I haven't really been writing much lately, at least not creatively. Way, WAY behind on the Glory-Be Project for one thing. I've been trying to make it up a little by crafting some long, complicated title poems.
I didn't actually set out to make a super long one, but I couldn't seem to stop once I really got going. Same thing happened on the next one - it just kept going XD I have every intention of doing two more, one for spring and summer. I've been having a bit of fun just collecting titles for the last few days. I really am proud of how well the autumn piece turned out - super proud.
Doc noticed me working on the winter poem a few days ago and was impressed by the idea. Asked me to send the finished pieces to him, so I complied. He LOVES the autumn piece. Just loves it. Thinks it's one of the best things I've ever written. I believe his words were "knocked it outta the fucking park" XD I was already happy with it, but hearing that keeps me warm.
Today was the last official day of Drama. He's giving them tomorrow off to work on their assignments, but I think he really wants to chill out on his birthday. I'm planning to take him out to lunch whenever I finally get paid, but in the meantime I bought a wooden slate and some chalkboard paint - the one thing he didn't mind about our classroom being moved this summer was that the new room had a chalkboard instead of a whiteboard. This gift is one half sincere and one half me being a smartass. I think he'll like it though.
It's been a good term. I wish there had been more students in Drama, but it was still fun. I'm not really glad it's over, but I am glad that Doc is going off the clock for the next two months. It'll be nice to chill out a bit and enjoy his company instead of rushing from one place to another, always under a deadline.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Marathon Writing
On Friday, Doc challenged me to a writing contest. My first reaction was to ask if the contest was who could write more, or who could write better - he acted like I stabbed him in the back XD
The rules were to write as many radio scripts as possible before midnight on Sunday. We had to include an introductory bit of audio as well, which I usually do last, so that made it a touch harder. I didn't expect to do very many; it can take a while to do one of these well. It's easier if it's an author I'm already familiar with, and considerably more difficult if it's an author that Doc gave me to looks up. He's assigned me to some pretty obscure people in the past, which is part of the reason finding audio is the hardest part for me.
I'd say I put some seven or eight hours into writing nine scripts over the weekend. To make an already difficult task even worse, my Internet spent a large part of the weekend broken. We've had problems for a long time, but it's lasted without much issue for the past couple of months. Figures that it would start acting up when it did. On Sunday, I spent literally an hour and a half on hold trying to reach the Internet technician. Never did get a hold of them.
So at 8PM Sunday night, I packed up my laptop and went to my parents place to wrap up this contest. On the way, Doc texts me and offers an extension for me to Monday at 6:00. I turned him down because I knew I'd be babysitting in the morning (grandparents had a funeral). Even with that, I still stayed in Little Rock past midnight, swapping witticisms and taunts with Doc through e-mail. He conceded defeat ten minutes after midnight. Finally made it home around 1AM, knew I would have to get up sometime around nine.
Basically, I spent the weekend earning my nickname. I've become very attached to being called Rodette.
The authors I chose were Brian Jacques, Dorothy Parker, Dostoyevsky, e.e. Cummings, Margaret Mitchell, Nabokov, P.L. Travers, Dante Rossetti, and Jesse Stuart. I've only read three of these authors XD
I'll have to revise them of course, but I think most of them are already in pretty good shape. I'm still the most proud of my Agatha Christie and Rod Serling pieces, but I think the Nabokov is going to end up being one of my favorites. I think he turned out well.
Today we were nearly late for Drama. We wasted a lot of time going back and forth about the competition. He had a ridiculous amount of fun, and I'm happy for that. I know he's been stressed lately. It was nice seeing him relaxed and happy.
The rules were to write as many radio scripts as possible before midnight on Sunday. We had to include an introductory bit of audio as well, which I usually do last, so that made it a touch harder. I didn't expect to do very many; it can take a while to do one of these well. It's easier if it's an author I'm already familiar with, and considerably more difficult if it's an author that Doc gave me to looks up. He's assigned me to some pretty obscure people in the past, which is part of the reason finding audio is the hardest part for me.
I'd say I put some seven or eight hours into writing nine scripts over the weekend. To make an already difficult task even worse, my Internet spent a large part of the weekend broken. We've had problems for a long time, but it's lasted without much issue for the past couple of months. Figures that it would start acting up when it did. On Sunday, I spent literally an hour and a half on hold trying to reach the Internet technician. Never did get a hold of them.
So at 8PM Sunday night, I packed up my laptop and went to my parents place to wrap up this contest. On the way, Doc texts me and offers an extension for me to Monday at 6:00. I turned him down because I knew I'd be babysitting in the morning (grandparents had a funeral). Even with that, I still stayed in Little Rock past midnight, swapping witticisms and taunts with Doc through e-mail. He conceded defeat ten minutes after midnight. Finally made it home around 1AM, knew I would have to get up sometime around nine.
Basically, I spent the weekend earning my nickname. I've become very attached to being called Rodette.
The authors I chose were Brian Jacques, Dorothy Parker, Dostoyevsky, e.e. Cummings, Margaret Mitchell, Nabokov, P.L. Travers, Dante Rossetti, and Jesse Stuart. I've only read three of these authors XD
I'll have to revise them of course, but I think most of them are already in pretty good shape. I'm still the most proud of my Agatha Christie and Rod Serling pieces, but I think the Nabokov is going to end up being one of my favorites. I think he turned out well.
Today we were nearly late for Drama. We wasted a lot of time going back and forth about the competition. He had a ridiculous amount of fun, and I'm happy for that. I know he's been stressed lately. It was nice seeing him relaxed and happy.
The blue W is my trophy. He'll be wanting that back, so I'm sure we'll do this again. Not anytime soon - I'm not writing him another script for a while XD
Monday, June 10, 2013
I made a book.
So I made a book.
A few people suggested making an anthology of the pieces I've written about Doc to give him for his birthday. I felt that was kinda vain, but thought it might make a neat present for Father's Day. A week early perhaps, but I'm bad at keeping secrets for very long. I'm rather proud of myself for this little project. I definitely want to make more of them. I had to drop some cash, but the price tag won't be so much now that I have stuff to work with. I also got some coupons from the store, so that will help too.
I found a kit of sorts when I went to Michael's yesterday - I guess it wasn't really a kit since it was more like two pieces of thick cardboard to use as a book cover and back, but it was what I needed. The main reason I've never tried my hand at making a book is because I've never been sure how to create the outside to hold the pages. I also got some binder rings, distressing ink, a blending tool, decorative keys, and some tags to decorate the cover page above a little bit. The bluebird in the center was made from one of my existing stamps and distressing ink.
I didn't choose blue and brown for any particular reason - I just liked the colors and thought they would look good together. I picked up some plain white cardstock and hoped I'd be able to make neat cuts and that I would be able to print on that. Worked out beautifully. I think I'm going to get some more ink - it's kinda expensive, but I really like the results of working with it.
I ended up using 12 pages, single-sided. Mostly poems, but I threw Superimpose in because that started the whole thing and I still believe it's the best thing I ever wrote. I didn't use everything I ever wrote about Doc, but most of it is there. The stuff I left out was either too long, or I didn't like it enough to include. And I only had the 12 pages, but shhhh.
I think he was rather touched by the gesture. Said it was one of the nicest things he's ever received. I really am happy with this little project. I can't wait to do another one :)
I also made a little gift for his wife for the book she bought me. I picked up some nice cookies and some coffee from Tuesday Morning. I don't know anything about coffee, so I was kinda guessing, but I figure everyone likes vanilla. And if you don't, then we can't be friends =P I'm with Doc though - I'm more of a tea person. Coffee is too bitter for me.
Still stuck on what I'm going to get him for his birthday. If I can find one, I'd like to get him a handheld chalkboard. They moved our Drama class from the usual room, and as annoyed as it makes him, he's excited to be in a room with an old school chalkboard. I watched him today, and he was carrying a piece of chalk almost the entire time. I think it would be a neat little idea.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Four Things
Warm fuzzy feelings this evening <3
Been helping Doc out a lot lately and his gratitude is very sweet. Somebody changed the time and room on his Drama class, so he was scrambling to figure out what happened, why it was changed, and went ahead and got stared with class anyway.Then only half the people showed up today, so no one knows what's going on with that. He was rather aggravated about the whole mess. Walking out to the lot though, and he spent a good chuck of out talking time just being thankful to me, ending the conversation with a Taiwan-esque bow of thanks.He wanted to thank me for four things:
For calling about the time change on Drama.
For helping write and edit the radio scripts.
For being around and willing to help.
For being cheerful and positive about it all.
And warm fuzzy feelings commence.
He's reading it at the moment, but he bought me a new book. It's different this time though; he's always given me things he thought I would enjoy, but this time he picked it up specifically because he knew I loved the author, Jacyln Moriarty. I didn't even know she had a new book.
We've been going back and forth about this author for a few days actually. The Year of Secret Assignments is an old favorite of mine and he promised me he would read it since I've read everything he's ever given me. He ended up picking up A Corner of White instead. It's a fantasy book, and I've never read fantasy from her, so I'm definitely interested.
Anyway, the book is a thanks for all the work I've done on the radio scripts. I don't feel like I've done all that much, but apparently I'm a bigger help than I realize. People don't give you a bow for nothing after all =P
Been helping Doc out a lot lately and his gratitude is very sweet. Somebody changed the time and room on his Drama class, so he was scrambling to figure out what happened, why it was changed, and went ahead and got stared with class anyway.Then only half the people showed up today, so no one knows what's going on with that. He was rather aggravated about the whole mess. Walking out to the lot though, and he spent a good chuck of out talking time just being thankful to me, ending the conversation with a Taiwan-esque bow of thanks.He wanted to thank me for four things:
For calling about the time change on Drama.
For helping write and edit the radio scripts.
For being around and willing to help.
For being cheerful and positive about it all.
And warm fuzzy feelings commence.
He's reading it at the moment, but he bought me a new book. It's different this time though; he's always given me things he thought I would enjoy, but this time he picked it up specifically because he knew I loved the author, Jacyln Moriarty. I didn't even know she had a new book.
We've been going back and forth about this author for a few days actually. The Year of Secret Assignments is an old favorite of mine and he promised me he would read it since I've read everything he's ever given me. He ended up picking up A Corner of White instead. It's a fantasy book, and I've never read fantasy from her, so I'm definitely interested.
Anyway, the book is a thanks for all the work I've done on the radio scripts. I don't feel like I've done all that much, but apparently I'm a bigger help than I realize. People don't give you a bow for nothing after all =P
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Book Learnin'
I've mentioned Doc giving me a bunch of books and I don't update this thing as often as I should, so let's go through them.
The first one is the Springsteen bio. Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock and Roll by Marc Dolan. Apparently Doc tries to read a biography once every semester, so I'm not entirely sure if he really is a big Springsteen fan, or if it just kept coming up because this just happened to be the biography he was reading at the time. But anyway. I still have about a hundred pages left, but I've already read 300, so I think I can talk about it. Everything up to Born to Run and just after was pretty interesting, but shortly after that it started to get into politics and I kinda lost interest. I'll finish it, but it's a long book and I needed a break from it.
I'll admit I don't know how to approach this one. I don't usually pick up biographies; they just don't interest me that much. There's too much boring stuff in the middle of living life XD Reading this one probably would have been easier/ more entertaining if I was familiar with Springsteen's discography, but as it stands, it wasn't a bad read at all for someone who doesn't really consider themselves a fan. The author goes into some technical details on the songs, which went way over my head (I made a 1 on the AP Music Theory exam - I am completely lost when it comes to analyzing music), but other parts like poking around at the lyrics were interesting.
Onward: Bento's Sketchbook by John Berger. Doc gave me this one because he was reminded of my own notebooks with the sketches and doodles (he told me off not long ago for not drawing in my notebooks more XD). This one isn't exactly a collection of shorts, but it's not quite a linear story either. It is very much like one of my notebooks - a collection of thoughts and sketches.
The philosophy of Spinoza, including lots of quotes from his work, is spaced throughout though I didn't get that much out of those segments. Most of the thoughts revolve around drawing and where the impulse to create comes from. He often presents a sketch and then the story behind the sketch - where he was, who/ what he was drawing, why he chose to draw that particular thing or person. I thought the approach was pretty neat. There's something clinical in the way he writes it all out, but not boring or sterile. He writes about the world very much as a philosopher might, in clean, rational lines. It's probably one of those things you either like or hate, but I enjoyed the book.
Office Girl by Joe Meno. I'd actually thought about picking this up once - Doc has recommended a different Meno to me in the past, though this one was the only one I could find in the bookstore. I'll probably give his work another shot if I ever run into one of his books again.
Office Girl focuses on two hipster teens, Jack and Odile, and takes place just before the new millennium. I like his writing style a lot, which made up for the fact that I really didn't like the characters. Jack grew on me, but Odile - well, she comes off as one of those people who likes to be spastic and random for the sake of "being unique." Which I think was the point, but I'm not quite sure. I can't tell if the book is satirizing their lifestyle or celebrating it. Or both I guess.
The story begins with Odile who has worked 17 jobs in the last few years and probably has some sort of complex because she sleep with anyone so that they'll like her. That's not analysis on my part, she literally says that later in the book. We follow her around for a while and then the story jumps over to Jack for some time. He is going through a divorce in all but name and is working on a soundscape project. He rides around the city on his bike with a tape recorder and captures the sounds of whatever he finds interesting (this includes the usual city sounds and also things like a balloon flying away and a green glove lying in the snow).
About halfway through the two meet while working in the same office that sells elevator music. They do random things together. Though it's more Odile doing and Jack letting himself get dragged along because he really wants to sleep with her.
I don't know - I did like the book, I just can't stand these two, or at least Odile. There are lots of great lines and images and I like the fragmented thing he does when he switches to a new scene and Jack at least does seem to grow as a person even if he doesn't get any sort of happiness for it or whatever. I'm just not sure what to make of this one. I like the sense of longing and desperation and the hunt for meaning - he's captured the feeling well, but doesn't bother to provide any of the meaning they're looking for. I really like that Jack lays it out for Odile when he reaches the same conclusion about her that I did.
Eh. Maybe I'll like a different one of his books, one without a main character that acts like a proto-Lady Gaga.
Which brings me to Stay Awake by Don Chaon. Probably my favorite of the stuff he's given me. I really don't like horror stories, but this short story collection isn't quite horror. Much of it is almost disturbingly normal. They feel like ghost stories, even if they aren't. None of the stories are connected, but there are recurring themes and images like missing fingers, abused and abandoned children, paranoia, suicide, loss; it's a psychological study in a lot of ways.
For example; a guy named O'Sullivan is coming home from college. His degree hasn't gotten him anywhere. He hitches a ride with his brother who drives a semi-truck. Lots of awkward silence ensues because they don't really have anything to talk about. They keep seeing the same motorcyclist along the road during the drive. All of this is fragmented and told in past tense - the story begins after the two have just hit a deer and get out to make sure everything it okay. It's a perfectly normal story and there really shouldn't be anything creepy about it, but the atmosphere he creates is very tense. Or maybe it's just because it was late in the book and I knew something had to be coming (I'm not sure I interpreted the ending right, but if I did, then yeah, that was pretty messed up).
That was probably the most normal story in the book actually. It may have been the only one where I didn't get a feel for something vaguely supernatural lurking in the background. One story is about a father whose son keeps having night terrors, another about a guy who keeps finding random notes (like blown in the wind random), another about a guy who takes a boy away from his meth-addicted mother but realizes he can't handle that responsibility. I think there were close to ten stories in all.
It's a pretty dark collection is what I'm saying here. Very Gothic sorts of stories; I might even venture to call them Grotesque. Nothing you'd really care to read before bedtime.
And that's what I've been reading the last few months = )
The first one is the Springsteen bio. Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock and Roll by Marc Dolan. Apparently Doc tries to read a biography once every semester, so I'm not entirely sure if he really is a big Springsteen fan, or if it just kept coming up because this just happened to be the biography he was reading at the time. But anyway. I still have about a hundred pages left, but I've already read 300, so I think I can talk about it. Everything up to Born to Run and just after was pretty interesting, but shortly after that it started to get into politics and I kinda lost interest. I'll finish it, but it's a long book and I needed a break from it.
I'll admit I don't know how to approach this one. I don't usually pick up biographies; they just don't interest me that much. There's too much boring stuff in the middle of living life XD Reading this one probably would have been easier/ more entertaining if I was familiar with Springsteen's discography, but as it stands, it wasn't a bad read at all for someone who doesn't really consider themselves a fan. The author goes into some technical details on the songs, which went way over my head (I made a 1 on the AP Music Theory exam - I am completely lost when it comes to analyzing music), but other parts like poking around at the lyrics were interesting.
Onward: Bento's Sketchbook by John Berger. Doc gave me this one because he was reminded of my own notebooks with the sketches and doodles (he told me off not long ago for not drawing in my notebooks more XD). This one isn't exactly a collection of shorts, but it's not quite a linear story either. It is very much like one of my notebooks - a collection of thoughts and sketches.
The philosophy of Spinoza, including lots of quotes from his work, is spaced throughout though I didn't get that much out of those segments. Most of the thoughts revolve around drawing and where the impulse to create comes from. He often presents a sketch and then the story behind the sketch - where he was, who/ what he was drawing, why he chose to draw that particular thing or person. I thought the approach was pretty neat. There's something clinical in the way he writes it all out, but not boring or sterile. He writes about the world very much as a philosopher might, in clean, rational lines. It's probably one of those things you either like or hate, but I enjoyed the book.
Office Girl by Joe Meno. I'd actually thought about picking this up once - Doc has recommended a different Meno to me in the past, though this one was the only one I could find in the bookstore. I'll probably give his work another shot if I ever run into one of his books again.
Office Girl focuses on two hipster teens, Jack and Odile, and takes place just before the new millennium. I like his writing style a lot, which made up for the fact that I really didn't like the characters. Jack grew on me, but Odile - well, she comes off as one of those people who likes to be spastic and random for the sake of "being unique." Which I think was the point, but I'm not quite sure. I can't tell if the book is satirizing their lifestyle or celebrating it. Or both I guess.
The story begins with Odile who has worked 17 jobs in the last few years and probably has some sort of complex because she sleep with anyone so that they'll like her. That's not analysis on my part, she literally says that later in the book. We follow her around for a while and then the story jumps over to Jack for some time. He is going through a divorce in all but name and is working on a soundscape project. He rides around the city on his bike with a tape recorder and captures the sounds of whatever he finds interesting (this includes the usual city sounds and also things like a balloon flying away and a green glove lying in the snow).
About halfway through the two meet while working in the same office that sells elevator music. They do random things together. Though it's more Odile doing and Jack letting himself get dragged along because he really wants to sleep with her.
I don't know - I did like the book, I just can't stand these two, or at least Odile. There are lots of great lines and images and I like the fragmented thing he does when he switches to a new scene and Jack at least does seem to grow as a person even if he doesn't get any sort of happiness for it or whatever. I'm just not sure what to make of this one. I like the sense of longing and desperation and the hunt for meaning - he's captured the feeling well, but doesn't bother to provide any of the meaning they're looking for. I really like that Jack lays it out for Odile when he reaches the same conclusion about her that I did.
Eh. Maybe I'll like a different one of his books, one without a main character that acts like a proto-Lady Gaga.
Which brings me to Stay Awake by Don Chaon. Probably my favorite of the stuff he's given me. I really don't like horror stories, but this short story collection isn't quite horror. Much of it is almost disturbingly normal. They feel like ghost stories, even if they aren't. None of the stories are connected, but there are recurring themes and images like missing fingers, abused and abandoned children, paranoia, suicide, loss; it's a psychological study in a lot of ways.
For example; a guy named O'Sullivan is coming home from college. His degree hasn't gotten him anywhere. He hitches a ride with his brother who drives a semi-truck. Lots of awkward silence ensues because they don't really have anything to talk about. They keep seeing the same motorcyclist along the road during the drive. All of this is fragmented and told in past tense - the story begins after the two have just hit a deer and get out to make sure everything it okay. It's a perfectly normal story and there really shouldn't be anything creepy about it, but the atmosphere he creates is very tense. Or maybe it's just because it was late in the book and I knew something had to be coming (I'm not sure I interpreted the ending right, but if I did, then yeah, that was pretty messed up).
That was probably the most normal story in the book actually. It may have been the only one where I didn't get a feel for something vaguely supernatural lurking in the background. One story is about a father whose son keeps having night terrors, another about a guy who keeps finding random notes (like blown in the wind random), another about a guy who takes a boy away from his meth-addicted mother but realizes he can't handle that responsibility. I think there were close to ten stories in all.
It's a pretty dark collection is what I'm saying here. Very Gothic sorts of stories; I might even venture to call them Grotesque. Nothing you'd really care to read before bedtime.
And that's what I've been reading the last few months = )
Sunday, April 21, 2013
A pear tree full of apples
So I've been busy.
No, really. I have three essays that need to be written in the next two weeks. About 25 pages in all. I've made that sound better by promising myself to write at least 1.5 pages a day for the next two weeks, and that will complete everything I need. Today, I have .5 pages.
Well, that's progress at least.
End of the semester coming up and all, so I'll continue to be busy for a little while longer. It's even worse since I'm close to graduating. Most of my experiences of late have been cataloged in poetry and dA journals, so it's not like I haven't been updating - just not here XD Anyway, I did another poetry reading, my first one in months, so I thought maybe I should give this thing some love too. I don't want it feeling neglected or anything.
I'm genuinely happy with that poem and reading. Between that one and Surrogate, I've been writing some pretty decent poetry the last month.
My pear tree is full of awkward curves
that have fallen, still green, into the shade
of your undergrowth where you have allowed them to ripen,
indifferent to the bruised skin.
I really like these lines. I think they sum up a lot of the things I want to say and cover much of the last year in a pretty metaphor. Doc has spent a lot of time on me; granted, a lot of it is because I won't leave him alone XD He honestly doesn't seem to mind at all.
This poem was the product of that sleepy time just after you've woken up - I can't remember exactly what I was thinking, but it had something to do with the opening line about bushels of knowledge. Usually I would roll over and forget about it, but I know a good line when I hear one, so I made myself get up and do something with it.
I think it also came from something I told Doc on Friday, about how these Independent Study sessions are keeping me grounded, and have been keeping me grounded for a while now. They just calm me down whenever I'm overwhelmed. I always feel like I'm accomplishing something, not just writing another essay for a grade. He's been so tired lately - I think he was grateful to know he has that effect on me. Makes the job worthwhile I guess.
I wasn't entirely sure about writing this as I was making some assumptions, so I called Doc this afternoon to ask why he became an educator, which was an enlightening conversation. I'm happy he was so willing to answer something that personal; I doubt I would have finished this without that "permission," as it were, even if I didn't tell him why I was asking. I also found out he's been teaching over at one of the local high schools on occasion; I didn't ask, but I do wonder about that. On top of everything else, and he's taking that on too, likely on his own time, without getting anything practical out of it. Just that genuine love for what he does.
Have I mentioned that I kinda love this man? <3
No, really. I have three essays that need to be written in the next two weeks. About 25 pages in all. I've made that sound better by promising myself to write at least 1.5 pages a day for the next two weeks, and that will complete everything I need. Today, I have .5 pages.
Well, that's progress at least.
End of the semester coming up and all, so I'll continue to be busy for a little while longer. It's even worse since I'm close to graduating. Most of my experiences of late have been cataloged in poetry and dA journals, so it's not like I haven't been updating - just not here XD Anyway, I did another poetry reading, my first one in months, so I thought maybe I should give this thing some love too. I don't want it feeling neglected or anything.
I'm genuinely happy with that poem and reading. Between that one and Surrogate, I've been writing some pretty decent poetry the last month.
My pear tree is full of awkward curves
that have fallen, still green, into the shade
of your undergrowth where you have allowed them to ripen,
indifferent to the bruised skin.
I really like these lines. I think they sum up a lot of the things I want to say and cover much of the last year in a pretty metaphor. Doc has spent a lot of time on me; granted, a lot of it is because I won't leave him alone XD He honestly doesn't seem to mind at all.
This poem was the product of that sleepy time just after you've woken up - I can't remember exactly what I was thinking, but it had something to do with the opening line about bushels of knowledge. Usually I would roll over and forget about it, but I know a good line when I hear one, so I made myself get up and do something with it.
I think it also came from something I told Doc on Friday, about how these Independent Study sessions are keeping me grounded, and have been keeping me grounded for a while now. They just calm me down whenever I'm overwhelmed. I always feel like I'm accomplishing something, not just writing another essay for a grade. He's been so tired lately - I think he was grateful to know he has that effect on me. Makes the job worthwhile I guess.
I wasn't entirely sure about writing this as I was making some assumptions, so I called Doc this afternoon to ask why he became an educator, which was an enlightening conversation. I'm happy he was so willing to answer something that personal; I doubt I would have finished this without that "permission," as it were, even if I didn't tell him why I was asking. I also found out he's been teaching over at one of the local high schools on occasion; I didn't ask, but I do wonder about that. On top of everything else, and he's taking that on too, likely on his own time, without getting anything practical out of it. Just that genuine love for what he does.
Have I mentioned that I kinda love this man? <3
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Suspicious
I think Doc may be trying to turn me into a Springsteen fan.
It's only a hunch, but I really can't shake it.
Also, this isn't out on loan; he gave it to me. I feel bad because it's a rather expensive book, unless he got it for less than the price on the dust jacket. I'm about 150 pages in.
Honestly, it's been so long since anyone gave me anything just for the hell of it. Even if he is hoping that I'll learn a thing or two about research writing by paging though it =P
It's only a hunch, but I really can't shake it.
Also, this isn't out on loan; he gave it to me. I feel bad because it's a rather expensive book, unless he got it for less than the price on the dust jacket. I'm about 150 pages in.
Honestly, it's been so long since anyone gave me anything just for the hell of it. Even if he is hoping that I'll learn a thing or two about research writing by paging though it =P
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Surrogate
I stopped using his full title
because it started sounding too formal,
and it’s hard to be standoffish with someone
who swaps albums and memories so generously,
who loves German chocolate but hates the smell of oranges,
who knows me by my boneless,
drowsy form on the couch and by my words.
And maybe one day he’ll ask
me to drop the title altogether and call him Brad,
but I won’t.
Because it sounds too much like dad,
and I’m afraid of slipping up.
I don't want anyone to misunderstand me - I'm not unloved. My family is quite large. I've never wanted for anything, partly because I so rarely ask for anything that when I do it's such a novelty that I'm not often refused. But they don't really know I write. They know, but not really.
It's like when you're a kid and you make a crappy crayon drawing and show it to Mom and you get that not-really-there pat on the head and a "that's nice" because she's tired and has been working all day and your scribbles aren't really a priority, you know? It's not anyone's fault. I'm glad my family has never shown much interest in my writing. I would have censored myself. I would have been too careful. But at the same time, now that I have the proper lens to examine it by, I know that it would have been nice to have that support. And that's where Doc came in.
About this time last year I started getting these glimpses of humanity in a figure that had previously been very distant and it intrigued me. I wrote about it. I gave him the results. And Doc was the first person that ever asked to read more of my writing, not for a grade in a class, not as part of a writing group, not as part of an exchange, but just because he wanted to. Just because he thought it was something special.
I've talked about the relationship enough that I don't have to go into details, but I noticed this a few weeks ago when he told me how much he loved German chocolate cake because my dad loves German chocolate cake and it was like something in my head went click.
I don't know. I guess what baffles me about the whole thing is that I never realized I needed that support and approval until he waltzed in and just gave it to me without even thinking about it. I can't explain how fulfilling and satisfying it is to have someone like that in my life.
because it started sounding too formal,
and it’s hard to be standoffish with someone
who swaps albums and memories so generously,
who loves German chocolate but hates the smell of oranges,
who knows me by my boneless,
drowsy form on the couch and by my words.
And maybe one day he’ll ask
me to drop the title altogether and call him Brad,
but I won’t.
Because it sounds too much like dad,
and I’m afraid of slipping up.
I don't want anyone to misunderstand me - I'm not unloved. My family is quite large. I've never wanted for anything, partly because I so rarely ask for anything that when I do it's such a novelty that I'm not often refused. But they don't really know I write. They know, but not really.
It's like when you're a kid and you make a crappy crayon drawing and show it to Mom and you get that not-really-there pat on the head and a "that's nice" because she's tired and has been working all day and your scribbles aren't really a priority, you know? It's not anyone's fault. I'm glad my family has never shown much interest in my writing. I would have censored myself. I would have been too careful. But at the same time, now that I have the proper lens to examine it by, I know that it would have been nice to have that support. And that's where Doc came in.
About this time last year I started getting these glimpses of humanity in a figure that had previously been very distant and it intrigued me. I wrote about it. I gave him the results. And Doc was the first person that ever asked to read more of my writing, not for a grade in a class, not as part of a writing group, not as part of an exchange, but just because he wanted to. Just because he thought it was something special.
I've talked about the relationship enough that I don't have to go into details, but I noticed this a few weeks ago when he told me how much he loved German chocolate cake because my dad loves German chocolate cake and it was like something in my head went click.
I don't know. I guess what baffles me about the whole thing is that I never realized I needed that support and approval until he waltzed in and just gave it to me without even thinking about it. I can't explain how fulfilling and satisfying it is to have someone like that in my life.
Friday, March 15, 2013
I kind of love my mentor.
Well, things since the last post have been... I don't want to say "eventful," so I guess I'll settle for "interesting." Nothing's really happened, but I feel like something has shifted.
I mentioned Doc and the shower of compliments he drowned me in not long ago, and those words are turning into something more concrete. On Tuesday, he sat me down and went into serious mode.
"I have decided your career path for you. You don't have a choice. You're going to be an editor."
There's a really good magazine based right here in Little Rock called the Oxford American. As in, one of the best literary magazines in the country. It's kind of a big deal for Southern writers. Doc has offered to pull whatever strings he can to see about getting me an internship there. He's friends with the publisher and is trying to get me an interview with him. He spent some ten, fifteen minutes just telling me how much I would enjoy it, that I deserved a break and someone to go up to bat for me.
I honestly never expected to really get anything out of helping him out, but Doc is convinced I would make a magnificent editor. Interning with the magazine would be a great way to test the waters while getting a foot in the door. He can't guarantee anything, but it means worlds that he would even bother to try <3
Meanwhile, today I finally got to see what the recording process is like for the radio scripts. I met Doc at the department and we walked over to the studio (I'd never been, so I really didn't know where I was going). It looks pretty much like you imagine from TV and movies: a panel full of buttons and those bendy microphones. We spent a little under an hour there, him reading and me just watching the process. Three scripts, including one I wrote, were more or less finished this morning.
On the way back, he starts telling me about a few other radio projects he's involved in and I think I may have been roped into that too XD One of the other English professors is doing a half-hour show on Shakespeare's birthday and he wants me to have a look at that script. All while encouraging me to think about interning and editing for the local radio station.
If he keeps praising me like this, I might actually start to believe it XD
I mentioned Doc and the shower of compliments he drowned me in not long ago, and those words are turning into something more concrete. On Tuesday, he sat me down and went into serious mode.
"I have decided your career path for you. You don't have a choice. You're going to be an editor."
There's a really good magazine based right here in Little Rock called the Oxford American. As in, one of the best literary magazines in the country. It's kind of a big deal for Southern writers. Doc has offered to pull whatever strings he can to see about getting me an internship there. He's friends with the publisher and is trying to get me an interview with him. He spent some ten, fifteen minutes just telling me how much I would enjoy it, that I deserved a break and someone to go up to bat for me.
I honestly never expected to really get anything out of helping him out, but Doc is convinced I would make a magnificent editor. Interning with the magazine would be a great way to test the waters while getting a foot in the door. He can't guarantee anything, but it means worlds that he would even bother to try <3
Meanwhile, today I finally got to see what the recording process is like for the radio scripts. I met Doc at the department and we walked over to the studio (I'd never been, so I really didn't know where I was going). It looks pretty much like you imagine from TV and movies: a panel full of buttons and those bendy microphones. We spent a little under an hour there, him reading and me just watching the process. Three scripts, including one I wrote, were more or less finished this morning.
On the way back, he starts telling me about a few other radio projects he's involved in and I think I may have been roped into that too XD One of the other English professors is doing a half-hour show on Shakespeare's birthday and he wants me to have a look at that script. All while encouraging me to think about interning and editing for the local radio station.
If he keeps praising me like this, I might actually start to believe it XD
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Patience
I keep forgetting I have a blog. I do a weekly journal on dA already, so it seems odd to keep this one too I guess. Maybe one day I'll finally get into the swing of things and make it a real habit.
Been rather stuck lately with writing. Not writer's block - I don't get writer's block. Rather, I have long periods of time in which I simply don't feel like writing anything. I'm rarely at a loss for ideas or anything like that. I can make myself write if I need to, but I'd rather do it because I want to.
It'll come back. It always does.
Spring break is apparently next week. Huh.
Independent Study has gone rather quiet too. Poor Doc is just getting slammed with work. I really don't know how he keeps up. I just dropped a class because this semester was going to end up being too much otherwise.
Been rather stuck lately with writing. Not writer's block - I don't get writer's block. Rather, I have long periods of time in which I simply don't feel like writing anything. I'm rarely at a loss for ideas or anything like that. I can make myself write if I need to, but I'd rather do it because I want to.
It'll come back. It always does.
Spring break is apparently next week. Huh.
Independent Study has gone rather quiet too. Poor Doc is just getting slammed with work. I really don't know how he keeps up. I just dropped a class because this semester was going to end up being too much otherwise.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Complimentary Baptism
I should start a list entitled "Nice Things Dr. Minnick has Said to Me."
Apparently I would make a phenomenal editor for my ability to both see bigger pictures and the things on the microscopic level. I've been reading over a story of his the last few weeks and I kinda really love it. The second half is still rather rough, but the first half is really wonderful. He kinda has this Winesburg, Ohio thing going on - it's a book of place and atmosphere and Minnick is really good at atmosphere. He has some really beautiful lines scattered all throughout the entire thing.
Anyway, I called him about this latest chapter and ended up getting baptized with compliments for being so helpful to him while doing my own thing and writing radio scripts and postcards and I'm just really pleased with myself at the moment because he's so sweet <3
In return, he's been helping me pick my way though this Fiction II assignment of mine. I need to submit something that's a minimum of eight pages on Monday, and length isn't something I do. I was trying to turn Escape Velocity into something longer, but that's just not going to fly. Anything I add to it is just going to be padding. Instead I'm going to see if I can't expand Feelings with no names instead - there's more substance to that one that I think I could make longer - it's just a matter of finding a way to tie them together into a larger picture.
And that's my life of late. Writing and reading a lot of stuff.
Apparently I would make a phenomenal editor for my ability to both see bigger pictures and the things on the microscopic level. I've been reading over a story of his the last few weeks and I kinda really love it. The second half is still rather rough, but the first half is really wonderful. He kinda has this Winesburg, Ohio thing going on - it's a book of place and atmosphere and Minnick is really good at atmosphere. He has some really beautiful lines scattered all throughout the entire thing.
Anyway, I called him about this latest chapter and ended up getting baptized with compliments for being so helpful to him while doing my own thing and writing radio scripts and postcards and I'm just really pleased with myself at the moment because he's so sweet <3
In return, he's been helping me pick my way though this Fiction II assignment of mine. I need to submit something that's a minimum of eight pages on Monday, and length isn't something I do. I was trying to turn Escape Velocity into something longer, but that's just not going to fly. Anything I add to it is just going to be padding. Instead I'm going to see if I can't expand Feelings with no names instead - there's more substance to that one that I think I could make longer - it's just a matter of finding a way to tie them together into a larger picture.
And that's my life of late. Writing and reading a lot of stuff.
Monday, February 11, 2013
A Real Writer
"I know real writers and I know people that write for a living; they aren't the same thing."
In the hierarchy of amazing compliments gifted to me, being called a real writer is right up there with the time a librarian told me I had very brave taste in books.
Minnick just gets it. He knows what I'm trying to do with my writing and why I do it. He understands about giving your work away and I don't have to explain it. It's just so refreshing to talk to someone like that. I've been reading over a story of his the past few days, which is how I ended up in a two hour conversation with him in the computer lab. Things were kinda all over the place, but there are a few moments I want to keep.
One was him noting that I seemed happier. I didn't really notice, but, now that it's been pointed out, I am happier. A lot of it has been reflected in my postcards; several of them have been far more cheerful than my usual fare. And I know it's because I have someone IRL to go back and forth with the way we have been.
Two was being told that these cards of mine are something special. I already knew he felt that way, but it's nice to actually hear it.
Three was the line I started with up there - hearing that he thought I was a "real" writer, a person that writes for myself and because I want to, not someone that writes to be famous. I don't think I could write for a living. I don't want to write because I have to eat.
Now he has me listening to Springsteen's Born to Run and I'm going to send him a rock opera of my own in return XP I'm not sure how we got on to that topic, but whatever. It's been a good night.
In the hierarchy of amazing compliments gifted to me, being called a real writer is right up there with the time a librarian told me I had very brave taste in books.
Minnick just gets it. He knows what I'm trying to do with my writing and why I do it. He understands about giving your work away and I don't have to explain it. It's just so refreshing to talk to someone like that. I've been reading over a story of his the past few days, which is how I ended up in a two hour conversation with him in the computer lab. Things were kinda all over the place, but there are a few moments I want to keep.
One was him noting that I seemed happier. I didn't really notice, but, now that it's been pointed out, I am happier. A lot of it has been reflected in my postcards; several of them have been far more cheerful than my usual fare. And I know it's because I have someone IRL to go back and forth with the way we have been.
Two was being told that these cards of mine are something special. I already knew he felt that way, but it's nice to actually hear it.
Three was the line I started with up there - hearing that he thought I was a "real" writer, a person that writes for myself and because I want to, not someone that writes to be famous. I don't think I could write for a living. I don't want to write because I have to eat.
Now he has me listening to Springsteen's Born to Run and I'm going to send him a rock opera of my own in return XP I'm not sure how we got on to that topic, but whatever. It's been a good night.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Some Autumn and Lawrence Stuff
Just some scraps and pieces I've had lying around in my files for a while.
______
She felt an arm descend
around her shoulders and jumped, whipping her head around to face the intruder.
She blinked to see it was only Professor Bradley.
“Wh – “
“Bit late for a stroll isn’t
it, dear?” he squeezed her shoulder gently, flicking his eyes somewhere behind
her head. So he had noticed.
“Feel like a coffee?”
“Um, I don’t drink coffee
actually…” She mentally palmed her forehead. It wasn’t about the coffee. He
covered her tracks.
“Tea, then. Come on, I know a
place nearby.”
He led her away briskly, and
she let him tug her around a corner and out of sight. The man was still back
there, but she felt safe enough without his eyes boring into her back to let
out a sigh. Professor Bradley’s arm was still resting on her shoulders.
______
Somebody, I don't recall who now, requested a sort of "Bradley rescues Autumn" scene. I'll write an actual short with it sometime, but this has been sitting for a while now.
______
"You can't swim?"
"I can swim;" Bradley held up a finger. "It just makes me nervous. Nearly drowning will do that to you."
______
Lawrence nearly drowned as a child. He never really got over the fear completely, but it's a distant enough memory that it doesn't bother him very often.
______
"Here," he presented the bloom to her. "These grow all along the border of my fence at home. They're rather tall, so I have to cut them down every year." He smiled. "I thought you might like a few for your collection."
______
The first vaguely romantic thing Lawrence ever did for Autumn was give her a larkspur flower. It's meaning is "beautiful spirit." Autumn keeps books of pressed flowers.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Obligated
The Rules:
- Display the award logo on your blog.
- Link back to the person who nominated you.
- State 7 things about yourself.
- Nominate 15 bloggers for this award and link to them.
- Notify those bloggers of the nomination and the award’s requirements.
Seven things though?
1. Stuff on my wall; a 2x3 whiteboard, a corkboard with photographs on it, a sticky note Mario, a hanging organizer stuffed with papers, a magnetic platypus, several fedoras, a Pikachu backpack, a Knite poster, my scarf collection, a bunch of necklaces. I use many wall hooks because my room is little.
2. I used to play violin. I was never very good. The only reason I played at all was because my Mom wouldn't let me play cello. Her excuse was that cellos were expensive. How this matters when the school provided instruments, I don't know. I stopped altogether two years later.
3. Lately, I've been using Netflix to get to sleep. Phineas and Ferb. For some reason, having something familiar playing that I can ignore makes it easier to sleep. I really do adore this show though, sleep aid qualities aside.
4. This is my last semester in college, barring a few summer credits. Most people are excited to get out of school; I don't know how to do anything else but be a student. The usual job-related Catch-22 has kept me from finding anything in the real world. And I'm going to miss my mentor.
5. I don't do diets, but ever since I put an exercise bike in my room to help me watch TV, I've lost 20 pounds. Without it, I end up playing on my laptop instead of watching my shows. The bike keeps me physically occupied while letting my mind go elsewhere. Space issues aside, it's a perfect solution.
6. I love Chinese food. The first thing I do with my paycheck is hit the Chinese place.
7. I spent fat too long trying to think up interesting things for this list and I'm pretty sure I failed >.>
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Collage
My first big assignment, though not due until the end of the year, is to make a collage. Or, a Cornell Box. I've actually seen them before, I just never knew they had a proper name. Do go explore that link; it's interesting stuff.
A Cornell Box is a sort of 3D collage. The class it's for is Pattern Recognition, so it makes sense to do something like this for a class that deals with organizing matter in new ways. I'm still not entirely sure what the assignment actually is, if we choose a theme or what, but I think things will become clearer as the semester goes on.
He showed us a few he had made himself, which did help. One was made out of an old jewelry box; he had hung some bells where the necklaces would have been, and pulled out the box drawers to make shelves for some small trinkets. I'm one of those people that has lots of small knick-knacks like that lying around, so I know I have the potential to make an interesting piece.
The basic gist is that the human mind will see patterns where there are none - all you have to do is put random objects together and people will start trying to connect them. That's just how our brain works. This class promises to be interesting if nothing else.
A Cornell Box is a sort of 3D collage. The class it's for is Pattern Recognition, so it makes sense to do something like this for a class that deals with organizing matter in new ways. I'm still not entirely sure what the assignment actually is, if we choose a theme or what, but I think things will become clearer as the semester goes on.
He showed us a few he had made himself, which did help. One was made out of an old jewelry box; he had hung some bells where the necklaces would have been, and pulled out the box drawers to make shelves for some small trinkets. I'm one of those people that has lots of small knick-knacks like that lying around, so I know I have the potential to make an interesting piece.
The basic gist is that the human mind will see patterns where there are none - all you have to do is put random objects together and people will start trying to connect them. That's just how our brain works. This class promises to be interesting if nothing else.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Lack of Books
The lack of Independent Study in my life this week is really bumming me out. Luckily, getting Monday off helps the week go by a little faster.
Haven't gotten my books yet, but I'm hoping to take care of that tomorrow or Thursday. Maybe Friday. As my only homework right now consists pretty much solely of reading, it's making life a bit difficult. My other assignment is to work on a radio script. I was supposed to try out one of the African-American authors for Black History Month, but I couldn't find any books by either of them in my library. And Minnick was pushing me to read some William Maxwell, and I did manage to find him in my library, so I went with that one.
I don't know how he finds those little biographical stories that he does. I've been researching Maxwell for two days and haven't found any kind of lead I can latch on to. And I'm only three chapters into the book, so I can't really talk about that at all yet either. I'm not sure what to make of this project yet :/
Haven't gotten my books yet, but I'm hoping to take care of that tomorrow or Thursday. Maybe Friday. As my only homework right now consists pretty much solely of reading, it's making life a bit difficult. My other assignment is to work on a radio script. I was supposed to try out one of the African-American authors for Black History Month, but I couldn't find any books by either of them in my library. And Minnick was pushing me to read some William Maxwell, and I did manage to find him in my library, so I went with that one.
I don't know how he finds those little biographical stories that he does. I've been researching Maxwell for two days and haven't found any kind of lead I can latch on to. And I'm only three chapters into the book, so I can't really talk about that at all yet either. I'm not sure what to make of this project yet :/
Saturday, January 19, 2013
The First Week
I put off writing a new entry until I'd had at least a taste of all my classes. It would have had it sooner if not for the snow day on the first freaking week of classes. Tuesday was cancelled before my first class even started. So, first impressions then?
Advanced World Literature actually should have been called Post-colonial Literature because that's all it is. Not sure why it was named the way it was. I have it three days a week at noon. Thus far, I'm pretty underwhelmed. It sounds like it's going to be one of those "Europeans were like soooo mean to their colonies and stuff" types of classes. Filtered through literature.
Don't get me wrong, colonialism wasn't exactly a proud moment of human history, but that message gets lost or at least watered down when you hear it over and over. It's the same reason I've never been able to get into African-American literature; the Civil Rights movement and evils of racism was shoved in my face every year for so long that it lost any potency or ability to move me. I never needed anyone to go through the baby steps of why it was wrong and infantilizing a subject that complicated completely turned me off of it.
Anyway, getting back on tangent, I'm not really looking forward to this class. Next;
Fiction II. I have to write an 8 page short story. Not looking forward to that, but I've got a few months. The professor is hit-and-miss with me - sometimes I like her, sometimes I wonder why she's teaching. We'll see how this one goes.
American Literature II. Or Romanticism. I've heard good things about this professor (namely, he's funny and his classes are easy), so that's a plus. On the other hand, the book list doesn't seem all that riveting. Same thing for American Dream, which is with the same professor, and will be focused on a single theme instead of a genre or time period. I've never had a class like that, so it might be neat.
Pattern Recognition intrigues me. I'm still not quite sure what the class is about quite yet. Obviously it has to do with patterns, but I'm not really sure how to explain it. The interested can find the syllabus here if so inclined.
And of course I'm going to love my Independent Study. I thought I was just going to be helping Minnick refine his radio scripts, but it turns out that I'll be writing a few of them as well. At the same time, I'll keep working on my postcards and try to get 2-3 done every week. Right now, he has me researching some authors and I'd like to get at least one draft done by this weekend. We'll need as much time to edit as we can get.
Advanced World Literature actually should have been called Post-colonial Literature because that's all it is. Not sure why it was named the way it was. I have it three days a week at noon. Thus far, I'm pretty underwhelmed. It sounds like it's going to be one of those "Europeans were like soooo mean to their colonies and stuff" types of classes. Filtered through literature.
Don't get me wrong, colonialism wasn't exactly a proud moment of human history, but that message gets lost or at least watered down when you hear it over and over. It's the same reason I've never been able to get into African-American literature; the Civil Rights movement and evils of racism was shoved in my face every year for so long that it lost any potency or ability to move me. I never needed anyone to go through the baby steps of why it was wrong and infantilizing a subject that complicated completely turned me off of it.
Anyway, getting back on tangent, I'm not really looking forward to this class. Next;
Fiction II. I have to write an 8 page short story. Not looking forward to that, but I've got a few months. The professor is hit-and-miss with me - sometimes I like her, sometimes I wonder why she's teaching. We'll see how this one goes.
American Literature II. Or Romanticism. I've heard good things about this professor (namely, he's funny and his classes are easy), so that's a plus. On the other hand, the book list doesn't seem all that riveting. Same thing for American Dream, which is with the same professor, and will be focused on a single theme instead of a genre or time period. I've never had a class like that, so it might be neat.
Pattern Recognition intrigues me. I'm still not quite sure what the class is about quite yet. Obviously it has to do with patterns, but I'm not really sure how to explain it. The interested can find the syllabus here if so inclined.
And of course I'm going to love my Independent Study. I thought I was just going to be helping Minnick refine his radio scripts, but it turns out that I'll be writing a few of them as well. At the same time, I'll keep working on my postcards and try to get 2-3 done every week. Right now, he has me researching some authors and I'd like to get at least one draft done by this weekend. We'll need as much time to edit as we can get.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Nearly Refreshed
If anyone reads this, I need to be reminded to update this thing on occasion D=
No change in my status since the last post except that I am growing increasingly excited as school draws near. And I'm working on some poetry. Even though I really do need to be writing more stuff for my independent study.
No change in my status since the last post except that I am growing increasingly excited as school draws near. And I'm working on some poetry. Even though I really do need to be writing more stuff for my independent study.
I scribbled unicorns for my mother
and colored in mandala patterns
for my father,
but rarely got an extra glance
for my artistic endeavors.
I put them on my bedroom walls
instead of our blank white refrigerator,
where I could be proud of myself
(since no one would be so for me).
I rather like where this one is going.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
New Year, Same Old
I traded in my old DS XL for a 3DS XL. Awesome.
Right now I'm working my way through Pokemon Black 2 and I don't have any 3DS games yet, so I can't say much about how I like it. It's pretty much the same as the old DS with some new features. But eventually new games are all going to be for this system, and some of the ones I really want are already on it, so I may as well upgrade. The new Professor Layton is on the 3DS, and so is the latest Kingdom Hearts installment and the 999 sequel Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward.
Anyway, Black 2 has been a lot of fun thus far. Just looking at the town map, you can tell they've added a LOT of content - at least two completely new sections for one thing, and it's really neat to see how things have changed in the two years since the last game. I'm finding it a little harder to level up than normal, but I'm catching Pokemon a lot easier so I guess that's a fair trade.
In other things, I'm taking on the Glory-Be project this year - that is, writing something every day. I bought myself three notebook while out today. One for the actual project, one for a weekly color poem, and the third I'm not sure what I want to do with quite yet. And at the end of the year, participants will exchange notebooks <3 Since I give mine away all the time, it will be neat to finally be able to read from someone else.
Resolutions? No. Projects? Yes. =D
Right now I'm working my way through Pokemon Black 2 and I don't have any 3DS games yet, so I can't say much about how I like it. It's pretty much the same as the old DS with some new features. But eventually new games are all going to be for this system, and some of the ones I really want are already on it, so I may as well upgrade. The new Professor Layton is on the 3DS, and so is the latest Kingdom Hearts installment and the 999 sequel Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward.
Anyway, Black 2 has been a lot of fun thus far. Just looking at the town map, you can tell they've added a LOT of content - at least two completely new sections for one thing, and it's really neat to see how things have changed in the two years since the last game. I'm finding it a little harder to level up than normal, but I'm catching Pokemon a lot easier so I guess that's a fair trade.
In other things, I'm taking on the Glory-Be project this year - that is, writing something every day. I bought myself three notebook while out today. One for the actual project, one for a weekly color poem, and the third I'm not sure what I want to do with quite yet. And at the end of the year, participants will exchange notebooks <3 Since I give mine away all the time, it will be neat to finally be able to read from someone else.
Resolutions? No. Projects? Yes. =D
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