Today is November 9, 2011. There are *does math* seven and a half weeks left of this year. About five weeks left of this semester. And three weeks left of November. In that time I have to:
-Pass all my classes, getting mostly A's (if I want to student teach)
-Read 26 books to fulfill my 50-in-2011 challenge
-Write 35,000 words to win NaNoWriMo
So, yeah. No big deal. Classes are going (mostly) well. I've gotten back to reading as much as possible (I kinda stopped for a few months there). And I am totally ROCKING NaNoWriMo (I'll talk about my story some other time). But all of those combined? I don't know how I'm going to make it to 2012 in one piece.
Books read: 24
Words written: 15,116
Days until this is all over: 52
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Poetry Wednesday: Twittering through the Woods
Twittering through the Woods
More than all the print I have read in my life,
At home in the fleet of ice-boats, she
Unscrews the doors themselves from their jambs!
Resisting anything better than her own university, she shares an
Endless unfolding of words of ages, and if
Each and all be aware I sit content, because there is
Never any more inception than there is now.
Just twittering through the woods. “Smile
O voluptuous cool-breath’d earth!” and
“Hurrah for positive science!” Cheerfully take it
Now. With behavior lawless as
Snow-flakes, the spinning-girl retreats, scooting
Obliquely. We chant the chant,
“Never enough! enough! enough!”
A Found Poem from Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”
Allison Ridley 2011
More than all the print I have read in my life,
At home in the fleet of ice-boats, she
Unscrews the doors themselves from their jambs!
Resisting anything better than her own university, she shares an
Endless unfolding of words of ages, and if
Each and all be aware I sit content, because there is
Never any more inception than there is now.
Just twittering through the woods. “Smile
O voluptuous cool-breath’d earth!” and
“Hurrah for positive science!” Cheerfully take it
Now. With behavior lawless as
Snow-flakes, the spinning-girl retreats, scooting
Obliquely. We chant the chant,
“Never enough! enough! enough!”
A Found Poem from Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”
Allison Ridley 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Remember Poetry Wednesdays?
Well, I have a new one for you!
(And there will be a poem called "In (Living) Memory of River" coming as soon as I finish revising it.)
A Faithful Companion
We were both test subjects.
I had a gun and you couldn’t speak,
yet I was thoroughly assured that
you would never threaten to stab me.
In the event you did speak, she urged me to “disregard your advice.”
You were a faithful companion,
obeying orders and protecting me
from fiery death while I used you
as a not-quite-human shield.
You were “most likely incapable of feeling much pain.”
You were there to help me
complete a mission that was impossible
for one, but manageable for us,
and together we would beat the odds.
She told me to “please take care of you.”
The task complete, we learned that
you could no longer accompany me
on the rest of my journey, but
also could not be left behind.
There was an “Emergency Intelligence Incinerator.”
You still couldn’t speak, but I knew that
you would say to go on without you,
that you would rather die in a fire
than become a burden to me.
“You euthanized your faithful companion more quickly than any test subject on record. Congratulations.”
I would love any feedback you have. I'm doing these poems for a poetry class, but we don't have very good critiques* and I'm dying to hear what other writers have to say. Suggestions? My teacher thought it might be interesting to try writing it in present tense, which I liked. I was also thinking about changing the POV to GLaDOS** and seeing how that goes. I'll play around with it one of these days and post my alternate versions. I would REALLY love your input, though.
*it's mostly "This is really good!" even when it's clearly not
**Yes, this is a poem about Portal. Don't know about Portal? It's a puzzle-based video game in which you play a test subject going through a series of tasks run by an (evil) intelligent computer known as GLaDOS. Look up "Weighted Companion Cube" if you want to know the back story for this poem. Though I don't think that's NECESSARY. It's supposed to work as a poem even if you don't know about Portal.
(And there will be a poem called "In (Living) Memory of River" coming as soon as I finish revising it.)
A Faithful Companion
We were both test subjects.
I had a gun and you couldn’t speak,
yet I was thoroughly assured that
you would never threaten to stab me.
In the event you did speak, she urged me to “disregard your advice.”
You were a faithful companion,
obeying orders and protecting me
from fiery death while I used you
as a not-quite-human shield.
You were “most likely incapable of feeling much pain.”
You were there to help me
complete a mission that was impossible
for one, but manageable for us,
and together we would beat the odds.
She told me to “please take care of you.”
The task complete, we learned that
you could no longer accompany me
on the rest of my journey, but
also could not be left behind.
There was an “Emergency Intelligence Incinerator.”
You still couldn’t speak, but I knew that
you would say to go on without you,
that you would rather die in a fire
than become a burden to me.
“You euthanized your faithful companion more quickly than any test subject on record. Congratulations.”
I would love any feedback you have. I'm doing these poems for a poetry class, but we don't have very good critiques* and I'm dying to hear what other writers have to say. Suggestions? My teacher thought it might be interesting to try writing it in present tense, which I liked. I was also thinking about changing the POV to GLaDOS** and seeing how that goes. I'll play around with it one of these days and post my alternate versions. I would REALLY love your input, though.
*it's mostly "This is really good!" even when it's clearly not
**Yes, this is a poem about Portal. Don't know about Portal? It's a puzzle-based video game in which you play a test subject going through a series of tasks run by an (evil) intelligent computer known as GLaDOS. Look up "Weighted Companion Cube" if you want to know the back story for this poem. Though I don't think that's NECESSARY. It's supposed to work as a poem even if you don't know about Portal.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Poetry Wednesdays: Back to School
I've decided to start doing Poetry Wednesdays on here, because I'm taking Intro to Creative Writing: Poetry on Wednesday nights and I'd like to share what I write each week :) This is my first one. I read it in class today and it was a hit, so I'm kind of proud of it :D
Back to School
As the scarlet train whistles
I take in the endless trees
that look so inviting and
finally I believe that
I made it to my dream school.
Soon I will be in a dorm
that I share with three others
looking forward to the time
we will spend walking through the
corridors, laughing as we
throw on our blue and bronze scarves.
The image is picturesque
and for a moment I feel
more excited than I have
ever felt for a school year.
But the train whistles again.
I blink and am forced to see
heartbreaking reality:
This isn’t Hogwarts.
(Inspired by Hank Green's "This Isn't Hogwarts")
As the scarlet train whistles
I take in the endless trees
that look so inviting and
finally I believe that
I made it to my dream school.
Soon I will be in a dorm
that I share with three others
looking forward to the time
we will spend walking through the
corridors, laughing as we
throw on our blue and bronze scarves.
The image is picturesque
and for a moment I feel
more excited than I have
ever felt for a school year.
But the train whistles again.
I blink and am forced to see
heartbreaking reality:
This isn’t Hogwarts.
(Inspired by Hank Green's "This Isn't Hogwarts")
Friday, July 15, 2011
Independence Day Flash Fiction Blogfest
This week is just ALL ABOUT BLOGFESTS! But I'm loving it because it kind of FORCES me to blog. Which is good.
Today's blogfest comes to you from the amazing Ali Cross! It's flash fiction (in this case, less than 250 words) following this prompt: "It's Independence Day and something unexpected happens..."
And now I'm going to write this piece of flash fiction. I have no idea what it will be about. Probably something related to Harry Potter. "Write what you know" and all that...
Wet-Start Fireworks
"George Weasley! What on EARTH were you thinking, leaving a box of fireworks lying around! There are CHILDREN here! I just caught James chewing on a wet-start firework's wrapper and I haven't the faintest idea where the actual thing's got to!"
"Sorry, Mum! I just thought it'd be good to celebrate. It's five years since the Battle at Hogwarts, you know--"
"Of course I ruddy well KNOW, George, I was THERE wasn't I?"
"Molly?"
"I'm just saying, MUM, that I thought it would be a proper way to recognize the day--"
"Molly!"
"And I'm just saying, GEORGE, that if I see one more child with a piece of your merchandise in this house--"
"Molly, I think there's something in this punch--"
KABOOOOM!
"..."
"..."
"GEORGE WEASLEY!"
Okay, so that was more like flash FANfiction, but it works :) Check out other entries to Ali's blogfest here:
Today's blogfest comes to you from the amazing Ali Cross! It's flash fiction (in this case, less than 250 words) following this prompt: "It's Independence Day and something unexpected happens..."
And now I'm going to write this piece of flash fiction. I have no idea what it will be about. Probably something related to Harry Potter. "Write what you know" and all that...
Wet-Start Fireworks
"George Weasley! What on EARTH were you thinking, leaving a box of fireworks lying around! There are CHILDREN here! I just caught James chewing on a wet-start firework's wrapper and I haven't the faintest idea where the actual thing's got to!"
"Sorry, Mum! I just thought it'd be good to celebrate. It's five years since the Battle at Hogwarts, you know--"
"Of course I ruddy well KNOW, George, I was THERE wasn't I?"
"Molly?"
"I'm just saying, MUM, that I thought it would be a proper way to recognize the day--"
"Molly!"
"And I'm just saying, GEORGE, that if I see one more child with a piece of your merchandise in this house--"
"Molly, I think there's something in this punch--"
KABOOOOM!
"..."
"..."
"GEORGE WEASLEY!"
Okay, so that was more like flash FANfiction, but it works :) Check out other entries to Ali's blogfest here:
Thursday, July 14, 2011
POERTY SCHMOETRY Day Three: Countdown
Countdown
How can I be simultaneously excited and
Anxious, counting down the final hours and minutes to the end of the
Realest thing in my lonely life? What am I supposed to do when the curtain has closed and the
Rest of the world has moved on and I am still standing here,
Yearning for the good days when things were new and we had so much
Potential? Who will comfort me on lonely nights
Or bring a smile to my face and a glow to my heart when I need it most?
This is the end of an era.
The end of a massively important part of my life. And yet, here I am,
Excited for the end. Of course I don't want it to be over, but at least now I can start to
Remember.
How can I be simultaneously excited and
Anxious, counting down the final hours and minutes to the end of the
Realest thing in my lonely life? What am I supposed to do when the curtain has closed and the
Rest of the world has moved on and I am still standing here,
Yearning for the good days when things were new and we had so much
Potential? Who will comfort me on lonely nights
Or bring a smile to my face and a glow to my heart when I need it most?
This is the end of an era.
The end of a massively important part of my life. And yet, here I am,
Excited for the end. Of course I don't want it to be over, but at least now I can start to
Remember.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Poetry Schmoetry Day Two: ANGST
Angst Is My Middle Name
Angst is not something reserved for the young; it is
Not limited to teenage love and passion and heartbreak. In fact, it
Gets worse with age. The young only have their love to regret; the old have all their
Evils hanging over their heads and haunting their still, empty hearts. The angst of the young is bred from
Love passionately experienced and subsequently lost. The angst of the old is bred from the opposite: poisonous hatred emanating from the past.
Quick note: While we're on the subject of blogfests, the lovely Ali Cross is doing a blogfest of her own! It's a flash fiction blogfest (250 words or less) and it is this Friday, so it fits in perfectly with the Poetry Schmoetry blogfest! So if you don't want to stop writing after Thursday is up, check out Ali's blogfest, too :)
http://www.alicross.com/2011/07/independence-day-flash-fiction-blogfest.html
Angst is not something reserved for the young; it is
Not limited to teenage love and passion and heartbreak. In fact, it
Gets worse with age. The young only have their love to regret; the old have all their
Evils hanging over their heads and haunting their still, empty hearts. The angst of the young is bred from
Love passionately experienced and subsequently lost. The angst of the old is bred from the opposite: poisonous hatred emanating from the past.
Quick note: While we're on the subject of blogfests, the lovely Ali Cross is doing a blogfest of her own! It's a flash fiction blogfest (250 words or less) and it is this Friday, so it fits in perfectly with the Poetry Schmoetry blogfest! So if you don't want to stop writing after Thursday is up, check out Ali's blogfest, too :)
http://www.alicross.com/2011/07/independence-day-flash-fiction-blogfest.html
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