Spiritual Sunday!

Lectio Divina: Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Featured Book Friday! A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore Part 2

Okay, at first, I thought the whole “Beta Male” thing at the beginning of the book was just a one off thing. But I swear, the author references the “Beta Male” thing every chapter, or at least, every other chapter. It’s getting annoying. I feel like the author read a pop psychology article about alpha and beta males and he was like, “I need to center my whole book around this!” There is even a “Are you a beta male?” quiz at the back of the book. All it’s missing is the quiz, “Are you a cuck, too?”  I swear, I was waiting for it. At first, I just thought it was a way to describe Charlie. But instead of giving him an actual character, he feels like a caricature. All I know about Charlie is that he’s a beta male and tries to be funny.

Every time the author writes “Beta Male,” all I can think of is Jesse Lee Peterson saying, “BETA!” If you don’t know who Jesse Lee Peterson is, check out his YouTube Channel. They’re amazing, “AMAZING!”

Featured Book Friday! A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore Part 1

First impressions on A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore

During the first chapter, I was waiting for the reaper to show up. I mean, if you read the synopsis, it tells you flat out that Charlie becomes Death. I figured it would be similar to the 1994 The Santa Clause with Tim Allen, where Santa dies and Tim Allen has to take over to be Santa. Except, instead of Santa dying, it’s the reaper, and Charlie becomes the new Death Helper. 

Writing Prompt Wednesday! No Garlic

[WP] No italian restaurant is safe. The vampire activist group is going after hate food served at restaurants.

New Post Schedule

I need to change my posting schedule again. I feel like I keep changing it, but I need to do what works for me. When I wasn't doing anything else, I could write on my blog everyday. Now that I'm taking writing more seriously and working on my novel, I feel like my blog gets in my way. Don't get me wrong; I still like blogging, but it does take time. Between work and home life and while trying to find a new job, all while reading, writing, and blogging, I only have so much time in the day. I figured that I would drop the days that I don't like that much.

Meme Monday - I won't force it if I don't have a meme for the day.

No Tweet Tuesday - Eh, I'm done. It is hard to really make a story out of tweets and it feels generic because I don't have any time to elaborate on anything.

Writing Prompt Wednesday - I'll keep. It takes a lot out of me to do these. But I feel like my writing is getting stronger by doing this every week. 

Thoughtful Thursday - I'll keep. But if I don't have any thoughts, then I won't write. I won't force it.

Featured (Favorite) Book Fridays - These will keep alternating between Featured and Favorite Book posts. I have an idea that sometimes I might break up my review/critique of the book into two parts. I want the first section to really dissect the first few chapters, and the second post will focus on the overall impressions and a more general critique.

No Saturdays - I can't think of anything for this day and Saturdays are hard to get a lot of time to write.

Spiritual Sundays - I'm definitely keeping this day!

Really, I'm just dropping Tuesdays and Saturdays. But on the other days, I don't want to feel like I HAVE to post. I don't want to force it or then I just start to resent it and it feels like a chore. I mean, it never was required of me, but when I first started this blog, I was afraid if I didn't keep on it, then I would just stop altogether. I think that fear is unfounded and now it's getting in my way of progressing as a writer. 

Spiritual Sunday! Excited to receive the Eucharist next Saturday

Lectio Divina: Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." Then he took the bread, and said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup  is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you."

My time in RCIA is quickly coming to an end. Next Saturday, I will be confirmed into the Catholic Church and will be able to take communion for the first time. (Well, not exactly the first time, but when I took it once when I was younger, I didn't understand the importance of it; then my dad said I would go to Hell because I wasn't Catholic and shouldn't have taken communion.Yeah, that messed me up for awhile.)

Anyway, I am excited to be able to fully appreciate the holiness of the Eucharist. In other christian denominations, the bread and wine is just a symbol of the last supper; however, in the Catholic faith, the Eucharist is literally the blood and body of Jesus Christ. 

Featured Book Friday! Hostel by the Sea by Luanne M. Lusic

So far, the books that I have chosen are mainstream books. Books you may know or at least recognize the author. In this case, I'm reviewing Hostel by the Sea because I know the author, and now I'm finally reading it. She self-published this book in 2012 on Amazon, and through the course of writing and editing it, she would talk to me about it. During these conversations, we had another silent one where she never asked me to read it and I never offered. Until now, I never read even a paragraph of her book. There were petty reasons for it. So petty that I won't even go into it. However, I decided that I need to get over those petty reasons and went to go take down the book from off of my bookshelf. She had given the book to me as a Christmas present a long time ago and it still sat there with a bow on it, never touched.

Now, I don't read a lot of autobiographies (besides accidentally reading Stephen King's autobiography in On Writing), and this book is autobiography during the time that she stayed in a hostel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and her life during this time. So I am a bit out of my element because I normally only read and write fiction. I will try my best with this critique.

Thoughtful Thursday! Looking at the views

Creating this blog showed me one thing that I wasn't expecting: You really never know what is going to get people's interest. My highest view count is on the Oxford Comma of all things. I honestly feel embarrassed that I didn't write better on that post. It was such a one off thing that I didn't think much about it. I have currently 154 views on it and it keeps going up. It may not seem much to you, but in comparison to my other views, it's out of the ball park!

Writing Prompt Wednesday! Just make one person smile

Just make one person smile. That’s your motto for life. Not even the war stops you from making sure you live up to your motto.

Tweet Tuesday! A Story in Tweets

These tweets are a part of the same story. I had an idea to tell a story a little bit of a time like pieces of a puzzle. Except this puzzle is all jumbled up and there is no picture on the box. We'll see how it goes.

Meme Monday! Just shower thoughts

 In writing, the adage is "Write what you know." Which is understandable because how can you convey thoughts and emotions if you never experienced something like that? And then dreams happen and pull the rug out from under you.

There are a few universal dreams that we all experience and one of them is falling, especially from a high altitude. Everyone has fallen in their lives. Slipped on a patch of ice or on a puddle of water on the floor. But not many people have fallen from a high altitude and lived to tell about it. So why is falling such a shared experience? And a very specific experience of falling for a long time? I usually have enough time of falling in my dream to have the fear growing and building inside of me: the dread of anticipation of hitting the ground, the remorse of getting myself into this predicament, the flash of my life before my eyes. All this and then I quickly sit up in bed, panting, praying, and thanking God that wasn't real.

Dreams seem to hint at something greater. Something we all experience, some universal truth that's there and we don't know why. But we all can relate.

Sorry, I didn't mean to get into such deep thoughts on a Monday morning. I didn't even take a shower yet.

Spiritual Sunday! Words make us think and reflect

I think Jesus was very aware that they were trying to test him. I'm sure they were frothing at the bit at the thought of finally tricking into Jesus messing up. I can almost hear the jeering crowd of scribes and Pharisees pushing in to get to Jesus, excited as little kids to tattle-tale on others doing wrong. They didn't really care about the woman's sin; they were just using her as an excuse. I'm sure the frenzied and excited mood of the crowd was palpable. 

Understanding all this. Jesus de-escalates the situation by staying calm. Before he says anything, he writes on the ground. I think that is an important distinction. Not drawing or doodling, but writing specifically. I wondered what he wrote. Maybe he wrote what he said. Maybe he referenced something from the Old Testament that made them stop and think. 

Song Saturday! Marble Machine by Wintergatan

Featured Book Friday! On Writing by Stephen King

So it finally happened. I skipped a day. I didn't forget; I tried writing my Thoughtful Thursday all day. But it kept falling flat. My mind wasn't on it, and neither was my heart. I did progress a bit on my novel, but that was all. Yesterday wasn't a good day. I decided not to write anything at all to spare you the poor writing at best and cringey, emo stuff at worst. 

Anyway, did you notice that I sneakily changed the prompt for today? This book is not my favorite, but I've been reading writing subreddits and they act like this book is gospel. I got it used because I didn't anticipate getting much of it. I just wanted to see what the fuss was about. Besides, I have read a handful of his books and I was curious what a successful author like Stephen King had to say.

Writing Prompt Wednesday! The Bubble Burst

[Writing Prompt] In a world where the 1st thing you touch becomes your skillset, you were born and raised in a bubble; today the bubble pops.

Tweet Tuesday! Puzzle Piece Story

These tweets are a part of the same story. I had an idea to tell a story a little bit of a time like pieces of a puzzle. Except this puzzle is all jumbled up and there is no picture on the box. We'll see how it goes.

Meme Monday!

Oh, boy, I feel like I'm getting more accomplished with my novel, but I have definitely added more complexity to it! I just added a new main character today because I realized that I needed to flesh out the story more, adding more nuances and thus a whole other side story. I know my story needs it, but I really feel like I'm getting over my head. It will be good though. Just don't ask me what my book is about; I'm not ready to do that much math!

Spiritual Sunday! I am the Prodigal Son

We did this Lectio Divina in my RCIA class. I was ready for this one; I already have been thinking about this parable the whole time I've been in this class. I often referred to myself as the prodigal son multiple times silently to myself.

Before this class, I never really understood the message of the story. But I began to realize that I was like the younger son in the sense that I took God's gift of life and turned away from Him and used my gift to fit my own needs. When I began to come back to God, I realized the error of my ways and how I needed to put my selfish wants aside (which is still really hard).

Song Saturday! Santiago by Loreena McKennitt

Her music is so hauntingly beautiful. Just listening to it takes me to another world, another state of mind. It makes me feel like anything is possible. She takes musical inspiration from all over the world, but at the same time, makes the music new and all her own.

Favorite Book Friday! The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

Thoughtful Thursday! Socratic method of writing

Okay, first, I give up. I didn't anticipate this blog being only about writing. But it is. So here we are. 

Anyway, for this Thoughtful Thursday, I have realized that my writing method has changed or maybe even improved? Or maybe just evolved. I still write what I see. But there is still a point in my writing where my mind goes completely blank. The first thing I do is usually re-read what I wrote, trying to keep the flow going. And sometimes that helps. For a time. Until I get another blank spot. So then I started asking myself some questions. Questions are important. They open the doors of possibility. 

Let's use yesterday's writing prompt for an example because that's how I even began the story.

Writing Prompt Wednesday!

You are pulled over for seemingly no reason. The cop who pulled you over walks over to your window and asks for your license and registration. He looks terrified. He mouths to you, “help me.”

Tweet Tuesday!

As I sat down, I looked quizzically at the man on the other side of the empty chair. 

In a silent reply, his eyes squinted and his mouth slid into a grimace. 

My stomach felt heavy with dread. 

I knew then that I would never see that man again.

Meme Monday! Why are you like this?

Spiritual Sunday! Eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them

Lectio Divina: eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them

Even now, we have this thought that bad things happen to people because they did something wrong; it is perceived as being a physical manifestation of wrongdoing. When someone is diagnosed with cancer, or someone is injured from being in a car accident, or whatever, they commonly say, "What did I do to deserve this?" There is still this undertone of thinking that bad things happen is because they did something to deserve this punishment. Jesus says, "[D]o you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means!" Jesus dismisses this line of thinking very bluntly.

Song Saturday! Fat Lip by Sum41

Favorite Book Friday! Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

The reason that I love this book is because the building itself was a character in the story. The building held the mystery about what had happened to her family. As she explored the building, items and doorways began to jog her memory about the past as well as fill in gaps about what actually happened so long ago. It was a really interesting way of making the backstory a part of the plot. 

Every time she found something new or remembered something, I was so excited and eager to unlock more of the mystery. I was truly invested in this character learning more about her past. I won't go into much more detail for spoilers, but in the end, the knowledge of her past helped the main character deal with the present in a very satisfying way. 

Thoughtful Thursday! Wanting to be a part of a community

Writers, by nature, work in isolation. And I do. But I do want to be a part of a community. 

Right now, I'm still figuring out where I belong. I post daily on my blog (obviously) and Twitter. I've tried Imgur, but it doesn't work well for stories. Yeah, who would have thought an image sharing place isn't conducive for writing? However, I recently went back to Reddit but just for the writing subreddits. The community so far seems supportive. 

But no matter where I go, I always feel like I'm on the outskirts. I thought having my writing on the internet would be the scariest thing. But it's not. No one cares. I braced myself for negative comments. But I've barely gotten anything. Mostly people just ignore my writing. 

This isn't a "woe is me" thing. It's just something I wasn't expecting. I realize that I rather get negative feedback than just being ignored, passed over. If someone has something to say about my writing, good or bad, then well, at least they read it! At least it made some sort of impression on them! But I don't get anything, so it makes me feel like I'm shouting in the void. Not even an echo. 

I love writing, but I also love people reading what I wrote! If I just wanted to write and not have anyone read it, then I wouldn't post it online.

Writing Prompt Wednesday! Battle Royale For Real

In an instant the world as we know it became a video game. Every single person is level 1. A message appeared before everyone. “Kill or be killed. Last one alive will be granted the power of the gods.” Another message came up “Choose your class:knight, rouge, druid, fighter, wizard, ranger.”

Tweet Tuesday! Puzzle piece story

These tweets are a part of the same story. I had an idea to tell a story a little bit of a time like pieces of a puzzle. Except this puzzle is all jumbled up and there is no picture on the box. We'll see how it goes.

Meme Monday! Story behind the meme

I love this picture. I want to be a babushka-wearing, cat-holding Baba (grandma) who don't take no shit from nobody when I get older.

I can just imagine that this is a photo that one of her grandkids took of her:

"Baba, look at this phone; it can take pictures!"

"What do you need that shit for?"

"So I can take pictures. Can I take one of you?"

"I already know what I look like."

"Please let me take a picture of you."

"For what?"

"So I can have a picture of you."

"Get that camera out of my face."

"I just want to take a picture of you."

"You can take a picture of me when I'm dead."

"Please?"

"Fuck you."

"I love you too, Baba."

Camera clicks.

_______________________________________

I miss my own Baba (really, she was my great-grandmother). Whenever one of us would ask about the journey from Croatia to America, she would always answer, "Why do you want to know that for?" Oh, I don't know, maybe it's important for family history.

So this one's for you, Baba. Rest in peace.

Spiritual Sunday! They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

Lectio Divina: What stands out to me: They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

I relate to that as well. I have experienced things that I haven't told anyone yet. I guess, I don't know what to make of it. It scares me a bit. And I know that the prevalent attitude towards God is disdain at best and hatred at worst. Maybe it seems like a private thing. I understand why they didn't tell anyone right away. I read the passage and I don't know what to make of it. How do you make sense of what you saw? 

When we were selling our house in the fall, my husband and I knew it was a huge change but a necessary one. Where we were living was not safe. It wasn't always like that. It was (and still perceived as being) a desirable area to live and a great school system. I use to think that we were so lucky to happen to be able to live in such a great city. Although, it was annoying when you told someone where you lived and they go, "Oh, you live there?" in a snooty voice because then they assumed I was rich, which was not true. But overall, I was happy there. 

But in the last six years, I started to notice odd things around the neighborhood. It all started with the apartment building that was constructed basically across the street from us. I wasn't worried at first. It was toted as being high-end luxury apartments for all the professionals to live close by the many businesses and hospitals. We always joked that we couldn't afford the monthly rent there. But that wasn't actually the case. We found out only much later that many of those apartments were being subsidized by the government. Not to mention that we also found out that the senior-living apartment building (that was also very close to our house) was now being open to the general public. I think you know where this is going. 

Song Saturday! Aoi by Sakanaction

This song doesn't have a music video attached, so this is the best I could do.

Anyway, I've been obsessed with this band for awhile. This song is one of my favorites. It also works as a writing prompt because the song is about how inexperience is pain. I never thought about it until this song, but starting something new is painful! You don't know what you're doing, just trying to scramble and figure things out - it's hard!

Favorite Book Friday! Mandy by Julie Edwards

Mandy by Julie Edwards

Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards was one of my favorite books growing up. I didn't realize that this book was written by the same person who starred in Mary Poppins and Sound of Music until I looked this book up on Goodreads. 

Thoughtful Thursday! The devil is in the details

I have a (bad?) habit of omitting lots of details. I have explained in a previous Thoughtful Thursday that I write what I see. So, if I don't see any details, then it's not important. Then it's just fluff. And I realize that I hate fluff. Sometimes, I don't even describe the setting or characters. But if it doesn't matter in the context of the story, then why does it matter at all? But I don't know if it's right. Maybe I'm not describing enough.

Writing Prompt Wednesday! Putting myself in a picture

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Well, I'm not writing that much.

I always wanted to write an adventure story but I never know how to begin. How do I create an entire world? Maybe I’ll just try putting myself in a picture and see where that takes me.

Tweet Tuesday!

These tweets are a part of the same story. I had an idea to tell a story a little bit of a time like pieces of a puzzle. Except this puzzle is all jumbled up and there is no picture on the box. We'll see how it goes.

Meme Monday! Oxford comma

Spiritual Sunday! Words are powerful

The text is a bit bizarre because the writer personified the devil, making it harder to relate to. It's not like the devil barges in your house and hangs out with you, eating chips on the couch and saying, "Sin is great. You should do it sometime."

Real evil does exist. But true evil comes from people, from inside ourselves. Dark thoughts turn to dark actions. In the passage, the devil only talks to Jesus. The devil is trying to persuade him through his words. Words are powerful. Words have meaning. Words influence our thoughts. You should be careful how you use them.

Song Saturday! Toxic by Britney Spears

I chose this song specifically because when I read Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, I remember the author referencing this song. And as soon as I read that, I thought, "Oh God, this is what she was listening to when she wrote this horrible story!" Ah, the cringe. I could clearly see it in my mind. Yes, of all things to be annoyed by in those books was that fact that she referenced this song. It has stuck with me all these years. 

So I thought, maybe I'll try my hand at writing a toxic romance.

Favorite Book Friday! Ernie and Bert Book by Norman Stiles and illustrated by Joe Mathieu

The Ernie & Bert Book by Norman Stiles and illustrated by Joe Mathieu

I picked this book because I read a lot of children's books to my daughter. Out of all of them (and they are a lot), this story is one of my favorites.

Thoughtful Thursday! Why I write

I finally figured out why I wanted to write:

I want to burst your bubble, rattle your cages, shatter your world.

That's why I want to write. I see things other people don't see. I see things from a different perspective, a new point of view. I see possibilities where others see nothing.

I want my writing to make you pause and see things in a new light.

This helped me when I was going through a suicidal time as well as other dark periods of my life. Being able to see beyond just my small little hell was a light in the dark. It didn't get rid of the dark. The darkness was still there, pressing in on me. But the light made me never give up hope. I clung to it for it was all I had. A hope of the future. A hope for something more.

You just need to be able to see the way out. I see people trapped in their own bubble all the time. Caught in their own little world. Their own prison. How sad it is for people to be slaves to their own senses! They can only see what is in front of them. Nothing more. How can you have hope if you only ever see what's in front of you? There's so much more beyond the horizon. Literally a whole world, a whole universe. I want to give you a peek over the wall you have built. Don't hide behind it. I want you to see!

This. This is why I write.

I want to burst your bubble, rattle your cages, shatter your world.

I want to give you hope.

Ash Wednesday - I need to forgive

On Ash Wednesday, as I receive my ashes, 

I am invited to respond to the call 

to forgive those who have wronged me,

ask forgiveness of those whom I have wronged,

and to ask forgiveness of God.

Tweet Tuesday! Puzzle piece story

These tweets are a part of the same story. I had an idea to tell a story a little bit of a time like pieces of a puzzle. Except this puzzle is all jumbled up and there is no picture on the box. We'll see how it goes.

Meme Monday! Getting older

Spiritual Sunday! So many fish

As he stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd pressed in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats moored by the side of the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to pull out a short distance from the shore; then, remaining seated, he continued to teach the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, "Pull out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we have been hard at it all night and have caught nothing; but if you say so, I will lower the nets." Upon doing this they caught such a great number of fish that their nets were at the breaking point. They signaled to their mates in the other boat to come and help them. These came, and together they filled the two boats until they nearly sank. At the sight of this, Simon Peter fell at the knees of Jesus saying, "Leave me, Lord. I am a sinful man." For indeed, amazement at the catch they had made seized him and all his shipmates, as well as James and John, Zebedee's sons, who were partners with Simon. Jesus to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will be catching men." With that they brought their boats to land, left everything, and became his followers. Luke 5:1-11

If you focus on the fact that the Bible is a record of faith, not a history book, then you begin to understand why certain things are emphasized. Those specific things had significance and resonated with people so much that they felt compelled to pass these stories down through the ages through oral storytelling and writing.

I kept this in mind as I read the passage above. These people, the fishermen and the people on the shore, were all witnesses to this event. The passage begins with Jesus teaching and talking to the crowd, but it never once mentioned what Jesus was teaching. That wasn't the important part. 

The majority of the passage was about one simple action, pulling up fish. Jesus is telling the fishermen to go get fish. It's literally the fishermen's job to do so. What's the big deal? In the passage, it makes a point to say that before, they didn't catch any fish all night, but when Jesus told them to drop their nets, they listened to him and did just that. Through this simple action, that's when they realized they were in the presence of God. The fishermen have pulled up hundreds, thousands of fish but this time it was different, special. They pulled up so many fish that they had to call other boats over to help them. They were in such awe over the experience that Simon Peter fell to his knees and confessed he was sinful before the Lord. And all the fishermen were in such amazement that they brought their boats to land, left everything, and became his followers.

God transforms our daily grind, something we've done a million times before and will continue to do, but through God, there has been a transformation; even the simplest actions can be spiritual.

Sometimes I feel jaded from the daily grind but reading this makes me more aware of God's presence through simple actions.

Song Saturday! Billie Eilish - bury a friend

Favorite Story Friday! The Cask of the Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

The Cask of the Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

"Fortunato had hurt me a thousand times and I had suffered quietly."

From the very first sentence, I can feel the haunting quality of this story, The Cask of the Amontillado, by Edgar Allan Poe. This is my favorite short story. It's a story about revenge and it goes into detail about how the main character lures Fortunato down into the catacombs with the promise of this elusive wine. The actual cask of the Amontillado is just a plot device to move the story along. It's never made clear, but I would assume that there was never the Amontillado to begin with. 

The tightly woven story does exactly what it needs to and not a word more. It sets the tone, atmosphere, and the quiet horror in just four and a half pages. My favorite line is near the end where the main character is sealing Fortunato behind the wall and hears him moan sadly. "My heart grew sick; it must have been the cold." It really speaks volumes about the main character. The reader thinks that he might actually feel guilty but then it's quickly squashed in the very next part. 

I have been thinking about how I can never seem to write a novel. Why do I want to write a novel? I guess, really, it always seems like the gold standard of writing. Are you really a writer if you don't write a novel? I feel a sense of hierarchy in the writing world, similar to the art world. In the art world, there is a definite hierarchy. Fine arts, such as drawing, painting, and sculpture, are held in a higher regard than crafts, such as weaving and sewing. And in the the fine arts tier, are you really a good artist if you can't get into an art gallery or art museum?

I have been trying for so long to write a novel. But when it came right down to it, I really just want to write. Period. Writing this blog showed me how much I just wanted to write and just enjoyed writing. It doesn't have to be a novel. Edgar Allan Poe was a great writer and he is well-known for his short stories and poems.

Albert Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. Maybe my true goal isn't to write a novel. Obviously, it's not working out for me. On Wednesday, when I wrote the life hack story, I finally felt overjoyed with my writing. I know my story wasn't the best, but I actually had fun with it and I wanted to share my story. I realized I just wanted other people to enjoy it (and probably go, "WTF did I just read?").

UPDATED Post Schedule

Now that I've been writing for awhile, I want to update my posting schedule. It mostly stays the same, but I really want to add in the weekends. I'm still not positive that I will be able to do it every weekend, but I actually get sad that I don't have anything to write on Saturdays and Sundays. Like I said, I really look forward to writing. And I like having a structure to write in or else I don't know what to write.



Meme Mondays - This stays the same. I would never get rid of my memes! 

Tweet Tuesdays - I feel like this is my weakest day. Not only in terms of writing, but also it is the least viewed day on my blog. However, the 140 character limit is a hard but good challenge and I'm still writing my puzzle piece story. I will keep it for now.

Writing Prompt Wednesdays - I love this day. I'm not getting rid of it!

Thoughtful Thursdays - This is another day that I look forward to. I do want to write about other things besides writing in the future.

Photo Fridays?? Well, I don't want to take a break from writing. I want to write more. I also don't want to get rid of this completely. Maybe this will appear once in awhile when I have a good picture.

Favorite Book/Quote Friday - This will be my new Friday writing. I will write about a favorite book or quote. It can be either why I like it or something about it inspires me. My very first post on this blog was about a quote so I feel like I want to keep that up.

Song Saturday - Music definitely influences my ideas and writing. I want to pick a song and write while listening to it and just see where it takes me. It could be describing the mood of the song, inspiring a story idea, or examining the lyrics.

Spiritual Sunday - Okay, go ahead and roll your eyes at me. But I do have a spiritual side and I want to express that in writing. And it makes sense to do it on Sunday. On this day, I will do Lectio Divina, prayer with scripture. It's prayer by writing, which I find fascinating because I never knew I could do that!

Thoughtful Thursday! How I write

Yesterday took me by surprise. I had a crazy idea of making a story out of life hacks and somehow it worked! I forgot how much fun writing is. I mean, not just writing that story but my blog in general. I now look forward to writing. Who knew?

Now that I've been writing again, I've noticed a theme. Not about what I'm writing but how I write. Ideally, I would like my story to be outlined where I clearly see what's before me like a newly paved road with fresh paint and brightly lit signs. It could not be more opposite of that. 

When I'm trying to think of what to write, images slowly emerge from the dark shadows of my mind. I don't see them clearly but a few details stand out to me. And what I see, I then write. If the images don't come to me, then I have to go into the shadows and yank them out myself, hoping whatever I pull out will be good. This is not a metaphor. I'm describing real events that happen in my mind. I told you I'm odd.

Writing Prompt Wednesday! Life hacks gone wrong

So I was browsing Imgur like I always do and I came across yet another life hack dump. You know what life hacks are. They are little tips for solving inconveniences in an odd matter. Everyone reads them but never actually do any of them. Well, I've tried a few, but they never work as well as they promise. Let's just say never do the one where they say to put strawberries in the oven. They don't taste like candy. They taste like you put strawberries in the oven and left them in there too long. Gross.

Tweet Tuesday! Continuing the same story

Last Tuesday, I wrote the following:

Tears were streaming down my face. "It's too late, " I realized. The crowds cheered as the army stomped into the city as if in a parade. "Our country ends not in cries of sadness but those of joy."

_____________________________________________


Who is he? I studied him as he stood facing the window. He appeared as a shadow in the midst of the blood red sunset looming outside.

Some say a mad man. Others say a hero.
Which is the truth? 

He turned, noticed me staring, and smiled.

“Ready?”

I nodded and took his arm.

________________________________________________

These tweets are a part of the same story. I had an idea to tell a story a little bit of a time like pieces of a puzzle. Except this puzzle is all jumbled up and there is no picture on the box. We'll see how it goes.

Meme Monday! Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly

Disclaimer: I know a screenshot of text is technically not a meme because there's no picture. But the definition of a meme is broadening. In this case, if I found it on Imgur, then it is a meme. Case closed.

I don't know why I get trapped in the "It has to be perfect" mindset when I write. When I draw or paint, I know I make mistakes. Sometimes, it doesn't turn out the way I want and I don't even know how to make it better. And I'm okay with that. I understand I can't be the best all the time.

But with writing, I feel like if I'm not writing a novel and I don't have everything outlined and plotted out, then I might as well not write. Ever since I was little, I wanted to write a book. I loved reading as a kid. And I always dreamed of writing a book that someone else could get lost in and be inspired by.

I have never written a novel. 

I have tried so many times. But my writing falls flat and the plot just falls apart and my characters grow stale. I guess I hope that if I have the perfect idea or the perfect plot or the perfect ending or the perfect ....

But I don't. So, then I just stop writing. How's that better? It's not. But I feel defeated.

So maybe I don't have to write the perfect novel. And maybe that's okay. Maybe I'll try to just do something poorly. A little bit of writing each weekday on my blog is better than nothing. And maybe that's true because this is the most writing I have done for a long time.

Photo Friday! From a different perspective

I have been thinking about perceptions. How we perceive the world shapes our reality. It influences our choices and our actions.

Take this photograph for instance. I took an ordinary object and changed the perspective. By looking at it in a different way, I made what was an ordinary water bottle into a beautiful, abstract artwork. 

This gave me another unexpected writing prompt:

Write about the same person using different perspectives. In someone's eyes, this person is a hero. To another, this same person is a villain. Both perspectives have to be equally valid.

Thoughtful Thursday! Meta post

Before I sit down with my cup of coffee, I only have coffee beans. There's a procedure of grinding and brewing them before the coffee even makes it into my mug. 

It's the same for a book. Before it can be a book, it starts with letters. Then there is a process of combining letters into words and words into sentences.

But as any coffee addict knows, there is more to a good cup of coffee than just ground up beans that water passes through. There's a technique, an art to it. A book is more than the words on the pages. 

This blog is to review and analyze what makes a book good and what can make it better. I want to drink in the books, sip by sip, and take the grounds of inspiration to brew my own words.


Yep, that's my writing. From my old blog that consisted of exactly one post. I did start writing another post, but I never published it. This also doesn't count another blog that I started but I never actually wrote anything on it. It died before it even got to live.


So, what's the point of all this?


Well, here I am again, trying to write another blog. And this blog is even weirder because I don't even have a specific purpose for it, hence the "odd" part. It's just odds and ends and beginnings of stories, ideas, and thoughts. Who am I writing for? I don't know. What am I writing for? I don't know. 


I just have such a strong feeling to write. It's in my very being. And I have no idea what to write. This has been me for the past decade. I feel like I have been cursed in a very subtle way.


But the urge to write never goes away. Every time I go to write, the idea I had just flickers and fizzles out before it even gets going. And then I'm left with nothing, like the worst writer's block in the world. Every writing article is just like, "But just keep writing!" And I'm like, "I can't write if I have no thoughts, no ideas. Then it's just dead letters on a page."


So, why do I want to write? Especially since I don't know why? 


Hey, if you know the answer, please let me know. Throw me a lifesaver because I feel like I'm drowning.

Writing Prompt Wednesday! The jaded healer

Because my Meme Monday turned into an unexpected writing prompt, I decided to try it out for myself.

The writing prompt is the following:

Write a story about being a healer, where your job is to keep everyone alive. Maybe the story arc is that you start off being the hopeful, anxious healer who wants to heal everyone, but over time, you become cynical and refuse to heal idiots.

________________________________________________

Breathing in deeply, I thought about tranquil waters and colorful sunsets. I closed my eyes to see ocean waves and warm sandy beaches. I heard the breeze rustling through the palm trees.

"ROAR!"
Whack!
"Help me!"

Trying to ignore all of that, I breathed in deeply again. 

"Hey, you going to help or what?!"

Thinking of more peaceful places, I tried to calm my inner rage.

"ROAAAR!"
"Hey, healer, are you going to do your job?!"

My tranquil waters boiled and steamed to the surface as my anger got the better of me.

My eyes flew open. "You are all idiots!" I foamed. "I refuse to heal any of you! I told you to not fight this demon; he is too strong!" 

"And you, Rogue!" I pointed at him. "You are deliberately standing in the fire!"

He looked over at me. His bewilderment shone on his face as brightly as the flames that danced all around him.

"So? It's your job to heal me," the rogue said casually as the fire engulfed him more. "You might want to hurry up on that by the way."

My hands flew out towards him in a twisting, choking motion.

Then, a little flash of green light appeared on the rogue's body. Instantly, I looked down at my unintended protégé. 

"You healed him," I said matter-of-factly. "Against my wishes."

Her little face scrunched up in worried. "I don't want him to die."

I sighed, defeated. Raising my arms, I flicked my wrists toward my group, filling them with bright light that healed their wounds.

Tweet Tuesday!

Here's my first story in a tweet:

Tears were streaming down my face. "It's too late, " I realized. The crowds cheered as the army stomped into the city as if in a parade. "Our country ends not in cries of sadness but those of joy."

Okay, it's not a whole story. But it is a part of a story that has been bouncing around in my head. This is actually the end of the story. Writing the conclusion first is a writer's trick to get your thoughts into words.

Meme Monday - All about healers!

Because I've played healers in World of Warcraft (WoW), this always makes me chuckle. When I first started healing dungeons, I was so nervous and afraid I would let everyone down. But after years of playing, I have zero sympathy for DPS who stand in the fire or the tank that runs ahead of everyone and pulls the whole dungeon. 

I haven't played WoW in awhile, but I always enjoyed playing my undead discipline priest. So, this gave me an idea for an odd inspiration:

Write a story about being a healer, where your job is to keep everyone alive. Maybe the story arc is that you start off being the hopeful, anxious healer who wants to heal everyone, but over time, you become cynical and refuse to heal idiots.

Or, maybe whenever you healed, you stole life from yourself? You heal people, but at what cost? The more you heal people, the closer to death that you become. You have to  choose carefully who you heal, if at all.

Okay, last idea. What about a story about necromancers, but they are misunderstood. They really are just late healers.

Posting Schedule

I'm thinking about structuring my odd inspirations. 

Mainly because as soon as you can write whenever, whatever you want, then your mind is one big blank space and the blog just sits there gathering dust. The blogs that I use to read had a purpose. They were only about one subject matter. Well, I'm all over the place. I can't commit like that. Besides anything can be an #oddinspiration. 

Soo...


I'm going to try to structure my odd inspirations by days:

• Meme Mondays - you gotta start the week off right - with memes! Can be funny, inspiring, or personal.
• Tweet Tuesdays - I want to do the Twitter challenge of writing a story or poem that fits into the 140 character limit.
• Writing Prompt Wednesdays - Either I find a writing prompt, or I make up my own. Then, I write as much as I can about it. Could be a few sentences, could be a few pages.
• Thoughtful Thursdays - I focus on something that I've been thinking about. It can be any subject matter. 
• Photo Fridays - I take a break from writing and take a picture! It can be art that I made or an artsy photo that I take.

I always adore alliteration. In case you haven't noticed. 

I didn't include Saturdays and Sundays because I highly doubt that I would be able to post regularly on the weekends (like right now is an anomaly).