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 |   A place for my thoughts, rants, virtual travels, and random stuff. |
Hello, I'm Hanna and welcome to my first ever blog! Seriously, I have no idea how this works....  But this shall be a fun ride!  This is where I'll take on the challenge of being completely honest with not only whoever reads it, but mostly with myself. |
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Today is a very special day for me here on WdC. It's my first WdC anniversarry ever, hence the handle "Hanna ~ Sparkly One year-old!!" I can't believe it's been a whole year since I joined. And to be honest I completely forgot, until The Ink Maiden~  told me "Happy WdC Anniversarry!" this morning when I woke up. Then when I logged onto WdC, I saw I had 21 emails (which is not a normal day for me), 12 notifications, and 5 IM"s (ironically, I usually do wake up to five or more IM's haha.) I haven't even gone through 'em all yet, except the IM's (which is the first thing I do when I log onto WdC.)One of the IM's I recieved was from a very close friend of mine and she was talking about how she was the most depressed she's been in weeks. My immediate response was to talk to her and help her to feel better. At the time, I saw she had written me an email and since the subject was blank, I figured that it must be about why she's depressed. To my surprise, it was her congratulating me on being here one year, and her telling me she hopes I never leave because she honestly doesn't know what she would do without me. Awwww....  I replied back saying I don't know what I would do without her either and that she's my younger sister by heart. She then replied thank you for coming into her life... I was on the verge of crying when I wrote her back thanking her for coming into my life too. That reminded me of this prompt because... that person is leaving, and thing is people will come and go into your life, for... well, your whole life, but I don't want to talk about who's left my life. I want to talk about who's come into it because of WdC. Back on June 30th of 2016, when Sis talked me into joining, I.... *cries* I never could've imagined how much it would change my life in the most amazing ways and how many wonderful people would become a part of my life... How many people would become so special to me through a website. Because I was just joining on a whim hoping to get some good feedback on my first novel I had just written, Beautifully Privileged. Automatically, I felt incredibly welcomed. Everyone here is so nice, friendly, and helpful. One day, I got up the courage to ask a girl (who's port I stumbled upon) for a review because I liked her style of reviewing. Little did I know how close she and I would become over the course of almost a year. She told me right off the bat in her first review that she didn't like my characters because they were spoiled brats, throwing a brand new Lexus into a dirty lake. She did however love the story! Anyways, she reviewed quite a few of my chapters and sent me a C-note welcoming me to WdC and wishing me the best on my book. Pretty soon after that, I recieved an email saying "Welcome to King Bob's Kingdom!" from Whata SpoonStealer  , which became a big part of my life last year. I still remember the craziness of SB Musing  's birthday. My first big thing I took part in on WdC. I miss you, Sarah!!  Come back sooooooooon. Well, I found out that the girl who reviewed chapters of my book was a member of King Bob's Kingdom. I don't know when it started or who IM'd who first, but pretty soon that girl I mentioned above, who's identity I will now reveal... Elycia Lee ☮  and I were IM'ing probably about 100+ messages a day! And I remember one very late night IM'ing her and she asked me where I lived because most everyone else was sleeping. I had answered back that I was from Texas and was a night owl. Wellll, she decided to give me an IM curfew. Meaning she would stop talking to me after a certain time. 3am if I remember right.It didn't last long of course because she couldn't resist my mesmerizing self.  Now we talk regardless of what time it is. And 3am my time and 3pm her time is now referred to as tea time, ever since I sent her a C-note about it. Elycia and I have now IM'd probz over a million times by now, she's been there for me every time I needed her or just when I wanted to bug her, we can talk about anything and everything, even my top secret secrets, she's my first ever WdC best friend, and my partner in crime. We even gave each other wacky nicknames. I love you, Miss Laughy Pants Macaroon!   I won't ever forget being her personal almost 24/7 cheerleader during the extreme craziness storm that was NaNoWriMo 2016. It was insane and we barely got any sleep at all, but she finished!! Just like I knew she would. Oh, and since Elycia has come into my life so have many wonderful others. Like, Whata SpoonStealer , kerrimiller, Schnujo is Late to Lannister  , Bobbi  , SB Musing , justsonali, Space Cat Sophie , Jade Amber Jewel , runningwolf04, GabriellaR45 , Kit of House Lannister  , Christopher Roy Denton  , Alexi  , Airplane1285 , Osirantinous  , Hannah ♫♥♫ , River , sunnystarr, Cubby~Cheering House Florent!  , 🌷 Carol St.Ann 🌷  , Shaye  , Dragon is hiding  , Choconut ~ House Targaryen  , Mare ~ extended hiatus , Samberine Everose  , Jeannie Cheering for Martel  , intuey of House Lannister  , aaron2797, w0lfbane  , eyestar~* , Cinn , Elle - on hiatus  , LinnAnn -St.Patricks day star  , MontyB , iKïyå§ama-House Targaryen  , Brandiwyn🎶  , Sssssh! I'm not really here.  , Fivesixer  , sybarrios, ~ Aqua ~ , ruwth  , Lady Elizabeth Mormont , Jay O'Toole  , the Wordy Jay , ~Minja~  , Andy~hating university , ♥Hooves♥  , GeminiGem of House Lannister  , 🌕 HuntersMoon  , Princess Megan Rose GOT Fox , AlyCatAuthor HAPPY 4th! , and I'm sure that there's more, and if I forgot you I'm so terribly sorry, and just know that if we've talked you have a special place in my heart. All of these wonderful people have walked into my life at some point in the year that I've been here. They've created lasting memories with me, have taught me so much, and some have pushed me out of my comfort zone. Through this site, not only have I grown as a writer and reviewer... I have grown as a person too. I've found the strength to work through the pain of the past, I've gained lots of friends as well as lost one when she deleted her account. I've become more confident in my writing as well as reviewing, and I just can't express how much WdC has given me. I'm no longer walking away from who I am... Nope! I'm embracing who I am. Every silly, weird, perfectly imperfect thing about me. Thank you WdC for helping me to find that freedom here. |
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** The imagination of a child is... pure magic. I can't speak for anyone else, but when I was a child, my imagination ran completely wild. I believed in magic. And mermaids, dragons, fairies, unicorns, pegasus, and everything else mythological. One of my earliest memories was when I was four or five, and I was taking a bath when I noticed that my hair was turning a green-ish blue. I automatically assumed that I was turning into a mermaid! Of course, later on I found out it was because of my Barbie shampoo that was blue mixing into the water. Before I found that out though I had no doubt that I was going to grow a tail fin. I was so bummed when I did find out that I wouldn't. After all Ariel was always my favorite Disney princess. *sighs* However, this didn't stop me from believing that one day, maybe on my 16th birthday, I would turn into a beautiful mermaid. And my imagination only grew. A couple years later, I grabbed sis's pink kitty cat umbrella out of the closet, climbed up on our dark blue tweed couch, and leaped off... If Mary Poppins could fly with an umbrella so could I! Wellll, not so much. I went crashing down, my face being met with our carpeted living room floor, and sis's umbrella was broken in the process. You would think that I had learned I couldn't fly, right? Wrong! I can't remember if it was the same night, but I went out on the back porch, grabbed the light blue handled broom (which by the way was grammy's favorite), climbed back up on the couch, and jumped off, believing like a witch I could fly. Naturally, gravity gripped my body, and yanked me down. Oh, and you know my grammy's favorite broom? Well, it bit the dust and I got in so much trouble. As it had broken in half, I sliced my hand on the metal-ish stuff inside. OUCH! This didn't deter me though. When we got a replacement broom, a smaller one that was a dark gray, I grabbed it, and headed back to the couch. Unfortunately, once I had climbed up on the couch, mama stopped me from jumping, boo! Now I'll never know if three times would've been the charm. Another time my imagination was running full force was when I went through my Harry Potter phase. I had this HP notebook, and I actually just came across it the other day. It has a lot of spells from HP written down in it, as well as some spells I made up. They never worked, but I made a lot of fun memories, and that's what matters, right? I wasn't the only one with a wild imagination in my house. Sis and I used to pretend our shared bedroom/living room's floor was made of lava. We would throw pillows, blankets, sheets, books, and whatever else we could to act as rocks, so that we wouldn't get "burned" by the "lava". I remember one time crying, literally crying when sis fell in the "lava". Now, this next story is a liiiitle embarrassing for both me and sis. When I was a tween, and sis was barely a teen we were obsessed with Disney's American Dragon: Jake Long, and thought we could train to become dragons.  What can I say? We had imaginations like Ramona from Ramona and Beezus . I don't remember how long "dragon training " lasted, but I do remember when I "graduated", and sis gave me this sterling silver charm of a dragon holding a purple stone. I have it put up somewhere. I was so excited when she gave me this. It was one of her prized possessions and when she bestowed it to me, I felt incredibly honored. "Dragon training " was hard work and it was a lot of work. I remember jumping on the couch, my daybed, sis's bed, the cleared off computer desk, and the table I used as my stage. While doing this I was having to "fight" her like she was the huntsmaster (the villain in American Dragon). There may have been not flips, but cartwheels and somersaults in between. Like I said, it was a lot of work! It was also a ton of fun, and hands down some of the best memories I have ever made. Don't you ever want to go back to the days where you could fly, train to be a dragon, and believed without a shadow of a doubt that mermaids and fairies are real? I know I do. These are some of the best memories I have. Last night, sis and I watched Disney's The Secret World of Arrietty. Which is based off something called The Borrowers , and she and I were talking about how it would be if these people actually existed. Obviously, logic says differently, and even though I know that most likely borrowers, mermaids, fairies, dragons, unicorns, and the like don't exist... A piece of me from childhood believes they do. And that keeps that spark of magic in my life alive and I like it that way... Disney movies really do fuel the imagination, and that's why they are some of my favorite. So every now and then... forget logic and believe in whatever the heck you want! Let your childhood imagination run rampant so that there can be a little bit of magic in your life too. [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] |
| Is it always being there for someone? Loving them unconditionally despite their flaws? Helping them to become the very best version of themselves? Or being willing to do anything for them? ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** The Four Elements Well, I could tell you all about the time that I wanted to be a Wiccan, all because of a Scooby Doo episode, but instead I'm going to turn this on it's head... Is that against the rules? The prompt is open to interpretation, right Shaye ?I will be talking about the elements, but not the four elements. Let's have a chat about the elements of friendship. For those who've clicked around in my blog, you know by now that friendship is one of the most important elements of life to me. See, what I did there?  I'm sure you're probably wondering, what are the elements of friendship anyways? Well, according to My Little Pony , the elements of friendship are honesty, kindness, laughter, generosity,loyalty, and magic. I have to agree that these basically sum it up. Think about it, when a friend tells you the truth when everyone else would have told you a lie, that's honesty. Those days when you're being a total b**** to everyone, including your best friend, and yet she's still willing to listen to you, and help you? She's showing you kindness and forgiveness. How about when you don't have the money for coffee, or in WdC terms, What if you're running low on gift points? And your friend buys you your coffee, or gives you gift points, and doesn't expect anything in return. That's the spirit of generosity. Thank you note ▼ What about those times when your friend helps you to laugh at your fears, or gets you to laugh when you never thought you could smile again? That's the element of laughter being shown. Thank you! ▼ Or how about when your friend makes a new friend, but she still makes time for you? Or those times when she hears someone who's supposed to be your friend talking bad about you, and lets you know they aren't your real friends even though it's hard? She's being loyal to you. Have you ever met someone, a friend, nothing more, who you just knew was meant to be your best friend forever? It's a rare feeling/knowing, that's why it's magic. True friendship is magic. It may very well be the most magical thing on earth, even more magical than those pink fluffy unicorns... don't you agree, Christopher Roy Denton and Schnujo is Late to Lannister ? It's something that's lightening in a bottle. Granted, most friendships aren't automatic. Because friendship is a slow ripening fruit, but I think by seven or more months you can tell if there's a possibility of best-friendship. What if though, one person feels this magic, but the other doesn't? Well, that's unfortunate if you know for sure that your friend doesn't share that magical feeling. Like I said though, friendship takes time. Be patient, that's another element of friendship. Patience. My close friend, justsonali and I were talking about this. It personally took her and her best friends three years to form a sisterly-bond, and that's okay. Maybe it's actually better to not jump straight into a best-friendship/sister by heart bond. This bond needs to be nurtured more than the others though because it's so special and has everlasting potential. Another day a different friend and I we're talking about this same subject. She told me the best thing we can do is to give people the best friendship you can without expecting anything in return so that you don't get emotionally hurt. I agree with this and I don't. Logically you would think the effort you put into a friendship would be reciprocated, but that's not always the case. Sometimes all we can do in friendship is give the other person space/time while still being the best friend we can be to them. Give them enough time to see for themselves if the friendship has potential for an everlasting friendship. Some people get frustrated and walk away, they give up on the friendship, but I think this is a huge mistake. You could be throwing away the person who was meant to be the best friend you ever had! That's a terrifying thought. I would personally give them space and time while still being the best friend I can possibly be to them. This is the element of understanding. Which I think goes into the element of kindness, and in a way loyalty, generosity, and also magic. It's an extension to kindness because understanding comes from being kind. It's a part of loyalty because you are staying with them, sticking by them. Generosity because you're giving of yourself generously, and don't expect anything in return, and it's magical because only a true friend would keep making an effort to keep the friendship growing. And now let's talk about weathering the elements of friendship, but I'm talking about the ones in the picture above, finally. Earth, water, fire, and air. A true friend and only a true friend will stick with you through, well everything. Come rain, sleet, snow, hail, tornadoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, blizzards, earthquakes, wildfires, or fog... a best friend will be there with you through it all. Y'all will come safely through the storm together, and will enjoy the sunshine, and rainbows. Earth, water, fire, and air, they can all be destructive in some way, and that could symbolically represent when your friend is going through a rough time. The four elements though can also be life-sustaining, depending on the situation. People are similar in the way that we can nurture or we can be destructive. We have to remember to treat our friendships with life-sustaining care, and avoid destructive habits. Otherwise that could be the death of our friendships. Much like how a fire is the death of a forest. Just like flowers need water, friendships need TLC to grow. If you don't nurture them, they could wilt, shrivel up, and die. You must nurture your friendships if you want them to bloom into something super strong and ultra special. Another way the elements could be compared to friendship is the different elemental combinations have different results. Like how different personalities do when they come into contact. Water and earth will stop the fire, whereas oxygen from the element of air will just fan the flames, expanding it. It's kinda like when a calm person comes in contact with a hot-head, usually the calm person can calm them down, or will be the bigger person. But what about when two hot-heads meet? Well, that can cause an explosion between people. Some people are destined to be friends, while others are not. Air helps fire grow, but fire does absolutely nothing for the air. This is a lot like a one-sided friendship, it will ultimately end in destruction. Whereas earth and fire, will again end in destruction at some point, but through ashes will nourish the soil bringing new life. Water and air work as a team to make rain, but the very best of friends out of the four elements are Earth and Water. Water helps the earth to grow, and the earth makes room for the Water to be a part of it's life. They nurture and care for each other, and are never far apart, maybe in distance, but never at heart. Word Count: 1,245 |
| Okay, so honestly as I start writing this I have no idea what I've chosen to write about, nor have I chosen which image I want to use. The first photo looks like maybe it's about the afterlife, but since I believe in heaven... well, I may not know what it looks like, but I know it's not that. The first photo actually kinda creeps me out because it's a little spooky. Maybe something supernatural, and that's something I really don't have anything to do with anymore. It's one of those don't mess with what you don't know things. The second photo made me think of a number of things. One being division because of the line that is in front of the two girls. Division in my family and the division around the world. Ever since this contest started though, I've written about some very personal things... and maybe I should break it up a little with a happy entry. So, the snow made me think of my childhood and all the happy memories my family has shared in. Another thing was one girl is older so maybe this is an artists renindition about a girl talking to her younger self, and I actually read someone's entry that was about this. Very creative! Considering it's almost 9am and the fact that I still haven't slept, I'm going to just pick a image and a topic to match so without further ado... ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** I've chosen the image above and am going to talk about the girl that I've always referred to as my "built-in best friend ", The Ink Maiden~ . She's not actually built-in to me (I promise we're not robots!) so I'm not sure why I started calling her that, haha. I think maybe it's like she's a piece of me, if that makes sense. A part of who she is has grown in me, and vice versa. I have several friends who are an only child and every time I think about that, what it would be like, I cry. Because I can't imagine not having Angel as my big sis. As you can guess, I was the mischievous one out of us. I recall one time when I was in pre-school, and I talked her into cutting my hair, and letting me cut hers. Let's just say our haircuts came out awful, mama threw a fit, and as I've told Dragon is hiding before, my bangs never grew back. Never. They are maybe... two inches long, if even. Another memory was when I was probably about 5-6 and she was 8 or 9 years old, and even though she was older, I bossed her around. You see, we had this little table in the middle of the living room, and this table served as a stage for me and sis. She was really shy and I definitely wasn't! I would drag her up on that "stage" with me, and make her sing and dance backup in front of all our family. And like the little brat I was, if she tried to steal my spotlight I would gently push her back while saying you're backup, so back up.  I wonder if mama has that on tape? She has hundreds of recorded footage of me and sis growing up... I don't think she ever turned that thing off. Anyways, sis and I have been through everything with each other. Times of love, loss, change, and sacrifice. We've seen each other at our absolute worst and still loved each other unconditionally, and have embraced each other at our best. I lean on her and she leans on me. She's my first ever best friend, favorite sister, awesome therapist, secret keeper, and my polar opposite. When all I feel is weak, she shows me my strength. And there are plenty of times when she could've easily said I told you so when I royally mess up, but she doesn't. She's one of the only people who will listen to my pointless dramas over and over again, and won't ever judge me for them. Without her, there would be a piece of me missing, and I wouldn't be the person I am today. When I was completely lost, she helped bring me back. She led me home. Could I ask for a better sister? No way. She's the best and deserves the absolute best. No one could ever take her place. I'll always be there for her, support every project and endeavour, and when she feels like her world is crashing down, I'll hold her tight, and tell her things will be okay. Words can't even begin to describe how much I love her. She'll be my maid of honor one day. Angel, whenever, wherever, if you need anything, count me in. Even if all you need is chocolate. And, I'm off to bed!  [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] |
| Last night (see "Note: Congratulations to our newest set of Preferred ..."), another bunch of WDC authors (including a couple in this month's 30DBC ) were promoted to Preferred Author! Go out and get to knowthem...post a note in their notebook, say hi and congratulate them, tag the note in your entry, and tell us a little bit of what you learned. Check out one of their items and tell us what you think. Alright, so I'm crazy behind on 30DBC, but in my defense I had been planning a huge surprise party for my bestie, which took up a lot of time  And to my bestie, you owe me a new pink notebook because my other one is half full with party planning. Anyways, so now onto the prompt. I'm going to be lazy and use my sister, The Ink Maiden~ ... because it is 5:20am and I'm *kinda* tired.  Do I need to write in her notebook? I mean, do I have to? Haha, alright... So since she is my sister I know her very well and she's also the first best friend I ever had because well, we grew up together and got along really well, duh! We've been through a lot together and I know she always has my back, no matter what. She's sweet, sensitive, somewhat shy, and at times can be very fiery. She's sometimes emotionally shut off which can make it hard to get her to open up, especially to new people, but once she does let you into her life you'll never want to leave. She's definitely special... and amazing. I'm very blessed to have her. We're basically polar opposites in a lot of ways, but in the end she's there for me and I'm there for her. As far as her writing goes... she's the reason I started creative writing. Because for as long as I can remember Angel has been working on creative writing and writing a book. One day, I was sitting around, most likely bored, and I decided "hey, I'm gonna write a book ". So I did. Without Angel though... I'm not sure I would, maybe, but I can't be certain. She's also the one who introduced me to WdC, so I have a lot to thank her for, for that and well, for everything. She's a talented writer who knows how to entertain people and make them feel something. So to my favorite sis (yeah, I do *kinda* choose favorites ) I love you forever and always, and thank you for everything. You're a wonderful sister, a lovely friend, an amazing person, and a talented writer. Chase your dreams and I'll be here through the ups and downs. XoxoYour Baby Sis, Hanna |
| Holiday fireworks are being held at your house this year. Your Uncle Festus, who served time in prison for arson, will be in attendance. What do you tell your guests and family to look out for? Uh, isn't Uncle Festus (which is a hideous name, sorry!) from The Addams Family? I'm pretty sure he is... Anyways, I'm not too thrilled, I'm not thrilled at all that he's spending the holidays with me when it's my turn to hold holiday fireworks. This will not end good, especially for my gorgeous house . And before I go into this, I want to say that if I really had an uncle who's been in prison for arson, I would NOT be holding the fireworks anywhere near my house!! That's straight up  talk. Now as for the question "what do you tell your guests to look out for?" Uh... I have no idea! The way he looks at fire? I mean, 'cause, like when someone really wants something they look at it with desire in their eyes. This is so terrible and I apologize to anyone who bothers to read it.  Uh......... make sure he doesn't have any access to the matches, black cats, other fireworks, and I wouldn't even hand him a sparkler! And anyone who would, well obviously their cheese has done slid off their cracker. Yep. I'm so terrible at this... just watch his every move. Sure, we'll have a sucky holiday, but at least my house will be safe, oh and uh-yeah my family! |
Talk Tuesday! Do you consider hot dogs to be in the "sandwich" category? What about tacos, wraps, or foods served in pita breads? And what, in your opinion, makes a really good sandwich? Are you a simple bread/meat/cheese person, or do you go all-out when creating your sandwich feast? Who comes up with these anyways? Some of them are SO out there! Good job to whoever makes them up.  Okay, so as previously stated in one of my blog entries, I'm a vegetarian, although I recently started eating fish again for health reasons. Sandwiches, or at least sandwiches with meat are definitely not a part of my diet. However, some days I practically live off cheese sandwiches and Capri Suns. That reminds me of a few times when Dragon and I were IM'ing, and she'd ask me what I was eating, and I can almost promise that one time I'd replied "cheese sandwich with a Capri Sun" like four days in a row! And she had the same thing almost every night too, it was either dumplings or noodles.... I'm totally getting off track, but my point was cheese sandwiches are a staple in my diet. I've never really thought of hot dogs being in the sandwich category... but it does have bread, like a hamburger. Question is, do I consider a hamburger to be part of the sandwich category? Honestly, no I never thought so, but maybe now. Bread is bread and bread is a main part of sandwiches. Tacos are most definitely not in the sandwich category! I don't know why, but that just seems wrong. Wraps, yeah, wraps (depending) are like a healthier sandwich, right? I haven't had something served in pita bread in forever, but nope! I would not count it in the sandwich category. So yeah, sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches, and guess what I had for dinner? A cheese sandwich! Catching up on 30DBC, oh yeah baby! |
| Motivational Monday! Author L. Frank Baum, born on this day back in 1856, once said (regarding his youthful audience's expanding imaginations): "Imagination has brought mankind through the Dark Ages to its present state of civilization...I believe that dreams- day dreams, you know, with your eyes wide open and your brain machinery whizzing- are likely to lead to the betterment of the world." Are you a writer who is shaped by imagination and daydreaming in order to create, or are you more like someone whose imagination first needs stimulating through the creations of others? Hmm, I think I'm a little of both. It depends on the day really. Most days, I daydream a lot, but on days when I'm feeling uninspired, I need stimulating through the creations of others. Whether it's reading a book, poem, short story, blog post, or listening to music. There is different things that can inspire a person to write. I agree with Frank Baum... without the imagination of so many creative individuals the world would be such a dark place. Where would us writers be if we couldn't write out everything? Probably having a mental breakdown and in extreme cases an asylum, or something, considering a lot of us don't handle our emotions very well (we try to stuff them away), and use writing as an outlet. Imagination, creativity, and daydreaming makes the world a much better place. Because of this people are happier and we can connect with each other despite our differences. Ps: sorry this is late! I've been soups busy. "soups"! |
The (not quite) Sunday News! Mother's Day is Sunday in the US, and these kids had some unfortunate things to say about what their parents did . In honor of that, make us laugh and tell us something you might've said innocently about your folks when you were a kid that in retrospect maybe you shouldn't have said. Okay, I have the perfect story for this and I have my mama's permission to share it! And, yeah, I had to ask because it's kinda personal and I hope it complies with my 13+ blog rating. So picture this, my whole immediate family was gathered around at a Mexican restraunt celebrating my grammy's birthday, like we always did. We were eating and mingling, when I went up to my grammy and told her the funniest story about how my mama's boyfriend at the time had surprised her while she was drying her hair in nothing but her bra and panties! My grammy's face must have been  And to make matters worse, I had the picture and showed it to her. I was probably about 7 or 8... I thought I was just sharing a funny story, but apparently yeah, I shouldn't have shared this with grammy AND my entire family who was sitting at the table. So my grammy, my sisters and their boyfriends at the time, my aunts, my uncles, some cousins, and whoever else was sitting at our table heard my oh so hilarious story and saw the picture. I wouldn't be surprised if I even told the waiter! !!!! So sorry mama!! I can't remember what my punishment for doing this was... probably nothing at all, except a stern lecture about how telling people about mama's personal business is wrong. A lecture that I no doubt  at. I've definitely learned though some things are better left unsaid. Happy Mother's Day!! |
| Fun Fact Friday! On this day in 1847, William Clayton invented the odometer. How do you measure your speed or distance? Yeah, I know this is a little late... Sorry! Anyyyyways, onto the prompt. I don't measure my speed or distance... at all. If I wanted to I would probably use some sort of fitness app. Yeah, sorry, this post totally sucks, but *shrugs* there's not much to say. |
| It's often said that writers need to write every day to become better at it...do you think that's true? Have you ever taken a significant amount of time off from your writing pursuits? What was your experience like in getting back into a habit or pattern of writing more consistently? And if you've yet to experience this sort of vacation from writing, please do tell us how you plan on picking up exactly where you left off, as if you never stopped . This shall be interesting. Hmm, the first question, do writers need to write every day to become better at it? I guess so? I mean, my Grammy always said that practice makes perfect, so I grew up thinking that if I wanted to be really good at something I needed to practice a lot. However, some people are just really gifted at certain things, even if they haven't been doing it a long time. So, I think this depends on the person. For me personally, I just started creative writing last year so I feel practice is important. Have you ever taken a significant amount of time off from your writing pursuits? I have! Okay, so a short story time... I started creative writing last year (as I said ) and wrote a book within a month. I tend to binge-write so... this takes a lot both mentally and physically because I would stay up all night/morning writing and I wouldn't eat very often (even though I'm hypoglycemic). Okay, so after I wrote it, I immediately re-wrote it. And then after that, I rewrote it again. This was in a time span of about 4-5 months. After though, I stopped writing, completely. I was exhausted and burnt out. Mama says I burn real hot, but it doesn't last long. She also says I push myself too hard . So, thing is I've returned to writing after about... 5 months off? I think, but I have yet to return to my book because inspiration hasn't hit. I either write when I feel like it or if inspiration hits. And it's been about almost a year since I last wrote something for my book? I mean, I've been planning/plotting it out, but it has to be completely torn apart and rewritten and blah blah blah... so yeah, I haven't gone back to it, yet. As for what got me back to writing creatively, even though it's not my book, was needing to vent all my feelings and emotions. And consistency for me is non-existent! My days aren't even planned. I just play it by ear and go with the flow of the day. Same goes for writing. So, who knows when I'll actually be getting back to my book, but if you figure out the secret to "picking up where you left off as if you never stopped " please, share it with us all, thank you! |
| Most families have sent a relative to fight in their country's wars. Indicate the relationship you had with a family member who went to war and what his/her going or returning meant to you as a child or as an adult, depending on the relationship. First I want to say a huge thank you to those who have served my country and for those who have sent someone to fight for my country . Y'all give up so much so we have freedom, and can sleep soundly at night, and I can't express my gratitude enough. I personally have not ever had to do this. My papa had served in the Navy, but unfortunately he passed away years before I got the chance to meet him. My aunt Belinda, my mama's sister, her husband, Larry had served in the war, but that was before he met my aunt Belinda, and then there's my cousin Michael, but again he served before I knew him. So, I don't really know what to write for this prompt... I imagine anyone having to send off someone to serve though would be heartbreaking. I mean, there's a possibility that the person you send off might not come back and even if they do come back... they might not be the same because of something that physically happened, what they've seen, or had to do. Mama says that both uncle Larry and Michael had a hard time recovering after coming back home. Thankfully, these days they are happy and living life well. As for when people come home after serving... I suppose it would be a mix of feelings and it would depend on the situation of them coming back as well. One emotion I imagine is relief that they are home and safe, another would be joy to be in their presence again, maybe some confusion on how to act around them or what to say, because now, what used to be funny may not be funny anymore. Also, I think it would maybe be like walking on egg shells (again depending on the situation) because now certain movies, songs, tv shows, books, things may upset them or bring up traumatic memories. There would probably also be a feeling of gratitude for what they did. |
| The late comedian Don Rickles, born on this day back in 1926, once said "You throw your best punch; otherwise, don't do it." How do you get through writing something on the days when your best punches aren't working for you? {\b} Okay, so on days when I'm giving my best and it's not good enough most of the time I focus my energy on something other than writing. Because I've learned that forcing myself to write and to "get through it" does nothing, but screw up my project, and that can and has turned into a big mess. But, there are those days were I do just that... I know the outcome most likely isn't going to be good, so why do I do this? I honestly don't know. I think I just have this thing where I put a ton of pressure on myself and it kinda spirals. Other days though, I'll consult a friend or a fellow writer (sometimes the person is both ). Consulting my sister, The Ink Maiden~ is a must. Because she's my sister and we're very close so she knows me pretty well and because she's a talented writer. I've also been very blessed to have friends on WdC that help me with my writing. However sometimes consulting someone about your writing can get messy-ish when they have a different vision than you. So yeah, when my best punches aren't working then most days I won't even try and then when I do... I try too hard or I get it just right with the help of my lovely friends, unless we don't see eye to eye on what I'm writing. |
| Creation Saturday! Create at least an 8 line poem - any form, or free verse - inspired by some of your fellow challengers' entries this week. Oh no, this will prove to be a challenge and will show what a weak poetress I am. I call this, A few things I picked up from WdC. Enjoy! Well, thanks to my best friend, Dragon is hiding , my plushies now travel all over the world because of the plushie portal. And now, thanks to Kit of House Lannister , "oh blast!" replays in my head. Luckily I've, like, totally, found another Valley girl person in Charlie ~ , who's so totally funny!And last, but certainly not least, there's Jade Amber Jewel who I've joined in with supporting the pizza party and have picked up "Oh fudge!" from. Okay, so... was this a poem? Is it long enough? I don't know. I'm new to poetry. |
| On this day in 1834, the first mainland railway line opened in Belgium. Have you ever taken a train trip? Not like a subway ride, but an actual passenger train? Tell us about it! If you haven't, would you? Where would you like to go? Okay, so this is probably going to be a short blog entry, because I've only ever traveled by cars and twice, a plane. I used to think I would like to take a train trip (in fact, it is on my Fun-taneous List), but I don't know... I get very anxious and I'm not sure taking a train trip is the best idea. But, maybe one day I'll get past that fear... reminds me of yesterday's blog prompt. Anyways, I might consider it if someone I knew and really trusted went with me . I think it's a well known fact that I don't like being alone and when traveling I must have a buddy. They taught us in school that the buddy system was the way to go! And yes, I still follow this. But, make sure your buddy is responsible. You don't want to be traveling with a hot mess, or at least I know I don't... because I need someone who can carry all my luggage! Just kidding! I need someone I can rely on to take care of themselves and be aware of their surroundings, like me, and also it would be better if they knew the area and stuff. Hmm... now if I found the perfect traveling buddy, what do ya say Dragon is hiding ? Where would I go? Hmm... good question. I don't know. Somewhere beautiful where I could take a lot of pictures of nature.  Wait, can trains take you to nature or only to a city? Whatever, I would go somewhere beautiful where I can take lots of pictures, even if it wasn't in nature. I would probably take a train somewhere in America first (see if I like it), and then when I'm feeling really adventurous, then I'll take a train trip in Spain, Italy, Canada, or, Australia... Oh, or Austria. Four five places I've always wanted to go. And that concludes this blog post! |
| Should public figures (such as singers, actors, athletes, etc) express their political voice? Hmm, this quite an interesting question and while I won't go into the whole "it depends on their following/brand" because Dragon already covered that here "Politics, media, and celebrities"  , I will say it's also tricky.  Can't I please just copy/paste Dragon's entry!! Just kidding! But you gotta admit the girl knows her stuff . Anyyyyways, everyone is entitled to having their own opinion and according to "Freedom of speech" everyone is entitled to share their opinion, but if you ask me, sometimes it is better to keep your opinion to yourself. I can remember when Selena Gomez was old enough to vote for the first time and everyone wanted to know who she was voting for, and I also remember how much I respected her for what she said. Something along the lines of she didn't want to say because she knew how much she would influence other people and didn't want it to affect the outcome of the election. Thing is whether her fans are adults or barely-old-enough to vote (which is still an adult ) she knew she had pull with them because to some people, what celebrities say is gospel. Like, the other day, I was looking through quotes and stumbled upon one from Paris Hilton, and honestly I don't even know who she is, but what she said, "A woman needs four animals in her life. A mink in her closet, a tiger in the bedroom, a jaguar in her garage, and a jacka** to pay for it all". And while this is funny and I laughed, it's definitely not something I look up to. It's actually scary how some people look up to celebrities as "God's or idols" because in the end they are normal people, just like you and me, and some... . Yes, I did go through a time where I semi-idolized Miley Cyrus... I was 7 when it premiered so please, give me a break. I think I'm losing my point here... Ironically, I'm watching Hannah Montana right now. Back to what I was saying though, I think just like everyone else they have the right to express their opinions when it comes to politics, but I also think it's best for them to keep it to themselves (I had to mark that out because it literally defeated what I was saying... I was distracted while writing. ) Some people just shove it in your face and I don't think that is right. People could be more respectful and maybe a little subtle. Ps: Paris Hilton was wrong because the most important animals in a girl's life are 1. Her fur-babies and 2. Her plushies! I don't want a mink, tiger, jaguar, or a jacka** in my life unless they are all plushies. |
| Talk Tuesday! Do you have a catchphrase? Something you find yourself saying often, or are known for saying? How did it come to be? this is going to be SO embarrassing because I don't really know if I have a "catchphrase", but I do know I say the words "like", "so", and "totally" way too much! My family and friends can attest to that. Basically I sound like a valley girl who got lost in Texas... I think it's from growing up and watching teen shows/movies with prissy girls. Like, Mean Girls, Geek Charming, and several others I can't recall the names of. Thing is, I'm 20 now and I'm still talking like a valley girl, and again I . Maybe one day I'll outgrow it... maybe. Anyways, so I'll be talking to my cousin on the phone and within about 2-5 minutes I'll have said "so" about 20+ times. And he always calls me out on it and starts mocking me in a semi-nice way. So, I guess "so" is my catchphrase. I mean, I can already point out how many times I've said it in this blog post and didn't even think about it. Ps: Thank you to the nutty nut ball that is, Elycia Lee ☮ for helping me figure this out. You are like, totally awesome and never cease to make me giggle! Oh, but I just remembered! I also say "anyways" too much... Another word my family often points out when I say it. So, I'm not sure... give or take I gave you plenty of words though. Whether they work is up to you, but I personally think they do. Ahh ha! Just remembered that I used to watch Clueless every single night as a little girl. That must be where my inner Valley girl comes from. that's also where some of my sass stems from too... |
| Motivational Monday! "A lot of it starts with playing instruments and working with other people...some of the new generation is doing it on computers and they don't have a clue as to how to play anything." -Musician Ray Parker Jr. , born on this day in 1954. How does "it" start for you, whatever "it" is? Okay, so when I first read this prompt I was like what the heck am I supposed to write about? What is the "it"? I asked my sister and she thought it meant talking about music. Later I read two of my friends entries and both had different ideas about what it was about. Then, I read someone who had a similar response to the first friend entry I read. So, I'm not sure exactly how to respond, but I'll try my best... even though it's 7:50am and I'm extremely tired from helping my cousin set up his bed. Dang, that thing was heavy. The headboard, the box spring, and the mattress. Not to mention the other headboard, box spring, and mattress. *exhausted* Whatever though, I needed the exercise and he gave me a plushie of Piglet from Winnie the Pooh the size of a toddler! Anyways, I think music is universal. It's one of those things that connects people from all walks of life. Regardless of age, social status, country, and belief system. As for my experience with music, it's always been a big part of my life. I've been singing since I could talk and the first instrument I remember playing was a purple plastic flute for 1st grade. I got pretty good at it after hours of horrible practicing if I do say so myself. However, now I don't remember any of it . The next instrument I can remember playing was the guitar, because my older sister, Angel and I had watched this movie on Disney. It was called "Pixel Perfect " about a girl band and this guy who was a friend of the lead singer creates a holographic girl to be well, the new lead singer. I can't remember why though. Anyways, so my grammy bought Angel an acoustic guitar for Christmas (if I remember right.) It wasn't tuned though, so for the longest time it just sat in the case waiting for someone to strum their fingers on its strings. Well, one day my mama's now ex-boyfriend-turned very-good-family-friend got his father to tune it. By this time sis had moved on from wanting to play so I tried taking it up, but quickly gave up because the strings hurt my fingers. What can I say? I'm no Taylor Swift. Then for a while I was in what my elementary school called "Music Memory ". We studied the greats like, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Bach, Mozart, etc. I was close to being the top in my class and I still have the CD they gave us to practice with. I loved Music Memory. I was also in Choir for a year or two and loved every minute. Even when we had to perform in Winter in our short sleeve American Choir t-shirts. The next instrument I took up was the French Flute because my mama had played it when she was younger, very well I might add. Unfortunately, I never could get that darn flute to make any noise. I didn't have enough breath or something. Next instrument was a baritone. Okay, laugh all you want, but at the time my fifth grade best friend was playing it and convinced me to do it too. Horrible mistake... Why was I such a follower and a push-over?!! I maybe learned four notes, but for the most part I cheated by looking at my friend during practice and even at a concert once!  Yep, there's a dark secret you didn't know about me. I used to cheat... a lot. *ashamed* So the teacher found out and me and my "best friend " grew apart so I changed to the instrument my sis played, the trumpet. I enjoyed playing the trumpet and I was pretty good at it too, but at one point me and my friends had a huge falling out and long story short... I quit band. Because I quit band, it meant I got to go back to music class with miss Kidwell (who I adored and vice versa.) Can you say teacher's pet? I was home schooled the next year so I don't remember taking up any instruments and whatnot, but I won't go into all that though. My cousin, Danny is very talented when it comes to music and he's never had lessons. He can play the electric guitar, the drums, he can sing (very well I might add), and he can play the harmonica.  I just remembered I also tried playing that! Not sure when though... maybe around the time of 5-8 years old? Not sure. Anyways, I was okay at it. So now looking back I wish I had stuck with my many musical instrument endevours, but it's alright. Now my cousin is teaching me the drums and the electric guitar. I won't say I'm the best, but I'm not the worst either! And something I learned from writing this blog post? I used to give up on things... a lot. I'm so happy I'm not like that anymore. As for the computers part, it reminds me of this commercial I've seen a lot. It's one of my favorites. I don't remember what it's for, but it's these guys and they are in the middle of a city with all these computers, microphones, techie stuff. This girl walks by them and asked what they're doing. They replied "Making music". But they we're doing it all on the computer... I thought it was amazing to be honest. And then all these people passing by started adding onto what other people had made, and it was uniting all these different people. It was beautiful to watch. That someone could play music on a computer rather than an instrument was inspiring and innovative. It's the future, but I do hope that people don't forget to learn how to play on an actual instrument either. There is something so beautiful about learning how to play an instrument and it also teaches some good lessons. Like, perseverance, diligence, commitment, and consistency. I also want to say that "it" could I guess, be talking about different passions and careers that people have... The different paths people take. In the end it's hard knowing what you want/should do with your life. If only we could wake up every single day and have a knowing of what we should be doing. I think you kinda just have to try out different stuff you like and test the waters to find what best suits you. And when you do find it I think it'll kinda hit you like a bolt of lightening. It will be the thing you always find yourself going back to because of how much you love it. So, that's my first 30DBC blog post response and I'm actually pretty proud of it haha. This was fun and I can't wait to find out what tomorrow's prompt is. Yay, I'm so happy I listened to my friend, Dragon about joining. |
| This is to my cousin, Danny for his 54th birthday. You are the BEST, don't ever forget it. You are my cousin by blood, but take the place in my heart as not only my cousin, but also my father, an older brother, and a good friend. When I was younger I called you my spaghetti taco because to me, at that age, I saw it like this... taco shell = cousin, spaghetti = father, tomato sauce = brother, and meatballs = friend. I watched way too much iCarly....You've always been there, since the day I was born. I never really met my biological father and thanks to you, I didn't miss out on all the father/daughter stuff. You played Barbies with me, fixed my hair in cute piggy tails, picked me up from school when mama couldn't, helped me with my math homework, and couldn't resist buying me something when I gave you my signature puppy dog eyes and pout. You helped raise me from childhood, through those rough teen years, and all the way to who I am now. You have impacted my life in the best ways. Teaching me to stand up for myself and my beliefs, to help others, and to trust God. You read bedtime stories to me, took care of me when I was sick, told me when to clean my room, and let me play video games with you and Angel ; even though you knew I would most likely get your character killed or something. And you support all my endeavours, no matter what. You've always told me that I was special and would do great things, that you believed in me and I could do whatever I set my mind to. You also taught me that I had to make decisions for myself. I can remember you sticking with me through my countless collections, like, Barbie, Polly Pocket, Littlest Pet Shop, Webkinz, and all the others. You also have seen me through all my phases... sorry about that. My girly girl phase, artsy phase, my "I'm going to be a fashion designer" phase, goth, punk rock, and that one awful phase where I basically dressed like a tomboy... think I skipped tomboy and just went straight to dressing like a guy. Thank God, I finally grew out of that. I recall you trying to teach me how to sew, speak Spanish, play a certain video game, how to play the guitar, and make funnel cakes! Remember? Mama ate 7 that night because I kept making them wrong She felt SO bad the next day. I know I can be a brat sometimes, even now, but you love me anyways  To which I've always replied by saying "You can't help but love me because I'm adorable!". I know that if I'm ever having a problem or need to talk you're there for me. And... I just thought of one of my favorite memories. That time when mom's now ex-boyfriend took us to the country to see those cows and I wore a bright red tank top (like an idiot) and there was a bull there. He was not happy with my shirt and you gave me that bright lime green t-shirt to quickly throw over the red one. I still have that shirt... somewhere! And I know this is just a mish-mash blog post. I just, I'm not sure what to say. I feel that words can't begin to describe how much you mean to me. I mean, how many people can say they have someone in their lives who fills the role of being their father, brother, friend, and cousin? You really are one in a million! Nope, you are one of a kind! And I'm so incredibly blessed that God decided to put you in my life. Happy 54th Birthday!! May it be the most awesomenestincrediblebirthdayever!! Thank you, for filling these roles in my life, for being there for me, for what you've taught me and everything you've done for me. You are the absolute BESTEST! I love you and can't wait to go fishing again and for all the wonderful memories we'll share.Oh, Ps: thank you for always putting the bait on my hook when the family takes fishing trips... And why is it you always forget I'm a vegetarian?! (I have a feeling you don't, you just like to pick on me). Oh, and thank the Lord you have great fashion sense because I still have the many dresses you bought me when I was a little girl. They are keepsakes. Plus, the plushies love to wear them! Melody is wearing the black artsy one you gave me for my 9th birthday. That's another thing, thank you for the many plushies you won me out of the claw machine! You are a master of that thing.  So if someone asked me to sum you up I would say... He's my cousin who fills the roles of being my father, brother, and good friend too. He's turning 54, but looks 27, a really good cook, has a successful green thumb, is a master of Wal-Mart's claw machine, is an incredible artist (as good as Picasso in my honest opinion), a handy man who can fix practically anything, an intermediate carpenter, someone who never fails to get others to laugh, gem/vintage stuff collector, and a very talented drummer. Honestly, you are way more, I could go on forever.... That's how amazingly-amazing you are!! But, I don't want to inflate that head of yours because it's already big enough! I'm just kidding! Love you forever and always. |
| Alright, so maybe I'm being melodramatic in the title a wee Iiiiitle bit, but my good friend Dragon is hiding has explained to me that it could have been that bad. So now onto the story.... It happened yesterday, it was early in the morning (about 8-9) and I was fixing myself a healthy breakfast of broccoli and cauliflower. So it's that kind where it's frozen vegetables and you put the baggie in the microwave... anyways once they were done I poured them in a bowl before topping it with cheese to melt. I put it back in the microwave only to remember about 20 seconds later that I had previously put a fork in that bowl and now it was in the MICROWAVE!! How could I be so airheaded?! So I immediately stopped the microwave and took the fork out of the bowl before finishing melting my cheese.... I still can't believe I did this!! I was a little distracted because I was watching an episode of My Little Pony and I was getting onto my puppy, Thunder because he almost always jumps in my chair when I get up. Thank God, the microwave was okay and nothing caught on fire. I have promised Dragon I'll be more careful when using the microwave. Luckily she got a laugh out of it and I did too! No harm, no foul, right? ~  Hanna the Drama Queen |
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