I've made Facebook pages for two of my characters. Both of these characters are making friends with other characters made by other authors on Facebook, for the sole purpose of having a character social network.
Only 25 days, 8 hours and about 20 minutes till Nanowrimo 2010!
So far I know the name of my main character (Ariel Deanna Turner) and a basic plot point. ("Basic plot point" here means "initial idea and no clue what else to do with it".) It's modern day, possibly in an alternate Earth, and relatively realistic. ("Relatively realistic" here means "there isn't any magic or dragons".) So far she's completely alone in this story-world — I don't know anything about her family, friends, or coworkers. As far as I know she's single and has no pets. Things I DO know about her: She likes Imogen Heap and is a lactose intolerant redhead. Fortunately I have three and a half weeks to finish figuring this out.
....Yeah, that should be enough time.
Bonus points if you get the title reference.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Chris Baty's 10 Awesome RULES for NaNoWriMo
- There are no can'ts in the world of monthlong novel writing. You can do it, and you can do it with panache. Tens of thousands of people complete monthlong novels every year, many of whom are afflicted by full-time jobs, grumpy significant others, and demanding children. No matter your schedule or level of writing expertise, you can tackle this challenge and triumph. Begin the game knowing that you will go the distance, and you're already halfway there.
- You don't have to write a good novel. Ol' Papa [Ernest] Hemingway, not known for mincing words, said "The first draft of anything is shit," and he's right. No matter how long you give yourself to write a first draft, it's going to need work later. Everyone's first drafts do, and, happily, the revision process is its own engaging adventure. With this in mind,
- All words are good words. This is a very different kind of writing from the one we learned in school. In the realm of the 30-day novel you must write recklessly and fearlessly, try weird things and follow questionable tangents just to see where they lead. Be quick and audacious, and view the month as an experiment in pure output, one in which you focus on building without tearing down. Apart from a few sentences here and there, you should try to delete nothing—all of it may prove useful at some point, and every preposition and modifier moves you one tick closer to meeting the 50,000-word goal.
- Rewards, treats, and self-praise are mandatory. Professional writers get money for putting themselves through this ordeal. In lieu of wages, you are required to deluge yourself with nonstop pampering. Indulge your whims for take-out Thai, Swiss chocolates, inspirational novels, CDs, and expensive spa treatments. When you make a big push and meet your word-count goal, reward yourself with something you've always wanted but never felt you truly deserved. You're writing a novel in a month, for pete's sake. You deserve it.
- The novel you write must be a completely new venture. Meaning you are not allowed to spend the month tacking on 50,000 words to a story you've already started. As counterintuitive as it seems, extending an old novel by 50,000 words is much more difficult than writing a new one from scratch. You just have too much invested in its outcome, and you will agonize over each sentence. That said, you're welcome to research and plan your new novel to your heart's content before starting. Character sketches, plot points, and outlines are all A-OK. Just no previously written prose.
- Shameless acts of word padding (characters reciting The Canterbury Tales in their sleep, avoidance of contractions, protracted singing of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat", etc.) are acceptable and encouraged. Employment of such devices, however, must be declared to any fellow novelists at the time of their use.
- You are allowed to borrow liberally from your life and the lives of those around you and still call it fiction. Professional novelists do it all the time, even if they don't always admit it. In fact, writing a heavily autobiographical novel is a great idea, especially if this is your first book. Just remember to change the names before you let your mother read it.
- Sharing lengthy excerpts from your work in progress is forbidden until the month's close. The impulse to share your novel with those around you is going to be irresistible at times, especially when characters become more willful and plot breakthroughs come fast and furious. But sharing is rarely as satisfying as you would hope, and it often ends up dampening your enthusiasm when your audience doesn't react as you'd hoped. Wait and dazzle your loved ones when the entire draft is finished.
- No sharing novel-writing duties. The responsibility and satisfaction of writing a 50,000-word novel is yours and yours alone.
- Novelists are not allowed to dishes during the month, theirs or anyone else's. Cleaning of bathrooms and acts of mopping are similarly forbidden. The same goes for returning phone calls you don't want to return, and running errands for friends and family members. It's simply too risk for your hands. Sorry.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
And now, live from the old house.
Yeah.... Salt Lake didn't work out. It's kind of sad, but there you have it. Other than that, not much to report, but now that I've semi-gotten back into the habit of keeping up with this thing I don't want to stop.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Life in Starbucks, or the Musings of Mr. Bradley iv
Every afternoon for a week or so now, I've gone to the Barnes & Noble cafe, gotten a tiny cheap coffee, and sat in the corner to watch people come and go. It's been thoroughly enjoyable in that it helps me get in a more write-y mood, helps me give my characters more depth. A bunch of random stuff I've thought of while sitting in or walking to/from the cafe:
•The only depressing thing I've come up with, in relation to sitting in B&N, is that it's a world of transit. Everybody just comes and goes, in their own little bubble. Even if they sit and talk with someone, they have their own space that nobody else enters. All these bubbles bounce and touch, but nobody crosses over. Except for me and the employees. (Yeah, I go specifically to eavesdrop. Got a problem?)
•I'm irresponsible. Sometimes I feel like it's tangible in the air around me, or a sound I make when I walk. I go "irresponse, irresponse, irresponse" like in that Calving and Hobbes comic. Galosh, galosh, galosh. I spent money I kind of shouldn't have (and now DON'T have to begin with) and bought a beautiful 1000+ page book for only $21-plus-change. My rationalization is that 1, this is my September allotment (I've put a restriction on myself that I can only buy one book a month, unless it's a special case; special cases usually constitute midnight releases, but is open to interpretation) and 2, I saved 30% thanks to my member discount and the new release promotion.
•I love the staff at the Barnes & Noble cafe. And I think they love me.
•I can make a fairly decent fake mocha by loading a cup of plain coffee with cream, sugar, and cocoa, for about half the price.
•Current strengths in my life: talking to boys; playing Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook.
•It should rain. [ten minutes pass] It should rain harder.
•My iTunes library has far too many associated memories. I can't listen to anything without thinking of somebody, sometime, somewhere. (This is even after I've deleted the really painful ones.)
•The only place I feel remotely unsafe walking to/from Barnes & Noble is the outside bar a block and a half from the house. Not even the freeway underpass at night triggers the mild anxiety I get when I walk past one people start drinking.
•We need more milk.
•I need a job so I can buy milk.
•I think about milk way too much.
•The only depressing thing I've come up with, in relation to sitting in B&N, is that it's a world of transit. Everybody just comes and goes, in their own little bubble. Even if they sit and talk with someone, they have their own space that nobody else enters. All these bubbles bounce and touch, but nobody crosses over. Except for me and the employees. (Yeah, I go specifically to eavesdrop. Got a problem?)
•I'm irresponsible. Sometimes I feel like it's tangible in the air around me, or a sound I make when I walk. I go "irresponse, irresponse, irresponse" like in that Calving and Hobbes comic. Galosh, galosh, galosh. I spent money I kind of shouldn't have (and now DON'T have to begin with) and bought a beautiful 1000+ page book for only $21-plus-change. My rationalization is that 1, this is my September allotment (I've put a restriction on myself that I can only buy one book a month, unless it's a special case; special cases usually constitute midnight releases, but is open to interpretation) and 2, I saved 30% thanks to my member discount and the new release promotion.
•I love the staff at the Barnes & Noble cafe. And I think they love me.
•I can make a fairly decent fake mocha by loading a cup of plain coffee with cream, sugar, and cocoa, for about half the price.
•Current strengths in my life: talking to boys; playing Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook.
•It should rain. [ten minutes pass] It should rain harder.
•My iTunes library has far too many associated memories. I can't listen to anything without thinking of somebody, sometime, somewhere. (This is even after I've deleted the really painful ones.)
•The only place I feel remotely unsafe walking to/from Barnes & Noble is the outside bar a block and a half from the house. Not even the freeway underpass at night triggers the mild anxiety I get when I walk past one people start drinking.
•We need more milk.
•I need a job so I can buy milk.
•I think about milk way too much.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Not thinking. Not thinking. Thinking. Not thinking.
Bah. Now I'm all nostalgic. I blame the caffeine.
A year of my life condensed into thirty-odd blurbs. Thirty snapshots. It's like a really bad journal. (Wait, isn't that what a blog is anyway? Moot point.) Not even good snapshots, really. All the best parts have been the ones I can't put into words. Just hanging out with friends. Moments with my family (edit: Moments with my sisters). Even school sometimes. I grow up too fast.
So. Here's the shoutouts to the people who have changed my life in the past year. Barely any of you actually see my blog, but I'm putting it out there on the off chance you get around here sometime. Apologies in advance for the use of real names. Hope none of you are offended. I'm sure I'm going to miss some of you, but who can blame me?
The family: Sara, Lara and Holly. Love you all so much, even if I don't act like it a lot of the time.
•Sara, thanks for the toaster, it's working brilliantly.
•Lara, the towels are a lifesaver, and they made Amanda laugh the first time I took a shower because I came out covered in purple lint.
•Holly, I do miss you. More than I thought. More than I like. But this is happening and I need it to happen.
The friends: Shelby, Caitlyn, Victoria, Ariel, Amanda, Dustin, Kayelee, Rikki, Briana, Kelley. You made school bearable. After classes ended you made life fun. To the writing ones: You guys are the most incredible people I know. I'm so proud of what we've accomplished, both separately in the role-plays, and by ourselves in our own projects. We will all be published one day, and when that happens you can bet I'll brag about it. "I knew them in high school. Oooh, what now?!"
•Shelby, I will forever love your sense of humor.
•Caitlyn, thanks for being the voice of reason when we needed it — and let's face it, we needed it a lot.
•Victoria, you give fantastic hugs and the best midnight advice.
•Ariel, thanks for leaving behind a great club. You did a brilliant job at running it and gave me something to look up to.
•Amanda, we've had the ups and downs, but I've been as honest with you as I can be. Thanks for (probably) doing the same.
•Dustin, I know things haven't gone the way we expected them to, but I worry about you just as much as you do for me. I care about you and honestly pray for you — though not in the same way.
•Kayelee, you're almost there. You can make it. Thanks for helping me. I'll always think of you when I get a frozen coffee drink or go bowling, you and the Emilys. (Loves to both of you, for the party nights — Emily D for the prom and Emily G for the one with the straw hat and the crackers, not to mention To Wong Foo.)
•Rikki and Briana: we'll be the trio again sometime — Arctic Circle is calling. Thanks for laughing a lot and being ghetto in Rikki's van together. Rikki, my other soulmate, keep me posted on boys/music. Briana, shoot people in HALO and pretend they're me — it'll make you laugh when you imagine my reactions.
•Kelley, thanks for accompanying us, and listening to me whine far more than I should be allowed to.
The boys: Clark and Xandr.
•Clark, you're one of the sweetest people I know. Thank you for putting up with me. Things will work out for you.
•Xandr, things didn't work out. I'm sorry for the parts that were my fault, not to mention some of the ones that aren't, and I wish you the best in life. Thank you for what you've given me. Enjoy the book.
The teachers/random school people: Mrs. Warby, AP Music 2009- 2010, Gina/Abby, Mr. Johnson.
•Warby, I basically love you. You taught me so much more than music, and did so much more than teach. Here's hoping I taught something back.
•AP Music, I love you all. Honestly and hands down my favorite class this year. Thanks for making B3 fun.
•Gina and Abby, you run the library beautifully. I was so privileged to be able to help out.
•J (and by proxy a good portion of the drama department) thanks for the push. I still hate the tambourine, but it was a good learning experience. Also sorry for not really showing up to class those last couple weeks... Looking back, I honestly can't remember why.
The randoms:
•all the cats in their different places;
•all the baristas who make me mochas;
•Misty Lue, for the awesome store;
•Mikey for talking/listening;
•everybody at UTA, even if I haven't met you all;
•Lisa for the comics, the MP3 of the day, and the reminder that you don't have to be married to be married;
•Jennica for letting us eat macaroni instead of going to fourth period, and for talking Mockingjay/Scott Pilgrim;
•Sandy for the rides and the shake;
•Megan at the bank for being friendly;
•Bryce for letting me move in without a job and $160 in cash;
•Mikelle for being epic at the piano;
•anybody who ever returned one of my books in the same condition it was given;
•Shireen for all the song lyrics and wavelengths;
•Tanya for the artwork and camera skills;
•the neighbors for being the neighbors, and putting up with all our craziness;
•Yoko Shimomora, Thomas Newman, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Hans Zimmer, for the music;
•Lady Gaga for the music and craziness;
•Muse, Trifonic, Marina, Tegan/Sara, Meg/Dia, and Thriving Ivory for the music;
•Chris Baty for the ambitious acts of the imagination;
•Æon, for the short shorts and the boat-rocking and general online hilarity;
•anybody who ever sold me a book, ever, regardless of location or time or the book(s) involved;
•everybody at Wikipedia, Facebook and Google for making the internet fun/pointless;
•everybody at Apple for making the internet attractive (as far as the access method goes);
•Eric for the talk and the drink;
•Daive, Cory and Kerisa for the party; and
•my bed for being the best place to sleep, because it's mine and mine alone.
A year of my life condensed into thirty-odd blurbs. Thirty snapshots. It's like a really bad journal. (Wait, isn't that what a blog is anyway? Moot point.) Not even good snapshots, really. All the best parts have been the ones I can't put into words. Just hanging out with friends. Moments with my family (edit: Moments with my sisters). Even school sometimes. I grow up too fast.
So. Here's the shoutouts to the people who have changed my life in the past year. Barely any of you actually see my blog, but I'm putting it out there on the off chance you get around here sometime. Apologies in advance for the use of real names. Hope none of you are offended. I'm sure I'm going to miss some of you, but who can blame me?
The family: Sara, Lara and Holly. Love you all so much, even if I don't act like it a lot of the time.
•Sara, thanks for the toaster, it's working brilliantly.
•Lara, the towels are a lifesaver, and they made Amanda laugh the first time I took a shower because I came out covered in purple lint.
•Holly, I do miss you. More than I thought. More than I like. But this is happening and I need it to happen.
The friends: Shelby, Caitlyn, Victoria, Ariel, Amanda, Dustin, Kayelee, Rikki, Briana, Kelley. You made school bearable. After classes ended you made life fun. To the writing ones: You guys are the most incredible people I know. I'm so proud of what we've accomplished, both separately in the role-plays, and by ourselves in our own projects. We will all be published one day, and when that happens you can bet I'll brag about it. "I knew them in high school. Oooh, what now?!"
•Shelby, I will forever love your sense of humor.
•Caitlyn, thanks for being the voice of reason when we needed it — and let's face it, we needed it a lot.
•Victoria, you give fantastic hugs and the best midnight advice.
•Ariel, thanks for leaving behind a great club. You did a brilliant job at running it and gave me something to look up to.
•Amanda, we've had the ups and downs, but I've been as honest with you as I can be. Thanks for (probably) doing the same.
•Dustin, I know things haven't gone the way we expected them to, but I worry about you just as much as you do for me. I care about you and honestly pray for you — though not in the same way.
•Kayelee, you're almost there. You can make it. Thanks for helping me. I'll always think of you when I get a frozen coffee drink or go bowling, you and the Emilys. (Loves to both of you, for the party nights — Emily D for the prom and Emily G for the one with the straw hat and the crackers, not to mention To Wong Foo.)
•Rikki and Briana: we'll be the trio again sometime — Arctic Circle is calling. Thanks for laughing a lot and being ghetto in Rikki's van together. Rikki, my other soulmate, keep me posted on boys/music. Briana, shoot people in HALO and pretend they're me — it'll make you laugh when you imagine my reactions.
•Kelley, thanks for accompanying us, and listening to me whine far more than I should be allowed to.
The boys: Clark and Xandr.
•Clark, you're one of the sweetest people I know. Thank you for putting up with me. Things will work out for you.
•Xandr, things didn't work out. I'm sorry for the parts that were my fault, not to mention some of the ones that aren't, and I wish you the best in life. Thank you for what you've given me. Enjoy the book.
The teachers/random school people: Mrs. Warby, AP Music 2009- 2010, Gina/Abby, Mr. Johnson.
•Warby, I basically love you. You taught me so much more than music, and did so much more than teach. Here's hoping I taught something back.
•AP Music, I love you all. Honestly and hands down my favorite class this year. Thanks for making B3 fun.
•Gina and Abby, you run the library beautifully. I was so privileged to be able to help out.
•J (and by proxy a good portion of the drama department) thanks for the push. I still hate the tambourine, but it was a good learning experience. Also sorry for not really showing up to class those last couple weeks... Looking back, I honestly can't remember why.
The randoms:
•all the cats in their different places;
•all the baristas who make me mochas;
•Misty Lue, for the awesome store;
•Mikey for talking/listening;
•everybody at UTA, even if I haven't met you all;
•Lisa for the comics, the MP3 of the day, and the reminder that you don't have to be married to be married;
•Jennica for letting us eat macaroni instead of going to fourth period, and for talking Mockingjay/Scott Pilgrim;
•Sandy for the rides and the shake;
•Megan at the bank for being friendly;
•Bryce for letting me move in without a job and $160 in cash;
•Mikelle for being epic at the piano;
•anybody who ever returned one of my books in the same condition it was given;
•Shireen for all the song lyrics and wavelengths;
•Tanya for the artwork and camera skills;
•the neighbors for being the neighbors, and putting up with all our craziness;
•Yoko Shimomora, Thomas Newman, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Hans Zimmer, for the music;
•Lady Gaga for the music and craziness;
•Muse, Trifonic, Marina, Tegan/Sara, Meg/Dia, and Thriving Ivory for the music;
•Chris Baty for the ambitious acts of the imagination;
•Æon, for the short shorts and the boat-rocking and general online hilarity;
•anybody who ever sold me a book, ever, regardless of location or time or the book(s) involved;
•everybody at Wikipedia, Facebook and Google for making the internet fun/pointless;
•everybody at Apple for making the internet attractive (as far as the access method goes);
•Eric for the talk and the drink;
•Daive, Cory and Kerisa for the party; and
•my bed for being the best place to sleep, because it's mine and mine alone.
Two Posts/One Night
Not that this is important or anything, but I've had this blog for over a year now. Weird when you think about it. Not that I'm planning on thinking about it — after all, it's 12:30 in the AM and I've had far too much Subway Drink to be wholly healthy, but oh well.
Here's to the one year and twenty days of Musings!
Here's to the one year and twenty days of Musings!
Friday, September 17, 2010
And now, live from the New House!
Yeah, okay. I've been here a couple weeks, and you'd think exciting things would have happened between then and now.
Exciting things that have happened between then and now:
1. I've had one date.
2. I've had one job interview.
3. TBA
Yeah, life here isn't a whole lot different than before. Food selection is limited and the internet connection is a thousand times better, but other than that life hasn't changed much. I still spend the majority of my time doing one of five major activities (reading, writing, Facebooking, talking to boys, sleeping). I still stay up till obscene hours and don't sleep in nearly as much as I'd like, though now I don't have to do it secretively.
Even the selection of boys I talk to hasn't changed much. Sure, new location, new pool, right? I guess. Unfortunately the gay community is rather polarized. You get the Gym Rats with minimal personality but carefully-sculpted bodies, the Friendly Older Men, and the teenage Flamers with matching hairdos and profiles. "im chill no girlz plz bois tlk 2 me plz plz".
Seriously.
Roommates are nice, and aside from a couple mild spats things have gone smoothly all around. We take turns buying milk and avoid eating each other's food. We watch movies or play Band Hero or Monopoly every night, so there is actual bonding. Chores get done. Life goes on.
Now if I could just get a job....
Interview with the café at Barnes & Noble tomorrow. And NaNoWriMo is only 44 days away. (Technically 43 days, 23 hours and 55-ish minutes, but we're not counting.)
Exciting things that have happened between then and now:
1. I've had one date.
2. I've had one job interview.
3. TBA
Yeah, life here isn't a whole lot different than before. Food selection is limited and the internet connection is a thousand times better, but other than that life hasn't changed much. I still spend the majority of my time doing one of five major activities (reading, writing, Facebooking, talking to boys, sleeping). I still stay up till obscene hours and don't sleep in nearly as much as I'd like, though now I don't have to do it secretively.
Even the selection of boys I talk to hasn't changed much. Sure, new location, new pool, right? I guess. Unfortunately the gay community is rather polarized. You get the Gym Rats with minimal personality but carefully-sculpted bodies, the Friendly Older Men, and the teenage Flamers with matching hairdos and profiles. "im chill no girlz plz bois tlk 2 me plz plz".
Seriously.
Roommates are nice, and aside from a couple mild spats things have gone smoothly all around. We take turns buying milk and avoid eating each other's food. We watch movies or play Band Hero or Monopoly every night, so there is actual bonding. Chores get done. Life goes on.
Now if I could just get a job....
Interview with the café at Barnes & Noble tomorrow. And NaNoWriMo is only 44 days away. (Technically 43 days, 23 hours and 55-ish minutes, but we're not counting.)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Life on the Other Side (Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night")
So, ignore the lyrics in the video. It's mostly here for your listening pleasure. Read along below, as I helpfully/nerdily corrected them.
There's a stranger in my bed
There's a pounding my head
Glitter all over the room
Pink flamingos in the pool
I smell like a minibar
DJs passed out in the yard
Barbies on the barbeque
This a hicky or a bruise?
Pictures of last night
Ended up online
I'm screwed
Oh well
It's a blacked-out blur
But I'm pretty sure it ruled
Damn
Last Friday night
Yeah, we danced on tabletops
And we took too many shots
Think we kissed but I forgot
Last Friday night
Yeah, we maxed our credit cards
And got kicked out of the bar
So we hit the boulevard
Last Friday night
We went streaking in the park
Skinny dipping in the dark
Then had a menage-a-trois
Last Friday night
Yeah I think we broke the law
Always say we're gonna stop-op
Whoa-oh-oah
This Friday night
Do it all again
This Friday night
Do it all again
Trying to connect the dots
Don't know what to tell my boss
Think the city towed my car
Chandelier is on the floor
Ripped my favorite party dress
Warrants out for my arrest
Think I need a ginger ale
That was such an epic fail
Pictures of last night
Ended up online
I'm screwed
Oh well
It's a blacked-out blur
But I'm pretty sure it ruled
Damn
Last Friday night
Yeah, we danced on table tops
And we took too many shots
Think we kissed but I forgot
Last Friday night
Yeah, we maxed our credits card
And got kicked out of the bars
So we hit the boulevards
Last Friday night
We went streaking in the park
Skinny dipping in the dark
Then had a menage-a-trois
Last Friday night
Yeah I think we broke the law
Always say we're gonna stop-op
Oh whoa oh
This Friday night
Do it all again
Do it all again
This Friday night
Do it all again
Do it all again
This Friday night
T.G.I.F.
T.G.I.F.
T.G.I.F.
T.G.I.F.
T.G.I.F.
T.G.I.F.
Last Friday night
Yeah, we danced on table tops
And we took too many shots
Think we kissed but I forgot
Last Friday night
Yeah, we maxed our credit cards
And got kicked out of the bar
So we hit the boulevard
Last Friday night
We went streaking in the park
Skinny dipping in the dark
Then had a menage-a-trois
Last Friday night
Yeah I think we broke the law
Always say we're gonna stop-op
Oh-whoa-oh
This Friday night
Do it all again
So, this is just a speculation. But does anybody else think that life should be like this more often? Not necessarily the reckless drinking and whatnot, but at least this kind of reckless abandon, the letting go and just having complete crazy fun? Also, this seems semi-prophetic of Life On My Own.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Breaking the News
No, nobody's dead or dying. I'm not getting married, and I'm not eloping to Mexico.
I'm moving out.
Not a whole lot of people really read my blog — in fact a good chunk of those that do already know I'm moving out — so this shouldn't really be big news, but it feels blog-worthy, and heaven knows there's very few things in my life that feel blog-worthy. Call me pathetic, but I'll take any chance I can get.
The whole thing is kind of a leave-it-to-fate affair, to be honest. One of my friends had been meaning to move out for a while and got a loan approved and stuff. He — yes it's a he, but we're not dating, nor would we ever — said that so long as I can pay back the first month's rent, if it doesn't work out I can always move back in, hopefully wiser and stuff. A learning experience if you will. Of course, I still don't have a job, but we're going hunting and having positive thoughts so it'll all work out.
It's up in Sugarhouse, just off I-80 and right down the street from where my cousin, sister and I saw Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist when it hit dollar theaters. There's coffee shops out the butt, a Barnes & Noble (which I'm obviously applying for), Toys R Us, D.I., a yogurt place, Payless, Pier 49, and tons of other places all within walking distance of the house — yes it's a house, not an apartment.
I'm . . . excited but terrified. Also stressing far more than is really necessary. I mean, all my stuff isn't coming with me so why am I worried about packing it all? All I need are clothes, a bed (or at least a mattress for a while), my electronics, and a few books. (Not to mention the glow-in-the-dark stars Roomie and I are putting up everywhere.) Eventually I'm getting a cell phone, but for now I have to make do without.
It's not even something I've really thought about, moving out. Sure, I've wished I could get out a lot, but never something I've seriously considered. Now, though.... It just feel right, I guess. Like this is what I need in my life. Go out and fail, or win, or whatever. Personally I'm hoping for a win.
In other news, only 66 days until Nanowrimo 2010. Already I feel better prepared, cause I actually know what I'm probably going to be doing. Or at least I have ideas. Something like that. I feel good about this one. Something to look forward to.
I'm moving out.
Not a whole lot of people really read my blog — in fact a good chunk of those that do already know I'm moving out — so this shouldn't really be big news, but it feels blog-worthy, and heaven knows there's very few things in my life that feel blog-worthy. Call me pathetic, but I'll take any chance I can get.
The whole thing is kind of a leave-it-to-fate affair, to be honest. One of my friends had been meaning to move out for a while and got a loan approved and stuff. He — yes it's a he, but we're not dating, nor would we ever — said that so long as I can pay back the first month's rent, if it doesn't work out I can always move back in, hopefully wiser and stuff. A learning experience if you will. Of course, I still don't have a job, but we're going hunting and having positive thoughts so it'll all work out.
It's up in Sugarhouse, just off I-80 and right down the street from where my cousin, sister and I saw Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist when it hit dollar theaters. There's coffee shops out the butt, a Barnes & Noble (which I'm obviously applying for), Toys R Us, D.I., a yogurt place, Payless, Pier 49, and tons of other places all within walking distance of the house — yes it's a house, not an apartment.
I'm . . . excited but terrified. Also stressing far more than is really necessary. I mean, all my stuff isn't coming with me so why am I worried about packing it all? All I need are clothes, a bed (or at least a mattress for a while), my electronics, and a few books. (Not to mention the glow-in-the-dark stars Roomie and I are putting up everywhere.) Eventually I'm getting a cell phone, but for now I have to make do without.
It's not even something I've really thought about, moving out. Sure, I've wished I could get out a lot, but never something I've seriously considered. Now, though.... It just feel right, I guess. Like this is what I need in my life. Go out and fail, or win, or whatever. Personally I'm hoping for a win.
In other news, only 66 days until Nanowrimo 2010. Already I feel better prepared, cause I actually know what I'm probably going to be doing. Or at least I have ideas. Something like that. I feel good about this one. Something to look forward to.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
"Now Or Never" - Josh Groban
One of the only Josh Groban songs I actually like. Lyrics below. (It's a fan-made video for Titanic, in case you're wondering.)
I watch the morning dawn upon your skin
A splinter in the light
It caught and frayed the very heart of us
It's been hiding there inside for all this time
How a sure thing winds up just like this
Clockwork silence only knows
And it's no one's fault
There's no black and white
Only you and me
On this endless night
And as the hours run away
With another life
Oh, darling can't you see
It's now or never?
It's now or never
Sweeping eggshells still at 3 AM
We're trying far too hard
The tattered thought balloons above our heads
Sinking in the weight of all we need to say
"Why"s and "what if"s have since long played out
Left us short on happy endings
And it's no one's fault
There's no black and white
Only you and me
On this endless night
And as the hours run away
With another life
Oh, darling can't you see
It's now or never?
It's now or never
You know that there's so much more
And it's no one's fault
There's no black and white
Only you and me
On our final night
And as the hours run away
With another life
Oh, darling can't you see
It's now or never?
It's now or never
I watch the morning dawn upon your skin
A splinter in the light
It caught and frayed the very heart of us
It's been hiding there inside for all this time
How a sure thing winds up just like this
Clockwork silence only knows
And it's no one's fault
There's no black and white
Only you and me
On this endless night
And as the hours run away
With another life
Oh, darling can't you see
It's now or never?
It's now or never
Sweeping eggshells still at 3 AM
We're trying far too hard
The tattered thought balloons above our heads
Sinking in the weight of all we need to say
"Why"s and "what if"s have since long played out
Left us short on happy endings
And it's no one's fault
There's no black and white
Only you and me
On this endless night
And as the hours run away
With another life
Oh, darling can't you see
It's now or never?
It's now or never
You know that there's so much more
And it's no one's fault
There's no black and white
Only you and me
On our final night
And as the hours run away
With another life
Oh, darling can't you see
It's now or never?
It's now or never
Monday, May 10, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
The State of the Angst Address
Well, in the time since this post and the last one, half of the Karmic Pair came and went. I can't help but think it's my fault, and I attribute that to two things:
•I am an incredibly guilty-feeling person. I take the blame for pretty much everything. I feel terrible for saying "no" to anything (which seems to be how I got in the relationship in the first place). I seem to have this inability to let people down.
•I have to make people happy. My own feelings are relatively minor until the most inconvenient moments, at which point they flare up and take over everything in my own weird PMS. Yes, it's about a monthly thing too. (As a subcategory of this, I have to fix everybody. Got a problem? I will run myself ragged trying to make it better before I even look at my own flaws, which there are plenty of.)
The relationship started off great. He was so sweet and caring, and I was just me, so in my mind there was no comparison. And then natural tendencies kicked in. He wanted to go exclusive after just one date; obviously it meant a lot to him, and I went with it. He wanted to move in together; it would get me out of my own house (commonly referred to as the Soul-Sucking Black Hole of Doom, or similar) as soon as I graduate (status of which is currently pending thanks to a failed history class and make-up bowling credit), so of course I agreed.
But he started freaking out. If I wasn't with him I was probably out having hot hot sex with other boys. It didn't help he had a terrible self image to begin with, but being apart killed him. He checked in with my mother, who didn't even like him, to make sure I was where I said I would be. This was too much. I broke things off, partly because it would soothe my conscience for just giving him what he wanted, but mostly because he was going crazy and I didn't necessarily want to follow.
Hooray. Longest relationship ever, a whole twenty days. Nineteen, if you don't count the first half of the breakup, which was messy and spanned Saturday and Sunday.
Sigh. A contributing factor, I think, is that when I know somebody likes me part of me automatically says HAY! YOU SHOULD LIKE THEM BACK BECAUSE THEY LIKE YOU! So right off the bat there's confusing feelings. Do I really like them, or do I just think I do because it's what I should do?
It doesn't help that I give people everything anyway. On top of that I have no limits, no qualms that would stop me from any pattern of behavior. Sometime last December I was reading a book about teenage prostitution and I reached the conclusion I would have no trouble selling my body. Sure, I would LIKE a different job, but I saw no problem with having sex for money; the only thing that bothered me was the fact I wasn't bothered. So how can I say "no" to anybody about anything, if I can't see anything wrong with it and they're asking it of me?
On top of all this, it's looking less and less likely that I'm going to be graduating on time. Life at home is becoming even more soul-sucking, what with the rampant mother and the general feeling of gloom over the house. As much as I love my family I just can't stand any of them right now. Whoopdedoo.
....And there really isn't any good way to wrap this up. This is the end, I promise.
•I am an incredibly guilty-feeling person. I take the blame for pretty much everything. I feel terrible for saying "no" to anything (which seems to be how I got in the relationship in the first place). I seem to have this inability to let people down.
•I have to make people happy. My own feelings are relatively minor until the most inconvenient moments, at which point they flare up and take over everything in my own weird PMS. Yes, it's about a monthly thing too. (As a subcategory of this, I have to fix everybody. Got a problem? I will run myself ragged trying to make it better before I even look at my own flaws, which there are plenty of.)
The relationship started off great. He was so sweet and caring, and I was just me, so in my mind there was no comparison. And then natural tendencies kicked in. He wanted to go exclusive after just one date; obviously it meant a lot to him, and I went with it. He wanted to move in together; it would get me out of my own house (commonly referred to as the Soul-Sucking Black Hole of Doom, or similar) as soon as I graduate (status of which is currently pending thanks to a failed history class and make-up bowling credit), so of course I agreed.
But he started freaking out. If I wasn't with him I was probably out having hot hot sex with other boys. It didn't help he had a terrible self image to begin with, but being apart killed him. He checked in with my mother, who didn't even like him, to make sure I was where I said I would be. This was too much. I broke things off, partly because it would soothe my conscience for just giving him what he wanted, but mostly because he was going crazy and I didn't necessarily want to follow.
Hooray. Longest relationship ever, a whole twenty days. Nineteen, if you don't count the first half of the breakup, which was messy and spanned Saturday and Sunday.
Sigh. A contributing factor, I think, is that when I know somebody likes me part of me automatically says HAY! YOU SHOULD LIKE THEM BACK BECAUSE THEY LIKE YOU! So right off the bat there's confusing feelings. Do I really like them, or do I just think I do because it's what I should do?
It doesn't help that I give people everything anyway. On top of that I have no limits, no qualms that would stop me from any pattern of behavior. Sometime last December I was reading a book about teenage prostitution and I reached the conclusion I would have no trouble selling my body. Sure, I would LIKE a different job, but I saw no problem with having sex for money; the only thing that bothered me was the fact I wasn't bothered. So how can I say "no" to anybody about anything, if I can't see anything wrong with it and they're asking it of me?
On top of all this, it's looking less and less likely that I'm going to be graduating on time. Life at home is becoming even more soul-sucking, what with the rampant mother and the general feeling of gloom over the house. As much as I love my family I just can't stand any of them right now. Whoopdedoo.
....And there really isn't any good way to wrap this up. This is the end, I promise.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Karmic Pairs
First off I say the word should be "karmatic" not "karmic". "Karmatic" sounds so much cooler, especially when placed before "pairs".
Second off. WHY, UNIVERSE, WHY?!
Do you have this vendetta against me really being happy? Is that what this is all about?
Ugh.
So, whenever I think I've found somebody whom I'd like to get to know better and seriously date (who would like to get to know me better and seriously date), the universe decides to throw in another person I'd like to get to know better and seriously date (who would also like to get to know me better and seriously date).
Seriously, what the FUCK, universe?! Did I do something to make it that for me to want one person to be happy, I have to hurt somebody else to get it? This is the third time it's happened. Is there some cosmic message I'm not getting? I mean, the first time they were both straight but really attractive, so it wouldn't work out anyway, and the second time it didn't work out with either of them despite efforts with both, so is this a way of saying it won't? Cause I sincerely hope it doesn't. I'd really like to get to know one of them a lot better, and the other one I'd like to become better friends with. So please, universe, give me this chance.
Please.
Second off. WHY, UNIVERSE, WHY?!
Do you have this vendetta against me really being happy? Is that what this is all about?
Ugh.
So, whenever I think I've found somebody whom I'd like to get to know better and seriously date (who would like to get to know me better and seriously date), the universe decides to throw in another person I'd like to get to know better and seriously date (who would also like to get to know me better and seriously date).
Seriously, what the FUCK, universe?! Did I do something to make it that for me to want one person to be happy, I have to hurt somebody else to get it? This is the third time it's happened. Is there some cosmic message I'm not getting? I mean, the first time they were both straight but really attractive, so it wouldn't work out anyway, and the second time it didn't work out with either of them despite efforts with both, so is this a way of saying it won't? Cause I sincerely hope it doesn't. I'd really like to get to know one of them a lot better, and the other one I'd like to become better friends with. So please, universe, give me this chance.
Please.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Thoughts on a Friday
• I am not truly a people person. Put me in charge of a group larger than six or seven, and I immediately get cranky/bitchy. (Put me in charge of a group of 130 and I explode inside.) Inevitably I get a headache and need chocolate or Dr. Pepper. Both is even better.
• Kelley makes everything better. By better, I mean more enjoyable, not that he fixes everything.
• God caused an unexpected fire drill to make me go to fourth period today. For once I was needed in that class.
• Altruism in action: Despite knowing I wouldn't fit comfortably and therefore have a claustrophobia attack, I took the middle seat in a car so that others could have seats better suited to themselves. Someone pointed out they could have sat there, but by then it was too late to do anything.
• Music makes everything well.
ADDENDUM 1: Good music makes everything better.
• Selective tone-deafness would be a great tool to have.
• My friends come in groups, and the groups don't have much crossover. For some reason I get the image of condiment packages, but the metaphor breaks down when you open ketchup and mustard at the same time.
• I think teachers hate me sometimes. And by sometimes I mean a lot.
• Hypocritical moment of the day (well, week): I rescued a book from the trash.
• I made a Flair on Facebook, and it is in the top 310,000. For some reason this is a major accomplishment. (Currently 302,041 — search for Lady Gaga to find it)
• Anne Rice makes everything better.
• Kelley makes everything better. By better, I mean more enjoyable, not that he fixes everything.
• God caused an unexpected fire drill to make me go to fourth period today. For once I was needed in that class.
• Altruism in action: Despite knowing I wouldn't fit comfortably and therefore have a claustrophobia attack, I took the middle seat in a car so that others could have seats better suited to themselves. Someone pointed out they could have sat there, but by then it was too late to do anything.
• Music makes everything well.
ADDENDUM 1: Good music makes everything better.
• Selective tone-deafness would be a great tool to have.
• My friends come in groups, and the groups don't have much crossover. For some reason I get the image of condiment packages, but the metaphor breaks down when you open ketchup and mustard at the same time.
• I think teachers hate me sometimes. And by sometimes I mean a lot.
• Hypocritical moment of the day (well, week): I rescued a book from the trash.
• I made a Flair on Facebook, and it is in the top 310,000. For some reason this is a major accomplishment. (Currently 302,041 — search for Lady Gaga to find it)
• Anne Rice makes everything better.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Twilight! Violence! The Musings of Mr. Bradley iii!
Yeah, violence.
Well, kind of. Let me explain, and of course that means backstory.
August 2nd, 2008. The wonderful pile of literature known as Breaking Dawn is published in the United States. I, being myself, stood in line at Barnes & Noble to pick up my copy at midnight, though I, still being myself, wore body glitter and had the entire Twilight playlist on my iPod for the first time — normally I have my favorites and get rid of the not-so-favorites. (This was also the first time I rode the city buses. Since then it's become a major form of transportation for me.) Me being me, I was up until six reading it, and yes I finished it in about five hours. Squee, vampires, sex, yada yada yada, I loved it. (Still do, just to a lesser extent.) Life is happy.
Several days later I find out that one of my dear friends, very much NOT being himself, also decides to buy the pile of literature. I swear that if D could, he would spearhead a Purge Our Schools Of Twilight! campaign. I certainly wouldn't put it past him to try. Admittedly the writing isn't that great, the characters are flat, and the plot is lacking, but I at least appreciate them for their escapist value — they're a substantial, enjoyable, angsty way to waste time. My friend just openly loathes them, which is why I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the spine with a chess piece staring at me from his meager book shelf. (That was also a surprise. He doesn't have many books anyway, so to buy that, of all things?! My God, he must have been on something that day.) Boo, happy ending, sex, yada yada yada, he hated it. Life is happy.
A long time later (let's say November/December 2009) D came off his drug trip and decided to get rid of the pile of literature. His first method of purging his bookshelf was to hold a book burning. I about had a heart attack at that, especially because he asked me to help, and instead swooped in with a cloud of glitter and angelic choirs, offering to take the book home like the Publishing Saint that I am. He was glad to see it go, practically shoving it down my pants in an effort to get it out of his sight and his house.
Dilemma.
Suddenly my house has two copies of the pile of literature, with only one person who likes it. (Slight correction: My house has only one person who has read or intends to read it.) The second copy is rendered useless and excessive. In fact it kind of made me feel like my books were rabbits, because suddenly the amount of Breaking Dawn doubled in one fell swoop.
Trying to find a home for the useless pile of literature, I posted something on Facebook to the extent of "Bradley Jonsson rescued a copy of Breaking Dawn from a potential book-burning yesterday, but now he has two copies and needs to find a home for one of them. Any takers?" After several comments from people suggesting to go through with the book burning, my sister saying she would take it because they can always use more toilet paper at her house, and a few kinder people saying they would take it if they didn't already have a copy, enter the patron saint. My dear friend K said she would take it and give it to her girlfriend. (K is a lesbian, and a terrible one at that.) The comments stopped, and the book had seemingly found a home.
Well, it's still sitting on my shelf, collecting dust.
Enter the violence! For about a month now I've had the urge to destroy something. An old art project, an ugly shirt, anything — but I've also always wanted to tear a book apart, ever since my older sister had a fight and completely dismantled the family dictionary. All the pages were collected in a shoe box and thrown away, but not before I saw them and coveted them. One of the most vivid memories I have is walking into my sister's room and seeing her sitting on the floor, tears on her face and a dictionary in fluttering pieces at her feet.
Hmm. Need to tear something apart, plus useless and substantial book. Naturally I put the two together.
Except. Destroying anything makes me sad, but destroying a book? That is a sin punishable by extremely painful and drawn-out torture. Death is too good for one who destroys books.
SO WHY DO I WANT TO DO THAT?! It literally goes against the core of everything I believe/like/hold dear.
Sigh. Anyway, I digress.
I've come up with a compromise.
destroy: to ruin the structure, organic existence, or condition of; to ruin as if by tearing to shred; to put out of existence.
That damn structure in there is throwing things off. (Thanks a heap, www.Merriam-Webster.com) The compromise was going to use the dictionary as a loophole in some way or another, but that structure kind of kills it. How can you take apart, dismantle, whatever-you-want-to-call-it a book without "ruining the structure"? Wait, hold on.
to reduce to ruins; to damage irreparably; to subject to frustration, failure, or disaster.
Hmm. (By the way, I'm making this compromise up as I go along.) I will not be subjecting the book to frustration, failure, or disaster. I will not be reducing it to ruins. But I'll definitely be damaging it irreparably. I mean, even with my original plan of keeping all the component parts for some thing or another, it will be beyond repair.
Ah, screw it. That book is going down.
Er, in the nicest way possible.
And I'll post pictures or something.
Oh, and happy Pi Day, everybody.
Well, kind of. Let me explain, and of course that means backstory.
August 2nd, 2008. The wonderful pile of literature known as Breaking Dawn is published in the United States. I, being myself, stood in line at Barnes & Noble to pick up my copy at midnight, though I, still being myself, wore body glitter and had the entire Twilight playlist on my iPod for the first time — normally I have my favorites and get rid of the not-so-favorites. (This was also the first time I rode the city buses. Since then it's become a major form of transportation for me.) Me being me, I was up until six reading it, and yes I finished it in about five hours. Squee, vampires, sex, yada yada yada, I loved it. (Still do, just to a lesser extent.) Life is happy.
Several days later I find out that one of my dear friends, very much NOT being himself, also decides to buy the pile of literature. I swear that if D could, he would spearhead a Purge Our Schools Of Twilight! campaign. I certainly wouldn't put it past him to try. Admittedly the writing isn't that great, the characters are flat, and the plot is lacking, but I at least appreciate them for their escapist value — they're a substantial, enjoyable, angsty way to waste time. My friend just openly loathes them, which is why I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the spine with a chess piece staring at me from his meager book shelf. (That was also a surprise. He doesn't have many books anyway, so to buy that, of all things?! My God, he must have been on something that day.) Boo, happy ending, sex, yada yada yada, he hated it. Life is happy.
A long time later (let's say November/December 2009) D came off his drug trip and decided to get rid of the pile of literature. His first method of purging his bookshelf was to hold a book burning. I about had a heart attack at that, especially because he asked me to help, and instead swooped in with a cloud of glitter and angelic choirs, offering to take the book home like the Publishing Saint that I am. He was glad to see it go, practically shoving it down my pants in an effort to get it out of his sight and his house.
Dilemma.
Suddenly my house has two copies of the pile of literature, with only one person who likes it. (Slight correction: My house has only one person who has read or intends to read it.) The second copy is rendered useless and excessive. In fact it kind of made me feel like my books were rabbits, because suddenly the amount of Breaking Dawn doubled in one fell swoop.
Trying to find a home for the useless pile of literature, I posted something on Facebook to the extent of "Bradley Jonsson rescued a copy of Breaking Dawn from a potential book-burning yesterday, but now he has two copies and needs to find a home for one of them. Any takers?" After several comments from people suggesting to go through with the book burning, my sister saying she would take it because they can always use more toilet paper at her house, and a few kinder people saying they would take it if they didn't already have a copy, enter the patron saint. My dear friend K said she would take it and give it to her girlfriend. (K is a lesbian, and a terrible one at that.) The comments stopped, and the book had seemingly found a home.
Well, it's still sitting on my shelf, collecting dust.
Enter the violence! For about a month now I've had the urge to destroy something. An old art project, an ugly shirt, anything — but I've also always wanted to tear a book apart, ever since my older sister had a fight and completely dismantled the family dictionary. All the pages were collected in a shoe box and thrown away, but not before I saw them and coveted them. One of the most vivid memories I have is walking into my sister's room and seeing her sitting on the floor, tears on her face and a dictionary in fluttering pieces at her feet.
Hmm. Need to tear something apart, plus useless and substantial book. Naturally I put the two together.
Except. Destroying anything makes me sad, but destroying a book? That is a sin punishable by extremely painful and drawn-out torture. Death is too good for one who destroys books.
SO WHY DO I WANT TO DO THAT?! It literally goes against the core of everything I believe/like/hold dear.
Sigh. Anyway, I digress.
I've come up with a compromise.
destroy: to ruin the structure, organic existence, or condition of; to ruin as if by tearing to shred; to put out of existence.
That damn structure in there is throwing things off. (Thanks a heap, www.Merriam-Webster.com) The compromise was going to use the dictionary as a loophole in some way or another, but that structure kind of kills it. How can you take apart, dismantle, whatever-you-want-to-call-it a book without "ruining the structure"? Wait, hold on.
to reduce to ruins; to damage irreparably; to subject to frustration, failure, or disaster.
Hmm. (By the way, I'm making this compromise up as I go along.) I will not be subjecting the book to frustration, failure, or disaster. I will not be reducing it to ruins. But I'll definitely be damaging it irreparably. I mean, even with my original plan of keeping all the component parts for some thing or another, it will be beyond repair.
Ah, screw it. That book is going down.
Er, in the nicest way possible.
And I'll post pictures or something.
Oh, and happy Pi Day, everybody.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
GAGA for GAGA
There's the obvious explanation that mono has completely screwed up my brain. (By the way, almost completely recovered already! Only two-and-a-half weeks as opposed to a month or more, though I still need naps to get me through the day.) Then there's the possible explanation that I've just gone completely insane, and that explains so much more.
Anyway.
Regardless of the reasons, I'm writing a pop musical based on the works of Lady Gaga.
Well, only the musical aspect of it. My good friend Lisa is writing the script.
It all started about a week ago when my good friend Lisa popped up on Facebook. (Yes, I suddenly realize how Corporate-America the end of that sentence sounds. It makes me sad, but oh well.) She said something along the lines of "Sorry you have mono, but I have this great beginning to a story line for a Lady Gaga musical. Want to help?"
My response: OMG HELL YES!!!!!!!!
There was much squeeing that day.
In the week since then, not only have we expanded the story (nearly finished with the outline) but we have about half the show planned out and incredible ideas for a couple of the big musical numbers. As musical director I haven't had much to do up till now besides say "Yeah, that works here in the show" but I got to come up with this fantastic and surprisingly awesome mashup of "Just Dance" and "Bad Romance that pops up about a third of the way through Act II. My next project is a big dance routine of "Poker Face" that I actually get to write and not just piece together in Garage Band. I'm excited but nervous — I've never really written anything before, so this is uncharted territory for me.
We have yet to get the rights for this, just so you know. We went hunting but couldn't find any way to contact Lady Gaga's record company, so the only ways we can think of are emailing her on MySpace or trekking to California to talk to them ourselves. It doesn't help that Lady Gaga is currently on tour in Europe till the beginning of June or something like that, so in the meantime I guess we just kind of work with what we have and hope for the best.
But.
What if we get the rights? What if we get the rights and actually finish the crazy project?
We'll be famous. We'll meet Lady Gaga. WE'LL FUCKING MEET LADY GAGA! Both my good friend Lisa and I have decided that in the event that we meet Lady Gaga, we shall both give her kisses.
Wow. How cool would that be? I mean, I love Lady Gaga. I've already decided that if I don't see her live before I die, I cannot die peacefully and my ghost shall roam the earth for eternity. But meeting her? Probably becoming good friends? I mean, we're writing a musical using her work. That's bound to create a lasting impression. We'll probably become pen pals or whatever. She'll give us recognition in her shows and we'll take pictures with her and go eat ice cream together. Awesome stuff like that. It would be mind-blowingly fantastic.
Ah, to meet Lady Gaga. We shall see, we shall see. . . .
Anyway.
Regardless of the reasons, I'm writing a pop musical based on the works of Lady Gaga.
Well, only the musical aspect of it. My good friend Lisa is writing the script.
It all started about a week ago when my good friend Lisa popped up on Facebook. (Yes, I suddenly realize how Corporate-America the end of that sentence sounds. It makes me sad, but oh well.) She said something along the lines of "Sorry you have mono, but I have this great beginning to a story line for a Lady Gaga musical. Want to help?"
My response: OMG HELL YES!!!!!!!!
There was much squeeing that day.
In the week since then, not only have we expanded the story (nearly finished with the outline) but we have about half the show planned out and incredible ideas for a couple of the big musical numbers. As musical director I haven't had much to do up till now besides say "Yeah, that works here in the show" but I got to come up with this fantastic and surprisingly awesome mashup of "Just Dance" and "Bad Romance that pops up about a third of the way through Act II. My next project is a big dance routine of "Poker Face" that I actually get to write and not just piece together in Garage Band. I'm excited but nervous — I've never really written anything before, so this is uncharted territory for me.
We have yet to get the rights for this, just so you know. We went hunting but couldn't find any way to contact Lady Gaga's record company, so the only ways we can think of are emailing her on MySpace or trekking to California to talk to them ourselves. It doesn't help that Lady Gaga is currently on tour in Europe till the beginning of June or something like that, so in the meantime I guess we just kind of work with what we have and hope for the best.
But.
What if we get the rights? What if we get the rights and actually finish the crazy project?
We'll be famous. We'll meet Lady Gaga. WE'LL FUCKING MEET LADY GAGA! Both my good friend Lisa and I have decided that in the event that we meet Lady Gaga, we shall both give her kisses.
Wow. How cool would that be? I mean, I love Lady Gaga. I've already decided that if I don't see her live before I die, I cannot die peacefully and my ghost shall roam the earth for eternity. But meeting her? Probably becoming good friends? I mean, we're writing a musical using her work. That's bound to create a lasting impression. We'll probably become pen pals or whatever. She'll give us recognition in her shows and we'll take pictures with her and go eat ice cream together. Awesome stuff like that. It would be mind-blowingly fantastic.
Ah, to meet Lady Gaga. We shall see, we shall see. . . .
Friday, February 12, 2010
Results
Today's special is infectious mononucleosis, served with an enlarged liver and white wine. Your choice of pie for dessert. Bon appetite.
The Mono Playlist
So, after spending all of Sunday and Monday looking swollen, sleeping a lot, hacking up phlegm, and sounding like a sad Muppet, we went to the doctor's office for a quick look-see. (The phlegm was happening earlier, apparently. All of a sudden it hits me that Kayelee was slightly upset at me because I was snoring at the sleep-over — I only snore when I can't breathe through my nose, so the nasty fluids have been around since Thursday night.) The blood tests went out, the blood tests came back, and now that I'm 18 we have to wait for the doctor to get a hold of ME, not anybody else. (This irritated my mother to no end, which made me giggle to no end.)
While we wait, a selection of music for your enjoyment. This is music I have listened to a lot recently, partially because I have nothing better to do than listen to music and sleep. Some of it is just good old favorites, and some of it's new. Bon musique, I suppose. Er, watch out for language. Maybe I'll put them all up on a playlist and have that going instead of the one I have. . . . . After I sleep.
"Right As Rain" Adele
"Hometown Glory" Adele
"Backlit Medley" After Midnight Project
"Come On Come On" After Midnight Project
"Fighting My Way Back" After Midnight Project
"Masquerade" Ashley Tisdale
"Hot Mess" Ashley Tisdale
"Crank It Up" Ashley Tisdale
"Clumsy Card House" Blue October
"Amazing" Blue October
"Handcuffs" Brand New
"Invisible" Clay Aiken
"Here With Me" Dido
"Dirty Business" The Dresden Dolls
"Missed Me" The Dresden Dolls
"A Sight To Behold" Eisley
"Bleed Like Me" Garbage
"Androgyny" Garbage
"Again" Flyleaf
"Get Stoned" Hinder
"Bliss (I Don't Wanna Know)" Hinder
"Holiday From Real" Jack's Mannequin
"Mixed Tape" Jack's Mannequin
"La La Lie" Jack's Mannequin
"Spinning" Jack's Mannequin
"The Nicest Thing" Kate Nash
"99 Times" Kate Voegele
"Take It Off" Ke$ha
"Hungover" Ke$ha
"Strange Boy" Kerli
"Coocachoo" Kylie Minogue
"Come Into My World" Kylie Minogue
"Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" Lady Gaga
"Monster" Lady Gaga
"Teeth" Lady Gaga
"No Floods" Lady Gaga as her real self, Stefani Germanotta
"Knock 'Em Out" Lily Allen
"Everything's Just Wonderful" Lily Allen
"Smile" Lily Allen
"Nan You're A Window Shopper" Lily Allen
"I Could Say" Lily Allen
"Fuck You" Lily Allen
"Never Gonna Happen" Lily Allen
"Him" Lily Allen
"Kabul Shit" Lily Allen
"Fag Hag" Lily Allen
"Everybody's Changing" Lily Allen, cover of Keane
"Love Me Dead" Ludo
"The Horror of Our Love" Ludo
"Disease" Matchbox Twenty
"Black Wedding" Meg & Dia
"The Last Great Star in Hollywood" Meg & Dia
"Fighting For Nothing" Meg & Dia
"Monster" Meg & Dia
"Sing For Absolution" Muse
"Stockholm Syndrome" Muse
"Hysteria" Muse"
"Butterflies & Hurricanes" Muse
"Undisclosed Desires" Muse
"A Good Idea At The Time" OK Go
"The Saltwater Room" Owl City
"Hello Seattle (Remix)" Owl City
"Brick By Boring Brick" Paramore
"The Only Exception" Paramore
"Where The Lines Overlap" PAramore
"Hallelujah" Paramore
"Bad Influence" P!nk
"Funhouse" P!nk
"God Is A DJ" P!nk
"The Bitter End" Placebo
"Sleeping With Ghosts" Placebo
"Laughing With" Regina Spektor
"Human Of The Year" Regina Spektor
"Dance Anthem of the 80s" Regina Spektor
"Real World '09" Rob Thomas
"Gasoline" Rob Thomas
"Snowblind" Rob Thomas
"Come Round Soon" Sara Bareilles
"White Houses" Vanessa Carlton
"Who's To Say" Vanessa Carlton
"Streets Have No Name" Vanessa Carlton
"Nolita Fairytale" Vanessa Carlton
"Hands On Me" Vanessa Carlton
"Heads Will Roll" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
"Phenomena" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
"Deja Vu" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
While we wait, a selection of music for your enjoyment. This is music I have listened to a lot recently, partially because I have nothing better to do than listen to music and sleep. Some of it is just good old favorites, and some of it's new. Bon musique, I suppose. Er, watch out for language. Maybe I'll put them all up on a playlist and have that going instead of the one I have. . . . . After I sleep.
"Right As Rain" Adele
"Hometown Glory" Adele
"Backlit Medley" After Midnight Project
"Come On Come On" After Midnight Project
"Fighting My Way Back" After Midnight Project
"Masquerade" Ashley Tisdale
"Hot Mess" Ashley Tisdale
"Crank It Up" Ashley Tisdale
"Clumsy Card House" Blue October
"Amazing" Blue October
"Handcuffs" Brand New
"Invisible" Clay Aiken
"Here With Me" Dido
"Dirty Business" The Dresden Dolls
"Missed Me" The Dresden Dolls
"A Sight To Behold" Eisley
"Bleed Like Me" Garbage
"Androgyny" Garbage
"Again" Flyleaf
"Get Stoned" Hinder
"Bliss (I Don't Wanna Know)" Hinder
"Holiday From Real" Jack's Mannequin
"Mixed Tape" Jack's Mannequin
"La La Lie" Jack's Mannequin
"Spinning" Jack's Mannequin
"The Nicest Thing" Kate Nash
"99 Times" Kate Voegele
"Take It Off" Ke$ha
"Hungover" Ke$ha
"Strange Boy" Kerli
"Coocachoo" Kylie Minogue
"Come Into My World" Kylie Minogue
"Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" Lady Gaga
"Monster" Lady Gaga
"Teeth" Lady Gaga
"No Floods" Lady Gaga as her real self, Stefani Germanotta
"Knock 'Em Out" Lily Allen
"Everything's Just Wonderful" Lily Allen
"Smile" Lily Allen
"Nan You're A Window Shopper" Lily Allen
"I Could Say" Lily Allen
"Fuck You" Lily Allen
"Never Gonna Happen" Lily Allen
"Him" Lily Allen
"Kabul Shit" Lily Allen
"Fag Hag" Lily Allen
"Everybody's Changing" Lily Allen, cover of Keane
"Love Me Dead" Ludo
"The Horror of Our Love" Ludo
"Disease" Matchbox Twenty
"Black Wedding" Meg & Dia
"The Last Great Star in Hollywood" Meg & Dia
"Fighting For Nothing" Meg & Dia
"Monster" Meg & Dia
"Sing For Absolution" Muse
"Stockholm Syndrome" Muse
"Hysteria" Muse"
"Butterflies & Hurricanes" Muse
"Undisclosed Desires" Muse
"A Good Idea At The Time" OK Go
"The Saltwater Room" Owl City
"Hello Seattle (Remix)" Owl City
"Brick By Boring Brick" Paramore
"The Only Exception" Paramore
"Where The Lines Overlap" PAramore
"Hallelujah" Paramore
"Bad Influence" P!nk
"Funhouse" P!nk
"God Is A DJ" P!nk
"The Bitter End" Placebo
"Sleeping With Ghosts" Placebo
"Laughing With" Regina Spektor
"Human Of The Year" Regina Spektor
"Dance Anthem of the 80s" Regina Spektor
"Real World '09" Rob Thomas
"Gasoline" Rob Thomas
"Snowblind" Rob Thomas
"Come Round Soon" Sara Bareilles
"White Houses" Vanessa Carlton
"Who's To Say" Vanessa Carlton
"Streets Have No Name" Vanessa Carlton
"Nolita Fairytale" Vanessa Carlton
"Hands On Me" Vanessa Carlton
"Heads Will Roll" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
"Phenomena" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
"Deja Vu" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Monday, January 25, 2010
Rereads, or the Listings of Mr. Bradley ii
Going through my shelves in a halfhearted attempt to reorganize things, I instead started saying "I need to reread that!"
To everything.
The highlights:
"Labyrinth" ~Kate Mosse
"Harry Potter" series ~J.K. Rowling
The Inheritance Cycle ~Christopher Paolini
His Dark Materials ~Philip Pullman
"A Million Little Pieces" ~James Frey
"Prozac Nation" ~Elizabeth Wurtzel
The Bartimaeus Trilogy ~Jonathan Stroud
The Hitchhiker's Trilogy ~Douglas Adams
"The Divine Comedy" ~Dante
"Myst" ~Rand/Robyn Miller
"A Series of Unfortunate Events" ~Lemony Snicket
"The Lovely Bones" ~Alice Sebold
The Thursday Next novels ~Jasper Fforde
"Jane Eyre" ~Charlotte Brontë
"Fly By Night" ~Frances Hardinge
"Elantris" ~Brandon Sanderson
"Life of Pi" ~Yann Martel
"Confessions of A Shopaholic" ~Sophia Kinsella
"Thirteen Reasons Why" ~Jay Asher
"The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place" ~E.L. Konigsburg
"The View From Saturday" ~E.L. Konigsburg
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel ~Michael Scott
"Spindle's End" ~Robin McKinley
"Once Upon A Marigold" ~Jean Ferris
"Chasing Vermeer" ~Blue Balliet
"The Bar Code Tattoo" ~Suzanne Weyn
"The Hunger Games" ~Suzanne Collins
"Abarat" ~Clive Barker
"The Year of Secret Assignments" ~Jaclyn Moriarty
"Sahara Special" ~Esmé Raji Codell
"The Realm of Possibility" ~David Levithan
To everything.
The highlights:
"Labyrinth" ~Kate Mosse
"Harry Potter" series ~J.K. Rowling
The Inheritance Cycle ~Christopher Paolini
His Dark Materials ~Philip Pullman
"A Million Little Pieces" ~James Frey
"Prozac Nation" ~Elizabeth Wurtzel
The Bartimaeus Trilogy ~Jonathan Stroud
The Hitchhiker's Trilogy ~Douglas Adams
"The Divine Comedy" ~Dante
"Myst" ~Rand/Robyn Miller
"A Series of Unfortunate Events" ~Lemony Snicket
"The Lovely Bones" ~Alice Sebold
The Thursday Next novels ~Jasper Fforde
"Jane Eyre" ~Charlotte Brontë
"Fly By Night" ~Frances Hardinge
"Elantris" ~Brandon Sanderson
"Life of Pi" ~Yann Martel
"Confessions of A Shopaholic" ~Sophia Kinsella
"Thirteen Reasons Why" ~Jay Asher
"The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place" ~E.L. Konigsburg
"The View From Saturday" ~E.L. Konigsburg
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel ~Michael Scott
"Spindle's End" ~Robin McKinley
"Once Upon A Marigold" ~Jean Ferris
"Chasing Vermeer" ~Blue Balliet
"The Bar Code Tattoo" ~Suzanne Weyn
"The Hunger Games" ~Suzanne Collins
"Abarat" ~Clive Barker
"The Year of Secret Assignments" ~Jaclyn Moriarty
"Sahara Special" ~Esmé Raji Codell
"The Realm of Possibility" ~David Levithan
Sunday, January 10, 2010
"Bieber Turns Teen Porn Star", or the Listings of Mr. Bradley i
Every Good Porn Star Must Be Able To:
1. Make interesting facial expressions.
2. Make lots of noises.
3. Make coherent sentences using up to three swear words at once.
4. Last.
5. Kiss without the awkward bumping of noses.
6. Remember his/her/their name(s).
7. Stomach the alcohol.
8. Have at least one "authentic" accent.
9. Get undressed in under twenty seconds.
10. Fake any of the above.
Ten Perks of Being a Teen:
1. Explosive zits.
2. The ability to whine about anything and blame it on hormones.
3. The ability to whine about anything and blame it on growing pains.
4. The ability to whine about anything.
5. Eating anything and everything, with room for much more.
6. "Where are you going?" "Out." "Oh." Enough said.
7. Using (hormones/school/friends/age/time of day/day of the week/day of the month/current astrological configurations) as an excuse to avoid our families.
8. Using (hormones/school/friends/age/time of day/day of the week/day of the month/current astrological configurations) as an excuse for why we were stupid and reckless.
9. Staying awake for up to a week with little to no side effects.
10. Consuming massive amounts of caffeine and sugar with little to no side effects.
11. Disregarding the rules. Because we can.
The Six People Who Should Get OFF MY FACEBOOK FLAIR:
1. Justin Bieber
2. Robert Pattinson
3. Taylor Swift
4. Joe Jonas
5. Nick Jonas
6. Kevin Jonas
1. Make interesting facial expressions.
2. Make lots of noises.
3. Make coherent sentences using up to three swear words at once.
4. Last.
5. Kiss without the awkward bumping of noses.
6. Remember his/her/their name(s).
7. Stomach the alcohol.
8. Have at least one "authentic" accent.
9. Get undressed in under twenty seconds.
10. Fake any of the above.
Ten Perks of Being a Teen:
1. Explosive zits.
2. The ability to whine about anything and blame it on hormones.
3. The ability to whine about anything and blame it on growing pains.
4. The ability to whine about anything.
5. Eating anything and everything, with room for much more.
6. "Where are you going?" "Out." "Oh." Enough said.
7. Using (hormones/school/friends/age/time of day/day of the week/day of the month/current astrological configurations) as an excuse to avoid our families.
8. Using (hormones/school/friends/age/time of day/day of the week/day of the month/current astrological configurations) as an excuse for why we were stupid and reckless.
9. Staying awake for up to a week with little to no side effects.
10. Consuming massive amounts of caffeine and sugar with little to no side effects.
11. Disregarding the rules. Because we can.
The Six People Who Should Get OFF MY FACEBOOK FLAIR:
1. Justin Bieber
2. Robert Pattinson
3. Taylor Swift
4. Joe Jonas
5. Nick Jonas
6. Kevin Jonas
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