Black Swan

If anything, the black swan represents me.
Allow me to start me at the beginning.  For a school project (we're learning about the medieval ages in school), I had to make shield.  To be precise (and official), a coat of arms.  I post photos later.  Anyway,  there is a whole bunch of animals and symbols and stuff, but the only thing that really represents me is the swan.  The black swan.

Just as a swan, the graceful bird still has a huge assortment of meanings.  It's the ensign of poets, artists, and musicians.  Also, it represents perfection, beauty, grace, light, love, sincerity, poetry, harmony, and learning.  As a black swan, it also represents uniqueness, singularity, and rareness.

Random thought:  the black swan is a bit like the ugly duckling.

Survey

I Made a Reader-Feedback Survey.
Please please please please contact me.  I can email this survey to you.  Unfortunately, I can't just post it, but if you want to take, contact me in some way, and I can have you take it on my iPad or email it to you.  I could even take the .... light-bulb!

My idea:  comment with all answers and with a name (preferably yours).  Since each response is recorded anonymously, then it doesn't matter if I do the answering.  Please respond!  I'm doing all I can to improve AF Bratlife, so answer truthfully.  When you post your answers, do it in this way:  1-a, 2-a, 3-a, etc.  But with your answers.

1.  How often do you read AF Bratlife?
a.  Everyday
b.  Twice a week
c.  Once a week
d.  Twice a month
e.  Once a month
f.  Less than once a month

2.  Do you enjoy reading AF Bratlife?
a.  yes
b.  no

3.  AF Bratlife is fun and appropriate to read.
a.  Strongly agree
b.  Agree
c.  Neither agree nor disagree
d.  Disagree
e.  Strongly disagree

4.  Have you been able to comment on any post?*
a.  Yes
b.  No
c.  How do I comment?

5.  Have you recommended AF Bratlife to your friends and family?
a.  Yes
b.  No

6.  Which of the following words describe AF Bratlife?**
a.  Fun to read
b.  Appropriate
c.  Interesting
d.  Unique
e.  Fascinating
f.  Entertaining
g.  Amusing

7.  On a scale from one to ten, what is your overall rating of AF Bratlife?***

8.  What changes, if any, would you make to AF Bratlife?****

*If you have been having problems commenting, contact me.
**List ALL of the words that describe AF Bratlife.  (ex.  6-a-c-d-e-f-g)
***Just type your answer.  (ex.  7-9)
****Just type your answer.  (ex.  8-nothing)

Please ANSWER!!!!  This is really important - your answer could change AF Bratlife!!!!

Honduras.

My Dad, Mom, and I are going to spend Christmas with each other.
I have never wanted to get up at 2:00 A.M. more.

In Honduras, it is 70˙.  They drive no-door golf carts (or walk) because of all the people running, walking, and biking.  They have a pool (although I suggest you change at home).  A DFAC (like a cafeteria) which is always serving watermelon and other fresh fruit, ice-cream, and grilled cheese.  You can leave the door open and get a nice breeze.  Play frisbee.  Blow bubbles.  Bird watch.

I still wish that we could be here for Christmas.  All of us.

Tomorrow, we'll do a early Christmas, the entire Matherne clan, so we can celebrate with them.  So I can see my cousin's face when he opens his gifts.  So Mom can relax for a little bit and not worry about packing.

But there'll be one person missing.

Short Story

Hi there!
By the way, I thought I should let you know that I officially cancel the RiddleQuest.  You don't even need to turn in you answer sheet.

As you might know, I love haikus.  Fortunately for you, I won't post any (at least not on this post...)  Unfortunately for you,  I decided to post a short story instead.  :-) enjoy.

As Goldie the gold nugget walked along, his sharp yellow eyes taking in every thing the dim light would allow, he thought about the nugget city he had just moved into.  He thought of his little rocky hole with earth shelves in it, the Gold Shiner Bar and his dreaded visit to the “Clippers for the Nugget -Tommy the Barber”.

The thick air brought smells of wonderful shiner, coming from the Shiner Biscuit Bakery, where you got to watch the warm shiner poured onto a candy grid, flavored pebbles dropped in, coated with sand, and drizzled with mud.  Sometimes if a kid stood there and watched long enough they would give you a piece, which was still warm from the oven.

Goldie changed course and slipped silently into the bakery kitchen.  The main chef bellowed, “Sonny, you’re a turn of the stone late!”  Goldie was about to say sorry when a deafening crash interrupted him.  Someone from the bar screamed, “It’s them again!” and another yelled at the bakery, “You guys - run for cover!” But it was too late.  There was another awful bang and the roof of the city burst wide open.  Blinded in the sudden light, the nuggets of Central Gold Nugget City were helpless.

A hand grabbed Goldie - but it wasn’t nugget hand.  There was a yell so loud Goldie thought all the nuggets in the whole wide world had yelled, but he knew they hadn’t.  “Tom Landers, come look!”  After about five minuets he was was dropped into something warm and soft, dim-lighted and that smelled of shiner.  It wasn’t Central Gold Nugget City, but hey, thought Goldie, I kinda like this place.

Have a warm, family-filled holy holly jolly Christmas.  (and a happy New Year)

Unique.

I hereby devote this post...
To being unique.  I love being unique.  That's why I have a black swan on my personal coat of arms.  The black swan was a European myth until in 1790 a nature guy saw one.  I suppose the board of birds (if there is one) thought that the nature guy's description was good enough and un-myth-ified the black swan.  It still symbolizes rarity and uniqueness.

Speaking of unique:  check this out!  I wrote it a LONG time ago as a school project.  I only recently dug it up!

We the Domestic Dog Society, in order to be respected the proper way, have created a Bill of Rights and any dogs who are mistreated against our doctrine may use aggression against his/her owner and/or visitor.

Right 1.  All Dogs have the right to fresh water in their water dish.  They deserve to have it refilled at least once each week and more if necessary or otherwise asked for.

Right 2.  Dogs have the right to suitable food.  Food must be not only tasteful, but also nutritious and healthy.  We can be treated, but not so much that we become overweight.  We say you are responsible, not us,  when we become overweight and you will spend your time and money getting us back to normal.

Right 3.  All Dogs have the right to a large but not overwhelming sized bed and all Dogs have the right to use it whenever they please.  Dogs can chew in, sit in, lay in, dig in, sleep in, or any other occupation in their bed.

Right 4.  All Dogs have the right to a certain amount of love and friendship, as well as the right to be friends with other creatures.When Dogs are abused they have the right to run, hide, or do any thing else necessary to defend itself.

Right 5.  Dogs have a right to a name, and not to be called ‘it’ or ‘dog’.  Dogs have the right to be called by their proper name every once and a while, such as ‘I No Watashi No Skoshi’ and not ‘Skosh’.  All Dogs’ names shouldn’t be cursed by their Masters and failure to use this name may openly lead to aggression if it is the Dog’s wish.

Right 6.  All Dogs, no matter what breed, have the right to fresh toys that fit them and have them correctly sized.  All Domestic Dogs should be able to play with other dogs, their Masters, and their self when the time is right.  Being deprived of this right makes all dogs unhappy and we may lead to aggression without it.  Also, being deprived of singular toys, just because the are annoying and squeaky, is greatly annoying to us and will cause us to do other more unpleasant things such as sleeping,  sitting around thinking and chewing on objects such as your shoe.  Also, the toys must be right for your breed altho all Dogs are equal no matter what breed.

Right 7.  Dogs have the right to communicate to others of their species and other less obvious creatures such as squirrels, humans, rabbits, mice, cats and all others.  All Dogs may growl, bark, yip, or use any other communication outdoors, however some ill mannered pups may bark indoors.  All Dogs, however, have a full right to communicate outdoors.

Right 8.   All Dogs have the right to roam and explore their surroundings.  They have the right to find, chew, or otherwise explore the area its Masters have exposed it to.  If the Dog is physically injured in any way and the Master has brought it to the environment in which the Dog was hurt, the Master is held guilty.  How ever if the Dog has wandered into the environment, the Dog himself is held guilty of his injury.

Right 9.  All Dogs have the right to be walked for suitable amounts of times frequently, and failure will result in aggression, and the Dog may run away.

Right 10.  Involuntary service to a Dog’s Master that has injured the Dog in any way will be blamed on the Master.  The Dog has a right to tell all others that can understand him how, when and who injured him/her.  A unruly Dog who prevents this will be bit several times.

Right 11.  Any right before this that has been over looked by the DDS (Domestic Dog Society) is hereby proclaimed to be a right, an official right that has not been written down by us.  Any dog who is in trouble and his rights are at stake may plead Right 11.

Lol.  Really lol.  Bye.

We r going...

Early Early Early
We are going to leave early early early on Sunday morning for Honduras (where my dad is stationed for another six months {at least})  I am going to try to post a lot because internet is shaky down there.  There's no telling how much I'll be able to post.

Mom has written a very suess-ish poem about our year to send out, so I will write it down...word for word (I promise).  It should only take a couple months or so off my life.

Our year began with a mighty slow start

just homeschool and ice and a small play part.

Then in the spring life began to change

as we moved to Texas our home on the range.

Ray was with us only briefly though

and then on, to Honduras, he did go.

A summer of fun of sun and pool

(and wondering about our public school).

A visit to daddy, some time in the sand

a brief time to hold my husband's hand.

Then back for school, how will it be?

We'll give it a go, and then we'll see.

We tried for 12 weeks, we went all out,

But the fit was poor without a doubt.

We looked again and found our spot

at SHAPE Academy and we thought,

"this is the place she's meant to be."

and one on which we all agree.

Then turning twelve with daddy here

was the highlight of our year.

And now our time is winding down

as Christmas comes to our little town.

The Air Force says no ROTC for you,

and though it makes us a little blue

we are halfway through, halfway there

and we'll be a threesome and not a pair!

Wherever we go, whatever we do,

together is all we ask of you.

Though it would be nice to stay in this place

surrounded by our family's embrace,

we are asked to go, asked to move on

and really now it won't be too long

till we can call our moving done.

I know I can't be the only one

who longs for a home that stays the same

where all the neighbors know your name

where you friends no longer say -

what is your new address today?

So until the time once more

we ask for you these blessings four:

A warm hearth for your feet

a warm family complete

a warm heart for your chest

and a warm wish you'll be blest.

Merry Christmas, Love, Ray, Jen, and Noelle

Merry Christmas, btw.

So, in case you didn't click on the links yesterday, here they are again:

Blog 1 (Sea of Shoes)

Blog 2 (The Sartorialist)

Website (U.S. National Debt Clock)

I love blog 1, it's written by these ladies named Judy and Jane Aldridge.  I absolutly love the daughter: Jane.  She is inspiring, lovely, and has the most stunning red hair (and actually knows how to choose clothes that don't clash with it) that is just...perfect.  Anyway, the two love shoes (I wonder why their blog is called Sea of Shoes) and it's a really cool read, whether you're a fashionista, designer, or just the average person.

Blog 2 is a little less engaging, but the writer Scott Schuman takes the best photos EVER!  He practically wanders around New York, and poses random people in interesting outfits.  It is also a good spot to investigate other people's opinions about items of clothes.  For example, if a lot of people don't like...um...plaid trench coats, they'll say so.  Not exactly interesting for the average person, but check it out anyway.

The "website" keeps track of the U.S. National debt (today it was ick $17,264,326,398,415 and 41 cents) , how much every citizen would have to pay to get us out of debt (like right now: $54,451.90), and how much the debt has been growing each day ($2.7 billion a day - think of how much you could buy with THAT).  I thought it was an interesting subject to look at and keep track of.

link

I absolutely LOVE these blogs, you should totally go check them out: blog 1 and blog 2.

Did you know?  check it out!  Click here: click.

Gotta go, I know it was a really short post.