Final Update

Hey guys, just wanted to let anyone who checks this know that I'm moving over to a new blog! I've decided to document things in college and any upcoming work experience, so I think it'll be easier to do so on a newer, cleaner blog.

You can find that here!

Thanks for all of your support, guys!!

The World is a Big&Scary Place.

I'm a senior in high school. I'm a girl whose had her heart snapped and shattered and stitched back together. I'm a person trying to figure out the rest of her life when she's only being shown the corner of the picture. It's like I'm trying to figure out this puzzle and set it up, you know, with the edges all done and pieced together. But then, I only know what the smallest piece of it looks like.


I miss the innocence of childhood, back when kissing a boy meant we would be together forever and not trying to salvage something that was never really there a week later. I miss knowing who I wanted to be, before people started asking me "Why?" and "How?" so damn often. I miss feeling happy, like really happy. I miss having friends, back before friends turned to almost-lovers and then strangers.

My apologies for the sappiness. It's been a long week, and I had my senior prom a week ago, today. The future is terrifying me, to be honest.

To update all of you, so much has happened but it seems to all have come undone. I hate when life works like that. Here's a poem I wrote earlier today.

Three days.

Months of keeping you away,

weeks and weeks of being so careful,

all undone in three long days.

We were kings and queens,

your arms on my waist

and my eyes on yours.

The stars danced above us

at three in the morning

as I pulled you close

and tasted your lips.

We sat together but alone,

the rest of the world meaningless.

My lips tasted like rum;

yours reminded me of sunshine.

We drove home in comfortable quiet;

you stalled forever at my door,

but I would wait forever.

You asked my permission and kissed me

one last time.

I can see it now,

how foolish and naïve we were.

We took our time in paradise

and treated it like eternity.

I know now that you’re too busy

for me,

for us.

I know now that we couldn’t make it,

even if we wanted to,

even if we needed to.

I know now that I was falling for you,

quicker than I could catch myself,

quicker than you could catch me.

Three days.

I built up my walls

when he left,

but then I went and gave you

the key.

 

Guess Who's Back . . . Yeah, Again.

 

 Hi guys! I'm going to try to keep this updated again now that I'm moving forward with my life and won't be close to a lot of the people I've been involved with for so many years. Apparently, college exists to make you want to leave home but not leave your friends.

I committed to the University of Delaware and will be going into their Honors Program as a Communications interest major. I'm super excited about everything coming up and can't wait to be there in the fall! 

I've also updated my books and short stories pages; I've been super active (you know, because I was MIA for, like, two years) and wrote some things I'm proud of! Let me know if you read any of them or even like their covers or summaries. Any feedback at all is super useful.

Okay, I am exhausted because senior year is exhausting, but I will try to post more often. If you read this, let me know so I can see how my followers are doing after my hiatus!

Returning for a Quick Announcement!

So, I know. I've been MIA for almost an entire year now. Things have been busy, busy, busy. Senior year is creeping up on me, and I've fallen prey to procrastination and the college search.

I just wanted to let everyone know that my sister and I have started a YouTube channel together and will be posting videos daily. It'll be a great way for all of you to get updates on me, and I'd love to subscribe back to your channels, too!

Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv4u9S5rRBul1Vtiv22cOzQ

You guys have been fantastic for so long, and I just really want to thank you.

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.

Well, it's been awhile. I feel like this is how I start every post recently, but I'm going to pretend that's okay. I've been busy with homework and social interactions lately. I'm helping out with Homecoming stuff at school, joining three billion clubs, and trying to keep my grades up.

Funny how crazy school is and I've only been back a week and a half.

I just wanted to post again to let all of you know you can still find me on my tumblr Click here for that. Or you can find me on twitter here. I am also on figment, where I post most of my writings. I mostly post short stories there and the beginnings of my novels. If you like something, comment on it or message me and I'll be sure to update it more frequently. I get lazy when I don't think people are reading.

Also, in case you haven't heard, J.K. Rowling is writing the script for a Harry Potter spinoff film, focusing on the fictional book of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Just go google it and you'll find so much more information than I could provide for you without freaking out and resorting to fangirling.

So, there's that. I hope you're all having a wonderfully chilly September.

Sorry I’ve been missing, guys.

It’s been a long year, hasn’t it? I don’t know if anyone reads this anymore or if people actually check up on it. I guess I figured I’d just post again to let you all know that I’m active on other sites and you can find me there if you’re really interested in my life.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ashleynicole797

Tumblr: http://papertowns-paperpeople.tumblr.com

So, follow me and we can become friends. I’m super busy with school right now, but things should die down soon and I’ll be active on those sites as much as possible. Thanks guys for following me on here. You’re all amazing!

My Favorite Month (Homecoming and Halloween? Hello!)

So, I know it's been ages. And I severely apologize to all of you who even bother to check my blog on a monthly basis. I love all of you. Really.

Things going on in my life at the moment . . .

~I've got something actually going on in my love life for once. As a sophomore in high school, I feel entitled to a little romance, no matter how badly it's sure to end. There's nothing solid yet, but I think I may wind up with a date to Homecoming this year. Cross your fingers for me, lovelies.

~I signed up for the Model UN program through my school, so if any of you do that and will be at the conference in Hershey, Pennsylvania in January, let me know!

~I'm now part of the school newspaper, the Homecoming committee, and the Italian club. (I think Perks of Being a Wallflower convinced me to participate just a little too much this year.)

So, yeah. There's an update. And here is an entertainment update on my favorite movies/books/singers.

Movies: PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER National Release: October 5th. (Starring Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller and many other amazing actors/actresses)

Books: I've recently become obsessed with Deb Calleti, so go read all of her books right this instant. But, the third book in the Heroes of Olympus series, THE MARK OF ATHENA, comes out tomorrow! Eek! I'm so excited!

Music: Taylor Alison Swift is outdoing herself each and every week. Last week's single was Begin Again which was amazing. Tomorrow, RED comes out, the title track from her upcoming CD. Go buy it on iTunes or just give it a listen through YouTube.

That's all for now, guys. Feel free to comment with any replies or what you're looking forward to this month. Let's hope that October's good to all of us.

Flying Faster Than a Mockingbird (which isn't even in the book)

Hey guys! Summer is flying by, like literally, flying. I've been super busy with school work (I know. It's summer. Honors work kills.) I finished reading "To Kill a Mockingbird". Spoiler alert: it's not really about a bird.

I've been on tumblr a lot, too, so if any of you use that, make sure to check out www.papertowns-paperpeople.tumblr.com  (I'll check you out if you message me and tell me you came from my blog! I'll most likely follow back and promote you, too)

I've also joined a book giveaway, guys! Neverending Stories is hosting a giveaway that I'm really excited for. If you guys don't follow their blog, go check it out and join the giveaway! Click here!

There's not much else going on right now. Check me out on tumblr (link above), twitter (@ashleynicole797), figment (Ashley C. Nicole) and check my blog when you can! :)

Sunburn, Sand and Sunshine

I spent the last five days at the beach, and it was wonderfully worthwhile. Even though my friend was more into laying out and tanning instead of helping me apply sunscreen, it was still fun. I got to ride my bike all over and eat ice cream while walking down the beach. It was a very cliché vacation, if I do say so myself.

In other news, I passed all of my finals and did pretty good for my freshmen year, grade-wise.

I finished reading The Secret Life of Bees, but I haven’t dared to touch To Kill a Mockingbird yet. Well, I did. I just dropped it into my dresser drawer really quick and haven’t looked back at it yet. I will, eventually. I’ll be knee deep in summer work for the next few weeks unless I keep procrastinating. Then I can be knee deep in summer work in a month or so.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

You’re more than just a mannequin to me.

I’m listening to The Summer Set right now. I saw them live last summer, and they are pretty amazing. So, why don’t you go check them out real quick? They’re one of my favorite boy bands. (I do have a lot)

So, I finish up the school year in less than a week. I will no longer be subject to the rolling eyes, the *chuckle, chuckle* “Freshmen” comments, or the hopeless loops around the school when I forget where my next class is. I will have the right to make those eye-rolls and those chuckles, because next year  . . . I’ll be a sophomore.

Wow, it sounds so fancy!

Just kidding. I really don’t care, seeing as sophomore year apparently sucks. I’ll be taking five honors classes, Italian II and working on the school yearbook. It’s going to be an exciting and busy, busy year.

Before then, though, we have summer. Things I’d like you to pay attention to . . .

~Awkward. It is an amazing TV show. It’s just perfection in so many ways. It’s relevant to high-schoolers and there are cute boys and it’s hilarious. I absolutely love it. Season 2 starts June 28th. You can watch all of season 1 on mtv.com now!!

~The Script has a new album coming out in September next year, which is the end of summer but still counts. I’m excited for my Irish band to come out with more music. They’re also amazing.

Those are my only updates as of right now, even though I’m sure there are more awesome shows, music and even books coming out. I’m reading ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ at the moment for English summer work, and I have to read ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, so I will most likely be doing book reviews in the coming weeks on both. Let me know what you think of either of them if you’ve read them before!

Changes in My Life

Hey everyone! I know it’s been some time, but I’m back! Isn’t this exciting? I know, you can’t contain the excitement.

So, yes, I’m back to blogging regularly. School is over in less than two weeks for me, and then I’ve got three months of sunshine and sand, tanning and talking, dieting and . . . dancing? Why not? As the kids in my overcrowded high school chant, YOLO!

Now, let’s review that alliterative list I came up with. Sunshine and sand . . . I think that part is obvious enough. Summer means long weekends at the beach and sand that will not disappear from my bags until next Christmas. Tanning is also a must. I like to brag about the fact that I’ve got great tanning skin. I actually still had tan lines in December this year. Talking is another obvious factor of summer. I’ll be chit-chatting from sunrise to sundown for the next three months.

The dieting part, your eyes wander back to. Well, yes, that is quite true! I’m starting the Skinny Girl diet sometime in the next two weeks to lose weight over the summer. It’s similar to the ABC diet, but less extreme. To learn more about the skinny girl, go here: http://anabones.wetpaint.com/page/Skinny+Girl+Diet

I know it may seem a bit extreme, but I really don’t think it is. I think it’ll give me the push to lose weight without starving myself or becoming bulimic, which I would never do. I have a new tumblr blog set up specifically for my weight loss journey. It also has motivational pictures and quotes and healthy meals. You can find that here:

http://www.shrinkinginsecurities.tumblr.com

And, finally, the dancing part of my summer. Why not dance a little?

I will most likely be starting a new blog to use as a diary for my 30-Day Skinny Girl diet. I’ll update all of you on that, but for now, follow that new tumblr for me, share my blog with friends and keep on dancing!

Woah.

I was checking up on my blog today, and I saw that last month, I had 1,800 views. I’m kind of amazed, guys. And overall, I’ve had 8,600 views. Wow, guys. I’m really grateful that some of you take time to check up on this little blog. I’d like to think it’s helpful?

Well, I’m going to start daily-blogging again soon. Just wait till next week and biology testing is over. Then, I’ll have smooth sailing till the week of finals when I’ll be stuffing my face with Poptarts and cursing myself for waiting to study.

If you’d like me to talk about a topic or review a certain book, comment and let me know! I’m always interested to check out new stuff! In the mean time, check me out on tumblr!

www.papertowns-paperpeople.tumblr.com

                 

No motivation, no inspiration, no dedication

I’m so tired. Tired of empty conversations. Tired of misdirected anger. Tired of plans falling apart.

Honestly, I’m just tired of being tired. My geometry grade is falling. I’ve got a project due in history tomorrow. I’m trying to keep up with the perfect vision the lacrosse coach has of me as her manager. Trying to plan a party for a friend. Trying to keep everyone happy.

It sucks. It sucks trying to please everyone when they don’t care about you. It just sucks.

On top of everything, I can’t get my feelings straight. Maybe I’m just scared to fall in love, but that wouldn’t be without reason. I just want someone to sit me down and say, “He likes you, and you like him. Be happy together.”

High school is so stressful. It’s like I’m swimming hundreds of miles away from the shore and every time I get my head above the water, another wave comes crashing down.

 

This is a depressing post. I’m sorry, bloggers. It’s just one of those days. I’m not asking for pity. I’m really not. I just wanted to let you know that life really sucks sometimes. It gets better, though. I have to hope so. Of course, geometry will never get easier. That will always suck.

 

Remember to follow me at www.papertowns-paperpeople.tumblr.com! I’ll love you forever!

I have made the switch to . . .

TUMBLR

Yeah, I did it, guys. I just don’t have the time to post regularly on here anymore, and Tumblr’s a quicker option. So, I may post on here in the summer, but until June, you can find me at www.papertowns-paperpeople.tumblr.com (If you know where the reference is from, you’re an awesome person.)

So, if you like Josh Hutcherson .gifs, random quotes, and cute-guy fan-girling, head over to Tumblr and follow my blog.

Here are a few of my favorite .gifs in case you’re not convinced . . .   

Inkpop, Josh Hutcherson, and Sleep

I know I’ve been M.I.A. for quite a bit, and I apologize for that. I’ve been struggling with geometry homework and trying to finish “The Things That Break Us”. While neither of those tasks have been a complete success, I have read a lot more recently than I have been in the past few months.

So, I’m guessing you all already know that inkpop has been sold to Figment. Which basically means, inkpop is gone. There’s no way to sugarcoat what HarperCollins did, but it’s done and over with. I’ve made the switch to Figment, and it’s not too bad. Look me up on there and shoot me a message or follow me (My username is Ashley C. Nicole)

In other news, I’m stoked for the release of The Hunger Games. I went and saw Journey 2 with my family and my friend a week or two ago. Josh Hutcherson did not disappoint, I’ll tell you that. Look at him, so modest!

In case you can’t tell, I have a strong love for this boy. If I were older, or if he was younger, and I was famous, or he wasn’t famous, we’d totally be together. (Read: there’s no chance of me having Josh’s babies. Ever.)

Anyway, here are some other Peeta/Josh pictures that I love.

 

So, yep. There you go. You can thank me later.

I talked about inkpop and Josh, so what’s left? Oh, yeah. Sleep. I am exhausted. I think I’m getting sick, but I’m not ready to admit that, because I’ve got a health final on Monday that I can’t miss. (I know, health? What the heck?) I actually took a nap earlier, but I am tired yet again. I hate falling asleep so early, but it’s not like I’m doing anything productive besides Facebook-stalking and scrolling through pages on WeHeartIt.

Well, I think that’s all. Feel free to email me (in the side bar, for publishers/authors) if you’re an inkie dealing with the change. Otherwise, I’ll be posting again soon!

Falling All Over Myself

Lately, I’ve been more clumsy than ever. As in, falling in mud or bringing down a whole shelf of my closet. As for the mud incident, it’s happened twice.

In public.

I run. I slip. My feet go up. My butt goes down. Mud embeds itself into my skin and clothes. Truly tragic, I tell you. The shelf issue wasn’t really all that bad. I just managed to fall sideways off of my stool in my closet, and the shelf did not want to support. (The wall didn’t want to support the shelf, either. I think we all are in need of a better support system.)

So, what’s the point to this rambling? Well, I hope you can work a scene like one of those into your story for comic relief. Or have your character trip up the steps in a school of 2,000 people that are always moving, always going places. (I was fine, of course. Just a bit pink in the face.)

The other point to this, though, is to bring up embarrassment. In life, we’re all faced with times when we trip (and fall) or spill something down our shirt on our way to the bus stop and we’re forced to explain it all day. I think, what matters more than the actual event, is how we choose to handle it.

Example 1: When I slipped and fell in mud for the first time, I was at a carnival that was bursting with people. I was chasing my friend one moment, and the next, I was on the ground with my jaw dropped. It hadn’t even rained in weeks, and yet there was a lovely mud puddle for me to fall right into. I got up, walked over to my friend, sat down next to her on the curb and refused to leave until my mom pulled up in front of us half an hour later.

Was that the right thing to do? Probably not, but it felt like it. It felt safer than walking around with my shorts glued to my butt with mud.

Example 2: When the mud took me the second time, I was on a retreat with my church. I was with the same friend as before, and we were outside for “free time”. When she went over to sit down on a bench, I followed. It was muddy, so I tried to hop over to her to not get my shoes dirty. I fell, of course. I was on the ground, soaked in muddy water. And you know what I did? I laughed until I couldn’t breathe. I laughed until tears were streaming down my face, because I knew there was no use in getting up and running.

Was that better than example 1? I’d like to think so. I didn’t feel the burning embarrassment as much. It was easier to laugh, too. Laughing’s healthy for people.

So, yeah. I just rambled about how klutzy I am for a few paragraphs, but the message is simple. Laugh at yourself before other people get the chance to. It leads to less embarrassment on your part, less awkwardness after, and you’ll be happy if you’re laughing.

 

P.S. How do you like the new layout? The new theme? My new signature?

I’ve found a new favorite author . . .

John Green. He is hands-down amazing, and I am in love with his books. I know it’s been a while since my last book review, and I really do apologize, but I’ve been reading only crap for school that no one really wants to read a review about. Anyway, here’s my review of a John Green book.

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green

Summary: Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumors in her lungs... for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumors tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Stars: 5

Rate: 9

Pros: This book is realistic, as in life happens, and it’s not a sugar-coated happy ending. The characters were three-dimensional and not perfect, which made them in a very hypocritical way, perfect. Green really made everything come together in this story in a way that made sense.

Cons: I cried. I bawled like a baby with tears streaming down my face. Legitimate cons? The relationship was a bit fast, but Green made that work all right, too.

Overall Recommendation: Read it. It is one of my top five favorite books that I have ever read. The characters, the story, the ending . . . it’s all perfect. I loved this book so much that I went and bragged about it to three different people right away. If you’re looking for a good book about growing up and young love, read it.

Don’t forget the tissues.

This ain’t a fairytale . . . .

Oh, Taylor Swift, how you sum up my life.

Recently, I started working on a new project of sorts with two other girls on inkpop. It’s a collaboration of letters, actually. They’re all from us to three different boys. I think it’s really unique just because we don’t know if there’s a happy ending in the future. We’re playing it day-by-day and writing these letters daily. If it sounds appealing to you, go here to read: http://www.inkpop.com/fiction/memoir/words-i-didnt-say 

I’ll love you forever!

All right, so my self-promoting is over. I figured I would update my blog in honor of this lovely holiday. Friday the 13th is one of my favorite days, honestly. I don’t really know why, but it’s pretty amazing to see of all of the superstitious hype, don’t you think?

So, a few updates . . .

In the music world: We the Kings is going on tour with Mayday Parade, which is so amazing. If you snag tickets, let me know. Who doesn’t want to bring their favorite blogger along?

In the movie world: In the distant future, I’m looking forward to seeing The Hunger Games even though I haven’t read the books. If you’re looking for something a bit closer, Beauty and the Beast is coming back to theaters. Make sure to check out The Vow, starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams in February!

In the book world: I’m reading a series by Donita K. Paul, which is really good. It’s a little religious, but not overbearingly so. If you’re looking for more general reading, I recommend preordering Lauren Oliver’s sequel to Delirium, Pandemonium. I know that is one book I can not wait for!

In my world: (You had to know it was coming) I’m finishing up my first semester of high school and enjoying it. Finals are sure to make me a bit more dreary in the upcoming weeks, so be warned for depressing posts about mindless teachers. I’ve heard a lot about high school sweethearts and taking every chance you get to fall in love, but I’m kind of losing hope. Seeing as the boy I like is one of those popular, gorgeous ones. As in, our relationship is basically:

(Me being the random citizen) Nah, I’m just kidding. We do talk, and he’s really sweet. I just don’t know if I should let myself really like him. He’s already got a line of followers. Eh. High school.

 

So, there are your updates for movies, music, and books. If you don’t care about my guy troubles, that’s all right. I know I’m nothing interesting, but hey, don’t hate.

New Music!!

So, I love He is We so much. They're original and different and so great. If you haven't heard of them yet, you just have to listen to one song, and I swear you'll be hooked. I love them! Here is one of their newer songs from their recently released EP album, Skip to the Good Part.
So, take a listen. Leave a comment, telling me what you think, or recommend a new artist for me to check out.

Holiday Cheer and a Happy New Year

I know it’s been a bit since my last post, and I greatly apologize. My English teacher swamped us with a Shakespeare project, and while I was desperately hoping for something like this:

I was left to fend for myself. I did manage to finish it and turn it in, though! I’m anxiously waiting for my grade, seeing as it decides whether or not I pass this quarter. In other good English news, I received an A on a vocab quiz today that I forgot to study for until this morning. (Don’t blame me; it’s the day before break!)

My post isn’t to ramble about my life as a freshman though. It’s actually to bring up a picture I found today on the fabulous site, weheartit.com. This picture really got me thinking, and I think it’s good to think. If you don’t, your brain might just shut off and stop working. All right, that’s unlikely, but you never know, right?

So, yes, I know it’s technically not a picture. It’s more of a quote, but still. If you had the chance to redo this year, would you? Honestly, I don’t know my answer. I think it depends on the decisions we made this year, and how we feel about them. If I had been given the chance to redo 2010, I probably would have taken it in a heartbeat. Not to really redo everything, but just to see it  from a new perspective and see where everything changed.

I can’t say much on the quote, though, because it’s honestly just something to get you thinking. Though, I do want to wish you all a happy new year, whether the clock ticks over to 2012, 2011, or 2056. We can all hope for a better year, can’t we? Even if your year was great, the world could use a little bit of hope in general.

On New Year’s Eve this year, go out and have fun. Live up the last few hours of your 2011 so that when 2012 does roll around, you’re ready. Accept this year for all that’s it been and whatever it lacked, and just let it go. Holding onto the past only keeps us from embracing the future.

Here’s to hope, happiness and a delicious Christmas! Happy Holidays, everyone!