'Nother Year, 'Nother NaNo

Just in case anyone was wondering, I'm behind in NaNoWriMo by 2,000 words. Am I worried about it? Not incredibly. In past years I thought I would die if I didn't reach the 50k by the 31st... this year it's important, but I think I'll survive if I should fail.

You know that outline I mentioned I had? Yeah, well, I completely decided not to use it and go with a novel I'd written the first year I did NaNo. Only, 1,000 words into that novel and I decided it needed a major overhaul.

So, I might have taken a complete fantasy novel and transformed it to a futuristickindofnormalbuthasrandomburstsoftechnologyyouweren'texpecting novel. No, that's not a technical term so don't quote me on it.

The point is, I've written a lot more this way then I think I ever would have if I'd decided to stick with the plots I had before. It's been awhile since I decided to write with no sort of anything planned, but amazingly enough pieces are coming together and I believe brilliance is in the making. (Just kidding, I'm not Charles Dickens)

Also, RainyMood is a gift from God.

K, bye.

(This post is brought to you by the girl who didn't get enough sleep last night due to the fact that she figured her alarm would go off at the wrong time and she would be late for work. Daylight Savings Time is dumb) (btw, I wasn't late) (part of me is glad about that because... well, I wasn't late, but the other part of me is kind of irritated because my alarm would have gone off and aroused me at the right time and I could have slept soundly) (Daylight Savings Time is dumb)

Vlog Time

Hey ya'll, hope you're doing fine. Things have been pretty insanely busy for me. I'm wrapping up a week of visiting with Sam and we figured we'd take a minute (or 12) to talk about one of our favorite things ever... NaNo!

Just in case you didn't get enough, we forgot to mention Beautiful People...

Explore. Dream. Discover.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. 

Mark Twain was a smart guy. I used to think this quote's only meaning was to drop everything and go travel the world. Maybe that was what he intended for those who heard the words, maybe he simply meant, live the life you have to the fullest. Explore, dream, and discover the life around you. Maybe he meant both.

Either way, I can't really drop everything at the moment, so I've been discovering things at home.

1. Les Miserables is a beautiful book. Victor Hugo is a bit long winded, but it's worth it. 

   2. Expectations can be good, but sometimes they get to high. Then it stings when they fall down again. 

3. Nobody is perfect. Even when you thought they were. 

   4. Books take up a lot of space, the more books you get, the more space you need. (maybe that one was obvious for some peoples) 

5. Forgiveness is good. To give and to receive. 

   6. I'm a bit fonder of Fall then I thought I was. (despite the fact that it means no more summer) 

7. November comes very quickly every year. (NaNoWriMo anyone?) 

   8. Sometimes it's worth fighting for. Sometimes you've just gotta shrug and say "okay." 

9. Marshmallows sooth a sore throat. Happy day. 

10. Change happens. Welcome it with a smile. It makes life easier in the long run. 

What About Now?

I don't remember the last time someone asked me what I was going to do with my life. Aside from myself of course, because if it came down to that, the answer every time would be, five minutes ago.

You remember when we graduated highschool and it was the only thing anyone could talk to you about? What comes next? What amazing talents does this generation have to share with the world? We've given you our everything, now what will you give us?

A year and a half later, they've stopped asking. I guess they got tired of hearing the one answer I could consistently give. I really don't know. What a disappointment.

With another one of those awesome birthdays we all looked forward to from the ages of three to eighteen fast approaching, it's been on my mind a lot lately. What now? Actually, not as much that as, why haven't I done it yet?

The world has been sending me mixed messages. One minute I'm being told that I'm young, now is my chance to do the things I've always dreamed of doing. Now is the chance to see the places I've never thought I'd get the chance to see. "Why not?", is the only question they have for me, when I tell them I can't just leave. Oh, you know,

Family.

Friends.

A job.

People. Mostly people. I can't walk out on them.

"Yeah, that's what held me back too. Don't make the same mistake."

Minute number two has other things to say. Most of them directly contradicting with Minute One, yet explaining to me that Minute One is right. Now is my chance. Wait, what?

My chance for what exactly? I still haven't figured that out.

Have I mentioned Minute Two doesn't make a whole lot of sense?

I work at Safeway. I'm a courtesy clerk, which is a nice way of saying, I bag peoples grocery's, and push carts. My co-workers are awesome.

I've lost count of how many of them have told me to find another job. One of them reminds me rather frequently. "Find something you enjoy doing, because if you can go far here, you'll do even better while you're happy."

I was talking to a friend of mine awhile ago about all of this, and she smiled and said, "it's like a real live coming of age story."

Right, only, where's the climax? At what point do I get hit on the head and come to with the knowledge of everything I've always wanted, and how to achieve it? At one point does everything boil down to the one moment that changes it all?

I guess I know my problem. I've been listening to the world to much. Thinking they're the ones I'm meant to please. Forgetting Who really matters, cause in the end, He's the one I'll be spending eternity with... gosh, and I thought, "the rest of my life" sounded like a long time.

Life Doesn't Have a Mute Button

My one rule in blogging. Only do it when I want to, not when I feel I have to. Unfortunately, sometimes this results in extended periods of time where I type not a single word for you to read. Shame.

Actually, one of the very few reasons I'm back, writing this now, is because of my Sam. You've heard me mention her before. It's not that she's told me repeatedly that I should start blogging again *cough, cough* (she has), it's more the posts I've seen on her own blog recently. Please, go read them. They've inspired me, maybe they'll provide you with the same favor.

Today was one of those days where I just wanted to turn and tell whoever was talking to me to shut up. I wish I could say I would have said it in a nicer way, but truth is, if I'd actually done it, that's exactly how I would have said it. Shut up.

Question. Does adding please to the phrase "shut up" make it any less rude? I feel not.

The weird thing about days like this, for me, is that I'm really not in a bad mood. On the contrary, I could easily describe today as a good day, yet I still just wanted the world around me to be silent. No, not silent, I just wanted the words to stop flowing. From everywhere.

I guess maybe sometimes I overwhelm myself with to many words. To many spoken, to many written, to many to read. They're everywhere, and on days like today, I just don't want them anymore because I can't think anymore. My brain is suffocating. Let me breath. 

I can't though.

You don't have the option of turning words off at work.

You don't have the option of turning words off at home.

You don't have the option of turnings words off with friends.

Turning words off is not an option.

So, on days like today, I bite my tongue, and I nod and smile at the appropriate moments. Well... maybe sometimes I don't always smile.

Today was good. Today I envied the deaf man.

Beautiful People - Villain Edition

Annnnd, we're back, with Beautiful People. I know, I'm failing at getting posts on this blog. I apologize, but life gets in the way I suppose. Newish job, crazy schedule. I guess the whole blog thing has just taken a backseat for me.

Beautiful People shall not die however. At least for awhile yet. It might be continually late, but once again, Sam and I have scrambled about for 10 questions. 

If you're new to Beautiful People, it's pretty easy to jump right in. Each month Sky and I post 10 questions on our blogs. Pick one, or many of the characters in anything you happen to be writing, (novel, script, short story, comic book...) and answer the questions about that character. Post it on your blog, sign the linky. Fun stuff all around. Not to mention it really helps in getting to know your characters. Always a good thing. 

This month is Villain Edition. Thanks to Alexandra for suggesting the idea, and thanks to Fin for suggesting some of the questions. 

So, choose a villain, and... "here... we... go..." *said in the voice of one of my favorite villains ever, The Joker*

1. What is their motive?
2. What are they prepared to do to get what they want?
3. Are they evil to the core, or simply misunderstood?
4. What was their past like? What about their childhood? Was there one defining moment that made them embrace their evil ways?
5. Now that they're evil, have they turned their back on everyone, or is there still someone in their life that they care for? (Brother? Daughter? Love interest? Mother? Someone who is just as evil as they are?)
6. Do they like hugs?
7. Are they plagued by something? (Nightmares? Terrible thoughts?)
8. Who are they more similar to: Gollum or Maleficent?
9. If your villain could have their choice of transportation what would it be?
10. If you met your villain in the street, how afraid would you be? Are they evil enough to kill their creator? 

I encourage you let loose an evil cackle while answering these questions. Just because. 

Beautiful People - Karis

Yes, I'm finally getting around to answering this months questions for Beautiful People. Part of the reason it's taken me so long is because for the longest time I just didn't even feel like writing. It was bad, I was pretty much getting nothing done. Then yesterday morning happened.

Every week I get together with some writing friends of mine at a local coffee shop and we work on whatever writing projects we've got going on. While drinking coffee. Talking... observing all the strange people. I've been outlining for the novel I'll be using for Camp NaNo in June. It's great, only it had a ton of plot holes I couldn't bring myself to fill. Until yesterday morning. Talk about inspiration migraines. Anyway, since then I've been outlining a ton, which includes character analysis. Thus, this Beautiful People post is finally going to get done.

Now that I've explained that in full detail, I'll move on to the questions.

Karis is my hero's best friend, and later becomes his wife. She used to work for Prince Trinn, but she disobeyed him one day. He had all her beautiful hair chopped off and she was stoned out of town. Lovell, the hero, found her in the woods and he's the one that got her to leave the trees again. He showed her that anyone can be forgiven, no matter what they've done. She showed him that love is a real thing.

1. What is their favorite type of shoe? 
She doesn't wear shoes. She hates them. She had to wear them all the time while she was working for Prince Trinn and now that she's free of his command she avoids them as much as possible. She probably hasn't worn a shoe for several years.

2. Do they journal?
Nope.

3. What's their favorite animal? 
A dog. She loves dogs, and always manages to find time to scratch a strays belly.

4. What does their average day look like? 
When she's living in the woods it's pretty simple. She pretty much just goes with whatever happens to come her way. Living at home though, she spends a lot of time with her family, and doing chores for her Mother, or just playing games with her sisters.

5. Night owl, or morning person? (Optional: What time do they normally wake up, and go to bed?)
Night owl, she always seems to be more alive once the stars have come out, and she loves the moon. She'll generally stay up as late as she possibly can, even though she also gets up early. In other words, she doesn't sleep much.

6. Do they have a sweet tooth? 
She doesn't really have sweets. So, not really.

7. What colors are their bedroom? 
When she lives in the woods she sleeps in a cave. When she lives at home she sleeps in the same room as the rest of her family. No beds, they sleep on the floor. The walls are brown.

8. Can they cook? 
Yes, when she's actually got food to cook with.

9. What is their favorite household chore? 
Getting water. It means a walk, often times by herself. It gives her time to think.

10. Favorite kind of tea? 
She doesn't really drink tea. If she did she'd probably like something fruity, or maybe peppermint.