Why It's My Favorite:
Well, because cats. If there is a cat meme, it is automatically going to be a favorite for me. But, this is also a great concept. Errors and mistakes are always so upsetting, but this is a reminder that through errors we discover something new. This is a great concept to remind myself of as the semester goes on.
I thought that this quote went well with my favorite image from the current announcement. I think that this is also a great thing to think of as the semester progresses!
My Goal for the Upcoming Week:
Continue to tackle procrastination!
Final Thoughts:
Here's to the start to a great semester, and in my case a great LAST semester! (I am so excited to be graduating!)
My writing:
I was so happy with my story that I wrote this week! It wasn't an Urban Fantasy or a Fantasy, which was different for me. But, I had a lot of fun writing it. In particular I love the characters, Colt and Bullet, which I created just for that story. I like them so much that I may put them in other stories. I also liked the concept of them being only 16 or 17 but living in an alleyway. I haven't yet fleshed out how they came to be living in an alleyway, but if I use them in future stories I can figure that out. I may even be able to use a story as an origin/backstory for them.
Other people's writing:
The stories that I read were quite concise and easy to read. Sometimes I write my stories too long, or they end up too wordy. It's a nice reminder to pay attention to that when I am writing my stories, and when I'm editing them.
My other classes:
This semester is off to a great start! The only unfortunate (?) thing is that every class has a lot of reading. I am taking: The World of Dante (we read 4 books by Dante Alighieri,) The 19th Century Novel: Victorian Novels (we read 8 books,) PW Reading (we read 10 books,) Mass. Comm. Law (the lightest load, only small readings twice a week,) and this class (which has a lot of reading.)
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to read. I am just a bit overwhelmed, and trying to figure out how to balance reading all of those books. The good thing is that, as I said, I love to read, and I am excited to be reading all of those books! I've always wanted to read Dante's works, and in the Victorian Monsters we get to read: Dracula, Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Heart of Darkness, and The Sign of Four! I have only read Frankenstein and the Heart of Darkness, but it's been a while.
So I am excited about all of the reading that I will do this semester! Here's to a great (and my last) semester filled with much reading!
I spent some time this week fixing up my blog and making it look how I wanted it to. My favorite thing I did was make a header for my blog. Just google search "banner creator" and there are websites that let you create a banner that you can use for your header.
I also spent time adding a background and a color scheme that I liked. I'm really happy with how it looks so far, and will be tweaking it some more with next week's Tech Tips post!
First of all, I'm going to be honest, that first video made me feel very anxious and it stressed me out. It's not even the parts of "wasted time" (TV), but also the parts spent with sleeping, food, and hygiene. This was just sort of depressing and upsetting to me. But, I am going to take from this video, not that stress, but that I need to manage my time better with my education and professional pursuits, so that I can spend more time doing the things that I like to do.
My biggest problem has been with time management and procrastination. However, prior to learning about "Learning by HEART", I had already set out to tackle that problem.
This is my last semester at OU, I will be graduating in May, and so I want this semester to go as smoothly as possible. As a result, I have set out to improve my time managing skills and to stop procrastinating. Doing so will make this last semester, the best semester!
I have heard of Carol Dweck and growth mindset from taking Laura's Mythology and Folklore class in Fall 2015.
I am a perfectionist, so I think that I am very much on the spectrum of growth-fixed mindset in my school work, professional life, and in my hobbies. I am always trying to improve and to be the best that I can possibly be.
This is especially true when it comes to writing. I am a professional writing major and I write novels. I am always trying to be the best author and write the best book. I am constantly pushing my limits and striving to improve.
I have a lot of reading this semester in all my classes, so my goals are to try to take the time to get as much as I can out of what I read. Sometimes I rush reading materials and I do not experience it to its fullest. So I'm going to try to improve my reading. Additionally, I want to write the best stories that I can for the Storytelling posts and my Storybook project.
I look forward to applying the growth mindset to the work in this class, other classes, and in my life outside of school!
1. Indian Horror Story
I chose this because I like horror, and I thought the play on words with the title was cleaver. (Instead of American Horror Story, the name of a great TV show, it's Indian Horror Story.)
I was not disappointed when I looked inside. This Storybook had compelling, well-written, and downright creepy stories.
My only criticism is that I think the design could have looked creepier, perhaps with a black and white or black and red theme. I also think there could have been creepier pictures, and more of them.
2. CSI Indian Epics
Again, the name of this Storybook caught my attention. I also liked the graphic that was on the introduction page of this Storybook.
The stories were interesting and clever, and I liked how they took the Indian Epics and turned it into a crime show. I loved the formatting of the book, how it looked like an actual police report, and being that way it was written in a simple, clean, and straightforward manner.
I honestly don't have any criticisms aside from different images. I think adding some crime scene tape graphics, or the image of an outline of a body traced by chalk on the ground would have been a nice touch.
3. How I Met Your Mother
Surprise, surprise, I picked this one because of the title and the clever concept. Like the Indian Horror Story, it created a mesh of an American TV show with Indan Epics, which I think is very creative.
My criticism with this is that the pictures could have been better. I don't think they particularly reflected the show that the Storybook is based on. Like, I think it would have been better if the images were more modern depictions of the Gods/Goddesses.
I have read some epics, such as the Odyssey, the Iliad, Beowulf, part of Paradise Lost. I also enjoy modern epics such as Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.
I took Mythology and Folklore last semester, and I feel like the types I remember the most as the Classic Mythology such as Roman and Greek. Norse Mythology also comes to mind, but that is because I research that on my own.
I took a class at the Oklahoma City Community College called "Eastern Thought." In that class we learned about Hinduisim and Buddhism. We even read a few texts, including the Ramayana, so I remember the hero Rama. I also remember him encountering some Hindu Gods. In the Eastern Thought class, we also meditated during the first ten minutes of class, which was a very enlightening experience.
My only experience with Indian Music is when my boyfriend and I drive down to and back from Dallas, Texas you can listen to an Indian Music Radio. The radio station is available between Ardmore, Oklahoma and Dallas. We like listening to it because it's so different from any music genre I listen to. They use unique instruments and usually sing in their language.
I chose the image of the God, Ganesha, because it is one of the few Hindu Gods that I am fairly familiar with. I know Ganesha brings good luck and blessings to people, especially if you give Ganesha an offering.
"THERE was a little boy and a little girl Lived in an alley; Says the little boy to the little girl, "Shall I, oh! shall I?" Says the little girl to the little boy, "What shall we do?" Says the little boy to the little girl, "I will kiss you."
(A traditional nursery rhyme)
"Colt Collides with Bullet"
The lighter felt like a live wire against my hand, as I ran from the gas station that I stole it from. Borrowing things from people has become a career for me, and yet each time I feel that same Pop! Zing! and Zap! of adrenaline.
I tossed the lighter in my over-sized bag, and kept running until I found the dank, dirty, and dark alley. The crumbling alley walls was the closest we had to a home.
"Bullet, there you are!" A familiar voice said. "I was wondering if you got caught this time."
I looked up into equally familiar chocolate brown eyes and a sideways grin that flashed crooked teeth. Dirty bottle-dyed black hair spilled out from under his beanie.
"And on that day Ragnarok will swiftly come, Colt," I said. I slid down the brick wall of the alley, settling against a lumpy pillow. I pushed stray strands of brown hair from my face.
"I bet I beat you," Colt said.
"Then let's hope Thor can kill Jormungandr, 'cause Ragnarok's on it's way," I said and laughed.
"Sure, sure," he said, looking up into my eyes, but my eyes settled on his chapped lips.
I shook my head, because, no Colt was my friend and nothing more. Or, well, we were supposed to be just friends. Try telling my heart that...
"Alright, so I got..." Colt said and emptied his backpack on the ground as he announced, "Protein bars, candy bars, instant coffee, and..." He stopped for a moment. "Well, I'll have you wait for the grand finale."
I shrugged and emptied the pockets of my purse into a pile next to his. I had got snack cakes, trail mix, and a water bottle. "I'd say we're about even."
"You sure about that?" He challenged me.
"Unless you have a house in that backpack, yeah."
"Maybe not, but...here, turn around."
"What?"
"Just do it," he said rolling his eyes.
I rolled my eyes back at him before I stood up and turned to the wall.
I suddenly felt a coolness against my throat, and I looked down to see a beautiful silver necklace. There was a heart-shaped locket on it. I gasped, and turned to him.
He smirked and said, "Open it."
I opened it up, and etched into the silver were three little words: "I love you."
My heart beat wildly as I glanced at his chapped lips, wondering, should I, oh, should I, kiss him?
"Bullet, what, oh what, should we do?" He asked as he leaned towards me.
"Should I..." He whispered and he cupped his hand under my chin.
"Kiss me." I finished his sentence, but it came out more like a command.
His hand still under my chin, I placed my hand against his face, and I pulled his lips against mine, into a kiss.
Author's Note:
I turned this Nursery Rhyme into a short Young Adult story, since Young Adult is my favorite genre to write in.
I typically write Young Adult Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, but I had a fun time writing this one. As you could tell, I changed the little boy and girl into a teenage boy and girl that live on the street. I also kept them living in an alley.
Though this one wasn't fantastical, the world was interesting to me.
I loved the bit of dialogue in the original version, so I kept that in my story, but I made it more modern with "should" instead of "shall." I think the dialogue was both cute and fit Colt's personality quite well.
I created Colt and Bullet just for this story, but I really like them, so you may see more of them in the future! In fact, they are in my story, "I Got Your Heart, You Got Bullet Holes."
Also, I snuck in a little nod to Norse Mythology and their version of the apocalypse, Ragnarok.
Bibliography:
This story was based on a love and matrimony nursery rhyme from The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Lang (1897).
I'm a Professional Writing major with a minor in Literature here at OU, and I'm graduating this semester!
I'm an author, and I write Young Adult (YA) Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. I'm just finished writing my FIRST NOVEL*! It's a YA Urban Fantasy, with elements of Dystopian, that has vampires, and no, not like Twilight! (My vampires have fangs, don't glitter, and WILL attack you.)
*(If you want to be notified when my book is published so that you can read it, let me know in your comment and give me your e-mail or Facebook!)
I have a beyond wonderful boyfriend, David, and this October will be our 9-year Anniversary!
My boyfriend and I!
I love to read. My favorite YA book is The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black, and my favorite Adult series is the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton. I also enjoy reading about Mythology, my favorite being Norse Mythology.
I'm obsessed with Star Wars. I saw The Force Awakens in theater 3 times.
My boyfriend and I when we saw Star Wars on the opening night.
I'm obsessed with Kylo Ren and Boba Fett, and shamelessly own a LARGE amount of Star Wars merch.
Me with Kylo Ren (I wish.)
I love anime! My favorite anime are: Fairy Tail, Black Butler, Vampire Knight, Uta no Prince Sama, Attack on Titan, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Amneisa, and too many more.
I also love to cosplay. To read more about that, read about my favorite place: anime conventions.
My boyfriend and I cosplaiying at a convention.
My music taste is scattered. I like metal, dubstep, Korean pop music, Japanese pop music, and Japanese rock music. My favorite band is Amon Amarth. (Who surprise, surprise, sing about Norse Mythology.)
I love to play video games. My all-time favorite games are: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (obviously,) Kindom Hearts, Skyrim, the Dragon Age series, the Mass Effect series, and the Fallout series.
I like to hula hoop dance! Don't know what that is? Check out the video below of me hoop dancing.
I love cats and I have two cats with opposite personalities. Indi is a goofy sweetheart, whereas Kiki is a grumpy cat who hates literally everyone in the world, but me.
My grumpy princess, Kiki.
My Pinterest Board for this class:
Nice to meet all of you, and I look forward to seeing all of your blogs! Let's have a great semester!
Anime conventions are my favorite places to go to! Fortunately I get to go to four conventions a year with my boyfriend, David. We go to Tokyo in Tulsa, Izumicon, Anime Fest, and A-kon. We also go to events held by the conventions like the Tokyo in Tulsa Christmas Party (which was the last event I went to) and a Cosplay Prom.
My Boyfriend and I at the Anime Fest Anime Convention.
I love anime conventions because I get to cosplay, meet new friends (and see friends I don't always get to,) and because I can buy a bunch of anime merchandise!
Cosplay means: costume+play. It's more than wearing a costume like you would on Halloween, you actually act (or "play") as the character that you are dressed up as. My favorite cosplay is as Erza from the anime Fairy Tail. It's my favorite because my boyfriend dresses up as Jellal, who is that character's boyfriend with me, so we do a "couple's cosplay"!
My boyfriend and I doing a couple's cosplay at the Tokyo in Tulsa Christmas Party.
I also love dressing up as Erza from Fairy Tail, because I have over 30 friends that I see at conventions who also dress up from Fairy Tail. That's including my best friend, Julie, who lives in Tulsa. She cosplays as Lucy from Fairy Tail.
My friends and I at the Tokyo in Tulsa Christmas Party. My boyfriend and I are on the lower right hand corner.
I get to see Julie, and most of those friends at Tokyo in Tulsa, which is one of the reasons why that is my favorite convention that we go to.
My boyfriend, David, my best friend, Julie, and I at the Tokyo in Tulsa Christmas Party! (Our friend Deanna photobombed us.)
I also love going to Tokyo in Tulsa because it is a smaller convention, so it has more of a community and family feel to it.
