I'm keeping my promise, so here I am. It's pretty much my bedtime, but I'm writing. Today, while at a hockey game, I thought that it would be neat to make an anti-movie, much like an anti-joke. The movie would be about a bunch of misfit kids who decide that they want to beat a team of their bullying peers who have played the sport for years. The ragtag team train and train, and they actually start to be pretty good. In the end, the ragtag team loses to the more experienced team, and the bullying continues. The End.
Good night everyone!
I love you sweetie!
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Tired of Studying . . .
Hence why I'm writing again. I've been listening to some blues piano tonight. I love the blues! They have really broadened my appreciation for so many decades and types of music, namely oldies and hard rock. Two genres that I never really cared for, but if you listen blues are in everything. Being a pianist myself, I like the blues because they fit my style. I'm not big on reading music. I'm more about playing what I'm feeling. I love the blues because they are versatile. They can be elegant like "Georgia on my Mind" or aggressive like . . . That's the problem, I don't know very many blues songs. The blues are very expressive. Luca Sestak. He's a 17-year-old kid from Austria, and the kid can flat out play. He is self-taught, and he's amazing! I just found my favorite vid of his so far: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqJRjoC5iPs It's long, but watch it all. It's sooo good, and lots of fun.
I decided to try continuing my story. It's pretty close to bedtime though, so we'll see what I come up with.
I'm still debating though...does Regina know what happened in the Dark Forest or does the narrator need to tell relate this story? If Regina tells their story, it'll be a secondhand account, which means that inevitably, there will be some details missing. This could work out if I decide that I want the reader to discover the true story later on along with Regina. If the narrator tells the story, I can flesh out a lot more details...what the mother and father were thinking and feeling, what they saw, heard, and smelled, what they said. Motivations can be revealed. I'm realizing that what would make the most sense is if Regina was there in The Dark Forest. It needs to be a firsthand account, because she is exposing her mother and father, and her sister and her prince. It'll also be a more potent account to be told from the memory of a young girl. I'm going to have to re-read on some of the things that I've already written, and figure out where I need to revise plot points in regard to timeline issues. It is essential that Regina gives a firsthand account, but I have to figure out why mother and father are bringing their little girl into The Dark Forest.
I'm also trying to figure out if Regina should be the older sister or the younger sister.
I'm getting tired. Good night everyone!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetie!
I decided to try continuing my story. It's pretty close to bedtime though, so we'll see what I come up with.
I'm still debating though...does Regina know what happened in the Dark Forest or does the narrator need to tell relate this story? If Regina tells their story, it'll be a secondhand account, which means that inevitably, there will be some details missing. This could work out if I decide that I want the reader to discover the true story later on along with Regina. If the narrator tells the story, I can flesh out a lot more details...what the mother and father were thinking and feeling, what they saw, heard, and smelled, what they said. Motivations can be revealed. I'm realizing that what would make the most sense is if Regina was there in The Dark Forest. It needs to be a firsthand account, because she is exposing her mother and father, and her sister and her prince. It'll also be a more potent account to be told from the memory of a young girl. I'm going to have to re-read on some of the things that I've already written, and figure out where I need to revise plot points in regard to timeline issues. It is essential that Regina gives a firsthand account, but I have to figure out why mother and father are bringing their little girl into The Dark Forest.
I'm also trying to figure out if Regina should be the older sister or the younger sister.
I'm getting tired. Good night everyone!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetie!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Short Post
I have an exam to study for tonight, so this is a short post. But I am writing because that is the promise that I made to my wife who I love very much. I don't really have anything to say other than that. Or maybe I should say: "that's all I have to say about that."
I love you dear!
I love you dear!
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
(Too Tired to Think of a Proper Title)
This will be a short post. I've been super tired tonight, and haven't really felt like doing anything at all. Ironically, I've done a lot tonight, and I didn't want to do any of it. I changed Chewbacca's water (I did want to do that.), I went and bought groceries, and I did laundry, sort of. Now, it's close to my bed time.
I've been doing more thinking on my story. I think that the parents are intentionally seeking out the witch. I just need to figure out why. It makes sense to me that they are desperate about their circumstances. I don't mean to give the story away, but if I don't note some of the ideas that are coming to me I may forget them. Besides that, for anyone that wanted to see the writer's process at work, that's what I'm doing here.
Anyway, I'm noting that dragons are hard to kill, even with magic. It takes very dark magic to kill a dragon. It's not always easy to tell if a dragon is actually dead.
Good night!
I love you dear!
I've been doing more thinking on my story. I think that the parents are intentionally seeking out the witch. I just need to figure out why. It makes sense to me that they are desperate about their circumstances. I don't mean to give the story away, but if I don't note some of the ideas that are coming to me I may forget them. Besides that, for anyone that wanted to see the writer's process at work, that's what I'm doing here.
Anyway, I'm noting that dragons are hard to kill, even with magic. It takes very dark magic to kill a dragon. It's not always easy to tell if a dragon is actually dead.
Good night!
I love you dear!
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
The Power/Virtue of Saying "No"
I feel to write on the lessons I have learned from an experience that I went through recently. I will not detail the event out of respect for those involved, but I will say this:
We have all had those experiences where we wish we would have said no. We have all had those experiences where we later learned that we were glad that we said no. Sometimes we have to say no. Even when it hurts us to do so. Even when we feel it is offensive to do so. The motivation must always be love-not just in saying no, but in everything we do.
We must say no because we care-because we love ourselves, our family, our friends, and even those to whom we are saying no.
We must say no out of respect for ourselves and others.
Sometimes saying no can seem selfish or uncaring, but when saying yes compromises your time, health, money or beliefs, as well as that of your family and friends, then it is time to say no.
There is a difference between compromise and sacrifice.
Compromise comes about from coercion, from pressure, from being placed in a position of disadvantage. In essence, compromise happens when you are pressured into saying yes when all along you wanted to say no.
Sacrifice happens when you unselfishly give of yourself with no thought of reward. It is to give of your time, money, etc. (Not so much sacrificing your beliefs-beliefs often fuel sacrifice.)
Although in both instances time, health, or money may be given up to achieve the goal, compromise will never exist where an earnest sacrifice has been made. Everyone is rewarded, whether spiritually, emotionally, physically or otherwise.
Saying no at the appropriate times strengthens our character. It allows us to love more fully and correctly. We cannot properly love ourselves and others if we do not have the character to say no when it compromises ourselves and others.
It is good to say no.
It is healthy to say no.
It is right to say no.
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you honey!
We have all had those experiences where we wish we would have said no. We have all had those experiences where we later learned that we were glad that we said no. Sometimes we have to say no. Even when it hurts us to do so. Even when we feel it is offensive to do so. The motivation must always be love-not just in saying no, but in everything we do.
We must say no because we care-because we love ourselves, our family, our friends, and even those to whom we are saying no.
We must say no out of respect for ourselves and others.
Sometimes saying no can seem selfish or uncaring, but when saying yes compromises your time, health, money or beliefs, as well as that of your family and friends, then it is time to say no.
There is a difference between compromise and sacrifice.
Compromise comes about from coercion, from pressure, from being placed in a position of disadvantage. In essence, compromise happens when you are pressured into saying yes when all along you wanted to say no.
Sacrifice happens when you unselfishly give of yourself with no thought of reward. It is to give of your time, money, etc. (Not so much sacrificing your beliefs-beliefs often fuel sacrifice.)
Although in both instances time, health, or money may be given up to achieve the goal, compromise will never exist where an earnest sacrifice has been made. Everyone is rewarded, whether spiritually, emotionally, physically or otherwise.
Saying no at the appropriate times strengthens our character. It allows us to love more fully and correctly. We cannot properly love ourselves and others if we do not have the character to say no when it compromises ourselves and others.
It is good to say no.
It is healthy to say no.
It is right to say no.
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you honey!
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Turning Points
Last night, I brought in a character that I hadn't realized was necessary to the plot: the witches. I continue to surprise myself. I'm realizing that dialogue is coming soon. The story is starting to reach a point where it is necessary to be thrown into the story, so-to-speak, rather than simply observe. The reader needs to see for themselves what is going on as opposed to hearing the secondhand account from Princess Regina. This makes me nervous. Dialogue can be particularly challenging. I'm realizing that for some of the parts coming up that I need to figure out what voice needs to be heard. One thing is for sure: this is Princess Regina's story, so it's either her voice or the voice of the narrator. Another reason this worries me is that I seem to have melded Princess Regina's voice with a narrator voice. I fear that there will not be any discernible difference between the Regina's voice and the voice of the narrator.
All I know is that I'm just gonna have to trust my instincts. They've taken me this far. Unfortunately, at the moment, my instincts don't really seem to be telling me anything. I've experienced fear at the prospect of ruining my story I guess, but sometimes all it takes is for me to just start writing something. That's mainly what I've done in writing this story.
I also realize that for anyone who is just now coming into this story, that it must be kind of a pain in the butt to follow the bits and pieces of it throughout my different posts. When the story is complete, I will copy and paste it into MS Word, edit it and revise it, then re-post it as one complete story from beginning to end.
So far, from what I can tell, my writing experience has gone pretty smoothly, which is probably where my fear stems from. At some point, this must become more difficult. But that's okay. I guess that I am allowing you to see the writing process from behind the scenes. This is my rough draft. It's okay to make mistakes. I can fix them.
Something that I'm trying to figure out right now, is whether the mother and father run into the witch first or the dragon first. (I know...you didn't know about the dragon, but this is the behind-the-scenes process. Sorry!) Some things that will help me determine that will be figuring out the mother and father's motives. Why are they going into the Dark Forest? That's the main question. Is it just for food or did they go into the forest specifically to seek out a witch? If so, why did they seek a witch?
Good night!
I love you dear!
All I know is that I'm just gonna have to trust my instincts. They've taken me this far. Unfortunately, at the moment, my instincts don't really seem to be telling me anything. I've experienced fear at the prospect of ruining my story I guess, but sometimes all it takes is for me to just start writing something. That's mainly what I've done in writing this story.
I also realize that for anyone who is just now coming into this story, that it must be kind of a pain in the butt to follow the bits and pieces of it throughout my different posts. When the story is complete, I will copy and paste it into MS Word, edit it and revise it, then re-post it as one complete story from beginning to end.
So far, from what I can tell, my writing experience has gone pretty smoothly, which is probably where my fear stems from. At some point, this must become more difficult. But that's okay. I guess that I am allowing you to see the writing process from behind the scenes. This is my rough draft. It's okay to make mistakes. I can fix them.
Something that I'm trying to figure out right now, is whether the mother and father run into the witch first or the dragon first. (I know...you didn't know about the dragon, but this is the behind-the-scenes process. Sorry!) Some things that will help me determine that will be figuring out the mother and father's motives. Why are they going into the Dark Forest? That's the main question. Is it just for food or did they go into the forest specifically to seek out a witch? If so, why did they seek a witch?
Good night!
I love you dear!
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
The Princess and the Nocturnal Enuresis Part V
The battle continues. Finding the motivation to write. My real drive comes from my wife. She is my real reason for keeping up on this blog. I've written significantly more on this blog than I would have otherwise. I'm keeping my promise to post every week, so that she can have some piece of me when I'm gone at work for half of the week.
What to write next, though? I'm talking once again, about the story that I have been writing on the fly. I continue to be surprised by the depths that I am reaching with this story. I'm kind of surprised that I have not written any actual dialogue into the story yet, but as far as I can tell, it seems to be working. I have a feeling that this story may take some further unexpected turns that I have not yet anticipated. There seems to be some foreshadowing that I hadn't necessarily intended, possibly a character that I haven't even thought of yet, maybe even a subplot, or perhaps, the plot will become the subplot in light of the new plot that is emerging. At any rate, I'm following the natural flow of the story. Where does it want to take me? This is why it continues to surprise me. Part V:
Everything changed when I had reached the age of twelve. My eldest sister was fifteen, and still had not been married. My mother and father had been hiking through the woods, probably to find food, or to bargain with a witch. It takes a great fool or great desperation to bargain with a witch. My parents were both. You have to go deep into the dark regions of the forest, where thieves and murderers hide, where strange creatures lurk, where evil comes to play. The legend is that the witches know the forest. It is their child, and everything in it belongs to them. Everyone in it belongs to them. They see your heart, your desires, and however unjust or cruel they choose to be, they determine your fate. They determine whether you fall to the thieves and murderers or whether you pass unnoticed, whether or not you fall prey to the menacing beasts of the Dark Forest, or whether or not you escape the forest untouched. The witches are intrigued by those with dark hearts. Those are the ones that they keep for themselves.
Good night, friends!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you honey!
What to write next, though? I'm talking once again, about the story that I have been writing on the fly. I continue to be surprised by the depths that I am reaching with this story. I'm kind of surprised that I have not written any actual dialogue into the story yet, but as far as I can tell, it seems to be working. I have a feeling that this story may take some further unexpected turns that I have not yet anticipated. There seems to be some foreshadowing that I hadn't necessarily intended, possibly a character that I haven't even thought of yet, maybe even a subplot, or perhaps, the plot will become the subplot in light of the new plot that is emerging. At any rate, I'm following the natural flow of the story. Where does it want to take me? This is why it continues to surprise me. Part V:
Everything changed when I had reached the age of twelve. My eldest sister was fifteen, and still had not been married. My mother and father had been hiking through the woods, probably to find food, or to bargain with a witch. It takes a great fool or great desperation to bargain with a witch. My parents were both. You have to go deep into the dark regions of the forest, where thieves and murderers hide, where strange creatures lurk, where evil comes to play. The legend is that the witches know the forest. It is their child, and everything in it belongs to them. Everyone in it belongs to them. They see your heart, your desires, and however unjust or cruel they choose to be, they determine your fate. They determine whether you fall to the thieves and murderers or whether you pass unnoticed, whether or not you fall prey to the menacing beasts of the Dark Forest, or whether or not you escape the forest untouched. The witches are intrigued by those with dark hearts. Those are the ones that they keep for themselves.
Good night, friends!
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you honey!
Friday, November 1, 2013
The Princess and the Nocturnal Enuresis Part IV
Good Evening!
I've been reading On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction 30th Anniversary Edition by William Zinsser. It's a great book, and I'm feeling fired up to write right now. It might seem funny to read a book about writing nonfiction while writing a piece of fiction, but there are some universal concepts in that book. There are also some things that I realize are different, because I'm writing fiction.
I was hoping to find some paper so that I could work on brainstorming some ideas, hash out more details on The Princess and the Nocturnal Enuresis. I have paper at home, but not here in the office. A paperless office...I know. (It's not mine...yes, I'm allowed to be in here.)
I was wanting to add more to the last paragraph that I have written in my story so far, but I'm starting to think that it's finished. This would also explain why I struggled to write anything the other night.
Stealing is a daily affair in the life of a peasant. You don't steal, you don't eat. That's just how it is. Sure, some will beg, but it's much easier to steal. It's easier to take something that never belonged to you than to rely hopelessly on the kindness of strangers, even if that something is a life.
Death is never a first resort. Death is complicated. You take a life, you risk losing your own. You risk your family, possibly your friends. The problem is sometimes you forget those risks. All you can think about is eating, how sick and hungry you are. You remember your family. They need to eat too. Sometimes death seems worth it to keep yourself alive, to keep your family alive. It's a lofty wager, though. Death never leaves you. You take a life, you must be prepared to take another.
I think that might be all I have in me for tonight. I guess that I'm putting my own writing process on display. One of the things mentioned in On Writing Well, is that you write like the authors that you read. So, one tip that Zinsser gives is if you like a certain author's writing style, then read a lot of their stuff. You'll pick up on their style. During the course of writing this story, I've read J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I'm currently reading Dune by Frank Herbert, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, and On Writing Well. Before starting on this story, I also read J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, so I am definitely getting a feel for her style most of all. In fact, my wife and I are planning on reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban next. We're in the middle of a Harry Potter read-a-thon. I'd actually never read any of the Harry Potter books until now, but my wife and I are hooked. Rowling is a great writer and story-teller.
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetie!
I've been reading On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction 30th Anniversary Edition by William Zinsser. It's a great book, and I'm feeling fired up to write right now. It might seem funny to read a book about writing nonfiction while writing a piece of fiction, but there are some universal concepts in that book. There are also some things that I realize are different, because I'm writing fiction.
I was hoping to find some paper so that I could work on brainstorming some ideas, hash out more details on The Princess and the Nocturnal Enuresis. I have paper at home, but not here in the office. A paperless office...I know. (It's not mine...yes, I'm allowed to be in here.)
I was wanting to add more to the last paragraph that I have written in my story so far, but I'm starting to think that it's finished. This would also explain why I struggled to write anything the other night.
Stealing is a daily affair in the life of a peasant. You don't steal, you don't eat. That's just how it is. Sure, some will beg, but it's much easier to steal. It's easier to take something that never belonged to you than to rely hopelessly on the kindness of strangers, even if that something is a life.
Death is never a first resort. Death is complicated. You take a life, you risk losing your own. You risk your family, possibly your friends. The problem is sometimes you forget those risks. All you can think about is eating, how sick and hungry you are. You remember your family. They need to eat too. Sometimes death seems worth it to keep yourself alive, to keep your family alive. It's a lofty wager, though. Death never leaves you. You take a life, you must be prepared to take another.
I think that might be all I have in me for tonight. I guess that I'm putting my own writing process on display. One of the things mentioned in On Writing Well, is that you write like the authors that you read. So, one tip that Zinsser gives is if you like a certain author's writing style, then read a lot of their stuff. You'll pick up on their style. During the course of writing this story, I've read J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I'm currently reading Dune by Frank Herbert, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, and On Writing Well. Before starting on this story, I also read J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, so I am definitely getting a feel for her style most of all. In fact, my wife and I are planning on reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban next. We're in the middle of a Harry Potter read-a-thon. I'd actually never read any of the Harry Potter books until now, but my wife and I are hooked. Rowling is a great writer and story-teller.
© 2013 Ihaveadryfish.blogspot.com
I love you sweetie!
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