Saturday, November 20, 2010

The Great American Novel

Creative Writing class is over for this session and I feel as though I have been renewed with the desire to write more. Not only write more, but write BIG! In this case, big means that I've decided to write a novel.

Now, for those of you who know how much I like to read Nora Roberts books, don't worry -- this is not a romance novel. Actually, I'm not at all sure what kind of novel it's going to be. I know whatever it ends up being, it's going to fantastic... it's also going to be a best seller... and it's going to be turned into a movie!

That's not asking for too much. If I'm going to put all the time and effort into a novel, it needs to go the distance.

So far I'm on page three, but I have characters in my mind with a little story behind it. I'm not sure how it's all going to come together... I'm just hoping it does! I guess when we see my name on the best seller list we'll know it happened.

Well, I have to get back to writing...

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Laptop vs Pen

Let's be honest... just about everyone uses a computer in this day & age. And why not? They (usually) make things go much faster and smoother. All your information, documents and photos can all be stored in one central location. I agree - very easy!

In my creative writing class we've talked about when to write, where to write, how to write, etc. It seems that most people tend to use laptops to write and keep their thoughts on. What ever happened to the good old fashioned pen and paper?

If you've been to my blog before, you've likely seen me talk about my love of pens, but it's not just pens. I love paper too! I have all kinds at my disposal and I am always on the lookout for more!

To say that putting pen to paper is a pleasure for me would be an understatement. I feel so much more connected to my writing when i take the time to sit with the paper, to get to know the pen. Nothing can take away the feeling of the ink gliding on the texture of the paper (because we know that paper is not all created equal!), catching the color. Some inks take their time to dry, risking a smear by the movement of the writer's hand; some shimmer in the light and then lay themselves down to permanent contrast on the paper.

Don't get me wrong, I love my laptop too! It's keep me in touch with friends & family I wouldn't be able to. I'm sure you all know those who would rather receive mail than to send it. Email & social networking has made allowances for those people & given them a much better way to communicate! And, along with those people, I'm happy to take advantage of it!

People often compliment my handwriting and I simply say "it's practice." And it's true, I write whenever I feel the urge and, most of the time, the urge is great. I feel the words & the pen & the paper. They all go hand-in-hand. One would not be complete without the others.

In this technology heavy world today, pen & paper is still this writer's only true option.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

An Open Letter to Ryan Buell

I’m about to write an open letter to Ryan Buell, founder of the Paranormal Research Society, and star of “Paranormal State”, a show that investigates paranormal phenomena in the US. I am a religious viewer—tuning in every week.


Dear Mr. Buell… Ryan, if that’s ok with you,

Ryan, I don’t want to come across as a star struck girl about to meet her crush for the first time. That is not me. Ok, that could be me, but not through this letter.


I also don’t want to be one of those people who are out to hitch a ride on your coat tails, soaring to popularity on cable TV. And let’s face it, those coat tails are going places! I’m not one of those people!
I’m not going to disagree with your beliefs, call you crazy, say it’s all made up, TV stunts… nope, I believe it all! I believe it’s all real, & still, I watch the shows at night, in bed, alone. I’m a sucker for a good spook!


I am someone who has been fascinated with the paranormal, all things unexplained and mysteries for as long as my memory will allow me to go. As a young girl, I read “The Demonologist” (and am thrilled to see Lorraine Warren on your show)! I can admit to reading the book, examining the pictures, getting totally freaked out & leaving said book far from my bedroom when I slept. Hiding it (along with Stephen King books) under the sofa was the preferable place to keep items with the potential to remind me that things do go bump in the night.
I have never seen a ghost, never been to a haunted house, never had anything as life-altering as what you have been through, but I’m still fascinated by it all. I am amazed at the poise & the dedication you have, though all your regular viewers know something deep within you spurs you onward, searching for something you haven’t shared with us just yet. I think it’s very admirable the kind way you work with your team & your clients, as well as always respecting the land & the history of the places you investigate.


Every week when I watch your show I am alternately amazed at the guts your team has and wishing with all my might that I could be one of the trainees on your show. I’ve gone as far as admitting to my husband that if you were to grant this little known wish of mine and ask me to join up, I’d have to leave him & spent a life on the road with PRS, seeking out the next paranormal location.


So, Ryan, thank you fro the entertainment, the chance to take a moment & ask myself ‘what if’ and for the chills watching your show in the dark. You have made a fan for life. And, other than the above-mentioned dream of joining PRS, I only have one little thing to ask. Can you please make your episodes an hour long? Five days a week? All year long?


Yours in the unknown,
Amie

This above photo is not mine & I do not have any claims to it. No copyright infringement intended.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

I love Halloween, by Orion

This year I decided to take a more 'active' role in Halloween. I wanted my mommy to make me a homemade costume that wasn't too hot or too tight. I like to be able to run! She made me this cool costume - a basketball player! My jersey has my name & I even got to carry my own ball! Oh, she also made little sweatbands for me, but I wasn't digging those & had them thrown to the floor before the camera could even be found!


I love this holiday! It's the best because I get to hang with 'the boys'. I really like those guys. One of the boys is really small - almost my size. He talks to me & follows me around a lot. I don't mind. He's nice enough.



This year there was another lil person with us. I don't think it was another of the guys though. This lil person was dressed like my siblings, Cheddy & Moodles, but in a really weird color. I've never seen a pink kitty before. And the cats at my house, they can be very noisy. Sometimes I'm trying to sleep & that orange one will start talking & won't stop. The only way I can get back to sleep is hiding under the covers next to mommy! I think that's very rude. You can tell he's fresh from the streets! Look how much skin he shows at home! Have a little modesty!


Anyway, this pink kitty, she smelled kinda funny too. I don't think I have that smell at my house. And one of the guys kept staring at her! I was sniffing & looking, trying to figure out what he was so enrapt with & I just couldn't see it!


The guys & I hit the ground running. I was excited to hear, see and smell all the things they had going on their neighborhood. So many bushes to smell - it was like being in heaven! I wasn't worried about getting candy though because I'm trying to watch my figure. I don't work out on the courts for nothing!

There was a scary moment that night. I saw these things in the yard & they looked really spooky! I ran between mommy's legs & hid my face. She explained they weren't real & couldn't hurt me. I wasn't so sure about that white guy on top and didn't look directly in his eyes. Good thing we had a sorcerer with us!


There was another big person with us on Halloween... it was a Pink Cat. It's lucky for them that I likes cats. I don't like pink very much, but Pink Cat didn't stick around the whole time. During our outing the 2 cats went off hunting mice & lil pink kitty didn't come back. I guess she was really hungry for lil mice!

I have to say it was another good Halloween with the boys. After we said goodbye, Mommy & I went home to tell the others about our adventures. SydSyd & Jakester were very interested in the scents I brought back with me! I think they were a little jealous though... I drifted off to sleep not long after that. Trick or Treating really takes it out of a pup!

I'm already thinking about my costume for next year!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Creative Writing Exercise Results

One class began with the instructor asking us to make a list. Each item on the list had to begin with "I Remember...". There was no task other than the list. So I made my list. It was 2 pages full of remembering. We set that aside & went onto something else.

Later in the class she asked us to get our lists out (the lists we do are never just 'lists'). Instructions were: pick one of your memories & write about the feelings we had for 10 minutes. Below is what i wrote:
I remeber the feeling of utter belief the moment the medium started my reading. All my life I'd be entranced by the paranormal and those things that cannot be explained. So when he began to ask questions that made it sound like we were once friends, I knew my experience with him would never be forgotten.

"Was there confusion with her passing?" he asked.

"Yes," I responded, my voice reflecting my amazement.

He continued... "Are you a painter?"
"Do you try & talk to her yourself?"
"She's referring to a 'Bobby' with regard to your husband. Does he know a 'Bobby'?"


Yes! Yes! Yes! To all of it! I wanted to jump straight out of my chair & discuss one-on-one with him how he did it. He was on the money and I was ready to ask for lottery numbers.
Another class a few weeks later we were asked to pull out our "I remember" topic again & write about one specific feeling or moment we had (for 10 minutes). That writing is below:
The room was ice cold. We were advised ahead of time to dress warmly, but they neglected to mention the need for parkas & portable heaters.

Though it wasn't explained, I suspected connecting with spirits is enough to raise someone's body temperature. This meant the rest of us, the paying audience, were plunged into subzero coolness.

I wore a sweatshirt over my long-sleeves & several times wished I'd brought gloves, scarf & possibly a ski mask. I couldn't see my breath yet, but with every click of the a/c turning on, I knew it was only a matter of time.

My mom was sitting nect to me, her fleece jacket zipped to her chin. She's the type who is cold in the middle of summer, so I imagined it took a great deal of willpower not to shiver & shake right out of her metal chair.

The medium looked quite comfortable in the chill, wearing only jeans & a long-sleeved cotton shirt. He wasn't rubbing his hands together for warmth or wiping his nose - a side effect of being in the cold too long. No, it was as if he was radiating his own heat. Too bad it wasn't reaching across the room to where I sat.