Monday, April 25, 2011

30-Day Challenge 13: An Un-Hoppy Easter Break


Question of the Day: Share your tips on studying and doing your best on tests with us students who are in the smack middle of examination week!


Day 13: A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.
I'm back. *sigh* As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. So true. So true.

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Friday, April 15, 2011

Interview: An Evening With Writer Jordan-Marie Smith

Today we have Jordan-Marie Smith from Where Lies My Tarp? here with us to talk about her thoughts on the writing process and what her source of creativity comes from. I have known Jordan since the near beginning of high school, and she is simply AWESOME.

JMS will be graduating from high school in June. She will be attending American University in the fall with a major in International Relations and a minor in Journalism. Jordan enjoys writing various short stories and poetry (both fiction and non-fiction), all of which come from experiences that she has gone through in reality. When it comes to writing, it is her wish that readers will be able to "feel the weight of the characters' emotions". Her favorite color is black.


TRA: Why do you write? What drives you, inspires you?

JMS: Frustration, anger, and the inability to be honest with myself forces me to write. I'll create a character who acts as myself and faces the same complexities in her life between her boyfriends, her mental illness and the world in general.

TRA: Every writer goes about the writing process in different ways; it's a unique experience for everyone. Tell us, what is the writing process like for you?

JMS: I don't really have a process. If you mean process in terms of planning when to write, I've never really been into that (as you can see from my lack of recent blog posts). I've tended to trust myself to spontaneously burst onto the keys of my Netbook and begin. I will say, though, that I must must must have music to write, especially creative writing. I find it much harder to sit and write and not get distracted when I don't have music. When I have something playing in my ear, it seems that it almost guides me beat for beat into beautiful words. I usually listen to UNKLE, Radiohead, Underoath, Boards of Canada or Crystal Castles--powerful and unique.

TRA: What is your favorite piece that you have written and why?

JMS: These are actually a bunch of pieces made into one big piece, but I'd have to say "The Masses" is my favorite. It's essentially a collection of very short stories written about people that I may or may not know or may or may not be me. For instance, one is about a girl who despises the company of others, another is about a boy urging to be a stud...there are others about a girl stalking a couple on a date, a girl alone and hopeless, and more. I am an observer by far (maybe even to an extreme extent). I love wondering what people's lives are really like below the shadowy exterior, even if I have to make those people up.

TRA: What is your favorite book and why?

JMS: Oooooo! I know this one! A Few Short Notes on Tropical Butterflies by John Murray! It's pretty much the same as "The Masses", but I hadn't known that when I'd written it. The book has at least seven short stories about different people's lives. Some of the running themes are dense and include marriages that are falling apart, Indians (whom I love), immigration and the loss of home, helping others through medicine, and realizing that your life may not be what you want. I absolutely love this book, he writes so beautifully and speaks so truthfully about human nature.

TRA: Tell us about your literary accomplishments.

JMS: Hmmm, well I am the Editor-in-Chief of my school's Literary Magazine and have been the Assistant Editor of my high school newspaper's Entertainment section. I wish I could have devoted the time to writing a short book or novella, or to winning an essay contest but as of yet I still have achievements to make. My mother constantly urges me to write because she sees that as my way of making a difference on the world, so I'm taking her advice and--in the near future-- plan to start concocting more short stories to make in a novella.


TRA: When you suddenly get a brand new idea, do you first plan out what you're going to write or just wing it?

JMS: Sometimes I plan what I want to write. I wanted to do a weekly syndication article and that was called Inspiration Fridays. But most of the time I just write what I want, when I want.

TRA: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

JMS: Your sucess is built upon your perception. You may not be where you want to be in a year or two as a writer, but if you can tell that you have grown as a person and as a writer - you've made it.


TRA: If you could ask anybody, living or dead, any question at all, who would it be and what would you ask?

JMS: ....[ten minutes go by]. I would ask God for 13 more questions. I'd ask if aliens were real and for him to give me their history in American culture. I'd also ask about the secrets of the presidencies, when the world will end, why he put us through pain, what Heaven and Hell are like, how the world will end, and such questions like that.

~~~

To learn more about Jordan-Marie Smith, visit her About Me page here and ask questions here.

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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

30-Day Challenge 10, 11, and 12: Catch-Up Day

Question of the Day: Does life ever make you feel rushed? Do you ever feel so busy that, everywhere you look, there are deadlines and chores and mouths to feed and must-do's staring at you from every angle....and for just one moment you wish you could close your eyes and make all time and space stop?

I know I do! As exams and papers and end-of-the-year whatnots are looming over my head like levitating post-it notes, sometimes I feel like I could just make everything disappear so that my mind may be at peace for just a moment...a moment... *pause* And THEN the world can start spinning again like before.

Even so, I have found that, overall, I rather enjoy working under pressure with a million things to do rather than lounging about being unproductive for hours. It genuinely feels like my time is being spent well and effectively. (It must be confessed, however, that I am extremely looking forward to summer!!!)

~~~

This afternoon, I will be catching up with my 30-Day Tumblr Blogger Challenge. Not only do I still have a long way to go, but tomorrow I will also be posting an interview with the lovely Jordan-Marie Smith, who is one of the coolest, most creative and most expressive people I have ever met. But you must wait until the morning to learn more about Ms. JMS! :)

Day 10: Song you listen to when you are: Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad

Happy



Sad



Bored



Hyped




Mad



Day 11: Another picture of you and your friends.

So I discovered on the amazing world of Facebook that "Red Angel" comics actually exist! This was super exciting and I just HAVE to roleplay for this. I just have to. The genre is steampunk/science fiction, and the superhero of this series is Captain Victoria Angel of the airship Red Angel. Ahh, I just think this is so neat!

(if you can't see the drawing or caption, just drag the image to your URL bar)

Day 12: How did you find out about Tumblr Blogger and why did you make one?

This blog has been around since January 2010 and is officially 1 year and four months old. YAY!!! I began using Livejournal back in 2005 (when online journals suddenly became the middle school fad) and continued that for at least four years. My LJ was private, though, and could only be viewed by a select few of my friends. I really loved being able to share my values, my daily doings and personal opinions with other people, and learning more about my friends through their own LJs helped me discover more about them than I would have known otherwise.

Although I'm a total advocate for the printing press and would rather use a paper book rather than a Kindle any day of the week, towards the end of 2009 I started to get really into reading online articles and blog posts. I mean, there was just so much interesting information...on the Internet, everyone has a story to tell and everyone wants to have those stories told. I came across several blogs on Blogspot...in fact, most of the blog posts I'd seen were hosted by this site. So I thought, hey everyone else is doing it, why shouldn't I? Thus, I created this blog.

And I am so glad I did! :)

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Thursday, April 7, 2011

100-Followers Blogfest: "Inanimation"

Question of the Day: After the release of her newest album, Femme Fatale, and recent publicity, do you think Britney Spears is really "coming back" or do you feel that all this is just a desperate want and need to go back to her glory days in the '90s?

So a few days ago, it came to my attention that.....I HAVE FINALLY REACHED 100 FOLLOWERS!!! Well, I'm sure you could easily guess that my first reaction was: EEK!!!! My second reaction was...PARTY TIME!!! I mean, I knew this HAD to call for some sort of celebration. And so therefore I present to you....


This is my very first time hosting a blogfest (ever), and I couldn't be more excited to share this special moment with "y'all." *tears through smiles*

The idea is to write an entry of NO MORE THAN 1000 words that somehow incorporates the personification of inanimate objects. It can be a poem, a short short, a letter (perhaps to your favorite childhood toy?), a fairytale, a scene from a dream, or even a song--anything you want! It can be something you've written in the past or it could be totally brand new...it's all up to you!

Please remember:
-No prizes, sadly, as I am a poor college student. But if there were prizes and if money wasn't an option, then I would totally buy each and every one of you a giant sprinkle cupcake with a shimmering firework on top. But yes, yes, this is just for total fun and sharing...AND, of course, to celebrate my achieving 100-followers :)
-You've got over a month to think of something! Post your entry on your blog on Saturday, May 14, 2011.
-On May 14, be sure to go around and check out everyone else's entries!
-People love shiny things and visuals, right? It's not required, but it would be great if you added the Blogfest Banner (up there *pokes up*) so everyone knows what on earth that angry letter to your toaster is for. And, of course, you may add any of your own images that may complement your Inanimation post.
-Tweets/Facebook posts/blog entries/sidebar links and other forms of advertising about this blogfest would all be greatly appreciated!! You can use the banner above or this mini one:

So what are you waiting for?
NEW UPDATE: Unfortunately my Linky List expired, and as of right now I don't plan on continuing my subscription. So sorry for the inconvenience! However, I have added my own little linky list below with bloggers who are currently already signed up. If you want to add your name, comment below with a link to your blogfest and the name of your blog, and I'll add your link. See you on May 14th!


1) .:The Red Angel:.
2) Tessa Conte
3) Begin anywhere!
4) Stephen Smith
5) Trisha @ WORD+STUFF
6) Colorless Landscape
7) Mia Hayson
8) Francine Howarth
9) Loralie Hall
10) World of Wendy Lu
11) The Golden Eagle
12) WRITING IN THE CROSSHAIRS
13) CatchyTips for Writers
14) Donna Hole
15) Kelsey Leigh
16) roh morgon
17) Writing on Writing: Amlokiblogs
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Monday, April 4, 2011

30-Day Challenge 9: Meet RES Turtles, David & Little Cloud

Question of the Day: What are some song lyrics that really mean a lot to you?
Day 09: Something you're proud of in the past few days.
Today, I played Frisbee with a friend for the first time in...well, a VERY long time! My Frisbee-throwing was pretty shaky at first, but after a few rounds I got better and was able to make a few good tosses. Even though I'm still a "Frisbee-ginner," it was great being able to brush up on my hand-eye coordination skills and, especially after hours of studying in the library, get some exercise in!
How do you find the time in your schedule to exercise and stay in shape?


One of my "Blog Resolutions" for this year is to showcase my two turtles on TRA blog! And I thought...well, why not today?

Turtle Fun Facts:
  • I have had my turtles since August 2009
  • I bought them at a Chinese New Year celebration in Boston, MA
  • They were originally named Benjamin (now David) and Sera (now Little Cloud) but the names never stuck! Therefore...
  • The bigger turtle's name is David (Da Wei) and the smaller turtle's name is Little Cloud
  • My parents named them :)
  • They were the exact same size when they first came home, and now look at the difference!
They take turns "sunbathing" and "cooling off." What a great team! If you're wondering why there is a porcelain pig chillin' in the tank, he's there to prevent the log from floating around.


....and they also like to share space too! Sometimes, they will even stack up on top of each other while sunbathing, which is actually characteristic of Red-Eared Sliders.


Here is a photo of their complete habitat. Yes, there is indeed a floating mini log in the water. It looks weird when it bobs up and down but I think the RES like it. :) It's like an exercise ball for a mouse, except for turtles!

~~~

Got questions about David and Little Cloud, or about red-eared sliders in general? Leave a comment and I'll send an answer your way!

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