Tomorrow morning, I go to my first writing group meeting. I'm not one of those writers who is intimidated by recomendations or suggestions concerning my writing. Bring it on! I need all the help I can get and will not get defensive. Unless you tell me I'm dumb. Then you got another thing coming. ;)
I'm nervous because tomorrow morning, I start reading work from two former professors and one fellow former student. Fine, I lied, sort of. That doesn't make me nervous. Reading and offering suggestions to these women scares me. Offering help to people (who are just like me) intimidates me to no end and I don't even know why. I understand how intense some writing groups get and it usually happens because the writing is intense. Even comedic writing is intense, when it is good. And these ladies? I've read stuff from at least two of them...and they're good. They're real good.
I am excited however, because this will keep a fire under my ass, so to speak. To actually write. And I'm seriously craving for anything having to do with academia at this point. Life after graduation didn't pan out the way I always thought it would. It doesn't help that nearly all the people in my life, sans my parents, are still in school. I miss learning!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Signs
My favorite song, of the moment. I found it via "Gossip Girl", but seriously? Between the two of Josh Schwartz's teen shows ("The O.C." and "Gossip Girl") I have heard a ton of awesome music I never would've found on my own. Anyway, Bloc Party's "Signs". I don't take the lyrics to heart, but the song is so lovely, especially with the chiming.
22 days
When I started this blog late last summer, I called it "No Place Like Home" for two reasons. One, I had just moved to the town where I grew up. Two, the place where I was working caters to the city's tourism and the city's tourism, for the summer months anyway, is really into Wizard of Oz themed stuff, from a small theme park. Apparently Frank Baum thought up his character Dorothy while he was residing in my town. I grew up walking down a yellow brick road whenever my parents took me to the park and later on, I worked at that amusement park for four summers. If you know me, metaphors climb into my head and work overtime once they've made themselves comfortable. The "yellow brick road/coming home after college" thing did it for me. Or maybe it did me in.
Regardless, I moved back to my college town 22 days ago. I have been homeless for 22 days. And as crazy as I am right now, having my shoes (my shoes!) stuck in my car trunk, half my clothes sitting in a hamper next to Amanda's kitchen table, my writing and computer stuff stashed in another friend's closet and everything else I own in a storage unit in a town that even Frank Baum left, I couldn't be happier. I won't lie; it is a struggle to make ends meet right now. Two jobs and very little free time with friends does make me a little sad. But a potential apartment is on the very near horizon. I know my situation looks pretty dire right now, but I haven't regretted a second of it. I think that may be the biggest thing working in my favor right now. A lot of people wouldn't have had the guts to do what I did, even if it was just back to Brookings. To just pack everything, give up your apartment in the middle of the winter and go...more than one person has told me, several times, that I'm an idiot. But I've always gone after what I want. When things are this difficult, why in the world would I stop now?
Regardless, I moved back to my college town 22 days ago. I have been homeless for 22 days. And as crazy as I am right now, having my shoes (my shoes!) stuck in my car trunk, half my clothes sitting in a hamper next to Amanda's kitchen table, my writing and computer stuff stashed in another friend's closet and everything else I own in a storage unit in a town that even Frank Baum left, I couldn't be happier. I won't lie; it is a struggle to make ends meet right now. Two jobs and very little free time with friends does make me a little sad. But a potential apartment is on the very near horizon. I know my situation looks pretty dire right now, but I haven't regretted a second of it. I think that may be the biggest thing working in my favor right now. A lot of people wouldn't have had the guts to do what I did, even if it was just back to Brookings. To just pack everything, give up your apartment in the middle of the winter and go...more than one person has told me, several times, that I'm an idiot. But I've always gone after what I want. When things are this difficult, why in the world would I stop now?
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Clear eyes, full hearts...
It ain't no secret that I love a little show called "Friday Night Lights". I love Coach and Tami, I love little baby Gracie Belle and Jules, I love Saracen and Smash and their bickering friendship. I love bad boy Timmy Riggins and Lyla's gone-Christian storyline. I love Grandma Saracen, love Landry and how everyone still calls him "Lance" and I love how kick ass Tyra is all. the. time. I love Explosions in the Sky and how this show introduced me to the band. I love how I can't stop singing Devil Town. I love Buddy Garrity, I love the football field, I love how somebody scribbled "Street" underneath the Dillon Panther logo on the locker room door. I love how someone at that show, way back in the beginning of season one put Jason Street's name there (details!!). I love how this damn show makes me cry every single flippin' episode and not because I cry at everthing, but because of how lovely the writing is, how the actors work off and with each other, how easily I invested myself in the story and how, in turn, another friend sat with me and watched the first two seasons of this show in under a week. And I love how he loves it too. But most of all? I love how DirectTV picked up FNL up, simply so it could come back for season 3, hopefully to more viewers.
And Season 3, my friends, starts this Friday on NBC. And if this clip doesn't interest you, at least a tiny bit...well, I'm pretty sure you don't have a heart. ;)
And Season 3, my friends, starts this Friday on NBC. And if this clip doesn't interest you, at least a tiny bit...well, I'm pretty sure you don't have a heart. ;)
Friday, January 2, 2009
2008 < 2009
It isn't a secret that 2008 kicked my ass all over this side of the state. Literally. I was eating lunch with Amanda at McDonalds on New Years Eve and I realized I could pinpoint something bad that happened to me personally in every month of 2008. Don't get me wrong, good stuff did happen. I graduated from college. I felt the love and support of my family and close friends. I discovered "Gossip Girl". But when the clock turned midnight on New Years Eve, I don't think there was a more relieved person in all of Brookings. I teared up in that minute afterwards and when my cell phone buzzed in with a text message from the one person I never thought would still be in my life 365 days ago... Let's just say this year is already off to a 100% better start.
A lot of my optimism for almost everything in my life was squashed over the course of 2008. The cynic in me, the cynic that grew up in Aberdeen and was left in Aberdeen five years ago, came back full force this year. I know 2009 will not be a smooth start. It probably won't be smooth sailing for some time yet. But the optimist is starting to show up, here and there. And until she's back all the time, my faith in her return will always keep me going.
Happy 2009. May it be a little easier for all of us.
A lot of my optimism for almost everything in my life was squashed over the course of 2008. The cynic in me, the cynic that grew up in Aberdeen and was left in Aberdeen five years ago, came back full force this year. I know 2009 will not be a smooth start. It probably won't be smooth sailing for some time yet. But the optimist is starting to show up, here and there. And until she's back all the time, my faith in her return will always keep me going.
Happy 2009. May it be a little easier for all of us.
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