Oz: The Little Known Facts

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Many people are familiar with the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz , starring Judy Garland. However, what a majority of people don't know is that the movie was based on a book written by Frank L. Baum  called The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In fact, Baum wrote an entire series of books after his fans sent in mail asking for more. The series is mainly focused around Dorothy and her adventures in Oz, however she doesn't appear in every book. In fact, the second book of the series, The Marvelous Land of Oz, doesn't include Dorothy at all. Rather, it introduces new characters to the series, such as Ozma of Oz, and Jack Pumpkinhead.

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The series itself features a wide range of characters from all over Oz. A little known fact is that Oz is actually divided into four countries, with the Emerald City in the middle. Each "country" has a specific color and leader who rules under the authority of Princess Ozma. They are:
Munchkin Country- Blue- East- Previously ruled by the Wicked Witch of the East, now ruled by a nameless munchkin king
Winkie Country -Yellow -West- Previously ruled by the Wicked Witch of the West, now governed by the Tin Woodman
Gillikan Country- Purple- North- ruled by the Good Witch of the North
Quadling Country- Red- South- ruled by Glinda (the Good Witch of the North)

Another little known fact is that the ruby slippers were actually silver in the books. Dorothy couldn't return to Oz  at first because she lost them in the Deadly Desert surrounding Oz (but is able to return with the aid of various magical objects and happenings).
One reason why I appreciate the books is that they provide a lot more information than the movie does, as book normally do. I was really intrigued to find out about the history of the flying monkeys, and the history of Oz itself.
The movies left a lot of unanswered questions, which I was interested research, which led to my initial discovery of the original series. However, I widened my search a little more and found some great spin off titles:

 Wicked by Gregory Maguire
This book is tells the story of The Wizard of Oz from the witch's point of view, in addition to adding more background information to the original Oz books.
The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls by Elise Primavera
This book is a juvenile fiction, but is still an excellent plot by my standards. Though the story isn't really based on Oz itself, it references the main series many times during story.

I would recommend any Oz book to anyone who doesn't mind wisdom in simplicity. More often than not, people look over important lesson in books simply because they are for children. I completely disagree. Some of the best things I learned were from children's books. So, if you are the kind of person waiting for a heavy dose of nostalgia with a side of insight, I strongly suggest checking these books out.

Coincidence

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“It's hard to believe in coincidence, but it's even harder to believe in anything else.” ― John Green, Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Coincidence is such a funny thing. Dictionary.com describes coincidence as "a striking occurrence of two or more events at one time,apparently by mere chance". However, if you were to ask a religious person, they would argue that coincidence is divine intervention. Other people think that there is no such thing as coincidence. 

Some people think coincidence is more of a science, because of statistical data in which the concept can be explained. However according to Guy Lown, author of The Philosophy of Coincidence, coincidence is comprised of patterns, and the human desire to be in control. He argues that science cannot accurately measure coincidence because science is driven by it. "But does this lack of scientific proof mean that coincidences cannot be meaningful? (Lown)
One of the most important question brought to attention by the article was "Why do we need to explain why coincidences occur? (Lown)" One of the things about coincidences is that they are (for the most part) unrepeatable. But, one of the things that  make coincidences interesting is that something unexpected happens. For instance, if one were selling a car and hoped "I sure wish someone in need could use this car", then someone with a need for a car called, one would say "what a coincidence". Some would argue that coincidences don't exist at all, and rather the "universe" is willing said thing to happen, or that it is destiny, and couldn't be changed. As for me, I think that everything happens for a reason, yet it is a nice surprise when something amazingly unexpected happens. I don't think it's necessarily fated to occur, as I believe we are defined by our choices as that happen. In my opinion, it is important to note said coincidences as they occur, but not to read into them too much. If one looks for coincidences all the time, they lose their magic.
*I leave you with one last dose of  hilarity*

Review of Owl City's Midsummer Station Album

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Overall, I think that Owl City (Adam Young) has changed his sound to a more pop like sound, rather than mainly electronic like before, to appeal to a wider audience. I enjoyed his previous style, but I'm not sure how I feel about his new music. However, I recommend listening to the album because the songs are upbeat and relate-able.

1. Dreams and Disasters
- In my opinion, the song relates to chasing your dreams,and making the best of the situation, no matter what may happen along the way, despite the disasters.
2. Shooting Star
- This song is similar to Katy Perry's song Firework. It inspires the listener to be themselves regardless of how people tell them to act. It differs from most "mainstream" music in that it carries a heartfelt message, making it one of my favorite songs on the CD.
3. Gold
-This song is one of the few love songs on the album, but it is a more sentimental song. It doesn't necessarily imply a romantic relationship because it could easily relate to a friend or family member.
4. Dementia
This song is more of a rock song rather than an electronic sound, but it has a good beat. It's the kind of song that is meant to show admiration toward another person. I like the song, but it's a bit repetitive.
5. I'm Coming After You
With a few lyrical references to a sort of cop and robber-esque sense to them, this song is about chasing after someone that you fancy. In my opinion, this song is more like Owl City's previous songs than the others on the album. It has funny lyrics and a cute sound.
6.  The Speed of Love
I really like the beat. The fast pace immediately dubs it a "dance song" to me. It doesn't carry a serious message like the first few songs, but rather relates to the previous song in that it's a lighthearted fun song.
7. Good Time
Interestingly, this song came out in July (before all other songs on the album) because it is a summer song. The pairing with Carly Rae Jepson is interesting, but it fits the song well; their voices blend well together.
8. Embers
This is one of my favorite songs on the album because I really like the sound and the message. The lyrics are cleverly referenced to fire, which ties in well with the message of struggling to become noticed/ important, and keeping the dream alive.
9. Sillhoutte
This is my favorite song on the CD. It references the song before it (Embers) in a clever way. It sounds a lot like another owl city song called Vanilla Twilight. It's a beautiful song that I can relate to. It captures the feeling of loneliness and heartbreak, without being depressing. It's the kind of song that makes you think, while appreciating the beautiful music.
10. Metropolis
I love the violin accompaniment, as well as the Superman references. The message of the song is about having to leave someone you love behind, but promising to return to them.
11. Take It All Away 
The bass fits the song really well as well as the clapping, and gives it a good beat. The song is about rejection, and wanting to forget.
12. Bombshell Blonde
This song is funny because of the lyrics. There are several references to James Bond. The song is basically about a "dangerous" woman...this is not one of the songs I enjoy, but it's still nice.

These are my personal opinions, so I hope that they don't influence yours. I recommend the CD to anyone who likes electronic/ pop songs or good music in general (haha I'm so funny).
Owl City Music (there's a game)
About Owl City

How J.K. Rowling Shaped My Life

Ever since I was little, I've been an extensive reader. I learned how to read in preschool, and from then on I grew as a reader. By the time I was in kindergarten I could read on a second grade level. By the time I was in second grade, I could read on a fifth grade level. One of the series I remember reading in second grade was Harry Potter. I heard from all the other kids how amazing it was, and not wanting to miss out on any fun, I decided to try them out for myself. I immediately fell head over heels in love with them. The way J.K. Rowling writes is like she is opening a door into her own world, and inviting you in for a visit, or for me, more like permanent residence. For example, every time I read about Harry returning to the castle and walking around the corridors, it felt like home.
(picture source here)
After reading the books, I felt like I viewed life in a different way. I could not only make infinite jokes and references to the books, but I also felt like Ms. Rowling gave a piece of her characters to me. I'd like to think that the reason I actually began to care about school when I was younger was because of the studious nature of Hermionie Granger, who I really look up to because of her brains. I really likes the values of the Ravenclaw House (one of the four student divisions).  She proved to me that you can get out of almost any situation if you are mentally prepared for it. Ms.Rowling also showed me that greatness is inside everyone. She didn't let the rough patches of her life, such as her divorce or money troubles,  stop her from creating arguably one of the most influential young adult fiction series.
One of the amazing things about the series is that it is so easy to make friends with people who have already read the books because you can easily relate to them due to feelings experienced through the books. Many of my friendships today were formed because of common interests like Harry PotterShe proved to me that when everything seems to go wrong all at one time, it's important to keep moving forward, and channel those problems to create something extraordinary.
With over 375 million copies sold it's safe to say that the series is popular. However, with sites like pottermore.com the books can be taken to an entirely new level, which is nice for people who have already read the books, and are waiting for something new.

This biography of J.K. Rowling was crucial in the writing of this post.

Thoughts on Love

Today, I realized a few things about love. First, I discovered that when you fancy someone, you tend to romanticize them in your mind, and create a version of them that you'd imagine them to be. In your mind, they can do no wrong. They are always there for you, to comfort and support you, and they won't ever leave or hurt you. You can tell them anything, and they'll listen. That leads me to my second point. Why are we so afraid to let people to know how we feel? Humans spent over 2000 years (give or take a significant amount more depending on how you look at it) perfecting language. So when we have something important to say, why is it at that moment most of us are at a loss for words? Surely embarrassment can't be the only reason that holds our feelings back. Is it that we're so afraid of losing that person that you'd rather have a platonic relationship to keep everything like it is instead of chasing your dreams? Or do we fear rejection? Or looking like a fool?

I hate to break it to the people that think that way, but unfortunately, relationships commonly involve embarrassment, looking like a fool, and sometimes rejection. But love is risking these things in order to keep the dream alive.

But don't get me wrong. If you aren't in a relationship, don't rush into one. Goodness knows I haven't, and I turned out just fine. Quoting one of my favorite songs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5ZwnmJgC-g by Charlie McDonnell "I've never really been in love, and that is fine by me. I'll sit at home and refine the person I want to be. Because I’m still young and not prepared to waste my time..." I think these lines of the song capture how I feel almost perfectly. True, I have never been in love, and I'm not prepared to waste my time (not to mention I have quite a bit of maturing to do), but it's not okay with me. I might make jokes in person, but that doesn't mean that I'm not afraid of growing up and being alone. I have this stupid idea in my head that since no one has really shown interest in me, no one ever will, which is probably not true. However, there's nothing I can do to make this idea go away. Why is that? Because I'm silly and young, and I have no idea what I'm talking about.

Ponder this, dear readers.

If you like thinking about things like this, I suggest reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. I just finished, and I'm about to re-read it to make sure I soaked it all in. Warning: it contains some mature/ young adult content, but the deep philosophical meaning hidden within the pages is worth sifting through the vulgarity.

Jar of Stars

I recently got into the hobby of folding origami puffy stars.
 I read a beautiful comic on Tumblr by a user called strangelykatie, which you can read here (these are the different pages)
 http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyyf4nztDM1qbwqwto1_1280.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyyf4nztDM1qbwqwto2_1280.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyyf4nztDM1qbwqwto3_1280.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyyf4nztDM1qbwqwto4_1280.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyyf4nztDM1qbwqwto5_1280.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyyf4nztDM1qbwqwto6_1280.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyyf4nztDM1qbwqwto7_1280.jpg .
 It was really inspirational, which interested me in trying to fold the tiny paper stars. I've always been interested in origami, so I decided to try and find an instructional video on YouTube
  ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6MS4SAKOR0&feature=related).
After learning how to fold the stars, I found an old empty gelato container so they could be displayed.

I really enjoy the way I can fold them methodically, and clear my mind while I do something with my hands, not to mention they're cute really fun to make. If you enjoy this sort of thing, I would recommend.

Choosing a Name

Before I go into how exciting it is that I finally created a blog in print (even if it is for English 3), I would like to explain how I selected my blog title.
In the boundless frontier of electronic codes and moving electrons, I encountered a bit of a problem in finding a suitable name for my soon-to-be blog. Many of the names I tried were taken by people I didn't know. Despite my slight frustration at failing to find a title yet again, i felt a little proud that there are other people out there (in the world) that think like I do. Then I thought about the book I was reading (recreationally) at the time. In "The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green(http://www.youtube.com/user/vlogbrothers), he states (through the eyes of the narrator) that "Some infinities are bigger than other infinities". He then goes on to explain how there are infinite numbers between 0 and 1, such as .1, .11, .111 etc. However there are infinite numbers after 1 as well, so that some infinities can be lived in other infinites. I started to think about how most people think that an infinitiy spans a lifetime, and in some ways, they are right. An infinity for them last as long as their conciousness is concious. However, if you are looking at how long time lasts, our minds tend to wander into (you guessed it) infinite digits. Because so many people can view infinity in so many different ways, the interpretation is endless. But, some people can think alike, for instance when I was attempting to choose a title. So, their interpretation of infinity repeats, which in my mind, makes infinity seem a bit redundant.