A brief word:
It's hard to believe it's been almost a year - a YEAR - since I've started this blog, and with so little to show for it. But I won't fret over it. It's purpose is to give me a space to jot down my thoughts when the mood suits me, so in that respect "The Drafty Corner" has been a success. It'd be great if I could make a habit out of writing on it like a journal, but I won't make any more promises. They break too easily. Like Coca Cola glasses. Actually, my Coca Cola glasses are quite durable, but never mind that.
You know another thing that's hard to believe? It's nearly exam time. The holidays are fast approaching, as is Winter Break, the end of the semester, and the deadlines for grad school applications. Good. Grief. XP
I guess my stress has built up to such a point that I NEED to write something - anything - to unwind. How ironic, seeing as how half the stress I'm going through is rooted in all the OTHER things I have to write this semester. Ah well. It's all in the intent, I suppose. I can feel the tension in my very fingertips as I type, but it's probably cathartic. Seriously, though, I need to relax right now. I just finished my 3-5 shift at the writing center, only to go back from 7 to 10 with three fully-booked hours of conferences. And apparently my first one is with a guy who tends to show up late and has a habit of hugging his paper to his chest and stealing pens from the tutor's hand in order to take notes. Control issues, anyone? I really don't want to deal with that tonight. I'd rather not have anyone, but unless he just doesn't show up (which could happen), I'll just have to suck it up. Almost every other tutor is booked for the night - like I said, it's that time of year. The flow probably won't die down until late into finals week when papers get turned in and people start heading home as soon as they print the last period or circle the last multiple-choice answer on their exams and make like bats in hell out of this place. I won't head home until Saturday, which is kind of a pain, but at the same time it gives me a full day to sleep in, pack and basically rejoice at having suffered through my second-to-last semester of undergrad. Whoopie.
I can understand why most people prefer to defer going to grad school once they get their Bachelor's. They've been at it for, supposedly, eight years of higher education now (Is high school considered higher education? Maybe not.), so they're ready to get out and get into the real world. I'm not so crazy about it, though. I mean, yes, you learn how to live and work among real people at real jobs in order to earn real money, but there's something about the education experience of academic that shouldn't be brushed off too hastily. As much of a pain as it is to go to classes, complete assignments and answer to the almost tyrannical authority of professors and administrators . . . well, for one, is it really that different from the real world? The major difference is that school is a more controlled environment, thus a bit safer. I don't know - maybe I'm failing to face my own anxieties about becoming an indepedent adult. I don't have a place to call my own. I've only once lived in a flat rather than my parents' home or campus housing, and my parents were the ones providing my rent. I have yet to really be taken out of my comfort zone.
*Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh . . .*
On the upside, I'm looking forward to an academic experience away from my current residence, and after four years no less (excluding, of course, my most interesting sojourn in London). Four out of the five schools I'm applying to are either in NYC or Boston, and the other is in a city in Virginia. So it'll be a bit different from what I know and regard as 'familiar'. I hardly call that a bad thing.
Enough of this mature dialogue, though. I need something pointless and mindless to do. I wish Sherlock were on now. I don't think "Masterpiece Mystery!" is rerunning the episodes any time soon. That's so stupid! The station in my area aired each episode only once, while at home they were on a few times. It's baloney! Utter malarkey! My only comfort is that I've asked for the complete season this Christmas - only $25 - with interviews and commentary by the writers and actors. I feel a fangirlish squee rising inside of me just thinking about it.
Maybe I can watch the unaired pilot on youtube while I wait for 7 o'clock to come. I have a group project that I could be doing research for, but I'll wait to do it tomorrow. Tomorrow is NOT going to be fun.
I doubt anyone is following this blog to know about my fanfic updates, but what the hell, I'll mention them anyway. I haven't updated in a while, partly because of school and partly because of my recently-born obsession with Sherlock. I have a fanfic in mind that I want to write soon before I lose interest, but I'm having a hell of a time figuring out how to start it. The rest of it I have a pretty good idea of, but I need a solid beginning to gain reader interest. Why must beginnings always be the hardest?
Someday I will get back to my other fics for Trinity Blood and Les Miserables. Well, I particularly want to update or even continue Homo Homini Lupus since I am now working on my series The Erebus Chronicles for both Senior Seminar and Senior Project. As for Blood Wars . . . argh, I REALLY don't want to drop it. I'll get back into the mood for it. At some point.
Well, I think this post is long enough, don't you? Even when considering how long a gap I've had to cover since the last one. I'll only add that I'm going to see a movie this weekend. Don't know which, but I swear I'll do it. Or I'll go crazy. Oh, and Amazon lied about the release of the next Trinity Blood novel. Again. What a shock.
"The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not." - Mark Twain
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Onward, forward, away! . . . *trips* . . .
A brief word:
Heeeey! It's that time again. I returned to school this past Sunday and boy it already feels like a month. Yeesh. But I'm glad the moving-in bit went without much of a hitch, although me mum is sending some stuff from home. Nothing out of the ordinary: knives, bullets, grenades, Anthrax . . . what?
By the way, have you ever had the experience where a bunch of people told you that a certain class is so painfully easy it almost hurts, so you decide to take it because you need the gen eds? And then it turns out it's not so easy after all? I HATE that. And I fear that's the situation I've fallen into with my Solar System course. Now, it doesn't sound TERRIBLE, thank God - in fact, I might enjoy it. But it will be work. Which is 'ugh' for me, considering that I already have three - count them, THREE - writing courses under my belt, an acting course and a vocal ensemble (hopefully - still awaiting results) in addition, AND applications for grad school. Nnnnyeh!
In other words, I will really need to hone my time-management skills this year. Not just this semester, either, because I'll need to do my Senior Project in the spring, which is essentially another independent study. Only I won't have 3000 miles of ocean separating me and my instructor.
Ah well. Pain builds character, I guess. I just hope I don't build more character than I can handle. DX
This all will probably mean that time on the Internet for fun will be majorly reduced - no surprise there. I almost cannot believe I had the gumption to post a brand new story: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6266357/1/Hellsing_The_Glory. Yes, you're reading that right. It's a Hellsing fic. I sent this chapter to a friend of mine way a-ways back. She liked it, and I reread it and liked it, so voila. I'll probably make very slow progress on it. Which doesn't mean I don't want reviews. Duh. :D So if you read it, do drop a review.
Now, some disturbing news has reached my ears, and I haven't been able to confirm it yet, but nearly made me crawl into a corner and sob with grief: Barnes & Noble is, apparently, folding. I'll look further into it, but I really, REALLY hope this isn't true. For crying out loud, aside from Amazon, it's the only place I know I can get Trinity Blood books from! And, and . . . I would really miss being able to walk into it and just imbibe the view of thousands of books lining the shelves and knowing they were mine to select from.
I guess I'll just have to be satisfied with going to a library. I know they're free, but it isn't the same.
"You're pretentious, this club sucks, I have beef. Let's fight." - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Heeeey! It's that time again. I returned to school this past Sunday and boy it already feels like a month. Yeesh. But I'm glad the moving-in bit went without much of a hitch, although me mum is sending some stuff from home. Nothing out of the ordinary: knives, bullets, grenades, Anthrax . . . what?
By the way, have you ever had the experience where a bunch of people told you that a certain class is so painfully easy it almost hurts, so you decide to take it because you need the gen eds? And then it turns out it's not so easy after all? I HATE that. And I fear that's the situation I've fallen into with my Solar System course. Now, it doesn't sound TERRIBLE, thank God - in fact, I might enjoy it. But it will be work. Which is 'ugh' for me, considering that I already have three - count them, THREE - writing courses under my belt, an acting course and a vocal ensemble (hopefully - still awaiting results) in addition, AND applications for grad school. Nnnnyeh!
In other words, I will really need to hone my time-management skills this year. Not just this semester, either, because I'll need to do my Senior Project in the spring, which is essentially another independent study. Only I won't have 3000 miles of ocean separating me and my instructor.
Ah well. Pain builds character, I guess. I just hope I don't build more character than I can handle. DX
This all will probably mean that time on the Internet for fun will be majorly reduced - no surprise there. I almost cannot believe I had the gumption to post a brand new story: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6266357/1/Hellsing_The_Glory. Yes, you're reading that right. It's a Hellsing fic. I sent this chapter to a friend of mine way a-ways back. She liked it, and I reread it and liked it, so voila. I'll probably make very slow progress on it. Which doesn't mean I don't want reviews. Duh. :D So if you read it, do drop a review.
Now, some disturbing news has reached my ears, and I haven't been able to confirm it yet, but nearly made me crawl into a corner and sob with grief: Barnes & Noble is, apparently, folding. I'll look further into it, but I really, REALLY hope this isn't true. For crying out loud, aside from Amazon, it's the only place I know I can get Trinity Blood books from! And, and . . . I would really miss being able to walk into it and just imbibe the view of thousands of books lining the shelves and knowing they were mine to select from.
I guess I'll just have to be satisfied with going to a library. I know they're free, but it isn't the same.
"You're pretentious, this club sucks, I have beef. Let's fight." - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Cue the Empire theme music . . .
A brief word:
To start off with, I have the dreaded news . . . and yes, I mean the news. CLASSES START UP AGAIN A LITTLE OVER A WEEK FROM NOW AND I CAN'T BELIEVE SUMMER'S ALMOST OVER IT'S NOT FAIR IT'S NOT FAIR IT'S NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!
*cries*
Okay, now it's out of my system. So, yes, classes will start again soon, which means of course my output of fiction updates will be even further reduced, and it's already non-existent in several vectors. But I'll manage the best I can. I am happy to say, though, that along with posting the seventh chapter of Blood Wars: The Last Nosferatu (http://mllerevenant.deviantart.com/#/d2wd005), I have also posted the first installment of the second 'trilogy', Blood Wars: New Dawn (my version of Star Wars: A New Hope), to be found here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6202169/1/Blood_Wars_New_Dawn.
I originally intended to wait on writing this until more of the TB novels were released, but I just got an inch to write it last week, so voila. This means I'll have to be on top of my character information, so if anyone with Trinity Blood know-how has any special information about Hugue de Watteau, Leon Garcia de Asturias, or Kaya Syokka, feel free to leave a note. Thank ye. :)
I'm also rather curious as to what happens to Gie de Grandville (sp?), the Count of Bruges. I know I can find out just by reading RAM V, but it won't be out in English for a whole other year at least! For the sake of the fanfic, I really don't mind the spoiler. I already know the big twist in RAM IV (Howl on the Edge). I admit it did take me by surprise, not so much at the moment it happened but when I was looking at the pictures, and I thought, "Wait a minute, could it be . . .?" And when I realized it was I was like, "Aww, s---, that sucks!"
Yay for spoilers (or not so spoilers). ;)
Have to run now - it's beach time! (While it's still warm and school-less.)
"I have a bad feeling about this." - any of the Star Wars films. Pick one.
To start off with, I have the dreaded news . . . and yes, I mean the news. CLASSES START UP AGAIN A LITTLE OVER A WEEK FROM NOW AND I CAN'T BELIEVE SUMMER'S ALMOST OVER IT'S NOT FAIR IT'S NOT FAIR IT'S NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!
*cries*
Okay, now it's out of my system. So, yes, classes will start again soon, which means of course my output of fiction updates will be even further reduced, and it's already non-existent in several vectors. But I'll manage the best I can. I am happy to say, though, that along with posting the seventh chapter of Blood Wars: The Last Nosferatu (http://mllerevenant.deviantart.com/#/d2wd005), I have also posted the first installment of the second 'trilogy', Blood Wars: New Dawn (my version of Star Wars: A New Hope), to be found here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6202169/1/Blood_Wars_New_Dawn.
I originally intended to wait on writing this until more of the TB novels were released, but I just got an inch to write it last week, so voila. This means I'll have to be on top of my character information, so if anyone with Trinity Blood know-how has any special information about Hugue de Watteau, Leon Garcia de Asturias, or Kaya Syokka, feel free to leave a note. Thank ye. :)
I'm also rather curious as to what happens to Gie de Grandville (sp?), the Count of Bruges. I know I can find out just by reading RAM V, but it won't be out in English for a whole other year at least! For the sake of the fanfic, I really don't mind the spoiler. I already know the big twist in RAM IV (Howl on the Edge). I admit it did take me by surprise, not so much at the moment it happened but when I was looking at the pictures, and I thought, "Wait a minute, could it be . . .?" And when I realized it was I was like, "Aww, s---, that sucks!"
Yay for spoilers (or not so spoilers). ;)
Have to run now - it's beach time! (While it's still warm and school-less.)
"I have a bad feeling about this." - any of the Star Wars films. Pick one.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Jelly baby, anyone? . . .
A brief word:
*gasp* First, in very distant relevance to this blog's title, I am both excited and frustrated after seeing the season finale of Doctor Who. Woot! Yes, I am indeed a fan, though just a fledgling since I was converted this past spring in London - the best place to become a DW fan, IMO. Since then I've done a little general research on the whole franchise as well as diligently watched the new season to its conclusion, and now I'm antsy about when the Christmas episode will come out, and what will happen. Gah!
It's helped that my sis was also converted when I made her start watching the show after I came home. Now she's madly in love with David Tennant - can't say I really blame her, as he is a phenomenal actor. I myself didn't consider him attractive when I first saw him in HP:GoF, but now he's grown on me. I do like Matt Smith a lot, though. He's so adorable in a really strange way. :D
One mystery about this new series that's really been bugging me is . . . who the hell is River Song?! It's going to drive me crazy until Series 6 starts. I took a look at some of the Doctor's previous companions - particularly those of #4 (Tom Baker is awesome, too) - to see if there were any possible returners. My friend who introduced me to the series and I have begun to wonder if River is a Time Lady, even perhaps Romana. She told me while we watched "The Time of Angels" that River's superior TARDIS-piloting abilities reminded her of a previous companion who was a Time Lady. Of course, she might have been referring to someone else other than Romana. I'm not that knowledgable of the series yet. It will take me years to be so, I think, but that won't stop me from theorizing. ;)
Anyway, I'm gonna change the subject here without any logical segue whatsoever. I forgot to mention in my last post that along with visiting colleges, I spent part of my summer going to Maine. Friends of my parents had rented this place in Tenant's Harbor and they invited us to stay with them for a week. I was surprised that their place turned out to be a cross between a cottage and a cabin. Small but with a fantastic, peaceful setting. The only sounds around us were the waves crashing on the rocks far below and the lobster fishing boats that drove out in the wee hours of the morning. It was also the week where everywhere else in the U.S. was roasting in unprecedented early-July temperatures, but our spot in Maine was just right. We were getting a breeze right off the Atlantic Ocean.
There was only one downside . . . I got f***ing poison ivy. What a bitch. It's almost been three weeks and it still hasn't fully gone away. Still itches like hell sometimes. I got it really bad on my leg and it looks like I have some skin deformity. Or that I got attacked by a wolverine. At one point I had really disgusting welts in that area and my sis said I looked like I'd been shot. Thanks, hon. You always know how to make me feel better. o_o
Now, to change the subject again, I'm still planning to contine on my Blood Wars fics, but I still need to tweak plot a bit and keep fleshing out OCs before putting them on paper. In fact, I found this really great guide to making decent OCs, esp. if you like to write Trinity Blood fics. For anyone trying to get their OCs off the ground, I highly recommend it: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3426546/1/How_to_Make_a_Trinity_Blood_OC_Work.
Still don't know when these stories will be posted on ff.net. Hopefully before or around when classes start up again. Depending on how much progress I make within the next month. I'll keep it up on deviantart even after that. Probably.
That's it for now. Until next time . . . Geronimo!!
*gasp* First, in very distant relevance to this blog's title, I am both excited and frustrated after seeing the season finale of Doctor Who. Woot! Yes, I am indeed a fan, though just a fledgling since I was converted this past spring in London - the best place to become a DW fan, IMO. Since then I've done a little general research on the whole franchise as well as diligently watched the new season to its conclusion, and now I'm antsy about when the Christmas episode will come out, and what will happen. Gah!
It's helped that my sis was also converted when I made her start watching the show after I came home. Now she's madly in love with David Tennant - can't say I really blame her, as he is a phenomenal actor. I myself didn't consider him attractive when I first saw him in HP:GoF, but now he's grown on me. I do like Matt Smith a lot, though. He's so adorable in a really strange way. :D
One mystery about this new series that's really been bugging me is . . . who the hell is River Song?! It's going to drive me crazy until Series 6 starts. I took a look at some of the Doctor's previous companions - particularly those of #4 (Tom Baker is awesome, too) - to see if there were any possible returners. My friend who introduced me to the series and I have begun to wonder if River is a Time Lady, even perhaps Romana. She told me while we watched "The Time of Angels" that River's superior TARDIS-piloting abilities reminded her of a previous companion who was a Time Lady. Of course, she might have been referring to someone else other than Romana. I'm not that knowledgable of the series yet. It will take me years to be so, I think, but that won't stop me from theorizing. ;)
Anyway, I'm gonna change the subject here without any logical segue whatsoever. I forgot to mention in my last post that along with visiting colleges, I spent part of my summer going to Maine. Friends of my parents had rented this place in Tenant's Harbor and they invited us to stay with them for a week. I was surprised that their place turned out to be a cross between a cottage and a cabin. Small but with a fantastic, peaceful setting. The only sounds around us were the waves crashing on the rocks far below and the lobster fishing boats that drove out in the wee hours of the morning. It was also the week where everywhere else in the U.S. was roasting in unprecedented early-July temperatures, but our spot in Maine was just right. We were getting a breeze right off the Atlantic Ocean.
There was only one downside . . . I got f***ing poison ivy. What a bitch. It's almost been three weeks and it still hasn't fully gone away. Still itches like hell sometimes. I got it really bad on my leg and it looks like I have some skin deformity. Or that I got attacked by a wolverine. At one point I had really disgusting welts in that area and my sis said I looked like I'd been shot. Thanks, hon. You always know how to make me feel better. o_o
Now, to change the subject again, I'm still planning to contine on my Blood Wars fics, but I still need to tweak plot a bit and keep fleshing out OCs before putting them on paper. In fact, I found this really great guide to making decent OCs, esp. if you like to write Trinity Blood fics. For anyone trying to get their OCs off the ground, I highly recommend it: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3426546/1/How_to_Make_a_Trinity_Blood_OC_Work.
Still don't know when these stories will be posted on ff.net. Hopefully before or around when classes start up again. Depending on how much progress I make within the next month. I'll keep it up on deviantart even after that. Probably.
That's it for now. Until next time . . . Geronimo!!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
You're kidding me, right? ;P
A brief word:
*looks at date of last post* Well . . . I don't think that needs too much explanation. However, I will give a brief word (hence the intro) on my independent study which I completed during my semester abroad.
Two important things I've learned: Stick to deadlines, and don't depend on professors to press you to meet said deadlines. As a procrastinator of both the perfectionist and lazy-ist varieties, I ended up giving myself a real headache when I realized just how quickly the weeks were flying by. I also realized two weeks after my first paper was due that I couldn't write a sufficient personal essay on my Scottish experience until I, you know, actually went to Scotland. Makes sense, huh? Too bad I hadn't considered that sooner. I did appreciate my sponsor's flexibility in letting me delay submission until after my first trip with my family, but that had its cons as well as its pros. I was the one responsible for contacting her, not the other way around, so I let those deadlines slip like sand through a flip-flop. Wait . . . yeah, I'll go with it.
Anyway, I did manage to get everything done, and I got an A- for the final grade. The downside? Only that I didn't have an opportunity to get initial feedback on my work like I claimed I would in my study proposal. Which I would have appreciated greatly, despite having gotten a good grade. It would have been especially helpful for the short story, even though this professor does not specialize in fiction.
It was enjoyable all the same, and it gave me a good taste of what to expect for my senior project next spring. I'm glad to be going into that with a stronger sense of my work habits on long-term, independent projects, and what I need to do to improve them.
And studying my Scottish roots was fun. I can't wait to visit again next summer. :)
The rest of the semester was great, too, although I wish I had made more of an effort to travel, but doggone it traveling is expensive! And even though I did work study at my college's London campus, I could only work four hours a week most of the time. That was because of my internship, which also didn't turn out as expected. I admit I was a little envious of one of my classmates, who also lived in the same flat as me and eight other people. She's a journalist major, and for her internship she read manuscripts for a publishing house. She would share with us some material she had looked at, both the good and bad, and even though she spent a good deal of her time reading stuff outside of work, she clearly enjoyed the job and the people. This same company is apparently reinventing its image - new name, logo, etc. - and expanding to the U.S. They'll probably be able to offer her a job since their American office will be brand new and they'll want input from a member of their target group (?).
What about me, then? The writing major? I was supposed to do grant writing (which is a valuable skill) at a eye charity. In the end I did do some writing, but nothing as big as grant proposals. I mostly helped with drafting letters of introduction based on previous letters and sending out information packets to potential corporate donors. That work was all vital to the sponsorship process - don't get me wrong - but I can't reallly say how much my writing skills either contributed or were improved by the internship. The main benefit of this experience was a look into how charities operate, especially one facing heavy competition from bigger organizations like Red Cross. Even people working for a good cause have to fight and scramble for an income nowadays.
So, what about now? What does a college girl who has returned from a semester abroad do now that she's back in the States?
Visit colleges. That's right. My dear little sister is heading for college next fall (2011), so she's been making trips to the campuses of her prime choices. Since I'd have to go along anyway, I've decided to take this opportunity to look at graduate schools. Holy cow. That application process will certainly be interesting, but I don't think it'll be nearly as strenuous as hers. Oh, how I remember those days . . . filling out seven copies of the common application, answering the short and long answers, deciding on a topic for my essay, and filling out the supplemental forms of each college. And the activity sheets. Oh, god, don't get me started on those damnable activity sheets . . .
Where was I? Oh, yeah, graduate schools. I want to focus a little closer to home in my choices, but I'll need a decent pool of candidates since the writing programs tend to be tiny, thus a higher chance of rejection. And by tiny, I mean miniscule. An average of 7 students per genre. *headdesk* But if I don't get into a program I really like, it just means I'll have to wait a year to apply again, and in the meantime find a job to earn me money for that tuition. *shudder*
That doesn't mean I won't enjoy what summer time I have left. One of my goals is to make weekly updates on at least one of my stories. Looks like it's going to be The Last Nosferatu as that's where my head is right now and I've taken the time to write up a complete summary for it. Now it's just a question of fleshing out full chapters.
To be honest, the reason I've been procrastinating with the Blood Wars series is that I'm still missing out on a lot of information regarding bits of the Trinity Blood plot. The things I am wondering about are:
1) How much time passes between the end of Rage Against the Moons and the beginning of Reborn on the Mars?
2)What are Leon and Hugue doing during ROM? I know they each got a chapter in the manga, but those were filler stories conceived by Kiyo Kujio. What was really happening with them? Do they show up towards the end of the series?
I'm also looking forward to finding out what happens to the Count Four and the Four-City Alliance in RAM, and to Imperial politics in Stories Untold. And whether Alfonso is still alive at the end of RAM. Those things I can wait to read out about when the rest of the novels are translated into English, though. But it's such a long time to wait! :'(
All right, I'll say just one more thing before I wrap up this post . . . . .
New chapter of Blood Wars: The Last Nosferatu: http://mllerevenant.deviantart.com/#/d2u6c7g
READ IT! NOW!!
Nah, just kidding. :D
But seriously. T_T
*looks at date of last post* Well . . . I don't think that needs too much explanation. However, I will give a brief word (hence the intro) on my independent study which I completed during my semester abroad.
Two important things I've learned: Stick to deadlines, and don't depend on professors to press you to meet said deadlines. As a procrastinator of both the perfectionist and lazy-ist varieties, I ended up giving myself a real headache when I realized just how quickly the weeks were flying by. I also realized two weeks after my first paper was due that I couldn't write a sufficient personal essay on my Scottish experience until I, you know, actually went to Scotland. Makes sense, huh? Too bad I hadn't considered that sooner. I did appreciate my sponsor's flexibility in letting me delay submission until after my first trip with my family, but that had its cons as well as its pros. I was the one responsible for contacting her, not the other way around, so I let those deadlines slip like sand through a flip-flop. Wait . . . yeah, I'll go with it.
Anyway, I did manage to get everything done, and I got an A- for the final grade. The downside? Only that I didn't have an opportunity to get initial feedback on my work like I claimed I would in my study proposal. Which I would have appreciated greatly, despite having gotten a good grade. It would have been especially helpful for the short story, even though this professor does not specialize in fiction.
It was enjoyable all the same, and it gave me a good taste of what to expect for my senior project next spring. I'm glad to be going into that with a stronger sense of my work habits on long-term, independent projects, and what I need to do to improve them.
And studying my Scottish roots was fun. I can't wait to visit again next summer. :)
The rest of the semester was great, too, although I wish I had made more of an effort to travel, but doggone it traveling is expensive! And even though I did work study at my college's London campus, I could only work four hours a week most of the time. That was because of my internship, which also didn't turn out as expected. I admit I was a little envious of one of my classmates, who also lived in the same flat as me and eight other people. She's a journalist major, and for her internship she read manuscripts for a publishing house. She would share with us some material she had looked at, both the good and bad, and even though she spent a good deal of her time reading stuff outside of work, she clearly enjoyed the job and the people. This same company is apparently reinventing its image - new name, logo, etc. - and expanding to the U.S. They'll probably be able to offer her a job since their American office will be brand new and they'll want input from a member of their target group (?).
What about me, then? The writing major? I was supposed to do grant writing (which is a valuable skill) at a eye charity. In the end I did do some writing, but nothing as big as grant proposals. I mostly helped with drafting letters of introduction based on previous letters and sending out information packets to potential corporate donors. That work was all vital to the sponsorship process - don't get me wrong - but I can't reallly say how much my writing skills either contributed or were improved by the internship. The main benefit of this experience was a look into how charities operate, especially one facing heavy competition from bigger organizations like Red Cross. Even people working for a good cause have to fight and scramble for an income nowadays.
So, what about now? What does a college girl who has returned from a semester abroad do now that she's back in the States?
Visit colleges. That's right. My dear little sister is heading for college next fall (2011), so she's been making trips to the campuses of her prime choices. Since I'd have to go along anyway, I've decided to take this opportunity to look at graduate schools. Holy cow. That application process will certainly be interesting, but I don't think it'll be nearly as strenuous as hers. Oh, how I remember those days . . . filling out seven copies of the common application, answering the short and long answers, deciding on a topic for my essay, and filling out the supplemental forms of each college. And the activity sheets. Oh, god, don't get me started on those damnable activity sheets . . .
Where was I? Oh, yeah, graduate schools. I want to focus a little closer to home in my choices, but I'll need a decent pool of candidates since the writing programs tend to be tiny, thus a higher chance of rejection. And by tiny, I mean miniscule. An average of 7 students per genre. *headdesk* But if I don't get into a program I really like, it just means I'll have to wait a year to apply again, and in the meantime find a job to earn me money for that tuition. *shudder*
That doesn't mean I won't enjoy what summer time I have left. One of my goals is to make weekly updates on at least one of my stories. Looks like it's going to be The Last Nosferatu as that's where my head is right now and I've taken the time to write up a complete summary for it. Now it's just a question of fleshing out full chapters.
To be honest, the reason I've been procrastinating with the Blood Wars series is that I'm still missing out on a lot of information regarding bits of the Trinity Blood plot. The things I am wondering about are:
1) How much time passes between the end of Rage Against the Moons and the beginning of Reborn on the Mars?
2)What are Leon and Hugue doing during ROM? I know they each got a chapter in the manga, but those were filler stories conceived by Kiyo Kujio. What was really happening with them? Do they show up towards the end of the series?
I'm also looking forward to finding out what happens to the Count Four and the Four-City Alliance in RAM, and to Imperial politics in Stories Untold. And whether Alfonso is still alive at the end of RAM. Those things I can wait to read out about when the rest of the novels are translated into English, though. But it's such a long time to wait! :'(
All right, I'll say just one more thing before I wrap up this post . . . . .
New chapter of Blood Wars: The Last Nosferatu: http://mllerevenant.deviantart.com/#/d2u6c7g
READ IT! NOW!!
Nah, just kidding. :D
But seriously. T_T
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Big Bird's got nothing on these guys . . .
A brief word:
I decided to spend my afternoon after my internship walking through Kensington Gardens. It's almost ridiculous that I've been here for over a month and didn't bother to go walking through one of London's renowned gardens already. Ah well, I did yesterday, and I got some interesting stuff out of it. One, I went to the duck pond where all the water birds get together and plot how to take over the world and - okay, not 'plot to take over the world' exactly, but they had to be up to something. These birds are so utterly not afraid of humans. In fact they'll attack you if you start feeding them bread crumbs and then run out. The swans there are ENORMOUS. Seriously, their heads come up to my waist and they could probably knock down anyone under five feet just by flapping their wings. And they're jerks. Yep, the prima donnas of the pond. They pose when people take pictures of them.
I was surprised to find that there were Canadian geese, among other breeds, and they were thoroughly outnumbered. In the States they're everywhere, and hostile if you approach them. Trust me. But here they do their best to stay out of other birds' way.
They are Canadian, though. I guess you can't be that surprised. That was my bad political joke for the day.
Another funny incident was when this terrier, whose owner let him off the leash, had an encounter with a squirrel. The squirrel was about five feet away from a tree, so it had a means of retreat if the dog chased after him. Instead of bolting after it, though, the dog tried to creep up on it with nothing to hide behind. So, of course, the squirrel sees him coming, but decides it's not worth his concern, and just keeps on searching the spot for food. This encounter lasts about ten minutes with the dog starting and stopping in his approach, and sometimes forced to hold a pose like a pointer for two minutes. The affair ends a bit anticlimactically because the squirrel ends up bounding over to another tree and climbing it while the poor dog just watches. I guess I'd expect more diligence and stealth from a larger breed of dog. Certainly not from a terrier. They're renown yappers who think barking at their prey will convince it to come down. It was a little sad to see it didn't break out into a chase, but Mother Nature likes to throw us for a loop a little too often.
Well, gotta get more of that reading done. Another novel by Sir Walter Scott and Hugh Trevor-Roper's The Invention of Scotland. It's interesting and all, but . . . when it's schoolwork, I find myself more reluctant to do it. No rare disease, I'm sure, but it's still unhelpful. And I still have a paper to write and no idea what to write it on. :P
"People who say they don't care what people think are usually desperate to have people think they don't care what people think." - George Carlin
I decided to spend my afternoon after my internship walking through Kensington Gardens. It's almost ridiculous that I've been here for over a month and didn't bother to go walking through one of London's renowned gardens already. Ah well, I did yesterday, and I got some interesting stuff out of it. One, I went to the duck pond where all the water birds get together and plot how to take over the world and - okay, not 'plot to take over the world' exactly, but they had to be up to something. These birds are so utterly not afraid of humans. In fact they'll attack you if you start feeding them bread crumbs and then run out. The swans there are ENORMOUS. Seriously, their heads come up to my waist and they could probably knock down anyone under five feet just by flapping their wings. And they're jerks. Yep, the prima donnas of the pond. They pose when people take pictures of them.
I was surprised to find that there were Canadian geese, among other breeds, and they were thoroughly outnumbered. In the States they're everywhere, and hostile if you approach them. Trust me. But here they do their best to stay out of other birds' way.
They are Canadian, though. I guess you can't be that surprised. That was my bad political joke for the day.
Another funny incident was when this terrier, whose owner let him off the leash, had an encounter with a squirrel. The squirrel was about five feet away from a tree, so it had a means of retreat if the dog chased after him. Instead of bolting after it, though, the dog tried to creep up on it with nothing to hide behind. So, of course, the squirrel sees him coming, but decides it's not worth his concern, and just keeps on searching the spot for food. This encounter lasts about ten minutes with the dog starting and stopping in his approach, and sometimes forced to hold a pose like a pointer for two minutes. The affair ends a bit anticlimactically because the squirrel ends up bounding over to another tree and climbing it while the poor dog just watches. I guess I'd expect more diligence and stealth from a larger breed of dog. Certainly not from a terrier. They're renown yappers who think barking at their prey will convince it to come down. It was a little sad to see it didn't break out into a chase, but Mother Nature likes to throw us for a loop a little too often.
Well, gotta get more of that reading done. Another novel by Sir Walter Scott and Hugh Trevor-Roper's The Invention of Scotland. It's interesting and all, but . . . when it's schoolwork, I find myself more reluctant to do it. No rare disease, I'm sure, but it's still unhelpful. And I still have a paper to write and no idea what to write it on. :P
"People who say they don't care what people think are usually desperate to have people think they don't care what people think." - George Carlin
Thursday, February 18, 2010
I've got nothing better to do . . .
Actually, that's not entirely true. But I've got nothing to do that I want to do right now. Like write a personal essay which I could probably put off till Sunday. Probably. Or those journal entries I need to catch up on. But I need to do more reading for those.
So, yeah. Why am I posting now? I guess I need to put down some thoughts.
Thursday evenings, when I have no plans, often play out as a period of responsibility limbo. That is, I have nothing to prepare for for tomorrow, but I can't stay up super late and then sleep in. Nope, gotta go in for the internship at 9am. :P
Also, Lent has started, and right now I'm thinking of giving up fanfiction activity. Mostly because my recent writing craze for HHL has gotten in the way of attending to school work. That doesn't mean I won't be include to do other writing, but it'll be one less thing I'll obsessively check every day. I've refrained from giving up a type of food for Lent because 1) I need all the food I can eat - I'm a poor student, and 2) I feel I can focus on things to give up that'll do mental good than necessarily physical good. I've got enough distractions to worry about.
As I think about it, I might try to attempt some - oh I don't know - ORIGINAL fiction and submit it to our school's literary magazine. But it'll still be related to my fanfiction in some way. At this stage it's almost undeniable.
Now, for a brief word:
WOOHOO, Pont-au-Change site update tomorrow! Looking forward to it, ACH! That's going to be the highlight of my Friday. Cuz I need to save money and can't spend it on movies and stuff. That's not insult, trust me. I've been excited about this for months.
I wonder if I should do more art, too? That'd be interesting. I'm a crap drawer in general, but it might be a good stress-reliever.
Anything else? Ooh! Wales next Friday. I know it's not really related to my studies. I don't care. It's vaguely related to my major writing project AND it's an opportunity to take in more of the UK. I know I'll be going to Scotland in a few weeks, but . . . it's Wales! End of argument!
:)
"Love is a grave mental illness." - Plato
So, yeah. Why am I posting now? I guess I need to put down some thoughts.
Thursday evenings, when I have no plans, often play out as a period of responsibility limbo. That is, I have nothing to prepare for for tomorrow, but I can't stay up super late and then sleep in. Nope, gotta go in for the internship at 9am. :P
Also, Lent has started, and right now I'm thinking of giving up fanfiction activity. Mostly because my recent writing craze for HHL has gotten in the way of attending to school work. That doesn't mean I won't be include to do other writing, but it'll be one less thing I'll obsessively check every day. I've refrained from giving up a type of food for Lent because 1) I need all the food I can eat - I'm a poor student, and 2) I feel I can focus on things to give up that'll do mental good than necessarily physical good. I've got enough distractions to worry about.
As I think about it, I might try to attempt some - oh I don't know - ORIGINAL fiction and submit it to our school's literary magazine. But it'll still be related to my fanfiction in some way. At this stage it's almost undeniable.
Now, for a brief word:
WOOHOO, Pont-au-Change site update tomorrow! Looking forward to it, ACH! That's going to be the highlight of my Friday. Cuz I need to save money and can't spend it on movies and stuff. That's not insult, trust me. I've been excited about this for months.
I wonder if I should do more art, too? That'd be interesting. I'm a crap drawer in general, but it might be a good stress-reliever.
Anything else? Ooh! Wales next Friday. I know it's not really related to my studies. I don't care. It's vaguely related to my major writing project AND it's an opportunity to take in more of the UK. I know I'll be going to Scotland in a few weeks, but . . . it's Wales! End of argument!
:)
"Love is a grave mental illness." - Plato
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Lalalalalalalalala SHUT THE HELL UP . . .
A brief word:
So it seems that I'm not updating day by day anymore, but instead updating by other updates:
HHL - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5480101/6/Homo_Homini_Lupus
Javert and his mum take a little trip and find ways to bond. A little bitter-sweet. I hate the formatting issues on story documents on the site, btw. You can't do proper spacing, and it annoys the hell out of me.
I'll do a quick recap of what I've done this past . . . month.
Visited Westminster Abbey (didn't go inside)
Visited the National Gallery - saw the Red-Light exhibit and a lot of other really old paintings. I'd like to visit the National Portrait Gallery next.
Saw 3 plays - Midsummer, The Pitman Painters, and The Early Bird
Midsummer was fun and funny
The Pitman Painters was at the National Theatre - well acted and engaging
The Early Bird was SO WEIRD - made me think and wonder what the hell happened
Went to Leicester Square several times, once for a movie and twice for movie premieres (Invictus and Valentine's Day)
Went to the Odeon Theatre twice (Avatar and The Wolfman)
Internet is still an issue (and my main excuse for not posting more frequently), but it will hopefully - HOPEFULLY - get resolved tomorrow. I know, I keep saying that, but only because our landlord and the landlord's agent keep saying that. But MAYBE it'll actually come through. Guh.
On a lighter note, plans for Scotland are beginning to solidify. Yah! My parents have made reservations for the two weekends they are here in London, and then we'll be visiting Glasgow and Robert Burns territory in the Lowlands and Inverness and some other places in the Highlands. So I'm feeling good about that. What makes me nervous is the amount of reading I have to do - I didn't realize just how big a burden it's going to be. But now that I'm starting to actually work on my journals for my study, I'll probably force myself to read through the fiction faster. At least I finished Waverley, thank God. Next will be either Rob Roy or Trainspotting - maybe I'll wait to do Trainspotting when I have to read it for my literature class, too. Maybe.
What else, what else . . . fanfiction is sucking me in more, which is not good in terms of school work, but makes me feel good writing-wise. Still, I need to prioritize. Prioritize, dammit!
Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing my family in a few weeks. Hooray!
"You don't happen to have silver bullets, do you?" - The Wolfman
P.S. I love Hugo Weaving even more now . . . and I already thought he was awesome.
So it seems that I'm not updating day by day anymore, but instead updating by other updates:
HHL - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5480101/6/Homo_Homini_Lupus
Javert and his mum take a little trip and find ways to bond. A little bitter-sweet. I hate the formatting issues on story documents on the site, btw. You can't do proper spacing, and it annoys the hell out of me.
I'll do a quick recap of what I've done this past . . . month.
Visited Westminster Abbey (didn't go inside)
Visited the National Gallery - saw the Red-Light exhibit and a lot of other really old paintings. I'd like to visit the National Portrait Gallery next.
Saw 3 plays - Midsummer, The Pitman Painters, and The Early Bird
Midsummer was fun and funny
The Pitman Painters was at the National Theatre - well acted and engaging
The Early Bird was SO WEIRD - made me think and wonder what the hell happened
Went to Leicester Square several times, once for a movie and twice for movie premieres (Invictus and Valentine's Day)
Went to the Odeon Theatre twice (Avatar and The Wolfman)
Internet is still an issue (and my main excuse for not posting more frequently), but it will hopefully - HOPEFULLY - get resolved tomorrow. I know, I keep saying that, but only because our landlord and the landlord's agent keep saying that. But MAYBE it'll actually come through. Guh.
On a lighter note, plans for Scotland are beginning to solidify. Yah! My parents have made reservations for the two weekends they are here in London, and then we'll be visiting Glasgow and Robert Burns territory in the Lowlands and Inverness and some other places in the Highlands. So I'm feeling good about that. What makes me nervous is the amount of reading I have to do - I didn't realize just how big a burden it's going to be. But now that I'm starting to actually work on my journals for my study, I'll probably force myself to read through the fiction faster. At least I finished Waverley, thank God. Next will be either Rob Roy or Trainspotting - maybe I'll wait to do Trainspotting when I have to read it for my literature class, too. Maybe.
What else, what else . . . fanfiction is sucking me in more, which is not good in terms of school work, but makes me feel good writing-wise. Still, I need to prioritize. Prioritize, dammit!
Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing my family in a few weeks. Hooray!
"You don't happen to have silver bullets, do you?" - The Wolfman
P.S. I love Hugo Weaving even more now . . . and I already thought he was awesome.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Maybe I'll pass on the oven method . . .
A brief word:
So Miss I'm-gonna-make-the-effort-to-post-something-every-day . . . wait, that title fell by the wayside during the first week.
Ba-dum tsh. *lame*
Like we didn't see this coming. But I do have something of a reason. Mainly it's because of internet access. Yes, our flat STILL has not been fixed up with a permanent internet server. Right now we have this crappy set up where we can only view 3GB per month. And the guys who were supposed to install the permanent one have kept putting it off. Hopefully everything will be up and running by Monday. God willing. Please.
In other news: I've posted the next chapter for HHL: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5480101/5/Homo_Homini_Lupus. Javert pays someone from his past a visit, but the conversation takes an unexpected direction.
And I posted the rest of Part 1 of The Phantomess: http://mllerevenant.deviantart.com/art/The-Phantomess-Pt-1-Ch-5-152403687. There are 8 chapters in total.
Also, for those interested in Shoujo Cosette, WSRN-Aoi has released ep. 22 with English subs. Huzzah!
"You know, if you are going to let every little thing bother you, it is going to be a very long night!" - The Princess and the Frog
So Miss I'm-gonna-make-the-effort-to-post-something-every-day . . . wait, that title fell by the wayside during the first week.
Ba-dum tsh. *lame*
Like we didn't see this coming. But I do have something of a reason. Mainly it's because of internet access. Yes, our flat STILL has not been fixed up with a permanent internet server. Right now we have this crappy set up where we can only view 3GB per month. And the guys who were supposed to install the permanent one have kept putting it off. Hopefully everything will be up and running by Monday. God willing. Please.
In other news: I've posted the next chapter for HHL: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5480101/5/Homo_Homini_Lupus. Javert pays someone from his past a visit, but the conversation takes an unexpected direction.
And I posted the rest of Part 1 of The Phantomess: http://mllerevenant.deviantart.com/art/The-Phantomess-Pt-1-Ch-5-152403687. There are 8 chapters in total.
Also, for those interested in Shoujo Cosette, WSRN-Aoi has released ep. 22 with English subs. Huzzah!
"You know, if you are going to let every little thing bother you, it is going to be a very long night!" - The Princess and the Frog
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Just an update, really . . .
A very brief word:
New chapter up for HHL in which more of Javert's childhood troubles are revealed: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5480101/4/Homo_Homini_Lupus
I've also updated my fic The Phantomess on deviantart: http://mllerevenant.deviantart.com/art/The-Phantomess-Pt-1-Ch-1-79906732. More chapters will be coming soon since I wrote them much a while back. Enjoy!
"No amount of therapy will ever make this moment okay." - The Fairly Odd Parents
New chapter up for HHL in which more of Javert's childhood troubles are revealed: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5480101/4/Homo_Homini_Lupus
I've also updated my fic The Phantomess on deviantart: http://mllerevenant.deviantart.com/art/The-Phantomess-Pt-1-Ch-1-79906732. More chapters will be coming soon since I wrote them much a while back. Enjoy!
"No amount of therapy will ever make this moment okay." - The Fairly Odd Parents
Saturday, January 23, 2010
In Which Lethargy Can Be Fatal . . .
A brief word:
Being a once-upon-a-time LotR buff, I became engaged in a discussion the other night with a fellow flatmate on characters from the movies and books. During our tete-a-tete, she expressed to me her deep irritation regarding the films' interpretation of Faramir, her favorite character. His portrayal as a power-hungry warrior like almost every other male human in the story is (and I agree) very OOC. She summed up his character in these words (as if he were saying them):
"Hmm, power. That sounds like somthing that would get in the way . . . of reading."
So epic.
To my dismay but not enormous surprise, the weekend as thus far left me unmotivated to do anything related to school or to personal projects. The school bit, right now, takes a bit more priority only because the workload is going to quickly increase as the semester progresses. I would like to have a handle on it now and find free time later. I don't think this is going to actually happen, though. I'll at least try to catch up on my reading today. Sleeping in, as nice as it is, doesn't help one get things done.
It seems that our group is trying to plan a birthday surprise for one of our own. Hopefully we can go to this sushi place at the local mall since it's not even two blocks away. We'll see, though.
I'm still very, very, very annoyed at our internet. We're still on the temp plan that won't even let us watch vids on youtube. Grah! We HAVE to get this resolved soon.
Now, projects, projects, projects . . . despite my recent decision to post my main story on ff.net, I'm once again reconsidering. Mostly because if I do decide to publish it, ff.net may not be the best place to give it exposure. So I might - might - start posting here. Again, we'll see. I keep rewriting the beginning and it still doesn't want to cooperate. It either throws the reader into the story too quickly and without enough creative exposition, or the exposition is too lengthy and predictable. I've also been fiddling with possible prologues. I think I might have hit on one that will work the best, but I still have to actually put it into words. I hate it when I start narrating in my head and it sounds really good, but then I can't write down what I'm thinking right away, and then when I do eventually do write it, it never sounds as good. Then again, I tend to get ideas that sound good when I first think them, and then on belated reflection they sound really strange or idiotic. Ah, the creative process. What a turbulent journey (i.e. pain in the ass).
Just another dreary day in London. It's after 3pm and it looks like it's 10 in the morning. Oh joy.
Oh, but I did visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum the other day. It's amazing how many antiques the owners had to collect and bring together to create such a Victorian ambience. And the wax figures made me jump.
"Watson, that is a very loose translation!" - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, "The Red-Headed League"
Being a once-upon-a-time LotR buff, I became engaged in a discussion the other night with a fellow flatmate on characters from the movies and books. During our tete-a-tete, she expressed to me her deep irritation regarding the films' interpretation of Faramir, her favorite character. His portrayal as a power-hungry warrior like almost every other male human in the story is (and I agree) very OOC. She summed up his character in these words (as if he were saying them):
"Hmm, power. That sounds like somthing that would get in the way . . . of reading."
So epic.
To my dismay but not enormous surprise, the weekend as thus far left me unmotivated to do anything related to school or to personal projects. The school bit, right now, takes a bit more priority only because the workload is going to quickly increase as the semester progresses. I would like to have a handle on it now and find free time later. I don't think this is going to actually happen, though. I'll at least try to catch up on my reading today. Sleeping in, as nice as it is, doesn't help one get things done.
It seems that our group is trying to plan a birthday surprise for one of our own. Hopefully we can go to this sushi place at the local mall since it's not even two blocks away. We'll see, though.
I'm still very, very, very annoyed at our internet. We're still on the temp plan that won't even let us watch vids on youtube. Grah! We HAVE to get this resolved soon.
Now, projects, projects, projects . . . despite my recent decision to post my main story on ff.net, I'm once again reconsidering. Mostly because if I do decide to publish it, ff.net may not be the best place to give it exposure. So I might - might - start posting here. Again, we'll see. I keep rewriting the beginning and it still doesn't want to cooperate. It either throws the reader into the story too quickly and without enough creative exposition, or the exposition is too lengthy and predictable. I've also been fiddling with possible prologues. I think I might have hit on one that will work the best, but I still have to actually put it into words. I hate it when I start narrating in my head and it sounds really good, but then I can't write down what I'm thinking right away, and then when I do eventually do write it, it never sounds as good. Then again, I tend to get ideas that sound good when I first think them, and then on belated reflection they sound really strange or idiotic. Ah, the creative process. What a turbulent journey (i.e. pain in the ass).
Just another dreary day in London. It's after 3pm and it looks like it's 10 in the morning. Oh joy.
Oh, but I did visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum the other day. It's amazing how many antiques the owners had to collect and bring together to create such a Victorian ambience. And the wax figures made me jump.
"Watson, that is a very loose translation!" - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, "The Red-Headed League"
Monday, January 18, 2010
Oh What an Overcast Morning . . .
At last at last at last we are in our flat. The bad news? No internet & no phones. At least not until sometime later this week. Apparently the snow threw off everybody's schedules . . . the damage a few inches of snow can do. (This is coming from someone who's lived in the New York/New England area most of her life).
At least other things have been taken care of - paying for rent, moving in, and finding the proper adapter for my laptop. Woohoo. Now if only my iPod would work. XP
This is now the time for me to start planning for trips, before the chaos of classes, work and interning overloads my brain. Already I know I'll be going to Edinburgh on the school-sponsored tour in April, my family and I will travel during to Scotland during my spring break, and I'll probably arrange a trip over the Easter weekend. I love that Easter will be a 4-day weekend. But I don't know yet if I'll be able to fit in several locations in Scotland into that one trip, or if I have to narrow it down to one or two. In any case, it looks like most of my travels will take place later in the semester. I'll have to run that by my professor to make sure that will be suitable.
A lot of people seem to be stressing out about school work and travel already. And it's the first day! I will very likely be among them soon, but all the same, I want stress to be at a low for this semester. That doesn't mean I won't work hard - we've been told that grading standards will be higher here - but I also want to enjoy London. So I'll plan as much ahead as I can to keep stress at a minimum, however impossible that may prove to be.
Still no feedback on my latest chapter. I can't say I don't know what it's like to be on the other end - the reader who is reluctant to leave feedback either because she is not sure where to start critique-wise or is too lazy to really assess how she feels about the story. I've read a number of stories where I've not bothered to review on way or another, but I'm trying to break that habit. As a writer, I fear that the lack of reviews indicates that I need to push further and do more reworking to get the story where it needs to be. BUT real life obligations often outweigh indepedent pursuits in terms of priority.
I might gain more momentum once I actually start working on the other project that accompanies this one. And by working, I mean writing legitimate chapters that I would not be embarrassed to post on ff.net. Or deviantart. I was originally planning to go with the latter, but now that there's a crossover section in the former, I might opt for FF simply because the story won't be floating around in "writers' limbo" on an art site.
"Now I'm trapped under the cart . . ." - Les Miserables (1998)
At least other things have been taken care of - paying for rent, moving in, and finding the proper adapter for my laptop. Woohoo. Now if only my iPod would work. XP
This is now the time for me to start planning for trips, before the chaos of classes, work and interning overloads my brain. Already I know I'll be going to Edinburgh on the school-sponsored tour in April, my family and I will travel during to Scotland during my spring break, and I'll probably arrange a trip over the Easter weekend. I love that Easter will be a 4-day weekend. But I don't know yet if I'll be able to fit in several locations in Scotland into that one trip, or if I have to narrow it down to one or two. In any case, it looks like most of my travels will take place later in the semester. I'll have to run that by my professor to make sure that will be suitable.
A lot of people seem to be stressing out about school work and travel already. And it's the first day! I will very likely be among them soon, but all the same, I want stress to be at a low for this semester. That doesn't mean I won't work hard - we've been told that grading standards will be higher here - but I also want to enjoy London. So I'll plan as much ahead as I can to keep stress at a minimum, however impossible that may prove to be.
Still no feedback on my latest chapter. I can't say I don't know what it's like to be on the other end - the reader who is reluctant to leave feedback either because she is not sure where to start critique-wise or is too lazy to really assess how she feels about the story. I've read a number of stories where I've not bothered to review on way or another, but I'm trying to break that habit. As a writer, I fear that the lack of reviews indicates that I need to push further and do more reworking to get the story where it needs to be. BUT real life obligations often outweigh indepedent pursuits in terms of priority.
I might gain more momentum once I actually start working on the other project that accompanies this one. And by working, I mean writing legitimate chapters that I would not be embarrassed to post on ff.net. Or deviantart. I was originally planning to go with the latter, but now that there's a crossover section in the former, I might opt for FF simply because the story won't be floating around in "writers' limbo" on an art site.
"Now I'm trapped under the cart . . ." - Les Miserables (1998)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Don't give me that look . . .
A not-so-brief word:
Yeah, it's been a while. Coming to London has proved to be one hectic adventure after another. First just getting to the hotel, then having orientation, then finding housing, then keeping teachers and parents updated on events . . . I've barely had a chance to breathe! Now I have a little bit of time to regroup and recommence with my insignificant string of thoughts in this here dark corner of the Web. So let me unwind a little. *stretch* *sigh*
All right, so what's important right now? Well, for the moment I feel like an incompetant jerk because I woke up late and missed both the workstudy meeting and the rendezvous with my flatmates to submit our downpayment. Because I still don't have a sim card, no one can call me directly. I've left a message on one of their machines, so hopefully things will work out. Still, I could kick myself. Repeatedly.
As you can probably guess, all this insanity means I haven't had an opportunity to work on anything writing-wise - I didn't even have a decent chance to get on here! XP Sometimes, though, the creative juices get backed up when real-life issues step in. But even so, I'm trying to stay open to inspiration. Maybe for nothing I'm working on now, but some future endeavor - I need something aside from school work and socializing to look forward to.
Things will be a lot easier once I can access my own laptop instead of having to use a computer at the school. My stupid adapter has only two holes for plug prongs instead of three, so I can't fit my laptop plug into it. *headdesk* Also, I won't have access to the Internet on my laptop until we move into the flat. Which will be Sunday. *takes deep breath* Just a little while longer . . .
I don't usually get homesick, at least not until the end of a term when I sense the end drawing near. But now, what with my big sleeping-in fail and everything else, I'm a bit blue. I think this constant connectivity with my mom is also contributing, which is bizarre. Normally I don't talk to my parents very regularly when at school, so I can kind of pretend they don't exist, which makes me miss them less. Sounds horrible, yes, but it's helped me not feel as stressed about school. Now that I'm more aware that my family's not near by because I'm talking to them so much, I actually miss them more. Why am I so messed up? *another headdesk*
I'll feel better once there are things to do. I have no doubt of that. It's London for crying out loud - there's too much to do! Unless you're broke, which I'll probably be in a month. I applied for workstudy at the school, which will hopefully not interfere with my internship or my independent study. I need some kind of cash inflow.
Oh, by the way, it SNOWED here on the second day. American weather is stalking us!
"These are bigs hotdogs." - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Yeah, it's been a while. Coming to London has proved to be one hectic adventure after another. First just getting to the hotel, then having orientation, then finding housing, then keeping teachers and parents updated on events . . . I've barely had a chance to breathe! Now I have a little bit of time to regroup and recommence with my insignificant string of thoughts in this here dark corner of the Web. So let me unwind a little. *stretch* *sigh*
All right, so what's important right now? Well, for the moment I feel like an incompetant jerk because I woke up late and missed both the workstudy meeting and the rendezvous with my flatmates to submit our downpayment. Because I still don't have a sim card, no one can call me directly. I've left a message on one of their machines, so hopefully things will work out. Still, I could kick myself. Repeatedly.
As you can probably guess, all this insanity means I haven't had an opportunity to work on anything writing-wise - I didn't even have a decent chance to get on here! XP Sometimes, though, the creative juices get backed up when real-life issues step in. But even so, I'm trying to stay open to inspiration. Maybe for nothing I'm working on now, but some future endeavor - I need something aside from school work and socializing to look forward to.
Things will be a lot easier once I can access my own laptop instead of having to use a computer at the school. My stupid adapter has only two holes for plug prongs instead of three, so I can't fit my laptop plug into it. *headdesk* Also, I won't have access to the Internet on my laptop until we move into the flat. Which will be Sunday. *takes deep breath* Just a little while longer . . .
I don't usually get homesick, at least not until the end of a term when I sense the end drawing near. But now, what with my big sleeping-in fail and everything else, I'm a bit blue. I think this constant connectivity with my mom is also contributing, which is bizarre. Normally I don't talk to my parents very regularly when at school, so I can kind of pretend they don't exist, which makes me miss them less. Sounds horrible, yes, but it's helped me not feel as stressed about school. Now that I'm more aware that my family's not near by because I'm talking to them so much, I actually miss them more. Why am I so messed up? *another headdesk*
I'll feel better once there are things to do. I have no doubt of that. It's London for crying out loud - there's too much to do! Unless you're broke, which I'll probably be in a month. I applied for workstudy at the school, which will hopefully not interfere with my internship or my independent study. I need some kind of cash inflow.
Oh, by the way, it SNOWED here on the second day. American weather is stalking us!
"These are bigs hotdogs." - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Monday, January 11, 2010
Crossing the Pond . . .
A brief word:
Packing is a b****.
Today's the big day. A little more than an hour from now I'll be departing for the airport. It's still hard to comprehend that I'm leaving not merely my home, but my country, for 4 months. Gah! But I'm still excited . . . and terrified . . . and excited . . . stupid mixed emotions!
Here's to writing for the last time until May from the good ol' USA. See ya.
(I'll still be posting -- from jolly old England. ^_^)
"Cheese and crackers!" - The Happening
Packing is a b****.
Today's the big day. A little more than an hour from now I'll be departing for the airport. It's still hard to comprehend that I'm leaving not merely my home, but my country, for 4 months. Gah! But I'm still excited . . . and terrified . . . and excited . . . stupid mixed emotions!
Here's to writing for the last time until May from the good ol' USA. See ya.
(I'll still be posting -- from jolly old England. ^_^)
"Cheese and crackers!" - The Happening
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Your Mom . . .
A brief word:
I feel like my understanding of my parents and grandparents keeps changing as I get older. Take my nana, for example. She is the ultimate old-fashioned, Jesus-loving, sweet elderly lady who you are terrified to say anything around less something that scandalizes her slips out by mistake. Yet I still have to come to grips with those aspects of her personality that clash with my childhood perspective of her. Just today, I was going through some pictures I had on my computer and she spied on what I was doing. I showed her one drawing of a girl with brown hair and I asked her what she thought of it. This was her answer:
"She's cute. I like blondes better."
It has taken me some time to realize that when it comes to appearances, my grandmother is quite shallow. Don't you hate it when childhood illusions are shattered?
We've made another important step in our preparations. Well, okay, not that big a step - I bought a new laptop sleeve, batteries and an outlet adapter. So I'm a little further along, at least. The book issue is pretty much resolved, so that's a load off my mind. Now it comes down to a question of packing. *headdesk* "Easier said than done" would be an understatement.
Any other thoughts? I guess I'm going to miss the snow in London. For some reason, the cold is easier to endure when there's snow. I know snow is a pain for most people, but I think it adds brightness to an otherwise dreary season. On the other hand, I hear spring comes earlier in Britain than the U.S., which will hopefully be true this year. It's been nippy, though. Global warming strikes again.
I've decided to put up links to stories I'm posting and updating. Since I just posted a new chapter for it, I'll give a summary for one of my stories:
Homo Homini Lupus - For Les Miz fans, you can think of this as another backstory for Inspector Javert, with a macabre twist. I'm putting this up as a prelude to my main project. I recently uploaded the third chapter.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5480101/1/Homo_Homini_Lupus
"Lie for Italia." - Nine
I feel like my understanding of my parents and grandparents keeps changing as I get older. Take my nana, for example. She is the ultimate old-fashioned, Jesus-loving, sweet elderly lady who you are terrified to say anything around less something that scandalizes her slips out by mistake. Yet I still have to come to grips with those aspects of her personality that clash with my childhood perspective of her. Just today, I was going through some pictures I had on my computer and she spied on what I was doing. I showed her one drawing of a girl with brown hair and I asked her what she thought of it. This was her answer:
"She's cute. I like blondes better."
It has taken me some time to realize that when it comes to appearances, my grandmother is quite shallow. Don't you hate it when childhood illusions are shattered?
We've made another important step in our preparations. Well, okay, not that big a step - I bought a new laptop sleeve, batteries and an outlet adapter. So I'm a little further along, at least. The book issue is pretty much resolved, so that's a load off my mind. Now it comes down to a question of packing. *headdesk* "Easier said than done" would be an understatement.
Any other thoughts? I guess I'm going to miss the snow in London. For some reason, the cold is easier to endure when there's snow. I know snow is a pain for most people, but I think it adds brightness to an otherwise dreary season. On the other hand, I hear spring comes earlier in Britain than the U.S., which will hopefully be true this year. It's been nippy, though. Global warming strikes again.
I've decided to put up links to stories I'm posting and updating. Since I just posted a new chapter for it, I'll give a summary for one of my stories:
Homo Homini Lupus - For Les Miz fans, you can think of this as another backstory for Inspector Javert, with a macabre twist. I'm putting this up as a prelude to my main project. I recently uploaded the third chapter.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5480101/1/Homo_Homini_Lupus
"Lie for Italia." - Nine
Friday, January 8, 2010
Good Morning, Sunshine! Or Snow . . .
A brief word:
Today when I went to my dad's bank to get travelers checks for my upcoming trip, I saw a TV screen flashing some random bits of news on various subjects. One newsflash said that excited scientists believe that they will be able to locate Earth-like planets in the next few years.
Yeah, just like when my parents keep promising that we'll go to Paris 'next' summer. I'm not holding my breath.
It's coming down to crunch time and I feel rather unprepared. Which is bad, but I'm not ready to freak out yet. Right now we're figuring out if I need to buy my books for my independent study now and carry 20+ pounds of books on the plane, or wait to rent them from the library or have them sent from home to London once I'm there. Some of the books I know I can get at any library or bookstore - novels, mostly. The others my mom hopes she can order from Amazon and have sent to me overseas - the main question is the extra cost for shipping.
I've also been reviewing my independent study proposal, which now appears more daunting than a few months ago. Guh. I'm to conduct a study of Scottish history and research family history and somehow fit the two together. It'll mostly be what my advisor calls a "culture shock" experience. But as intimidating as it still seems, I really am excited about exploring the countries (Britain as well as Scotland) of my ancestors. I feel I've had more contact with British culture than Scottish culture, so the latter will be more new and maybe more of a challenge to take in.
But, for now, I'll focus on the immediate present. Right now we're all watching a movie about Florence Nightingale starring Jacelyn Smith, Timothy Dalton, and the ever lovely, ever wonderful Jeremy Brett. I don't really know anything about the historical figure, but the movie portrays her as a young woman who wishes to be more than a lady of high society and eventually pursues her passion to help the poor by practicing medicine. It's kinda of an age-old story by contemporary standards, but I'm becoming more and more aware of how challenging it can be to pursue one's dreams. It's more than just dreaming about them, but about going out there and finding opportunities to fulfill them. That takes an amazing amount of courage. Go, Flo, go! And give Dalton a good mack from me. ;D
Anyway, I'm figuring out if I can do anything on here regarding my stories. I have still more fiddling to do with the blog.
"D. It is written" - Slumdog Millionaire
Today when I went to my dad's bank to get travelers checks for my upcoming trip, I saw a TV screen flashing some random bits of news on various subjects. One newsflash said that excited scientists believe that they will be able to locate Earth-like planets in the next few years.
Yeah, just like when my parents keep promising that we'll go to Paris 'next' summer. I'm not holding my breath.
It's coming down to crunch time and I feel rather unprepared. Which is bad, but I'm not ready to freak out yet. Right now we're figuring out if I need to buy my books for my independent study now and carry 20+ pounds of books on the plane, or wait to rent them from the library or have them sent from home to London once I'm there. Some of the books I know I can get at any library or bookstore - novels, mostly. The others my mom hopes she can order from Amazon and have sent to me overseas - the main question is the extra cost for shipping.
I've also been reviewing my independent study proposal, which now appears more daunting than a few months ago. Guh. I'm to conduct a study of Scottish history and research family history and somehow fit the two together. It'll mostly be what my advisor calls a "culture shock" experience. But as intimidating as it still seems, I really am excited about exploring the countries (Britain as well as Scotland) of my ancestors. I feel I've had more contact with British culture than Scottish culture, so the latter will be more new and maybe more of a challenge to take in.
But, for now, I'll focus on the immediate present. Right now we're all watching a movie about Florence Nightingale starring Jacelyn Smith, Timothy Dalton, and the ever lovely, ever wonderful Jeremy Brett. I don't really know anything about the historical figure, but the movie portrays her as a young woman who wishes to be more than a lady of high society and eventually pursues her passion to help the poor by practicing medicine. It's kinda of an age-old story by contemporary standards, but I'm becoming more and more aware of how challenging it can be to pursue one's dreams. It's more than just dreaming about them, but about going out there and finding opportunities to fulfill them. That takes an amazing amount of courage. Go, Flo, go! And give Dalton a good mack from me. ;D
Anyway, I'm figuring out if I can do anything on here regarding my stories. I have still more fiddling to do with the blog.
"D. It is written" - Slumdog Millionaire
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Now for something completely different . . .
All right, let me get this over and done with. Ready? This is for my sis:
BANANA HAMMOCK!
(I'll give a hundred virtual cookies to anyone who gets the reference.)
Greetings and welcome to "The Drafty Corner", my new and first blog. Why have I created a blog? No real reason, to be honest. I suppose the main one is that as a writer-to-be, I should force myself to write something - even if it's completely inane and meaningless - every day. My other lame excuse is that come next Monday, I will be traveling to and studying in London for a semester. So it'll be good for me to have a means of recording any experiences I want to keep a record of. We'll see how that all pans out, though.
I also hope to use this blog as a way to keep track of my creative projects, which will hopefully gain momentum in the time to come. I'll more than likely just jot down some thoughts here and there, but I may also consider posting some stories or artwork on here, depending on how busy and optimistic I am. ;)
All right, I'll wrap this up for today since my sister keeps distracting me and my grandmother just arrived to spend a week with us. Ciao.
BANANA HAMMOCK!
(I'll give a hundred virtual cookies to anyone who gets the reference.)
Greetings and welcome to "The Drafty Corner", my new and first blog. Why have I created a blog? No real reason, to be honest. I suppose the main one is that as a writer-to-be, I should force myself to write something - even if it's completely inane and meaningless - every day. My other lame excuse is that come next Monday, I will be traveling to and studying in London for a semester. So it'll be good for me to have a means of recording any experiences I want to keep a record of. We'll see how that all pans out, though.
I also hope to use this blog as a way to keep track of my creative projects, which will hopefully gain momentum in the time to come. I'll more than likely just jot down some thoughts here and there, but I may also consider posting some stories or artwork on here, depending on how busy and optimistic I am. ;)
All right, I'll wrap this up for today since my sister keeps distracting me and my grandmother just arrived to spend a week with us. Ciao.
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