New Year's Resolution Update #3

April 25, 2011 - 46 books read, 254 books to go.

House Rules- Jodi Picoult
Sing You Home- Jodi Picoult
The Lonely Hearts Club- Elizabeth Eulberg
Lovely- Allison Liddelle
Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A memoir of going home- Rhoda Janzen
Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's- John Elder Robison
Water for Elephants- Sara Gruen
Cross my Heart- Katie Klein
Edith- M.B. Forester-Smythe
Boyfriends, Burritos, and an Ocean of Trouble- Nancy N. Rue

New Year's Resolution Update #2

March 27, 2011- 36 books read, 264 to go

Spirit Bound (a Vampire Academy novel)- Richelle Martin
Please Ignore Viera Dietz- A.S. King
The Bride's Baby- Liz Fielding
A Very Special Delivery- Linda Goodnight
Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo- Heather Wardell
The Time Travelers: Volume One- Caroline B. Cooney
Fools Rush In- Janice Thompson
Five Flavors of Dumb- Antony John
Stuck in the Middle- Virginia Smith
The Running Dream- Wendelin Van Draanen

New Year's Resolution Update #1

Well, about a month ago I told everyone about my New Year's Resolution. I have decided that about once a month I will update with how many books I've read, how many books I have left, and the titles that I read. If anyone is looking for book suggestions, check the blogs about my New Year's Resolution.

February 27, 2011- 26 books read, 274 left to go!

Untamed (a House of Night novel)- P.C. and Kristen Cast
Hunted (a House of Night novel)- P.C. and Kristen Cast
Tempted (a House of Night novel)- P.C. and Kristen Cast
Gods in Alabama- Joshilyn Jackson
Ash- Malinda Lo
Wintergirls- Laurie Halse Anderson
The First Part Last- Angela Johnson
Waiting for Sarah- Bruce McBay and James Herughan
Jerk, California- Jonathan Friesen
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round things- Carolyn Mackler
Girl at Sea- Maureen Johnson
The Shunning- Beverly Lewis
The Confession- Beverly Lewis
The Reckoning- Beverly Lewis

This list only contains 15 of the 26 books I've read, but if you look at my first post about New Year's Resolutions, those titles are listed. I will update again in about a month with the new titles and countdown!

RIP

Today, our world has suffered a great loss. Alex was one of the most courageous people I knew, and her strength has helped many to realize how blessed we all really are. Her perseverance to fight this disease for 5 + years is only one of many things that will never be forgotten about her. She is now living a pain free life, riding horses and playing softball up in heaven, and watching down over every person she had ever known.

To Alex: I will miss you everyday. I hadn't seen you in awhile, but I always kept you in my prayers. You are one of my inspirations, and I will never forget how strong you were. I know you are watching down over us, and will help us during our times of need, like our prayers helped you during your times of need.

To the Hermstad family: I have no idea what it is like to be in your shoes,  but know this: you have the support of thousands of people behind you. You are so strong, just like Alex. She was very lucky to have all of you supporting and loving her through the duration of her illness.


Alexandria Ann Hermstad
August 22, 1993-February 14, 2011

Gone, but never forgotten.

Labels

I was at school yesterday afternoon waiting for a band rehearsal to start when one of my acquaintances made a comment that really upset me. She was telling about her older sister who was also named Kelsey, and "had brown hair, played the french horn, and was an over-achiever." I honestly don't understand where people get the idea that I am an over-achiever. I DO set very high goals and standards for myself, and make sure that I reach them, because average does not sit well with me. Pushing myself has never before made me an over-achiever, I was just a kid who would do what she had to in order to get good results.  I hate the fact that my so-called labels are "smart" and "over-achiever." I guess the fact that I actually want to get something out of school and apply myself so I am successful doesn't make sense to anyone but me..

New Year's Resolution...

New Year's resolutions seem like such a stupid thing. We all make them, then end up abandoning them by the 2nd week of January. I am guilty of that as well, so this year I decided  to make a resolution that I would actually stick to. My main resolution is to read 300 books by January 1st, 2012 at midnight. This seems like a large task, but in 25 days I have read 11 books already, and for those that know my schedule, that's a pretty big accomplishment. I plan on posting every title/author for every book I read on my blog.
January 25, 2011- 11 books read, 289 books to go (these are in no particular order by the way, because they are randomly spread out through my book journal)

Rockstar- Jackie Collins
Room- Emma Donoghue
Princess Ben- Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Half-Baked: a memoir- Alexa Stevenson
Betrayed, a House of Night Novel- P.C and Kristen Cast
Chosen, a House of Night Novel- P.C and Kristen Cast
Picture Perfect- Jodi Picoult
Handle with Care- Jodi Picoult
Front and Center- Catherine Gilbert Murdock (3rd book in the Dairy Queen trilogy)
Out of my Mind- Sharon M. Draper
Parrotfish- Ellen Wittlinger

If you are looking for something to read and would like a synopsis of what these books are about, please comment and I will hook you up with some. As my Accelerated English/Composition teacher says, "Happy Reading!"

Living each day to the fullest

Every day when I walk into my seventh period Composition class, the first thing written across the top of my teacher's board is "Today is the only (insert date here) you will ever experience. How are you going to live it?" Many of us take things for granted, whether it be our health, our family, or something as simple as it being January 25, 2011. This quote always makes me think "What am I going to remember about today?" It could be a funny story from the day, or a good grade I got on a test. Sometimes there are days that I don't want to remember, and those will always stick with me no matter what, purely because I don't want to remember them. Hopefully, those are the memories I will someday tell my kids, or grand kids. We need to remember those memories, and the people present in them, because life is unpredictable. One of my favorite country songs by Tim McGraw is titled "Live like you were dying." None of us want to think about dying or losing one of our loved ones, but the reality is, we don't know when it's going to happen, only the big guy upstairs does. We need to take advantage of every opportunity given to us, because otherwise we may never get to do it. Do the things that you want to do!!! Get that crazy tattoo, tell that guy your true feelings, or go skydiving. Whatever it is you choose to do, just remember : today is the only January 25, 2011 you will ever experience, how are YOU going to live it??