tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29938965414971305082024-03-05T02:00:58.604-06:00out•RACH•eousRachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-67119827823679946642013-12-03T21:44:00.000-06:002013-12-03T21:44:23.954-06:00My Doctor Who 50th Celebration (in Pictures)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">November 22, 2013</span></b></div>
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In our last day shopping for our Doctor Who party, Sarah and I found Jammy Dodgers at the wondrous store that is HEB. We bought 6 packages. Don't worry though, they aren't like American cookies that come like 30 to a pack. These just have 8. So, really it's amazing we restrained ourselves to only 6 packages cause that's only 48! And seriously, they are the best cookies in the universe. We sampled a few while re-watching the last 2 episodes of Season 7. AMAZING!!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">November 23, 2013</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The countdown widget on BBC America leading up to the premier was seriously giving me heart palpitations. It was sooo exciting! (I had to take like 10 pics before I got one that wasn't too blurry and you could actually see the time - I was committed, yo!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I made 11 Adiposes. Single tooth included. I couldn't get over how cute they were for like a week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Our celebration spread. Cupcakes - that we could NOT make TARDIS blue, but got as close as we could, Jammy Dodgers, Adipose, a Sonic Screwdriver, Season 7 Parts 1 and 2, Summer Falls book by Amelia Williams, Digestive biscuits, a tea set (though we ran out of time to make any tea, so it just sat there), and a yummy British juice. We bought custard to make with some shortbread cookies (because we don't like fish under normal circumstances, and definitely not with custard), but we ran out of time to make it. Way too much for 2 people, but it was so fun! I wrote out "Happy 50th Doctor Who" and it was my first time to ever write in frosting, so I was happy with how it turned out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Me with the spread. I learned that suspenders are oddly comfortable. I don't know what it is, but I wish I had reason to wear them more often!</span></div>
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I was really excited. As this blurry selfie shows. </div>
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Sarah and I in our matching shirts. She has a blue, going-into-the-past bow tie and I have a red, going-into-the-future one. :) We kinda felt silly preparing so much for just us, but we couldn't pass up the opportunity. The 50th anniversary only comes once. Not our fault the rest of the family was busy!</div>
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The 11 second countdown to the start was amazing! </div>
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I wanted to get picks of all the Doctors with their numbers, but apparently my camera is super slow. </div>
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Granted, it was a bit anti-climactic when this screen showed for about 30 seconds AFTER the 11 second countdown. But still. I was a nervous wreck at this point. I was convinced it was going to be the most painful episode ever. </div>
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Luckily, it was not too painful. Though it was a close call many times. I LOVED it. It was so much better than I ever could have hoped. I think it really opens the show up to more possible story lines, making it much more possible to continue for another 50 years. </div>
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And seriously, I fell in love with the Doctor more than ever before. Not a specific regeneration, just the Doctor. He is such a fabulous character. It was hilarious seeing Ten and Eleven together. There's not a single thing from this episode I would change. I think it's perfect. </div>
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I also tried on the shirt I got for my costume with the bow tie and suspenders. Then sent this teaser pic to my family. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">November 25, 2013</span></b></div>
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We got tickets to see the Day of the Doctor in 3D at the theater. Best decision EVER. I dressed up as Eleven (I don't claim any one Doctor as "my" Doctor, but I do love me some Matt Smith). Sarah dyed her hair red and went as Amy Pond, my niece Andie wore her Halloween TARDIS skirt, and Becca (who was exhausted from night shifts at the hospital) wore her Weeping Angels shirt. My good friend Justine also came with us - it was so fun to see it with her too. </div>
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Sarah and I before we left for the show!</div>
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You can't see much detail, but this is the theater from our seats. We didn't get there as early as we wanted to because of a CRAZY thunderstorm messing up traffic, but because the theater was so big, we could still see well despite being so close. </div>
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Being in a theater full of Whovians was a BLAST! There were quite a few other Sonic Screwdrivers. Almost everyone had some kind of Doctor Who related thing on. Fezzes, Bow Ties, Scarves, shirts, pins, full costumes. It was awesome. And hearing the audience react to the good parts, and the sad parts, was so much fun. I felt like I was in the theater with a ton of friends, even though I didn't know anyone other than the 4 people with me. And normally I hate 3D, but it made the episode so much better. It was simply AMAZING.</div>
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Amy Pond, the Doctor, and the TARDIS!</div>
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That Amy, she just can't help but try to kiss the Doctor!</div>
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Our group photo, taken by Justine. Becca's a Weeping Angel trying to get the TARDIS and Sarah is Amy when she had to keep her eyes shut so the Angel in her eye didn't get out and I am the Doctor, trying to save Amy and stop the Angel. We probably had more fun taking that picture than we should have. :)</div>
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We looked all around for a display of some kind. Surely the theater would have SOMETHING? Finally we found this down a hallway, not even that close to the theater it was shown in. We thought we were done with pictures. NOPE!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Seriously, I love Eleven. I may or may not have stroked his face...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-4ij_eJ3dBG_OSrFdzIw9yTJ4Z59wn0Zf7SFmQmU_gQiAQdk67n-AAZdgMuPrx8z8LFtIjStbLjk8QklRjFiu0BP0iu6a3Z5x0LPoHjQ_uVFhf27a-sDthtaKoQwGjUTOkfzc1H39mnD/s1600/DW+Becca+Andie+Poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-4ij_eJ3dBG_OSrFdzIw9yTJ4Z59wn0Zf7SFmQmU_gQiAQdk67n-AAZdgMuPrx8z8LFtIjStbLjk8QklRjFiu0BP0iu6a3Z5x0LPoHjQ_uVFhf27a-sDthtaKoQwGjUTOkfzc1H39mnD/s640/DW+Becca+Andie+Poster.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Becca and her cutie daughter. I love them!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbiIeMCIGifd1NkVKuL_jkuHxTD9R5xI0a_rzLmbbuyz3zbuYiIHpkSxGnEBIX0437PTsCTzDKph3Wsv4Lj_FixZFPlhg2p7X9wutX345oLbb7rt45HOLyx0irlsgvp0WFD-g6R2hrb24/s1600/DW+Sarah+Rach+Poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbiIeMCIGifd1NkVKuL_jkuHxTD9R5xI0a_rzLmbbuyz3zbuYiIHpkSxGnEBIX0437PTsCTzDKph3Wsv4Lj_FixZFPlhg2p7X9wutX345oLbb7rt45HOLyx0irlsgvp0WFD-g6R2hrb24/s640/DW+Sarah+Rach+Poster.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I could not stop using my Sonic. So fun!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78FuT-rMV6tYSUrlrJQ7l3J70nIgndXDWZUoCCyRWOmwtlmueKGkMIPf4nbYrqaCm5A-ziSz-lbt8mzLm0xvzq95b0R_Us3s0wZp3lzvwUmFfQz2atj6jPqBXRb9AQfw1jF4YIT666Mlf/s1600/DW+Andie+Rach+Poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78FuT-rMV6tYSUrlrJQ7l3J70nIgndXDWZUoCCyRWOmwtlmueKGkMIPf4nbYrqaCm5A-ziSz-lbt8mzLm0xvzq95b0R_Us3s0wZp3lzvwUmFfQz2atj6jPqBXRb9AQfw1jF4YIT666Mlf/s640/DW+Andie+Rach+Poster.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The Doctor and the TARDIS. This was my serious, "Don't mess with me, I'm the Doctor" face. </div>
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I needed to show Ten some love, too. I may or may not have also stroked his face... </div>
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To some, it may sound silly, but Doctor Who really has changed my life. It provided a much needed escape from myself when I was really struggling. It still does, because I am still struggling. It gives me something to think about when my mind is too dark and full of overwhelming things. </div>
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One of the biggest messages of Doctor Who is that every single one of us is unique and important. Because in all of time and space, there is only one of each of us. And that uniqueness makes us each so incredibly important. And anything that destroys or negates that uniqueness is a waste. </div>
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And that is a message I need to hear. </div>
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At a time when everything in my life, or the funny chemicals in my brain, was telling me I didn't matter, the Doctor said he's never met anyone in time or space that wasn't important. </div>
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At a time when I felt I was drowning in a pile of bad things, the Doctor reminded Amy (and therefore, me) that a pile of bad doesn't negate the piles of good or make them unimportant. And that any addition to that good pile is important, no matter how big and nasty that bad pile is. </div>
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At a time when all I wanted to do was cry, the Doctor made me laugh. And yes, sometimes cry. </div>
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At a time when I wanted to scream and thrash against the world and it's unfairness, Donna showed me that's okay. Donna also showed me that even a rage-y, drama-filled, ridiculous woman can, under the right circumstances and with someone who truly believes in her, become the most important woman in all of creation. </div>
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And all of that gives me hope. Which I desperately need right now. </div>
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So, yes, Doctor Who is a TV show. </div>
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But ask anyone who really watches it, and they'll say it is so, so much more. </div>
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(If you don't watch Doctor Who, you probably didn't make it to the end of this post. But if you did and you don't - do yourself a favor and WATCH IT!!!)</div>
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Did any of you celebrate the 50th Anniversary? What did you do? What did you think? </div>
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Also, how has this wonderful, crazy, illogical show touched you?</div>
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Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-18814979176933298952013-11-01T07:30:00.000-05:002013-11-01T11:54:06.722-05:00NaNoWriMo - To Write, or Not to Write<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9x7t9fcCRN048gj0yVMPSeWzWUlsC97YdtE8Gwa4ilNczYEG-2qqD34uoWwp9Btc8JoUFaHCblsMBNprT8nCl8aE85nNhF4MLrFXmSryflfB072xkHKCxxTdPrsAqHIY_6TCbNrTiyh1/s1600/hemingway+quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9x7t9fcCRN048gj0yVMPSeWzWUlsC97YdtE8Gwa4ilNczYEG-2qqD34uoWwp9Btc8JoUFaHCblsMBNprT8nCl8aE85nNhF4MLrFXmSryflfB072xkHKCxxTdPrsAqHIY_6TCbNrTiyh1/s320/hemingway+quote.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I started to seriously considering writing, as an option, a hobby, maybe one day a career, at about this time last
year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had read Divergent and fallen in love with books more than
I ever had. And I loved reading before. But something about the world and Tris’
voice and <a href="http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Veronica’s blog</a> opened
something in my soul that I didn’t really know was there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A desire to write, not just autobiographically, or
spiritually as I had been periodically doing, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>but a desire to write novels</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And a desire to write to <b>connect </b>with others, rather than
just share my testimony or feelings about something. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A whole new world of possibilities opened up to me. Novels,
blogging better and more honestly, touching lives with both fiction and real-life <b>vulnerability</b>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I got excited. Really excited. I found as many blogs as I
could about writing. I wrote down ideas that came to me. I talked to a few of
my friends who are writers. I dreamed. I made a goal to read every day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That alone was a big change for me. I had no self-control
when it came to reading so my rule during my previous 5 years of school was no
reading during the semester. Now, I was starting up my last semester, arguably
my most difficult (if only because my senioritis hit new heights), and I was
reading every day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I knew I couldn’t commit to actually starting my novel until
I was done with school because I knew it would consume me. So I planned it as
best I could, having absolutely no writing classes under my belt (other than
“writing in the social sciences” which is a different solar system than writing
fiction), or knowledge of how best to tackle the scary goal of “WRITING A
NOVEL.”</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHNaD56CF4YA4VZFo-zyWltYktay6h2aXzZHeOTQ2vBngDMeGjPmwC9vCoWPt1DRRhmdWe2Kfkl0gA24QdQ7C6jfhdxuelJ6EMaRmMvCNIIVK3jeRRN7LJ6ULiCgB8rcx943zirj22gA2/s1600/text+divider+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHNaD56CF4YA4VZFo-zyWltYktay6h2aXzZHeOTQ2vBngDMeGjPmwC9vCoWPt1DRRhmdWe2Kfkl0gA24QdQ7C6jfhdxuelJ6EMaRmMvCNIIVK3jeRRN7LJ6ULiCgB8rcx943zirj22gA2/s640/text+divider+3.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Graduation came on a sticky May afternoon full of
accomplishment and smiles and gratitude and family and rushing to move on to
bigger and better things. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Not to mention an amazing hug from my gorgeous professor
from my first semester). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sarah took me 2 days later to New York City and my mind was full of
Wicked and $1 pizza, gorgeous buildings and discovering publishing companies,
tour bus rides and museums, painful feet and biting wind and falling in love with a city which
reason and practicality tell me will never be my home, no matter how much I may
want it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'd had 5 months of build up to writing <i>MY</i> novel and I couldn’t be more full of hope and passion. I was ready. I would get home from the Big Apple and <i>finally</i> put that world on paper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And then the exhaustion set in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The fatigue that comes from starting your
graduate program 11 days after graduating with your Bachelor’s. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">From a year of
wonderful and scary and healing sessions with clients who shape your first year
of seeing clients but leave you unsure how to take care of yourself. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">From
having a perfectionist brain with a broken body that keeps breaking in new,
bone-breaking, world-shattering ways. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">From going non-stop on vacation because your spirit is enlivened but you body is begging you to stop. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I slept, and despite the darkness covering my mind and soul,
dreamed of those characters and that world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finally, I started writing. Putting words to the story that
had been building slowly in my mind for the past 10 months. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And I wrote 5,000 words my first go!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it felt amazing. Maybe I could do this. This big, scary, wonderful thing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But, it was also tiring. Physically. Emotionally. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So the time between each writing session became longer and
longer and the word count dropped lower and lower.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All the while the darkness became darker and the hope became
dimmer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finally, I re-read the story I’d written so far and realized
that the main character in my head was NOT the person coming out onto the
pages. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Where I meant her to be proud of her differences, she was
beaten down by them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Where I meant her to be inspirational, she was unsure of who she was and what she had to offer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, I know those traits would have develop throughout the
book if I had continued, but it was happening different than I wanted.
Different than the character in my head wanted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It wasn’t happening for the sake of the story, or the
characterization, or any reason contained within the novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was happening because of my Depression. My doubt, my feelings
of being beaten down were seeping onto the pages, darkening them in ways I
didn’t intend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And if I learned anything as a therapist over the last year,
it’s that if something is coming from me and my needs rather than my client’s
needs, I need to re-evaluate and change something. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Movement in therapy should always be client-driven, not come
from the experiences or needs of the therapist. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Movement in stories should always be character-driven, not
come from the un-related sufferings of the writer. At least, that was how it
felt at the time, for this book. (Maybe there are times where this is good; I
don’t want to assume I know better than other authors for their own work).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not only was the story not going in the direction it needed
to, but it was starting from the very first page in the wrong place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, I decided to take a break.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wait until I was in the right state of mind and heart to
write the story that I had planned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was exhausted and had no faith in myself to get anything done. Just getting out of bed took all my mental energy. I had so many plans for my last, little break before real life set in and I didn't do any of them. I <i>couldn't.</i> The weight and heaviness and pain from my body was somehow transferring to my mind and I was helpless to stop it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I convinced myself I was lazy because any normal person can get their ass off the couch and do something. But I couldn't. There was a weight in my chest (anxiety, maybe?) that prevented me from stepping out the door unless absolutely necessary and doing anything of value inside the safety of my apartment. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even reading, which is my favorite thing in the world, took more energy than I typically had. I would just stare at my bookshelf and sigh because I couldn't invest in the stories I loved so much. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The one thing I could do was watch TV. (And look at Pinterest, of course). So, I self-medicated with Netflix. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sherlock, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Grey’s Anatomy, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How
I Met Your Mother, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Doctor Who, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Torchwood, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Merlin, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Heroes, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Parenthood…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seriously, y’all, it was a problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For what it’s worth, watching these shows did keep me from
going to a much darker, scarier place. I honestly believe that if I hadn’t had
these shows to turn off my brain and actually enjoy something, I would have had
some serious suicide ideation. I like to think I would never become actively
suicidal, but ideation was within my realm of possibilities. These shows,
thankfully, kept those thoughts at bay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, yes, I numbed out with TV. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I still do, sometimes when I need to, sometimes when I
don’t.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSLn3OKcIPoMtk05Rtsivv2LOvk78tFmjlNS3MpPbx9vnGSVQzBYfzCmG9CecNA7KV3J-vctnTUQqf065JUhyphenhyphen8Ial2gg88-fJXkWnKdTCt6EOHSR9xlCNoZvFmm2zHaJ3jy2k_2pq36t0/s1600/text+divider+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSLn3OKcIPoMtk05Rtsivv2LOvk78tFmjlNS3MpPbx9vnGSVQzBYfzCmG9CecNA7KV3J-vctnTUQqf065JUhyphenhyphen8Ial2gg88-fJXkWnKdTCt6EOHSR9xlCNoZvFmm2zHaJ3jy2k_2pq36t0/s640/text+divider+1.png" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’m doing a little better. I think. I’m trying to work out
seeing my own therapist, because God knows, I need one. But it is difficult in
my current financial situation. I’m reading blogs of people who have gone
through trials that have similarities to mine, seeing what helped them, trying
to find way to cope with the life ahead of me. And it’s helping. Slowly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I think the desire to write is back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And today is the beginning of <b>National Novel Writing Month
(NaNoWriMo)</b>. The 30 days each year in which writers all over the world commit
to writing 50,000 words of a novel. Or at least trying to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Coincidence? Maybe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If I’m honest with myself, however, I’m not sure a novel is
something I can do right now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know I’m not ready to commit to writing that much in the
story I began in June. And I don’t have any other novel ideas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I still want to write. And I think I still want to try
to write 50,000 words this month. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some of it will be in my journal. Some of it will be on my
laptop (to ease in speed and word tracking). Some of it, hopefully, will be
working on my WIP. Some of it I will post here. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have a lot of things to work out in my mind, in my heart,
and I’m finally in a place where I think I can start putting the words down
again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I might find out I’m not actually ready, but I want to try. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I might not hit the word count goal, might not even get
close. But I want to try. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And I want to be a part of the writing frenzy that will be
happening everywhere. I want to support my writer friends who are taking the
challenge on, whether as is or modifying it to fit their needs (with editing
and the like). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hopefully, as I work things out, I’ll feel that darkness
lift and I’ll be able to get back to my WIP.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hopefully, I’ll be able to fully participate in NaNoWriMo
2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But for now, I will write <i>my</i> story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>And that is enough. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmnH57anxn5ToX8DGpH0d5iSAC1UlgpbhjIVu17ch6DmNYeYyAZlnuE7Vnd0YosiFe9TZeCxUz6Ur4X3Vt70PMcgnvnZh9PpOFNdGPb-Zygq7i3TsWGH6W9lXLwfcJgAfaYy1f9csrh7P/s1600/text+divider+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmnH57anxn5ToX8DGpH0d5iSAC1UlgpbhjIVu17ch6DmNYeYyAZlnuE7Vnd0YosiFe9TZeCxUz6Ur4X3Vt70PMcgnvnZh9PpOFNdGPb-Zygq7i3TsWGH6W9lXLwfcJgAfaYy1f9csrh7P/s640/text+divider+2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To everyone doing NaNoWriMo, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">GOOD LUCK!!! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’m so looking
forward to hearing about your stories and progress! You can do it!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.kindovermatter.com/2012/06/write-truest-sentence-that-you-know.html" target="_blank">*Image Source</a></b></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-21685741760252168292013-10-30T08:00:00.000-05:002013-10-30T08:00:02.896-05:00The good things<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, my last post was hard to write. Probably hard to read. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's something not so serious. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Catch-up for the last 4 months! In reverse order. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSLn3OKcIPoMtk05Rtsivv2LOvk78tFmjlNS3MpPbx9vnGSVQzBYfzCmG9CecNA7KV3J-vctnTUQqf065JUhyphenhyphen8Ial2gg88-fJXkWnKdTCt6EOHSR9xlCNoZvFmm2zHaJ3jy2k_2pq36t0/s1600/text+divider+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSLn3OKcIPoMtk05Rtsivv2LOvk78tFmjlNS3MpPbx9vnGSVQzBYfzCmG9CecNA7KV3J-vctnTUQqf065JUhyphenhyphen8Ial2gg88-fJXkWnKdTCt6EOHSR9xlCNoZvFmm2zHaJ3jy2k_2pq36t0/s640/text+divider+1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 - Allegiant </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finally!! Great day, what a ride that was. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had so many feels the whole time. And of course, at the end. I sobbed and leaked tears all over the pages of my precious book. (And lets be honest, probably some snot, too). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was not at all what I expected, but I do accept it. Veronica is my homegirl and Divergent will always be the book that inspired me to write a novel. And my favorite book for a long time. I don't want to rule out the possibility of something overpassing it, but it sure would take one helluva book to do that. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1g-bMLo4XT90xLG1ldRGN_7Z11lY29z_nRkIhLvVzarIrqH-7jWV-p1b4DnYd_1XdXzp1wszK6FjN3_NTqvb6KGXGoKrnjlSk9NyUKupIDysVbuJ4lhTXjXB7Gf0RmlApszGPtmrTduy/s1600/Allegiant.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1g-bMLo4XT90xLG1ldRGN_7Z11lY29z_nRkIhLvVzarIrqH-7jWV-p1b4DnYd_1XdXzp1wszK6FjN3_NTqvb6KGXGoKrnjlSk9NyUKupIDysVbuJ4lhTXjXB7Gf0RmlApszGPtmrTduy/s320/Allegiant.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My copy, right before I started reading. Just noticed the blue in the wave totally matches my sheets. :)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryUQN7VM5TIowvAIb5jQwI_ggaggq0jofr-Bn7Qyr5dA4b-HQquAEu70t1D9KbZU3pGmX2hVAjS_MVG1fIm0aIdmLXyUxwl8jE8ON2dYCh6mfUJn2UQWFDuwF2iHShHcTHRXQpZNaW24S/s1600/alliegant+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryUQN7VM5TIowvAIb5jQwI_ggaggq0jofr-Bn7Qyr5dA4b-HQquAEu70t1D9KbZU3pGmX2hVAjS_MVG1fIm0aIdmLXyUxwl8jE8ON2dYCh6mfUJn2UQWFDuwF2iHShHcTHRXQpZNaW24S/s320/alliegant+2.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You know how you just grab whatever is nearby for a bookmark sometimes? My cute little brown bear became a bookmark once. I'm so weird. You can also see my heating pad - the blue thing - a necessary accessory for any RA reader. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 - Pumpkins with Malorie and Allie</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After learning that Mal is having another little girl and that she is, praise God, perfectly healthy, we made a stop at a pumpkin patch. We didn't get nearly as many pictures this year as last, but it's okay. Allie carried around as many mini pumpkins as her little 3 year old arms could carry, that little adorable babe! I snapped this picture right before she stood up from smelling the flowers...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjVRM8Ha1-RgzoFTXp4g9JdfhAe5XHyieWOKgAUShYLh6fviY0iVRUqneUzU9KxuNoaQ8D_3zvOKAxXh1WC44n0j_-XKSmvFdqy-zFl9bP-mH0MPt65onh0eKUkideg4znIZqYtVCdQcI/s1600/Allie+pumpkin+patch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjVRM8Ha1-RgzoFTXp4g9JdfhAe5XHyieWOKgAUShYLh6fviY0iVRUqneUzU9KxuNoaQ8D_3zvOKAxXh1WC44n0j_-XKSmvFdqy-zFl9bP-mH0MPt65onh0eKUkideg4znIZqYtVCdQcI/s320/Allie+pumpkin+patch.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What a stinkin' cutie. And she still has two littles in her arm. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We got one big pumpkin and one small pumpkin just for Allie. It was so hard to pick one because they all had scratches and parts that looked like it was about to mold away. So, we got the best we could of each. Then we went home and painted them. I learned I much prefer painting pumpkins to carving them. Carving with RA hands is like the hardest thing in the world. I also learned (well, relearned cause I've known it for a long time) that I have paint anxiety. Luckily we started to mixing colors and that made it okay to mess up. :)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOYXLE6P11Jh7JRR_DU5EQ97oZkOXKMBcDTgUKBcj9_iqfYyto7JLPU_VNlz84U1xC880BjOKsjwAn6T4Dza3L0VugKprDF7doNIdh4IQnHYet-45od0cILdQFB9ASyd8aa23ODR0mfGY/s1600/painted+pumpkin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOYXLE6P11Jh7JRR_DU5EQ97oZkOXKMBcDTgUKBcj9_iqfYyto7JLPU_VNlz84U1xC880BjOKsjwAn6T4Dza3L0VugKprDF7doNIdh4IQnHYet-45od0cILdQFB9ASyd8aa23ODR0mfGY/s320/painted+pumpkin.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The pumpkin we all painted together. Mal did the wave, I did the dark blue behind it and we all three did the color mixing on the rest of it. But mostly Allie. She also did the purple on the stem. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3 - BYU Football game at Reliant Stadium</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">BYU came and played University of Houston. Brother came down and Dad, brother, Sarah, my friend Justine, and I went to the game. It was intense!! But in the last 2 minutes, we won! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sarah and I </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-46SE3uPEcs7LgpoXCv3LpgJDkX8EwZQm4B1EElknzY1b9G6JwX4gQBYC7oGC7YFvhUPUbYgvaYjgnZlzmaOw2Xo9gG9xfvKFXB5iOfURY8eCm9WEHFdQU1SlIRcvSJcgDd9jtQSNAjI/s1600/Rach+%2526+Justine+BYU+game.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-46SE3uPEcs7LgpoXCv3LpgJDkX8EwZQm4B1EElknzY1b9G6JwX4gQBYC7oGC7YFvhUPUbYgvaYjgnZlzmaOw2Xo9gG9xfvKFXB5iOfURY8eCm9WEHFdQU1SlIRcvSJcgDd9jtQSNAjI/s320/Rach+%2526+Justine+BYU+game.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Justine and I after the game ended. The end was just so intense. Please note the man behind us. What is he so impassioned about?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, I totally read a bit when I got too overstimulated by the noise and all the <i>people. </i>Introvert, much?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">4 - Doctor Who</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I mentioned in my last post that I have become a Whovian. I started the second week of August and finished the modern seasons by the middle of September. Sarah, Mom, Becca, and I have all fallen in love with it. My niece Andie has some too, but she hasn't been able to watch as much as us cause of school and bedtimes and such. Becca has been behind us because of working nights so any time I go home, we pick up wherever she is and watch. Recently we watched the beginning of season 6 with the Silence and I decided we needed to play along. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wait, why do I have these marks on my arm? I can't remember... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">5 - Professor River Socks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Andie's friend's cat had kittens and she got one. Her name was originally just Socks when we got her, but with my strong encouragement, Andie and Becca decided to name her Professor River Socks. Any combination of those names gets used regularly. We got her at 7 weeks when she was so, so tiny. And now, she is something like 13 and seems so incredibly huge. She is also incredibly feisty and bitey and scratchy. I have scars. Her nickname is Lilith because she can be a demon kitty. I look forward to when she can get fixed so she will hopefully calm down a bit. But she is adorable and has made me firm in my decision to get a cat as soon as possible. But it will be a rescue kitty that has already been fixed because I just can't handle the energy and biteyness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's my bear again, her name is B. But instead of a bookmark, she is being brutally attacked by an adorable kitten.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She loves attacking my little stuffed things. That is B again and my hedgehog named John Watson. (Sarah has an otter named Sherlock). River also likes to attack my shoe, hence it being in the middle of the room. Crazy thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sarah and I with River one of the few times she was calm enough to stay still. She slept on Sarah for about 10 minutes, then on me for about 5 and then she went back to attacking things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">6 - The Mortal Instruments</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Becca, Sarah, and I went to see City of Bones. I don't think it was the opening night, but we dressed up as Shadowhunters anyway. Complete with black clothes and rune tattoos (temporary, unfortunately). Such a good movie. Obviously, the book is better, but it was so fun to see these characters we love on the big screen. Though there were some plot points changed that I was bummed about, the characters were perfect for me. I originally <i>hated</i> Jamie Campbell Bower for Jace, but it didn't take me long to be won over. And Kevin Zegers as Alec, Aiden Turner as Luke, and especially Robert Sheehan as Simon - PERFECTION. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3sBdR7LOWXYPudQEX1_YCmFRlqJ8CkWuw88yOh7fFWXFBeDVINr2ccs2xQ_bHahofeCYdAQlQyf0RS7oIe6bTWIUsv2ZcMBcISbFV8vb2P85OsvtVIHyff4eq3vjVzZkmOFzMZsOSjT6/s1600/Sarah+Rachel+TMI.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3sBdR7LOWXYPudQEX1_YCmFRlqJ8CkWuw88yOh7fFWXFBeDVINr2ccs2xQ_bHahofeCYdAQlQyf0RS7oIe6bTWIUsv2ZcMBcISbFV8vb2P85OsvtVIHyff4eq3vjVzZkmOFzMZsOSjT6/s320/Sarah+Rachel+TMI.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I somehow don't have a picture of all 3 of us - probably on one of their phones. I had three runes and it definitely did not help with my desire to get tattoos. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">7 - Floating Lantern Celebration of Elizabeth Grace</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">August 20, 2012 was one of the worst days of my life, with many more days of equal pain to follow. A baby girl was taken from the earth and it was so hard, so hard to see my loved ones in pain. But God was there and has been there to help heal the pain as much as possible for all who loved that girl and her parents. We went to the beach on her first birthday to release lanterns in her beautiful memory. And God was there again. (Even when a cop came and told us we had to leave because apparently fire is illegal on the beach). :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love you, Beth. I can't wait to hold you one day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These things are seriously hard to light when it's windy. Recommendation: don't use them at the beach where it is perpetually windy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Three of the lanterns in the sky. Beautiful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The moonlight on the ocean was breathtaking. Such a peaceful, beautiful night to remember a beautiful, precious, loved-beyond-measure, little girl. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">8 - Finding old family pictures</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My amazing Grandma found some old family pictures and brought them to the cabin to show us. I took pictures of them on my phone. It was crazy to look back at them and see our family so long ago. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am well-known in my family to often rave about how adorable I was a baby and young kid. Seriously, I was adorable. I can't handle it sometimes. I want to pinch my little cheeks! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gosh, I still love swinging so much. Though, I could never swing on my knees like again ever again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My 2 great-Grandmas from my Dad's side. I'm on the left with my legs and arms in my shirt. The two other kids are my cousins Kaley and Lee. This summer, Kaley was named as the 1st Runner up in the Mrs. America Pagent. She is soon going to Hong Kong (I think), to compete is Mrs. World. CRAZY! She was also my favorite cousin growing up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All the cousins with the Great Grands. Each family is in their own color. I still have my legs and arms in my shirt. I must have been cold. Or grumpy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Family! Michael, Becca, Mom, me, Dad, Sarah, Great Grandma L, Great Grandma R. We were so cute, I can't even handle it!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fast forward 20 something years. Me and Grandma. Yes, I am wearing my Iron Man shirt. We were working on a Thomas Kinkade puzzle. I love doing puzzles with Grandma so much. She is doing so well and is so beautiful. I am so grateful for her!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">9 - Breakfast with McKenzie</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I got to meet up with Kenzie, my best friend from my mission. Her friendship toward me has been so healing over the years. No matter what I am feeling, I know I can go to her and she will drop what she's doing and help in any way she can. She listens better than almost anyone and shows pure love to me, no matter how little I sometimes deserve it. We hardly get to see each other (like, once a year), and don't talk much, but just knowing she is there makes me feel safe. I am so grateful for her. She just started her Master's program in Young Adult Fiction (I think - sorry if I got that wrong, Kenz!), and I am so proud of her and happy for her. Love you tons, my friend!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">10 - Despicable Me 2 with Allie</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sarah, Mal, and I took Allie to see Despicable Me 2. It was my first time to go to the movies with Allie. Her mom and I went to sooo many movies in high school. It's pretty much the only thing to do in our home town. We once counted how many movies we'd seen together, at theaters and at home. It was around 150 in a year and a half. So, movies are a rich tradition with us. So fun to be with her and her daughter for one! And the movie was hilarious!!</span></div>
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It is so fun watching her get immersed in stories. I'm a little obsessed with this niece-child of mine. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, that's all I currently have photo evidence for, so I'll leave my catch up there. No matter how hard things get, I do know I have people I can rely on. People who love me, no matter how difficult I am. People who know me and know what I need, or at least are willing to help me figure out what I need. I am so grateful for them. By no means did I cover everyone who helps me get through hard times, this is just what was on my phone tonight. :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, to all of you who help me, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who reach out to let me know you are thinking of me, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who let me vent, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who invite and include me in activities even if I'm in a bad mood and can't be easy to be around, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who take my mind off things, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who fangirl with me (even if just through Pinterest - you know who you are), </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who make me feel that my life can still mean something despite how difficult this disease is, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who reach out to me in your struggles, even though I have my own, so we can feel the grace that comes from helping each other,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who included me in a business venture out of love despite signs that I might not be the best person to trust with it, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who smile at me, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who listen to me try to figure out the wanderings of my sick, sad mind,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who text me even when I don't answer, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who love me for me when I can't see anything worth loving...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thank you for joining me on this journey, for being my fellow traveller in this messy life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I couldn't do it without you. </span></div>
Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-76138015144642812912013-10-28T22:31:00.000-05:002013-10-28T22:31:28.096-05:00Oh hi, remember me?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hi, my name is Rachel.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hi, Rachel.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's been 4 months since my last post. What is that about?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, it's about general life suckage and not wanting to bring others down. And depression keeping my fingers from writing the words my brain can't stop thinking. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Did I just come out about my depression? Yes, I think I did. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've had a horrible summer. And yes, it is still summer in Southeast Texas, despite being a month into technical Fall. Someday I will move to a climate that matches my personality better. Like Seattle. Or England. </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Please, please, please, God, let that happen someday. The constant heat, sunlight, and humidity saps away my identity. I need clouds and cool weather, scarves and jackets, boots and hats. Amen.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm not going to go into all of why I'm struggling right now. That would take way more than anyone would want to read in one post. But, I wanted to put it out there that I am fighting depression right now and it sucks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I said I didn't want to bring others down by talking about it. As a therapist, I know that talking about things is good. As a writer, I know that writing my experience can be healing. As a blog reader, I know how freeing it can be to read my own feelings in someone else's words. I know that depression shouldn't be a block for writing and connecting with people. But it is. And here's why it is for me. Or, at least part of why. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I was around 7 years old, my family went to a session of family therapy. I remember nothing about it except one question and family conversation that shaped the rest of my life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The therapist, for some reason, asked us who was the most mentally stable member of the family. Through a short discussion, it was decided that I, a little 7 year old with horrible bangs and an underbite, was the most stable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(As a therapist now, I can not even <i>fathom</i> what on earth that therapist was thinking by asking such a question. Because A, it doesn't matter who is the most stable. And B, that is wayyy too much responsibility to place on anyone, let alone a 7 year old, youngest child who wants nothing more than to be the best daughter and sister possible).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That decision told me for the next 17+ years that I had to be strong. I had to be happy and optimistic and a "peacemaker" and if I was sad, doubtful, hopeless, upset, I needed to hide it for the sake of my entire family. My little 7 year old mind learned that the future of my family rested on me being happy and obedient and faithful (because the therapist was a member of our church, so though I don't remember, I am positive aspects of faith and lifestyle were talked about there as well). I had to be emotionally perfect or I was letting everyone down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That was my role in the family. Happy peacemaker. Though I am trying to change it, in a lot of ways, it still is my role. I don't fault my family at all for this (though I do fault the therapist to some extent). This is part of family dynamics that emerge in every family. Roles develop and family systems strive for homeostasis. I know I am not the only happy peacemaker in the world. It truly is not their fault.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But, it was damaging, as almost any static family role is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Except for a 4 month period in 7th grade, when I "rebellious," <i>(read: snuck out to a dance, watched an R-rated movie, fought with my parents) </i>I have striven to be the perfect child. And for the most part I was. And that just further ingrained the belief that I needed to be perfect, because in my mind, it was my emotional stability and happiness that kept the family together and helped things go the best they could, despite some sticky situations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I learned to force my sadness away. Because when I was sad, I didn't have enough faith, and if I just had more faith the sadness would go away. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I learned to completely ignore any doubts or questions I had about our beliefs or the way our family worked. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I learned that if someone else was upset, it was my job to go cheer them up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I learned that if two of my family members were mad at each other, I was supposed to go explain the other person's side to calm things down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is it any wonder I became a therapist? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I learned that any emotion that wasn't positive was bad and I had to get over it. Read my scriptures, pray, serve, get a blessing. Those things would solve everything. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And for a long time, that worked. My "negative" emotions often weren't strong enough that they needed to be heard or felt. So, they quietly faded into the back of my heart. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, it doesn't work anymore. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can't ignore my emotions anymore. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can't ignore that my body is being ravaged by a systemic, progressive disease. (Rheumatoid Arthritis, or as many patients prefer, Rheumatoid Disease; arthritis is a symptom, not a cause of the disease). One in which something like only 20% of patients have a 20% improvement on harsh medications. (can't find accurate stats now, will do a post with that info in the future). One that is treated with chemotherapy drugs and biologic shots that cost $2000 a month. One that makes me unable to be insured traditionally because no insurance wants to invest that kind of money into one person. One that makes disability a very real possibility for the near future. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Every major joint in my body is pounding as I write this. Has been all day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Scratch that - all summer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can't ignore how utterly hopeless that makes me feel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can't ignore how fiercely angry it makes me feel, either. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My 2 month break after graduation to recuperate from Grad school has turned into 5 months of hell. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There have been moments of good (which I am going to be documenting in pictures soon). But the majority of the time I am paralyzed by pain and fear. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it sucks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I haven't even been reading much because I can't handle being in my head that much. So, I've numbed the pain with compulsive Netflix watching. And bejewelled blitz. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Hello Doctor Who! The Doctor has been a HUGE good that has come from this summer. I'm seriously in love with the show. And did you know, today is Matt Smith's 31st birthday? Happy Birthday, Matt!!!!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm supposed to start working again soon. Which I know in some ways will be really good for me. And I do love being a therapist and I look forward to reconnecting with some of my former clients. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But mostly, I'm afraid of the pain I will be in driving 45 minutes to work and sitting through sessions and doing the marketing necessary to start up a new client base in a new private practice. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The reality is that I'm scared. I'm scared that I'm not going to be able to do good therapy anymore. I'm scared I won't find enough clients to pay my bills. I'm scared I'll let my own needs get lost, because that is my definite tendency. Despite my love for doing therapy, there is a big part of me that wonders if it's the best thing for me to be doing now. But any other realistic options are almost as scary for different reasons.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmnH57anxn5ToX8DGpH0d5iSAC1UlgpbhjIVu17ch6DmNYeYyAZlnuE7Vnd0YosiFe9TZeCxUz6Ur4X3Vt70PMcgnvnZh9PpOFNdGPb-Zygq7i3TsWGH6W9lXLwfcJgAfaYy1f9csrh7P/s1600/text+divider+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmnH57anxn5ToX8DGpH0d5iSAC1UlgpbhjIVu17ch6DmNYeYyAZlnuE7Vnd0YosiFe9TZeCxUz6Ur4X3Vt70PMcgnvnZh9PpOFNdGPb-Zygq7i3TsWGH6W9lXLwfcJgAfaYy1f9csrh7P/s640/text+divider+2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, back to the purpose of this post... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Why I didn't write. And why I'm going to try again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life became hard enough that I could no longer just write about things that made me happy, like the books I was reading and the novel I was starting. And since there wasn't anything happy to write, I stopped writing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Because I've been taught to be silent about my struggles. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unless, of course, I have some beautiful, faith-filled explanation of how I see God's hands in my trials. That was the one exception to being silent. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, honestly, I haven't seen His hand in a long time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I was silent. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I know that is not good for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And I've been reading a bunch of blogs that make me want to share my experience. And tonight that desire manifested as a near panic attack of writing need. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know I need to rock the boat and disengage from the role I've been forced into my whole life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's not right to expect people to ignore their emotions. I believe in emotions. Deeply, fervently. Even the nasty ones. Maybe even especially the nasty ones. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And I want to express them. I want to put them out there. For me but also, hopefully, for someone else who will read what I write and learn that their emotions, however hard, are okay. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, yes, I am sad, depressed, angry, scared. In pain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I don't know how to have full faith through this. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I don't see how things are going to get better because the fact is my body is getting worse and worse every day. (My most recent blood test, the Vectra test, put my firmly and decidedly in the severe RA range which means I will have lasting joint damage). And that's scary. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I don't know how God is being glorified in my suffering or even He is or ever will be. Maybe this is just a shitty result of living in a fallen world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I don't know. And I hurt. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I don't want to be silent anymore. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And neither should you. </span><br />
<br />Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-86203036404400950262013-06-26T12:34:00.000-05:002013-06-26T12:34:16.993-05:00What's Up Wednesday/Ready, Set, WRITE!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZVmV4fk_NYggnh3tDUBrLL7QXAG-9oQnNAWTX3YrInCCqKLnRptBfjrbD5_RGJYDyG5DAwBE0vIDU_9G-uViau-X7uLTtnpIPuvOE9YfoqUsW3l8zjYwDjmIXRCZeNGuv2RDjvMjxN5K/s1600/whatsupwednesdaybutton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZVmV4fk_NYggnh3tDUBrLL7QXAG-9oQnNAWTX3YrInCCqKLnRptBfjrbD5_RGJYDyG5DAwBE0vIDU_9G-uViau-X7uLTtnpIPuvOE9YfoqUsW3l8zjYwDjmIXRCZeNGuv2RDjvMjxN5K/s1600/whatsupwednesdaybutton.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;">What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;">what's up.</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"> It is run by </span><a href="http://www.jaime-morrow.com/2013/05/whats-up-wednesday_29.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Jamie Morrow</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"> and </span><a href="http://erinlfunk.blogspot.com/2013/05/whats-up-wednesday_29.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Erin Funk</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;">. Jamie has a link at the bottom of her post with everyone who's joining in each week. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, I didn't get a post up last week. I knew I'd be traveling at the time, but I thought, surely, I'd have the time to write on the blog. Brought my computer, thought about blog posts...then I got to the beach, and all thoughts of my computer were gone from my head. I didn't open my computer once. I mean, can you blame me?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHzeNN9shig252stkvtC1UdjhhyphenhyphenMM3mic2eKDymyePUwmIcMQZWjOfsxBZOIDvSJqmDaMLvUh2_HTvPb6yXyVHDxg3hgVdfcfp8PEbkM_7nnk04MPE39et0dgFEhYQOhHRo2UX-Upp_DT/s1600/noname.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHzeNN9shig252stkvtC1UdjhhyphenhyphenMM3mic2eKDymyePUwmIcMQZWjOfsxBZOIDvSJqmDaMLvUh2_HTvPb6yXyVHDxg3hgVdfcfp8PEbkM_7nnk04MPE39et0dgFEhYQOhHRo2UX-Upp_DT/s400/noname.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My nieces! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6m956sIg-LqS4Bet2meGThRoWEgvt7dAiFzwtpT0b5EB2f3BVriAOJ4Ypqtj6FSCA3pdLfumrYtJW6xq8bXmkks-IhZEc6tzvqoO8Gl_iFfwQg0PQG6C93IgSJOJgjDZW5oHMDo6xa0bq/s1600/clouds.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6m956sIg-LqS4Bet2meGThRoWEgvt7dAiFzwtpT0b5EB2f3BVriAOJ4Ypqtj6FSCA3pdLfumrYtJW6xq8bXmkks-IhZEc6tzvqoO8Gl_iFfwQg0PQG6C93IgSJOJgjDZW5oHMDo6xa0bq/s400/clouds.jpeg" width="298" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Storms at the beach</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGMuEn9tBt3QbI82x0RMbvi8T72DItSSQkKJk7OiD0AzkZ3dvJp54cxZcTnPFtgAeO6F49rt6L664WxmXDwQqr7aQE_ZpTLWKiWa06llXy42Mc-H_lX-PkpaqUeqUa9KIVXOQVdPurLQJ/s1600/beach.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGMuEn9tBt3QbI82x0RMbvi8T72DItSSQkKJk7OiD0AzkZ3dvJp54cxZcTnPFtgAeO6F49rt6L664WxmXDwQqr7aQE_ZpTLWKiWa06llXy42Mc-H_lX-PkpaqUeqUa9KIVXOQVdPurLQJ/s400/beach.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Low tide</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMYcPenEaZwBWfrA6cTqY_1KkQbx2pR7kn8N5NpMgWY4ckDaOrl-J3HjBFhrW-ux0EWeUwjIgHaqnsMFPtkzBXs32ApfbLSK95eVYvDmntlJvaWtfsiyc5A-cAHn-cT5OuEf5-SYllNks/s1600/allie+at+beach.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMYcPenEaZwBWfrA6cTqY_1KkQbx2pR7kn8N5NpMgWY4ckDaOrl-J3HjBFhrW-ux0EWeUwjIgHaqnsMFPtkzBXs32ApfbLSK95eVYvDmntlJvaWtfsiyc5A-cAHn-cT5OuEf5-SYllNks/s400/allie+at+beach.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Happy baby!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>WHAT I'M READING:</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUKFoySDS5X-jPo8zwkKT7eMUGRw-7cFlv42uMlaZ-5CvrHsoanxSubIjudyoCS3u19JjR-k5AcokJ3QsoJPvY0dYx-gF965I-hhdMTJLvVg6iEeFioem7rCvSXE1i_e02DedL13hFG7q/s1600/BloodStarlight_4_24_REV3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUKFoySDS5X-jPo8zwkKT7eMUGRw-7cFlv42uMlaZ-5CvrHsoanxSubIjudyoCS3u19JjR-k5AcokJ3QsoJPvY0dYx-gF965I-hhdMTJLvVg6iEeFioem7rCvSXE1i_e02DedL13hFG7q/s200/BloodStarlight_4_24_REV3.jpg" width="133" /></span></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, I thought I'd be putting Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor here. Then last night, I could. not. stop. And finished it at 3 am. (Good thing I'm taking a break from working right now, eh?) Oh man, it was so good. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, now I guess I'm reading the next book. I have it on my shelf, but haven't picked it up yet. I have some things I have to do before I open it, or I know I won't be able to do anything else. I love books like that!! Oh yeah, it's called: Days of Blood and Starlight. I am so excited to read it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Also, finishing Daughter of Smoke and Bone means I've read 12 boos so far in the month of June. And I plan to read at least one, hopefully two, more books before the end of the month. YES!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.lainitaylor.com/p/books.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*source</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsPAYzV0iB2DgTXm0MPT4Ok5sdxSaaxZjzX67bEohGKGN4DVleXqcdbT2Mnb1KAX1o4banSzxqd4NpKgtl0JrKjBislrxnMfbQTdY83lC2glTATJMeNSKjtbJ6aPzXNJlUito_T_pNpE5/s1600/ready-set-write-button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsPAYzV0iB2DgTXm0MPT4Ok5sdxSaaxZjzX67bEohGKGN4DVleXqcdbT2Mnb1KAX1o4banSzxqd4NpKgtl0JrKjBislrxnMfbQTdY83lC2glTATJMeNSKjtbJ6aPzXNJlUito_T_pNpE5/s1600/ready-set-write-button.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Again, I didn't have a post last week CAUSE I WAS AT THE BEACH! (Oh...the button is at the beach...)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, my goals for the first week didn't quite work. I think I wrote 3 out of 7 days. I was hoping for at least 4 out of 7. But I should have known that between packing for the beach, and actually being at the beach, there just was not enough time. So, I didn't reach my goal, but I feel okay about it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Knowing that it was hard for me to get in 7 days of writing, I'm going to pull the goal back a little, but still have the same idea in mind. I want to get in the habit of writing every. single. day. But, maybe I need to work up to it. And that's okay. I'm allowed to not be perfect. And really, if writing every day was easy, wouldn't everyone do it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So my goal for this week of Ready, Set, Write: Write 5 days this week. Hopefully write at least 500 words per day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any 5 days between now and next Wednesday. I still have some wiggle room for things that come up and keep me busy (or occupied watching Sherlock), without one day ruining my goal. And if I can get at least 500 words in each of those 5 days, I'll be happy. Obviously, I'd love to write more than 500, but I can go for at least that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>WHAT INSPIRES ME:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two words: Benedict Cumberbatch. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrXA5b4rfZPXPVlZ1jeqq_Axv2ybMZB6artPd0HmcJQgAtS7Wboqu3dGTWc3ysX3NW-zGHzJ8vj-s0Tz3wtFgDb3q6QS-XGwD9fHJ8iuGV6lg-OtfZa1SupG3WtWF6IdCqv40xRFjzPts/s1600/sherlock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrXA5b4rfZPXPVlZ1jeqq_Axv2ybMZB6artPd0HmcJQgAtS7Wboqu3dGTWc3ysX3NW-zGHzJ8vj-s0Tz3wtFgDb3q6QS-XGwD9fHJ8iuGV6lg-OtfZa1SupG3WtWF6IdCqv40xRFjzPts/s400/sherlock.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018ttws/characters/sherlock-holmes">*source</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know tons of people have loved him for a long time, but the first time I saw him in anything was the weekend of my graduation when my family saw Star Trek Into Darkness. And I thought, "hmm... he's attractive. And his voice is delicious." But that was about it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then the week before we went to the beach, I started watching Sherlock. And I was a goner. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then Saturday we saw Star Trek again and I about died. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I exploded my friend's Pinterest feeds with almost 200 pictures of Mr. Cumberbatch. TWO HUNDRED. Ridiculous. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>WHAT ELSE I'M UP TO:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My break is starting to wind down, so I'm hopefully going to be job hunting soon. Which I'm not excited about. But it has to happen, I guess.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm pretty nervous about doing therapy full time. It's very emotionally exhausting and I don't know if I'm quite in the emotional state to do it 40 hours a week. Part time I can do, for sure. But full? I don't know.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, I'm also going to be looking at other options for a part-time job. I would love to find something related to writing, books, reading, publishing...who knows. The problem is, there's not a whole lot of options like that in my city. The only publishing companies here are for technical manuals or textbooks. Which is NOT what I'm interested in. So mostly, I just have no idea what options there are, or if it's even possible to find something like this. Hopefully I can find something.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any ideas?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What are you up to???</span>Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-3010673193226464782013-06-13T13:56:00.000-05:002013-06-13T13:56:02.293-05:00A Note on Comments & NYC PicsHey all!<br />
<br />
Like every blogger, I love me some comments. Yesterday was especially awesome. You guys are awesome.<br />
<br />
I try to reply to all the comments y'all leave. Sometimes I'm better at it than others, but I do try.<br />
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And I've noticed something.<br />
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For some of you, the comment shows up in my inbox from a no-reply blogger thing. And some show up from your actual email addresses. So, I've developed a system.<br />
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If your email address shows up with the comment, I will reply to you through that and you'll get my response in your email inbox.<br />
<br />
If your comment shows up without your email, I'll reply on the blog post below your comment. That's less fun cause I know I often forget to go back to comments I've made and see if there's been a reply. But, it is what it is.<br />
<br />
So, if you care to check and see if I've responded, hop back over to the post, and there will probably be something there within a day or two.<br />
<br />
This is definitely not the most insightful or important post I've ever written, but I wanted to get all that out there.<br />
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And seriously, you people are awesome and I'm so excited to connect with you!<br />
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To make this post a little less boring, here are some pictures from my recent trip to NYC! Some are repeats from my Twitter account (@RachReflects), so sorry if you've seen some of them. :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7DuDNTKJ7oeh8gN5MKLNO8nThq-SQM9yWrMqSpd16PdBlqT7MccEaMuh2SBPN2xlWrP278VbhHF_OZFJLZYy20JPgpJxNzanluuFDvcx6cWVUAL4L4788Q_HErNp2igPboFnEcmPPWCL/s1600/cakeboss.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7DuDNTKJ7oeh8gN5MKLNO8nThq-SQM9yWrMqSpd16PdBlqT7MccEaMuh2SBPN2xlWrP278VbhHF_OZFJLZYy20JPgpJxNzanluuFDvcx6cWVUAL4L4788Q_HErNp2igPboFnEcmPPWCL/s640/cakeboss.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Me at the new Cake Boss Cafe. Man, the cookies and mini cake I got were sooo delicious!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignLywgKJYO5cMwq9Y1416hVMcEep2SX2zrruwzk9E-qNPOUdrvGCV2FMSTm_lZwIYOKDgcLtxYmRsGeLxcOlPdO3Cgr3oD4_jkKySRaK3590pXiiEpqJ2A9ygmR6Rd7FO4Ro9crYJcuwZ/s1600/RnFrenchHorns.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignLywgKJYO5cMwq9Y1416hVMcEep2SX2zrruwzk9E-qNPOUdrvGCV2FMSTm_lZwIYOKDgcLtxYmRsGeLxcOlPdO3Cgr3oD4_jkKySRaK3590pXiiEpqJ2A9ygmR6Rd7FO4Ro9crYJcuwZ/s640/RnFrenchHorns.JPG" width="475" /></a></div>
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With the old French Horns in the Musical Instruments exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I wanted to play them all. Especially that one with the intricate design in the bell. *swoon*</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcl6cH2P8r_A5mKwSaI9lsxpMxz7h63652i87F-buFA9yMMoXg9aMMBUD9pl8jouoxRUOk7kZEd2YRHG7wg2G5HE4iSYtqVyveRk7S77t6Kq-tivEomuKyUk-hi11rTlJyiI9xQOXpEcS/s1600/RwithElephants.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcl6cH2P8r_A5mKwSaI9lsxpMxz7h63652i87F-buFA9yMMoXg9aMMBUD9pl8jouoxRUOk7kZEd2YRHG7wg2G5HE4iSYtqVyveRk7S77t6Kq-tivEomuKyUk-hi11rTlJyiI9xQOXpEcS/s640/RwithElephants.JPG" width="476" /></a></div>
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Those cute Elephants! I loved that little one, he's my friend. At the Museum of Natural History. </div>
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Dreaming of being published someday. Possibly with Simon & Schuster. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIEZrYPXClZ83hvNNYhlugycO8WGrLNz0S085DDXp48JK5BOOeifAKXLjkf1b7NCAum5I4YLQKTyU0lv3sBJ4DFlOqdL8GtEToiASqyq0LMukJiXmst3EUsTeuw4Klixvs4WCUxc-atvj/s1600/SnRatWicked.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIEZrYPXClZ83hvNNYhlugycO8WGrLNz0S085DDXp48JK5BOOeifAKXLjkf1b7NCAum5I4YLQKTyU0lv3sBJ4DFlOqdL8GtEToiASqyq0LMukJiXmst3EUsTeuw4Klixvs4WCUxc-atvj/s640/SnRatWicked.JPG" width="476" /></a></div>
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The Sister and I waiting for Wicked to start! Holy hanna it was so good. And I will be seeing it at least once more this summer (possibly twice) at our local theater. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDkyKSo9bbWd0h1nUWzdS80L6QlZsUV1Ja_ZW4Q1_lT2FrKlqIT72UmrVQXtvS_stVY_xrY2j4IV6X8g_zw0PW-02b8DXXbAC6MAkGE1s3_nxgq3AftNP7w-nspCAFZrtbff8NZI9Mz75/s1600/SnRGroundZero.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDkyKSo9bbWd0h1nUWzdS80L6QlZsUV1Ja_ZW4Q1_lT2FrKlqIT72UmrVQXtvS_stVY_xrY2j4IV6X8g_zw0PW-02b8DXXbAC6MAkGE1s3_nxgq3AftNP7w-nspCAFZrtbff8NZI9Mz75/s640/SnRGroundZero.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Sister and I at the Survivor Tree at Ground Zero. 10 minutes later it was pouring rain. </div>
<br />Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-67882567836653839442013-06-12T06:00:00.000-05:002013-06-12T06:00:12.489-05:00What's Up Wednesday #3<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know </span><i style="background-color: white;">what's up.</i><span style="background-color: white;"> It is run by </span><a href="http://www.jaime-morrow.com/2013/05/whats-up-wednesday_29.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b4a7d6; text-decoration: none;">Jamie Morrow</a><span style="background-color: white;"> and </span><a href="http://erinlfunk.blogspot.com/2013/05/whats-up-wednesday_29.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b4a7d6; text-decoration: none;">Erin Funk</a><span style="background-color: white;">. Jamie has a link at the bottom of her post with everyone who's joining in each week. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPd6yVts2e9E7LJRjJZr7yxG-rZDFbfKvTDB40YCXH9ayuinuhTJvQUA90TVLBbLbtwpT-HwxgEXII_ZD3B-kPvilf43Plo5Lw33NDB07CsWOGDK4gJ6Ra8i3RWH0qbzDth3YNkFMfPz5/s1600/whatsupwednesdaybutton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPd6yVts2e9E7LJRjJZr7yxG-rZDFbfKvTDB40YCXH9ayuinuhTJvQUA90TVLBbLbtwpT-HwxgEXII_ZD3B-kPvilf43Plo5Lw33NDB07CsWOGDK4gJ6Ra8i3RWH0qbzDth3YNkFMfPz5/s1600/whatsupwednesdaybutton.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What I’m Reading:</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazkElinNI8TEhsnVFvhdPMPKHNTEsjPe0kkQKv9K7OlwbbTm2fdD63-FptU6w9Th7JAknDWQcaj7Nb0lFdZ8pamIFAWKhZIkbFIqgzTdgtKWjEXi1Y4CWKv2V2YEyS3JXomOHV4OJcun9/s1600/beautiful+chaos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazkElinNI8TEhsnVFvhdPMPKHNTEsjPe0kkQKv9K7OlwbbTm2fdD63-FptU6w9Th7JAknDWQcaj7Nb0lFdZ8pamIFAWKhZIkbFIqgzTdgtKWjEXi1Y4CWKv2V2YEyS3JXomOHV4OJcun9/s1600/beautiful+chaos.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm currently reading Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Book 3 of
4. I’m really enjoying this series. I knew I would, I just waited a long time
to start. I love all the characters. Especially the supporting characters. I
find the world incredibly interesting and appropriately frustrating. I read the
first two very quickly but have been taking my time with this one. I especially
love that, thanks to the movie, I now picture Macon as Jeremy Irons and hear
his voice in my mind. Oh, that man’s voice…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also, I love that this book was co-authored. I’ve written
plenty of research papers with a partner and it was always hell. Only with a
few of them were we able to come close to sounding like one author. It’s hard!
But these two do it so well. Granted, I haven’t read any of their other work,
so I wouldn’t know if their individual author voices came through at any point.
But, if I didn’t know before that it was co-authored, I would have been
shocked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9HaZ6hACqhE6oC7lwmXSR9hxufDM-iQ1IZL2I47okwmvHLyvD-dRWvMZvTdVvu1vG-XVAPlxZWfnqmoWP2ZXAnMsYD4YA5U-8KDWX9lcsGakVyCDcfFpOT8fSBXTuBKp22TPraBsxr0Z/s1600/blood+red+road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9HaZ6hACqhE6oC7lwmXSR9hxufDM-iQ1IZL2I47okwmvHLyvD-dRWvMZvTdVvu1vG-XVAPlxZWfnqmoWP2ZXAnMsYD4YA5U-8KDWX9lcsGakVyCDcfFpOT8fSBXTuBKp22TPraBsxr0Z/s200/blood+red+road.jpg" width="132" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also recently read Blood Red Road by Moira Young. LOVED
IT! I can’t wait to finish the books I’m on so I can read the second book in
this series. It was a little hard at first to figure out how to read it because
there are no quotation marks with the dialogue. It all just reads together, as
if the MC, Saba, is telling the story directly. Unsettling at first, but I
ended up liking it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s funny, with the combination of the southern accents
written into the Beautiful Creatures series and the Dust Lands series, my internal
voice has developed a much stronger southern drawl than normal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What I’m Writing:</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKm3nLxc7jIB6Gb_J_FUkNajuh2R1zTMmdGhCWM4xF5CvKQQ8TeYDXCz4ofkFC7uWn_QL7qd1ojNOGiNNVK2Yl_x2ZjJu9SHImWYDAOYNVbrtBgV1SUGCg1mHOUWt2M-KifJ7tW9B12rU/s1600/ready-set-write-button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKm3nLxc7jIB6Gb_J_FUkNajuh2R1zTMmdGhCWM4xF5CvKQQ8TeYDXCz4ofkFC7uWn_QL7qd1ojNOGiNNVK2Yl_x2ZjJu9SHImWYDAOYNVbrtBgV1SUGCg1mHOUWt2M-KifJ7tW9B12rU/s1600/ready-set-write-button.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Ready, Set, Write goal for week 1: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Write every day.</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
No word count goals. Just
write something, anything every day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I plan on working on my novel every day. But, if I’m unable
to do that, I’ll write something else. Write a blog post. Write in a journal.
Work on world building and write that in a notebook. Just something. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know that’s a really simple goal, and general good
practice for a writer. But it hasn’t been my practice so far, despite telling
myself over and over it would be. So, hopefully with more accountability, I’ll
come closer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But, realistically, there’s a good chance this goal won’t
happen. And if so, I’m not going to beat myself up about it. As is normally my
reaction to not meeting goals. I’m going to try to accept it as part of my
process and something I have to practice and fail at in order to get better. As
long as I write more days than I don’t, I will be happy. Eventually I’ll get to
writing every day and then I can move up from there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I have to start somewhere, right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What Inspires Me:</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You. All you other bloggers out there. Everyone who writes
and puts that writing up to be seen and read and felt by other people. Strangers.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You. All you who have joined Ready, Set, Write because you
want to not only write, but you want to be part of something. Part of a group
of people with similar goals but depths of differences and uniqueness. A group
full of people who want to improve their writing, but won’t settle for just
that. Who want to also help others do the same. People who want to connect and
build friendships over huge distances. Who want to share encouragement and
experiences and hardships and triumphs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You 5 women who put this together. Who joined together to
create a group which has a scope small enough feel attainable, but big enough
to be meaningful. Even doing things unknown and maybe a little scary (I’m
lookin’ at you, Erin, and joining Twitter; though I am sure there are other
aspects of this that have felt scary and new to each of you). You who
recognized the need we writers have to come together and support each other,
and made a platform to meet that need. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All for the love of words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think that’s beautiful and inspiring. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I can’t wait to continue to be inspired by every one of
you participating.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What Else I’m Up To:</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, I’m trying to pull myself out of the funk I’m currently
in. I did a load of laundry yesterday, so that’s good. I have a few things I
HAVE to do today, so I’m hoping that will get me off my butt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next week, my sister and I are going to a private island in
South Carolina with my best friend and her extended family. I went with her 8
years ago after I graduated high school and I am so excited to go back. I am
much closer to more members of her family now than I was then, so that will be
good. Monday is my birthday and we’ll spend a good portion of the day
travelling. Then Tuesday is Sister’s birthday. And then Thursday is my niece’s
first birthday. (We refer to Best Friend’s family as ours; so her sister’s baby
is turning one). Lots of birthdays, all celebrated at the beach!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can’t wait to relax on the beach and read and soak up some
sun. And lay tons of kisses on those babies.
I plan on bringing my laptop and still writing to keep up with my goals
and get a little blogging in. But, if I’m having too much fun to open that
laptop up, I am bringing a notebook, so I will still get some writing done no
matter what. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>What are you up to this week?</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://beautifulcreaturesnovels.com/page/novels">Source for Beautiful Chaos</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12400425-blood-red-road">Source for Blood Red Road</a></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-59607463364037981152013-06-11T01:11:00.000-05:002013-06-11T01:11:19.508-05:00Ready, Set, Write!A lot of you have probably seen this on other blogs the past week, but today is the day to sign up for <span style="font-size: large;">Ready, Set, Write.</span><br />
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Hosted by <a href="http://www.jaime-morrow.com/2013/06/ready-set-write.html">Jamie Morrow</a>, <a href="http://erinlfunk.blogspot.de/2013/06/introducing-ready-set-write.html">Erin Funk</a>, <a href="http://alisonmiller20.blogspot.de/">Alison Miller</a>, <a href="http://katyupperman.com/2013/06/03/ready-set-write/">Katy Upperman</a>, and <a href="http://commutinggirl.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/lets-sign-up-for-ready-set-write-happy-dance/">Elodie Nowodazkij</a>, <span style="font-size: large;">Ready, Set, Write</span> is a Summer writing group...thing. Click on any of those names and it will you take you to a better explanation than I can come up with at 12:30 am.<br />
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So, yeah...*awkward silence, crickets chirping*... <br />
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...Button!!<br />
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The past two weeks since I last wrote have been difficult. Hence the whole not writing for the blog thing. Which crossed into to not writing <strike>much</strike> anything in my novel either. Which then became a nasty cycle of self-criticism and doubt and worthlessness and all those fun things I tell myself we all experience. (We do all experience these things, right? This isn't just me? Cause really, hoping I'm not alone in this was the only thing keeping me somewhat in my right mind. More on this... sometime... hopefully soon).</div>
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Soon after I wrote my last post, my sister's little Yorkie died. Pippin. She was 7ish years old. It was very sudden and unexpected and way harder on all of us than we would have imagined. So, yeah, that was hard. Add on top of the emotional pain the physical pain of digging in packed clay in South Texas in the summer when you have chronic pain... Not exactly my definition of a good time. </div>
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Then, the day after we buried her, we went to a funeral for a 22 month old boy whose parents I have known from church for years. He drowned. It was a beautiful funeral and the faith of that family is incredibly inspiring. I never met him, and haven't talked to the parents in years, but it was still really hard for me. </div>
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So, those two things put me in a funk that resulted in sitting on the couch and watching Teen Wolf for a week. Teen Wolf. The show I made fun of and couldn't understand why anyone would watch. The show my dad loves for some reason, causing me to make fun of him mercilessly. But last Monday they had a marathon leading up to the Season 3 premier and I thought, "what the heck? Someone said there was great cinematography. And it has the super cute boy who's playing Thomas in the Maze Runner, so I'll just watch it for him." </div>
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And just like that, I was hooked. Embarrassingly hooked. Now it is my sisters making fun of me. But it's a very entertaining show! With LOTS of great eye candy. And seriously, Dylan O'Brien (the one playing Thomas) is so amazing in this show I am left with my mouth hanging open in awe. </div>
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So, yeah, I watch Teen Wolf. Get over it. :)</div>
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Anyway, that's a good explanation of the past two weeks. Two funerals, Teen Wolf, lots of reading, and general laziness and self-loathing. No biggie. </div>
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But! I am going to try to do better! And I'm hoping this <span style="font-size: large;">Ready, Set, Write </span>will help me in that endeavor. Anyone else interested in joining? Visit any of those blogs up top and join us!</div>
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Sign ups are today (thought I am sure you could still sign up later). Then tomorrow, we will all state our goals for the coming week at What's Up Wednesday on Jamie's blog. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Be excited. </span></div>
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*Goes back to check Twitter for any more Teen Wolf updates... and hangs head in shame...*</div>
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<br />Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-2851059377705730562013-05-29T11:08:00.000-05:002013-05-29T11:08:24.850-05:00What's Up Wednesday, #2
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What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know <i>what's up.</i> It is run by <a href="http://www.jaime-morrow.com/2013/05/whats-up-wednesday_29.html">Jamie Morrow</a> and <a href="http://erinlfunk.blogspot.com/2013/05/whats-up-wednesday_29.html">Erin Funk</a>. Jamie has a link at the bottom of her post with everyone who's joining in each week. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4bONnIIQeTKteUA5HlfWrxsUVV7bOPW-oKi_nAhdxgEBJmEXUOtVxl8UygGSN2LkcQD4OCVZhyphenhyphenzq_6mZ8hDMtDXxvLQUH12jCyJCE0XwavAnYqJmlRg2KjNvkQaQFFIxPSINH_J9fgjo/s1600/whatsupwednesdaybutton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4bONnIIQeTKteUA5HlfWrxsUVV7bOPW-oKi_nAhdxgEBJmEXUOtVxl8UygGSN2LkcQD4OCVZhyphenhyphenzq_6mZ8hDMtDXxvLQUH12jCyJCE0XwavAnYqJmlRg2KjNvkQaQFFIxPSINH_J9fgjo/s1600/whatsupwednesdaybutton.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What I’m Reading:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m really enjoying my break from school and work with a ton
of reading. In the past week, I’ve finished 5 books (you can check out all the
books I’ve read this year on my Book List page). The most exciting reads were
Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night. I read the first one in a
single sitting, without closing the book once. And the second in 3 (twice
before bed and then woke up yesterday and read until it was finished). So, so
good. I can’t even handle it. I loved that the POV switched back and forth from
Aria and Perry (plus, I’m a sucker for reading romantic, lovey stuff from the
guy’s perspective). I loved the independent friendships they each had with Roar
and the Marked senses (you know, and the ritualized tattooing; love that!).
There was just so, so much that I loved. At first I was a little weirded out
because my grandfather’s name is/was Perry, but I got over that quickly. Just
like recently reading the Mara Dyer series, I had to exercise a ridiculous
amount of willpower to NOT just start re-reading them again as soon as I
finished. Those really are my favorite kinds of books.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am currently reading the Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch. I
got it at a Scholastic book sale on campus about a month ago. It was one of my
8 new books I got for $28. It’s in my favorite genre, dystopian, and then MC is
a boy, which I am excited about. I know that the majority of books are written
by men with a male protagonist, but most of the books I read are written by
women with female protagonists. So, I am always excited to switch it up. I’m 5
chapters in and enjoying it, for sure, but not loving it yet. Hopefully that
will come as I get further and more characters are introduced. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.jeff-hirsch.com/the-eleventh-plague/">*Source</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What I’m Writing:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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AHH!! I finally was able to start writing my novel
yesterday. I had planned on starting last Monday, the day after my graduation,
but with packing for New York and spending time with the Sister (and last
minute dress shopping for the niece’s Choir banquet, which resulted in finding
half off brown riding boots! YAY!), I wasn’t able to. Then, I planned on
finding a park in The City and writing a bit but it was rainy and cold the
whole time I was there. Then I thought, <i>Sunday,
I’ll start Sunday</i>. But alas, I slept all day Sunday (and finished An
Abundance of Katherines and read all of Under the Never Sky). Then Monday…well,
I went car shopping with Dad. So finally, after finishing Through the Ever
Night, I started writing. And seriously couldn’t stop!! I wrote just over 5,000
words and 3 chapters. I am LOVING it!!! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m sure it’s going to take a ton of editing once the draft
is done, but it feels right. If I am able to keep that pace up, I could finish
at 70,000 words in 2 weeks. That won’t happen, I’m sure, but it’s a nice thought!
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I’m going to try to keep most of the plot to myself until
it’s written, but I’ll tell y’all what I told Facebook. The main character’s
name is Quinn. It came to me months ago while I was planning but I never wrote
it down because I was unsure how much I liked it. But any time I tried to
change it, she just wouldn’t let me. There were a few close contenders, but
they just didn’t fit. Her personality isn’t fully formed yet, but the other
names I found, though I loved how they sounded, just didn’t fit her. So, Quinn
it is. And her nickname will be Q. And I love that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What Inspires Me:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m incredibly inspired lately by people, book characters,
bloggers, anyone, embracing their flaws as part of themselves. I am LDS and
there is a definite push towards perfection in the culture of the church, not
in the doctrine and teachings of it. Growing up, any flaw I had was a source of
shame and caused me to try too hard to a)not let people see any flaws and
b)change it as quickly as possible. But all that did was increase my feelings
of shame and self-loathing. Over the past 5 years or so I’ve been slowly
learning to deal with my shame and change it and I’ve made a ton of progress.
But lately, I’ve been really touched when I read about people, real or not, who
accept their flaws and human-ness without shame and loathing. That’s not to say
they aren’t working to become better, because to some extent, they are. They
just don’t base their value as a person to be loved, on the existence, or lack
of, flaws. I find that so beautiful. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m trying to accept myself more than I ever have. Even the
bad stuff. And each step I take in that direction has been freeing. I want to
be completely honest with myself about who I am, what I want, what I want to
strive for. Each thing I do, I want it to be because I want to, not because of
some outside pressure or expectation. I’ve learned a lot about inner-honesty as
a therapist, and even more through the books I read, and I want more of it in
my own life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I want to share some of that on this blog as well. I’m
working on some posts that will be more about me and my struggles than about
reading. So, the content on here will vary a little more than it has so far.
But reading and writing will still be a part of it all because those things
have saved me over the past 9 months and are part of my story. So, I hope
you’ll still be interested and follow along. I’m scared to be that real, but
I’ve been working up to it for over a year, and I think it’s finally almost
time. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What Else I’ve Been Up To:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Unpacking from New York, completing the rearrangement of my
room, collecting graduation pictures from my family members, and NYC pictures
from my sister. Mostly, I’m enjoying my time off. I’m going to spend my days
reading and writing, with some apartment organization and cooking sprinkled in.
Heavy on the visiting friends and family. I’m excited to just be me with no
outside pressures. It won’t last long enough, but I’m trying to enjoy every
second of it I have left. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn18aNH2Z1wp4f86ZoiS3_fArqLR-xDL48jDa_Tpdtg2rPu8hKXRETenx9DYhVLWGdptYYH3u4t9M6ENB1XqSMnIoExPSIhTolLksREsErFKisgo_B8ozwfxnN3XEgAsqV-SophC98Ri5i/s1600/grad,+face.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn18aNH2Z1wp4f86ZoiS3_fArqLR-xDL48jDa_Tpdtg2rPu8hKXRETenx9DYhVLWGdptYYH3u4t9M6ENB1XqSMnIoExPSIhTolLksREsErFKisgo_B8ozwfxnN3XEgAsqV-SophC98Ri5i/s400/grad,+face.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<o:p>This is the only picture I have from my graduation. We had to be there 2 hours early, which was ridiculous because we had to sit and wait to go into the Arena for over an hour. This was my reaction to having not enough sleep and being hot in the robes. See why I need to get pictures from the family?!</o:p></div>
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What about you?! What are you up to?<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-82884789603027076802013-05-23T09:43:00.002-05:002013-05-23T09:43:40.631-05:00The Big Apple!Did you hear? I'm in New York City!! I don't have much time for blogging while I'm here, but I'm trying to remember to tweet every once in a while. I'm finally starting to figure that whole thing out. I don't have any followers that I actually know, so if you have twitter, follow me! My name or whatever it's called is: @rachreflects<div>
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I'm having a great time! Yay!!</div>
Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-82316003284428262242013-05-16T14:49:00.001-05:002013-05-16T14:49:55.187-05:00The Unbecoming and Evolution...People.<br />
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Have you read the first 2 books of the Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkin? AKA: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and The Evolution of Mara Dyer.<br />
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If you haven't, stop what you are doing right now, go to a bookstore, and buy these books. Just get them both because you will want to read the second one as soon as you finish the first one.<br />
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Seriously, I am reeling from these books. I want to start reading them again and I just finished 30 minutes ago. I cannot wait for the last book to come out.<br />
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I was so not expecting these books to be this good. I got the first one for $5 from a Half-Price Books nearby. It sat on my shelf for 2 months at least. And now all I can think is: WHY did I not read this sooner? And:<br />
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WHY WOULD ANYONE GET RID OF THIS BOOK?! But I'm sure glad they did.<br />
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I will certainly be keeping mine forever. :)<br />
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But I have a bit of a conundrum however. The Retribution of Mara Dyer comes out on October 22.<br />
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Do you know what other book comes out that day? Allegiant. WHICH BOOK WILL I READ FIRST?!?! I'm already kind of stressing out about this.<br />
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Ugh. Go read. Now! :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPI3KpdAW5TIxbjpUNcXyrZ2KD1r_io89AdC_KMATPr5BAjA_8duAx643ituFeURCFloFOiY8jKXQmfE8SpiMTIbP97f5F0W7keFxxJPUxo9WZFTZhyphenhyphenDBUYZvlCV9QGDXHZ7P1XDWNMfpt/s1600/evolution_cover_200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPI3KpdAW5TIxbjpUNcXyrZ2KD1r_io89AdC_KMATPr5BAjA_8duAx643ituFeURCFloFOiY8jKXQmfE8SpiMTIbP97f5F0W7keFxxJPUxo9WZFTZhyphenhyphenDBUYZvlCV9QGDXHZ7P1XDWNMfpt/s1600/evolution_cover_200.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZ9FGWNU0Q8Il0UxePZRY9S7yfb-QqlQ-JSDuVMqRUt4i3LSx2xy-_mTkr6IaJ-J-IX9qBKbN3s2ENB8cvJxyFv4iR0M48R9cxHN6-MNMHcjitLdY1hixpmYNJZxchLe4jQ72Hitz7QzH/s1600/unbecoming_cover_200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZ9FGWNU0Q8Il0UxePZRY9S7yfb-QqlQ-JSDuVMqRUt4i3LSx2xy-_mTkr6IaJ-J-IX9qBKbN3s2ENB8cvJxyFv4iR0M48R9cxHN6-MNMHcjitLdY1hixpmYNJZxchLe4jQ72Hitz7QzH/s1600/unbecoming_cover_200.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://maradyer.com/books.html">*Source</a></div>
Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-2375106123225979982013-05-15T13:18:00.000-05:002013-05-15T13:18:35.601-05:00What's Up Wednesday, #1I'm back!! It's been almost 2 weeks since my last post. But I am now done with school. Completely. WHAT?!?!<br />
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I graduate in 4 days. I'm so excited to wear that Master's Hood!!! I still have some work to finish up by the end of the week, but then I am done with everything I have to do for 7 weeks. I am so ready to get my post-Master's-break started.<br />
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I've been wanting to get on board with the new What's Up Wednesday meme started by <a href="http://www.jaime-morrow.com/">Jamie Morrow </a>and <a href="http://erinlfunk.blogspot.ca/">Erin Funk</a> a few weeks ago.<br />
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For the past month or so I've been re-reading some less-exciting books to keep myself from getting sucked into books when I had massive amounts of homework to do. But! With finally being done, I've been able to read some amazing books I've been waiting to read. </div>
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First, Cinder by Marissa Meyer. SO GOOD. I can't wait to read the next one.</div>
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<a href="http://www.marissameyer.com/book/book-one/">*Source</a></div>
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Then I read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin in 18 hours, with sleep and work and visiting the Best Friend in between. I could not stop. It was amazing. I am dying to read the next book and planning on forking over more money than needed to buy it from a store and have it tonight rather than get it cheaper online and waiting a few days for it to come. </div>
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<a href="http://maradyer.com/books.html">*Source</a></div>
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I gave myself a graduation present in the form of 11 books bought with my Amazon Prime account. I ordered them late, late Sunday night and most of them will come today. I can't wait for them to get here! Here's the list:</div>
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~Prodigy: A Legend Novel by Marie Lu</div>
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~Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles, book 2) by Marissa Meyer</div>
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~An Abundance of Katherines by John Green</div>
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~The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky</div>
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~The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E Smith</div>
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~Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi</div>
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~Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi</div>
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~Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor</div>
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~Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor</div>
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~Blood Red Road by Moira Young</div>
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~Rebel Heart by Moira Young</div>
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Well, I'm not technically writing yet. But I am starting writing my first novel on Monday. I have been planning it out in my head and on paper for the past 5 months and am finally allowing myself to begin writing Monday. I told myself I had to wait til after my graduation to make sure I still get done everything I need to. I graduate Sunday and will begin writing Monday. I just realized however, that if I am going to start writing, I better decide on names for my characters, rather than just calling them MC (main character), Boy, Bad Guy, MC's Mom, MC's Dad, etc. So I started looking last night with nothing jumping out at me yet. That's what I'll be doing the next few days. Any ideas? What are some names you love that you haven't seen in any recent books? How do you find names for your characters? </div>
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<b>What Inspires Me Right Now:</b></div>
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Mostly, I'm inspired by the excitement of finally starting my novel. But I'm also inspired by rearranging my room to better fit my reader/writer lifestyle. I can't have an office in my apartment, but I can change where things are so one side of it is like an independent office. I don't have work to do today, so after I post this I'm going to do as much as I can on my own, then finish it up when Sister gets home later. I think the changes will help open my mind to writing. I'm especially excited to re-organize my books on my bookshelf. It is completely over-filled and I need a second one, but I doubt I will get one soon. But, I'm going to organize my books according to color. I've never done that before and I don't know how long it will last, but I'm excited to try it. I like my series together, but they are rarely all the same color. Even if it doesn't stay long, at least it'll make a fun picture! </div>
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<b>What Else I'm Up To:</b></div>
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I have the best sister in the world. Have I mentioned that? After I got home from my 18-month mission for my church, she took me on a cruise to celebrate being home. Amazing. Well, to celebrate my graduation, she is taking me to New York City! She has a work training there starting Monday that goes through Wednesday. So her flight is covered by her company as well as the hotel through Wednesday. I am coming up Tuesday afternoon and we are staying until Saturday. I've never been to NYC and I am dying of excitement! We don't have a ton of money to do a lot, but we are very laid back vacationers. I mostly just want to people watch and relax. See the city, but without spending much money. So, with that in mind, have you been to NYC? Is there anything you would recommend doing? Delicious restaurants? Bookstores? </div>
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In other news, remember <a href="http://outracheousreflections.blogspot.com/2013/05/there-are-no-wordsexcept.html">this</a> post where I explained that my computer died and I would lose everything? Well, I did lose everything, but I finally got it back. It is such a relief to have it again. Part of why I didn't post was because I missed my little MacBook and didn't like blogging from my old laptop. I still have almost nothing on it. No pictures, no music, no documents. But I'm sure it will fill up again very quickly. </div>
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So, what's up with you?</div>
<br />Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-85105988604191810382013-05-02T11:02:00.001-05:002013-05-02T11:02:20.065-05:00There are no words...except, ****!<span style="font-family: inherit;">Something horrible has happened. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My 4-month-old, never been dropped or assaulted with water MacBook recently died. Frozen on the gray screen of death (apparently the PC's blue screen of death is gray for Macs, BTW).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What. The. **** (insert which ever four-letter word you think appropriate).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I took my beloved laptop to the Apple store the other day and they said there's something wrong with the hard drive and the only way to fix it is to clear it and start it over. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't have anything backed up. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">****!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I wasn't too concerned at first, because most of the documents I can access again through my sent mail on gmail or here. I luckily didn't have much that I'd written that I couldn't get back from elsewhere. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was upset about it, of course, but I could handle it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was texting Sister and explaining what happened and realized...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I had a lot of really important stuff saved in the little yellow notepad thinggy that I will lose. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Important stuff like:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My TBR list, that had something like 50 books on it</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Some brainstorming ideas for my novel (that I get to FINALLY start writing in just over 2 weeks!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ideas I've had for other books</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And some other stuff that I don't remember but feel sure was important</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Again, I say: ****!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The only good thing in all of this is that because the computer was only 4 months old, it is still covered in the warranty, so I don't have to pay anything.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the most frustrating parts, you know, besides losing everything from the past 4 months? They couldn't even really tell me what happened! Just that hard drives have moving parts and it's common for them to get messed up. What?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And the only thing I can do to try to prevent it from happening again is to not get it wet (DUH!) and to power it down when I move it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That's it? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Moral of the story: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">BACK EVERYTHING UP!!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I should have learned that lesson 8 months ago when my iPhone got wet and I'd never backed anything up and I lost everything. But no, I didn't learn my lesson. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm going to get either a 32 GB thumb drive thing or an external hard drive and back that thing up like there's no tomorrow. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Please do the same, dear readers. I would hate for anyone else to lose stuff like I did.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But, what I need from you is this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What books should I add to my new TBR list? There's no way I can remember them all, so tell me what your favorite books are, or books that you are excited to read so I can start over. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you in advance!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And again....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ugh.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And, ****!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-27642154583989758802013-04-25T21:47:00.000-05:002013-04-25T21:47:41.925-05:00Favorite YA BoysThis morning, as I was rushing to eat my cereal and get ready for <i>one of my last 9 am classes ever</i>, I read the posts on my blog feed that had been published during the night.<br />
<br />
One of these was a fantastic commentary by Zoe Marriot on the condescending views many people of my beloved YA genre. It perfectly explained a lot of the reasons I love about YA novels and the feelings I hope to evoke in readers when/if I ever get published. If you're interested, <a href="http://thezoe-trope.blogspot.com/2013/04/retrothursday-responding-to-wall-street.html">read it here</a>. Seriously, amazing.<br />
<br />
But at the end of that article, in the "you might also like" section, there was a link for Zoe's review of Divergent from when she won an ARC before it was published. As you might have noticed, I am a little obsessed with Divergent. For oh, so many reasons. So, despite running out of time before I needed to leave, I read her review.<br />
<br />
Because it's a compulsion. And I cannot stop myself.<br />
<br />
And it was a perfect review. <a href="http://thezoe-trope.blogspot.com/2011/02/divergent-by-veronica-roth.html">HERE.</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVgmmDB-OhhFGIf6YrdieBPSjVBa41wuxcoOvDJ8jpNRrbcNQ90U3G6GxD0MmBmzexnGrYxUANTtqbQc3ITUs8wTBNiWo3cd6S3crqBv-knnrieV6KAFuzniTDKh-LHIf4xLIOIkKwinF/s1600/Divergent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVgmmDB-OhhFGIf6YrdieBPSjVBa41wuxcoOvDJ8jpNRrbcNQ90U3G6GxD0MmBmzexnGrYxUANTtqbQc3ITUs8wTBNiWo3cd6S3crqBv-knnrieV6KAFuzniTDKh-LHIf4xLIOIkKwinF/s400/Divergent.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/p/books.html">*source</a></div>
<br />
Zoe described so many of the reasons I love Divergent and Veronica Roth. But the idea that hit me the most?<br />
<br />
"I didn't swoon over Four for a second. I fell in love with him, quietly and deeply, just as Tris did."<br />
<br />
I read that and had to just sit and let it sink in for a minute. That is exactly how I feel about Four. He is <i>by far</i> my favorite YA boy. I really like some others that are all pretty close in their ranking in my heart (Jace, Will, Jem, Lord Hector, Alex, Julian, Xander, Ky, Mal, Augustus, Percy, Po, Saf, Brigan....the list goes on...).<br />
<br />
But Four? Something about him stands out. Because I fell in love with him quietly and deeply, rather than my usual hard swooning. He surprised me. And every little thing he did endeared me to him. His courage, his strength, his ability to let Tris be herself rather than be consumed in him, his tattoos (oh, his tattoos), everything. Just the thought of him makes my heart splutter a little.<br />
<br />
And the thought that maybe someone exists out there who has even a few of his qualities, makes me want to find him. (And make him get some of Four's tattoos...)<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriYbF64vdCIzYJNMygYlGQJ0Geoc_-MTVxhbNvdmkkBprSA49gw4EvLHiS6NbwqiUkA2ok2GyFZTk-C146MNM6Dy-UV5hpPWRcJKqGtSOSu7HPGGdFFli8LNgHyjOtT1yoNyxo3Jvq_Pr/s1600/THEO-JAMES_510x317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriYbF64vdCIzYJNMygYlGQJ0Geoc_-MTVxhbNvdmkkBprSA49gw4EvLHiS6NbwqiUkA2ok2GyFZTk-C146MNM6Dy-UV5hpPWRcJKqGtSOSu7HPGGdFFli8LNgHyjOtT1yoNyxo3Jvq_Pr/s400/THEO-JAMES_510x317.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I am such a fan of our wonderful Theo James who is playing Four in the </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
movie. Not my favorite picture, but it's from the article Veronica </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
put on her blog announcing his casting. <a href="http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/03/15/divergent-four-theo-james/">*source</a></div>
<br />
I know some people find this kind of literary affection strange, but most of y'all are YA readers, so I assume you understand.<br />
<br />
So, my question to y'all:<br />
(I am from Texas after all, don't make fun)<br />
<br />
Who is your favorite YA boy?<br />
<br />
And: What made you fall for him? What stands out about him?Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-68013103418076280032013-04-23T12:25:00.000-05:002013-04-23T12:25:03.288-05:00The END is in SightI've been missing from this here blog for a few days. And I'll likely be missing for another week or so, unfortunately.<br />
<br />
BUT.<br />
<br />
In T minus 6 days I will be done with all of my big assignments for the semester. Which means, forever. I'll still have some smallish stuff I'll have to do (like almost all of the reading questions for a whole online class that I kept missing and procrastinating), and I still will be seeing clients til the 10th, but the big stuff will be done.<br />
<br />
And I'll have much more time for the things I enjoy, like keeping up with my blog, reading all of your blogs and such.<br />
<br />
I'm so excited to be done I really can't handle it sometimes.<br />
<br />
I'm going to read non-stop, finish planning my novel so I can start writing after graduation, catch up on sleep, visit bookstores.... The list goes on and on.<br />
<br />
My question to you, dear blog friends:<br />
<br />
What do you recommend I do to celebrate being done with Grad School?!<br />
<br />
What books should I read? What food should I eat? What movies (on Netflix because I poor) should I watch? What tv shows do I need to get hooked on?<br />
<br />
Basically, what are your favorite things to do when you don't HAVE to do anything?<br />
<br />
<br />Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-77194768984474974862013-04-17T09:00:00.000-05:002013-04-17T09:00:12.448-05:00Road Trip Wednesday - National Poetry Month<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-auto;">April is National Poetry Month! Share your favorite poem(s) or poet.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.yahighway.com/"><img src="http://goo.gl/k0hW9" width="150" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">From</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><a href="http://www.yahighway.com/" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">YA Highway</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt=" photo about-page-divider4_zps945e21e9.png" border="0" src="http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt173/AudreyFuller/2013/about-page-divider4_zps945e21e9.png" />
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don’t have a lot of experience with poetry. I like it, but
having never taken a literature class in college (other than “masterpieces of
American literature” which did not include poetry), I haven’t had much exposure
to it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There was one poem I studied my senior year of high school
that I kept for years. But unfortunately, it is currently in a heart-shaped,
red-striped box in my brother’s basement. I don’t know it’s name or the author,
but I do know it’s about loooove… And that I loved it way back in the spring of
2005. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(I know that’s not that far back for some people, but it
feels like forever to me).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wrote a poem a few weeks ago. It’s about my horrid case of
senioritis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://outracheousreflections.blogspot.com/2013/04/ode-to-my-last-6-weeks-of-grad-school.html" target="_blank">“Ode to my last 6 weeks of Grad School”</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Current favorite poem:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I saw this poem from Grumpy Cat on Pinterest the other day.
It’s kind of mean and violent, but I just can’t help loving it. Because Grumpy
Cat makes me happy, in a weird, twisted way – you know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHfQScrsdECswXnMrA-8qL7d7Xh0R5b8AGFQmVYQtJleVcjwhNOMeocrXGAYptL4tsljHW8Si6xaLrYo1Hl0J6o9ZsK3mLWBZ8OFEyAPf7RmG5zzo30uufeit3exB-jjRHCBvSRgofbPo/s1600/grumpy+cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHfQScrsdECswXnMrA-8qL7d7Xh0R5b8AGFQmVYQtJleVcjwhNOMeocrXGAYptL4tsljHW8Si6xaLrYo1Hl0J6o9ZsK3mLWBZ8OFEyAPf7RmG5zzo30uufeit3exB-jjRHCBvSRgofbPo/s320/grumpy+cat.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/tard" target="_blank">*source</a></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Favorite Poet:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Will Herondale. From The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. So, really, it's Cassie Clare, but I'm sure she would appreciate the credit being given to Will. He’s my favorite impromptu poet. This is my favorite of his random songs. Though really, all of them are good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxpJFBoaBs0HJWkQ5DaZTWpqovzAmkkqKOLpsUOMcdF4sE-ZACHMOIOj3j1MHA7GZLD7aoHoNQW7gZU2S-lkiSyK-l7c_GmthJc0lXdKZWeK9sA0mTNM691iRGsLKWR4ZMdkLrGlOK4ek/s1600/demon+pox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxpJFBoaBs0HJWkQ5DaZTWpqovzAmkkqKOLpsUOMcdF4sE-ZACHMOIOj3j1MHA7GZLD7aoHoNQW7gZU2S-lkiSyK-l7c_GmthJc0lXdKZWeK9sA0mTNM691iRGsLKWR4ZMdkLrGlOK4ek/s320/demon+pox.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://memoriesofagony.tumblr.com/post/40794569666/one-of-my-favorite-parts-in-the-book" target="_blank">*source</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
at least, this is where Pinterest took me</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On the subject of demon pox, did you know this t-shirt
exists?! I think I might gift it to myself for graduation. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXILdtZm6S24buxNwPIS5l0oJCbc8yzdMd0sAypkr28ptUQZNUfbTuzWHslUeli_JRl52yU-Z4HowC5BN7KayxZ9GRAbJ0_7kxSxqJqjGnF6HbdqNvb2Mc4AtKYKtgGwvMPGhBPcOvNJUe/s1600/demon+pox+shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXILdtZm6S24buxNwPIS5l0oJCbc8yzdMd0sAypkr28ptUQZNUfbTuzWHslUeli_JRl52yU-Z4HowC5BN7KayxZ9GRAbJ0_7kxSxqJqjGnF6HbdqNvb2Mc4AtKYKtgGwvMPGhBPcOvNJUe/s320/demon+pox+shirt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.redbubble.com/people/nikkocarlo/works/9115840-demon-pox-exists" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">*source</a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I would love, love, love some direction on some good poems
and poets. Please share your favorites with me!!! Culture me up a bit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’d love to read some great poems – you know, when I’m done
with all my crazy assignments in 3 weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-23479454525938773052013-04-16T09:00:00.000-05:002013-04-16T09:00:04.962-05:00You Are More Beautiful Than You ThinkHave you seen this? It showed up at least 7 times in my facebook feed yesterday. Check it out<br />
<br />
<a href="http://realbeautysketches.dove.us/" target="_blank">Dove's Real Beauty Sketches</a><br />
<br />
Seriously, check it out. Sorry I don't know how to embed videos. Someday I'll learn.<br />
<br />
A retired FBI sketch artist drew women, without seeing them himself, as they described themselves. After being drawn, the women were told to get to know a person assigned to them - a stranger. Then the stranger went in and described the women they talked to.<br />
<br />
Without fail, the women described themselves much more harshly than the strangers saw them. In most cases, the differences were huge.<br />
<br />
We are taught to be so critical of our appearances. By companies who benefit from our insecurities. Who see us as nothing but a statistic, a faceless person who can provide them with money.<br />
<br />
Do they realize what they do to us? I like to think that they don't. But I don't know.<br />
<br />
You, dear reader, are more beautiful than you think. Those flaws you think are so apparent that surely everyone sees? They don't. If they do see them, they don't focus on them or care nearly as much about your imperfections as you think.<br />
<br />
How much better would we view ourselves if we could see ourselves the way strangers do?<br />
<br />
I have a pretty positive view of myself, but I often wonder how much better it would be if I could see myself as others do.<br />
<br />
Cut yourself some slack. Everyone else does.<br />
<br />
You ARE more beautiful than you think.<br />
<br />
Another great resource for defying the beauty standards of the day? <a href="http://www.beautyredefined.net/" target="_blank">Beauty Redefined</a>. Check it!Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-47820939483636571802013-04-15T09:00:00.000-05:002013-04-15T09:00:05.730-05:00Note to Self - Shards and Ashes<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A book review of Shards and Ashes, edited by Melissa Marr
and Kelley Armstrong</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Note to Self:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecG5YW_D8ZZY8IvhAbiB2KqiXRiMoyzv-ElQKCtSY3pMAC1R6MQVOFuCLO4zH4C85DljbAQ0kpE0VmzV3VJ_uwoU2xGoiCuW5fTM8JFQt2DualzsGbBLwZr12oxd_SPE2T15NC4vSuzCS/s1600/shards+and+ashes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecG5YW_D8ZZY8IvhAbiB2KqiXRiMoyzv-ElQKCtSY3pMAC1R6MQVOFuCLO4zH4C85DljbAQ0kpE0VmzV3VJ_uwoU2xGoiCuW5fTM8JFQt2DualzsGbBLwZr12oxd_SPE2T15NC4vSuzCS/s200/shards+and+ashes.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p> <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/book/index.aspx?isbn=9780062098467" target="_blank">*source</a></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In case you ever forget, Self, dystopian stories are
freaking awesome. Or post-apocalyptic – there are distinctions, but sometimes
they are hard to remember. Basically, thinking about what could happen if the
world as we know it ended, or what could cause the end of the world, or just
any crazy thing like that is oh so fascinating. If you ever doubt it, Self,
don’t. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You love these kinds of stories. And there is good reason
for that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The thing you may not love as much?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Reading 9 short stories of you favorite genre. The stories
are awesome. And then they end. And you’re left thinking…what?! How is that
all?!?!?! I want more!!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And as frustrating as that can be, it really does show the
quality of those short stories. Dammit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt=" photo about-page-divider4_zps945e21e9.png" border="0" src="http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt173/AudreyFuller/2013/about-page-divider4_zps945e21e9.png" />
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I recently read Shards and Ashes, a collection of short
stories about dangerous futures, written by 9 amazing, best-selling
authors. Who are these authors and what
stories did they write, you ask? Well….<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hearken by Veronica Roth<o:p></o:p></div>
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~ In the future, where death can come at any time and happen
any where, people gifted with perfect pitch are chosen to become Hearkeners, or
people who can hear and dictate a person’s song of life, or their song of
death. When Darya’s sister asks her to
make a life altering decision to hear the death song of the mother who failed
her in every way, she must face realities about herself and the life that
formed her into who she is.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Branded by Kelley Armstrong<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
~ After the devastating results of the scientific
modification of people’s DNA, living Outside means certain death. Unless of
course, your boyfriend is actually a werewolf and the two of you are cunning
enough to attempt an escape from behind the walls to join the Branded, just make sure the hybrids don't get you first.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Necklace of Raindrops by Margaret Stohl<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
~ When the only real currency that matters is in the form of
beads of liquid, or raindrops, would you chose to save your beads
to live a long, healthy life, or spend them and live the short life you have to
the fullest? And what happens after the Jump that ends your life, anyway?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dogsbody by Rachel Caine<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
~ Limited resources often necessitate sacrifices, even the
sacrifice of thousands of children on a train leading to their death. When you
are one of the few randomly chosen to live, do you stay hidden to survive, or
rise up the ranks of the dogsbody’s with the hope of one day, with the fateful
help of a long-lost friend, enacting revenge on the murderer responsible for
countless deaths?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pale Rider by Nancy Holder<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
~ What’s a girl to do when her search for batteries ends up
with meeting a super-hot German boy who awakened an unknown power in you?
Travel with him to a castle to solve the mystery of the magic, and the end of
the world, of course! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Corpse Eaters by Melissa Marr<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
~ When a god, not one any religious books have told us about,
shows up with lizard creatures that feast on corpse soup, Harmony decides that
risking her life to fight the evil in her world is more important than anything
else. Chris wants to keep her safe by leaving their hometown and ghostly
memories for the un-occupied parts of America, but what can he possibly do to
make her forget her quest for vengeance? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Burn 3 by Kami Garcia<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
~ The ozone layer is completely gone and living in the sun
means burned, scarred, wrinkly skin; skin which some criminals, will do
anything, or take anyone to get. When Phoenix’s sister goes missing, how can
she hold the Skinners responsible, when the government knowingly turns a blind
eye?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love is a Choice by Beth Revis<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
~ The spaceship heading to a new world is kept safe through
the twisted schemes of a dictator who knows that in order for their quest to
survive, people must be kept under control; the smallest spark of rebellion
could mean failure and certain death to the human species. When Mag decides the
time for rebellion is now, Orion must choose between his love for her and his
knowledge that in order for their resistance to succeed, they must bide their
time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Miasma by Carrie Ryan<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
~ The swamp plague is everywhere, along with the beaked
doctors and their plague-eating beasts, and there is no beauty to be found.
Except in Frankie’s eyes when she sees the beautiful flower gardens of the
Oglethorpe family. With her sister on death’s door, Frankie will do whatever
she must to keep her alive, maybe even accept help from a stranger who long ago fell in
love with her eyes when she was mesmerized by the flowers.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt=" photo about-page-divider_zps07d3483b.png" border="0" src="http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt173/AudreyFuller/Blog%20Design/about-page-divider_zps07d3483b.png" />
</div>
</div>
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I really enjoyed all of the stories, especially the thrill
of reading some of the scarier ones late at night. This was my first collection
of short stories and overall I was very pleased with it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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You know, other than the infuriating reality that the
stories I got sucked so deeply into were only 30 to 40 pages long!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I really wanted more from all of them. Especially Hearken,
Love is a Choice, and Miasma. I mean, there was only one that had a definitive
ending, because the narrator died. And even that one I wished was longer! The
other 8 all could have gone on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please, authors, PLEASE! Write more later! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I doubt it will happen though, because isn’t that the point
of a short story? To write something incredibly engaging, give a little hook or
hint as to what might actually be going on, then end semi-abruptly, making the
reader remember the story forever and ever, always wondering what happened next
because you only gave them 40 pages of mind-blowing goodness that ended with a crazy
making cliffhanger that is never resolved?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That is the point, right?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
FYI, these editors also have a collection of Paranormal
short stories called Enthralled. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can bet it is on my TBR list.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because I am a glutton for punishment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Ugh. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(10 points to the first person who catches the reference I made to the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-42320967992129892602013-04-13T19:23:00.001-05:002013-04-13T19:23:18.628-05:00Ramblings...*If you're looking for something substantial to read, you can skip this - it basically has no purpose other than to distract me from studying.<br />
<br />
I am supposed to be doing research for my 2 group presentations next week and my group paper due the week after that. I have too much to do and absolutely no motivation to get it done. Well, maybe 10% of the amount of motivation that I should have. Crud.<br />
<br />
But instead, here I am doing what I would much prefer doing - looking at blogs, thinking about writing my story, and writing blog posts.<br />
<br />
It's difficult to be in the last stretch of grad school for a career you're no longer very excited about. Because all I want to do is focus on what I want my career to be now, and that is write novels. I still like therapy when I'm in the room with a client. But that's it.<br />
<br />
Or maybe it's not that I don't like it. Because I do. But I'm not passionate about it. I never have been. I looked forward to it. Felt that it was the right thing to do. Wanted to help people. But I was never passionate about it. The thought of it never kept me up at night with excitement. I never got distracted from other things because I couldn't stop thinking about it.<br />
<br />
I'm passionate about writing now. I never thought that would happen to me. I thought therapy was the way to go for me. The thing I could do, do it well, and enjoy.<br />
<br />
And well, it looks like there are other things I could do. The level of success is still to be determined. But the enjoyment just blows therapy away.<br />
<br />
And I don't really know how to reconcile these things. And so then I am stuck.<br />
<br />
How do YOU deal with conflicting desires like this? Should I just suck it up and do what I've invested so much time and energy into, that I'm good at, that benefits people? Or should I invest time into my new passion and see where that goes?<br />
<br />
I can't leave therapy behind completely - I have mounds of student loans to pay off and need a job to do it with! Plus, even if I were able to write for a living, I would probably still want to do therapy at least one day a week.<br />
<br />
But if I don't invest into the writing dream, will I ever get there? I don't know. HELP!!!<br />
<br />
Other things on my mind today:<br />
<br />
1. I joined Twitter. I have NO CLUE how to use it. I haven't tweeted anything yet. I'm following some people, but I'm confused. Does anyone have a Twitter FOR DUMMIES book I can borrow? Or just some hints on how to get started? Cause I'm clueless.<br />
- When I got home from my mission in 2010, after not using any social media or electronics for 18 months, my sister asked me, "Do you know what Twitter is?" I said no - I didn't even know what kind of a thing Twitter was! A restaurant? A hygiene tool? A way to punch stupid people, aka twits? No clue. She looked at me, dumbfounded, and said, "Wow, you really are an alien!" Alas, I believe I still am - PLEASE HELP!<br />
<br />
2. Thursday night I looked up independent book stores in my area. Because truth be told, I only know of Barnes & Noble and a few Half-Price Books in the area. I wanted to find something a bit more homey and less commercialized to give some business to. You know, support small business and all that. In all of the big city I live in, there are only 4 independent book stores. How sad is that?! There are two that I am interested in and can't wait to check out. I was planning on taking a break from studying by going to the closest one this afternoon. But then I realized I really should wait til the bulk of my assignments are done. Use it as an incentive to actually do my work and all. it's the smart, responsible thing to do. But ugh - I don't want to be smart and responsible.<br />
<br />
3. I can't wait for City of Bones to come out in a few months. Sis and I were looking at production stuff for the movie and can I just say? Kevin Zegers is a freaking stud. I can't wait to see him as Alec. I'm a little obsessed with him at the moment. So much so that I looked at his imdb to see if there were any movies he's in on netflix. Well, I found one from 2006 - It's a Boy Girl Thing - about him and that chick who played Summer in the Mentalist, who magically switched bodies because they were arguing in front of an old Axtec statue of the god of sorcery. It's a pretty cheesy movie, but I ended up liking it more than I expected. Mainly because it was hilarious watching Kevin act like a girl in a guy's body. And you know, he's incredibly hot. His dimples make me melt inside. And his lips. And... and... well, everything about him. If you're in the mood for a cheesy rom-com with a gorgeous male lead, check that one out.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiror4vCVQnui6vc04RaU6QVN8VjN9ycFQgcxbM_QV2ueSlRp0b8Hj0TWFfN4Zo3SfDx15e4WVi6XUMhJBPsaKHQ1i3qoJ38GzsWa9thPb7tbE2qZcWwS23yg4mE9gulImBWG8xCZVs42Ff/s1600/tumblr_mkqtydqM1z1rr81rdo1_500.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiror4vCVQnui6vc04RaU6QVN8VjN9ycFQgcxbM_QV2ueSlRp0b8Hj0TWFfN4Zo3SfDx15e4WVi6XUMhJBPsaKHQ1i3qoJ38GzsWa9thPb7tbE2qZcWwS23yg4mE9gulImBWG8xCZVs42Ff/s320/tumblr_mkqtydqM1z1rr81rdo1_500.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
From Cassandra Clare's Tumblr <a href="http://cassandraclare.tumblr.com/page/5" target="_blank">*here</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I love him. Seriously.</div>
<br />
Okay, I guess that's enough of a distraction. Back to studying. Yuck.<br />
<br />
Hope you're all having a fantastic weekend!<br />
<br />Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-31872549182668894272013-04-12T09:00:00.000-05:002013-04-12T09:00:03.742-05:00If I were a Character in a Book...
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writers know; good characterization in books is crucial to
telling a good story. Characters need to have goals driving their actions,
observable traits, development through the story, a combination of stable
characteristics and fluidity to change and surprise the reader…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Basically, characters in books are complex with each
thought, action, and desire thought out. Each little detail has a purpose and a
plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are we that intentional in our lives? Do we have the same
depth that authors, editors, and readers demand from their characters?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And if not, <span style="font-size: large;">why?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I came along this train of thought as I was trying to figure out how to create characters, thinking about
the characters in my story. They are there, but they are very slow at showing
themselves to me. I don’t even know their names yet! (This is probably because
I am in the planning stages until I finish Grad School – I really hope they
open up to me more once I start actually writing!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I sat there thinking about my own characters, reading as
much as I could from various writing tips to know what I needed to consider,
and had the thought…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“What if I were a character in a story? What kind of
character would I be? What defining characteristics would stand out to an
author and be seen as important to include in the story of my life?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcGcQapoprxU9x9o9_8r3h3mo8Wb13d_TL6kekk7iv59AQISLM9FJnIcsMCTqfmm3k6ZSHFF-PyfYo7JoelVe7mYeJBgauuCpWfrmBJpFVQAa0tbCS6ktjcGArxw10yH5UBihcrAN6YH1/s1600/Silhouette-question-mark1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcGcQapoprxU9x9o9_8r3h3mo8Wb13d_TL6kekk7iv59AQISLM9FJnIcsMCTqfmm3k6ZSHFF-PyfYo7JoelVe7mYeJBgauuCpWfrmBJpFVQAa0tbCS6ktjcGArxw10yH5UBihcrAN6YH1/s1600/Silhouette-question-mark1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?q=shadow+silhouette+question&start=255&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=625&tbm=isch&tbnid=UQIb_M7uNOKx8M:&imgrefurl=http://picturebookdepot.com/pages/future-picture-book-illustrators/&docid=k6FlOvF27UzroM&imgurl=http://picturebookdepot.com/wp-content/uploads/Silhouette-question-mark1.jpg&w=217&h=306&ei=Zo5nUY7PHJKG9gTf1YDACA&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:66,s:200,i:202&iact=rc&dur=3194&page=12&tbnh=170&tbnw=121&ndsp=29&tx=98&ty=44" target="_blank">*source</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In some ways this was a very exciting thing to ponder on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But in a lot of other ways, with my life as it currently is,
it was actually quite disheartening. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m not sure that a character like me would make the editing
cut into a final draft. <br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m not sure people would find me engaging and interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m not sure I have those fun quirks we come to love in our characters,
which maybe aren’t necessary to the story, but make those characters come alive
in our minds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m not sure I have those things that make us love our
characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But I want to. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If I plan to make my characters engaging, endearing, and
exciting, why would I not want to be that way myself?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So for the past few weeks since I made this world-shattering
realization about myself, I’ve been thinking and searching and evaluating
myself more than ever before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because if my life were a book, I would want people to want
to read it, want to get to know me, and ultimately, be changed by reading about
me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over the next weeks, months, and years as I begin my journey
as a writer, I’ve decided that I am going to <span style="font-size: large;">ask myself the same questions</span> I
ask about my characters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because I want to understand myself the way I hope to
understand my characters. Also, I want to be more intentional in my life and
find ways I can make changes to become who I want to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of those things will be personal for only me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But some of those things I plan on sharing here to reveal my
character to you, dear reader. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And maybe as I share my experiences with understanding
myself, you will be encouraged to understand yourself more as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So – here are a few quirky things about me. Things that,
silly or inconsequential as they may be, make up a part of my identity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">1) </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">I eat Cheetos Puffs like they are going out of
style. I don’t know why I like them so much, but I can’t stop eating them. It
gets to the point that my tongue gets a little raw. (That’s referred to as food
trauma, did you know? Any hurt or cut in your mouth that is caused by food:
food trauma!) It’s absolutely ridiculous and yes, not the best for me. But I have
a small stomach and don’t eat a lot, so it may not be nutritious, but it’s not
pushing me over a healthy, normal amount of calories. Most days at least. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">2) </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">My favorite candy is Laffy Taffy. Though I love
chocolate, the past year or so I’ve been on a more fruity candy kick. Laffy
Taffy is seriously the best. (There have been multiple times over the past few
months that I have gone to the grocery store for 4 things. Milk, cereal,
Cheetos Puffs, and Laffy Taffy. What the?)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">3) </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Recently, I’ve started painting my nails more
consistently. I consciously changed this because I wanted my internal book
character to have painted nails. It’s been just over 2 months of keeping them
painted and I am loving it. I even got a compliment from a worker at Firehouse
Subs. She said, “you always have the cutest nail polish!” I did a little mental
happy dance, because to at least one person, my character would be known as having
my nails painted. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Yes!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">4) </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">I am an ankle sock hoarder. Not just normal,
boring, white socks. I’m talking socks with designs and colors and excitement!
Today, my socks are blue and grey with little pink hearts, black and white
lines, and darling little whales with water coming out their spouts. So fun. I
wear these socks with my canvas shoes. I know normally you wouldn’t wear socks
with that kind of shoe, but I do. Because I want to. I’m proud of my socks and
I want people to see them! Target is feeding my addiction. They always have
tons of fun socks for $1.50 a pair. If I see them, I literally cannot stop
myself from buying at least 1 pair. It’s a problem. But not. Because I love it. </span><a href="http://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=xhilaration+low+cut+socks&category=0%7CAll%7Cmatchallpartial%7Call+categories&lnk=snav_sbox_xhilaration+low+cut+socks" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;" target="_blank">Here's</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> an example from Target online. I want them all. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s all for now. I’ll revisit this topic again from time
to time when something hits me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_7er0OFA5wQbmFFrFH-SDR1p9I4cPe32RhLbnU2rYORp62GcjRUhQk1jTgV8bNUNzZREMuO9meKJ-AAkgzHPS0MLbWhrLV6I9NUAolIbGlamoK3ruJRCp0C_1j14X856Gg5LHXlrXuTA/s1600/shadow+artwork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_7er0OFA5wQbmFFrFH-SDR1p9I4cPe32RhLbnU2rYORp62GcjRUhQk1jTgV8bNUNzZREMuO9meKJ-AAkgzHPS0MLbWhrLV6I9NUAolIbGlamoK3ruJRCp0C_1j14X856Gg5LHXlrXuTA/s320/shadow+artwork.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">*(A picture of me painted by a former roommate, Allie. She made one for each of our 5 roommates and together they decorated our living room for a year. Amazing. Loved it. But now I have no idea where to put this picture. It's in my brother's basement. It feels weird to put it in my room...)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But now I want to know about <span style="font-size: large;">you</span> – what things make you unique?
What would your character look like if you were in a book? What quirks do you
have that make you into a real, relatable human being? What would you add to
your inner-book-character if you could?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please share, I really do want to know!</span><!--EndFragment-->
Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-77143788427929075562013-04-11T09:00:00.000-05:002013-04-11T15:03:58.162-05:00Note to Self - Looking for Alaska<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A book review of Looking for Alaska by John Green. Mild spoilers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Note to Self:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p> </o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEk9Nvvt7uo577B-P1jAX0XyHGAeTJaqmDeogsz9UGSVVAuUn4fFhkPCJTnoB86JUtQCb1L56bgWTz9IcYz3nuCeAKRZg5Wvdof5VNgY52ku4h0R12XuGk3-8Ry-B7_kEt-D3IDP-8cwOb/s1600/looking+for+alaska.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEk9Nvvt7uo577B-P1jAX0XyHGAeTJaqmDeogsz9UGSVVAuUn4fFhkPCJTnoB86JUtQCb1L56bgWTz9IcYz3nuCeAKRZg5Wvdof5VNgY52ku4h0R12XuGk3-8Ry-B7_kEt-D3IDP-8cwOb/s1600/looking+for+alaska.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Looking-Alaska-John-Green/dp/0142402516/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365383570&sr=1-1&keywords=looking+for+alaska">*source</a></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes you are really going to hate a book at certain
points because things you don’t want to happen, happen and things you do want
to happen, don’t and you’re going to be mad at the author for this. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t be mad at the author. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just keep reading. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These books are usually the ones that mean more when you
finish. Because they make you forgive the author for putting you through such
heartache by making that heartache mean something. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And they make you think. They make you feel and ask and
wonder and search.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then they make you different.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those are the best kinds of books.</div>
<img alt=" photo about-page-divider4_zps945e21e9.png" border="0" src="http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt173/AudreyFuller/2013/about-page-divider4_zps945e21e9.png" />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Looking For Alaska is one of those books. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m noticing a trend with this John Green fellow. His words
are like manna to my soul. Then he crushes it. My soul, that is. And then
somehow, in some way, with the most perfect melody of words and ideas, he heals
it again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How do you do this, John Green? HOW?!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am in awe. (And
fighting off the jealousy of wanting to create words like he does, but I’ll put
that aside for now). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In so much awe that upon finishing the book, I couldn’t do anything else that
required brain power. It needed to recuperate. So I cleaned my bathtub. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because after a story like Looking for Alaska, I just need
to soak my body.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So those words, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
read way too fast, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
can soak into my soul.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And well, if I’m going to soak my body, I need a clean
bathtub.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<img alt=" photo about-page-divider_zps07d3483b.png" border="0" src="http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt173/AudreyFuller/Blog%20Design/about-page-divider_zps07d3483b.png" /><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Looking for Alaska is a story about finding yourself. About
being brave and taking risks and doing stupid things. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s about your first time making real friends, first cigarette,
first kiss, first blowjob, first time saying ‘I love you’ to the girl asleep
next to you. Your first prank, first loss, first time dealing with the crushing
weight of guilt. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
About going from a person who lives through books to being a
person who lives a story worth remembering and putting in a book. (fictional
story, but you get the idea, yes?) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s a story about forgiveness and searching for answers and
being silly when all you want to do is curl in a ball and cry. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then sometimes still curling in a ball and crying.
Because, as we learned from the Fault in Our Stars, emotions demand to be felt.
Even, or especially, when we try to run. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s about the Colonel, Pudge, Alaska, and Takumi. And a
little bit of Lana, the Eagle, Jake, Sara, and Kevin, too. And a stripper in an
inappropriate setting. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A story about loss and what-if’s and the anger of grief slowly
melting away. About learning that
anything that comes together will eventually fall apart. Sometimes too soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s a story about finding answers to life’s biggest
questions:<br />
~What happens to us when we die?<br />
~Why do good people get rotten lots in life? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And. and.<br />
~How will we ever get out of this labyrinth
of suffering?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s about loving your crooked neighbor, with your own
crooked heart.*<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
* quoted in the book, ascribed to Auden. No first name
given. And I am not proficient enough in poetry and literature to know who that
is. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<img alt=" photo about-page-divider5_zpsa5ad0305.png" border="0" src="http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt173/AudreyFuller/2013/about-page-divider5_zpsa5ad0305.png" />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recommendation:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
5 stars! Count ‘em
* * *
* *<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Highly recommend to
people looking for a read that is deep, but doesn’t necessarily always feel
deep.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Highly recommend to
people who love beautiful words usage.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Definitely
recommend for feminist – major female character is vocally feminist!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Hesitantly recommend
for people who mainly prefer stories with idealist, happy endings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tissue Count:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Should have been more but I was in bed and too lazy to get
up unless I literally couldn’t breathe anymore. Be prepared with at least 5 if
you are a crier. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Details for more cautious readers:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Has drinking, smoking, and drug references, all used by
teenagers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mentions teenage sex often, including two semi-intense make
out scenes (kissers on top of each other, with touching of breasts) and a
description of a male receiving oral sex. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That said, I don’t think this should turn most people away
from reading this story. Most of these things are portrayed in a negative light
(well, the substance use and oral sex at least), rather than romanticizing them
as something good. If you have more questions or concerns in this area, let me
know. <o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-51604757425448393312013-04-10T10:06:00.001-05:002013-04-10T10:06:50.702-05:00Road Trip Wednesday: Let's Go to the Movies!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Veronica Mars
Kickstarter success makes us wonder,</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">what YA book would you raise $2 million to
see a movie version of?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.yahighway.com/"><img src="http://goo.gl/k0hW9" width="150" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">From <a href="http://www.yahighway.com/" target="_blank">YA Highway</a>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Road Trip Wednesday is a
‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or
reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop
from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This is my first time taking
part in Road Trip Wednesday. I have wanted to participate for a while, but was
waiting for this blog to get going. It’s going, so here we are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt=" photo about-page-divider_zps07d3483b.png" border="0" src="http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt173/AudreyFuller/Blog%20Design/about-page-divider_zps07d3483b.png" />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">What YA book would I want to
raise $2 million to see as a movie?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">(Luckily, my favorite book - Divergent - is already being made into a movie. I might die of excitement.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">My first gut reaction to
this question is – Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Or Fire or Bitterblue. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcETvneYTIqdflGt7TOtNlVokTMqKgGPmMTX-Vl6n6oT8zWS58TaXI9GL_wDdHyhTGQOp1yr4JV3lErh_VzJKtTD7Zn6ZqLeNMO8b0AVcouRwRT1VN_EwAn3yT5McfEahiPWeCKKhyphenhyphenkssZ/s1600/9780152063962_100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcETvneYTIqdflGt7TOtNlVokTMqKgGPmMTX-Vl6n6oT8zWS58TaXI9GL_wDdHyhTGQOp1yr4JV3lErh_VzJKtTD7Zn6ZqLeNMO8b0AVcouRwRT1VN_EwAn3yT5McfEahiPWeCKKhyphenhyphenkssZ/s1600/9780152063962_100.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/hmhbooks/graceling/" target="_blank">* source</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I liked Bitterblue the best
so I would love to see it as a movie, but it would need the set up of Graceling
and Fire to reach it’s full potential.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But seriously? This world
turned into a movie would be phenomenal. I would love to see all those different-eye-colored
Gracelings on screen. I need to see Po and Katsa together, Fire and Brigan,
Bitterblue and Saf. The fights, the survival, the Leck-infestested country – it
would be a beautiful thing to see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">However. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Those movies all need WAY
more than $2 million to be made well. So, I’m just going to hope that some film
makers see the potential of these books soon and get that film rolling. Because
I. Need. It.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, a YA novel that I loved,
but think could be made well on a smaller budget?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Delirium by Lauren Oliver –
and, of course, Pandemonium and Requiem.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEaAFUgp4WEs4JAhYfEVLf_dvY9rcywdaFkdggXW8Ny5qbWtN99dvg4O5odeN2Ipyev0lUNaxrBZTGc2pLvQsboGaGod8VW0LnEmUo9vX3KEFq5yUEw983XbkylUBvrOUEUHdvMlxwBlA/s1600/book-delirium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEaAFUgp4WEs4JAhYfEVLf_dvY9rcywdaFkdggXW8Ny5qbWtN99dvg4O5odeN2Ipyev0lUNaxrBZTGc2pLvQsboGaGod8VW0LnEmUo9vX3KEFq5yUEw983XbkylUBvrOUEUHdvMlxwBlA/s200/book-delirium.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com/delirium.php" target="_blank">*source</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I adored this series as
well. With dystopian fiction being my favorite genre, I was almost mad at
Lauren for coming up with this idea before me! Then, I realized that as a
just-starting-with-no-formal-experience writer, the story was much better told
by Lauren than I would ever have been able to do. So, I’m very glad she got to
it first.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But a society that has
outlawed LOVE? That has attempted to fix all the problems we silly love-struck
humans encounter? I’d love to see that come alive on screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’d even more love to see
Lena illegally fall in love with Alex. YES PLEASE!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I love that the Veronica
Mars start-up is happening. I never watched the show. But I love the idea that
the consumers of stories – whether books or tv shows – might begin to have more
say in what is made into movies. We’re the ones watching movies – why not get
our opinions on what would make great movies?!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt=" photo about-page-divider4_zps945e21e9.png" border="0" src="http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt173/AudreyFuller/2013/about-page-divider4_zps945e21e9.png" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">What books, YA or other, would YOU like to see made into a movie?</span><!--EndFragment-->Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-68533570862711012052013-04-10T09:00:00.000-05:002013-04-10T09:00:01.018-05:00Gotta love that OLD BOOK smellI'm trying to keep my book expenses down. Which is a hard thing to do when all you want to do is read all day long. But, I'm trying.<br />
<br />
I'm also trying to not buy a bunch of books I'm super excited to read because, let's face it, I have 4 weeks or so left of school and way more assignments than I know how to finish in time. If I have books I'm dying to read...guess who doesn't get to graduate? Me.<br />
<br />
Keeping those two efforts in mind, but still needing to get some book shopping in to keep my sanity, I went to Half Price Books the other weekend.<br />
<br />
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I FOUND?!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
A really old copy of Treasure Island for only $8...</div>
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Can you guess when it was printed? </div>
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I'm still a little amazed by it...</div>
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See that?! 1919. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">1919</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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What the?! How did I get a book printed in 1919 for only $8?</div>
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I don't even know.</div>
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First page:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBCwSTBBtrv8WUpiTsfoE5C67SzXWxywpyWc_wiqIhZzO1-qIJKDKivTjILwe0z77-An8I5o2XYCVn3A5X9G_UqaKSD_5LnsVlcWfXGfsiMKXBHbH3kQMaIR-3TAwPK5Eq6IODTFkarw8/s1600/treasure+island+title+page.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBCwSTBBtrv8WUpiTsfoE5C67SzXWxywpyWc_wiqIhZzO1-qIJKDKivTjILwe0z77-An8I5o2XYCVn3A5X9G_UqaKSD_5LnsVlcWfXGfsiMKXBHbH3kQMaIR-3TAwPK5Eq6IODTFkarw8/s400/treasure+island+title+page.JPG" width="386" /></a></div>
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I honestly don't know when/if I'll ever read this. </div>
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But you better believe I love having it!! </div>
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I just wish there were some writing in it from previous owners; </div>
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I always find that fascinating.</div>
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First thing I did when I realized how old it was? </div>
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You guessed it - </div>
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Flipped the pages open to the middle,</div>
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Stuck my nose in it</div>
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And breathed in as deeply as my lungs would allow.</div>
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Then, smiled. </div>
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What's your favorite thing about old books?</div>
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<br />Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-11310426646097848772013-04-09T09:00:00.000-05:002013-04-09T19:29:40.666-05:009/30 Part 1 - 10 People of Influence<span style="font-size: large;">9: List 10 people who have influenced your life and describe how.</span><br />
<br />
So, I realized that if I said everything I wanted to about these 10 people (or groups of people), this post would be pages and pages long. So, each number gets its own post to save you from getting too bored.<br />
<br />
I feel much more able to do each person/group justice to the amount of influence they have had on my life.<br />
<br />
The list:<br />
(in order of when they will be posted, not importance to me; that order would be impossible to commit to)<br />
<br />
1. Jessica and the Seattle gang<br />
2. Amanda and the Coding Lab gang<br />
3. My high school band director<br />
4. Veronica Roth (yep, you're getting more of that)<br />
5. My Mission President<br />
6. McKenzie<br />
7. June Bee<br />
8. Malorie<br />
9. My Sisters<br />
10. -Honestly, I'm still deciding who this is/will be, therefore, the order may change a little, we'll see<br />
<img alt=" photo about-page-divider4_zps945e21e9.png" border="0" src="http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt173/AudreyFuller/2013/about-page-divider4_zps945e21e9.png" /><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#1. Jessica and the rest of the Seattle gang</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(disclaimer: No, we were not an actual gang).</span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwaoQrZVGtywHY7512PUHWL3mvLJtEAizzWu9W1PrNlYRVTyeApO1DfCv-5_IvXuD9KStKPhKqMLp4_BkJEgiANp_ezLVn6NKoELqPHVkGblLECpyBttuXxcHKB0ARQVeWPn_FQKD_avj/s1600/seattle+skyline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwaoQrZVGtywHY7512PUHWL3mvLJtEAizzWu9W1PrNlYRVTyeApO1DfCv-5_IvXuD9KStKPhKqMLp4_BkJEgiANp_ezLVn6NKoELqPHVkGblLECpyBttuXxcHKB0ARQVeWPn_FQKD_avj/s320/seattle+skyline.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The summer of
2008 was spent in Seattle with an amazing group of girls. We lived in 3 top
floor penthouses in an old apartment complex right next to I-5. We had roof
access, needed keys in the elevator to get to our floor, slept in rooms big
enough to fit 3 people easily with a kitchen that could barely fit two. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">We were there
doing research on families and what promotes healthy family outcomes. That was
good experience for sure, but it is not what sticks out to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">What sticks out
is how I changed that summer. How I drove to Seattle by myself because I was
too scared to drive that far with someone I barely knew; I didn’t really know anyone I would be living with for the next 4
months. And then somehow, drove away feeling like my heart, which finally felt
whole and healthy and happy, was being ripped out of my chest. Going from not
knowing these girls, to feeling like I didn’t know how to live without them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcKGNAR3qpjUA3kDC-Wxr3Qm0wVJnWFThfhyphenhyphenoKm08nuXNTTvJKvHbSFH4qhjM3zfYeVLIxJcGbyyXro4t2MlYHVQRPbIsklv3Pp-Q8VgdcyxrY0JsjypK3zrGu_D7OD8232SUlcO7sxdm/s1600/seattle+crazy+glasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcKGNAR3qpjUA3kDC-Wxr3Qm0wVJnWFThfhyphenhyphenoKm08nuXNTTvJKvHbSFH4qhjM3zfYeVLIxJcGbyyXro4t2MlYHVQRPbIsklv3Pp-Q8VgdcyxrY0JsjypK3zrGu_D7OD8232SUlcO7sxdm/s320/seattle+crazy+glasses.jpg" width="320" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The course of my
life changed forever that summer. And it was because of Jessica. And Brittany
1, Brittany 2, Cherice, and Janae. Because of Stephanie and Danielle and Jami
and Kimber and Jennifer and Celeste and Charity and Chara and Rhea and Malvina
and Valerie. (and please tell me I didn’t forget anyone. If I did – sorry!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">That combination
of girls was somehow perfect, God-led and God-inspired, to change me. But the
thing is, I didn’t actually change at all. What changed was my perception of
myself. My acceptance of who I was. The realization that I was not nearly as
deficient as I had always thought. The knowledge – yes, knowledge, not just belief
– that these girls accepted me. That they loved me. And nothing I could do would
change that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I learned that
they didn’t just kinda like me in spite of my flaws. But they loved me because
of them. And that difference, if you haven’t felt, is huge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4n1OzssfKDMRCzX0b6M8zUo5DNk0wVUFpF61bV0la1-E0b4ST3NrcosFZ17ROAQ9yN57ZWLgMG1ke95C49-qjGbtOfErc9OPobdlqA5fCvUmoPSRD3C32sZXdS0rpdp3QtJGrhStPEvr/s1600/faces+at+the+beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4n1OzssfKDMRCzX0b6M8zUo5DNk0wVUFpF61bV0la1-E0b4ST3NrcosFZ17ROAQ9yN57ZWLgMG1ke95C49-qjGbtOfErc9OPobdlqA5fCvUmoPSRD3C32sZXdS0rpdp3QtJGrhStPEvr/s320/faces+at+the+beach.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I learned that
the things about myself that I was always a little embarrassed about were
actually strengths and qualities that endeared me to other people. Never, and I
do mean never, had that possibility entered my heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Through Randy
(the project director), I learned that I was not just simply shy. My whole life
had been determined and colored by the fact that I thought I was shy; there was
something wrong with me; I was different and could never truly be accepted as
long as I had those differences, except by a very select few. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">He taught us
(though it felt like he was just teaching me because of the lightning bolts
shooting across my brain, rewiring all of my previously held beliefs) about
introversion and extroversion. He taught me that to be introverted does not
mean I am shy, but that I renew my energy stores by being alone, by thinking
and processing my world, rather than by being with people. For the first time,
I realized I didn’t have to change who I was to be loved by others, and more
importantly, to be loved by myself.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUgyNjIVZuoeyw8Ne5vtDKU_DOQEk99FH3fqbMBo0HaMvIgGmlnGAK4N9t9C1G5FoV36aLXD6MprNu3Hg8eoZmyCNMDD6GdhkC9JaYLLHS13Tw3ZcdZe-RyMf5NjwLRVi9MhblpRNW6IX/s1600/rachel+the+pig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUgyNjIVZuoeyw8Ne5vtDKU_DOQEk99FH3fqbMBo0HaMvIgGmlnGAK4N9t9C1G5FoV36aLXD6MprNu3Hg8eoZmyCNMDD6GdhkC9JaYLLHS13Tw3ZcdZe-RyMf5NjwLRVi9MhblpRNW6IX/s320/rachel+the+pig.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I learned that I
was not inherently wrong or bad or in need of a major personality overhaul.
That actually, I was quite normal. And that my feelings about myself did not
have to be determined by the society that taught me I was wrong, that I could
defy the extroverted ideal and embrace this central part of my identity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I learned from
Jessica in particular, that two people, who are extreme opposites on the
introverted/extroverted scale, can become incredibly close friends and balance
each other out. I learned how to work through differences because of greater
understanding rather than assuming my friend didn’t love me or wanted to hurt
me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Leaving that
group of people, and Jessica especially, was the hardest thing I’d done up to
that point. Almost everyone else was going to be at BYU together the next year,
but I was moving home and soon to leave on an 18-month mission. It broke my
heart to know that I would not be there with all of them. That they would all
be graduated by the time I got back. That chances were very high that I would
not have that same relationship with any of them ever again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PKzgFceKOsdSg4kTwCK0Rhp_f75q2fqh8hFeCCiczAAEEmOFIi2LtoC2IAcLoozt99m3gg-ttBgbkiNFYqNSgEdvYcddQRRjCQ3PRBqp0fkZUh2W5rZcltc6McOGvsmvnWhTlhrEbune/s1600/s+j+r+ferry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PKzgFceKOsdSg4kTwCK0Rhp_f75q2fqh8hFeCCiczAAEEmOFIi2LtoC2IAcLoozt99m3gg-ttBgbkiNFYqNSgEdvYcddQRRjCQ3PRBqp0fkZUh2W5rZcltc6McOGvsmvnWhTlhrEbune/s320/s+j+r+ferry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">My heart felt
like it was getting ripped out my chest when I got a package from Jessica full
of reminders of our summer as roommates in that Seattle penthouse apartment
because I missed her so much and longed for those days to return. My stomach
dropped to the floor when I realized I had lost her address so I couldn’t write
her back. I still regret being careless about that little piece of paper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">When I returned
from my mission, and went back to Provo, I slipped into the closest thing to a
depression as I’d ever felt because those people I loved were not there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Sidenote: that
was when I fell in love with and became obsessed with Supernatural. I was hurting
so much, felt so empty, and knew literally no one but my brother, that I became
a little addicted to the adrenaline I felt when I watched those first scary
episodes of Seasons 1 and 2. I replaced my emptiness with adrenaline and
couldn’t get enough. You know, of the adrenaline AND those gorgeous men).</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTy9GQV6wieSR1OyAVroZ5xyYsjVLLTQoZUdTCPSAcIL3ppiR6nwqZ8kcYm9ZVbL4NtQEnf2733EGF1n5NAOliQGzp_n5iOcoOxKDeSJBSw0wUDKBk8vt6DF8xTooPgj0tcVbBn9-_4PJb/s1600/seattle+roommate+reunion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTy9GQV6wieSR1OyAVroZ5xyYsjVLLTQoZUdTCPSAcIL3ppiR6nwqZ8kcYm9ZVbL4NtQEnf2733EGF1n5NAOliQGzp_n5iOcoOxKDeSJBSw0wUDKBk8vt6DF8xTooPgj0tcVbBn9-_4PJb/s320/seattle+roommate+reunion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I still miss
these friends all the time. Some I saw a few times my last year at BYU, some I
didn’t. But I know that they all still care about me, just as I still care
about them. And that if we ever were to get together, it would be just like old
times. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">And even if it
weren’t, 2008 in Seattle was still the best summer of my life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Because these
girls picked up a mirror and showed me who I was and taught me to love that
person I’d seen staring back at me for 21 years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>And for that, I
will always, always be grateful.</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CkKR6x_hTRqP7tHiITHFbn_AY5QXJzvBP6fiGz1Qg3IV60LQ_wYFSk2taxxVSljiFH8VhsWPUXkD2Pi-BrInO1tCOA3vmIlVhNxNX-YNGslYbSCKUiLp_XQujvWpiY7zcDLKToJuKOOh/s1600/seattle+hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CkKR6x_hTRqP7tHiITHFbn_AY5QXJzvBP6fiGz1Qg3IV60LQ_wYFSk2taxxVSljiFH8VhsWPUXkD2Pi-BrInO1tCOA3vmIlVhNxNX-YNGslYbSCKUiLp_XQujvWpiY7zcDLKToJuKOOh/s640/seattle+hat.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">To all of my Seattle friends: I miss you. Most of you I see updates of your lives on Facebook and it makes me happy to see that you are doing well. I wish each of you all the best - for what you gave me, you seriously deserve everything. Love you forever and thanks again. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Next up: Remember that
almost depression I talked about? Well, Amanda and the coding lab are the ones
who saved me from that. </span></span><!--EndFragment-->Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993896541497130508.post-48514271259408032402013-04-08T21:09:00.003-05:002013-04-08T21:09:54.350-05:00Literary Rambles - Interview and ARC contest!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I recently started following a new blog, <a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/" target="_blank">Literary Rambles</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It spotlights Middle Grade and Young Adult books, authors, agents, and publishing companies. Seriously, a gold mine of great information. I want to digest it all and am a little overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge to help me in my (LONG) journey of becoming a published author. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Obviously, I am not the only one who finds this site valuable, as there are over 3,000 followers!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today, Natalie Aguirre posted an interview with debut author <a href="http://www.kitgrindstaff.com/" target="_blank">Kit Grindstaff</a>, including a contest for an ARC of her novel The Flame in the Mist, which is releasing tomorrow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is the synopsis of The Flame in the Mist, as included in the interview (originally found on Goodreads):</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3mvzQ0QCcjuROONdPGowyg2rytkMf6jdlP5ReajnS_vnZFaEpxq6-8lhImlW3wqBCp2ySGDLWNj_aDbpfsgP1H_oRFPDqyFzwv__RyOe1Xx7W69BJ7NWq-Zg0OW55Vss8h2B3CxY3DH6/s1600/flame+in+the+mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3mvzQ0QCcjuROONdPGowyg2rytkMf6jdlP5ReajnS_vnZFaEpxq6-8lhImlW3wqBCp2ySGDLWNj_aDbpfsgP1H_oRFPDqyFzwv__RyOe1Xx7W69BJ7NWq-Zg0OW55Vss8h2B3CxY3DH6/s1600/flame+in+the+mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Set in an imagined past, this dark fantasy-adventure is for fans of Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass. Features Jemma, a fiery-headed heroine held captive in Agromond Castle, yet destined to save mist-shrouded Anglavia.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Fiery-headed Jemma Agromond is not who she thinks she is, and when the secrets and lies behind her life at mist-shrouded Agromond Castle begin to unravel, she finds herself in a chilling race for her life. Ghosts and misfits, a stone and crystals, a mysterious book, an ancient prophecy—all these reveal the truth about Jemma's past and a destiny far greater and more dangerous than she could have imagined in her wildest fantasies. With her telepathic golden rats, Noodle and Pie, and her trusted friend, Digby, Jemma navigates increasingly dark forces, as helpers both seen and unseen, gather. But in the end, it is her own powers that she must bring to light, for only she has the key to defeating the evil ones and fulfilling the prophecy that will bring back the sun and restore peace in Anglavia.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">*<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Flame-Mist-Kit-Grindstaff/dp/0385742908/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365470688&sr=8-1&keywords=the+flame+in+the+mist" target="_blank">Image source</a> - buy it now on Amazon! (Or elsewhere, but this link is for Amazon) :)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">The interview is amazing for anyone interested in publishing. Lots of great advice on marketing AND the author shares her story of publishing a book without an Agent! I didn't even know that was possible. I've never really considered writing a middle grade (MG) book, but I am thinking about it now after hearing how much more rare MG authors are. The sooner we get kids interested in reading, the better, right?!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">If you are interested in the book, author, or interview, check it out <a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/2013/04/kit-grindstaff-interview-and-flame-in.html" target="_blank">here</a>!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">If you also want to be in the running for the ARC (advanced reader copy) contest, head over to the interview and make a comment. You get two entries if you mention the contest in some other form of social media (twitter, facebook, blog, etc)!</span></span><br />
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Rachel Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03370885226251544547noreply@blogger.com1