Date: 2009-01-07 23:03 Subject: Writing exercise Security: Public Mood: tired Music: family guy Tags: writing

So, on a whim today, I got this book from the library, The Write-Brain Workbook: 366 Exercises to Liberate Your Writing. I've got a few more coming through ILL like it, as well. And I'm looking through this promptyprompt book, thinking, "Hey, I've got writery-type friends who might be interested in some of the, um, ~interesting promptyprompts." It actually did go kind of like that... What can I say, I'm tired.

Anyway! The point of this rambling is that I'm going to share prompts and writing exercises and shit! \o/


Pick the one word that most appeals to you:
Alabama Banister Carousel Diesel Exorcist

Pick another word that appeals to you:
Flatulence Garage Harried Insensitive Jambalaya

Pick one more word that appeals to you:
Keepsake Lamb Massage Nonsense Oriole


Now use these three words in a story, 500 words minimum.


*cracks whip* Now write!!! (The words I picked were carousel, jambalaya, and lamb, btw. I'm thinking zombies...)

Date: 2009-01-07 11:42 Subject: Horror movie meta Security: Public Mood: thirsty Tags: meta movies

I just read a great article by Simon Pegg about zombies (here). It's particularly interesting to me because I was just thinking about horror movies and what makes them scary this weekend.

See, I hang out with my sister and brother-in-law every weekend. Saturday night, Ken was flipping through the channels and came across the movie Vacancy. Now, I'm generally all for watching horror, but the thirty minutes or so of this film that we watched really bothered me; not because it was particularly scary, though. Gruesome, yes, scary, not really. The reason it freaked me out was because it was all too plausible.

I have to confess, I'm not a huge fan of slasher films. It's not that blood and guts bother me: I watch zombie films with very little qualm. It's the fact that that shit could happen. There are some freaky fuckers out there, you know? And some of them want to hurt people. And that... Yeah, that scares me.

Now, my sister, on the other hand, is terrified of zombies. She watches slasher movies with no problem, but flat out refuses to watch anything with zombies outside of Shaun of the Dead (at least we got her to watch that!). And I don't get it.

Zombies and other corporeal monsters (vampires, werewolves, are entirely unscary to me. Now, if I were to see one, that would be a different story, I'm sure. But that's not going to happen. Zombies don't exist, at least not that I've ever seen. Until I learn otherwise, there seems to be no point in getting myself all worked up about them.

Now, spiritual or non-corporeal monsters are a different story for me. Although those are my favorite horror stories, they're also the ones that genuinely scare me the most. I do believe in evil, and spirits/ghosts/whatever, so, the way I see it, that's the stuff that could happen, but you can't see it coming.

Now, the cool thing about the Simon Pegg article was that it made me think about psychological associations of monsters that I hadn't actually considered before. Zombies, to Pegg, represent the inexorability of death. Ok, I can actually get that. To me, though, the monsters represent the dark sides of humanity. Zombies are indicative of the mindlessness that drives people to do horrible things. Vamps are symbolic of the way one person can emotionally and psychologically drain someone else, eventually turning them into a monster like themselves. And werewolves... Well, I'm not really sure what I think of werewolves, to be honest, since I've never really cared for them.

Anyway, I'm not saying my interpretation is right or anything. I understand that mythological creatures have always been a part of society, and symbolize different things for different people. I'm actually trying to figure out what my interpretation says about me. Anyone want to psychoanalyze? :P

Date: 2009-01-06 12:04 Subject: Just in case? Security: Public Mood: hungry Music: The Academy Is... - Automatic Eyes

Just in case LJ goes boom (unlikely, but there is this), I'm all backed up & also on InsaneJournal. How to backup, as posted by brown_betty.

Anybody on JournalFen? How do you like it: better or worse than IJ?

K, back to work. *sniffles*

Date: 2008-12-15 17:36 Subject: Hai thar Security: Public

I'm done with class, omg. It always feels so freaking weird when it's over, like I'm slacking off by not doing homework. Looks like I somehow managed to pull off an A, although I really have no idea how. This semester was hell, seriously. HTML, I can do. CSS, I can do. Network management? Not so much. Ugh.

So I'm actually free for a couple of weeks. \o/ I'll be back on chat after tonight, if anyone wants to poke me. I'll also be (hopefully!) finishing some stories that have been languishing (burgaw, it's coming, I promise!), and working on my jewelry again (meinnim, I didn't forget you, either!). It's going to be great!

Tonight, though, I have to finish up some cleaning crap and Christmas shopping. Well, I really kind of have to start the cleaning, actually... Lol. At least the shopping is almost done, though! Just my mom, Isaac, and a friend to finish up. Whew.

Oh, I got Folie a Deux in today! Damn album has grown on me even more than I expected. Kinda love the lack of liner notes. The FAD bracelet is hideous, but I'm still wearing it.

Also, saw FOB and TAI and WTK last Friday at House of Blues in Orlando. Seriously, one of the best shows I've been to. Patrick can sing live like nobody's motherfucking business, man. Pete bantered with the crowd and the guys like a total dork/asshole, Joe rocked the guitar like a fucking madman, and Andy was an absolute god on the drums. TAI was amazing, as well, although their set was shorter than I wanted. :P Even WTK were fun. I'm not a huge fan of theirs, but they are adorable.

Met crazy awesome fangirls at the show, too. I'm generally really shy around new people, but I seriously had a blast with everyone. ♥

Alright, off to get shit done. Hopefully.

Date: 2008-12-10 12:10 Subject: Queer essentials music exchange meme pimpage Security: Public

Very belated, but I've been meaning to pimp this for awhile. QUEER ESSENTIAL MUSIC EXCHANGE MEME. Some fabulous music to be found and shared!

Date: 2008-12-07 15:03 Subject: Folie a Deux leakyleak review Security: Public

So far I like maybe 5 songs off FAD. Every song has at least 1 line that makes me roll my eyes and think these guys really should have taken a little more time to work on the album. I mean, "I'm not a crybaby | I'm the crybaby"... Seriously? Ugh. Not very impressive lyrics, in my opinion. Everything just feels kind of strained, forced. And that's not even getting into some of the weird ass music. Sorry boys, I'm just not sure about this one. The whole thing just feels kind of...gimmicky. I don't know. :/

I'm sure it'll grow on me, and I'll catch myself singing along to songs that, right now, I can't stand (What a Catch, w.a.m.s). I almost always dislike band's new albums when I first listen to them. I don't think I'll ever consider this to be the best of their albums, though, which makes me kind of sad, given how proud they all seem of it.

Still, I'm a firm believer in artists making art for themselves, not the masses, so, yeah. :)

Likes: I Don't Care, America's Suitehearts, Headfirst Slide, 27, West Coast Smoker
Maybes: Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes, She's My Winona, The (Shipped) Gold Standard, (Coffee's For Closers)
No Likey: What a Catch (will probably grow on me), w.a.m.s, Tiffany Blews

For the record, I didn't like Headfirst Slide when it first came out, so that's a perfect example of how my reaction to new albums changes from "wtf, this is nowhere near as good as their old stuff, I hate it!!!1!" to "huh, this isn't that bad, actually" to "*sings along repeatedly*". :P

Date: 2008-12-03 21:33 Subject: Was it a dream? Security: Public

So, I'm driving along with TLE (ink_on_the_page's son) tonight, and thought I was taking a back road, that turned out to be a dead end, and suddenly remembered this time when I did the same thing and got car jacked/mugged, but I talked the guy into just taking my wallet and cash and letting me go, and he was actually kind of nice, for a guy who was mugging me. Now, the creepy part is, I think this was a dream, and didn't really happen, but I'm not actually sure.

Wtf?! It was actually one of the freakiest moments of my life, sitting there thinking I was going to get mugged again, but this time with a 4 year old in the car, but oh wait, did that even really happen? It was...kind of like having a nightmare while awake. Maybe I'm really going crazy? I was always afraid that would happen...

Aaaalright, then, brain.

On a much better note, Stephanie and I are going to see TAI and FOB at House of Blues in a week and a half!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, I've been sitting on these tickets for weeks, and didn't know if she could go and didn't want to ask and make her sad because she couldn't go but finally manned up and asked and she said OMGWTFBBQ OF COURSE HOLY SHIT and I said YAAAAAAAAAAY! So. That was good!

And finally? Frank's fanboying of Gerard made me flap my hands like an utter dweeb today at work. Good god, boys, could you get anymore adorable. ♥_♥

Date: 2008-11-30 22:04 Subject: Nano08 Security: Public

50,622 words! \o/

Date: 2008-11-21 12:18 Subject: The Matches Security: Public

Does anybody have The Matches album that they would be willing to share? Mine seems to have gone missing, probably amidst the disaster that is my car. :(

Thanks in advance!

Date: 2008-11-20 10:25 Subject: Razia's Shadow Security: Public

Everyone probably already has this, since I was way behind in getting it, but I was just sharing Razia's Shadow with a friend, so figured I'd post here for shits and giggles. :P

As always, if you like, please buy and support the musicians.

Razia's Shadow: A Musical

Date: 2008-11-17 18:47 Subject: Writing roundup Security: Public

Stories to be written:

Untitled: Nano original fantasy, 10k behind schedule
Untitled: Brendon as Ryan's maid


Stories to be finished:

Untitled: treasure-hunting!Panic au
As these days watch over time: vamp!Gerard, Frank/Gerard
Ain't nobody's business: crooner!Brendon, GSF
Still seeing worlds: cop!Brendon, psychic!Ryan
Untitled: zombies, Frank/Gerard, Patrick/Pete, Jepha/Victoria, Alicia/Mikey, Bert/Quinn
Untitled: hair care pranks, Cash/Marshall


Trying to decide whether or not to claim:

Swapping: Brendon/Ryan, Jon/Spencer --> Brendon/Jon, Ryan/Spencer
Slutty clothing (public): Brendon/Spencer
Speech restrictions: Patrick/Pete


I wish I liked my writing more; I might actually get something finished for once, then. :(

Date: 2008-11-04 08:18 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

6,659 / 50,000 (13.3%)

Last night I had a dream that I opened the jug of orange juice and three birds flew out. A baby vulture, which bit me, something else that I can't remember right now, and a dove. I woke up sure that it meant something, which is unusual for me, since generally I can associate my dreams with something I was watching or experiencing or whatever. I wish I could remember what the other bird was.

Happy voting day to my American buddies. x_x

Date: 2008-10-22 20:37 Subject: Meme Security: Public

Ganked from ink_on_the_page, in two minutes between homework projects, because, hey, art. Miss you all! ♥

Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...

Balanced, Secure, and Realistic.

7 Impressionist, 4 Islamic, 6 Ukiyo-e, -6 Cubist, -7 Abstract and -7 Renaissance!

Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy

Date: 2008-10-21 18:41 Subject: Lol, awesome Security: Public

My Mormon name is Raechelle Serenity-Tabitha-Ann!
What's yours?

Date: 2008-10-12 18:55 Subject: Well fuck you very much Security: Public

Well, it was bound to start happening to people I love. My aunt was let go from her job on Thursday. She's worked there for 30-some years, and wasn't given so much as a day's notice.

I'm so fucking tired, and I have too much to fucking do, and I can't even really complain, because at least I have a reliable source of income and am still getting my education paid for. Motherfucking fuck.

On an unrelated note, I think I'm writing horror for this year's NaNo. Sweet.

Date: 2008-10-06 10:54 Subject: I almost tackled him Security: Public

Dude walking through the library with a Boondock Saints tee. Veritas Aequitas on the front, with the Celtic cross, "Thy will be done" on the back. \o/ Think I need to watch that again, now...

Date: 2008-10-06 10:05 Subject: It's not my fault... Security: Public

Make my eggies hatch? :D

Date: 2008-10-04 00:31 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

Good news is: although part of mom's stomach is apparently paralyzed, she had tests today that showed that there's nothing more dangerous going on.

Bad news is: no TAI show for me tomorrow. There are too many things conspiring to keep me away, including missing tickets, a sudden rattle in my car, and three people expressing their concern over the trip. Last time there was this weird a feeling, I was in my accident. Besides, mom's still hurting, and I've got a shitload of homework to do. Boo. :(

Still, I can only complain so much, having all that stuff with mom cleared up. And tomorrow, I'm gonna make hand lotion and homemade-from-scratch soap!

Date: 2008-10-02 16:00 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

I...um... ♥_♥




Also, of amusement (to me, at least):



Gabe and Aaron from Reel Big Fish. Dangerous combination, there. :P

Date: 2008-09-30 13:54 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

Seriously, it's been, like, 8 years or something. The dreams about him can stop now, plskthx.

On a happy note, Neil Gaiman has another book out! Yay! Graveyard Book is a YA novel about a boy raised in the graveyard by "the ghosts, werewolves, and other cemetery denizens". Awesome.