The Doctor's Apprentice

"Doctor! Doctor!"
The Doctor closed his eyes, huffing in frustration. He listened to the yells echoing through the TARDIS and wondered briefly if this had been a mistake. It had been a while since he'd taken on a male companion, after all. The girls were so easy. For the most part, they stuck close by and hung on his every word. But this guy …
"Doctor!"
The Doctor looked up, his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "Lost? Again, Hiccup? That's the …" Gazing up, he mouthed numbers silently before continuing. "That's the fifth time so far!"
The impatient, often sarcastic voice boomed in the hallways. "I'm not lost! I'm just … lost."
The Doctor smiled a little. He reached out, slapping the walls of the TARDIS affectionately. "Just turn left three times!" he yelled back.
"Oh, sure. That makes so much sense."
"Of course it does. I'm the Doctor and this is my TARDIS and it makes sense!"
"But-"
"Left!"
The Doctor heard Hiccup groan, and the time lord groaned too. Another reason he shouldn't have taken Hiccup along for the ride. He didn't like teenagers all that much. Too young, too impulsive. At least Rose had been sensible, and she was practically out of her teens. The sarcasm - for crying out loud, the constant sarcasm - didn't help matters either. Why had he extended the invitation to Hiccup, the Doctor asked himself silently.
"Thinking twice about this?" The Doctor spun around. His lanky companion stood tall, arms crossed across his green hoodie and thick vest. The Doctor sighed - Hiccup was also so much smarter than the others. How could you be mysterious around someone who seemed to figure out everything? Where was the fun in that?
But, as he met Hiccup's eyes, the Doctor managed a smile. He'd never really forgotten the reason he had parked the TARDIS in front of the Haddock house for the second time - the reason he had grinned widely at the astonished teenage boy, reached out a hand, and asked, "Coming?"
Yes, Hiccup was different from the rest of them. The Doctor had seen the longing in the boy's eyes, a yearning almost as strong as what the Doctor often saw in mirrors. Hiccup had wanted to have a grand, marvelous, fantastic, brilliant adventure. He had wanted the danger. Why else would he have chased after the Doctor into the flaming factory?
Hiccup didn't want the sad, tired, heavy life he lived. The Doctor had caught glimpses of the boy's life - the cruel classmates, the estranged father, the mocking teachers, the snooty town. The time traveler had seen the constant pain the teen lived with, and he didn't think it much over after that.
He just knew Hiccup needed a chance.
So the Doctor grinned, tugged at his bowtie, and winked at Hiccup. "Ha! Thinking twice - where's the fun in that?"

It Takes Twenty to Tango: Warnings about the Internet

I made the huge mistake of downloading Tango.
Some people might argue that Tango is a great app. In theory, it is. Tango is designed to help random people befriend each other from across the world. It's a great substitution for Skype or texting services because it's free and every communication possibility - the posting of Facebook, the texting of regular phones, the video chatting of Skype - is all combined into one app.
However, when I installed Tango, I made the mistake of using a good photo of myself as my profile picture. Instead of getting chatter from earnest people over a period of time, I received at least twenty messages within seconds. Every one came from very horny boys (or men - who knows how old some of them were!). Every one was inappropriate or suggestive in nature.
Why am I explaining this painful reality of the internet? Because I want to share some key facts of the global world.

1. People on the Internet don't represent everyone. If you base humanity on the people you see chatting it up on social media, you're going to receive a very skewered impression. For example, on the internet are a lot of homosexual, intolerant Democrats. As evidenced by the world today, not everyone is a homosexual, intolerant Democrat. There are Democrats, homosexuals, and intolerant people, but they all don't fit into all those categories.
2. Don't trust surveys. See number one about this. I mean, trying to gather opinions is great in theory, but surveys don't reach everyone. A survey saying, "98% of people love the Internet!" was obviously taken mostly by people on the Internet and did not factor in the vast majority of grandparents, teachers, and Amish folk.
3. If it's a social site, it can be turned into a dating site. People are hungry for romance, and services proclaiming that they can find you great friends usually are used for finding a date or a one-night stand. "But how do I find friends online?" you might ask. It's the same thing that you do in the real world - interact, reach out, and discuss common interests, then let time and persistence handle the rest.
4. Just because someone has sources and links, they aren't completely undeniably true. I read a hilarious story about a foreign news media organization that thought the Onion was a real news website and used it as a source. Enough said on that one.
5. Anonymity makes quiet people into cruel people. If nobody can find you after you post a nasty comment on a news video, then nobody can beat you up. With that logic, there is so much cruelty on the internet that you would never see in real life. It's easy to rant angrily on the internet. It's easy to make people uncomfortable.
6. Despite all the warnings, Internet friends can become amazing friends. I have a fair number of good friends I met through social media that I know I can count on to help me. Heck, I met my darling boyfriend through a mutual friend on the Internet!

The Ultimate College Advice Masterpost

As a future freshman at Christopher Newport University, I'm doing research on college - what I need to bring, how I should decorate and organize, how I should take notes, and the list goes on. So, after so much research it made my head spin, I decided to compile a masterpost of all the advice I've found and received. This is for the reference of others and myself. Enjoy!

DECOR

- Use washi tape to decorate

- For a dry erase board, put a plastic sheet over patterned paper and frame it.

- Urban Outfitters has cool tapestries to hang on the wall

- Use photo collections to decorate the wall - either by taping them to the wall or clipping them to a clothesline (even alongside twinkle lights.

- You can get tons of non-permanent wall hooks at the dollar store.

- Rugs and throw pillows brighten up a room.

- The Home Store has shower curtain rods that can be used almost anywhere.

- Using fabric and cardboard, you can make cute temporary headboards.

- Attach fake flowers to everything with double-sided taped. Flowers make things pretty.

- Cut flower shapes out of cupcake liners, poke a hole in the bottom, and attach them to twinkle lights.

- Get a world map, then cut your pictures from certain states onto those states.

- A rug can brighten up a room.

- Storage ottomans are cute, provide extra seating, and are forms of extra storage.

- Hang a white sheet above your bed, then string twinkle lights above the sheet to achieve a really cool canopy effect (use 3M hooks to hang it).

ORGANIZATION & OTHER ROOM TECH

- Don't forget febreeze.

- Bugs are a problem. Don't forget bug killer (preferably stuff that smells nice).

- Get a laundry bag with strong handles that will stand both weight and time.

- Bring a bike.

- A power strip is a necessity.

- Don't forget typical office supplies, like a hole puncher, or a stapler, or paper clips.

- When it comes to monthly stuff for women, always buy more than you think you'll need.

- When the room stinks, tape a dryer sheet to your fan.

- 3M hooks are great tools.

- If you don't have room for a cork board, cut small shapes out of cork boards and tape them to the wall. It's different, cute, and equally effective.

- Brightly colored cookie sheets make great magnetic boards.

- Spray paint a cheese grater - it makes a great earring holder.

- Spray paint and decorate a brick to make a bookend.

- Attach a plastic toothbrush travel case to the wall with double-sided tape to make a toothbrush holder.

- If power strips are too tangled and ugly for your taste, get a ribbon box and thread the cords through it.

- Tape two ends of a thick ribbon to the wall and keep your bobby pins on it.

- Don't forget a full-length mirror, if the dorm doesn't already have one.

- For short trips or dorm sleepovers or weekend trips home, bring a duffle bag.

- A door holder, obviously, holds your door open and creates a friendly atmosphere for meeting new people.

- Keep the room clean. Wash the toothpaste out of the sink and take the hair out of the drain. Take out the trash.

- Listen to music and movies with headphones. It's distracting for the other people in the room.

- Have some Motrin, Tylenol, or something of that nature around. You don't want to need it and not have it.

- Get a bathrobe. Walking around in a towel is awkward - and college students promise the fire alarm will go off when you're in the shower at least once.

- Color code class materials.

- Invest in a laptop lock.

- Using soda pop tabs, hook hangers onto each other to save space.

- Save space by folding t-shirts.

- To save your pens from being stolen, hide a blue ink cartridge in a red pen - nobody steals red pens, right?

- Hang a wet towel over an open window to cool down your dorm.

- If dirt and fluff builds up between the keys of your laptop/computer keyboard, use a post-it note to clean up.

- Bring a large box or trunk for mass storage.

- To avoid getting athlete's foot, bring shower shoes (cheap flip-flops will work)

- White boards are great because friends can leave messages, or you can leave reminders for yourself.

- Get a chair. The college will probably provide one, but how comfortable will it really be? Focus on something cute and comfortable (but not too comfortable!).

- Organize your closet by color so you can find things easier.

- Just bring a folding chair.

- Instead of all your CDs and DVDs in their case, get a case that stores a lot instead. It saves a lot of space.

TECH

- Chegg lets you buy used textbooks and online textbooks. It can save hundreds.

- Follow a lot of blogs. People have a huge amount of advice that really helps.

- Safe trek is an app that makes traveling in dangerous situations or at night much safer.

- "Rate My Study Abroad" is a website that does what the title suggests.

- The website Glassdoor allows you to find internships and jobs.

- Date My School is a website that allows you to find matches only at your school.

- Dormco.com is brilliant for buying dorm stuff.

- You will use a flash drive a lot. Bring one.

- A clock for the dorm room is good.

- An electric kettle doesn't violate dorm codes and is good for, as suspected, boiling water.

- Get the wifi password at almost any establishment by checking the Foursquare comments.

- Sure you have overhead lights, but sometimes all you need is a small light. Get a desk lamp.

- You know those drink holders that places that McDonalds give out at the drive-through when you order more than one drink? Flip it over and put it under your laptop so you can hold it on your lap but it won't overheat.

- Get a portable battery. All you have to do is charge it, and you'll have a back up charger in case your phone is about to die.

- How clean will dorm water really be? Get a pitcher with a filter for clean water.

ROOMMATES & FRIENDS

- In the beginning, 99.99999% of freshmen will be friendless and desperately looking for buddies. Don't feel embarrassed. Friends are ripe for the plucking.

- Respect your roommate's space and belongings. If you need to borrow something, always ask.

- You don't have to be best friends with your roommate.

- Don't eat all your roommate's food. Try to leave it alone. My dad once shared an apartment with three other guys. One of the guys had his own milk that the others loved to drink. Finally sick of it, the guy walked into a room where everyone was, spit in his milk, and put it in the fridge. Nobody drank it. I'm not saying you should do that, but always be cautious with others' food.

- If you have an issue with your roommate's behavior, don't leave a note! Talk it out with them, face to face - calmly.

- Try to keep your shower time down to a minimum to stay on good terms with your roommate.

- Try to let your roommate know when you're going to have friends over.

- Don't say yes to every opportunity, but don't be afraid to say no.

- Facebook groups are your friend. I haven't even started yet, but I'm already getting tons of helpful tips and meeting new people through the class' Facebook group.

TAKING NOTES

- Rephrase. It helps you think better.

- Attach an image or example to concepts.

- Pretty handwriting, color-coordination, or super-organization are too time-consuming. You can rewrite it prettily later. Just get the info down for now.

- If you don't get it, put a question mark by it and come back to it later.

- Put a box around a term that needs to be defined.

- Indent!

- Underline headings.

- Use abbreviations.

- Find a note-taking system and stick to it.

- Ask permission to record teacher lectures. That way you can go back to the information later.

- To save time, listen to recorded lectures at twice the speed using programs such as VLC media player or Audacity.

- Google mind-mapping. I've used it for assignments and I swear by it.

- Don't skip classes. It just doesn't end well.

HOMEWORK & STUDYING

- Mathway.com gives solutions to math problems.

- If you study consistently in the same place, you can program your mind into study mode.

- Background music helps you study. Try music by the composer Hans Zimmer.

- Check out the Pomodoro method for studying.

- Classes will be easier in the first semester. Don't slack off! Improve your GPA instead.

- If you're giving a presentation, set up a friend in the classroom to ask a question you already know the answer to.

- Don't buy books at the campus bookstore. They're overpriced and understocked.

- Practice exams early.

- Get an accountability buddy who can pester you to study.

MONEY

- Your student ID can get tons of discounts. Use it to your advantage.

- If you have an .edu email, you can get a free Amazon Prime account just for students - that includes free 2-day shipping and textbook rentals. Plus, buy $25 in textbooks and get $5 in MP3 money!

- There are tons of smartphone apps for budgeting money properly.

LAUNDRY

- Always pre-treat your stains.

- Don't throw your clothes all over the dorm for your roommate to yell at and people to step on.

- Don't wash new clothes with old clothes.

- Clothes shrink if you wash them in hot water.

- For the ladies, invest in a mesh or lingerie bag. It keeps your delicate clothes in shape, and bra hooks won't snag at your other clothes.

CLOTHES

- Instead of every single jacket and sweater and blazer you own, bring one jacket that goes with everything.

- Get rain boots. You never know when you might need them.

Ami's Summer Reading List of 2014

As I near graduation and the end of high school, I like to both reflect backward and gaze forward. In looking back, I’ve found several jewels in my bookshelf I think people need to read. I’ll come out with other book lists (because even as I type I come up with more options to add), but this is the must have for summer. Pick as many as you want off this list and enjoy.

Hitler’s Daughter by Jackie French

I loved this book because of how simply it delivered such a deep topic. The book centers around a group of Australian school children telling each other stories as they wait for the school bus each morning. One tells a riveting tale of a crippled little girl who knows Adolf Hitler only as “Papa”. The book covers so many topics: what makes someone evil? How should family members treat each other? And the all-important question every child wonders: “Will my family still love me if I do something wrong?” It’s a deep book, but it’s easily broken into chapters and is short, so it’s a great piece-by-piece read.

Wings by E.D. Baker

This might be my favorite non-traditional fairy tale of all time. Tamisin is a regular teenager with a few quirks until she wakes up with her back on fire. She stays home from school, waking from a painkiller-induced sleep to find two fairy wings on her back. The only person who seems able to give her answers is a mysterious new kid at school – but whenever she hangs out with him, bad things seem to happen. This story is unpredictable, riveting, and, for a fairy tale, surprisingly realistic. Baker depicts high school in a strangely accurate setting. The relationships in the book aren’t forced or unnecessary. I’d recommend Wings to anyone who’s exhausted the usual fairy tale and wants a new twist.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
This book is strange, but in a very good way. Leo is a regular high school junior in a regular life in a regular high school, but everything changes when a former homeschooler enrolls. She carries a rat and a ukulele, doesn’t cut her hair, wears a long prairie dress that trails to the floor, and calls herself “Stargirl”. Stargirl is unaffected by all the social norms Leo is so in tune with. Her fellow students both despise and adore her. Her parents accept her. And Leo begins to fall in love with her. This book is so invigorating that it’s as unusual as Stargirl herself. Spinelli dissects the social structure of high school – all the uniformity, wavering popularity, romance, and regularity that so many teenagers have been forced to accept is shoved under the spotlight. Stargirl is, in her own way, a star.

Asta In the Wings by Jan Elizabeth Watson
Asta is a seven-year-old girl who has never stepped outside her home, due to her mother’s strict rules and overpowering delusions. When her mother one day does not return home from work, Asta and her older brother venture outside into an overwhelming new world and life. Placed in the foster care system, Asta is ripped from her brother and has to experience life through young eyes. My parents bought me this book on one of our summer bookstore adventures while on vacation, and it’s definitely the perfect book for travel. Asta’s adventures are easy reads that are simple to understand yet exciting to experience. 

Bloomability by Sharon Creech
Few authors are as adept at depicting the expatriate lifestyle as Sharon Creech in this book. Dinnie is a thirteen-year-old girl living in a constantly moving, poverty-stricken family – until her aunt and uncle enroll her in a school in Switzerland. The story, characters, point of view, and basically everything are refreshing and a healthy-for-the-soul kind of read. Creech, as usual, has a knack for turning the unusual into the relatable. I love all of Sharon Creech’s books and recommend all of them, but this one is a particular favorite of mine.

Isabel of the Whales by Hester Velmans
I picked this book up at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, and I was not disappointed. When young Isabel tumbles off a whale watching boat, not only can she understand what the whales around her are saying, but also she discovers she has been chosen to be a whale-human ambassador. The catch? She must become a whale for a year. Leaving behind family and friends, Isabel becomes a humpback whale and travels with a pod to discover the trials and lives of her favorite marine species. Not only does this highlight the issues of marine life, but it’s an engaging and heartfelt read. I adored every second, despite being much older than the intended age group.

Girl In Translation by Jean Kwok

This is a refreshing look at immigration from the immigrant’s perspective. In the seventies, a young girl named Ah-Kim and her mother move from affluency in Hong Kong to poverty in New York City. Ah-Kim, renamed Kimberly, narrates her tale as she struggles to survive in America with a strong intelligence but a weak knowledge of English. The story is narrated in the style of a memoir, and, since the author shared so many experiences with Kimberly, it is easily mistaken for one.

The Art of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein

So often books narrated by dogs are too simple and geared for children, but Stein’s beautiful novel goes beyond the stereotype. Enzo is a highly intelligent Buddhist who just happens to be a beloved dog. His owners, a notable race car driver, his cancer-battling wife, and their affectionate young daughter, go through struggle after struggle with Enzo at their side. Enzo’s perspective, wisdom, and imagination make the novel a fresh and glorious bestseller. Except for one rather racy chapter, I couldn’t encourage reading this book enough.

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

This is the only book on this list that I haven’t finished. I’ve had it since sixth grade (six years, good heavens) and never had the time or mental capacity to sit down and read through the entire thing. Investigative journalist Eric Schlosser hits the proverbial nail on the head with his nonfiction book on the truth behind the fast food system throughout America. Schlosser dissects labor, history, zoning, franchising, advertising, and, yes, what’s in the food itself. The book, though packed wiith facts and investigation, is an engaging read unlike any other. Schlosser’s objective approach to fast food in America allows readers to draw their own conclusions about this all-American meal that doesn’t seem to look out for all Americans.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

This is the only dystopian novel I thoroughly loved. In this Bachelor-meets-Hunger-Games book, seventeen-year-old America lives in a futuristic dystopia dominated by a worldwide monarchy and a crippling caste system. When Crown Prince Maxon finally reaches the age of marriage, every girl of age is required to submit a photo and biography in hopes of being chosen as the future queen of “Illea”. Despite being hopelessly in love with a boy from a lower caste, America is chosen to be one of the top thirty-five contenders. In a world of more frequent unrest and rebellions, she and thirty-four other girls must compete in areas of social etiquette, grace, planning, and seduction in order to achieve favor with the slightly overwhelmed Maxon. To make matters worse, America’s former boyfriend and first love is working at the palace – and she doesn’t even want to be there in the first place! Cass’s novel is filled with excitement, drama, and crazy plot twists that nobody will see coming. I love this book!

Over My Dead Body

There’s a figure of speech I smile at when I hear it. “Over my dead body!” I can’t help but think of the movie with that title, about a vengeful girlfriend trying to chase away her ex’s girlfriends – even as she resides in the spirit world. Yet it also leaves a bittersweet taste in my mouth.
I imagine heaven, you see, as a faraway land. Between us and heaven is a large, infinitely deep gap. There is only one bridge, old and rickety. People are always trying to cross by other means – jumping, tossing ropes across, hurrying along the gap to find another passage. None work. Only the brave few who dare to set foot on the bridge may cross.
The bridge is covered in bloodstains and dust. People wipe their feet on the bridge as they stumble across, leaving dirt and past sorrows in their wake. Many are wounded by the bitter souls who refuse to use the bridge. Some people even try to push their fellow crossers off the bridge, claiming the others are not worthy of heaven. Their policing is not welcomed by the bridge, which often breaks beneath their feet.
Some hold to the bridge by just their fingers. Others are safely in the middle, singing happily as they step across, one board at a time.
Jesus is our only bridge to heaven. I’ve wondered about the possibility of alternate layered dimensions – but more on that another time. Jesus is the way we must go in order to reach the other side. Some barely cling to him, while some are safe in his arms. Some, like his disciples with the children, try to push the faithful away from Jesus. Others cast stones at the believers. No matter what you believe, the truth is there. Jesus is our only bridge to heaven.
So when the Hebrews so long ago cast their eyes to heaven, when the prophets watched their dooming prophecies come true, when Moses stood atop the mount, when the Egyptians pushed their Israelite slaves to death by work, when Abraham led his son to the altar, when Adam and Eve fell for the first time – then God looked down with love and said, “My children must come up to heaven.”
Yet we are imperfect. We could never reach heaven. We could never jump across that gap. How can we spend eternity with the Father?
Because Jesus looked across the gap and solemnly proclaimed, “They will come up to heaven.”
“Over my dead body.”

A Saturday Trek

Last year - late '12 - I'd say, my nana developed Alzheimer's. Since Grumps (what everyone called my grandpa) died in the late 90's, she had to move into an assisted living facility. That left my dad and two aunts with Grumps's old house, and a huge goldmine of stories and memories.
My dad traveled out to California, and set to work getting the house ready for the market. He brought home boxes and boxes of amazing family history - I've only partially delved into the first box, and there are many more! The picture above is from August, 1961, in Indiana. Dad scanned some of the photographs he found more memorable.
Since my dad is out, it's a lovely Saturday, and I have nobody barging into my time, I decided to look around history a bit. Since I'm a techie-lover by nature (and lazy) I first took a look at the photos my dad uploaded to his Facebook account. The pictures drove me to the verge of tears. I'll explain that later.
Before the two catastrophes that rocked my father's family, everything was what you'd expect in a typical 60's Indiana family. Grumps was a merchant and a golf aficionado. Gramma Sarah was the loving mother of four. Greg was the suave oldest child of the family (fifteen or sixteen in the photo above). Denise, though adopted, fit right in as the second oldest. She's standing next to Greg in the photo up there. My dad had just been born. He was a pretty chubby but optimistic baby. Kellie, my youngest aunt, had yet to be born.
I finally escaped the clutches of the soft sofa and headed down to the chilled basement for a peek in Dad's boxes. I found mostly photo albums from the late eighties (no doubt compiled by my step-grandma), "ancient" books, several Bibles, old photos of children I can't name, and letters from one friend to another. I even found a certificate of baptism for Uncle Greg when he was eighteen tucked in the pages of a well-read and well-worn old leather Bible. What brought me out of my sentimental weepy feeling was an album partially filled with newspaper clippings. All were from an old news paper, all were letters to the editor, all were penned by Grumps, and all concerned golf. Even as a girl with no knowledge of the sport, I couldn't help giggling at Grumps's rhetorically rich and entertaining letters. I'd never known my grandfather to be so, well, sassy! He criticized the new golf rules, snapped quick pokes at seemingly ridiculous regulations, and signed his name "Maury", short for Maurice.
History's a strange thing. Most think history can only be found in marbled metropolis museums, or thick, battered textbooks. I know better. I've encountered history in the weathered boxes downstairs, in the overstuffed scrapbooks, in the faded novels. What I saw and read made me giggle, wipe away tears, gasp in awe, and desire yet more. I've only stepped into one box. Who knows what treasures I still have yet to find!
To be continued . . .

Small Girl, Big City

It's my first overnight school trip, and we are in New York City. I prefer to call it the Glitter City, referencing the evening view of the world from the top of the Empire State Building. The Glitter City is a bustling hybrid. Old buildings, new buildings, silence, cacophony, selflessness, selfishness, dark, bright. The contrasts continue on.
I've never possessed a desire to make one of these many apartment buildings home. I love the natural grass and wild woodlands and fleeting critters and thunderous mountains and wide fields. I could never leave the country land.
Admittedly, this city does have its appeal. There's a constant buzz of activity. Everything is plentiful and within reach. Cultures are squashed together yet retain their unique personalities.
I have to leave any minute now. The ferry to the esteemed Lady Liberty should be docking soon. Enjoy Spring Break (and, if you're on the East coast, enjoy the snow)!