Tag: beautiful

Breaking Through

displacedlocal3 Comments


Breaking through was the hardest part. They said that on the other side we would find happiness, answers, something. There must have been a reason the universe inexplicably stopped expanding.

The crew of our small expedition consisted of five of us. The “best” people for the job. Best. I would describe us as inexperienced. Too young. Lost.

The greatest minds of our time wanted answers and we were the crew assigned to the job. The journey to the edge was instantaneous.

To break through we had to bend the laws of what we thought was possible. We [Process Classified].

When we breached the edge of the universe there was nothing but darkness. Then it started infecting us.

[Name removed] was the first infected by the bug.

The parasite’s symptoms were unlike any others any of us had ever seen.

It was not a physical disease. It starts with projecting an image of unbelievable beauty. It captivates you. Seeing it absorbs your every thought. Nothing else matters.

Then, like a candle burning out for the last time, it disappears and never returns.

It fills you with a need for it. It becomes an addiction. You beg for it to return.

After days of waiting. It returns, but it isn’t the same. Something is wrong. The happiness is replaced by fear. It consumes you. It hurts to live. [Names removed] ended their lives at this point. I locked the last survivor other than myself in a cell at his request.

He lives through the fear and walks up to the window and explains to me what he feels. “I have seen all. We should never have tested these limits. Life isn’t meant to be tested like this. GO LEAVE.” The rest of his words were muddled and unrecognizable.

Looking outside the window of my quarters I have to wonder why I haven’t been infected, but my mind has been fixated on a thought. A thought I can’t quite place, but It is beautiful.

Just beautiful.

, But Never Doubt I Love

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Doubt thou the stars are fire,
Doubt that the sun doth move,
Doubt truth to be a liar,
But never doubt I love.

An excerpt from Hamlet by Shakespeare.

Currently, I am reading Hamlet in my AP English class. Now, Shakespeare hasn’t always been my strong suit. But sometimes, I find myself getting lost in his beautiful wording.

This quote says it all.

People will always question the heavens above them and the ground that they stand upon. Even more so, people will question the words of those they know, even those that they are very close to.

However, there are a few sure things in life. One of them is love.

Whether this love is directed towards family, a close friend, a girlfriend, a boyfriend, a pet, a picture, a passion, or a song, love is always there.

Sure, love can be a confusing thing at times. Especially for those near my age, when awkward teenage love is beginning to mature and we are just figuring out who we are and what we are capable of. But for the most part, people can clearly identify love.

This is a universal feeling. It’s something that Shakespeare knew clearly hundreds of years ago and it’s something that holds true today.

I say, trust in love. Trust in your mother and your father. Trust in your best friends and your enemies. Trust in your boyfriend or girlfriend or whoever your special person may be. Trust in that feeling. It is one of the few sure things that will persist throughout time.

Love is timeless.

Honors Ski Trip

rangerthecat1 Comment

Last week, I had one of the best weeks I’ve had so far this year. I took a trip with 18 of my classmates and close friends along with 4 faculty members to Yosemite for the Honors Ski Trip.

Now, I’ve been to Yosemite before when I was younger and I do remember parts of it. But it was so different than I had remembered and so amazing. It was a completely different experience and a really great one at that.

Day #1:
After arriving the night before when there was hardly any snow, we woke up unsure if there would be good skiing conditions. Nevertheless, we went up to Badger pass, rented our skis, and set off on our first cross country skiing journey. The skiing itself was extremely difficult for me, and I fell over at least every 3 minutes. It was so frustrating and I wasn’t really having the best time. about 20 or 30 minutes in, it started snowing lightly. It got colder, then began to snow harder and harder until I could hardly feel my hands or see very far ahead of me. We stopped for lunch at a campground, which was about 3 miles from where we started, and took a break in the cold snow storm for about 20 minutes. Then, we headed back the way we came to make a 6 mile trip. It wasn’t that far, really, but it seemed like it to be because I was terrible at the skiing, but being surrounded by beautiful scenery definitely enhanced the experience.

Day #2:
It wasn’t as hard for me the 2nd day because I had gotten used to the hang of the skiing, but I was still really slow. We went the same way as we did the 1st day, but part way through, we cut off the main path and went a few miles out on a side trail. It was so beautiful, with many less people, and it was sunny and warm (well, compared to the first day). At our stopping spot, we went up a really steep hill onto a flat area where some of us (including myself) stopped and ate lunch as a small group continued on to another destination. We stayed at this spot for an hour or a little bit more, making snow forts, having a snowball fight, building a snowman, and sleeping in the snow with the warm sun beating down on us. It was a very peaceful and beautiful experience. When we got back and were loading up the vans, a group of us saw a coyote that was so close to us we could almost touch it. Its eyes were extremely greenish-yellow and vibrant, and he was so much more calm than I would expect.

Day #3:
This was by far my favorite day. We split into two groups, one that went on another ski trip and one that went on a hike by half dome and the huge waterfall. We walked a while through the trees until we spotted a beautiful bobcat that was only about 20 feet away from us. It wasn’t scared or nervous, and just went about doing whatever it wanted to. I had never seen one before and it was probably the best part of the day – it’s not very often people see bobcats roaming around, even in Yosemite. We took a very nice hike about 4 more miles out to a location called Mirror lake. It wasn’t a very full lake when we were there, it was a bit more dried up than I imagined, but it was still beautiful. We stopped and ate lunch here and did some rock-climbing, if you could call it that… it was more of a sad attempt.
At the end of the day, we went back to where the hike started and took an interesting journey into what are called the “spider caves”. It’s pitch black, cold, rocky, and the spaces to fit through are extremely small. We weren’t allowed to use lamps, so we were all helping the person behind us through. I only made it through the first half of the cave; I chickened out and found a way to get out. The rest of the group, however, crawled through more small spaces for about 20 minutes until they made it out at the other end.

Overall, I would say it was an extremely valuable experience. I saw so many things that I hadn’t ever seen before, and we had SO much fun in our cabins at night playing charades, twister, and cooking dinner together.

To be honest, I was extremely sad for this trip to end and I wish I could do it at least one more time. All I can say is, I’m thankful for the time I spent with those people and that I had the opportunity to experience these new things. It was truly great.

Life’s A Beach.

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Usually I have an undeniable, irresistible desire for Korean food or home.

But this time, it’s the beach.

The weather has been beautiful lately here in Ojai. I mean, how lucky are we to have summer weather in the end of January?

It started with the semi-annual sale at Victoria’s Secret.

Discounts on swimsuits and free shipping on orders over $25!!

So I bought one and it arrived last Monday but since I was unhappy with it, I sent it back. Now, I have to wait until February for the new one!

NOW ALL I NEED IS SOME SAND AND A LOT OF OCEAN.

But I must have patience because being at a boarding school, I don’t have many chances to leave and head to the beach whenever I want to.

I JUST WANT SUMMER!!

Sometimes life’s a beach.

Marble Beauty

kirbyfullyloaded1 Comment

I found her very beautiful, in a hard, unfeeling sort of way.  She reminded me of a statue, just as rigid and half as inviting.  Her eyes were distant, cold.  Smooth skin, three shades lighter than caramel glowed in the pale light. 

She was thin and small, barely five feet three inches tall.  Her slenderness only emphasized the delicacy of her frame but the muscles in her arms and legs were defined and clearly visible. Bones and tendons showed though the exquisite skin of her hands and faint bluish veins drew intricate designs beneath the surface. 

Her jaw was fine and just a degree rounded enough not to be considered angular.  Cheekbones, not high but rather mild, were tinted the barest flush of coral. 

Glossy dark hair of burnished mahogany curled gently around a heart-shaped face.  It spilled over her shoulders and over her collarbone in a wave of soft, loose ringlets.  Pressed together, her bottom lip was slightly fuller than the top and a lush rosy pink.  She had not the barest hint of a smile. 

A small freckle dotted her cheek just to the left of her lips, pretty.  Elegant brows arched gracefully across her forehead.  Large dark eyes stared out from under curving lashes.  They held an unavoidable attractiveness, something about the color.  Like pools of sweet melted chocolate, they were liquid and had a faint sheen.  It was strange to me how they looked melted and warm while having such a frigid glint in them. 

I never understood why she was so distant, forever a mystery.  

Her name was Sahar, “dawn” in Arabic.  But she was not Arabian.  Indeed, she was fair as Dawn herself, just as soft and glowing.  

Sahar’s voice was quiet and sharp, but it had a lovely lyrical quality that took the edge off her tone.  

She didn’t like me, not one bit.  So we never spoke and I retreated, admiring from afar her perfect marble beauty.  

A Furry Surprise

yrreskrap2 Comments

10:28 AM: Monday, November 7, 2011.

A text message from my mother:

“There is a big surprise waiting 4 u. Hint: it’s furry, so sweet, and endearing…Can you get what it is?”

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m going home this weekend with my friends Anni and Sungjin. My mother had left me a long text message explaining food options and furniture and this BIG SURPRISE!

I really hope it is either a cat or a dog! I CANNOT WAIT!

If I had to choose which dog or cat I will be greeted with this weekend, it would be:

1) Scottish Fold Cat

My favorite pet by far was a Scottish Fold by the name of Butter. These cats have the sweetest disposition and a lovable face. Their eyes are very big and their ears are usually folded.

2) Chihuahua

My favorite dog was a 6 pound Chihuahua by the name of Tinkerbell. Chihuahuas, contrary to popular belief, are very intelligent creatures. Tinkerbell never barked too much either and was very very loyal.

3) Teacup Poodle

To be honest, I just want one of these because they are SO CUTE. I mean, LOOK AT IT. Ah my goodness! It makes me so nauseous because of how cute it is!

4) Bengal

I really want this cat because it is SO beautiful! It looks just like a miniature leopard! Goodness, I want it!

I hope I am not getting too caught up with this idea of having the pet be a cat or a dog because knowing my mom, she could have gotten me a nice knit scarf or a hamster.

But keeping my fingers crossed for a SCOTTISH!

Sunsets

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No enhancements were made to these photos.

I love sunsets.  They’re in bad romances and lame, angsty teen novels, unforgettable movies, and great literary master pieces.  Artists and poets have colored miles of canvas and thousands of pages depicting and describing their radiant beauty.  Twilight (ironically the unfortunate name of another angsty teen novel) is an enchanting hour.  It is the time of day when all three of the great celestial entities exist together.  The sun sets, the moon rises and the stars just begin to emerge.

Kona, 2003:

I’m lucky enough to live by the beach.  The bay we live near faces south instead of west, so the sun never sets in front of my house, except for a short time in one season.  All year, I look forward to winter sunsets.  As December rolls around, the sun inches slowly south on the horizon, sinking into the sea right over the Channel Islands.

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A Tropical Adventure (Continued)

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As I was saying, Costa Rica was an eventful trip.  We went to Manuel Antonio National Park.  It has this beautiful beach that’s right on the jungle.  We were already wearing our bathing suits so we went swimming and my dad took a picture of me spitting water at my waterproof Olympus Stylus 7.1

He’s been obsessed with motion water pictures ever since.  I used to be really into horseback riding.  I rode English in California but in Manuel Antonio, the only place we could find with horses rode Western.  It was tricky, trying to ride with one hand and the saddle was a little different.  It had a pommel, which I liked.  I could hold onto it and it was the perfect size for my hand.  My horse was really nice too, but the best part was the ride.  We rode alone along the deserted beach for hours.  It was foggy and cool, late in the afternoon.  The light was beautiful, calm and glowing.  I had never been on a better ride, and even though I quit riding 2 years later, I still never have.

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Paradise Pier

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“Eternity begins and ends with the ocean’s tides.” 

There is something consuming about the sea, something so compelling and wild it cannot be expressed.  Catalina Island is a magical place, surrounded by miles of clean, open ocean.  Toyon Bay is a small hidden cove, near Avalon, on Catalina and in the summertime, the sunset is visible from the beach.  And at dusk, the most enchanting place in the world is the pier.

“But when I climb up to my island peak, Escape awhile the madding world of strife, I envy not an earthly thing, this life, Which sometimes galls, is swept clean of its cares, By friendly winds, and once again I smile, Ay, truly, life seems sweet– A thing worthwhile.” –Captain Eddie Harrison

Toyon Bay pier is very old.  The wood, bleached by the sun, is stained by all manner of sea-filth.  Strings of clear fishing line are pulled taut across the weather-beaten rails to prevent birds from landing on them.  A battered wooden storage box rests tiredly against the right side of the pier, accompanied by a digital thermometer attached to the very end of the railing on the left.  There is a lifeguard chair next to the thermometer.  Covered in cracking white paint, it is wooden and overlooks the bay, facing right off the pier toward the Point; a green fabric umbrella with a faded nut-brown stand, somewhat crooked, shades the chair.  A long steel ramp slants downwards onto the float, where the boats land and cast off.

There are little holes in the planks that make up the floor; you can see down into the clear blue water and observe the myriad of fish and small sharks that swim below.  Waves churn around the stanchions that jut out of the water, resisting the thrashing, pulsing currents.  Seaweed writhes and dances around the supports in a lovely, hypnotic rhythm.

“How the sea took me, swept me back…The only sound was the roaring sea, the freezing waves…and yet my heart wanders away, my soul roams with the sea…”

The water in the bay is pure, crystalline aqua near the shore.  It deepens to a vibrant, striking turquoise as the sandy bottom falls away.  All around the pier, the water is dotted with bright orange spots, friendly garibaldi swish happily in the gently swaying amber forests that grow around the bay.  The marriage of oceanic and autumn colors is magnificent.  Leopard sharks dart in and out of view, their splotches of grayish-black color camouflages them in the shadowy surf zone.

“The best way to observe a fish is to become a fish.”-Jacques Cousteau

Palm tress move gently to and fro, above the stone amphitheater.  They are quite large, even for palm trees.  Their startlingly green leaves are pointy and hang down around the trunk like a peel hangs from a banana.  Clusters of blaringly orange dates hug the trunk, high up by the leaves.  The trunk is made of rough coco-power colored bark.  Deep zig-zagging lacerations create an intricate pattern in the trees that make your eyes fuzzy if you stare too long.Read More »

She’s a Beauty

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She is a beauty. Her skin is a flawless, radiant white. Sometimes she is shy and shields her lips but sometimes she is bold, and opens her mouth; a striking red is revealed. She is all looks and she is all brains. She can make precise calculations and she will never be lost. She is a good listener, very obedient, and will do what she is told. But boy oh boy, can she sing. She can belt out notes at the top of her lungs, and she can hum a tune. Her voice is one that makes her peers quiver with envy. She is very athletic, she can run fast and she can run with grace. She is talented. She is perfect. She is the car of my dreams.

BMW 335i red leather

The BMW 335i hardtop convertible is the car for me. Just the other day, I was setting up an appointment for my behind-the-wheel test at the DMV, and I was thinking about my future car. Only one car came to mind.

A year ago, while I was walking through a BMW dealership, a certain hardtop convertible had caught my eye and stole my heart.

MBW 335i top going down

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