HahliLavender

It's official! I've changed my name from Air-Master to Lemonlight. I forgot how I came up with it. I've used it elsewhere for a few years now, and I just like it better. I just hope I don't confuse anyone!

I'm real excited about the new Pixar movie WALL•E, and I'm planning on seeing it tomorrow! Below is some fan art. My first attempt at drawing EVE.

I would of posted this two days ago, but BZP wasn't working. Anyway, I'm back from this previously stated event! I met Superchick! Unfortunately we forgot our still-shot camera, but I have video of the event. And my sister got a phone shot of Tricia and Melissa Brock. Sorry about the quality; it was an old phone. I may be able to post a video of the event. Though I first need to edit it into a reasonable amount of time. At the event, we started with a mini concert (it was free!) then afterwards everyone went outside for a signing. I bought their album and had them each sign the insert. All but one though. One member of the band (Max) wasn't there for some reason. And my sister had her guitar signed.

I'm the exact same way, I'm not that sociable either. Actually, I just so happen to have experienced that first-hand today; strangers treating you like a long time friend. It's just plain creepy.

I found these video tutorials on manga techniques by Mark Crilley, the creator/illustrator of the Akiko and Miki Falls series, and I definitely learned a thing or two on drawing manga. I've been practicing on properly shading and inking my drawings. I've never realized what a drastic improvement it makes. I haven't inked for a long time, but I happened to have a nice fine-tiped pen on me. Probably not the best kind to use, but it's all I have. Anyway, here's one of my better sketches using this technique: I made it pink in Photoshop. It looks better in person. It may look better if I had used a scanner, but I don't have one anymore. (I used my camera.) Oh, and please read the entry below. I need name and font color suggestions.

I've changed my font from Verdana, to Book Antiqua. I was getting bored with the other one. And I'm also thinking about changing the color, but I'm not yet sure as to which one to use. And one more thing, I'm considering changing my name as well. I have one I may use, but I'm not going to say it yet. I've used the same name here for five years, and things can change within that span of time. And the name Air-Master is something I'm thinking of changing. But I'm open to suggestions. :/

Same here. I'd like some suggestions for summer reading material.

It has nothing to do with hard drive space, it's some corrupted file; thanks for the suggestion though. Have you tried uninstalling the game, then reinstalling it? That always fixes corrupted files for me. You may even be able to keep the save files so you won't have to start all over. ... And I'm glad to hear your brother's ok.

- UPDATED - June 14, 2008 - Current Update: Added Maximum Ride series, and age rating. Here is a list of books I have read and enjoyed, and are now listing for anyone looking for something interesting to read. These are all fiction, mind you, so unless you enjoy the weird and fantasmical, you might want to consider something else. Or not. I've rated each book so you can determine for yourself what sort of content it might contain. Based on violence, language (if any), and various other elements that I deem relevant for a rating. You may think otherwise in some cases, but this is how I would rate these books. They are rated similarly to movies. ----------------------------- 1. A Series of Unfortunate Events - by Lemony Snicket Now, I know this series is very widely known, with a movie and everything, but I'm talking about the books. If you haven't read the series but think you know the story... well, read the series. It's remained one of my favorite series of books for years, and is something I, personally, would consider a modern classic. My Rating: PG ----------------------------- 2. The Books of Ember - by Jeanne DuPrau These consist of The City of Ember, The People of Sparks, And The Prophet of Yonwood. The later being a prequel. The story begins in the dying city of Ember. A place with no sky and no natural light. It's about a girl named Lina and her friend Doon who learn the secrets of the city and attempt to save the people living there. I don't know how to explain the next two books without spoiling the ending of the first one, so I'll just leave it at that. My Rating: G ----------------------------- 3. The Larklight Trilogy - by Philip Reeve This trilogy consists of Larklight, Starcross, and Mothstorm. I've only read Larklight so far, but I'm looking forward to reading Starcross. (Mothstorm has yet to be released.) Larklight takes place in an alternate victorian era. It's about a boy named Art and his older sister Myrtle who live in a house they call Larklight. A building that floats in space orbiting the moon. When giant six-legged spiders invade, they get thrown into an adventure with pirates and aliens. Traveling the solar system in hopes of putting an end to the invading spiders, and for answers to the many mysteries that surround the universe. - Mothstorm will be released next October. My Rating: PG ----------------------------- 4. Airborn & Skybreaker - by Kenneth Oppel Airborn and Skybreaker are another two of my favorite books. They're about a boy named Matt Cruse who works as a cabin boy on the luxurious commercial airship known as the Aurora. He meets a girl named Kate, and together the two confront pirates and discover some of the many secrets of the sky. My Rating: PG-13 ----------------------------- 5. The Kingdom Keepers - by Ridley Pearson This book was very interesting. It's like Disney World meets Night at the Museum. It's about a boy named Finn who was one of five kids chosen to be recorded as a new type of holographic tour guide for Disney World's Magic Kingdom. But every time he goes to sleep, he finds himself as his hologram in the middle of Magic Kingdom, where at night, the rides and attractions come to life! And Finn and the other four hologram kids have to save Magic Kingdom from the villains who are loose. - There's a confirmed sequel set to be released this September. My Rating: G ----------------------------- 6. His Dark Materials - by Philip Pullman Now, I am fully aware of the controversy of these books, but that will not be discussed here. I have yet to make a final decision as to how I view the series' deeper matters. I must say that I do not agree with Pullman's view of Christians. (Very biased). I'm probably going to regret adding this trilogy here, but this list is about my favorite books and the stories they hold. Not the authors. The reason I'm adding His Dark Materials to this list is simply that I enjoyed the story. The story starts out with a girl named Lyra who sets off to rescue her kidnapped friend. The trilogy consists of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. Though I feel I should advise, those of you who are Christians, or Catholic, or the like, should approach these books, as I have, with a cautious and open mind. My Rating: PG-13 ----------------------------- 7. Endymion Spring - by Matthew Skelton Endymion Spring takes place in two time periods. 1452-53, and the present. When a chapter is taking place in the past, it's written in first person as a mute boy who's name is Endymion Spring. Most of the book however, is about an American kid named Blake who, with his mother and sister, are staying in Oxford for his mother's work. Blake finds a book in one of the old libraries that is entirely blank, but it seems to be alive; occasionally revealing riddles that only he can see. My Rating: PG ---------------------------- 8. The Chronicles of Narnia - by C.S. Lewis This series tells the chronicles of the land of Narnia. From it's creation, to it's destruction, these books tell the stories of the children who enter the world of Narnia, and the adventures that they have while there. My personal favorites in this series are definitely The Magician's Nephew, and Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The only thing I didn't like about this series, is the ending in The Last Battle. It gives me mixed feelings of opposing emotions that just makes me feel... something I find very difficult to explain. My Rating: G ---------------------------- 9. Bridge to Terabithia - by Katherine Paterson This book is one of my favorites. I first read it when I found out it was going to be a movie, after I saw the trailer. So I expected it to be a Narnia-esque story. Well, this is definitely not a fantasy story, and I was far from prepared for what happened near the end. I took me completely by surprise. Now that it's a movie, I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about. But if you don't, I suggest you read this book. My Rating: PG ---------------------------- 10. Artemis Fowl - by Eoin Colfer I'm not quite sure what I was expecting of these book, but I'm happy with what I've found. I have yet to read the rest of the books in the series, so I'll just summarize the general concept of the story. Artemis Fowl is about a twelve year-old criminal mastermind (of the same name) who attempts to exploit fairies for personal gain. Very interesting concept, and an enjoyable read. Thanks for the suggestion BioHero! My Rating: PG ---------------------------- 11. The Lightning Thief - by Rick Riordan The Lightning Thief is the first book of a series called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Think greek mythology in the 21st century. It's about a boy named Percy Jackson who discovers he's the son of a greek god and becomes the target of several monsters of the underworld. He goes to Camp Half-Blood, a training camp for demigods, and is sent on a quest to find and return Zeus's stolen lightning bolt. Thanks for the suggestion Keyblade Master of Light! My Rating: PG ---------------------------- 12. Maximum Ride - by James Patterson I really liked this book. It's about six kids who were part of a genetic experiment to implement avian DNA into humans. The result? Each of those kids have wings. When the youngest of the group is kidnapped, the rest set out to rescue her, and end up on the run from the organization that mutated them. Full of action, violence, and witty humor, this was definitely an enjoyable read. I can't wait to read the rest of the series! My Rating: PG-13 ---------------------------- I hope this list could help out those who want to read something, but can't seem to find anything interesting. That happens to me all the time, but I eventually come across a book I'll enjoy. These are some of those books.

This morning I found out about this store called Skia, and we decided to visit it today. It's an awesome store! They sell music, books, apparel, and there's a café and skate shop inside as well! Not to mention you get free WiFi! So I applied for a job there. They aren't hiring yet, but they said they'd contact me when they are. Not only that, but on the 24th (this month) Superchick will be there to meet fans, sign stuff, and celebrate the release of their new album Rock What You Got! I was originally going to buy the album off iTunes, but since they'll be here for the release, I'm going to wait and buy the album autographed at Skia. They're one of my favorite music artists... I'm so excited!

Maybe all you need to do is clear up some space on your hard drive. That sometimes works. I ran into every red light too!

Lucky! You get all the events up there. And I didn't even realize today was the 13th.

You should go to the principal for this injustice. I'm not saying tattle-tale; just go to the principal and tell him/her what's going on and why you're teacher's behavior concerns you. But do it in a respectful manner, and in a "professional-esque" way so as to appear like you care for some real education. (which I'm sure you do.) You should probably plan a general outline of what to say, with relevant facts, so as to get you started. Hopefully your principal will listen and take action to help his/her students. Granted he has any dignity for his school.

My Grandmother, I call her Mémère (pronounced MEM-ay) produced a play for her church several years ago based on the story The Day Boy and the Night Girl by George McDonald. My whole family got to take part in it, and it couldn't have been better cast. The story is about a Witch named Watho who takes two newborn babies, one a girl, one a boy, and raises them in completely opposite ways. Watho names the boy Photogen and raises him in a way so that he never experiences darkness, and knows nothing of the night. Watho names the girl Nycteris, who is raised in the darkest rooms of the castle, knowing nothing of light, or even outdoors. The only source of illumination she has is a dim lantern that hangs on her ceiling. I'll leave the description at that. Well, about my Mémère's play being (IMO at the time) excellently cast, she played Watho. My aunt who played Nycteris was goth, and her fiancé was a bright, red-headed, outgoing guy. They just really looked the part. My sister and I were wolves, (for ambience, I think) and my parents played the king and queen. Other people were involved, but I don't remember them. Except for one kid, who also played a wolf. Had a Mario obsession. Anyway... I guess I like this story mostly for nostalgia, but there's something else that catches my interest. Though I can't quite figure out what it is. Well, this entry is mostly to reveal this. Some art I've made... Nycteris. If you want to read the story, you can search for it online. It's in the public domain.

Excellent pallet of colors! Well done!

I went out to catch fireflies just now. Though, unlike in movies, they don't glow while in the jar. I guessed they were too scared to glow, so I let them go. :/ But they are amazing creatures, aren't they?

No matter who wins the next US presidential election, (meaning each presidential candidate currently running has stated that) within the first 100 days of being in office, the next president will put a tax on carbon. Supposedly, it's supposed to help cut down on carbon being released into the air so as to stop global warming. But a carbon tax would raise the prices of food, clothing, oil, gas.. literally everything. Oil has recently gone up by $10.75 a barrel, and as a result, the entire stock market plunged quite significantly. You see, this not only hurts us citizens, (assuming whoever is reading this is a US citizen,) it also hurts the economy. And my family is noticing this in the products we buy. For example, we always buy Saltine and Ritz crackers. They are now half the thickness they used to be. The packaging is thinner as well. And the thing that annoys me the most, is there is a simple solution to the "oil crisis." We (The United States) should use our own oil reserves. We have enough oil in our country to last over 200 years. By then we may not even have a use for oil. But instead of using it to help ourselves, we're being greedy, and there have been laws set to forbid the harvesting of oil in our country to protect the environment. The only thing that could be harmful by mining here is if there's an oil spill, which the US hasn't had in any of their overseas harvesting operations for a significant amount of time. And with outdated equipment. Now, I'm for caring for the environment and all, but I think it's a ridiculous excuse to keep our oil hidden away for "the sake of the environment." The United States of America is supposed to be an independent country. But relies so much on other countries for oil, product manufacturing, and food, that as a result, we seem to no longer be in charge of our nation. The rest of the world has control over our resources, and should something go wrong, or someone get evermore greedy, our resources could just as easily be cut off, or harder to get to; making them more expensive. Or we could switch to an alternative fuel, like water, or steam. Something everyone can benefit from. Now I know there may be points in all this that I may not have seen, or may not know about completely. I'm just throwing around what I've learned so far. It just annoys me, is all.

A movie theater would be a great place to work. Though I can't really think of anything else that hasn't already been mentioned. You should get a you-know-what account. I have one, and find it to be a lot nicer than the alternative.

Oh, I guess I forgot to make a post about this; We've decided not to move just yet. We're going to finish renovating our house and then look into moving afterwards. We were rushing things, and that just made everything frustrating. My parents said we may have to stay through the winter, but we're open to an alternative, should one come along. Though when we do move, we're considering either Texas, or somewhere along the east coast. In the meantime, I need a job.

I applied for a job at the Borders via the internet a few days ago, and today I went to the store to ask the manager if she received my application. Turns out, applications won't be checked until next week, but they're hiring! So I'll be contacted after they go over my application. I think I have a good chance of getting the job too, the manager wrote down my name, so my application will be likely to stick out. The atmosphere of the store is great too. The store is real big, but quiet, and somehow doesn't echo like it looks like it should. There's a second floor with a café on it too, so that's nice. Now all I have to do is wait. *waits*

I've graduated from high school! Memorial weekend was great. I got to see Indy 4 on my birthday, (22nd) and my graduation party was real nice. Everything was black, white, and violet, and was small but enjoyable. Just my family, grandparents, and some family friends. For my birthday I got an iTunes card, and a pair of pants and a belt, put they didn't fit, so we returned them, and I'm going to use the money for something else. Also, as a graduation gift I got a Flip Video! It's black! I also got a ton of money from everyone else. *mixed feelings* I was expecting real gifts, but money is fine. I just think it's a little cold. A gift shows that you put some thought into the person you were shopping for. Money just says, "here you go." And leaves it at that. Oh well, I now have enough for a new iPod! The iPod I have right now is a 2nd gen Mini in lime. I've had it for just over three years now! It still works fine, but it's not worth enough to sell anymore. So my sister will use it when I get my new one. I'm going to get an iPod classic in black. In other news, currently my favorite song is Shiny Toy Guns' rendition of Puttin' on the Ritz. It just screams 1930's New York City. Only, with a techno edge. ;D Oh, and Your Love Is Better Than Life by Newsboys is just as awesome! (if not more)

Ok, it's midnight, I just got back from seeing Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and it was awesome! I love the fact that they made it look and sound like the older movies. Same sound effects, and there's something about the way it looks that blends it in well with the last three movies. - Seriously, if you haven't seen the movie, do not click the spoiler link. - » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «Even though the fact there were aliens was way out there, (well, it was a Spielberg movie. ) almost seeming out of place in an Indy film, the movie was still enjoyable and a lot of fun.

I'm 18 today! Well, actually I'll be 18 at 6:45 PM EDT. And about the whole moving situation, I think I understand what's going on. My parents are going through all the options for places to move to that will accommodate us well. The previous states mentioned are the options, not an indecisive attempt at choosing where to live. It's just the way they brought this all about that got me so confused! Anyway, a new option (big surprise there) is just around New York City! New York is one of my favorite states, (I was born there) but I've never been to the Big Apple. So that's exciting! Unfortunately, NY has ridiculously strict homeschool laws. Homeschool for my younger siblings, of course, because I'm graduating! Anyway, I may not make anymore posts on moving until we really move. This is just all so confusing. -- off topic -- Have you heard about what happened to Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest daughter? ;_; *is sad*

My birthday is tomorrow! I'll be 18! Unfortunately It's not going to be the party that I described in a previous entry. We didn't really have time, money, or people to invite. So We'll be having a pizza party at Pizza Hut instead. Even though we did that last year for my birthday, there aren't many other nice places where you can eat, open presents, and not have to sit through an obnoxious song taken straight out of The Emperor's New Groove, being sung by a horde of employees. It's never happened to me before, but I intend to keep it that way. In other news, my parents are now considering Pennsylvania instead of Virginia. T_T I don't think they've ever been this indecisive before. Honestly, I don't really want to move to PA. The area they're considering moving to is at least an hour or so drive to anywhere I'd like to be. We'd be close to New York city! But you would have to plan a weekend trip if you wanted to visit. There's also Philadelphia! But it's about as far as NY city is. And DC would be even further. *sighs* As you can probably tell by now, I'm a city/suburb person. And the only one in my family; everyone else prefers the country. They all want land. Lots of land. But I don't think it's practical for our lifestyle. I don't know how I would describe our "lifestyle", but we aren't farmers. I don't know, I'll see what happens. For now, back to thinking about my birthday. *goes back to thinking about birthday*