Today's post will not be a long one, partially due to the fact that I have seven minutes before work, partially because there's not much to tell. I've been working, and watching Friends, and doing Geometry. Bleh! But despite my boring, I hope your week was/will be productive and coffee filled. I've certainly got the coffee part down. So without further delay, I present: the end of my post.
THIS WEEK, I:
Listened to: The Ingles Advantage song, which plays every 45 seconds at work. Look it up on YouTube, and you, too will start crying.
I watched: Ross and Rachel get together, and break up, and fight, and not hate each other QUITE so much...
I read: Coffee cups. Decaf? Shots? Milk? Drink? Custom?
I wrote: X[decaf], 3, N PSL, XH (I bet Kayla can translate!)
I wish: I had five more minutes!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Time to whip out the Write or Die. {UPDATED}
I’m not getting any writing done, and I need to... So, I’m whipping out the WoD, setting it for 500 words in 30 minutes. Won’t be too hard, I just need the challenge. I would make this a live blog, but it’s two in the morning, and I doubt any of you are crazy enough to be awake with me. I’ll update this post, and answer questions once my half hour is up. *gulp*
UPDATE:
I am finished, awake, and rather pumped.
Like I said, the time limit wasn't TOO challenging. I can now sleep, and wish that I could write my entire novel that way. It's REALLY late, but if my calculations are correct, I could write a 50,000 word novel in 19 hours if I kept up that pace... Something to think about!
I listened to: These guys.
I watched: Temple Grandin- the movie. You can read more about this AMAZING woman here and here.
I read: This fablulous article on "boy books," by Maureen Johnson, two posts by Stephanie Perkins- one about hope for teens after high school, the other about censorship. I also perused the blogs of Glenna Walsh, Abby Stevens, and Kayla Olson. (Thank you for the comments! I love them all!)
I wrote: The guy came into the store again today, you know the cute one? His name is Brian, I don't remember if I mentioned it. I think he kind of asked me out, and I think I said yes. Oh, and get this- he's picking me up at my house! It's like a real date, only instead of a stern, "Young man, you treat me daughter right" father, I have a grandmother with a shotgun and 23 years of teaching experience. I wonder what will happen tomorrow. If things go well, will I be his girlfriend? I know that implies asking me out again, but where is the line between friends, and friends who go out, and friends who DATE?
I wish: That the dishwasher would load itself, and I could get caffeine in an IV.
UPDATE:
I am finished, awake, and rather pumped.
Like I said, the time limit wasn't TOO challenging. I can now sleep, and wish that I could write my entire novel that way. It's REALLY late, but if my calculations are correct, I could write a 50,000 word novel in 19 hours if I kept up that pace... Something to think about!
I listened to: These guys.
I watched: Temple Grandin- the movie. You can read more about this AMAZING woman here and here.
I read: This fablulous article on "boy books," by Maureen Johnson, two posts by Stephanie Perkins- one about hope for teens after high school, the other about censorship. I also perused the blogs of Glenna Walsh, Abby Stevens, and Kayla Olson. (Thank you for the comments! I love them all!)
I wrote: The guy came into the store again today, you know the cute one? His name is Brian, I don't remember if I mentioned it. I think he kind of asked me out, and I think I said yes. Oh, and get this- he's picking me up at my house! It's like a real date, only instead of a stern, "Young man, you treat me daughter right" father, I have a grandmother with a shotgun and 23 years of teaching experience. I wonder what will happen tomorrow. If things go well, will I be his girlfriend? I know that implies asking me out again, but where is the line between friends, and friends who go out, and friends who DATE?
I wish: That the dishwasher would load itself, and I could get caffeine in an IV.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
See that message below?
The blank one? It had a post. It was eloquent, and BEAUTIFUL. Blogger ate it. I am sad. SO, for your updating convenience, I am posting an older version of that post that was supposed to be on here two weeks ago. I am tired, and it's not updated for modern times. SorrySorrySorry!
Happy Thursday! A Starbucks job, an explanation, list of links and why I'm not doing NaNoWriMo...
So, last week I had this great post written out, and blogger had an issue, and it all went away. The rest of the week was COMPLETELY booked, so Monday became Tuesday, which became a Wednesday, evolving into a Thursday, and here we are again. There's been a lot of major news happen in my world recently, and I'm glad that it's FINALLY online. That makes it official, right?
The first bit of news is great, not quite as fantastic as the second, but amazing anyway. I got a job! At STARBUCKS! For hours a day, I am surrounded by coffee, and calls of "Chai Tea Latte!" or, "Breve Americano!" "Caramel Frappuccino!" Yes, in case you're wondering, I get an occasional free drink. ;) You would not believe the number of people who make it in the door, saying, "You know, I've been having a pretty crappy morning, but I know that when I come to Starbucks, there will be friendly people who will caffeinate me, which will get me through the day." It's a really nice feeling when we get to help.
The job also means that I am now am no longer megabroke, and am about 99.9% positive that I'll be able to go to LeakyCon 2011 next year, which I'm PUMPED about. My library hours changed a bit from summer to fall, in that I now get two hours a week, totaling about $30 dollars per paycheck. My cell phone bill is usually around $20, (I'm on the family plan) and Netflix is $9 per month. Yes, that is correct, I can cover my bills and that's it. With this new Starbucks job, my coffee costs are, well- lesser, and any money I get goes directly to my bank account, not to Netflix or ATT. Of course I say bank account...you had better believe I'll be doing a fair amount of online shopping pretty soon!
But there is bigger news, and this time, it's not about me. Okay, okay, it's SORT of mine: My dad got a job!! March of 2009, his employer said, "We love you, but we're cutting costs, so we can't pay you any more. Buh-bye!" Which, you know... sucks. He searched and worked at a grocery store deli for a few months before a seasonal executive chef position opened up at one of the bajillion summer camps in my area. Nice job, but seasonal. Then he heard about this job as a the catering chef at our local hospital- they are really working on changing their image food wise, and the job seemed like a perfect fit. He got fantastic references, and went to THREE levels of interviews, then one day, an email saying that they had hired someone from inside the company, but thanks anyway. You can imagine how bummed we were. A few weeks pass, and he gets a mysterious phone call from the guy doing all of the interviews. He says for my dad to call him back, and nothing else. Long phone call short, they decided to slightly modify the position, open it up once more, and weren't going to make a decision until the beginning of September. They had him come in last Tuesday, and offered him the job. Over a year and a half, and he finally has a position that he is qualified for, which will provide just the right amount of challenge! This has been a really long time coming. :)
Sooo, we had family in town last week, and then I started my job, AND we officially started school Tuesday. Basically, about a thousand words have been written this week. I also have a bit more news, which is not the happiest: I don't think I'll be able to do NaNoWriMo this year. As much as I would like to be SuperGirl, a job, senior year and some semblance of a life all together do not equal time for NaNoWriMo. I'm not completely ruling it out, because I could drop everything for two crazy weekends and wipe out my word count, 8k a day for six days, plus two 4k writing days... We'll see. I would really LOVE to do it this year, but I don't think I'll be able to do it without giving something up, and that CANNOT be my grades or my job.
Now I need to address a pet peeve. As you now know, (uh- read above) I have a job at Starbucks. It's really great, and most people know EXACTLY what they want to order before they walk in the door. Then there are those poor unfortunate souls (name the reference, anyone?) who walk in, and have NO IDEA what they want, and no idea what anything is. Therefore, I have created a guide, complete with tips and tricks for your ultimate Starbucks Experience. Go with me here.
Paying with a card is EASIER than cash. Before working as a barista, I always thought I was inconveniencing someone with a swipe. It's not a problem. We hit buttons, and don't have to count up change.
[Starbucks] Baristas are THOROUGHLY trained. We have (I think) a minimum of 35 hours of book training, throughout 11 manuals.
Just because it's not listed on the menu, (drink wise) doesn't mean we can't make it. Also, ask a barista what THEY like. My co-workers and I all have favorite combinations of syrups that create a new drink. One guy I work with created a neopolitan Frappuccino, as well as one flavored like orange sherbet. I love Pumpkin Spice lattes with vanilla syrup, and chocolate drizzle.
Bring in your own cup and get cheaper coffee!
Starbucks makes their own whipped cream out of heavy whipping cream and vanilla syrup. This might seem kinda minor, and "why would I care?"ish, but it's actually kinda cool. No whipped half-chemicals for us!
You're not inconveniencing us by having us MAKE a drink. If there are no dishes to be done, and the coffee is all brewed and ready to go, there's not a lot for baristas to do. We get bored. Order something, PLEASE?
As a stereotype, we [baristas] actually tend to LIKE our job. I've heard this from my coworkers, and my best friend works at another Starbucks in a neighboring town- same feelings there. :)
So what goes into a drink, you may ask?
A (grande) latte is two shots of espresso, and steamed milk- you hold the foam, and add a little to the top.
A (grande) cappuccino is two shots of espresso, and steamed milk- except the milk is poured (called free pour) without holding the foam, like when you make a latte.
You can get a latte on ice, which is just espresso, milk and ice, but you cannot get a cappuccino iced, because the basis of the drink is that there is more foam than in a latte. (A latte may or may not have foam, depending on your preference. It's not uncommon to get a latte with no foam.)
A (grande) caramel macchiato is syrup, steamed milk, and three shots of espresso poured in at the end, to "mark" the foam. (I believe macchiato is "mark" in Italian, but don't quote me.) then caramel drizzle is added to the top.
An americano is espresso with hot water... which we can add to taste.
A mocha is mocha syrup, two shots of espresso, and steamed milk, no foam and whip.
A chai latte is made of of chai concentrate, hot water and steamed milk. Buuut, the water is optional.
A Frappuccino is made with whole milk by default. If you love fraps, substituting 2% milk and no whip is a great way to have your drink taste pretty normal, (not light, which we CAN do- light syrup, sugar-free flavoring, nonfat milk, no whip) while saving calories.
A Frappuccino is also made with our specially-made coffee starter. You can substitute espresso as your coffee starter if you would like, you just need to ask. :)
The pastries (at least OUR pastries) are either one day, or two days, depending on the item. I've had numerous people ask "Is it fresh?" Each pastry is either hours, or one day old. I still count that as fresh.
~()* ] <---- (it's a coffee cup!)
*****************************************************************
And now I have just a few notes, updates, links to insanity, stuff like that. Not afterthoughts, just coincidentally after those ^^ thoughts. :P
First off, I want to thank Myrna Foster again, for my prize package. I had a post written up (written on time, I swear) but didn't post it to the blog, so I had mentally written it off, but didn't quite follow through. THANK YOU, MYRNA! Goodnight, Good Knight is totally cute! (and the Nutella? Gone.) Myrna sent me some candy from Prague, PENS, and a pre-order of Paranormalcy, and Anna and the French Kiss. I haven't gotten Paranormalcy yet, (I live on a gravel road on the side of a mountain. Delivery prejudice happens all the time. You should have heard what happened when I tried to get my computer! Nightmare! BUT, I got it, and expect to get Paranormalcy soon!)
The Blue Lipstick Samurai rocks my socks off. I think this on an hourly basis.
Abby Stevens is home from England! I'm going to get her to take ME next time!
It blows my mind that you amazing people COMMENT on my blog! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
CONGRATS to Kiersten White on [Paranormalcy] debuting at #7 on the NYT Bestseller list!!
Sorry for the massive post this week... It's to make up for the two weeks minus real post, and I like to talk a lot. In a LOT of YouTube videos and blog posts, there is a standard set of statistics or questions answered and asked to readers/viewers. Kristina Horner lists the number of Chipotle burritos she's had this year so far, and what her last google search is. MY version (aside from WC) is going to be this:
This week:
I listened to: Glee. I can't wait for it to return! (So, UPDATE: Saw Glee. Laughed, SO EXCITED it's back!)
I watched: Friends! Just starting season 2 now. :D (Another update... FINISHED Season 2. Still love, but lots of doubt as to if I'm really spending my time well- NAH.)
I read: I Heard the Owl Call My Name, for my religions class.
I wrote: Quiet nights after everyone had gone to bed, she would stare out the window of the small kitchenette, and imagine she was laying on a rooftop somewhere. Her fingers would be sticky from the watermelon she'd had earlier, and a quiet breeze would drift through the tar beach, and bring warmth up with it. Someone would have a guitar, and they'd be so high up that the city noise would be indistinguishable, more like the crash of the ocean than horns and car motors. The popcorn ceiling glared back at her, a dank reminder that she was nowhere with stars worth watching.
I wish: That this 1,900 word blog post counted towards my novel word count.
So what did you listen to, watch, read, write and wish this week?
Happy Thursday! A Starbucks job, an explanation, list of links and why I'm not doing NaNoWriMo...
So, last week I had this great post written out, and blogger had an issue, and it all went away. The rest of the week was COMPLETELY booked, so Monday became Tuesday, which became a Wednesday, evolving into a Thursday, and here we are again. There's been a lot of major news happen in my world recently, and I'm glad that it's FINALLY online. That makes it official, right?
The first bit of news is great, not quite as fantastic as the second, but amazing anyway. I got a job! At STARBUCKS! For hours a day, I am surrounded by coffee, and calls of "Chai Tea Latte!" or, "Breve Americano!" "Caramel Frappuccino!" Yes, in case you're wondering, I get an occasional free drink. ;) You would not believe the number of people who make it in the door, saying, "You know, I've been having a pretty crappy morning, but I know that when I come to Starbucks, there will be friendly people who will caffeinate me, which will get me through the day." It's a really nice feeling when we get to help.
The job also means that I am now am no longer megabroke, and am about 99.9% positive that I'll be able to go to LeakyCon 2011 next year, which I'm PUMPED about. My library hours changed a bit from summer to fall, in that I now get two hours a week, totaling about $30 dollars per paycheck. My cell phone bill is usually around $20, (I'm on the family plan) and Netflix is $9 per month. Yes, that is correct, I can cover my bills and that's it. With this new Starbucks job, my coffee costs are, well- lesser, and any money I get goes directly to my bank account, not to Netflix or ATT. Of course I say bank account...you had better believe I'll be doing a fair amount of online shopping pretty soon!
But there is bigger news, and this time, it's not about me. Okay, okay, it's SORT of mine: My dad got a job!! March of 2009, his employer said, "We love you, but we're cutting costs, so we can't pay you any more. Buh-bye!" Which, you know... sucks. He searched and worked at a grocery store deli for a few months before a seasonal executive chef position opened up at one of the bajillion summer camps in my area. Nice job, but seasonal. Then he heard about this job as a the catering chef at our local hospital- they are really working on changing their image food wise, and the job seemed like a perfect fit. He got fantastic references, and went to THREE levels of interviews, then one day, an email saying that they had hired someone from inside the company, but thanks anyway. You can imagine how bummed we were. A few weeks pass, and he gets a mysterious phone call from the guy doing all of the interviews. He says for my dad to call him back, and nothing else. Long phone call short, they decided to slightly modify the position, open it up once more, and weren't going to make a decision until the beginning of September. They had him come in last Tuesday, and offered him the job. Over a year and a half, and he finally has a position that he is qualified for, which will provide just the right amount of challenge! This has been a really long time coming. :)
Sooo, we had family in town last week, and then I started my job, AND we officially started school Tuesday. Basically, about a thousand words have been written this week. I also have a bit more news, which is not the happiest: I don't think I'll be able to do NaNoWriMo this year. As much as I would like to be SuperGirl, a job, senior year and some semblance of a life all together do not equal time for NaNoWriMo. I'm not completely ruling it out, because I could drop everything for two crazy weekends and wipe out my word count, 8k a day for six days, plus two 4k writing days... We'll see. I would really LOVE to do it this year, but I don't think I'll be able to do it without giving something up, and that CANNOT be my grades or my job.
Now I need to address a pet peeve. As you now know, (uh- read above) I have a job at Starbucks. It's really great, and most people know EXACTLY what they want to order before they walk in the door. Then there are those poor unfortunate souls (name the reference, anyone?) who walk in, and have NO IDEA what they want, and no idea what anything is. Therefore, I have created a guide, complete with tips and tricks for your ultimate Starbucks Experience. Go with me here.
*****************************************************************
THEKNITTINGNERD'S ULTIMATE GUIDE TO STARBUCKS!
Paying with a card is EASIER than cash. Before working as a barista, I always thought I was inconveniencing someone with a swipe. It's not a problem. We hit buttons, and don't have to count up change.
[Starbucks] Baristas are THOROUGHLY trained. We have (I think) a minimum of 35 hours of book training, throughout 11 manuals.
Just because it's not listed on the menu, (drink wise) doesn't mean we can't make it. Also, ask a barista what THEY like. My co-workers and I all have favorite combinations of syrups that create a new drink. One guy I work with created a neopolitan Frappuccino, as well as one flavored like orange sherbet. I love Pumpkin Spice lattes with vanilla syrup, and chocolate drizzle.
Bring in your own cup and get cheaper coffee!
Starbucks makes their own whipped cream out of heavy whipping cream and vanilla syrup. This might seem kinda minor, and "why would I care?"ish, but it's actually kinda cool. No whipped half-chemicals for us!
You're not inconveniencing us by having us MAKE a drink. If there are no dishes to be done, and the coffee is all brewed and ready to go, there's not a lot for baristas to do. We get bored. Order something, PLEASE?
As a stereotype, we [baristas] actually tend to LIKE our job. I've heard this from my coworkers, and my best friend works at another Starbucks in a neighboring town- same feelings there. :)
So what goes into a drink, you may ask?
A (grande) latte is two shots of espresso, and steamed milk- you hold the foam, and add a little to the top.
A (grande) cappuccino is two shots of espresso, and steamed milk- except the milk is poured (called free pour) without holding the foam, like when you make a latte.
You can get a latte on ice, which is just espresso, milk and ice, but you cannot get a cappuccino iced, because the basis of the drink is that there is more foam than in a latte. (A latte may or may not have foam, depending on your preference. It's not uncommon to get a latte with no foam.)
A (grande) caramel macchiato is syrup, steamed milk, and three shots of espresso poured in at the end, to "mark" the foam. (I believe macchiato is "mark" in Italian, but don't quote me.) then caramel drizzle is added to the top.
An americano is espresso with hot water... which we can add to taste.
A mocha is mocha syrup, two shots of espresso, and steamed milk, no foam and whip.
A chai latte is made of of chai concentrate, hot water and steamed milk. Buuut, the water is optional.
A Frappuccino is made with whole milk by default. If you love fraps, substituting 2% milk and no whip is a great way to have your drink taste pretty normal, (not light, which we CAN do- light syrup, sugar-free flavoring, nonfat milk, no whip) while saving calories.
A Frappuccino is also made with our specially-made coffee starter. You can substitute espresso as your coffee starter if you would like, you just need to ask. :)
The pastries (at least OUR pastries) are either one day, or two days, depending on the item. I've had numerous people ask "Is it fresh?" Each pastry is either hours, or one day old. I still count that as fresh.
~()* ] <---- (it's a coffee cup!)
*****************************************************************
And now I have just a few notes, updates, links to insanity, stuff like that. Not afterthoughts, just coincidentally after those ^^ thoughts. :P
First off, I want to thank Myrna Foster again, for my prize package. I had a post written up (written on time, I swear) but didn't post it to the blog, so I had mentally written it off, but didn't quite follow through. THANK YOU, MYRNA! Goodnight, Good Knight is totally cute! (and the Nutella? Gone.) Myrna sent me some candy from Prague, PENS, and a pre-order of Paranormalcy, and Anna and the French Kiss. I haven't gotten Paranormalcy yet, (I live on a gravel road on the side of a mountain. Delivery prejudice happens all the time. You should have heard what happened when I tried to get my computer! Nightmare! BUT, I got it, and expect to get Paranormalcy soon!)
The Blue Lipstick Samurai rocks my socks off. I think this on an hourly basis.
Abby Stevens is home from England! I'm going to get her to take ME next time!
It blows my mind that you amazing people COMMENT on my blog! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
CONGRATS to Kiersten White on [Paranormalcy] debuting at #7 on the NYT Bestseller list!!
Sorry for the massive post this week... It's to make up for the two weeks minus real post, and I like to talk a lot. In a LOT of YouTube videos and blog posts, there is a standard set of statistics or questions answered and asked to readers/viewers. Kristina Horner lists the number of Chipotle burritos she's had this year so far, and what her last google search is. MY version (aside from WC) is going to be this:
This week:
I listened to: Glee. I can't wait for it to return! (So, UPDATE: Saw Glee. Laughed, SO EXCITED it's back!)
I watched: Friends! Just starting season 2 now. :D (Another update... FINISHED Season 2. Still love, but lots of doubt as to if I'm really spending my time well- NAH.)
I read: I Heard the Owl Call My Name, for my religions class.
I wrote: Quiet nights after everyone had gone to bed, she would stare out the window of the small kitchenette, and imagine she was laying on a rooftop somewhere. Her fingers would be sticky from the watermelon she'd had earlier, and a quiet breeze would drift through the tar beach, and bring warmth up with it. Someone would have a guitar, and they'd be so high up that the city noise would be indistinguishable, more like the crash of the ocean than horns and car motors. The popcorn ceiling glared back at her, a dank reminder that she was nowhere with stars worth watching.
I wish: That this 1,900 word blog post counted towards my novel word count.
So what did you listen to, watch, read, write and wish this week?
Monday, September 13, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
*grumble* I had a post written out. GAH.
I had a post, but it is gone. I will update later in the week. :)
Monday, August 23, 2010
Six o'clock already? I was JUST in the middle of a dream...
(You need to skip to 0:22 to get to the actual song)
So here it is. Monday. The day of shared dread, the poor victim of our beginning of the week stress, and obviously part of the title of a song by a pretty awesome girl band of the 80's... Worthy of a Gilmore Girls cameo. As I mentioned in my last post (it's online, so it MUST be true) I'm now going to start posting EVERY Monday, and some days in between. So here it is. Why am I having so much trouble coming up with something to write about? Oh yeah- because there's no room left in my brain! Why? Howabout we take a look at my upcoming school schedule and see?
World Epic Lit
American History
Geometry
Micro Economics
World Religions
aaaand
French 2.
I'm exhausted just reading that list. But I'm also reminded why I do it all, why I've loaded myself with so many classes- it's because of a dream. Or, well, dreams.
I distinctly remember (and my friend Abbey will back me up on this) that as a 9-10-11yr old, I wanted three things in my life. I wanted to go to Hawaii, visit American Girl Place, and get my OWN laptop. Yes, I wanted a laptop as a nine year old. What can I say? I am happy to report that I have been to American Girl place, (I went during a visit to Chicago. It was amazing) and I have my own laptop. It only took me 8 years, but here I am. And the Hawaii thing? I might like to visit, but I really have no strong desires to go anymore. If I could choose one place to visit, it would either be somewhere in Europe, (probaby Paris or London) Seattle, or New York. Can you tell that I love cities?
When I was 13, I remember sitting on a blanket during an easter egg hunt (it was for the younger kids. I always liked hunting easter eggs) and someone suggested that I go into journalism. I had always said that I wanted a career as a writer, whatever I could get. Age 13 to... oh, 15 I was GOING to be a journalist. Ideally someone who worked for BBC, so I would have to travel back and forth from London (where I would live most of the time) to New York (only temporary, of course) all the time. But dreams change.
Like I no longer want to go to Hawaii, I don’t really want to be a journalist. Sure, it would be neat, but I like creating stories. I always did. It’s true that life is often stranger than fiction, but I wanted the strangeness to be my own creation. My dreams now are really different.
Through this college road trip, the one place I have fallen in love with more than any other, is New York. As of September of last year, I had never really considered writing a novel, until I opened a word document on my fancy-dancy new laptop, and began to write. I found out about this crazy thing called NaNoWriMo in October, signed up, and wrote 5011 words the next month, what would become my first completed novel.
My dreams are different now. I no longer want to live primarily in London, I really adore New York. I want to have a novel published (and NOT self-published) and I want to live in the city. I’ll work as a waitress to cover the bills,(if I have to) but hopefully pull an Ann Brashares, and work in publishing/editing/marketing while writing at 2 am. (Of course, my MAJOR dream right now would be to have a novel on the way to publication before college, write for four years, and have enough income to write full time, and live in an apartment with no more than one roommate. Dreaming here.) The point is that I want different things now. I see the world through potentially naive eyes, yes, but without the dream of something bigger, and the hope that I’ll reach those dreams, all I have is right here.
I have a laptop, and a head full of ideas, and a 3.somethingnottoosucky GPA. Those things in conjunction won’t get me anywhere. My grade point average isn’t going to convince an agent to sign with me, or Dutton to make an offer, or a college to fall at my feet. Dreams are what move us forward. The laptop holds a novel, and a dream. The Nottoosucky GPA holds the hope of college, the head full of ideas thinks big both academically and writing wise. But without that dream, I don’t go anywhere.
Without work, we rarely get what we want. But without dreams, we don't have something TO want. I'm excited about these dreams, but nervous that I won't achieve them. What will happen if I fail? Will my dreams change? What were your dreams when you were younger? What are they now?
Friday, August 20, 2010
Rules.
I’m not really a rules person. I’m a bookish knitting hippie who likes to hang out in yoga pants all day, listening to Franz Ferdinand while reading Zelda Fitzgerald. I have a need to be surrounded by a computer, cell phone and book all at once, while wearing a “Save the Earth!” t-shirt. I de-stress by checking my email, or writing, or watching Gilmore Girls. I dream of living in a teenytiny apartment in New York, writing at three in the morning, waiting for my takeaway sesame chicken and lo mein to arrive. I would rather stay up really late and sleep in, rather than get up early, at the same time I love the energy early in the morning. It’s sunrises and coffee, and the fog/smog (I live in what is considered a rainforest- it’s actually fog here) is slowly disappearing from where it settled the night before. If I didn’t enjoy that thing we call sleep so much, I would live my life without it. I would run my life by freedom in my very basic security.
But, as much as I’m pained to say this, I think this might be a time for rules. I’ve been blogging when I could/thought of it for quite awhile now. I enjoy it immensely- I would have quit long ago if I didn’t like it. But with the school season steadily approaching, (SENIOR FREAKING YEAR) I need some structure. Again, in pain writing all of this. I have decided to post on Mondays and the occasional Friday. There is a certain degree of guilt involved in NOT posting- I like so many things that it’s difficult to just focus on one sometimes. If I’m in a position to write a blog post, and don’t already have something lined up, I’ll write something, and who knows- post it in the moment. That is my rule. Definitely post on Mondays, maybe on Fridays, and occasionally days in between.
Of course there’s much greater motivation behind this new policy, other than just school and life, and all that jazz. It’s something I never talk about on this blog- ever. Writing. If everything goes according to plan, I’ll have three novels (“draft” is a dirty word) written (I don’t care how bad they are. They count.) by December 1st. I’m only 17. My goal right now is to finish Alaska Junction by November 1st, which currently gives me a little less than three months to write 55,000 more words than I have now. If I can write at least 734 words a day, I’ll have a 60,000 word novel by then. Wooohoo! The reason for the schedule both writing-wise and posting wise, is that I want to jump out of this amateur zone. I want to live this. I want to write, and this is how I will do so. Or, at least try to do so. :)
But, as much as I’m pained to say this, I think this might be a time for rules. I’ve been blogging when I could/thought of it for quite awhile now. I enjoy it immensely- I would have quit long ago if I didn’t like it. But with the school season steadily approaching, (SENIOR FREAKING YEAR) I need some structure. Again, in pain writing all of this. I have decided to post on Mondays and the occasional Friday. There is a certain degree of guilt involved in NOT posting- I like so many things that it’s difficult to just focus on one sometimes. If I’m in a position to write a blog post, and don’t already have something lined up, I’ll write something, and who knows- post it in the moment. That is my rule. Definitely post on Mondays, maybe on Fridays, and occasionally days in between.
Of course there’s much greater motivation behind this new policy, other than just school and life, and all that jazz. It’s something I never talk about on this blog- ever. Writing. If everything goes according to plan, I’ll have three novels (“draft” is a dirty word) written (I don’t care how bad they are. They count.) by December 1st. I’m only 17. My goal right now is to finish Alaska Junction by November 1st, which currently gives me a little less than three months to write 55,000 more words than I have now. If I can write at least 734 words a day, I’ll have a 60,000 word novel by then. Wooohoo! The reason for the schedule both writing-wise and posting wise, is that I want to jump out of this amateur zone. I want to live this. I want to write, and this is how I will do so. Or, at least try to do so. :)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Your ULTIMATE guide to college tours!
I’m not an expert on college tours, but after eleven of them spread out over thirteen states, I definitely have something to say, and a bit of advice.
You will get a feel of a campus within the first five minutes. This shouldn’t completely turn you off to a school, often times you’ll need re-evaluation, but some campuses will click, and others won’t.
Student-directed tours are your best bet. Faculty members are great, but students will know where the hangout spots are, and what the school is like. I’m sure there’s a certain amount of, “I was taught to say this”-itis, but most students will give you their honest opinion.
An info session AND campus tour might not be necessary everywhere. Depending on the school, the info session will be redundant. Every tour I went on had time for Q & A, throughout the tour. You’re able to SEE parts of campus, and get information about the different departments, which is often enough, especially if you’re just looking. If this is your dream school, use the resources, go to the information session, talk to everyone you can. The info session is a higher-level tour without the visuals, which are important. It’s possible to love an educational philosophy, but hate the campus.
Locate the undergraduate admissions office, and have a phone number. This will save you time, hassle, and energy when you first arrive on campus. It’s as simple as a quick google search. If we had gotten the number of the Yale admissions office, we wouldn’t have walked from our old campus parking spot to the admissions building clear across campus, then proceeded to walk the school grounds.
Be prepared with quarters. We spent over half an hour in Cambridge, MA trying to find quarters to feed the meters. Especially in smaller towns, the parking will be limited, and parking decks might not be around.
Find a guide with your ideal major, similar interests, and one who SPEAKS LOUDLY. It seems obvious, but in the moment won’t occur to you.
Be prepared to sweat, walk and hear repeated information. Most tours take place during the summer. If you manage to tour during a breezy day, be grateful. If you do both the tour and the info session, you will hear repeated information. Wear comfortable shoes, because the goal of the tour is to get an accurate picture of what campus living would be like, not just the pretty parts.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, BUT some questions are best with a personal answer. At the same time, don’t ask stupid questions. You can find a lot on the website. We had several people ask things like, “Do you teach Latin?” or, “Do you have this major?” Google, people. GOOGLE.
Talk to your guide while you walk, and after the tour is finished! They are people after all. I found out some really interesting info by talking to the guides, like obscure history facts, or where to get the best cup of coffee nearby. ;)
Bring a notebook. Take notes. Even if you don’t plan on reading them again, or even using them, they’ll help you stay awake during info sessions, and can be useful when comparing colleges.
Grab literature. Reference for later. Just do it.
COMMUNICATE. Communicate with the FA advisor, admissions department, faculty, students, whoever you come in contact with. Don’t stalk them or anything, but if you want to get into a school, knowing the system will help you out.
Ask about financial aid, loans, work study programs, grants, scholarships. Just because a school says that they have great financial aid, perhaps even meeting you 100%, doesn’t mean that half of that won’t be loans that you get to pay off five years post-graduation. Work study programs are great- most have you working 10-12 hours a week, which is not a lot of time, and a lot less money that you have to pay.
Use your resources! Twitter, social networking, etc. I asked several people for advice on places to eat, or see, which were far more useful than what I could find in a guidebook. (If you’re ever in Portsmith, Rhode Island, go to the creperie just off the Brown campus. Trust me.)
See the library. You will use it, so you better love it.
Ask about greek life. Dartmouth has heavy involvement in Greek life, and that’s not something I’m interested in. If you’re dying to rush, then Dartmouth may be your cup of tea!
Survey your surroundings. Gonna pick on Dartmouth again- Sorry! Dartmouth has a beautiful campus, in what I like to fondly describe as “Nowhere, New Hampshire.” I already live in Nowhere, North Carolina, so hopping from one to another doesn’t appeal to me. Loving the campus is important, but loving the area is of equal importance.
Ask what YOU’RE looking for in a campus, and out of your education. Not just in a major, but extracurriculars, study abroad programs, even the curriculum style. What do students do on the weekends? Do people stay on campus, or go into the nearest city?
You CAN visit during the school year. In fact, I think I would recommend this. You get a REAL experience of the campus, instead of the watered down version of summer. I’ve also heard of schools giving credit or excused absences for visiting colleges.
Act like a normal person, PLEASE. You are not in competition with every person who is touring. Be nice. Again, this is NOT a contest. That stage comes during applications, silly! Your space will not be compromised by everyone in the info session. So, don’t act that way.
Be comfortable. Most people don’t dress up for tours or info sessions. Interviews call for a more formal outfit, but every interview I had dictated business/business casual attire. The best outfits can be more or less casual depending on what everyone around you is wearing, and won’t wrinkle easily. Tours and info sessions are even more relaxed. Don’t be a prep, wear your non-torn jeans, and nicer shorts, ideally ones without something written on the bum. :)
Thursday, August 12, 2010
#YACinema
I'll be attending... Will YOU? http://yacinema.blogspot.com/2010/08/first-movie-penelope.html#comments
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The dangers of writing to a trend... Basically a long tweet.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Stealing from the other blog again. Stay Tuned!
I'm totally scatterbrained right now, so there is a strong likelihood that this post wont make sense. Here we go. IF you haven't realized, all of my posts that aren't several paragraphs long have been text updates. Great for brief, in the moment stuff, but not for actual info. It's Sunday morning around 12:30 AM, of course I haven't been to bed yet, so I consider today Saturday night. I'm FINALLY in a hotel with WIFI, and I don't have to get up at six tomorrow. Finished the last of our tours, Georgetown was absolutely gorgeous. I have a whole list of our likes and dislikes about these schools, and several REAL posts, but those will have to wait. This has been a whirlwind trip, nine days of campus security, and needs-blind financial aid, and SAT scores. I've waved at Glenna's (The Blue Lipstick Samurai, who happens to have a CONTEST going on!) MOM in a car on a highway, and stayed in a New York apartment, toured the Pentagon, and ate crepes in Rhode Island. And that is only the beginning. Give me a bit of time, and I will tell all. Thanks for going on this trip with me! :)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
In which I cheat. New York, Little India, and Georgie's Diner!
Hey everyone- Happy August! I'm having a great time on this crazy road trip- here is one of the most recent posts on my trip blog, www.shobust.blogspot.com!
There was little to do but drive. Our goal was to arrive by a decent hour in West Haven, Connecticut in order to visit Yale and Brown Monday (today, as I write this). The GPS was helpful to a point, but after awhile,
“Turn right, then turn right,” and “Oh dear, turn around when possible.” gets OLD. On the way, we found ourselves on I 90, just around New York City. That’s when the trouble began. In order to travel over the George Washington Bridge, only a three mile stretch, we sat in the car during horrible, rush hour traffic. It took us about an hour and forty-five minutes to get from the beginning of the three miles to the end. Of course, we had been waiting all day to reach a certain gas station in New Jersey which sold FlexFuel, which our car would take. When we had three miles to go, this would have been no problem- an hour and forty five minutes later, however, we were running on fumes. This meant that we had to get off somewhere once past the three mile hell streak, and that place was New York, and we had to get there FAST. We reached the toll at the beginning of the bridge, and asked the attendant where the best place to get gas would be. Her answer?
“Best place was before the bridge.”
Helpful, right? The best gas station was behind us. Onward we drove, narrowly missing the crazy drivers of both New Jersey and New York. They are completely fearless, zipping in and around anyone going too slow, creating their own lanes, pulling out in front of a car if they want to or need to, no ten-second blinker time, no, ‘Will you let me in?’ they go. We drove over the bridge, this time going much faster but even more dependent on fumes, and suddenly found ourselves in a jungle like no other. New York. Suffice it to say, that driving in and around and over and under and stopping and starting and LOTS of car horns were a part of our lives for the next twenty minutes. We were on the phone with family members who were sitting safe at their computers looking for the nearest gas station for us, freaking out over the six cars who almost hit us, and worrying about the fact that our stopping and starting could soon become a permanent fixture, running out of gas in the middle of the Bronx, what we later discovered to be Harlem... How’s THAT for daunting? Thankfully, after much honking, trial and error, along with directions from several people who didn’t speak English, we made it to a BP, our last choice in refueling, but filled up all the same.
Then, we reassessed. Five, polite non-New Yorkers driving through Harlem in a rental car. We drove and stopped, and almost got “t-boned” whatever the heck that is. Finally, once moderately safe, we pulled over and laughed for about twenty minutes, part stress, part, “Oh my gosh, we just about died” and a heavy dose of exhaustion.
Eventually, we got to our hotel- sorry- motel, lovingly renamed “Little India.” The place smelled like curry, and not in a good way. It was nine pm when everything was moved into our room, and we were all starving. Back to the car we went, stopping at a restaurant that had Chicken in its name. We stopped in, sat down, and twenty minutes later after the waitress finally came over, were told that there was absolutely no chicken in the restaurant, meaning that they had hot dogs and rice. Obviously, we had to leave. Found another place, whose entrees ranged $15-20. Great for roadtrippers 3,000 miles away from home.
But finally, FINALLY, we saw a small diner which was adorable, and open. In we walked, met a fantastic waitress, had amazing food, and brought take-out menus so that we could tell our friends. SO. Anyone in West Haven, or visiting Yale should DEFINITELY check out Georgie’s Diner, at
http://georgies-diner.com! :)
“Turn right, then turn right,” and “Oh dear, turn around when possible.” gets OLD. On the way, we found ourselves on I 90, just around New York City. That’s when the trouble began. In order to travel over the George Washington Bridge, only a three mile stretch, we sat in the car during horrible, rush hour traffic. It took us about an hour and forty-five minutes to get from the beginning of the three miles to the end. Of course, we had been waiting all day to reach a certain gas station in New Jersey which sold FlexFuel, which our car would take. When we had three miles to go, this would have been no problem- an hour and forty five minutes later, however, we were running on fumes. This meant that we had to get off somewhere once past the three mile hell streak, and that place was New York, and we had to get there FAST. We reached the toll at the beginning of the bridge, and asked the attendant where the best place to get gas would be. Her answer?
“Best place was before the bridge.”
Helpful, right? The best gas station was behind us. Onward we drove, narrowly missing the crazy drivers of both New Jersey and New York. They are completely fearless, zipping in and around anyone going too slow, creating their own lanes, pulling out in front of a car if they want to or need to, no ten-second blinker time, no, ‘Will you let me in?’ they go. We drove over the bridge, this time going much faster but even more dependent on fumes, and suddenly found ourselves in a jungle like no other. New York. Suffice it to say, that driving in and around and over and under and stopping and starting and LOTS of car horns were a part of our lives for the next twenty minutes. We were on the phone with family members who were sitting safe at their computers looking for the nearest gas station for us, freaking out over the six cars who almost hit us, and worrying about the fact that our stopping and starting could soon become a permanent fixture, running out of gas in the middle of the Bronx, what we later discovered to be Harlem... How’s THAT for daunting? Thankfully, after much honking, trial and error, along with directions from several people who didn’t speak English, we made it to a BP, our last choice in refueling, but filled up all the same.
Then, we reassessed. Five, polite non-New Yorkers driving through Harlem in a rental car. We drove and stopped, and almost got “t-boned” whatever the heck that is. Finally, once moderately safe, we pulled over and laughed for about twenty minutes, part stress, part, “Oh my gosh, we just about died” and a heavy dose of exhaustion.
Eventually, we got to our hotel- sorry- motel, lovingly renamed “Little India.” The place smelled like curry, and not in a good way. It was nine pm when everything was moved into our room, and we were all starving. Back to the car we went, stopping at a restaurant that had Chicken in its name. We stopped in, sat down, and twenty minutes later after the waitress finally came over, were told that there was absolutely no chicken in the restaurant, meaning that they had hot dogs and rice. Obviously, we had to leave. Found another place, whose entrees ranged $15-20. Great for roadtrippers 3,000 miles away from home.
 |
| Isn't it cute? |
http://georgies-diner.com! :)
Thursday, July 29, 2010
In which I bore you to death.
Sunday will be a tour of Princeton,
Monday will cover Yale and Brown,
Tuesday, Wellesley and Harvard,
Wednesday, Dartmouth, Champlain and the Ben & Jerry's factory! :)
Thursday, Middlebury and Vassar,
Friday, The King's College.
Saturday, we're going to Georgetown, and tour the Pentagon.
Sunday, travel home.
This will total 2,350 miles, with 50 hours in the car.
In the mean time, I will be updating (as regularly as I can) our trip blog, found at www.shobust.blogspot.com.
As to writing, I have 5,000 words of Alaska Junction to send to a certain pair of Irish Musketeers by tomorrow night, but that's about it. I hope you all have cell service, unlike me! Sorry I'm such a drag/spaz today- much to do, not much time! BUT, to make up for the boredom of this post, I invite you to check out this video I threw together... When Viral Videos Collide!
Later!
Monday, July 26, 2010
You ARE a writer.
I received a letter from a friend recently (a real letter, mind you- with a stamp and everything) which said something that completely threw me for a loop. Note that this is a good friend of mine- not close in that he knows all of my dirty laundry or anything, but a good enough friend to give advice, and in this case, admonition. He said something along the lines of:
You are not a professional authoress, and treating this [writing] hobby as such cannot be healthy.
At the core, the statement is not completely untrue. I’m still finishing the third draft of March, though not as full-steam-ahead as I suppose I could? To my credit, I really love writing and the creative outlet it provides me, which is why I’m working on Alaska Junction primarily right now. I need to create something, bring in new scenes, give a relationship and friendships different dynamics, add kissing and coffee and a whole new batch of fun exciting elements. Adding them to March would bring a devastating overload, and any hope I might have of acquiring an agent would be dashed like a ceramic mug, falling off of a counter, splattering French roast hope all over the floor.
His comment basically said that I should remind myself that this is a hobby, not a profession, that I should lighten up about writing and slow down. Up to this point, my own opinion can only be guessed at...
It made me mad.
I’m not a professional, I get that. Sometimes my writing behaviors are less than hobbyish, leaving me with minimal sleep and much caffeine. (Another concern of his, for my health, as I’m apparently writing, over-caffeinating and not sleeping myself to the grave. This is untrue.) I don’t see myself as a wannabe writer. I see myself as a writer working towards publication, which is what we all are, right? I don’t want to be published for the first time at the age of forty, after writing for 23 years. It’s not me. I never liked treading water in swimming lessons, and will not just hang out with a novel or two on my hard drive, waiting for something to happen. I know this sounds foolish and probably pretty naive, but if a manuscript of mine is consistently being rejected, then I need more work, more feedback, more critiques. I will work or my novels until they are usable, and valuable. My friend truly meant well, but my goals are not the same as his (he is a writer as well.) There is something special about emerging yourself into something you love, and watching it bloom. I could give up, I could settle for less structured (another fallacy on his part- there is much less writing and coffee, and way more sleep than he gives me credit for) and more freestyle-hobby work, but that won’t make me happy.
In the movie Julie and Julia, (one of my favorites- cannot watch it enough) Eric, Julie’s husband tells Julie that there are sixty-five messages on their answering machine, all from literary agents, television producers, editors, etc. (man I WISH that would happen, but that’s not my point...) she [Julie] remarks to Eric, “I’m going to be a writer!” and what he says is one of my favorite lines in the movie, of which there are many.
“You are a writer.”
Publication or not, we’re all writers. Full time or not, we all write, we all craft and it’s individual for each of us. A one-size approach does not fit all.
You are not a professional authoress, and treating this [writing] hobby as such cannot be healthy.
At the core, the statement is not completely untrue. I’m still finishing the third draft of March, though not as full-steam-ahead as I suppose I could? To my credit, I really love writing and the creative outlet it provides me, which is why I’m working on Alaska Junction primarily right now. I need to create something, bring in new scenes, give a relationship and friendships different dynamics, add kissing and coffee and a whole new batch of fun exciting elements. Adding them to March would bring a devastating overload, and any hope I might have of acquiring an agent would be dashed like a ceramic mug, falling off of a counter, splattering French roast hope all over the floor.
His comment basically said that I should remind myself that this is a hobby, not a profession, that I should lighten up about writing and slow down. Up to this point, my own opinion can only be guessed at...
It made me mad.
I’m not a professional, I get that. Sometimes my writing behaviors are less than hobbyish, leaving me with minimal sleep and much caffeine. (Another concern of his, for my health, as I’m apparently writing, over-caffeinating and not sleeping myself to the grave. This is untrue.) I don’t see myself as a wannabe writer. I see myself as a writer working towards publication, which is what we all are, right? I don’t want to be published for the first time at the age of forty, after writing for 23 years. It’s not me. I never liked treading water in swimming lessons, and will not just hang out with a novel or two on my hard drive, waiting for something to happen. I know this sounds foolish and probably pretty naive, but if a manuscript of mine is consistently being rejected, then I need more work, more feedback, more critiques. I will work or my novels until they are usable, and valuable. My friend truly meant well, but my goals are not the same as his (he is a writer as well.) There is something special about emerging yourself into something you love, and watching it bloom. I could give up, I could settle for less structured (another fallacy on his part- there is much less writing and coffee, and way more sleep than he gives me credit for) and more freestyle-hobby work, but that won’t make me happy.
“You are a writer.”
Publication or not, we’re all writers. Full time or not, we all write, we all craft and it’s individual for each of us. A one-size approach does not fit all.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
The Lovely Bones (Movie) an opinion...
I watched The Lovely Bones last night, and several people asked me for a review- or rather an opinion. Here we go!
The plot is relatively simple; Suzie Salmon narrates the story, detailing the events leading up to and the life of her family after her murder.
Yes, I realize this sounds REALLY freaky.
In some parts it is, but as a viewer, you never really see or relate to Suzie as a dead girl, or someone haunting her family- she's more of a trapped onlooker, forced to watch her family (and the boy she likes/liked) deal with their grief.
Yes, I realize this sounds more like a bad romcom or just a tragedy.
It's both.
The Lovely Bones is not for the faint of heart by any means... I would rate it PG13, borderline R.
It's not a traditionally scary movie, so nothing pops out and screams at you, but it IS really creepy, as you follow her killer who lives next door, and plots ways to trap and kill his next victim.
You see a couple of dead bodies, but none of them open their eyes or come alive or anything, and the soundtrack is not this constantly creepy undertone that keeps you on edge for three hours...
There is a definite flip flop, part CREEPY/FREAKY murder scene, part grieving family, part other world, which is rainbow colored and reminds me visually of what I pictured in the Gemma Doyle trilogy.
A big plus for me was the costumes- the story takes place in the 70's and early 80's, so everyone has awesome hair. If you're looking for a sweet movie, this in really not it. If you're looking for a horror film, you might be satisfied, but there aren't any jump-off-the-screen scare your pants off moments. I wouldnt' watch the film again, it's too much, and I'm sure that the book would be a bit intense for my tastes. But it wasn't completely horrible... I'm sure some of you might enjoy it. Hope that helps some of you!
The plot is relatively simple; Suzie Salmon narrates the story, detailing the events leading up to and the life of her family after her murder.
Yes, I realize this sounds REALLY freaky.
In some parts it is, but as a viewer, you never really see or relate to Suzie as a dead girl, or someone haunting her family- she's more of a trapped onlooker, forced to watch her family (and the boy she likes/liked) deal with their grief.
Yes, I realize this sounds more like a bad romcom or just a tragedy.
It's both.
The Lovely Bones is not for the faint of heart by any means... I would rate it PG13, borderline R.
It's not a traditionally scary movie, so nothing pops out and screams at you, but it IS really creepy, as you follow her killer who lives next door, and plots ways to trap and kill his next victim.
You see a couple of dead bodies, but none of them open their eyes or come alive or anything, and the soundtrack is not this constantly creepy undertone that keeps you on edge for three hours...
There is a definite flip flop, part CREEPY/FREAKY murder scene, part grieving family, part other world, which is rainbow colored and reminds me visually of what I pictured in the Gemma Doyle trilogy.
A big plus for me was the costumes- the story takes place in the 70's and early 80's, so everyone has awesome hair. If you're looking for a sweet movie, this in really not it. If you're looking for a horror film, you might be satisfied, but there aren't any jump-off-the-screen scare your pants off moments. I wouldnt' watch the film again, it's too much, and I'm sure that the book would be a bit intense for my tastes. But it wasn't completely horrible... I'm sure some of you might enjoy it. Hope that helps some of you!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
List of threes
Last three books I’ve read:
1. If I Stay, by Gayle Foreman (listened to-still counts!) Five of Five
2. The Lonely Hearts Club, but Elizabeth Eulberg Four of Five
3. Under the Rose, by Diana Peterfreund Four of Five
Three announcements to make:
1. I’m thinking about trying BEDA (blog every day in August)but don't know if I'll be able to with the road trip and all.
2. Live posting will be less frequent until mid-August, as I’m freakishly busy. That is, unless I manage to schedule posts, which will probably make everything more frequent! Scary, huh?
3. A couple of authors and I are planning a livetweet movie night- more details to come!
Three Alaska Updates:
1. There is work being done, alas it is not much work.
2. Abby Stevens and Glenna Walsh are amazing, and not letting me stop, which I have considered.
3. There is a stack of guidebooks by my bed about the PNW; I figure that I can describe both what I know and remember, and what Arthur Frommer says.
Last three movies I watched:
1. Paper Heart (cute)
2. Fame (okay)
3. Whip It (fantastic)
Last three purchases:
1. Iced Latte
2. Baguette
3. Gummy Bears (I know, so sophisticated until number 3...)
1. If I Stay, by Gayle Foreman (listened to-still counts!) Five of Five
2. The Lonely Hearts Club, but Elizabeth Eulberg Four of Five
3. Under the Rose, by Diana Peterfreund Four of Five
Three announcements to make:
1. I’m thinking about trying BEDA (blog every day in August)but don't know if I'll be able to with the road trip and all.
2. Live posting will be less frequent until mid-August, as I’m freakishly busy. That is, unless I manage to schedule posts, which will probably make everything more frequent! Scary, huh?
3. A couple of authors and I are planning a livetweet movie night- more details to come!
Three Alaska Updates:
1. There is work being done, alas it is not much work.
2. Abby Stevens and Glenna Walsh are amazing, and not letting me stop, which I have considered.
3. There is a stack of guidebooks by my bed about the PNW; I figure that I can describe both what I know and remember, and what Arthur Frommer says.
Last three movies I watched:
1. Paper Heart (cute)
2. Fame (okay)
3. Whip It (fantastic)
Last three purchases:
1. Iced Latte
2. Baguette
3. Gummy Bears (I know, so sophisticated until number 3...)
Sorry for the delay!
Congrats to the 2nd half of my iBeta contest winner, K! Email me your manuscript, or whatever you’d like me to look over. I enjoyed the process of learning about each of your manuscripts, and wish I could read them all. (Maybe I could? Hmm...) ALSO, I am very excited to say that I WON Myrna Foster’s contest! I’m ridiculously grateful- you should all go send her e-hugs. Check back later today for more updates and... fun stuff, like real blog posts. :)
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
I want to win.
And will do anything necessary. What I want to win, is the contest on Myrna Foster's blog, giving away pre-orders of Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins (who I met in PERSON. She is AWESOME) AND Paranormalcy, by Kiersten White, who I (unfortunately) only know through Twitter stalking, but hear is pretty ahmaaazing. And get this: along with the books, she's giving away Nutella. Are you KIDDING ME? It's my dream contest! Check it out!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Hey look! It's HANNAH MOSKOWITZ!
So there's this freakishly awesome author named Hannah Moskowitz that I'm kiiiiinda obsessed with. I invited her over for an interview, and here it is! Enjoy! :)
Hello! Why don’t you tell us about you, who you are, your social security number, and favorite flavor of jam?
I'm a dirty girl with a platform. I have an older sister, two parents,
and either two or six cats, depending on which house you're talking
about. One of the houses also has a completely satanic puppy. I eat a
lot of cereal and ask a lot of questions.
My social security number is 12, and my favorite flavor of jam is grape.
I hear you have a novel coming out pretty soon. Tell me EVERYTHING.
So. Invincible Summer is about a boy named Chase and his relationships
with his family and the girl next door changing over four summers at
his beach house. Unlike BREAK, this one is actually darker than the
cover would have you believe. It's basically very gritty and
sexy--like having sex in the sand, really. There's also sign language,
a ton of philosophy, and one of the weirdest love triangles you'll
probably ever see. Probably because the only love is between the two
brothers on either end.
On an average day at 9AM you are....?
Fast asleep.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
A singer. I really want to be a singer. I actually dreamed last night
that I sang MAMA WHO BORE ME for the cast of Work of Art and they were
very, very impressed.
How do you take your coffee?
In the trash. I hate coffee.
What is the worst advice you’ve ever received?
Give up.
Lima Beans or Brussels Sprouts?
I don't like either, so I'll make an executive decision and say that,
while Peru is cool, my best friend lived in Brussels for a while and I
like her very much. So Brussels Sprouts.
Do you have a writing method/routine?
I don't write all the time. When I do, it's in very quick, intense
bursts. I get down the first draft in about a week and edit intensely
for a few weeks after that. Then I'm done, and I get about a month off
before I start again. I'm in a month off right now, and it's lovely.
Who are your super heroes?
My mom.
Out of everything you’ve EVER written, who is your favorite character?
I really like Teeth in my #magicgayfish book. He's been removed from
real society since he was five, so he still has this childlike way
about him, but at the same time he's had to fend for himself for so
long that he has this very pragmatic mind, and he's been through a lot
since his exile, but didn't have anyone to put it into context for
him. Basically his view of the world is very different.
What was the last book you finished (reading)? Be honest, especially if it’s something REALLY embarrassing!
Not embarrassing at all---Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick. I adored it.
What is your favorite candy?
Everlasting Gobstoppers.
Where can we stalk you online? :)
So many places.
My website is www.untilhannah.com, though that's in the process of being redone.
Blog is http://hannahmosk.blogspot.com.
I generally blog 3 times a
I'm a dirty girl with a platform. I have an older sister, two parents,
and either two or six cats, depending on which house you're talking
about. One of the houses also has a completely satanic puppy. I eat a
lot of cereal and ask a lot of questions.
My social security number is 12, and my favorite flavor of jam is grape.
I hear you have a novel coming out pretty soon. Tell me EVERYTHING.
So. Invincible Summer is about a boy named Chase and his relationships
with his family and the girl next door changing over four summers at
his beach house. Unlike BREAK, this one is actually darker than the
cover would have you believe. It's basically very gritty and
sexy--like having sex in the sand, really. There's also sign language,
a ton of philosophy, and one of the weirdest love triangles you'll
probably ever see. Probably because the only love is between the two
brothers on either end.
On an average day at 9AM you are....?
Fast asleep.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
A singer. I really want to be a singer. I actually dreamed last night
that I sang MAMA WHO BORE ME for the cast of Work of Art and they were
very, very impressed.
How do you take your coffee?
In the trash. I hate coffee.
What is the worst advice you’ve ever received?
Give up.
Lima Beans or Brussels Sprouts?
I don't like either, so I'll make an executive decision and say that,
while Peru is cool, my best friend lived in Brussels for a while and I
like her very much. So Brussels Sprouts.
Do you have a writing method/routine?
I don't write all the time. When I do, it's in very quick, intense
bursts. I get down the first draft in about a week and edit intensely
for a few weeks after that. Then I'm done, and I get about a month off
before I start again. I'm in a month off right now, and it's lovely.
Who are your super heroes?
My mom.
Out of everything you’ve EVER written, who is your favorite character?
I really like Teeth in my #magicgayfish book. He's been removed from
real society since he was five, so he still has this childlike way
about him, but at the same time he's had to fend for himself for so
long that he has this very pragmatic mind, and he's been through a lot
since his exile, but didn't have anyone to put it into context for
him. Basically his view of the world is very different.
What was the last book you finished (reading)? Be honest, especially if it’s something REALLY embarrassing!
Not embarrassing at all---Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick. I adored it.
What is your favorite candy?
Everlasting Gobstoppers.
Where can we stalk you online? :)
So many places.
My website is www.untilhannah.com, though that's in the process of being redone.
Blog is http://hannahmosk.blogspot.com.
I generally blog 3 times a
week--Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday/Sunday.
Twitter is www.twitter.com/hannahmosk, and I'm there a LOT.
Personal facebook is http://www.facebook.com/
you also want to see my conversations with my high school friends, and
the fan page is here if you just want book stuff:
http://www.facebook.com/
Thanks Hannah! For anyone interested [Read: ALL OF YOU] Go vote for Hannah's new novel, Invincible Summer on Goodreads (#38 at the moment, come on- lets get it to #1!), then go enter her ARC contest, right HERE.
Twitter is www.twitter.com/hannahmosk, and I'm there a LOT.
Personal facebook is http://www.facebook.com/
you also want to see my conversations with my high school friends, and
the fan page is here if you just want book stuff:
http://www.facebook.com/
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The evolution of a blog header. OR, Life as a creative person with ADD.
Not many words, many pictures. :)
Not even going to show the versions that DIDN'T make the cut.
Not even going to show the versions that DIDN'T make the cut.
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