snapshot.

I do believe I have been changed for the better.

2012-01-01T22:50:00.003-05:00

11 Things from this year that blew my mind:

1. The musical
2. Family reunion
3. Josh Groban concert
4. going to see Les Mis
5. Getting accepted into CCS
6. National Portfolio Day
7. getting a job
8. Crusaders ♥
9. being a senior
10. march for life
11. W I C K E D

12 things which the new year holds

1. graduating
2. going to college
3.summersummersummer
4. F L O R I D A
5. another musical? :)
6. being more catholic
7. (doctor who season 7)
8. new people, new friends :)
9. good times, good old friends <3
10. exploring photography to the fullest
11. getting my license!
12. change

I'm hopelessly, crazily, stupidly in love...

2011-12-24T22:29:00.002-05:00

with Legally Blonde (the musical).
So there's that.

that is all.

2011-12-20T00:21:00.004-05:00

this/

Something I should keep in mind.

2011-12-11T22:34:00.003-05:00

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself."
Matthew 6;25-34

One Word.

2011-12-10T21:03:00.001-05:00

If there was one word
that could really,
truly,
fully
describe the experience of being in the musical,
it would very simply
h a v e to be:

magical.

don't you worry your pretty little mind.

2011-11-29T18:04:00.005-05:00

mid mini (kinda not mini) freakout sesh about school,
a little reminder pops up on my phone.
'10 minutes a day'
it says.
i stop,
take a breath.
i set the reminder a week and a half ago and have not once done my ten minutes a day because i'm terrible at following through.
it's never too late,
i decide.
take a deep breath,
and pray.
i regain a little bit of sanity,
and a whole lot of calm.

matthew kelly,
smart guy.
very smart guy.

ALSO.

2011-11-20T22:58:00.003-05:00

I had a really good little eye-opening during mass today.
so there's that.

If there is one, slightly cliche, thing that this lovely musical has taught me.

2011-11-20T22:47:00.002-05:00

music makes people be happy,
and act silly,
and smile a lot,

together.

a step in the right direction.

2011-11-09T22:09:00.003-05:00

i need to take a step back.
look at my life. look at the most important person in my life. the person who i love the most. and think about it for a second. if that person were being ridiculed, made fun of, laughed at. how would i feel? they might not care. but me. how would i feel? i would hurt for them, be in such great pain. i wouldn't want anyone to ever have to feel as though the person that they love most is being made fun of. and so i need to stop. take a step back. and think about the people that i treat badly, and think. if that was the person that i loved most, how would i feel to see them in pain? another step back. god loves them the most. another step back. how would i feel if i knew that as i treated that person badly, i am making them feel bad, but i'm making god sad?
one last step back.
if i really think about it.
really think about it.
there is no reason i should ever treat anyone any less than i would want them to treat the person that i love the most.

inothernews,
thank god for confession.

thoughts

2011-11-02T22:12:00.003-04:00

i want to be a saint,
but i'm not very good at it.
i suppose sainthood is something that is worked at throughout your life.
it's something that you become our whole life.
it's an ever growing process.
that i'm working on.
i'm getting there.

i'm going driving for the first time tomorrow.
right.

when you get a job,
i think that's when you start to realize that the amount of sleep you get
is directly related to how much you get done.
not in a good way.
like in a less sleep=more done way.

i'm a big fan of dance music.

noah's here.

i detach myself.

2011-10-30T00:14:00.004-04:00

oh naomi.

i guess you're a child.
making big adult decisions.
you know you haven't got a clue what you're doing,
you're just trying hard to take life as it comes,
trying to makes the right choices.
you're trying so hard, though.
you really are.

lame o.

2011-10-27T22:32:00.002-04:00

i guess i should just stop telling myself that i have so much to do,
and just start doing it.
that might be a good idea.

the reason why i take pictures.

2011-10-25T21:50:00.003-04:00

i just want people to see beauty.
that's what i try to do.

2011-10-22T00:18:00.002-04:00

i'd like to ask something of you.

pray for me,
please.
pray that i become the person i was meant to be.
that i live the life i was meant to live.

thoughts on tonight.

2011-10-14T23:13:00.003-04:00

i'm not nervous.
it's because i am confident in my work.
i reallyreally am.

goodbyes are hard,
but i think they're even harder when you know when they're going to be back.
because then you count down the days,
and the days go by slowslowslow.

i'm not a people person,
i'm quite introverted, actually.
but i love seeing people happy.
when they smile and laugh and are truly,
genuinely happy.
then so am i.

my job.
it's cool.
definitely cool.

my soul is aching for a long hour spent in silence
in adoration,
or just alone in church.
it's aching for a little bit of spiritual fulfillment
through just sitting and
being.

love is patient,
love is kind...
it is not easily angered....

Love bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.

Love
never
fails.

"Feelings are not an infallible indicator of fact." -Peter Kreeft

2011-10-03T16:08:00.002-04:00

Today has been good.
I didn't have to wash dishes at work.
My boss told me I was doing a really good job.
I got all of my creative writing stuff done before work.

But.

I feel tired,
washed out.
Easily annoyed,
super frustrated,
like I can't catch my breath.

My life is good.
Everything is good.
But the way I feel isn't.
So,
I'll wait it out.
I'll feel better tomorrow.
Every thing will be fine.

Just goes to show you,
you shouldn't take your feelings at face value.

you are alive.

2011-10-01T23:51:00.003-04:00

YOU'RE ALIVE.
and our culture is so heck bent on not living.
you were born to live an amazing life
and it makes me sad
to see you not living.
to see your heart beat
but your eyes dead.
to see you complain about the fact
that you're breathing.
you're alive,
so what are you going to do about it?
live?
or let this society pull you down
into their eternal boredom
of selfishness
almost as soon as you're old enough to realize you're alive?
let them tell you that this is the life you're supposed to have,
when the life they are giving you traps you
and makes you feel like you're drowning?
live!
live,
kid.
just live.

I have been called to Joy.

2011-09-25T23:09:00.003-04:00

"The way we see the world determines the way we live our lives."
-Matthew Kelly.

A couple of links.

2011-09-14T17:53:00.002-04:00

something about my camera
(i just want you to visit my photoblog)

also,
i flickr
(if i haven't said so already)

bestvideoever

A Letter to Myself, in Two Years.

2011-09-13T16:57:00.000-04:00

Dear Naomi in two years,

I don't know where you are,
or where you are going,
or what is happening right now.
You could be in the same chair I'm sitting in right now,
you could be in some country half way across the world,
you could be in a different state, sitting in a classroom.
You could be eating dinner with a madman with a box.
Whatever it is,
just remember a couple things for me.
Okay.
Remember how much stress you had over getting past last year?
It probably wasn't worth it.
Whatever happened,
happened and it would have happened with or without the stress.
Remember to make phone calls that you know are important.
Always remember how much you love going to Mass.
Remember the song Dancing Through Life when you're angry, For Always when you're sad, and Every Teardrop is a Waterfall for when you feel like dancing.
Remember to write out how you feel,
or you'll go insane (if you haven't already).
Remember your love for all things British.
Remember to leave your camera at home some times.
Remember to breathe.
Remember that you have the best brothers ever.
Remember to bring a good book with you.
Remember to watch Castle.

Remember not to despair,

to laugh as much as you can,

and that who you become is infinitely more important than what you do, or what you have.

Remember every summer you spent with your incredible friends.
Remember God always gives you exactly what you need,

and never more than you can handle.

Remember all those Matthew Kelly quotes.

Remember how loved you are.

Remember how blessed you are.

Remember that you were made for greatness.

And always remember that your life is for living,

and not planning.

unorganized thoughts on what i need.

2011-09-12T20:30:00.000-04:00

I'm at crossroads.

I have this terrible need

that wants to see everything,

every city

every town

every kind of person.

But at the same time,

I have this growing conviction to stay where I am

because of all the wonderful people I know.

The thing about wanting to go everywhere,

is that it takes time and money and effort.

And I would have to do it alone.

Because I would need to do everything on my own terms.

And it alls seems rather selfish.

But the thought of not getting to see those things,

it kills me.

In some crazy alternate universe,

I would save all my money,

and when I turn maybe nineteen or twenty,

go city-hopping for a year or two.

I'd go learn in the classroom of the world.

LIVE these cultures that fascinate me.

Capture them.

I want to see everything,

experience everything.

I want, i want i want i want i want.

But what do I need?

Do I need to go, to see these things?

Or do I need to stay?

What do I do now?

I do school

and I clean my room

and I hang out with my friends

and do other high schoolaged kid things,

but.

Where do I go after this?

Where will this path take me?

I have this growing feeling that I have something to say,

but I'm not exactly sure what it is.

Maybe I'm just another bright eyed kid with wanderlust and little too much time on my hands.

But something that I'm certain of,

is that God is good,

and the life He has planned for me will be spectacular beyond measure,

because

"The world offers you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness." -Pope Benedict XVI

Reasons why I'll be Forever Alone.

2011-08-29T18:08:00.002-04:00

1. Josh Groban

1(b). David Tennant

3. I like sleeping too much.

4. I can't cook (and I don't really want to).

5. I'm lazy.

6. I'm already in a devoted relationship with my camera. It's a lot of work, and I'm not sure I could handle another.

7. I never want to have my blood drawn if I can help it.

8. I want to become a hermit and live in Italy.

*edit

9. I'll never be half so cute as the people who get their photos taken by the photographers whose blogs I ~~stalk~~ read.

Ellie Goulding, among other things.

2011-08-26T23:38:00.000-04:00

I feel like writing a post,

but I can't possibly think what to write about,

on a main topic anyway.

So I'm just going to write it out.

One,

Ellie Goulding is my new favourite.

She's amazing.

Lyrics, music, voice.

All of it.

I'm not really a big fan of girl singers, I'm not really sure why, I just don't...But I LOVE her.

Two,

One of my friend's little sisters is in the hospital

because her appendix burst and she got an infection,

if you could pray for her,

that would be great!

Three,

it's festival weekend at my church.

Which means sore feet, Slovak food&dancing&people, and lots of people. And exhaustion.

Four,

this guy from the Brooks Institute called me.

He sounded like the same guy who called me before,

but he had a different name. Awkward.

Five,

I'm tiredtiredtired. And my sleep has been TERRIBLE lately.

Six,

I'm reading "Three Philosophies of Life" By Peter Kreeft and it's really good. Like, really, really.

Seven.

Good night.

From Peter Kreeft's book "Three Philosophies of Life"

2011-08-22T18:20:00.000-04:00

"Perhaps 'civilization' is so unwise because nothing is ever enough for it. The old hermit had stayed in one place, physically, and spiritually, and explored it's depths; civilization, meanwhile, had moved restlessly on, skimming over the surface of the great deeps. While civilization was reading the Times, he was reading the eternities."

I'm having one of those stretches

2011-08-21T23:05:00.000-04:00

Where you have this great idea to write about stuck up in your head and you want to get it out but every time you try to write it out, it just all seems wrong and not how you thought it and not how it's supposed to sound and it just gets frustrating and exhausting and you want to say what you mean in the best way possible and that's just not the best way possible and your back hurts from sitting and your eyes hurt from staring at your computer screen waiting for the right words to come and your right hand hurts from being the same position as you scroll up and down your facebook page, not really looking at anything that anyone is even saying cause it doesn't really matter much to you at the moment and it just makes you want to say why did i even think this was a good idea, this writing, it's not even good or worth it or that well thought out, it's just stressful and annoying

and I'm going to go melt my mind by watching six hours of TV.

(not really. I'm just gonna read something by someone who can actually write)

In which I think out loud

2011-08-17T18:20:00.000-04:00

Some times,

I wonder.

There is so much beauty in the world,

how can you be sad,

angry,

unhappy?

How?

When you can hear the wind,

and breathe the air,

and smell flowers,

and see the sky,

and feel rain?

When you can hear music,

and people laugh,

and feel the sunshine on your face?

When you can see babies smile,

and feel the warmth of another person,

and talk for hours about nothing

with someone you love?

And in the same breath,

I know you can.

Because I've felt it,

and seen it,

and held it in my own heart.

Pain that digs a hole in your stomach

and eats you whole.

And you don't know why.

I'm not sure why.

I think it's when we lose sight of all the beautiful things in our life,

the things that make us feel most alive.

When we try and find more,

when really all we need is sitting right in front of us.

On Sharing Happiness (Part1)

2011-08-12T22:03:00.000-04:00

When you're happy,

you want to share it, right?

You want to go out

and give it away.

Give away your joy.

To other people.

When you're happy,

(much like when you're miserable)

you want other people to be happy.

Because who can refuse happiness?

Who can deny joy?

Who wants to be unhappy?

I'm looking into sharing my happiness.

But I think I'll need some help.

facade

2011-08-03T17:51:00.000-04:00

(I wrote this a while ago, and saw it in my drafts. I think it has some good thoughts going on, though it seems a little bit jumbled)

we live behind a curtain.
we clean, and we talk, and we smile, and we laugh,
outside our curtain.
outside our safety blanket.
but when we enter,
we spite, and we yell, and we cry, and we gossip,
letting the ugly truth of who we are show.
we let the truth hang around behind that curtain,
and we hide true feelings,
ugly feelings,
unkind,
unjust feelings,
and we let them
build up behind our curtain.
and our curtain is safe and secure,
our one place to be who we truly are.
and not a lot of people see us,
they don't see the reality of who we are.
and we live with this all right.
because in this world,
we are afraid to show our truth,
because of what might happen.
because we've built up this world of judgment and lies,
so we hide behind our curtains of safety,
showing everyone the accepted side,
the clean side,
the fashionable side,
the ladylike side,
the safe side.
we are conformed to lying about who we are.
how we live.
how we act.
and we resort to hiding behind this safe curtain.
letting everyone believe what they might.
because who knows what might happen if we let everyone see the truth?
they might disapprove.
but they might give forgiveness, hope, and love,
because everyone else has a curtain too.

Changing Colours

2011-08-01T23:00:00.000-04:00

I feel bad for people who contact me.

Because I'll look at the email/text/FB message

and think "I'm doing something else right now,

I'll reply in just a bit.

Just a little later."

But do I reply later?

No.

I forget,

it slips my mind.

Because I'm doing something

that is probably not as important

as the people who are contacting me.

I feel very selfish,

when I think about it.

And I'm quite determined to change my

lousy habits.

I stopped biting my nails,

so this should be my new habit-change.

I should give people my attention,

because mostly,

the things I'm doing aren't really that important.

People shouldn't wait,

things should.

"Our lives change, when our habits change."

-Matthew Kelly

Photos

2011-07-29T16:05:00.000-04:00

Cause I can't figure what to write.

I talk about Josh Groban, among other things.

2011-07-17T22:16:00.002-04:00

SO. I went to go see Josh Groban last night at the Palace. Oh, Josh Groban, you flawless human being, you. Boy can sing live like nobodies business. He's like...better live. And he's an amazing entertainer in general. Just AMAZING. AH. (excuse me while I fangirl a little...a lot). And he came down the steps right by where my friends and I were sitting and I got to see his magnificent hair up close and yeah. It's was pretty much amazing. And it was the first concert I've ever been to (besides TSO, because they're an orchestra. Not a singer or a band, if that makes sense?). SO yeah. Just kinda like, terrific and spectacular and loverly. And unforgettable. COME BACK. (I could really go on and on and on and on but I wont ;D)
I have so many photos to edit. And I know it. And I'll edit like two or three and then be like...I'm too lazy to do more. But I shall try to get motivated and do them. Try being the key word.
My cousin Jill got married. WHOOP WHOOP. Wonderful wedding :D
I need money. Yeah.
I'm going to get myself on a schedule about school. I am. Tomorrow ;)

Now.
Off to edit photos. (that's a lie, I'm actually going to go watch Next Food Network Star).

Some people are really smart.

2011-07-13T17:13:00.003-04:00

Like this guy.

"Why don't we do these things that make us happy, if we know that's where are our happiness lies? We're too busy...Or at least that's the excuse we use or give ourselves or give others. Physically-we don't exercise regularly, why? Too busy. We don't eat the right kinds of foods, why? Takes too long to prepare...We don't sleep regularly, why? 'Cause there's still only 24 hours in a day, isn't there? And our to-do lists just get longer and longer and longer. We feel like our lives just have a momentum of their own. We feel like our lives would go on with or without us. We never feel like we get caught up...I mean, when was the last time you sat down and said to yourself 'I'm caught up now'...Emotionally-...We don't gift our relationships with carefree timelessness...We give them the worst time, when we're most exhausted. When we have least to give. Why? Because we're too busy. Intellectually-We don't take the ten minutes a day to read a good book that will challenge us...why? We're too busy. And Spiritually-We don't take that time to pray, to reflect, to immerse ourselves in the classroom of silence, to get reconnected with ourselves and reconnected with our God. Why? Too busy. Physically, Emotionally, Intellectually, Spiritually we know the things that make us happy, but we don't do them because we're too busy. Doing what? For the most part, it's because we're doing just about everything that means just about nothing to just about anybody."
-Matthew Kelly

Joy

2011-07-11T14:29:00.003-04:00

I have found joy.
Amongst best friends
and big brothers
and all of my family around one table.

I have found it
in heat and sweat
and running straight through it.

I have found it in listening to silence,
and other people's stories,
and songs of praise played on a grande piano.

I have found it
after half an hour on my knees,
in adoration,
and 6 hours on my feet,
in celebration.

I have found it
in photographs.

I have found it
in yellow balloons
and great conviction
and joining the dance.

I have found it
in simplicity.

I have found Joy
in my wonderful life,
in God,
in Mass,
in prayer,
and
in
smiling.

Looking.

2011-07-03T21:41:00.003-04:00

Some times,
I look at myself in the mirror
and realize that I'm really young.
Which may sound funny,
but
it's like
I don't feel young.
I feel much older than sixteen.
And I don't know why.
I think some people are just like that.
Like,
my mind and thoughts and feelings (some times)
are growing a little faster
than my body is.

And at times,
it feels like a good thing
and at times,
it feels like a plague.

Like,
some times
I want to do a certain thing,
or I feel a certain way
and my mind will start shouting at me
"Why do you feel like that? How could you want that? It's so childish,
so immature!"

And it gets confusing.
'Cause I feel kind of old,
and then I look in the mirror
and I see my face.
Which is young
and full of anticipation.

I'm not sure.
I don't really want to be childish,

but

I'm not really sure I want to grow up, just yet,
and I kind of feel like I already have.

You know, I think...

2011-06-30T18:22:00.001-04:00

when you play music loud enough,
you stop being able to hear your own feelings.

which is okay.
some times.

I think forgiveness is a wonderful thing.
a very wonderful thing.

Freeze pops make
everything
better.

what do i say?

2011-06-29T21:33:00.003-04:00

I love my life.
I love it.
It's super awesome.
Like,
legit.
It's amazing.
I just have no words.
Every time I think maybe something is going to go badly,
I just pray about it,
don't worry about it,
be happy about it,
and it works out,
amazingly.
God is awesome.
He makes my life so awesome.
and I just can't convey to you how awesome without using the word awesome about fifty more times.
That's how awesome.

Awesome.

I've made a very comprehensive decision.

2011-06-16T20:30:00.001-04:00

I'm going to be happy.
happy.
happy.
happy.

kid with computer troubles, with emotion troubles

2011-06-14T21:58:00.002-04:00

post from my phone.

um.

computer freaking out.

emotions all over.

thiskid wants to be an adult.

ormaybe.

This Kid

2011-06-04T22:22:00.002-04:00

this kid,
took the SAT today.
I think I did pretty all right.

this kid,
takes the ACT in a week.
math cramming it is!

this kid,
has a broken 50mm f/1.8 lens.
i sniffled.
but it's okay. it's only $100
which is cheap in camerland.

this kid,
got to see her cousins last weekend
and it was totally
completely
mindblowingly
awesome.
As always.

this kid,
is happy
and blessed,
and everything is all right.

Everything is just fine.

"A gloomy Christian is a contradiction."

2011-05-22T19:05:00.003-04:00

So,
I smile.

Maybe I

2011-05-15T16:37:00.003-04:00

Life is changing; passing me by at break neck pace
and I can't help feeling like sometimes
I'm just standing watching it go.

I need to just dive in.
And b e c o m e someone.
-

in other news,
Michael Crawford.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T18:09:00.000-04:00

He is risen.
Truly risen.

I am about 200% done with Facebook.

2011-04-20T20:45:00.000-04:00

This is rude.
So beware.
I can't stand the way people act on FB.
I can't stand the way I act on FB.
The only thing I really find it useful for is staying in contact with people who live far away
and posting photos.

Life has been good lately.

2011-04-07T20:18:00.002-04:00

I am blessed.

So I went to go see Les Miserables at the Fisher on Tuesday.

2011-04-03T18:18:00.002-04:00

And it was like...SO GOOD.
Just. Ugh. No words to describe how amazingandincredibleandperfectandlksadhf;lksjdfkjsad;lfkjitwas.
HAAAAA.

And yeah. The music, the acting, the effects, and the actors. Flawless.

#naomithefangirlexiting

I wish I could speak.

2011-03-25T19:07:00.003-04:00

I wish I could talk to people easily
I wish I could articulate the words
I wish I could say how I feel completely
I wish I knew the words to use
I wish I could relate to people
I wish I wasn't so closed up
I wish
I could
speak
and
actually hear myself talk.
actually feel like I know what
is coming out of my mouth.
I wish I could speak
and
not stumble over every
word.
I wish I could
just
say
it.

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way...
Things I had no words for."
-Georgia O'Keeffe

Lent.

2011-03-20T19:38:00.001-04:00

"Are you capable of risking your life for someone? Do it for Christ."

~Pope John Paul II

some DC for you.

2011-03-04T11:54:00.001-05:00

The only thing

2011-03-04T00:02:00.002-05:00

Getting me through all the stupid editing I've been doing lately
is Les Miserables
and
Boyce Avenue
and
Mumford and Sons.

The end.

in the middle of my rope.

2011-02-26T19:35:00.002-05:00

there are days,
like today,
where i hold on at the middle of my rope.
where sometimes i climb upupup
and sometimes i slip downdowndown.
and it happens at different points per day.

it's like

i waver between stress,
of school, of photos, of lack of sleep,
and joy,
at not having much school left to do, at how the photos turned out, at how much energy i have.

and it's

frustrating.
i want to float in the middle.
hold on for dear life,
until either i crash to the bottom

muster the strength to fly to the top.

really,

all i'm doing is hoping for the latter.
but

really,

i'm afraid to find out what happens when i do either.

the state of the music.

2011-02-20T18:35:00.002-05:00

not too long ago,
the president gave the state of the union address.
and i was thinking...wouldn't it be fun to do a state of the music address (to all my adoring fans who want to know that kind of stuff, right).

so yeah. this is the state of my music at the moment.

Old favourites that are still playing:
Josh Groban (always), Five For Fighting (I really dig Slice, and need to buy it ASAP), Yiruma, Paramore, PotO, AIDA, Michael Buble, Coldplay (though, it's only lately that I've really gotten into them), Jon McLaughlin, Dario Marinelli, Hans Zimmer (the Inception score was so legit), Il Divo ;) Swimming With Dolphins, etc.

New Favourites of the year:
Ray LaMantagne (he conveys an amazing amount of emotion in his songs), James Morrison, Boyce Avenue (their covers are the absolute best), Rosi Golan (my friend introduced me to her song "Come Around" and I've been playing it non-stop, along with "C'est L'amour"), Glee Cast (i feel kinda lame putting this on here, but it's mostly just the song Lea Michele does, because she's an amazing singer), Parachute, OneRepublic (I bought Waking Up on a whim and have not regretted it for one second. It's amazing both lyrically and musically), Mumford and Sons (At first, I didn't really like their music, but I watched their Grammy performance and was really impressed. "The Cave" is now playing all the time on my Grooveshark playlist), Jay Brannan, Michael Henry and Justin Robinett (So much love for these two. The piano in the covers they do is incredible. My current fave is "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room"), Michael Ball (Basically because of Les Mis, which brings me to...)

and the thing that has dominated my playlist so far is:
Les Miserables.
Ohmyword.
Like.
How did I not listen to this before?
It is just amazingness incarnate. The music, the lyricals, the singers, the everything. Just...GAH. So incredible. I could just go on and on and on and on and on. But I won't. I will spare you and just say that it is probably my new favourite musical (can something really overtake PotO?).
AND I'm probably going to see it at the end of March. YES.

and the thing that I currently do not like at all is:
Lady Gaga. She went past being "original" to just being creepy. she's a good singer, but her songs (especially the new one "Born This Way") are all kinda obnoxious.

And that...is the state of the music.
and I'm probably forgetting a lot but whatever.

Landscape.

2011-02-09T23:07:00.003-05:00

I'm stuck in this sort of...
dilemma.
mostly it has to do with college and where to go and yeah.
but i feel like i shouldn't have to make that decision. not at 16,
not at 17.
it seems like such an adult decision.
and yet,
here i am.
this summer,
i'll have to start applying.
and i don't know.
do i want to go far away
do i want to stay close
where?
and it's confusing,
because sometimes i want to go
and sometimes i want to stay.
sometimes i want it simple,
sometimes...
i just want something newnewnew.

Life Changing.

2011-01-29T22:07:00.004-05:00

Arlington National Cemetry.
Being faced with hundreds of thousands of people who lived a life of service,
who served for something very much greater than themselves...
Changes you.
To say the very,
very least.

You don't know how lovely you are.

2011-01-19T16:09:00.001-05:00

Hey.
I'm Naomi.
1)
I bought myself a lens, 50mm f/1.8
It's basically the greatest.

2) We leave for the March for Life
on SUNDAY.

Excuse me while I freak out.
sadhfsadhdfssdfahiodsfpuiofsdauhsadfsadfhiosadfuisdaf;iohsadf;ohi
sdfsdfailhsdffdsagjklsadflh
asdjafsdsadsadioysdafuoigas.

Okay.

The end.

Resolution.

2011-01-13T22:40:00.003-05:00

It's kinda late,
but I might as well.

1. Eat less sugar.
I'm addicted to it and I know it and I need to rid myself of it. And I'm going to.

2. Photograph more.
I think it's time I stopped bobbing above the surface and fully immerse myself into photography. Because that's the plan for life, decidedly so.

3. Beat my school into submission.
I am going to finish everything between now and next year. Everything. Every subject, every test. I am finishing early.

4. Drink More Water.
I don't drink enough. It's unhealthy.
I should carry a water bottle around with me.

5. (cliche) Be nicer to people.
I'm tend to be mean
and sarcastic.
I want to be more genuine.

The end.

Ten Awesome Things About 2010/ Ten Things I'm Looking Forward to In 2011

2011-01-01T12:42:00.004-05:00

1. Texas
2. Nationals
3. I discovered Film
4. Inception
5. I got my first DSLR
6. TSO concert
7. Philadelphia
8. The World Cup
9. My Own Confirmation
10. Josh Groban's New Album

2011:
1. March For Life
2. Becoming a Senior
3. Getting the ACT/SAT out of the way (hopefully)
4. Vrazo Family Reunion!!!
5. Summit
6. Turning 17
7. Photographing More
8. Red Wings Playoffs
9. More Years with My Friends
10. Summer.

Texas 1.0

2010-12-16T22:27:00.003-05:00

brb,
crying.
Naomi

testingsomething.

2010-12-02T19:14:00.001-05:00

Abi married Diah.

2010-12-02T18:01:00.003-05:00

Which means,
we went down for a visit.
Which means,
COUSINS. :D

So,
like I said,
Abi got married to Jedediah
(which means another cousin :D)
and the wedding was on a saturday.
Dylan, Noah, and I drove down there
with m Aunty Nita,
and cousins Jay and Gwen.

We left Thursday, early,
and drovedrovedrove
until we hit St. Louis,
and stayed with the Greathouses.
Who were awesome.
And incredibly nice.
Andjustawesome.

And then we left early on friday,
lunch packed,
and drove,
and we thought Oklahoma was never going to end,
jay didn't even know where we were going,
andhedidntwearashirtmostofthetrip.
and we finally
arrived
in
texas,
in the evening on friday night,
rolling up to Spring Creek BBQ,
where cousins
and other family awaited us.
There,
we ate good food
and enjoyed even better company.

Then,
Saturday came,
and the wedding,
and it was absolutely gorgeous,
and then the reception,
and we dancedallnightlong.
Then,
we went to bum on the Vrazo couches until early AM.

Then,
Sunday,
and we went to church,
and came back for a potluck lunch,
and spent the day with cousins,
and then back to the Vrazo's
where we ate good desert,
then went to the park to play sardines,
and Vangie and I always lost,
but it was fun anyway.
Then,
we went back,
and it was just
the cousins
laying around,
talking,
laughing,
playing mafia,
and staying up until 330
knowing that the next morning
we had to leave.

And when it was Monday,
our Aunty who wanted to leave at five
blessed us by letting us
stay until 11,
and it was best,
hanging around
and taking pictures
and just being cousins.

WE held in tears,
as we hugged goodbye three times over,
and then,
we left.

And Texas was over,
and then
it was
St. Louis again for the night,
and Fazolis
and a Brendan to go,
and then
it was home.

And everything went perfectly,
and for that I thank God,
and it was one of the best experiences
of my year.
Thank the Lord for cousins,
and family,
and the ability to go down
and be together.

May anyone?
(morepicturessooon!)

I would be telling you about Texas.

2010-11-27T16:33:00.001-05:00

but i kinda got my computer taken away.

soooo......................

We went to texas.

2010-11-18T22:07:00.001-05:00

if you stick around,
i'll tell you about it.

xxnaomi

She lives in a fairytale, somewhere too far for us to find.

2010-11-08T16:30:00.001-05:00

This is me on Nov.1:
Nanowrimo!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is me now:
nanowrimo
-.-.-.-.-

I'm behind like 4k words.
sigh.
ill get there tho!
I am very determined.
in other news,
i am getting a new phone (PACHING!)
and we're leaving for texas in three days!!!!!!!!
!!!
!!
!

naomi

November.

2010-11-05T02:05:00.003-04:00

My life has been flying in front of my face,
very quickly.
the PSAT came and it was
thankfully easier than expected.
All of October,
I was sleeping terribly
because I was anxious about going to Nationals
this year.
I left on October 28 and returned October 30.
It was one of the best experiences of my life.
I made so many memories, and new friends.
And so I have come to
this relaxation of things happening.
Because when the month turned to November,
I was ready.
Ready for this change.
And here we are.
Yesterday,
I turned sixteen.
I had a wonderful, calm birthday.
and we charge ahead.
In 6 days we leave for Texas,
and in 7, Abi gets married!
AH!
And so here we are.
November.
School continues in a sort of pattern.
And NaNoWrimo again this year.
:)
(I'm already behind).

Ya'll are lovely,
and I will continue to keep up with this.
Love,
Naomi

I know this is neglected.

2010-11-02T00:42:00.002-04:00

Life has been crazy.
please forgive me.
i will update this as soon as possible.
muchlove,
naomi

in moments, mere moments.

2010-10-17T22:25:00.002-04:00

this weird thing has happened lately.
i feel like,
i don't know,
the night has lost it's charm.
that i would rather spend 8-10 pm doing school,
or reading,
or something,
and not being on my computer and bumming around.
but i'm not...
that attracted/attached to it so much anymore.
i don't feel the need to be on at night,
to do anything past 11 pm.
just get in bed,
try to go to bed.
i don't knowidontknow.
that's precisely it.
i don't know.
i just have to roll with it, i guess.

in moments,

2010-10-17T22:25:00.000-04:00

oheeeeeeeeeeyyyy.

2010-10-13T12:06:00.003-04:00

lately:

-taking the PSAT on Saturday:cramming.
-not actually doing those pictures for Carmel's brother: relieving.
-getting new camera:lifecompleting.
-for sure going to nationals:exciting!
-probably for sure going to texas for abi's wedding: pa-ching-ing!

so on,
so forth.

music, our music.

2010-10-08T16:43:00.002-04:00

so lately,
i got my first job,
photographing a friend's brother's engagement pictures.
um.
no i'm not freaking out at
a l l.

and i'm getting a new camera(:
andddddddddddddddddddddddddddd
i am not doing so well in the school department.
you know,
like.
it's hard to focus completely on it.
but i'm getting there.
i really am.
or at least i'm trying.
so here i am...
getting there :)

naomi

what are you waiting for?

2010-10-04T12:43:00.001-04:00

i procrastinate like a BOSS.
whhhhhhhhatt.

i came for your question, what you don't know.

2010-10-01T20:05:00.002-04:00

who am i?
where am i going?
what will i be doing in ten years?
will it matter what i do now?
am i going hard enough?
can i do more?
should i?

hunger.

2010-09-26T23:07:00.002-04:00

lately,
i am hungry. i just want to eat.
and eat.
and i dont feel full.
and it's not cause of anything bodily,
i think.
it may just be me, growing up.
but.
sometimes,
i think maybe, it's something
else.
something inside of me,
that is hungry for something else.
not food.
and i keep searching,
so this other something,
and i cant find it,
it seems.
i dont know what i need.
but i pray, i pray,
that ill find it.

plus, when i eat,
bad things happen,
like just now,
i spilled the popcorn i was eating on the floor.
ohmywordifail.
myroom.

eh.
naomi

i'll be up, up, and away.

2010-09-21T23:00:00.002-04:00

we went-ed camping this weekend.
i shot film.
you know.
now i am writing like no other
because i made a promise,
to my friend anne,
that i would finish my chapter by friday O.O
time to listen to music.
i mean,
write.

naomi

things to do...

2010-09-16T15:37:00.001-04:00

after this weekend which is going to insane.
-confession.
-lots of school.
- start running. again. a l o t.
(i was sick for a stretch of a few days and got out of my running habit. it's going to start up again.)

i feel suddenly worn out.
like the lightning that is happening outside
struck me
and took a l l of my energy.
sigh.
naomi

Letter to Myself.

2010-09-15T20:27:00.002-04:00

Dear Naomi,
you do realize, that you're a junior,
right?
i mean, 'cause when you're a junior,
important things start happening.
you're like, supposed to start applying for COLLEGE
at the end of the year. you know that,
right?
cause you should probably really get down to business,
about ACTs and SATs,
cause that's how you get into a good college. for the record.
so,
even though you feel really young to be thinking about college,
start thinking about it.
work on your school more.
study more.
ingest more.

so yeah.
love,
yourself.

my photos moved.

2010-09-15T14:03:00.001-04:00

to here.

xoxonaomi

SOOOOOOOOOLIKEEEEEEEEEEEEE....

2010-09-13T19:00:00.002-04:00

againnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn?

It can be 3:30 now.

2010-09-11T14:02:00.001-04:00

i'm a big college football fan.
what.
naomi

I'll Never Take You Sailing!

2010-09-09T23:20:00.001-04:00

musical's, AIDA and LND, for the first week of school.
what.
naomi

okayyyy.

2010-09-05T19:17:00.003-04:00

well,
i'd like to say:
justbecauseyouhaveanappleproductdoesnotmakeyoubetterthaneveryoneelse.
just,
you know,
needed to get that off my chest.
enjoy the things you have,
just p l e a s e,
don't use them as a reason to look down on people.
naomi.

massacre me for this, but it's how i feel.

2010-09-04T00:45:00.004-04:00

hullo.
here's the truth:
the narnia books are over-rated/
to me.
i mean, theyre enjoyable,
nice,
but not...
me, i guess?
or maybe i would have enjoyed them more,
if i was like ten again.
but after reading the first four books,
i have resolved that,
they are very kid-ish stories, and they are not incredible literature.
well written, sure. nice, sure.
not something...i dont know...heart stopping,
or crucial to my life.
something i n e e d to read.
i'm sure they would have been good literature to grow up on,
but really,
i have absolutely no obligation to read them,
seeing as my mother never did ;)
nonetheless, i can see why they are popular.
i mean, it is a very imaginative story,
and all things considered,
i'm sure were enjoyed by people much younger than myself.
so.
i do intend to finish the series,
but not anytime soon.
i have other books to read.

conversation, wit? i am a doubter.

2010-09-03T21:58:00.004-04:00

that is me^ i'm a bat.

mostly,
at night,
i sit at my computer,
and stare aimlessly at the screen,
listening to music.
lately,
it's been
AIDA,
Kid Cudi,
Love Never Dies,
Il Divo,
Atreyu,
and lots
of
Josh Turner.
so, like, school is supposed to "start" next week.
for me, i think "start" actually means "pick up where you left off last year"
i am going to be working on the same thing as i was working on the second half of the school year:
american literature,
literature 4,
chemistry,
geometry.
PSAT prep.
life.
omygoshmylife.
naomi

like, hullo? what happened to summer 2010?

2010-09-01T16:06:00.002-04:00

like, remember last summer.
i mean,
it all kind of started with partridge creek.
and the cotton eyed joe over the fountains.
remember that?
and then, the pop-avator,
which brought anne to tears?
or like, the hanging models at calvin klein?
and that was just o n e day.
then, graduation,
and the swing dance post-graduation,
when they still played good music at the cyrils dances.
and then all the grad parties.
but most famously,
anne's
and
dyl's.
at annes,
when we played telephonepictionary,
and there were like a million freeze-pops.
and we all had to "go to the fence!".
and at dyl's,
where gabrielle and i avoided creeper the crocodile at all costs,
and did a little photoshoot,
and blew those spinny-things a ton,
and we played soccer, and you all took pictures with m y camera.
and then dyl got soaked three different times.
and then, after,
we got speedy freezes.
remember those times?
remember singing summer nights?
i felt like summer would go on,
and on,
and on.
but it didn't.
and here we are,
at the end of one more summer,
one more summer, though not as notable as the one before,
still had some good memories,
but, it didn't quite live up to our expectations.

well, i'm not quite sure what the point of t h a t was.
but,
i think the moral of the story is:
we still have next summer?

naomi

Gus, don't be Canada.

2010-08-31T13:24:00.002-04:00

♥

i've come to grips with the situation.

2010-08-29T23:19:00.003-04:00

we're such dear old friends,

beneath the moonless sky,

and we're looking for the beauty underneath,

and it's so beautiful.

so,

devil take the hindmost,

until i hear you sing once more.

*translation*:

i'm a sucker.
i'm a fool.
i'm an antisocial,
angst-ful,
music fueled,
child.
and

i am extremely blessed.

and

i need to remember that more.

naomi

helpless

2010-08-27T23:46:00.002-04:00

it makes me feel,

i dunno,

kinda helpless?

i guess.

i dont like that feeling.

drowning,

dropping,

falling sort of feeling,

flailing my arms to catch hold,

and feeling nothing.

like there's nothing i can do.

helpless.

♪♫

2010-08-27T00:33:00.002-04:00

i don't have words,
not this time,
to help me understand.

i only have music.

naomi

family.

2010-08-25T23:11:00.001-04:00

they all pull in, right on vrazo-time.

and there are lots of us, because there always are, and we sit and stand and talk,

and the awkwardness of not having seen each other in a long time washes away,

with the talk of common things,

and everyone is family,

and the ones who weren't just a few months before,

are welcomed with wide smiles.

and we catch up in lives, and learn new things,

over a little bit of good food.

and there's little child-laugh,

and grown-up chatter,

and lots,

lots,

of smiles.

because we are gathered here in this living room,

strengthening the connection of the lives we'd entwined long ago.

we are living together, and feeling together,

in the comfortableness that one can only feel with family,

the comfort of knowing that you are part of this,

that you are loved and accepted for you.

and there's so much noise for a couple of moments,

and pianos and guitars and drums and something i don't know the name of,

and people

shout above the noise,

and smile at the sound.

and this is all okay, this noise,

because we've never been really all that orderly,

all that normal,

and this is us.

we are loud,

we are crazy,

we are silly,

and happy,

and loving,

and we are family.

this year.

2010-08-23T15:56:00.004-04:00

i am having absolutely no social life,
because i am going to,
get the rest of my school done,
and be able to do nothing next year.
and be extra smart.
that's my story and i'm sticking to it!
hopefully, this will happen.

ineedaslurpeelikenownownow.

2010-08-22T21:16:00.001-04:00

my sanity levels this past week have been at an all time low.
and i don't like feeling sorry for myself.
and other people have actual problems.
soyeah.
life.
naomi

sometimes i scream.

2010-08-20T12:02:00.001-04:00

Muffins.

2010-08-19T13:05:00.003-04:00

those^ cousins coming this weekend.
i like cousins.
true story.
lolmylife:
have a good day!
naomi

inspire.

2010-08-14T23:49:00.000-04:00

http://christineolsonphotography.blogspot.com/
she's a favourite.
and i stumbled upon her blog by chance.
:)
yeppers.
naomi

[Title]

2010-08-12T17:30:00.004-04:00

shot with my dear friend gabrielle :)
at delia, a g a i n, but whatever.
a n d. with film♥ you know.
naomi

soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

2010-08-10T14:41:00.002-04:00

inception again?

yeah.

2010-08-10T11:45:00.001-04:00

it's supposed to go to 90 today.
i'm wearing jeans and a hooded sweatshirt.
all the people around my house are overly warm-blooded.
or something.
naomi

i'm dying to believe

2010-08-09T02:13:00.002-04:00

because sometimes there are nights when i dont sleep,
and i spend the night listening to my gooveshark playlist three times over,
eating jelly beans,
trying to read,
picking paint off my desk,
yawning,
pretending that i think i can write,
then writing nothing,
at all,
and mostly wasting my life on my computer.
im less than 90% positive this has nothing to do with the slurpee i had earlier.
you know.
soooooooooooooooooooo...
right.
i was going somewhere with this.
i try
(pretend to)
sleep now.
naomi

2010-08-06T22:38:00.002-04:00

(notmine)

oh, inception.
i would like to go see you again. asap.
anyhow.
so i was like, wow look at that awesome picture of fischer...
i should do a blog post!
because there being an awesome picture of some guy from inception totally spawns into a blog post.
you know.

somedays, i think i have some sort of problem with my focus, even though that's untrue.
because i can focus like a beast
(is that a dumb simile? yeah. i know)
on guitar hero.
but, i think it's hard for me to focus on things that matter.
like ill sit and flit about with songs and stories and random
(and relatively dumb)
thoughts in my head, and when it comes to important things like
being nice
and thinking positively
and getting motivated
and God.
yeah, then my minds wants to be somewhere else.
and something made me really think today.
would i be on that boat?
because i was reading many waters by madeline l'engle (terrific book),
and all i could think about after i finished was,
would i be on that boat?
right now.
i don't know. i'd like to be able to say yes, yes i would. but i don't know if i could.
it's not like ill ever have to face that predicament
(i'm thankful for that, mr. rainbow)
or anything, but it's like, if i did
what would i do?
would i be on that boat?
it frightens me to think about it,
but it helps me to realize all the things i still need to do, to be,
just simple stuff.
like being nice,
and to stop thinking too highly
(like i'm better than anyone else)
of myself,
and being respectful,
not resentful.
and praying.
(ill be working on these).

well. it seems that awesome picture of that dude from inception did spawn a blogpost.
wahlah.
naomi

this song blows my mind.

2010-08-04T17:41:00.002-04:00

Time

Hans Zimmer

from Inception

the whole soundtrack really blew my mind(as did the movie),
in general.
this is a cool link: live performance of the whole thing at the premier of the movie.
the song above is the best one, in my opinion, and is performed in the last 5ish minutes of the video.
enjoy.

naomi

tell me that you'll open your eyes.

2010-08-03T12:37:00.001-04:00

im behind (a l o t) on my reading list.
but you know what?
i'm really not very worried.

naomi

ohyaknow.

2010-08-02T01:40:00.002-04:00

i had too much caffeine today. thus i am up right now.
i was clearing out my picture, and i love picasa. very much.
anyhow, i was looking through the pictures of our texas trip two years ago.
oh, i miss their faces veryveryvery much.
sigh.
i shall make it to november!
(or not)
okay, now i am frustrated because i was all like oh! there are three awesome things happening in november! 1) abi's wedding(d u h), 2) im turning sixteen! (like that really means anything. i cant drive.)
and 3)...
...
...
this is driving me insane.
...
...
oh!
i j u s t remembered! :D
NaNoWriMo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(why im so excited for this is beyond me. i mean, im already knee deep in writing as it is, and by that time ill be knee deep in schoolwork as well, and in all other sorts of things. plus, you lose so much sleep. but i am extremely excited for that.)
anyhow,
i hate making two blogposts in one day, but all of a sudden i had a ton of stuff to write and yeah.
i had too much caffeine.
in case you didn't notice.
uhum.
why is everyone getting so old all of a sudden?
everyone is graduating -.-
somedays, i wish i was older, then other days i wish i was youger, when everything was simpler...
oh idontknow.
i really should be taking this lack-of-sleeping as an advantage to read because im behind on my reading list, but of course im not. okay.
im going to go read.
that slurpee was not a good thing
(ohyeah, i know it totally was)
blessings,
naomi