So last night, I started reading a new novel. It looked really cheesy and heavy on the romance side, so it's definitely something that's outside my normal realm of historically based, non-fiction, political, or classic works genres. I know what you're thinking: "*yawn* Geez Jen, get a life." But what can I say? I like the "nerdy" stuff. :^) And besides, it was 3am, I had 3 more hours to stay at work waiting for the phone to ring (which it never did...the city actually behaved itself for awhile lol), the first book was free, and my Kindle thought I would like it. So I thought "what the hell?"
Fast forward 6 hours, 200+ pages, and half an Amp, and I've bought the second installment for $4.99 and I'm still awake reading. What the .... ?
How on earth did I get sucked into the crap? The plot line is predictable (damsel in distress + bad guy turned good guy + need to save the world = cheesy to the 1000th power), the humor is albeit witty, but again, predictable, and the main character is so cliched that I'm starting to question copyright violations...but I can't put it down...even though my eyes are giving out.
Funny thing is, as much as I hate them, I LOVE authors like that. They are the talented ones who could be writing the same old routine of a novel (aka hero + misfortune + damsel in distress = I'm bored...), but their story telling skills are so unbelievably incredible, they leave you perched on the edge of your seat, eyes pouring over the page...faster...faster...sleep forgotten...just wondering what will happen next.......Coincidentally, you already know how the story is going to end (aka the bad guy always loses), but you just can't help but get wrapped up in the world that is the author's creation.
*sigh*
So here we are. Even now as I'm typing this, I'm thinking about that damn book. Wanting to read it - no - needing to read it - even thought I know I should be doing more productive things. Like finishing the programs for my wedding, or finishing the list of songs for the DJ, or even creating the card I've had stuck in my mind for two days...but no, I want to finish that book. So I can get to the next one...and then read her other works...
Hi, my name is Jennifer. I have an addiction to ___________'s novel series ______________. It's been 3 hours since I've put it down.....wait, hold on................................sorry, just let me finish this chapter................I...yeah, I'll be right there................................................................................................I'm sorry, what was I saying?
~ Jen
Monday, May 14, 2012
Monday...again
Another month is flying by quickly, and our wedding date is literally right around the corner. I have to say I'm pretty excited. Especially when we still have enough free time to work in the yard. This past weekend alone, AJ and laid sod in the backyard, which took two days of tilling, shoveling, raking, smoothing, watering, laying, smoothing, watering again, and smoothing again. Plus, we started edging the walkway to lay down some nice tan brick stones to accent the red brick walkway. Add to that the fact that I worked twelve hour night shifts all weekend and that sense of accomplishment is pretty high. However, the lack of sleep is starting to catch up with me...so forgive any run on sentences or misspellings (thank goodness for spellcheck...I've already had three. :^)
Anyhoot (purposefully misspell :^), I must toot my own horn for a minute, so bear with me here. So amid all this work, I have my second "job," which is my handmade card and paper goods store on ArtFire (foreversmemories.artfire.com). Last month, I kinda let my shop slide because I was too busy to craft anything new. Well, I decided I missed all my AF friends, so I made a few items to post and started getting busy there again in the forums and the guilds, and I was so happy to be back interacting and following them again. They are all such nice people, and AF is such a great community! (Ok, seriously, I'm done...maybe lol). But anywho, I made some new collections, and one of them was selected as the daily email!!! Which is like a big deal over there, so just pretend to be astonished and excited ok? :^) This is my second daily email selection in about 4 months, so I figure I have to doing something right, right?
So now what I'm curious about is how they select these daily emails...Is it a clever title? (my most recent being named "The Eclectic Librarian") Or a certain feel to the collection? Or how many views/comments/ratings it gets within a certain time frame?
Yes these are the crazy wanderings of my mind...I taking something wonderful and think: "How does this happen to little old me? I don't deserve this! I just like putting pretty items together that I really wish I could buy, but will collect instead just in case I happen to get permission to use a rich man's black credit card..." hehehe (ok, seriously? I think the sleep deprivation is starting to show...)
Ok, well, now that I've gotten this out of my system, AJ is awake and getting ready to leave for work, so I'm going to spend the precious few early morning minutes with him. I love him so much...
~ Jen
Anyhoot (purposefully misspell :^), I must toot my own horn for a minute, so bear with me here. So amid all this work, I have my second "job," which is my handmade card and paper goods store on ArtFire (foreversmemories.artfire.com). Last month, I kinda let my shop slide because I was too busy to craft anything new. Well, I decided I missed all my AF friends, so I made a few items to post and started getting busy there again in the forums and the guilds, and I was so happy to be back interacting and following them again. They are all such nice people, and AF is such a great community! (Ok, seriously, I'm done...maybe lol). But anywho, I made some new collections, and one of them was selected as the daily email!!! Which is like a big deal over there, so just pretend to be astonished and excited ok? :^) This is my second daily email selection in about 4 months, so I figure I have to doing something right, right?
So now what I'm curious about is how they select these daily emails...Is it a clever title? (my most recent being named "The Eclectic Librarian") Or a certain feel to the collection? Or how many views/comments/ratings it gets within a certain time frame?
Yes these are the crazy wanderings of my mind...I taking something wonderful and think: "How does this happen to little old me? I don't deserve this! I just like putting pretty items together that I really wish I could buy, but will collect instead just in case I happen to get permission to use a rich man's black credit card..." hehehe (ok, seriously? I think the sleep deprivation is starting to show...)
Ok, well, now that I've gotten this out of my system, AJ is awake and getting ready to leave for work, so I'm going to spend the precious few early morning minutes with him. I love him so much...
~ Jen
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
You might be a writer if...
So I just saw a link to an article that said "You might be a writer if..." Ok? So now there are stipulations you have to meet to be a writer? Doesn't seem fair to me.
In my opinion, everyone's a writer. Only you might not write. Some people can give the most eloquent speeches without having a think wrote down, yet I count them as writers. Some people can create poems on a whim and recite them to their friends and loved ones, yet never write them down. And some people write things down, and sometimes those things are not legible, or make no sense, but they are still writing.
Every single person has their own unique style and voice when writing, so who gets the right to determine who would make a writer?
No one, you say? Yeah, that's why I thought.
Needless to say, it really makes me grit my teeth when I see things like this. While I will admit, some writers are able to have their works published, while others will be unseen, but does this make those who are published better than those that are unseen? I think not.
I guess my point is, the next time you see something that boasts: "How to know if you're a ______" or "You might be a __________ IF," I'd suggest ignoring it and just go for it! What's the worst that can happen? You find out you don't like it, or you don't have time for all that's invovled in it. What's the best thing that can happen? Your taking a chance and doing what makes you happy ends up becoming your career or your life long hobby.
As they say, "Be You."
~Jen
In my opinion, everyone's a writer. Only you might not write. Some people can give the most eloquent speeches without having a think wrote down, yet I count them as writers. Some people can create poems on a whim and recite them to their friends and loved ones, yet never write them down. And some people write things down, and sometimes those things are not legible, or make no sense, but they are still writing.
Every single person has their own unique style and voice when writing, so who gets the right to determine who would make a writer?
No one, you say? Yeah, that's why I thought.
Needless to say, it really makes me grit my teeth when I see things like this. While I will admit, some writers are able to have their works published, while others will be unseen, but does this make those who are published better than those that are unseen? I think not.
I guess my point is, the next time you see something that boasts: "How to know if you're a ______" or "You might be a __________ IF," I'd suggest ignoring it and just go for it! What's the worst that can happen? You find out you don't like it, or you don't have time for all that's invovled in it. What's the best thing that can happen? Your taking a chance and doing what makes you happy ends up becoming your career or your life long hobby.
As they say, "Be You."
~Jen
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Wedding Distractions
Distractions are easy for me. I find that it's hard to foc...ooh look! Squirrel! Isn't he so cute?! His fuzzy little tail and cute little paws!...I'm sorry, what were we talking about? Pizza? The stock market...oh yeah! Wedding stress!
Yeah, that's me. :-)
So when I decided to take on planning our entire wedding, I was feeling a bit too ambitious. Fast forward a few months, a state of sleep deprivation, and much less hair on my head, I'd decided paying the few thousand dollars to have someone set up, clean up, coordinate, and alleviate eighty percent of the stress I was feeling was a great idea. Not only has it saved me countless hours of my mind reeling with all the things I still needed to do, but it's also making it possible for me to enjoy the most important day of my life. Instead of stressing about getting decorations up in time, then stressing about making sure they are taken down before the next morning, I can focus on sleeping in, making myself beautiful, having a good lunch, enjoy the party, and going home and crashing. I cannot stress (pun intended) how awesome that's going to be!
However, even though I've alleviated most of my stress, there are still many things I have to do on my own. Dress fittings, attendants gifts, welcome baskets, tux rentals...the list seems to never end. Not only has our wedding consumed our free time, it's also dipped into the time I allot for creating my handmade cards, tags, and original photographs. I love my crafting, and it's been frustrating not having time for my usual stress outlet. So, as you can imagine, I am looking forward to the next three weeks rushing by so I can get to the fun parts of being married and we can get some free time back in our lives. I know my fiancee would love a day of doing nothing but lounging around watching TV and eating popcorn and junk food. And I wouldn't mind shutting myself away in my craft room for the day and create all the lovely cards I've been holding in my mind, waiting for the time when they can come to fruition. *sigh*
But, I must look on the bright side: I am marrying the love of my life, and our mothers get the once in a lifetime opportunity to watch their children marry someone they adore as much as their own child. It's wonderful when your families get along so excellent, and for this I am thankful.
I am also thankful that we are able to afford someone to take care of a lot of this wedding stress, allowing us to enjoy the day to its fullest. I know a lot of people who could never dream of a wedding like ours will be, or they have family members that will be absent (much like my grandmother and uncle will be <3 ). For my life, I am thankful.
So, ending on a positive note, as stressful as this whole wedding debacle is, in the end, it will all be worth it, and I will look back on the day with fond memories and be grateful for everything that led up to it.
~ Jen
Yeah, that's me. :-)
So when I decided to take on planning our entire wedding, I was feeling a bit too ambitious. Fast forward a few months, a state of sleep deprivation, and much less hair on my head, I'd decided paying the few thousand dollars to have someone set up, clean up, coordinate, and alleviate eighty percent of the stress I was feeling was a great idea. Not only has it saved me countless hours of my mind reeling with all the things I still needed to do, but it's also making it possible for me to enjoy the most important day of my life. Instead of stressing about getting decorations up in time, then stressing about making sure they are taken down before the next morning, I can focus on sleeping in, making myself beautiful, having a good lunch, enjoy the party, and going home and crashing. I cannot stress (pun intended) how awesome that's going to be!
However, even though I've alleviated most of my stress, there are still many things I have to do on my own. Dress fittings, attendants gifts, welcome baskets, tux rentals...the list seems to never end. Not only has our wedding consumed our free time, it's also dipped into the time I allot for creating my handmade cards, tags, and original photographs. I love my crafting, and it's been frustrating not having time for my usual stress outlet. So, as you can imagine, I am looking forward to the next three weeks rushing by so I can get to the fun parts of being married and we can get some free time back in our lives. I know my fiancee would love a day of doing nothing but lounging around watching TV and eating popcorn and junk food. And I wouldn't mind shutting myself away in my craft room for the day and create all the lovely cards I've been holding in my mind, waiting for the time when they can come to fruition. *sigh*
But, I must look on the bright side: I am marrying the love of my life, and our mothers get the once in a lifetime opportunity to watch their children marry someone they adore as much as their own child. It's wonderful when your families get along so excellent, and for this I am thankful.
I am also thankful that we are able to afford someone to take care of a lot of this wedding stress, allowing us to enjoy the day to its fullest. I know a lot of people who could never dream of a wedding like ours will be, or they have family members that will be absent (much like my grandmother and uncle will be <3 ). For my life, I am thankful.
So, ending on a positive note, as stressful as this whole wedding debacle is, in the end, it will all be worth it, and I will look back on the day with fond memories and be grateful for everything that led up to it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)