Inconsistant Rambling

Good afternoon, people. Do you consider 4 pm the afternoon? Well either way, I've just called it that. I've never been one for good mornings, so this is as good as it's going to get. Remember last week when I said I would post on Tuesdays? Yeah, well here it is, Saturday and all and not a post in sight this last Tuesday. Things happen, lives get occupied and here I am not posting on a Tuesday. Just a bit of casual spontaneity I like to throw in. 

OH! Update on the girl I spoke of last week as well with EDS. She responded to my message telling me how much that meant to her which made me immensely happy. I just really wanted her to know that I care. She's been posting lately though that she not only feels really sick, but she looks really sick as well. The disease is "reaching her eyes" making them cloudy, and she's been back in for some treatment. Another quick jerk on her roller coaster that I wasn't expecting, yet in all reality should see coming. I know she's sick and things are slightly plateauing at a low point right now, but she seems so positive in her words that you tend to forget that she's in pain, making it come as a shock. Hopefully things will be looking up soon.

So last week I promised that I would discuss one of my favorite pass times: YouTube. But I'm just not feeling passionate about it today and to write about it would be a travesty because my heart would not be found amongst the words. I know you're thinking, "Why would she be so passionate about a social media site?" I'll have to explain it another time, but I'll give you an into. YouTube is a site where, through the right people and topics that you genuinely care about, people can connect, share ideas, and accomplish amazing things. It's amazing to see what people are capable of. 

In other news, New York is DAYS away and that's basically all that's been on my mind. I've even taken the time to mark the places out where I'm visiting on this ginormous map of mine. Not that I'll be using it, I just really enjoy getting in the mind set of my next adventure. 

The city that never sleeps. A place for my other third (a third being myself, and another third being the Belle that lives in London mentally) being I would sleep for twelve hours every night if possible. I'm going with awesome people, so I doubt sleep will even be a possibility (maybe just a little). I've decided to do just one big grand master post the following Tuesday of my trip to maximize my time spent doing fun things and not just trying to put my words together on a laptop in a hotel room. I hope that's okay. To make up for it, there will be many epic photos to post. 

(Side note: I'm listening to Arctic Monkey's album on Spotify at moment, and it's pretty good chill music. It'll take me a couple more listens before I'm completely obsessed. End of side note)

Last Sunday was Eater and a beautiful day. It was spent by church in the morning followed by playing basketball in a dress (the only time you'll find me wearing a dress), an amazing Easter lunch, a scavenger hunt planned by yours truly, and extremely fast rides on a four wheeler in the woods. These were some of the photos taken that day. 

This one I instructed my cousin to take of me because it was a cool empty street. The usual.

And this was exploring the woods. 

The rest of the week to follow was pretty uneventful, so I hope yours was a lot more interesting! Until next time, peace out, enjoy life, live the adventure. Boom.

-Belle xx

Tomorrow's Cannot Last for an Eternity

So I've come to the conclusion that I primarily post a blurb of my mind on Tuesdays (excusing last Tuesday because it completely slipped my mind and frankly nothing exciting has been taking place). Tuesdays shall be the day to blog, I guess. But as I've been mentioning, my trip to New York is coming up VERY soon and I couldn't be more excited to get away for a bit. I'm contemplating posting a summary of my day both for my memories sake and so I don't end up with one huge post at the end, but I'm still undecided. If anyone is reading this and has a suggestion, feel free to comment below. 

This may sound strange, but I can't decide if I want to discuss Youtubers or Cancer. I know, two very different topics. I was planning on talking about Youtube and such today, but The Fault In Our Stars community has just started this site called Hearts4Hazel where you can go and share experiences you've had with the deadly disease or just how the book itself has impacted you. I think it's a lovely way to bring a group of people together and to hop on that roller coaster that doesn't always just go up...

I read a post on the site that was written by a girl very close to my age with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which in short makes your joints extremely loose, easily damaged blood vessels, and it causes immense pain in general. I couldn't help but think how easily anyone could contract a disease such as that at any moment of their life. I wrote her a short message about how no one should have to experience such a horrid event and how she was an inspiration, but does any of that really matter? I'm sure she's heard it all before, that things will get better, how she's so brave. But when you're the one that's been lying on deaths door at one point in your life or another, I'm sure you don't feel so brave. 

She's very thoughtful for her age. I don't understand why horrible things have to happen to lovely people, but I'm sure we'll never know. But now after scrolling through her own personal blog, I feel as though I know her. That I've now stepped onto her roller coaster as well, but I don't know if I can handle the whole ride.  Just thinking about the future when her posts may come to a halt for she may  be unable to go on, that makes me quite sick, and I don't have any connection to her whatsoever. I couldn't imagine what it must feel like to be in her place. I wouldn't wish cancer on my worst enemy. 

Although, I do feel blessed in a way though to stumble upon her blog. Even if the future does scare me, she's handling it quite well herself. She's able to search for hope in places where it seems to be nonexistent and I find that to be such a beautiful outlook on life. I just want to help in some way, shape, or form, but I don't know how that's accomplishable. I'd rather go small scale to get more personal, but I could understand why people are more willing to help out the big picture which would be donating money for research. There's no attachment involved, no personal connection, no heart break, no loses in the long run. I want that personal connection. I want to directly communicate with someone and help them get through difficulties they stumble upon, but maybe I'm just being selfish about this. You can't be a superhero without a little heartbreak every now and again, and not everyone can save the world. 

This was a downer post, but I'm feeling like a downer at the moment after reading about someone that I can't help myself. Like I said, it's her roller coaster and I've just joined for the rest of the ride. Maybe we'll get around to those Youtubers of mine next week. I promise, okay? Okay. 

I want to leave you guys with a song called 'I Can Lift a Car' by the band Walk the Moon. They've touched my heart and hopefully they will touch yours as well. This song reminds you that if you've been having a hard time recently, it will get better. That you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. Including lifting up that metaphorical car of yours. 

-Belle xx

Creativity Lies In Those Who Search For It

I've decided to quit blogging and move to England where I shall buy a double decker bus and travel around in my living home and experiencing life for what it truly is. 

April Fools. But wouldn't that be epic in itself? Actually a Youtuber that I've been following for a while now named Louis Cole or his channel name 'Fun for Louis' has done that and is basically a nomad that lives the life that many dream about living. So cheers to you, Louis. 

Back to my week. So, I've been posting art that I've been working on or have completed on these last few posts, so I thought why not make it a thing to do?

I was inspired by this pin that I got a few years back in Disney World, which is the Grape Soda pin from Pixar's movie Up and so I did a little doodle with the new colored pencils that I got. By the way, those colored pencils are SO AMAZING and they draw so smoothly and 10/10 Belles' would recommend them. Hopefully I'll be extending my pencil collection soon. 

Here's the Up sketch:

Which brings me to my next point: The State Art Show. 

So, to begin, I feel as though I was misinformed by Manders (art instructor) about how this all was going to go down. 

He chose to enter my watercolor piece, which was the pier with the lighthouse at the end that I put on the post a couple back. That, as I said, was my first water color. Now should I have put in my first watercolor painting into a state art show? Probably not...

I would have much rather put my railroad track painting in, but we never really sat down to discuss this.  Second is, they not only graded your work, but they also put in a score for the artist statement I was told I had to do. I was not told that it had any relevance to the grading process. If I would have known, I would have at least attempted to make it a little deep and personal. Not just general information. 

Long story short, I pretty much received a participation award. Some people that received 'Superior' awards, in my opinion, didn't deserve them. And you could easily see some favoritism being played between the people that were called up and exchanged a couple words with the judges. 

But, it was a good learning experience and next year I'll at least know what I'm up against. No hard feelings. Everyones a critic after all. While I was at this high school though (which is actually a legit art school with regular classes and everything, but there are more art classes, everyone's art driven, and there's epic work everywhere) ((my dream)), I saw this charcoal drawing that was HUGE and I'm so in love with it. That's the awesome power of charcoal, though. 

I need to challenge myself to go big or go home because damn, people are wicked talented in this world. 

Otherwise, this weekend and the beginning of this week has been pretty chill and consisted of trips to beloved Italian restaurants, biking to Starbucks, attempting to tan in glorious 50 degree weather, staying up with awesometastic people to a time that normal folks would be getting up to live their lives, movie nights, card board cutouts of Niall Horan, and Youtube marathons. So pretty much perfection. 

In other news, my photography game has been on point these last two days (man, that sounded slightly conceited. I'm really sorry). So yes, I also take pictures, and these have been two shots I took over the last two days. 

The top one is my eye and the bottom one is my friends sister who graciously said yes to modeling for a photograph because she's amazingly flexible. 

I hope all of your week's have been equally as relaxing and happy April. Make it a great one. 

-Belle xx