Today's prompt: Describe your writing space. Focus on the smallest details possible, not the big ones. Don't say there is a chair in the room; give details about the wear patterns of the rug under the chair, or the paint chips, or the dog hair in the cushion. Go small to tell big.

If you don't have a writing space yet, describe your dream space.


My dream space...

It consists of nothing but wear and tear. the keyboard is worn down on the e and s keys. I think I use those the most. Then there is the orange fuzzy carpeting that I will have had made especially for my writing room. There will be an orb chair that is perfectly round but perfectly fits my body and all its creativity. the door will be covered with calendars on the inside, and on the outside will be warnings: "do not enter", "cuidado!", or "beware of writer". The walls are covered in my own stuff and my desk that should be used for expressing my creativity is instead clad with post-its and paper napkins where I write random thoughts. My guitar sits alone, used for its melodic quality when, at times, I feel a song coming. When a story tramples up from the piles of thoughts in my brain, I create a masterpiece.

Today's prompt: Last night my husband made me an incredible dinner; the kind of meal that you make for someone you're dating when you are ready for the relationship to go to the next level. (Is there anything as nice as being courted by your spouse? I don't think so.)
Write about preparing that kind of meal. It can be from your POV or that of a character. It could be the meal you'd like your beloved to make for you. Focus on taste and smell and making your reader very, very hungry.


   My favorite meal will hopefully take place after I am married. We will have been happily married for a few year and never happier with each other. I will cook my husband his favorite meal, hopefully breakfast-for-dinner. He won't be expecting it, so I will be preparing it carefully. 
   As he walks in the door clad in a button down shirt, slacks, and a tie, I will take his bag from him and also his jacket. He'll say, "what did you cook?" and I will simply reply, "a little bit of a surprise". He will smell garlic and onions that i cooked with the home fries, the corned beef hash, the fluffiness of the scrambled eggs, and the gentle burn of english muffins toasted to perfection. In his eyes I will see appreciation as he sits down and we say grace.
   The meal then begins with him telling me about his day and once he is finished, I will tell him I love him and that's why I cooked this meal for him. It will be a gift for me to see that loving expression that he offers. He will want to do the dishes afterward, and I will tell him not to because he had a long day at work. After I start the dishes, he will come up behind me in mid-wash and he will wrap his arms around me, spin me around, look into my eyes, and tell me that he appreciates every little bit of me. I will ask, "every single bit of me?", and he will reply yes, kissing my neck and then my lips as the plate is thrown onto the kitchen counter and I am gently whisked away.

Today's prompt: Write down the last dream you had. Was it boring? Then write down the last memorable dream you had. Can't remember your dreams? Then write down the last memorable dream that you heard about. Focus on feeling the emotional state of the dream. When you reach the end of the decription, keep writing, Make the dream come alive for fifteen minutes.

Oh wow. The last dream I had was about someone showing up at my house and doing something unpredictable.

WFMAD starts now!

He showed up out of the blue, as if from out of thin air. The surprise was ironically welcome from me because I had been having doubts at the time. A certain sweatshirt was worn, and I was in my pajamas, alone in my house. So many of those things feel like they should be right where they were that morning. The things he said, though, were unexpected. he promised change, and whenI doubted him he kissed me, the kiss exploding and presenting fireworks in front of us. This change was also welcome because I want it. I mean, so many things went wrong and I can't explain them to him because he wouldn't understand. He promised no yelling, no arguing, for compromising and love. Everything would change.
Then I awoke. My day started off horribly because I woke up to find he wasn't there.

A already like it! Along For the Ride, which I bought immediately after school today, is good. I have only read 10 pages but it's great!

***************************************************************************

It's been a while since I've blogged.

Well, all I can say is that I've had a quite eventful month.

 

The only reason I happened to bring this up now when it originally occurred two weeks ago was because I just bought Sarah Dessen's newly released novel, Along For The Ride, which reminded me that people do split up. *Hoping that this doesnt happen to me*.

Speaking of which, on a happier note, i have never been happier. EVER. As I am seventeen and a half, I think sometimes about what marriage could be like but I understand that I have no absolute idea whatsoever. I do wonder what it's like to wake up each morning in the arms of your SO, like Haley and Nathan after that marshall law thunderstorm, or like Peyton and Lucas after Honey Grove prom. It would seem nice, and I just hope that some time soon, I get to experience that. Not so much the whole losing your virginity thing (very personal, SORRY) at seventeen and a half, but the whole feeling of waking up and knowing that someone that cares about you is right there, next to you, and waking up beside someone who cares about them, too.

To continue on the whole June tangent, I went to NJ to visit family this past weekend. It was not so eventful as a "vacation", but you get the picture. Seeing family, will travel.

June 23rd is the last day of school. Class Day already happened, making me officially a senior in high school. Hoping to make some wonderful and life-changing but good adjustments in the near future.

June 24th is the night I go with my sisters and awesome uncle to see No Doubt and Paramore @ Mohegan Sun. Going to be great considering Paramore's live sets are phenomenal.

I go back to trabaja after our amazing softball wins in D1 for both JV and Varsity, again both against Cumberland. I work 3 days a week (or have been, I don't know about summer yet). I am hoping to make a lot of money because I need a lot of money for college and I need to go on scholarships, so I'm hoping the money will get me everything I need to live at universidad by June 2010.

I have started planning road trips. I'm talking destinations -- not so much dinero wise considering I do have to work. I'm planning New England because I don't want to travel way too far, and I'm hoping that Prom Date will have the opportunity to travel conmigo if it's considerably close, and maybe we can experience that whole waking-up-next-to-each-other type of feeling. Again, not the *personal* part. Considerations go to: Cape Cod, Mass., Newport, RI, Boston, Mass., Old Orchard Beach, ME (which is a stretch but I'm going for it!), and Martha's Vineyard. Espero que si voy al Maine, I can visit University of Southern Maine as a possibility for universidad.

By the way, I'm not half spanish or anything, I just need to practice hablando for my examen.

Hope that was long enough for you.
 

Every song on my iPod. There are 399 songs. The only songs I do not know are 2 Christian songs, 5 songs by Matt Nathanson, and 2 songs by Gavin DeGraw.

That rebel moon is shining, those stars burn like diamonds - hell bent on chasing down that crazy slide. I'll follow you where you're leading to the first sweet taste of freedom. You've got me running baby, wild at heart.

Nikki

Song of the Week:
Wedding Dress by Matt Nathanson (Peyton might die!)
Wild At Heart by Gloriana (it's country).

It's been 20 something weeks. I just got really bored in Capstone.

Here's my poetry from last year. I mean 2007 last year. So I currently sit here wondering why I don't write anymore. I think I've taken a writing vacation, hopefully not permanent because I love writing. I just have no problems to write about. Okay I lied. I knid of do. But not that I truly want to express it, but now I think I KNOW how to express it except through writing. Now I suppose it is through music. So I will attempt to write later.

In Love With A Song,
Nicole

So my little sister and Sarah wanted to live together...they got their wish. I have always wanted my own room :P
So here I am, with a laptop (hers) and my OWN ROOM!

Name: Nicole.
The state you call home: Rhode Island (it's still small).
Grade: Junior.
Why you joined this community: I just recopied a survey.

 

Using the community name Sarah_land, describe your personality:
Sun-kissed
Always smiling.
Reality check.
Avid reader.
Handles issues terribly.

Lazy.
Always searching.
Never finding.
Desperately missing someone.

Name something you have in common with:
Colie: (KTM) Name! and changing appearance (she went overweight to skinny, I went opposite).
Remy: (TL) Didn't really believe in love until I saw it change someone with my own eyes, whether it be me or not.
Macy: (TTAF) Feels like something is missing with her father gone; feel like my mind is missing half the time.
Caitlin: (D) Trying to find a way out of things, whether they are my issues or not.
Halley: (SLY) the girl who is left out, but somehow included.
Haven: (TS) kind of left out, compared to siblings.
Annabel: (LAK) falling for guy with obsessive music disorder (I made up that disorder).

Five Things you’d like to do before you die:
1. publish a book.
2. sing at a bar on silly karaoke night.
3. talk about things.
4. drive to New Jersey and stay the entire summer with a few relatives.
5. go to Greece.

Three other books you think Sarah Dessen readers would love:
1. The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
2. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
3. Forever by Judy Blume (last person put this as well, and I agreed with her reasoning, which I am not stating)

So here I am. There you are, on your computer. Reading this. Am I boring you? Good.

Kidding!

I just finished my second paragraph of my NKOTB music review article for the school paper...I have procrastinated on the Thanksgiving commentary and Marching Band nonsense. I still have to interview students for the MB stuff and teachers/adults/momanddad for the thanksgiving piece. I am very thankful that we have conferences on Monday and Election Day Tuesday (*gasp! wish I could vote*), leaving me to complete all these articles by Wednesday's deadline, which also happens to be the same deadline as my Literary Research Paper on Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Let me just finish by saying, "lit papers are so overdramatic. If I understand the book and passed the test and actually read without SparkNotes, shouldn't I be alright?"

I'll let your brain sleep on that.

Song of the Week:
"Rock N Roll" by Eric Hutchinson ("You Oughtta Know" Artist this week on Vh1, plus he is a smidge good-looking).

Movie of the Week:
Prom Night (although it scared the poop out of me and I screamed when she hit the lampshade).

Book of the Week:
That Summer by Sarah Dessen (Yes, I know...I just read it even though I have read all her other novels. If I had read them in order of publish date I would be able to piece together all the puzzles of characters and who makes what cameo in which book).

So I started this as a comment to Sarah Dessen about her novels...which turned out to be not-so-short in length and detail. So I tell you this journey and describe the path I took toward reading her novels - all eight.

   "So I assume you receive hundreds of comments a day regarding your books, So I guess you can include this with one.
   I have been reading your novels nonstop-started with Dreamland, which I own, two years ago, then I found a copy of This Lullaby in our library, which does NOT have a copy of Lock and Key (gasp! I asked the librarian to order it). then I read Lock and Key after my English authors project for my final, which I got an A+ on after reading This Lullaby. After I bought Lock and Key, and read it, I found my cousin's copy of Just Listen. After THAT, I found my way through a previously started copy of The Truth About Forever, which I tried too much to scurry through, but reread the beginning and fell in love. I managed to watch How To Deal on TV and decided, hey, I need to buy That Summer and  Someone Like You so I can read those. Finally, I just finished That Summer, and am 1/4 way through Someone Like You. I would like to read How to Deal to see the mixing of books. 
   But I did not fall in love with Keeping the Moon as I did with the other seven novels. For some reason, I just find it hard to read books about girls like me, who happen to have the same name as me and share a bit of similar struggles. I will learn to love it eventually."

That is my simply complicated, oxy-moronic story of my journey through Sarah Dessen's novels.

Song of the Week:
Songs In My Pocket by Bethany Joy Galeotti (search "Bethany Joy Lenz" or "One Tree Hill Soundtrack" - she plays Haley James Scott on the series)

Language of the Week:
Spanish (Me gusta la idioma de español porque yo lo hablo bien)...That means, "I like the Spanish language because I speak it well".

So I don't know if you've noticed, anyone. But things with me and Bree went downhill after Labor Day on September 1st. Since then, I've prayed a lot and boy, did I doubt the power of God, even when I know I shouldn't have. Suddenly tonight, I felt the need after prayer [after I got in bed] to go look at Randi's blog [Randi is the coolest leader of the huddle leaders at my camp, FCA], theCORE. And it kind of got me going. I felt at ease and then suddenly, I looked to my MySpace inbox and there was a comment from Bree, saying we should talk because she misses me. And I have to admit, I never thought that I could find it within myself to actually talk to her. So I sent this long message to her. I ramble a lot, but tonight more than usual. And In the middle of the last paragraph [yes, paragraph], I began to cry. The tears are just drying up now. But at that one second I realized that it's not a coincidence that she commented me. And I thank God for that.

So things have been changing for me. And it looks like it's all for the better.

Nicole

PS: The link for theCORE is knowlivelove.wordpress.com/
It's mostly for girls, but everyone is welcome to read. Mandee writes in it. Randi writes in it. I think even Katie wrote in it too. These girls are amazing.

I forgot! Favorites!

Show of the Week:
Private Practice, featuring Kate Walsh from Grey's Anatomy Season 1-3 [I missed the season premiere on Wednesday].

Song of the Week:
Cheated on Me by Gavin DeGraw [new single]. I loved it before it hit the air!


Nicole

Hey everyone and anyone who may read this.
   I apologize for being so caught up in everything. Junior year is getting to me already, and it's only been a month since school started. So many things have changed and have been changing since my last post. For example, it is freezing outside. I can play a whole bunch more songs than before. My room looks totally different. I have been to two football games with marching band. I have a boyfriend :D.
   Some things have not changed, though. I have not been able to write a song, or music, or any kind of poem, story, etc., which is somewhat upsetting because I may want to go to college and study creative writing. I need to get a move on!
   I realized just now that I have not completed the Saturday/Sunday Six. Maybe I should do that.

1. As you all may know by now, Gavin DeGraw was NOT on the plane that crashed in South Carolina. But, Travis Barker and DJ AM were injured. AS far as I know, they are okay. I am just thankful that Gavin was not even close to that plane, because the rest of the people died, and that is tragic. TRAGIC!
2. All my favorite TV shows are on a one-week hiatus. This includes Grey's, OTH, 90210, Gossip Girl (I believe), and Privileged (which I do not watch but know about). In place, I suppose, is Private Practice, the Grey's spinoff with Kate Walsh. I am not exactly sure when that premieres, but I know it will be on a Wednesday.
3. I have finally watched Sydney White! I think it's a great movie. If only college were really like that (minus the Sara Paxton as that Witchburn girl), it would be awesome. And speaking of college, not sure where to go yet. I know where I want to apply, I just have to narrow it down. I'm so nervous about making a decision this big. I feel like I'm not even ready to do something like this, because I feel like I can handle it and then everything turns around.
4. My school talent show is coming up in November, and today I am rehearsing with my friend, Roxy. I have rehearsed with Brianna, who is currently asleep in my room with both of my sisters. She is either going to sing "It's Only Life", "Kindly Unspoken" (both by Kate Voegele), "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain, or any of the other 300 songs we played yesterday. Again, I am an early riser, so no one is up (at all). But anyway-Roxy is coming over to practice "Where You Lead" by Carole King. Everyone keeps asking me if I can play guitar for them in this talent show. I feel loved!
5. I have officially argued with 3 people over Obama and McCain, and also the VP Debate. FInally!
6. Six is a lot, huh? I'm running out of things to say. Oh yes- I love campfires! We had one last night even though it was aout 40 degrees outside. We had smores, blankets, and cuddling (hehe). Campfires are the best!

Logging off now. Gotta go find some people and wake them up!
Nicole

Here I am in Spanish class. Trying to write a reflection.

So I wanted to do a Saturday Six last night, but it didn't end up happening because the keyboard on my mom's computer broke. I don't know why or how, it just happened. But then the draft wasn't saved and the computer went haywire this morning, and well, here I am at quarter of ten in the morning, attempting a late Saturday Six.

1. (Gossip Girl &) One Tree Hill Season Six premiered last Monday. I won't tell you what happened in the episode, except one thing...Lucas and Peyton. Am I surprised? No, because they were meant to be together in the first place. Am I scared for them? Yes, because they are trying to elope. Or plan a wedding, says the next epi's caption. I'm afraid they might fall apart. They skipped over the whole let's-fall-in-love-all-over-again-four-years-later phase. Therefore, I can't wait until next episode. I don't have much to say about this. I just recommend you watch it for yourself (the rerun is on tonight at 7 pm on the CW).

2. 90210 premiered with a two-hour episode on Tuesday. I watched it last night, trying to figure out where everyone fits in. I know some old characters from reruns on SoapNet (SoapNet is also the reason I watch OTH because they play reruns every weekday from 1-3 and weekends from 10-12), like Jennie Garth, Shannen Doherty, and that dude who plays the principal. Since I researched and found that 90210 started October 4, 1990 and ran until 2000. Therefore, I was not even conceived yet. My parents could have forced me to watch it from the day after I was born [December 7, 1991] until we moved to RI in 2000, and then I would have known what was going on. But since it's a whole new season and some people don't know about it, it's like watching a new show premiere. So I am watching it. Also, the principal's daughter, Annie, who is played by Shenae Grimes, is still taping seasons Degrassi: The Next Generation on The-N ("TV for Teens"), which is one of my favorite channels.

3. One thing I really loved about this week was that I found out about my favorite band (National Product) played a show last night down the street from where I used to live seven years ago in New Jersey. So my favorite band playing in my favorite place in the world (which I also have to write about in English Honors) and I am missing it? Yes, I am still a little happy. Why? Because other people I love in the town that I love (whether they traveled to the gig through the hurricane or not) get to experience the music that I love so much. I just wish they would come to Rhode Island, that's all. And Danny Casler knows that he wants to come to Rhode Island, it's just that they have the entire tour thing with the band 1997 going on. Plus, Lupo's in Providence is the ONLY DARN PLACE FOR A GIG in RI and my mom just refuses to let me go. And I'm not allowed to drive on the highway let alone at night in the depths of Providence, a dangerous but beautiful place, alone or with friends, so I wouldn't be able to make it.

4. Italian subs are great. Those of you in NJ like to call the hoagies, but no matter - they are delicious. My mom made them last night. The bread was soggy from the dressing, but mine still tasted great. The decadent taste of tomato, meat, cheese, and banana peppers blend together so well. So try one! Ingredients: lettuce, tomato, italian dressing, (sometimes) onion, salami, prosciutto, provolone cheese, pickles, banana peppers, (sometimes) bologna and ham, and a submarine roll. Taste delicious cold or fresh from the oven, the edges of the roll perfectly burnt.

5. I hadn't realized how difficult this was to try and write six things! Anywho, one of my friends believes that I should try out for basketball at school or play recreational. But really - I despise running. I can do four bases and stealing, but suicides cross-court? No way. The best thing about me trying out is that I get to make a fool of myself. I can definitely shoot that ball into the hoop with no problem. The running is a different story. I can make three pointers, foul shots, corner shots, anything you ask of me. I just can't run that well. But it gives me something to do during the softball off-season and the winter is when softball players drown out exercise because they are in need of a break. Hopefully this is giving me a reason to stay fit.

6. Finally. I stumbled upon this quote that I will leave you with, whoever YOU are. I just wanted to say I wish I could dedicate this to someone because I have tried so hard and got so far (and here you can insert Linkin Park lyrics to "In The End") but you threw me off and disappointed me. If you ask if we're friends, I'll say "sure". You'd say, "like before?" and I'd say, "I don't think so. Like before is gone" (OTH). That's just how I feel.

"The only people you need in your life are the ones that prove they need you in theirs."  So far, proof is nothing.

But to really end on a good note:

"But once in a while people push on to something better. Something found just beyond the pain of going it alone and just beyond the bravery and courage it takes to let someone in. Or to give someone a second chance. Something beyond the quite persistence of a dream."
--Lucas, "Things I Forgot At Birth", Season 4 OTH

"At this moment there are 6,470,818,671 people in the world. Some are running scared. Some are coming home. Some tell lies to make it through the day. Others are just now facing the truth. Some are evil men, at war with good. And some are good, struggling with evil. Six billion people in the world. Six billion souls. And sometimes -- all you need is one."
--Peyton, "Like You Like An Arsonist", Season 3 OTH

Nicole

Pretty sure I used the last one a few times on here.

So my schedule goes like this:
1. Chem
2. Trig
3. Gym
4. Advanced band
5. History
6. English honors
7. Spanish 3 Honors

  So far, my favorite classes are Trig, Gym (no kidding), and Spanish. My history teacher yelled at me because I got my book at the wrong time, my Chem teacher rambles, people talk in band, and English isn't the same without the teacher I had last year. Spanish is easy because I had the teacher I have this year for my freshman year of Spanish 1. I'm just wicked busy with everything.
  This year I have to do these things:
a. School paper
b. World Language Club
c. Marching Band
d. Softball
e. Science Fair (not optional)
f. Find a date to Homecoming on Sept. 20 and Prom in April or May. 
g. Babysit 2 kids Wed - Fri. 
h. Not drive my car until it gets inspected on Wed.
  I am busy but this is what junior year is about, right?

Keep looking for my posts!

Nicole

Trying to figure out what I did or why I'm not coming through clear enough.
I believe that someone close to me has been leading people on. I hear both sides of the story as always, and of course, neither side is entirely completely truthful. I am very close to the people she engages with as well. It aggravates me that this person always plays victim, whether it be toward my almost-sister, another person, and yet another. Does anyone realize that playing victim in every single dramatic situation only makes you more unbelievable? This role is played by two people. 

It seems to be that both of these people have much in common. For example, claiming the Christian lifestyle as their own and continuing with sin. It bugs me to think that the two closest people in my life are the ones that may hurt me the most.

Nicole