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Christina's favorites book montage

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Romeo and Juliet
Animal Farm
1984
Fahrenheit 451
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
The Glass Menagerie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The Hunger Games
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Joy Luck Club
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Magician's Nephew


Christina McCann's favorite books »

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Dear Rachel...

Here is my most recent independent video project! This time I tried something a little bit different: I shot and edited on my iPhone. I took Mr. Mayo's advice, I bought iMovie. It turned out to be very user friendly. It was much easier to use than WeVideo, and I suggest buying it to anyone who has an iPhone (It's $4.99).

The song I used in the video is the Modern Theme Song from iMovie. This is not one of the most professional-looking videos I've ever done, but I was just getting used to the app. I also wanted to make it less professional because this particular video is for my British student who is coming in 6 days!!! I wanted this video to be very playful and upbeat. It's very cheesy, I know. Enjoy!


Tuesday, January 1, 2013

The Un-Jewelry Box

The narrators of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close write in extremely specific detail. I tried to do the same. I am incredibly bad at it, but here it is:

For my birthday, she gave me a box. It was small, the kind of box you put jewelry in. The wrapping paper was thin, like newspaper, and covered in hand-drawn hearts. I tore it open carefully, not trying to save the paper, but because I did not want to show her that I wanted to tear the wrapping. I wanted to rip it away. I contained my anticipation. The box was black and velveteen. I opened it slowly, my eyes trained on the edge, where the hinge would open to disclose the beauty inside. A small piece of college-ruled paper slipped out. It was the size that someone tears out of a notebook to spit a used piece of chewing gum in before putting it with the other rubbish. On the paper, written in her round script, were three words. "I luv u!" it read. I read it over and over, slightly disappointed that the box did not contain what it was crafted for. "I love you too," I said.

Looking back on it, five years later, I have learned to appreciate my friend's gift. It wasn't jewelry. I couldn't wear a pair of sparkly earrings that would make my eyes light up. I couldn't receive complements on them as I walked through the hallways at school. But I could wear it. I could wear her "I luv u" in my face. I could wear her "I luv u" in my eyes. I could wear her "I luv u" in my smile. I could wear her "I luv u" every day in my heart. I could keep with me the the sense of love and acceptance. Somebody luved me.

They say the best things come in small packages. It's a cliché, I know. It's a cliché, which I hate. But life is full of clichés, which are actually just wisdom contained in a tiny phrase. A phrase you're likely to hear a googolplex times (notice the reference?). Repeated wisdom, that takes an instant to understand. Because that small package might have changed my life.

This Year I Will...




Today my friend Leigh asked me if I had made any new year's resolutions. I've never made any, or at least I had never taken the opportunity to document them in some way. I sat down and typed out 23 resolutions that I am pretty proud of. I tried to stay away from the clichés, but a few of them snuck their way onto the list. Here are my resolutions (in no order of importance):


  1. Do all of my homework the day it is assigned. This is one that I always plan to follow through with, and it hasn't ever happened. However, this year with all of the craziness in my life (and the craziness that is sure to be added), I have decided that I will finally stick with it.
  2. Go in for math help at least once a week. I have been struggling in Honors Precalculus and not giving it the attention is deserves.
  3. Become SMOB. I am running for Student Member of the Board of Education. Visit my website, like my Facebook page, and follow me on Twitter!
  4. Get a lead in a school musical/ play.
  5. Keep my room clean. I have been organizing and cleaning this break. Fingers crossed it will continue!
  6. Bring a friend from school to church.
  7. Pray every day.
  8. Further develop my relationship with Jesus Christ.
  9. Start writing music again. I am happiest when I have an outlet. Music is very close to my heart, and since I have stopped writing, I haven't been as happy. Not making any promises, but some of my music could end up on this blog :)
  10. Be more spontaneous. NOT risky. I don't want to be too impulsive, and do something I might regret, I just want to be able to say what needs to be said, and not hold my tongue.
  11.  ...
  12. Learn how to knit. This is the latest CAP obsession... I must admit, people are making some pretty amazing things. I got needles and yarn from my Girl Scout Secret Santa, so here's to being crafty!
  13. Lose 15 lbs. I am not dissatisfied with my body. I just set this goal to encourage me to exercise and eat healthily (something that definitely was the last thing on the list during the holidays).
  14. Make my 17th year great. April 3rd. I turn 16.
  15. Start looking at colleges.
  16. Decide what I want to do in college.
  17. Read at least 25 books outside of school.
  18. Read more classics (starting with Les Mis which I got for Christmas)!
  19. Tell my dad how I feel about things with him.
  20. Impact someone's life in a BIG (and positive) way.
  21. Start dressing nice for school. NOT exam days. Those have to be chill. 
  22. Be a better person. What does this mean? Truth is, I don't know. Just in general. Maybe become a philanthropist (Henry David Thoreau would hate me...).
  23. Be levelheaded and not react poorly to things. This almost counteracts #10, but whatever. I like it.
It's a mix of goofy, serious, difficult, and easy. I'm not saying everything will happen, but it never hurts to set goals. It gives me purpose.