1. Marie Antoinette. A very interesting monarch. I’ve always loved her name and thought it was pretty and have read several books about her. She had some of the tallest hairstyles ever commissioned of a queen—some measuring 4 feet tall!—she was very fond of the color purple, she was one of like 18 children and her mother, the queen of Austria, married all her kids off to various dukes, duchesses, kings, queens, and so forth to make alliances. They were like chess pieces almost. Marie was the most famous out of all the kids and married the dauphin of France at the age of 15, but some speculate she was younger than that. In later years, France had it’s own revolution where they overthrew the king and queen. Marie and her husband got their heads chopped off…but usually most people just remember that she did and forget all about him, for whatever reason.
My question: Did you really tell all those starving people in your country to “eat cake”?
Possible Response: I would never do somezing so hauuurrible! Who do you sink I am?!

2. Thomas Jefferson. One of the coolest presidents. Actually lived in the time of Marie Antoinette and would have had dealings with her, since he was the American ambassador to France. Was a redhead. AND a fantastic writer, writing The Declaration of Independence. I’ve been to Monticello, his home. He invented several things…funny how him and Ben Franklin both did that. People must have had a lot of free time on their hands back then. One of the things he made was the first “printer”, a device that attached from his pen to another pen, so he could always have two copies of anything he wrote. I’m jealous of the desk he had too. He would sit in the middle of this thing so he could swivel and turn, reading four or five books at once. Pretty awesome. It was under his presidency that the Louisiana Purchase was bought.
My question: How does it feel to have written one of the most famous documents in world history?
Possible Response: We were being persecuted by England, really, anyone in my shoes would have done the same thing. Oh! But the French are really quite nice. They pretty much gave me the western half of our country. Said they didn’t “need it”. Can you imagine?

3. Queen Elizabeth I. This chick was amazing. Not only did she never marry, but she was put up in a tower by her older (crazy) sister Mary because she considered her a big enough threat to her rule. Elizabeth was a redhead too (Represent!) and she knew several languages, played many instruments, and was taught like any boy would have been. Eventually, she went on to be the first female ruler of England. Mary…really didn’t count. Neither did Lady Jane Grey, who only ruled for 9 days before being executed. Talk about short lived. Elizabeth was fond of music, despised having her teeth pulled, and wore some rather interesting dresses. The styles back then were high necked, severe waist, and with lots of flounces and ballooned sleeves.
My question: What was it like having Henry the VIII as a father?
Possible Response: Be seen and not heard, lest you have your head chopped off.

4. Abraham Lincoln. One of the tallest presidents and was in charge during a time when our country was torn, divided, and fighting with itself. He didn’t have a beard at first..the story goes that a little girl told him he would look better with one, so he grew it. Lincoln was married to Mary Todd and they made an unlikely couple. Living in the south, I find it interesting and rich with history. There are still major differences between our culture and the culture of people in the north, but that can be said of any country. Abraham Lincoln brought everyone back together again..for the most part. The war was not only about slaves, but about state rights. Lincoln was shot in the head while watching a play at the Ford Theater.
My question: If you could have turned around and somehow prevented John Wilkes Booth from taking that fatal shot, would you do it?
Possible Response: Four score and seven years ago, I believe I might have. Any man in his right mind knows the value of his own life and would do anything–save die–to preserve it. But I did all I could do. I made changes happen and I lived a full and happy life.

5. Writers. This one might be cheating because it’s just in general, but I would like to meet all sorts of famous authors. Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe, Lewis Carol, Jane Austen..it would be really neat to ask them questions about what inspired them and how they grew up..and to let them critique my own stuff.
My question: What does it mean to write?
Mark Twain’s Response: To write is to embarrass one’s self, all for the sake of entertaining others.
Edgar Allan Poe’s Response: Writing is dark, serious work. When the ink on the page resembles your own blood and tears, you know you are getting somewhere.
Lewis Carol’s Response: Writing is writing is writing.
Jane Austen’s Response: I love when I can impart true feelings, experiences and characters upon a page. To be able to combine just the right choice of words, in my humble opinion, is akin to a flock of nightingales singing.

1. When you’re short, you get a lot of nicknames. Perhaps it is because I am small and somewhat childlike in nature(especially in my chef uniform, which sort of drowns me), but this is something that I have noticed over the years. Names like “shorty”, “short stuff”, “short cake”, “short stack”, “little one”, “little bit”, etc. Anything with the word short in it is deemed acceptable. On the opposite side of it, however, some people play off your short stature by using words and nicknames that obviously don’t fit you, such as, “big red”, a name I was called for a little while at a place I worked. It is sometimes amusing. Other times, I am so used to it that I fail to notice it anymore.

2. Things are hard to reach. Not everyone can reach everything. I myself have to use a stool at work, which makes me feel like that mean chef on Ratatouille.(“It is highly suspect!!!”) When I’m putting up utensils and pans, I use it all the time. As for getting things down, sometimes I resent the stool and instead try to get it down by some creative means, such as using tongs to grab, throwing other stuff to get something down, or by getting this scooper like device and swatting around with it until the potato sticks, or whatever I’m after, falls off that high shelf. I’m sure people out in the dining room get a kick out of seeing me, straining to reach. Sometimes, rarely, I resort to climbing. But things that are out of reach are just a part of life, I guess. Just makes me more determined to get them!

3. All my pants have to be hemmed. Every stinking, stupid, long, pair of pants I have ever owned, has had to be hemmed so that I can wear them without walking around on about a yard of fabric. Sometimes, they are fine if I buy them out of the petite and short section, but who keeps to just one section?! No, I go for all the tall people clothes!!! Lucky for me, my grandmother is an excellent seamstress and does them for me, but I really should learn how to hem them myself because it’s simple.

4. Sports were never my “thing”. This is also just because of my personality, but, for instance, basketball. I could never shoot into the goal if someone was standing over me, looming like a giant Sequoyah tree with arms. On the plus side, I was and am, a fairly fast runner. But there was this one chick on the University of Tennessee’s basketball team a couple of years back who was my height and she was awesome, so that’s inspiring. It means I could be a basketball player, despite my height, I just…have little to no interest in sports.

5. People tend to think I’m younger. I know that it’s not just because I’m short, but I’m pretty sure that plays into it. For instance, I saw a woman from the back in Hobby Lobby a while ago and thought she was a little girl. She had a pink hair scrunchie in and was licking an ice cream cone, but when I got to about aisle 7 and she turned around, I saw she was about 40 something years old, which alarmed me. See? Never judge a book by its cover! I may look 15, but I’m not!

6. Horizontal striped dresses do nothing for me. Enough said. But then again, neither do wedge heels, I hate those things! Cannot walk in them.

7. Sometimes, I google celebrities to see how tall they are..or how short. You ever do that? It makes me feel better about myself. Alot of them are just as short as me, they just seem larger than life. Dolly Parton, Paula Abdul, Reese Witherspoon..just a few people who are about 5 foot 3 and under. Also, by looking at them, it helps me see what styles might look good on me…and which might not.

8. I was picked on sometimes. It may not have been just because I was short. Other socioeconomic factors could have played in, like the fact that I have red hair(But so does Shaun White, and he’s the bomb!), that I’m quiet and a bookworm, that I grew up with both my parents, which is sort of unheard of, that I like writing stories. Who cares?! I really wasn’t picked on that often.

9. I can’t be a Rockette. They have a height requirement. It’s like…5 foot 9 or something. If I was in their can-can line, my feet would be dangling off the floor. Oh, well. I guess the world is not ready to see me and my excellent can-can skills.

10. Guys tend to like short girls. They also like tall ones. I think all girls are beautiful, tall, short, skinny, curvy, whatever. It depends on the guy. However, I will say, some of the guys who like short girls are sort of creeperish at times. You ever notice that? But luckily, I don’t have to deal with that anymore! I’m getting married!!!! Still so excited.

And that was my short short list.

www.theredheadchronicles2.wordpress.com

Gosh, I’m so creative. The only difference is the “2″, as far as the name goes. As for the content, this blog will be longer and with a more paragraph, diary entry feeling to it. But don’t worry! I am going to keep this blog going with lists of all kinds! So, check out my other blog if you have the time! And in the meantime, I’ll be thinking of my next list!
Thanks, guys!

1. I don’t regret quitting school. At least, not right now. I’m actually making more money. And I know some people will say that you’ll make more in your life with a degree, but that’s just a statistic and I refuse to be one. Besides, I’m living. I’m out in the real world and I’m happier than when I was going to school, because then I had like zero percent of a social life.
School isn’t for everyone. I mean, if I could just take English and creative writing classes all day long, I’d go back in a heartbeat, but that’s not the way it works. Hmm…maybe a noncredit course…

2. I don’t regret getting hurt. Yes, I got hurt. So what? In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter. I usually learn things from it. And most of the time, the hard times make for really interesting stories.

3. I don’t regret moving on. Moving on is just a part of life.

4. I don’t regret being brutally honest…in my head. Yeah…usually, it’s best to keep some stuff to yourself, then you don’t have to take it back.

5. I don’t regret unfriending people on Facebook. If I did it, there’s a reason.

6. I don’t regret all those wild parties in college… CAUSE I NEVER WENT TO ANY. Ha!

7. I don’t regret those memories. Sometimes. Standing on top of a mansion in the moonlight, acting crazy, going along with those plans…it’s in the past, but I’ll still remember that.

8. I don’t regret who I am. I’m independent, stand my ground, a little quiet with an offbeat sense of humor, a product of a unique life. I am the way I am because of what I’ve been through.

P.S. I’ve thought about it lately and I think…I may start another blog, while still keeping this one up and posting on it. This blog will still continue to have lists, while the other would be more of a day to day thing, the life of me. Tell me what you think! I’m still not sold on it, but I might start doing it. Bye, guys!

1. Reading about the Titanic. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking. Ever since I was about 12, I’ve loved reading about it. Ask me anything! Chances are I know it because of a book I’ve read on it or if I don’t know it, I’ll do everything in my power to commit it to memory. I don’t know why this disaster is so fascinating to me, but it is. Maybe because shipwrecks look so eerie…a ghostly maritime figure, standing at the bottom of the ocean, covered in shrouds, barnacles and tinged green with rust…it’s akin to a museum or a photograph, something that perfectly captures and preserves what is now only a memory. There’s rumored to be a train that’s at the bottom of the Tennessee River. A TRAIN!!! Now how odd would that look? I think a part of me is so interested because…while I like water, drowning has always scared me. I’ve had several nightmares about it…scary as heck. Either way, the Titanic is an amazing ship and the stories that she tells are just as good.

2. Ghirardelli Chocolate. The kind with caramel in it. It is sooooo good. It’s a treat for me every now and then. I remember I got a free sample when we went to the factory out in San Francisco. I dropped it on the floor on accident, but they have some of the best chocolate ever. Don’t believe me? Try some!

3. Candles. They’re pretty, they smell good….I’m hoping to have some at the wedding, maybe in some lanterns, that would be so pretty!

4. Singing in the car. It’s fun and it makes riding somewhere pass by a lot quicker.

5.Coldplay. I may get to see them in concert! That would be neat, but even if I don’t, I really like their music. “Message”, “In My Place”, “Square One”, “Strawberry Swing”…some of my favorites, but they’re all so good!

6. My new Sperrys. They are shoes that are effortlessly comfortable and I don’t look ridiculous when I wear them without socks. Plus!

7. Traveling. Create. Live. Be yourself. Traveling is all about how you get there, not where you’re going,

8. Blue. Favorite color.

9. Taking people from real life that I don’t like and making them villains or hypocrites in my stories, where they ultimately get overthrown and realize the errors of their ways. If only it was that easy in real life.

10. Old pictures. Enough said.

11. Taking pictures. It’s fun to imagine and then go out and see how close you can replicate an idea.

12. Going to church. I don’t get to often because I’m working, but it makes me feel at peace.

13. Cherry Blossom lotion from Bath and Body Works. It smells awesome.

14. Sweet Tea. Most people up North are scratching their heads or going, “That stuff is gross.”, but down here, we live on that stuff.

15. Fuzzy socks. Comfortable!

16. Watching chick flicks. Bend It Like Beckham! It’s fun some days to just veg out a couple of hours and watch them when there’s nothing else to do.

Now, loyal readers, if you are indeed out there(*taps the iPad’s screen forlornly*), I realize this is a short list, but I’m very upset at the moment, thus the short list..and what with the deleting and the making out right beside me and…ehh, let’s not talk about it anymore. Anyways, I apologize. My WordPress app has not been working lately, I’ve experienced some set backs…not gonna say what..and I am sorry I have neglected you. I know you must still be out there. It’s not that I don’t believe you’re there, I just have been stressed, frustrated [insert excuse here]. And a part of me still fails to see how I could capture any auidence’s attention for any length of time.

Ya see that up there?! All this self-pity and criticism…I know I should stop, but I’ve been in a rut. It seems I can dish it out AND take it. But anyways, that’s my complaint list, brief as it is. Now I’m going to go do something about it. Well…not much I can do about #2…I just hid in a bathroom(defense mechanism) after I awkwardly ambled out of the room. Now I’m going to go write and try and save what’s left of my dignity. Oh, what a contradiction THAT is…

1. “You’re Not Sorry” (The CSI Remix) by Taylor Swift
This song has been on repeat a lot lately. I like the backbeat on it and the fact that it’s different from anything Taylor’s ever done, even though it’s a couple of years old now. Her voice in this version, along with the other elements, just makes me feel a gut-wrenching sort of pain like she seemed to be feeling when she wrote the song. Her voice is innocent and you can tell she’s sad at being proved wrong for holding out hope for this person she’s singing to. My favorite lyrics: You don’t have to call anymore, I won’t pick up the phone, This is the last straw, don’t wanna hurt anymore. I think we’ve all been there.

2. “We Found Love” by Rihanna
Yep. I know this is a song that EVERYone likes right now, but…it’s catchy. And I like Rihanna’s voice because it’s exotic and resonant. And my favorite lyrics are just the chorus, which is what most of the song consists of, along with awesome techno and reverbs. We found love in a hopeless place! I can certainly relate to that. I fell in love again, after thinking that I never would.

3. “Little Red Riding Hood” by The Coasters
This one’s an oldie. I heard it at work the other night when I was coming in and it made me crack up. It makes me want to reminisce about fairytales or possibly write a modern version of one. It’s got a dirty twang to it and it’s just fun! Favorite lyrics: Hey, there Little Red Riding Hood, you sure are lookin’ good! You’re everything a big bad wolf could want!

4. “Barbra Streisand” by Duck Sauce
I downloaded this fun song after hearing it on “Just Dance” (2 or 3) for Wii. It makes me want to dance! And…there aren’t really any lyrics. :-p

5. “Deep” by Cirque du Soleil (Ka Soundtrack)
I saw the show in Las Vegas back in 2010 and loved it! The music was great also, so when I got back, I had to get some of it. This song is gorgeous because it portrayed the underwater, sinking scene on stage very well. The violins are beautiful. This is a great song to listen to when you’re in a thoughtful mood or you’re wanting to write something.

6. “Never Finish” by Leigh Nash
This song is by the former lead singer of Sixpence None the Richer (You may have heard their most famous hit, “Kiss Me”.). I like this song because it’s dreamy, longing, happy in a nostalgic way. Favorite lyrics: I was just thinkin’ about you, thought I could call you, see if I should tell you, that I’ve never had such a feeling as this, how much better can all this get?

7. “Learning to Fly” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Love this band so much. There’s never a time they’re not on my playlist, hardly. I like this song a lot because I listened to it on the road trips out west and to Florida, when I’ve done a lot of my out the window gazing and pondering over how the world works and where I fit in it. Favorite lyrics:Well, it started out, down a dirty road! Started out, all alone! And the sun went down, as across the hill, and the town lit up, the world got still! I’m learning to fly, but I ain’t got wings, coming down is the hardest thing!

8. “Luck Be a Lady” by Frank Sinatra
This song gets me revved up and ready to go…to a casino or somewhere where there are bright lights and all eyes are on you. It’s got a big band sound that you couldn’t get anywhere nowadays if you tried. Love Frank Sinatra. Favorite lyrics: A lady doesn’t leave her escort! It isn’t fair, it isn’t nice! A lady doesn’t wander all over the room and blow on some other guy’s dice!

9. “Come Undone” by Duran Duran
Oh, my gosh, this song! The whole feeling of it makes me think of every star-crossed set of lovers that ever was! It makes me think of all the different types of love: unrequited, everlasting, but most of all, forbidden. Favorite lyrics: Hey, child, stay wilder than the wind and blow me into cry! Who do you need? Who do you love, when you come undone? Awesome song.

10. “Book of Days” by Enya
This song not only reminds me of Tuck Everlasting(because it played on the movie trailer FOREVER ago..), but it makes me think of epic journeys. I love Enya, by far, one of my favorite artists. Great to write to, listen to and imagine to. Favorite lyrics: One day, one night, one moment, my dreams could be tomorrow!

I haven’t really given myself over and tried any songwriting of my own yet…but I would like to try and make something that invokes a feeling in me or other people, the way some of these songs do. I may have to put that on my list of things to do tomorrow: write a song. But not just a song, a story.

1.Snow White. At first glance, she seems to have her act together, but look closer. All that fraternizing with the forest creatures may seem all innocent and cute, but I don’t think so. It’s forced labor. And while we’re on the subject of the squirrels and rabbits and birds, talking to them suggests to me that maybe she isn’t completely mentally stable. Aside from that, the fact that she’s staying in a house with 7 men (dwarfed or not) tells me that she might be a little promiscuous. Plus, why did she take that apple from a complete stranger?! I know the woods aren’t downtown Manhattan, but even I could have told her not to do that.

2. Ariel. I know a lot of people are going to hate me for this one, but come on. She makes a deal with Ursula, just to have legs?! What is this teaching little girls? Just hide who you really are, and everything will be better! Besides, she just had to get a kiss from a mortal man to get her voice back(I think that’s the way it is, haven’t seen it since I was like 8, pleasedon’tkillme!)? How hard is that going to be when she shows up on a beach naked?

3.Sleeping Beauty. Though I relate to her the most(I appreciate my sleep.), what’s her story saying to people? Sleep life away, someone will save you. But on the other hand..she only half counts, because she was just cursed at birth and is naturally unlucky.

4. Jasmine. She just sort of seems..sluttish to me. Especially when she’s pretending to seduce Jafar in that one scene towards the end. Even if it was to save herself and Aladdin, what the heck?!

I’m just kidding, to all you hardcore Disney fans out there. I really, mostly, see nothing wrong with Disney princesses. They’re cute and just fairytales and not real anyway. But props go to Mulan(even though she technically isn’t one),Pocahontas, Belle and Kida, from Atlantis. Mulan always wanted to honor her family, Kida wanted to save her people, Belle encourages reading and Pocahontas united two different peoples. Gooooooo, them!

2. Family. Family is important, but lately mine has been driving me up a wall. I always want to be connected to them, but sometimes, I feel like pulling a giant ripcord when they start questioning me and criticizing me.

3. My relationship with Tim. Relationships aren’t perfect and I’m not naive, but I’m looking forward to setting out with him and starting our lives together.

4. God. Spiritually, I’ve been backsliding lately. I lack the motivation to read my bible and I work on Sundays. I pray every night, but…I miss church and I want to go. I don’t know what to do…

5. )Helping people. I love helping people when I can, but today was one of those days where people cut me off in traffic and got sharp tones with me and it’s just made me bitter about society for the remainder of tonight…til now, that is.

6. The bigger picture. You get so caught up in details sometimes, that you forget to look at it.

7. Simple things. Riding my bike and letting my hair go with the wind. Christmases with family. Road trips. Eating dessert and skipping dinner entirely. Writing. Learning from the past. Making friends. Making people laugh. Singing. Feeling like I have purpose. Turning my face towards the sun.Simple things are the best things. As adults, we try to complicate life too much, I think.