There's no great loss without a little gain", someone once said. And it's absolutely the truest thing you can think of. Though, to be honest, i think I got the better end of the deal. The thief ended up with a shitty little phone that had the service cut off long ago. I, on the other hand, gained a lifestyle.

ENJOY THE PHONE, YOU BASTARD. I'VE GOT SOMETHING BETTER.

Industrial Hardware Jewelry

Recently I've taken a bit of an interest in jewelry-making. I really want more jewelry, but it's so expensive and the mall is just so far away. Plus, as long as I'm sitting here at my desk I might as well do something creative. So, I've been making original jewelry.
Since I don't have any actual jewelry supplies (supplies are so expensive and the craft store is just so far away) I've been looking around to house for anything pretty, when I discovered my dad's junk tool box. Any random spare parts or bits of metal, he throws in there. So I picked out a few dusty bolts and screws and random twisty-things I don't know the name of, found a few coils of wire, and set to work.

The first piece I made, and my favorite of the bunch, is a necklace pendant. This was actually made by gluing  but it is shocking secure glue. In the time I've had it, it's been dropped on the floor, tossed around, crushed under stacks of books, and not a single bit has become remotely loose. It was definitely the easiest piece to make, because it was more or less just stacking, stacking stacking pieces of hardware until it looked totally boss. I like how it looks a lot. It seems heavy, but it's really not at all unmanageable:
http://username14523.deviantart.com/art/Steampunk-Pendant-Bolts-and-Screws-353427477

The second piece I made I'm not quite so fond of. It's a pair of earrings made from screws, secured by wire-wrapping. To be totally honest, it's not my style. I can absolutely see some alternative punk kid wearing it, but it's just not really something I could ever pull off. Ironically, I put a LOT of time and effort into these. You would not believe how sharp wire can be; I ended up with a few pokes and cuts. I probably won't wear them, but perhaps I'll find someone who likes it:
http://username14523.deviantart.com/art/Screwed-353452393?q=gallery%3Ausername14523&qo=2

The third piece is a bracelet, made and secured with wire, screws, bolts, nuts, and wire wrapping. I actually love how it looks, and I will totally wear it sometime unless I can find a customer for it. It was absolutely the hardest piece to make, because I've found that when you wrap wire around wire, the wire you've wrapped will spin around and not stay secure. In addition, I had to cram in a lot of junk so it didn't look bare, and it was difficult to maneuver around all the little pieces. In the end, though, it was totally worth it. It does not fit into my style (typically vintage-classic) in any way whatsoever, but I swear I will find a way to wear it someday:
http://username14523.deviantart.com/art/Industrial-Hardware-Bracelet-353652548

Anyways, thanks for viewing my little gallery. if I can rally any positive support for these pieces I might even make more. I've never made or seen jewelry like this, so please leave your comments letting me know what you think! I'm really curious about how the public will take these pieces.

Why is it socially acceptable to present positive opinions to people, but not negative opinions?

Let's think about this question a little bit, shall we? This is something I genuinely don't understand. I do not know why it is ok and encouraged to present honest positive opinions, but rude and mean and thoughtless to present honest negative opinions.

Let's give a little example, shall we?

Opinion 1:
"I like your music"

Opinion 2:
"I don't like your music"

Is there ANY difference? I mean, I suppose it's one thing if it's completely random and unasked for (although, it is socially acceptable to give random unasked for positive opinions, but WHATEVER). Let's specify it for places that are designed for leaving opinions. For instance, let's take one of the most vicious, idiot-ridden and competitive places on the internet: YouTube comment sections.

This might fuck your mind a little bit, but the comment sections are there so that people can say things about your video. You are SUPPOSED to leave opinions there. And believe it or not, sometimes people have negative opinions. Which means that we are literally giving special privileges to people who enjoyed the video. Look at it this way: people get pissed off when someone leaves a negative comment on a video, right? So therefore they think people shouldn't ever leave negative comments. By that logic, either a) People are not allowed to have negative opinions, EVER, or b) People are not allowed on the comment section unless they happen to like the video.
(the same logic applies to anywhere else where you are supposed to leave opinions, and yet people get angry if you are negative).

Here's an argument that might crop up around this point in the conversation:
"But negative comments hurt people's feelings"

Really? Ok, yes. Yes they hurt people's feelings. But do they hurt people in the long run?

Believe me when i say I've been the subject of much criticism. People have said I'm weird (in a bad way), people have said I'm mean, people have said I'm ignorant, people have said I'm ugly, people have said I dress badly, people have called me annoying MANY times. It hurt. A lot. I once cried in my bathroom for a few hours because of people hurting me that way. But you know what came of that?

The negative opinions given to me benefited me in the long run

A person once told me they didn't like my poetry. I got hurt, stormed off in a huff for a bit, felt bad about my writing skills for a bit. But then, I worked harder on my poetry and improved it. My poetry got better. many people told me they disliked my makeup. I got insulted, felt bad about myself, got pretty hurt for a while (makeup used to be a big thing with me). But then it made me take a closer look at what I was wearing, and realize that it really was bad - and so my makeup skills improved, and I no longer go to school looking like a clown. Many, many, many people have told me that i am annoying. This has made me take more caution with what I say and how I act, and pay more attention to how people see me. It all benefits you in the long run.

So, that argument is invalid. Let's move on to the next one.

"People should be allowed to disagree with you if you have a negative opinion and you have a positive one".

That is absolutely true. I am all for a good debate. Notice the key word Debate. If you want to have a shouting match with some person on YouTube, go ahead, but it's pretty freakin hypocritical to insult the insulter for insulting if you ask me. For further information on the topic of real debating as opposed to Caps Lock Competitions, please see this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWPWrV9sO_w

Anyways, let's move on.

I would now like to discuss a popular saying:
"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all".

Um, why? Are you telling me that everyone should be nice to each other, all the time, no matter what? Because that's a horrible idea. As I explained above, honest insults are what make you work harder to improve. But more than that, what are you supposed to do if you don't eve have anything nice to say? Just shut up and let the nicey-niceys take over? Does anyone with frequently negative opinions just not have a right to speak? Personally, I am a very loud and outspoken person. I will say what's on my mind, period. And what is on my mind is not always nice. Sometimes it is nice - I do give my share of compliments. But sometimes it is not. I'm not going to just bite my lip and let them go around thinking they're the best writer ever with an essay that looks like a second grader wrote it, or the prettiest girl in the world with hooker makeup plastered over their face, or a badass swagger with their pants hanging off their butt! I am going to tell them, no. That is not good.

Look. It's all opinions. JUST opinions. We all know what opinions are, right? We all know what subjective means, right? If the person to whom you're directing the opinion is stupid enough to take it as fact, then is it really your fault? If it's just one person, it shouldn't be too hurtful for them. If it's many people, then they have a right to know, don't they?

In conclusion, positive and negative opinions are the same thing, except equally opposite. Whether on one side of the spectrum or the other, they are just opinions, and should be treated as such.

Thank you for reading.

Movie Script

Hi. A little background : I'm making a movie with a few of my friends. The script isn't totally finished yet, but the plot's basically been established (we'll see what happens, though). Anyways, if you guys are interested, here is the written script in rough draft form. Once the rough draft is complete I'll compile every opinion I can manage to get and edit it. Then if it ever gets filmed (which depends on exactly how much spare time my friends and I can squeeze from our schedules) then I may post the link or something.

So, PLEASE feel free to leave comments, suggestions, edits, opinions, or anything of the sort.

Gabriella: *freaking out* "Wha..? What was that? What was that? Where is this? Where am I? How did I get here? Oh, goodness, WHAT???"

*Car drives past*

Gabriella: *Screams* "WHAT WAS THAT??? What on earth was that??? It...it...OH MY GOODNESS, WHAT HAPPENED?"

Gabriella: *Seeing Aria*: "Oh my goodness! You! You there! Can you...oh my..."

Aria: "What?"

Gabriella: "Your...your dress..."

Aria: "I know, I know. It's old, the skirt is too full, it looks gothic, yadda, yadda yadda. Trust me, I've heard it all. What about YOUR dress? You look like your dressed for some sort of mideival costume party!"

Gabriella: "Well, I was at a costume party...and then something happened and I was here! I've no idea what it was...one moment I was at a party...and I spied my mother...and I ran towards her...and then...and then...I stepped on something and everything went black...and now I am in the most strange place I've ever known!"

Aria: "Um...this is the park. Not exactly stuff of legend".

Gabriella: "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you for I know nothing of the proper ettiquite here. But could you please tell me where I am?"

Aria: "New York."

Gabrielle: "It can't be New York. I've heard stories of New York! But never have I heard of anything even beginning to touch upon this madness!"

Aria: "Girl, I don't know where you're from, but this park's been here since 1956, and the houses aren't exactly newbies either."

Gabriella: "1956? What are you referring to?"

Aria: "The year. Duh."

Gabrielle: "What? No! It's 1664!"

Aria: "No, it's 2012."

Gabrielle: "Impossible. Impossible. Impossible. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!!!"

Aria: "Hey, hey. It's ok. Look. We can get you help! I think if you just rest up a little, get off whatever insane pill you're on, I think we can get rid of these hallucinations".

Gabrielle: "Pill? I've never taken a pill in my life! I'm telling you, miss, it's the truth!"

Aria: "Listen. Just come with me. We'll talk to someone. Someone who can figure it out. A therapist, a physician, someone. We can help you!"

Gabrielle: "No. Please. This is not the time to talk to a professional. You know what happened; and you know that I don't need to talk to anyone"

Aria: "Wait, wha...OH! Oh, ok! I get it!"

Gabrielle: "What?"

Aria: "Method acting! You're doing a roleplay! That's so cool! Sorry, I would join in but I am the worst actor. But it's so cool that I get to meet an actor!"

Gabrielle: "What? No! I was talking of witchcraft! If you tell anyone I'll be accused!"

Aria: *winks* "Right. Of course you will be. I can play along. Hey, you want to come over to my house? My dad won't mind, he's got an open door policy. And he's at work. But we can hang a bit; if you don't mind horrible acting we could practice a few skits!"

Gabrielle: "I...I suppose. I don't have anywhere else to go."

Aria: "Cool! It's right across the street, come on!"

End of Scene

Aria: "Well...here it is! It's no mansion, but it's not half bad either. I suppose you live in some fancy ginormous place out somewhere."

Gabriella: "Back home I lived on the streets. I could barely scrape by enough to buy myself a loaf of bread for the week!"

Aria: *knowingly* "Right. Of course. You are some dedicated actor. What's your name?"

Gabriella: "Gabriella"

Aria: "Oh...sorry, I haven't heard of you. Are you going to be in a movie?"

Gabriella: "What? I'm sorry miss, but half of what you say makes no sense! What in heaven's name is a movie?"

Aria: "It's a...a...oh, goodness. I don't know how to describe it.  Basically, it's a picture that moves."

Gabriella: "And you call me the mad one? Apologies, but pictures don't move".

Aria: "They do here!"

Gabriella: "This is MADNESS. Madness, you hear? This whole world is impossible! Girls who go around wearing undergarments for clothing talking of pictures that move! Huge, giant, flying things shooting past on smooth streets! Enourmous expanses of greenery right in the middle of strings of houses! What is this? I ask you, no, I DEMAND that I be told right this instant where I am and how I got here!"

Aria: "Oooh, nice monologue. Was that impromptu? Like I said, you're in New York, New York, year 2012."

Gabriella: "I am NOT. That is IMPOSSIBLE. I was in England 1964! One does not simply HOP through time and space like it's as simple as walking across the street!"

Aria: "OMG! You like Lord of the Rings? See, that's what you need to avoid doing; if you want a successful roleplay avoid pop culture referances."

Gabriella: *Grabs Aria's arm and pulls her across the room*. "Now you listen..." *looks around in horror*.

Aria: *screams*

*Screen fades to black*

End of Scene

*Both appear at the local coffee shop*

Aria: "WHAT? WHAT? WHAT THE HELL? WHAT THE FLIPPIN HELL JUST HAPPENED?"

Gabrielle: "It happened again. The exact same thing that brought me here. We...we could be anywhere."

Aria: "Oh...shit. Shit. You were SERIOUS? Omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg SHIT".

Gabrielle: "I'm sorry but...heaven knows if you'll ever get home again".

Aria: "We're only a couple streets down and..." *Checks phone* "A couple hours into the future. Not far off at all. But I'd better tell my dad where I am; he'll be home any moment now." *Starts texting*.

Gabrielle: "What are you doing?"

Aria: "Texting. I have a phone, my dad has a phone. Each phone has a different number. I type in a message and a number and the message is sent to the phone with that number."

Gabrielle: *Stands there for a moment*. "5 minutes ago I would have said you were out of your wits. But now..."

Aria: "100% agreed. You want a drink?"

Gabrielle: "I suppose so". *They go into the coffee shop*.

*In the coffee shop, each with a drink, trying to ignore awkward stares from people wondering why the hell there's a girl wearing a big heavy costume dress and another wearing a prom dress in daytime in the middle of June*.

Aria: "So what's it like back where you live?"

Gabriella: "I don't want to talk about it. Can't you just read a book? That's what the wealthy kids do back home."

Aria: "I guess so."

Grabriella: "What I want to know is what it's like HERE. I'm so confused by EVERYTHING. 

Aria: "First things first. You need to understand fashion. This time of year girls wear short skirts and sleeveless tops."

Gabriella: "I can't wear those clothes. How imodest!" 

Aria: "You don't have to wear a micromini. Nowadays even the serious Christians wear knee-length skirts and short-sleeved tops".

                    

Gabriella: "But...around men?"

Aria: "Yes. Anywhere. Look, we need to at least get you out of that thing. Wear a long dress if you like but that thing is a costume, and it's June."

Gabriella: "It was Halloween before I came here. I was at a costume party."

Aria: "You've said. You say you saw our mother?"

Gabriella: *looking crestfallen*. "Yes. My mother left when i was 9 I've spent the past 3 years searching for her. I'd finally spotted her, finally thought that my long journey may be coming to a close...when I stepped through that bit of floor and came here".

Aria: "Oh. Oh, my goodness. I'm so sorry. My mother...she left too. When I was 9. She's in Europe now. I call her every single day, but...she never picks up."

Gabriella: "Call?"

Aria: "It's another thing you do with phones. You type in the number of a phone and your phone calls that phone. If someone answers it, then you can speak to each other using the phone even if you're oceans apart".

Gabriella: "Oh...oh, my. I wish I had a phone...and my mother as well."

Aria: "We'll get you a phone. But you wouldn't be able to call anyone in 1664, anyways. They work using satallites, which are big recievers high up in space. People didn't put satallites in the sky until recently; there are none where you come from."

Gabriella: "Do you think I'll ever get home?"

Aria: "I don't know. It MUST be possible. Somehow, some way. But I'd change out of that dress as soon as possible."

Gabriella: "Why?"

Aria: "Didn't you wonder why no one else fell through the soft spot in the universe at the party? It musthave been crowded with people. And there's one right in my bedroom; I probably stepped in that spot thousands of times and nothing happened until I touched that dress. It must be the key to it all. They're probably either everywhere or following you; what are the chances that you'd step through TWO cracks in the universe on the same day unless they're all over? This table appears to be secure, so you stay right here; I'll go over to my place and bring you back some proper clothes. We can't risk you ending up in 500 AD Cambodia". *Gets up and walks out*.

Aria: *Returns with skirt and t-shirt*. "Here. The longest skirt I own and a regular old t-shirt.

Gabriella: "I have to wear THOSE?"

Aria: "Yes. Trust me, these are strange enough as it is. But they're etter than that thing. There's a room in the back where you can change into them".

Gabriella: *picks up with a distasteful expression and walks out awkwardly*.  

End of Scene

*Gabriella and Aria are sitting on Aria's bed*

Aria: "Ugh. I don't want to go to school tomorrow. The teachers are cramming us for finals. I guess on the bright side, I'll see Jeremy".

Gabriella: "Um...what?"

Aria: "They're trying to get us to learn as much as we can in the next couple of weeks so we can do well on the final tests."

Gabriella: "Why are they testing you?"

Aria: "To see how much we've learned over the year"

Gabriella: "But...if you learned it over the course of a week rather than a year, doesn't that make the test useless?"

Aria: "THANK you! It's so lame. If you didn't learn it over the year, why are you going to learn in a few weeks? And it just makes it boring to those of us who DID learn it. But, I suppose, there's nothing else for us to do and the teachers have to at least try. Their pay is based on our test scores."

Gabriella: "But what if a student didn't come to class for much of the year?"

Aria: "Here, it's required by law that we go to school 5 days a week, 6 hours a day. We get 10 days per year off unless there's an emergency like a broken leg or whatever."

Gabriella: "What? Why? How do you have time for other things?"

Aria: "Look. From ages 12 through 22, there is NOTHING but school. Any sort of job or social life, you've got to cram into the weekend and after-school hours."

Gabriella: "Why, though?"

Aria: "Because you need to be educated to succeed in life. If you're not educated then you can't perform any sort of public service. At least, not one that pays enough for a house and food and clothes and all that".

Gabriella: "Oh...goodness, things are different here."

Aria: "Yep. I mean, even if Jeremy DID blink an eye at me, I wouldn't ever have tme for dating. Too much schoolwork."

Gabriella: "Who's Jeremy?"

Aria: "Oh, only the sweetest, smartest, most intellegent, hottest, most GENUIS person I've met in my life!"

Gabriella: "And you like him?"

Aria: "Noooooooooooooooooo"

Gabriella: "Why not? He sounds wonderful!"

Aria: "That was sarcasm. It's when someone says something they don't mean in an attempt to point out how obvious the real answer is."

Gabriella: "Oh. I've never found much use for sarcasm. See, a girl of my age and ranking must be respectful."

Aria: "I know. Well, the adults will either love you or be creeped out; the kids will either hate you or call you a dork."

Gabriella: "What? For being respectful?"

Aria: "Yes. Things are different here. I mean, there's no harm in being respectful, but don't take it to the extremes".

Gabriella: "I know. How should I act?"

Aria: "Just note how everyone else acts and try to fit in as best you can. I mean, there's nothing wrong with standing out, but I think it's best if people don't ask too many questions."

Gabriella: "Ok..."

Aria: "Do you want to come to school with me? The other option is staying here alone all day. But...you'll have to wear different clothes. You can't go around in a formal skirt and mismatched t-shirt all the time. We'll go shopping, get you some real clothes. In the meantime I'll research and find out if anything similar has ever happened to anyone".

Aria: "Oh...oh my..." *Reads blog post*.

"For years, people have contemplated the existence of a passageway from one portion of the universe to another. People has thought about black holes and space and sink holes in the ground potentially being transport from one place to another. But nothing has been proven yet. YET. Has science finally discovered a  way to travel through space and time by simply stepping into a portal?

There have been reports everywhere of a person suddenly appearing in a place, dazed and confused, with no idea where they are. These reports have come from all over the world, all throughout history. A person living in New York, 1950 once wrote of having the strangest experience: She was at a local coffee shop in Chicago, Illinois, on a date, in the year 2011, when she got up to the go the bathroom. There she had the strange illusion of stepping through a soft bit of flooring, disappeared  from the coffee shop, and reappeared miles away and 60 years in the past. She described every bit of her hometown that she could in elaborate and scarily accurate detail; but yet, on the very day she said she disappeared, experts visited the coffee shop. The man who she was accompanied by was there, with every physical and mental aspect described, but said he was alone and had simply had a random urge to visit the shop. Consequently, the girl in 1960, although she was 22 at the time she stepped through the soft spot of the universe, had a full family who knew every detail about her, which she has admitted is true (and yet she knew nothing of them).

The case of this young woman is among the most clear proof we have, but her story is not alone. There have been dozens of other accounts, describing the past or future with eerily accurate accounts and claiming to have simply vanished from their own time and reappeared elsewear. All of these accounts have two things in common: the first, a dress. A dress that appears to be from the Renaissance era, sewn with black and gold and dark blue. At the time, every person was wearing the dress. The girl above had been wearing it to surprise her date, knowing they both shared a love of history and also because it was nearing Halloween and he'd asked to see her dress sometime. The people visiting the coffee shop described the dress to the woman's date, and indeed he seemed to have a vague memory, almost like deja vu.

The second thing they have in common is a girl. One single girl. Tall, long, wavy brown hair, large green eyes.  She's been drawn, painted, and photographed, each image depicting the exact same girl. Her name is Aria. This girl has been known all across time and, as far as we know, all of space. A drawing of her was uncovered in the ruins of an ancient Roman city; her picture has been taken by modern-day cameras. Even more strangely, images of her have been uncovered containing evidence of technology far beyond that of the present day. She's always there with the lost and confused, explaining the dilemma and guiding them through their new lives. Accounts have been written of her managing to return people to their time, but more often she is unable to do so. This girl is a legend among those few who know about her and the one question that remains is: How is it possible for her to exist in so many different points in time at once? Scientists have their hopes up that one day, time travel may exist.

This post has been written for one reason and one reason only: Imformation. Has anyone ever met Aria Smith? Does anyone know of soft spots in the universe? Has anyone seen the dress pictured below? If so, don't hesitate to contact us. Please. Call us RIGHT NOW."

*The two stare at each other for a moment in shock*.

Aria: "Wow...ok. So...it is the dress. Should we get rid of it?

Gabriella: *stares at the screen looking scared*

Aria: "Gabriella? Hello? Are you there?"

Gabriella: "Black magic"

Aria: "What?"

Gabriella: "This is black magic"

Aria: "Um...black magic doesn't exist."

Gabriella: *Turns to look at Aria* "There are stories. Legend, I thought. Of a most evil wizard. He used his powers to design a dress intended to rip people away from what they most love. The soft spots in the universe are not absolute. It's only when you're close to what you most love that they tear you away".

Aria: "Then...why did it activate in my room?"

Gabriella: "Do you love your room?"

Aria: "Not really. Oh, hold on a sec. My dad texted me." *checks phone*. 

Gabriella: "Aria? Are you ok?" 

Aria: *holdig back tears*. "My dad. He's gone."

Gabriella: "What?"

Aria: *Reading text sobbedly*. "Aria. I'm so sorry, but I've left for my buisness trip. I rushed home as fast as possible and waited for you as long as I could, but I had to leave; I just barely made my flight as it was. I'll be home in a few weeks. Love you!"

Gabriella: "Oh..."

Aria: *Sits on bed, looking shocked and crying*. "That's why we didn't go far. It only needed to take me a few hours away. I've missed saying goodbye to my dad."

Gabriella: "But...you have a phone! And he has a phone! Can't you text".

Aria: *Shakes head*. "He's going to a research facility somewhere remote. There are no satallites there. That was the last text he'll be able to send or recieve for weeks".

Gabriella: "I'm so sorry. Oh, goodness." *hugs*.

Aria: "We HAVE to get rid of that dress".

Gabriella: "We can't! The wizard made it indestructable. Oh, people have tried, but never succeeded."

Aria: *turns to face her*. "I don't care if I have to drop this thing in a vat of fucking toxic waste. I AM GOING TO GET FUCKING RID OF IT".

Gabriella: "Aria, I...I'm sorry."

Aria: *bites lip and turns away*. "We at least need to find a way to prevent other people from getting hurt by it. We'll keep it in my closet. Lock it up. Make sure that no one wears it again."

Gabriella: "Yeah...yeah, I suppose we could."

Aria: *Hangs up in closet* "It's ok. He'll be back soon. He'll be back in a few weeks".

Gabriella: "Of course. The dress can only take you away from him, it can't cause any physical damage". 

Aria: "Ok. So, this will be ok. It's ok. I need to do my homework."

Gabriella: "Your...homework?"

Aria: "Yep." *pulls out textbook and open. Stares at it, then slams closed." *Oh, I just can't do it. I need something to distract me from this. Um...um...where should we go?"

Gabriella: “I hardly know! It seems there are more things here than I don’t know than those I do!

Aria: “So WHAT? You can learn! You can learn anything! YOU get a fresh new start! A whole new life! How many other people can say THAT?! Just shut up, will you? You can do anything – ANYTHING –with your life! No one knows your name! You’ve got no one to laugh at you or hold you back! Stop feeling sorry for yourself already, will you??”

Gabriella: *looking shocked and hurt* “Why…why, you little…do you have any clue what my life was like? I haven’t had a person in the world to care for me since I was a child. I was lucky to have a single meal in a day. I was spat at by people who didn’t even know my name, treated like some sort of animal! At least you matter! You have an education, for heavens sakes! Do you even realize how few people ever get an education in my home? Do you?” *her anger rises* Do you have ANY idea what I’ve gone through?? There have been days when I thought I would simply die in my sleep for hunger or cold or pure hoplessness! There have been nights where I WISHED I would! That night at the costume party was the first time I’d felt anything, ANYTHING but despair in longer than I can remember, only to have it RIPPED away from me! You spent a month, a week, a single NIGHT living like that and then tell me how lucky I am!!”

Aria: *Sits looking shocked and a bit guilty*

Gabriella: Oh my…oh my goodness. I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! I can’t believe…I can’t believe I said that. Please, I’m sorry. I was out of place.”

Aria: “Are you kidding me? I’m the guilty one here. I guess…I just acted rashly. I guess I-“

Gabriella: *Eyes glazed over*: “Aria Smith Jones”

Aria: “Wha- what??”

Gabriella: “Aria. Aria the beautiful, Aria the great. Or so they call you. Aria the meddler, Aria the pitiful more like.”

Aria: “Gabriella??” Gabriella, snap out of it!” *slaps Gabriella across the face*

Gabriella: *unflinchingly* “Forget your friend. I have come to warn you of the consequences of your future”.

Aria: “GABRIELLA. GABRIELLA, WAKE UP! WAKE UP! STOP THIS! GABRIELLA!” *shakes Gabriella*

Gabriella: *suddenly snaps out of it* “Wha-“

Ominous Creepy Voice: “There! Are you happy now? Listen to me!”

Gabriella: *terrified* “Who’s there? Who are you? What do you want? Why do you come?”

Ominous Creepy Voice: “I have no use for the one called Gabriella. Be gone!”

Aria: “NO. She stays here.”

“Gabriella: “You know, I’m really fine with leav-“

Aria: *puts hand over Gabriella’s mouth* “No. You’re a part of this too. No running away. Promise?”

Gabriella: “I-“

Aria: “Do you promise?”

Gabriella: “I- I promise.”

Ominous Creepy Voice: “Fine! But will you, Aria Smith Jones, speak with me?”

Aria: *Stepping forward* “I shall.”

Ominous Creepy Voice: “I understand that you are aware of your future, Aria. Of what you shall come to be.”

Aria: “I am.”

Ominous Creepy Voice: “You shall die within the fortnight should you continue with this.”

Aria: “But if I am to die within the fortnight how could I possibly have a future?”

Ominous Creepy Voice: “You are a mere 3^rd dimensional being. You could not comprehend. But trust that if you go through with your future, there shall be consequences”.

Aria: “Why? Why do you care? It is a good deed that I do, I should think!”

Ominous Creepy Voice: “Bah! A good deed! You humans and your puny morals! Good and bad have nothing to do with this! It is a grand scheme that you could not possibly comprehend!”

Aria: “And why not? Why shouldn’t I understand? Why shouldn’t I at least be given a chance to understand? Explain to me, now!”

Ominous Creepy Voice: “The dress that you possess holds qualities you could not possibly fathom. But I shall make it simple: It was intended for a purpose. If the purpose is not fulfilled, then travesty occurs.”

Gabriella: “That dress was made for evil. It was made for nothing but sorrow and pain. Tell me, why must that purpose be fulfilled?”

Ominous Creepy Voice: “Why must any pain or sorrow occur? There are reasons, my dear. But this dress does more than cause pain and suffering. It keeps in check a balance, a very delicate balance in the 4^th and 5^th dimensions. If this balance is disrupted, entire worlds shall come tumbling down.”

Gabriella: “What on earth do you mean?”

Ominous Creepy Voice: “When you create an object that is meant to stand, you must balance the first and second dimensions so that it does not topple. Likewise, the higher dimensions must keep the lower in balance lest it all fall over. The dress was designed to do exactly that. Would you rather live and thrive in a different world or die along with countless worlds?”

Gabriella: “I – why, I…how is this possible? How is this possible? Aria…what’s happening?”

Aria: ”I don’t know. I swear this isn’t normal. Even in this world.”

Ominous Creepy Voice: “You have one fortnight. Abandon the mission or say goodbye to all that you hold dear”.

End of Scene

Delicious Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa

Makes 1 glass

Ingredients:
2 tbs dark cocoa powder
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup half&half
4 packets Splenda, or any other sweetener equivalent
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix together the heavy whipping cream and half&half in a pot on the stove.

Add in the cocoa powder a little at a time, each time stirring until the liquid is smooth

Stir in the Splenda and vanilla

Keep it in the stove, on low, slowly stirring, until it's warm enough for your liking. Try to prevent it from boiling.

Optional: Use an electric mixture to beat some whipping cream with sweetener to create some whipped cream for the topping.

Enjoy!

Soft Spots in the Universe

*THIS IS NOT REAL. THIS POST IS A PROP FOR A FICTIONAL MOVIE I'M CREATING. DO. NOT. TAKE. THIS. SERIOUSLY. THIS IS PURELY FROM MY IMAGINATION. FEEL FREE TO CRITIQUE; I WELCOME ALL USEFUL FEEDBACK. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE FULL SCRIPT OF THE MOVIE I MAY MAKE OF POST OF IT ONCE IT'S COMPLETED*.

For years, people have contemplated the existence of a passageway from one portion of the universe to another. People has thought about black holes and space and sink holes in the ground potentially being transport from one place to another. But nothing has been proven yet. YET. Has science finally discovered a  way to travel through space and time by simply stepping into a portal?

There have been reports everywhere of a person suddenly appearing in a place, dazed and confused, with no idea where they are. These reports have come from all over the world, all throughout history. A person living in New York, 1950 once wrote of having the strangest experience: She was at a local coffee shop in Chicago, Illinois, on a date, in the year 2011, when she got up to the go the bathroom. There she had the strange illusion of stepping through a soft bit of flooring, disappeared  from the coffee shop, and reappeared miles away and 60 years in the past. She described every bit of her hometown that she could in elaborate and scarily accurate detail; but yet, on the very day she said she disappeared, experts visited the coffee shop. The man who she was accompanied by was there, with every physical and mental aspect described, but said he was alone and had simply had a random urge to visit the shop. Consequently, the girl in 1960, although she was 22 at the time she stepped through the soft spot of the universe, had a full family who knew every detail about her, which she has admitted is true (and yet she knew nothing of them).

The case of this young woman is among the most clear proof we have, but her story is not alone. There have been dozens of other accounts, describing the past or future with eerily accurate accounts and claiming to have simply vanished from their own time and reappeared elsewear. All of these accounts have two things in common: the first, a dress. A dress that appears to be from the Renaissance era, sewn with black and gold and dark blue. At the time, every person was wearing the dress. The girl above had been wearing it to surprise her date, knowing they both shared a love of history and also because it was nearing Halloween and he'd asked to see her dress sometime. The people visiting the coffee shop described the dress to the woman's date, and indeed he seemed to have a vague memory, almost like deja vu.

The second thing they have in common is a girl. One single girl. Tall, long, wavy brown hair, large green eyes.  She's been drawn, painted, and photographed, each image depicting the exact same girl. Her name is Aria. This girl has been known all across time and, as far as we know, all of space. A drawing of her was uncovered in the ruins of an ancient Roman city; her picture has been taken by modern-day cameras. Even more strangely, images of her have been uncovered containing evidence of technology far beyond that of the present day. She's always there with the lost and confused, explaining the dilemma and guiding them through their new lives. Accounts have been written of her managing to return people to their time, but more often she is unable to do so. This girl is a legend among those few who know about her and the one question that remains is: How is it possible for her to exist in so many different points in time at once? Scientists have their hopes up that one day, time travel may exist.

This post has been written for one reason and one reason only: Imformation. Has anyone ever met Aria Smith? Does anyone know of soft spots in the universe? Has anyone seen the dress pictured below? If so, don't hesitate to contact us. Please. Call us RIGHT NOW.

My little rant about fucking oppression

Why can't I wear makeup like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfdyK1dzmuQ&feature=player_detailpage

I think it's a BEAUTIFUL makeup look that would flatter my pale skin and green eyes. Why can't I wear it? What's so bad about a little bit of powder around the eyes that would make society so against a lovely, easy makeup look like that? Why must it be all neutrals all the time? Why the hell do I have to look natural? What the hell is so great about looking natural, anyways? I love color. Color is, in my opinion, all that makes life worth living. A world without color is a world without life; my face without color is simply not my face. So in essence, wouldn't a colorful look like that be natural for me, because that's what I naturally gravitate towards? Neutrals, in my opinion, exist to set off color, not to shove it aside. They exist to perhaps tone it down, but not to completely replace it. And so i ask you, what's to stop me from wearing that makeup? What's so bad about it that I must be continually insulted and tormented by classmates simply for wearing some colorful powders around my eyes? Is society really so incredibly twisted that even makeup, the tiniest of forms of self expression, must be kept within limits? What the hell is wrong with us? What the hell is wrong with people? And yes, makeup is insignificant. But that's exactly why it's significant, because people are making such a huge deal out of it. Why can't I just do what I want with my face? Why must people be so incredibly repressive, so repressive that people refuse to even try to break free from the bonds? Makeup is no more than a signal of the problem. Look at how people are told to act in schools, in the workplace, in the social system, EVERYWHERE and ask yourself, why? WHY? Why are people so conformed to the limits of society to the point where people who try to go outside the limits are considered crazy, or attention-seeking, or rude, or a whole other slew of things? And why do people go along with it? What's the purpose of oppression? What do the oppressors gain? WHY can't everybody just be who they want to be, why can't they just be who they were born as? Why can't a person grow up without being forced to follow rules all the time? Rules that don't even technically exist? It makes me want to just cry sometimes. Sometimes I want to scream **** THE WORLD (oh, hey, look. I was censored. Shocker). Other times I want to just give up and cry. I wish people would just accept me as I am instead of casting me as a weirdo, as an outsider, as insane, as attention-seeking, as a freak. Believe me, I've been called these names and many more. Why can't I just live my life as me, instead of as person that people tell me to be?