This will be my last post on this blog. I haven't been blogging nearly as much as I would like to be, and I really feel as though I've outgrown this particular chunk of internet musings. New content will be posted on The Geeky Cupcake, which I hope will be a lot less mopey and more useful.
With that being said, I have not updated many people on the events of my life. 2016 has been a very busy year, and I want to use this final post to talk about where things are going.
I ended my relationship with Will over a month ago. This was not an easy decision, but I feel it was for the best. We need to be on different paths right now, and that's okay. We're on good terms, and our cat Isis has moved in with him. She's happy, and he's taking good care of her.
I'm almost finished with my first year at Lackawanna College. I do not plan on attending for a second year. In fact, I'm vehemently against it. This college has been a stepping stone for my college career, and while I'm very glad to have met the people here and been involved, I'm ready for my actual degree program.
I am trying to get into Temple University in Philadelphia. If all goes well, I will be moving with one of my friends to an apartment outside of the city sometime this summer. I will be majoring in secondary education with a focus in classical languages (Latin and Greek). I'm very excited about this, and I hope we hit as few roadbumps as possible along the way!
Keep an eye on my new blog for new content. It's still a little bare, but it will get there. Thank you to everyone who has always supported my blogging, writing, art, and other stuff!
Monday, May 2, 2016
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Writing Tip #16
Blogging's been kind of slow lately. I think it's some combination of being busy looking for a new job, playing too much Skyrim, and having some old health issues act up again. I'm trying to get back into writing some stories and finishing a book, so I'm starting off with a new writing tip.
Tip #16: Privacy
I just finished reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman. It was one of the best books I've ever read, and certainly quite a bit different than other things I've read. One thing Gaiman did a lot differently than other authors I typically read was giving the characters little to no privacy.
As the author of your own work, you decide how much readers see of your character. You can cut out the parts where they're sitting in a room doing nothing, reading an old book, using the bathroom, or being intimate with loved ones. You have the power to leave your character alone during those times or let the reader watch every detail.
One key thing, I believe, is to be consistent and know where your lines are drawn. If you write about your character's restroom trips, for instance, you're probably generally going into very minute detail. In a realistic, vividly described world, it makes it even more real. Otherwise, why would we care? If you only wrote about it once in a 300 page book, why was that one time so significant? The more you do it, the more a part of the realness it becomes, if that's what you're going for. And if writing about that is okay, what do you feel the need to omit or glaze over? Perhaps nothing, if you write for a mature enough audience.
I think writing the private moments of our characters' lives is an exercise we could all stand to do. Even if all of it gets cut out of the finished product, it can get the writer closer to the characters and really force us to analyze our creations as people, rather than a set of words on a page.
Tip #16: Privacy
I just finished reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman. It was one of the best books I've ever read, and certainly quite a bit different than other things I've read. One thing Gaiman did a lot differently than other authors I typically read was giving the characters little to no privacy.
As the author of your own work, you decide how much readers see of your character. You can cut out the parts where they're sitting in a room doing nothing, reading an old book, using the bathroom, or being intimate with loved ones. You have the power to leave your character alone during those times or let the reader watch every detail.
One key thing, I believe, is to be consistent and know where your lines are drawn. If you write about your character's restroom trips, for instance, you're probably generally going into very minute detail. In a realistic, vividly described world, it makes it even more real. Otherwise, why would we care? If you only wrote about it once in a 300 page book, why was that one time so significant? The more you do it, the more a part of the realness it becomes, if that's what you're going for. And if writing about that is okay, what do you feel the need to omit or glaze over? Perhaps nothing, if you write for a mature enough audience.
I think writing the private moments of our characters' lives is an exercise we could all stand to do. Even if all of it gets cut out of the finished product, it can get the writer closer to the characters and really force us to analyze our creations as people, rather than a set of words on a page.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Trip to Witch City
In October, Will took me to Salem, Massachusetts to celebrate my 21st birthday. We had lots of fun, nice weather, and bought stuff from the many magic shops dotting the city. We spent three days there (the day before, of, and after my birthday on the 23rd).
We got there kind of late on the first day, but we had food at a little bakery. The next day he bought me a cake from that bakery, we walked all over the city and shopped, and we spent a good amount of time on the wharves collecting rocks. He found a chunk of what I think is green fluorite, and I found an old corroded bullet. We also got a bunch of rocks with marble. Later that night, we did a candle-lit ghost tour of the city, learning about all the haunted buildings. Our last day was spent attending a presentation at the Witch History Museum, then wandering around doing just a little more shopping.
All in all, lots of fun, and I'd go again. Here are some photos!
We got there kind of late on the first day, but we had food at a little bakery. The next day he bought me a cake from that bakery, we walked all over the city and shopped, and we spent a good amount of time on the wharves collecting rocks. He found a chunk of what I think is green fluorite, and I found an old corroded bullet. We also got a bunch of rocks with marble. Later that night, we did a candle-lit ghost tour of the city, learning about all the haunted buildings. Our last day was spent attending a presentation at the Witch History Museum, then wandering around doing just a little more shopping.
All in all, lots of fun, and I'd go again. Here are some photos!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Moving
Moving is a weird thing. It's been a long time since I moved into the house I'm now leaving behind in favor of an apartment with my fiancée. He took a promotion at the Walmart in Wilkes Barre, PA, about an hour away. We found a great little place and we're mostly moved in.
It's odd to have to pack up years of accumulated memories, sifting through what I can take and what I'm leaving, separating the person I used to be from the person I am now and cutting ties with things that no longer hold meaning. Photographs of people I haven't spoken to in years, ex boyfriends, and friends that probably don't even like me anymore don't have a place in my life, and it's kind of hard to let all of that go.
Will is already living at the apartment and doing his new job. I, meanwhile, am stuck in a half demolished room miles away. It's lonely and depressing, and the empty shelves aren't making it any better.
I can't wait to get my transfer through so I can get fully moved in. The two nights apart have seemed like weeks. The drain on my bank account has been enormous, and the drain on my energy from constant driving and packing and unpacking is even worse. I'm ready for everything to be done already so I can get on with my life.
It's odd to have to pack up years of accumulated memories, sifting through what I can take and what I'm leaving, separating the person I used to be from the person I am now and cutting ties with things that no longer hold meaning. Photographs of people I haven't spoken to in years, ex boyfriends, and friends that probably don't even like me anymore don't have a place in my life, and it's kind of hard to let all of that go.
Will is already living at the apartment and doing his new job. I, meanwhile, am stuck in a half demolished room miles away. It's lonely and depressing, and the empty shelves aren't making it any better.
I can't wait to get my transfer through so I can get fully moved in. The two nights apart have seemed like weeks. The drain on my bank account has been enormous, and the drain on my energy from constant driving and packing and unpacking is even worse. I'm ready for everything to be done already so I can get on with my life.
Monday, October 29, 2012
NaNoWriMo 2012
I'm once again pushing myself to write 50,000 words in 30 days. It'll go better this year, I promise. I'm completely restarting The Devil's Blade, which I started last year and failed to complete.
This year, I've had a year to think of better ways to do it. I have an outline written out. I shifted from a focus on Catholic lore to the Pagan aspects of the lore, though both always were and will be present. I've fantasized it up and stopped worrying about the accuracy of the 1400's.
It should be quite a bit better.
I'm also in sort of a competition with a coworker who will be watching my word count closely. There will be write-ins closer to home, so I'll be doing those, too.
Overall, should be a much better year than last year. For the Wrimos finding my blog through the NaNo site, welcome and enjoy the ridiculous writing tips!
About The Devil's Blade
Valdius is the Grim Reaper, a collector of souls that have been sold to the devil. Valdius possesses unearthly powers and immortality, quietly following orders to kill while holding onto what little humanity he has left. When he meets Anastera, a mysterious woman with abilities of her own, Valdius must tread carefully to keep her out of the devil's grasp without getting caught himself.
This year, I've had a year to think of better ways to do it. I have an outline written out. I shifted from a focus on Catholic lore to the Pagan aspects of the lore, though both always were and will be present. I've fantasized it up and stopped worrying about the accuracy of the 1400's.
It should be quite a bit better.
I'm also in sort of a competition with a coworker who will be watching my word count closely. There will be write-ins closer to home, so I'll be doing those, too.
Overall, should be a much better year than last year. For the Wrimos finding my blog through the NaNo site, welcome and enjoy the ridiculous writing tips!
About The Devil's Blade
Valdius is the Grim Reaper, a collector of souls that have been sold to the devil. Valdius possesses unearthly powers and immortality, quietly following orders to kill while holding onto what little humanity he has left. When he meets Anastera, a mysterious woman with abilities of her own, Valdius must tread carefully to keep her out of the devil's grasp without getting caught himself.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
I've been spending quite a lot of time over on Pinterest lately. For those of you unfamiliar with the site, it's basically a place for digital hoarders to "pin" links to stuff they like and share it with their friends. It's a nifty way to see what kind of things your friends are up to, find lots of new ideas, and share cool stuff you find online.
I think one of the best things about Pinterest is the positive atmosphere. Design-wise, the site looks nice. It's not quite minimalistic, but it's far from cluttered. It's bright and pleasantly styled. On top of that, there's the concept of the site itself. The whole premise revolves around sharing things you love. Everyone on the site is on there looking for things that make them happy, then passing that happiness on to their followers. Even if I'm not particularly interested in things my friends repin, it's still nice that they liked it enough to share and added a smiley face.
It's a refreshing break from Facebook, where you'll get posts ranging from furious to ecstatic and everything in between. Pinterest is a nice change of pace from the drama and low points of life, instead focusing entirely on stuff that's interesting, funny, cute, or clever.
I think that's a lot of why I'm on that site so much. I love trying new craft projects and finding new artwork, and I always find something I haven't thought of yet. Digging through all that stuff and being really excited to try a new project is a great way to spend an hour after wearing myself out at work all day.
Go check out Pinterest!
My Boards -> http://pinterest.com/eternalnight11/
I think one of the best things about Pinterest is the positive atmosphere. Design-wise, the site looks nice. It's not quite minimalistic, but it's far from cluttered. It's bright and pleasantly styled. On top of that, there's the concept of the site itself. The whole premise revolves around sharing things you love. Everyone on the site is on there looking for things that make them happy, then passing that happiness on to their followers. Even if I'm not particularly interested in things my friends repin, it's still nice that they liked it enough to share and added a smiley face.
It's a refreshing break from Facebook, where you'll get posts ranging from furious to ecstatic and everything in between. Pinterest is a nice change of pace from the drama and low points of life, instead focusing entirely on stuff that's interesting, funny, cute, or clever.
I think that's a lot of why I'm on that site so much. I love trying new craft projects and finding new artwork, and I always find something I haven't thought of yet. Digging through all that stuff and being really excited to try a new project is a great way to spend an hour after wearing myself out at work all day.
Go check out Pinterest!
My Boards -> http://pinterest.com/eternalnight11/
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
LGBT Pride Month
As I'm sure most people on the internet know, June is LGBT Pride Month. It's a month for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transexuals (among others) to accept who they are, the straight members of the community to show their support against prejudice and harassment, and the closed minded people of the community to lose a couple friends by being jerks.
Pride seems like an interesting word for this sort of thing. I've heard the argument that it's weird to be so proud of what you were born with when there's the same chance any random person is the same way. The way I see it, it's not a flaunting sort of pride, but rather an accepting one.
If you grow up getting complimented on your blue eyes in an area where brown is the majority, I bet you'd appreciate having them. If you grow up being picked on for being different, you're going to resent them and wish you could change. Same with being gay. It wasn't up to you, and in today's society, you are, in fact, a minority. You have likely been picked on, oppressed, and shunned. To overcome that negativity and come through it accepting yourself for who you are, getting to the point of liking yourself and readily expressing yourself without fear, is its own form of pride.
I know a big divide is the one between religion and the LGBT community. Screw them. I know gay Christian ministers and I've seen religious figures trying to change the way the church sees things. Remember that no god, whether the Christian God, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or freakin' Zeus, would preach hatred and intolerance. Those are human ideals; not divine ones. If religion is something you want, there are accepting people in every following that aren't blinded by what they're told.
Keep being yourself. Keep liking yourself. The ones who don't accept you aren't important; the ones that support you are.
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