Well, this is another one of my English essays. As you can see, the title is "An Interesting Person that I Chanced Upon." When teach gave out the title, the whole class, me included, was stumped on what to write about. I mean, how do you define interesting? Spent ages thinking about it, and finally got the inspiration (after many failed attempts) on the day before the due date that got me an "Interesting and Well Written" comment from my teach. Without further ado, here we go.
_______________________________
An Interesting Person that I Chanced Upon
The train was about to pull away when I managed to slip in through the closing doors. Breathless from the run, I looked around the compartment, and managed to find a seat in the midst of the morning crowd. I hurried to claim it before anyone else did,
Leaning back, I said a silent prayer of relief. An aspiring author, I had been so engrossed typing away at my computer that I almost forgotten about the outing to the Paramore concert with my friends. As usual, I'd left things till the eleventh hour so I was in a bit of a rush as I hurriedly grabbed my bag and my new Canon camera, running all the way to the subway.
As I caught my breath, I glanced around me. A couple of men in suits, several old ladies gossiping over the latest episode of the Martha Stewart show...and her.
I narrowed my eyes. She looked to be thirteen or so, with brilliant auburn hair and sparkling blue eyes. Her legs were crossed, and she was looking out of the window in a dreamy stare. Sunbeams poured into the window and onto her hair, causing it to shimmer in a mystical sort of way. Unable to resist, I lifted my Canon camera, and silently took several frames. She didn't appear to notice, still lost in her thoughts.
Shifting in my seat, I tried to observe her as surreptitously as I could. There was something about her that kept drawing my eyes to her. My gaze dropped to the literature book on her lap, and I smiled silently. I was already starting a new story in my head, of a young girl with the fresh look of a model and the intellect of a college student.
As if feeling my stare, the girl turned around, looking at me squarely in the face. Just as I thought up several plausible excuses that could explain why I was staring at her ("Oh, no. I was just admiring the view.") she leaned forward and flashed a smile. 'Hi. I'm Lauren.'
A little relieved, I relaxed and introduced myself. When she learnt of my dreams to be an author, she grinned delightedly. It seemed that Lauren was also a fan of the action/adventure genre that I wrote about. Her pleasure increased when I informed her that I planned to use her as a muse for the main character in a story, if she didn't mind. She didn't.
Whipping out my notebook, I took down notes as Lauren spoke of her life. I was surprised to learn that she was confirmed to have an IQ of 177, and that, despite being thirteen, she was already in high school instead of junior high. Then again, maybe I wasn't so surprised after all. She did strike me as a smart type.
My conversation with Lauren was, to describe it in one word, fun. We spoke about everything, and Lauren gave me her views on various aspects. I found her to be a strong-willed and indepedant thinker, with a strong belief in the fact that she needed to make a significant difference in the world. I recalled knowing about a word used to describe people like these, but at that moment, I couldn't remember. I made a mental note to check it up later.
The train slowed to a stop. Lauren and I got up, walking out of the subway and up the escalators together until she turned left at a crossroad. There, we said our goodbyes, me promising to finish my novel, and she promising to read it when it came out. I stood where I was, watching as Lauren disappeared into the crow. At that moment, I smiled. Although our paths would never cross again, I would always remember Lauren as an interesting person that I chanced upon.
Trotting down the road to where my friends were supposed to wait for me to arrive, I stopped at a magazine stall to pick up a copy of Galaxie. Thumbing through the pages, I caught sight of a particular article. It was about my favourite actress Keira Knightley, but it was the background colour that caught my eye. It was a deep shade of indigo, and suddenly I realized who Lauren was.
An indigo child. I chuckled quietly to myself. Well, fancy that.
Sunday 19 April 2009
Friday 17 April 2009
Your Eyes
Your Eyes by Alexz Johnson
* Favourite sentences highlighted in red
* Particular favourites in blue
If I was drowning in the sea
Would you dive right in and save me?
If I was falling like a star
Would you be right there and catch me?
If I was dreaming of your kiss
Would you look right through me?
On the street I'm waiting
In my heart it's raining
Your eyes are holding up the sky
Your eyes make me weak I don't know why
Your eyes make me scared to tell the truth
I thought my heart was bulletproof
Now I'm dancing on the roof
And everybody knows I'm into you
If my heart was sadder than a song
Would you still listen?
If my tears fell on you, one by one
Would you see them glisten?
On the street I'm waiting
In my heart it's raining
Your eyes are holding up the sky
Your eyes make me weak I don't know why
Your eyes make me scared to tell the truth
I thought my heart was bullet-proof
Now I'm just dancing on the roof
Every single thing you say makes me want to run away
Sometimes love's a rainy day but life goes on
Your eyes are holding up the sky
Your eyes make me weak I don't know why
Your eyes make me scared to tell the truth
I thought my heart was bulletproof
Now I'm dancing on the roof
And everybody knows I'm into you
* Favourite sentences highlighted in red
* Particular favourites in blue
If I was drowning in the sea
Would you dive right in and save me?
If I was falling like a star
Would you be right there and catch me?
If I was dreaming of your kiss
Would you look right through me?
On the street I'm waiting
In my heart it's raining
Your eyes are holding up the sky
Your eyes make me weak I don't know why
Your eyes make me scared to tell the truth
I thought my heart was bulletproof
Now I'm dancing on the roof
And everybody knows I'm into you
If my heart was sadder than a song
Would you still listen?
If my tears fell on you, one by one
Would you see them glisten?
On the street I'm waiting
In my heart it's raining
Your eyes are holding up the sky
Your eyes make me weak I don't know why
Your eyes make me scared to tell the truth
I thought my heart was bullet-proof
Now I'm just dancing on the roof
Every single thing you say makes me want to run away
Sometimes love's a rainy day but life goes on
Your eyes are holding up the sky
Your eyes make me weak I don't know why
Your eyes make me scared to tell the truth
I thought my heart was bulletproof
Now I'm dancing on the roof
And everybody knows I'm into you
Tuesday 14 April 2009
Perhaps
Perhaps I should let you go....
Perhaps I should just forget about you...
The thing is,
I'm not sure I can.
Perhaps I should just forget about you...
The thing is,
I'm not sure I can.
What Can I Do?
Should I let my heart break
just to hear an answer....
You tell me.
just to hear an answer....
Or should I be left to wonder
until I lose my sanity?
You tell me.
Sunday 5 April 2009
The Happiest Day of My Life
Okay guys. I wrote this essay for my 2008 English paper and I got 50/50 for this one. The question was to write an essay ending with the sentence "It was the happiest day of my life". Most of my friends (males included) wrote about their wedding day, the day when their boyfriend proposed to them and all that, but I decided to go out of the box on this one.
I hope you'll enjoy it and give me feedback because I really love this story. It kind of represents everything I believe in and love, and this is by far, one of the best stories I have ever written under pressure. It may not be very good because I was under pressure but I am very proud of it. So, here we go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elle was always fascinated with legends and stories. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. They held a certain charm for her, a certain kind of something that attracted her to them so much. She was thrilled with the idea of wielding a sword, and was so impressed with the way Lizzy Bennet spoke, full of wit and mordant mischievousness. If only she could be just like them...
Well, if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride, and all that. It was nearing Christmas, and the atmosphere was mellow, yet Elle could not tear herself away from watching Pride and Prejudice for the thousandth time. She especially loved how endearing and saucy Keira Knightley acted in the movie. That woman could shoot comebacks faster than anyone she knew! Of course, all thanks to the scriptwriter (not to mention Miss Jane Austen), but what's the point of a script if you didn't have the right actress for the job?
At that moment, her good friend, Tim, entered her room. Tim knew of her obsession ("I'm fascinated, not obsessed!"), and thankfully, he never laughed at how naïve she was, to believe in the whole "happily ever after" thing. Just as the screen showed Elle's favourite part, where Lizzy and Darcy were engaged in a battle of wits whilst dancing, Tim spoke, 'The stuff legends are made of.'
Slightly annoyed, Elle turned to him. 'You've lost me completely,' she said bluntly. Tim was smiling, a secretive sort of smile. 'What if I told you, I could bring you back to the times of King Arthur and Elizabeth Bennet? Well, not exactly them,' he corrected. 'But something like it.'
That was a sure way to get her attention. 'I'm listening.'
'Let's say there's an alternate universe were stories come to life,' Tim began. 'Where 24 hours here can mean days, weeks, or even years in the Other Realm. If I could bring you there, what would you do?'
Elle answered without hesitating. 'I'd live the life I've always wanted.'
'So be it.' Tim said, smiling gently. '24 hours of our time. Use it well.'
When Elle opened her eyes again, her bedroom was gone. It was replaced by a grassy plain, and a horse nickered at her. Then she heard a shout. Looking up sharply, she saw a band of warriors riding towards her. Right behind them were several youths on horses as well. She squinted her eyes and saw an army of soldiers all lined up beyond them.
'Elle,' one of the warriors shouted when he came within distance. 'Get on your horse! The Saxons are attacking the wall.'
What wall? Elle thought, bemused, when she looked past the army and noticed a large structure to her right. Her eyes widened. Not the Hadrian's Wall?
'Come on, Elle,' the warrior said indignantly, his sword in his hand. 'Do you not hear the drums?'
Snapping out of her reverie, Ells mounted her horse clumsily, noting that the warrior who'd called out to her resembled Tim somehow. As she rode towards the knights, she saw the Saxon army, marching forward steadily, swords drawn.
Without thinking, Elle's hand reached for the quiver at her back. Pulling out an arrow, she notched it to the string of her bow, aimed, and let it fly. It killed a Saxon soldier. She blinked when she realized what she'd done, but there was no time to worry about that now. The knights had drawn their swords, while the youths behind them (squires, she supposed) were shooting arrows at the Saxons.
One of the warriors, a man with dark hair and brown eyes, held up his sword high as he let out a loud battle cry. With a start, Elle realized it was the Excalibur. Yes, there it was. Defender of the Kingdom, etched onto the blade. This guy had to be Arthur.
Another blink of bemusement. When did she learnt to read Latin?
Arthur was speaking to the knight who'd called out Elle's name. 'On my mark, Tadhg.'
Tadhg nodded grimly, his bow at the ready. Elle readied her bow as well, the squires following suit. When Arthur let out a yell, they all loosened their arrows, kicking their horses in the flanks to join the rest of the knights and the cavalry who were charging towards the Saxons.
Elle's fingers let fly arrow after arrow, until she came within distance of the Saxon army. There, she stashed her bow and drew her sword instead, a long hand-and-a-half weapon that gleamed in the light, clanging as she crossed blades with a Saxon.
Her opponent was taller and bigger, but being more nimble, she had the advantage. Ducking as his sword swept over her head, Elle tried to remember everything she knew about swordfighting from books and movies. As the Saxon swept the blade over her head again, she reached out with her sword and managed to slice his feet. He went down.
That actually worked, Elle thought in victory. Then she grimaced. One down, many more to go. She singled out an opponent again, but this time, she tripped a rock, knocking the sword out of her hand. The Saxon kept advancing. Yep, she was going to die. She shut her eyes, awaiting the blow.
It never came. Cracking an eye open, she saw Tadhg striking the Saxon with a blow from his sword. He helped her up, giving her her sword back.
A couple of months passed after the Battle at Hadrian's Wall. During that time, Elle refined her technique with the bow and the sword, all thanks to Tadhg, whom she was steadily growing fond of. She was practicing her backswing when she heard someone call out her name. Her grip on her sword tightened, and she swung around, not expecting to see her best friend's face.
Tim smiled at her. 'How was your trip?' he asked politely. Blinking, Elle looked around. Yep, she was back in her room. She checked the clock. Exactly 24 hours had passed. It was as if she'd never left. She wondered how Tim managed to keep it from their parents. The only reminder that it actually existed, that it wasn't just a dream, was the sword in her hand.
Laughing, Elle proceeded to tell Tim everything. She even mentioned how much Tadhg looked so much like Tim. Then she stopped short, noticing him smile. And everything clicked into place, like pieces of a puzzle coming together.
Tadhg was the Irish form of Tim.
Gosh, so Tim had been there all the time? And to think she was almost falling for him! Oh, the embarassment!
As though understanding her thoughts, Tim chuckled again. 'I hope you liked your Christmas present,' he added, as he left the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Quietly, she thought back to her first battle against the Saxons. To how the knights were oh-so-protective of her. Of how they were her family away from home. Taking into consideration how one day here meant a whole different lifetime for her over there, Elle grinned down at the sword in her hand and whispered to herself.
'It was the happiest day of my life.'
I hope you'll enjoy it and give me feedback because I really love this story. It kind of represents everything I believe in and love, and this is by far, one of the best stories I have ever written under pressure. It may not be very good because I was under pressure but I am very proud of it. So, here we go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elle was always fascinated with legends and stories. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. They held a certain charm for her, a certain kind of something that attracted her to them so much. She was thrilled with the idea of wielding a sword, and was so impressed with the way Lizzy Bennet spoke, full of wit and mordant mischievousness. If only she could be just like them...
Well, if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride, and all that. It was nearing Christmas, and the atmosphere was mellow, yet Elle could not tear herself away from watching Pride and Prejudice for the thousandth time. She especially loved how endearing and saucy Keira Knightley acted in the movie. That woman could shoot comebacks faster than anyone she knew! Of course, all thanks to the scriptwriter (not to mention Miss Jane Austen), but what's the point of a script if you didn't have the right actress for the job?
At that moment, her good friend, Tim, entered her room. Tim knew of her obsession ("I'm fascinated, not obsessed!"), and thankfully, he never laughed at how naïve she was, to believe in the whole "happily ever after" thing. Just as the screen showed Elle's favourite part, where Lizzy and Darcy were engaged in a battle of wits whilst dancing, Tim spoke, 'The stuff legends are made of.'
Slightly annoyed, Elle turned to him. 'You've lost me completely,' she said bluntly. Tim was smiling, a secretive sort of smile. 'What if I told you, I could bring you back to the times of King Arthur and Elizabeth Bennet? Well, not exactly them,' he corrected. 'But something like it.'
That was a sure way to get her attention. 'I'm listening.'
'Let's say there's an alternate universe were stories come to life,' Tim began. 'Where 24 hours here can mean days, weeks, or even years in the Other Realm. If I could bring you there, what would you do?'
Elle answered without hesitating. 'I'd live the life I've always wanted.'
'So be it.' Tim said, smiling gently. '24 hours of our time. Use it well.'
When Elle opened her eyes again, her bedroom was gone. It was replaced by a grassy plain, and a horse nickered at her. Then she heard a shout. Looking up sharply, she saw a band of warriors riding towards her. Right behind them were several youths on horses as well. She squinted her eyes and saw an army of soldiers all lined up beyond them.
'Elle,' one of the warriors shouted when he came within distance. 'Get on your horse! The Saxons are attacking the wall.'
What wall? Elle thought, bemused, when she looked past the army and noticed a large structure to her right. Her eyes widened. Not the Hadrian's Wall?
'Come on, Elle,' the warrior said indignantly, his sword in his hand. 'Do you not hear the drums?'
Snapping out of her reverie, Ells mounted her horse clumsily, noting that the warrior who'd called out to her resembled Tim somehow. As she rode towards the knights, she saw the Saxon army, marching forward steadily, swords drawn.
Without thinking, Elle's hand reached for the quiver at her back. Pulling out an arrow, she notched it to the string of her bow, aimed, and let it fly. It killed a Saxon soldier. She blinked when she realized what she'd done, but there was no time to worry about that now. The knights had drawn their swords, while the youths behind them (squires, she supposed) were shooting arrows at the Saxons.
One of the warriors, a man with dark hair and brown eyes, held up his sword high as he let out a loud battle cry. With a start, Elle realized it was the Excalibur. Yes, there it was. Defender of the Kingdom, etched onto the blade. This guy had to be Arthur.
Another blink of bemusement. When did she learnt to read Latin?
Arthur was speaking to the knight who'd called out Elle's name. 'On my mark, Tadhg.'
Tadhg nodded grimly, his bow at the ready. Elle readied her bow as well, the squires following suit. When Arthur let out a yell, they all loosened their arrows, kicking their horses in the flanks to join the rest of the knights and the cavalry who were charging towards the Saxons.
Elle's fingers let fly arrow after arrow, until she came within distance of the Saxon army. There, she stashed her bow and drew her sword instead, a long hand-and-a-half weapon that gleamed in the light, clanging as she crossed blades with a Saxon.
Her opponent was taller and bigger, but being more nimble, she had the advantage. Ducking as his sword swept over her head, Elle tried to remember everything she knew about swordfighting from books and movies. As the Saxon swept the blade over her head again, she reached out with her sword and managed to slice his feet. He went down.
That actually worked, Elle thought in victory. Then she grimaced. One down, many more to go. She singled out an opponent again, but this time, she tripped a rock, knocking the sword out of her hand. The Saxon kept advancing. Yep, she was going to die. She shut her eyes, awaiting the blow.
It never came. Cracking an eye open, she saw Tadhg striking the Saxon with a blow from his sword. He helped her up, giving her her sword back.
A couple of months passed after the Battle at Hadrian's Wall. During that time, Elle refined her technique with the bow and the sword, all thanks to Tadhg, whom she was steadily growing fond of. She was practicing her backswing when she heard someone call out her name. Her grip on her sword tightened, and she swung around, not expecting to see her best friend's face.
Tim smiled at her. 'How was your trip?' he asked politely. Blinking, Elle looked around. Yep, she was back in her room. She checked the clock. Exactly 24 hours had passed. It was as if she'd never left. She wondered how Tim managed to keep it from their parents. The only reminder that it actually existed, that it wasn't just a dream, was the sword in her hand.
Laughing, Elle proceeded to tell Tim everything. She even mentioned how much Tadhg looked so much like Tim. Then she stopped short, noticing him smile. And everything clicked into place, like pieces of a puzzle coming together.
Tadhg was the Irish form of Tim.
Gosh, so Tim had been there all the time? And to think she was almost falling for him! Oh, the embarassment!
As though understanding her thoughts, Tim chuckled again. 'I hope you liked your Christmas present,' he added, as he left the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Quietly, she thought back to her first battle against the Saxons. To how the knights were oh-so-protective of her. Of how they were her family away from home. Taking into consideration how one day here meant a whole different lifetime for her over there, Elle grinned down at the sword in her hand and whispered to herself.
'It was the happiest day of my life.'
Wednesday 1 April 2009
Favourite Song Lyrics
You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first, I loved you first
Beneath the sheet of paper lies my truth
I have to go, I have to go
Your hair was long when we first met
Samson went back to bed
Not much hair upon his head
Ate a slice of wonderbread
And went right back to bed
The history books forgot about us
And the bible didn't mention us
Yeah the bible didn't mention us
Not even once
~Samson, Regina Spektor
Am I faithful, am I strong, am I good enough to belong
In your reverie a perfect girl
Your vision of romance is cruel and all along I played the fool
All your expectations bury me
[Chorus]
Don't worry you will find the answer if you let it go
Give yourself some time to falter
But don't forgo know that you're loved no matter what
And everything will come around in time
I own my insecurities
I try to own my destiny
That I can make or break it if I choose
But you take my words and twist them 'round
Til I'm the one who brings you down
Make me feel like I'm the one to blame for all of this...
The riot in my heart decides to keep me open and alive
I have to take myself away from you
'Cause I can't compete I can't deny there's nothing that I didn't try
How did I go wrong in loving you
~Perfect Girl, Sarah McLachlan
Never stop hoping,
Need to know where you are
But one thing's for sure,
You're always in my heart
I'll find you somewhere
I'll keep on trying until my dying day
I just need to know whatever has happened,
The truth will free my soul
~Somewhere, Within Temptation
Was it all a big mistake
And if it was it's much too late to undo
And I don't really want to
~Temporary Insanity, Alexz Johnson
Heaven bent to take my hand
And lead me through the fire
Be the long awaited answer
To a long and painful fight
Truth be told I've tried my best
But somewhere along the way
I got caught up in all there was to offer
And the cost was so much more than I could bear
~Fallen, Sarah McLachlan
I loved you first, I loved you first
Beneath the sheet of paper lies my truth
I have to go, I have to go
Your hair was long when we first met
Samson went back to bed
Not much hair upon his head
Ate a slice of wonderbread
And went right back to bed
The history books forgot about us
And the bible didn't mention us
Yeah the bible didn't mention us
Not even once
~Samson, Regina Spektor
Am I faithful, am I strong, am I good enough to belong
In your reverie a perfect girl
Your vision of romance is cruel and all along I played the fool
All your expectations bury me
[Chorus]
Don't worry you will find the answer if you let it go
Give yourself some time to falter
But don't forgo know that you're loved no matter what
And everything will come around in time
I own my insecurities
I try to own my destiny
That I can make or break it if I choose
But you take my words and twist them 'round
Til I'm the one who brings you down
Make me feel like I'm the one to blame for all of this...
The riot in my heart decides to keep me open and alive
I have to take myself away from you
'Cause I can't compete I can't deny there's nothing that I didn't try
How did I go wrong in loving you
~Perfect Girl, Sarah McLachlan
Never stop hoping,
Need to know where you are
But one thing's for sure,
You're always in my heart
I'll find you somewhere
I'll keep on trying until my dying day
I just need to know whatever has happened,
The truth will free my soul
~Somewhere, Within Temptation
Was it all a big mistake
And if it was it's much too late to undo
And I don't really want to
~Temporary Insanity, Alexz Johnson
Heaven bent to take my hand
And lead me through the fire
Be the long awaited answer
To a long and painful fight
Truth be told I've tried my best
But somewhere along the way
I got caught up in all there was to offer
And the cost was so much more than I could bear
~Fallen, Sarah McLachlan
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