lost in the mist

Okay, well, welcome to version I-lost-count of Phoenix's Lair! This version is entitled "Lost in the Mist," and as always (except once) I got this layout at DayDreamGraphics (DDG). I think it's quite a lovely little layout, and I like the fact that you scroll horizontally instead of vertically, and I like grey and blue, so this layout makes me happy. =) >>Side Note: the best thing to do if you're like me and have 800x600 resolution is to press F11 so that you may be able to enjoy this layout in its fullness.

about Phoenix's Lair

This is simply my own little space for ranting, pictures, and so on. I hope to keep the wishlist updated, the calendar updated, and everything in general fresh, and new, but knowing me, I'm not sure how well that will work out, so check back anyway in case I do actually do something. I do so hope that everything will be to your liking.

about Phoenix

So, this is my little section for ranting about myself. Enjoy, I suppose. 1. name: Samantha 2. alias: Phoenix Echo 3. birthday: Albert Einstein's birthday. Look it up, lazy! 4. place of residence: I live in that dark corner of your mind with all the purple spider webs... wait, no, that's the wrong voice speaking... heh the voices... *ahem* I live at home. That's all you need to know. 5. what makes you happy: In no actual or random order: bubbles, warm weather, Furuba (a.k.a. Fruits Basket), Harry Potter, fast and working internet <3 , O-Zone, Livejournal, my friends, and "Lost." 6. what irks you: school, work, people who talk about me behind my back (can't they just accost me about what bugs them? do they have to be such cowards? I won't hurt them... much... they'll be out of the hospital in a few days! I guess I shouldn't say anything, because this girl named Rebecca really makes me angry, and Nika persuades me into talking about her... Yes! Blame the Slovakian, Sam! Ignore me now...) ... oh, and people who aren't what they say they are! 7. Favorite Books: the Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, the Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde, and Why Read? by Mark Edmundson. 8. an interesting fact about you: my eyes have no pigment. The color changes from blue to green quite regularly. 9. are you in love/have a crush at the moment: somewhat. I actually want to stay out of a relationship right now. I mean, I only have one more year left here, in Tennessee, and I'd rather not get attached, or heart-broken, and I actually want to be driven this year, and a boyfriend would just be a distraction. 10. favorite place to be: San Fransisco, CA. 11. favorite lyric: "Save tonight, fight the break of dawn, come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone" also: "Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place, suddenly it all moves with such a perfect grace, suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste, it all revolves around you. And there's no mountain too high, no river to wide, just sing out this song and I'll be there by your side, storm clouds may gather, and stars may collide, but I love you, until the end of time" 12. best time of the year: When spring is in the air, and it's warm, and lovely, and birds chirp, and lovers unite! <3 (wow, that was corny) Horoscope Loveliness (you're going to laugh at this; I did... it doesn't really fit together well haha): Chinese: I am year of the Snake 1989, which means my element here is earth. Its western counterpart is "Taurus." Western: I am Pisces (the fish) month of March, and my element is water. I am the end of the Western zodiac, thus always tying up loose ends, according to myth.

credits and thanx

This is the stuff that the creator of this layout wrote, so . . . huzzah! cursor: deviantart images: simple-graphix.de brushes: ....good question, the brush is called "avh_winter_grace" but i forget where I got it. design: simple-graphix.de THX @ leo who send me the peom of Herman Hesse "Im Nebel" (means "in the mist").

myths of the ancient

How Orion Became an Inhabitant of the Skies (This is for all of you astronomy-oriented Harry Potter fans.) The magnificent constellation called Orion was supposed by the Greeks to have been originally the body of the great giant, a son of Neptune. He was a handsome man and an eager hunger, and very vain of his personal appearance and of his skill in the chase. He was a great favorite of Diana*, and some even suspected the moon goddess of being in love with him. Apollo** sometimes chid her for her attentions to Orion, but to no avail. Once Apollo pointed out to his sister a black spot far off in the waters and challenged her to hit it with her arrow. She did so, and too late discovered that she had killed Orion. But she placed him in the stars, where his dog Sirius follows him, the Hare flies before him, and the Pleiades*** are frightened at is coming. * Diana is the Greek goddess of the moon, and the hunt; the chaste goddess. ** Apollo is the Greek god of the sun. ***The Pleiades, according to the Greeks, were seven maidens, daughters of Atlas (son of a Titan, assigned the task of bearing the world on his shoulders forever), who had been pursued by Orion until in desperation they called on Jupiter (Zeus) for help. He changed them into doves, then into stars. Phoenix�s side note: is anyone else wondering how on earth Atlas could have had children, while holding the world on his shoulders? . . . Did anyone else feel an earthquake?

Credit to: Dave Alexander.

Im Nebel

Seltsam, im Nebel zu wandern ! Einsam ist jeder Busch und Stein, Kein Baum sieht den andern, Jeder ist allein. Voll von Freuden war mir die Welt, Als noch mein Leben licht war; Nun, da der Nebel fällt, Ist keiner mehr sichtbar. Wahrlich, keiner ist weise, Der nicht das Dunkel kennt, Das unentrinnbar und leise Von allen ihn trennt. Seltsam im Nebel zu wandern! Leben ist Einsamkeit. Kein Mensch kennt den andern, jeder ist allein. (Herman Hesse)

links

In the Mists

Wondrous to wander through mists! Parted are bush and stone: None to the other exists, Each stands alone. Many my friends came calling, Then, when my life was bright; Now that the fogs are falling, None is in sight. Truly, only the sages Fathom the darkness to fall, Which, as silent as cages, Separates all. Strange to walk in the mists! Life has to solitude grown. Only the Single persists: Each is alone. (loose translation of "Im Nebel")

I wish . . .

>for a laptop >for peace >for eternal happiness >for a cure for cancer and heart disease >for a good school year >to get into BYU >to do better on the SAT >for true love . . . in the future, not now >to be married in the San Diego, CA LDS temple >to meet my father >for people to be happy

The Tree

This section is dedicated to the red oak that used to stand in the middle of the campus at my school, as well as the folks who helped preserve the memory of the tree. Pics and music are from my art/human biology teacher. Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Pic 4

rants & updates

2 October 2006 Personally Wow! I haven't updated in forever! School's makikng me extremely busy! It's really horrible. Anyway, my profuse apologies for not having done anything with this for a very long time. Josh and I are still getting along pretty well. I'm actually at his house right now. We're watching what is, in my opinion, the best Indiana Jones movie ever made: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I absolutely adore the Indiana Jones movie. This one's just my all-time favorite. Anyway, on with the show. Sitely Changing the box under "illuminate." Changing "illuminate." Adding the winner of the previous contest. Updating wishlist. Changing the box where the calendar should go. Changing "myths of the ancient." Upcoming events in my life: ((To be announced)) 6 July 2006 Personally: Nothing really interesting has been happening since last time I updated. People are still people. I'm really excited for EFY, though! It should be on the calendar, but I'll explain that in further detail in the next portion of this. I finished Why Read? by Mark Edmundson, and I recommend it to anyone who thinks that reading is simply for pleasure, liesure, and/or entertainment. It is truly an altering book. I've now started reading The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy, which is also very interesting. It starts of somewhat slow, but then everything ties in together. I love his writing style, and voice, and how clouds are "whitish." Don't be suprised if a book report or review goes into the section where the story of Cupid and Psyche is. Sitely: The calendar's a bit glitchy, and frankly I don't feel like messing with it constantly at the moment. So for now we have to deal with me telling you what's happening. >July 1st: Canada Day. Yay Canada! *winks at Dave* >July 2nd: One year since I met Ben and Barrett. Haha, that day was awesome. >July 4th: USA's Independence Day. Yay for fireworks! *winks at Josh* >July 5th: My aunt's birthday. Yay for Sandy! >July 8th: Stake Youth Summer Dance. Yay for LDS! >July 11th: Full Moon. >July 17th: This is the day I fly out to Utah from Tennessee. >July 18th-21st: EFY, Especially For Youth, something of a camp at BYU Provo, UT, and the reason I'm flying out there. >July 22nd: This is the day I fly back from UT to TN. >July 25th: New Moon. >July 26th: This is the day my friend Tim becomes Elder Norris and leaves for his mission in Ohio, of all places. >July 31st: Deadline for Illuminate: July 2006 contest: Find me a song. Again, if you have any suggestions, or comments, e-mail me at phoenix_echo07 at yahoo dot com! 24 June 2006 Personally: Not all things are as good as they seem. People wear masks to cover who they truly are. It's a sad thing, but it's a fact of life. Everyone does that. Everyone's an actor in their own way. One of my friends is going through a really rough time right now. It really saddens me to see them in this state. They really do mean a lot to me; enough for me to consider them my sibling of sorts. They're a really nice person, and very strong, but things just seem to happen to them that aren't very good. I hope that everything turns out for the best. Sitely: Well, just about everything's up. I'm still not sure what to put in that last little "unknown section," so if you have any suggestions, please e-mail me at phoenix_echo07 at yahoo dot com.

illuminate

October 2006 The contest for this month is to find *something* for the box that currently contains the English version of "In the Mists". This leaves the contest quite open, you may say, and indeed it does. It can be a picture, a piece of art, a poem, a short-story, etc. Whatever you want, basically. Whichever entry fits the theme best is the one I will choose. Rules are: 1. you may choose to enter anything. However, the art/photograph/images must fit the size limitations, which are: 305 x 580 pixels. 2. I will accept nothing that contains nudity, or any obtuse vulgarity. Please make it tasteful! 3. entry form must accompany entry; I will not accept the entry if these are sent separately 4. entries must be submitted by the last day of the month. If you send me your entry on Nov. 1st, it will not be considered for this month's contest. 5. e-mail all entries to phoenix_echo07 at yahoo dot com Winner will receive: A custom-made pixely award to place on your webpage, journal, or forum signature. Entry form: name/alias: site url: site name: name of entry:

July 2006 Winner Dave Alexander: "Late Goodbye" - Poets of the Fall