An update..

I know I haven't been around a lot lately... So here is my update...

The National Novel Writing Month thing didn't happen this year.. The first day started strong.. I wrote a few pages, with the intent to write more the day after.. That never happened.. And two days after I started NaNo, I was on a plane off to Los Angeles with my mom.. So needless to say, I did not write anything for the 4 days I was in LA..

LA was freaking amazing.. We went to Hollywood, Santa Monica, the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd.. The whole trip was amazing.. I got to see the sights I have always wanted to see, hang out with a monkey (he even took pictures with us), and.... I WAS IN THE SAME ROOM WITH ROBERT PATTINSON!!!!

That's right.. I went to the Breaking Dawn part 1 convention.. I'm one of those people and I'm damn proud of it..

 I still have no idea how I was able to convince my mom and dad of this, but it happened.. It was amazing!

Not only did I get to see Rob, I got to see Kristen, Taylor, Jackson, Ashley, Peter, and Elizabeth! (For those of you who don't know.. Edward, Bella, Jacob, Jasper, Alice, Carlisle, and Esme!) Yes.. I know what you are thinking.. "You've already met Jackson.. Why would you be so excited?" Well.. I met Jackson through his band (100monkeysmusic.com).. I have never seen him in person when he is promoting  Twilight.. It was a different experience to see him act with his fellow cast members instead of the guys in the band..

The whole truth of me going to LA was not just to see the people in Twilight.. I wanted to go somewhere new.. To experience new things.. This was my first trip to LA and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it..

But the icing on the cake was meeting BooBoo Stewart (he plays Seth Clearwater in the saga).. He was so sweet and signed autographs for me.. Even gave me a hug.. That was really cool..

So after I got back from LA, I had tons of papers due for school, so that took away from my NaNo writing time.. Amongst this, I still had my babysitting job and I got casted as an extra for a movie... Then, on the Friday before Thanksgiving, while I am trying to print out my 7 page paper on 17th century English poets, my computer crashed.. I mean flat out dead.. I freaked.. Needless to say..

Thankfully the people at the computer place SAVED MY PAPER!!! So that was a good thing.. They kept the computer for a few days while I went to work on the set of my new movie....

Work was crazy that day.. My call time was 5 am and the set was about 2 hours away, so.. I woke up that Monday morning at 2:30 am and got dressed.. Was out of my house by 3:15 am.. And at set by 5:30 am..

We really didn't start filming until about 9 am that morning and boy... That was a long shoot.. In the sun.. In sweat pants, long sleeved shirt, and a sweater.. Sweating like a pig...

I was, however, less than a foot away from Will Ferrell.. Which just made the whole day worth it..

The next day, they called and said my computer was fixed.. Well, they thought they fixed it.. About 30 minutes after getting home with my computer, it crashed.. Again.. And since it was a holiday week, I couldn't bring my computer back to the people until the following Tuesday..

I still don't have my computer.. I am using my mom's to finish off this semester (which ends on Wednesday!!) I have 3 more final exams and then I AM DONE!!!

Good news is that the movie people contacted me again and offered me another job.. Guess I'll be in for another long day on the set next week!! But I am looking forward to it..

I also plan on watching a lot of movies over this holiday and write a lot.. I have already started writing, so be prepared guys.. Lots of posts will be happening..

This post is long.. I thank each and every one of you that actually sat down and read this whole thing..

If I could stay awake, I would post pictures from LA.. But I can't keep my eyes open anymore.. So I'll sign off for now..

Goodnight, my loves.

This is my challenge piece

Here is the piece that I came up with for the previous challenge post.. I hope y'all enjoy it. (And PLEASE comment!)

Peace and Love.

“The Little Red Monkey”

            Once there was a red monkey. No he does not have a name. But he does have a story; it’s happy and sad.

            This little red monkey was a know it all, never listening to people who were older than him. They would warn him not to do stupid things: chew your bananas before you swallow them, never throw your poop at the humans, and always pay attention to street signs.

            “Yea, yea, yea,” the little red monkey would say, rolling his eyes in a typical young monkey fashion (young monkeys, you see, act very similar to human kids.. well at least in this story).

            One day the little red monkey went for a ride on his bike. He went out to the busy, bustling city, which was full of people on this day. The little red monkey was super fast on his bike, speeding around turns and nearly running over tourists; they had to scatter a few times to get out of the way.

            “Slow down, little red monkey!” the older monkeys and even the humans would say. The little red monkey just laughed and increased his speed.

            He was having so much fun that he didn’t even notice the speed limit sign that said “15 mph”. The little red monkey laughed and laughed, until he got to the train tracks; again he was having so much fun that he didn’t even see the sign that said “STOP HERE WHEN FLASHING”. And he didn’t see the train.

No one knows what happened to the little red monkey. Some say that he died, right then and there; others say that he’s a ghost that now haunts the train tracks and the passing trains; still, others say that he was never really alive, that he was a vampire from the start.

I personally believe that he is a vampire monkey ghost. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

               

© Natalie Davis 2011

A challenge for you, my dears

My dears, I have a challenge for you.. I challenge you to pick a picture from the following and write something (whatever you want.. poem, short story, ect.)

Once you have written your piece, put it in the comment section.. There's no prize. This is strictly for fun.
(And yes, you can do as many as you want! Or you can combine different pictures and make a longer piece!)

So get writing, y'all!!

Peace and Love.

Photo 1

"Stop Here"

 

Photo 2 

"The Vampire Ghost"

Photo 3

"The Powder Puff"

Photo 4

"The Street Sign"

Photo 5

"Peek-a-boo with a Monkey"

Change in content

Okay, my dears, after some thinking, I have decided to change things up on my blog..

If you noticed the header at the top, it has changed.. This is a quote that I tell my little cousin all the time..

"You can find inspiration everywhere and anywhere.. You just have to get out there and find it."

This quote describes this blog... Originally mostly about my writing, I have decided not only to include my personal writing projects, but some from other writers that have touched me, as well as things that I find inspiring and the adventures that I have along the way to find them..

Not only this, but I hope to inspire someone else to do something; whether it is writing like me or whatever the passion a person may have, I hope the things posted from this point on inspires someone.

I hope, my dears, that this proves to be interesting to you... And stay tuned because you never know what or when I'll be posting next..

I have also changed the settings on this page so anyone can comment on it (and you can remain anonymous if you'd like).. So COMMENT!! I like getting feed back!!


Peace and love, my dears. {Peace and love}

Quick update..

I am going to do a quick update of what is going on.. I am going to being taking on a kind of tough challenge.. I am participating in the "novel in a month" thing for the month of November.. The goal is a 50,000 word novel written in the span from November 1st to December 1st..

We are not allowed to start until November 1st.. I do however have to come up with the idea.. And plot it out..

 The problem with this is.. I have never finished a novel before.. Y'all know that I have started one (circa 2008) and still haven't finished it.. In fact, I have started rewriting it.. So that kind of messed me up..

I am hoping that I am not taking on more than I can handle.. I am in college, taking 18 hours, and I have to work some nights and weekends..So I don't know how much of this is actually possible..

BUT I AM GOING TO TRY!!

Well, my dears, this is it for this entry.. If you want, feel free to leave stuff in the comments..

 Peace and love, my dears. Peace and love. 

"Listen" by Laurie Halse Anderson

I found this poem in the book "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson.. This poem really speaks to me.. I don't know why.. But I find it interesting in the way that it flows, the way that it is formatted.. Maybe it is because it IS different than anything that we are currently studying in my Modern Poetry class in college or maybe there's something more.. As I said before, I have no idea why I like it so much.. 

 

Regardless, I chose to share it with you, my dears.. First, I included a copy of the poem.. Second, if you click on the first link, it will bring you to a video of the writer explaining the poem and what her inspiration to write this poem was..

And, now my dears, I give you.. 

 

"Listen"

You write to us
from Houston, Brooklyn, Peoria,
Rye, NY,
LA, DC, Everyanywhere USA to
 my mailbox, My
Space Face
Book
A livejournal of bffs whispering
Onehundredthousand whispers to
Melinda and
Me.
You:
I was raped, too
sexually assaulted in seventh
grade,
tenth grade, the summer after
graduation,
at a party
i was 16
i was 14
i was 5 and he did it for three
years
i loved him
i didn’t even know him.
He was my best friend’s brother,
my grandfather, father, mommy’s
boyfriend,
my date
my cousin
my coach
i met him for the first time that
night and —
four guys took turns, and  —
i’m a boy and this happened to
 me, and  —
… I got pregnant I gave up my
daughter for adoption …
did it happen to you, too?
U 2?
You:
i wasn’t raped, but
my dad drinks, but
i hate talking, but
my brother was shot, but
i am outcast, but
my parents split up, but
i am clanless, but
we lost our house, but
i have secrets – seven years of secrets
and i cut
myself my friends cut
we all cut cut cut
to let out the pain

… my 5-year-old cousin was
raped –
he’s beginning to act out now …
do you have suicidal thoughts?
do you want to kill him?
You:
Melinda is a lot like this girl I
know
No she’s a lot like
(me)
i am MelindaSarah
i am MelindaRogelio i am MelindaMegan, MelindaAmberMelindaStephenTori
PhillipNavdiaTiaraMateoKristinaBeth
it keeps hurting, but
but
but
but
this book cracked my shell
it keeps hurting I hurt, but
but your book cracked my shell.
You:
I cried when I read it.
I laughed when I read it
is that dumb?
I sat with the girl —
you know,  that girl —
I sat with her because nobody sits with
her at lunch
and I’m a cheerleader, so there.
speak changed my life
cracked my shell
made me think
about parties
gave me
wings this book
opened my mouth
i whispered, cried
rolled up my sleeves i
hate talking but
I am trying.
You made me remember who I
am.
Thanks.
P.S. Our class is gonna analyze this thing to death.
Me:
Me:
Me: weeping


http://www.goodreads.com/videos/show/2682-listen-a-poem-by-laurie-halse-anderson

 

source: 

http://madwomanintheforest.com/listen/

Peace and Love, my dears. Peace and love. 

 

Maybe one more before bed..

This is a very rough copy of a writing exercise that I started this semester.. So if it is not too great... Just throwing that out there...

Oh yea.. There is no title to this story.. So suggest titles to me in the comments!!!

Janie sat down at the ancient desk; a desk that once belonged to her great grandmother back during the civil war and was now littered with drafts of a letter she would probably never send. She cleared a spot of the desk before pulling out another piece of paper and writing, “Dear Brad.”

Hum. How to phrase the next part? She knew that she should probably just write down everything she felt, since Brad would never see the letter, but something stopped her. How could she possibly ever put down a year’s worth of feelings in one single letter; on one single page of paper? She had been hurt for so long that she didn’t know how to let the feelings go. She had bottled them up, locked them up. Now she wanted to let them go and she was beginning to find this… impossible.

Impossible to let go and impossible to hold on. How had her life become so complicated?

After much consideration, she picked up the pen and wrote three simple words: “You’re an ass.” There. That described how Janie felt towards Brad, even after a year.

But maybe that was too simple. Maybe she should be more specific about her feelings; not like he’d ever see the letter, right?

            She crumpled the paper and started again. “Dear Brad.” Another pause for thought. “You’re an ass and I hate you. I hate what you did to me. I hate myself for thinking that you were different; that our relationship was different.”

            The tears began to flow as the images of that night passed her mind’s eye. A night that she tried to forget. But that, too, was impossible.

            The scene flashed in her mind and she was back there, in the back of the car, hands and feet tied, gag in her mouth. Stuffed in a trunk, like some broken China doll about to be abandoned on the side of some god forsaken road; she’d probably be some fucked up version of road kill by the morning, cars swerving around her dead and mutilated body. Okay, she had to admit that was pretty dramatic. Maybe she wouldn’t be road kill, for say, but the chances of her surviving this were pretty slim to none.

            “Damnit,” Janie sputtered, her mind snapping back to the present like a stretched out rubber band. She looked down at the letter in front of her; too many emotions to try to put into words. Brad had messed her up so much more than she had ever realized.

            As this realization hit home, Janie decided that maybe she needed help. Maybe she couldn’t let go because she was still hurting; she still had the wound, the hole that Brad had left, eating away at her all of this time, making a hollow shell of what was once Janie; and finally, after all the substance that had made Janie who she was before Brad was eaten away, the shell was now a ghost. A ghost. Someone who had already died, by whatever means, and now roams the earth, never finding peace. Janie had never been able to actually accept this fact. But now she saw it. She wasn’t at peace and could never be if the images from a year ago kept haunting her.

            Janie crumpled the letter, tossed it into the trash can. She made a quick phone call before packing her bag. She was going to find the help that she needed; she was going to make life better for herself, no matter the cost.

© Natalie Davis 2011