Another Day In Paradise

I heard about a show called Kid Nation, which airs on CBS on Wednesdays. But since I am so stuck on Fox (it's the only one that really comes in well on my TV) I never really tried watching it. Thanks to the glory of modern technology, I've been able to watch it online, and I am hooked. There's something about shows about kids that I am in love with. I loved watching Bug Juice on Disney when I was younger. I loved watching Brat Camp a few years ago. And I am loving this show.

It's about 40 kids (they are down to 39 though) who are dropped off in this pioneer ghost town in the middle of the desert. They have council leaders and districts and whatnot, and they are supposed to get the town running. It's probably the biggest life-building experience these kids will ever have. There are kids from 8 - 15 in this town, and from every walk of life. It's amazing to watch them work. They get so discouraged easily, but they also relish in their accomplishments.

It's inspired me to begin working on a story. I am a kid at heart, and I really wanna tap into that and work on a story. I know it's risky to post concepts online, but whatever.

I was thinking it'd be wonderful if EVERYONE had to go to this sort of town sometime in their life. Think of how mature we'd be, and how cultured we'd be if we had that experience! Anyway, so my idea is...

It's going to be very fantasy world meets real world. So, sci-fi, I guess. In every person's life, there is a time when they will be summoned to journey to Khi. Khi is a special world/environment set up to mirror the 'real-world' and each child will spend 1 year in Khi, living unsupervised without adults. They will work with each of the other kids there to build this city up from the ground. It will force them to build life skills, so they can mature and be ready for the real-world.

Khi is a special place, that is never the same twice. So your parents may have been in a desert, while you may be in a town on top of a mountain. There's no telling. And you are not permitted to discuss Khi in detail with anyone except the other children who are in your sector.

Khi is broken down into millions and millions of environments. Each environment is located on its own star. So when you look into the sky, and see a shooting star, it's someone's sector returning to the real world. People travel to Khi by way of the sun. They hop on board during the sunrise, reach a docking station, which takes you to your star.

So, I'm going to be developing that further, I do believe!! :)

Big Girls Don't Cry

Last night I finally finished Marley & Me. I have had this book since Christmas, and I've wanted it so badly, but for one reason or another, I could never pick it up and read it. Finally, at the beginning of last week, I did. I made it my "whenever" read. Whenever I'd go in the bathroom - I'd read a little. Whenever I had some down time at night, I'd read a little.

This book warmed my heart so much. You already know that I love dogs. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that this book touched me. For those who have never heard of it, Marley & Me is a memoir of life with the world's worst dog. Marley is a yellow lab who is "mentally unstable" in the best of ways. And for those who know MY dog, if you read this, it'll be like taking a peek into my life. :) My dog is mentally unstable. Haha.

It paints the picture from the day they meet Marley as a five-week old pup, to the day the bury Marley, thirteen years later. It also includes the tale of their family, and how it grew during those years. From being newlyweds to having three children.

I laughed out loud so many times while reading this. (Which is funny, considering I'd read it in the bathroom often.) I had to read so many paragraphs to Dave because it was like someone was writing a biography about Tripper. The best part about reading this book is I'd read it on the couch, with Tripper curled up in my lap. Like she was absorbing the story by osmosis or something. But I ended up reading some of it out loud to her. (She loves listening to stories, or songs. It's funny.)

And last night, I had tears pouring from my eyes as I finished the book. I had fallen in love with Marley, and so watching him get old and withered was terrible. And by the end, I was full out sobbing. Tripper had patiently been waiting by my feet and when I put the book down, she climbed in my lap and gave me more kisses than I've ever gotten. I couldn't even move my head, she had me in a Vulcan grip and wouldn't let me go. She turned my frown upside down, which is what she's best at.

Smarts she may not have, but loyalty she surely does. Looks like she was the big girl, and I was the baby last night, instead of the other way around!