Five Tips on How to Make Going to the Dentist Less Awful

#DailyWings: "My mom says some days are like that. Even in Australia." -Alexander & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Fluorescent light burning in your eyes. The taste of rubber gloves in your mouth. The strange vacuum sensation on your tongue when a resident holds the suction tube too close. 

Okay, so I won't lie and pretend that I don't shed a couple tears at the dentist's. Because I do. I don't even realize how incredibly uncomfortable I am until there's a tiny, metallic engine drilling against my teeth. At that point, acting my age is the least of my worries and I am holding on to the rail for dear life, praying to the gods that it will be over soon. 

Today, I got three fillings - one on the bottom, two on top. (Not exactly a welcoming event after a dream trip to Boston.) Ever since I was little, my teeth have been prone to cavities. I brush twice a day, floss nightly and don't eat a lot of sugar. I don't drink coffee or soda or tea (only on occasion). I do everything a responsible tooth-owner should do. Unfortunately, my dentists have said I can attribute my soft teeth to genetics. Not even drinking milk will help. 

The thing is, I haven't been to the dentist in years. This time around, I knew there would be a degree of, er, unpleasantness, but I didn't really prepare myself for just how much it sucked. The worst part was having my gums injected--like, using a needle--with anesthesia. It really, really hurt. The only good thing is, that was the first step they did so I got it over with pretty quickly. 

If I didn't have Pandora blasting in my ears,
I don't think I would've survived all
three "tooth shots."

The next hour was filled with drilling, spraying, sucking. It was still pretty awful, but not as tortuous as the injections. All I had to do was nod yes-I'm-okay-not-really-though-thanks-for-asking-doc, tilt my head either way and open my mouth really wide. With my earphones plugged in and my imagination whirring, I managed to survive yet another afternoon of fillings. 

Because nobody likes going to the dentist and because I like you guys enough to not want you to suffer an hour and a half of drills and trills, here are just a few ways to make your next trip to the dentist less of a toothache - if only to pass the time: 

• Think about your last kiss. Even if you've been single for years (aka, moi), this trick works wonders with your mind. Nothing makes your lips feel less sexier than when they're stretched open and pulled back, blaring your incisors. Forget about where you are. Forget the dentist. Remember the last time you were locking lips? Yes, well, focus on that instead. 


• Listen to angry music. Not that you're angry when you're at the dentist, but listening to loud, I-wanna-rip-your-head-off lyrics just might block out the sound of Doc drilling in your teeth. I recommend Dragonforce or Hammerfall. If you want something more soft-core, try songs by The Script. 


• Eavesdrop on your dentist. I don't know about you, but my dentists like to talk a lot. Whether it's filling a tooth or just maintenance cleaning, they chit-chat with the residents and with me. Of course, all I can do is nod my head and manage an, "Ah-hah." But the conversations they have can actually be kind of, well, entertaining. They'll talk about their kids, their colleagues, their studies. 


• Think about your kids/significant other/ mommy. Wouldn't you rather it be you who is going through all this pain than your kids or anyone else you care about? I know I would. 


• Count the freckles on the resident's nose. Play connect-the-dots. Or, if you're more in a blah mood, pretend each freckle is a pimple and imagine popping it. With a tweezer. Feeling better? 

Any other ideas on how to survive dentist appointments?

Wendy Lu

Five Tips on How to Make Going to the Dentist Less Awful

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National Poetry Month: Reading Between the Lines

QOTD: Share your favorite poem with us! What's the name, the poet and the reason why that poem is your favorite?

So a friend of mine showed me a book of poetry today called Leaving Saturn by Major Jackson, and I remembered - it's National Poetry Month! I haven't been doing a very good job with keeping up with the time and date because at this point it feels like the days are all blended together what with the end of the semester, but I knew I couldn't not blog about this--even if the post is short!

Now I've never been very good at writing poetry, but I sure love to read it! Poetry's got fewer words than prose, yet can have so much meaning embedded within the lines. Some of my favorite poets have been: Edgar Allen Poe, Shel Silverstein, E.E. Cummings, Oscar Wilde and, of course, Emily Dickinson. 

So here is some simple but sweet poetry for your thoughts: 

In honor of final exam season for students...don't give up! We're almost done...

(Source: Courage-Hope-Strength)

For those who are afraid to speak up...

(Source: My Sakura Nights)

and this is for anyone who loves them some Seuss (even though technically The Lorax isn't a poem):

(Source: Driving Yellow Cabs)

What do these poems mean to you?
(Challenge: Write a simple haiku with the classic 5-7-5 syllable meter that features a hummingbird. Share with us in comments below!)

National Poetry Month: Reading Between the Lines

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Winter Break Recap: Harry Potter World 2012

QOTD: If you could donate one million dollars to any organization, which would you choose and why? 

Happy Sunday, everyone! I apologize for my unexpected absence from the blogosphere. I've spent the last week and a half mostly bedridden due to a nasty virus I picked up over winter break. I have literally felt like a walking snot burger (so unattractive, I know). Good news is I'm back now and hope to catch up with blogging, schoolwork and writing! This is not a great start for my new years' resolutions, but better to start late than never, right? 

So how are you doing with your new years' resolutions? Have you gotten into a regular daily routine of working out/gardening veggies/meditating/whatever-you-resolved-to-do, or are those goals already long-forgotten? (And if the latter is true, I don't blame you. I can't even remember my weekend homework assignments.) 

Whether you're struggling to keep up with your resolution plans or have already worked them into circadian habits, check out my Resolutions Guide to make sure you're on the right track! 

I spent winter break in Orlando, Florida. My family and I joked that we experienced a hot Christmas! The most amazing part of my winter break was getting to experience Harry Potter World for the first time. Enjoy! Check back soon for my New Years' Resolutions 2012.

The truth is that you don't need any of the generic traditions like snow, presents or even Christmas trees to make Christmas unforgettable. It's the people you spend it with that make the holiday special. 

Fun Fact: One of my most popular nicknames as a kid (and sometimes even now) was Wendy Lu-Who (like Cindy Lou-Who from Whosville in The Grinch).

Hogwarts!!! I screamed. Loud. We went in and the features were phenomenal. Talking portraits, dragons and magic exist! I saw it all with my own eyes!

The entrance into Hogsmeade, people. I screamed even louder. It really was a mini town with shops (we ate dinner at The Three Broomsticks!) and were just like the ones from the books and movies! 

Could they...be? Yes! CHOCOLATE FROGS!!!!!!!!

Butterbeer: one of the sweetest and most positively peculiar things I have ever tasted. Butterscotch and sugar cookies with a light, creamy froth on top. A real lip-smacker. 

All photos were taken by me. 

Winter Break Recap: Harry Potter World 2012

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Be a Bold Writer

QOTD: Are you participating in National Novel Writing Month?

Before I get on with today's topic, I'd just like to point out that NaNoWriMo will be here ONE WEEK! For those of you who have no clue what this amazing event is, it's a month-long challenge to write 50,000 words' worth of a novel in the course of November. It's fun, it's crazy, it's illuminating, it's life-changing. And that's not an exaggeration either. 

I've been tweeting like mad and following accounts like FigmentFiction and WriMos FTW! just to get myself hyped up about NaNo. (Seriously guys, unless you've been keeping up with my blog since last November, you have no idea how intense I get around this time of the year!) I've become obsessed with looking up literary blogs, and I have an entire folder in my Bookmarks dedicated to online NaNoWriMo articles that I've collected from the Internet. 

Seriously! Come. Join. I guarantee that if you stick with it, in the end you won't regret having done it. Well-l-l maybe you might, but it'll definitely be an experience you'll never forget. :) 

~~~

I'll be focusing a lot on writing this month and the next (not surprisingly), and today I've thought a lot about why it's important to be a bold writer. What do I mean by being a bold writer? 

Bold writers...

• aren't afraid to take chances
• create characters, make them come alive and then put them in situations that take them out of their comfort zone

Bold writers...

• take those characters to places that they normally wouldn't think of going in their worlds, and then take a step back to see what happens
• don't use cliches--they make their own. 

Bold writers are able to make their stories become so alive and full of truth that it's impossible for a reader to forget. 

As writers, we have all the tools we need to do what we do. We use a collection of our thoughts and feelings, our experiences and our imagination. We use our mind. This is both luxuriating and terrifying, because if we are the controllers of our own minds, surely we can create anything we want?

Bold writers aren't afraid to take advantage of all the tools they need to create something. They scoop all of these tools up and chisel away until they're raw and dull and in need of a good sharpening again--use them with full force and maybe shoot them out one after another like bullets emitting out of a gun or all at once like a great big cannonball. They don't know what they might end up with when it's all said and done and, quite frankly, they don't give a damsel-in-distress about staying sophisticated or rational. They dive into their work. 

This coming November, let's all be bold writers. Let's step out of our normal boundaries and create characters that in the real world would have never crossed each other's pathways--and let's make them cross those paths. Let's see what happens when we toss all cares aside and do whatever the heck we want with the tools we have. Let's find out what we can create when rationality is crumpled up, stomped on and tossed over our shoulders. 

Be a Bold Writer

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Happy National Day on Writing!

I cannot remember a single moment in my life when I did not love words and writing and literature. And I simply cannot imagine a life in which I did not write...I have tried and I can't. I write because I have no choice. 

Language in the form of writing has always amazed me with its power. There are no limitations as to what I can write and how I can use it. When I journal or string words into poetry or create characters in their own little worlds, I feel limitless. Reading over my works constantly teaches me things about myself and about life that I otherwise would not have known. My lifelong goal is to use the power of words to inspire others with the story of my past, share with them my belief that weaknesses can be turned into strengths and encourage them to accept each other’s differences. 


I write to show people they are not alone, and I write to keep myself sane. Without writing, I would have little purpose in this world. 

This is why I write. Tell us your story. Happy National Day on Writing! 

Happy National Day on Writing!

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Design a Book Cover Contest: "Breathless"

Hope you all are having a wonderful week so far! Today marks the Design a Book Cover Contest, hosted by Teralyn Rose Pilgram over at A Writer's Journey. Check out the other entries below, and vote on your favorites! 

Below, you can see my entry: 

What do you guys think? :) The background of the book cover is part of a photo that I took of a stained glass window in one of the chapels back home. I think there are many different ways you can interpret what you see on cover...whether it's a certain shape created by the different pieces of glass or a deeper, more subtle and emotional abstraction embedded within the image itself. 

Breathless is a writing project that I may be working on during National Novel Writing Month, which is honestly the most awesome and craziest writing event you could EVER have the insanity to participate in (if you didn't already dive in last year and figure that out yourself). 

I really, really loved working on my entry for the contest solely because it gave me even more inspiration to continue the project (I will stay very ambiguous about "the project" because no writer is supposed to actually talk about what they are working on, right? Therefore, I am going to keep this in "hush-hush mode") and sparked that kind of initial fiery interest and passion I had felt when I first started it. 

Creating the book cover also made me realize that I REALLY enjoy the art of making book covers....thinking about what colors and images to use, how to arrange the text, and--most importantly--pondering over what a book cover should (and shouldn't) reveal and depict about the story inside. 

I think I found my new procrastination hobby. ;)

Design a Book Cover Contest: "Breathless"

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30-Day Challenge 24: "Why I Write YA" Blogfest

Question of the Day: Why do YOU write (or read) YA?

Day 24: What are five things you like about yourself?

1) I am extremely compassionate and empathetic towards people who are struggling through difficult situations, especially if they are health-related.

2) I like having a quirky obsession with Smallville, Superman, and comics in general; I actually don't know many girls who enjoy comics and superheroes.

3) My love for writing makes me feel happy and purposeful every single day; why wouldn't I like a trait that makes me happy?

4) I think that my ability to be extremely self-aware prevents me from going insane on a daily basis; I'm glad that I can keep up with my thoughts and feelings, compartmentalize them in my mind, and take control over them before they take over me

5) Family and the people I care about are number one. Because I have met some extremely appalling people in my life who don't really practice the good habit of putting themselves in others' shoes, the kind and genuine individuals whom have I had the good fortune to meet, befriend and now love are very important to me. I do and would do anything for them.

Today, Gabi at Iggi and Gabi is hosting a really neat blogfest as part of the YA Cafe Friday Specials. The reason I decided to participate is because YA literature is increasingly becoming prevalent in today's society and it's not a topic I have touched base with before on my blog. Also, despite the fact that YA is one of my favorite genres to read and write, when I first read the blogfest name my answer was blank, which really puzzled me since I would've thought it'd come to me immediately, being the YA lover I am.

So after pondering all day (hence, the reason why I am late in writing my entry--sorry about that! Better be fashionably late than never show up, eh?), I decided on my answer:

The reason I write Young Adult is because...

1) The age of adolescence/young adulthood is one of the most transforming stages in a lifetime. Think about it, a lot happens--the want and need for independence, struggle to maintain healthy relationships with significant others/friends/family, the search for one's place in a social setting as well as in the world, and the beginning of the search for one's identity. It's a time of trial and error. There are the most physical, mental and emotional changes in this period, which makes it so darn intriguing to write about.

2) Young adulthood is linked with so many experimental firsts, such as first love, first taste of rebellion, first change in physicality, and first brush with the bitter truths about responsibility and mistakes. All young adults go through these, but every young adult experiences these things differently. In observing adolescents that I interact with or pass by down the street, I see the way young adults react and the affects that certain situations have on them--and something about those observations compel me to create characters based on them. If I take these characters and put them in, say, a motorcycle accident (which was brought upon from that first taste of rebellion), how would they react? How would this affect every single aspect of their lives as young adults?

3) Young adulthood is controversial and paradoxical. As a young adult, you get to be risky and wild, but you also understand what it means to be serious and in what circumstances is it essential to behave seriously. You have the ability to appreciate even life's littlest things, but you also capture the big picture as well. You have enough intelligence to understand even the most complicated and abstract concepts, and yet you still have so, so much to learn. You are teeming with emotions and adrenaline (thanks, hormones!) and passion and overwhelming thoughts and experiences from a unique perspective. That makes for a zesty, identifiable character and one hell of a fascinating story.

Thanks Gabi for hosting such a great blogfest! Be sure to check out the rest of the entries here.

30-Day Challenge 24: "Why I Write YA" Blogfest

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Let's See That "Inanimation"!

QOTD: If you could be any inanimate object, what would you choose to be and why?

YAYY!!! I have been dreaming of this moment every single night for exactly thirty-seven days (total exaggeration is required to emphasize the excitement boiling inside of me right now).

It's finally time for "Inanimation"!!! Let's create our own Toy Stories, breathe life into those lost and forgotten dusty pieces of old furniture in our attics, and make kitchen utensils dance and sing as they make your favorite chicken pot pie!

As a short recap, here is the blogfest task:

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!

AAaaaand here are the lovely participants!!! Once you have posted your own Inanimation entry, be sure to go around and visit everyone else's. Get ready for the liveliest ride ever!!!

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

"The Keeper of the Keys"

The day she came back was the day I woke from the dead. It had been eight long, miserable months--or had it been even longer than that?--since I'd even seen her at all. Back in January, the father had begun to redecorate the house, or rather, throw out old pieces of furniture and buy new ones. He'd already trashed two dressers, an entire bed, and even the mini side table that had lived right across from me in the same room for over six years and had dutifully held the vase of flowers that was replenished every week. The vase was also discarded. I remember being so afraid that, at any moment, he was surely going to wheel me from the living room and throw me out too.

But the furniture spree began and ended, and still here I was. And yet, she--my owner, the keeper-- still didn't come back. It wasn't until May that she returned to the house, looking a little bit taller and older and, well, more serious. Every day following her return, I waited eagerly for the moment when she'd waltz into the living room, open me up, and touch my keys. Each day that passed by, I was ignored--just like I had been for the past eight months. She was no longer the little ballerina who would waltz around her home like she was on Broadway. I gave up hope of ever coming to life again.

My keeper spent most of her hours cooped up in her bedroom on that ridiculous plaything that I heard was called a laptop. I spent hours listening to her punching those keys as fast as she could, the keys that could never play as beautifully as mine did. Why, then, did she so obviously prefer those keys over mine? It got to the point where I began to wish that the father had simply just trashed me with all of their other old stuff. What was the point of me taking up space when nobody wanted to dance, play, sing with me? I was aging, and fast--cobwebs began to intertwine around my legs and dust gathered between my keys. It was pretty itchy, but I eventually got used to it. After a while, I began to forget that I even existed.

Then, my life changed during one cold, rainy afternoon. I'd slipped into hibernation--what else was there for me to do but sleep nowadays? No sound was heard except for my owner click-clacking away at her laptop, the father watching television upstairs and the constant pit-pat-pit-pat of cloud tears outside. An occasional crack of thunder interrupted the rain's poetry.

Someone cracked opened my lid and I was suddenly exposed. I shivered, not used to the air and wide open space, and couldn't help but sneeze a little as dust flew from between keys. It felt good to get a breath of fresh air, but what was going on? It had been years since I was last tuned, and if I was about to be thrown out there'd be no need to open my fallboard.

After a moment, three fingertips touched me and pressed down each key, do re mi, one by one. Vibrations quivered around the hammers in my body and, for the first time in months, I laughed. I was flying through Fur Elise now, singing as loud as I could. The air was thick with music, and I knew it was my owner. Her movements were all too familiar, and nobody else knew how to play Fur Elise like she did. As her fingers flew across the board, she seemed to be saying to me, oh--there you are, I missed you, and I felt happier and more awake than I'd been in a long while.

It was like we'd never parted in the first place. It didn't matter to me anymore that she'd abandoned me for so long...her coming back made me realize that she hadn't forgotten me at all. She was the keeper of the keys, and always would be. And in that very moment, all I wanted was for her to play my music.

~~~

This is based on the relationship between me and my piano, but the excerpt above is embellished with fiction. I hope you enjoyed!

Let's See That "Inanimation"!

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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

100-Followers Blogfest: "Inanimation"

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A Look Inside My Subconscious

Question of the Day: Is there a question you would like to ask ME? =P If so, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

In my last post, I reviewed "Inception," one of the biggest must-see hit films of 2010. My previous Question of the Day was: Are you a heavy dreamer? Do you ever know when you are dreaming or not? Do those dreams ever come back to you in the morning? Some of you said that you often do not remember your dreams in the morning, while others of you said your dreams can get pretty intense sometimes.

And what about me? I suppose one of the reasons why "Inception" sticks with me so well and really made an impact on me is the fact that I also have very vivid dreams. There are times when the Dream World I'm trapped in is so animated and detailed that I believed the dream to be true. During my most dynamic and dramatic ones, my mind is very active and I am still thinking while dreaming...it almost feels like I AM awake, yet I cannot actually wake myself up.

Dreams have always fascinated me, and I really believe that they tell us so much more about ourselves than we realize when we're awake, and if we choose to let them, our dreams can help us understand ourselves, how we think, and our innermost thoughts and feelings that we repress so deeply inside.

A-hem. Sorry to get all Freudian on you today. I'd like to share with you a few of the most bizarre dreams that I have ever had in my life. None of them are made up at all...which is definitely hard to believe once you read them. Take a peek...

On a scale from odd to wild to bizarre to insane:

#4) I don't know what I'm standing on. All I know is that there is a surface below me. But the longer time I look down, the farther away the bottom surface seems to be. I keep my eyes locked on that surface below, willing for it to come closer to my feet. But I look down so much that eventually I begin to fall, fall, fall. My heart leaps into my mouth, and I wait to hit the bottom, the surface I'd stared at for so long. But it never comes. I just keep falling.

This probably has to do with the fact that I am deathly afraid of heights and hate the feeling that I'm going to fall. But maybe these heights stand for something else, another more abstract fear...perhaps I am scared of not being in control? Maybe.

#3) It is night time. I am pacing along the streets of the neighborhood I grew up in, the one in Boston, MA. My breath quickens, and somehow I know I am running away from someone. Something. No, multiple things. I hide behind and between tall trees that had once been my refuge as a child, and every time I look back I can see Disney villain cartoon characters (again, I'm not joking; I dreamt this) pursuing me. I dodge them for a good while, getting even more scared by the minute because these bad guys look like they mean business. Finally, I trespass into a run-down apartment building. It is all dark. Suddenly, the lights flicker and a disco ball appears. One by one, the villians--Jafar and Cruella De Vil most memorable--come in, pick up glasses filled with punch, and begin to party. The entire chase was a joke.

To be honest, I have no idea what to think about this dream. I do not fear Disney characters because they are not real, and when something is chasing me I usually take it very seriously, it's not a joke at all. So what can you make out of it?

#2) Somehow I was lost or running away or something of that nature, and in the dream I discover what seems like a whole new civilization. The culture is similar to Indian culture in that the citizens are all brown-skinned and wear paint over their bodies, which are only partly clothed. But what's amazing is that it includes a completely new population living in a sort of utopia. They have all sorts of colors and foods never used before by mankind, but they're all beautiful and delicious. The citizens welcome me into their civilization with open arms and I started to live like them, with them. I discover that they never get sick, develop diseases, or are born with disorders. Something in the way they live keeps them extremely healthy. The civilization is small though, and most of them live in small tribes with teepee-like homes. They do not have school systems or anything remotely complicated like what we have in the real world; instead, everyone lives in a small, close-knit community where all the children learn together in one place. Everyone works together, there is no disease, famine, or war.

I don't remember much of this dream anymore, as you can tell from the lack of detail, but I do remember it really felt real and I almost wished I didn't wake up. When I first came to, it was SO vivid all the images almost left me instantly because there was so much.

And the "Most Insane Dream Ever" Goes To...

#1) My sister and I are travelling through a mansion, a gigantic house full of different corridors, parlors, closets, and hallways. It's almost like a maze. It seems as though the house is deserted, for there is nobody else but us. We are trying to find a way out. My sister and I constantly run to and fro throughout the house, trying to find the door to lead us outside and free. The house is a mansion, and it is beautiful. Finally, we find a staircase and quickly start taking steps up and up and up. As we zoom past with every level of stairs, I glance around briefly and different rooms pop up. One of the most distinct ones I remember is a dining hall, but there was kitchenware and silverware and a magnificent feast already in place, waiting, it seems. It almost seems like one of those doll houses I used to set up when I was younger. I wonder where the owners of this house are. With every level, up we go, an earthquake begins. The higher we go up, the more intense the earthquake becomes. We become more frantic, more desperate of finding a way out. The climax of the dream is reached when I realize the truth: we're trapped in a house, a doll house to be exact, and my sister and I are the owners of this mansion. We are the dolls.

If there was ever a horror dream to make you scream in the middle of the night, this was it. Now I didn't scream bloody murder, but I remember waking up and being extremely sweaty and forgetting where I was. It literally took me at least five seconds to realize I was at home and that my dream hadn't been real.

A couple of these bizarre "subconscious adventures" happen to deal with being chased. In fact, in over 50% of my dreams, I am being chased by something or someone. Hmm, I wonder what my subconscious is trying to tell me.

At what point does a dream become an all-out nightmare? What is the most bizarre "subconscious adventure" you ever had? If you give me enough information, I will try to interpret it for you. =)

P.S. Don't forget to vote in the poll to your right! Tell me what you'd like to see more of on TRA blog.

A Look Inside My Subconscious

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"Inception" Movie Review

Question of the Day: Are you a heavy dreamer? Do you ever know when you are dreaming or not? Do those dreams ever come back to you in the morning?

I have watched Inception a total count of four times so far. Not only is that about seven and a half hours worth of oogling atLeonardo Dicaprio, but also of viewing a spectacular film dealing with the human's subconscious. I personally would categorize this movie as a "psychological thriller," but it's generally known as "science fiction". I suppose it's both in a way. :)

Inception is one of those movies that you HAVE to see more than once. I've seen it, like I said, three times and each of those times, I understood so much more and took something out of the movie, if that makes sense.

It's been a while since I've done a movie review (see "Alice in Wonderland"), but I promise this won't be as long as the last one! I will still be dividing the review into sections and rating each section from 1 to 5 stars out of 5. Oh, and I won't give away any spoilers. Promise.

Short Summary: Since I'm a Journalism major and journalism is all about taking a lot of information and squeezing it into shorter, concise statements, let me try to "briefly" describe Inception in one sentence. "Inception" is about a spy named Cobb (Leo) who agrees in a deal takes on a highly dangerous job of entering dreams to extract information as well as perform "inception" in order to go back home to his children in America. (If I was allowed another sentence, I would ALSO say that..."He constructs a highly talented team to assist him with the task, but there's a part of Cobb's own subconscious that just may disrupt their plan for good.")

Story: To me, the story of a movie is the world that it was set up in. Rating the story of "Inception" is kind of hard since they move so quickly between reality and dream worlds. The idea of inception and extraction through the subconscious and people interacting in their dreams are all very intriguing ideas, but not unheard of. However, the fact that they were able to pull this off realistically (in an ironic sort of way) in a movie is magnificent. Being able to change things in a fake reality however you want it? Move roads and make glass shatter and build a bridge simply by will? Innovative? Hell yeah. Rating: 5/5

Plot: Loved it. There was the main plot (mentioned in the summary), but there were also subplots that balanced evenly very nicely. As the team of dream experts are constantly trying to go deeper and deeper into their victim's subconscious, Cobb himself has an inner battle going on within himself. What's so crazy and brilliant about this is that while Cobb is the master at screwing around with minds, he can't even control his own. The reason why you have to watch "Inception" multiple times is that nothing is really revealed until the last half hour of the movie or so. Everything about the secrets of the plot suddenly becomes clear, and then you're like...wait what? and you HAVE to go back and watch it again to understand everything. The plots are twisted together so well. And what I really like is how they balanced out Digital Design (see below) and Plot. A lot of movies have excellent visual effects, but they don't have an equally strong Plot (a possible example could be Tron: Legacy, which I've heard is just like that) . I feel that this movie could have easily been a bad one, but the filmmakers did an outstanding job. Rating: 5/5

Characterization: Cobb is obviously the main character, and I don't think anyone could have pulled him off as well as Leo did. Without giving too much away, what I really like about the movie is how they entwined Cobb's personal life into the bigger mission. I do wish that there had been a bit more background information about the other characters, especially Ariadne and Arthur, Cobb's partner and great friend. Apart from that, I think the filmmakers brought together a wonderful medley of characters, each with his or her own unique talents that are imperative to the mission. Rating: 4.5/5

Costumes: Since there's nothing much to be said about this section, I'm going to go ahead and give it a full rating. :) 5/5

Acting: One of the factors in making this a total movie and [probably] Blockbuster Netflix hit is the fact that it is made up of an incredible international cast. With actors like Leo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who could forget "Angels in the Outfield"?), Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Pete Postlethwaite, and so many more, how could the acting not be good? Although Ellen is an excellent actress, I'm still debating within myself whether she was right for the part of Ariadne. The acting, when paired with the incredible script, made the characters, the situations they went through, and their reactions to be very believable. The audience is able to identify with the characters, and that's extremely important in films (and books, for that matter). Rating: 5/5

Script: Truly excellent. The script is extremely important in understanding the entire film. Not only do the characters explain to each other (and thus the audience as well) about the dream world (Aye! Who wants to take a vaca at Limbo?), but the constant repetition of the same motifs, in script as well as images, helped everything make sense in the end. You wouldn't know why some characters whispered certain words, even though they seemed to be very important, but as the plot developed and mysteries were unfolded, there's always a sense of deja vu that comes back. The words come to haunt us as they haunt the characters. Rating: 5/5

Action/Drama: What I thought was really clever was how the movie taught us everything about the dream world in the first part, and then in the entire last part everything we had learned came into play in the end. While the characters were pretty much informing themselves about the way inception worked, they were also indirectly informing us, the audience. Without giving away too much, "Inception" definitely brings "fast-paced" up to a whole new level. You jump at the edge of your seat, and by the time the main climax comes around, you are already so connected with the characters and who they are and their situations that it is so nerve-wrecking and mind-blowing to constantly see them in danger. A lot of incidents make you truly realize how important this mission is, and every one of them is willing to do anything to make sure that the team saw it through. Rating: 5/5

Digital Design: It is freaky what amazing things technology can do for the cinema these days. Instead of gushing to you about this, I'll just let you see the trailer for yourself...

Rating: 5/5

Direction/Production: Even though the thought of entering dreams and everything that happens in "Inception" is totally unreal, the movie was created so well that you are made to believe it is real. And even then, you really don't know what is real and what is not because of how fast the movie is and scenes that are placed in random spots, and several times you think, what the hell is going on? The movie is very confusing if you don't pay attention, but by the last third of the movie everything falls into place and finally makes sense. Perfection. Rating: 5/5

Overall Quality: Currently, "Inception" is nominated for the Oscars in the categories of Cinematography, Music Score, Art Direction, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Visual Effects, Writing (Original Screenplay) and Best Picture. I hope the movie wins all of them. xD

One word....this movie was fantastical. Overall rating: 4.9/5 (according to my calculator)

If you haven't watched this movie yet, I highly encourage you to! Come on....just take a leap of faith....

"Inception" Movie Review

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Your Ultimate Journaling Guide: Part #2

Question of the Day: Comedy shows, game shows, or reality shows?

In my last post, I discussed some good reasons to journal as well as the positives and negatives of using an online diary versus a print journal. Today I'll be going a bit more in-depth about the content of a journal and how-to's of journaling. It's not that it's a complicated process, and I am by no means saying these are the only things you should abide by while journaling, but if you're thinking about starting a diary and aren't sure of where to start, you've come to the right place. :)

What to Journal

Scenario #1: Today's your first day on job after New Year's....and your boss has just accepted your project proposal! Woohoo! But man....this proposal is a lot more work than you thought it'd be! In fact, by the time it's lunch break you're overwhelmed by the Post-It Note reminders scattered all over your desk and the stacks of papers that you'll eventually have to go through. Feeling half-insane, you trot to the nearest Starbucks and, while fishing for your wallet to pay for a third cup of coffee, spot that new journal your co-worker-pal Amy gave you this morning. It seems to beckon you with its leather "arms" like a friend.

What to Write About: Once you return to the table with that freshly brewed cup of Joe, you take out your journal and have this sudden urge to write in it. For the next twelve minutes, you scribble down an entire plan for your project proposal and a short schedule for the next month. You fill the pages with to-do's (personal and business-related) and lists of priorities and steps to be completed for the project. By the time your lunch break is over, you feel sooooo much better about what you need to do and, somehow, much less stressed. You leave the coffee shop with a smile on your face, feeling ready to conquer the day.

Scenario #2: Your sister asks to borrow your camera on her night out with friends. She looks hurried, so being the awesome person you are, you say of course and with a quick hug she grabs your beloved camera and zooms out the door. Three hours later, Sissy comes back and fesses up. In a moment of excitement while preparing to take a photo, she experimented with the buttons to find the last picture she took and accidentally deleted all of your prior photos. After an hour of yelling nonsense such as "Why couldn't you have been more darn careful?!" and "It's YOUR fault you got such a stupid, complicated camera!", you stomp off and slam your bedroom door behind you. A few pillows get abused, and a couple tears get shed. Then, you spot your trusty diary tucked neatly underneath your mattress. You almost yank it out and start writing furiously.

What to Write About: Sissy is SO dead meat. Why does she ALWAYS have to ruin everything?! She is so dumb, she can't even figure out a camera by herself. URGH! After writing a few more profane sentences (most of them being threats) and rereading them with a satisfied nod, you suddenly realize that...maybe this whole thing could have been prevented if you'd made her stay a few extra minutes to give her a short how-to on working the camera. Oh, the shock.

Scenario #3: After 34 years of working as a nurse at the local hospital, you're finally retired! Yay! At first, all this free time you have is nothing short of luxurious....it meant more time to visit the grandkids, be more active in your local Seniors club in town, and work on your vegetable garden. But after a while, you begin to feel like now that you're retired, there is no major purpose for you anymore... What are your goals now? Before, you woke up everyday knowing that you were meant to help people, to assist in saving lives at the hospital. That was your purpose. Now what?

What to Write About: You start to attend some counseling sessions to regain some perspective and insight. One day, your therapist suggests that perhaps you could try writing an autobiography. Yes!! How lovely. You'd always loved to write when you were younger, after all. That night, you take out a spiral bound notebook (the one left over from your grandson's school shopping) out of your drawer and begin to plan out the main events in your life and outline your autobiography. You list all the people who have changed you over the years, most of the being patients, and what they meant to you. Pretty soon, you spend everyday planning your life story in that little notebook of yours. There were significant stories from your past that even you had had buried deep down inside. A few months later, the first draft lies in front of you, ready to be edited for the first time. You take out a red pen, smile, and feel as though you are doing what you're meant to be.

How to Journal

Again, there's no right or wrong way to journal. But if you're starting for the first time and feel as though you need a bit of guidance, here are a few suggestions.

Where: Everybody has different preferences. I personally have to be in just the right spot at the right time to be able to journal and give my writing 100%. Sometimes, I prefer to be surrounded by people I don't know, say, at a coffee shop. Listening to conversations about other people's lives and seeing and feeling the bustle all around me somehow helps me reflect and contemplate better. Sometimes, though, I just want to be alone in the corner of my bedroom where everything is quiet. It just depends. Maybe you like to be near nature when you're writing? Take your journal to the creek or a nearby river. Or perhaps you need a lot of stuff going on for you to concentrate and start flowing. OR maybe you're like me and need to change it up a few times. Bottom line is, you don't need to have a set area where you should write. Go where you feel like going, depending on your mood. Walk the steps or bike the miles it takes until you find the right place where you feel like you can find your muse. Random locations for journaling include: the park, the bathroom, a tree house, on a train ride, on the roof of your house, in the dark under your blankets with a flashlight, Barnes & Noble.

When: It's hard to find time to write sometimes, thus it's easy to actually forget to write. The right time to write is similar to the right place to write: it's different for everyone. I actually get the most done at nighttime...I am a total night owl, which can get in the way of my sleeping but I compensate by taking frequent naps. :) If you don't mind getting up early though, try rising an hour earlier than usual. Watching the sun yawn and stretch its arms out and being greeted by the twittering birds is bound to give you some inspiration. Try to write a little bit everyday if possible, even if it's just a paragraph. You never know when you'll discover something about yourself that you hadn't known or realized before.

Remember....it's never too late to start a journal.

Your Ultimate Journaling Guide: Part #2

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Twisted Christmas Fairy Tale Blogfest

Francine over at Romancing in the Blog is hosting a fantastic Twisted Christmas Fairy Tale Blogfest. The basic idea is that entries should turn those happy, famous fairy tales into, well, twisted nightmares.

I'm not that great at horror stories but I tried. :] I chose a tale that most people are familiar with, I hope you will be able to guess which one it is. ;) I'm sorry it's so long though...I started working on it last night and had planned on just writing some and then posting it, but I got so into it that it went on and on! Hope you enjoy anyway. Thanks very much to Francine for hosting this. Be sure to check out the other entries as well!

The Tragedy of Prince Ivan

It was a dark and stormy night. Prince Ivan was lamenting on his favorite regal couch in the parlor. "Why, oh why is it that none of the women I meet are real princesses?" he moaned in anguish. The sorrowful pelts of rain outside seem to be parallel with his own inner grief. His mother was walking in long strides in front of him, her giant purple cloak trailing behind. Servants fanned her as best as they could, but every time they got too close she would shoo them away with one hand covered in gaudy rings.

"Don't fret, my son," the Queen said. "We will find you a royal lady yet." At that moment, there was a knock on the main entrance, which echoed five times over throughout the castle. The prince and his mother had the same skeptical look on their faces, and they both left the room. A servant had already opened the door.

"Your Royal Highness," Bonnie uttered, immediately bowing down to her knees. She kept her head down but her eyes kept moving back to a tall and skinny silhouette behind the door.

The Queen dismissed the servant with a single wave of her hand, and poor Bonnie retreated into the shadows. Prince Ivan peeked from behind his mother and found a young girl peering at him, her golden locks and dress soaked in rainwater. Her eyes were a brilliant emerald green, which immediately captivated him. Freckles slightly sprinkled over her nose.

The girl bowed her head once and looked into the Queen's eyes. "My name is Hazel. I was walking out in the woods, and I got lost when it started to rain."

"We don't allow peasants into our home," the Queen said coolly. "You'll just have to seek shelter elsewhere, my dear. If you haven't noticed my crown already, I suppose I should point out that you are at a king's castle. My husband, King Ivan, to be exact. And this is my son, Prince Ivan the Second." She gestured at her son, who straightened his back as if to look the part better. "So as you can tell, now, this is no place for, ah, a little girl like you."

"Oh, but you see...I am of royal blood myself." The woman's eyes never left the Queen's, a small smile dancing upon her lips. "I am Princess Hazel, of King Martin in the East."

~~~

Prince Ivan couldn't take his eyes off of Princess Hazel. Inside, he had already accepted that she was, well, a princess. Certainly, none of the other young ladies that he had reviewed over the course of the week had been as beautiful as this girl Hazel.

After his mother had allowed her inside the castle and ordered servants to bathe and clean her, Prince Ivan hadn't been able to sit still. Yet, when Hazel had finally come down from the staircase and met him and the Queen for a light snack in the dining hall, he somehow lost his speech and movement altogether. Her beauty paralyzed him. True, Hazel was simply wearing a nightgown that the servants had provided her...perhaps it was the way her now-dry golden hair curled gently over her shoulder or the way her nose crinkled up when she smiled, but there was no doubt in his mind that this was the real deal. He was sure that, in just a few days, he'd find himself a wife in this woman.

"So how come I've never heard of this....King Martin?" the Queen asked, watching Hazel's expression as she drank her soup.

Hazel dabbed her mouth lightly with the cloth napkin in her lap. "Royal politics is never something kings like to discuss with their family. It's improper, or so my mother says. I mean, has your husband ever spoken to you about what is discussed behind closed doors at his meetings?" Her eyes lowered and found Prince Ivan, who was looking at her and smirking.

The Queen sucked her breath quickly. "No. No, I guess not."

"Of course, being a part of a king's family isn't dull either. When Father is ever away on business, he arranges visits to museums, parks, and whatever else he thinks is stimulating to the mind." Hazel finished the soup with one last delicate sip. "Lately, however, my parents have been trying to find me a suitable husband. None of the princes we have been searching for in the East have been good enough for my taste, nor theirs." She looked pointedly at Prince Ivan, who couldn't help but blush.

There was a short, awkward silence. "Ivan, may I have a word with you, darling?" Ivan looked up, as if surprised, and followed his mother into the parlor.

"What is it, Mother?" he asked her, his eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement.

"If she really is a princess," the Queen almost scoffed out as if she'd already set her mind on the fact that Hazel wasn't, "then she must be a fair and sensitive-skinned little woman. Why don't we test her by putting a pea in her bed?"

"A pea?" Prince Ivan repeated blankly.

"Yes, Ivan, a pea. You see, if Hazel really is Princess Hazel, then she ought to feel the pea underneath her no matter how many feather beds she sleeps on. If tomorrow morning she says nothing of it and seems well-rested, ha! well she will be out of this castle faster than you can say princess."

"Are you sure that will work, Mother? I doubt I could even feel a pea under my bed, and I am as royal as you are."

A small curve appeared at the base of the Queen's mouth. She put her hands on her son's neck. "Trust me, my dear boy, we will find out soon enough just how 'royal' Hazel is."

Neither of them saw Hazel's eyes peeking through the key lock before she turned and went back to the dining hall to wait.

~~~

"I must thank you again, your Highness, for allowing me to stay here during this awful storm. You have a lovely home, and family," Hazel said. She and the Queen were standing beside her guest bed, watching six servants prepare Hazel's quarters for the night.

"Please, I am Queen Rhamalia, and you may refer me with that name. If you really are who you say you are, there's no need for any of that Royal Highness jargon," the Queen said in a mockingly gracious tone.

"Of course. Queen Rhamalia."

As the servants smoothed out the sheets one last time and left, one by one, Bonnie bowed her head as she approached the Queen and said, "Your Highness, everything is ready for the girl."

"Thank you, Bonnie. You may go." And so she did.

"I hope you find your bed suitable enough for you," the Queen said with a twisted smile. "I know it probably doesn't measure up to your own bed at home..."

"Oh, er, I think these seven feather beds are definitely quite enough...good enough, I mean," Hazel replied, eyeing the fluffy, neat pile in front of her.

"Indeed. They have been made with the finest material...the softest and the gentlest. I know princesses tend to have rather sensitive skin and soft bones."

"How very considerate of you."

"Well...it is getting late, and I am tired from today's excitement, and I know you must be, too. Goodnight, Hazel." The Queen turned to leave the room.

"Goodnight, Queen Rhamalia. Please tell Prince Ivan goodnight for me, wherever he is."

Queen Rhamalia looked back at Hazel, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "I shall be sure to do so," she said slowly. "He is in the North Wing, where most Royal Princes take their respite... but surely you knew that already?"

Hazel's eyes darted down to her nightgown. "Of course I did. Goodnight."

The Queen paused a few seconds. "Goodnight."

~~~

The clock struck twelve, and Prince Ivan was still awake. He couldn't stop thinking about Princess Hazel. His heart was racing, even though he'd been unmoving in bed for at least an hour already. He sighed deeply. He couldn't wait to see her again.

The doorknob turned. Prince Ivan's eyes darted to the door of his room. "Mother?" he whispered out loud.

A gown of white appeared, yet the face it belonged to remained in the shadows. "Bonnie? Is that you?" The figure walked closer until the face hit the light of the moon. It was Princess.

"Hazel!" The Prince said out loud, alarmed but not frightened. He jumped out of bed. "Is something the matter?" He went to stand in front of her. It was amazing how pretty she looked even with just a simple nightgown on.

Hazel looked deeply into his eyes. "Nothing is the matter, Prince Ivan," she said. "I just liked to see you again. I couldn't help but notice how you stared at me so during dinner."

"Oh..." Prince Ivan started to blush, but then he noticed something very strange. "Hazel...your

eyes. They're black." Was he seeing things? But no...the girl's eyes were not the same color they were before.

Hazel looked down, and from her hands uncovered a small, green pea. "I found this in my feather bed."

Damn. Prince Ivan gulped. "Uh...I have no idea how that got there."

To his surprise, Hazel grinned. "Oh Ivan, it's all right. I've heard of this trick before. Mother taught me one time and I actually tried it before to see if it actually worked. And it does...it's quite uncomfortable. Feels like a very small stone sticking into my back."

"I can explain," Ivan held up his hands. "Mother said that if you were a real princess, then you'd feel it while you were sleeping no matter how many feather beds there were."

"Well, I suppose you don't have to worry anymore." Hazel took a step closer to Ivan, looking up at him with a smile. She brought a hand to his face and stroked his cheek gently. "I am a real princess, Ivan. I have always been so, always will be. We are going to have a lovely afterlife together."

Ivan couldn't help but feel something warm and fuzzy inside. Her hand was so warm against his skin. He stroked it lovingly...and then....

"Wait...afterlife?"

But before he could question any further, Princess Hazel had popped the pea in her mouth and pressed her lips against his. His eyes closed and his mouth opened, and he began to get hungrier for more. Ivan put his hands on her hips, and that was when he felt that small, round something in his mouth. Without knowing what he was doing, he bit into it.

Something thick, wet, and bitter began to ooze all around his mouth....his gums, his teeth, his tongue. It was paralyzing him, and, as it reached his throat, choking him. Poisoning him. Hazel parted from him, and when he opened his eyes, it was not Hazel standing in front of him but a rotting corpse smiling at him with beetle black eyes.

Ivan fell to the floor, writhing in pain. The poison was slowly spreading across his entire body, he could feel it. And everything was clouding up in his vision. He looked into the bedroom mirror, and wasn't even able to move in order to express his horror at what he saw. His eyes were entire black. Just like Hazel's.

She knelt beside him. "My beloved, I have been searching for centuries for you. For the one. And now here we are together." She pushed hair out of his eyes, and kissed him even as he was still squirming. "It hurts, I know. But this was the best way. I was going to slip you this in a drink, but when I found out about the pea I knew it would be even better."

Ivan tried to speak, to shout, to call for help...anything and anyone to come and save him.

"Shh, shh..." The corpse's hand brushed against his lips. He tried to shudder, and couldn't. "We will be happy. You'll see. You're mine now."

And everything went black.

Twisted Christmas Fairy Tale Blogfest

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