Time to say Goodbye!

As Christians, our lives are not ours. Our time is not ours. My time is not mine.

Lately, I have felt a call on my heart to devote the time that I spend blogging to God. That may mean volunteering or just studying the word, or praying, but I know that I am finished with blogger.
I would also encourage you to take a look at the time that you spend blogging, or looking at blogs and see if you can put it to better use.
So, as a set-in-iron resolution this year is to not blog. It is kind of an odd resolution, but I am going to stick to it.
New videos that Bracie and I make will be on Bracie's blog. The two posts below are some of my best videos and posts. I hope you enjoy them!

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

I have the time that I spend blogging. I can spend it 'abounding in good works' and by God's grace I will try it this year.

Remember everyone: April 22 is talk like Shakespeare day
December 8 is Act like a Time Traveler day
September 19th is Talk like a Pirate Day
December 5 is day of the ninja
August 8 is sneak some zucchinis on your neighbors porch.

Stay Weird!

Some of my favorite posts...

I fear. In which I reveal my fear to the world...



I go on an adventure In which I save the world. Sort of.



Wishes. In which I turn 14.



My fan club. 1, 2, 3 3.5 Ha! You didn't think I had one, did you?

Typical Bracie

The Country Bumpkins Visit the Big City

With Every Christmas Card I Write...

Fishynessishness

Ophelia, the car-jacking hoodlam.

Story

Mr. Leif B. Gonn

Enjoy!

Erg.

And by erg, I mean ahrg, to those of you who speak pirate rather than English.
I didn't maliciously stop following your blog. My following box just POOF! ceased to be filled with all the marvelous blogs that I usually visit. I guess I followed one too many or something?

Anybody know how to fix this?


Update: Nevermind! It magically started working. I am sure you can imagine my grin.

SPLUFF!

SPLUFF! Spluff.

Spluff. It is the melodiac sound of...

A cream pie hitting you in the face!

My friend, Quipster. came up with that particular onomatopoeia. Many thanks. I'm addicted to saying it. If I had more time, I think I would bake a cream pie exclusively for the pleasure of spluffing some hapless soul in the face with it.

Speaking of time, I don't have much of that elusive stuff to spend blogging. So, go read Problematic's awesome blog. She does things like waltz in the rain and ponder the meaning of gummy bears.

Besides, if you read my blog too much longer, you're liable to get hit in the face with a cream pie.

In which I come to a realization:

Today, I sat down at the computer and realized...

That I have been blogging for over a year. It was rather startling.

And I realized that this is only my 250th post. Hmmm...

365
- 250

That doesn't come out quite right. Ah well.

Anyway, I have put up a poll.

Battle

Quick question: Does anyone know how The Reluctant Dragon button started???
The other day, I was thinking about making one, and Bracie asked, "I thought you already did!"

And I saw that there was one.

I am very flattered. =D

Anyhow, I am going off to battle! Well, that is, an Airsoft battle.

You gotta love it.

Construction:

To lighten my ANNOYANCE at blogger, here is a joke, courtesy of Giles, my little brother:

First Person: "Hey, wanna hear a construction joke?"

Second Person: "Sure!"

First Person: "Sorry, I'm still working on it."

Hysterical laughter erupts from the crowd. Of course.

But seriously, folks.
The layout of this blog is kind of weird at the moment because I am trying to turn it into a three column layout. However, it does the irritating thing where it puts a sidebar thingamajig under the header instead of in the SIDEbar. Hmph.

Anyone know how to fix this?

Farewell, for a little while

My family is taking a break from "screens."

It is very bittersweet, for I, authoress of this blog, am torn between sadness at not being able to post, and gladness at having help not wasting time on the computer. Sometimes self-resolution needs a little parental help. =D

So, I am going to program a series of very short posts, using blogger's miraculous technology. That way, this blog doesn't die, but I still get to escape technology.

Plus, just after recovering from tendinitis, I have buckle-fractured my wrist and I am now back to typing with one hand. At least I get a cooler-looking splint this time.

In which I bravely face my faults:

Are you ready for Ophelia to do some nice, "deep" self analysis? Ha! She's going to anyway. *Ahem*
I have noticed somethings dreadful, irritating and rather-ah! I did it again! To be precise, they are words:

"However"
I am always finding the other side of my own thoughts! Perhaps this comes of being a second child. Maybe it is because my estimable mother would sometimes tell me, "No "ifs" "ands" or "buts." I have attempted to circumvent this very familiar phrase with the word "however," seeing as "No 'if's' 'and's' 'buts' or 'however's'" has a vastly less harmonious sound. Alas! I am was (am?) one of those naughty children full of excuses.
"Rather"
I'll bet that you can find this word in every other post, for I am rather fond of it. Regarding my frequent use of "rather" I conclude that I must be a rather half-way person because I only "rather" like this, or "rather" think that etc. etc. etc. At least I have the consolation of knowing that I share this trait with Kay Thompson's Eloise, whom everybody loves. She uses the word rather (or rather, "rawther") on every other page!

However, I rather very much like those words and I have no inclination to cease using them! So I have brainstormed the perfect solution: NEGATIVE WORDS! My stupendous invention cancels out all past uses of "however" and "rather" and now I start with a clean slate. =D

- however [READ "NEGATIVE HOWEVER"]
- rather
- however
- rather
- however
- rather
- however
- rather
- however
- rather
- however
- rather
- however
- rather
- however
- rather

Now, owing to my genius negative words, I can use "rather" and "however" as much as I like!
P.S."Insanely" is in its own category, for I consistently use that exalted word on purpose.

P.P.S. I labeled this post "apology" but I am second guessing that decision. I don't sound very apologetic do I?

Wisdom:

“Better to write for yourself

and have no public,

than to write for the public

and have no self.”Cyril Connolly

(Photo used without permission or authorization on the sole basis that the victim in the picture is holding a pen.)

-Ophelia, the ignoramus who doesn't actually know anything about Cyril Connolly except that he was a English writer.

What do you think?

I seriously need some reader input.

Issue #1: Should I kill off Miss Penelope Winderby? I must admit that I am rather tired of her.

Issue #2: And also, once again, I am considering changing this boring layout, for I am rather tired of it. But the problem is that I am lazy, and changing the layout means that I have to re-enter all my millions of sidebar gadgets. However, since I am such an amicably dispositioned person that even ONE comment advising me to change my layout then I will. Isn't that marvelously sacrificial of me?

Fodder

Attention!
During my vacation from blogging, read this insanely awesome blog:

Random Jotdowns

It's gnarly.

Libby finally got around to starting a blog with her brother, Jare. (Join the club!)

So, check this fabulously bodacious blog out.

Farewell, for a little while

Ahem, attention please!
I am going to sign off blogger for almost a month. Well, actually I will finish writing the blogpost below. (Everybody comment!)
But, March/April is the busy season for school which you have perhaps noticed by my infrequent posting. After then, I'll be back, posting away with vim and vigor.

Announcement of Importance!

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO: The fourth Reluctant Dragon Fan Club meeting.

HOW: Simply comment below with a blogger name or nickname or something and list one "hidden talent" or completely random skill of yours, such as Champion Burger-Flipper, (You get the picture, right?)

WHY: So that I can write you into the next Reluctant Dragon Fan Club Meeting! That everyone who desire to "attend" will be satisfied.
P.S. You simply must read my other RDFC posts or this whole thing won't make any sense at all. Here they are:
#1.
#2
#3
#3.5

Bleep!

Ophelia decided that this post did not accurately reflect her heart, so now it's gone forever.

Bwahahahah!

In spite of all you people who liked that other layout, I am changing back to my simple old one. I will now watch you other-layout-lovers suffer in intense agony by having to look at the plain template.

No, that isn't really how I feel. I actually changed my profile picture to a normal picture to appease the other-layout-lovers' feelings.

Aaaaah!

Okay, so the general consensus (according to the people who commented) was that my blog template was boring and BLAH. So I, caring deeply about my gentle readers opinions, changed it, even though I didn't want to. I'm such a martyr!

Now, I really, really don't like this new one. I think it's way to bright, but not original enough. The Reluctant Dragon blog layout ought to scream, "Quirky!" and "Unusual!" and "Super awesome!" Not like the last one did, but it was better! I guess I'm just rejecting any hint of change and throwing a fit. Sort of like Pat of Silver Bush, for the minority out there that has actually read that book.
So, I want YOU! (Picture me here pointing a strangely foreshortened arm and extended pointer finger at you while I'm wearing striped pants and a top hat that defies the laws of perspective.)
... To tell me whether I should go back to the old, safe background or stick with this ugly one or get a very scrapbookish looking one.
Please? Pleeease? It doesn't have to be an essay, hey, if you want to, just write "ew" in the comment section if you don't like this new template.
So, comment! (And thanks to all of you who commented last time.)

White

Okay, so what does everybody think of white? That is, white backgrounds on blogs, like mine. Is it incredibly boring, or artsy and simplistic? Should I get an ultra frilly layout?

I kinda like the white, but this, gentle readers is your chance to speak up and tell me things like, "I can't read the text, it should be bigger!" or "Don't be boring, get a new background!" Maybe something on my blog irks you every time you look at it. So comment! Remember, you don't have to have a blogger identity to comment on my blog.

P.S. Bracie says I ought to get a new profile picture, but I'm enjoying the purple wig. What do you think?

Blank.

Today, I opened up my blogging account and clicked on "create post." Then... I, I, I sat there and I didn't know what to write! My mind was blanker than a sea monkey. I frantically racked my brain for suggestions, "Uh, How sorry I am that I haven't posted? No, I'm not that sorry. How annoyed I am that I can't load a video? No, if I write about that I'll bore my readers."

So now, I'm writing about how I can't think of anything to blog about. Which is, if I really think about it, momentous. I can almost always think of something. Perhaps I have run dry. Horrors! Or maybe I just too tired from staying up until midnight for the last three nights.

I apologize for not posting lately. You see, I really have been busy because we have had out of town guests with daughters my age, which means late nights.

Every time I try to post, I try to post a video. I wait for a long time for the video to load, and then a little window pops up that says "We're sorry, contact us and include the following information blah, blah, blah." Somehow, since this has been happeing for the last month, I highly doubt that they are actually sorry.

I just posted about everything that I decided I wouldn't. However, I'm not very sorry. I wonder what this says about my character?

-Ophelia

(What should I title this really random post?)

I apologize for not posting consistently. Actually, I don't, because it's MY blog, and I get to do whatever I want! Bwahahahaha! *Evil laughter*

Okay, I've calmed down now. Anyway, you all should be proud of me for being such a good girl and doing my schoolwork instead of blogging. Except right now I should be doing school. And I'm blogging. Ah, well. Actually, I'm putting my little sister Ava to bed, which reminds me; I don't think that she has made her appearance on my blog yet. If I can get the video thingamabob to work, expect the official introduction any day now.

Looking back at these last couple paragraphs, I realize that they are incredibly random. Ah, well. Like blogger like blog. Or like blog like blogger? Nevermind.