I'll be out of town for this weekend and the early part of next week (this was previously planned and has nothing to do with my last entry), just to let everyone know. So don't expect much (if any) activity from me since I'm going to be away from my computer, and know that I'm not ignoring you, LOL. I'll take care of everything once I get back.

(Also I wanted to say something to everyone who replied to my last post...thank you so very, very much for your kindness, your concern, and your prayers. They are truly appreciated and it's very heartwarming to have so many people out there who care about you and are praying for you. ♥ )

My family is currently going through what I shall only call "a difficult time" and I would please like to ask for the prayers of my friends, and understanding from everyone else if I neglect my online responsibilities in favour of dealing with those at home.

I'm not leaving LiveJournal, going on hiatus, or abandoning anything at present, but things might get a little overwhelming for me and I just thought it was fair to let everyone know. :-)

Again, I feel bad asking anyone for anything, but your prayers would be very much appreciated.

"Give me liberty or give me death!"

Surely no words have been more repeated when it comes to patriotic phrases and enthusiasm. Spoken so long ago, who would have thought his words could hold such relevence today? While watching a reenactment of Patrick Henry's famous speech on television tonight, I was struck by how easily the portion I've quoted below could be referring to our current times.

...[I]t is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not[?] For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past.

He continues:

But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a [government] guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.

[emphasis added]

It's a beautiful speech (politicians just ain't what they used to be), and if you're inclined to read the rest of it HERE is the link. I strongly suggest you do so, especially if you're an American. ;-)

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD
~ Psalm 33:12

I'm not sure how blessed ours is anymore, but I love my country, flaws and all. I hope it will improve rather than degenerate to the level I fear we may, but as Patrick Henry said, there is a just God who is watching out for His people.

In honour of the July 4th...what, I ask you, is more intrisically American than cowboys and the Wild West? ;-D Another one of my romantic and old-fashioned propensities, I think most of us love a good western every now and then, and the timeless appeal of the masculine man with an independant spirit, skill in his craft, and an unswerving sense of morality, justice, and loyalty is undeniable, even to our modern sensibilities...perhaps even more so. ;-)

The majority of these are various stock images of men in cowboy hats on horseback, but towards the end there are several paintings by famous western artists as well, such greats as Remington, Eakins, and Russell. They are a bit older, but not too terribly bad so as not to be posted, LOL.

As always, never alter my graphics, comment, credit, and enjoy!

Teasers:


( just remember the Red River Valley // and the one that has loved you so true )

Well, I've done it. I've officially made my very first LJ friends cut, and I didn't like doing it at all.

I've been thinking about it for a long time, and it honestly pained me to do it. It isn't personal, I've come to the difficult decision that it would be best with the current structure of my life. Mostly only journals that are "dead" or seemingly so, or by users who never really "clicked" with myself or who never bother to comment have been removed, although I have left several communities as well.

Please try not to feel offended if you or one of your communities has been removed, it's not an insult and it's not intended to be. I hope if you've been removed and are reading this that you will have the grace to not cause any drama or problems due to what is really just a "growing apart" that is natural and not cause for any malice.

Still, I feel really, really bad doing it. :-/

I just watched this video of Hayley Westenra singing her (fabulous) rendition of Wuthering Heights. I already love the song (which is better than the novel IMO, LOL!), but I'd never seen the music video before tonight. It's pretty neat, and captures the atmosphere perfectly! Plus I want her earrings now, and that gorgeous black lace shawl....;-P

Behind the cut for politeness' sake! ;-)

( Heathcliff, it's me, Caaaaathyyyyy... )

Once upon a time, I had so many The Dark Knight icons made, when I had the sudden thought of using them for an icons100 claim. Long story short, it just so happened that I could get my little hands on an available slot, and so here we are. ;-D

Is it obvious how much I like this movie? It's so visually appealing, and fun to make icons out of. ^-^ I've been making these on and off for quite a long while, so there are tons of different styles and "trends" of my own here, so input is very much appreciated!

As always, never alter my graphics, comment, credit, and enjoy!

Teasers:


( ''Very droll, but very wrong.'' )

Just to let my f-list and readers know, I'm going to be starting Evelina by Fanny Burney, now that I've finished Wuthering Heights. :-D It's an 18th century novel written in epistolary form, and ladyneferankh is reading it with me, so I've made a post about it HERE over at olde_and_grey if anyone else is interested in joining us! :-D

I know I'm posting twice in one day, but I figure you all will forgive me since I never do it and I don't intend to make a habit of it. ;-) (I also am really in the mood for Wuthering Heights-esque graphics, but I can't seem to find any images! *wails*) This has also grown from what was at first a quick list of things I found interesting, not worthy of my "!book reviews" tag, but I've gone on so much that I've changed my mind.

Having just finished Wuthering Heights, after a month or so of a hiatus, and I have mixed emotions about it. That's not to say that I didn't like it - it was very enjoyable - but I'm just not quite sure what the point was. I have a few thoughts and theories of my own, but after reading some critical opinions I'm not sure if I've "missed the boat" or not. (I never read introductions until after I've finished the novel anymore - I did that only once, and it ruined the plot for me. I find it incredibly rude and ill-mannered of an editor to spoil the story for the reader before they even have the chance! Thus I only read them afterwards.) ;-)

Forgive and bear with me while I try to collect my unorganized thoughts here...this is by no means exhaustive, but it is long, and for the record very spoilery for WH, so if you haven't read it, consider yourself warned!

( ''Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.'' )

Snagged from carmiana and stillgerard (thank you!) this is hilarious. It had me literally laughing out loud, and I thought the writers amongst you might also find it amusing. ;-)

Rules For Writers

Verbs has to agree with their subjects.

Prepositions are not to end sentences with.

And don`t start a sentence with a conjunction.

It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.

Avoid clichés like the plague. (They`re old hat.)

Comparisons are as bad as clichés.

Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.

Be more or less specific.

Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) irrelevant.

Also, too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.

No sentence fragments.

Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.

Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it is highly superfluous.

Contractions aren`t necessary and shouldn`t be used.

One should never generalise.

Don`t use no double negatives.

One word sentences? Eliminate.

Eschew ampersands & abbreviations etc.

Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.

Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary.

Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.

Kill all exclamation marks!!!

Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.

Use the apostrophe in it`s proper place and omit it when its not needed.

Puns are for children and not groan adults.

If you`ve heard it once, you`ve heard it a thousand times: resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it.

Make sure all of your work is correctly punctuated”

Proof read carefully to see if you any words out.