Such pretty words

In January of this year, I wrote four essays in two weeks, along with some journalism assignments, totaling some 10,000 words. I posted about how I never wanted to write another word again. Later that day, I posted the first bit about how Fae and I were starting to work on The Book.

The truth is that I can’t live without writing. I have been doing it as long as I remember. I even enjoy writing essays and journalism assignments (except when I procrastinate too much). I love words. I love communicating. I love creating an image with words.

In 2009, I started to take my writing seriously. Fae and I wrote over 50,000 words of The Book. We even attempted NaNoWriMo (we failed though… we got maybe 5,000 words in November). I started blogging regularly, something I greatly enjoy. This time last year, the only person who read my blog was Fae. Over the summer I managed to post nearly every weekday. I started to feel my way through this blogosphere, and where I wanted to be in it. I still have a lot to think about, and big plans for this blog. But the point is that I was writing. All the time. And in writing, as in all things, practice makes perfect, right? I’m learning how to write the stories that make up my own life.

I also started to write some other things. Things I never thought I’d write. Like right now I’m working on a series of monologues.

I’m learning how to think like a writer. How to be serious about this, as a possible future. How to grow as a writer. I have a long way to go, but I am really loving it so far.

Life or something like it*

I haven’t updated in a long time. Here’s why, the things I am struggling with:

1) Life. I’m busy. Either procrastinating essays and being moody or out having fun. I’ve had this problem before, getting wrapped up in school and life and not having time. School is particularly hard this time around, not because it’s my Master’s but because I have quite decided that I am tired of being in school (found this out about two weeks into my new program.. oops) and can’t seem to manage much enthusiasm for it.

2) Lack of inspiration. Today I’m craving inspiration. I want to… listen to symphonies or look at great art or read a beautiful book. I’m in a place in my life right now that’s not terribly inspiring. Actually, it is… England is beautiful and there’s so much inspiration available here, but I don’t have the time to be inspired I suppose.

3) Uncertainty. I’m not sure what I want this blog to be anymore. When I first started writing, almost two years ago, it was extremely personal. I posted song lyrics, some of my writing, random thoughts, rants, whatever I felt like. That was back when the only person reading it was Fae. Then I had an incident where someone else read it and got angry with me about what they read (don’t get me started about this…) and since then I haven’t been able to bring this blog back to what it was when it was started. You see, I started it in a therapeutic sense. I was at a really weird point in my life. I went to visit Fae and we talked about it and decided it would be good for me. My blog has been a lot of things since then, and I really enjoyed this past summer when I posted almost everyday and had a lot of regular readers. But it I always find myself holding back from posting anything too personal…

4) Complaints. On a similar note, I keep finding myself wanting to complain about things in my life but I don’t want this blog to turn into that either. It was supposed to be something positive in my life. I’ve been thinking about posts about how I feel about being here in England… but it’s hard because everyone has a different idea of me and my being here that I don’t want to get into. Also, I don’t want to sound ungrateful or pessimistic, because I am neither of those things.

5) Stargate SG-1. I started watching it towards the end of September, from Season 1. I just finished Season 8. I’m addicted. Doesn’t leave much time for anything else.

But today I was walking down the street, thinking about my blog and my writing in general. And how if I ever want to truly take myself seriously as a writer (more about that later) then I need to force myself to write even when I’m not sure about my life. And even when it’s a bit painful. So, this is, truly, an attempt to put the jumper cables to this thing and get it running again. But I warn you, it’s liable to change completely from what you might have been used to before, pets…  We’ll see what comes out at the other end.

Also, I promised Fae I’d write something while she was gone for the afternoon, even if it wasn’t The Book. (More on that later, too)

Now I just need some inspiration. Any suggestions?

*A great movie with Angelina Jolie that I strongly suggest you watch.

Guest post!

Hello, pets! I have something planned for later today, but for now please go check out my guest post at A Day in the Life, my friend Lisa’s blog! Lisa is an American currently living in London, and I’ve been reading her blog for quite awhile, and thoroughly enjoying it. How could I not, when her blog title is based on a Beatles song? I told you she was cool. She’s on vacation this week, so of course I jumped at the chance to try to fill her shoes over at her blog.

So go read my guest post! And then look around at her beautiful blog!

Welcome back

I finally finished my summer job yesterday. I have tried to refrain from complaining much about it on here, because a) people who know me in person are REALLY tired of hearing about it, I’m sure b) I don’t really think it’s appropriate to publish something that only tells one side of the story in a complaint against an institution that I’m employed at and c) I really still love the museum and a lot of the people there, it was just this particular job that ended up being quite ridiculous.

Anyways. My point is that I am now FREE. My job distracted me from posting (or doing much of anything with my life) but now my blog-cation has officially ended, pets, and I’m going to try my best to go back to posting everyday or at least almost everyday. I certainly have enough inspiration now, as I’m leaving in 11 days.

In other news, my Xbox is now a $150 piece of useless plastic which I will NOT be bringing with me to England. I give up. The world does not want me to play Fable.

Lascaux du Monde

I recently created a new blog, with my long time friend Steph. Steph and I share a love for traveling, and also for interesting graffiti. We both have big plans to travel more, and so we decided to make a blog dedicated to pictures of graffiti from around the world. They’re like postcards to each other, too, to keep us connected.

I just finished designing it, so I thought I would post the link. Enjoy!

http://lascauxdumonde.blogspot.com/