So, this used to be really long, and now I'm trying to shorten it up a bit. Wish me luck. (I've never been good at keeping things short 'n' sweet. Like, ever.)

I've been writing stories since I was little (one was about a Taco King with nacho chip pet dogs--make of that what you will) but only recently started posting on FictionPress. I don't know where half of my stories come from--just random thoughts rattling around in my probably-not-entirely-normal brain that turn into these complicated plots--but I try to update somewhat regularly when I get one going. However, because of my not-so-methodical method of plotting (a vague idea of a beginning, middle, and end that usually changes as I write) and willy-nilly inspiration, I'm usually writing about 6 stories at a time. Updating will probably also be delayed by school (the trouble with advanced classes is that they're ADVANCED, apparently) and working (I have to pay for car insurance somehow). One of the things that will almost always galvanize me into FictionPress action (besides desperation/procrastination) are REVIEWS!! I love 'em, and I do my best to always reply. If you've written anything on this site, I usually click on your link and try to review at least one of your stories, too. 'Cause that's just how I roll.

So, basically, please let me know what you think of my writing. Obviously, if you think it's an insult to the English language, please don't cuss me out and tell me to go kill myself on the grave of Edgar Allen Poe or anything. First of all, that is so not constructive criticism, and secondly, I don't actually know where he's buried and will not be MapQuesting it so I can fulfill that request. Sorry. I really appreciate suggestions, though, especially specific ones. :) Even if you don't feel like dropping a super-long review, a simple, "Nice job; keep it up!" can be really encouraging.

So, to sum up all that rambling: I love writing. I can't tell if I'm actually as good as I hope I am or if this will go on my list of Most Embarrassing Moments of All Time. I write way too much (possibly an over-acheiver symptom) and have this need to make everything really... real. At least real enough so that I can get it all out of my head and onto the page and people can see what I see. My poetry is probably mediocre, but that doesn't stop me from writing it. I mean, hey, you have to work to get better, right? So I'd really enjoy constructive criticism, will not be committing suicide on Edgar Allen Poe's grave for a few reasons (like, doesn't that seem a little disrespectful? I bet Edgar would be all like, "Get your own grave, bi-otch!" So, ah-hem), probably keep writing through all of it, and will try to update a lot in case there are people who like what I do and what me to hurry up and get to the conclusion so that they can just KNOW already. (Key word: TRY. My actual updating schedule usually turns out to be pathetically sporadic. Sorry.)

So, that's me, writing-wise. Looking at other people's profile, I've picked up some ideas for my own, so I'm just going to go ahead and let you know a little more about what I like.

MUSIC

Favorite artist of all time: probably Regina Spektor. She is lyrical GENIUS.

Current favorite song? Probably either "Radioactive" (Imagine Dragons), "Small Town Moon" (Regina Spektor), "Breeze Blocks" ( / Alt-J) or "Lonely Boy" (The Black Keys). Yes, I know that's very wishy-washy of me, but I simply can't decide!

Other musical wicked-awesomeness? Pretty much anything by the Black Keys. (I especially love their El Camino album.) Also, currently obsessed with all things Willy Moon and Alex Clare's "Too Close"-- I've been playing it on repeat and writing college essays. (We'll see how that turns out...)

I'm also a choir kid, so I will voluntarily listen to classical music (at least sometimes). Last year we learned Haydn's Mass in B-Flat, and it's still on my iPod today. We're going to learn Mozart's Requiem this year, but I don't have the music for that downloaded yet.

Back to "normal" music, I'm also a fan of Cage the Elephant, and I'm becoming more and more of a fan of Florence The Machine. I also love some songs by Weezer, and "Mercy" by Duffy is pretty high up on my play count. I've got some Michael Buble, Queen, KT Tunstall, and a bunch of Beatles' songs, and my friend just recently pointed me to the Arctic Monkeys. (I'm also a big fan of soundtracks; "O Brother, Where Art Thou," "Mulan," "The Scarlet Pimpernel," "Curtains", etc. etc.) Other than that, my taste in music is pretty scattered: if I like a song, I listen to it, if I don't, I don't. I'm not a diehard fan of any particular bands (sorry, fangirls... or fanguys), I just like songs with a good beat and (preferably) lyrics that mean something. I've played songs from "U Can't Touch This," "Chelsea Dagger," "I'll Make A Man Out of You," "Hate On Me," "Woman" by Wolfmother, "On The Radio," by Regina Spektor, "Money Money Money" by ABBA, and "Lose Yourself" by Eminem, on repeat. For hours. On the same day. Like I said: wide range in music taste.

BOOKS

It has come to my attention that my taste in literature sucks. I didn't really like Lord of the Flies, absolutely hated 90% of Great Expectations (that Pip is such a... well, it rhymes with his name, let's say that), and did not particularly enjoy Wuthering Heights, although I liked Jane Eyre. I didn't mind The Great Gatsby or Catcher in the Rye so much, and I can understand and respect the importance of what we read in class, but yeesh. I mean, A Farewell to Arms, anyone? De-press-ing.

Here is, however, a list of books I love:

-The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck is a boss; even school can't ruin him)
-Harry Potter
-The Mediator Series (by Meg Cabot)
-1-800-WHERE-R-U series (first book: When Lightning Strikes; written by Meg Cabot under name "Jenny Carroll")
-Lady Julia Grey novels
-The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
-The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
-The Lightning Thief/Percy Jackson series (the books are SO much better than the movie)
-The Ranger's Apprentice (series I read back in middle school)
-Agnes and the Hitman
-Most things Jennifer Crusie & Janet Evanovich
-Sammy Keyes books (again, middle school, but Sammy kicks butt)
-I finally read The Hunger Games, so there you go
-Grew up on Nancy Drew
-Diana Wynne Jones absolutely rocks

Favorite books from growing up:

-The Amazing Bone (who doesn't love a children's book with a talking bone that uses the phrase "odoriferous wretch"?)
-Ferdinand the Bull
-Cedric the Short
-Willy the Champ
-I also vaguely remember one including trolls and mittens, though, sadly, I can't quite remember the title. So, :'( tear and whatnot.

MOVIES

Well, I'm really a happy endings person. I just saw a really good movie called "You Kill Me" (on Netflix Instant Streaming, in case anyone's wondering), laugh out loud at most things Mel Brooks (especially Robin Hood: Men in Tights) and my dad looks like Will Ferrell, so I appreciate most things Will Ferrell x 2. (I mean, have you seen the Perfect Cheer sketch from SNL? Hilarious!) I must admit, I liked Die Hard, even though the first one was totally better than the next three. (So excited to see the one that just came out!) I love The Bourne Identity, even though I always feel so bad for his girlfriends when they die in later movies in the series. So, call me a sap, but I just don't like seeing innocent, hard-working people shot in the head and then dumped, car and all, into a river. I admit I'm into romantic comedies (duh), but I'm really not a huge fan of the idiotic, sappy ones. I prefer Janet Evanovich- and Jennifer Crusie-style characters and methods. In case you haven't read The Witching Ring (no, it's not a "real" story, it's one of mine), I share Cass's view on The Princess Bride: it's romantic and comedic, with the added advantage of a plot executed with general wit and excellence. (I have to admit, though, I also went for Notting Hill.)

As for T.V., which I'm just going to include here, I have a thing for crime shows. Honestly, I prefer murder to General Hospital or whatever, I'm sorry. When I feel bad, I just watch my murder shows. In a way that I hope doesn't sound to creepy, it just makes me feel better. My favorite shows, therefore, are Midsomer Murder, Castle, and Bones, though I also really like The Middle, Modern Family, and Suburgatory(which are not, in case you don't know, murder shows. Like, at all.) And don't worry, I've seen the classics, if you consider the 'classics' Columbo (which I do), and Charlie's Angels (borderline on this one, even though I have to admit, the Angels are pretty awesome.) Also, I'm a huge fan of Scrubs, and I've recently started in on Supernatural.

Also, call me a weirdo, but I LOVE Doctor Who. Like, love it. I am a Whovian.

"Sherlock" deserves it's own paragraph. Haven't seen it? Netflix instant streaming. Go bask in the awesomeness. Go. Now.

Other great movies? Well, I thought you'd never ask!

-The Blues Brothers
-True Grit (although I've only seen the remake; sorry)
-O Brother, Where Art Thou?
-Modern Times
-Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
-Romancing the Stone
-Elf
-The Wedding Singer
-Men in Black
-Easy A
-16 To Life
-Monty Python and the Holy Grail
-Grease
Pretty much anything Disney
-Baby Mama
-The Breakfast Club
-Adventures in Babysitting
-The Decoy Bride (David Tennant wears plaid trousers and a Chewbacca vest in this, that's all you need to know)
-The Fairy (this quirky, bizarre, adorable French movie)
-The Artist (I'm a bit of a film geek, so the amazing directorial stuff in here basically sends me into hysterics, plus the story is freakin' awesome)

...And I guess that's The End.

Well, until I update.

Muhaha!