Tomorrow

Yes. I know it's been a fortnight since the Josh Groban concert and there is no write-up yet. I have it done pretty much. It just needs some tweaking and a photo or two.

I also have some crafty things I have done in the last couple of weeks that I haven't shared yet.

And I went to my first football game the other week too. I have fun pictures.

I'll post about all three tomorrow. I pinky-swear promise. You can ban me from Josh Groban for a week if I don't get them up tomorrow. lol.

Framing New York City

Today I framed a tiny puzzle. I really like the puzzle and wanted to keep it. So I framed it. I already had the supplies. I used a black square frame I got at the thrift store, navy blue scrapbook paper for the mat, and the 7"x7" puzzle. I didn't glue anything I just let the frame sandwich it together to keep it in place. The frame needs to be repainted black someday but it can wait.

Binder Designs

My little brother comes home from his mission in a couple of weeks. So I designed his cover page and spine label for his binder. I really like it. I almost like the spine design better then the title page. The overlapping words are cool.

the spine label

title page

JG Concert = Awesome

Yep. The concert WAS awesome! I loved every minute of it. I don't think any of my photos turned out. But that's okay. I wasn't there to take photos. I was there to see Josh Groban sing live. He puts on a fantastic show! And I slightly lost my voice from screaming fanatically. I'll post my full concert post soon.

IT's TONIGHT!!!

We're going to a Josh Groban concert tonight!!!

And Groban is in town! He took a pretty photo too.

via Josh Groban's tweet, here.

I'll have a concert post tomorrow ... maybe Sunday. It's going to be awesome!

Goal Setting

Goal setting is harder when I'm under pressure. Dad wanted me to write down at least 25 goals for now and my life in general. I was stumped for a few minutes after I wrote the first two. But I have ten goals right now. I'll think about them during the day. Hopefully I remember more that I've had so I can add them to the list.

The Red Badge Of Courage

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

I really liked this book. A lot. Surprisingly. I’m not too big on war novels but this book, which takes place during the Civil War, was written very well. I liked how Crane never really gave the characters names. Only when directly spoken to by another character would you learn their name. They were described. The main character that the novel follows is called the youth. He has two other friends that are in the book called the tall soldier and loud soldier. We also meet Generals and Lieutenants among other soldiers of the regiment. I really liked that no one had names. It was easier to put myself in the role of the youth and get a sense of what the character went through.

The book takes place over a few days as far as I can tell. It takes place over a couple of battles. It’s the youths first few battles. We follow the youth and learn about his struggles and victories of war.

I really like what it says on the back of my book. It really captures what I’m trying to say well.

War is many things. It is waiting and boredom and rumor, as well as shot and shell and the Flag flying in a brave charge. It is men against the many minor enemies of sodden discomfort, fatigue, fear, and uncertainty, as well as the human enemy with a gun. 

Men have made war – and written about it – since before the dawn of history. It would hardly seem there is anything new to say. Yet when Stephen Crane wrote The Red Badge of Courage in 1895, it met immediate wide popularity. Others had written of gallantry, of glory, and grand strategy; but what Crane’s readers found was the simple human tale of a young recruit, bewildered by the mad pattern of battle, often weary and frequently afraid. It was in effect a truth about war – and about men – which old soldiers might tell, but which was seldom set down in books. 

Stephen Crane was born in Newark, NJ, in 1871, and died in 1900. He was 25 when he wrote The Red Badge of Courage, and the war he told about had been over before his birth. But veterans praised his book’s accuracy – because he had listened to their talk and understood their feelings.

I do recommend this book. It’s well written and makes you think. I really enjoyed reading it.