Well I am starting something new, people!
I know, I know, truly shocking isn't it?
I am not moving for another month and a half or more, so that's not what this post is about. No, I'm starting something else brand new and exciting (well I find it exciting, you may have your opinions).
I am house sitting, which is something I have never done before. It's different, and new, and fun. I am somewhat overwhelmed with the level of trust my employer places in me to go so far as let me live in her house for three weeks, alone. Add to that how generous she is, which shows in so many ways, not the least of which is the chocolate stash by my bed. :)
To begin with, the house is truly lovely. I love it! :) And then there are her three pets, the very sweet dog, and two cats. Obviously, being cats, we have yet to actually start a friendship. But as I am completely in love with all cats in the universe, I'm sure we'll get along just fine. She's also very into plants. Very. She has beautiful gardens of flowers, in both the front and back of her house, (which I will no doubt be photographing for your viewing pleasure in the next three weeks) and also lots of herbs and some fruits too. It is crazy and amazing. It is a sweet home with enchanting gardens. :) Well, I find it so anyway.
So there it is. I'm house sitting. You'll probably be getting updates about this adventure as the next three weeks elapse. I'm curious how the Lord will use this venture to grow me. As of yet, I don't see where this is going spiritually. But I'm excited as always to see what He has in store for me :D
Monday, May 23, 2016
Monday, May 16, 2016
Dedicated to Learning Violence
Not that I actually want to learn how to be violent....
One of the biggest challenges I face as an author is never to stay in one place. I need to be growing, changing, to continue learning new things.
In the spirit of learning new skills, I spent a good portion of today focusing on violence. That sounds rather terrible, but it is what I did. I write a lot of action packed sequences and adventure stories. However, violence is one of my least favorite things in this world. Because of that, I tend to simply gloss over the fighting and do my best to ignore it in favor of emotional level character development. I have come to the realization, though, that if I am going to write the kind of stories that I write, then I need to know how to effectively write violence.
So, to that end, I spent several hours this afternoon doing research. I read about how to write fight scenes. I read about how to actually fight, not simply write about it. How to use a knife, a bow, a fist. It was violent. Some of it was pretty gruesome. But I learned a lot. About weapons, about techniques, about all sorts of things. I then put some of that new knowledge into practice and wrote some fight scenes. Not spectacular by any means, but I think it's better than it has been.
Obviously, I'd be able to write combat better if I participated in that sort of thing, but as that isn't likely to happen any time soon, doing extensive research seems like the next best option. And so far, I think it really is helping.
I won't stop with today though. I'll continue to research effective fighting techniques as well as reading up on how to write realistic and powerful scenes that involve violence. I want to better my skills as an author, and that is going to take time. But it is time that I am willing to dedicate to the cause, because the better I write, the better I can use my gifts to glorify the Lord :)
One of the biggest challenges I face as an author is never to stay in one place. I need to be growing, changing, to continue learning new things.
In the spirit of learning new skills, I spent a good portion of today focusing on violence. That sounds rather terrible, but it is what I did. I write a lot of action packed sequences and adventure stories. However, violence is one of my least favorite things in this world. Because of that, I tend to simply gloss over the fighting and do my best to ignore it in favor of emotional level character development. I have come to the realization, though, that if I am going to write the kind of stories that I write, then I need to know how to effectively write violence.
So, to that end, I spent several hours this afternoon doing research. I read about how to write fight scenes. I read about how to actually fight, not simply write about it. How to use a knife, a bow, a fist. It was violent. Some of it was pretty gruesome. But I learned a lot. About weapons, about techniques, about all sorts of things. I then put some of that new knowledge into practice and wrote some fight scenes. Not spectacular by any means, but I think it's better than it has been.
Obviously, I'd be able to write combat better if I participated in that sort of thing, but as that isn't likely to happen any time soon, doing extensive research seems like the next best option. And so far, I think it really is helping.
I won't stop with today though. I'll continue to research effective fighting techniques as well as reading up on how to write realistic and powerful scenes that involve violence. I want to better my skills as an author, and that is going to take time. But it is time that I am willing to dedicate to the cause, because the better I write, the better I can use my gifts to glorify the Lord :)
Thursday, May 12, 2016
The First Steps
Graduation took place almost a week ago now. Yesterday was my very last final. Today, I woke up and suddenly realized that I had no homework to do, no pressing deadlines, no class to get to.
I am done.
For now, at least. College may very well find its way back into my life at some future date. But for now, I am finished. It's a strange feeling. Not exactly accomplishment, or excitement, or joy. It just is. I am finished. And now I am moving on to the next phase of my life.
That phase which is coming rather more quickly than anticipated. However, I am very excited about it and am eager to start this new adventure so I don't mind that its barreling towards me at top speed :D
Today, I started packing.
Not a ton, because I'm not moving for another two months. But I did start the packing process. I will be going to Manhattan this weekend to celebrate my brother and sister in their respective graduations from higher education and since that is where I will be moving over the summer I decided to get a little head start. I didn't pack a lot today. Just a few things that I won't be needing for the next two months. But the fact that I did start packing has me all jittery with excitement. This is actually happening. I really am moving. I feel as though I have taken the first steps on the journey of this new adventure! :)
I am super excited to see where this adventure will take me and how the Lord will choose to grow me in the days to come :)
I am done.
For now, at least. College may very well find its way back into my life at some future date. But for now, I am finished. It's a strange feeling. Not exactly accomplishment, or excitement, or joy. It just is. I am finished. And now I am moving on to the next phase of my life.
That phase which is coming rather more quickly than anticipated. However, I am very excited about it and am eager to start this new adventure so I don't mind that its barreling towards me at top speed :D
Today, I started packing.
Not a ton, because I'm not moving for another two months. But I did start the packing process. I will be going to Manhattan this weekend to celebrate my brother and sister in their respective graduations from higher education and since that is where I will be moving over the summer I decided to get a little head start. I didn't pack a lot today. Just a few things that I won't be needing for the next two months. But the fact that I did start packing has me all jittery with excitement. This is actually happening. I really am moving. I feel as though I have taken the first steps on the journey of this new adventure! :)
Monday, May 2, 2016
Forever Obsession
A new month is upon us! These next two weeks are going to be super busy as finals approach and graduation looms on the horizon.
I have a new book idea in the works. For those of you who know me or have been reading this blog for any length of time, you will realize that this is nothing out of the ordinary. I always have a book in the works. However, this story is different. I've been thinking about it for a long time. I can't remember if I've ever shared it on the blog, although it is possible that I have.
The story that I want to share is my own. The highs and lows of my own spiritual journey.
I am the kind of person that very easily becomes absolutely engrossed in things to the point of obsession/addiction. This has happened with books, musics, movies, you name it. If I am not careful, they consume my life. Consequently, I end up doing a lot of "fasting" from certain things for any given length of time so I can refocus my life on God. My life is one never ending battle of obsession. In the end, however, I want God to be my only obsession, or as Steven Curtis Chapman would put it, my "magnificent obsession." This has been a struggle, and will be continue to be a struggle, because I have a mind and heart that very, very easily become obsessed. With anything. With everything. That's what I want to write about. The struggle of keeping God as my forever obsession. And maybe, in the course of writing and sharing my own story, I'll encourage someone else in their own walk with the Lord.
I believe that my obsessive nature is God-given. I was created to be obsessed. I was simply created to be obsessed with Jesus. :)
I have a new book idea in the works. For those of you who know me or have been reading this blog for any length of time, you will realize that this is nothing out of the ordinary. I always have a book in the works. However, this story is different. I've been thinking about it for a long time. I can't remember if I've ever shared it on the blog, although it is possible that I have.
The story that I want to share is my own. The highs and lows of my own spiritual journey.
I am the kind of person that very easily becomes absolutely engrossed in things to the point of obsession/addiction. This has happened with books, musics, movies, you name it. If I am not careful, they consume my life. Consequently, I end up doing a lot of "fasting" from certain things for any given length of time so I can refocus my life on God. My life is one never ending battle of obsession. In the end, however, I want God to be my only obsession, or as Steven Curtis Chapman would put it, my "magnificent obsession." This has been a struggle, and will be continue to be a struggle, because I have a mind and heart that very, very easily become obsessed. With anything. With everything. That's what I want to write about. The struggle of keeping God as my forever obsession. And maybe, in the course of writing and sharing my own story, I'll encourage someone else in their own walk with the Lord.
I believe that my obsessive nature is God-given. I was created to be obsessed. I was simply created to be obsessed with Jesus. :)
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