Musically Inclined

I was just standing there in the dark kitchen, doing dishes by beneath-cabinet lighting, when I came to a revelation: I should create a written bucket list.
Or a list of my favorite songs.
Or a list of my own little trendy things I've gone spreeing on.
Or just a list in general.

You see, I am a listy person. I take great satisfaction in systematic organization. And, really now, who doesn't love that giddy rush you get when you finally get to cross something off?

So the following is a mash and a mish of music that I am currently feasting on. I don't expect you to really listen to each of them, or even any of them. They're really more for me, so that I can display my listyness.

Now you get to see my strange tastes in punk/pop/indie/acoustic/classical.

***

My two dudes: Relient K and Owl City. :)


I like this song. Quite catchy.
'

Awww, Anthem...so great. I wish they would re-record this song in better quality.


I like this version. So very very much.


Finally learned how to play this piece on ze keyboard. Happy is I.


Kinda a creepy song, but catchy too. Great vocals on this cover.


Listened to Paramore for the first time yesterday. A bit heavy, but I love her voice.






Relient K gone pop...


Very pretty.


Wheeee! The Dragons!! :D

Brains. Dreams. Paradox.

Suddenly my brain really wants nothing to do with structure.



At times, I like to close my eyes just to see what images I see first. I'm an extremely visual person, and when I'm in the dark, I'm constantly building pictures inside my mind. I remember when I was little and would get put down for naps every afternoon. If I couldn't go to sleep, I'd drift into a state of "memory movie-watching". I'd recreate a movie and do my best to recall ever inch and each detail of it. Unfortunately, I'm not a detail person. That means that although I can call up things to review in the depths of my cranium, I have to fill in the gaps with my own fancies. The other problem is the literal "fuzzyness" of my memory. Nothing that I can bring back into picture is clear. It's like someone turned the whole thing into a motion-blur. Part of me wonders if this is because I have terrible vision. (Like, I'm extremely near-sided...not like I don't have plans for the future or anything like that.) And although glasses and contacts erase the effects of my handicap, I still have to wonder if my utter lack of 20-20 can be blamed for a bunch of blotchy memory banks.

Now, despite the fact that I've graduated from afternoon naps, I still use my "recall button" quite frequently. In fact, it's rather a bother, because sometimes you can't shut the thing off. Every once in a while, especially after an evening spent talking, chatting, laughing, and learning---socializing in general, really---with other people, my brain suddenly goes haywire and starts replaying all audio and video footage that it's acquired.

This is how I call myself a "sometimes" introvert. I'm not---not really---because I'm very refreshed and recharged by interacting with people. But it's absolutely crucial for me to have an allotment of time to let me digest it all, replay it, and fold it away into an invisible cupboard.

Anyway, by now, I've began to try to harness my ability to see things on a sort of imaginary medium. I've found that there is a certain place between sleeping and waking in which I have more control over my dreams and dreamscapes. Every once in a while, I'm able to bend lines and shapes in order to create new angles and dimensions. Time works differently in dreams. Hours are seconds, and seconds are hours. This means you have a lot more time to play, create, and rewind.


Now do you get why I like Inception?---IT'S PRACTICALLY THE CINEMATIC ADAPTATION OF MY LIFE.

And all of this takes place inside my head---a mere sphere of gloop and bone structure that God plopped on top of the rest of me.

I told you all of this for a two reasons.
Mostly because I wanted to post something, and a one of my favorite things to talk about (both with myself, and with other people) is human nature. I don't understand people, but I find it so very intriguing as regards their habits and patterns. Being a person myself, it is a bother not understanding me. So in order to overcome that challenge, I break everything down into little pieces and chew them out. Today I've gnawed a little on the way I can play Inception. Doing analogies like this not only give me some way to entertain myself, but also makes me wonder how many other people are like me. Human nature is something more or less impalpable...like a black hole, or a bottomless pit. It is both non-fiction and fantasy.
The second reason is because by examining small parts of human nature, we can find new admiration for God's creation. Not an engineer, nor committee, nor genius, nor supersonic explosion could create something as vast as human nature. Praise the Creator for that indeed.

Because the following is true:
The brain is the stable on Stable Hill, near the heart of Narnia.
The brain is the dear TARDIS, soaring its way through timey-whimeyness.
The brain is Felix the Cat's magical bag, which never ceases to hold new surprises.

For really now,
with no doubt: 
the mind is 
bigger on the inside,
than on the out. 

Sometimes I talk about...life in general.

So I'm sitting here curled up in bed. I have a blank page staring at me, and I have a bunch of words wanting to unravel from my head. Tis time to write in my journal.

I realized that this year is half over. Typically, I like to avoid the "glass half empty/half full" question. But I think it's safe to say that either I've knocked over my glass before I have enough time to evaluate it, or the glass is definitely, without a doubt, half empty. Sometimes I just gotta own up to being a pessimist. Today is June 14; meaning that 2013 is half over. That is hard to swallow.

It's not that I'm sad to see the year go by---I just don't like the way it blows by. It's a scary feeling when you realize how fleeting time is. And that thought alone is enough to throw me into a bout of spastic critical philosophizing over life and it's purpose.

But as a Christian and a follower of Christ, I can take comfort in the solid and unshakable understanding of my purpose on earth and as a child of God. I love the way he has my life (as short as it is or may seem) all planed out and mapped out and aligned to his own purposes and perfection.

---And God does the same for all of his children. Ain't it great!?

Galatians 6:9
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

I like the way this verse pretty much just shouts at you saying: HEY NOW, IT'S GODS TIMING, SO JUST HOLD TIGHT, AND SERIOUSLY NOW, STOP GIVING UP.

It's really annoying though---nearly every day of this week, I've had a very lax schedule and lots of free time (wheeeee, summer!) around the house. This pretty much means that I did my best to keep constructing my Camp NaNo story, created a large assortment of origami, and spent afternoons drifting about in my pool.
...annnnnnnnnd, staring at my computer screen...blah. How sad. And it's even sadder when I sit back and feel time, like grains of sand, slipping through my fingers. 

The days are long, the years are short. Huh.

But come on now, let's cheer up a bit! IT'S TIME FOR WATERMELON. And corn on the cob, and afternoons in the sun, teasing your fair-skinned friends who turn into tomatoes when they hit the sunshine. And soon, very soon, it will be Independence Day---a lovely day that I happen to look forward to each year. Fireworks! Late nights, pillow fights, marsh mellow roasts, and goofy home videos. Ahh....inhale the summertime!

Tomorrow we are going to a wedding. The bride and groom are both friends of my brother (who gets to be in the wedding party!) and our family. I think June is a popular time for weddings. I mean, logically, it shouldn't be here, because it's so darn hot and dry and sweaty and gross, but it still is. Speaking of temperature, what is it where you are? We are riding miserably on a cool 105 Fahrenheit these days. But it's not that bad. :P
---'sides, it'll only get worse as we head into July.

Oh July!
I already mentioned Independence Day, but after that comes a week of herding ex-3rd graders around our church campus. VBS always falls in July, and this week it's spanning the 8th through the 12th. In all honestly, I absolutely enjoy getting to hand out and teach the little eight and nine year old dewds and dewdettes...tons of fun for me and them. It wasn't very long ago that I was them, being led by older kids who I looked up to.
I remember what it was like to a nine year old. I remember it a lot. And sometimes I wish I didn't, because then I wouldn't miss is so much. Lately I've been struggling with a lot of nostalgia overflows. Maybe it's just part of having nothing exciting to do, but all the same, I'm happy and sad and absolutely pining for what it was then. It's like I can just barely taste what it was like: those moments of playing, laughing, being goofy...so completely immersed in the simple and good things. Of course, it didn't seem so great then as it does now, just like life now doesn't feel so grand as it will in a few years when I look back.

But it breaks my heart---not entirely in a bad or gruesome way---to recall the memories that I created and folded away to store inside my little casket that sits in a corner of my soul. And it stings a little, to know that nothing will ever be quite the same, and some things will be missing, while new things will be present.
I miss people, I miss places. I miss singing silly songs with silly people and having the time of my life doing it. I miss imagining, exploring, and fearlessly tackling dragons and demons with the help of the broomstick and a platoon of best friends.
It's not that I don't have new and bigger and better moments to create anew, but it's hard to accept that those old things are done and finished.

To be sure: I have been blessed. So, so, so much. With sweet people and sweet times that will forever haunt my brain.

And for that, I'm thankful. And melancholy. Very melancholy.

Codge: the Soldier Boy

Brave soldier boy,
Walking road to war.
His shoulders squared
To bear the fears before.
His life is bound
In a paper heart on his sleeve.
And his love is gone
With the note he never believed.
He fights his battles
With a bullet soul.
He fights in the pit of despair
His feet tread the tunnel
Of death and decay.
---Of tears that will beg for repair.

And when he comes home
From his darkest hour,
He'll find a new copy of life.
That will be worth the terror
Waded through
In bloody strife.

© kismint 2013

* * *

There is a new book character that just moved into my brain, and whom I'm planning to use in a section of my project for Camp NaNo. I shall write about him not only to figure out who he is, but also as another entry for Jack's book give away. (Wheeeee! I WANT THAT BOOK.)
Check out her blog @ http://missjacklewisbaillot.blogspot.com

Meet Codge. (Kind of like cod, the fish, but with a 'dge' sound at the end.)
Basically all I know about him is that he is a boy---young man---in my fantasy-land's militia. I decided he would be a necessary addition because I needed a perspective from the battle lines. Having a cast of child protags who aren't exactly eligible to go to war makes it kind of tricky to fill the pages with descriptions of battle scenes.

So Codge is an innocent soul, only just old enough to fight for his country, and to fight against an army of killing machines created by treasonous rebels.

Apart from that, let's see what we can learn about him from this writer's character development list (101 questions...all broken up into 10s...yeesh).
---As a heads up, this is really rough. Seriously now, I didn't even know this character existed five days ago. So I'm making this all up spot-on. It will probably be revised sometime in the future.
(link to source)

1. Name? || Codge
2. Age? || 22 years old
3. Approximate height? || 6 feet
4. Approximate weight? || 145 pounds
5. Hair colour? || Dirty blond
6. Eye colour? || Light brown
7. Skin tone? || Light tan
8. Do they speak with an accent? || No
9. Where are they from? || Ithica
10. Where are they now? || In a deployment of Ithica's military cadets

1. Who are their parents? Biologically and socially. || He has a mother and father who live in the capitol city of Ithica.
2. What is their earliest memory? || Witnessing throw a crowd the execution of a man who stood trial on accusation of fraternizing with the rebels.
3. What did they want to be when they grew up? || A teacher.
4. What did/do their parents want them to be? || Someone respectable.
5. Do they have siblings? Older or younger? Brothers or sisters? || Two younger brothers and a little sister.
6. Do they have or have they ever had children? How many? || No, but he wishes to raise a family one day.
7. Do they or have ever had a significant other? Are they still with them? Why? Why not? || No.
8. What were they doing right before the story starts? || Studying to be a teacher (or professor, scholar, etc.) and working in Ithica's military field.
9. Up until now, what's the most noteworthy thing they've done? To them? To the people around them? || Codge is known as a peacemaker, but his easy temper turns to wrath whenever he witnesses something unjust. He once stood up for a feeble-minded old farmer who was caught on private property stealing chickens, and has a few whiplash scars on his back to prove it. 
10. What was their education like? || He was taught to read and write at home by his mother, and then sent to stay at a boy's army academy at age 12. While at the academy, he was allowed home visits and certain holidays.

 

1. What's your character's favourite colour? || Blue.
2. Do they/would they choose to wear a scent? || No.
3. Do they care about what things look like? All things, or only some? || Yes, he can be a slight OCD personality, but happens to be too laid back to show it.
4. What's their favourite ice cream flavour? || If they had ice cream in Ithica (and I'm not saying that they don't), it would be peach & almond.
5. Are they a tea, or coffee drinker? Or soft drinks, or do they drink a lot of alcohol? What kind? Coffee (with cream, and preferably a bit of sugar). He doesn't mind tea, but hasn't much of a taste for it.
6. What kind of books do they read? What TV shows and movies do they watch? || He read epics and poems and histories.
7. What kind of music do they like? Do they like music at all? || He doesn't listen to anything specifically, but he often whistles the tunes that his mother used to sing to lull him and his brothers to sleep when they were younger.
8. If they were about to die, what would they have as their last meal? || Steak and potatoes with onions and corn. And cherries and cream with brewed cocoa beans for drink and desert.
9. Are they hedonistic? In all cases? Or does practicality sometimes/always/often win out? || Codge is rather selfless, remaining protective over his family and the sick and weak and lonely.
10. Do they have any philias or phobias? || He doesn't like change, and has a deep and dark fear that, after the war, all innocence will be shattered. He's afraid that nothing will every be the same---and he's probably right. 

1. Do they have an internal or an external moral code? || Not exactly. He only tries his hardest to please, and to please by doing right over wrong. 
2. To what extent are their actions dictated by this code? || He his well-known for his peacemaker attitude and attributions, and often displays this in his everyday activity.
3. Do they believe in a God or Gods/Goddesses/Higher being of some description? || If so, it is unlikely that his faith will be explored in this story.
4. Are they superstitious? || No. In addition, his father and mother are very much against the idea of sorcery.
5. Do they value faith/instinct more highly than reason? || Given the circumstances---yes.
6. Do they believe in an afterlife? If so, what's it like? || Codge isn't afraid to die for what he believes is right, and is willing to take whatever afterlife is handed to him, or none at all, whichever will come.
7. Do they have any specific beliefs that manifest obviously? || No. 
8. Are the respectful of the beliefs of others? To what extent? || Yes, he is considerably tolerant.
9. Have they ever had to stand up to criticism for being religious? Or not being religious? || No, but he has willingly stood up to defend himself or others from criticism.
10. Would they be more likely to act for the good of the one, or the good of the many? || The good of many.

1. Do they make friends easily? || Yes. He is friendly---though quiet (and awkward) around strangers.
2. Do they have a best friend? || Not really. Instead, he's just generally friendly with a large circle of people whom he trusts.
3. Can they get people to do what they want them to? If so, how? || He's not great at rousing people through his words, but his attitude shows great leadership, and therefore grants him power over people.
4. Do they have a lot of romantic relationships? Serious, or short term? || No.
5. Do they fall in and out of love easily? || No.
6. Do strangers and acquaintances actually like them when they meet? || Yes, they find him pleasant.
7. Do they have a network? || No. In general, he likes to keep relationships and contacts in a personal, down-to-earth way. He's also rather forgetful when it comes to matching names with people.
8. What is their relationship like with their family? || Good. He loves his family, and will do anything and everything in his power to protect them.
9. Are they still in touch with non-family people they were in touch with a year ago? Five years? Ten? More? || Not really. A few acquaintances from the military academy and other miscellaneous places from years ago are still considered friends, but Codge doesn't go out of his way to stay in touch.
10. Do they like children? Do they want children of their own? || Yes and yes---someday, when the war is over and done with.

1. How does this character dress? How would they choose to dress, if all options were open to them? || In the militia, they have sort of rag-tag uniforms complete with combat boots and boiled leather. At home, he wares the commoner clothes---usually made of cotton.
2. Do they have any tattoos? What do they mean? || No.
3. Do they have piercings? How many? Is this culturally appropriate for them? || No.
4. Do they have scars? Where did they come from? || Codge has three long scars down his back from a whipping he received after he volunteered to take the punishment condemned to a deranged old chicken thief who didn't know any better. The original sentence was a half dozen lashes, but the man who was carrying out the punishment couldn't keep making himself whip the boy who so willingly sacrificed his own flesh for the defenseless.
5. Do they alter their appearance in some way on a regular basis? || No, but he has a habit of running his right hand up over his hair and making it stick up on his head every time he washes up for meals. 
6. Is there something they'd choose to change about their appearance if they had the opportunity to? || He often wishes he wasn't so scrawny compared to some of the stout military leaders in his squad.
7. Is there something about their appearance they're particularly proud of/happy with? || No.
8. Objectively, are they physically attractive? Fairly plain? Unattractive? || Attractive enough, with a young face, bright eyes, and thick hair that always has a sort of tousled appearance.
9. Do they have an accurate mental picture and opinion of their physical appearance? || Yes, I think so. However, Codge is one of those strange likable people who will often make light of a situation while degrading themselves (making jokes of their own appearances, attitudes, etc.).
10. How much time do they spend thinking about their physical appearance? || Not very much. At all.

1.   Can they navigate their own local area without getting lost? To what degree? || Locally, yes, but elsewhere, he'd have a hard time getting himself around and about. 
2. Do they know who the top politician or monarch is where they live? What about elsewhere? || Yes. Codge has a fascination for history and cultural studies.
3. Do they know if/where there are any major conflicts going on right now? || Yes.
4. Do they know the composition of water? || Mmm...?
5. Do they know how to eat a pomegranate? || Pomegranates are brought to Ithica's capitol by trade, but only the reasonably wealthy purchase and eat them. As far as other "tricky foods" that might require certain knowledge on how to eat or prepare them, Codge has been aquainted with seafood (hey now, mussels are weird and confusing edible substances!).
6. Are they good with the technology available to them? Average? Completely hopeless? || Pretty good.
7. Could they paint a house? Without making a mess of it? || Yes. Growing up in a military academy has given him an eye for details. Details are what turn the table in war...and in keeping a paint job from being messy.
8. Could they bake a cake? Would you eat it if they did? || If you gave thorough directions, yes.
9. Do they know how to perform basic maintenance on the common mode of transportation? Yes, he's pretty handy. 
10. Do they know the price of a loaf of bread? || No. The majority of his food is issued by the militia, or bough, cooked, and prepared by his mother.

 

1. Do they have a specific qualification in a narrow area? || As mentioned before, he would like to study to be a teacher, but he has no qualification or license for it yet. 
2. Is there something they do or know exceptionally well that most other people don't? || No, not particularly. He has skills and talents, but nothing out of the ordinary.
3. Do people often comment on a particular skill or area of knowledge to this character? Behind their back? || People often note him for his humble and sacrificing personality.
4. Is there an area this character could be considered top of their field or a genius in? || He excelled in certain areas of education at the military academy, but nothing more then the next A student.
5. Have they deliberately sought to gain knowledge in a specific area? If so, why? || Yes, he is interested in current events as regards the uprisings (especially now that war is arousing).
6. Do they speak more than one language? More than two? Why? || Nope, just one.
7. Does their cultural background effect what they would be expected to know? || I guess so. Ithica is sort of a "swords and horses" kind of place, so I guess he wouldn't know much about more "modern" things.
8. Have they ever been publicly acknowledged for being well-versed in something? || No---with the exception of the whipping, a time in which he was being acknowledged for being well-versed in the art of selflessness.
9. Have they ever been bullied for knowing a lot about something? || A few little conflicts with other students in school, but he's come out all the better for it.
10. Do they actively seek new knowledge, or let it come to them naturally? || He's not one to study all that hard, though he does study diligently. But he's so laid back---so I'd say naturally.

 

1. What if they'd been born with a different biological sex? || He most likely would have led an obedient little housekeeper's life.
2. What if they'd have more or less siblings? || He'd be more reckless and less responsible.
3. What if a key formative event in their past had gone differently? || His personality would have been less rounded.
4. What if they lost a limb? || He'd never gone to the military academy, and probably stayed at home or near home all of his life. Or he might have become some musty-dusty professor or something.
5. What if someone close to them died unexpectedly? || He'd grieve, but I'm certain that he'd only fight even harder for what he determines is good and right.
6. What if they'd been born 50 years earlier? 100 years? 1000? || He wouldn't be a cadet in the war against the rebels.
7. What if they'd done something completely different on the morning when the [his part of the] story starts? || Arlo Mou'let would probably have the wrong idea about...everything. Which is a very dangerous thing, as far as Arlo Mou'let is considered.
8. What if they found enough money to make them wealthy for the rest of their life in a bag? || He would use it, but would do his best to remain charitable as well.
9. What if they were stranded and deserted? || He'd die. Unless someone came to rescue him.
10. What if they were betrayed by someone they trusted? || His world would be shaken, and perhaps he'd lose a little of his natural faith in and easiness around people.

1. What did they have for breakfast this morning? || Oatmeal and milk.
2. What ridiculous belief/s did they have as a child? || That the man who once lived next door and wore an eye patch was a sea pirate.
   
3. Do they like marshmallows? || He's never had one, but I would think he'd like them best roasted and with something crunchy, like a graham cracker, as opposed to raw.
4. Do they sleep on their side, front, or back? || Back.
5. Do they work better with sound or silence? || Silence. But not too silent---more like "a peaceful and serene enclosure" kind of silence.
6. Do they have a strange obsession with something minor? || I don't think so.
7. Do they like art? || He hasn't much of an appreciation for it.
8. How fast can they run? || Very fast.
9. Do they prefer to sit on the floor or on a chair? || Somewhere informal---so I guess that would be the floor.
10. What do they want, right now? || For life to be simpler.

Question 101 - Why Should The Audience Care About Your Character? 

Because he is more than an admirable person---he's a hero. And yet, he's simple and common on the outside. His steadfast faith in the power of selflessness inspires others, and he play an important role in connecting the audience to the surrounding action. Despite his charming character, he suffers from his share of rough spots, and with him, the audience can see that mistakes can lead to bigger and better and more beautiful things. 

my mental picture, if you will

Whew---that's a lotta questions. I think I've just realized that a new struggle is to keep Codge from becoming a goody-goody...

Home you enjoyed skimming through it all, 

K-Minty

**gasp**

Nawlandzz Revisited

Hey guys?
Guys?
Guess what I found guys!

A LEFT HANDED TOOTHBRUSH.

shoot me now.

Also this creepy dead thing smushed against a window.

I happen to admire the dramatic salute.

The Cajun Cornbread Boy---of course!

because gingerbread just doesn't cut it these days?

Along with a children's book that dares to questions the inexorable.

his coat just flatters the mustard in his eyes, don't you think?

A boat and clouds!

^^ das da Mississippi River y'all.

A wonky alligator head.

buddy, you might need a chiropractor.

And feet!...on a stick.

back scratch---mmm. nice.

Also, this message that implies cannibalism.

yummy.

Along with this rather peculiar lawn decoration.

(Exodus 20:13)

A mural.

I think the umbrella will work best if you hold it between you and the rain.

And a weeping angel picture that reappeared repeatedly throughout the marketplace at the French Quarters.

I've doomed us all.

(all pictures property of kismint plinkadink)

Summer Scribbling

Hail bloggers and readers from afar!

It's summertime---a thing of watermelons, ice cream, and swimming pools. In addition to these wondrously lovely things, I present to you...

click here!

 Yes writers, it's that time of year again, and July is this year's official Camp NaNo month! It's likely that most of you might have heard of the November NaNoWriMo (an annual thing that has become very popular), in which a writer challenges him or herself to scribble down a hefty 50,000 word novel in 30 days.

Last year I participated, (reaching for a slightly less impressive word count of 30,000) and wrote a ton of junk that will probably never amount to anything. Nonetheless, I certainly love the program, and now I've decided to join the bandwagon for the summer addition of the NaNo program.

...July has 31 days, so in theory, this should be a breeze. :P

The project I've decided to work on is a sort of collaboration of me, myself, and I (no, you don't get to know what exactly that means). I'm planning on it being split into several parts that make up one decent-sized novel. For the month of July, I've decided to simply work on Part I, which, I'm hoping, will amount to at least 27,000 words.
Not much, really, but July has the potential to be super crazy, so I might have to sell myself a little short.

Tehehehehe...I had fun making a mock-up cover... ^_^

it's so pretty!!!

Are any of you participating in Camp NaNo? Leave me a comment and let me know!

K-Minty

Finnick

You've never known what hit you
Could never sort it out
But you're drowning in the war zone
You're delving into doubt
The battle lust is building
You've slain the thousands strong
You're the hero from the shadows
But that's not where you belong

© kismint 2013

***

WARNING: THE HUNGER GAMES, CATCHING FIRE, AND MOCKINGJAY SPOILERS MAY BE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE FOLLOWING POST. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

Today I speak of Finnick Odair, District 4 tribute for the 75th annual Hunger Games.

 My English teacher once told me that a good author often selects their character's name based on his or her personality traits, tastes, and role in the story. It's a measure of penmanship that many a writer takes up to accomplish the element of foreshadowing. That being said, I have to wonder what Suzanne Collins meant when it came to "Finnick".
Ah, Finnick---the one who steals the hearts...and the secrets. If the Capitol of Panem had tell-tale trashy magazines, it's more than likely that he'd be on the cover of every one of them.

We meet Finnick Odair after the we read that the Quarter Quell is announced in District 12. This time around, each of the twelve districts must send out one male and one female that has been pooled from the existing allotment of the district's former victors to be their newest tributes to compete in the games. Finnick, along with an elderly owl woman (Mags, who was once his mentor) represent District 4.
Meanwhile, our shining heroine, Katniss Everdeen---the narrator of this story---is once again shipped to the Capitol for the preparation of her second expedition into the arena. (That is, along with Peeta Mellark. Combined they represent District 12.)
After the tribute's parade, Finnick approaches Katniss with his famous "sugar cube line". In reading Katniss and Finnick's brief conversational exchange, we learn quite a bit more about the victor from four.
At age 14, Finnick won his first trip into the arena. His victory was not only due to his impressive physical state, but also because of the wicked-awesome trident-weapon-thing that his sponsors sent him. That, combined with a net in which to entrap his opponents, put Finnick over the top. Katniss points out to the readers that the trident was likely the most expensive item given to a tribute during the games she had ever seen.
This all happened not too long ago...so we are told that Finnick is in his early twenties, and still as flirtatious as ever. He's really great at unnerving Katniss and making both her (and the reader) feel very awkward. Katniss doesn't seem to trust him.

Once Katniss sees the arena for the first time---in essence, a circle of seawater, with strips of land sticking out like spokes from the Cornucopia---she's a little miffed, thinking that this competition was literally built for Finnick Odair.
---And in a way, she's right. You put Finnick from District Four into water, and he's suddenly every deadly water creature you've ever dream of, as well as the happiest man on earth. This being because District 4 is known for its fishing industries. The kids in four are practically born with fins.
When the Games begin, Katniss hi-tails it to the Cornucopia, determined to find herself a bow and set of arrows. When she gets there, she runs into Finnick, who is already hoisting his trident. In the moments that follow, Katniss must decide if she wants Finnick on her side or not.

This is the moment that we see a twist in plot. Suddenly, Finnick is not an arch-enemy, or even just a man who will kill to win his old life back. Instead, he is an ally.

(Which is very helpful, especially because at this point, Katniss needs somebody to save Peeta over and over...and over and over...and over again.)

They get Peeta, who is patiently waiting on his little stand-hub-thingy, and also retrieve Mags, the female tribute from Four, who is the master-fishhook-maker.

Throughout the rest of the book, Finnick starts to unfold himself to us, and we find a few unexpected things that factor into his character.
Most prominently are his true affections for Annie Cresta, a former victor from four who went mad. She won The Hunger Games the year she was a tribute because of her fantastic swimming abilities.

Also, we see his sense of humor---a nice compliment to his testy attitude.

In book three, Mockingjay, we find Finnick Odair in bad shape. He's gone a little mental. But everything improves for him when he is reunited with Annie.

Finnick also confesses the terrible things that the Capitol has forced him to follow through with, under threat that anyone and everyone he cared for would be murdered if he didn't cooperate.
This speech given by him, along with his proclamations about the tyrannies of President Snow, are aired and broadcasted as a part of the rebellion propaganda, causing a heavy blow to the Capitol and its followers.

After mending from his mental disabilities and marrying Annie Cresta, Finnick volunteers his services to the Rebel military, and is put in a squad that includes Katniss, Gale, and Peeta. Finnick fights well, staying loyal to Katniss, even after she fabricates her own private mission to lead the rest of the group on.

In the end, and in the form of true tragedy, Finnick Odair sacrifices his life for the others, in order that their mission would not fail.

Back at home, and after the war is won by the Rebels, Finnick and Annie's son is born.

The overall influence of Finnick's character amazes me. At first look, the reader keeps a low opinion of him. "How could he be likable??" We ask ourselves. But further in and further up---Finnick Odair is a true hero. It is a powerful thing to be a fictional character and to have redeemed yourself to both your fellow fictional characters, and the reader.

Kudos to Suzanne Collins, for offering us a great piece of work, and a beautifully characterized tribute from District 4.

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This post is part of Lewis' book giveaway. Entry numbero one!! :)
Visit her blog (and read her books!) at However Improbable.

Abroad and Back

Hello June, it's lovely to be you again.

New Orleans sends its greetings along with me---wrapped up in a box of packing peanuts, and tied with a pretty ribbon. Joy! Summer has graced us again!

© 2013 Kismint

We left early Wednesday, and returned yesterday night, fresh from the swamplands. We saw the sights---French Quarters, plantation houses, Villalobos Rescue Center, House of Blues, and the neighborhoods. We ate the food---pralines (bacon! praline bacon!!), chicken and waffles, beignets, mussels, clams, shrimp with Cajun sauces, Cajun spices, Cajun dips...pretty much everything Cajun...

There are trees and grass and flowers there. And rain and lakes and rivers. And the houses are like boxes of crayolas: colorful and tightly packed.

The people say "honey", "sweetie", and "who dat?". A lot. Nice place, neat place, with music and flavor, and beautiful streets lined with character, style, and spontaneity. But there is no place like home.

Home is cactus and mountains and 4% humidity. Home is chili peppers and tortillas. Home is adobe and stucco and terracotta tiles.

They say home is where the heart is, but I think home is where the heart sighs, sits back, and sings about the beautiful life that it is toiling and trekking through.

It's good to be home.