Has anything traumatic ever happened to you? Describe the scenes surrounding the event.
Wow. How inclined am I to not answer this? Sigh. Alright, here goes. When I finally gathered up the cojones to start my first book, Animus, my computer was stolen when I was about a quarter of the way through. I was devastated and cried, not because I'd lost an expensive piece of technology, but because I'd lost over fifty pages of writing. I rewrote it all, though, and replaced my dell with a mac. So even though it was traumatic, I ended up stronger, a better writer, and the owner of a much more sophisticated computer.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
NaBloPoMo 5: Healthy Balance
How do you balance family time, relationship time, and your work life?
I don't. I really don't. Sometimes I get very absorbed in what I'm writing and I forget to come up for air. I hope that when I'm in a relationship, he'll understand, or have things to do while I work. If he has ambitions and hobbies of his own, it'll work.
My friends are awesome, and sometimes we multitask bonding time with work time by having writing dates. That way we're supporting each other as well as our writing. It all works out in the end.
I don't. I really don't. Sometimes I get very absorbed in what I'm writing and I forget to come up for air. I hope that when I'm in a relationship, he'll understand, or have things to do while I work. If he has ambitions and hobbies of his own, it'll work.
My friends are awesome, and sometimes we multitask bonding time with work time by having writing dates. That way we're supporting each other as well as our writing. It all works out in the end.
NaBloPoMo 4: Pen vs Computer
Sorry for the long absence. Turns out life in Korea takes some major adjustments. But more on that later. Right now I'm churning out some belated NaBloPoMo posts. Prompt number four asks:
When you are writing, do you prefer to use a pen or a computer?
Computer, hands down. It's faster and easier to get to multiple writing projects. I type way faster than I write, and as a leftie, my handwriting has never been anything more than chicken scratch.
Also my computer can serenade me as I write. Double whammy.
When you are writing, do you prefer to use a pen or a computer?
Computer, hands down. It's faster and easier to get to multiple writing projects. I type way faster than I write, and as a leftie, my handwriting has never been anything more than chicken scratch.
Also my computer can serenade me as I write. Double whammy.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
NaBloPoMo 3: Writing and Music
I'm drained. I'm done. No, it's not this posting every day thing. It's packing. I'll be whining considerably until it's over (tomorrow night or Friday in the wee hours of the morning), so I'll make this post as quick and painless as possible.
Today's prompt is all about music. Do you write with music? What have you listened to lately?
This subject is very near and dear to my heart because I started out as a music major in college. I've written music related to my characters (though not as conspicuously book-ish as wizard wrock), and I sing and play guitar. I'm addicted to music like a lot of women are addicted to chocolate. Trust me, guys. That's saying something.
So yes, I write with music. I had a playlist for chapter 13-15 of Animus when I was writing it, because it was exponentially darker and emotional than the rest of the book. I had so much hard rock and depressing music, it's unbelievable. Not that I don't normally love hard rock. It was just a bit of an overdose.
My favorite artists are probably Ingrid Michaelson, Julia Nunes, Florence and the Machine, and Linkin Park. Mind you, I also love Regina Spektor, Glen Hansard, Incubus, Owl City, Death Cab for Cutie, and Amanda Palmer. I just know the aforementioned bands much better. If they have a new CD, I'm committed to it, just because I'm usually sure I'll like it.
Anyways, I'm starting to rant. Here's a music video of one of my newer loves, Laura Marling. I can't stop listening to this, so I hope you enjoy it:
My favorite line is, "I want to be held by those arms." This song begs a short story. I swear it does.
Also, my fourth post will probably late, and from Asia. Apologies ahead of time. Wish me luck.
Today's prompt is all about music. Do you write with music? What have you listened to lately?
This subject is very near and dear to my heart because I started out as a music major in college. I've written music related to my characters (though not as conspicuously book-ish as wizard wrock), and I sing and play guitar. I'm addicted to music like a lot of women are addicted to chocolate. Trust me, guys. That's saying something.
So yes, I write with music. I had a playlist for chapter 13-15 of Animus when I was writing it, because it was exponentially darker and emotional than the rest of the book. I had so much hard rock and depressing music, it's unbelievable. Not that I don't normally love hard rock. It was just a bit of an overdose.
My favorite artists are probably Ingrid Michaelson, Julia Nunes, Florence and the Machine, and Linkin Park. Mind you, I also love Regina Spektor, Glen Hansard, Incubus, Owl City, Death Cab for Cutie, and Amanda Palmer. I just know the aforementioned bands much better. If they have a new CD, I'm committed to it, just because I'm usually sure I'll like it.
Anyways, I'm starting to rant. Here's a music video of one of my newer loves, Laura Marling. I can't stop listening to this, so I hope you enjoy it:
My favorite line is, "I want to be held by those arms." This song begs a short story. I swear it does.
Also, my fourth post will probably late, and from Asia. Apologies ahead of time. Wish me luck.
NaBloPoMo 2: Last Meal
As most of my faithful readers know, I'm heading to South Korea for a year. This means I'm quite prepared to answer today's prompt: If you knew whatever you ate would be your last meal, what would you want it to be?
No, I'm not equating this move to death. It's going to rock. But I know I'm going to miss my American food favorites, so in the past few months I've been making sure to hit up the food I love most so I don't get too depressed when I can't find it in Korea.
But, as I wrote yesterday, I can never narrow it down. So let's do top three meals:
1) Chocolate Oreo Shake, dipped Italian beef sandwich with hot peppers, and blue cheese fries. Don't knock it till you try it.
2) Mofongo, fried pork, and a Malta India. Last summer (2010), I spent a month eating this, and I never once got sick of it. It's plantains smashed up with garlic and pig skin. It's a little crispy, a little savory, and a teensy bit sweet. The fried pork is super crispy, but sooo good. Malta India tastes like a mix between a coke and a beer. It took me a while to warm up to it, but then I got addicted. Definitely an acquired taste, but worth the effort of acquiring.
3) This is tough. I think fajitas could trump pizza, especially if there's guac and they're well made. But the deliciousness of a deep dish pesto pizza from Edwardos must not be underrated. We'll call it a tie.
Alright. I'm off to pack, which is turning out to be an impossible task. I think I'd rather eat black olives and pickles (two of my least favorite foods). Arg.
No, I'm not equating this move to death. It's going to rock. But I know I'm going to miss my American food favorites, so in the past few months I've been making sure to hit up the food I love most so I don't get too depressed when I can't find it in Korea.
But, as I wrote yesterday, I can never narrow it down. So let's do top three meals:
1) Chocolate Oreo Shake, dipped Italian beef sandwich with hot peppers, and blue cheese fries. Don't knock it till you try it.
2) Mofongo, fried pork, and a Malta India. Last summer (2010), I spent a month eating this, and I never once got sick of it. It's plantains smashed up with garlic and pig skin. It's a little crispy, a little savory, and a teensy bit sweet. The fried pork is super crispy, but sooo good. Malta India tastes like a mix between a coke and a beer. It took me a while to warm up to it, but then I got addicted. Definitely an acquired taste, but worth the effort of acquiring.
3) This is tough. I think fajitas could trump pizza, especially if there's guac and they're well made. But the deliciousness of a deep dish pesto pizza from Edwardos must not be underrated. We'll call it a tie.
Alright. I'm off to pack, which is turning out to be an impossible task. I think I'd rather eat black olives and pickles (two of my least favorite foods). Arg.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
NaBloPoMo 1: Favorite Thing About Writing
I'm doing NaBloPoMo, or as us normal people call it, "National Blog Posting Month." It's supposed to be in lieu of NaNoWriMo, which would be a ludicrous project for me to undertake as I'm moving my entire life across the globe this month. Yes, I know I'm a day late. I'm still posting 30 times. Now, they may be late, or more than one per day, but I'm claiming immunity to any scorn with the excuse of new teacher, culture shock, and life relocation. So you can forgive me ahead of time.
Prompt #1: What is your favorite thing about writing?
When people ask me what my favorite movie is, I list off five. I'm not good at isolating my absolute favorite, but I'll go ahead and narrow it down to three.
1) The people. The writing world is full of unexpected friends. I've met so many wonderful people through writing groups at school, book festivals, random encounters, and classes about writing. Even on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook, there is support and words of kindness to be found. Writing love <3
2) The "Aha!" moments. They're amazing and they creep up on you without warning. Sometimes they're about a character, dialogue, or a plot hole easily fixed. The biggest moment I had was in Texas, during winter break of my senior year in college. I stayed up all night to write a short story, something I'd never done outside of class. To this day I'm most proud of that story, and that night I realized that I not only enjoyed writing more than anything, but that I was proud of the final products.
3) The every day toil. Inch by inch, word by word, page by page. It's amazing to create something out of nothing, to coax my mind to imagine the next scene, and the next. There's nothing like it.
Alright. Post one, over.
Prompt #1: What is your favorite thing about writing?
When people ask me what my favorite movie is, I list off five. I'm not good at isolating my absolute favorite, but I'll go ahead and narrow it down to three.
1) The people. The writing world is full of unexpected friends. I've met so many wonderful people through writing groups at school, book festivals, random encounters, and classes about writing. Even on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook, there is support and words of kindness to be found. Writing love <3
2) The "Aha!" moments. They're amazing and they creep up on you without warning. Sometimes they're about a character, dialogue, or a plot hole easily fixed. The biggest moment I had was in Texas, during winter break of my senior year in college. I stayed up all night to write a short story, something I'd never done outside of class. To this day I'm most proud of that story, and that night I realized that I not only enjoyed writing more than anything, but that I was proud of the final products.
3) The every day toil. Inch by inch, word by word, page by page. It's amazing to create something out of nothing, to coax my mind to imagine the next scene, and the next. There's nothing like it.
Alright. Post one, over.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The one with a plane ticket
Official. It's a word I've been throwing around for months now with a smile and a shrug. "Oh yeah, I'm going to spend a year in Korea. No big deal."
When I stumbled on the idea that I could teach and travel, it seemed too wonderfully adventurous to be true. Get paid? To travel and teach?
Inconceivable!
And yet, yesterday I picked up my visa, the last step after six months of arduous paperwork.
Me, elated but terrified on the elevator ride down:
So what am I inclined to say now? It's official. I have my plane ticket, my visa, my wardrobe, and everything else I won't be able to find in Korea for a year (plus some pencils/stickers for my students). I have approximately ten days to cram my life into two suitcases, and shove as much knowledge of the Korean language as I can into my memory. I can already tell my first few months aren't going to be overly eloquent in the way of linguistic exchange.
Whether I feel ready or not, it's almost time to travel 6500 miles in fourteen hours, and immerse myself in a culture very, very different from my own.
I quit my job at Chipotle over a month ago now, and I am more than ready to get back to work. I feel like I've been stuck in an interminable summer vacation that has long since lost its shine. But as official as everything is, I still can't believe it's happening. I think traveling is a tricky beast, in that it doesn't feel real until you're there. I've been blessed in my life to travel to a fair amount of places. I still feel completely unprepared, even though I've been to South Korea (and the town I'll be staying in) before.
It comes in waves, this knowledge of how strange my life is about to become. Sometimes I feel elated about it. After all, I've always been the type to get antsy after a few years of living in the same place. I like change, crave it the way I crave autumn after summer. I'm excited to actually be using my degree as well. So many people have told me stories of having to settle for jobs they didn't really want, or careers that led them away from their passion and/or what they studied in college. I love English, both language and literature. I've had fun during the few experiences I've had teaching. I basically won the lottery of jobs, as far as I'm concerned.
Sometimes though, I feel terror, heavy and dark in my stomach. I barely know a few words of the language, the culture barrier is intimidating, and I like my friends. It takes years to make the kind of relationships I'm lucky enough to have, and I'm terrified that it'll take less than a year to ruin them. Also I don't like being alone.
As a Gryffindor, a Leo, and extrovert, I prefer to have people around, people I can connect to. As crowded as South Korea is, I'm sure I'll get lonely. Even if I'm prepared. Even if I'm having the best time of my life. Even if I make wonderful friends there (which I totally plan to do). I have made minor preparations for that inevitability with my DVD collection: Lilo and Stitch. It's a movie that makes me feel happy whenever I watch it, and (added bonus) it's a crier, so I won't feel guilty bursting into tears in the middle of it! I'll also have pictures of all the fine, lovely people in my life. And a stuffed animal (it'll fit in my suitcase if it's the last thing I do). Music is probably going to be what saves me, in the end. As long as I have the perfect song to start my day, life is generally good.
This post wasn't meant to sound so pessimistic. I'm excited to travel. I want my life to be one big adventure. I want to learn new things and meet new people. This will be good. This will be wonderful and amazing, and yes, perhaps frustrating at times. But it will be good.
Inconceivable!
And yet, yesterday I picked up my visa, the last step after six months of arduous paperwork.
Me, elated but terrified on the elevator ride down:
So what am I inclined to say now? It's official. I have my plane ticket, my visa, my wardrobe, and everything else I won't be able to find in Korea for a year (plus some pencils/stickers for my students). I have approximately ten days to cram my life into two suitcases, and shove as much knowledge of the Korean language as I can into my memory. I can already tell my first few months aren't going to be overly eloquent in the way of linguistic exchange.
Whether I feel ready or not, it's almost time to travel 6500 miles in fourteen hours, and immerse myself in a culture very, very different from my own.
I quit my job at Chipotle over a month ago now, and I am more than ready to get back to work. I feel like I've been stuck in an interminable summer vacation that has long since lost its shine. But as official as everything is, I still can't believe it's happening. I think traveling is a tricky beast, in that it doesn't feel real until you're there. I've been blessed in my life to travel to a fair amount of places. I still feel completely unprepared, even though I've been to South Korea (and the town I'll be staying in) before.
It comes in waves, this knowledge of how strange my life is about to become. Sometimes I feel elated about it. After all, I've always been the type to get antsy after a few years of living in the same place. I like change, crave it the way I crave autumn after summer. I'm excited to actually be using my degree as well. So many people have told me stories of having to settle for jobs they didn't really want, or careers that led them away from their passion and/or what they studied in college. I love English, both language and literature. I've had fun during the few experiences I've had teaching. I basically won the lottery of jobs, as far as I'm concerned.
Sometimes though, I feel terror, heavy and dark in my stomach. I barely know a few words of the language, the culture barrier is intimidating, and I like my friends. It takes years to make the kind of relationships I'm lucky enough to have, and I'm terrified that it'll take less than a year to ruin them. Also I don't like being alone.
As a Gryffindor, a Leo, and extrovert, I prefer to have people around, people I can connect to. As crowded as South Korea is, I'm sure I'll get lonely. Even if I'm prepared. Even if I'm having the best time of my life. Even if I make wonderful friends there (which I totally plan to do). I have made minor preparations for that inevitability with my DVD collection: Lilo and Stitch. It's a movie that makes me feel happy whenever I watch it, and (added bonus) it's a crier, so I won't feel guilty bursting into tears in the middle of it! I'll also have pictures of all the fine, lovely people in my life. And a stuffed animal (it'll fit in my suitcase if it's the last thing I do). Music is probably going to be what saves me, in the end. As long as I have the perfect song to start my day, life is generally good.
This post wasn't meant to sound so pessimistic. I'm excited to travel. I want my life to be one big adventure. I want to learn new things and meet new people. This will be good. This will be wonderful and amazing, and yes, perhaps frustrating at times. But it will be good.
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