I Need Your Help!

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I've begun working on my 18 Things to Do Before I Turn 18 List, and plan to have each thing done by August 31! That gives me about six months (the first six were spent dilly-dallying and generally not crossing things off lists)- and I need your help! Specifically, I could use some suggestions for books that jerk some tears. I've watched quite a few sad movies, but I feel like reading a book-turned-sad-movie (I'm looking at you, Nights in Rodanthe) would be cheating. For extra credit, I could also use a good recipe involving starfruit...

If you're more of the deal-making and trading type, I will trade you a heart-wrenching book recommendation for this list of very sad (in the emotional sense) movies:

Best Sad Movies From Least to Most Tears

6) Dear Frankie - I'm pretty sure I loved this movie mostly because it takes place in Ireland, but it is definitely a touching story, even if I don't remember the part where I cried...
5) Marley and Me - 5+4 are basically tied- this one made me sob, but Kelly says it didn't get her at all. Sometimes, it depends. Just know, I wasn't the only one crying at this one.
4) Love Happens - The part I'm referring to is brief, but man did it give me a good cry.
3) Click - Say what you will, even thought Adam Sandler is a comedian, this one had me and my sisters crying little rivers.
2) Nights in Rodanthe - The acting is really great, and the story of two strangers is enchanting
1) Million Dollar Baby - I watched this movie years ago, and I still remember it so well. It is a fantastic movie, and Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank are great.

Most Emotional Beginnings to Movies EVER

1) Star Trek - If I told you any more, I'd spoil it!
2) UP

Remember to leave a recommendation!
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Happy Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) everyone! Today I am thankful for food in French class, Lindt chocolates, my baking abilities (that lumpy chocolate pie wasn't so lumpy after all!), and really unique/great songs like this. :)

Another New Beginning

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{notes and pictures to do with my AWESOME birthday are yet to come at a later time -
think in the next few days}

In this post, I would most like to address the new year I have ahead of me. Today is the first day of my 18th year, and in one year when I celebrate my 18th birthday, I will have boarded a completely new ship, and set sail on the next section of my life: leaving home and high school for college and adulthood. So exciting. ;^)
With that most serious stuff out of the way, we reach my point (yes! we're there already!):

Naming my goals and making my 18 New Things List.

So which should we start with?
Goals?
Aalll-righty then!

Bars to Reach in The Coming Year:
-Achieving As in all of my classes, every quarter. (I know I can do it!)
-Staying up to date with both the blogs I contribute to (even if I don't get to them until the evenings)
-Turn in NO LATE WORK (This will certainly be tough, see below)
-Overcome my procrastination issues (true these two goals go together, but I mean this is a HUGE problem of mine)
-(Let's shoot for five, hey?) Become better friends with my viola (It is scandalous how little I so much as look at my viola outside of the classroom)

And now (because I won't be busy enough):

18 New Things:

1. Invent a frame able to display two sides of a document (for those two-sided drawings my sister Kelly makes me)
2. Spend an entire day at Barnes&Noble (drink Starbucks and be merry)
3. Attend a sunrise
4. Use a seemingly useless item
5. Have five people blow bubbles into the sunset
6. Do the splits (both ways)
7. Make spaghetti with meatballs (we NEVER have meatballs in our spaghetti for some reason...)
8. Read the House of Night series (see what the big deal is)
9. Get to know someone new
10. Pull an elaborate prank
11. Volunteer somewhere
12. Throw a party (even if only sisters are invited)
13. Try Sushi
14. Cry over a book (I haven't done this in a long time- so it's not new, but I think that's okay)
15. Solve that freaking puzzle book
16. Learn to play a beautiful song on the piano
17. Make a dessert with starfruit (which I've never tasted before)
18. Ask my grandparents about their lives